The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that Jesus Himself is coming again to Planet Earth.  It says He will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God.

 

At that point the dead who are Christians will come out of their graves from all over the earth and be caught up into the air with Jesus.  Every dead Christian, even if they were cremated and their ashes were scattered around the world, will miraculously rise up from the earth into the sky.  Then, all the Christians who are alive will be caught up into the heavens with Jesus.  According to the Bible, from that point we will be with the Lord forever. 

 

Let me ask you something.  Do you believe this is true?  Are you expecting Jesus to come again?  Are you making yourself ready daily for His return?  Let me say this.  It is rare that I meet Christians who actually act like they believe Jesus is returning today, tomorrow, or ever for that matter.  But, Jesus will return and when He does, it will be too late to change our actions.  All preparations must be made before He appears in the sky. 

 

Jesus made an interesting statement in Luke that is often overlooked and untaught.  In Luke 18:8 while speaking a parable, Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”  What will Jesus be looking for when He returns?  He will be looking for people who have faith. 

 

When Jesus returns, He will be coming to gather up the church.  He expects the church to be spotless and without blemish.  Jesus is not returning for a puny, beat down church but for a church that is victorious and powerful.  He will be looking for a church that is full of faith.

 

We who are Christians are the church.  The church is not a building, organization or a denomination.  If you are a believer in Jesus, then you are the church.  When the Bible says Jesus is returning for His church, that’s you and me.  Each individual Christian is a part of the church.

 

For the church to have faith when Jesus comes back, we must believe what God says about us and we must live each day in that belief.  Not only do we need to believe, but we must put that belief into action each day.  That’s what is called “walking by faith.”

 

When we walk by faith, we will overcome the things of the world.  Now don’t take me wrong.  We won’t eliminate our problems, but we will be able to go through them without fear, knowing that God always does what He says.

 

God has provided, by faith in His Word, good things for those who believe in Him.  He has promised health, prosperity, peace and deliverance.  All of these things are promised in His Word for those who seek Him in faith.

 

If you prepared a good gift for your child, if you spent time and put yourself into it and the child rejected it, how would you feel?