For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Chapter 44: Pages 621-630

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) with Part 3 "The Nature and Extent of Providence", moving to Section 8 "Providence Over Christian Living" - moving to chapter forty-four "The Triumph of Missions and the Coming of Christ".

Here Piper focuses on the certain victory that awaits believers persisting in the current age: "[n]ot one Christian is made perfect in this life.  God's way is to magnify the patience of grace through the persistence of sin.  We have not yet seen the climax of God's saving achievement." As believers await victory and glorification (final day), Piper describes how "[t]he Lord of the harvest will catapult his workers to the nations" and "His mission cannot fail". Piper goes on to say that "[w]hen the gospel has done its appointed work in all the nations, the end will come (Matthew 24:14)."  But Piper continues (using Matthew 24:30-31), encouraging us to not see this as the end but instead as the "beginning of something radically new....Jesus is coming with power and glory to 'gather his elect'.  He is not gathering them for nothing....This is the consummation of what he has been doing for the elect during all of redemptive history.  He has predestined his elect, called them, justified them and sanctified them, and now he is gathering them for the eternal future of their glorification." Piper provides 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 as another example of the ingathering and states that "[t]his is a work of omnipotent providence.  No one but God can do this.  Just as the flood swept the old world clean of sinful people, so the resurrection will fill the new world with the redeemed and renewed people of God."

Piper wraps us up this description of the ingathering by ending on a somber note as both joy and sadness accompanies this time because not all will be save but instead some will perish - "conscious misery forever."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is saving a place for me in Heaven and You promise to gather me and all believers to bring us there - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of this - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin does continue...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.