James Kraft 74 year old retired pipeline worker

First Thessalonians 4:13-18 tells how the church will be raptured out at the end of the church age before the tribulation. Christ has already taken our punishment for us, so we will not go through the time of Jacobs trouble.

When Jesus comes for the church, He only comes in the clouds for us to meet Him in the air, when He comes back at the end of the tribulation, He comes back to the earth with us who were raptured out. The word translated in the bible is rapturo, or rapture. 

First Corinthians 15:51-53 Tells us a mystery of the resurrection of the church. It says the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we who remain shall be changed. We will finally be made incorruptible. It will all happen in the twinkling of an eye.

And Jesus said, if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself. We have as believers, a great hope that Jesus is coming for the church, the body of Christ, and that we will be translated to heaven.

Revelation 12:1-5 talks about the signs in the heaven. Verse 5 says, and her child was caught up unto God and to His throne.

It is interesting to note, that all of those planets will be aligned on September 23rd of this year. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven.

Is the Lord coming for us this year? I do not know, but there are signs. 
There are many other signs that the coming of the Lord for the church are close at hand. 

As Christians we should be looking forward to His coming as it has a purifying effect on us. All those that have trusted Jesus as their savior will go at the rapture because we have the Holy Spirit living in us. Ephesians 1:13.

But we do not want to be ashamed and living in sin when He comes for us. The holy Spirit is the oil in our lamps that we are the wise virgins that will go to meet the Bridegroom. But all who have the Spirit will go at the rapture. 

If you have not trusted Jesus as your only savior, now would be good time. God hates our sin, but He loves us. So when Jesus went to the cross He died and shed His blood for all of those that would believe He did it Just for us. If you have trusted Jesus as the only way to be saved, you are saved and have eternal life given to you as a free gift. John 6:40

May 18 2017 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

RICK PORTER Chaplain [ Truckers Chapel ]-- Undeserving Child of God

Let's begin by stating the word Rapture does not appear in The English Bible, however the Latin word "raptus" is used in the Latin Bible, called Vulgate. The English Bible comes from Greek word "harpazo" which means "to snatch out" or to "seize" like a thief would seize or grab someone's billfold or purse. So Paul says caught up for the living and raised for sleeping.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, is where Paul addresses the issue of what happens to the Christians who have died if Jesus is coming back and is going to Rapture or snatch out those living. Paul then explains that from the Lord to him by The Holy Spirit, they shouldn't worry for the dead or really the sleeping in Christ would rise first, then the living to meet Jesus in the air.

Now, look at [ John 14:3 ] where Jesus again is saying don't be troubled, He is going, He is preparing a place, He is coming again, He is taking us back to His Father's house.

So, put these two Scriptures together and we see Jesus ascended into His Father's House, He is preparing us a place, He is Coming again in the air, He will snatch up the living and the sleeping in Christ. Thus to be Raptured is to be Raised off this earth to meet Jesus in the air.

May 18 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report