Time and manner of resurrection

Revelation 20:4-5 

4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

5  (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.

John 14:1-3 

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 

2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Philippians 3:21 

who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Colossians 3:4 

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

About Suffering

Psalms 91:1-2 

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalms 138:7 

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.

John 14:27 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Bible Verses about Blessings

2 Corinthians 12:10  

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Blessings of Heaven

Romans 5:6-8  

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 

7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Crown of Life 

James 1:12  

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Revelation 2:10

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

The Victor’s Crown

1 Corinthians 9:25-27  

25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 

26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 

27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Things Men Can Do

OR discontinue at will

1 Timothy 1:19  

Holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.

1 Timothy 6:10  

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Blessed only if they continue in His goodness

Romans 11:22  

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

Be blessed if they continue in the faith

Colossians 1:23  

If you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

1 Timothy 2:15  

But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Be finally saved if they continue in the truth

1 Timothy 4:16  

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Let eternal life continue in them

1 John 2:24  

See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

25 And this is what he promised us—even eternal life.

OR have it taken away through sin

Romans 8:12-13  

12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.

13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,

Galatians 6:7-8  

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

I am your Creator

Jeremiah 1:4-5 

4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Time for you to be saved:

Jeremiah 4:14 

O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?

Hinders knowledge of God:

Jeremiah 9:6 

You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,” declares the LORD.

Keeps men from God:

Jeremiah 8:5 

Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return.

At the Cross-roads:

Jeremiah 6:16 

This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Becoming Mature:

Ephesians 4:11-14  

11 It was he, who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 

12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 

13  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Reasons for Studying the Bible

1. For eternal life.

John 5:39  

You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,

2. To teach.

Ezra 7:10  

For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

3. For confirmation.

Acts 17:11  

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

4. To answer.

1 Peter 3:15  

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

5. To help others.

Acts 8:31  

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Evangelism 

Evangelism: Neighbors—Taking the Gospel next door….

Once your neighbor has had his interest piqued by your lifestyle, his thoughts provoked by your questions, and his conscience pricked by God’s law, share with him the only solution—Jesus Christ.     …Josh Malone.

"Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" - Corrie ten Boom

"Jesus Christ carries on intercession for us in heaven; the Holy Ghost carries on intercession in us on earth; and we the saints have to carry on intercession for all men." - Oswald Chambers 

The reason for everything

Jesus honored God by fulfilling His purpose on earth. We bring God glory the same way. There are many ways to bring glory to God but they can be summarized in God’s five purposes for your life -

1. We bring God glory by worship him.

2. We bring God glory by loving other believers.

3. We bring God glory by becoming like Christ.

4. We bring God glory by serving others with our gifts.

5. We bring God glory by telling others about Him.

- Wonderful God, it is my deepest desire to bring you glory. Help me to see your glory all around me today. Nothing would exist without you. It’s all for your glory!

Thoughts

- Christ is the reason for the season.

- Obedience to God is the key to freedom.

-The spirit’s keen paring knife enhances a Christian’s fruit-bearing life.

- No one who is abandoned to God will feel abandoned by God.

Think it over…

When God is about to do something great, he starts with a difficulty.  When he is about to do something truly magnificent, he starts with an impossibility…Armin Gesswei

The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion.  He hardly knows which is which.  He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing.  To him he's always doing both. - James A. Michener

Many a humble soul will be amazed to find that the seed it sowed in weakness, in the dust of daily life, has blossomed into immortal flowers under the eye of the Lord. - Harriet Beecher Stowe

Ephesians 6:12  

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

The battle we face is not a physical one. Instead, it is a spiritual battle with powers that we do not easily see and which are very powerful. We shouldn't dismiss this as an imaginary battle or as an irrelevant struggle. Just as clearly as Satan was crouching at Cain's door, desiring to have him, so he crouches at our door (Gen. 4:7). He will use his forces of evil to do all he can to defeat, destroy, or corrupt us. We must take this war seriously and recognize the spiritual power of our foe.

Power over Temptation

Matthew 26:41 

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 

11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 

12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 

13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Philippians 1:6 

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:10 

So that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

1 Thessalonians 3:2-3 

2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 

3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.

James 4:7-10 

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 

9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

2 Peter 2:9 

if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.

1 John 4:4 

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

Loving Money:

Ecclesiastes 5:10 

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

Very Wise:

Ecclesiastes 8:17 

Then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.

The Holy  LORD:

Isaiah 30:15 

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Trust in the Lord

Isaiah 40:31 

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Only God:

Isaiah 45:21 

Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.

Worship

The Scriptures include or allude to just about every approach to worship there is: organized, spontaneous, public, private, simple, complex, ornate or plain. Yet there is no comment anywhere about any one way being preferred over another. Rather, it is the spiritual condition of the worshiper that determines whether or not God is at work. -  Harold Best

JESUS

+ Our God is huge!  He is mighty! He is everywhere and knows everything! 

+ He is worthy of all our praises, honor and worship.