Watchman’s Resolution: be trained to be like the Master.

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,” (Luke 1:68-70 NKJV) This is good news! Today the watchman is reminded of the power of God’s word, which is seed, to be sown in the believers’ hearts in order to germinate and grow into a plant that bears fruits in every aspect of our lives. The fruit will be good, acceptable and perfect for it will align with the will of God. The seed, like any seed in the natural law, will take time. First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn. This law has not changed. That’s how the earth has been sustained. I pray we all understand this truth and live this truth, burning with a passion to read God’s words and store the words in our hearts until the time of harvest.

Last night the watchman was woken to read a passage in the Old Testament from the Book of Ezekiel. Here are some of the verses about the spiritual state some of God’s people are in. Are they relevant in today’s churches? (Those of you who read these are watchmen. This message is for prayers as you watch over the souls of men in your respective stations.)
(Bible verses are quoted from New King James Version (NKJV)unless otherwise annotated)

1. There exists a Rebellious House: “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house…” Ezekiel 12:2

2. Now is the time frame: Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done,” says the Lord God.’” Ezekiel 12:28

3. The target is the religious hypocrites: O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. Ezekiel 13:4-5

4. A warning against spiritual superficiality in God’s house: I will raise my fist against all the prophets who see false visions and make lying predictions, …
“This will happen because these evil prophets deceive my people by saying, ‘All is peaceful’ when there is no peace at all! It’s as if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these prophets are trying to reinforce it by covering it with whitewash! 11 Tell these whitewashers that their wall will soon fall down. A heavy rainstorm will undermine it; great hailstones and mighty winds will knock it down. Ezekiel 13:9-11 New Living Translation (NLT)

5. A warning about false belief perpetrated by the enemy using his agents to hunt and captive souls of men in churches: “Now, son of man, speak out against the women who prophesy from their own imaginations…ensnaring the souls of my people, young and old alike. You tie magic charms on their wrists and furnish them with magic veils…By lying to my people who love to listen to lies, you kill those who should not die, and you promise life to those who should not live.
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against all your magic charms, which you use to ensnare my people like birds…22 You have discouraged the righteous with your lies,..And you have encouraged the wicked by promising them life,.. (Ezekiel 13:17-23 New Living Translation (NLT))

6. The young remnants need prayers: Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem. 23 When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand …” Ezekiel 14:22-23 New Living Translation (NLT)

Coming back to the word seed that Jesus has sown. We can see clearly that the above gloomy conditions need prayers. But prayers alone cannot sow word seeds. We need to speak the words of God. We need the laborers to sow the word seed and to harvest the field. The today’s questions that we must ask ourselves are:
Can I do something? What are my gifts? What training do I need to be equipped to be a laborer as sower or harvester? Let this be our new year resolution: be trained to be like the Master. (Luke 6:40, 7:22)

nations are like trees in the Garden of God once

Today the watchman-intercessor was woken after midnight to read Ezekiel 31-32. Why? He asked the Lord. The answer is in the reading. At 3am, a name was given. Then he read the news. Indeed, it was exactly as the Lord has spoken through prophet Ezekiel. When the prophet recorded the words none of the events had happened. But history had proven that they had come to pass. God’s words are forever settled in heaven. Why did the prophet have to utter them in his days even when no one listened? The actual speaking of God’s words bring them to pass. So be it even today. The Bible verse below are quoted in parts. Please read the whole chapters (31-32). After reading these prophetic words, the watchman was led to read chapter 33:33 “But when all these terrible things happen, they will know a prophet has been among them.” God is still merciful and wants people to repent and return to Him. That is why He sent prophets to warn beforehand and not after. And He warns both the good and the bad. (chapter 33)
~~~~~~~~~~~~
On June 21, during the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, give this message to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all his hordes: “To whom would you compare your greatness?
You are like mighty Assyria,
which was once like a cedar of Lebanon,
with beautiful branches that cast deep forest shade
and with its top high among the clouds.All the great nations of the world
lived in its shadowBecause I made this tree so beautiful,
and gave it such magnificent foliage,
it was the envy of all the other trees of Eden,
the garden of God.
“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because Egypt became proud and arrogant, and because it set itself so high above the others, with its top reaching to the clouds, I will hand it over to a mighty nation that will destroy it as its wickedness deserves. I have already discarded it. A foreign army—the terror of the nations—has cut it down and left it fallen on the ground. Its branches are scattered across the mountains and valleys and ravines of the land. All those who lived in its shadow have gone away and left it lying there.I made the nations shake with fear at the sound of its fall, for I sent it down to the grave with all the others who descend to the pit. And all the other proud trees of Eden, the most beautiful and the best of Lebanon, the ones whose roots went deep into the water, took comfort to find it there with them in the depths of the earth. Its allies, too, were all destroyed and had passed away. They had gone down to the grave—all those nations that had lived in its shade.
“O Egypt, to which of the trees of Eden will you compare your strength and glory? You, too, will be brought down to the depths with all these other nations. You will lie there among the outcasts who have died by the sword. This will be the fate of Pharaoh and all his hordes. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
“You think of yourself as a strong young lion among the nations,
but you are really just a sea monster,
heaving around in your own rivers,
stirring up mud with your feet.
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I will send many people
to catch you in my net
and haul you out of the water.
“I will disturb many hearts when I bring news of your downfall to distant nations you have never seen. Yes, I will shock many lands, and their kings will be terrified at your fate. They will shudder in fear for their lives as I brandish my sword before them on the day of your fall. 11 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“The sword of the king of Babylon
will come against you.
I will destroy your hordes with the swords of mighty warriors—
the terror of the nations.
On March 17,during the twelfth year, another message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, weep for the hordes of Egypt and for the other mighty nations.For I will send them down to the world below in company with those who descend to the pit.Say to them,
The Egyptians will fall with the many who have died by the sword, for the sword is drawn against them. Egypt and its hordes will be dragged away to their judgment. Down in the grave mighty leaders will mockingly welcome Egypt and its allies, saying, ‘They have come down; they lie among the outcasts, hordes slaughtered by the sword.’
“Assyria lies there surrounded by the graves of its army, those who were slaughtered by the sword.
“Elam lies there surrounded by the graves of all its hordes.
“Meshech and Tubal are there, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes.
“You too, Egypt, will lie crushed and broken among the outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.
“Edom is there with its kings and princes. Mighty as they were, they also lie among those slaughtered by the sword, with the outcasts who have gone down to the pit.
“All the princes of the north and the Sidonians are there with others who have died. Once a terror, they have been put to shame.
“When Pharaoh and his entire army arrive, he will take comfort that he is not alone in having his hordes killed, says the Sovereign Lord. Although I have caused his terror to fall upon all the living, Pharaoh and his hordes will lie there among the outcasts who were slaughtered by the sword. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Ezekiel 33
The Watchman’s Message
10 “Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?’ 11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?
12 “Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins.

may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless

Today’s Bible meditation is from 1 Thessalonians 5. Revelation: the whole spirit and soul and body of a Christian require to be kept complete and [be found] blameless when Jesus returns. Even our spirit can be vulnerable like our body and soul parts.How can that be? I ask and recall the teaching of Paul. He has warned and taught on this subject in 1 Corinthians 6:15-20. He warned Christians not to contaminate their bodies by having sex with a harlot (woman having or characterized by many transient sexual relationships). Then he spoke on an important spiritual issue: because by joining their bodies they join their spirits (thereby joining with unclean spirits), so their own spirits will be contaminated too. (verses 17, 20) Christian spirits can become contaminated too if they do not guard their bodies. The Holy Spirit similarly warns this in Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” (Also refer to the list of behaviors that prevent people from entering into the Kingdom of God: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

This is a relevant issue in today’s prevailing social behavior of the world. What was considered taboo in our godly forefathers’ days, has become an acceptable norm for the society at large today. However, an Individual Christian may consider oneself as too insignificant to live a counter-culture and make an impact, but believe me, it shall make a difference in the spiritual realm when we live our lives aligned with the words of God and God’s will for us on earth as it is in heaven. The Lord’s prayer has taught us that the God’s will can be lived on earth as it is in heaven in the Kingdom of God.

Bible Verses from Amplified Bible (AMP) 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
16 Rejoice always and delight in your faith; 17 be unceasing and persistent in prayer; 18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit. 20 Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning]. 21 But test [a]all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful and absolutely trustworthy is He who is calling you [to Himself for your salvation], and He will do it [He will fulfill His call by making you holy, guarding you, watching over you, and protecting you as His own].
Footnotes:
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Or everyone, that is, anyone claiming to be a prophet.

many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase

Prophecy of the End Time (Daniel 12)

“At that time Michael shall stand up,

The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;

And there shall be a time of trouble,

Such as never was since there was a nation,

Even to that time.

And at that time your people shall be delivered,

Every one who is found written in the book.

2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,

Some to everlasting life,

Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 Those who are wise shall shine

Like the brightness of the firmament,

And those who turn many to righteousness

Like the stars forever and ever.

4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”

7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”

9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”

Revelation 5 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Lamb Takes the Scroll

5 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

6 And I looked, and behold,[c] in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Worthy Is the Lamb

8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we[f] shall reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time; (Habakkuk2）

wisdom for end-time: Christian integrity in financial matters

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Exodus 18:21

Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place suchover them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

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Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covetyour neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

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Exodus 34:24

For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.

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Deuteronomy 5:21

‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’

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Deuteronomy 7:25

You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.

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Joshua 7:21

When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”

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Psalm 119:36

Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness.

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Proverbs 12:12

The wicked covet the catch of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit.

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Proverbs 21:26

He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare.

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Proverbs 28:16

A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

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Isaiah 57:17

For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid and was angry, And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.

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Jeremiah 6:13

“Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.

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Jeremiah 8:10

Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.

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Jeremiah 22:17

“Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but yourcovetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence.”

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Jeremiah 51:13

O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your covetousness.

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Micah 2:2

They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.

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Habakkuk 2:9

“Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the power of disaster!

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Mark 7:22

thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

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Luke 12:15

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

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Acts 20:33

I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.

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Romans 1:29

being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,

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Romans 7:7

[ Sin’s Advantage in the Law ] What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have knowncovetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

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Romans 13:9

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

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1 Corinthians 5:10

Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

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1 Corinthians 5:11

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

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1 Corinthians 6:10

nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

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Ephesians 5:3

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

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Ephesians 5:5

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, norcovetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

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Colossians 3:5

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, andcovetousness, which is idolatry.

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1 Thessalonians 2:5

For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness.

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1 Timothy 3:3

not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

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Hebrews 13:5

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

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James 4:2

You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

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2 Peter 2:3

By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

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2 Peter 2:14

having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.

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