Your pattern of worship will change, the watchman heard

A new pattern of worship has birthed, just as the Lord has foretold the watchman one morning in June when the Lord showed him the verse, “Your pattern of worship will change.” (Deu12:8)
In the micro house church the members from a few families range from seniors in their 70s and 60s to a junior of 5-6 years old. There is a representative variety of ages in between, including, 10s, 20s, 40s and 50s. the only missing age group is the 30s. The watchman observed.
Today’s gathering consisted of the older groups, as the younger ones are elsewhere. The worship, prayers in the Spirit and in understanding, and words went on for five hours. There was not one sick and not one feeble. (The oldest member who used to receive ‘infirm’ report, now walks about without support and she also raises her hands and says Amen and Amen as the Spirit of the Lord leads her when others pray. It is a weekly miracle as she sits through at least three hours and more of worship!)
The singing in the Spirit went supernaturally for a long time until there was a heavenly choir in training. The sound blended like the blowing of a gentle wind, rustling the leaves in poetic rhythm. The Bible verse, “He who is joined to the Lord, is one spirit with Him” came to reality to each of the participants.
As there was no fixed sequence or program, the Spirit led them to listen to the words of God first, followed by Holy Communion, and worship. By the time they listened to the message, they were merely continuing what the Lord had communicated to them through a pastor who was prompted to send some verses to the watchman on the previous day’s afternoon after the watchman had interceded and asked the Lord for the baptism with the Holy Spirit for the group who had earnestly sought the Lord daily now for a week. The pastor did not know this group. He was just led to send the verses to the watchman. After midnight he sent a third verse too. The three verses formed the basis of the day’s message. Amazing and awesome. They were all convicted by the verses and repented one by one.
After the five hours of worship, the group proceeded to watch the book of Acts in another brethren’s house for another two hours. As the young ones were elsewhere, the grown ups decided to eat up all the snacks of ice cream, fruits, chips and nuts. it was a wonderful Lord’s day, living the Holy Spirit way!
___________________Deuteronomy 12 (NLT)

The Lord’s Chosen Place for Worship

12 “These are the decrees and regulations you must be careful to obey when you live in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must obey them as long as you live.
² “When you drive out the nations that live there, you must destroy all the places where they worship their gods—high on the mountains, up on the hills, and under every green tree. ³ Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods!
⁴ “Do not worship the Lord your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods. ⁵ Rather, you must seek the Lord your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored. ⁶ There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks. ⁷ There you and your families will feast in the presence of the Lord your God, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because the Lord your God has blessed you.
⁸ “Your pattern of worship will change. Today all of you are doing as you please, ⁹ because you have not yet arrived at the place of rest, the land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession. ¹⁰ But you will soon cross the Jordan River and live in the land the Lord your God is giving you. When he gives you rest from all your enemies and you’re living safely in the land, ¹¹ you must bring everything I command you—your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, and your offerings to fulfill a vow—to the designated place of worship, the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored.
¹² “You must celebrate there in the presence of the Lord your God with your sons and daughters and all your servants. And remember to include the Levites who live in your towns, for they will receive no allotment of land among you. ¹³ Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you like. ¹⁴ You may do so only at the place the Lord will choose within one of your tribal territories. There you must offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you.
¹⁵ “But you may butcher your animals and eat their meat in any town whenever you want. You may freely eat the animals with which the Lord your God blesses you. All of you, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you now eat gazelle and deer. ¹⁶ But you must not consume the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.
¹⁷ “But you may not eat your offerings in your hometown—neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor any offering to fulfill a vow, nor your voluntary offerings, nor your sacred offerings. ¹⁸ You must eat these in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose. Eat them there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your towns, celebrating in the presence of the Lord your God in all you do. ¹⁹ And be very careful never to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
²⁰ “When the Lord your God expands your territory as he has promised, and you have the urge to eat meat, you may freely eat meat whenever you want. ²¹ It might happen that the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—is a long way from your home. If so, you may butcher any of the cattle, sheep, or goats the Lord has given you, and you may freely eat the meat in your hometown, as I have commanded you. ²² Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat, just as you do now with gazelle and deer. ²³ But never consume the blood, for the blood is the life, and you must not consume the lifeblood with the meat. ²⁴ Instead, pour out the blood on the ground like water. ²⁵ Do not consume the blood, so that all may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what pleases the Lord.
²⁶ “Take your sacred gifts and your offerings given to fulfill a vow to the place the Lord chooses. ²⁷ You must offer the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat. ²⁸ Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the Lord your God.
²⁹ “When the Lord your God goes ahead of you and destroys the nations and you drive them out and live in their land, ³⁰ do not fall into the trap of following their customs and worshiping their gods. Do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I want to follow their example.’ ³¹ You must not worship the Lord your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.
^32 [a]“So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.

Footnotes:

1. Deuteronomy 12:32 Verse 12:32 is numbered 13:1 in Hebrew text.

Pray with Gospel For Asia online

Gospel for Asia - 1800 Golden Trail Ct. - Carrollton TX 75010 - 800-WIN-ASIA Dear Fellow Christian, Join the Gospel for Asia staff family during our monthly Friday night prayer meeting from 7:30 to 9:30 pm Central time. You don't even have to leave the comfort of your home to participate! Just visit our live video stream and invite your friends and family to intercede along with you for South Asia. Hear powerful firsthand updates of the tremendous work the Lord is doing in Asia and learn of ways that you can become more personally involved in all that God is doing. Together, as the Body of Christ, we can make a difference for eternity through prayer. The Lord bless you, Your friends at Gospel for Asia www.gfa.org/prayer

-

The Holy Spirit says: Be Free! And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”

 Today’s prayer from the watchman to the Lord is “O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you.Be our arm every morning,our salvation in the time of trouble.” Then the Lord answered, “And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”. ““But where is this wonderful place Lord?” The watchman asked further. Then he knew. How did he know? Just by following the faith people, living in the Spirit, walking by faith and not by sight.

Lately he was led to renovate his abode by throwing out the stuff that hinder his spiritual journey by faith (worldly books and stuff of no value in the kingdom of God). He just obeyed. He saw in his spirit that some disciples looking persons sitting on the floor waiting upon the Lord. He asked the Lord and received the prompting that the place would be put to use as an intensive training ground for those who want to learn to hear God and be led by the Spirit. About three years back he first heard in his spirit the term “prophet-disciple school”. He put it aside as he had no other leading. Then a few months back the Lord prompted him again. He asked the Lord from where and how such ‘disciple trainees’ would come? He was told that the Lord would bring them and they would come from unexpected sources. He needed not do anything. They would self-sustain themselves. So he obeyed and free up the place by throwing away two lorry loads of unwanted stuff.
As it is spacious and empty he loves to sit there alone and waits upon the Lord. The early morning and evening time is the best. The garden is just a glass door away, with some trees and patches of grass and stone pavement. Mature red palms, an unnamed tree, a fir tree, and a young thriving avocado tree are all doing well.
One day he received a phone call. A brethren in Christ who had not contacted him for many years suddenly called him. The man had been fasting for 28 days and had encountered the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He was filled with joy and tears. He wanted to talk to someone and no one was willing to hear him out from his circle of brethren and friends, including his own wife, pastors and elders. They come from one of the most traditional churches in this region. They do not want to know his experience of baptism of the Holy Spirit and are also against praying in tongues (in the church or anything to do with the church ministry).
The pastor has even warned sternly that he should never speak or pray in tongue when he is at the pulpit (as a worship leader //deacon), leading worship or prayer meetings, or as a cell group leader, or anywhere around the church or where the church members gather. He was stunned. He has served the Lord for years and become bone dry. He has observed that others too have the same dryness in their souls and spirits. Their bodies too suffer sicknesses which warrant constant medicine intake. After he was filled with the Holy Spirit he was overjoyed and nourished by the Lord, feeding on the word of God like never before. The brethren also testified that he decided to stop his medicine during his fasting and he was healed of a chronic pain at the back of his neck!

So the watchman was contacted when this Spirit-filled brethren suddenly recalled his name! The watchman agreed to meet with him as the brethren indicated that he wanted to know more about Holy Spirit-filled living. At first they met around 10am. Then the Lord prompted that the brethren should join the watchman waiting upon the Lord early to learn hands-on. So they decided to meet at the newly renovated space at 5am daily Monday to Friday.

After the first meeting, they were joined by a couple who lived nearby. They decided to wait upon the Lord too in the early hours before going to work. So the 5am-8am/9am morning ‘wait-upon-the-Lord’ faith in action training had birthed. No agenda. No planning. No program. No schedule. No fixed message. No fixed time frame. They just learned to listen to the Lord Holy Spirit and obeyed.
The Bible verses flowed as the Spirit of the Lord led them. The Lord Jesus had promised, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
Indeed, the watchman and the earnest seekers of God, daily encounter the reality of these verses, “Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar.”
“But there the Lord in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams,”
“And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.”
________________________________Bible verses for today:
Isaiah 33 (ESV)
² O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you.
    Be our arm every morning,
    our salvation in the time of trouble.
³ At the tumultuous noise peoples flee;
when you lift yourself up, nations are scattered,
⁴ and your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers;
as locusts leap, it is leapt upon.
⁵ The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high;
    he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness,
⁶ and he will be the stability of your times,
    abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
    the fear of the Lord is Zion’s^[a] treasure.
⁷ Behold, their heroes cry in the streets;
the envoys of peace weep bitterly.
⁸ The highways lie waste;
the traveler ceases.
Covenants are broken;
cities^[b] are despised;
there is no regard for man.
⁹ The land mourns and languishes;
Lebanon is confounded and withers away;
Sharon is like a desert,
and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.
¹⁰ “Now I will arise,” says the Lord,
    “now I will lift myself up;
    now I will be exalted.
¹¹ You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble;
your breath is a fire that will consume you.
¹² And the peoples will be as if burned to lime,
like thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire.”
¹³ Hear, you who are far off, what I have done;
and you who are near, acknowledge my might.
¹⁴ The sinners in Zion are afraid;
trembling has seized the godless:
“Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire?
    Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?”
¹⁵ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
who despises the gain of oppressions,
who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe,
who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed
and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,
¹⁶ he will dwell on the heights;
    his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks;
    his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.
¹⁷ Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty;
    they will see a land that stretches afar.
¹⁸ Your heart will muse on the terror:
“Where is he who counted, where is he who weighed the tribute?
Where is he who counted the towers?”
¹⁹ You will see no more the insolent people,
the people of an obscure speech that you cannot comprehend,
stammering in a tongue that you cannot understand.
²⁰ Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts!
Your eyes will see Jerusalem,
an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent,
whose stakes will never be plucked up,
nor will any of its cords be broken.
²¹ But there the Lord in majesty will be for us
a place of broad rivers and streams,
where no galley with oars can go,
nor majestic ship can pass.
²² For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver;
    the Lord is our king; he will save us.
²³ Your cords hang loose;
they cannot hold the mast firm in its place
or keep the sail spread out.
Then prey and spoil in abundance will be divided;
even the lame will take the prey.
²⁴ And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”;
    the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.
Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 33:6 Hebrew his
2. Isaiah 33:8 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll witnesses

today's message: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1

English Standard Version (ESV) Greeting

1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

² To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Thanksgiving
⁴ I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— ⁶ even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Divisions in the Church
¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers,^[a] by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. ¹¹ For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. ¹² What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” ¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

²⁰ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach^[b] to save those who believe. ²² For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,^[c] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸ God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹ so that no human being^[d] might boast in the presence of God.  
³⁰ And because of him^[e] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God's family, the church; also verses 11, 26
2. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Or the folly of preaching
3. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Greek according to the flesh
4. 1 Corinthians 1:29 Greek no flesh
5. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Greek And from him

A List of Items for watchman-intercessor

How to be an effective watchman and intercessor? Often this question is raised by the enthusiastic watchman to be (who must be born again by the Spirit of Christ). There is a harvest field for watchmen/intercessors who are spiritual harvest laborers as well. So here are some words for those who really desire to soar into the spiritual realm watching and praying just as the Lord Jesus had commanded. The list is not exhaustive and is not arranged in any sequence of importance. Some of the items are inter-related or are expansions from previous items. (Note: Some may find some items on the list challenging or even ‘offensive’. Do not be offended. After all, it is between you and God who calls you.)
Always be led by the Spirit of the Lord, Jesus Christ Himself!

1. You need to be called.
2. You need to be spiritual, able to see, hear and discern in your spirit.
3. You need to be a disciple of Jesus.
4. You need to know the words of God.
5. You need to have faith.
6. You need to spend time, a lot of time, (for some, all the time) with God.
7. You need to know how to pray.
8. You need to love praying.
9. You need to live before God.
10. You need to live a solitary life, often misunderstood by close ones.
11. You need to be up when others are sleeping.
12. You need to travel far, often in the spirit.
13. You need to know and obey God’s will.
14. You need a variety of spiritual gifts, including the gifts of discerning spirits, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, tongues and interpretation of tongues when needed to pass on a message. For some who double up as prophets or teachers, they need the gift of prophesy or teaching.
15. You need to be after the heart of the Father (God), as David did.
16. You need to live a godly and holy life.
17. You need to fear God.
18. You need to know the will of God.
19. You need to know you have no option but to obey the Lord when called. You need to obey His will and His word.
20. You need to confess and repent of your sins as convicted by the Holy Spirit and the word of God.
21. You need to constantly examine your own thoughts and intents (motives) so they would not fool you into thinking you have heard from the Lord.
22. You need to know how to do spiritual warfare.
23. You need grace and truth.
24. You need the blood of Jesus.
25. You need Psalm 91 protection.
26. You need to put on the full armor of God.
27. You need to know to pray the right things at the right time for the right people.
28. You need to know how to use the sword of the Spirit.
29. You need to know how to pray and sing in the Spirit.
30. You need to live divine. (This means you can pray, bind and cast out your own demons, heal your own sickness, and deliver and cleanse yourself).

How Jesus spoke – (word gems from Mark)

After the watchman had completed reading Romans 1-8 in the small hours of the morning, he was led to read the book of Mark 1-5. He heard, “Jesus was a man of few words. Imitate Him.”
Jesus had set an example for His disciples. He did not waste words. He knew the power of God’s words when spoken with faith, as led by the Holy Spirit.
_______________________Here are the gems the watchman found:
1:5 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.
1:7 Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.
1:25 Be silent and come out of him!
1:38 Let Me go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.
1:41 I will; be clean.
1:44 See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.
2:5 Son, your sins are forgiven.
2:11 I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.
3:3 Come here.
3:5 Stretch out your hand.
4:39 Peace! Be still!
5:8 Come out of the man, you unclean spirit.
5:34 Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.
5:41 Little girl, I say to you, arise.
__________________He continued the next morning and uncovered these gems as follows:
6:4 A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.
6:10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.
6:31 Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.
6:37 You give them something to eat.
6:38 How many loaves do you have? Go and see.
6:50 Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.
7:29 For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.
7:34 Ephphatha (Be open).
8:5 How many loaves do you have?
8:12 Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.
8:15 Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.
8:21 Do you not yet understand?
9:16 What are you arguing about with them?
9:21 How long has this been happening to him?
9:23 If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.
9:25 You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.
9:29 This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.
9:31 The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.
9:33 What were you discussing on the way?
9:35 If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.
10:15 Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.
10:27 With man it is impossible but not with God. With God all things are possible.
10:31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
10:36 What do you want Me to do for you?
10:45 But even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
10:49 Call him.
10:51 What do you want Me to do for you?
10:52 Go your way, your faith has made you well.
_____________________________
11:17 Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayers for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.
11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it shall be yours.
11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
11:29 I will ask you one question; answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
12:24 Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?
12:27 He is not God of the dead, but God of the living. You are quite wrong.
12:31b There is no other commandment greater than these.
13:11 …for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
13:13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
13:14 But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
13:23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
13:26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
13:31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
13:35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows,^[c] or in the morning—
13:36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.
13:37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.
14:⁹ And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.
²² And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” ²³ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. ²⁴ And he said to them, “This is my blood of the^[c] covenant, which is poured out for many.
³⁸ Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
⁴¹ And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.
⁶¹ But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” ⁶² And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
15:² And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”
16:¹⁵ And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

THE MESSAGE TODAY: How to be curse free?

Galatians 3

English Standard Version (ESV)

By Faith, or by Works of the Law?

3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. ² Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by^[a] the flesh? ⁴ Did you suffer^[b] so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? ⁵ Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— ⁶ just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

⁷ Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. ⁸ And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify^[c] the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” ⁹ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

¹⁰ For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” ¹¹ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”^{[d] 12} But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— ¹⁴ so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit^[e] through faith.

The Law and the Promise

¹⁵ To give a human example, brothers:^[f] even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. ¹⁶ Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. ¹⁷ This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
¹⁹ Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. ²⁰ Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
²¹ Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. ²² But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
²³ Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. ²⁴ So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave^[g] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Footnotes:

1. Galatians 3:3 Or now ending with
2. Galatians 3:4 Or experience
3. Galatians 3:8 Or count righteous; also verses 11, 24
4. Galatians 3:11 Or The one who by faith is righteous will live
5. Galatians 3:14 Greek receive the promise of the Spirit
6. Galatians 3:15 Or brothers and sisters
7. Galatians 3:28 Greek bondservant

TODAY’S MESSAGE TO CHURCHES THAT SPEAK ENGLISH: THE WAY OF LOVE

The watchman asked the Lord and received this as Today’s Message to Churches that speak English:”THE WAY OF LOVE”

1 Corinthians 13 (ESV) The Way of Love

13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,^[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.
⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;^{[b] 6} it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts deliver up my body [to death] that I may boast
2. 1 Corinthians 13:5 Greek irritable and does not count up wrongdoing

The watchman has no other words. His only prompting is that we read the word from the end. There are seven love letters from the resurrected Lord Jesus Himself. Go and read them, church!

Verses for the downhearted in the flesh -the word is ‘CONTRITE’

For encouragement, here are the verses for the ‘downhearted’ in the flesh.

1. Psalm 34:18
   The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
   Psalm 34:17-19 (in Context) Psalm 34 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2. Psalm 51:17
   The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.
   Psalm 51:16-18 (in Context) Psalm 51 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
3. Isaiah 57:15
   For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
   Isaiah 57:14-16 (in Context) Isaiah 57 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
4. Isaiah 66:2
   For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
   Isaiah 66:1-3 (in Context) Isaiah 66 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

FLEE! CUT LOSSES! GET OUT OF THE CAMP!

A REAL LIFE CASE

Yesterday the mindman saw a very expensive huge foreign Benz car drove up to his yard. It belonged to a close one’s insurance agent. The close one had just surrendered her life endowment insurance after deciding that she no longer needed to insure her life. She however discovered to her shock that by surrendering she lost $100000 (about one-third of what she had paid the insurance system!). 

If she had kept the money in her bank account she would have received all her saving principals plus interests! It was a daylight robbery by a middle man who added no economic value to the woman and the society at large. 

She paid her half yearly premiums faithfully not knowing that it was not a saving plan for her retirement. Now that she has retired early she has lost one-third of that savings to the insurance system! She was worse off instead of being better off. 

She was told that she would receive $36000 yearly after 14 years, but it turned out that out of the $36000 she has to continue paying yearly premium of about $33000 for the rest of her life! That leaves her a NET earning of a meager $3000 yearly, that is, a mere $250 to live on per month. How can she live on with $250 a month? But the insurance system is not concerned with such an unjust (RATHER CRUEL AND DECEPTIVE) scheme.  

HERE IS THE CALCULATION: She started paying the yearly premium of $35000 since she was 41 years old. By 55 years old she would retire and would have paid them a total of $490000 in premium. The insurance company will thereafter pay her $3000 a year ($250 per month). What she has paid them can afford them to pay her 163 years if she lives that long (55 +163 = 218 years old). According to their scheme now revealed, she needs to live divine on $250 a month if she has no other income. 

Where has her $100000 premium gone? Surely the insurance system did not need to spend one hundred thousand dollars to print a certificate of insurance. The insured has paid for heavy and unjust expenses incurred by the insurance system, such as, a Mercedes-Benz for someone who shuffles some papers, talks some words, and helps the insured fill up stacks of forms with very small prints.

It is indeed better to be an insurance agent or anyone who works with papers and letters than to be a hard working professional who has to study hard and work hard all her working life saving others’ lives while believing that she could retire with a secured sum of savings (all earned through honest means), which had turned out to be a fantasy!

(Note: in the above case, the ex-insured does not depend solely on this particular ‘saving’ plan. She could live on. )

See behind the systems

The insurance system cannot give people long life or good health. It cannot even assure you that your own savings will be safe. Whatever you can afford to pay as premium is subject to the risk called, TRUST -PUTTING YOUR TRUST IN A HUMAN SYSTEM.

All they ‘promise’ is if you die your beneficiary will receive a sum of money. But what is the good for the insured person? Someone else gets a limited sum of money in exchange for your life! There is no benefit for you in the insurance.

The insurance system promises paying a certain amount of hospital fees if you get terminally ill. Again what is the good to the insured if the person is terminally ill. Again there is no benefit for you in the insurance. 

(Who wants to die or get terminally ill in order to receive a benefit?)  
Who in their sound mind would want to exchange their lives for some ‘benefits’ which go to others (either your beneficiary or the hospital for cancer treatment)?
Yet many do not practice sound mind because they put their trust and hope in the SYSTEMS -MERE HUMAN WORD SYSTEMS.

An ex-medical specialist lamented that patients came and asked for whatever treatment they could get in order to have hope for an extended life. After being told that there was nothing more to do for their cases they still begged and asked the medical system to try. People were desperate and willing to pay any price just to have life. But the medical system cannot give life.

The insurance system cannot give life and security. Neither can the medical system give life and security. But people do not know this.

Human minds are good at creating vain hopes. Human fall for lies about hope. The utmost hope is having eternal life. 

The truth is, human cannot give or create lives.Human systems cannot even give you physical life, not to mention eternal life in your spirit.

WHERE IS HOPE WHEN DECEIVERS RULE?

The mindman feels indignant that lies can camouflage themselves as truth and prevail so well and so long in the human system.

Why do people allow themselves to remain poor and be enslaved by having to pay homage (in hard earned money) to flawed systems? The answer is that people live in fear all their lives.

There is a Bible verse for this: in Hebrews 2:15 Jesus came and destroyed the devil, who had the power of death, “and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” 

The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus has come and destroyed the power of death! You do not need to fear anymore. Just get out of the system.

FLEE! CUT LOSSES! GET OUT OF THE CAMP!

MANY HAVE GOT OUT AND NOW LIVE DIVINE HAVING BEEN SET FREE FROM BONDAGE.

Isaiah 52:11
Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the LORD.
Isaiah 52:10-12 (in Context) Isaiah 52 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

What holy vessels are you carrying today? Your body and your soul. Your body is not your own. it is Christ’s. He paid for it with His precious blood. (1 Cor.6:17-20) Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you.

Your soul (mind and emotion) is precious and a target for captive by the enemy -the devil.

Jesus has pointed out the common folly of man.Matthew 16:26 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

The devil had offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory(Matt4:8-10) which are currently owned by the devil.

The world has to be earned by the exchange of your soul. can you afford it? 

______________GOD HAS WARNED THE SYSTEMS PERPETRATORS WHO DO NOT REPENT:

Revelation 22:15 (NKJV) ¹⁵ But^[a] outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. Footnotes: Revelation 22:15 NU-Text and M-Text omit But.

What do end times Christians do? preaching, teaching and healing:

 Most Christians today are increasingly aware of what the Lord's will is. No one wants to be condemned by not knowing the will of the Father in heaven. Jesus clearly declared that only those who do the will of the Father can enter heaven. (Matt.7:21)

The utmost question is: What is the will of God? Jesus does the will of the Father in heaven and He knows the will of God. As Paul has urged us, let us emulate Christ.

 Matthew 9:35-38 (NKJV)

The Compassion of Jesus (Learn from His example of an evangelist)

³⁵ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.^{[a] 36} But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary^[b] and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 9:35 NU-Text omits among the people.
2. Matthew 9:36 NU-Text and M-Text read harassed.

Matthew 10 (NKJV)

1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 

 ⁷ And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,^[c] cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

 ¹⁴ And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

 ¹⁶ “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.

  ²² And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

 ²⁶ Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

 ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 ³² “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

³⁴ “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 

  ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

⁴⁰ “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 

 

The Lord speaks to the church elders today: ONE MESSAGE

TODAY’S MESSAGE FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT: THE LORD WANTS US TO EMULATE PAUL. HE HAS ONLY ONE MESSAGE -THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders Acts 20:17-35 (NLT)
¹⁷ But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.
¹⁸ When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now ¹⁹ I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. ²⁰ I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. ²¹ I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
²² “And now I am bound by the Spirit^[a] to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. ²⁴ But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
²⁵ “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. ²⁶ I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault,^{[b] 27} for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.
²⁸ “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood^[c]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.^{[d] 29} I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. ³¹ Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
³² “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
³³ “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. ³⁴ You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. ³⁵ And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Footnotes:

1. Acts 20:22 Or by my spirit, or by an inner compulsion; Greek reads by the spirit.
2. Acts 20:26 Greek I am innocent of the blood of all.
3. Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own [Son].
4. Acts 20:28 Greek overseers.

On the third day after the superstorm: They have washed their robes

On the third day after the superstorm, the watchman heard, Revelation 7. So he opened his Bible and read.

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

^{Revelation 7: 9} After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” ¹¹ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” ¹⁴ I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

¹⁵ “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
    and serve him day and night in his temple;
    and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
¹⁶ They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
    the sun shall not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷ For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

________________________More verses on 'washing' and 'wearing white garments':

1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:10-12 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Hebrews 10:22
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:21-23 (in Context) Hebrews 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Acts 22:16
And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
Acts 22:15-17 (in Context) Acts 22 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Ephesians 5:26
that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
Ephesians 5:25-27 (in Context) Ephesians 5 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Isaiah 1:16
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
Isaiah 1:15-17 (in Context) Isaiah 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

 

Jeremiah 4:14
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?
Jeremiah 4:13-15 (in Context) Jeremiah 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

 

What qualified them to wear white robes?

1. The blood of the Lamb.
2. They have not soiled their garments by sins.
3. They are considered worthy by the Lord.
4. The one who conquers (overcomes sins)
    
   Revelation 3:4-5
   Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
   Revelation 3:3-5 (in Context) Revelation 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
   Rewards for those who get to wear white garments in heaven
   
   1. The Lord will allow them to walk with Him (in white).
      
   2. Their names will be kept in the book of life.
      
   3. Jesus will grant them to sit with Him on His throne. (Rev.3:21)
   Revelation 3:18
   I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
   Revelation 3:17-19 (in Context) Revelation 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
   Revelation 4:4
   Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.
   Revelation 4:3-5 (in Context) Revelation 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

 How to be sanctified?

BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BY THE TRUTH -THE WORD OF GOD

2 Thessalonians 2:13

[ Stand Firm ] But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

John 17:17
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
John 17:16-18 (in Context) John 17 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

John 17:19
And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
John 17:18-20 (in Context) John 17 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

 ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY

1 Thessalonians 4:3
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
1 Thessalonians 4:2-4 (in Context) 1 Thessalonians 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

THE GOD OF PEACE SANCTIFIES YOU -BY HIS (JESUS) BLOOD

1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:22-24 (in Context) 1 Thessalonians 5 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
Hebrews 10:28-30 (in Context) Hebrews 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Hebrews 13:12
So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.
Hebrews 13:11-13 (in Context) Hebrews 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

   BY FAITH, BELIEF, AND OBEDIENCE TO JESUS (RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD)

Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Acts 26:17-19 (in Context) Acts 26 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Romans 6:19
I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
Romans 6:18-20 (in Context) Romans 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
Romans 6:21-23 (in Context) Romans 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations