Linda Riddle Ministries

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” —Jesus ⁣
⁣
𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀, 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻.⁣
⁣
I was exposed to—and immersed in—faith environments my entire childhood.⁣
⁣
I was born into 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗺.⁣
⁣
Grew up attending an 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 church.⁣
⁣
Went to a 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 elementary and middle school.⁣
⁣
Attended a 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 high school.⁣
⁣
Get this…I had even been 𝗯𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 when I was around seven years old.⁣
⁣
And as a young adult, I began attending an 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 church.⁣
⁣
I knew 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 God.⁣
I had a 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧 of Him.⁣
I 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙃𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙.⁣
⁣
I believed Jesus had come, was brutally crucified, rose from the dead, and appeared to many after His resurrection.⁣
⁣
These weren’t fairy tales to me. I believed they were actual, historical events.⁣
⁣
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝟮𝟳 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵.⁣
⁣
And I say this with deep conviction:⁣
⁣
𝗛𝗮𝗱 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗶𝗺.⁣
⁣
I know the mercy of God is great, and I leave every person’s eternal destiny in His hands.⁣
⁣
But having experienced the 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵 for myself? I simply cannot believe that I had 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 before then.⁣
⁣
When it happens… you know.⁣
⁣
Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying.⁣
⁣
I’m not casting shade on any of these churches or faith traditions. I thank God for every person and every environment He used to 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 to me along the way. Instruments of His grace, drawing me to Himself. ⁣
⁣
The mistake wasn’t theirs.⁣
⁣
It was mine.⁣
⁣
I had confused and equated 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 of faith (do all the things) with the 𝗶𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 of the New Birth.⁣
⁣
And I 𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿 to think what might have become of me had I remained in that condition for the rest of my life.⁣
⁣
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱.⁣
⁣
He makes a person spiritually alive. He gives a new heart, new desires, new affections. ⁣
⁣
For me, that happened when I was 27 years old and it was 𝘂𝗻𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. ⁣
⁣
It didn’t come by outward works. It came through the 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 to Jesus Christ.⁣
⁣
𝗜 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱.⁣
⁣
I stopped insisting on my own way and surrendered to His.⁣
⁣
And when I did, everything changed.⁣
⁣
If you’ve experienced the New Birth, you know what I’m talking about.⁣
⁣
And if you haven’t…⁣
⁣
Please know: There’s more.⁣
⁣
When God brings about the New Birth, it changes everything.

☁️ 𝗔𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗔𝗬 ☁️⁣
⁣
🗓️ Jesus was seen for 𝟰𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 after His resurrection—walking among His disciples, teaching them, and making Himself known to 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀. ⁣
⁣
🫒 Then, on the 40th day, He led His disciples to the Mount of Olives and He ascended. ⁣
⁣
👣 If we align those 40 days with the timing on Hebraic calendar, 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 would mark the ascension. ⁣
⁣
“Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗲𝗱 with 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 from on high.” ⁣
⁣
And they 𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 did just that. Not knowing how long it would take. Not knowing what this would even look like. ⁣

𝟭𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴… ten days of prayer… ten days of expectation… until the Promise of the Father was poured out in the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost / Shavuot (which this year is May 22). ⁣
⁣
𝙒𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩.⁣
⁣
Of course, we don’t have to wait for a date on a calendar to be filled again. But every year, I allow these ten days to become an intentional time of waiting… praying… leaning in… and asking for a fresh infilling of His Spirit.⁣
⁣
I invite you to do the same.

Suggested reading:
Luke 24:46-52
The Book of Acts

THIS WEEKEND (05-01 to 05-03)

I’m opening up my IG + FB to answer your questions about dreams and dream interpretation.

If you’ve been wondering what something means… this is your moment.

Comment below to submit your questions!