F.M. Riley (1
July 2018)
"The Choice!"
The Choice!
By Pastor F. M. Riley
June 21, 2018
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye
believe in God, believe also in Me.
In My Father's house are many mansions
[abiding places]: 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 unto Myself; that where
I am, there ye may be also."
John 14:1-3
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve
the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the
gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of
the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell,
but as for me and my house, we will serve the
Lord."
Joshua 24:15
Introduction
Spring has come and gone, and the Lord
did not return for His people, as many, including myself,
thought He would. I know that many of our readers are
disappointed and discouraged, perhaps even to the point of
giving up on Bible prophecy. From past experience, I am
sure some will give up on me, and have no more to do with
anything I write. That choice is yours, and it is okay
where I am concerned. I don't try to force my beliefs set
forth in my studies on any reader; never have, never will!
Yes, I Have Been Wrong Before
For many years after surrendering my
life to the Lord's ministry, I studied and preached His Word,
giving little thought to when the Lord might return to resurrect
and rapture His people to glory. But I also looked for the
"signs" the Lord Himself told His people to watch for.
My Own Awakening
I believe it was 1972 when some of the
liberal leftist in the U.N., and in American politics, who
favor discarding the individual governments ruling over the
nations, and establishing a one-world government, began
openly proclaiming their slogan for that year, "72 and then we
are through." What those leftist liberals wanted was to
impose a one-world [Communist] government on all of
mankind, by slipping it in through political action. They
did not succeed back then, but they are still trying.
By that time I knew enough about Bible
prophecy to understand that such a one-world government will be
imposed on mankind left behind on the earth, during the
Tribulation period, which follows the rapture. This caused
me to wonder when the rapture might occur? And I went to
seriously studying the prophecies of God's Word to see if I
could find an answer. I knew it would not be in
1972, for there were too many unfulfilled "signs" set forth in
the Scriptures, which had not yet come to pass back then.
The Rapture 88 Movement
The years passed, and I continued to
"search the Scriptures," John 5:39. Then in 1988 I
received a copy of Ed Whisenant's little book, "88 Reasons why
the Lord is coming in 1988." I read the book, and felt
that it was both Scriptural and logical. So I did take
part in the "Rapture 88" movement that year. And as I
fervently preached the Word, setting forth the way of salvation,
and warning people that the Lord's coming could happen at any
time, the Lord blessed wonderfully. I personally saw over
400 people give their heart and soul to Christ that year. It was
estimated that more than 100,000 souls all over the world
received Christ as their Savior, during the Rapture 88
movement.
But some were were so angry about
my having even taken part in that movement, that they could not
see that the movement was one of those "times of refreshing"
from the Lord, Acts 3:19. The thousands of people that
were saved in that movement meant nothing to those who became so
angry. All they could see was that the Lord hadn't come,
and therefore in their eyes, I was preaching heresy and was a
"false teacher."
This reminded me of the religious
Pharisees criticizing Christ for healing a blind beggar on the
Sabbath Day, as recorded in John 9. Instead of rejoicing that
the blind man had received his sight, and had been made whole,
the Pharisees only found fault because the Lord had violated
their rules against doing anything on the Sabbath Day. They
couldn't care less about the blind man being healed.
So.......everyone has a right to their opinion, even if it is
wrong! And every human being will give account
to the Lord for their own actions.
I was personally disappointed that the
Lord Jesus did not return for His people in 1988, but I have no
apology to make to any reader for having been used of the Lord
during that movement to bring some 400 souls to Christ.
Hello!
Forward to 1998
All through the passing years, the
"signs" the Lord told us to watch for, as an indication of His
soon return, were coming to pass. Then in 1998, great hope
was once more raised in the hearts and minds of those believers
who were seriously studying the prophecies. Why?
Because the year number, 1998, is three
times 666. Multiply it out for yourself. We were
only two years away from the turn of the century, and many of
God's people felt the timing for the Lord's return was just
right. It wasn't! Once more we were disappointed
when the Lord did not come. But those who truly loved and
looked for "the blessed hope," kept right on "watching," Luke
12:37; Titus 2:11-15.
2000 and Y2K
The Lord Himself, during His personal
ministry, clearly taught that He would be gone two days, Luke
10:35. Two days typify 2,000 years on God's great
calendar, 2 Peter 3:8. And here was the year, 2000.
In addition, there was a world wide computer crash expected to
occur when the calendar turned from 1999 to the year, 2000.
So many of God's people looked
for and prayed for the Lord's coming again in 2000. Once
again, it didn't happen! Many "professing" Christians were
so disappointed, they stopped studying Bible prophecy, and will
have nothing to do with it right to this present day. Even
many preachers dropped Bible prophecy, and refuse to study or
preach it to their churches right to this present day. But
folks, 2 Peter 1:19-21 is still in the Bible. What men
predict, may or may not come to pass, but what Bible prophecy
predicts is absolutely certain to be fulfilled.
The Year 2018
We who are true believers have slowly
watched the years of this present century pass by, hoping that
each year would be the year of our Lord's coming for us.
But in none of these past 17 years did our Lord come for
us. But then came the year 2018.
From the viewpoint of studying Bible
Numbers, this present year is in perfect harmony with the
prophecies relating to the Lord's return.
[1] "2" is the Bible number
signifying "separation or departure."
[2] "20" is the Bible
number signifying "redemption."
[3] "1" is the Bible number
signifying "Unity; to be united."
[4] "8" is the Bible number signifying
"Change; new birth; new beginning; new things."
[5] "18" is the Bible
number composed of three sixes; "666," which is the Bible number
for the mark of the beast, Revelation 13:18.
[6] Take the "2" in 2018
and multiply the "18," and the total is "36." All the
numbers added up from 1 through 36, equals "666." So there is a
double reference to the coming anti-christ in this present year
number. I do expect the anti-christ to show up on
the world scene at some point during this present year of 2018.
[7] This present year of
2018, is the 70th year since Israel was re-established as a
nation in 1948. "70" is the Bible number signifying, "The
restoration of Israel."
[8] This present year of
2018, is the 50th year since Israel fought and won the Six
Day War in 1967, during which their beloved capitol city of
Jerusalem was fully restored to them. "50" is the Bible
number signifying the Jubilee, Leviticus 25.
This year then certainly appears
to be the year the anti-christ will be revealed to the whole
world. But what time during this year?
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
This inspired book was written by King
Solomon, stated in God's Word to be the wisest man who, up to
that time, had ever lived upon the earth. Study carefully
these Scriptures. They definitely point to the Lord Jesus
calling for His "love" to "rise up" and come to Him. And
the time indicated in the context is most definitely the Spring
of the year.
Serious students of Bible prophecy know
that the Lord is coming again to resurrect His people who have
died during this present Dispensation of Grace, and to rapture
all of His saints, both those resurrected and those still
living, to glory to be with Him, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
In resurrecting and rapturing His people, the Lord will
literally fulfill His promise made to His disciples in John
14:3.
Many of God's people who study Bible
prophecy also believe that the Lord is coming to rapture His
people from imminent danger. The anti-christ and his
followers, would like nothing better than to wipe out all traces
of Christianity from off the face of the earth. This
suggests to me that the anti-christ will precede the coming of
Christ, if only by a few days, or a short period of time, 2
Thessalonians 2:3-4. Perhaps the anti-christ is already
here, and just hasn't been revealed yet!
The Timing of End-time Events
The Song of Solomon cited above is
quite clear that the Lord is calling His "love" to come to Him
in the Spring. Therefore, many, including myself, have
carefully studied and watched for any prophetically significant
days during this Spring.
Pentecost.......This Jewish Holy Day
occurred this year on May 20th. Many of God's people were
excited over this holy day, and almost certain that it would be
the day when the Lord would come to rapture His people to
glory. But it wasn't!
June 20th.......Those of God's people
who are earnestly "watching" for the Lord's coming, just as the
Lord told us to do, [Luke 12:37] then began to look at the end
of Spring for the coming of the Lord. The last day of
Spring this year came on June 20th. Now here we are in the
summer season, and the Lord has not yet come for us.
The Implications of This
Does this mean that we have been
wrong once again, and that the Lord is not coming in the
Spring? Does it mean that He may not even come this
year? I truly wish I had the correct answer to both of
these questions to share with our readers. Right now I
don't! So our readers are now faced with making a
choice. And every reader, like it or not, will make a
choice, one way or another.
The Choices to be Made.......
Every reader now has one of two
choices.......
To Remain Faithful.......In this study, I
deliberately wrote about the numerous times some of God's people
have been fervently looking for the Lord to come, and He
didn't! Every single time this has happened, there
have been some "professing Christians" who have become disgusted
with the whole subject of Bible prophecy. I know, for I
have heard from some of them personally, and not at all
kindly. I have actually had people say to my face, "You
have been wrong about the Lord's coming several times, so why
should anyone listen to you?" Good question! But why
should any reader be listening to me in the first place?
It is God's inspired Word to which all of us who claim to
be "Christians" should be listening! I'm just the
messenger who seeks to faithfully deliver the message.
And in spite of expecting the Lord on
several occasions, and He didn't come........I still believe His
promise [Hebrews 10:23], and my intention is to continue
preaching His Word and "watching." John 14:3 and Mark
13:33-37 are both still in the Bible! How many of
our readers still believe these Scriptures, and show their faith
in the Lord's promises by their actions?
Dear readers, by the grace of God, I
will continue to study the inspired Word, including Bible
prophecy [2 Peter 1:19-21], and keep right on obediently
"watching" as long as I draw the breath of life, or until the
Lord comes, whichever comes first. Obedience to God's Word
identifies the character of a true believer, and, by the grace
of God, I will keep right on "watching" until my "blessed hope"
bursts into glorious reality, 1 Corinthians
15:52. Thank you Lord Jesus for the grace to
believe and be obedient, 1 Samuel 15:22.
OR.......
To Give Up and Quit!.......Folks, I am
now 84 years of age, and my whole life has been a learning
experience. I learned years ago that to give up and
quit anything good in life, or in the Lord's work,
requires.......
No effort, no stamina, no real degree
of intelligence, no special skills, no study, no dedication, no
love, no sacrifice, no hope, and no character. Just any
hare-brained religionist can stop studying the Word of God, and
the great prophecies of the Word, and in disobedience to the
Lord, stop watching and praying for the Lord's coming, and just
give up "the faith," and
Quit!
".....choose you this day whom ye will
serve......., but as for me and my house, we will serve the
Lord," Joshua 24:15.
<<<<<<<
O
>>>>>>>
Those readers who would like to contact
me personally may do so by using one of the following.......
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO
65401
EMAIL..........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE........573-202-6493
<<<<<<<
O
>>>>>>>