Day after the superstorm: the Holy Spirit says, come!

The watchman woke and heard the verse from Revelation 22:11 "Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." He prayed for the East Coast and New York in particular before he fell asleep. He asked the Spirit of intercession helped him to pray as he ran out of words. When he heard this verse he knew what it meant. He got up and asked for mercy and time. But then the Lord told him not to despair and read the whole chapter. So he read. There is still HOPE for ALL.

(His notes are in bracket. The boldness of some words were added by him.)

Revelation 22 (ESV)

The River of Life (the good news first!)

22:1 Then the angel^[a] showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life^[b] with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants^[c] will worship him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

(The Lord showed John the river of the water of life first. This is the same river that the prophet Ezekiel saw in his vision in Ezekiel 47, that flowed from the temple of God and became deep enough to swim in. "For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes." On the banks will grow trees, "Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing." This is how the Holy Spirit works. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead gives lives to our mortal bodies. )

Jesus Is Coming -This is imminent: "must soon take place"; "behold I am coming soon" (said twice); "for the time is near"!)

⁶ And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

⁷ “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

⁸ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, ⁹ but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant^[d] with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

(Who are the servants of the Lord? the angels who do His work, the prophets of God, and those who keep the words of the Bible. They worship God. They live before God lives of living sacrifice: Romans 12:1-2 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.^")

¹⁰ And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. ¹¹ Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

(This is the key message today: the Lord looks at two things. Who you are and what you do physically. Indeed, what you do in your physical bodies impact whether you will be acceptable to God in eternity. This is a frightening message. Often Christians do not think much of what their bodies do. But reading the Bible as a whole, from Genesis to Revelation, one message is clear: God is holy. He only accept holy sacrifices. Someone may argue that it is impossible to keep our bodies holy all the time, or for some, anytime at all. But God is still holy. He still demands His called ones to be holy. Without holiness one just cannot enter into His presence in eternity. reading this key verse which appears at the end of the Bible, the last 11th verse, we just cannot ignore what the Spirit is telling us.)

¹² “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

¹⁴ Blessed are those who wash their robes,^[e] so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

(This is the final list of defilement that will disqualify one's entrance into the presence of the holy God in eternity.)

(The Lord wants us to take heed of the defilement pertaining to the body. In his letters to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul was adamant that the Christians keep their bodies holy for the Lord. 1 Cor.6:13b “The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” 18-19 “ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own,” 2Cor.7:1 “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” Defiling the body defiles one's spirit too. The key again is we must be aware of the spiritual and not just the seen physical world.)

¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

(This warning is issued to churches, not the unbelievers.)

¹⁷ The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

(The good news is repeated here by the Spirit. Come and drink from the Holy Spirit. He can cleanse and sanctify you! )

(1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV) 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 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. )

¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

(God's words are forever settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89)

²⁰ He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

(Jesus is coming soon!)

²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.^[f] Amen.

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 22:1 Greek he
2. Revelation 22:2 Or the Lamb. In the midst of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life
3. Revelation 22:3 Greek bondservants; also verse 6
4. Revelation 22:9 Greek fellow bondservant
5. Revelation 22:14 Some manuscripts do his commandments
6. Revelation 22:21 Some manuscripts all the saints
   
   

   Watchman’s summary:

   God is holy.

   God wants His people to be holy.

   Jesus is coming soon.

   The Holy Spirit is here to make us holy.

   All who thirst for holiness are invited to come and drink from the Holy Spirit’s river of living water (which washes us by the word of God)!

   Today is the time. Do not delay anymore.

   The spiritual realm is real. You can be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is still hope for all!

Journey to see God: know the covenant God

The watchman’s journey to see God continues. Today’s message is for all who earnestly seek God. God hears and answers your prayers. Do not give up!
This morning the watchman woke around 4am. For today’s message, he was asked to read Joshua 7. He realized it was not a pleasant message but he obeyed. Indeed it was about how Israel was defeated at Ai after a resounding victory at Jericho. But as he read he understood the reason for this message today.

1. The Lord is a covenant keeping God.
2. He wants His people to keep His covenant.
3. He wants His people to know He is holy and sets apart. His people must know Him in Spirit and in Truth. Only by fully obeying His divine instructions and setting themselves apart from the world and its way then they would be able to know and worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
4. He shows that when they break covenant with Him they would have no protection from Him, because He would withdraw His presence. They would be no match to their enemies in the spiritual realm no matter how strong they think they are and how weak their enemy seems in the physical realm. They have become “doomed to destruction” (Joshua 7:12).

For Christians, in practical terms, this means:
(A) There are two things to do (as faith in action) before the Lord to keep covenant:

1. build altar and give sacrifices (ministering to the Lord: in prayers, worship in Spirit and in truth -His words)
2. read and listen to the word of God (being spoken, read, proclaimed, prayed)

(B) There are two things (the things that break covenant) to avoid doing:

1. do not hang on to things that the Lord has set apart to destroy (as an offering to the Lord).
2. do not take the things that the Lord has set apart for His treasury (do not even put them among your own personal belongings! To the Lord that is deliberate hiding). The Lord described this ‘crime’ in Joshua 7:11 “Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.”

100. The Result of disobedience to the divine instructions of God: 1. the culprit will be completely destroyed (in this case the person Achan, his family and all his belongings).
     2. he will also bring trouble and curse to his nation (36 soldiers from the camp of Israel were killed by the enemy from Ai, which was physically weaker than Israel. The Israelite had 30000 mighty men of valor whereas the entire population of the city of Ai was only 12000! )

RELEVANT VERSE FROM THE WORD OF GOD
(The watchman’s study notes are in brackets, using NKJV verses to illustrate)
The Bible version New Living Translation (NLT) is used here (as led by the Holy Spirit today)
Joshua 6:17-19 Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed[a] as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies. 18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. 19 Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.”
Footnotes: a. Joshua 6:17 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; similarly in 6:18, 21.
(The divine instruction is clear and specific: on this occasion, the Lord specified a curse and a consecration (a) Curse: the city of Jericho, except for Rehab and all who are with her in her house, be doomed for destruction, it and all who are in it. (Joshua 6:17a) (b) Consecration: all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. (Joshua 6:19))
Joshua 6:21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. Joshua 6:24 Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the Lord’s house.
Joshua 7:1 Ai Defeats the Israelites 7 But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord.[a] A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri[b] son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
Footnotes:

1. Joshua 7:1 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; similarly in 7:11, 12, 13, 15.
2. Joshua 7:1 As in parallel text at 1 Chr 2:6; Hebrew reads Zabdi. Also in 7:17, 18.

(The divine instruction demands 100% compliance: partial compliance is of no effect in the spiritual realm. See the terrible result as follows.)
Joshua 7:4-5 So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai 5 chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries,[a] and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
Footnotes:

1. Joshua 7:5 Or as far as Shebarim.

Joshua 7:12-13 That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.
(The divine instruction when fully complied will bring the presence of the holy God and victory over the spiritual enemies. Otherwise, mortals are doomed to destruction. Ephesians 6:12 “for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”)
13 “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.
(The divine instruction says: cleanse your temple! This includes your body, soul -your mind and your emotion- and spirit.)
Joshua 7:25-26 Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies. 26 They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Trouble[a] ever since. So the Lord was no longer angry.
Footnotes:

1. Joshua 7:26 Hebrew valley of Achor.

Joshua 8:30-32 The Lord’s Covenant Renewed 30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal. 31 He followed the commands that Moses the Lord’s servant had written in the Book of Instruction: “Make me an altar from stones that are uncut and have not been shaped with iron tools.”[a] Then on the altar they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 32 And as the Israelites watched, Joshua copied onto the stones of the altar[b] the instructions Moses had given them.
Footnotes:

1. Joshua 8:31 Exod 20:25; Deut 27:5-6.
2. Joshua 8:32 Hebrew onto the stones.

Joshua 8:33-35 Then all the Israelites—foreigners and native-born alike—along with the elders, officers, and judges, were divided into two groups. One group stood in front of Mount Gerizim, the other in front of Mount Ebal. Each group faced the other, and between them stood the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant. This was all done according to the commands that Moses, the servant of the Lord, had previously given for blessing the people of Israel.
34 Joshua then read to them all the blessings and curses Moses had written in the Book of Instruction. 35 Every word of every command that Moses had ever given was read to the entire assembly of Israel, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among them.
(The divine instruction is practical: Joshua followed exactly according to what Moses had written. Every word and every command was read and reaffirmed. He demonstrated to the entire congregation by his faithful and obedient deed: build the altar, copy the covenant, read the entire word of God.)
(In summary, Joshua believed and practiced the entire word of God, according to what the Lord has instructed him at the beginning of his take over of national leadership from Moses. Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”)

And recovery of sight to the blind

 THE LORD GOD HEALS BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS AND ALL MANNERS OF DISEASES (BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT)

Exodus 4:11
So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?
Exodus 4:10-12 (in Context) Exodus 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations 
 Psalm 146:8
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous.
Psalm 146:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 146 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Isaiah 29:18
In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.
Isaiah 29:17-19 (in Context) Isaiah 29 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Isaiah 35:5
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Isaiah 35:4-6 (in Context) Isaiah 35 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Isaiah 42:16
I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them.
Isaiah 42:15-17 (in Context) Isaiah 42 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Isaiah 43:8
Bring out the blind people who have eyes, And the deaf who have ears.
Isaiah 43:7-9 (in Context) Isaiah 43 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Jeremiah 31:8
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, And gather them from the ends of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child And the one who labors with child, together; A great throng shall return there.
Jeremiah 31:7-9 (in Context) Jeremiah 31 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations 


JESUS (WITH THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT) HEALS ALL KINDS OF BLINDNESS

Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
Luke 4:17-19 (in Context) Luke 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Luke 7:22
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Luke 7:21-23 (in Context) Luke 7 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Matthew 11:5
The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Matthew 11:4-6 (in Context) Matthew 11 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Matthew 15:31
So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.
Matthew 15:30-32 (in Context) Matthew 15 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations  

BUT THE BLIND MUST BELIEVE AND TAKE THE STEP OF FAITH TO COME TO JESUS FOR HEALING
 
Matthew 9:28
And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
Matthew 9:27-29 (in Context) Matthew 9 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations Matthew 12:22
[ A House Divided Cannot Stand ] Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
Matthew 12:21-23 (in Context) Matthew 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations 
Matthew 21:14
Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
Matthew 21:13-15 (in Context) Matthew 21 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Mark 8:23
So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.
Mark 8:22-24 (in Context) Mark 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Mark 10:49
So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
Mark 10:48-50 (in Context) Mark 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Mark 10:51
So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
Mark 10:50-52 (in Context) Mark 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS IS WORSE THAN PHYSICAL BLINDNESS

Isaiah 59:10 (THEY CANNOT SEE NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO EYES, BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR SIN AND TURNING AWAY FROM GOD)
We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places.
Isaiah 59:9-11 (in Context) Isaiah 59 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Romans 11:7 (ISRAEL IS BLIND TEMPORARILY. BUT THE GENTILES WHO WERE NOT IN THE ELECT WERE REALLY BLIND).
What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
Romans 11:6-8 (in Context) Romans 11 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Romans 11:25 (SOME BLINDNESS CAN BE HEALED WHEN GOD'S TIME IS UP)
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Romans 11:24-26 (in Context) Romans 11 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Corinthians 3:14 (BLINDNESS HAPPENS IN THE MIND!)
But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:13-15 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Corinthians 4:4 (TO THOSE WHO CHOSE NOT TO BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST)
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
2 Corinthians 4:3-5 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Ephesians 4:18 (TO UNBELIEVERS)
having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
Ephesians 4:17-19 (in Context) Ephesians 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Peter 1:9 (TO THOSE WHO FORGOT HIS SALVATION)
For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
2 Peter 1:8-10 (in Context) 2 Peter 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
1 John 2:11 (HATRED BRINGS DARKNESS WHICH IN TURN CAUSE BLINDNESS).
But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
1 John 2:10-12 (in Context) 1 John 2 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Revelation 3:17 (TO THE BLIND CHURCH)
Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
Revelation 3:16-18 (in Context) Revelation 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
 

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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When the enemy comes in like a flood

Isaiah 59

New King James Version (NKJV)

Separated from God

59 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
² But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.
³ For your hands are defiled with blood,
And your fingers with iniquity;
Your lips have spoken lies,
Your tongue has muttered perversity.

⁴ No one calls for justice,
Nor does any plead for truth.
They trust in empty words and speak lies;
They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.
⁵ They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web;
He who eats of their eggs dies,
And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.

⁶ Their webs will not become garments,
Nor will they cover themselves with their works;
Their works are works of iniquity,
And the act of violence is in their hands.
⁷ Their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed innocent blood;
Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
Wasting and destruction are in their paths.
⁸ The way of peace they have not known,
And there is no justice in their ways;
They have made themselves crooked paths;
Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.

Sin Confessed

⁹ Therefore justice is far from us,
Nor does righteousness overtake us;
We look for light, but there is darkness!
For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
¹⁰ We grope for the wall like the blind,
And we grope as if we had no eyes;
We stumble at noonday as at twilight;
We are as dead men in desolate places.
¹¹ We all growl like bears,
And moan sadly like doves;
We look for justice, but there is none;
For salvation, but it is far from us.
¹² For our transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our sins testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And as for our iniquities, we know them:
¹³ In transgressing and lying against the Lord,
And departing from our God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
¹⁴ Justice is turned back,
And righteousness stands afar off;
For truth is fallen in the street,
And equity cannot enter.
¹⁵ So truth fails,
And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

The Redeemer of Zion

Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him
That there was no justice.

¹⁶ He saw that there was no man,
And wondered that there was no intercessor;
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;
And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
¹⁷ For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
¹⁸ According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay,
Fury to His adversaries,
Recompense to His enemies;
The coastlands He will fully repay.
¹⁹ So shall they fear
The name of the Lord from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun;
When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

²⁰ “The Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,”
Says the Lord.

²¹ “As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”

THE DESERT YEARS ARE OVER! START MOVING!

One early July morning, the watchman heard this: “You have been wandering around in this hill country long enough; turn to the north.” 

 (So, to north he and the ark will start moving...)

Deuteronomy 2

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Desert Years

2 “Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness of the Way of the Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and we skirted Mount Seir for many days.

² “And the Lord spoke to me, saying: ³ ‘You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward. ⁴ And command the people, saying, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. ⁵ Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. ⁶ You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink.
⁷ “For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”’
⁸ “And when we passed beyond our brethren, the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir, away from the road of the plain, away from Elath and Ezion Geber, we turned and passed by way of the Wilderness of Moab. ⁹ Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab, nor contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.’”
¹⁰ (The Emim had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. ¹¹ They were also regarded as giants,^[a] like the Anakim, but the Moabites call them Emim. ¹² The Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the Lord gave them.)
¹³ “‘Now rise and cross over the Valley of the Zered.’ So we crossed over the Valley of the Zered. ¹⁴ And the time we took to come from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the Valley of the Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the camp, just as the Lord had sworn to them. ¹⁵ For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp until they were consumed.
¹⁶ “So it was, when all the men of war had finally perished from among the people, ¹⁷ that the Lord spoke to me, saying: ¹⁸ ‘This day you are to cross over at Ar, the boundary of Moab. ¹⁹ And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession.’”
²⁰ (That was also regarded as a land of giants;^[b] giants formerly dwelt there. But the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, ²¹ a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. But the Lord destroyed them before them, and they dispossessed them and dwelt in their place, ²² just as He had done for the descendants of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them. They dispossessed them and dwelt in their place, even to this day. ²³ And the Avim, who dwelt in villages as far as Gaza—the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and dwelt in their place.)
²⁴ “‘Rise, take your journey, and cross over the River Arnon. Look, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to possess it, and engage him in battle. ²⁵ This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’

King Sihon Defeated

²⁶ “And I sent messengers from the Wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying, ²⁷ ‘Let me pass through your land; I will keep strictly to the road, and I will turn neither to the right nor to the left. ²⁸ You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat, and give me water for money, that I may drink; only let me pass through on foot, ²⁹ just as the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir and the Moabites who dwell in Ar did for me, until I cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord our God is giving us.’
³⁰ “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day.
³¹ “And the Lord said to me, ‘See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to possess it, that you may inherit his land.’ ³² Then Sihon and all his people came out against us to fight at Jahaz. ³³ And the Lord our God delivered him over to us; so we defeated him, his sons, and all his people. ³⁴ We took all his cities at that time, and we utterly destroyed the men, women, and little ones of every city; we left none remaining. ³⁵ We took only the livestock as plunder for ourselves, with the spoil of the cities which we took. ³⁶ From Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and from the city that is in the ravine, as far as Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us; the Lord our God delivered all to us. ³⁷ Only you did not go near the land of the people of Ammon—anywhere along the River Jabbok, or to the cities of the mountains, or wherever the Lord our God had forbidden us.

Footnotes:

1. Deuteronomy 2:11 Hebrew rephaim
2. Deuteronomy 2:20 Hebrew rephaim

THE PROPHETS SPOKE: WHY BIG BUSINESSES ARE DOOMED?

OLD TESTAMENT: GOD CONDEMNED IDOLATRY, WITCHCRAFT, DIVINATION, SOOTHSAYING, SORCERY, FORTUNE TELLING AND DOERS OF THEM
1 Samuel 15:23
“For rebellion is like the sin of sorcery, stubbornness like the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of ADONAI, he too has rejected you as king.”
1 Samuel 15:22-24 (in Context) 1 Samuel 15 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Nahum 3:4
“Because of the continual whoring of this whore, this alluring mistress of sorcery, who sells nations with her whoring and families with her sorcery;
Nahum 3:3-5 (in Context) Nahum 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Chronicles 33:6
He made his children pass through the fire [as a sacrifice] in the Ben-Hinnom Valley. He practiced soothsaying, divination and sorcery; and he appointed mediums and persons who used spirit guides. He did much that was evil from ADONAI’s perspective, thus provoking him to anger.
2 Chronicles 33:5-7 (in Context) 2 Chronicles 33 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Leviticus 19:26
“‘Do not eat anything with blood. Do not practice divination or fortune-telling.
Leviticus 19:25-27 (in Context) Leviticus 19 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Deuteronomy 18:10
There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or uses secret ways, or does witchcraft, or tells the meaning of special things, or is a witch,
Deuteronomy 18:9-11 (in Context) Deuteronomy 18 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Deuteronomy 18:14
For these nations that you are about to take listen to those who do witchcraft and use secret ways. But the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.
Deuteronomy 18:13-15 (in Context) Deuteronomy 18 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Joshua 13:22
Along with the others the people of Isra’el killed with the sword, they also struck down Bil‘am the son of B‘or, who practiced divination.
Joshua 13:21-23 (in Context) Joshua 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
1 Samuel 15:23
To go against what you are told is like the sin of witchcraft. Not to obey is like the sin of worshiping false gods. You have turned away from the Word of the Lord. So He has turned away from you being king.”
1 Samuel 15:22-24 (in Context) 1 Samuel 15 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Kings 9:22
When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What peace can there be, so long as the sinful ways and witchcrafts of your mother Jezebel are so many?”
2 Kings 9:21-23 (in Context) 2 Kings 9 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Kings 17:17
Then they gave their sons and daughters as burnt gifts. They told the future and used witchcraft. They sold themselves to do what is sinful in the eyes of the Lord. And they made Him angry.
2 Kings 17:16-18 (in Context) 2 Kings 17 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Kings 21:6
He gave his son as a burnt gift, used witchcraft and told the future. He listened to those who spoke with spirits and used their secret ways. He did things that were very sinful in the eyes of the Lord, and made the Lord angry.
2 Kings 21:5-7 (in Context) 2 Kings 21 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Kings 17:17
They had their sons and daughters pass through fire [as a sacrifice]. They used divination and magic spells. And they gave themselves over to do what was evil from ADONAI’s perspective, thereby provoking him;
2 Kings 17:16-18 (in Context) 2 Kings 17 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2 Kings 21:6
He made his son pass through the fire [as a sacrifice]. He practiced soothsaying and divination and appointed mediums and persons who used spirit guides. He did much that was evil from ADONAI’s perspective, thus provoking him to anger.
2 Kings 21:5-7 (in Context) 2 Kings 21 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Jeremiah 14:14
ADONAI replied, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I didn’t send them, order them or speak to them. They are prophesying false visions to you, worthless divinations, the delusions of their own minds.
Jeremiah 14:13-15 (in Context) Jeremiah 14 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Isaiah 47:9
But these two things will come upon you all at once in one day. You will lose your children and your husband. All this trouble will come to you, even with all your witchcraft and the strong power of your sinful secret ways.
Isaiah 47:8-10 (in Context) Isaiah 47 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Ezekiel 12:24
There will no longer be empty visions or falsely optimistic divinations in the house of Isra’el,
Ezekiel 12:23-25 (in Context) Ezekiel 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Ezekiel 13:6
Their visions are futile and their divination is false; they say, ‘ADONAI says,’ when ADONAI has not sent them; yet they hope that the word will be confirmed.
Ezekiel 13:5-7 (in Context) Ezekiel 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Ezekiel 13:7
Haven’t you had a futile vision and spoken a false divination when you say, ‘ADONAI says,’ and I have not spoken?
Ezekiel 13:6-8 (in Context) Ezekiel 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Ezekiel 13:9
My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and produce false divinations; they will not be allowed into the council of my people, or be written in the register of the house of Isra’el, or enter the land of Isra’el. Then you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.
Ezekiel 13:8-10 (in Context) Ezekiel 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Ezekiel 13:23
therefore you will have no more futile visions, and you will produce no more divinations. I will rescue my people from your clutches, and you will know that I am ADONAI.’”
Ezekiel 13:22-23 (in Context) Ezekiel 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Ezekiel 21:26
For the king of Bavel is standing at the fork in the road, where the two roads separate, about to use divination — he is shaking the arrows, consulting the household gods, examining the liver.
Ezekiel 21:25-27 (in Context) Ezekiel 21 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Ezekiel 21:28
The inhabitants will believe this is a false divination because of the oaths upon oaths [that their false prophets have sworn to the contrary]. But it will cause [God] to remember their guilt and thus insure their capture.
Ezekiel 21:27-29 (in Context) Ezekiel 21 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Micah 3:6
“Therefore you will have night, not vision, darkness and not divination; the sun will go down on the prophets, over them the day will be black.”
Micah 3:5-7 (in Context) Micah 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Micah 5:12
I will put an end to your witchcraft, and you will not have people telling your future any more.
Micah 5:11-13 (in Context) Micah 5 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Malachi 3:5
Then I will come to judge you. I will be quick to speak against those who use witchcraft, and those who do sex sins, and those who make false promises. I will speak against those who do not pay a man what he has earned, and who make it hard for the woman whose husband has died and for children who have no parents. And I will speak against those who turn away the stranger and do not fear Me,” says the Lord of All.
Malachi 3:4-6 (in Context) Malachi 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
NEW TESTAMENT: GOD CONDEMNED WITCHCRAFT AND DOERS OF WITCHCRAFT, OCCULT, DRUGS, AND those who practice sorceries (magic arts) ARE CLASSIFIED TOGETHER WITH THE SINS OF those who practice impurity [the lewd, adulterers] and the murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and deals in falsehood (untruth, error, deception, cheating) (Revelation 22:14-16).
Acts 8:9
[ Simon the Witch Doctor ] A man by the name of Simon had done witchcraft there. The people of Samaria were surprised at the things he did. He pretended that he was a great man.
Acts 8:8-10 (in Context) Acts 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Acts 8:11
They kept running after him. For a long time he fooled them with his witchcraft.
Acts 8:10-12 (in Context) Acts 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Acts 13:6
They went over Cyprus as far as the city of Paphos. While there, they found a Jew who did witchcraft. He was a false preacher named Barjesus.
Acts 13:5-7 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Acts 13:8
But Elymas (as he called himself), the man who did witchcraft, worked against Barnabas and Saul. He tried to keep the leader of the country from putting his trust in the Lord.
Acts 13:7-9 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
Acts 19:18-20
18 Many Christians came and told of the wrong things they were doing. 19 Many of those who did witchcraft gathered their books together and burned them in front of everyone. These books were worth 50,000 pieces of silver money. 20 The Word of the Lord became well-known.
Galatians 5:19-21 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
19 And it is perfectly evident what the old nature does. It expresses itself in sexual immorality, impurity and indecency; 20 involvement with the occult and with drugs; in feuding, fighting, becoming jealous and getting angry; in selfish ambition, factionalism, intrigue 21 and envy; in drunkenness, orgies and things like these. I warn you now as I have warned you before: those who do such things will have no share in the Kingdom of God!
Revelation 9:20-21 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
20 The rest of mankind, those who were not killed by these plagues, even then did not turn from what they had made with their own hands — they did not stop worshipping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they turn from their murdering, their involvement with the occult and with drugs, their sexual immorality or their stealing.
Revelation 18:2-3 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
2 He cried out in a strong voice, “She has fallen! She has fallen! Bavel (Babylon) the Great! She has become a home for demons, prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean, hated bird. 3 “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of God’s fury caused by her whoring —yes, the kings of the earth went whoring with her, and from her unrestrained love of luxury the world’s businessmen have grown rich.”

（Big and successful businesses are linked to the Babylon condemned here in the Book of Revelation for end times.)

Revelation 18:22-24 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
22 “The sound of harpists and musicians, flute-players and trumpeters will never again be heard in you.
No worker of any trade will ever again be found in you, the sound of a mill will never again be heard in you,
23 the light of a lamp will never again shine in you, the voice of bridegroom and bride will never again be heard in you.
“For your businessmen were the most powerful on earth, all the nations were deceived by your magic spell.
24 “In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s people, indeed, of all who have ever been slaughtered on earth!”

(the magic spell of Babylon is the source of power supply to successful business men and nations! )

Revelation 21:7-9 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
7 He who wins the victory will receive these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the untrustworthy, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those involved with the occult and with drugs, idol-worshippers, and all liars — their destiny is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, the second death.”
9 One of the seven angels having the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues approached me and said, “Come! I will show you the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb.”
Revelation 22:14-16 Amplified Bible (AMP)
14 Blessed (happy and to be envied) are those who cleanse their garments, that they may have the authority and right to [approach] the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the city. 15 [But] without (outside) are the dogs and those who practice sorceries (magic arts) and impurity [the lewd, adulterers] and the murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and deals in falsehood (untruth, error, deception, cheating). 16 I, Jesus, have sent My messenger (angel) to you to witness and to give you assurance of these things for the churches (assemblies). I am the Root (the Source) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and brilliant Morning Star.

Jesus thus warned: Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon ( deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).
Matthew 6:23-25 (in Context) Matthew 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

The Holy Spirit thus warned: 1 Timothy 6:10 The love of money is the beginning of all kinds of sin. Some people have turned from the faith because of their love for money. They have made much pain for themselves because of this.
1 Timothy 6:9-11 (in Context) 1 Timothy 6 (Whole Chapter)
HEED THE WORDS OF THE LORD, ALL WATCHMEN, FLEE FROM THE LOVE OF THE WORLD AND THE THINGS OF THE WORLD.

To all the "Timothy" in the churches:
1 John 2:15-17 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁵ Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.
¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].
¹⁷ And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.