Be Ready!

[WalterNZ]

I found this article .. its an eye opener...Joel Rosenberg Warns of Biblical War Unfolding Between Iran and Israel, Christian News

[Kenny64]

I found this article .. its an eye opener...Joel Rosenberg Warns of Biblical War Unfolding Between Iran and Israel, Christian News

There are alot of Christians awake to the prophecy.

[mattfivefour]

Indeed!

[Kist]

There are alot of Christians awake to the prophecy.

I found that an interesting fact. Told my mom all about the prophetic signs quite a while ago(actually around the time I registered here), then proceeded to talk to her minister. He didn't want to have anything to do with it, my mom however talked about it with a few people in the church. She was surprised with how many people actually realise the time we live in.

[billym]

Thanks, good to see at least one of our candidates was interested and attended.

[SteveJM]

Joel Rosenberg quote "Prophecy is an intercept from the mind of an all-knowing and all-seeing and all-powerful God," he said. "It is meant to inspire, motivate and encourage. It will lead to repentance, holiness, and prayer and fasting."

[Elijah's Mantle]

the title says it Best everybody ""Be ready"
we are to live with our lamps light our shoes on our feet ,with our staff in hand If we do not , we are breaking the express command There is a dire command going out to awaken those with apathy to and it comes from Jesus
let him speak to all souls that they may take serious heed and live in a manner of readiness

[FaithInChrist]

Joel Rosenberg quote "Prophecy is an intercept from the mind of an all-knowing and all-seeing and all-powerful God," he said. "It is meant to inspire, motivate and encourage. It will lead to repentance, holiness, and prayer and fasting."

"Prophecy is an intercept from the mind of an all-knowing and all-seeing and all-powerful God," he said. "It is meant to inspire, motivate and encourage. It will lead to repentance, holiness, and prayer and fasting."

Amen!

The pastor of my church is busily working chronologically through the books of the Bible, we just finished Job, so as you can imagine we are quite a few months before any Bible prophecy might creep up, and that is only if our pastor speaks of the reference to end times as they come up????? In our Wed night Bible study we are busy discussing how the Kingdom of God is at hand, meaning all around us. I don't think this is big news to everybody, but it scares me where he might be going with this. If he starts talking that the Bible says the kingdom of God is all around us and in us and limits it to that then I am going to be very upset.

I know that God is at hand, we can pray, if we live our lives according to God's will we are blessed, God will challenge us, rebuke us, and love us unconditionally, but it frustrates me when he discusses things that make it seem like we have forever ahead of us to accept Christ. There are so many that come for the food pantry and stay for Bible study, (which includes a free meal) it seems to have unprepared people right there to tell the importance of accepting Christ and then to go on and on about how the Kingdom of God is at hand. Well hand it over to these people then, because their souls are lost and we are running out of time. Surley if the significance of what is on the horizon were realized all ministers, all Christians, would boldly proclaim the time is near, prepare your house.

[mattfivefour]

Faith, to clarify: the Kingdom of God IS in our midst. We Christians are now in it, having been translated into it by God. (Colossians 1:13) And we invite others into it by pointing them to Jesus Christ.

However we are not the ones who built that Kingdom. God did it through His Son's perfect work on the Cross and it is the Holy Spirit who calls men into it.

The Kingdom on earth that Dominionists and Reconstructionists proclaim is a fallacy. That Kingdom will only come when Christ returns in His glory and power at the end of the Great Tribulation. He will then institute it here. No man could ever accomplish that.

Those who proclaim that we Christians are part of His Kingdom now are correct in that we now live with Him as our Lord, governed by different precepts than those of the world. But those who proclaim that it is up to us Christians to change the world and its systems and bring the Kingdom into being it is so that Jesus can return and reign are absolutely incorrect.

I hope this helps.

[AndyM]

Awesome love we all share for our Lord God Almighty and the Gift of Eternal Salvation He has so freely given through the Lamb of God. Awesome

[FaithInChrist]

Those who proclaim that we Christians are part of His Kingdom now are correct in that we now live with Him as our Lord, governed by different precepts than those of the world. But those who proclaim that it is up to us Christians to change the world and bring the Kingdom into being so that jesus can return are incorrect.

I hope this helps.

It helps so very much. Now I know what to listen for to see where our pastor is going with this. He told us books he was getting this information from and said he was amazed at what was revealed to him and I am terrified that he is talking about Dominionism. I don't want to have to look for a new church but I will if this is where he is going. I plan on getting the names of the books he is referencing. He specifically called it 'The Kingdom of God is at hand".

[WalterNZ]

Well....

I'm finding it soo hard to reach secular NZ these days with the good news of the Lord.

I remember in the 80's 90's people in general were more open and accepting of Christians . These days all I here is a one sided perspective from the mainstream. Allot of their opinion is shaped by a liberal media that doesn't tell the full truth!!! , little do they know the truth will set them free...

We need to be prepared for whats on the horizon, and not to be deceived by false prophets, but make wise decisions with practical things like finances, supply s, support networks, and have a backup plans.

Since all the earthquakes in Christchurch weve become quite in tune to all the things required in a personal survival kit... You can almost make this an analogy for the times we live in .

It seems the tough times predicted for Christians in the end times is happening now. I cant believe how many attacks ive been getting lately completely random...

Pray for revival



Walt NZ

[JoelH]

From my own circles we still see a small but steady trickle of adults getting saved - not huge, about 5-10 per year. I'm from the same NZ city as Chris. It is not easy to reach the unbelievers, but then we know from the Scriptures that without the Holy Spirit drawing us to Jesus, we will be like the world and reject Him! So don't give up, preach the old-fashioned gospel and let God do the rest of the work!

[mattfivefour]

Well....

I'm finding it soo hard to reach secular NZ these days with the good news of the Lord.

I remember in the 80's 90's people in general were more open and accepting of Christians . These days all I here is a one sided perspective from the mainstream. Allot of their opinion is shaped by a liberal media that doesn't tell the full truth!!! , little do they know the truth will set them free...

We need to be prepared for whats on the horizon, and not to be deceived by false prophets, but make wise decisions with practical things like finances, supply s, support networks, and have a backup plans.

Since all the earthquakes in Christchurch weve become quite in tune to all the things required in a personal survival kit... You can almost make this an analogy for the times we live in .

It seems the tough times predicted for Christians in the end times is happening now. I cant believe how many attacks ive been getting lately completely random...

Pray for revival



Walt NZ

As you read your Word, bro, you will notice the attacks experienced not only by the apostles, but by Christ Himself. John 13:16 and 15:20 tells us that a servant is not greater than his master, (nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him) therefore we will experience the same rejection, the same hatred, the same attacks as Jesus and those whom He personally chose on earth. But, as Joel has said, do not worry. We are not called to see results, merely to obey our instructions to proclaim the Word.

The danger in such situations is that we soften the Word, that we attempt to make it more palatable to the lost. This is how we wound up with seeker-sensitive churches. This is how we wound up with emergent churches who believe that the gospel is offensive to the modern world and thus irrelevant. Therefore they try to alter it to make it relevant and attract both the interest and the approval of the world. The Holy Spirit revealed through Paul that the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ is a stumbling block and an offense (1 Peter 2:8; Galatians 5:11) and, at best, foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:23) to the world. Never try to make it less than that. Never try to make it appealing. Simply proclaim the message we have been given-- man at his very best is a vile sinner before God, and deserves the punishment of hell (Romans 3:23; 6:23). He cannot save himself no matter how hard he tries for even his very best deeds are as offensive to God as a used menstrual rag (Isaiah 64:6). But God so loved us that He made a way for us to be saved from that judgment (John 3:16-17). There is that one way and no other way (Acts 4:12). Whoever rejects it will face the wrath of Almighty God, but whoever accepts it will receive eternal life with God (John 3:36). THIS is the message God has given us. There are many ways to say it, and many scriptures to use beside those I have given. But it is the same message and the same one way of salvation that they all give. To proclaim it is ALL we are called to do. But there is one more thing.

In addition to proclaiming the gospel we are called to be witnesses. Many confuse the two. They think proclaiming the gospel and witnessing are one and the same. They believe that by giving the gospel they are witnessing. No. The gospel is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). But it is we and our changed lives who witness to its reality (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15; 1 Peter 2:12). If we appear as the world, then why should the world believe that the God we says can change them and translate them from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son is real? We make His Word a lie if we walk as we always have. Sanctification was bought for us at Calvary, just as surely as was our salvation. But we have to surrender to God daily in order for the Holy Spirit to do the work in us. Falling short of this is why, in Philippians 2:12) Paul says we should work out our salvation with trembling and fear. The word translated "work out" is κατεργάζομαι (katergazomai), an intensive form of ἐργάζομαι (ergazomai), which means "to practice", "to work fully". But lest anybody think this means Paul is describing a salvation by works, we must note that the verb is in the middle voice which is half-way between our active voice (something I perform/ and our passive voice (something that is performed on me). In other words, this is something that is performed on me but in which I play a role. Now Paul makes it clear in the very next sentence that it is God that is working in us ... both to will and to perform that which is according to His good and perfect will for us. (Philippians 2:13)

So, if it is God who is working in us (ἐν ὑμῖν - Dative of sphere - ie: within us or inside us) both the desiring of His will and the performing of it, then why is there something WE have to do? Very simple. We have the new life implanted in us as a seed. But we are, in this life, still in our corrupted flesh. The old nature in us is still strong but it is not all-powerful. As we feed the new seed, it grows; and the more it grows the stronger it becomes in us and the weaker our flesh. If we do not feed it it will not grow and the flesh will remain strong. Too many Christians faced with the power of their old nature try very hard to dominate it. But trying by willpower to dominate our flesh is ridiculous. As Paul asked in Galations 3:3, "Having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?" To do so we merely present the ludicrous spectacle of us trying by our flesh to defeat our flesh! We need to realize that there is nothing we can do in our own flesh, our own strength; for in our flesh (our old man, our old nature) there dwells nothing good (Romans 7:18). So how DO we defeat the flesh? Romans 8:13 tells us that we do so BY THE SPIRIT!

So how do we put to death the works of our flesh "by the Spirit".

Well, first of all, we have to realize that the Holy Spirit ONLY works in the sphere of the finished work of Christ on the Cross. It is only as a result of Christ's finished work at Calvary that the Holy Spirit could come and indwell man. As Jesus said in reference to His death and resurrection, "Unless I go, the Holy Spirit cannot come (John 16:7)." He also said that when the Holy Spirit came He would dwell IN us (John 14:17). Thus it is only as a result of that finished work, as I said, that He IS in us. We receive this gift the instant we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Second, we need to realize that the Holy Spirit ONLY works in accordance with God's Word. It is only by discovering god's will for us in His Word that we can keep in step with the Holy Spirit. We need to realize that He will speak to us and guide us through the revealed Word of God. Thus we need to know that Word. This is not a "once through it" kind of thing, but a lifelong commitment to hearing from God by reading His Word. We also need to know that not only do we hear FROM God through His Word but we can speak TO Him through prayer.

Third we need to recognize that hearing from God is one thing but acting on what we receive is another. In the Old Testament god spoke to Israel through isaiah and told them that hearing Him was one thing, but obeying was the only thing that counted. Isaiah 1:19 says, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." (Interestingly, the Hebrew אָבָה (abah) which is translated "willing" means "consent". Therefore it is one thing to consent, to say "I agree" with God's Word, and quite another to actually obey it. The importance of obedience following willingness is echoed in the New Testament by the apostle James who said, "Faith without works is dead." Works will always follow true faith, just as surely as obedience will always follow true consent or willingness.

We cannot do the work in ourselves, but God can. Indeed He desires to. Therefore we need to know what God desires for us and then desire it ourselves. And as we do that daily, denying ourselves, taking up our Cross (which signifies that we are dead men walking ... no longer having any hope, future, dreams, desires of our own but are on the road to complete and utter death to our self) every day, willing for God to bring to reality His purpose in us, then His Spirit will perform the work of sanctification in us. Refuse this, balk at it, congtinue to desire to live your own life before anything else, and you grieve the Spirit. But as we look into God's Word daily, He will more and more transform us into the actual image, the perfect representation of His Son (2 Corinthians 3:18), and we shall thus be blessed. But never forget that this requires obedience. As James also wrote: "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25)

Bottom line-- if our lives by their godly nature do not give witness to the truth of our message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, then our preaching is in vain. But God has intended for all of us to be His witnesses and He has made provision for us to be changed into those who are credible witnesses. This does not mean that all, or even most, of the world will accept our message. But it does mean that those whose hearts the Holy Spirit has prepared will see the truth in us. Sadly, the majority of those who call themselves Christians would rather continue to live the way that pleases them rather than the way that pleases God. The fact they are not changed is not due to any failure on God's part but solely to their refusal to die to self will.

I am sure you likely know all of this, bro. But there are many who read here who do not understand these things. Therefore I have taken the opportunity afforded by this thread to speak these thing as God has laid it on my heart to do.

[Cricket55]

Awesome love we all share for our Lord God Almighty and the Gift of Eternal Salvation He has so freely given through the Lamb of God. Awesome

Right on.

[WalterNZ]

Yes theres,,, just a few references in the Bible....

Matthew 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

Luke 12:37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

Luke 12:39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Revelation 3:3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.Revelation

3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.Revelation

3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.Revelation

22:7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."

[Kenny64]

As you read your Word, bro, you will notice the attacks experienced not only by the apostles, but by Christ Himself. John 13:16 and 15:20 tells us that a servant is not greater than his master, (nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him) therefore we will experience the same rejection, the same hatred, the same attacks as Jesus and those whom He personally chose on earth. But, as Joel has said, do not worry. We are not called to see results, merely to obey our instructions to proclaim the Word.

The danger in such situations is that we soften the Word, that we attempt to make it more palatable to the lost. This is how we wound up with seeker-sensitive churches. This is how we wound up with emergent churches who believe that the gospel is offensive to the modern world and thus irrelevant. Therefore they try to alter it to make it relevant and attract both the interest and the approval of the world. The Holy Spirit revealed through Paul that the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ is a stumbling block and an offense (1 Peter 2:8; Galatians 5:11) and, at best, foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:23) to the world. Never try to make it less than that. Never try to make it appealing. Simply proclaim the message we have been given-- man at his very best is a vile sinner before God, and deserves the punishment of hell (Romans 3:23; 6:23). He cannot save himself no matter how hard he tries for even his very best deeds are as offensive to God as a used menstrual rag (Isaiah 64:6). But God so loved us that He made a way for us to be saved from that judgment (John 3:16-17). There is that one way and no other way (Acts 4:12). Whoever rejects it will face the wrath of Almighty God, but whoever accepts it will receive eternal life with God (John 3:36). THIS is the message God has given us. There are many ways to say it, and many scriptures to use beside those I have given. But it is the same message and the same one way of salvation that they all give. To proclaim it is ALL we are called to do. But there is one more thing.

In addition to proclaiming the gospel we are called to be witnesses. Many confuse the two. They think proclaiming the gospel and witnessing are one and the same. They believe that by giving the gospel they are witnessing. No. The gospel is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). But it is we and our changed lives who witness to its reality (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15; 1 Peter 2:12). If we appear as the world, then why should the world believe that the God we says can change them and translate them from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son is real? We make His Word a lie if we walk as we always have. Sanctification was bought for us at Calvary, just as surely as was our salvation. But we have to surrender to God daily in order for the Holy Spirit to do the work in us. Falling short of this is why, in Philippians 2:12) Paul says we should work out our salvation with trembling and fear. The word translated "work out" is κατεργάζομαι (katergazomai), an intensive form of ἐργάζομαι (ergazomai), which means "to practice", "to work fully". But lest anybody think this means Paul is describing a salvation by works, we must note that the verb is in the middle voice which is half-way between our active voice (something I perform/ and our passive voice (something that is performed on me). In other words, this is something that is performed on me but in which I play a role. Now Paul makes it clear in the very next sentence that it is God that is working in us ... both to will and to perform that which is according to His good and perfect will for us. (Philippians 2:13)

So, if it is God who is working in us (ἐν ὑμῖν - Dative of sphere - ie: within us or inside us) both the desiring of His will and the performing of it, then why is there something WE have to do? Very simple. We have the new life implanted in us as a seed. But we are, in this life, still in our corrupted flesh. The old nature in us is still strong but it is not all-powerful. As we feed the new seed, it grows; and the more it grows the stronger it becomes in us and the weaker our flesh. If we do not feed it it will not grow and the flesh will remain strong. Too many Christians faced with the power of their old nature try very hard to dominate it. But trying by willpower to dominate our flesh is ridiculous. As Paul asked in Galations 3:3, "Having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?" To do so we merely present the ludicrous spectacle of us trying by our flesh to defeat our flesh! We need to realize that there is nothing we can do in our own flesh, our own strength; for in our flesh (our old man, our old nature) there dwells nothing good (Romans 7:18). So how DO we defeat the flesh? Romans 8:13 tells us that we do so BY THE SPIRIT!

So how do we put to death the works of our flesh "by the Spirit".

Well, first of all, we have to realize that the Holy Spirit ONLY works in the sphere of the finished work of Christ on the Cross. It is only as a result of Christ's finished work at Calvary that the Holy Spirit could come and indwell man. As Jesus said in reference to His death and resurrection, "Unless I go, the Holy Spirit cannot come (John 16:7)." He also said that when the Holy Spirit came He would dwell IN us (John 14:17). Thus it is only as a result of that finished work, as I said, that He IS in us. We receive this gift the instant we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Second, we need to realize that the Holy Spirit ONLY works in accordance with God's Word. It is only by discovering god's will for us in His Word that we can keep in step with the Holy Spirit. We need to realize that He will speak to us and guide us through the revealed Word of God. Thus we need to know that Word. This is not a "once through it" kind of thing, but a lifelong commitment to hearing from God by reading His Word. We also need to know that not only do we hear FROM God through His Word but we can speak TO Him through prayer.

Third we need to recognize that hearing from God is one thing but acting on what we receive is another. In the Old Testament god spoke to Israel through isaiah and told them that hearing Him was one thing, but obeying was the only thing that counted. Isaiah 1:19 says, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." (Interestingly, the Hebrew אָבָה (abah) which is translated "willing" means "consent". Therefore it is one thing to consent, to say "I agree" with God's Word, and quite another to actually obey it. The importance of obedience following willingness is echoed in the New Testament by the apostle James who said, "Faith without works is dead." Works will always follow true faith, just as surely as obedience will always follow true consent or willingness.

We cannot do the work in ourselves, but God can. Indeed He desires to. Therefore we need to know what God desires for us and then desire it ourselves. And as we do that daily, denying ourselves, taking up our Cross (which signifies that we are dead men walking ... no longer having any hope, future, dreams, desires of our own but are on the road to complete and utter death to our self) every day, willing for God to bring to reality His purpose in us, then His Spirit will perform the work of sanctification in us. Refuse this, balk at it, congtinue to desire to live your own life before anything else, and you grieve the Spirit. But as we look into God's Word daily, He will more and more transform us into the actual image, the perfect representation of His Son (2 Corinthians 3:18), and we shall thus be blessed. But never forget that this requires obedience. As James also wrote: "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25)

Bottom line-- if our lives by their godly nature do not give witness to the truth of our message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, then our preaching is in vain. But God has intended for all of us to be His witnesses and He has made provision for us to be changed into those who are credible witnesses. This does not mean that all, or even most, of the world will accept our message. But it does mean that those whose hearts the Holy Spirit has prepared will see the truth in us. Sadly, the majority of those who call themselves Christians would rather continue to live the way that pleases them rather than the way that pleases God. The fact they are not changed is not due to any failure on God's part but solely to their refusal to die to self will.

I am sure you likely know all of this, bro. But there are many who read here who do not understand these things. Therefore I have taken the opportunity afforded by this thread to speak these thing as God has laid it on my heart to do.

Matt:
This is wonderful and heartfelt. You, my friend have a wonderful way to express the message; The Word of God, for the people of God, Thanks be to God. Amen.
Absolutely..!!