The 2012 Warning and the Rapture.

I Thessalonians 4:14   For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15   For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16   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. 

 I Corinthians 15:51   Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52   In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53   For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

The Rapture of the Church is as clear as crystal in scripture.  At the end of this age, Christ returns in the air for all his beloved.  Those who have accepted Christ as Savior will be taken to be with him forever.  All our deceased loved ones that accepted Christ in their life will be raised at the same time.  We will meet them in the air.

The word “Rapture” does not appear in the English Bible, but in I Thessalonians 4:17 (see above) the greek word for ”caught up” is raptuo.  This, is of course, where we get the word Rapture.

There is coming a terrible time of judgment on the whole earth immediately following the Rapture.  It is a seven year period called “The Tribulation.”   God will spare His Believers from the Tribulation, just as he spared Noah from the world-wide flood (Genesis 7:1), and just as he spared Lot from the fire and brimstone of Sodom (Genesis 19:17-21). 

The Rapture is described by our Lord as a “Thief in the Night” in …

Matthew 24:36   But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37   But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38   For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39   And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40   Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41   Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42   Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43   But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44   Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

We must be watching and ready for the eminent return of the Lord Jesus.  When He comes, two will be working side-by-side.  The one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.  What makes the difference between the one who gets to go, and the one who is left?  It is whether or not you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. 

To make an illustration:  Two balloons are released at the exact same time.  One balloon rises quickly out of sight, while the other drops to the floor.  What makes the difference?  The one has helium, and the other is just full of plain old air.  At the rapture, only those with Jesus Christ will rise through the skies.

Make sure that you have Jesus as your Savior.  Do not wait until it is too late.  Accept Christ today!  The rapture is eminent.  Oh, be ready!