🏃‍➡️Running Toward The Back Wall🏃‍♀️‍➡️

 All should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 (KJV) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

As I read that verse the word “escape” caught my attention. Webster said this about the word “escape”  To flee from and avoid; to get out of the way; to shun; to obtain security from; to pass without harm; as, to escape danger. 

When I was young my Daddy had me helping him rebuild the back porch. It was 12 or 15 feet from the ground. It was about 14 steps up to a small porch about a 3X3 with rails around 3 sides. I was on the ground when I heard my Dad yelling for me to run. I just took off running without looking to see why. As I ran I heard this loud crash behind me. Somehow the porch had come loose from the house and fell to the ground and it hit hard and loud. Had  I first looked around to see why I was to run I would have been hit by the falling porch. I had escaped danger and avoided harm and a trip to the ER thanks to my Dad. Sometimes as I’m thinking back over my childhood and the protection and the many escapes, I often think why did I so quickly listen to my Dad without question? Was it because I knew he loved me and if he said run there must be a reason for saying such. I’m not sure. In the verse before us we read of no escape. Before we read of the no escape we read this “as travail upon a woman with child” that’s an interesting word picture. First we read about the thief in the night, then about peace and safety. Then Boom, destruction❗️🗯️ It comes so fast like a thief and like a woman giving birth. What is this verse teaching us? The day of the Lord cometh and cometh fast. It would be nice if this world had peace and safety but it’s not going to happen no matter how hard we work at it. 

2 Timothy 3:13 (KJV) But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. The race for power is a strong addiction and no matter who or what gets in the way it must go.  This world is in a destruction mode and is gaining momentum everyday. The Apostle Paul is telling us today to wake up, look around, what do you see? The Lord is Coming! He is our only escape. If you were in a building that somehow it caught on fire and there was only one door out what would you do? Hopefully you wouldn’t run toward the back wall. Oh no you would run to the only door there was to escape. Now with that word picture in your mind read this.  

John 10:7 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:9 (KJV) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Are you running toward the back wall?

⏳Time Where Did It Go⌛️

 My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?

1 Thessalonians 5:1 (KJV) But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 (KJV) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

The time or season we have no idea of when the Lord will return and call His people away. Then Paul goes on and says but you know that the day of the Lord is coming and the way He comes will be like a thief. A thief doesn’t let you know when he is coming. A thief makes sure you aren’t aware of his showing up. Well when this world is not thinking or paying  attention, thinking all is well He will come. The problem is that this world just keeps getting further and further away from God so that when He comes it’s like a thief in the night. Many will scratch their heads and say “what happened.” Then Paul goes on, he says but you know, the Lord is not going to be a surprise because you know The Lord is coming, you are looking for His return. I’m afraid that many Christian look at the return of Christ as their death. They know it’s coming but not today I have plenty of time. 

1 Corinthians 15:51 (KJV) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1 Corinthians 15:52 (KJV) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

We may not have as much time as we think! When it happens it will be fast.

🕵️‍♂️Without Doubt 🦮

 Grieving hearts need comforting words from a truthful source.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 (KJV) Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 

Paul tells his readers to “comfort one another” You yourself may have heard these words at a graveside of a loved one or friend right before their body is lowered into the ground. The first thing the Apostle Paul writes about is the assurance of those that have placed their trust in The Lord Jesus Christ. Even though their body is in the grave they are ok and with the Lord. Then Paul tells those that are still living and grieving the loss of their loved one, it’s ok, you’ll be together again. Then Paul goes on to tell those with broken hearts to “comfort one another with these words.” Words from the scripture will always comfort the broken hearted. Better than that, words from the scriptures will continually comfort those that believe they are true. Day after day I write of the truth from the scriptures. Truths I have put my trust in because I know they are true. Let me share one. My dad, my hero, the man that taught me so much, the doctors gave him little time to live. They said it like this “your dad will seem all is well but it’s not and when his time comes it will happen fast, and it did. Oh my! I was really concerned about what they said. First, I was about to lose my dad, my hero. Second, I was concerned about his salvation. He was a good man without doubt but good isn’t enough to get one to heaven. He was in the hospital and on a day in October I sat down and wrote him a letter that I would deliver to him that night. First I apologize for things I did without consulting him and mom thinking it wouldn’t trouble them. Like going and joining the military with a war going on where almost 60 thousand were killed, more than that were wounded and yet way more than that were mentally wounded for the rest of their life. Maybe being a World War II Vet he could have given me something to think about. Then I ran off and got married without a word to just name a few. Then I began to write and tell him about the day that The Lord Saved me. Then I finished up by telling him I was concerned about his salvation. I left that letter with him that night as I left his hospital room. At 11:30 that night he called me. He said he had read my letter and trusted Christ as his savior and two months later he was in heaven. It’s not what we have done, it’s who we have trusted. So when my Dads body was lowered into the cold grave I knew according to the scriptures that I have learned to trust in I would without doubt see him again. Those scriptures have not only assured me but have comforted me over and over again. 

Next time we start in Chapter 5 where Paul writes of the thief in the night.   

🎩It’s Not Magic 🐇

 It’s not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean.

1 Thessalonians 4:15 (KJV) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

After The Apostle Paul says “others which have no hope” Then he says “For if we believe” he says here in verse 15 “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord” Where do you think Paul is getting all of his understanding? He tells us “by the word of the Lord” Now the reason many don’t know is because they know little or nothing about God’s Word. Acts 1:10 (KJV) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Acts 1:11 (KJV) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

This same Jesus not another, not a look Like, not an imposter but this same Jesus “which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner”

The Jesus we read about in our Bibles is coming back. We hear that Jesus is coming; I know you have seen someone holding a sign that reads “Jesus is coming soon.” Maybe someone said the words “Jesus is coming soon.” Maybe you have heard the word “Rapture.” Maybe someone has told you that the word “Rapture” is not in the Bible. Well you heard right it’s not but what if I told you the principal of the word “Rapture” is. The word Rapture means  “A seizing by violence or by force.” 

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (KJV) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: The dead? Where are the dead? Many are 6 feet underground. If you have ever been to the cemetery and watched a casket being lowered into a concrete vault then a lid placed on the vault, then dirt packed on top of all that. Here we read that “the dead in Christ shall rise first” I don’t think it will be a quiet happening in the graveyard. Why do I say that? Because the Bible says this 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (KJV) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Afterwards people who are alive will follow suit. I think all those that are alive one minute and gone the next, well I believe it will be noticed by those left behind. You are talking to someone and then they are gone. An airplane pilot is suddenly gone, oh my! Don’t you think it’s going to be a notable event? I think so. 

🥷Hurt People, Hurt People 🤷🏼‍♂️🤷‍♀️

If you want the rainbow you gotta put up with the rain.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (KJV) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Do you remember the last few words in verse 13? “others which have no hope” Now that word “hope” is not a word meaning maybe or not sure of. Oh no it carries a very positive meaning of  expectation and confidence. The Apostle Paul is saying I don’t want you to be unlearned neither do I want you to be uncomfortable about your loved one or   yourselves. Then Paul starts off the next verse with “For if we believe” I know we all know what the word “believe” means but I always like to refresh my mind so I look up those words that I know. Here is what Webster says: “To have a firm persuasion of any thing”  Jesus told His disciples this 

John 14:1 (KJV) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. Could unbelief bring on a heart that is troubled? I think so. If all I had was this life to look forward to it would be easy to become missable and depressed. Now don’t get me wrong I love living this life with all of its heartbreaks. Because I can’t forget the joy it has brought me. Now my belief in the God that I serve must or has to go further than this life.  If I based Christianity on my Church life and the way others have treated me I would have a poor respect of Christianity. This I had to learn, I can not base God’s character on those who say they are God’s children. Neither can I follow or believe everything I hear. That's why I love my Bible and why I want to know what it teaches for myself.

1 Corinthians 15:19 (KJV) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Yes, our confidence has to go way beyond this life. Paul says don’t be ignorant for if we have confidence that Jesus died and rose again. The question is do we have that kind of confidence? Do we have confidence in Jesus? Do we have confidence that there is a real place called heaven? Do we believe? Do we have confidence? Oh if I were to write of the way I have been treated, just at Church you might say something to me like this “why even go.” My answer would be two fold 

#1~If I let hurt people hurt me then I’m being hurt when there are many other good people who are all around me.

#2~Am I going because of the people? No! I’m going because this is the place I will learn more about Jesus. Confused soldiers are in great danger of the enemy overtaking them.  

If you and I let hurt people hurt us then we might get confused. John 14:1 (KJV) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. That means you are going to have to work at it. Never forget you have an enemy. 

🫶Reunion or Retirement 🛌🪟

 👁️The Jesus that men want to see is not the Jesus they really need to see.  👀 ~G. Campbell Morgan~

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (KJV) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

In this verse the Apostle Paul writes about an event that will take place. Paul doesn’t want his readers to be uninstructed, uninformed, untaught or unenlightened about this event. Now this event that Paul was writing about was the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This event which was a future event and still is a future event except for this event is much, much closer than it was when the Apostle Paul was writing. Why should I say such? You decide for yourself.  Matthew 24:3 (KJV) And as he (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?                                                   Matthew 24:4 (KJV) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. The question of when, was followed by the warning of deception. Then in verse 10 there was hatred, in verse  11 there were false teachers, verse  12  sin is abounding and love becoming cold,  in verse 14 while all this is going on the Gospel is still being preached in all the world. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to see those things taking place now. People are more confused today than I have ever seen. They are confused about what makes them happy, confused about what real wealth is, confused in their thinking, about when life began, about who they are, about which Bible is correct, has or did God make a mistake for who am I really, about gender, sex, love and the list goes on and on. Who do we believe? Who do we trust? What will become of us? Why do I feel like this? We get up in the mornings so we can go to work, so we can come home, so we can go to bed, so we can get up and do it all again. One, oh yes one day I’ll be able to retire and rest and live comfortably. You think? Well that’s my plan. No, that's not your plan, that's someone else’s plan for you. God has a much better plan for you. The apostle Paul said I don’t want “you to be ignorant, brethren” I don’t want you to be hopeless “even as others which have no hope” as the song writer said long ago   “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness  on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” If our directions aren’t right can we say we are heading the right way? If our foundation isn’t solid then we may be on sinking sand. What are we looking forward to? Retirement or Reunion? 

🚫Don’t Do It‼️

 For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 

1 Thessalonians 4:6 (KJV) That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

That word “defraud” caught my eye Webster said “obtaining something by deception or artifice, or by taking something wrongfully without the knowledge or consent of the owner; to cheat;” I’m sure at one time or another we have all been taken advantage of. Yesterday I got 5 phone calls of someone trying to wrongfully take advantage of me. Today I will get more calls and on and on and on it goes. I will get a call from A.I. and if I answer all the questions right then a real person comes on the line. Then that real person will try to draw information from me that they could use to hurt me financially. That my friend is being defrauded. Well this is nothing new, it's been going on for centuries. The Apostle Paul says don’t do it! Fornication, don’t do it “abstain” then Paul says “defraud” don’t do it! Paul goes on 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (KJV) For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. God hasn’t called us to be sexually immoral  but to be holy.  God has not called us to cheat others but to be truthful with others. The way we act toward God will come out in the way we act toward others. 1 Thessalonians 4:8 (KJV) He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. The person that “despiseth”   Webster said this about Despise “to have the lowest opinion of ” oh you aren’t despising man but your opinion of God has come to the lowest point. One must ask themselves, is what I’m doing or getting worth the price I’m paying, Or will pay?