Awaiting The Blessings of
The Blessed Hope
                                                                                                   By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                                   October 2, 2017
     "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
     Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
                                                                                                   Titus 2:13-14

     "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
     For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
     I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith;
     Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing."
                                                                                                     2 Timothy 4:5-8.  
Introduction
     Every serious student of Bible prophecy is well aware that the Lord Jesus Christ promised to come again [John 14:3], and that His "appearing" will occur at the time of the resurrection and rapture of all true believers, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  The Lord's "appearing" for us is then "the blessed hope" of every true believer.  
      Yet how many of God's people really have an in-depth understanding of the importance of His "appearing," and the blessings ["changes" 1 Corinthians 15:51-52] that will come upon every true believer when He "appears?"  
     This Bible study is to acquaint God's people with the "changes," which will occur, in us and for us, at His "appearing."  I write this hoping that it will be an encouragement, and a cause for rejoicing, to every true believer, as we wait for the SOON coming and glorious "appearing"  of our Lord and Savior.  
Why His Appearing is Our "Blessed Hope"
     [1]  Because every true believer will receive a new body.   
             "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
     Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is," 1 John 3:1-2.  
     "For our conversation [way of life] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:
     Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious [glorified] body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself," Philippians 3:20-21.  
     Here is the answer to the statements of both Paul and John.  Paul told the Corinthians  that our body must experience a "change."   John stated in his epistle that it did not yet appear what our body would be like, but that when we see the Lord we will be like Him.  Here in Philippians, Paul plainly states that when we see the Lord, our body will be "fashioned like unto His glorious body."  In other words, our bodies will be "changed," and made like the body of the Lord Jesus Himself.   Glory to God!  Praise the Lord!  What a "change" that will be!  
     No more sickness!  No more disease! No more pain and suffering.   No more death!   An indestructable body made like "the glorious body" of our Lord.  Hallelujah!    But that is not the only reason that the Lord's "appearing" at the rapture is "the blessed hope" of God's people.....
     [2]   Because every true believer's body will instantly return to the prime of life for ever.  
     Many of God's people today are old, sick, and decrepit, or have a loved one who is in this condition, just ready to die.  Because we are so caught up in this process of natural life, many saved people do not realize that there are no old people in Heaven.  Yes, I said exactly what I meant to say!  
     Certainly, many elderly believers physically die in this present life, some of them being of great age, and often very sick and decrepit when they die.  Yet not one of them is  sick and old and decrepit in Heaven.  
     The instant the soul leaves the body, it reverts back to the same age it was when the believer was in the prime of their life.  No, this is not my opinion, or some unscriptural theory.  
     In the Book of Job it is plainly stated, "If there be a messenger with him [a witness for the Lord], an interpreter [one to expound God's Word], one among a thousand, to shew unto man his righteousness [to reveal God's way of salvation],
      Then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.  [Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:5-6].  
     His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth," Job 33:23-25.  
     There it is plainly stated in the inspired Word.  Now believe it!  
     Oh, glory to God!  Praise the Lord!  Hallelujah!  What a God and Savior we believers have!   And what a "blessed hope" the Lord Jesus has graciously prepared for all who will receive Him as their Savior and Lord!  The new body we are going to receive will be in the very prime of life, just like our Lord was when He was crucified.  And our new body will remain that way for ever!  
    [3]  Because at our Lord's "appearing," we will meet again those of our saved loved ones who have preceded us in death.  They not only will be there to welcome us to Heaven, but they are even now eagerly  anticipating our arrival.   
     We sometimes grieve in great sorrow over our loved ones who have been taken from us.  But has it ever occurred to our readers, that they miss us too, and are eagerly awaiting our coming to be with them?   
     Many today who have had what is commonly referred to as NDE's or Near Death Experiences, upon reviving, have related that their loved ones in glory were not only awaiting their coming, but were overjoyed to see them.  And when they had to return to this present life, their loved ones assured them that it would be only a matter of time before they would all be re-united in Heaven.  What my readers think about these near death experiences is up to them, but I have read the testimonies of many people who have gone through these experiences, and I personally consider most of them to be highly reliable.  Sometimes our gracious Lord does pull back the curtain and gives us a glimpse of what is awaiting us on the other side.
    The Apostle Paul was inspired of God to write, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known," 1 Corinthians 13:12.   
      When the "blessed hope" becomes glorious reality at the rapture, there is no question in my mind that we will be re-united with our saved loved ones who preceded us in death.
     I personally have a precious Mom and Dad, a brother and some sisters, already in Heaven awaiting my coming.  As I have heard others say, "I now have more loved ones and friends on the other side, than I have down here."  What a glorious re-union we have awaiting us!     
     [4]  Because some of us believers will meet our own children for the first time, which we have never previously met.  What in the world do I mean by this statement?  I'm so glad you asked!
       I know there are women reading this, who have suffered miscarriages, or whose baby had to be surgically removed from the womb because it had died in her womb.  Today, there is also the wickedness of "legalized abortion" taking the lives of the innocent unborn. When such happens, most people assume that such babies are gone forever.  Yet the memory and grief of losing that baby does not go away, neither from the mother who was carrying the child, nor from the father who never got to hold his new son or daughter in his heart and his arms.   
      It is my joy and blessing to tell our readers that such an assumption just  isn't true!   When our "blessed hope" bursts into glorious reality at the rapture, those children we never got to know, will be right there to greet us in Heaven. Think about it!   
     It is the Lord Jesus Christ, who imparts the Breath of Life to that child when he or she is conceived in the womb, causing them to become "a living soul." Compare Genesis 2:7.  Is it then even possible for that "living soul" to cease to exist?   Perhaps because of  sickness, disease, abortion, or other complications, the fleshly body of the unborn baby may die in the womb, but the "living soul" can never die, for it is given by Him who is "life" Himself, John 14:6.  Read Ecclesiastes 3:14 and believe what it says!  
     This is exactly why many who have had near death experiences, when revived, have said that they met a brother or sister in Heaven, whom they never knew existed, for their parents had never told them that their mother had a miscarriage.   Folks, has it ever really occurred to you, that a child whose body died in a miscarriage, or in it's mother's womb, can grow up in Heaven, just as easily as one can grow up on the earth?  I cannot help but believe that the Lord God has a nursery in Heaven for such babies. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself explicitly stated, "...Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven," Matthew 19:14.  Our Lord God loves little children, and Heaven is filled with happy, joyful, little ones, being taken care of by the angels [?], or someone else, until they mature.    
     When "the blessed hope" becomes a reality at the time of the rapture, some believers who have suffered a miscarriage or death of a child, are going to be greeted in Heaven by that child rushing up to them, throwing their arms around them, and telling them how glad they are to see their Mom or Dad arriving in Heaven.  You see, by God's grace and insight, they know who their parents are, even though their parents have never met them.   No Mom, that son or daughter you lost in a miscarriage is not gone forever.  No Dad, the son you wanted, but never had because your precious wife miscarried with him, is not gone forever.  Those children will be right there to meet you in Heaven when our "blessed hope" becomes a glorious reality at the rapture.  
     I personally am the father of three precious daughters, whom I have loved with all of my heart since the day they were born.  Yet I know I have a larger family, for my precious wife miscarried two or three times during our years of marriage.  The Lord, in His own wisdom, who knows "the end from the beginning," limited my family to the number of children He knew my wife and I would be able to take care of and provide for.  Due to those miscarriages, I think I probably have children in Heaven awaiting my arrival.  Glory to God!  Praise the Lord!
     [5]   Because we will finally meet the rest of our extended spiritual family; "the family of God," Ephesians 3:15.  
     Even many Christian people do not seem to realize that the term used in the Scriptures, "children of God," is speaking of all those who have been truly saved, by placing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.   This is why we address fellow believers as "brother" or "sister."  Fellow believers literally are our brothers and sisters in Christ; members of the same "family of God."    
     There are a number of instances in the Scriptures, when some ancient prophet or patriarch appeared to a child of God living at that time, and the child of God knew exactly who they were without being introduced, even though they had never seen or met them previously.  How does one explain this, other than to understand that members of the same family do not have to be introduced to one another.  We know one another, because we are members of the same family.  
     Even so, when we meet the Lord's disciples at the rapture; John, Peter, James, Thomas, Paul, etc., we will know them without having to be introduced.  When we meet Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or Moses,  Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, Daniel, Jonah, Hosea, or many others of God's children, which heretofore we have only read about in the Bible, we will know them as members of our same spiritual family; the "family of God."  Glory to God!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!
     [6]   Because at the "appearing" of the Lord Jesus, we who are true believers will be "caught up" out of "this present evil world," and will finally be taken to our home in Heaven, 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Galatians 1:3-4.  
     This will be the "home" the Lord Jesus went away to "prepare" for His Church and New Covenant people, John 14:1-3. There we will finally see for ourselves, and enter into, the "New Jerusalem," Revelation 21:2.  
     Some today read the description of this magnificent city in Revelation 21, and believe all of it's description to be symbolism.  Hogwash!  That eternal city is real!  At the "appearing" of the Lord, His people will see that city for themselves, "walls of Jasper," "gates of pearl," and the eternal dwelling place of "the bride of Christ,"  Revelation 21:9-10.  
     I am well aware that John was shown this beautiful city towards the end of the vision given to him.  But this does not mean that the raptured saints will have to wait until after the Tribulation and the thousand year Millennial Kingdom to enter that city.  Rather, we will begin to enjoy the blessings of that city immediately after being "caught up" by the Lord Jesus at His "appearing" for us, Revelation 4 - 5.
     We are not going to spend the seven years of the Tribulation period and the 1,000 years of the Millennial Kingdom, merely hovering in space. Just as John was shown the "throne of God" immediately following the "church age," so we will be taken to God's throne at the "appearing" of Christ, Revelation 4:1-4.  Now where does the reader think "the throne of God" is located?  It is located in "New Jerusalem," and that is where the Lord will take His Church and His people following His "appearing" for us.  Glory to God!  Praise the Lord!  Hallelujah!  
     [7]    This also means that we believers will finally see and meet our beloved Heavenly Father personally following the "appearing" of our Lord "in the air" at the rapture.  Glory to God!  
     Yes, glory to God!  We will finally meet Him who loved us enough to give "His only begotten Son" as a sacrifice for us, that we might have forgiveness of sin and eternal life through faith in His Son, John 3:16.  We will finally meet the ONE we have addressed as "Abba, Father," in prayer, since we first received Christ Jesus as our own personal Savior, Romans 8:14-16.  
     Oh, what joy it will be to bow before His throne in glory, and thank and praise Him, and once again give our allegiance to Him, for His love for our souls, and His mercy and goodness upon our lives.  Remember that the inspired Word refers to God's people entering into "the joy of thy Lord," Matthew 25:21-23.  Well this is it, at the "appearing" of our Lord at the rapture.  This will be the beginning of our new life in Heaven with our Heavenly Father, and it will never end.  Glory to God!
Conclusion
     I have never previously written a study, which I did not know where to conclude the study.  But this is the one!  I could go on and on writing about the glory we believers will enter into at the "appearing" of our beloved Savior to rapture His Church [Bride] and His believing saints unto Himself.  But still being in my body of flesh at this minute, I must bring this study to a conclusion.  
     I will conclude it by telling God's people once more that the coming of Christ to rapture His people to glory is right at the doors.  All of the "signs" our Lord predicted to occur preceding the rapture have either occurred, or are on the horizon to occur.  Folks, it is time for each of us  to set our house in order, and get ready to meet our Lord face to face.  His coming "draweth nigh," James 5:8.  I want to meet every reader in glory.  Please don't disappoint me!  If any reader is unsaved, or has doubts about their salvation in Christ, read Ephesians 2:8-10, and believe what it says.  May the Lord grant His grace to every reader.....
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     Please address all comments, questions, or other correspondence to: Pastor Francis M. Riley, 14275 County Road 8120, Rolla, Missouri 65401. If you have the patience, my cell phone number is 573-201-0491.  Please remember me in prayer when you go to Father God's throne of grace for a season of prayer.  In the love of Christ Jesus.......
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