Devotional of the Week April 5-11

1 Corinthians 15: 19-26

"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

Herein lies in this passage the message of the Christian hope, which is the hope of the resurrection and eternal life. It is for this very reason that we serve and obey God, against all odds, and against all opposition from others. It is for this reason why we make sacrifices in our lives and with our lives for the gospel's sake. The hope of the eternal is what we look forward to, for we know it is coming, whether we are ready or not. For those of us who are ready for eternity, it will be a time of great joy; but for others who are unprepared, it will be a time of great distress. My friends, Jesus is coming back. He is coming back to destroy the works of the enemy and to bring happiness and lasting peace on the earth; but you must be ready to receive His gift of eternal peace. Those of us who have not made the necessary preparations to receive His eternal peace, will lose out on the eternal hope; for He must put away everyone and everything that is in oppostion to peace and lasting security, including death. It is only and only when the barriers to true happiness and peace are finally removed from the earth, that we can truly experience WORLD PEACE.