An introduction to me, Caroline Friday. Years ago, I had friends tell me I should video my teachings and load them on YouTube, to which I very politely rolled my eyes. However, in light of the terrible events going in the world, I felt compelled to give it a go. I think it will be fun!
Friday, February 20, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
The Privilege and Responsibility of Being Born From Above!
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:13-16
For about nine months now I'm been doing a thorough study of end times prophecy. It started last June, and since then, I haven't been able to put the topic down. Now, in the light of all that is going on in the world, I feel as though the Scriptures are unfolding before our very eyes.
And yet, how many professing Christians truly see it? How many Jews during the time of Christ had any idea that the baby Messiah had been born in the Bethlehem or that the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world was walking amongst them, offering them the Kingdom of God? When severe persecution came, many fell away, but then on the day of Pentecost, many were saved.
For the truly born again Christian, it is time to wake up! A gentle awakening is always easier than an abrupt slap in the face, so I'm choosing to rouse myself now, at this very important time, from my American, middle-class Christian slumber and see AND hear spiritually what the Lord would have me see and hear. I've had to shake some wrong teaching from my mind, particularly the theology that God is constantly reminding me of my sins and faults (classic denominational teaching) OR that I must sow money or good works into my local church or favorite ministry in order to be blessed by Him (word of faith teaching).
No, if I want to be awake to the Lord's plans in this dangerous hour in which we live, I need to line my thoughts and beliefs up with His, as outlined in the Bible. I need to remind myself that I am a New Creation in Christ Jesus, born from above as a child of God, and that the blessing of Abraham has come upon me, just as the Apostle Paul explains in both Ephesians, Galatians, and all his other epistles. Anything other than accepting the original Gospel that Paul preached is blasphemy and false teaching. Faith in the Gospel message and belief in all the wonderful promises of the Heavenly Father is crucial for today's believer. This pleases God.
With all that being said, it is important to remind ourselves that we are not citizens of this world. We are in this world, but we are not of it. Our citizenship is in heaven, in the heavenly Jerusalem, which is above. We are here as ambassadors of Christ, sent on a divine mission, to complete the tasks He would have us complete which were ordained before the foundation of the world! Just thinking about that brings a smile to my face.
None of us here in America have had mobs of radical killers with swords and weapons invade our streets, threatening to chop off our heads or our body parts or rape or kill our children or harvest their organs for financial means. We look at these reports on social media and it seems surreal. But then we open our Bibles, and there it is, laid out plainly in the Scriptures. Will this mayhem reach our shores? Not sure. But let's be ready.
Perhaps the Lord will send us into harm's way, like the good soldiers He has trained us to be, instructing us to assist others in their faith as they endure extreme persecution. He has given us our weapons of warfare, He has given us His Holy Spirit, He has given us His name, He has given us His blood, He has given us the sword of the Spirit to pray in our heavenly language that can and will do severe damage to the kingdom of darkness. Let's be ready, poised, and prepared to wield that weapon and enter the battle fray. Our fellow brethren here at home and on the other side of the planet need our prayers. God moves through His body, which is the Church, of which we are.
These are exciting times! Like Joshua was instructed before entering into the Promised Land, let's refuse to fear and stay in faith. Keep the Word ever before us and be obedient to everything the Lord instructs us to do.
Love and blessings in the mighty name of Jesus!
For about nine months now I'm been doing a thorough study of end times prophecy. It started last June, and since then, I haven't been able to put the topic down. Now, in the light of all that is going on in the world, I feel as though the Scriptures are unfolding before our very eyes.
And yet, how many professing Christians truly see it? How many Jews during the time of Christ had any idea that the baby Messiah had been born in the Bethlehem or that the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world was walking amongst them, offering them the Kingdom of God? When severe persecution came, many fell away, but then on the day of Pentecost, many were saved.
For the truly born again Christian, it is time to wake up! A gentle awakening is always easier than an abrupt slap in the face, so I'm choosing to rouse myself now, at this very important time, from my American, middle-class Christian slumber and see AND hear spiritually what the Lord would have me see and hear. I've had to shake some wrong teaching from my mind, particularly the theology that God is constantly reminding me of my sins and faults (classic denominational teaching) OR that I must sow money or good works into my local church or favorite ministry in order to be blessed by Him (word of faith teaching).
No, if I want to be awake to the Lord's plans in this dangerous hour in which we live, I need to line my thoughts and beliefs up with His, as outlined in the Bible. I need to remind myself that I am a New Creation in Christ Jesus, born from above as a child of God, and that the blessing of Abraham has come upon me, just as the Apostle Paul explains in both Ephesians, Galatians, and all his other epistles. Anything other than accepting the original Gospel that Paul preached is blasphemy and false teaching. Faith in the Gospel message and belief in all the wonderful promises of the Heavenly Father is crucial for today's believer. This pleases God.
With all that being said, it is important to remind ourselves that we are not citizens of this world. We are in this world, but we are not of it. Our citizenship is in heaven, in the heavenly Jerusalem, which is above. We are here as ambassadors of Christ, sent on a divine mission, to complete the tasks He would have us complete which were ordained before the foundation of the world! Just thinking about that brings a smile to my face.
None of us here in America have had mobs of radical killers with swords and weapons invade our streets, threatening to chop off our heads or our body parts or rape or kill our children or harvest their organs for financial means. We look at these reports on social media and it seems surreal. But then we open our Bibles, and there it is, laid out plainly in the Scriptures. Will this mayhem reach our shores? Not sure. But let's be ready.
Perhaps the Lord will send us into harm's way, like the good soldiers He has trained us to be, instructing us to assist others in their faith as they endure extreme persecution. He has given us our weapons of warfare, He has given us His Holy Spirit, He has given us His name, He has given us His blood, He has given us the sword of the Spirit to pray in our heavenly language that can and will do severe damage to the kingdom of darkness. Let's be ready, poised, and prepared to wield that weapon and enter the battle fray. Our fellow brethren here at home and on the other side of the planet need our prayers. God moves through His body, which is the Church, of which we are.
These are exciting times! Like Joshua was instructed before entering into the Promised Land, let's refuse to fear and stay in faith. Keep the Word ever before us and be obedient to everything the Lord instructs us to do.
Love and blessings in the mighty name of Jesus!
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