so eager to tell us where the beggar himself is! We read in Luke 1 6 :22: “ The beggar died” — that is what any passerby might observe. But look! the veil is parted, for we continue to read, “ . . . and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.” One instant, he was a despised beggar with only the dogs to pity him; the next, he was regnant, with the angels as his willing servitors! And then the word comes like clear, sweet music: “ Lazarus . . . is comforted.” “Absent from . . . present with.” His was an immediate entrance into the presence of the Lord. In Philippians 1 :23, Paul declares: “ For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a de sire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.” Note those words, “ depart and to be”—where? Is he to be in a state of soul sleep, or to enter for a period of soul purification into the flames of purgatory? No, no! For Paul, to depart from this life meant “to be with Christ.” And for you to depart from your beloved fellow-believers means the same thing—“ to be with Christ.” The expression, “ soul sleep,” is not in the Bible, and what it implies is not taught in the Bible, either. The word “ sleep” applies only to the body of a believer which awaits the return of the Lord to be raised and fashioned like unto His glorious body. Our loved ones are in the presence of the Lord now—conscious, glad, praiseful. When the Lord Jesus Christ descends from Heaven with a shout, the departed spirits of believers will descend with Him. Their bodies will be raised—immortal, glorified—and they will assume these bodies. At the same time, living believers shall be “ caught up,” their bodies also instantly changed, and all will meet the Lord in the air. What a morning that will be! When John Harper, the well-known English evangelist, was journeying to America to conduct an evangelistic campaign in the Moody Church of Chicago, he was a passenger on the ill-fated White Star liner Titanic. The evening of the catastrophe, Dr. Harper was standing on the deck with a friend, watching the sunset. The heavens were aglow and the picture they presented was one that only God could paint. Harper turned to his friend and said, “ It will be beautiful in the morning!” The friend who survived reported the incident. The words were almost prophetic. A few hours later, the great liner struck an iceberg, and Dr. Harper went into the Saviour’s presence from the deck of the sinking ship. But for him, “ the morn ing” was indeed “ beautiful.” There’s a glad and glorious morning ahead for every child of God. It will dawn when the Lord shall descend, when the bodies of believers that sleep in Christ shall awake, and when we which are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet the Lord (I Thess. 4:13-18). “ It will be beautiful in the morning!” BE
carttnoui them a Gospel ifJihn?
You can give them the Gospel and a personal message of the Love of Christ, in their own language. J. Edward Smith, International Director Alfred A. Kunz, International Director Emeritus n i é s
49 Honeck Street, Englewood, New Jersey 07631 Canada: 16 Spadina Rd., Toronto 4, Ontario HOW MANY GOSPELS WILL YOU GIVE? I----------------------------------------------- 1 ! POCKET TESTAMENT LEAGUE 49 Honeck St., Englewood, N.J. 07631 I want to give a Gospel-Message to: 10 Persons, 61-00 □ 100 Persons, 610.00 □ 250 Persons, 6 25.00 Q 500 Persons, 650.00 □ 1000 Persons, 6100.00 Q I J NAME j ADDRESS I I I
I CITY, STATE, ZIP ! I____:____L_____________________ I
MAY WE PRAY FOR YOUR REQUESTS? Send to Prayer Time, The King's Business maga zine, 13800 Biola Ave„ La Mirada, Calif. 90638
HELP US REACH THE FORGOTTEN MAN
North America Indian Mission (formerly Marine Medical Mission)—bringing Christ to Indians on reservations of Pacific Northwest—requests prayer for workers for nine new fields. Wanted—to reach forgotten man Nine missionary couples. . . school teachers.. . field helpers camping leadership. . . summer student volunteers Pray “the Lord of the harvest” for labor ers. Write for Information and FREE publications. North America Indian Mission 2205 Fir St., Vancouver, B.C.
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M A Y , 1969
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