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“WE SHALL BE
CHANGED!”
What your resurrection
will be like
THE EYEWITNESS
24 hours that changed
everything
BEYOND THE
HICCUP
An interview with God on
the Endtime
c ti v te
PERSONAL LY S P E A K I N G
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Web site at www.activated.org Easter came early for me this year. As I was
Activated Ministries putting together this issue, my dear mother, who
P.O. Box 462805 was already in failing health, suffered a severe
Escondido, CA 92046–2805 stroke and passed away after 87 full and happy years. While she was in
USA hospice care, my brother, sister, and I took turns at her bedside. When it
info@activatedministries.org was my turn, I read to her from Glimpses of Heaven, a collection of quotes,
(877) 862–3228 reflections, and Bible passages about the next life.
Activated Europe The more I read and thought about the wonders that awaited my
Bramingham Pk. Business Ctr. mother—the healthy, strong, prime-of-life body; the joyous reunions with
Enterprise Way my father and other loved ones who had gone on before her; the infinite
Luton, Beds. LU3 4BU opportunities to learn and grow (she was an educator and a voracious
United Kingdom reader); the boundless, unfathomable love that pervades the heavenly
activatedEurope@activated.org realm; and the awe of seeing her Creator face to face—the more my
+44 (0) 845 838 1384 feelings of impending loss were overtaken by expectant joy for her.
Activated Africa
P.O. Box 2150 Each Easter since I came to know Jesus, I have marveled at the depth
Westville 3630 of His love in dying for us and have thrilled at His resurrection. But this
South Africa “Easter” experience was a bit different because Jesus’ promises concerning
activatedAfrica@activated.org our resurrection sunk in like never before—promises like “I am the
083 55 68 213 resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), and “Because I live, you shall live
also” (John 14:19).
Activated India
P.O. Box 5215
When I returned to work and reread some of the articles I had already
G.P.O.
selected (Happy Resurrection, page 7; “We Shall Be Changed,” page 8;
Bangalore – 560 001
and Let’s Live!, page 16), I found their messages even more powerful and
India
full of hope than before. When Jesus said, “I have come that they may
activatedIndia@activated.org
have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), He
Activated Philippines wasn’t talking only about eternity. With Him in our hearts, we can have a
P.O. Box 1147 foretaste of Heaven every day. All this and Heaven too!
Antipolo City P.O.
1870 Antipolo City Keith Phillips
Philippines
ActivatedPI@activated.org
Cel: (0922) 8125326 For the Activated family
I
out of juvenile correctional centers. through self-effort they can never
once attended a meet- But one day some young people experience the kind of transforma-
ing where a 16-year-old met him on the street and led him tion that boy did—never! It can
boy sang several gospel songs, to receive Jesus, and his life was only happen as we behold Jesus.
and as he sang, his face shone completely transformed. “Christ in you, the hope of glory”
with the joy of the Lord. I learned How had that transformation (Colossians 1:27).
later that he had grown up in a taken place? There’s a verse in Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and let
horrible home environment. From the Bible that says, “We all, with Me abide in you” (John 15:4). This
the age of 12 he had been sent unveiled face, beholding as in is the secret of the transformed life:
out to steal to support his family, a mirror the glory of the Lord, Jesus abiding in you and living out
while his father and mother would are being transformed into the His life through you. He does the
sleep off their drunken stupors. same image from glory to glory” transforming! He’ll change your
Within a year he was also steal- (2 Corinthians 3:18). The trans- life for the better if you’ll give Him
ing to support his own drug habit, formation takes place by behold- the chance!
WHOSE HANDS ?
W
hen I was eight or nine, my family bought the turning of a new page. That’s
Franco Zeffirelli’s six-hour miniseries Jesus of Easter—the joy of starting again.
Nazareth (1977) on video and we spent quite a “I am the resurrection and the
few Sunday mornings slowly going through the series, life. He who believes in Me, though
learning about the life of Christ. During the last hour, he may die, he shall live. And
Jesus’ trial and crucifixion are portrayed. I knew the basic whoever lives and believes in Me
story, having heard it retold each Easter for as long as I shall never die” (John 11:25–26).
could remember, but seeing it portrayed so vividly was a “Therefore we do not lose heart.
different matter. I watched with horror as Jesus was tried, Even though our outward man is
mocked, beaten, and crucified. Watching Jesus die was perishing, yet the inward man is
too much to bear. My heart broke and tears flowed. being renewed day by day. For our
My mother saw my anguish and pulled me near. “But light affliction, which is but for a
honey,” she said, a smile lighting up her face, “the best is moment, is working for us a far
yet to come. He is alive!” more exceeding and eternal weight
Sure enough, after that terrible death came His of glory, while we do not look at the
glorious resurrection, and with it all my anguish was things which are seen, but at the
washed away. After we had finished the video and our things which are not seen. For the
discussion, I drew a picture of Jesus smiling down from things which are seen are tempo-
Heaven. I was so thankful that the greatest story ever rary, but the things which are not
told had a happy ending! seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians
I believe day-to-day life is a bit like Easter. We experi- 4:16–18).
ence disappointments, sorrow, and pain, but through Happy Easter! Happy resurrec-
our Savior we can find sweet relief and “resurrection.” tion!
Our troubles won’t last forever. In those moments when
we feel like we are dying, when we feel burdened and Ariana Keating is a member of the
full of sorrow, we need to remember that the “best is yet Family International in Thailand.
“
By David Brandt Berg
Behold, I It’s pretty hard to explain how He was more beautiful and more
tell you a a spirit can rejoin a body that’s perfect, because He had a new
mystery,” been in the grave for years— spiritual body that would never
the apostle Paul wrote to a possibly even hundreds or die—and that’s the kind of body
group of Christians in the Greek thousands of years—and come you’re going to have! You’re
city of Corinth. “We shall not to life and be perfectly whole, going to be like Jesus was and is
all sleep [be dead], but we shall even better than it was before. now, since His resurrection. He
all be changed—in a moment, Paul says it’s going to be like the “will transform our lowly body
in the twinkling of an eye, at difference between a seed and that it may be conformed to His
the last trumpet [Jesus’ Second what the seed becomes once glorious [resurrection] body”
Coming]. For the trumpet will it has germinated and grown (Philippians 3:21).
sound, and the dead will be to maturity (1 Corinthians Were Jesus’ followers able
raised incorruptible, and we 15:36–44). How are you going to to see Him after He was resur-
[who are alive] shall be changed. explain that transformation? rected? Yes! Were they able to
For this corruptible must Our resurrection bodies are usually recognize Him? Yes!
put on incorruption, and this going to be new and different, Did He walk and talk with them?
mortal must put on immortal- and yet they’ll be close enough Yes! He even cooked for them
ity. … Then shall be brought to to the ones we have now that and ate and drank with them
pass the saying that is written: we’ll recognize each other: (Luke 24:43; John 21:9–14).
‘Death is swallowed up in victory. “Then I shall know just as I also Jesus was able to do all these
O Death, where is your sting? am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). normal, natural things, and in
O Hades, where is your victory?’” The disciples recognized Jesus your new resurrection body, so
(1 Corinthians 15:51–55). after He was resurrected, but not will you. Think of that!
Paul also said that our always. He was different enough But that’s not all. You’ll also
spirits are immediately present that sometimes they didn’t rec- be able to do some things you
with the Lord when we die ognize Him (Luke 24:13–16,31; can’t do in your natural body.
(2 Corinthians 5:8), so in this John 20:14–16). That was either When His followers were in a
passage he is explaining the because He didn’t want to be rec- locked room for fear of those
bodily resurrection of the dead. ognized at the time, or because who had crucified Him, Jesus
T
he vision lasted only a few a difference? Does my friendship still
seconds, but it left a big impres- mean something to them? What’s left
sion. I had been talking with a to show for those years? I’ve asked
friend, when suddenly I saw a glimpse myself those questions while lying
into the future. We were hugging, alone in a dark room.
laughing, and talking about our lives— But now, through this series of
and we were in Heaven. This has hap- little visions, I understand better that
pened to me several times. Sometimes this life truly is only a brief moment
it has been with a close friend, and in time and that regardless of how
other times it has been with someone things are going now, someday these friendships
I had just met. In each case I was left friends and I will be together again in
with the profound feeling that friend- heavenly bliss. It will be like old times, in Heaven are
ships in Heaven are much deeper and except that then it will be in a perfect
more meaningful and longer lasting world where there is no more parting, much deeper
than the ones we enjoy in this life. pain, or sorrow.
I find that thought very comforting, I will also meet you, dear reader and more
perhaps because I’m somewhat isolated whose name and life story I don’t yet
and lonely in my present situation. know, and I think we’ll find we have a meaningful
I have always been gregarious and had lot in common. We may have had very
many friends, and friendships have different lives, but we both will have and longer
always been very important to me. experienced happiness and hardship,
But fibromyalgia has a way of making joy and sorrow. With old friends and lasting than
a hermit of even the most sociable new ones, we will go on to experience a
person. The aching muscles, fatigue, whole new world. the ones
and sleep problems that come with this And most wonderful of all, we’ll be
neurological disorder leave me too sick face to face and heart to heart with the we enjoy in
to go out with friends or attend parties, One who loves and understands us like
and often too sick to even talk on the no other, the One who lived and died for this life.
phone. What do I have to talk about us and rose to life again that we might
anyway, when I live in such an isolated live together in His love eternally, the
world? ultimate forever Friend—Jesus.
And what about all of the people
I met and helped in the course of Maria Morrow is a member of the Family
my years of volunteer work before International in the U.S.
THE HICCUP
an Interview with God on the Endtime
last of a four-part series
Interviewer: You were saying complete makeover. The surface Well, it doesn’t seem to be that
that after the Millennium—the is burned up and recreated logical. I would think a hundred
thousand years of peace on anew, becoming an even better years max would be all we would
Earth that will follow Jesus’ and more splendid world. need to practice. Besides, all
return—there will be a minor those who started off at the
“hiccup,” but that it’s all in the So why not do this at the beginning would be dead even
plan. Please explain. beginning of the thousand before a hundred years are up,
God: At the end of those thou- years? Seems like we work for let alone a thousand. Doesn’t
sand years, the Devil is then all that time, or at least some seem much point to it if you are
freed from his prison in the bot- do, and then it all goes down the still practicing when you die and
tomless pit and we have some- tubes. never get to live out what you
what of a reprise of the Battle of It got as good as it could get learned.
Armageddon. under the prevailing conditions. Who said you would die?
Don’t you want to see it
What! We go through all that improved? Common sense dictates that not
again? Why does the Devil get a lot of people are going to live to
released, for goodness sake? Yes, without question, but why be a hundred.
For the same reason that I let not do it right after the Battle of In the thousand-year period,
him hang around in the world Armageddon? Why wait till this things will change so much that
today. He provides an alterna- reprise, as You put it? people will think that you are still
tive, and the people of this new It once again has to do with the a child when you are a hundred.
world will once again have the training program for humanity. It
freedom to choose which way is practice for the ultimate home Oh boy, that’s a big one to
they want to go. I have for you. swallow. I am talking about
normal people here, not the
So what happens? Must be quite a place if we need ones with the new super bodies
The Devil and his forces are to practice for a thousand years. You talked about earlier. Normal
again defeated—this time per- You’re a bit hung up on that, people won’t be able to live that
manently. The Earth then gets a aren’t you? long, will they?
You would think we’d learn. This side of You is most evident Excerpted from the book God on
You would, wouldn’t you? But in the Old Testament. Have You God, by Scott MacGregor. Copyright
take heart—those who have changed over time so that You © 2001. Published by Aurora
problems with it don’t cause don’t do things so violently now? Production AG, Switzerland. Write
the whole thing to be lost to I have changed My tactics, but to one of the addresses on page 2
everyone. My nature remains constant. to order your copy.
J
esus came to try to make it Resurrection Power
as easy for us as He could.
He tried to make the Christian life Jesus’ resurrection was
so easy that anybody could live it. He foretold in the Old Testament.
walked those dusty roads and talked to Psalm 16:10b
the simple fishermen and the tax collec-
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tors and the drunks and harlots to show Jesus’ resurrection from
them that God loved them all and that the dead is a historical fact,
they could all love God, they could all established by eyewitness
love each other and serve each other and accounts.
H
serve the world with the Gospel. Matthew 28:1–9
God made a way of escape from the Luke 24:13–53
impossible burden of perfect adherence John 20:1–17
to His laws, a way of mercy, a way of Acts 1:2–3
Y
forgiveness and grace: salvation. Now Acts 10:40–41
nobody has any excuse for blaming their Acts 13:30–31
problems on God, because He has made a 1 Corinthians 15:3–6
way out, a way to get the victory, a way to 2 Peter 1:16
overcome our sins and faults and short-
comings and problems and weaknesses, Jesus has power to give eternal
Dear Jesus, thank You for giving Your life for me. Please forgive me Our powerful, immortal
for the wrong things I’ve done, come into my heart, and give me Your resurrection bodies will be
gift of eternal life. Amen. even more wonderful than our
present ones.
Luke 20:36
Philippians 3:21
1 John 3:2