Chapter Seventy-One: How a watchman on the wall interacts with the Holy Spirit

During the advance training for intercessors, Jack had a number of supernatural encounters. Overall, he has again been tutored by the best, the Holy Spirit Himself.
The following are examples of some of his personal learning:
1. He became more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. For example, on the previous night he heard a sharing of a senior watchman/intercessor’s being severely spiritually attacked, the next morning he saw a vision on what to intercede for her. As his intercession was only limited to her, he was further led by the Holy Spirit to intercede for her whole ministry by showing him another vision on her co-worker!
2. He learned to intercede prophetically. For example, the intercessors walked under clothes anointed to symbolize the blood of Jesus (the Lamb of God), to be reminded of His Covenant. As they walked they could intercede as led by the Spirit. A lot of them were filled with great joy!
3. While worshiping and listening to the word of God being preached or in the midst of prayers made by the senior intercessors, the participants were asked to lift up their hands from time to time to receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He lifted up his hands as called even though he had felt nothing sensational. He felt nothing in fact. However, the result showed after the whole conference was over. He became very alert to the calling of the Holy Spirit and responded fast. The followings are some of the immediate examples.
On the day after his course, he thought he could sleep late but the Holy Spirit woke him at 4am! He was reluctant but the Holy Spirit immediately reminded him that he could always go back to sleep after his assignment. So he got up. He did not have to wonder what to do like before, as he was led to read the Bible aloud, to let the environment be saturated by God’s word. After he has read for about two hours, he heard the loud chanting/praying of a pagan religion nearby. He knew it had no power as the true God is here! He was allowed to go back to sleep after that.
However, when he woke around 7.30am, he was prompted by the Holy Spirit to jog on the treadmill, which he would normally not have done as he had to travel again soon. But the instruction was urgent. So he obeyed. He was asked to read the Bible verses aloud while jogging and he did for another 45 minutes until the Holy Spirit urged him to stop. So his job was completed in that house with a pagan altar in front and another pagan temple nearby.
On the second day after he arrived at his own home, he was woken early by the Holy Spirit. He was asked to jog on his own treadmill. So he thought he was to read the Bible aloud while jogging. But the Holy Spirit corrected him and led him to take out a CD of worship songs from his car and played it and worshiped while jogging. It was a wonderful experience. He worshiped for about an hour and felt completely refreshed by the Holy Spirit!
On the next morning when he woke he thought of repeating what he did the previous day before he went to church for morning worship. But the Holy Spirit said no. He was led to read a Bible passage and was urged to repent and intercede for the churches in that city. He felt overwhelmed by what he read but he obeyed. By the time he reached his own church he was already in the Spirit and was richly blessed by the presence of God! The whole morning he was Spirit-filled and prayed and interceded (quietly) prophetically at times. While praying it was revealed to him that what the church was doing and proclaiming as a corporate body of Christ was prophetic too for the churches of that land! (As he lifted his eyes to look beyond the physical number, he was filled with the awareness of the awesome great God he worshiped!)
On the following night he encountered two unusual incidents. He woke around 1.30am shivering and chattering. He felt freezing cold. But the room temperature was not cold at all. He knew the cold had come from his mind so he forced words out of his chattering teeth and rebuked the enemy in the name of Jesus. he also called forth the fire of the Holy Spirit to warm him. Then he put on thick clothes and more layers of blankets and went back to sleep.  He then dreamed of an incident of a religious persecution. He woke again around 5am and decided to intercede. During his Bible reading of Psalm 37 he knew clearly he was asked to intercede for a pastor (and his 24 hour prayer center) who was being persecuted. So he read the psalm and proclaimed its prophetic promises for the oppressed church.
He was led to intercede through singing spiritual songs instead of prayers. The first one came to him as he was worshiping in his own home. He could not believe the words and music that came out from his mouth. It was a beautifully touching song for Israel, prophetically calling forth the opening of her gate to welcome the arrival of the Messiah King Yeshua in His second coming for her elect. He did not manage to write it down as he was so engrossed singing the song from the Holy Spirit!
When his assignment was over he went back to sleep and immediately saw another vision about a young man. But he was too tired so he told the Holy Spirit he would pray for that young man when he woke. He was then given another dream confirming the urgency to intercede for the prayer houses (of intercessors for all nations). When he woke again he continued to feel the urgency and spent the bulk of the day interceding.
There was an interesting incident whereby the Holy Spirit told him off and he heard. One day he was strongly urged to read a Bible passage and he did. But he then thought to himself that it was odd as it did not apply to him or his household. He immediately heard in his heart (not audible) “What are you doing?” He knew it was the Holy Spirit, so he was puzzled. Then the Holy Spirit asked again, “What do you think you are doing?”
It woke him. He was called to be an intercessor/watchman. He should be reading the Bible passages for his assignments to intercede for those for whom he was called to stand in the gap: the churches and the nations he was in. (Instead of being so self-focused)
When he realized this important role, he repented and read the Bible with a new perspective. Indeed he was led to intercede for the lost churches and the lost lands faithfully.
Today he read the following passages which really shook him. Mark 13:33-37 Jesus commanded and instituted this assignment:
“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming-in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning- lest, coming suddenly he finds you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
There is no other more important and wonderful task for a watchman. Watch! (and pray)

Chapter Seventy: Prosper through The Seed (Word of God) and Water from Heaven (the Holy Spirit)

One day Jack was strongly urged in the spirit to do a search on all the verses about the rich provision of God. What was revealed has transformed his whole perspective about the blessings of God. He discovered that indeed God has supplied seeds and ensure material security and provision growth for all God’s children.
He is overjoyed to see how God provides the seeds for the sowers and food for them as well. The Lord supplies the resources he needs, ensures the right circumstances and environments and produces the abundant end results / fruits and profits of his labor/investment.
However, there is one crucial key: the whole operation process requires the pouring of the Holy Spirit! It is all about the Holy Spirit bringing forth the blessings (as covenanted with Abraham and re-validated by Jesus) and making them materialized. The word of God is the seed and the Holy Spirit is the water.
Isaiah 32:15 “Until the Holy Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest.”
Isaiah 32:20 How blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream. (The word of God and the Holy Spirit go hand in hand!)
Deut 32:2 Let my teaching fall like rain and  my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plant.
Those who believe will be richly and abundantly blessed by these verses!
Isaiah 30:23-26 God will provide rain for the seeds you sow. The grain that grows will be abundant. Your cattle will range far and wide. Oblivious to war and earthquake, the oxen and donkeys you use for hauling and plowing will be fed well near running brooks that flow freely from mountains and hills. Better yet, on the Day God heals his people of the wounds and bruises from the time of punishment, moonlight will flare into sunlight, and sunlight, like a whole week of sunshine at once, will flood the land.
Isaiah 55:10-11
10 “ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,”
11 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Psalm 65:9-13
9 You visit the earth and cause it to overflow;
You greatly enrich it;
The stream of God is full of water;
You prepare their grain, for thus You prepare the earth.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
You settle its ridges,
You soften it with showers,
You bless its growth.
11 You have crowned the year with Your bounty,
And Your paths drip with fatness.
12 The pastures of the wilderness drip,
And the hills gird themselves with rejoicing.
13 The meadows are clothed with flocks
And the valleys are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, yes, they sing.
Psalm 104:13-14
13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.
14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the service of man,
That he may bring forth food from the earth.
Psalm 72:6 He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.
Psalm 72:16 Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field.
Psalm 144:13 Your barns will be filled with every kind of provision.
Psalm 147:14 He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

Chapter sixty-nine: "Arise, O watchman and pray! Stand in the gap!"

The past week has been a remarkable intensive spiritual training period for Jack. He attended an advance watchmen (intercessors) conference. His original goal was to know how to prepare his family for end time as this theme has been on his mind more frequently. Whilst he has read the brochure, he was not even aware that it was meant for advance intercessors and watchmen.
He has participated similar courses before and has learned useful lessons from them. In fact, his life was changed after those lessons. However this time he was preoccupied by the signs of end time and how he could make sure the little ones in his extended family can be persuaded to live a godly life and Spirit-filled life. He prayed that the heavenly Father (God) will reveal to him how to hear God more, how to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and show him what God has promised through the prophet Isaiah (Isa.45:11): Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: 'Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; and concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.'
The course ran daily from morning 9am to the next morning 1am. After that there was overnight prayer meeting until 5am. They were given short breaks for breakfast, showers and dinner. They skipped lunch. Those who followed the regiment strictly had about 7 hours daily for travel (to and fro the hotel and the conference venue), food, showers and sleep in total.
Jack was physically worn out the first day. He had spent the bulk of the day traveling (including driving). When he finally found the hotel it was late afternoon. He had a quick shower and decided to go to the conference venue by shuttle bus. On arrival he had to spend another two hours waiting in the stuffy hall without air-conditioning. To his horror, a lady with considerable size decided to sit in front of him, blocking his vision and leaving no room for his legs to stretch forth for five solid hours!
By the time he returned to the hotel room he was tired beyond words. He  managed a quick shower and went to bed after 2am. He had five hours' sleep and rushed for breakfast (to sustain him until dinner) which was only available for a limited time. After that he caught the shuttle bus to the conference hall.
That second morning he chose a seat in front to have clear view of the speakers and the screen. But he was sleepy and tired and had a hard time keeping his eyes open at times. By the end of the second afternoon, Jack decided to skip the night session as he was exhausted. So he took the shuttle bus back to the hotel after dinner and thought he could have a good long sleep. However, as he was puzzling over a vision he saw earlier during the morning worship about one of the speakers, he communicated with his unofficial 'spiritual adviser' back home. She prayed in the Spirit and received the instruction that he had to intercede immediately for the speaker for whom he saw an adverse vision. He realized the seriousness of the matter and interceded until he received clear confirmation from the Holy Spirit (through the Bible, Psalm 103) that the matter was resolved. He fell flat on the bed and slept soundly after that!
The third day he continued sitting in front during the day. At dinner, he heard that they were going to do the marching again (as they did the previous two nights) that night. One of the speakers also told them that pieces of red clothes will be anointed so they could all walk under the cloth claiming the benefits of the Covenant for which Jesus had shed His precious blood. It was a symbolic act of course. By then he was tired and felt that he could do without the marching so he decided to go back to the hotel like the previous night for a good long sleep.
However, his 'spiritual adviser' contacted him and asked about the previous night's intercession. So he told her how he prayed until he received the confirmation in Psalm 103, and how this was confirmed the next morning when that speaker ended her lesson by quoting this psalm and even requiring them to proclaim this psalm at midnight that night under the starry sky!
When he asked the adviser whether he should attend that night's session and told her that he did not like 'warfare' (even when it is spiritual), she prayed and said that he should, at least show respect to the speakers. She told him that he had to go because this is part of his training as an intercessor. "This is the last days, every child of God MUST be trained in spiritual warfare (she messaged through her mobile), it is NOT an optional topic BUT a compulsory and core subject. So you must LEARN all you can! If each of us tries to avoid warfare, who is going to stand in the gap for the little ones in our family? Have they not been attacked enough?"
She further messaged, "When God asks us to do things that do not make sense, we better obey. It was how God brought down the walls of Jericho. His ways are not our ways." She further admonished, "Just now Holy Spirit gave me this phrase specifically for you, 'Obedience is better than sacrifice'. "
She then messaged the following addressing his reluctance. "You are already covered by the blood of the LAMB. No evil can harm you. I have never heard of God losing any of His prayer warriors during training. We are called to be the most powerful army (spiritual). So relax! No intercessors have ever lost because our prayers release the power of the Holy Spirit, so how can God lose to His creation, the devil?"
"The battle belongs to the Lord. We only stand in the gap and call forth His intervention. Being an intercessor is one of the easiest calling. We just pray and God will do the rest. The victory is 100%! "
"Am praying for you. Just relax and watch what God can do when we are at rest. He is indeed an awesome God. The biggest warfare is in your mind. There may be more than one negative thoughts there. Speak this loud 7 times to the air around you, personalize it: 1 John 4:4, 'You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world'."
After reading all these, Jack obeyed God. He knelt down and took Holy Communion, confessed all his sins (including pride and unbelief) and was assured that he has been forgiven and empowered. He went through that night's conference sessions without feeling worn out or exhausted. At 3am he felt fresh and well while waiting for the shuttle bus to take him back to the hotel.
Although he only managed to sleep for about four hours, he went through another day's training without falling asleep. That morning, they sang the song, "The battle belongs to the Lord", again confirming the spiritual adviser's message to him on the previous night! Jack managed to write down the following excerpts of the song, "In heavenly armor we enter the land, the battle belongs to the Lord. The watchmen on the tower are interceding for the land and the saints proclaim the victory of the Lord. And we sing glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord."
At the end of the course, Jack managed to drive another three and half hours in the evening to his next destination. He felt refresh and filled with a new sense of purpose and reality of his journey in the Holy Spirit.
There was another amazing incident. On that same morning, he saw a bit of clouds in the sky and decided to give thanks for the weather (even though he was told that the conference venue had had hot and dry weather for a long time). He even carried an umbrella into the conference hall. He must have looked ridiculous. (However, it turned out to be a prophetic act). At the end of the conference he was disappointed to find that it did not rain as he expected. But he continued to hold on to that umbrella to meal (late lunch at 3.30pm). After meal he drove to his next destination.
It was still bright and sunny and other drivers were all wearing dark sun glasses. He resisted the temptation to put on his. As he drove, he saw the sky gathering clouds. Only after he had driven two third of his journey, a bit of rain drops fell. By the time he almost reached his destination he saw the rain but it did not hinder visibility although by then he had to drive on narrow country lane in the dark. But the road was wet and he could see pools of water by the road side. On arrival, he was told that after a hot and dry spell, heavy rain suddenly poured for about fifteen minutes just before he arrived and stopped upon his arrival. The air became cool and clean. It was a lovely evening for all. It was as though the whole atmosphere had been washed and liberated by the Holy Spirit!
Indeed, God has been faithful and answered the prayers of his children.
What a remarkable experience in the Spirit!

chapter sixty-eight: Do not assume, just follow the Holy Spirit

One thing Jack has learned lately is to be really focused on the Holy Spirit leading and not to simply assume anything. He has been blessed with the fellowship and guidance of a number of brethren in Christ who are led by the Spirit.
It is not easy to be focused, as he tends to be distracted by a lot of things in his daily life. However, when he has to make a big decision like buying a piece of land he decides to ask for godly and spiritual advice. He acted on the advice.
Today he received an information about a piece of land which is being auctioned with a reserved price about three times below the market value of property in the same area.
He thought it was a good deal. It also excited him as it appeared to confirm his  recent reading of the Bible verses. However he called his brethren for advice. The brother advised him to go and see the land, step on it and claimed it and waited for the Holy Spirit to say whether to buy and if so, how much. He was also advised to go with someone (another brethren in Christ) in that vicinity at that time.He had Holy Communion with his family members before he went.
He went with three brethren in Christ (of whom two are his family members too). They prayed over the land and went home. The brethren in that vicinity prayed for covering of Jesus blood.
At night he and his family decided to intercede for their extended family and the forthcoming journey for two family members. After that they prayed for the land again.
At the end of the prayer, they were clear that the Holy Spirit said “NO”! The answer was unanimously received. It was given to three of them in three different revelations. To one the question was financial and she realized that the deal would have contradicted her desire. To a member who happened to visit Jack and his family that day, the answer was clear and in great spiritual and practical details.
To Jack, it was given in a vision which gave him no peace.
So he told them his vision and decision.It was confirmed by a visiting family member who has seen a number of visions on the land and has already received a number of big “NO”s and detailed reasons from the Holy Spirit.
Then Jack realized that the Holy Spirit has in fact earlier told him the answer. He was told he was not one assigned to do spiritual warfare and the land requires such gifts. He was told the land was in a cluster of stronghold and the location was not strategic. He was reminded that his purpose was to have a school for training and not for the intentions he thought he could use this land for.
It was amazing how the Holy Spirit has given him another important lesson on how to listen to the Holy Spirit and not to simply assume. The Holy Spirit has been a wonderful teacher indeed!
He is grateful that the Holy Spirit has arranged for these brethren to be around at the right time at the right place. If the information about the land was available on another date, he would not have had such clear direction within such a short but crucial time as the auction date gave him little time to research.
Praise God for His grace (unmerited favor) and mercy!

chapter sixty-seven: a watchman/disciple school?

As Jack ponders on the question of how one knows one is called by God to be a watchman, he realizes it is a big subject and not as simple as his mind would want him to think. In fact it is a spiritual issue and he does not know the answer. Lately he has these words, "school for the disciples of prophets" (translated into another language) entering his mind a number of times. He has no idea how this enters his mind at all as he has not been thinking of this. He has not read the parts of the Bible about the prophets for quite sometime.
He has thought about this subject and wondered if this is from the Holy Spirit. He does not even consider himself a prophet. How can he ever start a class (not to mention a school) for discipleship of prophets? Yes, he has taught Bible classes, led small Christian groups, trained adults and youth on both academic and practical matters of Biblical living in the past. But he has stopped doing that for a number of years. The more he seeks to live in the Holy Spirit the more he understands how one has to be called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out such role.
He decided to put the idea aside. On the other hand he has obeyed the calling (when confirmed by Bible verses and also by several brethren) to teach the subject of how to be led by the Holy Spirit in Bible reading. His vision is to eventually train enough faithful men and women who will be able to train others too. He visualizes a place on a mountain, with living streams, lush green trees and garden, where such future trainers will be equipped in the Holy Spirit on God's word.
Indeed, the more he thinks of the multitude of Christians who want to know God but do not know how to be led by the Holy Spirit, the more he perceives the urgency.
He has been reading the Bible and listening to messages about the need to sow seeds for the kingdom of God. So he prayed for seeds one day. He was duly given one seed, an opening to speak to a group of elderly Christians. At the same time he met young brethren who thirst to know God more. These are seeds for the kingdom of God.
The word of God never fails to produce immediate materialization of its truth.
The more he believes in this truth the more Jack encounters the reality of God.
As for the school? He has decided to let the Holy Spirit continue to lead him into its reality.

Power from heaven for financial freedom (1)

Introduction

Why do I agree to give a talk on finances? In this time of increasing global turmoil with intensive destructive forces at work, the hearts of people are being crushed under a greater sense of uncertainty and emptiness. Indeed, even a Christian feels lost at times. When I think of such big issue like life and death which hits upon every family and even every life without notice, my heart feels heavy and wordless.

The more I think of this subject of financial management, the more I realize it is not management practice that matters. What matters is the way we treat our lives. When people are dying like flies, or worse, what is the value of lives? Can a life be measured by monetary value? Why, indeed why do people who have gone through a great disaster choose to live on even when all their loved ones have died and all that they have established in life had vanished and there seems no foreseeable physical and emotional relief from their pains?

How does finance come in? Can money solve their problems? If so why did not money prevent such disasters? Why is there such great a disparity between the opulent rich and the poor living below poverty line? The matter is not management. It is value.

So I intend to talk about value when I talk about financial management.

The fact that you are reading this or listening to this talk means that you are not yet the opulent rich. This message is therefore for those who are still in want and still feel they lack.

When I asked my prayer partner what make people feel that they still lack, she thought that all should feel contented with what little they have (and have-not) and there is no such word as bare minimum. When I search my deepest soul, I realize that it is a matter of security craving. Different people look for different thing to fill their security vacuum. The thing may be love, friendship, companionship, sense of achievement, self-esteem, others’ respect and acceptance, physical comfort etc. Many think that a lot of these can be bought with money. That is why money becomes a prominent object of want.

The goal of a money talk is therefore to facilitate people to find ways to feel more secure.

So the focus of this talk should be on value.

What is your value in life? What is the life purpose of a Christian? An average Christian would know the answer easily. We live to glorify God, to fulfill God’s plan for us on earth. We believe that God has a good plan for each Christian. We believe He can help us to live and complete that plan. So why are we still lacking in security? Why do we still feel we lack?

When we see this life goal we realize that we are on a different track from the race track God has set for us. All those men and women of faith who had completed the race before us had run on another track, the track of faith. If we run on a wrong track we would never reach the same destination as they did. No amount of money and/or capable financial management could transfer us to that goal.

How do we know we are not on the right track? When we feel that we are in financial want.

How do we go back to the right track? Here are the seven steps: (7 Rs in brief)

1. Repent and renounce your past and present money mismanagement.

2. Be Reconciled with God in your value in life. A humble and contrite heart He will not overlook.

3. Renew your mind (not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you know what the good, acceptable and perfect will of God is).

4. Review: review and assess your current damaged situations, the ruined walls -your assets and liabilities, and ask God for an effective plan to address them.

5. Rebuild: ask God for fresh strategies, supplies and support to rebuild your new financial security.

6. Restore: ask God to restore with seven folds what the enemy had stolen from you.

7. Reap the harvest of your financial management. Continue on the right track of faith, led by the Holy Spirit.

There are three absolute conditions for successful implementation of the above steps:

1. You must be led by the Holy Spirit.

2. You must have faith.

3. You must focus on the author and finisher of faith: Jesus Christ Himself.

How to be led by the Holy Spirit?

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you answers to the above seven steps.

Spend time in the presence of God. Worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Read His words. Wait for Him to speak to you (through His words, dreams and visions). In quietness and stillness wait upon Him. Attend prayer meetings where there is a strong presence of the Holy Spirit and consistent focus on Jesus and the love and grace of God. Have Holy Communion with other Christians with clear focus on Jesus (His shed blood and broken body on the cross and what they mean). Attend church where only the words of God (the full Gospel of Jesus Christ) are being preached (not man’s words or man’s philosophy). Attend church where the Gospel messages are being followed by signs and wonders (healing, deliverance and transformed lives).

Practice living the words of God and take a step of faith in the Spirit (practicing the gifts of the Holy Spirit; practice praying in the Spirit, speaking in tongues). Do not doubt or let the sin of unbelief cripple your spirit. Never grief the Holy Spirit by denying His power in you.

Only the Holy Spirit can convict us of sins, of self-righteousness and of judgment. Only the Holy Spirit can transform and renew our minds and reveal God’s will to us. Only the Holy Spirit can make and do all things (working together for our good). He is the sanctifier and edifier. He is the grace and blessing of God, comforter, helper, and finger of God. Read all scripture about the Holy Spirit.

Word of caution: do not think that you are led by the Holy Spirit in your rational mind. What you reason out may not be from Him. He works perfectly without your mental input. You cannot take credit for what He has done.

How to have faith?

Faith is given by God to every Christian, in the same measure and precious as the one given to the Apostles. Jesus said all you need is faith as small as a mustard seed. It is not how much or how big your faith is that counts. What works miracles is simple faith not off-set by unbelief. Faith is a substance and certainty in itself. Just have faith. Do not doubt. Remember: when you can see the obvious result you do not need faith! Read all scripture about faith and start practicing faith.

Why must one focus on Jesus?

Jesus is the one who has won the battle for us on the cross. He has redeemed us from sin and death. He has borne the curse (including the curse on Adam that he had to toil on the ground before he could eat of it) for us. Jesus is the only one entitled to every blessing from God. He is the only righteous one. Without His sacrificial blood we cannot have any access to God. There is no way any Christian can finish his race on the right track without looking to Jesus! Do not let others fool you into thinking that you only need to acknowledge Jesus once (on the occasion of receiving His salvation) and thereafter conveniently put him aside. He is our every blessing!

Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. “ He also warned that many would say they had done a lot of works and wonders in His name, but His answer for them on that day would be, “I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:22-23)

One pastor challenged his congregation: “If you do not have a habit of seeking God and staying close to Him, what makes you think you will suddenly be ready one day when Jesus comes to take His own people with Him to heaven?” Think about that. The matter is far more serious than having a good financial report on earth.

Remember the story about a beggar called Lazarus who went to heaven and an unnamed rich man who ended down in hell? Jesus knew the beggar by name. But the rich man remained unknown as far as Jesus was concerned.

To stay close to Jesus and be known by Him is absolutely essential!

2010-01-26

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX: HOW DOES A WATCHMAN KNOW HE IS BEING CALLED?

A young man discussed this matter regarding special calling with Jack one day. Is it difficult to know what one’s calling in life is? How does one know he is being called to be a watchman? Jack has never thought of this before. He himself has stumbled his way into this spiritual journey in the first place. Surely there are other more focused ways!

As they discussed, he asked the young man what he thought his calling was. The young man told him that he felt more inclined to be an intercessor too. He said his favorite character in the Bible was Elijah. It was indeed an interesting and unusual choice. The Holy Spirit has been working on him! Jack thought about his own favorite Bible character. He could only think of two with whom he sort of identified: the prophet Jeremiah and the wall builder Nehemiah.

Are there similarities in these two Bible characters? How were they called to be watchmen? Jeremiah was called when he was a young man. He was a reluctant watchman. He was asked to speak to audience who rejected his messages. He had been ridiculed and even persecuted for his messages. He saw visions and spoke prophecies. God’s words burned inside him and he had no choice but to speak them. Yet he was most unwelcome for speaking the truth.

Jack of course had not encountered such experiences as he never saw significant visions for nations and assigned risky duties. All he ever saw and did was mostly limited to within his personal and sometimes wider church/mission scope. At times he was urged to pray in the Spirit although he did not know the content of his intercessions. He definitely has an easier watchman life than the ancient watchmen! However, deep in his heart he wanted to identify with Jeremiah. He felt as if he could see how Jeremiah wept for his city and nation who rejected his prophecies. This picture touched his heart.

Nehemiah was not called until he was already an established official (cupbearer) well trusted by the King in the Persian court. There was no mention of his calling by God. Nevertheless, he was touched and interceded fervently when he heard the sad news about his city and nation back home. He prayed until he knew God has answered his prayers. He was indeed granted favor by the King to return to Jerusalem to re-build the walls. He was different from Jeremiah as he was not only an intercessor he was a builder too. How could a cupbearer (a man who tested the wine before handing the wine to the King so that no one could poison the King) become a capable and efficient governor and city builder? This sounds impossible, yet Nehemiah had succeeded. What he completed was physically evident, in the form of the duly completed walls of Jerusalem, built in 52 days despite external political and military threat and harassments and internal discouragement among the workers.

Jack would like to identify with him in that he stayed close to God and prayed through the whole building project. It appeared to Jack that during Nehemiah’s intercessions, God had revealed to him His plan for the walls of Jerusalem and thus all Nehemiah did was to listen carefully and obeyed God’s instructions! It was no easy task but certainly exciting and worthwhile! The picture of Nehemiah kneeling down before the great God in heaven, interceding day and night until God answered (complete with a wonderful work plan and supplies) is certainly inspiring to Jack.

How does a watchman know he is being called? Looking at the above two cases, there is no one definite answer. God’s way cannot be limited. However, the certainty is that when one stays close to God, and is sensitive to the Holy Spirit, God will let him know. In the above two examples, one watchman was selected by God even when he was in his mother’s womb. Another watchman became one when he paid attention to news about God’s people and cared about matters that touched God’s heart. No matter how they were called, both had chosen to obey the calling. Both are models for emulation for all watchmen-to-be. Thus Jack concluded.

2010-01-24