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No more tears, no more pain, no more despair
By Franklin Graham
After His death and resurrection, Jesus ascended into the
heavens, while disciples stood awestruck and attending angels made this
promise: “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come
in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11, NASB).
Unlike
the incarnation, where our Savior’s full deity was cloaked in His humanity, the
Second Coming of Christ will be visible to everyone on planet Earth.
“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes
even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27, NASB).
For
the believer who has placed his faith in Christ’s atoning work on the cross, it
will be a time of great rejoicing.
The
dead in Christ, and those alive at His coming, will receive new, redeemed
bodies.
For
the unbeliever, however, it will be a time of terror and dismay, as they see
the Savior they have rejected and scorned coming in great power and glory.
Fear
and trembling will overwhelm them as they await their final judgment and
assignment to hell’s lake of never-ending fire.
Although
the Bible says that certain signs will precede and accompany Jesus’ glorious
return, it also tells us that no one knows the day or hour when it will occur.
The
Scripture’s emphasis is always on spiritual readiness.
The
believer in Jesus Christ is to be eagerly watching and waiting for the return
of the Savior. Like the servants in the parable of the talents, followers of
Christ should be busy with the Lord’s work, using their time, talents, and
resources for the sake of the Kingdom.
We
also should be boldly sharing our faith with those who still live in spiritual
darkness and death, telling them of the great joy of eternity with Christ and
the great horror of eternity apart from Christ.
Above
all, believers should be daily yielding to the rule and reign of the Holy
Spirit, walking in holiness.
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The
heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and
the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be
destroyed in this way, … you ought to live holy and godly lives” (2 Peter 3:10-11, NIV).
It
is my prayer that this emphasis will increase your love for the Savior, and
encourage you in the faith.
Death,
sin, sickness, and every form of evil will be done away with as Jesus returns
to establish His Kingdom.
No
more tears, no more pain, no more despair.
Come
quickly, Lord Jesus.
from the January 2009 issue of “Decision” magazine
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Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is reaching more people than ever before
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