BELIEVERS ARE NOT IN THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION

Freelance writer Lupie Riley

Thought:  What does it mean to be a believer?  In Jesus own words you must be born again spiritually.  John 1:12,13 “But to all who received him he gave the right to become children of God.  All they needed to do is to trust him to save them.  All those who believe this are re-born!—not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan—but from the will of God.”  John 3:5-7 “Jesus replied, “what I’m telling you so earnestly is this:  Unless one is born of the water (natural birth) and the spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.  Men only reproduce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from Heaven, so don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again!” 

It’s a matter of confessing that you are a sinner and in need of God’s forgiveness.  This comes through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross that took all sin upon himself (he was sinless and the only one qualified) and paid the price that we should have paid since the penalty of sin is death. He defeated death on the third day through his resurrection.  When we invite Jesus into our life, Rev. 3:20” Look! I have been standing at the door (of your heart) and I am constantly knocking.  If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me”.  We become children of God. II Cor. 5:17” When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand-new person inside.  He is not the same anymore.  A new life has begun!”

I’m sure we would all agree the world is in utter chaos and ready to implode.  Voices out there shout “the end is near”.  For believers we can shout back, WE WIN!!  Satan is locked up for 1,000 years during the reign of King Jesus when he returns in his glorified body to rule the world.  Prior to this he comes for his believers (children) before this judgment falls upon the world.  At the sound of the trumpet, he rescues his children (rapture) from the horror that’s coming in the seven years of tribulation.   I Cor. 15:51-53 “But I am telling you this strange and wonderful secret: we shall not all die, but we shall all be given new bodies!  It will all happen in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye when the last trumpet is blown. For their will be a trumpet blast from the sky and all the Christians who have died will suddenly become alive (given new bodies like Jesus after his resurrection) that will never, never die, and then we who are alive shall suddenly have new bodies too.  For our earthly bodies, the ones we have now that can die, will be transformed into heavenly bodies that cannot perish but will live forever.”  I Thess. 4:16-18 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a mighty shout and with a soul-stirring cry of the archangel and the great trumpet call of God.  And the believers who are dead will be the first to rise to meet the Lord.  Then we who are still alive and remain on earth will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever.”  This is the believers blessed hope.  We have a future that is bright and promising, and we will return with King Jesus in our glorified bodies when he sets up his kingdom to reign over the whole world for 1,000 years. No more tears, no more pain and living in fear as to what’s coming. Rom. 8:22b “We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us—bodies that will never be sick again and never die.”  For believers it’s the beginning of a whole new life in Christ that will never end.

 Are you ready for this glorious event?  Can you look up with great expectation for that great reunion in the sky?  Col. 3:2-5 Let Heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here.  You should have as little desire for this world as a dead person does.  Your real life is in heaven with Christ and God.  And when Christ who is our real life, comes back again, you will shine with him and share in all his glories.”  

If you still need to make that decision to invite Christ into your life, now is the day of Salvation.  You don’t want to be left behind when that trumpet sounds. 

Prayer:  Father God, thank you for this wonderful promise you have made that we can have this eternal life in Christ and the hope of better things to come.  Amen

Verse:  John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Suggested reading:   The book of John   

Married 58 years, four children, nine grandchildren and three greats.  I've been a freelance writer for over 40 years.  Working on a book at the present.  My priorities are God first, family, country. Look me up on Google search by my name Lupie Riley, click on first link. Faithwriters.com