Daily Devotions

"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE, WHERE IS THY VICTORY? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1Corinthians 15:51-57

A "mystery" has been revealed in the New Testament. It is something which you cannot learn by the eye-gate or the ear-gate. Nor has it entered the heart of man ~ that is, it is not something man would have thought of. It is a fact which must be revealed by God. "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" ~ whether you die or don't die before Christ's return, you will have to be "changed" to enter into His presence. "in the twinkling of an eye," a fraction of a second, He will come. There won't even be time to say, "He is here!" "At the last trump" ~ that will be His last call. The trumpet is His voice. John tells us in the Book of Revelation, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet," and when he turned to see who was speaking, he saw Christ (see Revelation 1:10-13). So, "at the last trump" is the voice of the Lord Jesus. On His last call to mankind, He will call the dead back to life. As He said in John 11:43: ". . . Lazarus, come forth," He will also call on us by name.
We also will be given new bodies! Isn't this wonderful? Paul tells us that we all will be given new bodies when Christ returns, and that these bodies will be without disabilities or sickness. This gives us hope in our suffering today.
Death has lost its sting, because we are to look way out beyond death. It is a doorway that opens up the vast regions of eternity. It starts us down the hallway, not of time, but of eternity. He tells us, "I'm your Shepherd. I not only lead you through this life, but I'll lead you through the deep waters of death, and I will bring you into eternity." So, like a little child, we are afraid, but we can put our hand in His nail-pierced hand, and He will lead us to the other side. "O grave, where is thy victory?"

Application:
Satan seemed to be victorious in the Garden of Eden, and at the cross of Jesus. But God turned Satan's apparent victory into defeat when Jesus rose from the grave! Therefore, death is no longer a source of fear. Christ overcame it and one day we will too! Death has been defeated, and we have hope beyond the grave!
May God bless you with a wonderful day in the presence of the Lord, doing all to glorify His Holy Name.

Love in Christ,
Sandy