Fresh Wind Ministries, Int´l

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ

There are many teachings out there regarding the rapture, the second coming of Christ and the tribulation period, and along with these teachings can come confusion and fear.

In this section, we would like to explain to you very simply, what the scripture says about the rapture and the second coming of Christ.  Understand that the rapture is where God removes all believers from the earth to make way for His judgment.

To begin, the terms rapture and second coming are two different things entirely. While the word rapture does not appear in scripture, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that this event will take place. This is the verse commonly used regarding the rapture:

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Before I understood the rapture and the second coming, I heard many versions. Some suggesting that we would be raptured before, during or at the end of the tribulation period.

My spirit told me otherwise. From reading the Bible and knowing what it says about God, scripture told me this:

• We have a God that saved Noah and his family from the flood
• We have a God that heard Abraham to save Lot and his family from the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah
• We have a God that sent His one and only son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.

Hearing that we would supposedly go through the tribulation period did not match up with what I know about God. This is not God’s character.

Jesus is coming back for his bride. We also need to understand that the Bible is based upon an old covenant, and a new covenant.  We are under the new covenant, and are in grace. The law no longer applies. The Bible is written to the Church or toIsrael, these are separate entities. As born again believers in Christ, Israel does not apply to us.  We are the bride of Christ, we are not Israel.

The verses we read in Luke 21 are written for Israel, not the Bride of Christ. These verses speak about the tribulation period, after the rapture has taken place.

So why the tribulation period? Becausethe Lord’s desire is for all to reside in heaven. This is God’s way of justice and mercy.

To sum this up-

• Believers in Christ will be raptured
• The tribulation period does not apply to believers in Christ
• The tribulation period is speaking to Israel, it is the last chance to turn to Him.

Yvette :: Aug.27.2007 :: Articles, Christianity, Rapture :: 2 Comments »

Philemon 1:10-11 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

Was there a time in your life that you were deemed unprofitable? Have you ever failed, or worse, failed others? Perhaps you tried to start a ministry, and nothing happened. Maybe you tried to start a business, and nothing. Everywhere you looked, whatever you tried to do, there was failure.

There was man named Onesimus, and at one time the scripture called him unprofitable. In other words, he was of no use. He was of no use to Paul and to the ministry. But something happened. The scripture says that Onesimus left, but when he came back, he was profitable to work alongside Paul. He became so valuable, that Paul says that he is his beloved brother and asked Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul.

Imagine that, Onesimus at one time unprofitable, left the scene, and upon his return   was profitable to the ministry, to the Apostle Paul and to the Body of Christ.

If there was a time in your life that you have failed, lift up your eyes. There is hope.  God can restore your failures.  Just as Onesimus left for a season, this season turned out to be one of maturity and growth. 

Perhaps you find yourself in a season of refinement and you are walking through the fire.  If you find yourself here, rejoice, because as you walk through the fire, you will come out approved and more valuable then when you left.

Yvette :: Aug.22.2007 :: Christianity, Devotionals :: 2 Comments »

Deuternomio 4:24 Porque Johová, tu Dios, es fuego consumidor, Dios Celoso.

En nuestro hogar tenemos una linda chimenea que nos da el calor necesario en las noches más frías. Hace unos días intenté iniciar el fuego pero no lo logré. A la noche siguiente traté de nuevo pero nada pasaba. Probé todos los trucos que normalmente empleamos para encenderla, pero nada funcionaba. Sin saber cual era el problema, me dí por vencida.

Unos días después, mientras realizaba la limpieza de la casa decidí limpiar la chimenea.  Me sorprendí al ver la cantidad de cenizas en el fogón y tardé bastante rato en sacarlas. Luego volví a colocar los mismos maderos ennegrecidos.

La noche siguiente estaba fría y decidí probar nuevamente y encendí unos períodicos viejos debajo de los maders.En pocos minutos ya había un brillo interno dentro de algunos trozos de madera.  Soplé suavemente sobre ellos y de inmediato salieron las llamas y pude escuchar ese sonido característico de la madera consumiéndose una buena fogata.  El calor empezó a llenar nuestro hogar mientas escuchaba la fría lluvia y el viento sobre las ventanas.

Mientras observaba el fuego intentaba averiguar qué había hecho diferente esta vez para que el fuego tomara fuerza.  Concluí que al limpar y sacar las cenizas excesivas pudo circular el oxigeno requerido para la combustión. El Señor empezó a hablarme suavemente diciéndome que los creyentes tenemos un fuego interno. Si tan sólo le permitimos a él sacar las cenizas que guardamos adentro, tendríamos un fuego consumidor iniciado por el soplo suave del Espíritu Santo.  Pregunté, ¿Qué podrán ser esas cenizas Señor?

Pueden ser muchas cosas, falta de perdón, amargura, quizás la ley del juico o sencillamente el no permitir que él se acerque a nuestro corazón a revelarnos lo que tiene para nosotros.  Para cada persona es diferente, pero son de todas modos cenizas que no permiten que tome fuerza ese fuego del Señor que te permite lograr su plan para tu vida.

Los pasos que tomé fueron muy sencillos.  Limpié la chimenea, coloqué los maderos nuevamente en su lugar, agregué el fuego y luego soplé suavemente sobre los carbones incandescentes y el fuego tomó fuerza.  Esto me pareció una buena metáfora de cómo podemos limpiar nuestro espíritu al colocar la Palabra de Dios en nuestro interior y permitir que el espíritu santo nos envuelva iniciando así ese fuego que no puede ser apagado.

Permítele al Señor sacar esas cenizas que tienes estorbando dentro de ti.Te soprenderá saber qué tan fuerte puede ser el fuego que llevas dentro y que solamente espera esa chispa y el soplo del espíritu Santo.

Aunque el sacar las cenizas puede ser doloroso, vas a disfrutar la libertad verdadera y de inmediato te sentirás mejor.  Y cuando la gloria del Señor desciende sobre ti, el dolor que tenías será consumido por su fuego purificador.

Yvette :: Aug.09.2007 :: Devocionales :: 2 Comments »