We are grateful to God for the grace that He has bestowed upon us through Christ Jesus our Lord, as well as the promise of eternal glory that is rooted in that grace. It is only through His great mercy that we have been granted an inheritance in heaven that will never fade away. Apart from God, who could have possibly conceived of such wonders of grace as those revealed to us through Christ Jesus our Lord? It was God who planned and ordained them, and He has called us to share in His kingdom and glory.
The almighty power of God was at work in the miraculous conception of Jesus in Mary. He created the life within her womb, and nine months later Jesus was born. The exceeding greatness of His power was demonstrated when He raised Jesus from the dead after three days and three nights. God’s almighty power was also evident in the ascension of Jesus into the heavenly realm. He exalted Jesus to His right hand and made him Lord and Christ, far above all others in heaven and on earth, both in this age and the age to come. As the head of the Church, which is his body, Jesus is the fullness of God. God’s almighty power was also manifested in the new birth, enabling people to become children of God. He sealed every child of God with the promised holy spirit until the Day of Redemption.
God’s almighty power will once again be displayed when He commands His Son to gather the Church. At the Lord Jesus Christ’s command, the dead in Christ will rise to eternal life and the living believers will be transformed into bodies like his glorious body, never to die again. Both the deceased believers and those still living at his coming will be gathered up to meet the Lord in the air, and from then on we will always be with him. This incredible event will happen in an instant, possibly with billions of people partaking in it. Who could have ever imagined such a demonstration of power?
The One True God holds the power to grant eternal life to those who confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead. Through His omnipotent strength, God will reveal His might through the resurrection of the dead and the creation of a new heaven and earth. He will make all things new, and the past will fade from memory. Let us rejoice in this great news!
As we begin a new year, let us give thanks to God for the immense grace He has bestowed upon us. May we constantly remind ourselves of the blessings we have received from God and the Lord Jesus because of their immeasurable love for us.
God bless you, we love you!
Franco Bottley, Gary-Lee Corns, Marc Dickie
TLTF Board of Trustees
