F.M. Riley (29
Oct 2017)
"WINTER HAS COME"
An Open Letter to Readers
of my Bible Studies
WINTER HAS COME
October 23, 2017
"While the earth remaineth, seedtime
and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day
and night, shall not cease."
Genesis 8:22
Dearly beloved brothers & sisters in Christ,
loved ones, friends, and neighbors,
I am now 83 years of age, and am fast
becoming a decrepit old man. My physical strength is
almost gone. By God's grace I can still walk and get
around with the use of a cane, but I cannot run, or stand
on my feet for any length of time. My eyesight is failing to the
extent that I sometimes have trouble even reading what I am
writing on my computer screen. I gave up driving at night over a
year ago. Now I will soon be giving up driving
altogether. My hearing is slowly fading. I have
never been physically a large man. I did once reach 186
pounds in weight. Now my weight has diminished down to
about 125 pounds, and is still dropping. What hair I
have left is snow white.
My body is wracked by rheumatoid
arthritis. In every joint in my arms, legs, hands, and
fingers, I daily feel the pain of the arthritis. My right
hand has become gnarled and drawn up from the effects of the
arthritis, to the extent that it is even becoming difficult for
me to type.
I am relating all of this to my
readers, not for any sympathy from anyone, for I do not need
sympathy. I am content in the Lord Jesus Christ, my
wonderful Savior and Lord. I am relating this information
only for understanding. There is no reason to fret over things
which cannot be helped or changed. Therefore I relate
these things to my readers simply as my recognition that I am in
the winter of my life, and I have come to the conclusion that it
is time for.......
Changes to be Made.
For 63 years I have been in the Lord's
ministry. In this time I have had the joy of pastoring
churches, preaching revivals, preaching and teaching God's Word,
leading many to salvation in Christ, and writing out and
mailing a monthly newsletter to some 1,800 people for nearly
forty years. I was forced to stop the newsletter
ministry after my second wife passed away, for the printing,
folding, addressing, stamping, and mailing was just too big a
job for me to do by myself.
Then the Lord laid on my heart to begin
the Bible Study ministry, writing out the great truths of His
Word, and mailing them only to those who requested them. I
have now been engaged in this Bible Study ministry for the past
nine years. Sadly, and very reluctantly, I must now tell
my readers that I am also preparing to bring the Bible Study
ministry to a close. There are two reasons for my doing
this.......
First, because of my physical
condition. I am truly in the winter of my life, and my
time to go home to meet my Lord, and be reunited with my saved
loved ones who have gone before, draws closer with every passing
day. (But so does the rapture!)
Second, because my old computer is
literally worn out. I have wrestled with this old computer
for the past year as I have forced it to write out the studies
the way I wanted them written. Every time I turn this
computer on, pop ups inform me that drivers in my computer are
severely damaged or entirely missing, and that my computer badly
needs repairs. Folks, I have no idea how to repair
the computer myself, as I am virtually computer
illiterate. All I know about a computer, is what I have
learned by trial and error.
I have earnestly prayed about replacing
this old worn out computer, but due to the shortness of time in
view of our Lord's soon coming, I have felt that it would be a
waste of the Lord's money to buy a new computer, and then
have to leave it here to be salvaged or destroyed by some
unbeliever left behind when the rapture occurs.
Then there is also the expense of
buying another computer. Folks, I have been physically
unable to work at a secular job since my massive heart attack
and open heart surgery nine years ago. I struggle just to
survive each month on a very small social security check, and on
what few gifts I receive from some readers. I just
don't have the funds to buy another computer, and I refuse to
whine, cry, beg, and squall for money as some do today.
Yet I cannot keep on wrestling with this old computer every time
I want to write out anything, like I am doing right now.
Therefore, after much heartsearching
and tears and prayers, with this letter, I am notifying
each of you dear readers that I am bringing the Bible Study
ministry to a close. I will try to keep in touch with our
readers to whatever extent is possible, and will try to answer
your letters and inquiries. But due to my
circumstances as outlined in this letter, I am closing the
writing out of the Bible Studies for the present
time. If the Lord Jesus wants them continued, He
will make a way! But for right now my Winter Has
Come!
Folks, there are over 500 of my Bible
Studies in print, on many different subjects in God's Word,
copies of which I will be glad to send to any reader requesting
them. Any reader wanting a list of the studies can send me
your mailing address via an email or a card or letter, and I
will mail them a list of the studies available. This is
the best I can do right now.
God bless everyone of you dear
brothers and sisters in Christ. I am looking forward to
our meeting in glory when the Trumpet sounds, 1 Thessalonians
4:16-17. What a great, grand, glorious, gathering our Lord
has prepared for His people. Don't any reader miss
it for the world!
I close this letter with love in my
heart and soul for every reader. Thank you for your love
and prayers over the years on my behalf. Every kindness
has been appreciated so very much. Please continue to
remember me in prayer, until that day when we meet face to face
in glory.
In the love of Christ Jesus, our
precious Savior and Lord,
Pastor F. M. Riley
fmr7glrybd@yahoo.com
14275 County Road 8120
Rolla, Missouri 65401
Phone
573-201-0491