I appreciate Bro. Marlin’s comment on my previous post. In that post, I mentioned that from a human standpoint the developing conditions in the world frighten me. Perhaps I should have explained more clearly what I meant. Spiritually speaking, I am not pessimistic about the future nor does it frighten me in that respect. That may seem to be a contradiction to what I said before. Let me explain. I am optimistic about my future in Christ. I am not a political scientist. I have difficulty understanding any kind of long-term significance of so-called stimulus plans or political maneuverings. My understanding of the ups and downs of Wall Street can be put in a thimble as evidenced by the fact that the small amount I had invested is now much smaller.

So not being able to comprehend all of the political and economical ramifications of the events unfolding around me, I have to use an old bowling expression to illustrate how I feel. When I bowled a bad game and I reached the seventh frame, my team mates would try to chide me by saying, “better get it together, it’s not looking good and you’re about to run out of paper.” That meant, that I was quickly approaching the tenth, or the last frame, and the game was about to be over. In all my years, I have never seen as many disturbing and inexplicable circumstances happening so quickly. While I respect my preacher bothers who believe otherwise, I hold the pre-tribulation position without apology and without intentions of argument. Simply put, I am not looking for the tribulation, I am looking for the evacuation. I am not looking for the antichrist, I am looking for The Christ Himself. When writing about the Lord’s return and the events surrounding it, Paul said, "Wherefore comfort ye one another with these words."(1Thess. 4:18). I can't say with any confidence that the secular future looks promising. In fact from a human standpoint it looks frightening or at best formidable, but Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled."(John 14:1). That’s what I am doing. I am not a pessimist, I like to think I am a realist.