We are to stir, to be roused, and to be excited from our sleep be it natural but most of all spiritually. Revive from being inactive become invigorated within your new life in CHRIST JESUS. Yes, be excited that you are no longer spiritually sleeping; we will rise from the dead just as CHRIST JESUS did because CHRIST lights our way. While we are still breathing and living the earthly life, we know that we are awake to the righteousness of CHRIST JESUS.
Dearly beloved siblings in CHRIST JESUS:
We are awake in the likeness of CHRIST JESUS; praise GOD’s holy name. When we look in the mirror, we should be seeing the image of CHRIST JESUS looking back at us with our eyes because HE resides within us. The very presence of CHRIST JESUS fills us with complete joy. We are not afraid of death because we are overcomers of death; death has no hold on us because just as JESUS got up and walked out of the borrowed tomb we too will awake and walk out of unfortunately the purchased plot or tomb. Those of us who have and will die believing in CHRIST JESUS will live again. See Matt. 27:52-53 if you don’t want to believe me. They did so when JESUS lived here momentarily on HIS created earth and it will happen again. I think (me) that when those who believed in CHRIST JESUS had awakened from the dead and walked away from the grave that they lived with their families again much like Lazarus had done when JESUS CHRIST woke him up. However, after living great and miraculous lives among their family and friends they died/fell asleep again and will arise with us when CHRIST JESUS comes to gather up HIS bride; HIS church. Now, some believe that the cloud of witnesses is those who were resurrected, and this may be true; I don’t know but I also have not found a foundation that substantiates that those who rose from the grave ascended into heaven. It is my belief (and I may be mistaken) that when we awake when CHRIST JESUS comes for us that Lazarus and a crowd of witnesses who lived when JESUS walked this earth along with those who we know and don’t know will travel to meet CHRIST JESUS all together. There may come a time when mankind will die once; this is a natural death but if we are alive spiritually in CHRIST JESUS we will come forward from our grave with a shout for joy. We will live again our bodies, not the ones we had before but a perfect body that no longer is troubled with addictions, aging, diseases, pain, and sickness. We will have a refreshing dew because the LORD JESUS has revived those of us who have fallen asleep waiting for HIS return and our resurrection.
This is an encouragement only for those of us who have accepted the free gift of salvation; who believe in CHRIST JESUS and have no problem confessing with our very own mouth that CHRIST JESUS is the LORD because we believe be it for a minute (meaning that with your dying breath your heart changed to believe in CHRIST JESUS) or for a day, week, month, year or years. We are not afraid of death; death has no hold on us because we will awake again.
Psalms 17:15; Is. 26:19
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