Dear Doves,

Yesterday 6/27/06 a friend of mine showed me where the Lord put her in scripture for her middle of the night reading. He wakes her to start reading when He has a statement to make. He placed her in John 17, a most gorgeous prayer of our Saviour to those that belong to him. When I started reading, she pointed out what she saw...rapture language! I looked at it, studied it and went home to ponder it. I also see rapture language. This is for discussion and to see if anyone else sees what this friend has pointed out to me and my conclusions as well.

John 17 (King James Version)

1.  These words spake Yeshua, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2.  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3. sent.And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Yeshua Ha Maschiach/Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent
4. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10.  And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11. And now I am no more in the world,(he was still on the earth when he said this) but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. **emphasis mine.
12. While I was with them in the world, (He was still on the earth when he said this) I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. **emphasis mine
13. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. (This part I feel was for that time period and beyond) emphasis mine
16. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. **at the rapture we will be of one mind and heart and spirit-we will not disagree!** emphasis mine
22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; (at the rapture) and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. emphasis mine
24. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory,(this will happen at the rapture) which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. emphasis mine
25. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Notes: The author of this writing is John, the "beloved disciple". I have heard he represents the "bride" being taken up in the book of Revelation. I also believe-my own opinion- that John was with Yeshua when he prayed so he could write down this gorgeous prayer because it is prophectic. Where else do you see Yeshua praying like this where it is documented in such detail with current, past and future language. I believe the reason my friend was shown this is because there is a deeper meaning other than a prayer for his disciples and future believers. I believe this prayer may be for NOW as well! Could this be a prayer for the rapture of his bride group. I do believe it is! See what you think and feel free to discuss and see if any of you get a different perspective.
Looking up and LOVING THE LEARNING PROCESS! Kelly in Dallas