Epistles to the Thessalonians bible study

Paul wrote these two epistles to the church at Thessalonica largely commending them for their faith and also to look forward to Jesus’ coming. These epistles then have strong end times related scriptures as a result of this, much more so than the other epistles that Paul wrote to the various churches that he visited and evangelized or even to His brothers and servants in Christ such as Timothy, Titus and Philemon, whom he wrote personal epistles to. He also gives us good words of advice for today for us to learn off of and live by.

In 1 Thessalonians 1 Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians to God believing that they were chosen for His purposes in areas then commending them for their faith in Jesus and also being a good example to others, also for excellent reception and encourages them to wait for Jesus

(1 Thessalonians 1:1)  Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

(1 Thessalonians 1:2)  We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

(1 Thessalonians 1:3)  remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 Thessalonians 1:4)  For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

(1 Thessalonians 1:5)  because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

(1 Thessalonians 1:6)  And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

(1 Thessalonians 1:7)  so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

(1 Thessalonians 1:8)  For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

(1 Thessalonians 1:9)  For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

(1 Thessalonians 1:10)  and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 Paul speaks to them the purpose of his coming like a mother or father to encourage them and also to give them the good news of Jesus, which they received well, so Paul commends them for that fact and also being good witnesses of them and imitators of them and Christ despite all the hindrances from the Jews and even from Satan who is preventing Paul’s coming to the Thessalonians again and commends the Thessalonians for being Paul and the other apostles love and joy

(1 Thessalonians 2:1)  For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.

(1 Thessalonians 2:2)  But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

(1 Thessalonians 2:3)  For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive,

(1 Thessalonians 2:4)  but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

(1 Thessalonians 2:5)  For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness.

(1 Thessalonians 2:6)  Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

(1 Thessalonians 2:7)  But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

(1 Thessalonians 2:8)  So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

(1 Thessalonians 2:9)  For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

(1 Thessalonians 2:10)  You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers.

(1 Thessalonians 2:11)  For you know how, like a father with his children,

(1 Thessalonians 2:12)  we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

(1 Thessalonians 2:13)  And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

(1 Thessalonians 2:14)  For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,

(1 Thessalonians 2:15)  who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind

(1 Thessalonians 2:16)  by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved--so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last!

(1 Thessalonians 2:17)  But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face,

(1 Thessalonians 2:18)  because we wanted to come to you--I, Paul, again and again--but Satan hindered us.

(1 Thessalonians 2:19)  For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?

In chapter 3 of 1 Thessalonians Paul discourages them from being moved by any sufferings of Paul or others seeing that the apostles were destined by the Lord for them, and  then sends Timothy to check on them, out of fear of their being deceived, and Timothy comes back with a good report of their faith and eagerness to see Paul and company and Paul then prays to see them and that the Lord would increase them in love for each other

(1 Thessalonians 3:1)  Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone,

(1 Thessalonians 3:2)  and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith,

(1 Thessalonians 3:3)  that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.

(1 Thessalonians 3:4)  For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.

(1 Thessalonians 3:5)  For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

(1 Thessalonians 3:6)  But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you--

(1 Thessalonians 3:7)  for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.

(1 Thessalonians 3:8)  For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.

(1 Thessalonians 3:9)  For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,

(1 Thessalonians 3:10)  as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

(1 Thessalonians 3:11)  Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you,

(1Th 3:12)  and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,

(1 Thessalonians 3:13)  so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 Paul encourages them to avoid sexual immorality and to not be in lust then commends the Thessalonians for loving one another as commanded by God and encourages them to live and work quietly and properly. Then Paul goes on and gives a prophecy of the coming rapture with the dead in Christ rising first and then those who are alive being caught up to meet them and Jesus in the air and also tells them to encourage one another with the prophecy of the coming rapture

(1 Thessalonians 4:1)  Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

(1 Thessalonians 4:2)  For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

(1 Thessalonians 4:3)  For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

(1 Thessalonians 4:4)  that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

(1 Thessalonians 4:5)  not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

(1 Thessalonians 4:6)  that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

(1 Thessalonians 4:7)  For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

(1 Thessalonians 4:8)  Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

(1 Thessalonians 4:9)  Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,

(1 Thessalonians 4:10)  for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,

(1 Thessalonians 4:11)  and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

(1 Thessalonians 4:12)  so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

(1 Thessalonians 4:13)  But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

(1 Thessalonians 4:14)  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

(1 Thessalonians 4:15)  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

(1 Thessalonians 4:16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

(1 Thessalonians 4:17)  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

(1 Thessalonians 4:18)  Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians chapter 5 begins with more end times prophecies such as a false peace and then there being sudden destruction coming after that peace and that we believers are not destined for wrath but are saved by the Lord Jesus who died for us. Paul also wants us to be awake and alert at all times and prepared for it all Paul then closes the 1 Thessalonians with a string of excellent exhortations like loving one another, admonishing the idle persons to get them to work, testing prophecies and to not quench the Spirit. At the end of the epistle Paul requests prayer from the Thessalonians

(1 Thessalonians 5:1)  Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.

(1 Thessalonians 5:2)  For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

(1 Thessalonians 5:3)  While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

(1 Thessalonians 5:4)  But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

(1 Thessalonians 5:5)  For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

(1 Thessalonians 5:6)  So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

(1 Thessalonians 5:7)  For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

(1 Thessalonians 5:8)  But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

(1 Thessalonians 5:9)  For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

(1 Thessalonians 5:10)  who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

(1 Thessalonians 5:11)  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

(1 Thessalonians 5:12)  We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

(1 Thessalonians 5:13)  and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

(1 Thessalonians 5:14)  And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

(1 Thessalonians 5:15)  See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

(1 Thessalonians 5:16)  Rejoice always,

(1 Thessalonians 5:17)  pray without ceasing,

(1 Thessalonians 5:18)  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

(1 Thessalonians5:19)  Do not quench the Spirit.

(1 Thessalonians 5:20)  Do not despise prophecies,

(1 Thessalonians 5:21)  but test everything; hold fast what is good.

(1 Thessalonians 5:22)  Abstain from every form of evil.

(1 Thessalonians 5:23)  Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 Thessalonians 5:24)  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

(1 Thessalonians 5:25)  Brothers, pray for us.

(1 Thessalonians 5:26)  Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

(1 Thessalonians 5:27)  I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

(1 Thessalonians 5:28)  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

In 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 after the salutation Paul says he always ought to give thanks for the Thessalonians and indeed He does boast for them in other churches. Paul then goes on to prophesy about the day of wrath for the unbelievers when the Lord comes to be glorified in His saints and prays to the Lord to make the Thessalonians worthy of His calling on them so that then He can be glorified in them

(2 Thessalonians 1:1)  Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

(2 Thessalonians 1:2)  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(2 Thessalonians 1:3)  We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

(2 Thessalonians 1:4)  Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

(2 Thessalonians 1:5)  This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering--

(2 Thessalonians 1:6)  since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

(2 Thessalonians 1:7)  and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels

(2 Thessalonians 1:8)  in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

(2 Thessalonians 1:9)  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

(2 Thessalonians 1:10)  when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

(2 Thessalonians 1:11)  To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,

(2 Thessalonians 1:12)  so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians chapter 2 begins with more end times prophecy of the coming of the Antichrist and that God will at that time also send a strong delusion so that people will then believe in a lie because they refused to believe the truth to be saved. All this will happen after the Holy Spirit is taken away, implying the rapture must happen first. Then Paul ends this chapter by again giving thanks for the Thessalonians and then wanting them to stand firm in their faith and to be comforted

(2 Thessalonians 2:1)  Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,

(2 Thessalonians 2:2)  not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

(2 Thessalonians 2:3)  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

(2 Thessalonians 2:4)  who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

(2 Thessalonians 2:5)  Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

(2 Thessalonians 2:6)  And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.

(2 Thessalonians 2:7)  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

(2 Thessalonians 2:8)  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

(2 Thessalonians 2:9)  The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,

(2 Thessalonians 2:10)  and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

(2 Thessalonians 2:11)  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,

(2 Thessalonians 2:12)  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(2 Thessalonians 2:13)  But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

(2 Thessalonians 2:14)  To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2 Thessalonians 2:15)  So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

(2 Thessalonians 2:16)  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

(2 Thessalonians 2:17)  comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

In the 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 Paul first asks the Thessalonians to pray for his deliverance from evil, then commends the Thessalonians for doing well, and the things that are commanded of them and then commands them to not be idle but work with their hands for a living, admonishing some for being idle busybodies and saying that if the idle people are unwilling to work then neither should they eat. Then he closes the epistle by encouraging the Thessalonians to do good and have nothing to do with wrongdoers/idle people so that those folks are ashamed of their wrongful actions (and hopefully repent) and asks the grace of the Lord to be with them.

( 2 Thessalonians 3:1)  Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,

(2 Thessalonians 3:2)  and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.

(2 Thessalonians 3:3)  But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

(2 Thessalonians 3:4)  And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.

(2 Thessalonians 3:5)  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

(2 Thessalonians 3:6)  Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

(2 Thessalonians 3:7)  For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you,

(2 Thessalonians 3:8)  nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.

(2Thessalonians 3:9)  It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

(2 Thessalonians 3:10)  For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

(2 Thessalonians 3:11)  For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.

(2 Thessalonians 3:12)  Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

(2 Thessalonians 3:13)  As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

(2 Thessalonians 3:14)  If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.

(2 Thessalonians 3:15)  Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

(2 Thessalonians 3:16)  Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

(2 Thessalonians 3:17)  I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.

(2 Thessalonians 3:18)  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

These epistles to the Thessalonians are good having many life applications but have very strong end times connotations too in several places throughout them. Personally I believe the rapture, which is spoken directly of in 1 Thessalonians 4 could be any day now, I am led to complete this study with a presentation of the rapture so people can know more of it:

Rapture

I will conclude and wrap this study up by saying that the way people are now(not unlike the way they were at Noah’s time and also Sodom, things which Jesus prophesied about in scriptures in Matthew, Mark and Luke)and all the many other end times signs which are occurring currently(animals dying, food prices rising, wars, rumors of wars, crazy weather and so on) are birth pangs of the coming tribulation period and  sure signs the rapture is not far way, indeed, I still believe that the rapture could be any day at any time, of which the Heavenly Father only knows). So cheer up, your redemption is drawing closer and closer every day that passes. Also please remember that Jesus loves you more than You know, and also by posting this about the rapture, too, which does duplicate some of the scriptures, but that is for emphasis for the rapture is too important and you absolutely DO NOT want to miss it:

                                  THE RAPTURE IS IMMINENT!!! ARE YOU READY????

            I am very strongly led to believe the rapture is very imminent, and could happen any day at anytime at all. Nobody knows the exact time for the rapture but the Father God Himself. I cannot strongly enough advise all of you to get your hearts right with Jesus by asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if there is any Sin /iniquity/ uncleanness in your heart, mind etc and repenting of any and all items brought to your mind right away, asking the Holy Spirit to cleanse you and your garments so that they are spotless, being washed by the blood of Jesus. I am a man, needing the blood of Jesus for cleansing as much as everyone else, and believe me I am doing the same thing. This repenting is a continuous process, not just a one time thing; I have found that I myself have been repenting several times throughout the day. I know that it will be God's grace and mercy ONLY that I make the rapture, not anything I do, I am well aware of the fact that grace alone being what saves, and not works lest any should boast, but also faith without works is dead so I am sharing this with everyone, in the hopes that a few, even just one person, would wake up in time, and repent, for the remaining time here is very short.

            I post and share this document for I deeply care for people and DO NOT want anyone to miss the rapture and find themselves left behind to face the 7 year tribulations which will follow the rapture which will be pure a horrific time on earth, the most horrific ever, in fact, where you will have to hide in caves or in mountains, away from all the evil and very selfish people, be an absolute survival expert, which many are not and absolutely refuse at all costs to take the mark of the beast(666).As a result of your refusal to take this mark, you won’t be able to buy or sell anything, work, eat, live in a normal way, and so on, and most likely you’ll be killed for it, but that is far better than taking the mark and ending up in the lake of fire for eternity, as each and every man and woman  who take the mark of the beast will end up in the lake of fire, where there will be absolutely no rest from their torment night or day(Revelation 14).  Even doing all the precautions, hiding by getting away from all population centers and into the mountains, and so on may not be enough because many if not most people, in fact will not survive the judgments that God will pour out on the world in this time period, in the seal, trumpet and bowl judgments as well as the judgment and destruction of the daughter of Babylon. All these events are described in good detail in the book of Revelation in chapters 6 through 18, which I strongly advise all to read. Here is a link an excellent animated video of the entire book of revelation for you to watch

 The tribulation period of seven years absolutely will make today's evil world seem like life in paradise by comparison. I very strongly suggest reading the book of Revelation chapters 6 through 18 which tell you specifically what sort of events and judgments the world will see during this tribulation period.

Here are some rapture related scriptures:

 (1 Corinthians 15:51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

(1 Corinthians 15:52) 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.

(1Thessolonians 4:16) 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:

(1Thessolonians 4:17) 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.

God wants to keep us from this tribulation by His love and mercy Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I ALSO WILL KEEP THEE FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."  The implication of this verse is obvious:  If the end-time Christian does NOT stay close to the Lord and endure to the end, HE WILL NOT BE KEPT FROM THE TRIBULATION HOUR Revelation 3 verse 10, so it is IMPERATIVE to stay close to the Lord in these last days. 

Now I have a very special warning message to all those who are lukewarm Christians to repent of this condition and to be on fire for Jesus or Jesus will surely spit you out of the rapture(see verse 16, below) and you will go through the seven year tribulation as it says in Revelation 3 14-22. There are FAR TOO MANY are in this condition the Holy Spirit warned me this AM. There are FAR TOO MANY LAODICEANS today. Please REPENT NOW of your lukewarmness and be on fire for the Lord before it is too late and you miss the rapture as a result of your being lukewarm!! Here are the verses in Revelation chapter 3 concerning the Laodicean church:

(Revelation 3:14) And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

(Revelation 3:15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

(Revelation 3:16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

(Revelation 3:17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

(Revelation 3:18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

(Revelation 3:19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

(Revelation 3:20) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

(Revelation 3:21) To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

(Revelation 3:22) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Summarizing, you MUST all be ready for this coming rapture, AND be on FIRE for Jesus, and not be at all lukewarm but loving Jesus with ALL Your heart, mind and soul as commanded in the bible, in several places in both the old and new testaments. If in case you need to receive the Lord please pray the following prayer (backsliders can also use this prayer to repent of their sin and lukewarmness and recommit their lives, and return to their first love, Jesus. Please do so NOW before it is too late)

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess Jesus as our Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we will be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Amen.

Here are 10 steps that can be of help to be ready for the soon to come rapture:

1. Make sure that you have received Jesus Christ into your life as your PERSONAL Lord and Savior(see the salvation prayer above and use it if need be).

2. Examine your own heart for any signs of backsliding, worldliness, unwatchfulness, compromising, and lukewarmness.

3. REPENT (Turn COMPLETELY away from sin and turn COMPLETELY around towards Jesus).  Sin separates you from God, even as a Christian.

4. Study end-time Biblical prophecy(Daniel 7-12, Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17, 21, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5, other places but the  book of Revelation in particular)  until you become completely convinced that His Coming is, indeed, AT THE DOOR.  This will help keep you from temptation and sin.  JESUS IS COMING VERY SOON!!! Lord help me be absolutely convinced YOU ARE at the door!!!!!

5. Do something for the Lord.  (Passing out tracts would be a good start.)

6. Examine your priorities, lest the CARES OF THIS LIFE cause YOU to MISS THE RAPTURE, as we are so adamantly WARNED about in Luke 21, and so many other Scriptures.

7. Draw closer to God by praying, reading His Word, attending a fundamental church as often as possible, and surround yourself with a Christian atmosphere (Christian friends, books, music, radio, TV, etc.)

8. PRAY DILIGENTLY.  ASK THE LORD TO REVEAL TO YOU ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT EVEN MIGHT KEEP YOU FROM THE RAPTURE.  PRAY THAT THE LORD WOULD GIVE YOU A PEACE, IF YOU ARE READY, AND AN UNREST AND UNEASINESS IN YOUR HEART, IF YOU ARE NOT READY.

9. Listen for His voice and then STAY OPEN TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

10. Act upon that which the Lord is calling you to do. DO IT NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!

Please also pray and ask the Lord Jesus to see if you are indeed ready and to give you peace if you and If the Lord has planted even the least bit of doubt or uneasiness in your heart, will you swallow your pride and pray this prayer with me:

"Dear Lord, Thank you for preparing a WAY OF ESCAPE from the horrible Tribulation to come.  It is my sincere desire to be ready for your Soon Return, so that I can participate in the Rapture. Give me a COMPLETE PEACE IN MY HEART FROM YOU if I am, indeed, ready. Let there be no false sense of security in my heart concerning my readiness for Your Return.  Begin to reveal to me things in my life and in my heart that might keep me from the Rapture.  Show me what I need to do to BE READY and then give me the power to act upon that which you show me to do.  Draw me away from the world and closer to you every day.  Use me in whatever way you can to help others

who may not be ready for your Return.  Fill me with your peace when I am ready and fill me with YOUR POWER, for victory over sin and temptation, and for effective service for your kingdom.  In Jesus' mighty name, Amen

If, by an unfortunate chance, you are finding yourself reading this testimony after the rapture has happened, and you find that you have missed it, everything is not lost by any means, just please pray immediately to accept the Lord Jesus as savior and /or recommit your life to Him, repenting of anything  and everything that you have done that has caused you to miss the rapture, especially such things as being lukewarm and whatever else you may do during that time absolutely DO NOT TAKE THE MARK OF THE BEAST OR YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF FIRE!!!!!(taking the mark of the beast means you are essentially married to Satan, the antichrist, the beast and false prophet,  ALL OF WHOM ARE DESTINED FOR THE LAKE OF FIRE, AS ARE ALL WHO TAKE THEIR MARK ON THEIR FOREHEAD OR HAND). IT IS NOT AT ALL FORGIVABLE TO TAKE THIS MARK- so again you must avoid taking this mark AT ALL COSTS you won’t be able to buy, sell, work, and so on, you will have to hide, living in the forest and away from civilization, face jail, torture, and be executed for refusing the mark. If you do die for refusing to take the mark of the beast, if you are Jesus’ you will go to heaven immediately as a tribulation saint and martyr spoken of in the book of revelation. I cannot strongly stress the point enough to NEVER, EVER accept the mark of the beast, no matter what!!!! It will be well worth it to lose everything and everyone in this world, including your life so as  to not have to spend all eternity in hell and the lake of fire, where again there will be never any rest on your torment day or night.

Here is a video link for after the rapture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbvC-9Ei83E&feature=youtu.be

And a link to another facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jay.dougherty.50?ref=tn_tnmn#!/notes/jay-dougherty/good-book-on-tribulations-and-end-times-please-share-aslo-video-link/10200133756520233

God bless you and yours