On the previous night the watchman attended a wake night service for a solitary man who passed away for three days in his bathroom without being known. The estranged wife who took away their daughter could not be found for over a year. The only son came home after receiving the news was on his own to bear the whole burden of the funeral. He is a young man in his early twenties, newly graduated and found a job in a distant town. He was asked to say something about his dad and he spoke about three lines, “
A traditional man who did not know how to express his love for his family. But he did help out (monetarily) whenever I needed. We never knew how precious he was until we have lost him. That was my dad.” (The service leader later consoled that because the man who passed away was a believer of Christ, and we are brethren in Christ, we will see him in heaven one day.)
Indeed, the silent demise of a lonely man makes the watchman ponder again on how to ensure one will be with Jesus when one leaves this lonely world, desolate and forsaken.
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Today’s verse for the watchman relates to an earlier discourse with the class on Sunday. The class read verses on the kingdom of light as against the kingdom of darkness. Then they went on to read about the need to be born again by Spirit and water to see and enter the kingdom of God. The questions of who will see and enter and how to see and enter are of utmost importance at this end time.
When the watchman rose to intercede this morning he was led to read and pray on the following passages. He read the whole chapter five. However, he included only the
verses on how to be born again and have eternal life.
1 John 5 (NKJV)
1
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7
For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God,
that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
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Summary on how to be born again and who they become:
1.Believe that Jesus is the Christ.
2.Believe in the name of the Son of God.
3.Overcome the world, by faith.
4.Keep God’s commandments: love God and love His children.
5.Receive the Son of God (Jesus Christ) Who is Eternal Life.
6.Believe in the testimony given by: three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit
7.Believe in the testimony given by: three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water (see comment below), and the blood.
8.Knowing the above testimonies is essential for a believer in Christ: the trinity God (Father-Son/Word-Holy Spirit), the Holy Spirit in believer, the daily washing of the water/word of God, and the blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus’ redemption/full salvation of us on the cross).
The watchman’s comment: the word ‘water’ signifies the word of God. He is reminded of the verse in Eph.5:25, wherein the Holy Spirit reminded husbands to love their wives,
“just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,”
He is also reminded of the deep cleansing by the word of God during the Water Gate Revival that happened in Jerusalem as excerpted below.
In Nehemiah 8, “all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses; And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.”
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The watchman comments: Have you ever wept when you hear the word of God? He remembered when he was a very young man he wept for weeks when he read the Gospel of John, as led by the Holy Spirit.
Why did he weep? He was deeply touched by the Father's love!
The words became life and Spirit to him for the first time in his life. He then began a journey to seek God and encounter Him in many ways.
His life was transformed when God met with him…
