[betty boop]

God's will must come first, always! Therefore, if we are defeated – if His will is that Christ shall come again now - that the end times stage must be set and America must become nothing - we Christians must not resist it, but rather embrace His will....

Hello Alamo-Girl! It's wonderful to have you back!

To embrace the will of God is to live in love and faith -- and in fear of His judgment. It seems to me to resist it is an exercise in futility, in the end.

But no man knows when the End Times are to come; no one knows save the Father alone. And so it is best to strive to live in love and faith and the fear of God, doing the works He has given us to do.

From the standpoint of pragmatic, empirical reality better times may lie ahead, or worse. We do not know. But to live in love and faith and the fear of God is what humans are called to. And we ought to respond. For the children of God are always safely at home with Him.

Well, these be my thoughts.... FWTW Thanks so much for writing, A-G! It's great to see you again. Hugs!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so very much for your beautiful reply! Indeed, we must obey the Great Commandments as our top priority - loving God absolutely and our fellow man, unconditionally (paraphrased) - all of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:40)

[unspun]

But no man knows when the End Times are to come; no one knows save the Father alone. And so it is best to strive to live in love and faith and the fear of God, doing the works He has given us to do. From the standpoint of pragmatic, empirical reality better times may lie ahead, or worse. We do not know. But to live in love and faith and the fear of God is what humans are called to. And we ought to respond. For the children of God are always safely at home with Him.

Yes, in other words, we have clear charges to keep. Holes in the ship doesn't excuse its crew, nor do I believe such an excuse is being postulated here.

[unspun]

I guess I'll be a little more specific, if repetitive.

Adam was told he/we must get our hands dirty in the environment around us (and He doesn't limit that to horti-culture) and chase critters away, build fences, till soil, and pull weeds, as well as simply "sowing, watering and reaping."

Furthermore, We the Folks each have our responsiblity of being cells of Caesar in Amercia, as well as the Christians in town being members of the Body of Christ.

In each situation, whether one calls it doom or blessing, there are specific duties that are not relieved, as long as each of the proscripted enviornments last. And in the case of being Caesar in America, that means more than merely delivering the widow's mite of voting, for most of us, because we have much more to give.

That puts it all into a pretty decent perspective, doesn't it? Not that much to quibble about, I think. But don't despair -- that does mean there is much work to do!

[unspun]

...there is much work to do! -- until we would have to perform the "service" of Lot, by means of escape.