Showing posts with label knowledge of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knowledge of God. Show all posts

July 25, 2012

May God always give you abundant harvests




KNOWING GOD: KNOW HIM THROUGH HIS PROMISES OF REAL BLESSINGS
GOD’S BLESSINGS TO HIS PEOPLE WHOM HE HAS RESCUED FROM THE ENEMY
Genesis 27:28
From the dew of heaven
and the richness of the earth, may God always give you abundant harvests of grain and bountiful new wine.
Genesis 27:27-29 (in Context) Genesis 27 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Deuteronomy 7:13
He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats.
Deuteronomy 7:12-14 (in Context) Deuteronomy 7 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Deuteronomy 11:14
then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early
and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil.
Deuteronomy 11:13-15 (in Context) Deuteronomy 11 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

CONDITIONS FOR OFFERINGS TO THE LORD
Numbers 18:12
“I also give you the harvest gifts brought by the people
as offerings to the LORD—the best of the olive oil, new wine, and grain.
Numbers 18:11-13 (in Context) Numbers 18 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Deuteronomy 12:17
But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings.
Deuteronomy 12:16-18 (in Context) Deuteronomy 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Deuteronomy 14:23
Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 14:22-24 (in Context) Deuteronomy 14 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Deuteronomy 18:4
You must also give to the priests the first share of the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and the wool at shearing time.
Deuteronomy 18:3-5 (in Context) Deuteronomy 18 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Deuteronomy 33:28
So Israel will live in safety, prosperous Jacob in security, in a land of
grain and new wine, while the heavens drop down dew.
Deuteronomy 33:27-29 (in Context) Deuteronomy 33 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

GOD’S PEOPLES MUST RESPOND TO GOD’S WORDS
2 Chronicles 31:5
When the people of Israel heard these requirements, they responded generously by bringing the first share of their
grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a large quantity—a tithe of all they produced.
2 Chronicles 31:4-6 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 31 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

THE LORD GAVE VERY GREAT RICHES AND HONOR TO A KING WHO DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN HIS SIGHT
2 Chronicles 32:28
He (king Hezekiah) also constructed many storehouses for his
grain, new wine, and olive oil; and he made many stalls for his cattle and pens for his flocks of sheep and goats.
WARNING ON DISOBEDIENCE TO THE WORDS OF GOD
Deuteronomy 28:51
Its armies will devour your livestock
and crops, and you will be destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine, olive oil, calves, or lambs, and you will starve to death.
Deuteronomy 28:50-52 (in Context) Deuteronomy 28 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

COUNTERFEIT OFFER OF “SIMILAR BLESSINGS” FROM THE ENEMY
2 Kings 18:32
Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of
grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey. Choose life instead of death! “Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying, ‘The LORD will rescue us!’
2 Kings 18:31-33 (in Context) 2 Kings 18 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Isaiah 36:17
Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of
grain and new wine, bread and vineyards.
Isaiah 36:16-18 (in Context) Isaiah 36 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations


2 Chronicles 32:27-29 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 32 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

RESTORATION OF GOD’S BLESSINGS CAME WITH OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORDS
Nehemiah 5:11
You must restore their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes to them this very day. And repay the interest you charged when you lent them money, grain, new wine, and olive oil.”
Nehemiah 5:10-12 (in Context) Nehemiah 5 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Nehemiah 10:37
We will store the produce in the storerooms of the Temple of our God. We will bring the best of our flour and other grain offerings, the best of our fruit, and the best of our new wine and olive oil. And we promise to bring to the Levites a tenth of everything our land produces, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our rural towns.
Nehemiah 10:36-38 (in Context) Nehemiah 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Nehemiah 10:39
The people and the Levites must bring these offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms and place them in the sacred containers near the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers. “We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God.”
Nehemiah 10:38-39 (in Context) Nehemiah 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

THE ENEMY STOLE IN  TO ROB YOUR BLESSINGS WHEN THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS BACK SLIDED!
Nehemiah 13:4-5
4 Before this had happened, Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and who was also a relative of Tobiah, 5 
had converted a large storage room and placed it at Tobiah’s disposal. The room had previously been used for storing the grain offerings, the frankincense, various articles for the Temple, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil (which were prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers), as well as the offerings for the priests.
Nehemiah 13:4-6 (in Context) Nehemiah 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED TO RESTORE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
Nehemiah 13:11-13
11 I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, “Why has the Temple of God been neglected?” Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties. 12 And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms. 13 I assigned supervisors for the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites. And I appointed Hanan son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah as their assistant. These men had an excellent reputation, and it was their job to make honest distributions to their fellow Levites.
GOD’S RESTORATION AND BLESSINGS BRING REAL JOY
Psalm 4:7
You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of
grain and new wine.
Psalm 4:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Isaiah 62:8
The LORD has sworn to Jerusalem by his own strength: “I will never again hand you over to your enemies. Never again will foreign warriors come
and take away your grain and new wine.
Isaiah 62:7-9 (in Context) Isaiah 62 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Jeremiah 31:12
They will come home
and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem. They will be radiant because of the LORD’s good gifts— the abundant crops of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and the healthy flocks and herds. Their life will be like a watered garden, and all their sorrows will be gone.
Jeremiah 31:11-13 (in Context) Jeremiah 31 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

WARNING TO THOSE WHO TURNED AWAY FROM GOD AND SOUGHT AFTER OTHERS WHO WERE NOT GOD
Hosea 2:8
She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has— the
grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal.
Hosea 2:7-9 (in Context) Hosea 2 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Hosea 2:9
“But now I will take back the ripened
grain and new wine I generously provided each harvest season. I will take away the wool and linen clothing I gave her to cover her nakedness.
Hosea 2:8-10 (in Context) Hosea 2 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Hosea 7:14
They do not cry out to me with sincere hearts. Instead, they sit on their couches and wail. They cut themselves, begging foreign gods for grain and new wine, and they turn away from me.
Hosea 7:13-15 (in Context) Hosea 7 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

GOD HAS PROMISED A FUTURE THAT WILL BRING REAL BLESSINGS TO HIS PEOPLE- THOSE WHO SEEK HIM EARNESTLY HE WILL SURELY REWARD
Joel 2:19
The LORD will reply, “Look! I am sending you
grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.
Joel 2:18-20 (in Context) Joel 2 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Joel 2:24
The threshing floors will again be piled high with
grain, and the presses will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
Joel 2:23-25 (in Context) Joel 2 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Zechariah 9:17
How wonderful
and beautiful they will be! The young men will thrive on abundant grain, and the young women will flourish on new wine.
Zechariah 9:16-17 (in Context) Zechariah 9 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

June 30, 2011

End Times Witnessing: How to reign successfully as kings

 The watchman woke these two days and had the urgency to search the Scripture for the conduct of kings. he was led to read about two kings: Uzziah and Solomon who both became kings at a young age and reigned for a long period. (Uzziah reigned for 52 years and Solomon reigned for 40 years).

Time is nearer to the end. All believers must take heed of what the Spirit of the Lord says in Revelation as follows. Are you ready for the new post? (as kings and priests to the Lord?)

_________the watchmen’s comments are in brackets

Revelation 1:4-6 (NKJV)

Greeting the Seven Churches

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

(The kingdom is forever and ever. Are you ready?)

1 Kings 3:3-15 (NIV)

3Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

(the king loved the Lord, as evidenced by his obedience in word and action to the Lord’s instructions)

4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

(the king could hear God speak to him)

6Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

(the king knows, remembers and pays attention to what God has done for his own father and he is thankful to God for all that God has done as promised for his father’s family)

7 “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

(the king is humble and has insight of his own limitations. He also knows the key to success is a discerning spirit with word of knowledge and wisdom! In short, being filled by the Holy Spirit and armed with the word of God, manifesting the gifts of the Spirit, is the key to success today)

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.

(God speaks and the king continues to hear God. The king continues to believe and has received the promises of God by faith)

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

(the king worships and offers prayers to God and draws close to God’s word and God’s presence, wherever he is.)

_______________________
2 Chronicles 26:3-15 (NIV)

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

(Success comes from God. The king has followed his father’s role model, doing what was right in the eyes of God. He sought God. He listened to the instructions of his godly teacher. This is the key of a king’s success)

6 He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites. 8The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.

(Kings go to war against the enemies of God. God helps those who war according to God’s will and purpose. Kings who do not go to war in this way get into big trouble, as in the case of David during the time when he stayed in the palace when his armies went to war without him. He ended up being attacked in his body and soul by the spiritual enemy and committed the big sin in his life, adultery, murder and deception, causing wide open door to the enemies which later came in to attack his sons and daughter! Jesus warns: the enemy came to steal, kill and destroy!)

9 Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them. 10He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.

(King builds defenses for his people in cities and in wilderness, digs into water sources, cultivates and produces food. This is exactly what Jesus does as the good Shepherd. He provides shelter, living water, and green pasture for His sheep.)

11 Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials. 12 The total number of family leaders over the fighting men was 2,600. 13 Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies. 14 Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingstones for the entire army. 15 In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.

(King raises, organizes, trains and equips his armies. He knows and supplies what they need. He makes sure he has powerful and ready support for all wars against the enemies. As long as he is helped by God he becomes very powerful.)

June 14, 2011

End Times Witnessing: Watchman’s testimony on UNDESERVED-FAVOR

On the Lord’s Day, the watchman woke and was led to focus on the heavenly Father’s ‘unfailing love” in his NLT Bible. He was quite surprised as he was ministering the word to an elderly bed-ridden man who had been shouting non-stop on the previous day. The watchman was also interceding for an impossible case.


But the prompting in his spirit was clearly “unfailing love”. It was not warfare weapon or any new way of casting out demons etc. He did not expect that “unfailing love” could be relevant at that point of time. But the watchman obeyed.

The outcome was equally if not more stunning. He received three undeserved-favors/grace of God within the short span of three days! When he looked up the NIV Bible, he discovered that the term “unfailing love” in another version of the Bible is “grace” in the NIV Bible. The Amplified Bible gives a even clearer definition as follows:

John 1:17 Amplified Bible (AMP) 17 For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The three favors are: The old gentleman indeed slept calmly and stopped his angry outbursts. The impossible intercession case witnessed a miraculous breakthrough that definitedly revealed the favorable hand of the Lord moving! The third favor came to him personally as a long waited impossible bonus breakthrough too -moving one gigantic mountain just in time as he has asked the Lord to remove it before end June!

When the watchman burst out with praises and thanksgiving in his heart to the Lord, a person who happened to be tidying up the work desk, picked up a book and reminded him that another intercessor who came in from outstation last Thursday for two days had given it to the watchman and said that the Holy Spirit wanted him to have it and also asked him to give a copy to another person too (who happened to be the one in the ‘impossible case’).

The watchman looked at the title and was speechless and in awe. The book is called, “FAVOR -THE ROAD TO SUCCESS -How to receive Special Favor with God and with People” (by Bob Buess)!

______________Bible Verses on “unfailing love”

Genesis 32:10
I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps!
Genesis 32:9-11 (in Context) Genesis 32 (Whole Chapter)

Exodus 15:13
In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.
Exodus 15:12-14 (in Context) Exodus 15 (Whole Chapter)

Ezra 7:28
And praise him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and all his mighty nobles! I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me. And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:27-28 (in Context) Ezra 7 (Whole Chapter)

Nehemiah 1:5
Then I said,“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,
Nehemiah 1:4-6 (in Context) Nehemiah 1 (Whole Chapter)

Nehemiah 9:17
They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,
Nehemiah 9:16-18 (in Context) Nehemiah 9 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 6:4
Turn, LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 6:3-5 (in Context) Psalm 6 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 13:5
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
Psalm 13:4-6 (in Context) Psalm 13 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 18:50
He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.
Psalm 18:49-50 (in Context) Psalm 18 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 21:7
For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

Psalm 21:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 21 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 26:3
for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.
Psalm 26:2-4 (in Context) Psalm 26 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 31:16
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.
Psalm 31:15-17 (in Context) Psalm 31 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 32:10
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.
Psalm 32:9-11 (in Context) Psalm 32 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 33:5
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.
Psalm 33:4-6 (in Context) Psalm 33 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 33:18
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
Psalm 33:17-19 (in Context) Psalm 33 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 33:22
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33:21-22 (in Context) Psalm 33 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 36:7
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 36 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 44:26
Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 44:25-26 (in Context) Psalm 44 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 48:9
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
Psalm 48:8-10 (in Context) Psalm 48 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 51:1
[ Psalm 51 ] For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Psalm 51:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 51 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 52:8

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.
Psalm 52:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 52 (Whole Chapter)


Psalm 62:12
and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”
Psalm 62:11-12 (in Context) Psalm 62 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 77:8
Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
Psalm 77:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 77 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 85:7
Show us your unfailing love, LORD, and grant us your salvation.
Psalm 85:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 85 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:13-15 (in Context) Psalm 90 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 94:18
When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.
Psalm 94:17-19 (in Context) Psalm 94 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 107:8
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
Psalm 107:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 107:15
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
Psalm 107:14-16 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 107:21
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Psalm 107:20-22 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 107:31
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Psalm 107:30-32 (in Context) Psalm 107 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 109:26
Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love.
Psalm 109:25-27 (in Context) Psalm 109 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 119:41
May your unfailing love come to me, LORD, your salvation, according to your promise;
Psalm 119:40-42 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 119:76
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.
Psalm 119:75-77 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 119:88
In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.
Psalm 119:87-89 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 130:7
Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
Psalm 130:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 130 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 138:2
I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.
Psalm 138:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 138 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.
Psalm 143:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 143 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 143:12
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
Psalm 143:11-12 (in Context) Psalm 143 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 147:11
the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Psalm 147:10-12 (in Context) Psalm 147 (Whole Chapter)

Proverbs 19:22
What a person desires is unfailing love ; better to be poor than a liar.
Proverbs 19:21-23 (in Context) Proverbs 19 (Whole Chapter)

Proverbs 20:6
Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?
Proverbs 20:5-7 (in Context) Proverbs 20 (Whole Chapter)

Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:9-11 (in Context) Isaiah 54 (Whole Chapter)

Lamentations 3:32
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
Lamentations 3:31-33 (in Context) Lamentations 3 (Whole Chapter)

Hosea 10:12
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:11-13 (in Context) Hosea 10 (Whole Chapter)

End Times Witnessing: Winning wars Holy Spirit Way (Know endtimes wars & weapons)

Knowing what wars the end times believers will face and what end times weapons to use are of utmost importance now. The watchman is led to read the following passages from the New Testament, which is all about end times. Knowing what war will be carried out and how would the believers win gives one the confident hope to face the world’s end.

(His comments are in bracket.)
Luke 14:31
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? (Always consider your strength before you go to war. This is universal. However, your strength is not physical, as evidenced from the following verses!)
Luke 14:30-32 (in Context) Luke 14 (Whole Chapter)

Romans 7:23
but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (War is on your mind. It is a real war. But you need inner strength to counter this war!)
Romans 7:22-24 (in Context) Romans 7 (Whole Chapter)

2 Corinthians 10:3
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. (Apostle Paul went further to point out that the end times war now is not to be waged as the world does. Indeed, when war is waged by the spiritual enemy against your mind, you need spiritual means to fight this war!) 2 Corinthians 10:2-4 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 10 (Whole Chapter)

1 Peter 2:11
[ Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society ] Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. (Apostle Peter also pointed out the same arena for end times war against believers. It is a war against your soul – that is your mind and your emotion! It is not physical. The soul is a target of the enemy to capture.)
1 Peter 2:10-12 (in Context) 1 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 12:7
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. (At last, Apostle John saw visions of a future war, the End Time War, which will take place in heaven. Spiritual beings are involved, between good and fallen angels. The outcome of this war will impact all living creatures, including human beings!)
Revelation 12:6-8 (in Context) Revelation 12 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 12:17
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. (Indeed, one outcome of this heavenly war will be persecution of believers of Christ on earth by the dragon-devil.)
Revelation 12:16-17 (in Context) Revelation 12 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 13:4
People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” (Apostle John also saw in his vision how there will be followers of the devil boasting away in their blind worship of him.)
Revelation 13:3-5 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 13:7
It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. (Apostle John also saw in his vision that the devil will have power to wage war against God’s people and to conquer them.)
Revelation 13:6-8 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 17:14
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” (John also saw the outcome of the war: Jesus and His own followers will win over the Devil’s followers)
Revelation 17:13-15 (in Context) Revelation 17 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 19:11
[ The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast ] I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. (Jesus will lead the war and win!)
Revelation 19:10-12 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 19:19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. (The enemy of God will try again but they will fail completely.)
Revelation 19:18-20 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (The weapons used are different too! take note that when the minds are captured, the wars are won!)

2 Corinthians 6:6-8(NIV) 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; (Weapons of righteousness are used! )

Ephesians 6:17
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (The Sword of the Spirit – The Word of God is the weapon!)
Ephesians 6:16-18 (in Context) Ephesians 6 (Whole Chapter)

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Again, the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the only effective weapon to be used for end times!)
Hebrews 4:11-13 (in Context) Hebrews 4 (Whole Chapter)

(As Apostle John has seen in the following visions for end times wars, the Lord win by using the Sword – the Word that proceeds from His mouth!)

Revelation 1:16
In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
Revelation 1:15-17 (in Context) Revelation 1 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 2:12
[ To the Church in Pergamum ] “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
Revelation 2:11-13 (in Context) Revelation 2 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 2:16
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Revelation 2:15-17 (in Context) Revelation 2 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 13:10
“If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
Revelation 13:9-11 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 19:15
Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
Revelation 19:14-16 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

Revelation 19:21
The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Revelation 19:20-21 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

May 21, 2011

End Times Witnessing: How a king missed heaven call?

Even kings can miss the heaven call. How does a king do this? Let us look at the sad but real and relevant life example of King Saul. Watchman’s comments are in brackets.


1 Samuel 15

1. (The Lord sent Prophet Samuel and gave a specific command to King Saul. He was called to be king over Israel. He was assigned a job, i.e. to go and smite the Amalek, and eliminate all. The Lord even gave the reason of this command.)

1SAMUEL TOLD Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now listen and heed the words of the Lord. 2Thus says the Lord of hosts, I have considered and will punish what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way when [Israel] came out of Egypt. 3Now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.

2. (Saul chose to obey some of the commands and disobey some.)

4So Saul assembled the men and numbered them at Telaim–200,000 men on foot and 10,000 men of Judah. 5And Saul came to the city of Amalek and laid wait in the valley. 6Saul warned the Kenites, Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8And he took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, though he utterly destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword. 9Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but all that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed utterly.

3. (The Lord told Prophet Samuel about this and the Lord’s decision to remove and replace Saul as king. Samuel faithfully obeyed the Lord’s command even though he was personally and emotionally affected by this decision.)

10Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11I regret making Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed My commands. And Samuel was grieved and angry [with Saul], and he cried to the Lord all night.

4. (Saul missed the heavenly call because he just did not know God in Spirit and in Truth. He was just like any other human being, living by his old nature (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life; including his carnal mind) and the usual sensual way of life in the world. He thought his reason for not following the exact commands of the Lord was reasonable! This sounds just like any unbeliever’s ‘perfect’ argument for not believing in Jesus being the ONLY Savior, and ONLY Way to heaven! Their argument is that ‘my way’ or ‘any human way’ with the purpose of sacrificing to God is just as good as believing in Jesus!)

12When Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, he was told, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up for himself a monument or trophy [of his victory] and passed on and went down to Gilgal. 13And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, Blessed are you of the Lord. I have performed what the Lord ordered. 14And Samuel said, What then means this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but the rest we have utterly destroyed.

5. (But Samuel had to tell Saul to shut up. He then faithfully gave him the message from God. He pointed out Saul’sole unforgivable sin was disobedience to God. Samuel thus witnessed for the holy and righteous God!)

16Then Samuel said to Saul, Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me tonight. Saul said to him, Say on. 17Samuel said, When you were small in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed you king over Israel? 18And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, Go, utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites; and fight against them until they are consumed. 19Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but swooped down upon the plunder and did evil in the Lord’s sight?

6. (But Saul further revealed his ignorance of God. He even stooped to using a lame excuse. Indeed for a mighty warrior and successful commander of the army of hundreds of thousands, how can he be afraid of his people and not enforce strict discipline?)

20Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag king of Amalek and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the people took from the spoil sheep and oxen, the chief of the things to be utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.

7. (No wonder Samuel felt grieved and angry with Saul when he first heard from the Lord how Saul had disobeyed God, by rejecting the word of the Lord. He just could not understand how a man made king over God’s chosen nation could be so ignorant about God. Who does Saul think God is? Like any other so called ‘gods’? Samuel witnessed that for our God, “To obey is better than sacrifice”. He also gave the reason that, “for rebellion is as the sin of wichcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry”. )

22Samuel said, Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim (household good luck images). Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.

8. (Saul finally heard that the Lord meant serious business. He was not going to be king any longer! What happened in this earthly life was all he cared for in this conversation. He wasn’t bothered with Who God is. Even so, he cared for men’s opinion more than God’s opinion of him! Indeed a tragic case of a king missing heaven!)

24And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25Now, I pray you, pardon my sin and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord. 26And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel. 27And as Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of Samuel’s mantle, and it tore. 8And Samuel said to him, The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. 29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie or repent; for He is not a man, that He should repent. 30Saul said, I have sinned; yet honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God. 31So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

9. (Saul did not make it finally. )

35And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death, though Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.

10. (Conclusion: Saul is a natural man who lives by flesh and not by the Spirit (by faith). He does not know God. He is just not interested in God! Sad. That is exactly why many do not enter through the narrow gate today! On the other hand we see how faithful Samuel has witnessed for God and God’s Way. Samuel is a man who lives by the Spirit and obeys the Word of God. He has human feelings but he does not allow his emotion and mind interfere with the spiritual matters pertaining God, because he knows God in Spirit and in Truth.)

The narrow way to heaven:


(The narrow gate is Jesus. The difficult way is by faith and by the Spirit of God. it takes a miracle to enter heaven. The miracle is, no longer trusting our usual natural way of thinking and physical experience.)

Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destructions, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

December 4, 2010

End Times Church countdown: Are you using the right weapon, church?

The watchman recently found an interesting Biblical example illustrating how a man led by the Holy Spirit used the right weapon to overcome a crisis supernaturally as described in 2 Kings 4:31-37.

The passage recorded how Gehazi the servant of Elisha and Elisha the prophet handled the case of a dead child. Gehazi was sent by Elisha to take Elisha’s staff and go to the child and put the staff on his face. The child’s mother refused to go home unless prophet Elisha went too. So he agreed to return with her.

But the servant Gehazi hurried ahead and duly laid Elisha’s staff on the child’s face. Nothing happened. There was neither voice nor hearing from the child. He returned to meet Elisha and told him the child was still dead. It was all done within a short span of time as Elisha was still on his way.

Elisha arrived and found the child was indeed dead, lying on the prophet’s bed (put there by his mother before she went and fetched the prophet). Elisha went in and supernaturally resurrected the child.

The steps carried out by the servant Gehazi and the prophet Elisha are as follows with comments from the watchman with perspective of a watchman-intercessor:

Gehazi the servant: He merely followed the instruction of the prophet. He faithfully brought the prophet’s staff, hurried to the dead child’s house, laid it on the child’s face as instructed. He had no further input as he had none. (We can only give to others what we have). Gehazi had nothing of his own that could give life. But he followed instruction well on this occasion and did exactly what his master told him. There are intercessors who follow the prayer list faithfully. However, as they do not have relationship with the Lord intimately they do not have the confidence to persist in their prayers. They do not have any input other than their own flesh as they do not know how to listen to the Holy Spirit.

They do not know whether the Lord has heard and answered their prayers. They do not know how to use the spiritual authority and power given to them to fight out the warfare against the spiritual enemy. They cannot do so as they cannot see into the spiritual realm where the actual real war is being fought. Their prayers are like jabbing at empty air with feeble forefingers.

Elisha the prophet: He encountered the same problem, i.e. the child was dead. But he adopted an entirely different set of strategy.

1.He went into the room alone, shut the door and prayed to the Lord. He started by going to the presence of the Lord -the original source of life. He interceded for the dead child.

2.Then he took a prophetic act of faith, what his own teacher-master, Elijah had done before (raising a boy from dead too), lay down on the child’s body, by placing his mouth on his mouth, eyes on his eyes, hands on his hands. He was standing in the gap for the child covering the child against the spirit of death, pouring out his own life prophetically for the child.

3.As the child’s body began to grow warm Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, another prophetic act like Jericho March, building a fiery hedge of spiritual protection surrounding the child against the spiritual enemy. Why did he do that? It was possible that he saw or sensed the obstruction in the spiritual realm. So he took further spiritual action to block off the obstruction from the spiritual enemy.

4.Then he repeated his earlier act of faith, stretching out himself again on the child. This time indeed the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes! The boy was resurrected by Elisha’s anointed faith in action in the spiritual realm.

What did Elisha do differently? Why was his way effective? Medically and scientifically what the two ‘healers’ did would make no difference in the physical realm.

But Elisha was a spiritual man. He could see into the spiritual realm. He knew how to use his prophetic act of faith which has the anointed authority and power of the Almighty God. For example, in another incident, he knew exactly when and where the enemy king was going to attack Israel and Elisha would always warn the Israelite king beforehand to be on alert. He remained calm when surrounded by the enemy’s great army because he could see into the spiritual realm and saw the Lord’s larger and greater army (the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire to protect him). But his servant could not see until Elisha asked the Lord to open his spiritual eyes.

He also talked to the Lord intimately and confidently like between close and trusted friends. For example, when the Aramean army advanced toward him, he prayed, “O Lord, please make them blind.” So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked. (2 Kings 6:18) Then Elisha went out and led them to the city of Samaria. As soon as they had entered Samaria, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, now open their eyes and let them see.” So the Lord opened their eyes. (2 Kings 6:20)

In the eyes of the natural world, the prophetic faith in action of Elisha would seem irrational, stupid, and even ridiculous. Yet, it had the power to bring life back to the long dead child.

Because Elisha knows God. And God is Spirit. Elisha knows the spiritual reality of life. Thus, he was empowered to accomplish his assignment using spiritual weapon successfully as led by the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, the natural man Gehazi failed miserably because he was using a wrong weapon.

Church, are you using the right weapon? If so, why are so many members being depressed, oppressed, suppressed, crushed, defeated and even dying like flies?

September 15, 2010

"But where is the Lamb?" Gen.22:7

Christ Is the Perfect Sacrifice
Hebrews 9:11 So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.
13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Hebrews 10

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”
8 First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,
16 “This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.
17 Then he says,
I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds
.”
18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.
A Call to Persevere
19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

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