Be encouraged!

Dear friends

This is to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to all those who have been faithfully watching with us. Our Lord is surely pleased with our longing to see Him and for His promised return. Other than living for Jesus, serving and obeying Him, there could be no higher and exciting endeavor in this life.

I love all you guys and gals. We share a beautiful and wonderful common interest that eclipses all other interests -- the Lord Jesus Christ, and the "blessed hope" (Titus 213) of His return. Because we are repeatedly commanded to "watch" and observe the signs, I believe we have been obedient.

Over the last several years, many people on my Web site, the Five Doves Web site and other Web sites have expressed strong and sometimes compelling reasons why the rapture or other end-time event might occur in a certain window of time, usually coinciding with a Jewish feast day, but it has not happened yet. This has been based on many confirming Scriptures that show the Lord wants us to know when, or approximately when, even if not precisely the "day or hour" (only a 24-hour restriction). They have done this in good faith, good intent and with no prospect of self-gain in spite of ferocious attacks, mocking and fiery darts from the enemy, the intensity and meanness of which I have never seen before in Christendom in all my years as a believer. There is something about this subject that the devil hates with a passion and he does everything he can to discourage God’s people from watching and sharing.

As I have said before, I am not a prophet, nor am I a Bible scholar. I have never had a solid personal revelation of a certain date or year, either from the Word or by the Spirit. On occasion I have regretted that I have not been able to be more persuaded and dogmatic. Yet, I have been very hopeful about some of the understandings of others at various times since 1996. I am still hopeful.

Now, the Spring feast days of 2001 and another major window are past. With this, plus the spiritual warfare involved, some may be getting discouraged. DON’T!!! We are closer with every passing day! The enemy would love to see God's people discouraged and not watching. Do not let the devil win!!!

The rapture could still be this year, and if not, soon thereafter, especially with what is prophetically happening to Israel, the "fig tree." In my opinion, the Fall feasts are always a possibility. Further, I personally believe it does not have to take place on a Jewish feast day. That is because Jesus said it would be "as in the days of Noah," and Noah’s day was before the feast days were given to Moses. It could be any day! It could be today!!!

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him’" (Hebrews 1035-38, NIV).

Keep watching. Do not be discouraged. Let us continue to share any insights we may think we have. But most important of all, especially as we deal with one another, "As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace" (Colossians 312-15).

Pray for those who have departed from this command (and thus the Lord), or have chosen to ignore it.

God bless you all,

Jim