Saturday at the grocery store, I found more and more shelves being empty. This triggered a thought in my mind: Just how bad will our Lord allow things to get before He comes to rescue us? The thought of dying physically or being removed from this earth actually stirs hope in my heart, as being done with this fallen world is something I long for. However, if I am being completely honest, it's the getting from point A (where we are today) to point B (Abba's house in the Bridal Chamber with our Bridegroom) that causes me to battle against fear. I feel like I have had enough suffering for more than a lifetime, and the prospect of enduring more discourages my soul in ways hard to commnicate. I know we have bothers and sisters in Christ around the world who this very day are suffering unspeakable persecution. The Church in China, driven underground by a godless, brutal, totalitarian Christ-hating government. Our brothers and sisters in parts of Africa who are being brutally murdered for their faith by God-haters. And I am quite sure there is a ton of other things going on that I am absolutely clueless about, where followers of Jesus are suffering. With all that awareness and no desire to minimize it in any way, I still cannot help but wonder from a personal perspective, how bad this is going to be allowed by God to get here in America. Will I have to watch my wife and daughter suffer? Will we be without food? Will "normal life" as we have known it be completely obliterated? I know God's judgment on America is fully justified. That is quite obvious. Yet, for the sake of the righteous remnant (righteous only in the imputed righteousness of Christ and through nothing of our own righteousness), I am asking Him to spare us and rescue us before things get really bad. Would be interested in anyone else's scripturally based thoughts on how bad you think this might get before the dead in Christ rise and we who are alive and remain are caught up to be with the Lord in the air. Yep, shocked the church is still here to witness this type of chaos in a free sovereign country. Unfortunately, its going to get worse because one of my banks that prides themselves as being the “friendliest bank in town” just slipped their new over the top fees in a letter ... effective April 1st. Excessive withdrawal Fees inside as well as ATM withdrawal Fees - this would also include closing your checking or savings accounts! Dormant Account Monthly Fee - includes must deposit money monthly or else this applies Paper Statement Fee - because they want to save the trees and want you to enroll in electronic statements Monthly service charge for maintaining your account and must have a balance of $3,000 or more New Check Fee and effective today (because of the virus) we need to schedule an appointment in order to go inside their bank. I’m sure they are screening the calls and going to ask “the why” and if you dare say “to close my checking account” they will say “sorry we are all booked up .. we will have to put your name on our waiting list”. :mail: I was just reading an article yesterday ... because of this virus MANY people are going to lose their jobs so this bank is all set and ready for it. No mercy for the people. I’m amazed out of all the generations ... the Lord thinks we are tough enough to be here to live out the remaining final days. I know my grandparents and even my parents wouldn’t have been able to put up with what we are seeing. I believe they grew up in the best time period where the American dream occurred - products made in America and rarely broke down. Perhaps our crown(s) will have a few extra gem stones than theirs for enduring? 😉 Not to make light of what is going on...but where's George Bailey when you need him? I'm pretty sure we are going to find many more Mr. Potter's than ol' George's in the banking industry when this whole house of cards collapses. It's a wonderful life, alright, just not here in this fallen, Christ-hating world. Beam us up, Abba!!! Maranatha!!! Yep, that old classic movie came to my mind too. :good: Well, after checking a few other banks ... they all pretty much closed their lobby and its by appointment only for them to unlock their doors. So the only way to get around these new fees ... what I will have to do is sign up for wireless paper statements, and then deposit a few dollars using their drive thru to keep the checking account from going into “dormant” status. B-) The Mr. Potters of this world are fixin' to have a whole lot of dormant accounts pdq (pretty darn quick). Then they can charge away on added fees to their hearts' content. We will have relocated and opened a new account at Trinity Savings. 
