GOD’S WORD FOR  APRIL 30

We are reading from a daily devotional  called “Running To Win” written by Erwin Lutzer  and the late, great D.L. Moody.   Erwin Lutzer is a light in our day as D.L. Moody was in his.  Besides his many ministries, and many books, Pastor Lutzer was Senior Pastor at Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years and now serves as Pastor Emeritus there.  He is Chancelor and a former professor at Moody Bible Institute, where he taught Theology and Ministry, and now has numerous radio teachings.

THE KING’S RETURN

Matthew  23:39

D.L. MOODY

When Christ returns, He will not be treated as He was before.  There will be room for Him at Bethlehem.  He will be welcome in Jerusalem.  He will reveal Himself as Joseph revealed himself to his brothers.  He will say to the Jews.  “I am Jesus.”  And they will reply, ”Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.”  And the Jews will then be that nation that shall be born in a day.

ERWIN LUTZER

Christ’s return will happen in God’s time and in God’s way.  There are several reasons for the glorious return of Christ.  First, Jesus will come to judge the world because of its evil (Matthew 25:31-32).  Second, He will come to establish His kingdom on earth (Isaiah 11).  Finally, His return to Jerusalem will fulfill all the promises God made to His people throughout the  Old Testament about a coming golden age (Daniel 9:24-27).

Jesus will say to those who believe in Him, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34).  We are going to be ruling with Jesus Christ over certain territories and have responsibilities in the millennial kingdom, rejoicing that God’s promises are then fulfilled (Revelation 20:4-6).  After a time, the devil will be released, and he will deceive many from all over the world (Revelation 20:7-8).  Then Satan will be cast into the eternal lake of fire, and all who are not in Christ will join him.  Then Jesus will reign for all eternity, and we shall REIGN WITH HIN.  “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

PRAYER

Father, one day every tongue will confess Christ is Lord:  that is, even now, my confession as I anticipate that great day!

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Acts 1:11

    “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

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Matthew 24:6-8

    “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.   For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places. All these are but the beginning of the troubles.

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Matthew 24:44

    “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes.”

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Luke 17:26-30

Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,  but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—  so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

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1 Corinthians 15:50-58

 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

    O death, where is your sting?”

 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

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