Dear friends:

Some believe that the rapture, whenever it is, will be on some Ascension Day -- the same day Jesus ascended into heaven.  In looking at Acts 1 when it describes His ascension, the wording does appear similar to one of the the rapture verses, 1 Thessalonians 4:17.  In both cases, Jesus is in the clouds.  In the first instance, He disappears into the clouds, and in the second instance, we meet Him in the clouds ("in the same way," the angel said), unlike the Second Coming when His feet land on the earth, when He comes "with" His saints, not "for" His saints.

THE FIRST ASCENSION -- HIM:
"After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight" (Acts 1:9, NIV).... This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9, 11)

IN THE SAME WAY (SAME DAY?) -- US
"After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

I know there are strong arguments for a rapture on other days, such as Pentecost and Rosh Hashanah.  However, this argument also appears strong.  I remain open.

If the rapture is, in fact, on Ascension Day, and if it is, in fact, in 2005 as Ted Porter's book puts forth, then Ascension Day this year is May 5, 2005, the day that Ted Porter mentions in his book (available as a free ebook at http://www.endofage.com/ppgview1.html ).  May 5, 2005 is also exactly five years from that sign in the sky when six planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, plus the moon, were in a rare alignment on May 5, 2000.

After I sent my message out on February 23, 2005 which first mentioned this possibility, I received a surprise e-mail from a pastor in Australia whom I did not know and who had not seen my message.  He just "accidentally" stumbled on to my Web site.  To my surprise, he expressed belief in a May 5, 2005 rapture date.  The timing was amazing.  He also said that in his church he had a vivid vision of the rapture, with five witnesses, to whom he described what he saw as he saw it and who could affirm his vision.  I am trying to get more information.

Let's hope these people are hearing from the Lord.  But regardless, I can see the possibility of the rapture on Ascension Day in some year.  Let us hope it is this year.

Some dear saints long for the rapture, but are torn that some loved ones are not saved. My advice, and I believe this is a word from the Lord: Immediately entrust them into the Lord's loving hands and leave them there.  Pray, "Lord, I entrust ______ into your hands for salvation, and I leave them there, by faith, and I will not doubt.  I cannot save them and only you can.  You told the Philippian jailor, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household' (Acts 16:31).  You also said, 'Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours' (Mark 11:24).  I claim those promises for my family now, and I thank you for your faithfulness and for the answer, to you be all the glory, in Jesus' name."

Jim