Of all the arguments for a Pre-Trib rapture, the one that is the most misleading and dangerous is that which claims the rapture isn't a "blessed hope" if the saints must endure the Great Tribulation first, as if the escape of earthly suffering should be our hope.

"The groom won't drag his Bride through the mud before the Wedding Day" is the trite quip often used. This is not only an ignorant scoff, it spits in the face of the entire New Testament witness about sanctified suffering for the people of God. The entire Bible is full of myriad teachings and examples of saints who suffered unjustly under wicked men, and we are repeatedly taught to not only accept it as coming from God for our good, but that it serves a crucial, necessary role in conforming us to the image of Jesus. "looking to Jesus...who for the JOY SET BEFORE him ENDURED the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." "I want to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and the FELLOWSHIP OF SHARING IN HIS SUFFERING.. This is in alignment with what it means to be "in Christ." Baptized into his death Raised with him to life We follow him on his path of earthly suffering And like him, we "attain the resurrection from the dead." And we rule with him in the Kingdom Our lives align with his. Just as Jesus was given over to the "hour when darkness reigns," (Luke 22:53) then came resurrection, so too will the Beast empire be given reign over His Body for "one hour," and then comes resurrection. (Rev 17:12)

He was "made perfect through suffering" (Heb 2:10), and so we endure the hour of suffering that will make us "perfect and complete" (Jas 1:2-4) "so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing...holy and without blemish."

Our missiology (theology of missions), martyrology (theology of suffering and martyrdom) eschatology (theology of the last things) form a 3-fold cord. If you weaken/cut one of those strands, the other 2 will strain and snap. -TJSwoeb

 My teaching on Psalm 8. MP3 Notes Audio 2

"The Lord's raising up singing theologians who have depth in the Word of God and who have trembled and rejoiced before the majesty of Jesus. . . . These singers will lead the end-time church into singing the new song that will release a trembling among the nations." —Stuart Greaves

History begins in a garden with a bride and a bridegroom. Natural history ends at a wedding feast in a garden city, the New Jerusalem, with a prepared Bride presented to a worthy Son—an event like no other in terms of the multitudes of humans and angels in full celebration (Rev 19).

-Mike Bickle

"But since we belong to the day, let us be sober..." (1 Thess. 5:8) 

For a disciple of Jesus, the increase of unrighteousness in the world should not cause worry or alarm, but rather stir us to sobriety - to be levelheaded and confident about the soon return of Jesus. -Josh Hawkins

It's not the quality of my faith but the object of my faith that holds me up. - Timothy Keller

 

The Lord appeared to Abraham...while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

Genesis 18:1-2 -from TJBSewob

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20 

Paul's confidence derives from the terminus of his faith, "the day of our Lord Jesus" (v.14). -John Harrigan

“I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me.” —D. Bonhoeffer

 For they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. - Mark 6:52

Symbolism: 12 baskets (with the 5k) = restoration of 12 tribes 7 baskets (with the 4k) = chiliastic new creation Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah who walks on water (v48) and will restore all things.

-John Harrigan

Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

1 Corinthians 10:11 Implying sexual immorality and critical grumbling (vv 8-10) are the primary factors in apostasy at the end of the age. God help us. -John Harrigan

Revival seasons are the contractions of the full birth: His Return -Corey Russell

We grow in intimacy with God by encountering Him; we experience grace to love, obey, and partner with Him, fascinated by the Father and Jesus as Bridegroom, King, and Judge. - Mike Bickle

The flesh is like a fish tank. The water appears very clear when undisturbed, and we get the impression that we're pretty clean. And then something shakes the tank, and the bottom-dwelling sediment of fear, anxiety, pride, anger, greed, lust and covetousness suddenly appears. - Gabe Cali

You can endure any pain of mistreatment, betrayal and disappointment if your pain over growing in the revelation of Jesus is greater. - Corey Russell

The real government of the universe, the final reality which in the end confronts every human being, is the crucified and risen Jesus. -Lesslie Newbigin.

The Church used to be a lifeboat rescuing the perishing. Now she is a cruise ship recruiting the promising. -Leonard Ravenhill

“The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.” — F. B. Meyer

They lash Paul 195 times, but they can’t beat the grace of God out of him. They starve him, but they can’t starve it out of him. They threaten, but they can’t threaten it out of him. If we could get a baptism of that love in the Church, we’d shake the world in less than a year. -Leonard Ravenhill

The Resurrection is not a part of my theology; the Resurrection is a Personality. Jesus says, “I am the Resurrection.” -Leonard Ravenhill

Only if someone’s imagination is captured will most people give a fair hearing to the strong arguments for the truth of Christianity. -Timothy Keller

William Booth said that the reason he sought the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was because he lacked power, he lacked energy, he lacked strength, he lacked zeal. And God got hold of that man and filled him with the Holy Ghost and the Salvation Army went into 70 countries in 90 years! - Leonard Ravenhill

You should have a prayer meeting in your church every morning, and the pastor should be there to lead it! It’s his business! To be an example, not a talker. If you don’t have a praying pastor, forget it! -Leonard Ravenhill

A man who is intimate with God never needs to be intimidated by men. -Leonard Ravenhill

One way you can test your spirituality is how much you rejoice when you’re ignored; when they leave you out — and you’re eligible and you should be in it, but they leave you out. -Leonard Ravenhill

God wants us to have a strong, large view of sin. May it be dark, ominous, dreadful in our eyes, Romans 7:13. And may the grace of the cross be infinitely larger in our eyes. -Bob Sorge

"For God so loved the world" includes His enemies.

He loved His enemies by sending them His Son, not to condemn them but to save and give His life for them.

He loves His enemies today by also sending them His Bride, to compel them to come to the wedding. -David Sliker

We tend to demonize the opposite group of people or thing of what we idolize. -Timothy Keller

There’s two great reasons why we don’t have Revival.

1) We’re content to live without it.

2) It’s too costly. We don’t want God to disrupt our status quo.

-Leonard Ravenhil

The chief dangers that confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell. - William Booth

 My teaching on Acts 1 and 2. Audio. Notes. Audio 2.