A HEAD STONE FOR MY YOUNGER BROTHER

A HEADSTONE

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ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS

  常在我们心中

my younger brother

我的弟弟

The day he went to be with the Lord: 3rd March 2012

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all my iniquities,
Who heals all my diseases,
Who redeems my life from destruction,
Who crowns me with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies my mouth with good things,
So that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

( Psalm 103:1-5 )

我 的 心 哪 ， 你 要 称 颂 耶 和 华 ！ 凡 在 我 里 面 的 ，

也 要 称 颂 祂 的 圣 名 ！

我 的 心 哪 ， 你 要 称 颂 耶 和 华 ！

不 可 忘 记 祂 的 一 切 恩 惠 ！

祂 赦 免 我 的 一 切 罪 孽 ，

医 治 我 的 一 切 疾 病 。

祂 救 赎 我 的 命 脱 离 死 亡 ，

以 仁 爱 和 慈 悲 为 我 的 冠 冕 。

祂 用 美 物 使 我 所 愿 的 得 以 知 足 ，

以 致 我 如 鹰 返 老 还 童 。

（ 大 卫 的 诗 - 诗篇103:1-5 )

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The watchman’s compilation of Bible verses on “tears”. May all who mourn be deeply comforted.

COMFORTING WORDS FOR THOSE WHO SOW IN TEARS FOR THE LORD JESUS

Psalm 126:5
Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126:4-6 (in Context) Psalm 126 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Isaiah 25:8
he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.
Isaiah 25:7-9 (in Context) Isaiah 25 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Jeremiah 31:16
This is what the LORD says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD. “They will return from the land of the enemy.
Jeremiah 31:15-17 (in Context) Jeremiah 31 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Psalm 126:5
Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126:4-6 (in Context) Psalm 126 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

HOW AN INTERCESSOR CRIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD

Job 16:20 My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; Job 16:19-21 (in Context) Job 16 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Psalm 119:136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed. Psalm 119:135-137 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Jeremiah 9:1
Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.
Jeremiah 9:1-3 (in Context) Jeremiah 9 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsJeremiah 9:18
Let them come quickly and wail over us till our eyes overflow with tears and water streams from our eyelids.
Jeremiah 9:17-19 (in Context) Jeremiah 9 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsJeremiah 13:17
If you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive.
Jeremiah 13:16-18 (in Context) Jeremiah 13 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsJeremiah 14:17
“Speak this word to them: “‘Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the Virgin Daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.
Jeremiah 14:16-18 (in Context) Jeremiah 14 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsJeremiah 31:16
This is what the LORD says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD. “They will return from the land of the enemy.
Jeremiah 31:15-17 (in Context) Jeremiah 31 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsJeremiah 50:4
“In those days, at that time,” declares the LORD, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God.
Jeremiah 50:3-5 (in Context) Jeremiah 50 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Lamentations 2:18
The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. You walls of Daughter Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest.
Lamentations 2:17-19 (in Context) Lamentations 2 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsLamentations 3:48
Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed.
Lamentations 3:47-49 (in Context) Lamentations 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

THE LORD DETESTS THESE TEARS


Malachi 2:13-14 Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Malachi 2:12-14 (in Context) Malachi 2 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

THE LORD APPRECIATES AND GIVES AWARD TO THESE TEARS


Luke 7:38
As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
Luke 7:37-39 (in Context) Luke 7 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsLuke 7:44
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
Luke 7:43-45 (in Context) Luke 7 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

THE LORD RECORDS TEARS THAT ARE SHED FOR HIM (TEARS SHED BY THOSE AFTER JESUS' HEART)


Psalm 56:8 Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll — are they not in your record? Psalm 56:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 56 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Acts 20:19
I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.
Acts 20:18-20 (in Context) Acts 20 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsActs 20:31
So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Acts 20:30-32 (in Context) Acts 20 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations2 Corinthians 2:4
For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
2 Corinthians 2:3-5 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 2 (Whole Chapter) Other TranslationsPhilippians 3:18
For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Philippians 3:17-19 (in Context) Philippians 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations2 Timothy 1:4
Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
2 Timothy 1:3-5 (in Context) 2 Timothy 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

NO MORE TEAR AT LAST!

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ” Revelation 7:16-17 (in Context) Revelation 7 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-5 (in Context) Revelation 21 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

End Times church witnessing: The Pattern is the Son

The watchman found new treasures in the writings of older archives. Here is an excerpt from the writing of Austin Sparks in "The Kingdom That Cannot be Shake" 
____________ http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/002070.html

The Pattern is the Son

The pattern of the training of sons is the Son. Conformed to the image of His Son! Christ fully formed in you! Foreordained unto adoption as sons! And adoption is at the end not at the beginning; adoption still waits; the day of our adoption has not arrived. You know the New Testament teaching on this matter is altogether different from modern English practice; and so, although Paul does not use that actual word in that connection, he puts the same truth into other words when he says, “Waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God”. The manifestation of the sons is only another way of saying the day of adoption: that is, when the sons are brought forth and presented as sons, no longer children but mature, now to take responsibility.
What is God doing with us? His work with us is to reproduce in us the constituents of sonship as represented by the Lord Jesus. The battle that rages and rises between our thought and the Lord’s thought, between our will and the Lord’s will, between our way and the Lord’s way, between our desiring and the Lord’s desire, has this one issue at stake, whether something more of His Son is to become a part of our very constitution, or whether we are going to put that back and remain just the same old creation. There is a big thing hanging upon that battle. In our last meditation we were speaking about adjustability. What is it that we are to be adjusted to? It is simply putting Christ in the place which we ourselves in some way have occupied, giving place to the Lord. That is Christ being fully formed. He is in us, but He is to be fully formed in us.
I am sorry the translators left out the value of the Greek in that passage. The Greek word is perfectly clear: “Till Christ be fully formed in you”. He is there, but there is formation, and this formation is through conflict, and Paul says that he is undergoing the suffering: “For whom I am in travail till Christ be fully formed in you”. There is something going on that is costly. It is marked by a painful process.

The Sphere is our Spirit

I want to come to the sphere of the training of sons, the spirit; of course, now not the Holy Spirit but our spirit: “the Father of our spirits”. You notice the word “father” in this twelfth chapter is implied, suggested by son; “fathers of our flesh” — “Father of our spirits”. So that it is in the realm of our spirit that all this is going on. God is concentrating upon our spirit, and I want to define that. The teaching of the Word of God about the spirit is not just what we mean when we say, He has a nice spirit! That means that what you meet is something very pleasant, it is a kind of outgoing influence to you. Or we may say, He has a nasty spirit! You mean he is a cantankerous person. That is not the meaning of the Father of our spirits. Our spirits are represented in the Word of God as the essential man: that is, the innermost part of our being, and if you like to sit down with a concordance and go through this matter of spirit you will be surprised.
I am impressed with some of the things that are said about spirit. I will give you two or three references.
Take 1 Corinthians 2:11, “For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.” That is not just breath, that is an intelligent organ, and that is clearly something deeper than reason. It is not that I meet a certain man, and I look him up and down; I look at the size of his nose, and the shape of his chin, and just how his head is formed, and various other things, and I come to the conclusion that he is a certain type of man; that kind of man will behave in a certain way. I know what I may expect by having taken the measure of that man, and so I know that man. No, it is not that. This passage is deeper than the reasoned thing, the thought-out thing, the sized-up thing, it is intuitive knowledge, and that is spiritual knowledge. Spiritual knowledge is intuitive knowledge, and the spirit is the intuitive organ. That is exactly how angels move; they are spirits. God and angels never have to reason out anything. They never have to calculate. Angels do not move at the behest of the Lord by being told in words and given an explanation. They move intuitively. It is intuitive knowledge of the Lord. If another brother and I are one in spirit we intuitively know what we will do, and what we would like each other to do. We do not have to be told, we do not have to be argued with, we know intuitively and we can anticipate one another’s wishes intuitively. It is an organ of knowledge.
Or take another passage in the same letter, 1 Corinthians 5:3: “For I verily, being absent in Body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him that hath so wrought this thing”; “...absent in Body... present in spirit, have... judged”. In spirit judged. I have weighed this thing up in spirit, my spirit has come to the conclusion that such-and-such is the case; my spirit has decided this thing. It is an intelligent organ.
Or pass to 1 Corinthians 14:14-15: “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” There you have spirit and soul. The understanding heart is the intelligent, the rational soul, but that is not the point. The apostle is saying that it is possible for the spirit to pray. It is an organ that can pray and that can sing. You can sing in spirit, and you can pray in spirit. If it comes to the matter of an unknown tongue that is another thing, and it is not our point. We are detaching it from the matter of tongues at the moment. Here is an organ that it is said can pray and sing. I suppose you know something about the singing inside; your understanding is not at work, but it goes on. I know what it means. I remember an experience I had myself, and just recount it to convey to you what I mean by this. When undergoing a somewhat serious operation I experienced that in coming back to consciousness. Not knowing anything or anyone, being altogether dead so far as soul activity was concerned — that is, reason, and feeling, and all the rest — there was going on in me a hymn all the way through. I might have been in another world; it was going on all the time:

End Times watchman’s Bible Study: How two persons got out of depression/panic attack

The watchman observed an increase in depression and even panic attack cases lately. He witnessed the helplessness and suffering of such victims even when under medication. Only after the family of the patient had exhausted all medical and psychiatric means, they came to seek help from the Lord. As led by the Holy Spirit the team of brethren would normally pray and do deliverance. 

He learned that when one listened and obeyed the Holy Spirit, and prayed accordingly, then the calming result would be instant. Indeed in many occasions he noted that like Paul taught the Corinthians church in 1 Cor.12 on the many gifts of the Holy Spirit, the body of Christ consists of many parts and all members must function together as a harmonious team to be effective. However, there are times when resources run out and all hands are required on deck. The Lord will give gift suitable for that occasion to the willing and available.

For example, he is a word and watchman person. He has a spiritual watchtower and has passion for the words of God only. So he normally stays away from healing and deliverance. However, when others are not available or seem to be stuck with a difficult situation, then he (being a spiritual jack of all ‘trades’ for teaching purposes) would have no choice but to ask the Holy Spirit to show him what to do with the person who manifests and urgently needs help. Often he receives the words instantly and when applied, the positive outcome shows he hears correctly.
Thus he often receives words (even when he has not asked) which demonstrate how one can use to counter every situation. The following two psalms are bonuses received today. These are generic ways of dealing with mental situations. The Lord is merciful and full of loving-kindness. This is grace.
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Psalm 63:6-8 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.

Watchman’s Notes on Psalm 63 (The watchman noticed this psalm when he realized that David was a watchman/intercessor too!)

The psalmist was actually flying under the wings of God with his soul following the Lord closely. That means even our souls can follow the Holy Spirit. David was a watchman intercessor. He practiced. He started this prayer by saying how his soul and his flesh thirst and long for God’s presence. He knew that he could find and see God in His power and glory, in the sanctuary, in worship and in praise. Thus his soul could be satisfied. Even at night he continued to meditate on God in the night watches and remember God’s help. Thus he could enjoy the soaring of his soul like an eagle, following God’s wings! That is why David was described as a man after God’s heart!
Psalm 77 (For depression and other form of mental attacks)

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search. 7 Will the Lord cast off forever? 10 And I said, “This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 11 I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. 12 I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.

Watchman’s Notes on Psalm 77 The psalmist gave a solution to trouble. When in trouble, he observed and learned from the following:

1. He prayed without ceasing, even at night.
2. His soul refused to be comforted until he received his solution.
3. When he complained, his spirit was affected (overwhelmed).
4. So even at night he worshiped and sang to the Lord and meditated within his heart.
5. His spirit made diligent search of his memory for him.
6. His spirit enables him to ask relevant questions regarding the nature of God: His favor, mercy, promises, grace etc. which never failed.
7. His spirit made him see the reason of his problem, i.e. he had put his focus on the wrong things. When he realized his mistake, he re-focused (remembered, meditated and even talked about) on God’s wonderful works of old.
8. After the psalmist broke through he concluded by giving a testimony on the great works that God had done to His people. (v13-20).)

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Watchman’s overall summary on his observations
1. Live and be led by the Holy Spirit is a must for living an overcomer life. Let your spirit take over. Your spirit connects to the Holy Spirit Who searches all things.
2. Always focus on God’s goodness. Remember all the good deeds and wonders He has done in the past.
3. Meditate on them.
4. Talk to others about the goodness of God. Give testimony.
5. Join other brethren in worship and praise God together.
_________________Bible verses on the God of Peace (Jesus)

1. Romans 1:7
   To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
   Romans 1:6-8 (in Context) Romans 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2. Romans 5:1
   [ Faith Triumphs in Trouble ] Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
   Romans 5:1-3 (in Context) Romans 5 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
3. Romans 14:17
   for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
   Romans 14:16-18 (in Context) Romans 14 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
4. Romans 15:13
   Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
   Romans 15:12-14 (in Context) Romans 15 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
5. Romans 15:33
   Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
   Romans 15:32-33 (in Context) Romans 15 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
6. Romans 16:20
   And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
   Romans 16:19-21 (in Context) Romans 16 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
7. Philippians 4:7
   and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
   Philippians 4:6-8 (in Context) Philippians 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
8. Philippians 4:9
   The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
   Philippians 4:8-10 (in Context) Philippians 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
9. Colossians 3:15
   And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
   Colossians 3:14-16 (in Context) Colossians 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
10. 1 Peter 1:2
    elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
    1 Peter 1:1-3 (in Context) 1 Peter 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
11. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
    [ Blessing and Admonition ] Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    1 Thessalonians 5:22-24 (in Context) 1 Thessalonians 5 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

End Times watchman’s Bible Study: How to teach how to listen to the Holy Spirit?

The most difficult topic to teach is to teach how to listen to the Holy Spirit. A few students may find it effortless like drinking water or even mere breathing. But most students just do not seem to get anywhere. This has been the experience of the watchman as a ‘teacher’. Yesterday he stumbled upon his ‘old’ blog on how he started his personal journey in the Holy Spirit. It was hilarious. He just could not remember those earlier days of apprenticeship. But the outcome is worth all the foolish stumbling along, because of his analytical mind as opposed to the spiritual mind being led by the Holy Spirit (as a son of God should). He now marvels at the patience and long-suffering of the Lord who did not give up on him.

But how to teach others so they need not go through all that he had gone through? He sighed after another long hard and hot afternoon. In terms of human view, the time of 1.45pm-3pm on a hot and humid day was really far from ideal for any learning. But this was the only time slot given at this point of time. In his spirit he knew he had to set an example of learning by the Spirit. So he took the class and sat on the floor with a low table before him, reading the Bible verses together. There was minimum teaching from him. The key of learning is to go through the reading from verse to verse and let the Holy Spirit speak to individual.
The watchman was merely demonstrating what he does normally: sitting on the floor before the Lord and learning from the Lord. But the class could not get it. Even his translator started looking at the time and pushed her hand phone to him pointing to the time when it reached 3pm! He observed that people were struggling to stay awake and/or figure out what it all meant to be a “New Creation” ( a topic which the Lord prompted him to read with them today).
Sitting there before the Lord, reading the Bible verses as led by the Spirit of Christ, focusing on Yeshua, listening to what the Holy Spirit had to say, all these were exactly the practical activities of learning to follow the Holy Spirit. But after he finished the session, the translator told him that it was all theory and no practical so they all felt sleepy and exhausted. It had been a long and tiring day for them as they had to listen to a long and hard sermon before the afternoon class. They also had a heavy curry lunch.Indeed by the time he let them leave everyone was relieved.
The watchman could have gone on for hours. But there was no more ‘student’ or ‘apprentice’. He had a long day too. On the previous two nights he had only a few hours of sleep. Today he also sat through the morning worship and sermon with them. The only difference was that he skipped lunch, which has become a comfortable habit. He felt fresh and wide awake. The word of God spoke clearly and brought marvelous light into his being. They were reading a lot of verses about the light of God.
The practical part of “listening to the Holy Spirit” was actually the waiting upon the Lord, reading Bible verses and listening to what the Lord say. In his case today, the room was of course filled with sounds of toddlers at the same time. he could understand how the class must have ‘suffered’. But this is how one can be trained. In the end times no one can expect a quiet and peaceful ideal environment. At any time, emergency and crisis could emerge and one just has to ask and hear the Lord speaks. The quietness and stillness must come from inside and not otherwise.
Jesus commended Mary who sat at His feet and did exactly the same practical listening to Jesus talking. She did not do anything else. But she listened to everything that Jesus said to the disciples. When the time came for Jesus to go to the cross, she actually knew and believed he meant what he had said to them! (None of the other disciples believed or even heard such important predictions from Jesus. None was ready. Only Mary came to Jesus to say farewell by offering Him her best and most valued gift, anointing Him for the crucifixion and subsequent burial). If she had not spent all her time focusing and listening to Him, she would have missed the most memorable historical moment of being the one who performed the last service to the Lord while He was on earth as a human.
Hebrews 12:16 described Esau as ‘godless’. He gave up his inheritance rights as the oldest son for a single meal (some lentil stew). He focused on his body needs. He gave more priority to his physical needs than spiritual needs. Materially he did not lose anything as his brother Jacob had to leave home shortly to escape being killed by him. Jacob later acquired great material wealth working for his father in law (with God’s blessing) and not through inheritance from his physical father Isaac. However, Jacob who became Israel became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel (many nations) thus inheriting the promises that God gave to his grandfather, Abraham. God called Himself “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Ex.3:6). What a great honor and privilege! As a young man Jacob spent a lot time in the tent with his parents and listened to their teachings about the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac. He listened and he believed. He valued the double blessing from heaven for the firstborn.

Living as a ‘new creation’ means living by the Spirit. He must be born of the Spirit and walks by the Spirit. He lives as a spiritual man (as opposed to being carnal/of the flesh). If he follows the Holy Spirit, he will not be constrained by his physical, mental or emotional needs or wants. The symptoms of his body do not frighten him. His mind or feeling cannot dictate to him when to be at ease and when to be uncomfortable. He will live a supernatural lifestyle.
The watchman has practiced this lifestyle for sometime now. Looking back, when he first started he really had a hard time. He had no mentor. He could not ask or learn by following the example of someone he could see often. However he attended half-yearly seminars conducted by senior supernatural living practitioners during which he witnessed the long hours they stood on the stage and read verses after verses. They went on without lunch. They had less than five hours of rest/s/sleep a day and could go on for days. They even went through long fast (40 days) before the seminar. Supernatural living could be done by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Coming back to the subject on how to teach this new lifestyle, the watchman has no other clue except to carry on asking the Lord, seeking his answer, obeying His word.
When he looked at the page his Bible happened to display now, he read: “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace.” (Malachi 4:1a) Indeed the day has been unusually hot and seems like a furnace burning.
“But for you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” (Malachi 4:2a)

End Times watchman’s Bible Study: He kept right on going because

Today the message is “faith” that makes one see the invisible. Faith requires one to be led by the Holy Spirit and see what cannot be seen by flesh and blood. Jesus was very clear and definite on this point. He told a well established teacher of the law and a high official in the Jewish Council, “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God.” “No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:3,5) The watchman has discovered that all the following faith people in the hall of faith were Spirit-led people!
Bible verses with the watchman’s study notes in bracket. ————————-

Hebrews 11

New Living Translation (NLT)

Great Examples of Faith

11 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. ² Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.
(Faith is all about things we cannot see in our physical realm or with our physical eyes and mental or emotional perception.)
³ By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
(To claim that you have faith you must first believe that the world was created from the invisible!)
⁴ It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.
(Faith is the only testimony that will continue testifying even after physical death. It supersedes the power of death! Faith sets a man free from the inevitable prison of death.)
⁵ It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.”^[a] For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. ⁶ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
(Faith in action means you can even supersede the process of physical death! A man of faith like Enoch was not bound by the death process as other mortals do.)
⁷ It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
(Faith means willingness to look like a fool in the eyes of other human beings. it means being a minority minority by choice in the world. It also means hundreds of years may have passed and you still need to carry on believing in what the Holy Spirit says to you through the word of God even though you have not yet seen anything as the word has promised!)
⁸ It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. ⁹ And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. ¹⁰ Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
(Faith father Abraham did not know where he was going. But he followed and listened to the Holy Spirit. He could only see in the spirit as revealed to him, the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, the City of God. And he believed. How amazing it was considering him being a man who existed over four thousand years ago! The Holy Spirit was not restricted by time and space.)
¹¹ It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed^[b] that God would keep his promise. ¹² And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
(Sarah too existed four thousands years ago. She believed just as her husband did. Faith broke the physical boundary set by nature over her beauty, her child bearing age etc. It was amazing how the foreign kings were awed by the great beauty of an elderly woman!)
¹³ All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. ¹⁴ Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
(Faith means we believe in God and the existence of the City of God, the New Jerusalem. Like Abraham, of whom we became descendants, we must see the City in our spirit. This is a common quality of faith people.)
¹⁷ It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, ¹⁸ even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”^{[c] 19} Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.
(Faith requires readiness to give up/sacrifice your best love, whether it is another person or yourself. Everyone of us is both Abraham and Isaac. Only when I am ready to let go of ‘ME’, let ‘ME’ die, on the cross with Jesus, I may receive the resurrected new ‘me’ back from the dead, just as Abraham received Isaac.)
²⁰ It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau. ²¹ It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff. ²² It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left. ²³ It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.
(The above three examples showed what faith in action required of parents or patriarchs. They passed on godly spiritual blessings to their younger generations. They showed that they feared God more than they feared man and they valued the promises of God more than everything else in this world. Indeed nothing else about their achievements on earth was recorded by the Holy Spirit here illustrating their faith except this point.)
²⁴ It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. ²⁵ He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. ²⁷ It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. ²⁸ It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.
(The watchman was led to read this paragraph first when he opened his Bible today. The key verse that showed Moses’ faith was “He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the One who is invisible. ” Who was he seeing? He was seeing Jesus as he followed the Holy Spirit and he dared not take his eyes off Him. Because Jesus is always ahead, showing the direction and crushing the enemies for him, Moses had to keep right on going. That was how he led over three million people out of Egypt.)
²⁹ It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned. ³⁰ It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.
(Miracles always follow faith in action.)
³¹ It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
((Faith requires action in submitting to and obeying God. even Rahab could hear and obey the Holy Spirit. Who was she? A mere prostitute who existed over 3500 years ago.)
³² How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. ³³ By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. ³⁵ Women received their loved ones back again from death.
But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. ³⁶ Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. ³⁷ Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half,^[d] and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. ³⁸ They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
(Faith in action produced victors, Faith overcomers and supernatural exploits. Suffering in the eyes of the world too.)
³⁹ All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. ⁴⁰ For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
(God sees and appreciates faith in action, regardless of the outcome in the eyes of the world. “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Heb11:6)

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 11:5 Gen 5:24.
2. Hebrews 11:11 Or It was by faith that he [Abraham] was able to have a child, even though Sarah was barren and he was too old. He believed.
3. Hebrews 11:18 Gen 21:12.
4. Hebrews 11:37 Some manuscripts add some were tested.

Book gems: THREE CLASSES OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS

TRUE SAINTS

by the Rev. CHARLES G. FINNEY

 TEXT.-- "Who is on the Lord's side?" -- Exodus xxxii. 26.
THIS question was addressed by Moses to the professed people of God, immediately after their great departure from God while Moses was in the Mount, when they went and worshiped a golden calf which had been cast for them by Aaron. After expostulating with the guilty nation, he called out, "Who is on the Lord's side?" It is not my intention to dwell on the history of this case particularly, but to come at once to the main design I have in view this evening, which is to show that there are

THREE CLASSES OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS.

I. The true friends of God and man.
II. Those who are actuated by hope and fear, or in other words, by self-love or by selfishness.
III. Those who are actuated by public opinion.
These three classes may be known by attending to the characteristic developments which show what is the leading design in their religion. It needs not be proved, that persons may set out in religion from very different motives, some from real love to religion, and some from other motives. The differences may be arranged in these three classes, and by attending to the development of their real design in becoming religious, you learn their characters. They all profess to be servants of God, and yet by observing the lives of many, it becomes manifest that instead of their being God's servants they are only trying to make God their servant. Their leading aim and object is to secure their own salvation, or some other advantage for themselves, through the medium of the favor of God. They are seeking to make God their friend, that they may make use of him to serve their own turn.
I. There is a class of professed Christians who are the true friends of God and man.
If you attend to those things which develop the true design and aim, of their religion, you will see it to be such. They are truly and sincerely benevolent.
1. They will make it manifest that this is their character, by their carefulness in avoiding sin.
They will show that they hate it in themselves, and they hate it in others. They will not justify it in themselves, and they will not justify it in others. They will not seek to cover up or to excuse their own sins, neither will they try to cover up or to excuse the sins of others. In short, they aim at PERFECT HOLINESS. This course of conduct makes it evident that they are the true friends of God. I do not mean to say that every true friend of God is perfect, no more than I would say that every truly affectionate and obedient child is perfect, or never fails in duty to his parent. But if he is an affectionate and obedient child, his aim is to obey always, and if he fails in any respect, he by no means justifies it, or pleads for it, or aims to cover it up, but as soon as he comes to think of the matter, is dissatisfied with himself, and condemns his conduct.
So these persons who are the true friends of God and man, are ever ready to complain of themselves, and to blame and condemn themselves for what is wrong. But you never see them finding fault with God. You never hear them excusing themselves and throwing off the blame upon their Maker, by telling of their inability to obey God, or speaking as if God had required impossibilities of his creatures. They always speak as if they felt that what God has required is right and reasonable, and themselves only to blame for their disobedience.
2. They manifest a deep abhorrence of the sins of other people.
They do not cover up the sins of others, or plead for them and excuse them, or smooth them over by "perhaps" this, or "perhaps" that. You never hear them apologizing for sin. As they are indignant at sin in themselves, they are just as much so when they see it in others. They know its horrible nature, and abhor it always.
3. Another thing in which this spirit manifests itself, is zeal for the honor and glory of God.
They show the same ardor to promote God's honour and interest, that the true patriot does to promote the honor and interest of his country. If he greatly loves his country, its government and its interest, he sets his heart upon promoting its advancement and benefit. He is never so happy as when he is doing something for the honour and advancement of his country. So a child that truly loves his father, is never so happy as when he is advancing his father's honor and interest. And he never feels more indignant grief, than when he sees his father abused or injured. If he sees his father disobeyed or abused by those who ought to obey and love and honor him, his heart breaks forth with indignant grief.
There are multitudes of professing Christians, and even ministers, who are very zealous to defend their own character and their own honor. But this one class feel more engaged, and their hearts beat higher when defending or advancing God's honor. These are the true friends of God and man.
4. They show that they sympathize with God in His feelings towards man.
They have the same kind of friendship for souls that God feels. I do not mean that they feel in the same degree, but that they have the same kind of feelings. There is such a thing as loving the souls of men and hating their conduct too. There is such a thing as constitutional sympathy, which persons feel for those who are in distress. This is natural. You always feel this for a person in distress, unless you have some selfish reason for feeling malevolent. If you saw a murderer hung, you would feel compassion for him. The wicked have this natural sympathy for those that suffer.
There is another peculiar kind of sympathy which the real child of God feels and manifests towards sinners. It is a mingled feeling of abhorrence and compassion, of indignation against his sins, and pity for his person. It is possible to feel this deep abhorrence of sin mingled with deep compassion for souls capable of such endless happiness, and yet bound to eternal misery.
I will explain myself. There are two kinds of love.--One is the love of benevolence. This has no respect to the character of the person loved, but merely views the individual as exposed to suffering and misery. This God feels towards all men. The other kind includes esteem or approbation of character. God feels this only towards the righteous. He never feels this love towards sinners. He infinitely abhors them. He has an infinitely strong exercise of compassion and abhorrence at the same time. Christians have the same feelings, only not in the same degree, but they have them at the same time. Probably they never feel right unless they have both these feelings in exercise at the same time. The Christian does not feel as God feels towards individuals, nor feel according to the true character of the individuals, unless both these feelings exist in his mind at the same time. You see this by one striking characteristic. The Christian will rebuke most pointedly and frequently those for whom he feels the deepest compassion. Did you never see this? Did you never see a parent yearning with compassion over a child, and reprove him with tears, and yet with a pungency that would make the little offender quail under his rebuke. Jesus Christ often manifested strongly these two emotions. He wept over Jerusalem, and yet he tells the reason, in a manner that shows his burning indignation against their conduct. "O Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee!"--Ah! what a full view he had of their wickedness, at the moment that he wept with compassion for the doom that hung over them. It is just so with this class of Christians. You never find one of them addressing a sinner so as merely to make him weep because somebody is weeping for him. But his most tender appeals are accompanied with strong rebuke for sin.
I wish you to remember this point--that the true friend of God and man never takes the sinner's part, because he never acts through mere compassion. And at the same time, he is never seen to denounce the sinner, without at the same time manifesting compassion for his soul, and a strong desire to save him from death.
5. It is a prominent object with such Christians, in all their intercourse with men, to make them friends of God.
Whether they converse, or pray, or attend to the duties of life, it is their prominent object to recommend religion and to lead everybody to glorify God. It is very natural they should do this, if they are the true friends of God. A true friend of the government wishes every body to be a friend of the government. A true and affectionate child wishes every body to love and respect his father. And if any one is at enmity, it is his constant aim and effort to bring him to reconciliation. The same you would expect from a true friend of God, as a leading feature of his character, that he would make it a PROMINENT object of his life to reconcile sinners to God.
Now, mark me! If this is not the leading feature of your character, if it is not the absorbing topic of thought and effort to reconcile men to God, you have not the root of the matter in you. Whatever appearance of religion you may have, you lack the leading and fundamental characteristic of true piety. It wants the leading feature of the character and aims of Jesus Christ, and of his apostles and prophets. Look at them, and see how this feature stands out in strong and eternal relief, as the leading characteristic, the prominent design and object of their lives. Now let me ask you, what is the leading object of your life, as appears in your daily walk? Is it to bring all God's enemies to submit to him? If not, away with your pretensions to religion. Whatever else you have, you have not the true love of God in you.
6. Where there are persons of this class, you will see them scrupulously avoid every thing that in their estimation is calculated to defeat their great end.
They always wish to avoid every thing calculated to prevent the salvation of souls, every thing calculated to divert attention, or in any way to hinder the conversion of souls. It is not the natural question with them, when any thing is proposed which is doubtful, to ask, "Is this something which God expressly forbids?" The first question that naturally suggests itself to their minds is, "What will be the bearing of this upon religion? Will it have a tendency to prevent the conversion of sinners, to hinder the progress of revivals, to roll back the wheels of salvation?" If so, they do not need the thunders of Sinai to be pealed in their ears, to forbid their doing it. If they see it contrary to the spirit of holiness, and contrary to the main object they have in view, that is enough.
Look at the temperance reformation for an illustration of this. Here let me say, that it was the influence of intemperance in hindering the conversion and salvation of sinners that first turned the attention of the benevolent men who commenced the reformation, to inquire on the subject. And the same class of persons are still carrying it on. Such men do not stand and cavil at every step of the way, and say "Drinking rum is no where prohibited in the Bible and I do not feel bound to give it up." They find that it hinders the great object for which they live, and that is enough for them, they give it up of course. They avoid whatever they see would hinder revival, as a matter of course, just as a merchant would avoid any thing that had a tendency to impair his credit, and defeat his object of making money by his business. Suppose a merchant was about to do something that you knew would injuriously affect his credit, and you go to him in the spirit of friendship and advise him not to do it, would he turn round and say, "Show me the passage where God has prohibited this in the Bible?" No. He don't[sic.] ask you to show him any thing more than this, that it is inconsistent with his main design.
Mark this, all of you. A person who is strongly desirous of the conversion of sinners does not need an express prohibition to prevent his doing that which he sees is calculated to prevent this. There is no danger of his doing that which will defeat the very object of his life.
7. This class of professing Christians are always distressed, unless they see the work of converting sinners going on.
They call it a lamentable state of things in the church, if no sinners are converted. No matter what else is true, no matter how rich the congregation grows, nor how popular their minister, nor how many come to hear him, their panting hearts are uneasy unless they see the work of conversion actually going on. They see that all the rest is nothing without this--yea, that even the means of grace are doing more hurt than good, unless sinners are converted.
Such professors as these are a great trouble to those who are religious from other motives, and who therefore wish to keep all quiet and have every thing go on regularly in the good old way. They are often called "uneasy spirits in the church." And mark it! if a church has a few such spirits in it, the minister will be made uneasy unless his preaching is such as to convert sinners. You sometimes hear of these men reproving the church, and pouring out their expostulations for living so cold and worldly, and the church reply, "O, we are doing well enough, do you not see how we flourish, it is only because you are always uneasy." When in fact their hearts are grieved and their souls in agony because sinners are not converted and souls are pressing down to hell.
8. You will see them when manifesting a spirit of prayer, praying not for themselves but for sinners.
If you know the habitual tenor of people's prayers, it will show which way the tide of their feelings sets. If a man is actuated in religion mainly by a desire to save himself, you will hear him praying chiefly for himself--that he may have his sins pardoned and enjoy much of the Spirit of God, and the like. But if he is truly the friend of God and man, you will find that the burden of his prayers is for the glory of God in the salvation of sinners, and he is never so copious and powerful in prayer, as when he gets upon his favorite topic--the conversion of sinners. Go into the prayer meeting where such Christians pray, and instead of seeing them all shut up in the nutshell of their own interests, spending their whole prayer upon themselves, and just closing with a flourish about the kingdom of Christ, you will hear them pouring out their souls in prayer for the salvation of sinners. I believe there have been cases of such Christians who were so much absorbed in their desires for the salvation of sinners, that for weeks together they did not even pray for their own salvation. Or if they pray for themselves at all, it is that they may be clothed with the Spirit of God, so that they can go out and be mighty through God in pulling souls out of the fire.
You that are here can tell how it is with your prayers, whether you feel most and pray most for yourself or for sinners. If you know nothing about the spirit of prayer for sinners, you are not the true friend of God and man. What! no heart to feel, when sinners are going to hell by your side! No sympathy with the Son of God, who gave his life to save sinners! Away with all such professions of religion. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Don't tell me men are truly pious, when their prayers are droned over, as much a matter of form as when the poor Popish priest counts over his beads. Such a man deceives himself, if he talks about being the true friend of God and man.
9. These persons do not want to ask what are the things they are required to do for the conversion of sinners.
When any thing is presented to them that promises success in converting sinners, they do not wait to be commanded to do it, on pains and penalties if they do not. They only want the evidence that it is calculated to advance the object on which their hearts are set, and they will engage in it with all their soul. The question is not with them all the while, "What am I expressly commanded to do?" but, "In what way can I do most for the salvation of souls, and the conversion of the world to God?" They do not wait for an express command in the Bible, before they will engage in the work of missions, or Sabbath schools, or any other enterprise that promises to save souls; but they are ready to every good word and work.
10. Another characteristic of such Christians is a disposition to deny themselves to do good to others.
God has established throughout all the universe the principle of giving. Even in the natural world, the rivers, the ocean, the clouds, all give. It is so throughout the whole kingdom of nature and of grace. This diffusive principle is every where recognized. This is the very spirit of Christ. He sought not to please himself, but to do good to others. He found his highest happiness in denying himself to do good to others. So it is with this class of persons, they are ever ready to deny themselves of enjoyments and comforts, and even of necessaries, when by so doing they can do more good to others.
11. They are continually devising new means and new measures for doing good.
This is what would be expected from their continual desire to do good. Instead of being satisfied with what does not succeed, they are continually devising new ways and means to effect their object. They are not like those persons who make themselves satisfied with doing what they call their DUTY. Where an individual is aiming mainly at his own salvation, he may think if he does his duty he is discharged from responsibility, and so he is satisfied--he thinks he has escaped from divine wrath and gained heaven for himself, by doing what God required him to do, and he cannot help it, whether sinners are saved or lost. But with the other class, it is not so much their object to gain heaven and avoid wrath, but their leading object is to save souls and to honor God. And if this object is not advanced, they are in pain. Such a man is the one whose soul is all the while devising liberal things, and trying new things, and if one fails, trying another and another, and cannot rest till he has found something that will succeed in the salvation of souls.
12. They always manifest great grief when they see the church asleep and doing nothing for the salvation of sinners.
They know the difficulty--the impossibility of doing anything considerable for the salvation of sinners while the church are asleep. Go into a church where the great mass are doing nothing for the conversion of sinners, and floating along on the current of the world, and you will find that the true friends of God and man are grieved at such a state of things. Those who have other objects in view in being religious, may think they are going on very well. They are not grieved when they see the professed people of God going after show and folly. But if there are any of this class, you will find them grieved and distressed at heart, because the church is in such a state.
13. They are grieved if they see reason to think their minister temporizes, or does not reprove the church pointedly and faithfully for their sins.
The other classes of professors are willing to be rocked to sleep, and willing their minister should preach smooth, flowery and eloquent sermons, and flattering sermons, with no point and no power. But these are not satisfied unless he preaches powerfully and pointedly, and boldly, and rebukes and entreats and exhorts, with all long-suffering and doctrine. Their souls are not fed, or edified, or satisfied with any thing that does not take hold, and do the work for which the ministry was appointed by Jesus Christ.
14. This class of persons will always stand by a faithful minister, who preaches the truth boldly and pointedly.
No matter if the truth he preaches hits them, they like it, and say, Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be an excellent oil. When the truth is poured forth with power, their souls are fed, and grow strong in grace. They can pray for such a minister. They can weep in their closet, and pour out their souls in prayer for him, that he may have the Spirit of God always with him. While others scold and cavil at him and talk about his being extravagant, and all that, you will find Christians of this sort will stand by him, yea, and would go to the stake with him for the testimony of Jesus. And this they do for the best of all reasons--such preaching falls in with the great design for which these Christians live.
15. This sort of Christians are especially distressed when ministers preach sermons not adapted to convert sinners.
I mean when the sermon is not specially addressed to the church, to stir them up. Others may approve the sermon, and praise it, and tell what a great sermon it is, or how eloquent, or lucid or grand or sublime, but it does not suit them if it lacks this one characteristic--a tendency to convert sinners. You will find some people that are great sticklers for the doctrine of election, and they will not believe it is a gospel sermon unless it has the doctrine of election in it, but if the doctrine of election is in it they are suited whether it is adapted to convert sinners or not.--But where a man has his heart set on the conversion of sinners, if he hears a sermon not calculated to do this, he feels as if it lacked the great thing that constitutes a gospel sermon. But if they hear a sermon calculated to save souls, then they are fed and their souls rejoice.
Hence you see the ground for the astonishing difference you often find in the judgment which people pass upon preaching. There is in fact no better test of character than this. It is easy to see who they are that are filled with the love of God and of souls, by the judgment which they pass upon preaching. The true friends of God and man, when they hear a sermon that is not particularly designed to probe and rouse the church and bring them to action, if it is not such as to bear down on sinners and does not tend to convert sinners, it is not the sermon for them.
16. You will always find this class of persons speaking in terms of dissatisfaction with themselves, that they do no more for the conversion of sinners.
However much they may really do for this object, it seems that the more they do the more they long to do. They are never satisfied. Instead of being satisfied with the present degree of their success, there is no end of their longing for the conversion of sinners. I recollect a good man, who used to pray till he was exhausted with praying for individuals and for places and for the world's conversion. Once when he was quite exhausted with praying, he exclaimed "Oh! my longing, aching heart! There is no such thing as satisfying my unutterable desires for the conversion of sinners. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath." That man, though he had been useful beyond almost any other man of his age, yet he saw so much to do, and he so longed to see the work go forward and sinners saved, that his mortal frame could not sustain it. "I find," said he one day, "that I am dying for want of strength to do more to save the souls of men; Oh, how much I want strength, that I may save souls."
17. If you wish to move this class of persons, you must make use of motives drawn from their great and leading object.
If you wish to move them, you must hold up the situation of sinners, and show how they dishonor God, and you will find this will move their souls and set them on fire sooner than any appeal to their hopes and fears. Roll on them this great object. Show them how they can convert sinners, and their longing hearts beat and wrestle with God in prayer, and travail for souls, until they see them converted and Christ formed in them the hope of glory.
I might mention many other characteristics which belong to this class of professing Christians-- the true friends of God and man, did time and strength permit. But I must stop here, and postpone the consideration of the other two classes till next Friday evening, if we are spared and the Lord permit.
Now, do you belong to this class, or not? I have mentioned certain great fundamental facts, which when they exist, indicate the true character of individuals, by showing what is their main design and object in life. You can tell whether this is your character. When I come upon the other part of the subject, I shall endeavor to describe those classes of professing Christians, whose religious zeal, prayers and efforts have another design, and to show their character and how this design is carried out.
And now, beloved, I ask you before God, have you these characteristics of a child of God? Do you KNOW they belong to you? Can you say, "O Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, and that these are the features of my character!"
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Blogger's note:

The above post is taken and posted here mainly because some teachings of the author Charles Finney are very relevant and essential for this generation of Christians who hardly read books in print. 
I strongly recommend reading at least some of his sermons in the above net site. I also recommend reading the following book which contains a lot of gems:

End Times watchman's Bible Study: Today's word is "Planting" of the Lord

The word today is "planting". The watchman's Bible study notes and related verses are in brackets.

Genesis 2:8 [ Life in God’s Garden ] The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
(The Lord God is a planter and gardener from the beginning and He has revealed this when He first created heavens and earth).

Exodus 15:17 You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O LORD, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

(The Lord brings His people and plant them in the place He has made for His own dwelling. Therefore the place must be holy because He is holy. Ex3:5, 19:6; Lev19:2;

1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” )

Numbers 24:6 Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens by the riverside, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters.

(As the vision of God's people depicted by Balaam, they will be planted by rich supply of waters, the Holy Spirit. The planting of His people will be at Spirit-filled places)

(John 7:37 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." )

Psalm 92:13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

(Again, it is clearly stated that they will be planted at the place where God dwells, a holy place. A place where God would meet with His people who daily seek His face. God wants His people to seek His face! )

(Psalm 27:7-9 "Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.8When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.")

Psalm 104:16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap, The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
(The trees planted by the Lord are full of nourishment from Him. They themselves are rich in nourishment for others as well. They are never dried up. No burn-out. These are people who constantly drink from the Lord before Him. They will have eternal life.)

(John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” )

(John 6:54-56 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ")

Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
(Israel was the vineyard planted by the Lord and He expects the same nature of Him from them. But He was disappointed.
(Jesus Himself has warned all Christians on this matter. No one is exempted from the standard and plumb line of God.

(Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’)

Isaiah 61:3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
(The Lord's planted His people in His own house, having redeemed and washed them by the blood of Jesus, filled them with and sanctified them by the Holy Spirit, and He expected them to live the godly righteous life, emulating His Son Jesus, that He may be glorified. This is the goal of Christian salvation, as announced both in the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt and the salvation brought to all peoples by Jesus Christ's crucifixion and perfect sacrifice on the cross.)

(Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.)

(Jesus Glorified God and God thus glorified Him: John 13:31-32 "So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. ") (We too are required to glorify God: Romans 8:17 "and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." )

Jeremiah 11:17 “For the LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced doom against you for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal.”
(When the nation of Israel worshiped other god(s), they brought ruin and disasters on themselves. The same for today's 'Christian' nations/peoples. God does not change. The standard of His holiness remains the same. )

( Hebrews 12:28-29 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire." )

(2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.")

Jeremiah 31:28 And it shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to throw down, to destroy, and to afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the LORD. Jeremiah 45:4 “Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land.
(The Lord watches carefully over what He has planted. He even pluck up the unsuitable ones. )

(Matthew 3:9-11 "and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ")

Ezekiel 17:3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “A great eagle with large wings and long pinions, Full of feathers of various colors, Came to Lebanon And took from the cedar the highest branch. 17:22 Thus says the Lord God: “I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. 23 On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the Lord,have spoken and have done it.”

Watchman's Summary:

Amazing how God chooses what to plant. Here He summed up what He will plant, from where He will pick them, the place He will plant them, what they will become, what benefits they will give others, and why He wants to do all these plantings. We serve an awesome God!

 How wonderful it is to be a majestic cedar for the glory of the Lord!

The watchman now watches what kind of plant he is and will become...