The Rapture Force

We believe unto salvation. Because we believe then we receive the forgiveness of sins,and become reborn. A brand new slate for us who believe, that Jesus is Lord. That He was sent by God, that he was perfect,that He took our place and paid the price that we could never ever pay. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever {believes} in Him shall not parish but have ever lasting life. Believing what is it? it is faith,it is trust in God. It is a huge thing for us all. I will show you in this article how very important believing is.

We are told in one of my favorite verses that all things are possible to those who believe. Mark 9:23. The scenario is a father comes to Jesus and asks if you can would you please rid my son of the evil spirit within him that throws him on the ground and causes him to have seizures. I imagine Jesus incredulously looking at the father of the boy and asking, If I can? And then replying, all things are possible to those who believe. Then the father says to Jesus I believe, help my unbelief. So in other words, he thinks he believes, but then realizes he may not have that complete faith that is unwavering, so asks for help to believe.

We are allowed this as well. We who are His own, can ask for Him to help us to believe, that which we want more than anything to believe. We find in James 1:6-8 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. Many people say they do not believe in the power of the holy Spirit doing all the works and more that Jesus said we would do. I personally feel bad for these people they are living a life of lack, and really as it says here in James, cannot expect anything from the Lord.

Wow do you see that? Those who waver in belief, meaning they just cannot believe for some reason or another, wont receive anything. So now we have an answer as to why those people who do not believe in the power of the holy Spirit, to give us gifts of healing and prophecy and speaking in tongues, do not get those gifts themselves. One must believe to receive those gifts, and to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Baptism means immersion Baptisma is the Greek word for it and it means immersion. Our English dictionary gives a loose translation. Saying immersion or sprinkling. Immersion in water is also baptism,but the gifts of the Holy Spirit only comes with immersion in the Holy Spirit. These, contrary to some peoples belief, are two different things.

Jesus said you must be born of water and spirit in John 3:5,6 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. This is very important obviously,for Jesus to say it. Paul, in Acts, 19:1-6 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Now the reason I was led to do this particular article was due to an argument or a debate 2 nights ago with two men, who insisted that they believe in the Holy Spirit but that there are no gifts given from this spirit in our time. I would like to say I was incredulous,but alas I have family who believes this way, and are also stuck under the law. They have no power in the Lord. They live lack luster lives devoted to working their tails off to be considered good enough to achieve eternity, and then claim they are not going to heaven due to their works. The law is not done away with but fulfilled. Meaning it is finished! There is no more to do to pay for your sins if you mess up. These people sadly do not understand that to live by the law one must also die by the law.

Paul in Romans 7 shows us the very weakness of the law. May I suggest everyone do an in depth study of Romans 6 and 7. It helps us to understand why it is we do not have to fight ourselves at all times to try and uphold the law. This link is a fabulous explanation of dying to the law, it is a very good explanation of Romans 6 and 7. http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/4507.htm This is a whole other article though. I tell you the Lord had me going through, about 5 different articles I could do just off of this one subject,that leads to so many more possibilities.

At one point of the discussion about denying the power in the Holy Spirit, I brought up the verses in Matthew chapter 12:31,32. This says there is an unpardonable sin and that is the grieving of the Holy Spirit. These men, (and I have to laugh at them not even realizing what they are arguing here) said that this was being used by me in the wrong context ,that the men who were grieving the holy spirit were saying Jesus was possessed of demons and this was how He was able to cast out demons and heal the sick. But the argument from their point of view was that these gifts do not exist for us today the holy spirit does not do these gifts through us. After the apostles died the gifts were done away with.

To me they are doing the same thing as those pharisees! They are arguing against the holy spirit doing the healing and speaking in tongues through us, and doing all manner of miracles and signs and wonders. But my question then has to be, if it is not the holy Spirit doing these things through us, then who do they say it is, doing these miracles and signs? The correct conclusion has got to be satan. The men were telling me how Jesus was telling the pharisees how stupid and foolish their notion was that it could and or would be demons doing these things. I agree with Jesus,but I cannot understand how these men, who vehemently deny there is power in the Holy Spirit that works today, figure it is foolish for the pharisees but not for themselves to believe, any other than the holy Spirit, is doing these works that are purely and certainly of God!

It is because they do not believe, that they do not receive these gifts. Proverbs 23:7 as a man thinketh so does he. So in other words if a man, or woman for that matter, decides for themselves that there are no longer any gifts of the Holy Spirit, then they cannot receive those gifts. Let us look at the power of believing for so many during Jesus walk upon the earth. Matthew 8:13 Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have Believed.” His servant was healed in that hour. Matthew 9:28 When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you Believe that I am able to do this?” They told him, “Yes, Lord.”

See it was their very believing that reaped the benefits. They sowed belief and they received a great harvest for believing. Let’s go on! Matthew 21:22 and all — as much as ye may ask in the prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’ Oh dear now look at that! Out of the Lord’s own mouth. How do men mere men argue with the logic the truth coming from the Truth’s mouth? There is so much more. Mark 5:36 But Jesus, when he heard the message spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don’t be afraid, only Believe.”This last verse is talking about Jesus bringing the 12 yr old girl back to life. He knew they had to believe in order for Him to bring her back from the dead.

Let us go on. Mark 11:23 For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain,’Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but Believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says. This is another of my favorites. It is so very important to understand the things we can do as long as we believe. So yes those people those word of faith preachers, not only are they trying to get through to you that believing is the most important thing you can possibly do for yourself and for ministry. But they are also trying most often to get you to understand,if you do not have this kind of faith,you must go after it. You must seek it with all your heart mind and body. The Lord gives nothing to anyone,we must work for all of it. Faith is progressive it is not just given to you. Faith is enlarged and grown and stretched in trials and troubles and sickness and even in health.

I do not look down my nose at word of faith preachers. Instead I covet that kind of faith. Word of faith preachers are not sitting idly by, they are working for every ounce of whatever they have. They are not telling you wrong by saying you get what you believe for. They are telling you the truth. Jesus said Himself, whatever you believe without wavering, that you will receive. If your praying for and hoping for, let’s say healing of cancer,You had better have some serious unwavering faith. Because the moment you waiver in your believing for it,is the moment you have to start all over again. If you covet healing then you need to study faith and pray for faith and ask God to help you to believe. Then trust Him for that faith and that help,and trust Him, that what He says He will do for one, He will do for all!

I went to a wonderful church that blew me away when they did the offering prayer. The pastor said, I am not going to beg for your money and force you, for the Lord likes a cheerful giver. But more importantly, we believe that the Lord wants this church to prosper in all it’s ways, and therefore we believe the Lord will make sure we are funded and all our needs are met. Now that is a wonderful church! I have always believed if a church has to beg and make those in the church feel guilty about tithing, then something is just not right in the church. Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, Believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. See the Lord goes on here in the same vein as the previous verse. It has to be very important to receive what you seek if he goes on and on about that very thing.

Mark 16:16 He who Believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disBelieves will be condemned. Mark 16:17 These signs will accompany those who Believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; Oh wow now wait a second!!! Jesus is not talking about the apostles, He says here, “those who Believe”! Did Jesus lie? Of course not! Let us not be ridiculous. Jesus did not lie, and He had to continue to equip the church to enlarge the Kingdom. We can, none of us, do anything on our own. It is only the Holy Spirit living in us that can do all of the things we do. I challenge any person, any one person in this world and or who reads this to tell me when and where does Jesus or the apostles say that the gifts will die with them?There is no such verse or conversation.

I want to look at what happens when people do not believe. First off we see in Mark 16:16 that he who disbelieves will be condemned! Then now let us look at Jesus in Nazareth as a man fully into His ministry,and what happens when the people disbelieve in Him and in the power He wields. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. Mark 6:4-6 See He could do not mighty works. In the parallel verses in Matthew it states, 58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

So though I know and believe with everything in me that God can and will do whatever miracles He wants to, when and where He chooses,will not, due to unbelief. As a man thinketh so is he, comes to mind. In this context though it is unbelief or negativity. Also Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So think about this too out of the abundance of your heart the mouth speaks. So the abundance in those hearts of those people, that refuse to believe in the very amazing and awesome power of the Holy Spirit, is unbelief.God is never changing, what is good for one person is good for another. God is no respecter of men,not even the apostles had anything more special than any man or woman in the world today.

Why would God give to them liberally all those lovely gifts and then all of the thousands upon thousands that came to Christ in the times of the apostles witness,but not us? we who are the body of Christ, with Christ being the head He has all that power. Think of it this way,our head which is attached to our body, has all our abilities in them. Our subconscious mind does all those things we do not have to tell our bodies to do, but to move our arms our legs, to speak, to look in any direction we must think about it,right? So with Christ being our head,and we all being His body, we have that power too. He gives it to us!

Every time I hear or see or read of someone saying oh that power died with the apostles,I cannot help but think of the verse in 2 Timothy 3:5,and I am using the living translation for this one,it says it so well. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! The KJV says it like this,Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. So why do we need to believe? It is so important to our very eternity to believe every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. People need to stop picking and choosing to believe what they want to believe and only that. God does not conform to your whims. Look at Romans 10:12 for there is no difference between Jew and Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. let’s look at that last part of the verse rich unto all that call upon Him! So He gives the same to all, the same riches, are for every one who calls upon Him. How wonderful that news is!

And let’s look at Romans 10:8-10 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach: 9 because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: 10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.There it is again,our whole entire Christianity our eternity depends upon believing the Lord. If you do not believe in all of what He has to offer then you are losing out on so much! Your missing out on the very power that brought Jesus out of the grave alive! That power that conquered the grave lives inside of us. Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwells in you. Amazing truths just amazing.

I pray for each of you that reads this that the Lord would stretch and grow your faith and that you will accept all truth about the Lord and His ways. I pray that you will live the abundant life Christ gave to us all freely,of His own will. it is the Lord’s will for us to all live lives full and wonderful and joyful and strengthened and powerful. If we deny the power of the Holy Spirit we deny truth,and our unbelief will in the end hurt us in so many ways.Believe brothers and sister Believe fully and completely in the truth,that is Jesus Christ.
Love in Christ Jesus,Tammy

Let’s first take a look at the verses we are going to be speaking about here. I pray that someone somewhere will get the message the Lord intended here. Especially one or many who believe in a pre tribulation rapture. This is a story of endurance and patience. Not one of Christians and non Christians as some suggest. These are all Christians being spoken of here. But five are the foolish ones, who did not endure till the end. They did not get filled up with knowledge and wisdom,they had some, but stopped short of the full preparation. When a Bride get’s ready for her groom she sometimes takes years, or a year most often to plan her wedding. There is nothing that is left out of the plans The Bride does not stop when half way finished with her plans. No she works her tail off, weeks and months on end to make all things right and have it all exactly perfect.

It is no different for us Christians. We are to go till the end. Until our Groom meets us. If we give up half way to the finish line then we have done it all for nothing. It would be as though we never began the race in the first place. We are told hundreds of times,throughout the word, he who endures till the end, shall be saved. How can one expect to be saved unless they run the full race? We are to give it every ounce of what we have daily, nightly, weekly,monthly, and yearly Until He comes. We are to occupy,meaning we are to be about the kings business, so when He comes He sees that we have indeed been made ready, that we have been doing our part of the deal so to speak.Salvation is not a one way thing. We have a huge part in our own walk with the Lord. If we stop walking with Him then we have been lost and it was all for nothing. There are many verses that explain this straight forward.If you are half way in the Lord and half way in the world, then you are none of His. He is all about My way or the highway honey!

Ok here are the verses the only place that tells the parable of the Virgins,Matthew 25:

1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. Preparation,stamina,perseverance. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. they took knowledge, wisdom and were prepared. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, (No pre tribulation rapture,He tarries that all who are coming to the Lord, will come) and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out. (Help us we do not know what to do,we were unprepared for the wait, the darkness got to us and we lost our way.) 9“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.(we cannot help you to see wisdom and truth and have knowledge)’10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil,(on their way to learning what they needed to be ready and to have stamina) the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

( I thought I knew you, but my sheep know my voice and they listen to me John 10:27,this is stated three times in John 10. The reason He would not know you, is because you did not listen to His words that were speaking truth to you,and preparing you, in the word, Instead you listened to strangers,and in those verses in John 10 it says ( my own would never follow a stranger! )

Those who believe it a pre tribulation rapture are not mentally spiritually or otherwise preparing for the darkness to come. They are not putting extra oil aside for the times coming because they believe they will not be here to endure it so therefore they are the picture of the foolish virgins.When the time is here and they are facing the terrors and the horrors they believed themselves to not be present for,their going to experience burn out rather quickly. They will have no ability to keep running the race, they will be unable to see their way clearly through the darkness, because they will be unprepared to withstand all the fiery darts hurled at them. And there will be darts flying at them from every angle. They will be shocked into immobility! With their understanding being why be worried? We are not to be here,the groom will not tarry He is coming any second.

when I read these verses, I get this same feeling from the Holy Spirit every time. That this is the preparation for the tribulation,the wise having prepared for it in advance, and the foolish not having prepared one drop,and their love waxing cold,towards the Lord,and their fellow brothers and sister. I believe some will actually accuse the Lord of lying to them and therefore will accept the mark, and will be the very apostates spoken of by Paul in the letters to the Thessalonians. I believe the oil outside of ourselves is actually the Holy Spirit He replenishes us as we go through tumultuous situations. He sustains us and whispers the word to our hearts that we already know such as say 1 Peter 4:1,2 1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

And 1 Pet 4: 12-19 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

I take a lot of flack from some family and some friends, for my outlook on the end times. I do not rightly care! Seriously I look towards that Hope the Blessed hope, with every ounce of me. Filled with joy at the prospect of it. That is not doom and gloom friends it is the fulfillment of all we have been walking with the Lord for. It is that everlasting glorious appearing of our savior that we might be made into perfect beings immortal and Christ like. Never to ever worry about sinning again. What is gloom and doom about that I ask? We are told through out the NT that we keep going until the end, time and again we are told we must keep going even though we will experience fiery trials. Even though we will go through some times where we say Lord help me I cannot do this one more minute. Then we are reminded I can do all things let me type that again, I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. We in ourselves could never withstand all that is coming. So that is why we need that extra oil. The Lord has provided the truth to us and those who wish to adhere to the whole truth, and not hear what their itching ears wish to hear only. We are prepared at all times through His word for every single thing to come upon us.

We need to be ready in season and out of season,and filled with knowledge wisdom and strength that only comes from the Lord (The Word). Jesus suffered and each and every one of His apostles suffered. They were all of them persecuted,and all but one was killed for their witness of Christ! But Though John was not killed by anyone and died of old age, he was persecuted. We cannot think it a strange thing to think of the chances of us being persecuted to death. We are told through out the scriptures it is going to happen. There will be no excuse for those who are unprepared! And mere humans cannot give you that extra oomf your going to need, our words will sound hollow and meaningless to one who is suffering immeasurably. I don’t even care if you have decided I am nut’s for telling you this. My only hope is that some of you will retain this warning in your memory, so that when you are going through the hellish ordeals promised us, you will think back and maybe, just maybe, not become the apostate that is fully expected of believers in that time. Unbelievers cannot become apostate! Get that out of your head right away.

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Time and time again we are told we will be persecuted. How does one come up with your getting away scott free?. How does one for one moment believe themselves better than the apostles? Each and every apostle as I said earlier was persecuted severely! Are you considering yourself better than the apostles,to not have to withstand,to not have to persevere? He who perseveres to the end he shall be saved.

Matt 24:13 The funny thing is Jesus through out the testimony of the end times,tells us we will be persecuted, we will be killed, we will be turned over by those we love. And no one denies Jesus is speaking of the tribulation here,yet they destroy, (to rip apart, to make useless.) the whole thing by insisting He is not speaking to everyone. That He is only speaking to the Jews. I have to point out one more time here God makes no distinction between the Jews and the gentiles. Galatians 3:28 says it all when it comes to that. We when we get saved as just like Jews. We get grafted into the olive tree. So if the branches of the olive tree can be ripped off how much worse for we who have been grafted in if we make a fool of the Lord,and His ultimate sacrifice? Let me show you the verse I speak of here.

Romans 11:16 For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

The fullness of the Gentiles dear brothers and sisters, is not until the very last person who is not a Jew has been saved. Jesus would never go and celebrate while a part of His bride, His promised one, or ones are still being persecuted and ripped apart. Does it make sense that the party starts with out the full body being there? The wedding feast does not begin until the bride in full regalia walks in. The bride being every Christian who ever lived and every Jew who walked in the will of the Lord, since time began,made pure by her fiery trials. Made white by her acceptance of Her Lord,and washed clean by His very blood. We must be as pure and chaste as is possible to receive the prize,our Lord and Savior Our Groom!

The Lord our God would not give His son a less than pure bride. If a girl was not pure when she came to the marriage bed that marriage was annulled. Made void and her embarrassment was complete, because everyone would then know she was impure. She would be made ashamed! In the middle ages they would actually display the maidens bloody sheets out the window to show she had been pure. We cannot expect that the Lord would ever consider giving His son a bride, who still had hang ups and could not love even her enemies. We cannot expect our perfect Lord to wish any other than the purest most devoted to His ways,bride. The tribulation is to test and separate the goats from the sheep,the thorns from the wheat. Let us not forget that the Lord told us in Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

That sounds exactly like at the end. There is no two harvests there is but one,and that is the last day. Revelation chapter 14 verses 12 through 18 show us the harvesting,with the Lord our Savior our King of Kings,sitting on the clouds that He just rode up on,where the whole world is seeing Him and the trumpet has already sounded and here is the shout of the arch angel shouting reap for the harvest is ripe for reaping. Which says God looked upon the earth and sees His own reflection looking back at Him from His children’s faces. They have been purified through the fiery trials,the dross has been drawn off, they now reflect their Lord,and it is good.

God Bless you all,Love in Christ Jesus,Tammy

So many people find themselves believing that the day of the Lord is different from the day of the rapture. But they are one and the same. There is biblically only one return of Jesus, one second coming. One plus one do not make three, and nowhere in the word do we find this secret coming of the Lord for His bride. When the bride groom comes for his bride, it is always with much fanfare. There will be no difference when Christ comes for His bride. It will be preceded by a Trumpet blast and a loud shout from the archangel.

I know what your thinking you who find it hard to understand that God would have you go through trials and tribulations. The verse your thinking of is the one about the thief in the knight. 1Thess 5:2 and also 2Peter 3:10 both state the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. So now let us examine that. We know the day of the Lord is also called the last day. How do people equate this verse with a pre tribulation rapture?

There are 35 books of the bible that speak of this day, the day of the Lord. It is the most important topic of prophecies. It is the most talked about of all prophecies through the prophets. The day of the Lords revenge. Yet our churches barely ever, if ever touch on this subject. The reason being that people only ever want to hear the good stuff. They do not want to hear that there is punishment, and pastors of this day and age are only too willing to comply.

Now the next and probably bigger reason why the Day of the Lord is not preached is because it conflicts with the pre- and mid-tribulation rapture views.  That is because the Rapture happens after the great tribulation and on the Last Day of this Age…which is the Day of the Lord!  Jesus, our Lord and Savior, says this in His conversation of the end-times in Matthew 24…that He will come after the tribulation and on the Last Day of this Age.   He says in verses 21- 31: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Then if any man shall say to you, ‘Look, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.  For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  Behold, I have told you before.   Therefore if they shall say to you, ‘Look, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.  For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.”

Read very carefully as Jesus continues, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet [same trumpet of 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:16,17 and Rev. 11:15-18 where the seventh angel sounded the seventh and last trumpet], and they shall gather together his elect [the Rapture] from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”  Here is the order of events from Jesus in Mt. 24 -  greatest tribulation ever , then the heavenly signs of Joel and Peter (and the rest of the prophets), then His coming in the clouds, then the last trumpet, then the Rapture on the Last Day which is the Day of the Lord.

I want to give you a better understanding of this, so let’s go into another explanation and this is the first resurrection. Compared to the last. This is a much longer part. The whole reason I have to break this down is because it is going to be a huge article, and I do not want to bore you or lose you. So after this section I will end this one, and post it and go on to the next part.The next part will list all the verses or as many as I can possibly find that speak of the day of the Lord. Also above I did not mention Revelation chapter 14 but it is a huge huge part, of understanding the rapture is a last day rapture. We see the rapture in chapter 14.

Daniel realized in his vision in Daniel 12:2 that “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”, only he did not receive details on it.  Paul told us in Acts 24:15 “that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust”, only he didn’t know it was two different resurrections.  Jesus talked about two resurrections in John 5:28-29 when he said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his [i.e. the Son of Man] voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation”, only He did not tell us that there was a time span between the two and how long it was.

But thank God for John’s revelation by vision where he is told definitely that there are two resurrections separated by 1000 years in Rev. 20:1- “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: 4 and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  This is the first resurrection.  6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.   7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.”

Some people believe the “second death” is an allusion to annihilation, but this is not the case as we shall see.  Even though the phrase “second resurrection” does not appear in this passage, it is obvious that if there is a first resurrection, there must be at least one other resurrection, or “first”, misleads us to a wrong conclusion.  The second resurrection is rather referred to as the “second death” instead to reflect its nature as being unto death rather than to life.  If it were only eternal unconsciousness or annihilation, there would be no need to have a resurrection of the body just to destroy it totally and instantaneously, and there would be no such thing as a first resurrection!

Furthermore, in Rev.19:20, 20:7, 10 we read, “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who performed miracles before him, with which he deceived them who had received the mark of the beast, and those who worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone…And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison…And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”  We discover, that after 1000 years of being tormented in the lake of fire, the beast and false prophet are still being “tormented day and night for ever and ever”!  So much for any annihilation views!

Rev. 20:11-15 goes on to say that at the conclusion of the thousand years those not in the Book of Life were cast into the lake of fire which is the “second death”.  No wonder that “blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection” in verse 6!The Word of God makes it clear that the Rapture can not be a pre-trib event.  Here’s how it does.  Pre-trib Christians will say that there is a resurrection of the saved at the start of the 7 years and a resurrection of those saved during the 7 years at the end of the 7 years, but the Word says there is only ONE First Resurrection unto eternal life, for if there were more than one resurrection unto eternal life , then the Second Resurrection would not be unto eternal death!

And if there is only ONE First Resurrection, 1 Thes. 4:16 tells us when it will be: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.  17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”"The dead in Christ shall rise first” is the First Resurrection, and “then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up” is the Rapture.  Do you see it?  The dead rise; then the living are caught up.  First is Resurrection, then is the Rapture.

Now Rev. 20:4 says, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”Those who were killed through the Tribulation were raised in the First Resurrection to reign a thousand years.  So they had to be raised after the last Tribulation saints were murdered.  Now if the Rapture, according to 1Thes. 4:16,17, follows the Resurrection, then we have undeniable proof that the Rapture necessarily has to follow the First Resurrection after the death of the last Tribulation martyr has been murdered!  What could be simpler.

Just as no one knew that almost 5 centuries of time came between Daniel’s 1st and 69th weeks (of years) in Dan. 9:24-27 and maybe some 20 centuries between the 69th and 70th, so no one knew before John’s vision that one thousand years would come between the First Resurrection (of the “just” and “good”) and the Second Resurrection (of the “unjust” and “evil”).

The serious end-time student should be able to read between the lines when the point is made here.  Look at I Cor. 15:20-28 – “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. [1000 thousand year break here] Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.   For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.   And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”

Some confusion has come into the minds of some people because they didn’t see a break in time between verses 23 and 24 where the two sections necessarily deal with events on both sides of a period of reign…and Rev. 20 tells us that Christ and the redeemed reign for 1000 years, rebellion is done away at the end of the 1000 years, death is done away with, and gives the details of this period of reign and who will reign with Him and the duration of that reign!

2 Peter 3:7-13 – “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  [could this preceding verse be alluding twice to the thousand years and it connecting with one day - the Day of the Lord?]

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night [1000 year break] in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God [1000 year break repeated again in this summary], wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.”   Again, note that according to Rev. 20:7-11, fire coming down upon the earth from heaven, the old earth fleeing away happen after the 1000 years are over.

Hopefully, enough has been said to show that the Day of the Lord occurs at the end of the Age. It is a time to judge the world, for God to contend with the nations and for the Lord Jesus Christ to come, take up His rule along with the saints of God. For the Millennial earth to glorify God in the way He intended it back in the beginning before sin came into the world, through Adam and Eve. Part two follows this one. God Bless and watch over you all  in all ways. In Christ Jesus, Tammy

In Light of the President of the United states declaring that he will ask Israel to go back to it’s pre 1967 borders, I thought this article perfectly appropriate.

First of all let me say Israel would be absolutely stupid if they did this. They fortunately are not stupid though, and know better than any persons on earth, that this is a no no. First of all, if they were to do such an asinine thing, they would be leaving themselves vulnerable to the attacks of Syria, and Turkey, and anyone who would wish to attack them from the Golan Heights. Those are indefensible borders. The West bank and the Golan Heights are high ground. He Who has the high ground has the advantage and the way things go for Israel giving their enemies a high ground overlooking Israel is a bad idea.

What our president is envisioning has been proven not to work. He (BHO) does not understand that to give any kind of ground to any in the Arab world is like giving them the green light to kill all the Jews. All we have to do is look at when the Gaza strip was given to the Palestinians to see what they use their ill gotten gains for. That is to lob rockets over into Israel. Every time Israel makes any kind of concessions it has ended up being to their detriment. Besides when has any country who has won land in a war, given back their winnings?

Would America hand over the land they stole from the Native Americans? This is an occupied land if ever an occupied land there was. Would America hand over any land they won in any of the many wars they had to fight? Of course not! This would be foolishness of the highest order. No one would be asked to hand back over the lands they have won in a war. So why ask cajole, and or push Israel to do the same? It is just ridiculous. We took land here in America when we fought the Spanish. We took land from Mexico in the war between Mexico and America. I do not see anyone demanding we return the land we won in those wars.

This is all about supposed peace. There will not be any peace in the middle east. It is not possible, because the Arab world wishes to see Israel decimated. Syria wants the Golan Heights and they just keep stalling any kind of peace process, and then everyone including the American President blame Israel for not wanting peace. They have said time and again they would negotiate for peace. But being intelligent about it is the problem everyone seems to have with Israel. They verbally punish Israel for protecting itself, and yet the rest of the world is applauded when they protect themselves.

God says In Micah 4:1, the prophet said that the Temple mount in Jerusalem would become the focal point of the world. This prophecy has not yet been completely fulfilled. But, it is interesting to note that Jerusalem is, and has been for centuries, the world’s most important religious site. Christians and Jews regard the city as the world’s most important, and Christians and Jews comprise about one-third of the world’s population. No other city in the world is a religious focal point to as many people. Every one keeps talking about Jerusalem being divided. This will not occur for quite some time to come. The bible says clearly that the dividing of Jerusalem and the major land concession will come during the last part of the Antichrist reign of terror.

In Revelation 11:1,2) 1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. This verse is very specific and while it doesn’t say Jerusalem is being split, it is talking about the Temple Mount being partitioned off.

Currently while the Temple Mount is legally Israel’s, control over it remains in the hands of the Muslim religious council called the Waqf. Jews are not even allowed to pray on the Temple Mount. When Jerusalem is split, I think it’s a fair assumption to say control over the Temple Mount would also be a factor fulfilling Revelation 11:2. Daniel 11:39 Thus he (Antichrist) shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. This verse talks specifically about what the Antichrist will do. He will divide the land for gain. Maybe that’s political gain or financial gain but the important part is that he will benefit from this evil act of taking land from Israel and giving it away.

Joel 3:1-2 1 In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. Here Joel defines the time of when this will happen. When the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem are restored seems to relate to what has been taking place since 1948 and the restoration of Israel. Since then, Israel has become an extremely productive nation prospering in many ways. We are seeing this time of restoration right now and God will judge the nations that scattered his people and dividing his land.

Zechariah 14:1-2 1 A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. The first line says that Israel’s plunder (or spoils in other versions) will be divided ‘among you’ or ‘in your midst’. So Zachariah is stating that something Israel has won will be a part of this divided land and it will happen as Israel watches. In 1967, Israel recaptured the old city or East Jerusalem and it was spoils of war.

Today the UN, and the United states are not only pushing to divide Jerusalem, but they are doing it in front of the world. It will not succeed, not until the Lord says it is time. Everything is always done in the timing of the Lord. He knows the perfect timing for everything to take place. This writer through much study, has interpreted this to be the last half of the tribulation. There are two ways to show that the 1,260-day period is representative of the second half of the 70th Week: 1) Jesus said, So when you see standing in the holy place “the abomination that causes desolation,” spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Matthew 24:15,16 Let’s compare what Jesus said with passages written by Daniel and by John. Firstly, Jesus was referring directly to the following prophecy in the book of Daniel: He will confirm a covenant with many for one “seven.” In the middle of the “seven” he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (Daniel 9:27)From this prophetically significant verse, we can see that the “abomination that causes desolation” will be set up in the middle of the final seven-year period (the 70th Week).

Secondly, John wrote about the latter-day fleeing of the Israelites, of which Jesus had spoken: The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. (Revelation 12:6) We can see that everything matches. Thus, Jesus spoke of a time when some type of “abomination that causes desolation” will be set up in the “holy place” (presumably, inside the Third Temple) in Jerusalem. This would be in the middle of the 70th Week: the final seven years of this age (prior to His return to earth to rule and reign).

Jesus then warned those in Judea (the region in which Jerusalem is located), at that time, to flee. Those who will heed the warning (very possibly to escape to the mountain-desert location of Petra, in western Jordan) will be protected for 1,260 days, which also is 42 months or 3½ years—the second half of the 70th Week. Why would the people, in Jerusalem at that time, need to flee? It is at the midpoint that there will be a great battle in heaven, with Michael and his angels booting out Satan and his angels (Revelation 12:7-9).

Presently, although Satan’s throne is not in heaven, he continues to have free access to it, as shown in Job 1:6,7, 2:1,2. That will end at the midpoint of the 70th Week, causing him to be filled with fury on the earth, knowing that his time is short (Revelation 12:12). He will have “a time, times, and half a time” (1 year + 2 years + ½ year = 3½ years) remaining (12:14), which is 42 (Hebrew) months of 30 days each, or 1,260 days. Satan will pursue the remnant of Israelis, who fled at the midpoint of the 70th Week. However, they will be protected by God for the next 1,260 days or 3½ years (Revelation 12:6,14). It also is at the midpoint that the “beast” or Antichrist will gain global power, setting himself up in the Third Temple and proclaiming himself to be “God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

He will “utter proud words and blasphemies” and will “exercise his authority for forty-two months” (Revelation 13:5): the second half of the 70th Week. Incidentally, there has been a great deal of speculation as to what might constitute the “abomination that causes desolation.” I think it may have a very simple explanation, gleaned from Scripture. Daniel 9:27 indicates that this “abomination” will be “set up” on a wing (of the temple). 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4 shows that the “man of lawlessness” (Antichrist) will “set himself up in God’s temple” and proclaim Himself to be God. Therefore, the acts of this rebellious man (who will not be a priest), entering the Third Temple and setting up his headquarters there, and deceiving many into believing that he is “God,” easily could be an outrageous abomination before the true God. “Desolation”—as in unhappiness, misery, despair, and anguish—very well could follow for those who mistake and accept this false christ as the true Christ.

2) Revelation 6:1–10:7 is a chronologically ordered account (see The Chronology of Revelation), with no interruptions, from the beginning to the end of the 70th Week. Note that this account ends “when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet” (10:7). Then John writes, Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.” (Revelation 10:11) At this point, John begins a repeat explanation (that is, he prophesies again) of a period of time he already has described, lasting 42 months or 1,260 days (Revelation 11:2,3). But is this the first half or the second half of the 70th Week? It is the second half, because it ends with the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet. We know that this is the end of the 70th Week because, as John describes, Christ has returned to earth to rule and reign:

Eschatology is my ministry. There are simply not enough people out there who do the study of the end times. Oh sure there are plenty who will tell you the lie that tickles your ears. I mean really who wishes to believe they are going to possibly have to suffer, and suffer greatly? Not I for sure, but what I want to hear and what the truth is, are two very different things. I will not stand for lies, and I surely will not spread lies to make people feel better. Sometimes the word of the Lord is hard to hear, and even harder to digest. This is the unvarnished truth you must learn to accept what God in His word is telling you, that you may be prepared for what is coming. If you are unprepared it is because you were either lazy at studying the truth, or you have been mislead and did not try the spirits, against the truth of the word. Or possibly just plain scared to know the truth of the matter.

God did not tell us all of this to scare us, He told us all of this so that we would be unshaken, so that we would be completely ready. He told us all of this to prepare us, so that our strength and trust in Him would be huge. That we would be powerful Christian warriors to stand in the times of the end. He loves us and has prepared us for everything that has been, and that is coming. Will you be blind as the Pharisees were? They thought they knew so well what was coming, when Christ came, and they were the very ones who cried out for Him to be crucified, because they read wrong and understood wrongly.

The very ones He came for were the very ones who rejected and refused Him. Will you be caught up with His true brightened whitened, saints? Will you be one who will stand up under the purifying process? Or will you fall during the time of trying of your faith? Will you praise Him with all your might that you are found worthy to go through the purification, or rail complain and cry out why me Lord? As I said earlier the word is sometimes hard to hear, just look at all the disciples that Jesus had besides the 12, all left Him in John chapter 6, because what he spoke was too much for them to handle. Do not ever walk away from the Lord, because we who endure to the end will gain our eternal life with Him as kings and priests.

In closing no Jerusalem has some time left undivided.Until the Lord decides it is time,it will remain as it is no matter what man says or does. The Antichrist has not shown up on the scene yet. Though things are being put into place for the end times, we still have a little time. How much time no one knows, but it is not too far off in the future. First though we must see the world come together as one government with one currency. We must see a treaty between Israel and many. We must hear of talk about Israel being able to build their temple, and sacrifices being allowed once again. Yes there is much that needs happen, but happen it will, the word says it. It is settled and has been for many years. God does not lie, and His word is always fulfilled.

God Bless and watch over and strengthen you all.

In Christ’s Love, Tammy