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Volume 5 ... #15
Rejoice in the Lord
To me, this instruction given by Paul, to rejoice in the Lord, means to rejoice in that which God has said to you by HIS Spirit.
I thought on this and remembered the following:
I Thess. 4 ... 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with HIM.
15 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 (precede) them which are asleep (dead).
16 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:17 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
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For several days, the Holy Spirit said to me: "in the air"
And I thought on this scripture often. I also thought on II Peter 3 where Peter tells us this present heaven and earth will be destroyed. I thought on Revelation 21 where John described for us the new heaven and the new earth, "wherein dwelleth righteousness."
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I rejoiced in these things.
When a young man said the Bible was "legalistic", I grieved ... until I turned to God and was reminded of the following words of Jesus ...
Mt. 7 ... 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
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Then I rejoiced greatly! The Bible is a narrow path through the destruction of this world. As long as we stay on the path, we get through the destruction unscathed.
I Jn. 1:7 ... But if we walk in the light, as HE is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ HIS Son cleanseth us from all sin.
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To rejoice in the Lord ... think of the last word given you by the Holy Spirit ... and rejoice in that word.
The "Lord" is "The Word.