Hello Doves,
 
For most of my Christian walk I have been a pre-tribber. For me personally I was taught that the church would be "caught up" to Him before "that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."  Now that it's clear who that man of sin is, having been revealed, and that the church has not been Rapture yet, tells me that what I was taught to believe was not the correct view.
As I lay no charge against those that preached such a view for the position of the Rapture, which influenced me to believe such a view for many years, they cannot be blamed, for "the book" had not been opened in it's entirety, as they were only trying to connect such events to come based upon the world condition at that time. But now that the man of sin has been revealed, and has been in office now for 3 1/2+ years, as he is positively identified in scripture, compells me to change my position from a Rapture coming before that man of sin be revealed (which was thought the Rapture would come during the beginning of sorrows, thinking the beginning of sorrows was not part of Daniel's last seven years, but prior to it, but evidently is part of Daniel's last seven years), to a period of time that is now almost upon us, which scripture identifies as the tribulation period, followed by great tribulation, and concludes with His wrath.
 
As reports have come in on Five Doves through alternate news sources confirming the global elitist agenda to carry out and to bring in their NWO, and how they plan on doing it, is startling indeed, but it really shouldn't be, for scripture foretold of this time to come.  A possible economic meltdown by the third week of October; their plan to keep Obama in office, therefore no November election?  Wow!!
 
The whole world is now in position geo-politically, and every which way, for the beginning of the end, the last few years left before the King of king's and Lord of lord's begins His 1000 year millenial reign on earth!  (It's so surreal that we are witnesses to being that last generation).
 
I, like those here on Five Doves, believe in that blessed hope of that Day, when those who are still alive and remain are caught up to Him in the air.  It is at this point where speculation and controversy begins, which has led to others believing in different positions of the Rapture (pre-trib; mid-trib; etc.).  I've heard many say throughout my Christian walk in how one believes when the Rapture comes is unimportant; that what's important is that they have Christ, being born again.  As I agree that it's of GREAT importance that one has Christ, us being in Him, and Him in us, thus born again, I disagree that how one believes when the Rapture comes is unimportant.
 
In my prior Christian walk as a pre-tribber, I rested in that blessed hope of assurance that I would be removed prior to any persecution, thus my Christian walk (and more precisely my inner man) would not be challenged because of being born again, having Christ to remove me from such a time to come.  I had believed this scenario of a pre-trib Rapture up to about two years ago.  
 
What the Lord has been revealing to me lately is that the willing heart of each believer to endure such things to come is for His purpose and not ours.  It is this surrendered heart to Him that He will use as a testimony against a world that's been unwilling to come to Him to be regenerated, born again of His Holy Spirit.
 
I know I cannot convict anyone of the truth; that's not for me to do, but the Holy Spirit.  All I can do is present His word and try to gently persuade you of the truth, even as the Apostle Paul did. I will admit, when I was a pre-tribber, it was impossible for any man to convince me otherwise.  It was only Him that could cause me to reevaluate my position of the Rapture (only God can unscramble an egg!).
 
With all of that said above, may your position be solidified by reading this scripture:
 
Matthew 10 (read the entire chapter to understand it's context, and notice the progression, and that His words are identical to those passages in Matt. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21).
 
Most of all, our hearts must be willing to be used as He wills it, even unto persecution and death.  When we premeditate on such a possibility of actually having to suffer for Him, whether it be through hunger or another means (refusing the mark), the human mind and spirit does not want to contemplate such things.  But it is to this very purpose what the Lord has been convicting me of, and in the process comforting me, that He will not leave, nor forsake us, during these times of trial, but that He will supernaturally empower us to endure such persecution by His Holy Spirit, if we would only believe!  I believe it is to this end that Paul said (not only for himself, but us also):
 
"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Cor. 12: 10).
 
Please realize that when that time comes (of all that Paul mentions in the above verse) we are made strong, but only if we will believe.
 
Remember, Jesus said, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes" (Mark 9: 23).
 
May the Lord be with you all,
 
In Christ,
Greg