AT THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET

I used to work at Pizza Hut as a shift manager. Whenever we got a phone call from another store, telling us that a regional or district manager is “in the area” we would all hustle and make sure everything was up to specs; counters, floors, walls were clean; our double boilers, ovens as well as salad bars, coolers and freezers temperatures were on target. Our service and production people were following all company procedures and policies.

And sometimes we didn’t get a visit – but that didn’t stop us from being ready “just in case”.

In 1 JOHN 3 it speaks of the LORD’s arrival to take His bride away:

1 JOHN 3:2-3
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

We weren’t exactly “hoping” for a visit by our superiors at the Hut, but we saints certainly ARE hoping for the return of Christ! Verse 3 speaks of this certain hope of the LORD’s arrival. This isn’t a wishful hope that rings of a certain degree of doubt (“I hope I get a good grade on that test”, “I hope those medical tests turn out negative” “I hope I win Powerball”), but something akin to faith in the faithful, dependable, never-failing Word of the GOD of Truth. Ours is a certain, reliable hope.

For us saints, there is no doubt whatsoever that the LORD IS in fact – one blessed day (TITUS 2:13) coming back for His bride and the dead in Christ, and we who are alive shall be together with the LORD Jesus, face to Face – and so we shall ever be with the LORD (1 THESS 4:16-18)!

This expectation, if kept vibrant in relationship (LUKE 10:39-42; 2 PET 3:17-18) and with diligence, being watchful and prayerful (MARK 13:33; LUKE 21:36) will always have a profound effect on the saint. It will have a purifying effect on our conduct, where we keep a light touch on the world, keep our focus primarily on eternal objectives rather than temporary ones. We want to be “caught in the act” of doing good and living our lives pleasing to the LORD!

Our zeal and longing to be with our LORD will be proportionate to the depths of our loving relationship with Him. Cultivate a deeply meaningful, intensely intimate relationship with the LORD by knowing the Holy Scripture, spending time with Him in prayer, encouraging one another as GOD’s saints in attending fellowship and in good works (HEB 10:22-25).

The nature of our celestial transformation will utterly astonish us! What I am most looking forward to is having this ugly, putrid, offensive sin nature extracted from my person like a bad tooth! We will be pure, holy, without any trace of sin in deed or thought, absolutely no flaws and entirely incorruptible (1 COR 15:42-44,48-58)!

While we will retain our humanity and have some resemblance to our former selves, the “upgrade” we will experience shall astound us! This will occur when we “see Him, for we shall see Him as He is” and “be like Him” – just as He has a glorified body, so will see (and we’ll also have glorified minds that will be able to comprehend the staggeringly glorious world of heaven – and later, of the new heavens and the new earth!

For more about the rapture as well as the Second Coming of Christ, visit thetruthunderfire.com (scroll to the bottom and hit “web version” and turn your smartphone sideways for the larger view) then tap the tab under The Truth Under Fire banner: “Bible Prophecy and Signs”. You’ll get a drop down menu and can select The Rapture and The Second Coming (or just click this link).

And for more on this, check out the another FROM The MIND Of FIRE (FMF) article, ASWEIRD AS RAIN.

Coming up soon on FMF: TOO HOLY TO RECOGNIZE?