- The Infamous Rapture - 
Do We Really Believe In It?
Continuing our 'series' on God is... we are looking at "God is... coming soon!"
(Ha, this even fits Palm Sunday - Mark 11:1-11 for when Jesus came into Jerusalem...)
Do we believe in His coming soon?
Do we know Him that well to actually believe He is coming?
I Corinthians 15:51-58; I Thessalonians 4:13-18

I don't believe that some of us who say we believe in the rapture
really believe in the rapture!

Oh, we say we believe it, but we must not really believe it, or our lives would show it more!

We may say we do, we may preach we do, we may amen when we hear about it,
we may even get comfort from talking about it or mentioning it in a conversation...
...but do we believe it?

If so, then our life should surely show it!
"If you're saved and you know it then your life will surely show it..."

Does our daily walk testify that we believe He is coming any time?

Why are Bible Believing churches retreating?
Why are Bible Believing churches ignoring the 'news?'
Why are Bible Believing churches changing their ways?
Why are Bible Believing churches going on saddleback down to the market by the creek?

Since when do we change the purpose of the church to save the lost at all cost?
Since when do we quit feeding the old flock in order to keep the new flock?
Since when do we trade our saved members for new lost members?

Why are Bible Believing Churches
"Adapting to Apostasy?"

Date setting these past years has ruined the comfort and confidence of the coming of Jesus Christ for us to meet in the air - now folks don't know when he is coming; or if we have to endure through the tribulation; or if he is even coming at all!

Review from Piggie Sermon... the 'clues' to the seeing saved of the approaching tribulation!
Folks, we just have to be getting closer and closer to the rapture because the Tribulation is looking closer each day!  Read the following verses and see if anything looks 'more common' now to you than ever before, either out in the world or sadly enough, within our own churches!
Jeremiah 7:1-11; 17-20; 23-34 ...  Alongside 34, also note Jeremiah 16:9  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.   Jeremiah 25:10  Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
Jeremiah  11:11,14 (along with Proverbs 1:24-32; II Thessalonians 2:7-12)
For the world in general - Matthew 24:1-14
For the ones who outwardly reject God and have pleasure in doing so - Romans 1:24; 26; 28-32*
For the ones who are deceived in the churches - those with a form of godliness, but...  II Timothy 3:1-8; 12,13

THE RAPTURE IS SAID TO BE IMMINENT (it could happen any moment), whereas the Second Coming is said to be preceded by specific signs (1 Thessalonians 1:9,10; Titus 2:12,13; Matthew 24:42-44; James 5:8,9; 1 John 2:28; Revelation 1:3).

The Apostle Paul instructed the church at Thessalonica that they did not need to heed signs and times, because the N.T. believer has been promised redemption from the "day of darkness" which shall overcome the whole world (1 Th. 5:1-13).

Read I Thessalonians 5:1-7, then read verses 8-13  But let us, who are of the day, be sober*, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

* sober - not just temperate in the use of spirituous liquors, but also 'not mad or insane; not wild, visionary or heated with passion; exercising coo, dispassionate reason.'  One who is sober is serious in demeanor, habit and appearance.  This is produced by temperance (Galatians 5:23)

We are to be looking for the meeting in the air with Jesus Christ, not the landing of the antichrist!

If we do believe He is coming and possibly coming soon ...
...then our belief should be manifested in our life!

See I Corinthians 15:51-57 and then read 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Are we steadfast  in the work of the Lord?
Are we unmoveable  in the work of the Lord?
Are we always abounding - in the work of the Lord?

Do we really KNOW that our labour is not in vain in the Lord?

Is our belief of the rapture only a way of escape - a bit of psychology - a fantasy hope...
or do we really believe it?

Has our belief in the soon to come Rapture transformed our lives yet?

Let's take a test...

A belief should be followed by an action!
da da da da da, therefore, da da da da!!!

1.  For a little bit different view of these common verses, first see Ephesians 6:12 - then read Ephesians 6:13-19   WHEREFORE take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand THEREFORE, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly

2.  Colossians 2:6-8   As ye have THEREFORE received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, (Ephesians 4:17-21)  abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world (the marketed gospel) and not after Christ. (including RD, the walk, feeding the sheep, living beyond the crucifixion, etc.)

3.  Hebrews 4:15,16  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us THEREFORE come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

4.  II Peter 3:13,14  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. WHEREFORE, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

5.  See I Peter 1:12, then read I Peter 1:13-16   WHEREFORE, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

6.  I Thessalonians 4:17,18  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.  WHEREFORE comfort one another with these words.

7.  See II Timothy 3:16,17, then read II Timothy 4:1,2  I charge thee THEREFORE before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

8.  Read Titus 1:10,11, then read Titus 1:13  This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

I'll do my part as a preacher and pastor,
but are you willing to stay here and swallow the food that is fed to you
and then do your part as a family member here?

The Lord is coming - do you believe it?  Do yo REALLY believe it.

You don't have to show me, but you ought to be showing God!

Are you saved?
Yes?  Then we don't need to hear some marketed message on salvation!  Talk to our feet, folks, let's crucify that flesh and get busy like we really believe Jesus Christ is coming soon in these days of apostasy!

No?  Then you need to hear the truth about God and the real Jesus Christ!

It is because of your hopeless plight, and the fact that you can do nothing to redeem yourself in God's eyes (Titus 3:5), that Jesus Christ (through grace alone, not because of any of your own value and worth, Ephesians 2:8) became a man, died on the cross (Romans 5:8) (thus taking you sin upon Himself and satisfying the wrath of God, Hebrews 2:17) and resurrected from the dead in order that you could be saved from your sin and be given the righteousness of Christ (Romans 4).

While all of this is a gift from God, you may obtain that gift through the exercise of faith (Ephesians 2:8,9) – purely taking God at his word, trusting that God will save you if only you would truly believe.

Ephesians 1:12-14 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

If you believe that, then you need to believe that He is coming at any time!

Will your life show that you were ready when He came?

The voice of my beloved!  behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.  Song of Solomon 2:8-10