Remnants’ Story: there is nothing in between waiting and traveling

For a mindman: This is most unthinkable. A day or even a period of blanks. No mind activity or any activity? Well, there are plenty of activities. In the spiritual realm.

For the remnants at end times, there is nothing in between waiting and traveling, the mindman has learned.

The mindman had spent a most unusual three days’ trip to an island.
The trip: One and half days of traveling by land, sea and then by land again.
In between: one day of haze.
There was nothing else. The bulk of the time was spent in preparing for travel, actual on the road and on sea, and waiting in between the travel.
Why was he put on such a trip? He asked. It is like the current theme for the end times remnants is: prepare to travel by land and by sea, including climbing mountains, up and down mountains; actual travel by land and by water; and waiting.
What about the in between? The mindman asked. The in between is just in between. There is nothing there. This is a mere beginning...
(Excerpt from my book on End Day Remnants.)

Bible verses quoted from Isaiah 11

11:2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—

The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The Spirit of counsel and strength,

The Spirit of knowledge and of the [reverential and obedient] fear of the Lord—

The Restored Remnant

11:11

Then it will happen on that day that the Lord

Will again acquire with His hand a second time

The remnant of His people, who will remain,

From Assyria, from [Lower] Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush (Ethiopia), from Elam [in Persia], from Shinar [Babylonia], from Hamath [in Aram],

And from the coastlands bordering the [Mediterranean] Sea.

11:12

And He will lift up a signal for the nations

And assemble the [a]outcasts of Israel,

And will gather the dispersed of Judah

From the four corners of the earth.

3 

Today’s Sermon from the Holy Spirit: set apart; sent off; filled with the Holy Spirit; proclaim the Word of God

The Holy Spirit gave a first message to the home church, a handful of faithful remnants (mainly families). Indeed, in the end time, the Lord takes charge of His own called ones and makes sure they receive pure heavenly food. They all received with tears-filled eyes. When there is no church and no preacher of God's word, the Holy Spirit takes over! God is awesome and merciful. His word comes to pass for those who believe!

Acts 13 (ESV)

(note: the watchman has added boldness and some of his notes in brackets)

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off (set apart by the Holy Spirit after fasting and praying)

13 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger,^[a] Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Barnabas and Saul on Cyprus (sent out by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the word of God, confirmed by signs and wonders)

⁴ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. ⁶ When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. ⁷ He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰ and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas at Antioch in Pisidia

¹³ Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, ¹⁴ but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” ¹⁶ So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said:
MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO FEAR GOD:
“Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. ¹⁷ The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. ¹⁸ And for about forty years he put up with^[b] them in the wilderness. ¹⁹ And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. ²⁰ All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²² And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ ²³ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. ²⁴ Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
THE SALVATION MESSAGE: THE GOOD NEWS FROM GOD
²⁶ “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. ²⁷ For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. ²⁸ And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ²⁹ And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised him from the dead, ³¹ and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. ³² And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, ³³ this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

“‘You are my Son,
today I have begotten you.’

³⁴ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

³⁵ Therefore he says also in another psalm,

“‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

³⁶ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, ³⁷ but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.
ONLY THE TRUTH OF JESUS SETS THOSE WHO BELIEVE FREE!
³⁸ Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, ³⁹ and by him everyone who believes is freed^[c] from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

⁴¹ “‘Look, you scoffers,
be astounded and perish;
for I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”
THE WORD OF GOD SPOKEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTED AND CONVERTED THE PEOPLE (WHO FEARED GOD): THEY RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE WITH REJOICING, GLORIFYING GOD. THE WORD OF GOD SPREAD WITHOUT BOUNDARIES (GEOGRAPHICAL LIMIT, HUMAN RACES, SOCIAL OR RELIGIOUS STATUS ETC).

⁴² As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. ⁴³ And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
⁴⁴ The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.⁴⁶ And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

⁴⁸ And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. ⁴⁹ And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jews^[d] incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. ⁵¹ But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
WATCHMAN’S NOTE: WHO ARE THOSE WHO OPPOSED THE WORD OF GOD BEING PREACHED? “Elymas the magician opposed them; the Jewsincited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.”
WHY? THE MAGICIAN WANTED TO TURN THE PROCONSUL AWAY FROM THE FAITH; THE JEWS “were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.” WHO ARE THE ENEMIES OF GOD? MEN PRACTICING THE OCCULT (MAGIC, SORCERY, WITCHCRAFT, IDOL WORSHIP) ARE CONTROLLED BY EVIL SPIRITS AND OPPOSE THE GOSPEL NATURALLY. MEN FILLED WITH JEALOUSY ARE THE SAME AS THOSE PRACTICING THESE (READ THE LIST BELOW)!

Galatians 5:19-21 (list of enemies of God)

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy,^[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Footnotes: Galatians 5:21 Some manuscripts add murder

ACTS 13 Footnotes:

1. Acts 13:1 Niger is a Latin word meaning black, or dark
2. Acts 13:18 Some manuscripts he carried (compare Deuteronomy 1:31)
3. Acts 13:39 Greek justified; twice in this verse
4. Acts 13:50 Greek Ioudaioiprobably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time
   

   Mark 16:15-18; 20 (ESV) 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.” ²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

Be spiritual -overcome your unbelief

A note written on 2-27-2012 to someone who asked a very relevant question. Indeed today the question still lingers in a lot of Christians' mind...(with telling signs in their daily lives) So, here is the post to all. Don't give up. You are loved (by the Father in heaven, to Whom you must cling).

_______________________the letter

Dear sister (name):
This is my post on 24/6/2010. It is relevant to your question on how to overcome unbelief.

The key is to be sons of God, be overcomer like the Son of God Jesus Himself, who is focused on the spiritual reality and not allow the flesh to take dominion over the spirit man.

How to practice being spiritual? it takes a lot of time, persistence and patience waiting before God, like (names of persons who spend time before God)etc. Brother (name)'s sermon yesterday is on the same subject: imitate God and imitate those more spiritually mature (in faith).

The word of God is the presence of God (light, life, Spirit).

Many do not feed themselves enough of word and thus become weaker and weaker in faith and are swayed by the unbelief in their surrounding (people and events ruled by the enemy) in times of trials.
Brother in Christ.
_________________originally posted on 24/6/2010

There is no short cut to survive end times. You just need to be spiritual in the Biblical sense. Be a Supernatural Spiritual Christian!

Be Spiritual !

John 9:35 [ Spiritual Blindness ] Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
Romans 1:11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
Romans 7:14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
Romans 12:1 [ Living Sacrifices ] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Romans 15:27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.

Spiritual Wisdom is Required of Believers

1 Corinthians 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
1 Corinthians 3:1 [ On Divisions in the Church ] Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
Galatians 6:1 [ Doing Good to All ] Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Partake spiritual food and drink

1 Corinthians 10:3 They all ate the same spiritual food
1 Corinthians 10:4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

Given spiritual gifts

1 Corinthians 1:7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
1 Corinthians 12:1 [ Spiritual Gifts ] Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
1 Corinthians 14:1 [ Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues ] Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
1 Corinthians 14:37 If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

Spiritual body for eternal life

1 Corinthians 15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.If there is a natural body, there is also a Spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.

Sing spiritual songs

Ephesians 1:3 [ Spiritual Blessings in Christ ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Ephesians 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Fight Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Build Spiritual House

1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

_______________October notes:

Only by being spiritual you can live a victorious life. God is Spirit. Jesus is Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Spirit.

Sons of God are required to be led by the Spirit. Jesus Himself stated, flesh profits nothing. The words He has spoken are spirit and life. Unless one is born again of the Spirit of God, one cannot see and enter the kingdom of God. A victorious Christian life is a life in the kingdom of God, living before God, walking in the Spirit and effectively using the spiritual authority of Jesus, the Son of God to overcome the wordl and the stresses (attacks) therein.

Journey to see God: a self-test to check on your God-reality

The watchman discovered that, the first pertinent question a believer in God must ask is, "Is my God real?"
If you cannot get pass this question with a straight unhesitating affirmative answer without any qualification, there is no need for you to go further on this journey to see God.
God is God. He is not just anyone we can simply treat according to our mood or feeling or thought.
When you believe your God is real, you will need to ask the next question:
"How am I treating Him and His word?"
If your attitude is sometimes you believe He exists, but sometimes you do not, some words you believe as truth, while others you do not believe as truth, then your God is still not real to you.

Take one minute or five minutes (for those who cannot stop describing God) and do this test yourself: 

The rules: without repetition or hesitation.  
The act: describe Who God is to you.
First review: check the quantity (how much or how little) you have written down or spoken about the God you know.
Second review: see the description's quality. Are you describing a lot of self-centered stuff or are you describing God-centered qualities?

After you have discovered how little and how poorly your God is to you, the next step: confess and repent and take actions to set aside more time to know God, through coming into His presence daily, reading His word, praying and talking to Him, listening to Him talking to you.

Learn from KING DAVID, A MAN AFTER GOD'S HEART

Psalm 42:2 (NKJV)

² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

 Psalm 63:1 (NKJV) Joy in the Fellowship of God 

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

63 O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.

 Psalm 143:6 (NKJV)

⁶ I spread out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah

For those who have not run out words (in quantity and quality) to describe God, you would want to take a further step of faith, climbing up further on your God's mountain. Moses was asked to climb higher and higher to meet with God Who was ready to reveal to him more and more of Himself!

THE LORD ACTUALLY ASKS FOR MORE!

Song of Solomon 4:8 (NKJV)

⁸ Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse,
With me from Lebanon.
Look from the top of Amana,
From the top of Senir and Hermon,
From the lions’ dens,
From the mountains of the leopards. 

God Himself can teach us how to drink from Him, how to pray and how to commune with Him. Jesus has also affirmed this truth!

 Isaiah 55:1 (NKJV) An Invitation to Abundant Life

55 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.

  

John 7:37-38 (NKJV) The Promise of the Holy Spirit

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.”

God wants us be real with His reality in our lives. There is no option. 
A word of warning from Jesus to the worldly non-committed church:

Revelation 3:15-16 (NKJV)

¹⁵ “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,^[a] I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 3:16 NU-Text and M-Text read hot nor cold.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon

^{This is the time to watch for signs for the return of the Lord Jesus. Ask that you be raised to be the Simeons of today.} 

 Luke 2:5 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout [cautiously and carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 

²⁶ And it had been divinely revealed (communicated) to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

²⁷ And prompted by the [Holy] Spirit, he came into the temple [^[j]enclosure]; and when the parents brought in the little child Jesus to do for Him what was customary according to the Law,

²⁸ [Simeon] took Him up in his arms and praised and thanked God and said,

²⁹ And now, Lord, You are releasing Your servant to depart (leave this world) in peace, according to Your word.

³⁰ For with my [own] eyes I have seen Your Salvation,

³¹ Which You have ordained and prepared before (in the presence of) all peoples,

³² A Light for ^[k]revelation to the Gentiles [to disclose what was before unknown] and [to bring] praise and honor and glory to Your people Israel.

³³ And His [legal] father and [His] mother were marveling at what was said about Him.

³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, 

Behold, this Child is appointed and destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against—

³⁵ And a sword will pierce through your own soul also—that the secret thoughts and purposes of many hearts may be brought out and disclosed.

End Times Witnessing: The faithful ones (revised September 29, 2012)

Watchman’s notes on 29th September 2012:

When the watchman was asked to wake shortly after he had fallen asleep after an overnight prayer meeting he knew the Lord had word for him. So he obeyed. But he could not hear anything so he read Isaiah and Jeremiah and prayed and interceded as the Lord’s Spirit led him.  By the time he knew he just had to sleep a while as it was almost dawn, he asked the Lord whether there was a message for him. He also asked the Lord about finding a church now that the former church’s time was up. Then the Lord led him to read Jeremiah 35 -The Obedient Rechabites. “⁷ And do not build houses or plant crops or vineyards, but always live in tents. If you follow these commands, you will live long, good lives in the land.’ ⁸ So we have obeyed him in all these things. ¹⁹ Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Recab will always have descendants who serve me.’” 

It is certainly reassuring to be told by the Lord what He considered and that faithfulness to Him is of great value in His eyes! The Recab are a small household of no fame or fortune or power in the eyes of Men. But the the Lord made sure they were recognized and recorded in the Bible as an example of “faithfulness”!

_______________________________

originally blogged on 9-8-2010

THE FAITHFUL RECABITES (The watchman heard, “What makes you think you are the faithful one? I will show you the truly faithful in My eyes!”)

1 This is the message the Lord gave Jeremiah when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah: 2 “Go to the settlement where the families of the Recabites live, and invite them to the Lord’s Temple. Take them into one of the inner rooms, and offer them some wine.”

3 So I went to see Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah and grandson of Habazziniah and all his brothers and sons—representing all the Recabite families. 4 I took them to the Temple, and we went into the room assigned to the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was located next to the one used by the Temple officials, directly above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the Temple gatekeeper.

5 I set cups and jugs of wine before them and invited them to have a drink, 6 but they refused. “No,” they said, “we don’t drink wine, because our ancestor Jehonadab[a] son of Recab gave us this command: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine. 7 And do not build houses or plant crops or vineyards, but always live in tents. If you follow these commands, you will live long, good lives in the land.’ 8 So we have obeyed him in all these things. We have never had a drink of wine to this day, nor have our wives, our sons, or our daughters. 9 We haven’t built houses or owned vineyards or farms or planted crops. 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed all the commands of Jehonadab, our ancestor. 11 But when King Nebuchadnezzar[b] of Babylon attacked this country, we were afraid of the Babylonian and Syrian[c] armies. So we decided to move to Jerusalem. That is why we are here.”

12 Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah: 13 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Go and say to the people in Judah and Jerusalem, ‘Come and learn a lesson about how to obey me. 14 The Recabites do not drink wine to this day because their ancestor Jehonadab told them not to. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you refuse to obey me. 15 Time after time I sent you prophets, who told you, “Turn from your wicked ways, and start doing things right. Stop worshiping other gods so that you might live in peace here in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you would not listen to me or obey me. 16 The descendants of Jehonadab son of Recab have obeyed their ancestor completely, but you have refused to listen to me.’

17 “Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you refuse to listen or answer when I call, I will send upon Judah and Jerusalem all the disasters I have threatened.’”

18 Then Jeremiah turned to the Recabites and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed your ancestor Jehonadab in every respect, following all his instructions.’ 19 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Recab will always have descendants who serve me.’”

_____________________________

WHO ARE THE FAITHFUL ONES?

Faith in God results in faith in action. No action, no faith. No faith, no justification. No justification, no salvation. O, Christians, examine your faith. The hourglass is ticking fast. (The watchman shudders).

_____________________________

Faith takes time and longsuffering to build and establish. Fear of the Lord (rather than fear of men) is a number one priority for those who want to emulate the Recabites.

The following is excerpt quoted for information only (something more about the Recabites):

____________”Over the centuries, pockets of Rechabites have turned up in remote locations. Benjamin of Tudela (1160) found descendants “twenty-one day’s journey from Babylon, through the desert of Sheba, or Al-Yemen, from which Mesopotamia lies in a northerly direction, are abodes of the Jews who are called the Rechabites.” He described them as an independent tribe that lived in large, fortified cities. Rechabite Jews were discovered in China in the 1500s. Isaiah 49:12 confirms that Israelites were dispersed to the land of Sinim, which is China. In the 1800s English missionary Dr. Joseph Wolff located about 60,000 Rechabites living in Arabia. They spoke Arabic and some Hebrew. Wolff noted that they did not drink wine, lived in tents and remembered the word of Jonadab the son of Rechab. Dwelling with them were children of the Israelite tribe of Dan, who along with the Rechabites expected “the speedy arrival of the Messiah in the clouds of heaven.” A Bedouin tribe recently was found near the Dead Sea that claimed to be descendants of Jehonadab.” (Jeff King)

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Not Carnality but Christ

 The watchman is reminded today of the way we should live in Christ. 

Last night during a home prayer meeting one brethren suggested praying for a local Christian group. When the others started praying, the watchman asked the Lord what to pray for and he was shown a terrible verse, which stated that when Israel asked the prophet to pray they did not mean it. They had no intent to obey what God would speak to them through the answer to prayers by the prophet. So there was no need to pray for them! The stern words were sad. How can any Christian meeting come to such a terrible stage? Yet, history showed that the Israel nation sank to that low over again and again. God sent prophets to warn them but they killed the prophets. The same thing happened to the apostles and many disciples of Jesus when they faithfully proclaimed the word of God -the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today he asked the Lord further how to pray for such and he was given sterner words in Job 34:21-30, in particular, verses 21, 22, 26, and 30. The assurance is that God’s eyes is on the ways of man and He sees all his steps, and He takes corrective action. One verse stood out: Job 34:30

“that the hypocrite should not reign, lest the people be snarled.”

Therefore, the positive focus for watchman today continues to be on Jesus, the perfection in the love of God, our real life!

Colossians 3

New King James Version (NKJV)

Not Carnality but Christ

3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
⁸ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, ¹¹ where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Character of the New Man

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. ¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷ And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3

New Living Translation (NLT)

Living the New Life

3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ² Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. ³ For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ And when Christ, who is your^[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

⁵ So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. ⁶ Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.^{[b] 7} You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. ⁸ But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. ⁹ Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. ¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. ¹¹ In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,^[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,^[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

 (Watchman’s study notes: Take note of all the ‘therefore’ , ‘since’, and ‘but now’. )