I'm Not Quitting!
                                                                                          By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                          June 10, 2019
     "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen [as yet] ,
     For by it [faith] the elders obtained a good report."
                                                                                Hebrews 11:1-2

     "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
     Teaching us [true believers] that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world;
     Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ,
     Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  
     These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.  Let no man despise thee."
                                                                                 Titus 2:11-15
Introduction
     Yes!  I was wrong about the Lord Jesus coming for His Gentile Bride on Pentecost so far this year.  But I am not ashamed for having put forth the effort to warn God's people, and lost seeking souls, of the possibility that Pentecost would be the time of our Lord's coming.  
     However, Spring is not over for another ten days, and I am still watching, praying, and hoping.  In view of the Song of Solomon, 2:8-13, I do most fervently believe our Lord's coming for His people will occur in the Spring of the year.  So I will keep right on watching until June 21, 2019.   I have not given up hope, and I refuse to stop "watching" for His coming.  For......
Just Anyone Can Quit!
    After being in the Lord's ministry these past 65 years, I have not learned everything I wanted to learn, nor perhaps evey thing I should have learned.  But I have learned a few things, and among them is that.......
     Quitting; just throwing in the towel and giving up.......
          Requires no high degree of education or intelligence.....
          No initiative or ambition.....
          No particular skill is required.....
          No real love for God or for our Lord Jesus Christ.....
          No love or concern for other believers, nor for lost souls.....
          No effort, no strength, no sacrifice, no expense.....
          No Bible study nor prayer.......
          No real knowledge of the Scriptures.....
          Not even any demands on one's time.......

     Just any shiftless, lazy, indifferent, willingly ignorant, worthless, lost religionist can give up and QUIT!    

What the Future Holds
     The Savior said in John 14:1-3,
     "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.
     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 unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."  
     Our Lord Jesus Christ is always "faithful" in His promises, and His Word, and can be depended upon to keep His Word.  Therefore, since He did not come on Pentecost this year, I will be among those of God's people who just keep right on watching and praying until He comes for us, Matthew 26:41.  .  
     Dear readers, since the inspired Word clearly points out [to me at least] that our Lord's coming will occur in the Spring of the year, I remind our readers that as I write, there are still ten days before  Spring ends this year.  Will the Lord come sometime in these next ten days?  I haven't the slightest idea, but if He should, He will find me still watching and praying for His return.  I hope many others of our readers share the same attitude of heart and mind.
     But what if the Lord doesn't come before this Spring is over?  Then I suspect it will be another full year before the Lord comes in the Spring of 2020.   I believed the Lord would come this year because of the Lord's warning in Luke 17:26-27, and because it has been 120 years since the turn of the century in 1900.  Plus the fact that "20" is the number in the Bible which signifies "redemption," and "19" is the number in the Bible which signifies "faith."  But if we have another full year to "watch" and wait, then the Lord will provide for those who place their trust in Him. Believe it, and act upon it!
     If the Lord should delay His coming until the Spring of 2020, this too will be a fascinating number.  A double "20."  Since "20" is the number in the Bible which signifies "redemption," then what is pictured is double redemption.  Could this possibly be portraying redemption for the Lord's Church and Gentile believers by the resurrection and rapture, and at the same time the beginning of redemption for the Jewish people?  Now add these two numbers  together, and they add up to "40."  This is the number in the Bible which signifies "a test or trial; testing."  Won't the Tribulation period be a tremendous test and severe trial for the Jewish people?  
     But dear readers, Almighty God is not the grumpy, sour old Monarch some picture Him as.  God has a great sense of humour.  For the past 2,000 years the nation and people of Israel have refused to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore He who is "the light of the world" has been denied to them.  But perhaps the Lord God will begin to give them "2020" vision spiritually next Spring.  Glory to God!  Pun enough?     
The Immediate Future  
     Folks, there is no future for true believers in this rotten, sin cursed, world.  Read 1 John 2:15-17.  As I read the daily papers, and watch the news on TV, I am appalled and sickened by what the present world we are living in has become.  DAILY the news is filled with reports of murders, robberies, rapes, beatings, home invasions, stealing, car jackings, women and little children being kidnapped, enslaved, starved, often brutally tortured, and then viciously killed. Cheating and lying everywhere.  These things are going on in every large city in America today, and are even beginning to spread into the rural areas.
     And what solution for it do the liberal politicians have?  Why, they want to take the guns away from the people, so the people will have no real protection against the increasing criminal element in America.  Sick!  
Police Protection?      
      And why don't the police crack down and stop all of this criminal activity?  What a sick joke!  Day after day somewhere in America, and likely in other parts of the world,  policemen are being shot down by wicked criminals.  Men all over this country are resigning from police forces.  Being a policemen has become the most dangerous job in America.  It is now hard to recruit men to serve as policeman.  Most men don't want the job, and I can't say that I blame them.  SOON the police forces in America will become either non-existent, or totally corrupt themselves.
Punish the Criminals?
     And the criminals who are arrested?  Some spineless, liberal judge will either slap them on the wrist and let them go, or will give them a light sentence, even for vicious evil crimes.  And oh yes!  Let's stop overlooking this truth.....Those criminals who are sentenced to serve time in jail or prison, are provided with clothing, shelter, food, bathroom facilities, medical care, books, newspapers, and TV, and in some prisons today, even computers and cell phones, and it is all paid for by the American SAPS called TAX PAYERS.  
      Yes, I did say SAPS!  How else could one describe the American people who just continue to put up with and PAY FOR  such wickedness being perpetrated  upon the American people, and seldom ever raise their voices in protest about it!  
     Execute habitual criminals?  The ones with a criminal record as long as your arm?   Ah nah!  Now we couldn't do that!  
And As I Write.....
     Right now as I write, there is legislation being proposed in Congress that, if passed, will make it a criminal offense to "discriminate" in any manner; in a private conversation, on a video, in printed material, by  email,  on TV or Internet,  against anyone of another race or color, or against homosexuals, gays, transgenders, or against the entire LGBT movement, or against those who favor ABORTION; the cold-blooded murder of the innocent unborn.  If this proposed legislation passes and becomes law, even over the veto of President Trump, then the 2nd amendment to the Constitution; FREEDOM OF SPEECH, will be DEAD AND GONE in  America.  
     Now who in America would be most harmed by this wicked leftist, liberal, anti-conservative, legislation?   Try Bible believing Christian churches and Christian people in America.   Are believers in America ready for the bitter persecution, and perhaps even martyrdom,  suffered by our Christian forefathers?   
     Folks, this is the future we who are Christian believers in America  are facing RIGHT NOW.     And some "professing" believers still show no interest in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and have only criticism for those believers who are eagerly looking for and anticipating the Lord's coming!   Galatians 6:7-8 is still in the Bible, and so is 2 Corinthians 5:10.  Our readers might also read 1 Corinthians 3:12-15.   
What reward do our readers want when every true believer is called upon to give an account before the BEMA seat of Christ?  Hello!  
     Enough said for this time!  But I'm not quitting until the Trumpet sounds, calling all true New Covenant believers home to glory!
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     My personal contact information:
POSTAL.......Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL.........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE.......573-202-6493
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