The faith I live by  is not my faith (For my faith  can weaken and even fail me),  but is in Yeshua's faith; therein is my hope certain. Of course signs are in the heavens as well as within the seasons, placed there by God the Son for reveal of times appointed by God the Father, to be revealed as encouragement and also warning by God the Holy Spirit for those called out to eternal life with God to be about the business of Yeshua's Father just as Yeshua has been, is, and will be, along with the Holy Spirit my comforter.

Indeed.  When I think of religion, I think system and organization . . . man's idea how to follow God and get His approval, rather than trusting Christ and having a relationship with Him.

Hi guys, there is another thing to consider. Should we be looking at the host of heaven for signs? Should we be looking as ANY sign? Or shall the just live by FAITH? Heb.11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things NOT SEEN.  

They say that a good lawyer never asks a question he doesn't already know the answer to. And you've given some of us a right runabout. The question cannot be answered for there are no verses for a 7-year Great Tribulation. But you must be applauded for your obfuscation. You added the rapture into the equation. The rapture is to move people from one point to another and has no bearing on the start of the Great Tribulation. I don't mean this as a criticism. You challenged the men and they now have to admit that they need to go back to the drawing board. But, I think after a week you can bless us with the truth. But we'll be watching you because Jeremiah and Ezekiel have Israel scattered to the "four winds" and that is where God's "elect" are gathered from by angels in Matthew 24:31. And according to Ezekiel 37 they are gathered back to their Land after being resurrected. The Church on the other hand is gathered to the clouds. And all this is moot because the Lord consistently said that only the Father in heaven knew this date - much like no one knew the date of the beginning of the flood and Noah went in seven days before. Why seven days? Well, we don't know the answer but it shows that we cannot calculate. But Israel is different. They have the prophets and one of their most revered, Daniel, predicted a seven year period, NOT OF TRIBULATION, but of rule by a Gentile king. It is only when this Gentile king claims deity and a place in the Holy of Holies that God's wrath. The time when this happens is not known because 2nd Thessalonians 2 says he must be "revealed" first. Then it says that something "hinders" which must be removed. Then only can he involve himself POLITICALLY by residency in Jerusalem and be supported by ten kings. The literal of Daniel 9:26-27 is that he "strengthens THE Covenant". The article implies that the Covenant is in place but weak. And surely, there is only one Covenant in history that has the daily oblation - that of Sinai. Jews do not read the New Testament, but if a learned Jew was to read the New Testament, he would know that the Christ was predicted seven years after a Gentile king allowed the daily oblation again - and that needs a Temple and altar. It is only after three and a half years of reign that the Beast inserts himself in the Holy of Holies and God's wrath is released for the final three and one half years. So, as summary, the date of the first rapture cannot be calculated. The date of the "revealing" of the man of sin cannot be calculated. But once Israel are sacrificing the daily oblation, it will be three and a half years to the Beast entering the Holy Place. This sets off the Great Tribulation which is amply recorded as 1260 days, 42 moths and a time, time and half a time.

Alternatively, the word had a different connotation in antiquity. Religion meant how we conducted ourselves so in this sense, the passage from James uses that definition. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:26-27 NASB) In the modern day, religion features a more complex and nuanced definition. This isn't a bad thing since languages change over time. What does religion mean now? A system of organized beliefs which includes prescribed rituals and shared non-kinship social structures.