Repentance

“They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’” Zechariah 13:9

Zechariah was prophesying about the coming of the Messiah, the One who was pierced. It is amazing how Jesus was sentenced to die by crucifixion even though the Jewish law required Him to be stoned. And when He was crucified, the Roman soldier, though ignorant of the prophecy, pierced him with his spear. The prophecy was fulfilled right down to the very last detail. Jesus Himself testified that every prophecy in the Old Testament would be fulfilled: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17).

Just as the prophecy of Jesus’ death was fulfilled, the conversion of the Jews promised in this same verse will come to pass. Though the Jewish people were guilty of Jesus’ death, the day will come when they will repent and believe on Him. In Zechariah 12:10, it reveals the way this repentance will come to the Jewish people. This is also the same way we experience repentance.

1) Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit. “I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication.” “And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). Repentance is not produced by our conscience, by terror, or by the persuasion of men. It comes as a gift of grace. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).

2) Repentance comes by looking to Jesus. “Then they will look on Me whom they pierced.” As we gaze at the holiness and purity of Jesus, we will realize how terrible a sinner we are. When we look at the cross of Calvary, we see the horrible hatred that sin bears toward purity, because it slew an innocent Man, the Holy Son of God. We will realize such is the terrible guilt of our sin that nothing but death can atone for it. Jesus became that sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sin.

3) Repentance is a deep godly sorrow. “They will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son.” The effect of us looking to Christ is that it makes us mourn in sorrow for the condition of our heart. Paul said that “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted” (2 Cor. 7:10). This was what happened on the Day of Pentecost, when Peter preached to the multitude. When the people heard the message, those who had a hand in “piercing the Messiah” were cut to the heart, and cried out, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). As a result, there was great repentance.

The End-Time Harvest

Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone. Zechariah 10:1

The latter rain takes place during the grain harvest, sometime between April to June every year. This rainy season is very important because the greater the shower, the greater the harvest. In other words, without the rain, there can be no harvest. Zechariah was prophesying concerning the promise of the harvest of souls before the second coming of Christ. James also talks about this coming rain in the end-times that will usher in the worldwide harvest. “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain” (James 5:7). In the time of the latter rain, we will see the harvest of souls coming into the kingdom of God like never before in the history of the world. Jesus Himself bore witness to this fact. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14).

The latter rain is really the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes, He will bring conviction to the hearts of men. “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). He will testify and reveal Jesus Christ to the sinners. “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (15:26). We need the rain of the Holy Spirit for the harvest to come in. It’s simple: No rain, no harvest. Greater rain, greater harvest! In these last days, we need the Holy Spirit’s work more than ever before. For too long the Church has neglected the Holy Spirit. That is why many Christians are dry, unfruitful and unproductive. We are living in the time of the latter rain, and the Holy Spirit’s work over the last 2,000 years has been to mature the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit wants to bring about the restoration of all things (Acts 3:21) and gather in the greatest harvest of souls before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The end-time Church has to be discerning and rise up to the occasion in prayer and supplication. The prophet Jeremiah warned about missing the time of the harvest. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jer. 8:20). Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2).

The Holy Spirit is the Lord of the harvest. We can and we must intensify our prayer to ask the Lord for the latter rain. We need a new anointing; a new boldness; a renewed passion and compassion for the lost. Make a prayer to God right now that He will empower you to be a witness for Him in your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and eventually to the ends of the earth!

Be Faithful To God

Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.” Zechariah 5:3

Firstly, the vision reveals a “thief” in the house (Zech. 5:3). A “thief” is someone who has robbed God by taking what is rightfully His. Malachi 3:8 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings” (Mal. 3:8). This was the situation in the days of Zechariah and Haggai. The people were not faithfully giving their tithes to God. This problem on tithing has been a perpetual problem throughout the history of the Church. Apostle Paul says, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). As the Creator, God owns everything. Tithing is returning to God a tenth of all that He has given to us. It is a test of our faithfulness and it qualifies us to be a steward of God. To withhold the tithe is therefore robbing that which belongs to God. As such, Malachi 3:9 says that you are therefore “cursed with a curse.” A thief is cursed and can never see the blessings and the abundance of God.

Secondly, the vision reveals a “perjurer” in the house. A “perjurer” is someone who violates an oath by failing to do what has been promised under oath. He swears but after that conveniently changes his mind because it is going to cost him too much to keep the vow. In actual fact, that is no different from lying and God hates a lying tongue (Prov. 6:16-17). God loves a promise-keeper. “But he honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Ps. 15:4). Even if it is going to hurt you, you would rather keep your promise than be a false swearer. Jephthah swore that if God gave Him the victory, he would give God whatever that came out of his house to greet him first. Little did he imagine that it would be his daughter. Jephthah loved his daughter but he loved the Lord even more. He faithfully kept his vow (Judg. 11:39). A group of people made a commitment to go back to the Holy Land with Zerubbabel. But when they came back to the land, they changed their mind because the conditions were too harsh. They started building their own houses while the house of the Lord remained in ruins. To God, that was committing the sin of a perjurer. Have you been a faithful tither? Have you fulfilled all the promises that you made to God? If you have not, then make a decision today to be a faithful tither and a promisekeeper. It may cost you something, but the reward far outweighs the sacrifice. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

A Present Help In Need

I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white. Zechariah 1:8

Zechariah saw a vision in the night (Zech. 1:8). The night time symbolizes a very dark period in Israel’s history—the 70 years when they were in captivity. The myrtle trees standing “in the hollow” represent the people of God in a low and dark valley condition. But standing in the midst of this shady myrtle-grove was a man riding on a red horse. This man was known as “the Angel of the LORD” (1:11). The Angel of the LORD is the Son of God, the second Person of the Godhead, appearing in His pre-incarnate form. He also appeared to Joshua with His sword drawn in His hand as the Commander of the army of the LORD (Josh. 5:13-14).

This beautiful picture assures us that even when we find ourselves in a desperate and hopeless situation, Christ is always present in the midst of it. “For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people” (1 Sam. 12:22). The man in the vision was riding as a man of war, coming down from the heavens to help his people. It is the same LORD who came to the aid of Israel when they were in a dead end situation, with the Red Sea before them and the Egyptian armies behind them. Moses later wrote, “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, and in His excellency on the clouds” (Deut. 33:26). God is a Man of war and He will always fight for His people. And in the vision, the man rode on a red horse. Red is a fiery color, denoting that God is zealous for His Church, Zion (Zech. 1:14), and very angry at her enemies.

Zechariah also saw a troop of horses attending to the Angel of the LORD (Zech. 1:8), ready to receive and obey His orders. These are angels attending to the Lord, ready to be dispatched by Him for the service of His church and waiting to be sent into victorious battles for His people. When Elisha and his servant came face to face with the threat from the armies of Syria, angels were there to fight for them. “And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them’” (2 Kin. 6:15-16).

God is our present help in times of need. He will never leave us nor forsake us when we go through the valley of the shadow of death. Therefore, let us not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are against us! However, He is a jealous God and demands holiness from us. If we walk in obedience and righteousness before God, He will deliver us from the snare of the devil and give us victory all the time! “For the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you” (Deut. 23:14).

A Good Finisher

“Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,” says the LORD; “and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,” says the LORD, “and work; for I am with you,” says the LORD of hosts. Haggai 2:4

The last three books of the Old Testament (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) are the so-called “Post-exilic Prophets” because each was addressed to the newly returned group of Jews from the Babylonian Exile. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the people began the task of rebuilding the temple (Ezra 1-6). But sixteen years after the process began, the people had yet to finish the project. Instead of completing the house of God, the people were busy building their own homes and careers. Into this sorry scene of misguided priorities stepped Haggai to exhort the people to put first things first. The prophet Haggai preached a series of fiery sermons designed to stir up the nation to do three things:

1) To renew their courage in the Lord. Haggai assessed the nation’s condition and summarized it in Haggai 1:7-11. And the people responded in repentance and obedience to the Lord. The prophet’s message was simple: God is with Israel. And that stirred up the hearts of the people to begin work again on the temple of God (1:13-14).

2) To renew holiness in their lives. The returning exiles allowed good things to replace God’s best in their lives. It didn’t happen overnight, but gradually, their time and energy were diverted into building something good (their own homes) instead of building God’s best (the temple). Haggai exhorted them to return and give to God their best sacrifices; to offer themselves wholeheartedly to the Lord and to put Him first in their lives.

3) To renew their faith in God. The prophet proclaimed God’s blessing on the people and told them to have faith in the Lord as they gave their lives and finances to build the temple (2:19).

Do you need to re-adjust your priorities so that you can stay focused on finishing what God has called you to do? If you do the same three things that Haggai instructed the nation to do, you will regain the passion and motivation again to finish the work that was started. Jesus exhorts us in Luke 14:28-30 to count the cost and be good finishers. Don’t let challenges and obstacles discourage or disillusion you. Pray and ask God today to stir up your spirit like He did with Zerubbabel and the people. Make a decision today to be a good finisher and fulfill God’s purpose for your life.

The Just Shall Live By Faith

“Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4

Here we see God making a contrast between the proud and the just. To God, the difference is seen clearly when they go through delays in life. In this case, it was the delay of God’s deliverance and the fulfillment of the vision He had given. The way we respond to delays reveal our true character. A proud person is impatient and demanding. Pride takes on many attitudes, and among them is the idea that we ought to have what is promised … immediately!

In all cases, pride is unreasonable. Who are we that God should become our servant and accede to our every whim and fancy? In contrast, a just man is truly humble. Being humble, he does not dare doubt his God, but yields completely to His Word. It is his faith that keeps him persevering under trials and leads him to triumph in Christ all the time. The phrase “the just shall live by faith” is quoted four times in the Bible:

1) Habakkuk 2:4. This verse shows that faith enables a man to live on in peace and humility, even when the promise has not yet come to its maturity. We are filled with joy as we put our hope (i.e. the confident expectation of good things to come) in God!

2) Romans 1:17. “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished on the cross can give us a life with God.

3) Galatians 3:2. “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” No man is justified before God except by faith. The works of the law only reveals to us that we have all sinned and the wages of sin is death.

4) Hebrews 10:38. “Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” The life of faith is a life of perseverance. We need faith while waiting for heaven and the absence of faith causes us to draw back. Therefore, let us bear in mind that since we have begun in faith, let us continue in faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” What can we do if we have no faith? In what other ways can we be accepted by God? Can we please Him without faith? The answer is No!

Let’s declare the hymn of faith in Habakkuk 3:17-18, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Judgement Against Nineveh

You also will be drunk; You will be hidden; You also will seek refuge from the enemy. Nahum 3:11

By the time Nahum came on the scene, Nineveh, the capital of Assyria was even more wicked than it had been during the time of Jonah about 100 years earlier. The repentant spirit of the people and the revival that stemmed from Jonah’s visit was gone. Now a terror to the entire world, the fortress city of Nineveh seemed impenetrable. But God could no longer overlook the city’s horrible sins, and He sent Nahum to deliver the message of impending destruction. The entire Assyrian empire would be destroyed and the mighty city of Nineveh would be gutted by a raging fire. When Nahum proclaimed to Nineveh, “You will be hidden” (Nah. 3:11), he meant what he said! After Nineveh’s destruction in 612 B.C., the site lay obliterated and undiscovered for nearly 2,500 years! What happened to the city of Nineveh really teaches us that, “to whom much is given, from him much will be required” (Luke 12:48). Nineveh had been given the privilege of knowing the one true God. Under Jonah’s preaching, this great Gentile city had repented, and God had graciously relented from His judgment. But now, about 150 years later, Nahum proclaims the downfall of mighty Nineveh. The Assyrians had forgotten their revival and had returned to their habits of violence, idolatry, and arrogance.

As a result, Babylon would so destroy the city that not a trace of it would remain—a prophecy fulfilled in painful detail. An important spiritual truth can be found in Nineveh’s sorry end: the principle of communication to the next generation. Nineveh’s revival was short-lived, not because the people involved were insincere in their repentance, but because they failed to pass on their newfound knowledge of God to the succeeding generation. As the years rolled along, Jonah, the “prophet from the sea,” and the great God he represented, were largely forgotten. Revival dwindled and died, and in its place, all the old pagan practices returned.

Do you see the importance of teaching the truths of God to the next generation? Without that knowledge, they are likely to fail when confronted with the same kind of crisis that you, in God’s strength, have learned to conquer. Constantly share your faith with your brothers and sisters in the Lord and also with new believers in the church. Encourage them with spiritual truths that God has taught you. Remember, their knowledge of God will depend in part upon your faithfulness in passing on the truth.

Jesus says in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” And Paul says to Timothy, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).

Appreciating God

“O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.” Micah 6:3

December is the month where we remember the greatest gift ever given to mankind. It is the gift of God’s only begotten Son for the salvation of the world. For many, it would also be a month where we express our love and appreciation toward people we love and cherish. However, the irony is that very often, Jesus, who is the reason for this season, is not the focus of our celebration. This was the case in Micah 6:3, where God’s people became weary of God.

However, I want you to look at the amazing response of the Almighty God and His great love for His people. God replied “O My people!” Is it not remarkable that such language should be used by the eternal God? It is the voice of earnestness and an appeal of love. Love injured, but living, pleading, striving and entreating. Divine love yearns for the reconciliation of the rebel.

Once upon a time, there were two boys living with their father. The younger boy had an itch to go to the big city. He said to his father, “I’ve had it with these chickens and cows … Father, you are, in one word, obsolete. You don’t know how to live. What I’m asking for is my inheritance now so I can go to the big city and really live it up!” So the father relented and gave him his inheritance and off he went to the big city.

The people who came back from the big city taunted the man as he waited for his son to return, saying, “Hey mister, you must be pretty proud of your little blue-eyed boy. He’s always drunk and spends half his time in bed with some women … he’s really living it up!” But the man waited and waited. And one night he saw his son coming home. He could tell by the walk, the stride and swing of the arms (signs that only love would notice) that it was his son. The father immediately ran out and embraced him, and in that moment, as tears ran down his father’s cheeks, the boy heard him say, “You’re home; that’s all I want.”

This is the familiar story of the prodigal son—and it’s the story many of us have personally experienced. We think that God is here to kill our joy and rob away our fun without realizing that God is for us and He really loves us. This Christmas, let’s appreciate our heavenly Father for who He is. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2 Tim. 2:13). What a great God we serve!

Christ In Us, The Hope Of Glory

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2

Micah prophesied that Bethlehem would be the place of the Messiah’s nativity. The scribes knew that the Messiah was to be born there. When the wise men inquired about the birth of the new King, the scribes referred to Micah’s prophecy (Matt. 2:1-12). Hence, it was universally known among the Jews that Christ should come out of the town of Bethlehem where David was (John 7:42).

Bethlehem means the “House of Bread.” It was here that the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, was born into the world. Bethlehem was also the city of David. It was therefore God’s divine providence that Jesus, a root of Jesse and an heir to the throne of David, would be born there. Bethlehem was a little town among the thousands of others found in Judah. Bethlehem had nothing in it that was worthy to receive the honor of being the birth place of the Messiah. But God always specializes in exalting the base things of this world for His glory. “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor. 1:27-29).

It was Christ who brought honor to the place of His birth. Otherwise Bethlehem would never have been known. Many of us may think that we are little, insignificant, or even a reject of society. But when Christ comes into our lives, we become vessels of honor. A relationship with Jesus Christ transforms the little in this world into something great in the kingdom of God.

When Andrew brought a boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish to Jesus, it seemed little in the sight of the multitude of hungry people. But a little does become much in the Master’s hand (John 6:1-14). That little lunch fed five thousand, not including women and children. Nobody would have noticed any poor widow with only two mites. But when she came with all she had in the presence of Jesus, what she did became a household story known even today (Mark 12:42-44).

We must always consider that without Christ, we are nothing. But in Him, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph. 1:3). It is on His account that we become great in the kingdom of God. It is Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

Repentance Unto Salvation

Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Jonah 3:9

The hope of salvation to which the Ninevites could reach was slim. They had no revelation of the character of the God of Israel. They knew nothing of an atoning sacrifice. They had received no invitation to seek the Lord; not even a command to repent. Jonah came only with a warning—a warning that Nineveh would be overthrown in 40 days (Jon. 3:4).

Yet based on that warning, the whole city repented before God and He relented from His wrath! Jonah was no loving, tender pastor, anxious to gather lost sheep. In fact, he disliked the ministry he was called to. He had no sympathy for the Ninevites and offered no prayer for them. He was even displeased that the city was spared from God’s impending judgment. Yet the people believed his word and they believed his God. Now hear what Jesus said in Matthew 12:41, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.”

Indeed our Lord Jesus is greater than Jonah. He is our good Shepherd, and with loving kindness and tender mercies, He calls us to repentance. Isaiah 42:3 says this of our Lord, “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.” Yet so many times we take the kindness and goodness of God for granted and are not quick to respond to Him in godly fear and reverence. Many times the Lord has corrected us, warned us and admonished us, and still we are unrepentant. Nineveh enjoyed no such privileges. Nineveh heard the prophet Jonah only once—it was an open-air sermon and the message was incredibly short! They had not received any hope or any assurance of God’s salvation; only a warning of His judgment.

In comparison, we are much better off. We are living in the new covenant where the atoning sacrifice for sin has been offered. The penalty for our sins has been paid. We are a new creation in Christ and we have become the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is no excuse, therefore, that we should receive the grace of God in vain (2 Cor. 6:1-2). Let us not put off till tomorrow our decision to obey the Lord. Let us examine ourselves and purify our hearts today. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Christmas

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

Christmas can change your life! Just as Jesus Christ was born in a stable 2,000 years ago, so He can live in our hearts each and every day when we ask Him in.

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! When He was born in the city of Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, He was born to a poor family. The Lord of the universe chose to come to earth in humility and to live as a common person among us. He was born in a stable where animals lived because there was no room for them in the inn.

Yet this same Jesus is the magnificent Son of God who will someday return to earth in splendor and glory. After Jesus was born, there were wise men — sometimes known as kings — who came from the east of Bethlehem to worship Jesus. They were miraculously guided by a star, and came to Jerusalem where they asked, “Where is the One who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When they were told that it was prophecied that the Ruler would come from Bethlehem, they went there and found Jesus. When they found Jesus, they knelt down and worshipped Him, and gave Him gifts of gold and precious spices.

Even today, wise people still seek Jesus. When you seek Him, you will find Him when you search for Him with all your heart. This Christmas, I invite you, just as the wise men did, to worship Jesus. Invite Him to be both your Savior and your Lord. Even the kings of the earth will someday bow down and worship Jesus Christ. Let’s begin today!

So, this week, let us pray

• Worship Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord each and every day
• Ask God to bring people from all over the world to come to know Jesus Christ as Savior
• Ask God to bless our staff at Global Media Outreach as we seek to reach more people for Jesus Christ
  

THANK YOU for your prayers. Just as the wise men gave gifts of gold and precious spices, let us give Jesus Christ our hearts and our lives this Christmas. Jesus Christ is the true meaning of Christmas; let us praise and thank and worship Him together!

May God bless you,

An Excellent Spirit

Tell it not in Gath, weep not at all in Beth Aphrah, roll yourself in the dust. Micah 1:10

The prophet Micah was calling the people of God to lament for the terrible judgment that would come as a result of Israel’s sin and wickedness. However, he told them not to tell it in Gath. Micah was lamenting the way David did when Saul and Jonathan were slain. “Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon—lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph” (2 Sam. 1:20).

Here lies the quality of an excellent spirit. Though it seemed that Israel well deserved all those terrible punishments because of her disobedience, the prophet wanted to conceal the fault of his own people and did not want the enemies of Israel to hear of it. Love teaches us to see the best in those we love and to say nothing of those things that are evil. Love suffers long and is kind; love thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

In fact, God will not overlook those who rejoice over the calamity of others. “He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished” (Prov. 17:5). Micah was deeply concerned for the honor of God. He would not want the people of God to be put to shame or be laughed at by their enemies. A spiritually mature person is sensitive to how God feels and he is jealous for the name of God. As Micah thought about the hardship the people would suffer and the reproach on God’s name, he was totally heartbroken. “Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches, for her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; it has come to the gate of My people—To Jerusalem” (Mic. 1:8-9).

David was also such a man. When Saul, his arch enemy, was slain, he did not celebrate or become an opportunist and claim the throne for himself. Instead, David lamented (2 Sam. 1:17-27). In his elegy for Saul and Jonathan, he only celebrated that which was praiseworthy in Saul. David was deeply concerned for the welfare of the people of God. It was the beauty of Israel that was slain and the honor of the people of God that was disgraced (1:19). The mighty had just fallen and so the strength of the people was weakened. Public losses are most important to the heart of men with public spirit. Be a person with an excellent spirit like Micah and King David. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). Be jealous for the name of the Lord and protect the honor of our God and His people.

The Ministry Of Intercession

Then I said: “O Lord GOD, cease, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!” Amos 7:5

In chapter 7, Amos saw two visions of judgment on Israel. In the first, he saw an army of locusts that was going to attack Israel. They would devour everything and the entire land would be consumed and destroyed (7:1-2). In the second, he saw a fire that would consume Israel (7:4-5). As such, Amos was so grieved in his heart that he cried out to the Lord, and God relented from His judgment (7:3, 6). This is how God works in our lives. Before God does anything, He will first reveal His secret to His servants, the prophets (3:7). Once the prophet sees the burden of the Lord, he must pray and intercede for the people.

Real prayer and intercession are built on the basis of divine revelation. We can only pray effectively when we understand what is in the heart of God. Real intercession is only born through a hearing-praying relationship with God. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26).

Amos stood before God like Abraham did when he prayed to God for Sodom and Gomorrah. God was going to destroy those two cities because of their gross sins and wickedness. Abraham interceded, pleading with God not to destroy those cities. Amos was doing exactly the same. He stood in the gap for Israel. As a result, God relented. God does not change His mind with regards to His blessings and covenant promises. But concerning His judgment, God may change His mind toward a generation who intercedes and prays to Him (2 Chr. 7:14). That is why the ministry of intercession is so important in the Church. God can spare a nation from the severity of His judgment when intercession is made. When the people of Nineveh heard Jonah’s prophecy on how God was going to judge the city in 40 days, they gathered to repent before the Lord in prayer and fasting (Jon. 3:5). As a result, God changed His mind. “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (3:10).

When things go wrong in your life, in your business or in the nation, and you recognize that it is the dealing and judgment of God, remember that your sincere prayers of intercession and humility can bring God to relent from His judgment.

The Fruits Of Repentance

Seek good and not evil, that you may live; so the LORD God of hosts will be with you, as you have spoken. Amos 5:14

What does it mean to seek the Lord? To seek the Lord is to seek good and not evil. God is looking for the fruits of repentance in your life. Do you bring forth good works, good deeds, good attitudes, good character and a good lifestyle? The prophet Amos says in Amos 5:15 that if there is true repentance, God may turn from His wrath in judging the land. Remember what happened when Jonah went to preach in Nineveh? Nineveh was a metropolitan city of the ancient world that was so full of wickedness that God was going to destroy it. However, the people repented and sought the Lord in prayer and fasting. As a result, the Lord changed His mind and spared them.

So, Amos told the people to start seeking God—reject evil and do good. True repentance produces fruits in our lives. “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matt. 3:8). What are the fruits of true repentance?

1) Conviction. When a man is not deeply convicted of sin, it is a very sure sign that he has not truly repented. Sooner or later, he will lapse back into his old lifestyle.

2) Contrition. There will be a deep godly sorrow and humiliation of heart because of sin. If there is no true contrition, a man will turn back to his old sin. Many sinners are just sorry for their sins; sorry that they have been continuing in sin but they repent with hearts that are not broken. However, the psalmist declares, “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18).

3) Confession of sin. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

4) Conversion. There is no true conversion until conviction, contrition and confession have taken place. These are the marks of genuine repentance. Let there be a real change in your life toward the Lord. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Genuine repentance is always the first step toward revival. Whenever God’s people repent, He will respond from heaven. Is heaven closed over your life? Could it be that there has not been genuine repentance? “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chr. 7:14).

Faithfulness

The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. Amos 1:1

Amos was a sheep-breeder. He was neither a prophet nor the owner of a flock of sheep; he was just a shepherd. He was not a seasoned prophet like Elijah, a priest like Jeremiah, or a man of the court like Isaiah. Amos was just an ordinary, working man. Not only that, Amos had a second job tending the sycamore fruit (Amos 7:14). The sycamore is the poorest of fruits in Israel and only the very poor people eat it. Therefore, it is clear that Amos did not come from a very wealthy family. In fact, he had to work two jobs just to make a living. But the Word of the Lord came to this man and God raised him up to be a prophet against two military leaders. God can do the same for each one of us. We may be insignificant in the eyes of other people or even in our own eyes, but it is the heart that God is interested in. God can raise up someone who is considered a “nobody” in the eyes of people and make a great prophet out of him.

The Word of the Lord often comes when you are doing your duties. Amos was just faithfully doing what he should have been doing when the Word of the Lord came. Moses got his burning bush experience and his life’s mission when he was shepherding his flock in the desert. Gideon received his command to lead the Israelites to war when he was threshing the wheat. Elisha met his master Elijah when he was plowing the field. In the New Testament, we see Peter, James, John and Andrew receiving the call to follow Jesus when they were mending their fishing nets.

God is looking for faithful men to whom He can entrust His Word. Jesus said, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10). We may think that what we are doing is insignificant, but God is watching. “Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin” (Zech. 4:10, TLB). Deuteronomy 8:18 says that, it is God who gives you the power to get wealth. You need to take the power, abilities and talents that God has given to you to apply yourself and do your job well. So often, believers disqualify themselves from their destiny by not working hard. “Lazy men are soon poor; hard workers get rich” (Prov. 10:4, TLB).

You’ll never be used by God to do anything great unless you work hard at what you’re supposed to be doing. Let us make a decision today to be faithful and work hard at whatever is entrusted into our hands.

Purpose For Fasting

Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Joel 1:14

Joel made a proclamation, calling all the inhabitants to consecrate a fast. Fasting is often a neglected spiritual activity among believers. Yet it is being referred to all throughout the pages of the Bible. Fasting is voluntarily abstaining from food for spiritual purposes.

The primary purpose for fasting is self-humbling. God requires His people to humble themselves before Him. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). Fasting is that scriptural means, ordained by God, by which we can humble ourselves before Him. David fasted to humble himself before God (Ps. 35:13). Ezra and the exiles fasted for God’s protection (Ezra 8:21-23). Jesus fasted 40 days before Satan tempted Him (Luke 4:1-2). He overcame the devil and returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee (4:14). The power of the Christian life is the Holy Spirit. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Therefore, the key to successful Christian living is knowing how to release the power of the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to work through us without hindrances.

To remove any hindrances, we need to put away our old man, our carnality. Many believers never experience this power because of the flesh. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Gal. 5:17). If we are going to yield to the Holy Spirit, we must deal with the carnal nature. And fasting is God’s appointed way to bring the carnal nature into subjection.

As such, fasting is essential in our lives if we are to be victorious over Satan. Fasting changes the life of a believer. Paul says, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27). The most natural thing for us to do when we are hungry is to eat. So when we fast, we are disciplining ourselves and becoming masters over the carnal flesh. In this way, the power of the Holy Spirit can flow freely through us.

When the armies of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir surrounded Judah and Jerusalem, King Jehoshaphat did not trust in man-made weapons for deliverance. Instead he and the people in Judah humbled themselves before the Lord with fasting (2 Chr. 20:3). They renounced the natural and invoked the supernatural power of God. As a result, they had a mighty victory! Let us humble ourselves with fasting and believe God for His mighty hand of deliverance in our lives.

Let God Be Your king

I will be your King; where is any other, that he may save you in all your cities? And your judges to whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’? Hosea 13:10

During the time of the prophet Samuel, the children of Israel, in their discontentment, insisted on having a human king to represent them instead of God. Back then, their desire angered the Lord and Israel missed a great privilege of having God as their King. But in Hosea 13:10, God is declaring to Israel that He will be their King and He will do what their princes and judges could not. Beloved, let us not miss the same privilege the Lord has given to us. By declaring God as our King:

1) We acknowledge our own weakness and need for Him. When we are surrounded by our enemies, our Heavenly King has the power to subdue them and fight on our behalf. God wanted Israel to trust in Him and be dependant on Him. But they would not believe. They trusted in their own strength and confidence. They wanted to be like the other Gentile nations and felt that one from among them could represent them as their king. They would rather trust in a human king whom they could see. But the Bible says we are to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). It takes faith to acknowledge our own weakness and let God fight the battle for us.

2) We submit ourselves under His rulership. It is a great honor for us to have the Creator of the Universe as our King. He has the goodness to bless, the righteousness to rule and the power to bring peace and prosperity to His people. God is the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords. He has more wisdom than the wisdom of Solomon, and is ready to make His reign in your life a season of joy and happiness. Therefore, obey Him, submit yourselves to Him and He will make your way prosperous.

3) We will share in the glory of His kingship. The Bible says we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own special people (1 Pet. 2:9). Therefore, we share in His power and dominion. We are made to rule and reign with Christ Jesus our Lord (Rev. 5:10). What an awesome privilege that God has given to us! When God has established the New Jerusalem, Revelation 22:5 says, “There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” If we let God be our King, we will reign with Him forever and ever.

The Rain Of The Holy Spirit

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

Have you seen any farmer who would allow his finest fields to lie fallow year after year? Yet we often neglect the soil of our heart. In the parable of the sower, Jesus says the ground is the heart of man (Matt. 13:19). The Bible has much to say about a man’s heart: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (5:8). “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (12:34). “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man” (15:18). “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind’” (22:37). Neglecting the heart is to allow the ground to remain fallow. Besides being unprofitable, these inward fields would be full of weeds and exceedingly foul.

1) It is time to seek the Lord. It is time to get serious in your walk with God. “It is time” (Hosea 10:12) suggests the urgency of the matter at hand. Be urgent about your spiritual condition. You must not tolerate dry worship and powerless prayer. When was the last time you experienced the tangible presence of God? It is time to seek the Lord again and worship Him in spirit and truth! Only through genuine worship and prayer can the presence of God flow in our lives again.

2) Seek God till He comes and rains righteousness upon you. This means, pray until the breakthrough comes. Even if it takes hours, days or weeks, the Bible says don’t look at other directions; keep your eyes focused on the Lord and pray till He saturates your soul with His righteousness.

Waiting upon the Lord is worth it when you are praying for revival. The result of His outpouring far exceeds the pain of tarrying in His presence. When the Lord comes, He will come in abundant grace and mercy. Your ground will yield fruits and a renewed passion toward the Lord will be rekindled again in your heart.

Are you experiencing dryness or barrenness in your life? God is saying to you today, it is time to be revived. Come then, let’s seek the Lord this very hour! As the scripture says, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13).

The Mercy Of God

And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’ Hosea 2:23

This message must be very important as we see Paul the apostle quoting it again in Romans 9:25-26, “As He says also in Hosea: ‘I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.’ And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there they shall be called sons of the living God.”

Now, let’s consider the state of the people God was talking about:

1) They had not obtained mercy. Their just dessert was God’s judgment. There was nothing that could save them except the mercy of God.

2) They were not the people of God. They had no relationship with God and possessed no hope of heaven at all. We are this group of people that God is speaking about. As Peter said, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9-10).

If it were not for God’s mercy, we would not have been saved. Jesus says, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). So let us meditate and ponder on the mercy of God today. Be thankful and full of gratitude, for that is our rightful response to God’s goodness and mercy. So often, our heart gets side-tracked from an attitude of gratitude when things don’t happen our way. When we stop glorifying God or become unthankful, our thoughts become futile, and our foolish hearts become darkened (Rom. 1:21).

Remember it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (2:4), and when we are in sin, Christ died to provide a way of salvation for us (5:6-8). Thank God He declared, “I will call them My people, and they shall be called sons of the Living God.” Let us take the mercy of God and proclaim it to the ends of the earth so that others too can experience the joy of our salvation.

Rend Your Heart Before God

Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. Hosea 6:1

These may be taken either as the words of the prophet to the people, calling them to repentance, or as the words of the people to one another, encouraging each other to seek the Lord and to humble themselves before Him in the hope of finding mercy with Him. Israel was told to “return to the Lord” (Hos. 6:1). They were to go no more to the Assyrians or to King Jareb, but were commanded to return to the worship of the Lord and turn from idolatry. The first step to healing and restoration is always to return to the Lord. Many people want the benefits of healing and restoration but they never seriously want to come back to the Lord. Jesus says, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:8-9). The prophet Joel exhorts us in Joel 2:13, “So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.” God is looking at our hearts. “Rending the heart” is that which God looks for and requires. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise” (Ps. 51:17). This psalm of David was written when Nathan the prophet went to him and confronted him of his adultery with Bathsheba.

When David realized that he was wrong, he did not care if he would lose his kingship; nor was he concerned about his reputation or the opinions of his subjects. David immediately cried out, “I have sinned against the LORD” (2 Sam. 12:13). He was grieved that he had hurt God and that his relationship with Him was now jeopardized. Because of his sincerity, David was later healed and restored.

King Saul was not like David. When the prophet Samuel confronted him about his unlawful sacrifice and his disobedience in not thoroughly destroying the Amalekites, Saul tried to defend himself (1 Sam. 13:11-12; 15:20-21). As a result, Saul lost his kingdom. Stop defending and justifying yourself when you are being confronted by the truth. Let the severity of sin grieve our souls, so that it cuts us to the heart to think of how we have dishonored God. As we rend our hearts in repentance, God will rend the heavens and come down to us with mercy, healing and restoration.

The Power Of Prayer

Then he said to me,”Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.” Daniel 10:12

Daniel was fasting and praying for 21 days. During that time, a spiritual warfare was going on in the heavenlies. Spiritual warfare is very real and every believer is involved in direct, personal conflicts with Satan (Eph. 6:10-12). As such, God has given us weapons appropriate for war. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Cor. 10:4-6).

Prayer and intercession are great spiritual weapons. As Daniel prayed, warring angels were dispatched to make sure the message of God was delivered to the earth (Dan. 10:13-14). In Exodus 17, when Amalek came and fought Israel at Rephidim, Joshua led the Israelites into battle at the plain, while Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill to pray. The Bible records, “And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed” (17:11). As long as prayer was lifted up to the Lord, Israel had the victory.

In the New Testament, we see how Satan constantly tried to hinder the work of God from advancing. In Acts 12, Peter was arrested and the enemy tried to keep him in prison in an attempt to stop the gospel from spreading. But constant prayer was offered to God for him by the Church (12:5). As the Church prayed, Peter was loosed from his chains (12:7). Praise the Lord! All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus (Matt. 28:18). Jesus has delegated that authority to us. He says whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (16:19). In our prayers, we can boldly bind the principalities and powers; and rulers of darkness of this age who are assigned to hinder God’s work and the preaching of the gospel. And we can release the angels of God, who will carry the message of the Lord to the earth.

Christmas

“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end...” Isaiah 9:6, 7

This is the time of year when we celebrate Christmas — the time when Jesus was born!

Christmas can be a wonderful time, for it reminds us of the tremendous gift of Jesus Christ to us. God knew we needed a Savior, so He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be born in Bethlehem in Israel for us. Jesus was born over 2,000 years ago. It was a time when the Roman empire ruled much of the world.

An angel appeared to a virgin named Mary and said to her, “Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you...Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High...The Holy Spirit will come upon you , and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:28, 30-32, 35)

This Son of God is our Savior Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice this Christmas — and every day of the year — that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to be born, and to live, and to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. You can have Jesus Christ as your savior today and always when we sincerely ask forgiveness of our sins and ask Christ into our hearts to be our Savior and Lord.

So, this week, let us pray that

• God will send the message of the birth of His Son Jesus Christ throughout the whole world
• People everywhere will come to believe in Jesus
• God will protect and bless our staff at Global Media Outreach
• God will provide finances so we can reach even more people for Jesus Christ
  

THANK YOU so much for your prayers. Let us rejoice together in the birth of Jesus Christ — and let us thank God for the most wonderful gift of His Son.

May God bless you,

Knowing The Scriptures

Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. Daniel 9:3

The year was 539 B.C. when Darius was the governor under King Cyrus, the new Medo-Persian emperor. Daniel was already 82 years old but he was still spiritually sharp and prophetically accurate. Daniel was searching the scriptures and studying the words of the prophet Jeremiah and realized that the 70-year captivity was coming to an end. By now, it was already the 67th year, with just three more years to go. So Daniel started fasting and making supplications to God that He would fulfill His promise to take the Jews back to Jerusalem.

Though Daniel was a great prophet and one who was well acquainted with the visions of God, he was also a diligent student of the Scriptures. Not only did he study, he also believed the prophecies of Jeremiah. At that time, Daniel was also a powerful man; he was the prime minister to one of the greatest monarchs in history. Yet he could find both heart and time to study the Word of God. We must never despise the Bible. Every verse that was written was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Every detail in each prophecy is significant and worthy to be believed upon. Jesus said, “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18). 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” As such, we must give priority to the Word of God in our lives.

Like Daniel, there is a need for believers to study and understand Bible prophecies, so that we can know how to pray and live intelligently in the will and the purpose of God. God is a God of purpose and design. He has a divine plan and a divine timetable. Jesus Christ did not come into this earth to be born in Bethlehem, grow up in Nazareth and eventually die on the cross all by chance. They were all written in the Scriptures. “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Gal. 4:4). He always reveals His will to His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).

God wants to reveal His secrets to us. We can know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. But we must be available to receive it from Him. Therefore we need to study the Bible and understand what it says so that we can be wise and understand what the will of the Lord is for our lives (Eph. 5:15-17).

The Writings On The Wall

In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Daniel 5:5

In Daniel 5, we see Belshazzar, the king who was happily partying with his subjects, suddenly becoming very gloomy and trembling with fear. There appeared the fingers of a man’s hand writing on the wall before the king’s face (5:5). The writings on the wall brought the fear of God and a holy conviction in the heart of the king. This divine hand was the same hand that wrote the Ten Commandments on the two tablets of stone at Mount Sinai (Ex. 32:15-16). The writings of the law had such power to convict man’s heart that centuries later, when the Book of the Law was found and read in the presence of King Josiah by a simple scribe, it brought the king to his knees in repentance (2 Kin. 22:11-13).

It was the same finger writing in the New Testament when the Pharisees brought to Jesus the woman caught in adultery. “This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear” (John 8:6). The writings convicted the conscience of the accusers, sending them fleeing (8:9). Like in Daniel 5, it was not the sound of an army; or the flashes of lightning or the roar of thunder that brought fear to the heart of the king. It was not even a destroying angel with his sword drawn in his hand; it was a finger, and the writings on the wall, that brought tremendous power to convict.

The writings on the wall were illuminated by a lampstand in the palace (5:5). The lampstand is the Spirit of God who illuminates the writings of the Word of God in our hearts. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them” (Heb. 10:16). On the day of Pentecost, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Peter stood up and preached from the book of Joel. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do’” (Acts 2:37)? Centuries may have passed, but the Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible are still convicting and bringing sinners to repentance.

How can we bring conviction to the hearts of men that are blinded and hardened by sin and the god of this world? Preach the Word! The Holy Spirit will illuminate the Word in the heart of the listener and bring about the conviction of sin.

Living By Godly Convictions

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8

Daniel was a man of conviction. The Babylonians tried changing his name, but they could not change his heart. No matter what they called him, he remained an Israelite at heart. Like the rest of the young men training to serve in the king’s palace, Daniel would study and do his best to master the tongue of the Chaldeans. However, he resolved that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, or with the wine which he drank. This was not done out of sullenness or a spirit of contradiction, but from a principle of conviction. Here is a great example of how we should live our lives in this world. Like Daniel, we should apply ourselves to study hard in school, excel in our career and business, and be the best that we can be without compromising or diluting our godly values, lifestyles and beliefs.

Like Daniel, Jesus was ridiculed and called different names by the people. They called Him “Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons” (Matt. 12:24) while others regarded Him only as “the carpenter, the son of Mary” (Mark 6:3). But Jesus knew exactly who He was and He never compromised on His purpose, calling or lifestyle. Jesus said that we are “in the world” (John 17:11), but “not of the world” (15:19). He declared, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (14:30).

Temptation is a manipulation which attempts to challenge our convictions about who God is and who we are in Him. It attempts to silence the voice of the Spirit and the conscience of the believer. Whether in lifestyle or worship, Daniel stood strong on the convictions of his Jewish teachings. As a result, he became a light that shined in the midst of the idolatrous Babylonian empire, declaring the revelation and standard of God in his generation. Two thousand years ago,

Jesus was the ultimate light of the world (9:5). He came and revealed God in that generation. But when He ascended to heaven, He could no longer be the light of the world. The responsibility to shine has now been given to the Church. “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are” (17:11).

As such, apostle Paul commanded the Philippians, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Phil. 2:14-16).

My Attitude Governs My Receiving

But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.” Ezekiel 47:11

The prophet Ezekiel saw a vision of a life-giving river. However, he also observed that some parts of the river were barren and carried no blessings. Though the Word of God is spirit and life, there are people who will not benefit from it.

1) James says that the hearers (not doers) of the Word will not be blessed (James 1:22-23). These are people who learn but never practice what they learn. They may feel strong emotions but never make any positive decisions. They may even have great resolve but never ever do anything to change.

2) Paul says that those who are blinded by unbelief will not receive light (2 Cor. 4:4). They have hardened their heart in unbelief and the blessings of God cannot reach them. Even Jesus could not do many mighty works in Nazareth because of their unbelief (Matt. 13:58).

3) A hardened heart will not inherit the promises of God (Heb. 3:13). These are people whose hearts have been hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. The light of God’s Word cannot penetrate into them.

The marshes were growing near the life-giving river. They were an eye sore compared to the beautiful river. These marshes speak of people who are living near the river but yet are not flourishing. The Bible speaks of these people as:

a) The proud man (1 Cor. 8:1). He is full of knowledge but is lacking in the area of love.

b) The critical man (Matt. 7:4). He is quick to judge and find fault in another Christian, but is blind to his own faults.

c) The unfaithful man (1 John 2:15). He hears and receives the Word of God, yet loves the world.

d) The unspiritual man (Matt. 13:20-21). He is impressed and moved by the gospel, but never obeys the Word and has no spiritual life.

e) The religious man. He performs religious duties to impress others but not God. When we hear the Word of God, our hearts must be open for the Spirit of God to move in our lives. If our attitude or heart condition is not right, we will be like the marsh that grows by the life-giving river—barren and fruitless instead of flourishing from the river of life.

The Power Of Fasting

I have been fasting regularly since 1986. In the early days, I would fast once a week for 24 hours, from 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday to 6:00 a.m. on Thursday. However, since 2004, I have been going on 21-day full fasts once every 6 months. Once, in 2007, I fasted for 40 days.

Many people have asked me, “Kong, why do you fast so often?” This blog is dedicated to that question. There are many wonderful benefits of fasting:

1. Biological: The physical benefits fasting has toward the body have been so well documented that even non-Christians these days fast regularly for better health. According to World Health Net, a study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, shows that regular fasting can reduce risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, insulin resistance, immune disorders, and more generally, the slowing of the aging process, and the potential to increase maximum life span.

In Japan, “fasting clubs” are now in vogue. A June 16, 2003, issue of Newsweek states that “for decades Japanese doctors have treated obesity, diabetes and some psychiatric illnesses with fasting.”

During a fast, the body takes the opportunity to eliminate a lot of toxins (harmful substances) that have been built up over the years. The toxins are predominantly stored in fat and mucous cells. The body is “resetting” itself. A common detoxification reaction is headaches. This occurs because the toxins in the blood cause it to thicken and hence cause a headache. A simple remedy is to drink more water or have a bowel movement. In fact, a three-day fast has been used as a standard means of detox recommended by nutritionists the world over.

In America, it is now common to have a 28-day detox program. Books such as Get Healthy Through Detox and Fasting: How to Revitalize Your Body in 28 Days by Don Colbert, and New Again! The 28-Day Detox Plan for Body and Soul by Anna Selby, describe detoxification plans which remove harmful toxins from the body and revitalize it.

2. Spiritual: There are a number of very good reasons why we Christians should fast:

• Breaking the power of the carnal flesh. Our fallen nature is so tightly linked to the physical appetites of our human body. The more inordinately we yield to our physical drives (such as hunger, sleep, sex), the more we embolden the carnal nature of our undisciplined flesh. Apostle Paul himself was fully aware of the power of the flesh, and constantly disciplined his body “to bring it into subjection” (1 Cor. 9:27). One of the ways he did this was “in fastings often.” (2 Cor. 11:27). As I deprive my body of its craving for food, I am taming my flesh and bringing it into subjection to my spirit. By the end of my fasting period, I often find myself more spiritual, more heavenly minded, more in tune with God, and more sensitive to His voice. In fact, the Scripture records that the reason the church leaders of Antioch were so sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, concerning His plan to reach the Gentile world, was a direct result of prayer and fasting (Acts 13:2).
  
• Self-humbling before the Lord. This is the reason why the saints in the Bible fast (Ps. 35:13). They were reminding themselves that they were weak in their own human strength to achieve the big visions and goals that God had set before them. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41). Therefore if our God-ordained dream is going to happen, it must be by a supernatural work of the Lord.
• Fasting heightens that awareness. When I fast, I feel so weak in myself. I can’t workout in the gym. I can’t run five km (three miles) each day. After every service during my 21-day fasting season, I often felt like “crashing.” I would then cry out to the Lord, “Jesus, I can’t do it, please help me by the power of Your Holy Spirit!” God will always give grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).
• Increasing the anointing level. Jesus says that certain demons can’t be expelled except by prayer and fasting (Matt.17:21). Last month at the Kuala Lumpur Emerge (our annual youth conference in Malaysia), many commented that the preaching of the Word and the ministry time were some of the best they have ever had. Honestly, I didn’t feel any different. In fact, I felt I didn’t preach too well in a couple of the sessions because I was tired due to my long fast. However, many attendees sent me text messages and emails to say that their lives were so impacted and irrevocably changed. As I reflect on this, I can clearly see that God Himself was doing the work. He had so anointed my voice and let His power flow freely through the laying on of my hands. The presence and power of God made a huge difference in my time at KL.
  

3. Revival & Church Growth: In the Bible, whenever the people of God stopped fasting, they became dull and complacent. However, when a fast was decreed, the whole nation underwent revival and deliverance (2 Chr. 20:3-25; Esther 4:16; Ezra 8:21; Jonah 3:5-10). Last month, I fasted and prayed for three specific purposes: (1) 30 percent growth in every pastoral zone, (2) CHC to get its 10,000-seat arena in the city, and (3) my wife Sun to excel in her American singing career. Fasting greatly adds spiritual momentum to my prayer and faith.

What to Do When You Fast?

• If you have a sickness, if you are pregnant, or if you are a nursing mother, please don’t fast.
• If you have a history of weak health, please seek medical advice beforehand if you want to fast.
• If you are on regular medication, please consult a doctor before you fast.
• If you can’t fast throughout the week, just go for a three-day fast. But please don’t fast intermittently (stopping a few meals, eating a few meal) as this will affect the rhythm of your gastric flow and may hurt your body. Once you start fasting, don’t eat until you have finished the fast.
• You must drink a lot of water when you fast. Be careful of juices and beverages (such as, coffee) that may give you gastric problems because of the acids they contain. For some people, milk may result in a lot of gas. Yoghurt may cause stomach rumblings, and is generally considered food. The best is electrolytes like 100-Plus, H-2-0, Pocari, et cetera. You need the minerals contained in them during a fast. Drinking clear soup in moderation is good when you need extra energy for work or ministry.
• Don’t do anything strenuous like run 10 km, house-moving, dance performances, etc. Adopt a commonsense approach to fasting.
• Brush your teeth often as you will tend to have bad breath (again, due to the release of toxins). I normally carry a toothbrush and toothpaste everywhere I go when I am fasting.
• Most of all, when you fast, try to start or end the day with a time of deep personal devotion and prayer. Fasting must go with prayer. Otherwise, it is just dieting or a “hunger strike.”
  

How to Break a Fast?

After fasting, always begin with a light meal, even if you have fasted for only a short period of time. Don’t begin with anything too greasy, fatty or heavy.

The next thing to keep in mind is that the longer the fast, the more gradual it takes to break it. Somebody has said that you must take as long a time to break your fast as you do the period of fasting. When you have fasted for a long time (over three weeks), your stomach becomes like that of a baby’s. Feed yourself after that fast as you would a baby. It may take up to a week to get back to consuming normal food.

When you are in a fast, you usually don’t feel so hungry after the first three days. However, when you start to eat again, your hunger comes back. That is when you must really hold on to yourself. Exercise self-control. Fasting causes your stomach to contract. It is unwise to expand it again to the same extent. Fasting is a great way to change our eating habits, which many of us need to do. However, if you are planning to slim down or reduce your weight, fasting alone will not do that normally. You will get a few kilos off, but you will put them on just as quickly unless you combine it with a changed program of eating and exercise.

The Glory Of God

The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple. Ezekiel 43:5

After Ezekiel had patiently surveyed the temple of God, the Spirit of God lifted him up and brought him into the inner court. Though the temple was very big and magnificent, it was not until the glory of God was manifested that it truly became the holy temple of the Lord.

What is the glory of God? The glory of God is the intrinsic value of who He is. It is His radiance, the brightness of His light and beauty, and the honor that is due to Him. The idols of the heathens have no glory because they owe what you see on them to the goldsmith or the painter. There are two things which Ezekiel observed in this appearance of the glory of God:

1) The power of His Word which he heard. “His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory” (Ezek. 43:2). It could be heard from afar and it made an unforgettable impression on Ezekiel. In the book of Revelation, His voice was like the sound of many waters and the voice of loud thunder (Rev. 1:15; 14:2). The sound of many waters and the earth shining with God’s glory speak of the preaching of the gospel message to the world. The gospel will be proclaimed aloud. The report of it will be heard afar off. It will be preached to the ends of the earth and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14). To some it will be an indication of life, but to others it will be like the thunderous roar of a fearful expectation of judgment and death.

2) The brightness of His appearance which he saw. “The earth shone with his glory” (Ezek. 43:2). This appearance of the glory of God was the same one in the vision which Ezekiel saw when he first received his commission (1:4). God is always the same and His glory has no variation. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). That glory which shone in the temple in the time of Ezekiel is still shining today. God has not changed. The gospel message is as glorious and powerful today as when it was first preached in Jerusalem. It brought the entire Roman Empire to its knees and it too will bring our generation to its knees.

The Chambers Of The Temples

Then he brought me out into the outer court, by the way toward the north; and he brought me into the chamber which was opposite the separating courtyard, and which was opposite the building toward the north. Ezekiel 42:1

In Ezekiel’s vision, he was again brought to the outer court to observe the chambers that were surrounding the Temple. The chambers in the outer court speak to us of our devotion to God. There are four things we can learn from studying the chambers:

1) The private chambers surrounded the Temple. The Temple was a place for public worship. The private chambers surrounding the Temple signify that our lives must include public worship in the church as well as private devotion time with Him. Both before and after our worship of God in the Temple, we must enter into our own “chambers” to commune with the Lord in secret. Our time with God in personal prayer, reading and meditating is as important as attending church services every week.

2) There were many chambers. The rooms in the higher chambers were not as large as the lower ones, yet they served well for all to lodge (Ezek. 42:5-6). One such devout person that lived near the temple of God in the New Testament was Anna the prophetess. Luke 2:37 says, “And this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” Jesus says, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). Multitudes have taken refuge in God’s House, and there is still room for more. We must play our part to fill those rooms for the Lord.

3) The chambers were within view and within reach of the Temple. Our personal devotion to God is a preparation for our public ministry. God does not want us to stay inside our “chambers” and not take care of the needs of the Temple. He does not want us to become self-absorbed in our own “private ministry.” All that God has revealed to you in private, He wants you to share it so that His people can be blessed.

4) In front of the chambers was a walkway 10 cubits wide. This was a place for those lodging in these chambers to meet for conversation, fellowship and edification. We are not to spend all our time in the church and the chambers, although they are both very important. We are called to minister to one another and also to the rest of the world. We need to edify others and be edified ourselves. Communion and fellowship with one another is as spiritual an activity as praying.

you lacking in any of these four areas of ministry? As you meditate on these verses, ask the Lord to strengthen you in areas that you are lacking in.

Understanding God's Judgement

“The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.“ Ezekiel 39:23

By now, as you read Bible prophecies concerning the captivity of the house of Israel, you should have realized the same three things are reiterated time and again.

• God judged Israel because of their unfaithfulness to Him.
• But in His judgment, He always remembers mercy. He will restore them again.
• He will bring them from their exile and captivity back to the land of Israel. So here in Ezekiel 39:23, God wanted the Gentiles to know that He was the One who allowed Israel to go into captivity. The Gentile nations had nothing to boast of in this regard. Those who took occasion from the troubles of Israel to reproach God as being unable to deliver and untrue to His covenant with Israel were greatly mistaken. So, we need to understand the works of God in dealing with His people:
  

1) God punishes sin even among His own people. Some people falsely assume that because God is merciful, He will not judge. They are deceived into thinking that because we are living in the new covenant, God’s requirement for holy living has been replaced by His love and grace. No! Rather, the opposite is true. God demands more since we are in Christ and we have the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:26-31). God hates sin most in those who are nearest and dearest to Him. The Bible says He will chasten those whom He loves (12:5-6). God is no respecter of persons and because He is a righteous Judge, He has to implement justice on those who sin.

2) When God chastens His people, it is to correct them and reform them, not to gratify their enemies. Hebrews 12:7 says, “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?”

3) When God’s people humble themselves, God will return to them with His mercy. God will let His people know what grace, mercy and favor He has in store for those who return to Him. As any good father would, God is quick to forgive, restore, and rejoice over a sinner who repents! When we understand how God deals with His own people, let us take heed not to walk in pride and error before Him. Do what Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:16 (TLB), “Keep a close watch on all you do and think. Stay true to what is right and God will bless you and use you to help others.”

The Value Of Prayer

Thus says the Lord God: “I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock.” Ezekiel 36:37

Prayer is the forerunner of mercy. Turn to Christian history and you will find that almost every great mercy came to this world through prayer. You will find this true in your own personal experiences too. God may have given you many unearned favors, but still, great prayer has always been the prelude of great mercy in your life.

When you first found peace through the blood of the Cross, you prayed and sought God that He would remove your doubts and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Your assurance of God’s forgiveness and salvation was the result of prayer. Then after you were saved, do you remember the joy of having your prayers answered? In fact, so fervent and in love with Jesus were you, that whenever you were elated or thrilled by something, you attributed it as an answer to your prayers. When you had great deliverance from painful trouble and received supernatural help in times of need, you were able to say, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Ps. 34:4).

Prayer is also a prelude to blessing. It goes before the blessing as the blessing’s shadow. When the sunlight of God’s mercies rises on our needs, it casts the shadow of prayer far down on the earth. We know that every answer from God for our lives has been an answer to our prayers. Prayer is thus connected with the blessing to show us its value. Prayer makes the mercies we receive more precious than diamonds. The things we ask for are precious, but we do not realize their preciousness until we have sought for them earnestly.

Beloved, let us not lose our first love for Jesus and our fervency in prayer. Our prayer is our communion with God and it is His will for our lives. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Non Toxic Jesus

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 …….. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

A phrase I have heard being used a lot recently is, ‘toxic relationships’. Apparently, these are relationships where one or both partners are poisoning the other with a negative, critical attitude.

It seems that we can all insidiously fall into the trap of being toxic or being poisoned without really knowing it. We can even have long-term friends who have been negatively influencing us but because we consider them to be our friends we have not noticed it.

What do we do abut it? Well, take an objective look at those around us and consider their influence upon us. We should also look at ourselves and listen to how we speak.

As Christians our standard is the life of Jesus and the word of God. Are we magnifying Him in all we think say and do? Are our words in line with biblical truth or have we unconsciously become subversive heretics?

Is Jesus at the centre of our lives or have we sidelined Him? Is He the fulcrum that keeps us balanced or have we gone off kilter?

From time-to-time we need to take a step back from ourselves and look objectively at who we are. If our lives have become poisoned by the world around us we need to take the antidote to stop that venom from killing us. We need to inject Jesus back into our sanctified souls so that He fills our hearts once again and what comes out of the overflow builds-up and encourages those around us.

Lord Jesus, please be my words and my actions today and always. Amen

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWFR6ePFjHc

Showers Of Blessing

“I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26

Who can say, “I will cause showers to come down,” besides God? There is only one Person that can speak to the clouds and cause them to rain. Who sends down the rain upon the earth? Who scatters the showers upon the fields? It is the Lord. So grace is the gift of God and is not created by man. The whole of creation depends on His grace.

What would a farmer do without rain? He may till the land; he may sow his seeds, but what can he do without the rain? Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for us to have the divine blessings of God. Unless God gives the rain and sends salvation, we who labor will labor in vain.

“I will cause showers to come.” It does not say, “I will cause drops to come.” If God gives a blessing, He usually gives it in such a measure that there is not room enough to receive it. It’s God’s abundant grace! We need God’s grace for everything. We need abundant grace to keep us humble, to make us prayerful and to make us holy. We need abundant grace to make us zealous, to preserve us through this life, and at last to land us in heaven. We need to saturate ourselves with showers of grace.

It is also seasonable grace. “I will cause showers to come down in their season” (Ezek. 34:26). What is your season today? Is it a season of drought? Then it is the season for showers—showers of blessings. Is it a season of great heaviness and black clouds? Then it is your season for showers—showers of grace. “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deut. 33:25).

“There shall be showers of blessing.” The word “showers” is in the plural. God will send all kinds of blessings. All of God’s blessings go together, like links in a chain. If He gives saving grace, He will also give comforting grace. What are you waiting for? Look up toward the heavens today and expect God to shower you with His abundant blessings.

Thanking God

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

But all around the world, we don’t need a special holiday to do this; we can give thanks to God each and every day. Just think of some of the things we can thank God for:

• Thank God for sending His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins
• Thank God that He loves us
• Thank God that He is gracious and merciful and kind and loving
• Thank God for the air that we breathe and the food that we eat
• Thank God for family and friends
• Thank God for financial provision
• Thank God for health
• Thank God for sending His Holy Spirit to live in our lives as Christians
• Thank God for forgiving our sins when we accept Christ as our Savior
• Thank God for the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord
• Thank God for the church and for other Christians
• Thank God for being able to worship Him
  

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” We have so much to thank God for. So, this week, let us join together and

• Thank God for the gift of Jesus
• Thank God for the gift of loved ones
• Pray that God will bless and protect your loved ones and our staff here at Global Media Outreach

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU! When you join with us in prayer, we are linked together as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. May God bless you this Thanksgiving season and always

May God bless you,

The Watchman In God's House

“I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.” Ezekiel 33:7

Who is a watchman? He is one who hears the word and warns the people (Ezek. 33:7). It is in times of danger that the need for a watchman arises. When a country is in fear of a foreign invasion, they need to be informed of all the motions of the enemy so that they would not be surprised by an attack. Therefore, in order to be ready for any invasion, a man is placed at the borders where the enemy would approach and he will become their watchman.

What is the role of a watchman?

1) A watchman must discover the approaches and advances of the enemy. A watchman therefore must always be alert.

2) A watchman must warn the people by the sound of the trumpet. A special trust and confidence is placed in him by those that set him to be their watchman to faithfully perform his duties.

As a believer, we act as a watchman for the people that we love. Not only do we share the good news of the gospel to them, we also, by our conduct, show forth the light of Christ to them. In Matthew 3:7, Jesus says, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Sinners are therefore warned of the wrath to come, that they may flee from it. We do not do it to provoke them, but rather in compassion, so that they might be saved. This is done by the faithful preaching of the word and by sharing our life’s testimony.

Paul told Timothy, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:1-5). Let us be willing to be a watchman for the Lord’s house and bring a word in season for the world we are living in today.

The Fall Of The Prince Of Tyre

“Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.“ Ezekiel 28:17

The prince of Tyre was singled out here by the prophet Ezekiel to tell him of his pride. What were the expressions of his pride? His heart was lifted up (Ezek. 28:17). He was puffed up with a high opinion of his own sufficiency, and out of the abundance of the pride of his heart he said, “I am a god” (28:2). He thought he could be independent of God and accountable to none. He thought he had as much wisdom and strength, and was as incontestable an authority as God Himself, and his word as much a law as the Word of God.

What was the prince of Tyre proud of?

1) His wisdom. It is probable that this prince of Tyre was a philosopher, and well read in all parts of learning; a politician that had great ability in managing the affairs of the state. But the Bible says that “knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Cor. 8:1). If we are not careful, we can become proud because of our learning and put our trust in the wisdom of this world rather than the wisdom of God (3:18-20).

2) His wealth. He attributed the increase of his wealth to himself and not to the providence of God, forgetting it was God who gave him the power to get wealth (Deut. 8:18). His heart was lifted up because of his riches and his wealth. The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). The fall of the prince of Tyre hastened the just punishment of his presumption in setting himself up as an equal with God. God used outsiders like the Chaldeans—who were at that time the most formidable, both for strength and fury—to be the instruments of his destruction. The extent of the destruction was extreme. Everything that the prince of Tyre thought to be good and beautiful, everything that made him glorious, were seized and destroyed. In the end, he died an abominable death.

He later died in the midst of the seas, without any ceremony or mark of distinction. He became a fool in glorifying himself. Ezekiel 28:17 says, “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.” He gazed so much upon his own beauty that it dazzled his eyes and prevented him from seeing the truth. He appeared so puffed up with his greatness that it corrupted his wisdom and brought about his downfall.

He was made a terrible example of divine vengeance, reduced in the sight of all those that beheld him (28:18). Those that knew him were astonished at him, and wondered how one that stood so high could be brought so low. Therefore, let us heed the exhortation, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5). When we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, He will lift us up (James 4:10).