We have the Blessed Hope This is a study of the sequence of the “church” being taken to meet Yeshua (Jesus) in the air.

1 Thessalonians 4:17

God does not want us in fear. We do this by finding out about His Promises, He keeps His Word. He promised us - 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 9 “Because God has not appointed us to wrath, but to the possession of Life in Our Lord Yeshua The Messiah, 10 He who died for our sake, that whether we are awake or asleep, we shall live together with him. 11 Because of this, comfort one another and build one another up just as you have done”. Aramaic Bible in Plain English

When will these things come to pass? What is the rapture? When is the rapture? There are those who believe that the rapture is mid way through the Great Tribulation spoken of in Daniel 9:20-27, others believe it will be at the end, yet others who believe there will not be a rapture. We believe that the rapture will happen before the Great Tribulation and will endeavor to document that here. It should be clarified by what is meant be the rapture. Simply put escape the Great wrath (see verse 9 above) that is to come on all the earth at the end of days and to be caught up into the clouds to be with Jesus forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Bible believing teachers have a very wide difference of opinion here. I do not adamantly say I am correct. I very much believe I am. Having said that I believe God spoke to me quite clearly that I do not understand all aspects of this. So I have indeed looked hard and long into this matter, seeking God’s Wisdom on this matter.

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NIV) 50 

“I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

A note here - On the Feast of Trumpets, the trumpet is sounded one hundred times. The last Trumpet sounded is called “the Last Trump”.

The Coming of the Lord 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

13” But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have

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fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words .”

Acts 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Sounds very literal to me.

So there is a “Caught up together…in the clouds, in the “air” experience. So why is there going to be this “rapture” or “caught up” experience anyway. Are ALL the Christians leaving? (Let us look into this at another time) If so aren’t we leaving the earth in the hands of the ungodly? YES, were are, but not deserted. Why, for what purpose? May I offer this as an explanation? The Groom (Jesus) will come and TAKE His BRIDE - purpose? Please look into the teaching of the Jewish wedding, as this is most relevant to the end time events. May I offer this as an explanation? The Groom (Jesus) will come and TAKE His BRIDE TO His home at some UNKNOWN point of time. That is why we must remain ready at all time because we know not when He is coming. God always keeps His Word, it is covenant! In a previous teaching we tought about Daniel 9:20-27. The angel Gabriel (Whom Daniel saw once before) shows up and has an important message “24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. “ In that study I taught that that represented 490 years. That the word week is best understood as we understand the word seven. That very specific decrees were made to His People and the Holy City = Jews and the land we now call Israel. Not to Gentiles nor to Christians but to the original Olive Tree, the Hebrews. That 483 years to the day were used up when the Messiah was “cut off” Daniel 9:26 :…, leaving a seven year span waiting to happen. There has been nearly two thousand year (two days) span so far. Hosea 2:6 New International Version “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence...Israel became a Nation in May 1948! Holman Christian Standard Bible 1 Corinthians 15:46. “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual”. Nearly 2000 years for Israel to be re-gathered in the natural realm. Spiritual Israel as a National rebirth is after the 2 days or 2,000 years. We know from the study on Daniel that at the end of this last seven years there will be peace on earth I believe clearly that will be the beginning of the millennium. We are not there yet. 2nd. Timothy 2:15 tells us to rightly divide the Word of truth, STUDY. It helps to understand the Eastern mindset. A huge help is to understand who is the audience. Gabriel seems in the Bible to always be associated with the Hebrews. When Jesus was speaking to His disciples He spoke plainly, When He spoke to the multitudes He spoke in parables, When He spoke to the religious leaders he called them out. On one occasion Jesus spoke to just four disciples to

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share an answer to their (JEWISH mindset) questions about their Temple, its destruction and about the timing of all this. This is the Matthew 24 account that so messes with people who take a very straight forward approach, not understanding the audience to whom He was speaking, a Jewish audience of four. We just had the example of an angel speaking to a Jew in Babylon about events relevant to his nation way off in the future. So it pays to understand who is being addressed, watch for double meaning to prophetic Words too.

The Rabbi’s and Jewish sages of old pondered the list of things the Messiah was distained to accomplish. Not seeing how this could be done they came up with a possible solution. Two Messiahs. Messiah ben Joseph also known as Messiah ben Ephraim and Messiah ben David. Messiah ben Joseph suffers, Messiah ben David rules. They did not understand how one Messiah could both suffer and die yet live forever and reign over Israel. Recall how John the Baptist while in prison sent his disciples to ask if He was the One or should we look for another, Luke 7:19? We know now how, separate events, different time. A clear precedent to the rapture and second coming.

“apostasy”.

Let me address in a bit more detail the seven years the Bible notes as the “time of Jacob’s trouble”. First note – Jacob – Israel. Again this is a period of time to tie up loose ends of the LOVE God has for the Hebrew children. God will not come back and plant His feet on the Mt. of Olives until Zechariah 14:4 New International Version “”. Matthew 23:39 "For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'" In Hebrew it is said it like this "Baruch Ha Ba B'Shem Adonai". This scripture was addressed to who? The Jewish people! You see Jesus said He would not return to Jerusalem until His people call out for Him and blessed His name. And to where is Jesus going to return? Well if you are reading the same bible I am - He is going to step on the Mount of Olives and split it in half. He is returning to Jerusalem. Rom 11:25-26 ‘For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this *mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved.’ Hosea 5:14-15 ‘For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah... I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me. [*A mystery is something hidden in the Old Testament that is revealed in the New Testament, the mystery was the “CHURCH”] What affliction? The time of Jacob’s Trouble. You see God so loves the Jewish people that He will SAVE them as a NATION even though it takes seven years of serious hardship and only when their ONLY hope is to call on the Lord God Yeshua, will they call! This time period is all about the land and people of Israel. God gave His Word to the Hebrew people and He will keep it.So we know Jesus is coming back in the air to receive His Bride and He is coming back to earth (Mt. of Olives in Jerusalem) for His Jewish counterpart. Looks like two comings at two different times, for two different reasons.

For His Bride which has already made herself ready, Jesus receives us 1 Thessionans 5:9 NIV “ Makes since to me. Why would my lover pour wrath on His beloved? "

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This was compiled byJohn Walvoord He concludes that these "contrasts should make it evident that the translation of the church is an event quite different in character and time

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from the return of the Lord to establish His kingdom, and confirms the conclusion that the translation takes place before the tribulation." This taken from http://www.pre-trib.org/data/pdf/Ice-DifferencesBetweenTheRapt.pdf. By Thomas Ice.

Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth" (Lk.21:34-35). The world will continual after the rapture. Recall the days of Noah? The question becomes who are the “*THEY”. The ones not received up into the clouds with Jesus. This would of course be the second coming. The trouble seems to come on ALL THOSE who dwell on the face of the earth. Let me make two list of Jesus’ second coming, One I deem Rapture, the other second coming where He lands on the ground.

There are folks that want to put the Rapture somewhere other than before the seven year period. The biggest problem with this to my way of thinking is the doctrine immanency. If the rapture were to start after the man of sin is revealed, the seven year peace treaty signed with Israel. We know this seven year period of Jacob’s Trouble starts with the signing of a seven year peace treaty with Israel. The number of days is very specific between that treaty and Christ return. Once that starts knowledgeable people will be able to mark on their calendar to the very day of His return. Also I want to note here that perhaps the “rapture” and the start of the tribulation may be separated by a space of time, perhaps even years?

So let me try to put some scripture in order so that at a minimum you can understand from where I see the things that are about to happen.

Matthew 24 (KJV)

24 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Jesus is talking to who? His disciples. Subject the destruction of the Temple. Done somewhat publicly to His Followers.

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (or age)? Four disciples privately asking - 1. When, 2. A sign of your coming, 3. The end of world As we have discovered the end of the world as they knew it, is the beginning of the Millennium. Which is after the time of Jacob’s trouble.

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4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. Think it very fair to understand that Jesus is talking to the Hebrew Children – now Israel. Not the Church as it was not yet born, verse 3 kind of proves this. Subject started over their Temple. More than an only once meaning here. A lot of double fulfillment prophetic Words here.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Both to the nature Olive tree and the grafted in Olive branches. God will not leave the inhabitants of this world without a witness. This does not preclude the violent removal of the Bride of Christ before the feet of our Lord land on the Mt. of Olives. Recall Jesus is talking to Jews about their future and the return of their Messiah. Leading this time frame is the GREAT AWAKING that is even now beginning!!!

I believe the next verses pertain directly to the time of Jacob’s Trouble. Do not believe we need to be here on earth at this time. I personally do not believe that the Bride of Christ will have an opportunity to receive the “mark of the beast”.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. The book of Revelations chapter 13:5&6 seem to reference this as a yet future event

27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. When the fullness of time is come, Christ will return with great glory. No need to go look for Him. EVERY EYE will see Him. . [REVELATION 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.]

28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. I wonder is this when the wicked are dealt with?

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Why from the four winds? The resurrected Saints will be everywhere. Throughout Heaven – everywhere and will need be gathered for Christ great return. Recall Jesus returns with His Bride.

32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

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35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Recall the Jewish wedding).

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (God shut the door, and no one else was saved, game over)

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Amazing in Noah’s day there was a great witness being built and people just mocked.

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Could this be the wicked being dealt when the tares will be weeded out and burned, Matthew 13 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” I want to be safely in the barn (Heaven)

Now think if the true church, Bride of Christ has already left earth, new believers are being killed (but not all) Who is left? I think this could be the removal of the tares (wicked). Let the eagles and vultures gather for their feast. See verse 28. There has to be normal righteous people on earth when the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (the seven year Tribulation) is over to repopulate the earth! There were only 8 in Noah’s day!

Now let us put things together:

1 Thessalonians 5 (NIV) The Day of the Lord

5” Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” Talking about the Second Coming – Not the rapture. The peace and safty is the presumed result of the “peace Treaty”. They really buy into it!

“4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we

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belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

Paul had been in Thessalonian and had taught them about the end of this age. He clearly says to them you are not appointed to wrath (the time of Jacob’s trouble), but to deliverance. As demonstrated by this letter to Thessalonian. There was a letter written from an imposter telling a different tail. This upset the Thessalonians. This Day, in my view is basically the Seven year span of Jacob’s Trouble

Second Thessalonians 2 (NIV) The Man of Lawlessness

2” Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion “apostasy”. occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” A note here is if someone is foolish and is putting off trusting in the Lord and serving Him thinking IF this rapture thing is real. I will use it as a sign and then commit myself to Jesus – it will not work – see verse 11 above!!!

The Thessalonians were seeing such distress they thought that the day of the Lord had come! Some had died. Therefore they had concluded that they missed the rapture . 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ - the rapture. What is up with this They were asking?

It is important to notice that the Thessalonians would be shaken or troubled by the thought of being in the Great Tribulation only if they had been taught by Paul that they would escape that period through the rapture. Otherwise they would, in a sense, welcome the Great Tribulation as a necessary prelude to

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the Second Coming. But Paul had clearly taught them that they would escape God's judgment on this earth during the period known as the day of the Lord or the day of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18).

Luke 21 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36"But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.". The peace and safety thing was not in place either. That is believed by the deceived to come with the seven year peace plan from verse 3 chapter 5. Verse 5 of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 states that He who restrains must be taken out of the way before the man of sin can be revealed. That would be the true Church – the Bride of Christ. Recall how for the first time ever The Holy Spirit indwelt in us, making us a new creation in Christ. That is a very special relationship with unique abilities to restrain the man of sin. We must be removed first! The Holy Spirit Himself will always be in the world saving who He can. It will be in the fullness of time that God will allow this evil for a season - that the cup of iniquity may become full. That too has to happen for our just God to unleash His judgments’ on an unjust wicked people. This is however focused on the nation of Israel to drive the children of Abraham to their Messiah. It works.

Now there is a lot of difference of opinion on the meaning of the “great falling away” or “apostasy”. The term 'falling away', or as it is called in some texts, '' means; to depart from revealed truth, to lead away, seduce, mislead; to defect, to blind the eyes of the people by manipulating the truth; to turn one from the truth by lying signs and wonders. II Thessalonians 2:3, " . . . for that day (the coming of our Lord verse 1) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."

There would be a falling away (apostatizing) from the truth, verse 10, NOT an organization. There would be a leader in this apostasy, the man of sin, opposing the Almighty. Apostates are led into strong delusions, that they should believe a lie. They shall be condemned, verses 11-12. The way to avoid apostasy, verse 15, is to stand fast and hold the traditions which you have been taught. Please note too that this is THE falling away, a very specific event. Which leads to an option.

There is a second option to look at that most do not either know about or just dismiss. I think it warrants a honest look. The NIV “ for that day will not come until the “rebellion” occurs” from verse 3. Rebellion or falling away is translated as removal or departing first and is so noted in the foot notes of the Amplified Bible and in the first seven English translations of the Bible, I have the 1599 Geneva version of the words - The 1599 Geneva Bible verse 3 “let no man deceive you by any means for that day shell not come: except there come a departing first, and that that man of sin be disclosed, even the son of perdition” That Departing could be the rapture of the Bride. King James was the first English Bible to change the meaning to rebellion (At least that is what I have been able to learn thus far).

My take is both are true! Basically both understandings happen at the same time. See #22 below

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Apostasia (greek) Summary of the ways in which Apostasia signifies Rapture in 2 Thess 2.

1. The parallel between verse 3 and 7-8, showing the antichrist is revealed after the rapture.2. Words With Similar Definitions: methormizô, remove from one anchorage to another3. Words With Similar Definitions: metex-anistamai, Pass., move from one place to another4. Apostasia is translated as "Dissecto" in Latin, which has a meaning of a "spacial departure".5. Apostasia is translated as "departure" in many Bibles.6. Liddell and Scott Dictionary authors note Apostasia is translated as "spacial departure" in one

case in the 6th century.7. metatithemi, used for Enoch's rapture, and apostasia both mean "to fall away"8. metatithemi, used for Enoch's rapture, and apostasia both mean "to depart"9. metatithemi, used for Enoch's rapture, and apostasia both signify "change" as the rapture is a

change.10. metathesis, used for Enoch's rapture, and apostasia both (in the word it's derrived from,

aphistemi) can both mean "to remove".11. laqach, used for Enoch's rapture, and harpazo (rapture in 1 Thess 4:17), can both mean "to take"12. laqach, used for Enoch's rapture, and harpazo, can both mean "to seize"13. laqach, used for Enoch's rapture, and harpazo, can both mean "to snatch away"14. laqach, used for Enoch's rapture, also carries the meaning "to marry, take a wife" which is a

strong rapture parallel15. Apostasia and harpazo both carry connotations of violence. Apostaisia a violent revolt &

rebellion, and harpazo "to seize by force" John 6:1516. Harpazo, like metathesis and aphistemi--root of apostasia, mean "to remove"17. Harpazo is used in a peculiar way to signify "falling away from the faith" in Matthew 13:19,

which is the main definition of apostasia.18. The play on words of "stand in, present" enistemi and "stand off, absent" aphistemi, shows that

apostasia, which comes from aphistemi, signifies the rapture, when people will be "absent".19. ginomai, the word for "taken" (out of the way) in verse 7, the parallel of apostasia in verse 3,

means "be married to" and the rapture is the marriage.20. ginomai, the word for "taken" (out of the way) in verse 7, the parallel of apostasia in verse 3,

means "to arise" and the rapture is when we rise up.21. ginomai, the word for "taken" (out of the way) in verse 7, the parallel of apostasia in verse 3,

signifies "of miracles" and the rapture will be a miracle.22. Apostasia, as rapture, is fully consistent with apostasia as religious rebellion, and it is not an

either/or definition or option, the word means both.23. Those who say the pre trib rapture is false doctrine (an apostasy) unwittingly confirm that

apostasia signifies rapture.

The disciples of Jesus had an idea of what it would look like in Acts 1, but Jesus radically violated their dreams, plans and comfort zones by leaving—and commissioning them to establish what they hoped Jesus would build!

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"So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them ,'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight." Well now we are at the other end of this story. Again revelation is being given that shakes our way of belief, Power via The Holy Spirit will flow through Prophetic people and the clouds of glory will accompany the soon return of the Anointed one.

Jesus, Yeshua will at some point in time restore the kingdom to Israel – Sooner than later – The King will reign on Earth as He does in Heaven, from Jerusalem. He said He would! I fully believe this will happen in my life span.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 NIV

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14 NIV

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All Christians, dead and alive, are caught up at the rapture. Expect all the Elect to be present at His return to the Mount of Olives.

Depending on what you did with your faith/gift(s) will be your reward at the judgment seat of Christ.

The “christians” in name only or have reached that point of unpardonable sin against The Holy Spirit will not only be left, but the deceiving spirit sent by God Himself will keep them from salvation. There may not be a single soul saved until the two witness and the 144,000 are on assignment?

Folks get very confused on what it means when the scriptures declare there is nether Jew or Gentile. We are all one. There is but one way to Heaven – Yeshua the Jewish Savior. This in no way negates the vast amounts of yet unfulfilled Prophetic Words spoken over the People of the Land or the Land it’s self! http://bibletruthpublishers.com

Before Rapture And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. NIV Matthew 16:18 verses Revelations 13:7 (After rapture) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

There are those who say this is a new teaching, thus discount it all together. Two thoughts. First it is not a new teaching, "For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the Tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins" (On the Last Times, the Antichrist, and the End of the World, by Ephraem the Syrian, A.D. 373). There is a small raft of these teachers of past era. I see a great truth in just the fact that we NOW see so much evidence of the nearness of the event more attention is warranted on the subject. After all Paul started it in the first century.

In order to have this Great witness our Lord desires, His remnant Church will find herself with much Power, Much Authority and being lead largely by unknown leaders God has set aside for this time. The church will have to change drastically. Much gray and white hair providing tried and proven leadership to a whole lot of young believing hearts.

It is hard to effectively communicating just what changes are coming to the church.

The current church paradigm is so prevalent and saturating in our culture that people just can't seem to wrap their minds around the shift that is coming. It seems nonsensical, threatening or just plain bizarre. They wonder how their ministry stream or focus or gift fits in that structure.

The reality is that it may not, or it may be radically redefined. The discomfort level will be quite high, and it will take a radical remnant to truly sign up for the reformation—for the revolution of the church.

Michael Kitchen Seven Mountain Worship Center May First 2015

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