I keep wondering where the father is? I guess he prophesied these days, when he said there will be a great falling away. I haven't fallen away but I have been distracted and I feel distressed. I feel a longing I cant explain. I feel a like I'm reaching but I cant reach the other persons hands that I'm reaching for. I feel distant from the father. Maybe its just the sin in my own life. I don't know. My prayers seem to fall unanswered or maybe I just expect too much? 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV) The Great Apostasy 2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of [a]Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. Are we the few that continue to long for the Lords return? Why are our numbers dwindling and why doe the distractions seem to be increasing in such large numbers? Lately I keep thinking about the following verses Does he not see my ways and count my every step? Job 31.4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. psalm 139.4 The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; Psalm 31:23 Lord hear my prayer. I feel lost in the Wilderness like Christ was. I don't feel like you've counted my steps, which seem to be lost and bewildering. Lord my tongue is filled with anger to those who have hurt me deeply And no father I do feel firm in any of my steps even though I shout out to you daily and delight in you more than 90% of those I know. Father you have blessed me. Like a hug from my sweet mother. I wish I could feel you daily. Indeed the pool seems to be shrinking. That is those that are looking for His return. And the fishers of men should be aware of this, rather than to keep promising great revivals! The next great revival will be in the waters of Tribulation! IMHO. And if someone does miss the Rapture but will still be saved during Tribulation times, God shouldn't change the day or the hour. It's a good thing that He decided on one day and one hour. Regardless of the number who enter in the last moments in the age of grace or not! Indeed it is a fixed and appointed time, unchangeable for any reason! For this the end of the Lord's grace! TR Yes Boulder95...distractions aplenty...disappointments...physical and spiritual attacks...hard to stay "up" sometimes these days...but I am greatly encouraged by a simple short video I just saw on FB Ritan! Wow...Brothers and Sisters... We are in the delivery room!!! :groan (couldn't resist that) and we are in between contractions...which would be like high-watch times and are so tired from pushing and hoping this baby would be born...but just relax...babies sometimes just come when you have about given up and think you can't go on. I'm not saying this very well. Anyway it really gave me a lift :flyup: on this rain-to-come Monday. If I can figure out how to post the link I will! Blessings, Elaine Boulder, Yes, mankind's love grows colder as we get closer to the rapture. It does get more and more difficult to focus on the Lord. We have so much calling for our attention. But take heart that God created you for such a time as this. He did not make a mistake to place you in this time of life, as opposed to the 1800's. He created you for a unique purpose and has a plan that is wonderful for your life. He is not far - He is right with you. The very fact that you are turning to scripture to find comfort is a wonderful sign! Darkness is descending so very, very heavily upon us - it feels suffocating! BUT GOD! Ask Him to sustain you even though you cannot feel Him right now. You, loved and created in His image, are in the palm of His hand, cherished. He longs for you to come home to heaven as much as you long for Him. WE are the ones who are impatient though, but this is a short, short time to wait and then it will gloriously be all over... we will be free, truly free and this struggle will seem a distant memory. Take heart dear brother in the Lord. We are all praying for you. Stay strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might! Indeed we all need to take heart in this time. The Lord has not forgotten us or His promises. Father knows best! While others keep predicting huge revivals, I see the Lord picking the last of the harvest. All the late blooming crops, and the uttermost fruit! To Him be all the power, honor, and glory forever. TR Boulder, my brother, in years past your wisdom, thought, and discourse on the old RITAN site encouraged this sister during a very difficult time in my life so I feel that you need the same validation. The time clock has indeed sped up, the prince of this earth knows his time is almost up, he must work hard to capture the souls of the lost, he must put the stumbling before those that remain faithful. Remember the plea of Elijah when Jezebel called for his death? In 1 Kings 19 we see the story unfolding and God was so caring of his very tired servant, God said, nope I have 7,000 that have not bowed to Baal... we are in that time of waiting, the lull before the glory...we, the watchers, see scripture coming alive at many levels. It is heart breaking to witness what we know to be the beginning of the end for many. We feel the weight of this world and the increasing lawlessness. But know this, my dear brother, keep the watch, pray (even when it feels as if those prayers feel like they fall on deaf ears - they don’t ever - they are a sweet savor), remain steadfast, for unto you is promised the crown of life because you watch and that you can present to the Savior who died for you. Hold on, we are seeing all these things come to past, look up, our redemption draws very near...we are the terminal generation :yahoo: :yahoo: thank you Boulder for just being there, you are part of the remnant that remains faithful! :prayer-hands: :flyup: If there were great numbers being brought into the Lord's kingdom, it might tell us there is more time ahead for that work to be accomplished. Dwindling numbers, here and elsewhere, indicate the present age is drawing to a close. As He promised, evil men will become worse and worse, and He asked whether He would find faith upon the earth upon His return. Truly, just as in the parable of the seeds, there are those who become all giddy for a little while and then the cares of this world choke the life out of them. If we are really His children, then nothing is going to sever that bond or cause us to despair that He hasn't come yet. We don't live by sight, but rather by faith in His Word. I also long for His appearing, and yet I know it's all in the hands of the Father. Are we weary? That is to be expected, for we do not belong to this age. The worse things get, the more we are going to feel like strangers here. But take heart, the time will come when the ungodly will find themselves to be the ones who have nothing that makes them feel at home in the overwhelming presence of God. The last call is going out. Well said David. Indeed, I also see a dwindling down, as the days seem to be passing more quickly! Again as the Lord tarries for the last of the end time harvest, we are given opportunity to store up more treasures. And the as the Lord tarries, more people are reaching the point of no return! They will not be able to use the excuse, "I was deceived"! TR Tammie God Bless you and David and Tender Reed what I wouldnt do for any of my RITAN friends. What a blessing everyone has been. Bless God! And bless Him for you. We are all in this together! We wait, we suffer, we long together. We shall also glory together. TR
