Good morning, another day to tell the Lord thank you. We need to remember as Christians that religion is not the goal, saying “Oh, I am a Christian and I believe in God” will not get you to heaven when you constantly live in sin and do not change your ways. The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The real goal is building a bond and relationship with God. Being consistent in His Word and sacrificing for God’s Word will get you to heaven, we as Christians are supposed to suffer for Christ, take up our cross and follow Him, if we are not suffering, we are not doing it right. (Matthew 22:44) Loving God Always. Source: Ms. Anne, Georgetown, GA, NAAV Volunteer Contributor for Spiritual Wellness, May 2023)
Scripture Verses for Meditation:
The Coming of the Son of Man
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
(Matthew 24:29-31)
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomities, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore, go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out onto the highways and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So, he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.’” (Matthew 22:8-14)
1
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (raptured or snatched away) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
No One Knows the Day of Hour of the Lord’s Return
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew24:26-39)
The Day of The Lord
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore, comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2, 4-11)
The Lord our God is in control of the end times and the future. The Lord controls the ultimate fulfillment of time and has sovereign control to bring His promises to pass. Only the Lord knows the exact times and seasons for His fulfillment. (Acts 1:7; 1Thessalonians 5:1)
Those not born of the water and the Spirit will face an eternity in punishment. Those born of the water and the Spirit will live eternally with the Lord our God in His kingdom (Danial 7:18:27; Revelation 22:5). The born-again believers who now live in time and space will live eternally. The Lord our God who is eternal will eliminate time and space and those in Christ will have an eternal relationship with the Lord our God forever.
The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again for His bride the Church without spots or wrinkles. For He says, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the
2
earth?” (Luke 8:18) This question is not answered by the Lord for He leaves it as an open question. There is no doubt regarding the faithfulness of the Son of Man. The Lord Jesus Christ will return for the body of Christ “The Church” and this rest upon the sovereign Word of God. The article titled “The Rapture is at the Door!! Are You Ready?” gives a resounding alarm to watch and pray for the Lord’s return in the air for His bride “The Church” is near. (See “Moments of Meditation” on NAAV’s website at www.naavets.org posted July 2018 and May 2023 for a review)
Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. For when we were still without strength, in time Christ died for the ungodly. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, have now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” (Romans 5:1-2, 6, 8-11)
Will the Lord find us watching and praying upon His return in the air. True prayer is confidence, faith, and trust in God … that is fasting, praying, and rejoicing instead of complaining. Sincere prayer from the heart should bring one to a better understanding of the heart of God the Father. A relationship with our heavenly Father cannot exist without communication through prayer. Prayer is a necessity in the exchange of one’s heart with God the Father. We can always come to our heavenly Father expressing our hurts, disappointments, joys, moods, failures, triumphs, challenges, and deepest needs.
Are You Ready to Meet the Lord Should He Come Today?
You can be ready to meet the Lord today if you are willing to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
(John 3:16)
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
3
“And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ So, they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’”
(Acts 16:30-31)
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes in righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scriptures says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For
whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’” (Romans 10:9-13)
“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance of God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.’”
(Romans 3:10, 23-26)
“How can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3)
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
“Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24)
Sinner’s Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am sorry for my sins, and I ask You to forgive me. I open the door of my heart and receive You as my Lord and Savior. Take control of my life and begin making me that person You want me to be. Thank You, Lord Jesus for saving me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
“This book of the Law shall not depart form your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.” (Joshua 1:8)
Scripture verses taken from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.
By
Constance A. Burns, NAAV Volunteer Contributor for Moments of Meditation, Scripture Readings and Spiritual Wellness; email: info@naavets.org.