you Please stand. Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful day. Day I will never forget. After I'd wandered in darkness away, Jesus, my Savior, I met. Oh, what a tender, compassionate friend. He met the need of my heart Shadows dispelling with joy I am telling He made all the darkness depart Heaven came down and glory filled my soul When at the cross the Savior made me whole My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day. Heaven came down and glory filled my soul. Born of the Spirit with life from above Into God's family divine Justified fully through Calvary's love Oh, what a standing is mine And the transaction so quickly was made When as a sinner I came And with the offer of grace He did proffer, O save me, O praise His dear name! Heaven came down and glory filled my soul, When at the cross the Savior made me whole. My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day. Heaven came down and glory filled my soul. Now I've a hope that will surely endure After the passing of time I have a future in heaven for sure There in those mansions sublime And it's because of that wonderful day when at the cross I believed. Rich is eternal, I sing supernal from His precious hand I receive. Heaven came down and glory filled my soul. When at the cross my Savior made me whole My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day Heaven came down and glory filled my soul Heaven came down and glory filled my soul. Jose is brave. He tries to sing those high parts. Is this yours? Good to see you this morning. Let's go to the Lord in word of prayer. Father, we thank you for the privilege that we can come to church and hear the word God preached to be around our brothers and sisters in Christ. Well, if there's someone here today that's not saved, I pray Lord you'd help them to realize their need of need of that today. And that by the end of the church service, they'll come and get saved. I pray Lord you'd help those of us that are saved that we'd realize what great privilege it is to be in the house of God and hear from the word of God today. Blessed by the nickel speak through him to us in Jesus name. Amen. You may be seated. He brought a bottle of water and a taco. I'm not sure if he's going to take a lunch break in the middle of the service or not. No, sir. All right, 286, let the lower lights be burning. Brightly beams our Father's mercy from His lighthouse evermore. But to us He gives the keeping Of the lights along the shore. Let the lower lights be burning, Send a gleam across the wave. Some poor, fainting, struggling seaman You may rescue, you may save. Dark the night of sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar, eager eyes are watching, longing for the lights along the shore. Let the low lights be burning Send a gleam across the way Some poor fainting, struggling seaman You may rescue, you may save Trim your feeble lamps, my brother, some poor sailor tempest-tossed. Trying now to make the harbor in the darkness may be lost. Let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across the wave. Some poor, fainting, struggling seaman, you may rescue, you may save. It is always a privilege to have folks fiercely with us. If you're here for the first time, the first time in a long time, if you slip your hand up for a second. Didn't see anyone, but don't want to miss anyone. Good to see the young folks there. Has this young man been here before, sis? Okay, I just didn't remember. I don't want to miss anyone. Good to have all of you. Now again, if you missed the revival, the time we had last week, you can always go back. It's a lot better in person always, but if you missed a message, you ought to go back. Brother Coral was with us last week. We prayed for it for weeks in advance. He was finally here last week, and again, it was such a blessing. Now the books are on the book table. The ladies will have that open after church this morning and again this evening. The way it typically is, there's a few exceptions, but the front row is $5 books, the second row, the middle row, is $10 books, and the back row is $15 books. And again, if you have any questions or need some help, especially if you're looking for something, Brother Coral, I did not know because I just have bought all the kids' books in the past and know which ones are salvation messages. If you have lost grandkids and want to give them a book that will not only be a good reading book, but also have one with a salvation message to it, the girls know there's, I believe, four books on the table that all have a salvation message to them. That is the theme. It's a story, but the theme is, By the end, they're ready to get saved. So again, a good book to get for your grandkids. But there's a lot of good reading on the table. If you have a question about almost anything, it's probably in one of those books on the table. And if you need some help, the ladies will be glad to help you with that. As far as folks that we're praying for this week, we have Mrs. Judy 6 o'clock for the evening service. Wednesday night, 7.30 for prayer and Bible study. Thursday night is sowinning. We go out sowinning and visiting on Thursday night. Saturday is bus visitation and sowinning, both at 10.45. Then also Saturday, there is a workday here at the church. Starts at 7.30 in the morning, goes till it's done. There will be food and water provided. That is next Saturday, and there's a sign-up sheet in the hallway at the little table right outside the ladies' bathroom door there before you go outside. Also this morning, they're going to be having pizza for the bus kids. And I hope you heard me, pizza for the bus kids. For most of us, we did not ride the bus. So the bus kids get pizza for free, but they said there will be some extra pizza. So if you'd like a piece of pizza and a bag of chips, you can get that for $2. They're going to put that right back in the bus fund. So if you said that pizza smells so good, walk in there, if they have an extra piece, they'll sell it to you for $2 and you'll get a bag of chips as well. So you can say, I had pizza and a bag of chips. So you'll get both of those. You say, are there any drinks? Yes. Go out in the hallway there, there's this little fountain. You push that button and water comes out. It's a miraculous thing. You can even get a drink. And that one's free, so it won't cost you a thing. But that is in the Fellowship Hall after the bus, kids get theirs. Some upcoming events, we have Let's see, we have a wedding. Mark and Maria is getting married on November the 9th at 4.30. We have a bridal shower from Miss Christina Bays. That is November the 16th, Saturday at 2 p.m. And then the next thing on our church, the big thing on the church calendar is Brother Owens. He'll be with us on a Wednesday night, which is December the 4th. Then we'll be at Texas Baptist. We're hosting a youth conference there. And we're using their church because they have a gymnasium for the activities on Saturday, but that's the 6th and the 7th We'll be at Texas Baptist Church over on the other side of town and that will be Friday night at 7 o'clock Saturday morning starts at 10 o'clock and again We'll get to hear brother Owens first here at our church on Wednesday night Then if you want to hear him some more We'd love to have you. That'll be the 6th and the 7th. Again, we got some folks that are homesick. Other folks are out of town. Don't forget to always pray for the brothers and sisters in Christ. And again, good to have all of you here this morning. Amen. Please stand. Number 43, nothing but the blood. Amen. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus Nothing can for sin atone Nothing but the blood of Jesus Not of good that I have done Nothing but the blood of Jesus Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my hope and peace. Nothing but the blood of Jesus This is all my righteousness Nothing but the blood of Jesus Oh, precious is the flow That makes me white as snow. No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to be in church today. I pray that you bless this offering, Lord. Bless the gift and the giver. Exceed the needs of our church and be with the prayer request mentioned. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. Amen. 354, tell me the story of Jesus. Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell how the angels in chorus sang as they welcomed His birth. Glory to God in the highest, peace and good tidings to earth. Tell me the story of Jesus Write on my heart every word Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell of the cross where they nailed Him, writhing in anguish and pain. Tell of the grave where they laid him Tell how he liveth again Love in the story so tender Clearer than ever I see Stay, let me weep while you whisper Love paid the ransom for me Tell me the story of Jesus Write on my heart every word Tell me the story most precious Sweetest that ever was heard Pianist is up. I believe the virgin birth of Jesus really happened. In Bethlehem the Son of God became the Son of Man. He lived a sinless life, but for the sin of all creation, was crucified upon a cross. He died, yet lives again. ♪ For it is the power of God ♪ Unto everyone who believes ♪ I believe the gospel ♪ And it's settled now with me ♪ One day I will see the face of God ♪ I believe the gospel ♪ ♪ There can be no greater love ♪ Than God displayed at Calvary ♪ A love that sealed him in a tomb ♪ But that is not the end ♪ For the power of the gospel ♪ Is a resurrected savior ♪ Jesus is alive ♪ He who was dead now lives again I believe the gospel for it is the power of God I believe the gospel and it's settled now with me. One day I will see the face of God. I believe his death upon Mount Calvary, rising up to victory. And it's settled now with me One day I will see the face of God I believe, I believe. Thank you, ma'am. If you're wondering how hard that was, that was hard. It's hard enough to play the piano than to sing and play. I think her and Mrs. Sanders are the only two I know that can do that very easily. Most of us can only do one, and some of us can't even do one very well. Thank you. Good morning. Well, let's open our Bibles this morning to John chapter 14. We're going to read three familiar passages. I believe the gospel, the gospel Romans 1 16 is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, that trusteth, that puts their faith in the Lord Jesus and the gospel that he provided for us. The word gospel by definition as a word it means the good news or the glad tidings. What the Gospel consists of 1 Corinthians 15 verses 3 and 4 is how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and He was buried and He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. and through that he made it possible for me and for you to go to heaven if we'll receive his gospel. That's what he came when he came 2,000 years ago. He came to die, be buried, and rise again so that we could have an opportunity to be saved. And now I'm gonna talk about something else. John chapter 14, First Thessalonians chapter four and First Corinthians chapter 15. John 14 verses one through three, Jesus said this the night before his crucifixion, talking to his disciples, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. Now notice especially verse three, what Jesus said. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also. Then 1 Thessalonians chapter four, and we'll read verses 13 through 18, this is the passage that's known as the rapture passage. And here's what the scripture says, 1 Thessalonians 4.13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that's Christians who have died, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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. The word prevent is a word that means to go before. So those of us then which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not go before them which are asleep. 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. 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. And then back just a few pages to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Another great passage dealing with the rapture and the resurrection. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. And beginning with verse 50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. So something has to happen to change these bodies for us to go to heaven is what verse 50 said. And then verse 51 explains what's gonna happen. Behold, I show you a mystery. Now, a mystery, and you see that word a number of times in the New Testament, it means a previously hidden truth, something that wasn't revealed in the Old Testament, but is now being revealed. through the apostle Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. Not all of God's people are going to die But we shall all be changed 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, the living, shall be changed. For this corruptible," that's those Christians who have died, this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? I'm gonna speak this morning to you for a bit On this, I was kind of hesitant to should I preach this, because I've been preaching on Sunday night on prophetic themes for over a year, I guess, probably a year and a half by now. But then I thought, well, we talked about the rapture a long time ago, it's been a while, so you can't talk too much about this. But here's how I'm gonna approach it. I'm gonna speak on the subject, what the rapture will mean for the unsaved. What the rapture will mean for the unsaved. I hope you'll listen. Father, thank you for the privilege of coming to church today. Help me now as I try to preach your word. I want you to be glorified. I pray that if there are people with us this morning who've never had a time in their life when they personally received the Lord Jesus, as their Savior. I pray that you'll draw them to Jesus, help them to come to Him today and trust Him and be saved. And I pray that the Word of God will be a blessing to your people. Now please help as I endeavor to preach. Help me to do so in the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, Amen. The three passages that we read as text passages this morning are probably three greatest passages in the entire Bible concerning the event that we call the Rapture. In John 14 we saw Jesus' promise of the Rapture. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 we saw the program of the the Rapture and in 1st Corinthians 15 we saw the product of the Rapture. Now let me explain what the Rapture is and I know most of you know but the way we do it we still need to define it so that everybody knows what we're talking about. Now when we talk about the Rapture we're talking about the first phase of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see the Bible indicates that Christ's second coming will be in two phases, two stages with a seven year period of time between the two phases. Now the first phase, the first stage of Christ's second coming and the one that we read about in our text passages this morning, Bible students refer to as the rapture. And the term rapture is a fitting term for this first phase of Christ's return for this reason. The word rapture comes from a Latin word which means to be caught away. Now a lot of times when we talk about somebody being enraptured, we're talking about them being caught away happiness or something like that. But what we're talking about now is the first phase of Christ's second coming. And exactly what will happen at that first phase of Christ's return is that saved people will be caught away from this earth and taken to heaven to be with the Lord. Now seven years after the Rapture the second phase, the second stage of Christ's Second Coming will occur. Whereas the first phase of His return is called the Rapture, the second phase of His return seven years after the Rapture is referred to by Bible students as the revelation. Now, whereas in the rapture, Jesus only returns into the clouds and from there calls Christians up to be with him, in the revelation, Jesus returns all the way to the earth, leading the armies of heaven and he sets up his thousand year millennial kingdom on earth at that time. And so then the second coming of Christ is divided into these two phases, these two stages. First the rapture, then seven years later the revelation. And our focus this morning is gonna be on the rapture. Now, follow me as I try to explain some things in connection with this event, the rapture. Now, man, a human being, is tripartite in his nature, I should say, in our nature, because all of us have these three components. man has these three components to his makeup and the Bible sets forth these three components in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 23 where Paul said, I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so then Man consists of spirit, soul, and body, those three components. Now, what happens at death, at physical death, is that the soul and the spirit leave the body. James 2, verse 26 says, the body without the spirit is dead. And so you see, at physical death, the spirit leaves the body. Genesis 35 and verse 18 describes Rachel's death and says that her soul was in departing for she died. And so then at physical death, the soul and the spirit leave the body, depart from the body. Therefore, when a person dies, That's what happens. The soul and spirit leave the body, and the body is dead. Now, if the person who dies was a saved person, one who has personally put their trust and their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, then their body goes to the grave when they die, but their soul and spirit go immediately to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 8 tells us to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That's why Paul said to the Philippian Christians in Philippians 121 that for the child of God to die And the reason is because he points out in verse 23 of that chapter that when the Christian dies and departs this life, he goes to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. and that's a blessed thing. He said that's gained for a Christian to die, because then we go to be with the Lord. On October the 1st, 2000, my mother died in the Methodist hospital up here. She had lived here for the last a little over a decade of her life and had been a member of the church here. And so when she passed away, we had a funeral service for her here. And then we shipped her body back to West Tennessee where she considered home. And we had another service there. And there we buried her body in a little cemetery out in the country. cemetery like the house sometimes out in the country. There'll be a little country church there and in the back or surrounding it is a cemetery and that's where my mother was buried and there her body lies. But it's only her body that's there in the grave. Her soul and spirit are in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ. About three or four months after my mother died, my favorite preacher was having a heart operation, and there in the midst of this heart operation, Dr. Jack Iles died. And I went up and they had a big funeral for people from around the country on a Friday night. I was there for that. Then they had another big service on Saturday morning for the church people there. But I was there for the Friday night service. I walked by and saw his body, my wife and I did. I think what she said was true as we looked at his body and my wife said he was a special man and I believe that. My favorite preacher and they took his body out the next day to the that the church he pastored bought and buried him there in the plot where his mother was buried and he had moved his father from being buried up in Italy, Texas to the plot there in Chicago. And there they buried the body of my favorite preacher. But again, it's just his body there. His soul and spirit are in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ. A number of years went by and a man that was a friend of mine and had been a pastor of mine in days gone by, Dr. Jim Vineyard, he passed away. I went to his funeral. They buried him, his body in a cemetery there in Oklahoma City. But it's just his body there, the soul and spirit are in heaven. A short time after he died, my oldest brother, who led me to Jesus Christ. and he went to Heaven. I went and we buried his body in the same plot of ground that my mother and my daddy are buried in. And my brother led me to Christ, taught me, basically raised me as a Christian, as a young Christian, taught me basic things. And I've considered His witness and my mother's prayers to be the two things, humanly speaking, that brought me to Jesus Christ. But we buried His body there in the ground, but it's just His body there, soul and spirit are in heaven. Last year around Christmas time, I had a grandson that died. And we had the funeral here, took the body out in the country where his daddy was buried and buried him there. But it's just his body that's there, the soul and spirit are in heaven. But what now, now all those people, what's gonna happen is this, at the rapture, the Lord Jesus Christ will return into the clouds of the sky. bringing with him the souls and spirits of all the Christians who have died. He'll send out the clarion call, come up hither as the trump of God sounds and the voice of the archangel and the bodies of all those Christians who have died will be raised from the dead, reunited with the soul and spirit and their bodies will be changed into incorruptible glorified bodies like unto the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. And at the same time, those Christians who are still living here on earth at that time will also be called away to be with the Lord. And as we go up to be with him, our bodies will be immortalized so that they can never die. and we'll receive our glorified body as a body fashioned like unto the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 John chapter three, verse two. And so then, at the rapture, there are actually two things which take place. Number one, the resurrection of the bodies of Christians who have died. Those bodies are coming out. And number two, the rapture, the catching away of those Christians who are still alive. Now, it's important that we understand that this event called the rapture, this first phase of Christ's second coming could occur at any moment. Now, it may not happen for another hundred years, but it may happen today. The emphasis of the Bible on this point is that no one knows when the rapture will take place, but we who are saved are supposed to be expecting it, looking for it, and ready for it all the time because it could take place at any time. Now, when the rapture occurs, it will mean a couple of things for Christians, for those who were taken out at the rapture. It'll be, number one, a time of joy for God's people. You see, at the rapture, Christians will receive our eternal glorified bodies, which will never again, no sickness, never again, no pain, never again, no disease, never again, no temptation, never again, no death. At the rapture, Christians will meet all the great men and women of God that we've read about in the Bible and in church history, along with a great host of people who we have never read about, but who were saved and nobly served the Lord. He knows about it, we don't, but we'll meet them when we get there. At the rapture, Christians will be reunited with our saved loved ones who went to heaven before us. At the rapture, Christians will see our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, face to face. a time of joy. That's why 1 Thessalonians 4.18, after explaining the rapture, Paul said, wherefore comfort one another with these words. See, for the Christian who understands the joy that awaits God's people at the rapture, there's comfort to be found in thinking about and talking about this first phase of the coming of Christ, the rapture. Titus chapter two and verse 13 refers to the rapture as the blessed hope. First Peter chapter four and verse 13, Peter writes to Christians who were suffering persecution for Jesus' sake, and he said, but rejoice. inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. And so when he comes back in the rapture, it'll be a time of joy for God's people. But now secondly, don't miss this, I'm talking about for God's people, those who are saved, it'll also be a time of judgment. One of the things that will take place during the seven year interval between the rapture and the revelation is what the Bible calls in Romans 14, 10 and 2 Corinthians 5, verse 10, as the judgment seat of Christ, the bema. Now, here, every Christian, every person who goes to heaven in the rapture will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged for rewards in heaven. You see, every person who trusts Jesus Christ as Savior goes to heaven. But not everybody who goes to heaven will be rewarded the same in heaven. person goes to Heaven freely by the grace of God when they put their faith and trust in Jesus and the blood He shed on the cross as the payment for their sin and the fact that He rose again from the dead three days later. A person goes to heaven freely, but rewards in heaven are determined by the Christian service for the Lord on earth after they got saved. The judgment seat of Christ immediately following the rapture is the place where the Lord Jesus will give rewards to his people based on their service for him in their Christian life. And so then, when the rapture takes place, It'll mean for the Christian a time of joy, the time of judgment at the judgment seat of Christ, the bema. But now, what I want to discuss with you for the next few minutes is what the rapture will mean, not for saved people, but for unsaved people. Not for people who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and received him as their savior, but for people who have not, for people who have rejected Jesus Christ. And dear friend, hear me, if you refuse to receive him, you automatically reject him. and those who reject Jesus Christ, I wanna talk to you for a few minutes about what the rapture will mean for unsaved people, people who do not know Christ as Savior. Dear friend, if you're not saved when the rapture takes place, and again, it could take place, it could take place before I finish what I'm doing right, I mean, it could happen right now. It could happen this afternoon. If it doesn't happen today, it might happen tomorrow. We don't know when it's gonna happen, we just know that it's gonna happen and we're supposed to be ready for it all the time. But my dear friend, if you're not saved when the rapture takes place, you can expect the following three things. Are you listening? Number one, what will the rapture mean for the unsaved? It will mean number one, a time of separation. There's an interesting passage of Scripture which has to do with Christ's second coming. Some Bible students believe that it's referring to Christ's revelation, but I think that really that it's referring to the rapture. Listen to what it says. Matthew 24 verses 40 and 41 Jesus said, Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. At the rapture All the saved will be taken to heaven. The unsaved, the lost, those who never trusted Christ as Savior, will be left behind. It'll be a time of separation. A married couple, one of them saved, the other one lost. The morning will come, if the rapture occurs at night, the morning will come, and the lost person will wake up in their bed, will look over for their mate, but the mate's not there. So they walk around the house and go in the kitchen, look in the backyard and all that, but they can't find the mate. The mate's gone. The mate was saved, you were lost. There'll be unsaved young people who have saved parents. Maybe the young people will come home from school expecting the parents to be there but to get home and the parents are not there. And so they expect them to come back in just a little while. Maybe they went to the store or something, but hours go by and day becomes night and they don't come back. There'll be unsaved parents with saved children. The children are playing, the parents are inside, and they can hear the kids outside playing. Kids hardly go outside and play anymore. They're usually sitting in front of a TV with a gizmo to mess with, whatever device. But these kids are outside playing, the parents, inside, the saved children outside playing, the unsaved parents inside, and they hear the kids playing out there, but suddenly it's quiet. They don't hear the kids anymore. So they go and look outside to find the kids, investigate where they are, but they can't find the kids. Hours go by, nothing is heard from the children. They call the police to report that their children are missing, only to learn that hundreds and thousands of children are missing. Friends, one saved, the other unsaved. Walking along a roadway or a sidewalk, chatting, suddenly one of them disappears. The other one thinks, well, where'd he go? He went somewhere you could have gone if you trusted Christ, but you didn't. Two workmates on the job, one of them saved, the other one unsaved. Suddenly, that saved one disappears, he's gone. I'm saying that the rapture, when it happens, for those who have not trusted Christ as Savior, it'll be first a time of separation. Secondly, The rapture for the unsaved will mean a time of deception. A time of deception. Now don't miss this. After the rapture, a political leader will come to power who will ultimately bear rule over the entire world. He'll be so wicked, so ungodly that the Bible refers to him as the man of sin and the son of perdition. I usually call him the Antichrist. He will lay claim to that which belongs only to Jesus Christ and the world will follow and worship him. Now remember all saved people went up at the rapture. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 tells us a good bit about this evil individual and what will happen when he comes to power. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, hear what verses 9 through 12 tell us. Even him, speaking of the Antichrist, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Among other things, this passage tells us that those who rejected the truth and refused to be saved before the Antichrist came to power will be deceived by him. When he does come to power, God himself will send delusion into the minds of those who rejected his son and they'll follow the Antichrist. Oh, I've heard people, well, I'm gonna wait till the rapture takes place and then I'll get saved. Well, let me say two things about that. Number one, that's a pretty sorry way of doing things, I gotta tell you. I'm gonna spit in God's face as long as I can and try to slip into heaven by the skin of my teeth at the very last possible second. That's really a pretty sorry way of treating God. And number two, it won't happen. you reject Jesus Christ you have the opportunity to come to Him now and receive Him as Savior. And if you do you'll go out at the Rapture and you won't have to worry about this. But if you don't and the Rapture happens today or whenever it happens if you're not saved when the Rapture happens you will be deceived by the Antichrist and you will follow Him. I mean, good night, I look around some of these idiots that Christians follow now. And I think, boy, it wouldn't be a long step to the Antichrist coming to power, and the same people that'll receive her will receive him. Okay, let me go on. See, if you're not saved when the rapture takes place, when Jesus comes and raises the bodies of the saved and takes the living saved people to heaven with him, you can expect a time of separation. You can expect a time of deception. Thirdly, if you're unsaved, you can expect a time of tribulation. The seven year period after the Rapture, particularly the last half of that seven year period, the last three and a half years, will be the most terrible time in all human history for those on Earth. For those that were left behind at the Rapture. Bible students call it the Tribulation. It's also known as the 70th week of Daniel. It's described in terms that are unmistakable. Jeremiah chapter 30 verse 7, Alas for that day is great so that none is like it. Daniel chapter 12 and verse 1, there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. Jesus said in Matthew 24, 21, for then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world of this time, no nor ever shall be. The worst time in human history. Now human history has had some bad times. And it looks like we may have some more. You know, we talk about tribulation. A lot of bad things could happen before this. And I'm very much fearful that if what I look at as the wrong person steals the election this year like they did four years ago, we'll be in a world war within a few months. But it won't be as bad as what I'm talking about here. It'll be bad. World War II was bad. World War I was bad. And that's not even mentioning all these skirmishes around that were maybe on a smaller scale, but just as vicious in other wars. But Revelation chapter 6 through 19 describe the seven year tribulation as being a time of brutal dictatorship under the Antichrist, a time of terrible warfare. A time of unprecedented natural disasters, the worst earthquakes in history that'll shake and move every mountain and every island. Two different earthquakes. Cosmic, comets or meteoroids or other things from space crashing into the earth. That'll mess things up, won't it? It'll be a time of increased demonic activity. It'll be a time of religious deception and religious persecution. and then hell after that. Now the rapture could occur today. And dear friend, if you're not saved, what I've talked about is what you can look forward to. It's what the Bible tells us. Well, why doesn't he come yet? People been saying he's coming for years. Yeah, 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 9 says that he doesn't come as quickly as you think he ought to because he's giving unsaved people time to repent and be saved. He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He wants you to be saved. That's why He hasn't come yet. He's giving you time to get saved so that when this rapture takes place, you'll go up with those who know Him. If you're not saved, I hope you'll come to Him today. He died, shed His blood, was buried, rose again three days later. I'm not asking you to come trust a dead man. I'm asking you to come and trust a man who was dead but is alive at the right hand of the Father in heaven and in the business of saving those who'll come to Him and trust Him. If you haven't, I hope you'll come to Him today. If you cannot go back to a time and place that you've asked Jesus Christ in