Coffee With The Lord

When Sharon and I are in Montana we attend a small (but growing) church in Columbia Falls, Montana – Journey Church.  A few weeks ago I was so impressed with what I observed there!  I experienced a wonderful, pastoral message from God’s word about the importance of sharing you faith in Christ with others.  I participated in sincere and uplifting worship.  But what impressed me the most was the evident “family of God love” that congregation exhibited for each other.  For these people, their “church” was not just a Sunday thing – they were really involved in each other’s lives – they were taking the love of Jesus to their community in practical and wonderful ways.  They were demonstrating the truth Jesus taught… “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13.35)

I thought of that this morning as I read Psalm 133 during my time of “Coffee with the Lord”…

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!  It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aarons beard, down on the collar of his robe [i.e., a picture of the blessing of “anointing”]!  It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion [i.e., the blessing of the Lord that brings vitality and fruitfulness]!  For THERE the Lord bestows His blessing – even life forevermore!”

Just let me say, if that atmosphere and “spirit” is sustained in that church IT WILL GROW!  There is an infectious, contagious attractiveness about that kind of atmosphere, created within a congregation by the Holy Spirit, that draws people to Christ and the fellowship of believers… “THERE THE LORD BESTOWS HIS BLESSING – EVEN LIFE FOREVERMORE!”

Among Christians some of the biggest fights and angry disagreements have been over “eschatological issues” – especially over the timing of the “rapture” (the “catching away of Christians” to be with their Lord). It’s tragic really!

On that issue, my Bible reading today included an “authoritative passage” that deals with that subject. Apostle Paul declared that he “did not want the Thessalonian believers “to be uninformed” and what he was sharing with them was “a word from the Lord!”

Based upon what that passage teaches, Christians can be sure of this… DEAD OR ALIVE AT THE COMING OF THE LORD WE WILL CAUGHT AWAY TO BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER! What a wonderful hope and expectation!

Here it is right out of the Bible…

“This we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, AND SO WE WILL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (From 1 Thessalonians 4:15–18 ESV)

We don’t know the precise timing (the “day or hour” – cp. Matthew 25:13) of His coming – that’s up to the Lord (but the indicators it is near are everywhere)! But we can know and can be confident of the result of His coming – dead or alive! And upon that Christians ought to be able to agree! And I intend to stay alert and prepared for “the sound of that cry of command, the archangel’s voice, and the sound of God’s trumpet!” With my Lord forever – imagine that!!! My response? Hallelujah… a thousand Hallelujah’s!

What God is able to do in the lives of rebellious, disobedient, and wayward people!…

I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God! … I will make a covenant of peace with them.  It shall be an everlasting covenant with them… My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (From Ezekiel 37:21-28 ESV)