I have prayed that God will help me write this. I know not all of you believe in rapture for I did not either till recently. My husband and I have gone through some strange things lately. You know what, I am going to stop calling them strange things. I know they are things from God, and satan has also tested us through our journey. Since I was a young kid I had this feeling in me that there was something different about me. I have always wondered what my purpose here is in this world was. I was never good at anything, never had a hobby or a certain activity that I excelled in. I was the average student in school. I never went to college, worked as an assistant manager for wal-mart, but I was never happy. I now have a wonderful husband that allows me to stay at home with our children.

My husband works in retail, we actually met through wal-mart. My husband saved a womens life at wal-mart. She was one of his employees. She had a heart attack, when my husband reached her she had lost control of her bodily functions, and had no pulse. My husband performed cpr on her and brought her back, I remember him saying that when the paramedics arrived they couldn't believe it. One year later my husbands job is taken away from him, for something that was not his fault. He then goes to work for Lowes, a year and half goes by and he again has his job taken from him, by the way his store was in the top five in the company for customer service. Now there's about 2,000 stores so top five is amazing. When now find ourselves here in Florida, not very happy working for another retail company where he now has had to go back fifteen years in his working experience. Something tells me maybe his work is not retail.

Now we are in Florida. I decide to find my way with Jesus again, I was brought up in church, I felt very close to Jesus as a child, even wrote a letter to him when I was ten or eleven years old. I felt closer to him then I did with anyone else in this world. He listened to me when I was sad. He cared about what was in my heart. He knew that when people called me a liar that I was not a liar. He knows that I have been patient with him, I know that he has been patient with me. In 1998 I had a dream about a great storm coming the cloud was dark I had remembered thinking to myself that it was Jesus coming back, I ran inside to hide myself holding my two children. I don't need someone to interpret that dream for me, I know God was saying now Stacy I am coming whether your ready or not. He gave me a dream about 911 6mo. before it happened. It came true. He was calling on me, saying Stacy now I have been patient with you long enough, it is time for you to come back. I finally listened. I then have a dream that the devil is talking to me, trying to scare me. satan lost and God won. My husband two days later has a dream that he is carried by a great wind floating upwards. He looks over and sees me and the children floating upwards coming out of the roof of our home. Now my husband never has dreams about things like this. He is still having a hard time understanding this. I understand it because I have had a relationship with God since I was a child. Now some of you may remember me posting something about being confused about my husband and being angry with his mother. I do not feel this anymore, God took it away. satan had controlled some of my thoughts for so long, that he kept me from having a good relationship with my mother-in-law and my husband. Now the same day that my husband has his dream, I get a phone call from Howard Stern, yes I know his voice, because I have been guilty of watching his shows when I was younger. I am no celeberity or anything like that, just the average american. Why would Howard Stern call? If you believe in Jesus Christ then you should believe in the supernatrual. I have had many things in my life happen that are supernatural, most from God and a few that made me think of satan. I again think the call was another of satans tricks trying to pull me back. I don't need anyone else to tell me differently.

Last night my husband was reading a prophecy book and came across something about the rapture. Thessalonians 4:13-17. I can not believe I had ever denied that there was a rapture. Well you know where that comes from, not truly having Jesus in our hearts to lead us to the answers. LovingHim, I hope you read this, because I feel you are very courageous to post what you did about babylon. People wake up the usa is babylon. God opened my eyes the same day that she posted that about the judgement on America. He is telling us to come out of her, not to move out of the usa but come out of the worldly things and repent to him, put him in your lives. Read his word and ask his guidence when doing so. I was very sad last night for a friend that I have. I have been trying to help her call on God. She is having an affair with another man. She said to me last night that she didn't think that she was in Gods book. I about cried for her, I told her if you were not in Gods book, I would not be your friend here talking to you and trying help save your life.
I actually have more family and friends that I am trying to reach out to. Some are even athiest, I will not give up. I love them to much then to turn my back on them.
I believe this is my purpose, God put me here because he knows I have a strong feeling for him and I will not give up and till I reach them. Some of my friends I just tell them some things that are to come and then say when you see these things happening. Think of me and what I am telling you. I will be here for you if you want to talk about it.

God gave me another dream last night. This time it must have been right after the rapture, because we were in heaven. I felt sad though and then this angel came to me. It was a women. I was sad because I couldn't find my mother and grandmother who passed away in 97 and 2000. The angel told me to look on some of the other planets. I did not understand this other planets, I asked her how to get there, but she did not answer as I guess I already knew how. She then said to me I think you went to the same church as me. I have had a lot of things popping up in my mind about my church everyone. My Grandmother swore by it. I didn't understand it really, so I have been praying about it. My church was branched off by the mormans. I am not RLDS either. I am Just the Church Of Christ With The Elijah Message. Anyway back to my dream I asked her if this church was Gods church and she said yes, that we all will see soon when this is all over. Okey I know that a lot of you will not believe me, but I can not prove to you in words about this church. I ask that you pray about it.

Love to you All~Stacy

Hello Stacey!
I had a dream of the twin towers disaster two weks before they were struck. Keep praying to the Lord and ask him if the dream was from him and wait patiently for the answer. Yes...the rapture will happen and i'm feeling it getting closer. Wait patiently for our Lord Jesus sister. God bless You and your husband...

Hi Stacy,
I would like to share a couple of things. Remember, all things are to be judge by scripture. If your church is practicing what the Bible says (NOT WHAT THEY SAY THE BIBLE SAYS) but what you read and study (that means study like your were taking a college class and asking God for Wisdom and understanding of his word as you study) and ask him to give you peace about your church he will.
I will tell you that when I was studying on of Dr. Creflo Dollars teachings, he said the bottom line was if you are truly born again, God will give you peace in your heart about it. It seems to me if you are questioning it, you do not have peace in your heart.
Also remember that Satan can come as an Angel of Light. He has the albility to decieve us.
Start there and pray. Let Jesus Christ guide you.
Jesus is Lord!! Tenbear

I have not attended my church since I was a child. I only went to sunday school in this church. My Grandmother told many things that would come. I didn't really understand at the time because of age. I did feel very good about what she was saying. I have not been brain washed by any false prophets. I moved away from where my church is when I was nineteen. I have never attended any church since with the exception of visiting one twice here in Miami. I believe it does not matter what religion you are, but that if you have Jesus completely in your heart, and that you speak to him from the heart and not of the tongue he will guide us all in our journey to salvation. You know it was not easy to write all these things, because I know a lot will not understand. As you remember I asked you to pray about it in the end of my letter. I can not prove to you in words what I feel, I know it is God and I will not be hurt by man who wants to believe I am lead by false prophets and satan. satan makes us feel bad. I have never felt the way I do now. It is a good feeling that is why I know it is God. The love is in my heart for all people. God has changed me from the inside out. God can do supernatrual things, how can you deny that? My husband went from never talking about God, to tears welling up in his eyes and feeling the holy spirit in one week; after having his dream about rapture. I do not and will not deny what is in the bible. Only God and no man will lead me to answers. I am sorry if any has a problem with what I just said. I believe if we all prayed about this and listen to God, not to man he will interpret it the same for all of us. Stop and think a minute, if everyone took away out of their mind what they were lead to believe in there churches, and said a prayer asking God to lead them to the right answers, and not arguing his word so much, I think you would see things that you have never seen before.

Love to All~Stacy

Thank you and God bless you.

Tenbear~ I have sat down and thought about what you said here. You know what; I think you are right!! The first two dreams were much clearer and stronger, when I awoke I thought about them. The last dream I had, I had actually forgot about it until I had my coffee and was reading my newpaper. Sorry, but I have thought about this church too many times. I don't think it is right. I guess I witnessed some really amazing things during my grandmothers death, that I wanted to believe it was Gods church. Even though my grandmother was led by a, most likely false prophet I still believe she went to heaven. She was a great example to me and how I should have a relationship with God. My Aunt who also believes in this church told me some things about it yesterday that have made me question it. They do not believe in rapture and they believe babylon is the Catholic church. These are two things that recently have come across to my husband and I. He had his rapture dream, which was very strong. One day for some reason I felt I should read about babylon, and as I read it made me think of New York for some reason.
Then LovingHim posted something about it also. It seemed so real to me. Who knows I am still on my journey letting God lead me. Thanks for you input.

Love~Stacy

Bit confused I am.

here is a quote from an above message.

"My Aunt who also believes in this church told me some things about"

We are not saved by believing in a church or group or anything.

We are saved when we believe that Jesus is the son of God and that He died for us and overcame death. He lives and we can also live when we trust in Him and Him alone.

Hope this wasn't out of context.

Hi Marty~ I totally agree. The church did not say that they would be the only people being saved. I have never felt any church thought that. I have heard rumor of Mormans believing that, but I could not be for sure.
I agree with you, we are saved when we believe Jesus is the son of God and that he died for us and overcame death. He lives and we can also live when we trust in him and him alone. No it was not out of context. You made my BLIND EYES SEE SOMETHING!!!! THANK YOU!!
Discussion over please.
Love~Stacy

Stacy,

I can relate to your situation. I as well have had a close relationship with God since a child, I remember praying to him at school in grade 2 or three, and feeling a loving feeling all over my body almost all of the time. But now i don't have that feeling any more. I still love God and am always searching for the truth, but it's hard to find.

Now i'm not sure if there ever was a Jesus Christ all because of the Jews and the Muslims. I can't get it thought my head that they don't worship Jesus as a Christian or religion like yours do. And it made me think, if Israel is the chosen land and it's full of Jews then Am i wrong to believe in A man that the Chosen people don't believe existed?

I have been trying to answer this question for a long time now and i am only 21, but i know Jesus may be knocking at the door of earth ready to come back in. I"m afraid that it will be too late and Jesus will not love me anymore for betraying him and that makes me sick to my stomach. Please pray for me to God to find the truth and the way.

The Jews believe that Jesus existed--they know He did. It's just that they were looking for a political savior, and He didn't come to lead them politically. He was much more than that, and they couldn't understand it, but that fulfilled prophecy. He was born to be the Savior of all mankind, to pay the price of everyone's sin who would repent and accept his sacrifice and come unto Him and follow Him. That wasn't what the Jews were looking for, so they rejected Him. He wasn't at all surprised by that rejection, either.

And yes, He is at the door ready to return, and we need to be ready. If you have had doubts, I don't think you have betrayed Him, and of course He still loves you. Don't let fear keep you away from Him. He not only stands at the door of the world and is about to return, but He stands at the door of your heart and knocks and is waiting for you to open your heart to Him. You want to find the truth and the way--Jesus Christ is both. He is the Truth and the Way. Of that I have absolutely no doubt. He's knocking--let Him in! Then get grounded and stay grounded in scripture and in prayer. Pray for guidance and for strength. Ask and ye shall receive! And you're in a good place for any help you need from anybody! Just let us know what else you need.

Your sister,
Debbie

I would take your husband's dreams very seriously. One of the primary ways God interacts with us is through our dreams. By sending the dream to your husband, he is also sending it to you and to whomever your husband shares it with. I honestly believe that the LORD will take His faithful believers soon. I feel it in my bones, in the depth of my soul. What is 'soon'? A day? A year? A decade? Who am I to say? For nearly two thousand years Christians have been waiting, but I would expect that 'soon' indicates that it will be within a generation, at the very least. Only God knows His plans. He wants us to be on the edge of our seats, waiting eagerly.

I myself have had some powerful dreams lately that, when I woke, left me *absolutely certain* that I was going home to be with the LORD soon, any day even. I took that as meaning that my death was impending, although I have no health problems. Another possibility to consider is that the Rapture is imminent. When I was very young I was raised Christian (but in a dysfunctional environment), but was then moved to a non-Christian home. After moving to my new life, I dreamed over and over that I was on the playground at my old school and that I would start floating up into the sky. Sometimes in the dream I would try to take my best friend with me, but she couldn't float. Once I found out about the Rapture, I recognized the similarily with my dream (which also symbolized me being taken to a glorious new life). If the Rapture is soon, it will be truly glorious to be with the LORD forever, but it will be terrible to leave all our unbelieving or lukewarm friends and family behind. Since before I even accepted Christ (as an adult), reading about the Tribulation truly struck fear into my heart. It also took a long time until I was willing to believe in a pre-trib rapture at all (it sounded like wishful thinking); still, I don't think it will be all who consider themselves to be Christians. Only the Church of Philadelphia was spared in Revelation, yet they were only one of seven churches named. It is terrible to consider the fact that we Christians can't save people around us from Jacob's Trouble if, indeed, they don't live for the LORD. Jesus told us to pray that we would be accounted worthy to escape all these things. We can pray all we want for others, but they are the ones who have to give their lives to Christ.

It is also important to remember that, in Revelation, the Church of Smyrna didn't appear to do anything wrong to deserve the suffering they were promised. Just because someone isn't Raptured doesn't mean that God has given up on him/her. It just means that such a person's faith still needs to be refined. I pray that the people who are saved during the Tribulation will be even mightier servants of the LORD. If we remember the story of the prodigal son, it was he go got the big party on his repentence. The good son was even a bit jealous. Those of us who already love God shouldn't consider ourselves above all those lost sheep out there. We only love Jesus Christ because He first loved us. Anyone who isn't Raptured could still conceivably become greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, but it will be a costly treasure. The Tribulation is analogous to the plagues of Egypt; God is willing to do anything to get through to us. If we demand a sign from Him before believing, the sign we receive may be a plague! May God save every last one of His sheep. Sorry for digressing...

Anyway, ever since these dreams, not a day, not an hour goes by in which Jesus Christ is far from my thoughts. He can take any of us any day, whether by Rapture or our natural deaths. He has promised to come like a thief, so the only way we can be ready for Him is if we are constantly living the kind of life we want to present to Him as a sacrificial offering. From a pragmatic point of view, I hope you put your affairs in order so that when He comes for you, you don't have even a moment's hesitation.

God bless you!
Francesca

The church is within the heart... Church is not just a place you worship at on sunday but it a everyday event within your heart.. To God there is only one true church and that is those who believe christ paid for our sins on the cross and ask him to come into there hearts.. once you confess your a sinner and are in need of christ you our saved and apart of god church..



The rapture... Will happen and very soon... It is a pre-rapture and you have to be born again to be apart of it.. If your not a Born again Christian you will be left behind.. The punishment apond this world for Seven years is not for the church but for those that keep living a life for sin and don't turn there eyes unto christ.. Rev 3:10

Just like Noah Days.. there was punishment but not for noah and his family who believe God and lived a Life for him.. but for those who sinned and live a life without God in there hearts.. Also like Lot and his family.. where God kept them from punishment apond a sinful city.. Only his wife turn her back and went back to the city and was burn.. We need to stay intune with God for time is short.. We need to be ready and at watch.. Because Christ will come to get his church very soon.. We need to have oil in our lamps,, trusting in christ and keeping the faith in him Always.. He is coming.. I have had Dreams about the rapture as well..

God bless

Hello Stacy. You have a very real testamony and feel like I need to respond to your ideas. I, too, have struggled with understanding what God wants with me. I have never been sure of any rapture, but I keep my heart open to all possibilities. Yesterday, I was reading through some scriptures when it struck me that what Protestants are describing as 'rapture' is what the Catholic church calls 'assumption'. And I have to say as a good Catholic who believes in assumption, I cannot deny the possibility of a 'rapture' or an 'assumption' of saints at some time in the future. The Catholic Church does not support a 'rapture theory', it simply teaches, in essence, not to put all of your eggs in one basket. While the Church strongly believes in types, shadows and patterns, she warns that we have no way of knowing which events the Almighty will use in this manner. That we need to focus on our own personal relationships with Christ so that no matter what happens when, we are prepared to meet our Maker. If every one of us practiced this idea, maybe we would all be assumed (raptured) into heaven.

I would like to leave you and everyone else her with one last idea. Exodus 14:14, "The Lord himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still."

sojourner

Thank-you for posting scriptures, a great comfort. "If God is for us, who can be against us." Now I need to ask a question?

Lately, I have begun to understand how weak I am. Vulnerable to say the least. Easy for a child to physically hurt me. I have had nightmares about being hurt by the bullies in life. Now, what happens if in the last days when the mark of the beast is required by all citizens and some of us refuse this mark. After-all we really don't care about earthly comfort- the only thing we care about is living for the Lord. But the antichrist being impatient orders his staff to find and force the mark of the beast on all that will not willingly accept the mark. Now being of weak build and weak strength the bad guys easily overpower me in order to place the devils mark on me.

What happens to the weakest in humanity if this does occur? Or perhaps this never will occur, because in those days we will give up our weakness so that the Lord empower us with strength.

Gods Blessings,

Al

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

We want to continue in our study of why I believe in the pre-tribulational rapture.

The Tribulation is called "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7). "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble." This prophet, in chapters 30 and 31, summarizes Israel's endurance in the Tribulation Hour and depicts it as Jacob's, or Israel's, trouble. (Jacob's name was changed to Israel in 2 Kings 17:34.) In Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 the northern army or Russian bear comes out of the north against Israel. Eighteen different passages mark Israel as the victim. Ezekiel says, "And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel" (Ezekiel 38:16).

Daniel described this horrible period of Tribulation: "And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered" (12:1). Daniel's seventy weeks, of which the Tribulation period is the closing segment, has to do with Israel: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy" (Daniel 9:24).

The sixty-nine weeks totaling 483 years-already past-had to do with Israel. Why would God change His method of operation for the seventieth week-the Tribulation Hour? The simple conclusion is that there will be no change. God will return to His original program for the final week. This is again the reason that Satan, upon being cast to earth during the Tribulation Hour, goes after the woman (Israel) who brought forth the man-child (Christ) in Revelation 12:12-14. The voice out of heaven cries: "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child [Christ]. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent."

Here we see God's loving protection for His covenant people for a time-one year, and times-two years, and for half a time or one-half year. This totals three and one-half years or forty-two months-exactly one-half of the Tribulation period. Verse 17 farther corroborates the fact that Israel is the persecuted one, not the Church, for "the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed [Israelites]." Only antiliteralists and antidispensationalists confuse the issue. They allegorize, spiritualize, and pulverize the truth into mass confusion. They make Jews of all the redeemed or relegate the title of "Israelites" to Americans, Canadians, and other Anglo-Saxons. Little do they realize that there can be no harmony of the Scriptures when one does not rightly divide the word of truth (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

What is the truth? It is that God has two elect groups of individuals on this earth-Israel and the Church. Israel is the wife of Jehovah forever (Jeremiah 3:14; Hosea 2:19). The Church is the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7). Romans 9 through 11 depict Israel's past (chapter 9), Israel's present (chapter 10), and Israel's future (chapter 11). During the Tribulation Hour, all Israel shall be saved (see Romans 11:26). The 144,000 Jewish evangelists (see Revelation 7:4-8) will proclaim the gospel of the kingdom to all the world (Matthew 24:14), and all Israel will accept Messiah (Christ) as Savior and King. Now these Israelites are the elect: "As touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes" (Romans 11:28). This solves the problem of Matthew 24:22, which states, "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake [Israelites] those days shall be shortened."

Posttribulationists vehemently cry: "You see, the elect are present for the judgments of the Tribulation Hour." Not so! The fact is that Jehovah chose or elected Israel to be His wife, and Christ chose or elected His people to be His bride, and it is the Father's elect wife experiencing the judgments mentioned in Revelation chapters 6-18.

Concerning Israel, Deuteronomy 7:6 declares, "For thou art an holy people unto the lord thy God: the lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." This promise is perpetual. "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance [or change of mind]" (Romans 11:29). This is the reason that all Israel is going to be saved (v. 26). God keeps His covenants (v. 27), and Israelites are still the Father's "election" (see v. 28).

To the Christians, Christ says, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you" (John 15:16). We were chosen "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4), and our choosing is eternal. Now there is no difficulty whatsoever when men see both elections, but confusion reigns when the two are intermingled, spiritualized, allegorized, and symbolized. Take God for what He states-literally-and the problems vanish.

Deliverance from wrath (Luke 17:26-32). The reason this hope is blessed or happy is that the Church escapes the turmoil of earth's most devastating hour. This fact is confirmed by the teaching of Jesus. He said that the days of the Son of man would be like the days of Noah and Lot (see Luke 17:26-32). In Noah's day, Enoch, a type of the Church, was evacuated before the judgment of the Flood, while Noah, a type of Israel, was preserved through it. Lot, in his removal to Zoar before the fires fell, is also a type of the escaping Church before atomic incineration begins.

Upon examining the story of Lot in Genesis 18:23-32, we discover that God informed Abraham that He would destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham immediately began bargaining with the Lord: "Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:23-25).

Abraham finally got the figure down to ten righteous people, but there were not even ten who were undefiled. Therefore, God had to destroy the cities. Lot and his family, however; survived because God had another plan-the great escape. The angels removed Lot and his family from the city and took them to Zoar. Now listen to this surprising statement from God in Genesis 19:22: "I cannot do any thing till [Lot] be come thither." God had to remove His people before He rained judgment upon the world of the ungodly. Then, and only then, did the Lord rain "upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground" (Genesis 19:24-25).

As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the day of the Son of man, or when the Son of man returns. Whether it is the great escape for the Church or the preservation of the Israelites through the Tribulation, God's promises cannot fail.

The day of great wrath (see Revelation 6:17) will be meted out to sinners who store up, treasure up, or accumulate "wrath against the day of wrath" (Romans 2:5). But this wrath will be only for the wicked. Paul wrote, "[God] delivered us [Christians] from the wrath to come" (1 Thessalonians 1:10), and again: "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

This salvation from wrath cannot be the eternal deliverance from hell because the Christian already has that without Christ's return. The moment a person believes, he is delivered from condemnation and "is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24). Because of it, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). The deliverance from wrath in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 has to do with Christ's return because the text states, "[We] wait for his Son from heaven... which delivered us from the wrath to come." It does not take the return of Christ to deliver us from the wrath of hell-salvation instantaneously accomplished this. But the coming of Christ delivers us from the wrath of the coming Tribulation Hour. This is how God will "keep [us] from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world" (Revelation 3:10).

The Church-the body and the bride (Ephesians 5:30). Now let's look at Christ's church-His body and His bride. Will the Church go through the administration of God's wrath upon the earth? I believe not. Millions of believers are already in heaven. All who have died "in Christ" during the past two thousand years are already with Christ. Paul said, "To be absent from the body [is] to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Why should a handful of believers experience God's wrath while millions who lived and died during the last two thousand years enjoy the blessings of heaven during the Tribulation? For God to have 99 percent of His church with Him while 1 percent suffer untold agonies would be inconsistent.

Since the Greek word ecclesia, translated " church" in English, means "a called out assembly," could not this definition extend to the very hour when the final "called out assembly" meets the other 99 percent of the Church already in glory? Why should a minority suffer God's vengeance while the others watch from heavenly places? We are also members of Christ's body. "We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones" (Ephesians 5:30).

Should 99 percent of His body in heaven rejoice while the remaining 1 percent upon earth suffer? Perish the thought. In fact, since Christ is the head of the Body, He would actually be administering wrath to His own body if He left part of that body on earth for the Tribulation period. Believers are also Christ's bride. Should 1 percent of the believers (constituting the Bride) languish in anguish while 99 percent abide at His side? Let's be consistent in our thinking! Love demands that all the remaining 1 percent join the 99 percent already in His presence, completing the Church, the Body, and the Bride.

This same Church, Body, and Bride must go through a time of examination called the Judgment Seat of Christ. The Bride also experiences the marriage supper of the Lamb before returning with Christ to the earth. The posttribulation adherents teach a " yo-yo theory"-up and down, going to meet Christ and returning instantly-and have no time interval for this judgment-seat examination or the marriage. It takes time to investigate God's people. Second Corinthians 5:10 states, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body." This is an impossibility in the posttribulation arrangement of events because millions cannot be investigated in less than one second or "the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52). The "bob up to meet Him and bob down to reign" theory, if true, wipes out the intervals of time demanded for the judgment seat of Christ and the marriage.

I believe it is logically and abundantly clear that there will be a Rapture and that it must come before the Tribulation period. Common sense demands it; confusion reigns without it. Soon the Lord will break through the clouds. His church, body, and bride will be united with members already in His presence, for "them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Then all the Church is investigated and prepared "as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:2) to enjoy the marriage supper and honeymoon.

The Most Powerful Argument for a Pretribulation Rapture

The final and greatest argument for a pretribulation Rapture is based on Matthew 25:31-46. In this text Christ returns to earth and judges the nations. At this point of time there are two groups present-the saved and the lost. The lost are condemned to everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:41, 46), whereas the saved are invited to enter the kingdom for the thousand-year reign with Christ (Matthew 25:34; Revelation 20:4).

Now, supposing the Rapture occurred at this juncture as postmillennialists teach, who would then be left to reign with Christ upon earth? At the Rapture believers receive glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2-3). These bodies, as Christ returns to earth, remain in the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, hovering above the earth for the entire one thousand years (Revelation 21:9-22:5). That being the case, no one would be left to rule on earth if all the saved were raptured and translated, receiving their eternal spiritual bodies at the hour Christ returns to earth. In fact, there could be no Millennium if this theory were followed to its ultimate conclusion. I repeat-if posttribbers are correct, the saved are translated into spiritual bodies while the lost are sent into eternal punishment. This leaves no one to rule and reign with Christ for the one thousand years. On the other hand, if the Rapture occurs before the Tribulation period begins, the riddle is solved. Here's why. There will be multitudes, yes millions upon millions converted during earth's most horrendous hour because this is the time when God's spirit is poured out upon all flesh (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17), and the greatest revival in history occurs. Revelation 7:9 states: "A great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." When asked who these tens of millions are, the answer is: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (v. 14). These are the millions who go into the kingdom in earthly bodies for Christ's millennial reign (Matthew 25:34; Revelation 20:4). This is the only position that makes sense and fits the situation of a coming Millennium composed of believers ruling and reigning with Christ in earthly bodies.


According to this view, Christians would pass through the first half of the Tribulation but be raptured at the seventh trumpet judgment. This position, however, does not hold up since it ignores the biblical teaching of imminence-a view that asserts the return of Christ will occur unannounced, at any given moment. This theory is so unpopular today that little space is needed to cover the subject-just enough to describe the viewpoint.


This view does not look for Christ to come for His own until after the Tribulation. According to this theory, the Church should not be looking for the blessed hope of the return of Christ, but rather to the appearance of the Antichrist and the indescribable judgments and horrors of the Tribulation period.

Surely no reasonable, rational thinker will disagree with the facts presented thus far concerning the pretribulation Rapture.


Your dream is true.

I had a dream too.. in 2005 I think I post it under dreams on this site here it is again.. I believe Christ is coming back very very soon for his church..


Hello everyone a few night back I had a dream.. It was a short one but touch the heart.. I was in a big hall very pretty many people where there from many nations speaking in many languages.. There was all sorts of food mostly lots of fruit some fruits where new to me which is rare becausing I cook for a living.. I could not understand what everyone was saying till the end of the dream when I seem to understand that they where saying Jesus Was coming back to earth soon.. Then I wake up.. Been thinking about this dream for the last two days and God lead me to writing it down here for all to see.. I really think this was a dream about the marriage supper..