Gems for the Week
October 24
"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." (1 Corinthians 15:51,52)
"The dead in Christ shall rise first."
What a stupendous scene! All that are Christ's, including, therefore, saints of the past, as well as of the present dispensation, shall rise at His coming. (1 Corinthians 15:23) Tracing down the line of the ages from Adam till the last saint to be gathered in, all this countless multitude will, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," spring up from their graves - raised incorruptible. And not only so, but all the saints then living will be changed, so that all alike will be clothed upon with their resurrection bodies, in fashion like unto Christ's body of glory. (Philippians 3:21) It is, then, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, that the saying that is written will be brought to pass, "Death is swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:54) (see also 2 Corinthians 5:1-4)
But no sooner has this marvelous change been wrought, than all its subjects will be caught up "in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Then the Lord Himself enters for the first time, as far as His people are concerned, upon the full fruit of His redemption-work, of the travail of His soul.
And what tongue could tell, or pen describe, His joy when He thus redeems from the grave the very bodies of His people, and when He brings by the word of His power all His chosen ones into His presence, and all conformed to His own image! Nor is it possible to express even our own joy, the joy on which we then shall enter, when the longing desires of our hearts are all realized, and, like Him, we shall behold His face, see Him as He is, and be with Him for ever. (Edward Dennett - The Blessed Hope)
N.J. Hiebert # 3502
October 25
"Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)
"It's unsinkable!" That was the proud boast made by the builders of the Titanic, the magnificent ocean liner that on April 14, 1912, went down during its maiden voyage. Most of the 2,100 passengers were sent to their deaths.
In an article for the Danish magazine Evangelisten, Ingvald Andersen told about one of the passengers, John Harper, who was a fervent witness for Christ. According to a survivor, on the evening of the disaster John had led a young Englishman to faith in the Saviour.
Soon afterward, John went for a walk on the deck with his daughter and a niece. As they were admiring the spectacular sunset, Harper said, "It is going to be beautiful in the morning."
For him and any other Christian who died that night, the next morning was beautiful.
Theirs was sunrise on their first day in heaven. Andersen, as he related all of this, urged his readers to be certain of their own relationship to Jesus.
No matter how safe and serene your life may be, it can end in shipwreck at any moment. So if you have never done so, you need to do as that young Englishman did - accept Christ as your Saviour NOW. Then regardless of when or how you die, yours will be sunrise in heaven. (VCG)
When life is over and daylight is past,
In heaven's harbour my anchor is cast,
When I see Jesus my Saviour at last,
Oh, that will be sunrise for me!
(Poole)
Salvation deferred too long
Becomes the tragedy of too late.
N.J. Hiebert # 3503
October 26
"It is appointed unto men once to die, BUT after this the judgment."
(Hebrews 9:27)
"God is a consuming fire."
(Deuteronomy 4:24)
In the panicked circumstance of a raging forest fire, the safest place to be is where the fire has already burned. The terrified sinner, facing the fiery wrath of God's judgment of sin, has but one place to be safe - where the flames have already blazed. On the cross of Calvary, Christ bore the terrible inferno of God's righteous judgment on sin. Accept Him as Saviour; take refuge where the fire has been. Come today. (D. Logan)
N.J. Hiebert # 3504
