"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." ~ 1 Thess 4:16-18
Titus 2:13 says "while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,"
"You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Luke 12:40
The Rapture, which is the Second Coming of Jesus is an established fact. It is a promise that Jesus gave us when he said in John 4:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
I may not have the priviledge to be at His First Coming which had happened some 2000 years ago when Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem, Israel, but I have the greatest definite priviledge to participate in His Second Coming! Glory!!
Even if I were to died before the Rapture takes place, I would still be a participant, in fact... "the dead in Christ will rise first!"
Totally Awesome! =)
The Imminent Return of my Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ, means that He could return at any moment, at any time, it is even at the door!
Perhaps today is the 2nd Coming! While there is no "Perhaps" in regards to the event of His return, the "Perhaps" here is refering to the TIMING~
Following is a super-nice poem written by J. Danson Smith. I SO love it! Hope you like it too :)
PERHAPS TODAY
(The unedited version)
Today? Perhaps! Perhaps today!
The Lord may come and catch away
His ransomed Church, His blood-bought Bride
To take her place at His blest side,
When dead and living saints shall share
One trumpet summons to the air.
Perhaps today! Yes! He may come
And call us to our Heavenly Home,
That wonderous place beyond compare
Which He, in love, doth now prepare--
Our Father's House! How sweet! How blest
To be forevermore at rest!
Today? Perhaps! Tis true! Today!
Ere nightfall we may be away,
Transported Home! How blest! How grand!
Transported Home to Gloryland!
One twinkling moment, then to be
With Him for all eternity.
Perhaps today! Then why the fear?
Tomorrow we may not be here!
The thing so dreaded may not come
Till we are safely gathered Home!
The threat'ning storm-cloud may not break
Till, in His Presence, we awake.
Perhaps today! Oh, lonely soul,
Thy heart shall reach its longed-for goal;
The fellowship, the joy, the bliss,
Which now thy heart doth sorely miss,
Perchance may be thy heart's delight
Ere closes in another night.
Perhaps today! Then much-tried saint,
Look up, nor let thy spirit faint;
The stretching road thine eyes may see
May never be traversed by thee--
One moment's space and then above,
To find thyself in cloudless love!
Perhaps today, afflicted life,
Thou shalt be taken from the strife,
From all that hatred to thy word
Which comes as thou dost please thy Lord.
And then, ah then, how shall the pain
Compared with all thou then shalt gain!
Perhaps today the fight will cease,
And then, eternal wondrous peace!
The evil hosts which rage and roar
Shall reach us there? NO, nevermore!
O blessed hope, to them be free
For ever through eternity!
We'll meet again - perhaps today
The dear ones who have passed away--
The loved ones who now softly sleep
When Jesus now doth safely keep,
Oh wondrous joy to meet them There
At that blest union in the air!
Perhaps today this mortal frame
With all enfeebled nature's claim
Shall be exchanged, and we shall own
A "temple" where shall not be known
A sense of weakness or decay,
Or strength that surely ebbs away.
Perhaps today we all shall stand
At Christ's tribunal, wondrous grand--
There gathered through redeeming love,
All ransomed, yet to have Him prove
Life's service, and to gain reward
Where life or labour pleased the Lord.
Perhaps today! He'll come most sure!
This hope He means to keep us pure--
To have us watching, ready, free,
Untrammeled with iniquity,
That we may meet Him without shame
Or conscious sense of guilt or blame.
Today perhaps! Perhaps today!
Yes, He may come! Then watch and pray!
This "blessed hope" keep much in view,
Nor deem it dead, though taught by few.
And be as urgent as you may
In winning souls, while 'tis "Today"!
~ Written by J. Danson Smith~
Published in the book, Maranatha Bells,
by Arno C. Gaebelein,
Copyright 1935
(The unedited version)
Today? Perhaps! Perhaps today!
The Lord may come and catch away
His ransomed Church, His blood-bought Bride
To take her place at His blest side,
When dead and living saints shall share
One trumpet summons to the air.
Perhaps today! Yes! He may come
And call us to our Heavenly Home,
That wonderous place beyond compare
Which He, in love, doth now prepare--
Our Father's House! How sweet! How blest
To be forevermore at rest!
Today? Perhaps! Tis true! Today!
Ere nightfall we may be away,
Transported Home! How blest! How grand!
Transported Home to Gloryland!
One twinkling moment, then to be
With Him for all eternity.
Perhaps today! Then why the fear?
Tomorrow we may not be here!
The thing so dreaded may not come
Till we are safely gathered Home!
The threat'ning storm-cloud may not break
Till, in His Presence, we awake.
Perhaps today! Oh, lonely soul,
Thy heart shall reach its longed-for goal;
The fellowship, the joy, the bliss,
Which now thy heart doth sorely miss,
Perchance may be thy heart's delight
Ere closes in another night.
Perhaps today! Then much-tried saint,
Look up, nor let thy spirit faint;
The stretching road thine eyes may see
May never be traversed by thee--
One moment's space and then above,
To find thyself in cloudless love!
Perhaps today, afflicted life,
Thou shalt be taken from the strife,
From all that hatred to thy word
Which comes as thou dost please thy Lord.
And then, ah then, how shall the pain
Compared with all thou then shalt gain!
Perhaps today the fight will cease,
And then, eternal wondrous peace!
The evil hosts which rage and roar
Shall reach us there? NO, nevermore!
O blessed hope, to them be free
For ever through eternity!
We'll meet again - perhaps today
The dear ones who have passed away--
The loved ones who now softly sleep
When Jesus now doth safely keep,
Oh wondrous joy to meet them There
At that blest union in the air!
Perhaps today this mortal frame
With all enfeebled nature's claim
Shall be exchanged, and we shall own
A "temple" where shall not be known
A sense of weakness or decay,
Or strength that surely ebbs away.
Perhaps today we all shall stand
At Christ's tribunal, wondrous grand--
There gathered through redeeming love,
All ransomed, yet to have Him prove
Life's service, and to gain reward
Where life or labour pleased the Lord.
Perhaps today! He'll come most sure!
This hope He means to keep us pure--
To have us watching, ready, free,
Untrammeled with iniquity,
That we may meet Him without shame
Or conscious sense of guilt or blame.
Today perhaps! Perhaps today!
Yes, He may come! Then watch and pray!
This "blessed hope" keep much in view,
Nor deem it dead, though taught by few.
And be as urgent as you may
In winning souls, while 'tis "Today"!
~ Written by J. Danson Smith~
Published in the book, Maranatha Bells,
by Arno C. Gaebelein,
Copyright 1935
I SO look forward to meet the Lord in the air and the transformation of my lowly body to that of Christ's glorified body at the Rapture!! Can't wait~
We are called to be ready at all times for we do not know when Jesus will return for us. What is known is that He promised to return. The Lord keeps His promises.
May we be ever ready to meet the Lord Jesus in the air.
May we expectantly await to meet the Lord in the air.
May we pray fervently from our hearts, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus."
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