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Friday, May 9, 2025
"The Blessed Hope"
Message
summary:
I
pray the
familiarity
that many of
us have with
today's
passage will
not diminish
our sense of
awe and
anticipation,
no matter the
wait. Today we
also encourage
you with these
words,
especially
this phrase, "and
so we will
always be with
the Lord".
Goodbyes are
the law of
earth,
reunions are
the law of
heaven.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"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"
(1
Thessalonians
4:16-18).
"While we wait
for the
blessed
hope--the
glorious
appearing of
our great God
and Savior,
Jesus Christ"
(Titus 2:13).
The Scripture
abundantly
teaches that
our Lord will
come back. The
Apostle Paul
uses the
wonderful term
"blessed
hope" to
describe this
"glorious
appearing of
our great God
and Savior
Jesus Christ".
Christ Himself
made the
promise of His
return even
before He
died, assuring
His disciples
with these
words, "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"
(John
14:3).
Believers have
waited for
this since the
time the
witnesses at
the Ascension
heard the
angels say, "This
same Jesus,
who has been
taken from you
into heaven,
will come back
in the same
way you have
seen him go
into heaven"
(Acts 1:11).
All
through the
epistles there
are references
to Christ's
return and
then, of
course, the
teaching in
the book of
Revelation.
Our two daily texts speak of this imminent return, the latter calling it "the blessed hope".
The
first
reference is
the main Bible
teaching on
the rapture.
Although the
word rapture
is not used in
the text (or
anywhere in
the Bible) it
describes the
two words
"caught up"
that is in the
text. What a
stirring
description of
this glorious
event, "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".
I pray the
familiarity
that many of
us have with
this passage
will not
diminish our
sense of awe
and
anticipation,
no matter the
wait!
1
Thessalonians
4 ends with
this simple
command,
"Therefore
encourage one
another with
these words".
How
encouraging
this message
must have been
to very first
recipients in
Thessalonica
and has been
ever since to
faithful
followers of
Christ in each
generation.
Today we also
encourage you
with these
same words,
especially
this phrase, "and
so we will
always be with
the Lord".
Goodbyes are
the law of
earth,
reunions are
the law of
heaven.
Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Lord Jesus, I
want to live
today in
glorious
anticipation
of Your second
coming.
Because You
buried my sin
into the
deepest part
of the ocean I
do not live in
condemnation.
Rather I am
freely
pardoned by
Your
completely
selfless and
merciful death
upon the
cross. It
brings
unspeakable
joy because
You have
broken the
bondage of sin
that held me
captive. I’m
also overjoyed
in knowing
that You,
Lord, will
come down from
heaven, with a
loud command,
with the voice
of the
archangel, and
with the
trumpet call
of God to take
me to be
caught up with
You in the
air. I am
greatly
encouraged in
knowing that I
will forever
be with You in
the presence
of Almighty
God and the
saints who’ve
gone ahead of
me. That is
indeed a
blessed hope.
Keep me
faithful,
trusting, and
anticipating
that great
day. Amen.
Update
on Ester:
Thank you for
praying for
Ester's
healing and
for guidance
from her
congenital
heart disease
doctor, Dr.
Chaudry and
other
specialists
who continue
to oversee her
medical care.
I met with Dr.
Chaudry
yesterday as
she discussed
the test
results and
the plan going
forward. This
morning she
will undergo a
heart
catheterization
(cath) around
11 am. They
will measure
the pressures
of the heart
and see if
there are more
coils needed
and check
those that
were inserted
13 years ago.
Ester's
symptoms
remain the
same, but she
has a healthy
attitude as
she waits for
improvement.
Your kind
words,
prayers, and
well wishes
bring a smile
to her face
since it's a
reminder that
she is loved
and cared for
by so many. We
do appreciate
your prayers
regarding the
cath scheduled
late this
morning.
Here's a photo
Ester took
last night as
we sat on the
couch in her
hospital room.
Stephen and I
ate dinner in
Hershey at a
popular
restaurant,
Houlihans, to
celebrate our
49th wedding
anniversary
and upon
returning to
the hospital
Ester took
this selfie to
remember our
special day.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"The
Blessed Hope"
Watch
on YouTube
Red Worship
Finally
today:
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Stephen and
Brooksyne
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Encouragement
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ministry).
In considering support we are so pleased when we hear from you, our readers, that our messages are a source of teaching and encouragement to you. We also urge you to consider the mission aspect of these daily teachings that are freely available and read by many all over the world.
Stephen & Brooksyne
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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