January 10, 2016

Watchman's adventure: end and begin

A brief summary of a watchman's journal of the last few days of 2015 and the beginning of 2016.

Journey for the people of God. On 2015 12/28 Prompted to read Numbers 33, 34, 35. Theme: stages of journey—leaving and camping, repeatedly many times. finally, moving on according to God's plan and instructions.

(Fasted modified combined Esther's and Daniel's fast for seven days—12/31/15-1/6/16)

2015/12/31 Habakkuk's conversation with God. he asked God 'how long' and lots of 'whys'. However he changed his tone to this statement in chapter 3:1 "Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of  Your deeds, Lord. REPEAT THEM IN OUR DAY, IN OUR TIME MAKE THEM KNOWN; IN WRATH REMEMBER MERCY." God then showed the prophet His glory, praise, splendor, and power (3:3).  3:10-17 described the scene of a terrible Tsunami.  3:10 "the mountains saw you and writhed, Torrents of water swept by; the deep roared and lifted its waves on high...15 You trampled the sea with Your horses, churning the great waters..." Zephaniah 1:3 "I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea..." 18 "neither their silver or their gold will be able to save them on the day..."

2016 1/1 Proverbs 29. Theme: State of the nations. "The good, the bad, the ugly." Key words: 'snared by their own sins' —stiff-necked, greedy for bribes, evildoers, mockers, fools, bloodthirsty, rages and scoffs, flatter neighbors and spreading nets and snares, oppressor, undisciplined child, no revelation–cast off restraint, insolent servants unresponsive to corrections, speak in haste, angry person, pride, accomplice of thieves, fear of man. 27 "The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright."

2016 1/2 Matthew whole chapter 24. Theme: The Day of Jesus' return will come. 2 "Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you..." 10-14 "At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations,  and then the end will come."

2016/1/3 State of the nations continued in Jeremiah 42, 43. Jesus teaches 'that which defiles' (. Theme: Be prepared. Watch the mouth which reflects the heart. The battle is in in the words (the Sword of the Spirit). Matthew 15:1-20, 23:25, 38 "Look, your house is left to you desolate." Mark 7:14-15, 18-22, 23 "All these evils come from inside and defile a person." Luke 6:45 "For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."

2016 1/4-6 Jesus teaches by questions and answers (mainly from the book of Luke). Theme: salvation and healing come by believing in Jesus. Know God's good plan and purpose, and the power of the Living God in His words (Life and Spirit) for each individual believer. "What is written in the Law? How do you read it? You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?" (Luke 10:26, 40, 56) Interpretation of God's Word by the Holy Spirit and not by man's ways.

2016 1/7 Numbers 14:29, 34, 38. v29 "Everyone of you twenty years old or more", v34 "for forty years". v38 "Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived."
v24 "But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it."

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