“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” (Phil. 1:9-11).

The apostle Paul was confident and so am I, that the dear Lord Who has by grace begun His work in the redeemed will also finish it. As God finished His work of creation on the seventh day, he will complete His work of redemption for all eternity in the seventh Millennium. At the beginning of the last day, known to us as the “Day of the Lord” and spoken of in connection to the coming of the Bridegroom as “Day of Christ”, the first resurrection will take place and at the end of it the second resurrection shall come to pass. Now our task should be to look into the mirror of the Word to test ourselves before God, not to remove the mote in the brother’s eye, but the beam that is in our own eye. Only then we shall know according to His Word what the excellent things are. That is the only way to see things clearly. We cannot take the risk and live by the assumption that things are right and everything will be fine. We are the generation that for the first time and, as I am convinced, also for the last time can truthfully say, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” (1 Cor. 15:51).

We now live in the time when the awakening shout goes forth (Mt. 25), we are the generation that experiences first-hand the proclamation of the Gospel to all nations. After this the end shall be (Mt. 24:14). At that time will be fulfilled, “Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill: the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (Mt. 24:40-41). Before Mt. 25:10 becomes reality “… and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage …”, to all those who carry and receive God’s message is given the full measure of the fullness of the Word (Mt. 24:45).

Whatever is promised to the church can only be fulfilled when the time for it arrives. Even the accompanying circumstances must be as they were predicted. Biblical prophecy must now be seen in the overall fulfilment, as it was the case at the first coming of Christ. We have the privilege to be living now, when the fulfilment of the predicted prophecies can be seen. “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” (Mt. 24:33; Mk. 13:29; Lk. 21:31). Highest alertness is the command of the hour. “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the son of man.” (Lk. 21:36).

At the beginning the resurrected Lord gave the promise to His Own, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Lk. 24:49). Just before He ascended to heaven He confirmed it in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

In Acts 2 we see the fulfilment of that promise which applies to the entire time frame of the New Testament. For thus it is written, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39).

The concern was the power of the Holy Spirit working as the power of God in the members of the Body of Christ who are joined together to form a living organism. The ministries and the gifts thereby were placed into the church. Thus the Redeemer could continue His Work through the redeemed. Therefore He said, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (Jn. 20:21-23). Now emphasis must be placed on the transforming resurrection power, which does not only renew the heart and life, but will change our mortal bodies into immortality, as it is written, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Rom. 8:11).

The whole creation is awaiting the manifestation of the sons of God and we are waiting for the redemption and changing of our bodies (Rom. 8, 18-27). This hope will not lead to disappointment,“… because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Rom. 5:5).

The love of God is the highest. God is love! Through His Spirit, which is His innermost being (2 Cor. 2:6-10), He takes abode in His Own, through whom He can live His Own life, manifesting His attributes. Only if it becomes true with us “I am crucified with Christ …” then it will also become true, “nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:19-21) and furthermore, “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” (Rom. 6:8). The love of God was manifested on the cross of Calvary through the sacrifice of God’s Son for all of His sons and daughters. In this love is manifested forgiveness and reconciliation. Whoever does not in reality live out forgiveness and reconciliation has not yet died with Christ, in fact is still a deceived person, whoever it may be. Whosoever lives in irreconcilability and practises enmity here, will have no place there, for he puts aside for himself the cross with the total forgiveness and reconciliation, trampling the blood of the covenant with his feet. Whoever does not live the “Lord’s prayer”, which is the ABC of a believer, does not need to pray it. Therein we still find written, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Mt. 6:14-15).

Only perfect love will enter there. In 1. Cor. 13 we are told about the gifts of the Spirit, even if someone would speak with tongues of men and angels, would have the gift of prophecy and possess all knowledge, have faith to move mountains but not have the love of God, then all was in vain. In verses 4 to 7 the nature of the divine love in a practical life is being described. We are not only to forgive guilt and sin, meaning actual transgressions that we have committed against one another, but also even mistakes we made. We should not hold any evil or any mistake against anyone, but rather comply with what is written, “Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:31-32). We have to watch that no bitterness comes up within us, which is the root of all evil. Only if this becomes a reality in our lives do we partake in the divine nature and can rightfully count on participating in the rapture. We must return to the first love and live it out in a practical way.

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” (Phil. 1:9-11).

The apostle Paul was confident and so am I, that the dear Lord Who has by grace begun His work in the redeemed will also finish it. As God finished His work of creation on the seventh day, he will complete His work of redemption for all eternity in the seventh Millennium. At the beginning of the last day, known to us as the “Day of the Lord” and spoken of in connection to the coming of the Bridegroom as “Day of Christ”, the first resurrection will take place and at the end of it the second resurrection shall come to pass. Now our task should be to look into the mirror of the Word to test ourselves before God, not to remove the mote in the brother’s eye, but the beam that is in our own eye. Only then we shall know according to His Word what the excellent things are. That is the only way to see things clearly. We cannot take the risk and live by the assumption that things are right and everything will be fine. We are the generation that for the first time and, as I am convinced, also for the last time can truthfully say, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” (1 Cor. 15:51).

We now live in the time when the awakening shout goes forth (Mt. 25), we are the generation that experiences first-hand the proclamation of the Gospel to all nations. After this the end shall be (Mt. 24:14). At that time will be fulfilled, “Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill: the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (Mt. 24:40-41). Before Mt. 25:10 becomes reality “… and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage …”, to all those who carry and receive God’s message is given the full measure of the fullness of the Word (Mt. 24:45).

Whatever is promised to the church can only be fulfilled when the time for it arrives. Even the accompanying circumstances must be as they were predicted. Biblical prophecy must now be seen in the overall fulfilment, as it was the case at the first coming of Christ. We have the privilege to be living now, when the fulfilment of the predicted prophecies can be seen. “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” (Mt. 24:33; Mk. 13:29; Lk. 21:31). Highest alertness is the command of the hour. “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the son of man.” (Lk. 21:36).

At the beginning the resurrected Lord gave the promise to His Own, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Lk. 24:49). Just before He ascended to heaven He confirmed it in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

In Acts 2 we see the fulfilment of that promise which applies to the entire time frame of the New Testament. For thus it is written, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39).

The concern was the power of the Holy Spirit working as the power of God in the members of the Body of Christ who are joined together to form a living organism. The ministries and the gifts thereby were placed into the church. Thus the Redeemer could continue His Work through the redeemed. Therefore He said, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (Jn. 20:21-23). Now emphasis must be placed on the transforming resurrection power, which does not only renew the heart and life, but will change our mortal bodies into immortality, as it is written, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Rom. 8:11).

The whole creation is awaiting the manifestation of the sons of God and we are waiting for the redemption and changing of our bodies (Rom. 8, 18-27). This hope will not lead to disappointment,  “… because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Rom. 5:5).

The love of God is the highest. God is love! Through His Spirit, which is His innermost being (2 Cor. 2:6-10), He takes abode in His Own, through whom He can live His Own life, manifesting His attributes. Only if it becomes true with us “I am crucified with Christ …” then it will also become true, “nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:19-21) and furthermore, “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” (Rom. 6:8). The love of God was manifested on the cross of Calvary through the sacrifice of God’s Son for all of His sons and daughters. In this love is manifested forgiveness and reconciliation. Whoever does not in reality live out forgiveness and reconciliation has not yet died with Christ, in fact is still a deceived person, whoever it may be. Whosoever lives in irreconcilability and practises enmity here, will have no place there, for he puts aside for himself the cross with the total forgiveness and reconciliation, trampling the blood of the covenant with his feet. Whoever does not live the “Lord’s prayer”, which is the ABC of a believer, does not need to pray it. Therein we still find written, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Mt. 6:14-15).

Only perfect love will enter there. In 1. Cor. 13 we are told about the gifts of the Spirit, even if someone would speak with tongues of men and angels, would have the gift of prophecy and possess all knowledge, have faith to move mountains but not have the love of God, then all was in vain. In verses 4 to 7 the nature of the divine love in a practical life is being described. We are not only to forgive guilt and sin, meaning actual transgressions that we have committed against one another, but also even mistakes we made. We should not hold any evil or any mistake against anyone, but rather comply with what is written, “Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:31-32). We have to watch that no bitterness comes up within us, which is the root of all evil. Only if this becomes a reality in our lives do we partake in the divine nature and can rightfully count on participating in the rapture. We must return to the first love and live it out in a practical way.