DRAWING NEAR

November 9

Walking By Faith

"By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death;
and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained
the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to
God" (Heb 11:5)

When you walk by faith, you enjoy intimacy with God.

Our second hero of faith is Enoch. Genesis 5:21-24 records that
"Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.
Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the
father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the
days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch
walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

What a wonderful epitaph: "Enoch walked with God." His life
exemplifies the walk of faith. Adam and Eve had walked with God in
the Garden of Eden, but their sin separated them from such intimacy.
Enoch experienced the fellowship with God they had forfeited.

Enoch's faithful walk pleased God greatly. And after more than three
hundred years on earth, Enoch was translated to heaven without ever
experiencing death. It's as if God simply said, "Enoch, I enjoy your
company so much, I want you to join me up here right now."

Like Enoch, there is coming a generation of Christians who will never
see death. Someday--perhaps soon--Jesus will return for His church,
"then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up . . . in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with
the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:17). Enoch is a beautiful picture of that great
future event, which we call the rapture of the church.

As you walk with God, He delights in you. You're His child and your
praises and fellowship bring Him joy. Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in
the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones." Even death
itself simply ushers you into His presence for all eternity.

Let the joy of intimacy with God, and the anticipation of seeing
Christ face to face--either by rapture or by death-- motivate you to
please Him more and more each day of your life.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Thank God for the promise of Christ's return.

For Further Study:

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

What events surround the rapture of the church? How were the
Thessalonians to respond to Paul's teaching about the rapture? How
should you respond?

Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.


All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org

~~~


1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those
who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God
will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are
alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means
precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead
in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall
always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.

In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.

If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.

You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:

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and

http://www.gty.org.uk/

You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
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In Christ,



Peter

Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com

STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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