Arise, Shine!

Arise, Shine!
(En Español)
"It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 2:14).
The Word of God states plainly -- no, it commands those at the end of the age to be fearless in the face of darkness! Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, the Spirit of the Lord orders His people:

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness will cover the earth,
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the Lord will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.
Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
                                      ---Isaiah 60:1-3

Traditionally, because the second half of Isaiah 60 contains references to the millennium, some have placed the fulfillment of this entire chapter in the age to come. But let me ask: Will "darkness . . . cover the earth" in the millennium? During the glorious reign of Christ when death, sin, and sorrow are banished, will "deep darkness" still rest on "the peoples"? The fact is, while Isaiah's prophecy does indeed conclude in the millennium, it begins during the last hours of this age.
Clearly these first three verses of Isaiah 60 are a pre-Rapture, pre-millennial command from God. The Lord calls us not just to endure the darkness but to arise in His manifest glory! People argue about the timing of the Rapture, but what I am presenting here does not disturb any popular eschatology. I'm saying between now and whatever scenario you believe, there will be a time of increasing glory for true Christ followers.
Some of us feel defeated; others are worn out and weakened by the increasing gloom in the world. Yet it is here, where depression would otherwise capture our souls, that we are commanded to rise. To throw off oppression is not just an act of faith; it is an act of obedience. It is time to cancel our plans to be miserable! Through the blood of Christ, we break our covenant with death and darkness; we obey the voice of our destiny!
One may argue, "But you do not know my difficulties." Listen to how the Amplified Bible renders the Lord's command: "Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you -- rise to a new life]!" Right at this moment, even as you read these words, new life from the presence of God is descending into your spirit. Receive it! Accept it! Obey it!
You see, God's plan is that here on Earth, in us, the glory of the Lord will be revealed. The luminous, radiant light of His presence, as it shone from Moses' face and flooded Solomon's temple at its dedication, as it radiated from Jesus and bathed His disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration -- that light of God's presence shall arise from within us at the end of the age! This same divine glory shall, in ever-increasing degrees of brightness, appear upon us in the years prior to the Lord's actual Second Coming.
In truth, this great work of grace has already begun. We are part of the Holy Spirit's expansive preparation. God is gathering together His people. We are learning to humble ourselves in repentance and prayer; we are finding friendship and unity with other Christians. Indeed, our reconciliation across denominational and ethnic barriers has an immeasurable reward attached to it. As valleys are "lifted up, and every mountain and hill . . . made low . . . then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together" (Isa. 40:4-5).
God is qualifying us to receive His splendor! Nations shall come to His light and kings to the brightness of His rising!

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Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Days of His Presence available at Arrow Bookstore .

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Sign up today for our next
In Christ's Image Training.
Online course begins September 1, 2017.
Registration closes August 24, 2017 www.icitc.org.
 

In Christ's Image Training is a six-month, online course developed by Pastor Frangipane. It is based on 45 years of seeking God, study and revelatory insights. These are proven truths that break chains and lead to power in our Christian walk.

ICIT provides focused training in four essential stages of spiritual development:

The vision of attaining Christ's likeness
Possessing Christ's humility
Developing a strong prayer life
Becoming one with other Christ believers

The course comes right to your home via email and audio messages and is designed to lift one's focus toward the actual presence of Jesus Christ. The full course not only includes 48 lessons and 39 audio messages (sample audio), but the discerning student will actually find the Lord using the weekly lessons to stage opportunities to deepen the truths found in the training.
For those with limited funds, the entire text is free by email. Just enroll in the Free Lesson Plan (new students only please).

Student testimonies   |   Francis presenting the course

Enrollment overview:

     1) Go to www.icitc.org and read through the Level I page, FAQ page, Level I Syllabus page, and Tuition page.

     2) Choose an enrollment plan.

     3) Next, complete the Level I Registration form before the end of the day, Thursday, August 24.