SOME KEY SCRIPTURES                         New King James throughout

During these stressful times we need a good foothold to keep us balanced, and a focus to give us hope.  These Scriptures can be that foundation.

The elect are transformed into glorious spirit beings to become like Christ. 

Philippians 3:20-21 "Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
After the elects bodies are changed to spirit they are caught up to the clouds to meet Jesus.  They return to their home.
1 Corinthians 15:50-53 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 
1Thessalonians 4:15-18 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."    
Note: In context, Paul is consoling the brethren, about the resurrection of the dead and living. They will all meet Christ in the clouds of the air. 
Note also:  I am speaking here of the elect who are firstfruits.  Being that there are firstfruits there must be some to come, so that ALL who have lived will have a chance for everlasting life.  That is for a later explanation in Resurrections 
The elect will inhabit the mansions prepared by Jesus.  
John 14:2-3 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am there you may be also.
Note: The word translated "mansions" in this verse is sometimes translated "house." According to Strong's, the mansions are, a residence, an abode, a family home, a staying place.  They will be in the Father's home which is in the third heaven.  
Ephesians 2:19 "Now , therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." 
They will reside there to be taught by Jesus Himself preparing them for positions of kings and priests when He returns to earth.  
Then there is the marriage supper of Revelation 19:7-9 in heaven. 
        When it is time for Christ's return to earth He will have a call of a trumpet blown to gather His elect from all parts of heaven to return with Him to earth where together they will renew it during Christ's millennial  reign.   
Matthew 24:30-31 Mark 13:27 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." 
Colossians 3:4 "When Christ, who is our life, appears then you also will appear with Him in glory."  
Note:  The elect here are already glorious (as Christ). They became glorious when they were changed to spirit, and taken to heaven.    

SO, you can see that Our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ have prepared each step of salvation carefully.   The one Supreme God planed at the creation of humans that He would produce from them a family of spirit beings to become His children.  Humans  were created in Their (God the Father’s & Jesus Christ His son's) image.  He would become their Father, humans would become His spirit family, with Jesus Christ their Eldest Brother. (Genesis 1:26-27) 
Psalms 82:6-8 "You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes." Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all nations."
James 1:17-18 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures."  

A part of the path to being His spirit children is a calling, an adoption by God, to become His elect saints.  
I John 3:2 "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

Those called are referred to as His elect, His church, or saints.  They are those who keep His commandments.  They will be the first to attain salvation, and live forever. 
Revelation 22:14 "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city."
Revelation 21:27 "There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
   
We know this is possible because Christ was the first.  Jesus Christ, as human, was the first of the  firstfruits, resurrected, and went to heaven, where He sits at the right hand of His Father. (Ephesians 1:20)            
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming."
Note: According to Strong's Concordance the word "coming" means, "being near".  It does not mean His return to earth, as some seem to think.

How do the elect follow Christ's ascension?
1) The clouds are in the air we breathe, the first heaven, the entrance to God's
throne.
2) Christ went to God's throne through that entrance at His ascension.  He
disappeared from sight.  He would then sit at His Father's right hand in the
third heaven. (Acts 1:9-11)  The elect will also be caught up to those clouds, and disappear as Christ did, to enter the heavenly kingdom of God the Father. 
    There they will be given the mansions that Christ prepared for them, and will
always be with Him, and His Father.  (John 14:2-3) 
3) Christ will come down to the clouds of the earth, from the throne of His Father, and catch His elect to Him.  He will call with a shout or voice of an archangel, and the trumpet of God.  
Note:  This does not necessarily mean that everyone will hear it.  His sheep know His voice, and follow.  (John 10:1-16)
4) Where is Jesus when He calls?  Jesus is in heaven.  He ascended there to sit
     at the right hand of His Father.  
Note:  He is not putting His feet on the Mt. of Olives at this time, as some assume.  He is coming near.  There is nothing here that says otherwise.  If He was returning to earth, why would He call His elect to Him in the clouds?      
5)  Christ ascended to heaven without anyone except His chosen apostles
     seeing Him.  So also the elect firstfruits may not be seen by all when they
     ascend to the clouds.
6) Now there is the question of the last trumpet.  It cannot be the seventh
     trumpet of Revelation, as some assume, for the seventh trumpet was not
    revealed until long after Paul's death.  He, nor the people he was talking to,
    could have known about it.  It was understood by the Jews of that day, and
    still is, that the expression, "The Last Trumpet', was referring to a judgment
    day.  There is more than one judgment day.  The first resurrection being one
    of them.  The seventh trumpet brings 7 more tribulations, not Jesus' return. 
7) As shown in Resurrections there is more than one resurrection.  The fact that
    there is a reference to a first resurrection there must also be another.
    (Revelation 20:5-6, Heb. 11:35)  Each resurrection requires a judgment from
    God, so because there is more than one resurrection there is also more than
    one judgment day.  In this case, the judgment referred to is in the first
    resurrection.  There is also a judgment when Christ returns.  
    
When Christ with His angels and elect come to earth it will be as warriors.  It will be the wrath of the Lamb.                                            
Jude 1:14-15 "Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."   Revelation 19:11-16 "He judges and makes war."  Zechariah 14:3-4 from the Mt. of Olives.