The Life Beyond by Pastor Danny Laws

Titus 2:11-15

I’m reminded today of a statement made by Dr. Paul Powell, “We are to be mean-time Christians, not end - time Christians”. Our goal should be sharing the love and grace of God with our family and friends until Jesus does come.

The Apostle Paul referred to the end time as “our blessed hope”. He wrote to those in Thessalonica, “I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (believers who are dead), that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (1 Thess 4:13). Why does Paul describe the second coming as “our blessed hope”? People die daily, but the death of the body does not mean the death of hope. That is why the coming of Christ is our blessed hope”. Christ has promised to come for His church, whether by the grave or by the rapture. Although, we do have varying views about the timing of Christ’s return, the scriptures are clear that He is going to return. I personally believe in the pretribulation position, which teaches the imminent return of Christ before the seven- year Tribulation described in Revelation chapters 4-11. I’m amazed at some of the wild ideas about His second coming. Have you ever heard of “Yeller’s Sect”? This is a group who believers that every time they read of Christ’s Coming they shout as loud as they possibly can. Supposedly if they shout loud enough, that Christ will come back. The last time I read the Bible it says, Christ would shout, “Come hither”, not us. There are four things we ought to be doing in preparation for Christ return:

1.Be Ready (Matt. 24:44)

2.Be Holy (2 Peter 3:11) (Titus 2:11-13)

3.Be at Peace with God and one another (2 Peter 3:14)

4.Be Evangelistic (2 Peter 3:9, 15)

These are things we should have been doing regardless of the corona virus. But I encourage you to make them apart of your lives while today is another opportunity to live for Him. The Life Beyond will happen according to the scriptures as “in the moment and twinkling of the eye”. Are you ready?