Maranatha - Awaiting Christ's Return

1 Cor. 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Tag: 1 Corinthians 6:19

The Bridegroom, the Church, and the Rapture

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On February 3, 2025

In Devotionals

Mat 25:2-13  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  (3)  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  (4)  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  (5)  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  (6)  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  (7)  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  ( 8 )  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  (9)  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  (10)  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  (11)  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  (12)  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  (13)  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

How many of you love weddings? I surely do! I especially enjoy reading the history of weddings. I especially love Jewish weddings from the Scriptures and Jewish historical documents. To get a full blessing, you should study the Jewish wedding as compared to Jesus and His church.  If you’re born again, you will be rejoicing as much as I am!

Jesus gave us the parable of the wedding story in the above Scriptures in order to for us to make sure that we are ready for His unknown arriving. Re-read the Scriptures and picture this event in your mind.

I truly believe this is a story about the Rapture of the Church! The act of anointing with oil in the Scriptures usually refers to the Holy Spirit. They would anoint someone to send them out to the mission field. The Christian is anointed with the Holy Spirit upon salvation and He dwells within us never more to leave us, amen?

1 Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Let’s pick apart and dissect this portion of Scripture. In this parable of the ten virgins, we see that half are ready while the other half are not. The significant detail of why they are not ready is because half of them had oil (the Holy Spirit) for their lamps and the other half didn’t. The Scriptures refer to them as five foolish virgins and five wise ones. The five that were foolish took their lamps to meet the bridegroom but they didn’t have any oil. They had to leave the five wise virgins to go get some oil. These are symbolic of people who call themselves “Christians” but they are Christians in name only: they are the not saved. They have not been born again and do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them (symbolized by the oil). How do I know that they are not born again? Verse 12 in this parable gives us a clear answer:

Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Jesus, Himself, says that He does not know these five foolish virgins so they cannot be born-again believers! Jesus knows those who follow Him and have the Holy Spirit, who resides within every born-again believer!

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Now let’s discuss the five wise virgins (the Church) who have their lamps (they are the light of the world) and their oil (the Holy Spirit). At the moment the Bridegroom comes for His Church, the foolish five virgins who didn’t have oil in their lamps (the Holy Spirit is the result of salvation) were not ready for His coming and when they returned from getting oil, the door was shut to them and Jesus said He knew them not. Wow! The same thing occurs in a Jewish Galilean wedding. When the groom comes to get his bride, he takes her to his father’s house and the door is shut.

Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Rev 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Can you imagine what it will be like after the Rapture when people go to church, and the people who are normally in attendance are no longer there? One of those could even be the pastor! Can you imagine when a person comes to the realization that he was not truly born again and totally missed the Rapture? That opportunity no longer exists and the future looks grim for them. That person will have to go through the awful judgments of the Tribulation! Even worse, whatever the Mark of the Beast turns out to be, anyone who takes it is doomed to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. (see Revelation 13:17, 14:9, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4)

Those entering the Tribulation period will have to make a choice of whether or not he will take the Mark of the Beast! If that person gets saved, he will have to go through the Tribulation even though he is saved! He will suffer the judgments and may even have to be martyred for Christ or go underground struggling to survive. (see Revelation 6:9) Why would one delay accepting Christ? The god of this world has blinded them and deceived them into thinking there is no god. The distractions placed before them keep them from hearing that still small voice of the Holy Spirit calling them to salvation.

I was raised catholic so I never heard of the Rapture before I was saved; but you can be sure that I was very excited to get saved so I would be included in that blessed event! It is very scary to think that many would rather choose to live in sin like the rest of the world rather than getting to know the Lord personally and accept His free salvation!

To the one who is not saved, this could be your story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

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How Great Thou Art

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On October 4, 2024

In Devotionals

Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psa 40:5) 

With all the devastation in North Carolina and Tennessee, my heart is overcome with sadness. So many have lost their lives, and there are more to come once the states are opened up to rescuers. Imagine all those people buried and have been missing. But in all of this, there are stories of people who have overcome their tragedies and given glory to God. God provides peace in the midst of a storm!

My spirit is overwhelmed with thankfulness and gratefulness to my Heavenly Father. I think on my blessings because I have a Father who loves me and cares for me. He cares for you as well! It is His face that I seek for comfort through my trials and it is this that causes me to search the Scriptures for direction.

Psa 61:2  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

There is none like my God! There is a verse in my Bible that covers exactly what I am going through. God knows me personally – He calls me by name (Isaiah 43:1) – He knows every single fiber of my being – He has the very hairs on my gray head numbered (Matthew 10:30, Luke 12:7) – He tells me that His yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30)! What is that yoke? It is the yoke of the Christian life. Once we are born again, he places His yoke upon us. The Lord does not leave us alone in our Christian walk but He walks with us in that yoke, just as the picture indicates. Farmers yoke a strong ox with a weaker one so that the weaker one doesn’t get weary. I love how Christ used word pictures like this to show His character!

Does this not excite you? It does me! This shows me that my Jesus is right there alongside me, carrying the burdens, carrying my cross with me, helping with the load of care! Oh brother and sister in Christ, isn’t that just a spirit lifter? Oh how I love Psalms. As I read them, the Lord reminds me of verses elsewhere which tie in beautifully.

Jer. 29:11-13 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (11) Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. (12) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (13) 

Thank You, Lord, for being “right there,” and so easily accessible. I no longer have to go through a high priest, priest or Mary – I have direct access to the Father through His Precious Son, Jesus Christ, my One and Only Mediator. I don’t have to enter a church building or temple because my body is the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19). Lord, you know my thoughts, my motives, my heart, my desires – there’s nothing You don’t know about me. Yet, You loved me anyway and you died for me, despite my horrid sinful nature (Romans 5:8). My heart and my mouth will never cease to praise You!

Friend, if you are in the middle of the worst trial ever, start praising! It will get easier with each song and you will feel the Lord’s presence as He calms your troubled spirit! Out of all the hymns and songs today, this is my favorite song of praise! ❤❤❤

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God! when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Hymns 2.0 – I Need Thee Every Hour

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On October 2, 2023

In Devotionals, Hymns 2.0

Lyrics (click here to hear instrumental)

1. I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
no tender voice like thine can peace afford.
Refrain:
I need thee, O I need thee;
every hour I need thee;
O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.

2. I need thee every hour; stay thou nearby;
temptations lose their power when thou art nigh.
(Refrain)

3. I need thee every hour, in joy or pain;
come quickly and abide, or life is vain.
(Refrain)

4. I need thee every hour; teach me thy will;
and thy rich promises in me fulfill.
(Refrain)

5. I need thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me thine indeed, thou blessed Son.
(Refrain)

Annie Sherwood Hawks (1835-1918)

The History Behind the Hymn

This hymn by Annie Sherwood Hawks (1835-1918) reflects the same general characteristics as those of the other four 19th-century women hymn writers discussed during Lent.

The women all employ first-person accounts that grow out a deep personal piety, resulting in a language of intimacy between the singer and the Savior.

A New York native, Hawks displayed a gift for verse at the early age of 14, contributing poems on a regular basis to a variety of newspapers. Though she composed over 400 hymn texts, “I Need Thee Every Hour” is the only hymn of hers that is still sung today.

Following her marriage to Charles Hawks in 1859, much of Hawks’ life centered on the domestic aspects of rearing three children. She was a member of Hanson Place Baptist Church in Brooklyn, N.Y., where Dr. Robert Lowry, a prominent writer of gospel songs, was her pastor. Lowry encouraged the gift that he saw in Hawks’ poetry.

We have a personal account of the genesis of “I Need Thee Every Hour”: Hawks writes, “One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks during a bright June morning [in 1872]. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me — ‘I Need Thee Every Hour. . . .'”

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-i-need-thee-every-hour

A Lesson for Me

1 Peter 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

There is not a moment in my life as a believer where I haven’t needed the Lord! He’s present in every part, whether good or bad. He’s present when I sin against Him, and when I have victory over sin. There is no where that I can hide from His presence because His Spirit is with me. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

2. I need thee every hour; stay thou nearby;
temptations lose their power when thou art nigh.

Message for today

Christians seem to forget that God is omnipresent – meaning He is everywhere at all times. Just because we cannot comprehend that characteristic of God with our finite minds, it doesn’t mean it isn’t true. There are so many aspects of our Heavenly Father’s character that we fail to remember just who He is!

Psa 139:7-10  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  (8)  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  (9)  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;  (10)  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Not only is He the creator of absolutely everything, He is all powerful and there is nothing too difficult for Him. He is omniscient – He knows everything, yes even your deepest thoughts hidden in the corner of your heart. There is nothing about you He does not know. That is why it is to your benefit to confess your faults daily to Him. Keep your accounts short!

3. I need thee every hour, in joy or pain;
come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

Are you hurting and those around you have abandoned you? Turn to Him with your needs! Do you have a physical trial which leaves you without strength? Turn to Him. There is no item so small that you cannot share with the Lord. Our author became aware of her need for the Lord while she performed her duties as a wife and mother! Such simple tasks brought to her mind her need for Him. For some, it takes a major trial before they come to the realization that they need God. Our lesson here is, as believers we should seek Him and need Him every hour!!

If you are not truly born-again, there is coming a time when it will be too late for you to repent and be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

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