End Times Watchman Bible Study: Today’s Message is all about Prosperity

Today’s Bible Study for watchmen is all about money and prosperity. The watchman’s study notes are in bracket.

Luke 12:13-33 (NLT)

Parable of the Rich Fool

 ¹³Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” ¹⁵ Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
(Asking for a share of his father’s physical estate seems a normal request. The man seems to have merely asked for his entitlement. However, Jesus rebukes him of greed! The Jews traditionally practice sharing of estates according to their strict laws and ordinances. So the man would have received his share already. However, the eldest son normally inherits a double portion according to their law. So this man is probably asking for some of his elder brother’s share as well. Jesus calls this greed. He warns two things: 1. Every kind of Greed. 2. Wrong measurement of Life using physical carnal standards and not the spiritual plumb-line of God.)
¹⁶ Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. ¹⁷ He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. ¹⁹ And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
²¹ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
(Jesus points out that real wealth is in the spiritual realm, a rich relationship with the only One who gives wealth, God Himself! Physical wealth comes and goes. Everyone, rich and poor, have experienced this fact on earth. ‘Change’ is the only constant word in the realm of men. The watchman was led to read Solomon’s Ecclesiastes two days ago and this theme is again singled out. Under the sun, in the physical world, the wise and the foolish both die. The wisest and possibly richest man himself, King Solomon, died.)

Teaching about Money and Possessions

²² Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. ²⁴ Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! ²⁵ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? ²⁶And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? ²⁷ “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ²⁸ And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
²⁹ “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. ³⁰ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. ³¹ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
³² “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
³³ “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
(Jesus assures the disciples two things: 1. God is our Father in heaven and He knows our physical needs. He will provide all our needs super-abundantly according to the riches of His glory. 2. God is our real wealth and treasure. He will be our security. What more can we ever ask? God, unlike men, never changes and He keeps all His promises.)
In summary, for security in this life and next, watchmen must take heed of these: 1. Be spiritual and know the spiritual God through His word. 2. Know and believe that God is our real security. 3. Do not be fooled by the world and its mechanism of ‘prosperity’ making. Beware of the spiritual power behind that system.
Additional reading: 1 Timothy 6; 2 timothy 3

End Times Watchman Bible Study: Beware of the wrong tree

Here is the Bible study for watchmen today.

Luke 12 (NKJV)

(The watchman's study is in bracket)

Beware of Hypocrisy

12 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another,  

He (Jesus) began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

(The Pharisees are religious Jews. They are famous for their physical observations of their religious traditions, rules and regulations, including ritualistic practices. How to know who are the Pharisees today? Know them by their fruit. 

The Lord Jesus has warned against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and stated that a tree is recognized by its fruit. (Matt.12:31-33) when the Pharisees questioned and slandered the work of the Holy Spirit.).

² For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. ³ Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

(Jesus further warned the disciples that although the religious leaders appeared godly and purported to be defender of their religion externally, making a lot of observations, analysis and criticism on Jesus' teaching and lifestyle, insinuating that He was in error, even to the point of accusing His supernatural power having come from Satan himself. But they themselves were in fact the real descendants of the devil. They lived in darkness and spoke from the dark realm. However, the light of God will expose them).

Jesus Teaches the Fear of God

⁴ “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
(Jesus teaches that His followers should fear God and not fear men or the devil behind men. Only God can have the power to cast men into hell, which He has reserved for the devil.)
⁶ “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?^[a] And not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
(Jesus has assured His followers that they are valuable to God and God will take care of them, body, soul and spirit). 

Confess Christ Before Men

⁸ “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. ⁹ But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
¹⁰ “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
 (The Pharisees have challenged the divine authority of Jesus. They did not believe that He is the Son of God. They even condemned the works of the Holy Spirit! Only by willingness to listen to the Gospel, receiving the Holy Spirit's conviction of sins, repenting, believing in Jesus' blood bought redemption on the cross, being thus born again  by the Holy Spirit through incorruptible seed (the word of God 1 Peter1:23), will one be saved from eternal damnation. Believing in the full Gospel message means believing in the reality of God, Who is Spirit).
¹¹ “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. ¹² For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
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Summary for watchman: 

Beware of purported religious teaching from men. Read the word of God, the Bible yourself. Abide in Christ and let the word of God abide in you. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. Obey. Practice. Watch the fruit. Are they fruit that the Lord wants? Fruit that remains? (John 15:7, 16)

Watchman Adventure: How does a watchman do his work?

How does a watchman work? He needs to wait upon the Lord and receive messages before he could do anything. Lately the watchman was led in his spirit to do or heed something differently. The overall message is: Be supernatural and be spiritual!

Watch and Pray for signs confirmed by the word of God.

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1. He resumed Sunday afternoon class urgently but with a difference. Instead of the usual teaching conducted by him or another, the class just read the Book of Mark, with everyone reading at the same time about eight chapters each in his own language. They were given about an hour to read and most managed to finish six chapters. Only one English teacher finished eight chapters.

After that he spent about half an hour sharing (with the help of a translator for non-English speaking audience) what the Holy Spirit wanted them to know about these passages. He went through the passages earlier and had some observations, but when he started to share what came forth was entirely Spirit led. When he completed the translator told him that she perceived that it was not from his mind.

Indeed, the watchman received a fresh message from the Gospel of Mark that it was all about authority, the authority of the Son of God, on how to live the Kingdom of God life on earth as in heaven. Jesus (the Son of God) was living and demonstrating to His disciples a supernatural lifestyle. To Him, it was normal. Being able to use His divine authority, calling for repentance, preaching the Kingdom of God message, healing the sick and casting out demons were part and parcel of everyday life. Making physical things that can be seen out of unseen resources like feeding 5000 thousand men plus women and children with only five loaves and two fish, and 4000 men plus with only seven loaves and a few fish, were normal. Commanding the natural elements to obey, wind and waves to stop, walking on water, and many more, were ordinary, normal events.

Of course, the Holy Spirit's giving birth to sons of God through the word of God (incorruptible seed), sons of God being led by the Spirit of God, being redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, and being justified by faith (believing in the unseen Son of God's giving His life 2000 years ago) etc. all supernatural happenings are normal to the Kingdom of God citizens too.

2. He was led to pray differently for another watchman who has suffered physical excruciating pain for about five months. After such a prolonged period of crisis, he has run out of words to intercede for the person. However, yesterday he was led to read Revelation 8 and 9. When he reached 9:5 he realized that that watchman was a type signifying the reality of end times. When he re-read Chapter 8, he realized the reason why a strange strong wind blew and one of his three tall trees was cut off side way just a few days ago. It was a sign for 8:7. But he asked the Lord for another confirmation and he was led to read Isaiah 24, all about end times. The end times signs and messages are on again with greater urgency. The two signs appeared after the Seventh Seal, at the first and fifth trumpet sounds (out of seven trumpets). Instead of praying for a local situation, he was led to look at the big picture!
3. He was also led to pray for another intercessor differently. For sometime he was feeling uncomfortable over a closed one (of younger generation), with similar spiritual calling and gifts of seeing visions and receiving prophetic words from the Lord. She appeared super-sensitive over even kindly advice like, not to utter complaints about her own loved ones. He asked the Lord how to pray. He asked for Bible prophet example. The answer came clearly and instantly, the prophet Micah. So he asked further what were the calling of the three of them at this time and space. He was asked to read Nehemiah 3:8. The two intercessors were helping to build the Jerusalem Broad Wall, being the goldsmith and the perfume maker. He is building next to them, as man from Mizpah (which means 'Watchtower')! Again, he was led to look at the big picture and not be distracted by petty localized 'symptoms'!

Summary: Read the word of God with freshness as led by the Holy Spirit; intercede with end times in mind; keep on rebuilding the "Jerusalem walls", focusing on God's big plan for human kind.

End Times Witnessing: This is the Victory! This is the Confidence!

The watchman woke when he heard the sound of the wind. He got up and looked out from his attic window. The trees were swaying but this time he prayed that his trees would be protected. Then the wind stopped and the trees swayed gently despite their height. The rain came. He was tempted to go back to slumber. But his spirit man urged him to stay up. So he took the cup of vine juice that represented the blood of Jesus and a biscuit that represented the body of Jesus. 

As he was kneeling and praying something fell from his prayer table. He picked it up and on it was the inscription of 1 John 5:4: " ⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."

The Word for today is "Our Faith".

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1 John 5

New King James Version (NKJV)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our^[a] faith. ⁵ Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Certainty of God’s Witness

⁶ This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. ⁷ For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. ⁸ And there are three that bear witness on earth:^[b] the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
⁹ If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which^[c] He has testified of His Son. ¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life,^[d] and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Confidence and Compassion in Prayer

¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

Knowing the True—Rejecting the False

¹⁸ We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself,^[e] and the wicked one does not touch him.
¹⁹ We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
²¹ Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
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 Hebrews 11 (AMP)
  ¹NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, ^[a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].    ²For by [faith--^[b]trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.
    ³By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.
  ⁴[Prompted, actuated] by faith Abel brought God a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous [that he was upright and in right standing with God], and God bore witness by accepting and acknowledging his gifts. And though he died, yet [through the incident] he is still speaking.
    ⁵Because of faith Enoch was caught up and transferred to heaven, so that he did not have a glimpse of death; and he was not found, because God had translated him. For even before he was taken to heaven, he received testimony [still on record] that he had pleased and been satisfactory to God.
    ⁶But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].
    ⁷[Prompted] by faith Noah, being forewarned by God concerning events of which as yet there was no visible sign, took heed and diligently and reverently constructed and prepared an ark for the deliverance of his own family. By this [his faith which relied on God] he passed judgment and sentence on the world's unbelief and became an heir and possessor of righteousness (^[c]that relation of being right into which God puts the person who has faith).

Waiting upon the Lord requires constant practice. There is no work-smart kind of shortcut, no microwave kind of instant experience and encounter. Many men and women of faith spent the bulk of their life time waiting upon God. The watchman could see the significant difference on those whose lifestyle is waiting upon the Lord! A senior watchman/intercessor often required the class to spend time in quiet doing 'nothing' except waiting upon God. They were usually required to do so in the afternoon when he was feeling quite sleepy. But he noticed that the others were indeed seasoned 'waiters'. They had gone through many practices and were truly basking in the Presence of the Lord.
When he decided to seriously wait upon the Lord, he received the word 'Practice'. Here are some of the Bible verses (in Amplified Bible) for serious seekers of God._____________________

PRACTICE WHAT JESUS HAS COMMANDED

Matthew 5:19 Whoever then breaks or does away with or relaxes one of the least [important] of these commandments and teaches men so shall be called least [important] in the kingdom of heaven, but he who practices them and teaches others to do so shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 6:27 But I say to you who are listening now to Me: [ in order to heed, make it a practice to] love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred,
Luke 6:46 Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not [practice] what I tell you?
Luke 6:49 But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great.
Luke 11:28 But He said, Blessed (happy and to be envied) rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey and practice it!
John 3:21 But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are--wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God's help, in dependence upon Him].
John 5:27 And He has given Him authority and granted Him power to execute (exercise, practice) judgment because He is a Son of man [very man].
John 5:29 And they shall come out--those who have practiced doing good [will come out] to the resurrection of [new] life, and those who have done evil will be raised for judgment [raised to meet their sentence].

John 13:17 If you know these things, blessed and happy and to be envied are you if you practice them [if you act accordingly and really do them].

Revelation 22:9 But he said to me, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] a fellow servant along with yourself and with your brethren the prophets and with those who are mindful of and practice [the truths contained in] the messages of this book. Worship God!

PUT TRAINING INTO PRACTICE

Philippians 4:9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
1 Timothy 4:15 Practice and cultivate and meditate upon these duties; throw yourself wholly into them [as your ministry], so that your progress may be evident to everybody.
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.
Hebrews 6:12 In order that you may not grow disinterested and become [spiritual] sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith (by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness ) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are [now] inheriting the promises.

1 Peter 4:7

But the end and culmination of all things has now come near; keep sound minded and self-restrained and alert therefore for [the practice of] prayer.

End Times Witnessing: Doing the Impossible -Waiting for God

The watchman read some testimonies of people waiting upon the Lord and their respective experiences encountering God. He decided to do the same one night in his attic. He went to bed around 9pm and woke at midnight.

From 12am to around 3am he waited in silence and tried not to fall asleep again. But nothing happened and he dozed off into oblivion. After a short while he woke and stayed up until almost dawn. He did not encounter any phenomena. He slept for another brief interval before he was due to get up for his daily living.

However, that day he was calm, well, and fully refreshed. Something he did not expect happened. A closed one suddenly changed her original plan and decided not to go somewhere far. That saved him considerable time and trouble. He had two days of supernatural peace and quietness in his abode.

When he now reads through what he wrote that morning during the early hours of waiting upon the lord, he realizes that he was then led to read silently through Psalms 107-118. He recalled the only words he uttered during the silent waiting were, "LORD, help!" (NLT) (Psa107:6,13,19,28).

When he read Psa118 again, he knew the answer and conclusion for that waiting. Though he waited in silence, his spirit was crying out to the Lord. The Lord has answered his silent prayer. It was a spiritual journey (in Spirit and in Truth) in silence. The Lord came to his humble tent and dwelling and gave him strength (Psa118:15), and open to him the Temple Gate, the Gate of the Lord, the Chief Cornerstone Himself (118:19-22)!

The watchman is indeed delighted in reading one particular verse now, “Save now, we beseech You, O Lord; send now prosperity, O Lord, we beseech You, and give to us success!” (Psa118:25) (Amazing how this verse popped out as he found his large print Amplified Bible today deciding to put a new wrapping over the cover). This was the verse he received twice lately (once in an earlier recent blog).

O watchman, continue waiting upon the Lord. Don't give up. You are loved.

WAITING UPON THE LORD VERSES -------------------------------

Proverbs 8:34 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

Wait upon the Lord: in the morning, through out the night (more vigilant than a watchman) and all day long; the Lord will speak to your heart!
Psalm 5:3 In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart]. Psalm 25:5 Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

Psalm 130:6 I am looking and waiting for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, I say, more than watchmen for the morning.

You will have honor, integrity, uprightness, courage and stout heart!

Psalm 25:3 Yes, let none who trust and wait hopefully and look for You be put to shame or be disappointed; let them be ashamed who forsake the right or deal treacherously without cause.
Psalm 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for and expect You.
Psalm 27:14 Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.
Psalm 31:24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!

Psalm 112:8 His heart is established and steady, he will not be afraid while he waits to see his desire established upon his adversaries.

The Lord will watch over you, give you His mercy, loving-kindness, hep, shield, rest, plans and even physical food

Psalm 33:18 Behold, the Lord's eye is upon those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe], who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness,
Psalm 33:20 Our inner selves wait [earnestly] for the Lord; He is our Help and our Shield.
Psalm 33:22 Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You.
Psalm 37:7 Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.

Psalm 106:13 But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them,

Psalm 104:27 These all wait and are dependent upon You, that You may give them their food in due season.

The Lord will give you landed property

Psalm 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord [in the end] shall inherit the earth.
Psalm 37:34 Wait for and expect the Lord and keep and heed His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; [in the end] when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

The Lord will heal your depression

Psalm 40:1 [To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.] I WAITED patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God.
Psalm 42:11 Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Psalm 62:5
My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him.
Psalm 69:3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; my eyes fail with waiting [hopefully] for my God.
Psalm 69:6 Let not those who wait and hope and look for You, O Lord of hosts, be put to shame through me; let not those who seek and inquire for and require You [as their vital necessity] be brought to confusion and dishonor through me, O God of Israel.
Psalm 62:1 [To the Chief Musician; according to Jeduthun [Ethan, the noted musician, founder of an official musical family]. A Psalm of David.] FOR GOD alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.

Wait with other believers, you will be safe

Psalm 52:9 I will thank You and confide in You forever, because You have done it [delivered me and kept me safe]. I will wait on, hope in and expect in Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your saints (Your kind and pious ones).

When you wait you can do and receive hope from God's commandments and His word
Psalm 119:166 I am hoping and waiting [eagerly] for Your salvation, O Lord, and I do Your commandments.
Psalm 130:5 I wait for the Lord, I expectantly wait, and in His word do I hope.

The Bride of Christ waits for Him to take her into His 'waiting home'!

Song of Solomon 8:14
[Joyfully the radiant bride turned to him, the one altogether lovely, the chief among ten thousand to her soul, and with unconcealed eagerness to begin her life of sweet companionship with him, she answered] Make haste, my beloved, and come quickly, like a gazelle or a young hart [and take me to our waiting home] upon the mountains of spices!

End Times Witnessing: 'killer winter' is no surprise to the watchman

The news on the sudden onslaught of cold and harsh 'killer winter' is no surprise to the watchman. He saw related visions at two preceding consecutive February. On both occasions he saw the speaker standing in the snow. In the first one he saw her (a senior prophetic intercessor) standing in the wilderness confronting the vast emptiness, speaking. The snow was up to her ankle. An avalanche of snow was fast moving toward her but she was relentless. She just spoke on. In the second year, he saw the same speaker standing in the snow. This time he was looking out of a window. The snow has reached neck level. The same speaker whose body was covered by snow had only her head seen. There were other heads sticking out of the snow. The land was empty and frozen. The watchman also received one verse one day after he had these visions. He heard, “Do you have winter clothes?” So he put it in writing and also called up his friends.

This year another intercessor had a dream. She saw the sudden freezing of the sea and big hailstones rained from heaven. She and another were trying to escape but soon the other person was hit. There was no escape.

Soon after this dream the news came. People were even dying of extreme cold. It sounded incredible. But it is real. The winter in February is unusual and unnatural. Again, sudden killer flood came to places normally free of such calamity in the past 100 years!

The watchman continued with weekly Bible reading with a group of friends (members of three families, including his own. This time there were two other new guests. Another guest who came last week dropped out.) in his house on last Saturday. This has become a pivotal and refreshing event in their ordinary lives. When the others left in the evening, he continued reading the Bible on his own. He was led to read Matthew 22-24. Chapter 22 started with the Parable of the Wedding Feast. The warning verse 22:14 “For many are called, but few chosen” stood out (exactly as his guests came and went). By the time he read 24:12, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”, the watchman knew this was the message for this generation with the physical cold winter as a sign!

He knew the urgency of asking the Lord for the right teaching of God's words to counter the spiritual coldness. So he asked. He stayed up on Saturday night to search the Bible. But he was too tired and he had to give up and sleep. When he got up on Sunday morning he was led to open an audio CD holder which someone had recently re-organized and placed in his car. Among others there were three CD with the label “Hardness of Heart” by Andrew Wommack. He listened and found the key verse: “For they had not considered the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were hardened.”

What are the reasons for hardened hearts? Cold cold loveless hearts (toward God)? The wrong focus of the disciples (on the natural and physical but not on spiritual matters, i.e. the supernatural divine God, His nature and His power!). The same for today's believers. Jesus Himself gave the reason that because lawlessness abounds, the love of many grow cold. What are the things of lawlessness? How to be saved from this lawless and cold heart crisis? Jesus said: “But he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matt.24:13) How can one stand firm to the end? (2 Thess2:15; 2 Pet3:11, 17-18); These are important questions for this time. Take note that the Lord hates lawlessness: Matt.7:23; Heb.1:9. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived” (1 Cor.6:9).

In addition to what Jesus has warned in Matt.22-25 about lawlessness, some of the other Bible verses are as follows.

Godlessness in the last days 2 Tim.3:1-5; 3:13; 4:3-5; The man of lawlessness 2 Thess2:3-4,7-8; The scoffers 2 Pet3:3; 2 Pet2:8; 1 John2:18; 3:4; Jude 18-19 (Scoffers; men who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit of God).

Indeed, how shall we stand? “What manner of persons ought we to be in holy conduct and godliness?” (2 Pet.3:11) Let us take heed to this question and some of the answers in the following verses.

Our Lord Jesus thus warned the disciples, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36) He however promised, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23) In Revelation 22:14, this essential qualification is confirmed by the Holy Spirit through the recording of John, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” (the heavenly city of New Jerusalem, the city of God).

The Apostle Peter thus urged believers to know our status in Christ: “You therefore beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware, lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.'' (2 Pet.3:17-18) “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” (1 Pet.1:15) “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” (1 Pet.2:9)

The Apostle Paul therefore taught the believers to stand fast by knowing and holding the truth in the Scriptures.(2 Thess2:15): stand fast in the Lord (1 Thess3:8); by faith you stand (2 Cor.1:24); watch, stand fast in the Lord, be brave, be strong (1 Cor.16:13); God is able to make you stand (Rom.14:4); take up the whole armor of God to withstand in the evil day and stand (Eph.6:13-14).

The Apostle James thus reminded, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:21-22)

The Holy Spirit bears witness for us: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Rom8:16); the Spirit Himself makes intercessions for us (Rom8:26); For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Rom8:14); he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1 Cor6:17); your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor6:19); you were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor6:11); by this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. (1 John 4:13)

The ultimate weapons against Lawlessness: How to overcome the spirit of lawlessness?

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)
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Andrew Wommack"s Hardness of Hearts (audio download)
http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio/1003 
excerpts: 
"Here are some of the major things I’ve learned that determine the sensitivity of your heart. First, whatever you consider, your heart becomes softened toward. Conversely, whatever you fail to consider, your heart becomes hardened to. That’s what Mark 6:52 reveals. Again, that verse says,
“For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”