a tale of two cities: a choice

This is the time to mourn. The church must wake up and mourn. I am talking to the church as a whole on earth, not just America, China, Europe, Africa, Asia, Third world or first world. I am calling out to both the traditional evangelical and the Spirit-filled and Bible believing-all who believe the reality and truthfulness of the words of God both Old and New Testament, from Genesis to revelation. This is the time to wake up from narrowness and exclusiveness. Just look at Jesus. The example He set while on earth! Look at the apostles, Peter’s call to the Gentile’s home, Paul’s call to the world of demons (idolatry-infested world), and all the apostles and disciples of the first church who were scattered all over the world before Christianity. No, I am not talking about missionaries going now to the foreign worlds. I am talking about your own home ground your own nation wherever you are if you can read English and this blog. Wake up and stop one thing before you go out and evangelize. Stop your physical mind’s prejudices. Look at Jesus. What He did not do and what He did. Be led by the Holy Spirit as you read.

My spirit urged me to summarize what Jesus did not do:
1. He did not ask a man of other faith to kill anyone (regardless what they believed in or their lifestyle was)in the name of God.
2. He did not condemn anyone except the religious hypocrites who stopped people from coming to Jesus and believing in the Good News Jesus brought to all mankind.
3. Even so, Jesus did not kill or send anyone to kill the hypocrites.
4. He did not condone anyone judging another.
5. He did not agree to using physical force (violence) to resolve injustice within a nation.

A summary of what Jesus did:
1. Jesus came to save sinners and healed the sick.
2. Jesus put forgiveness as number one consideration, even for His enemies.
3. Jesus associated/socialized with sinners.
4. Jesus showed love and compassions.
5. Jesus gave life.

By agreeing with the thieves who came in to steal, kill and destroy lives, the church becomes accomplice to murder. Don’t you ever realize that in the spiritual realm the territorial spirits fight among themselves? Their number one ruler does his own harvest of souls by pitching his subordinates one against another.

You may ask, when the time is so bleak and you need to choose between two imperfect candidates for your national number one, whom should you choose? Didn’t the Bible show you the history of Israel, in the bleakest time when they were besieged by the strongest enemies and their own weakest kings ever? What did God ask prophet Jeremiah do? Jeremiah became the national number one traitor because he gave his countrymen an oracle that they were to choose the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar instead of choosing the Egyptian king Necho II. There was no other option. God told them to choose Nebuchadnezzar. Did Nebuchadnezzar do a good job in finishing off the other enemies of God? He did. On the other hand, Necho II failed in his attempted conquests.

The Israelites refused to listen to the divine oracle and thus suffered defeat and were still taken to Babylon for a season to be cleansed, healed, to recuperate and restore their spiritual strength just as prophesied. These deportations are dated to 597 BC for the first, with others dated at 587/586 BC, and 582/581 BC respectively. After the fall of Babylon to the Persian king Cyrus the Great in 539 BC, exiled Judeans were permitted to return to Jerusalem and Judah of Israel. The temple of Jerusalem and the walls were re-built. Worship of the true God resumed.

This is a record of the history of God. When Christians read God’s history and look at what Jesus did to demonstrate how things in this world are done, we will know what to choose and who to vote for. We shall always align with the plan of God even in the bleakest time in our own history. Look at Jesus and look at the two choices, which do you think is more like Nebuchadnezzar? Who do you think will bring your nation out of its weakling’s position? Who is the strong man? Who will be given the might to defeat the many foes inside and outside? Was Nebuchadnezzar a godly man? Not at the beginning. But in the book of Daniel he finally encountered the reality of the God of Israel, our God. And Nebuchadnezzar turned over a new leaf.

Jesus demonstrated this equally seemingly unusual choice by choosing the chief tax collector, the ungodly rich man Zacchaeus in the land of Israel as his host for a dinner party. The Son of God Himself gave this honor and privilege to a person disliked and even hated by many fellow Jews. In today’s term, a most un-Christian person. What happened after he encountered Jesus? He was transformed and saved. He did lots of good deeds to his fellow countrymen.

Summary: Look at the divine records.

sign of the time: how to see and intercede beforehand?

The watchman finds it difficult to explain spiritual matters. In recent years, there is an increasing urgency for believers to become aware of the spiritual realm which is increasingly manifesting in the physical. Can Christians know beforehand and do something? Yes, we can.
The watchman admits that for a long time he had been on a wrong track. God was on another track. The watchman tried to pursue God (with his mind) was on another track. No one could comprehend God unless they came on the same track and align with God. Only those who are joined to the Lord are one spirit with the Lord.
That was the watchman’s problem when he continued to be led by his own mind and not by God’s Spirit. The Bible said, “those led by the Spirit are sons of God.” No one knows God except the Spirit of God. Only by being one Spirit with Him, we may know God. Eternal life is knowing God and the One (Jesus) whom God sent.
Jesus Himself said, “those born of the Spirit are spirit.” “Unless one is born again of the Spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Thus, born again believers are spiritual in spirit. But how does one become spiritual living this earthly life? Jesus also said, “the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” So the key is in His words, the Bible.
The following is a summary of the watchman’s experience while learning to be led by the Holy Spirit, navigating through the Bible.

1. Ask God.
2. Let God.
3. let go of self, that is, the tendency to use the mind and doubt or analyze and navigate one’s way through.
4. Believe in the spiritual and supernatural.

Just start by faith. Pray and ask God to let your spiritual mind come forth, and show you spiritual matters. As you read the Bible, pray with His words. Ask for the Holy Spirit and receive by faith. Let the Holy Spirit lead you to read and understand. Start thinking with spiritual views. forgo all your rationalizing thoughts no matter how sound they seem to you. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you, usually in God’s words. The words just come to you. The words and their intention do not contradict God’s nature, which is all over the Bible. Read the whole chapter and not just part of it. Read even the whole book. Always remember, God is big, really big, so you do not use your human mind to figure out God.
Revelations will come when you continue to focus on God and His words. You will receive messages from Him and confirmations from others too. You will become accustomed to view human matters in spiritual perspective.
Here is an illustration. When praying for some local matters, the name of a book and the chapter number suddenly emerged. But he was praying for something else, why did that book and that chapter appear in his mind? He ignored the prompting, and continued to pray about other local matters. But again the prompting came. He stopped his prayers and looked up the passage. he was led to read aloud the passage twice. Then he was told it concerned a nation, and what that nation was facing. He was asked to pray and intercede. But he had no detail. He prayed in the spirit. Another spiritually discerned intercessor heard the passage and remarked that God was very concerned over children being killed.
After praying he listened to a sermon and heard the preacher spoke the same key words relating to that same passage, out of the blue. He looked up the news and his spirit knew clearly what he needed to pray and why. The spiritual realm was already moving and intercessors were being led to intercede in the physical realm. The urgency was there and thus he was led to drop other local issues and focus on this matter.
Advice to believers of Jesus: do not ignore spiritual matters. When a spiritual warning is received, do something. The Bible is full of real life examples of warnings, those who heeded and those who chose to ignore them. The consequences were obvious.

 Mark 4:22-25

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²² [Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation.] For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything [temporarily] kept secret except in order that it may be made known.

²³ If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend.

²⁴ And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

²⁵ For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away [by force],

Journey to see God: See how a servant Baruch encountered God

The scribe (who chose to be a servant/messenger/recorder for the most unpopular prophet then) appeared suddenly in the Book of Prophet Jeremiah starting chapter 32 ending chapter 45. Chapter 45 (with only five verses) was entirely about him. What an interesting and intriguing person of record. He himself was a recorder of messages (including signs). He even carried the messages he recorded to the audience as instructed. Was his role of any use in the spiritual realm? Definitely. He was even singled out by the unseen enemy as target. Here is his story in Biblical verses. (The notes of the watchman are in brackets after each sety of verses.)

Jeremiah 32:12 and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison. Jeremiah 32:13 “Then I charged Baruch before them, saying, Jeremiah 32:16 [ Jeremiah Prays for Understanding ] “Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying:

(Baruch appeared suddenly and undertook very important prophet act on behalf of prophet Jeremiah who was imprisoned.)

Jeremiah 36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote on a scroll of a book, at the instruction of Jeremiah, all the words of the Lord which He had spoken to him.

(Baruch’s key job was to write down accurately what Jeremiah had received from the Lord. Jeremiah could not have paid him or given him any physical or even social emoluments and amenities compared to other prophet employers who were in the king’s favor and enjoyed prestigious and materially better off status and positions. Baruch could not have worked for things that others valued. What drove him? What was he looking for when he chose to follow Jeremiah who was being persecuted by all the powerful and important leaders of the nation then? What did he see in that time of national crisis, chaos, confusion, insecurity and strife? Indeed Jeremiah had not much to offer except words from God. This scribe Baruch heard the words and believed. He was a man of words. He was drawn to God’s spoken words. He was a man of discernment. He discerned that the words were from God and not from man. He was a man who hungered for God’s words and sought out God’s words even at the time of impending nationwide shaking and collapse.)

Jeremiah 36:5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am confined, I cannot go into the house of the Lord. Jeremiah 36:8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house. Jeremiah 36:10 Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house, in the hearing of all the people.

(Baruch’s second assignment: Represent faithfully the one who sent him -Jeremiah- before the people, even before leaders and princes.He was an educated man and knew the political and religious scenario then. He knew Jeremiah was feared and hated by many and considered a national threat. Yet he obeyed Jeremiah and went ahead and did exactly what Jeremiah instructed him to do! Baruch was a courageous man. What gave him the boldness? He knew whom he believed. He knew the truth and the truth of God’s words had freed him from the fear of men. The words of God set free the captive.)

Jeremiah 36:13 Then Michaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read the book in the hearing of the people.

Jeremiah 36:14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them.

Jeremiah 36:15 And they said to him, “Sit down now, and read it in our hearing.” So Baruch read it in their hearing. Jeremiah 36:16 Now it happened, when they had heard all the words, that they looked in fear from one to another, and said to Baruch, “We will surely tell the king of all these words.”

Jeremiah 36:17 And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us now, how did you write all these words—at his instruction?” Jeremiah 36:18 So Baruch answered them, “He proclaimed with his mouth all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink in the book.”

Jeremiah 36:19 Then the princes said to Baruch, “Go and hide, you and Jeremiah; and let no one know where you are.”

(Baruch’s next assignment: Witnessing the exact words of God. Tell the truth as he had received. Be the vessel as he was called. The messenger on behalf of the messenger. The faithful and obedient disciple. The servant. It was indeed a life and death mission and testimony. Even the princes advised him and his master to go and hide immediately.)

Jeremiah 36:26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.

(The enemy acted without hesitation. The Lord too.)

Jeremiah 36:27 [ Jeremiah Rewrites the Scroll ] Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch had written at the instruction of Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: Jeremiah 36:32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the instruction of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And besides, there were added to them many similar words.

( Take note: the Lord God does not stop what He had decreed. Burning of the original scroll in the physical realm had no impact whatsoever in the spiritual realm. God’s plan continued and more words were added! How awesome it must have appeared to Jeremiah the true prophet and Baruch the true servant of God!)

Jeremiah 43:3 But Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon.”

Jeremiah 43:6 men, women, children, the king’s daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah.

(The enemy wasted no time and continued with their false accusations and persecutions in the physical.)

Jeremiah 45:1 [ Assurance to Baruch ] The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the instruction of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, Jeremiah 45:2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch

(The words of the Lord continues in the spiritual. That counts. The words have come to pass just as the Lord has spoken. It was worthwhile to serve the Almighty and Living God! Both Jeremiah and Baruch knew and indeed experienced. Today the same happens for all faithful servants of God.)