A fast day is not only a sad day, but an opportune day.

Watchman’s notes: Christians need to know that God’s will for salvation includes both Jews and gentiles. This is written in the Bible. Jesus has told us to pray according to God’s will. During the time when the Jews are fasting and mourning what shall we do? I believe each should seek God and pray too for them. Some Christians may fast too. My experience is that fasting and praying as a small group helps one to focus and not be easily discouraged. On the other hand, some watchmen may find it more convenient to fast and pray alone. I pray all of us receive fresh revelation and insight to pray for not just the Jewish people but also for those nations that God has imprinted on our hearts at this time of great strife and fear among the nations of the world.

The fast of the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, known as Shivah Asar B’Tammuz, is the start of a three-week (July 24 – August 14) mourning period for the destruction of Jerusalem and the two Holy Temples.
The sages explain: “Every generation for which the Temple is not rebuilt, it is as though the Temple was destroyed for that generation.” A fast day is not only a sad day, but an opportune day. It’s a day when we are empowered to fix the cause of that destruction, so that our long exile will be ended and we will find ourselves living in messianic times; may that be very soon.
The fast (abstain from eating or drinking between dawn and nightfall) commemorates five tragic events that occurred on this date:

Moses broke the tablets when he saw the Jewish people worshipping the Golden Calf.
During the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, the Jews were forced to cease offering the daily sacrifices due to the lack of sheep.
Apostomos burned the holy Torah.1
An idol was placed in the Holy Temple.2
The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, in 69 CE, after a lengthy siege. (Three weeks later, after the Jews put up a valiant struggle, the Romans destroyed the second Holy Temple on the 9th of Av.)
The Jerusalem Talmud maintains that this is also the date when the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem on their way to destroying the first Temple.

Abstaining from food and drink is the external element of a fast day. On a deeper level, a fast day is an auspicious day, a day when G‑d is accessible, waiting for us to repent.

(above quoted from: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/479885/jewish/The-17th-of-Tammuz.htm)

Also read: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/144558/jewish/Tisha-BAv-and-the-3-Weeks.htm

BE WISE IN OUR COMPASSION! BEWARE OF CHRISTIAN THIEF!

Today’s word is: “BEWARE OF THIEF-JUDAS ISCARIOT”.  My personal inability to hear and obey the Holy Spirit in spiritual discernment which impacted my decisions in worldly matters was indeed very costly! 
The thief is not someone who comes from outside. The culprit is fellow Christian whom we are close to and trust like family. Let us read this message from the Holy Bible (NKJV), John 12:4-6. (Boldness added)

4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii[b] and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

Several years ago I was alerted when the Lord opened this verse about Judas Iscariot to me when a friend and I decided to financially bail out a Christian lawyer who was dishonest in handling her clients’ money. The clients found out and demanded restitutions. She had by then squandered off the money to satisfy her personal lifestyle. I chose to ignore the Lord’s warning because we trusted then the other Christians who were associated with her. We paid a significantly large sum out of our love for God. It later turned out that our decision was wrong and foolish.

I made the same mistake of compassion for the poor a year ago for another Christian. I got my kind Christian friend involved too to bail out a Christian woman from loan sharks. The same verse came but I chose to ignore out of love for God. I was proven wrong immediately after the transfer of money.
In both the above cases I heard the word "witchcraft; sorceries". I later realized that we were blinded by witchcraft and sorcery. The wrong spirit was there when they opened door to evil. Being Christians who are always too trusting my friend and I chose to ignore the Lord and gave them the benefit of the doubts in a humanistic way.  Our inability to hear and obey the Holy Spirit in spiritual discernment which impacted our decisions in worldly matters was indeed very costly!

Two days ago I was warned of this term “beware of pickpocket” as I was approaching a bus-stop. My spirit received the message not to use the bus. But my companion was adamant as we had to learn to be poor. I did not like the look of three men sitting there alone. The warning in my sprit was clear and loud. So I took precaution. But I did not warn my fellow traveler for fear she would feel insulted because why should I hear the Lord and she could not hear? True enough she became the victim. The thieves ran off after their successful stealing when boarding the bus.

Yesterday I was again alerted to look for something, not very expensive but new and nice looking, a slim light weight precision digital weighing machine I bought before our last prolonged trip. Up to now I cannot find it. Perhaps it is still hiding somewhere or perhaps it was mixed up with the bags of stuff we gave away prior departure. But this morning again I was alerted to this verse. Because of the urgency and repetitions, I decided to put this down in writing.

I love Christians. Because they are God’s people. Because I love God. Jesus must have loved Judas Iscariot. But the ending for Judas Iscariot was horrifying. He did not repent to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. He went another way, opposite to where Jesus went. You see, Judas Iscariot was not unloved. He was not rejected. He was treated well and equally as the other disciples were. He was given a high and responsible status as someone entrusted with the money bag of the whole ministry of Jesus Christ. He was the financial controller of the first Christian ministry on earth. Lots of followers of Jesus put in their money. Lots of people wanted to be the disciples of Jesus. Living together with Jesus and the other disciples, what kind of lifestyle did Judas live? Where could he have spent the money he stole from the bag? what did he do when he purportedly went out to give the money to the poor? Surely many people would have seen and noticed his different lifestyle. Surely the other disciples knew of his spending habits and tastes for more expensive stuff. But no one said anything. Not one record in the Bible of any other disciple advising him or counseling him or suggesting to Jesus to make another the money custodian.

In the corporate world we look at the lifestyle and taste of an employee and take note. Is his or her lifestyle incongruous with his net earning? Where does he get his money from? is he to be trusted with the corporate account? We check police records prior employment. We ask questions and take instant remedial or precautionary steps immediately. Jesus says that the manager of the world is wiser than the Christian manager. (“For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.” Luke 16:8) We practice good and accountable stewardship in the corporate world I know of.

I pray that the born again Christians whom I know and love continue to abide in Jesus and let God’s words abide in them. Don’t go the opposite way. It’s not worth it. I pray each encounters God in reality, as Spirit. I have personally encountered my God in the Spirit. He is real. No amount of enjoyment in the flesh (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) is worth giving up God for. With God, everything is possible. You can be changed to wholeness in Christ. Even Judas Iscariot. Be changed. PUT TO DEATH YOURSELF. 

COVETOUSNESS IS IDOLATRY

Colossians 3:4-6 New King James Version (NKJV)

4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

Jesus says, 

Matthew 16:26

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his ownsoul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?