#345 A Vision of Restoration for California w/ Pastor Ché Ahn

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

”Beloved brothers and sisters, we want you to be quite certain about the truth concerning those who have passed away, so that you won’t be overwhelmed with grief like many others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who died while believing in him. This is the word of the Lord: we who are alive in him and remain until the Lord appears will by no means have an advantage over those who have already died, for both will rise together. For the Lord himself will appear with the declaration of victory, the shout of an archangel, and the trumpet blast of God. He will descend from the heavenly realm and command those who are dead in Christ to rise first. Then we who are alive will join them, transported together in clouds to have an encounter with the Lord in the air, and we will be forever joined with the Lord. So encourage one another with these truths.“

So many people have experienced tremendous loss this year and in the last few years. Loved ones have gone home to be with the Lord and left us behind here to continue the assignments and work that the Lord still has for us. I just speak and release the peace of the Lord over you today. Only the Lord can bring true comfort to those place of aching, pain, grief and loss. This passage reminds us to be encouraged that regardless of time and distance, He already has a determined plan to reunite us with our loved ones as He unites us with Himself in the place that He has prepared for us -- where there is no more pain or sorrow -- only love, joy and the continual awe and delight of being in the Lord’s Presence.