Daily Devotions

1 Thess 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
KJV
The Christian can take much comfort from these words. (Verse 18) But there is a challenge here as well. Notice the words asleep, and sleep above. (Verses 13 & 14) This is not a reference to what many call “Soul sleep”. A state of inactivity or unconsciousness after death while one awaits judgment or reward. This is a reference to those who have died in the Lord, to the Christian who now rests at the feet of Jesus in heaven, praising Him day and night. Those ones are resting from their labors here on earth, they sleep in Jesus. Notice that the time to sleep is after we go to be with the Lord, not while we are on this earth. While we are here we are to be active for the Lord, we are to be serving the Lord, we are to carry on the work of the Lord. The time to sleep or rest is coming, but now we are to awake and be active. (Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.) Many are found sleeping today, many who profess to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior are found sleeping today, but the Bible tells us to awake. Even as we draw ever nearer to the return of the Lord we are to be found awake and active for Him. (Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.) When someone looks at your Christian life do they see one who is sleeping or one who is awake?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 29th, 2016 at 4:41 am and is filed under Daily Devotions. You can skip to the end and leave a response.