Brother Fred, you are correct, our little minds can not wrap itself around God.
Man in his limited way of thinking will never understand God physical creation:
That which CAN BE SEEN was made out of what CAN NOT BE SEEN.
ALL of the Spirits physical creation (seen), was MADE OUT OF SPIRIT (not seen).
Rocks, let's say, that we created ten thousands years ago, can not be carbon dated to that time, BECAUSE they were made of Spirit which has no beginning and no end. Man's finite mind can not comprehend this.
The Old Testament is Clear evidence of a earth rich in gold and silver deposits, Wood and stone. The old testament is full of information about mans relativity to nature, how nature is a picture of Gods judgment toward man! While the holy spirit reveals these things in scripture, it is also a picture of the judgments even today in light of mans unbelief of the natural creation found in Him! The earth ,according to mans estimation is 5 billion years old. The universe 14 billion. Even with this info, even if it true, is impossible for us to wrap our little minds around. What is interesting is the effects of the gravitational pull of the moon , while the earth experiences these things, being moved and pushed within too create once again another layer of land mass! How fascinating are the ways of God! How little we know! Volcanoes, droughts, the influences of weather on the earth. The life spans of man, and the dictates of His will! Once man understands the omniscience of God, than maybe He will start a new way of thinking. Starting with repentance!
1. Generally, cremation was practised by the heathen (i.e. non-Jews), so most of the dead in war would have been retrieved for such disposal. Otherwise, wild animals/birds would have got to them. Israel practised burial, & after the Law & ceremonial observances were given, the body was first washed & then buried.
2. Even though we read of some great ages of people living in those early times, the reproductive abilities of humans ranged from quite old (as was Noah: 500 yrs old & died at 950 yrs of age), to that of Abraham/Sarah (100 yrs & 90 yrs of age when Isaac was born - & lived till 175 yrs of age). So we can see that not only did lifespans get shorter, but human reproductive abilities also lowered comparatively. And today, we can also see the correlation of lifespan to reproductive age as well.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:6
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body (flesh), we are absent from the Lord:
Comment: If a Christian is deceased, their body is buried, or remains where the body died. [some bodies are never recovered]
Their born again spirit is taken to heaven, to await the moment of the Rapture, when they will receive their RESURRECTION body (body soul and spirit) Because of the soul, everyone will be unique. There will be no evil or sinfulness in us.
When I view this world, I look for simple beauty. I'm fairly sure we aren't going to be staring at cell phones for social media.
All those that accepted the Invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb, will do what we do at weddings: feasting, great conversation, dancing and singing. Heaven is full of FAITH, so there will not be any fear, doubting or bashfulness. We don't have to be afraid people will not like us, it doesn't exist. The they're going to Love Us!
Can we imagine this earth before man polluted it, decimated forests, dammed up rivers and lakes; kept notebooks of animal and bird photos because they all died for some reason??
And not KNOW that heaven will surpass all of our hopes. Faith is the substance of things HOPED FOR.
God knows our hearts right now. I'm sure He has plans that we will love!
Now the "rapture" is of coarse controversial to the church with usually three or four variants of when this happens. I myself would never say "the rapture is a lie". How would anyone know the exact plans of God? How deep His mind is as it could mean numerous things. Very much the literal "harpazo" or "snatching away by force" of the Church of Christ from this earth. The word "cloud" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. is the Greek word "nephele" and means just that "a cloud in the air".
As I've stated before on this subject. We must be ready for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ at all times. As in what hour you think not is when the Son of Man cometh. Matthew 24:44. Weather a "rature" or when our life here ends does not really matter. It is going to be one or the other and of coarse most likely we shall have to go through physical death. We must endure till the end. Though I would never say the Lord is not going to snatch away His Church one day from this wicked world. I pray ever single day the Lord takes me home. Though everything is His Will not ours. We must be patient and solid in the Lord.
The word "rapture" comes from the Latin word "rapiemur", which is from "rapto", having the same meaning as the Greek "harpazo". Which is used in the Latin Vulgate in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
Hello, I don't believe such assumptions are true. I believe the Bible is true exactly in what it says: 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17, when it says both those asleep (dead) and those alive will meet Jesus in the air and clouds it meets exactly that.
When it says one will be taken the other left, it also means exactly that: Luke 17:34-36. And when it says the same thing here, it also means that too: Matthew 24:40-41. Rapture is just a convenient word people use to describe what Jesus told us would happen.
Ezekiel 13 isn't related to this rapture. God bless.
Leslie asleep is the subject matter of the chapter and it is speaking of those that are dead and will return with the Lord. Clouds is as Paul used when speaking of a crowd of people gathered to race as in chapter 11 of Hebrews using street Greek and you'll come to the word "air" and that means spiritual breath or changing to spiritual life bodies. The chapter is the dead returning and we here on earth can't prevent it cause it's going to happen. Now if you read the KJV Bible in Ezekiel 13 you'll see God hates those who teach the fly to save their souls speaking of preachers who out of their own mind dream up their own Devine thoughts and not Gods because the rapture is a lie and not in Gods plan. Learn the word and you'll change your place of worship.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. My spirit has really been enlightened. I read the response at least three times and I feel really great at this point with a clear understanding of the word , "asleep" .I will continue of my reading and my walk with Jesus Christ and have confidence to answers questions in my Christian Education class. Thanks again very much God Bless you.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15, the word "sleep" is a euphemism for 'died'; because that's how God sees the dead - just temporarily asleep waiting for the resurrection, whether to be with God or going to hell. When Jesus comes for His Church, both the living & dead Christians will rise to meet him, but the dead will rise first. The Apostle Paul was encouraging the Thessalonian Church about this matter, since many were believing (& were in distress) that those Christians who had already died & were buried would miss out being received by Jesus coming for His Church. You can also read from 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, where Paul gave a similar instruction to the Corinthians. So his instruction was a comfort to them that when Jesus comes, all who believe in Him, will be raised up to meet Him & be with Him forever. None shall miss out - only those who have rejected Christ or those who may be good Church-going people but who have never been born again by God's Spirit will be left behind.
So, it's so important that people hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that He gave His Life for our sins so that by putting our faith in Him, God can forgive us & accept us as His children into Heaven. Without Jesus, there's no hope to get right with God - man has tried over the ages to find that peace with God & has trusted in religion or his philosophies to get him there. But the only way is through Jesus, the Son of God, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." ( John 14:6). So if we come to God through Jesus, then one day, maybe soon, He will come for us to bring us to God. And by the way, that's a nice useful Bible you're using - spend much time reading it & asking God to help you understand it and live it.
I am leaning about Rapture these last two Sundays during Christians Education. Today we read 1 Thessalonians chapter 4:13 And question was what does the word asleep mean. I responsed by saying. Someone being in Sin without no hope. Answer was asleep means died already of the body and We will be caught up on the cloud. So confused. I know the word I was stumped when ask. Any help about Rapture, Coming of the !odd and End of the age. So I can have a clear understanding. Dakes Bible used.
Familiar spirits are evil monitoring spirits sent from the pit of hell to monitor your ancestors all the way to you.
Morning Prayer: Binding the strongman
This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it! Today I rest in the embrace of my heavenly Father's love for me. My father loves me. He spoke me forth from before the beginning of this world, and said this is my child, never rejected! I center myself in Jesus Christ, and I proclaim I am forgiven. There is now no condemnation for me because I am in Christ Jesus!
For this day, I renounce all fear, doubt, worry, unbelief, discouragement, depression, pride, arrogance, gossip, [insert here what's troubling your mind],
and in the strong name of Jesus Christ I repent my sin and I take back any ground I have given the enemy in my life!
TODAY, I renounce all fear, doubt, worry, unbelief, discouragement, depression, pride, arrogance, gossip, [fill in your specifics] , and in the strong name of Jesus Christ I repent my sin and I TAKE BACK any ground I have given the enemy in my life!
I thank you Jesus for walking with me all day today, and I praise you for your unsearchable love and majesty. Help me to be an instrument of your Peace. Amen"
As we pray this part of the Morning Prayer, we are entering the strongman's house and binding him and his work in our lives. As we repent our sins and renounce the ways that we have given the devil a foothold, we will begin to live in the Freedom and power that Christ died to give us.
The battle with Satan is largely in our MIND. The devil wants control of our minds because if he can control our mind, he can control us. The way we reject Satan and his lies is to repent Of believing the lies and renouncing them.
Renouncing simply means: to verbally reject something. We speak our rejection of Satan out loud because he, unlike God, cannot hear what we think. He can only hear what we SPEAK OUT.
Thank You so much all I can do is try God himself would have to break into my heart and soul to be that person he want me to be I'm not perfect I'm just a sinner trying to find my way to him I'm so blinded by my hurt and disappointments I can't see I just don't think he really want me I know in my heart I'm not worthy of Him I'm tired if I went to sleep tonite and didn't wake up tomorrow that would be fine but only if i knew GOD would take me home with Him i'll be ok
13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
word rapture is not in the bible BUT that don't mean it is not real. When all believers meet Jesus in the clouds is what we believe to be the rapture. Just because the word is not in the bible don't mean it is not true.
No. It means you are saved right then. Not later. You do not have to do anything else. ( you will, but you don't have to.) Some say you have to be babtized. You do but not to be saved. You are already saved before you are babtized. After you are saved you will do what He says to do, like being babtized and follow Him.
The word rapture is not in the bible. BUT that don't mean that there won't be one. It's clear that there will be one. When the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we that are alive will rise and meet the Lord in the sky.
I had the same questions about Jimmy Baker and the likes of them back in the 70 and 80 s and even B G the most popular of them all .
The truth should make people doubt them , because these teachers just don't add up in some way .
The apostle Paul said in 1 Thessalonians ch 2 v 9 , 10
That he Labored with that he may not be chargeable unto any !
That means to me he did not want anyone thinking that there was gain in his service to him . But he truly cared more for them than any gain or appearance of gain .
Godliness with contentment is great gain !
What an example apostle Paul was !
It's even wrong to be asking for tithes .
Taking from the poor is never right ! They can give if they desire like the poor widow that gave her mite. But to take from the poor is sinful !
Collections in the NT where so they could distribute to the poor believers, quite the opposite. But nothing stopping them to give if they desire to from the heart .
Rob I have a real problem with knowing who to trust that are on tv preaching whether or not they are real and with all of the things that are going on now I have even more problems with it. How do you know if they are honest God loving people or just in it for the money? I never have trusted them much anyway and now I just do not watch them at all. So sad but the Bible tells us all about it. That is one thing I like about this site because to me it is for real and nothing for anyone to make any money on it and I love it! I do think if there was ever a time in my life the end is near is right now after 70 years. One thing I do know is a day is like a thousand years to the Lord and know man shall know not even the Son so what a day that will be. Amen and Praise the Lord
The Lord will always Fight for you. Always remember in these days. Never knowing the outcome of each day we are weary and afraid. Put the word of God in front of you. The music of His words that will straighten you. Close your eyes and look for His light that will surround you -- protecting you at all times. Go after everything you were afraid of doing in the past. Go after it as your day to day will end at a moment notice. Protect your self from spiritual warfare of this world. Stay close to God as never before. Look at all His creations. Sounds He created for us. Get your mind off of not succeeding--- But making it work with God right in front of you. Be quiet and listen to God talking to you. Watch for signs. Watch for unusual things to happen for the Best. Stay in Prayer and walking close to Him in your heart. Pretty soon you will feel His Special Light of His Love that will be able to move mountains at what you want in your life. Stay close to God Always....
It's like the trinity doctrine it's contrived but not only is the word not in the Bible neither is the event , just like the triune god is not in the Bible either.
Jess is said beware many come in my name saying I AM Christ and the end draweth near , like the imment rapture for the last 200 years and date setters all wrong !
The King James Bible calls it: caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds.
The Day of the Lord.
Use your center of each page reference columns (little abc notes) in the scriptures. Those will send you to other Like scriptures.
There are mentions in the Old and New Testament.
The Rapture - the raising of the Church into heaven ( 1 Thessalonians 4:17): is the next event on the prophetic calendar. The Rapture is when Christ comes back and takes every Christian that is still on this earth and resurrects all of those who have died and takes them to heaven with Him. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8, Paul expresses that the Lord's return will be like a thief in the night. No one knows the date or time. However, there are several signs of the End Times that we can all be aware of. Events such as earthquakes and diseases, war and dispute among nations, and persecution against Christians are all signs leading to the Rapture.
Man in his limited way of thinking will never understand God physical creation:
That which CAN BE SEEN was made out of what CAN NOT BE SEEN.
ALL of the Spirits physical creation (seen), was MADE OUT OF SPIRIT (not seen).
Rocks, let's say, that we created ten thousands years ago, can not be carbon dated to that time, BECAUSE they were made of Spirit which has no beginning and no end. Man's finite mind can not comprehend this.
You have to BE GIVEN Christ's mind.
1. Generally, cremation was practised by the heathen (i.e. non-Jews), so most of the dead in war would have been retrieved for such disposal. Otherwise, wild animals/birds would have got to them. Israel practised burial, & after the Law & ceremonial observances were given, the body was first washed & then buried.
2. Even though we read of some great ages of people living in those early times, the reproductive abilities of humans ranged from quite old (as was Noah: 500 yrs old & died at 950 yrs of age), to that of Abraham/Sarah (100 yrs & 90 yrs of age when Isaac was born - & lived till 175 yrs of age). So we can see that not only did lifespans get shorter, but human reproductive abilities also lowered comparatively. And today, we can also see the correlation of lifespan to reproductive age as well.
1- what happened to all the bodies of the the 1000's that died in biblical battles?
2- if Abraham lived 175 yrs. and Sarah 127, why were their bodies considered too old to produce or bear a child?
You are replying to a comment by "Bea"
Here's some scriptures:
1) Ecclesiastes 3:19,20
2) James 4:13, 14; Isaiah 43:13
(old age causes lost of strength and many other issues. weak body parts etc.
in Sarah's case, she gave birth to many children with the help
of God himself Psalm 83:18)
Hope this answers your question.
please let me know. - Prov. 3:27
1- what happened to all the bodies of the the 1000's that died in biblical battles?
2- if Abraham lived 175 yrs. and Sarah127, why were their bodies considered too old to produce or bear a child?
Are there more scriptures that provide or supports my question?
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:6
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body (flesh), we are absent from the Lord:
Comment: If a Christian is deceased, their body is buried, or remains where the body died. [some bodies are never recovered]
Their born again spirit is taken to heaven, to await the moment of the Rapture, when they will receive their RESURRECTION body (body soul and spirit) Because of the soul, everyone will be unique. There will be no evil or sinfulness in us.
When I view this world, I look for simple beauty. I'm fairly sure we aren't going to be staring at cell phones for social media.
All those that accepted the Invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb, will do what we do at weddings: feasting, great conversation, dancing and singing. Heaven is full of FAITH, so there will not be any fear, doubting or bashfulness. We don't have to be afraid people will not like us, it doesn't exist. The they're going to Love Us!
Can we imagine this earth before man polluted it, decimated forests, dammed up rivers and lakes; kept notebooks of animal and bird photos because they all died for some reason??
And not KNOW that heaven will surpass all of our hopes. Faith is the substance of things HOPED FOR.
God knows our hearts right now. I'm sure He has plans that we will love!
after a christian die they go to heaven directly?
or they will sleep and they will arose in the comming of Jesus Christ?
and where they sleep?
Now the "rapture" is of coarse controversial to the church with usually three or four variants of when this happens. I myself would never say "the rapture is a lie". How would anyone know the exact plans of God? How deep His mind is as it could mean numerous things. Very much the literal "harpazo" or "snatching away by force" of the Church of Christ from this earth. The word "cloud" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. is the Greek word "nephele" and means just that "a cloud in the air".
As I've stated before on this subject. We must be ready for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ at all times. As in what hour you think not is when the Son of Man cometh. Matthew 24:44. Weather a "rature" or when our life here ends does not really matter. It is going to be one or the other and of coarse most likely we shall have to go through physical death. We must endure till the end. Though I would never say the Lord is not going to snatch away His Church one day from this wicked world. I pray ever single day the Lord takes me home. Though everything is His Will not ours. We must be patient and solid in the Lord.
The word "rapture" comes from the Latin word "rapiemur", which is from "rapto", having the same meaning as the Greek "harpazo". Which is used in the Latin Vulgate in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
God Bless.
When it says one will be taken the other left, it also means exactly that: Luke 17:34-36. And when it says the same thing here, it also means that too: Matthew 24:40-41. Rapture is just a convenient word people use to describe what Jesus told us would happen.
Ezekiel 13 isn't related to this rapture. God bless.
So, it's so important that people hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that He gave His Life for our sins so that by putting our faith in Him, God can forgive us & accept us as His children into Heaven. Without Jesus, there's no hope to get right with God - man has tried over the ages to find that peace with God & has trusted in religion or his philosophies to get him there. But the only way is through Jesus, the Son of God, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." ( John 14:6). So if we come to God through Jesus, then one day, maybe soon, He will come for us to bring us to God. And by the way, that's a nice useful Bible you're using - spend much time reading it & asking God to help you understand it and live it.
Morning Prayer: Binding the strongman
This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it! Today I rest in the embrace of my heavenly Father's love for me. My father loves me. He spoke me forth from before the beginning of this world, and said this is my child, never rejected! I center myself in Jesus Christ, and I proclaim I am forgiven. There is now no condemnation for me because I am in Christ Jesus!
For this day, I renounce all fear, doubt, worry, unbelief, discouragement, depression, pride, arrogance, gossip, [insert here what's troubling your mind],
and in the strong name of Jesus Christ I repent my sin and I take back any ground I have given the enemy in my life!
TODAY, I renounce all fear, doubt, worry, unbelief, discouragement, depression, pride, arrogance, gossip, [fill in your specifics] , and in the strong name of Jesus Christ I repent my sin and I TAKE BACK any ground I have given the enemy in my life!
I thank you Jesus for walking with me all day today, and I praise you for your unsearchable love and majesty. Help me to be an instrument of your Peace. Amen"
As we pray this part of the Morning Prayer, we are entering the strongman's house and binding him and his work in our lives. As we repent our sins and renounce the ways that we have given the devil a foothold, we will begin to live in the Freedom and power that Christ died to give us.
The battle with Satan is largely in our MIND. The devil wants control of our minds because if he can control our mind, he can control us. The way we reject Satan and his lies is to repent Of believing the lies and renouncing them.
Renouncing simply means: to verbally reject something. We speak our rejection of Satan out loud because he, unlike God, cannot hear what we think. He can only hear what we SPEAK OUT.
Let me know how it goes, ok? Mishael
For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth
I had the same questions about Jimmy Baker and the likes of them back in the 70 and 80 s and even B G the most popular of them all .
The truth should make people doubt them , because these teachers just don't add up in some way .
The apostle Paul said in 1 Thessalonians ch 2 v 9 , 10
That he Labored with that he may not be chargeable unto any !
That means to me he did not want anyone thinking that there was gain in his service to him . But he truly cared more for them than any gain or appearance of gain .
Godliness with contentment is great gain !
What an example apostle Paul was !
It's even wrong to be asking for tithes .
Taking from the poor is never right ! They can give if they desire like the poor widow that gave her mite. But to take from the poor is sinful !
Collections in the NT where so they could distribute to the poor believers, quite the opposite. But nothing stopping them to give if they desire to from the heart .
Verse 15
Verse 16
Where in the world do these false teachers think it's a secret silent rapture ? Don't buy their spirit of Antichrist!
Jess is said beware many come in my name saying I AM Christ and the end draweth near , like the imment rapture for the last 200 years and date setters all wrong !
The Day of the Lord.
Use your center of each page reference columns (little abc notes) in the scriptures. Those will send you to other Like scriptures.
There are mentions in the Old and New Testament.
The Rapture - the raising of the Church into heaven ( 1 Thessalonians 4:17): is the next event on the prophetic calendar. The Rapture is when Christ comes back and takes every Christian that is still on this earth and resurrects all of those who have died and takes them to heaven with Him. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8, Paul expresses that the Lord's return will be like a thief in the night. No one knows the date or time. However, there are several signs of the End Times that we can all be aware of. Events such as earthquakes and diseases, war and dispute among nations, and persecution against Christians are all signs leading to the Rapture.
SOME SCRIPTURES TO LOOK UP:
Matthew chapter 24: 1-46
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:2
Revelation 1:7, 3:10
1 Corinthians 15: 51-53