Meet the Lord in the Air

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycz4s2xwDhc

No one gets out of here alive, unless Jesus returns before we die, and we can meet Him in the air, in our transformed glorious bodies. 

Or, as I recently informed a Jewish friend who is facing open heart bypass surgery, the only folks that leave this world alive are those who have faith in Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah.

I am praying for successful surgery, but even more that he might come to have faith in Jesus the Christ. 

When a person's only hope is for this life, as the joys of this life pinch down with old age and ill health, hope fades. But for believers, our hope of eternal glory in Jesus becomes more and more the center of our being.  

But it should always be like that, that our real hope is in Jesus and our eternal relationship in Him. This way, in all circumstances, we are comforted by knowing Jesus. 

As Paul wrote to the believers at Thessalonica, 

The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

1 Thessalonians 4 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout,[e] with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.


And so we will always be with the Lord! We are encouraged by these words. Those who are dead will be raised, and those who are alive will be changed and caught up to meet Him in the air.

So how do we prepare for Jesus' coming?  By living sanctified lives that are pleasing to God.  There is no place in scripture that teaches we should be uncaring about righteousness, that we should be cheer leaders for diversity and sexual immorality.  We are taught to practice and teach self control, putting off the works of the flesh, and putting on the attitudes and actions taught by God.  

1 Thessalonians 4 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Call to Sanctification

4 Additionally then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received instruction from us on how you should live and please God—as you are doing—do this even more. 2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, 4 that each of you knows how to control his own body[b] in holiness and honor, 5 not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God. 6 This means one must not transgress against and take advantage of a brother or sister in this manner, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you. 7 For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness. 8 Consequently, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Loving and Working

9 About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 10 In fact, you are doing this toward all the brothers and sisters in the entire region of Macedonia. But we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do this even more, 11 to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 so that you may behave properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.

No, Bernie, it is not the responsibility of the secular state to provide my needs. I am supposed to work with my own hands so that I can be a helpful and productive person.

Socialism managed by atheistic secular humanist governments has never worked for long in the history of mankind.  Our young people need to study history. 

https://www.hoover.org/research/two-failures

The most blessed people in the history of the world are those who follow Jesus, and work with their own hands to help each other.

I remember well how my mother helped those in our community.  We (her seven children) wore used clothing, went bare footed in the summer, but mother used what we had to help others. 

No, I do not have white guilt.  I have traveled the world visiting people who were taught the good news about Jesus by folks who came from the Western Christian Evangelical cultures. They came not to rob, but to give their lives in testimony about Jesus so that others could have eternal life. 

They taught people to work and live responsible lives so that they could be blessed in this life, and have the hope of eternal life. 

But I have regret for all the people of all races who have left their faith in Jesus, and are now dabbling in Paganism, atheistic humanism, post Christian confusion. and other isms. 

Writing a blog that may be read by fifty people is not getting the job done. How can we effectively communicate faith in Jesus Christ?

By living a productive life, helping others, and speaking the truth in love. 

As Jesus promised, John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QekPh9XfhM0&list=PLPhb5GPf3Rfc944An2iDh_kTHkrKhoCED&index=23&t=0s

Salt and Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLaob2knjJY

Believers Are Salt and Light

Mat 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

Salt preserves goodness, and kills the bad stuff. Bacteria and mold that will rot and ruin (that desired to be preserved) is destroyed by salt. But the value of the salt is determined by the ability and purpose to kill the corrupting influence (mold and bacteria).

The value of our spiritual salt will be measured by how we help preserve righteous principles in our lives, and by how we work to destroy those false ideas that corrupt our society.

If we stop standing against unrighteousness, we have lost our salt.


Mat 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Light reveals truth. Darkness covers up what is there. Darkness in matters of spiritual reality causes doubt. Those who walk in darkness are destined to stumble and fall.

We are to speak the truth in love. We are to shine the light of God upon what is there before us.

God's Word is truth. Jesus is the light of the world. We are to show the influence of Jesus in our lives.

But the promoters of modern morality, the purveyors of post Christian ethics, seem to be obsessed with shouting approval of sexual perversions that are clearly condemned in Scripture, even with the death penalty by stoning.

These modern muddlers of morality, the promoters of diversity and gender confusion, say that those who condemn homosexuality practice are haters, and not true followers of Jesus. Jesus, they say, loves sinners, and wants everyone to be accepted as they are.

But where is the salt and light in approving of things clearly condemned in Scripture?

Jesus is very clear about His position on the Law. The Law is righteous and just, as Paul shows in Romans chapter 7.

Christ Fulfills the Law

Mat 5:17 “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter[c] or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus is clearly a strong proponent of righteousness.  Psalms 119 is your homework assignment. God's principles of righteousness are eternal. Murder, stealing, and sexual immorality are still violations of God's righteousness.  Jesus does not approve of sin, but died on the cross to save sinners. 

He calls all who believe in Him to repentance, a change of heart and direction.  Yes, He died for sinners, but He rose again to give us new life in Him. That new life gives up the practice of sin.


Murder Begins in the Heart

Mat 5:21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire. 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.  

Jesus condemns sexual immorality.  He clearly teaches that we are not to be led by our feelings, but to control our feelings. How we feel does not determine who we are. We are taught by Jesus to practice self control.. 

Adultery Begins in the Heart

Mat 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.[k] 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

This is very radical teaching about the practice of self control. Our feelings are not to rule our lives. But our knowledge of what God wants us to be is to mold and shape our lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Apostle Paul spoke directly about the problem of sexual immorality, which was a great problem in the Pagan context of life in Corinth.  Pagan worship encourages the practice of homosexuality. 

As Paul said, 1Cor 6:9 "Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males,[b] 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Some of you used to be like this, but you were washed. Yes, Jesus died for sinners, and He calls us to new life in Him.  We are not to be ruled by our feelings, but by our knowledge and relationship to Him. 

Paul spoke clearly to the believers at Rome, Rom 1:16

The Righteous Will Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

The Guilt of the Gentile World

18 For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

24 Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.
From Idolatry to Depravity

26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.

28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right. 29 They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. 32 Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.

Yes, you who applaud others who practice such things.  Let all of you who march under the rainbow flag please realize that sexual immorality rots society.  Sexual immorality is about feelings, not about salt and light.  Come out of the darkness and be salt and light. 

Yes, Jesus loves you, and wants you to follow Him.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN69t3MaD00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-TPLE_9e2g