The goodness of God; the blessing of the saints!

[mattfivefour]

When I flew into Portland, Oregon to support Vicki during her mother's funeral, the problem of getting from there to Salem was solved through the gracee of God by a former RF member: mikalikat. Lori Raines and her husband Mike drove the hour up to the airport to pick me up and transport me safely into Vicki's arms! How awesome was that??? I thank God that He provided in our time of sorrow and need; and I thank Lori and Mike for their goodness in acting out their Christian faith in deed as well as in word. May they be greatly blessed. (And, for you who remember Lori, I also got to meet the famous Alison— the incredible little daughter Lori always referred to. She really is a gem!)

The day following the graveside service in Arizona, I got to spend an awesome hour of fellowship with Sonseeker (John S) and his wife, Kim. (I would have been able to spend longer with them had I not taken a 100 mile detour. Turns out reading a map and knowing where you are going is as important as reading the Scriptures for the same purpose. ) In any case, they are a lovely couple and I was blessed by the time we spent together, brief as it was.

This now brings to five the number of members I have met online through RF that I have finally met in person. In addition to mikalikat and her husband (and younger daughter) in Salem, OR and Sonseeker and his wife in Willcox, AZ, I have met GlennO and his wife in Yachats, OR, MikeD in Baton Rouge, LA, and Carl and his wife in Warren, MI. In addition, there are quite a few people with whom I speak by telephone in addition to sharing on RF. I can tell you that God has blessed me (and Vicki) through all of the fellowship here. RF truly functions as a church in the truest sense of the word— a gathering, an assembly, a fellowship, a communion of saints where we exhort, encourage, teach, learn, comfort, and pray for one another. Meeting some of you in person just makes the communion even sweeter.

Something that I think is worth noting is that each and every person I have met in person is genuinely exactly how I thought they would be from their posts on RF! This tells me that people are genuine in their faith. What they post from their thoughts, fears, hopes, and ideas is not a "front" but rather springs from the genuineness of their heart and their relationship with their Savior. I hope that fact encourages others here. I think it is evident—both from what and how people write on this site and through the witness of the Holy Spirit—which people are not merely genuine but also mature in the faith and the knowledge of the Lord. A person cannot consistently fake a walk with the Lord. The truth will always out. So I think you can be sure that if a person here appears to walk with Christ, they most likely do. Certainly, the Holy Spirit WILL testify within you as to the presence of the nature of Christ within another.

Anyway, I want to give all the praise and glory to God for having led Chris to create this site (not to mention the daily maintaining of it) and for leading so many awesome brothers and sisters here. We may not always agree on all things, but we who are Christ's share a brotherhood, a spiritual "family" connection that He intends for our mutual benefit as we grow in Him and thus become more profitable servants in the execution of His command to love and serve one another and to proclaim the good news of God's salvation through Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world that will soon come under the terrible judgment of the Father!

May Rapture Forums always maintain a sound witness to the truth of the gospel and the love of God!

[myinnuendo999]

That's so awesome Adrian. From time to time The Lord has placed Lori on my heart and in so doing, I pray for her. To read from this post that you spent some time with her and her husband and family is so encouraging in that God indeed answers prayer. The people you've met and the hard work Chris has poured into this website for Genuine brothers and sisters in Christ to have somewhere to actually meet is a huge blessing even in my life.

thank you soooo much for all you've done mattfivefour(Adrian) and how God has been using you and others to grow in Jesus Christ.

[Longing2cJesus]

Thank you so much for sharing with us and giving us some insight on our sisters and brothers in Christ. I am so happy that you have either got to meet them or speak with them by phone. That is a real Blessing.

Allison, Lori's little daughter is such a precious child. Lori often gives what she calls "Allisonism" updates sharing with us some of the profound things that come from that child's mouth. I told Lori I would love to spend time with Ali. I know I would be Blessed for she Blesses her Mama quite often.

I am seeing more and more sisters and brothers come from behind the wall so to speak and reach out and help one another in so many ways.

There is a sister in Christ who lost her job and her home and a sister and brother in Christ (husband and wife) had her come to their home in another state and have taken her in till she gets on her feet. Now that is how we should be with one another.

May God Bless you and Vicki and Chris and all my sisters and brothers on RF



Ann

[mattfivefour]

Yes, Ann, I think many members would be surprised at some of what goes on "behind the scenes" here with members helping members. RF is as lot more than people just saying "I'll pray for you" ... though prayer of course is the supreme form of help. I could tell you (but I will not since it is between the person(s) helping, the person(s) helped, and God alone) of RF members who have traveled great distances to help a brother or sister in need, and/or who have given financial and physical help to another here where needed, or have opened their homes.

In all of these cases we are seeing demonstrated the love that Christ places in the hearts of His followers. As James says, "If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?" (James 2:15-16 NASB) John, the apostle of love whom many feel is a soft touch, is even more blunt: "Whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17 NASB) Or, as the NIV puts it: "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" Good question.

Those here who are truly Christ's operate at all levels behind the scenes, from devoted prayer to helping meet others' physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Combined with the worship we share and the proclaiming of the gospel and the contending for the faith, this is, then, the very work of a church assembly.

And that is why I often refer to RF as a church on the web. It is.

[Hannah]

It is wonderful that some of you live near each other and are able to do things for each other.

I'm over here in Australia and I might be a long way away, but your prayers have certainly helped me out when I was in need. So even distance doesn't stop us from helping each other.

May God enable us all to be like family and caring for one another as we should (especially in these hard times here on earth). May we all be blessed by the kindness of others and encouraged and enabled to keep going in our faith. In Jesus Name Amen

Thanks for sharing Mattfivefour. God is certainly good to us through our brothers and sisters in Christ, what a blessing.

[LivnForChrist]

Thanks for sharing that Matt! It's good to hear of RF members getting together and helping
each other behind the scenes. Thanks for the update also on Lori. I had been wondering
what had become of her. I miss her as well many of our former members. I hope that they
visit here from time to time and know that they are not forgotten.

[Tam2u68]

I Love it when Our Great God's plan comes together who woulda' thunk it Thank you for sharing this. I really needed to hear this uplifting message. I don't have a Church body that I attend where I live. So I come here and learn. It is so nice and comforting to know how God blessed you and yours. I really love reading these testimonies.

Many blessings

Tammy