Pentecost Day message: listen to the Holy Spirit and obey

prophetic act of faith -Elijah

The word of God is powerful and real. How did God communicate with man? He sent His words. Elijah heard and obeyed the Holy Spirit. He acted upon the word. The word became real. When he persisted in his faith in action he succeeded. God is faithful and honored His word.

1 Kings 18 (New King James Version)

Elijah’s Message to Ahab

18:1 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”

2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.

17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Elijah’s Mount Carmel Victory

20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”

So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”

26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. 29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.

36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.

The Drought Ends

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”

So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”

44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’”

45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

___________________THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD

17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

² Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ³ “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. ⁴ And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

⁵ So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. ⁶ The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. ⁷ And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

Elijah and the Widow

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ⁹ “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” ¹⁰ So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there…

¹³ And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’”

¹⁵ So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶ The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.

__________________Pentecost Day verses:

Acts 1:8 (NKJV) Promise from Jesus to those who believed

⁸ 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.”

2:1-4 Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Holy Spirit Tongues_of_Fire

End Times Witnessing: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you”

receive the power of the Holy Spirit

Today the 5 am brethren in Christ read more about Jesus’ command on receiving the power from on high, and how the disciples had obeyed and received.

Luke 24:36-53 The apostles and disciples still did not believe despite the physical appearance of the resurrected Jesus. They were terrified and frightened. He showed them His hands and feet and asked them to touch and see that He had flesh and bones and not a ghost. He even ate with them. He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures (the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms) which were written concerning Him and must be fulfilled.

[John 20:22 He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”]

(continue Luke 24 above)Then He spoke this last word, “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.“

The Acts of the Apostles (also titled “the Acts of the Holy Spirit”) recorded the actual physical historical events demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit being received and lived out in the lives of the apostles and disciples, as they believed and obeyed the words of God (including all that Jesus had spoken).

_________Bible verses:

Acts 1:2 Until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,

1:8 And 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.

1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and and supplication…

2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2:2 And suddenly there came…

2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

______________________The following recorded the conversation between the religious Jewish leaders and Peter and John after many had witnessed Peter healing a man born lame. Five thousand men heard the word of God they preached and believed. The high priest, rulers, elders, and scribes arrested the two apostles and interrogated them:

4:7 “By what power or by what name have you done this?”

4:8-10 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “…that by the name of Jesus Christ…this man stands here before you whole.”

4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

________________After this Peter and John were let go and went to their own companions and reported…they all prayed to God with one accord. The following is part of the prayer and what happened after the prayer. The physical evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit confirmed their prayer.

4:24-30 Lord, You are God…the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ. For truly against Your holy servant Jesus, Whom you anointed…to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they speak Your word.

30 “By stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled were shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul…

____________The power of the Holy Spirit was manifested through the increasing number of believers, and the healing and deliverance of multitude of sick people and those tormented by evil spirits. Even Peter’s shadow could cause healing.

5:16 …and they were all healed.

5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching Jesus as the Christ.

____________The Holy Spirit led the apostles and disciples to set proper priority for leadership as in the kingdom of God. (6:1-10)

Priority of the apostles: 6:4 “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (2 “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.”)

Priority for qualification set for appointment of the other church leaders: be of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, full of faith and power, do great wonders and signs among the people, able to speak God’s words by wisdom and by the Holy Spirit.

______________Baptism of the Holy Spirit by laying of hand was recorded in the following episode.

Philip preached Christ (the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus) to the Samaritans and the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Him, hearing and seeing the miracles He did. Unclean spirits were cast out and many paralyzed and lame healed. There was great joy. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. But when the two apostles Peter and John came they had to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Why? Because they did not have the physical evidence (praying in tongues).

8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

8:18-19 And when Simon (a former sorcerer) saw that…he offered them (Peter and John) money, saying, :Give Me this power also, that anyone on Whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

(Simon saw the physical evidence of the Holy Spirit and knew this is real!)

Peter corrected Simon and told Him that the baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by physical manifestation of speaking in tongues is the gift of God.

What was the difference between the multitudes of believers who received when Peter and John laid hands on them and the former sorcerer Simon?

The multitudes of believers just believed that God wanted to give them this gift and they all received by faith.

Simon was filled with other thoughts and desires:

1. Envy of the others’ possession of a power which is greater than the one He used to display.
2. Worry about own congregation (followers) having gone to another ‘church’. His regular income would be adversely affected unless he copied their method and displayed their power too.
3. Perhaps He even secretly prayed for the power but could not receive. He was filled with jealousy and bitterness. After all He was more qualified and experienced in spiritual matters.

Simon was not exceptionally wicked. The same problem occurs today in churches. Those who have prayed and still do not manifest the physical fruits of the Holy Spirit witness the exodus of their church members. Some have taken human measures and invested heavily in upgrading the hardware, like expensive building, furniture, sound system, musical instruments, having professionally trained worship leaders, singers and dancers, inviting motivational speakers etc.

But The Acts of the Apostles has shown otherwise. The real problem is not in the external. It is inside the heart.

8:20-23 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for Your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this Your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of Your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

_____________________Pentecost is here again. The watchman urges the leaders of churches who do not yet manifest the gifts of the Holy Spirit and desire to receive the gifts to turn to Your Bible and the word of God. Be still before the Lord and wait upon Him.

1. Read what Jesus has commanded.
2. Believe and obey.
3. Read the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
4. Believe and obey.
5. Repent for unbelief and walking according to the flesh and not in the Spirit and pray humbly for spiritual weapon, the might of God to “pull 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.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
6. Live a lifestyle of living before God. Have the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2)

Pentecost Prayer of the watchman: “

“I pray that God, the Father of glory, give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of our calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power…”

Journey to see God: be filled with the knowledge of His will

Today the 5am Bible reading brethren in Christ read Colossians 1 and John 14, referring to Ephesians 1& 3, and 1 John (on praying God’s will).

Here are diagrams that help us to understand and memorize God’s words.

Colossians 1:2-12 Be filled with the knowledge of God’s will

Colossians 1:13-20 The beloved Son of God -Jesus

Colossians 1:9

King James Version (KJV)

⁹ For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Colossians 1:11

King James Version (KJV)

¹¹ Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Journey to see God: “if you love Me…” Jesus said.

John 14 is a crucial chapter for all who follow Jesus. Here are two diagrams for the ease of memorizing the crucial verses.

“If you love Me, you will keep My word”

“the Father who dwells in Me does the works”

The watchman prays that the “eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of your calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:18-20)

 

(Updated May 13, 2013) Be Renewed

Reblogged from AAA Jack's blog (A Watchman on your walls):

• 

Update on May 13, 2013: This was posted in April 2007, more that six years ago. This is now the seventh year of blogging for the watchman. For a blogger who stumbled onto this way of journal writing, this is more like the impossible becoming the possible. When the first post was written, the watchman had no idea how the blog would turn out after a number of years.

Read more… 320 more words

[caption id="attachment_7827" align="alignnone" width="625"] 1 John 5:1-3 (aptly appeared on this day of May 13, 2013 too!)[/caption]

This is my first post dated 4-29-2007. Today it came out by itself. From the first step to the 1000th step, it has been a rather long walk. But the spiritual walk was worth it. Many changes and many encounters. The reality of the physical world no longer has monopoly. The spiritual realm is real. Knowing God the Creator in the Holy Spirit and the reality of His word (the Bible), Who had become human and walked on the earth, Jesus Christ, has been the greatest reward to this blogger!

(The 1000th post) End Times church countdown: worship in spirit and in truth

many hands raised in worship

The little house church learns to listen to the Holy Spirit. They have no formula or program. They believe that the end times church must repent and turn back to follow the old way – the way of the First Church, as in the Acts of the Apostles. They meet every Lord’s Day at a certain time and spend the bulk of the day together, listening to the Lord, worship, singing praises (Scripture songs), praying in the Spirit, singing spiritual songs, reading the Bible, proclaiming the verses, listening to prophets and teachers of the word of God.

The church was formed nearly seven months ago. On the first Lord’s Day, they were led to read the Acts of the Apostles (Acts of the Holy Spirit) and almost all who participated that first Lord’s day were filled with the love of God during worship.

They had no musical instrument or music director. They used a tiny MP3 player and listened to Scripture songs, learning to sing along. They had no preacher. Each brethren reads his/her Bible at home and some come for weekday morning 5am Bible reading. On the Lord’s day one brethren will speak the words of God and teach as led by the Holy Spirit.

The singing had been enriched lately by the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to some members. Today the singing was harmonious as broke through the usual level of spiritual realm. They were led by the Lord to heavenly realm. The rivers of living water that flew out of each belly (John 7:38-39) merged into a mighty river! It was like heavenly angels joined in and blended together with the little group of brethren (age 7-80+) and praising the Almighty God.

The worship continued as the Spirit of the Lord continued to flow within the believers. They were joined to the Lord and became one spirit with the Lord. (1 Corinthians 6:17) Even the brethren who was speaking that morning did not bother with how little time he would have left when the worship took longer time. Time was not on anyone’s mind.

In fact, time stood still. The singing went on in the Spirit. Someone prayed in understanding from time to time as led by the Spirit.

When the speaker finally took over and spoke. The word turned to a clear focus on Christ Jesus who was the Word Himself. it was wonderful.

The truth flowed as during worship. Words came direct from the Bible. They linked and bonded across the pages from various chapters, Old and New Testaments. Some were Scripture songs that could be sung. So they all sang those verses during the sermon (which was aptly called “The Word of God”).

The watchman had longed for such a day for quite sometime. It came.

________________Suggested Bible reading:

John1; Hebrews 1-2; Genesis 1:1-3; Isaiah 11 (2,9); 2 Timothy 3; Hebrews 4; 1 Corinthians 2; John 14, 17; Proverbs 4; Psalm 119 (1-2, 9-11)

Journey to see God: Know God

JOHN 16:27 KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD 

KNOW GOD. KNOW JESUS CHRIST, THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF GOD: THIS IS THE MESSAGE TODAY. THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE.

And this is eternal life,

John 17:3 that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

1 Corinthians 1:21

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not knowGod through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

NO OPTION FOR NOT KNOWING GOD

Galatians 4:8

[ Paul's Concern for the Galatians ] Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

1 Thessalonians 4:5

not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

2 Thessalonians 1:8

in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Titus 1:16

They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Matthew 22:29

But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.

SEE HOW GREAT HIS LOVE FOR US IS

1 John 3:1

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does notknow us is that it did not knowHim.

1 John 4:6

We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

1 Corinthians 6:19

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit withinyou, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

Galatians 4:9But now that you have come to knowGod, or rather to be known byGod, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

Ephesians 3:19

and to knowthe love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

1 John 4:8

Anyone who does not love does not knowGod, because Godis love.

1 John 4:16

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Ephesians 3:4

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

1 John 5:20

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

5 am lesson: May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory

Sword of the Spirit: out of the treasury of God’s glory

Today the 5 am Bible reading brethren continued to read the book of Ephesians chapter 3:16-21, together with Isaiah 55:10-11, Hebrews 11:3, John 7:38-39, Isaiah 55:1-3, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 4:20, 6:11, 17, 19. (There are many more verses. Please ask the Lord to lead you to retrieve the treasures and gems). 

Amplified Bible (AMP) Ephesians 3:16-21

May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

¹⁷ May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,

¹⁸ That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

¹⁹ [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

²⁰ Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—

²¹ To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

__________________________________

The above may be summarized as follows:

1. God has a rich treasury of His glory (in His words, which Jesus stated as ‘life and spirit’ in John 6:63) and you can pray to Him to grant you from there His mighty power through the Holy Spirit to strengthen and reinforce your inner man.
2. Through your faith Christ makes His permanent home in your hearts.
3. You need to root deep in the love of God, and be found securely in His love.
4. You need the inner power to understand and experience the love of God.
5. You need the inner power to understand and experience the love of Christ.
6. You need to be filled with the fullness of God Himself.
7. God’s power (through the Holy Spirit) is already at work in those who believe and can accomplish all that God wants above all you can ask for or imagine.

How do we receive all these? The combination of the three below, all provided by God for those who believe.

1. His word
2. His Spirit
3. Prayer

English Standard Version (ESV) Ephesians 3:16-21

¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

5 am lesson: see God’s glorious unlimited resources

¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ²¹ Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

_________________________

The drawing is an attempt being led in the spirit to present a new way of understanding the Bible, using drawing.

Do read the Bible passage, meditate on the richness of the texts and compare with the visual presentation of Ephesians 3:16-21!

today’s prayers: open your eyes to receive spiritual power

Jesus light of the world

Two prayers: ask for spiritual eyes to open and receive spiritual strength!

Ephesians 1:15-23

Prayer one: the eyes of your hearts be opened and enlightened

¹⁵ For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, ¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 3:14-21

Prayer two: to receive Spiritual Strength, filled with God!

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Today’s word: Prayer and thanksgiving

prayer and thanksgiving Psalm 9

Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgments

To the Chief Musician.

To the tune of “Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.

9 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
² I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

³ When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
⁴ For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
⁵ You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

⁶ O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has perished.
⁷ But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
⁸ He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

⁹ The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
¹⁰ And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

¹¹ Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
¹² When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble.

¹³ Have mercy on me, O Lord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
¹⁴ That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation.

¹⁵ The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
¹⁶ The Lord is known by the judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.

Meditation. Selah

¹⁷ The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the nations that forget God.
¹⁸ For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.

¹⁹ Arise, O Lord,
Do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
²⁰ Put them in fear, O Lord,
That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah

Psalm 10

A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil

10 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
² The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

³ For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
⁴ The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.

⁵ His ways are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
⁶ He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.”
⁷ His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

⁸ He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
⁹ He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
¹⁰ So he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his strength.
¹¹ He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”

¹² Arise, O Lord!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
¹³ Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”

¹⁴ But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

¹⁶ The Lord is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
¹⁷ Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
¹⁸ To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may oppress no more.

(Revised May 2013) Holy Spirit family practical vs virtual practical

Reblogged from AAA Jack's blog (A Watchman on your walls):

Notes added in May 2013:

The following post in January 2011 was based on a narration by a believer. Please beware that you need to be led by the Lord yourself. The Holy Spirit cannot be limited to one example. The safe place to start your practical is always to stay in the Lord's presence through daily reading and meditating big chunks of His words.

Read more… 966 more words

[caption id="attachment_7745" align="alignnone" width="340"] heal the broken family[/caption] Holy Spirit practical (Biblical led) is far better than be virtual practical. Read the updated notes in May 2013 by the watchman. Return to the old way when parents and children read their paper bible together, gathered around the family table daily after dinner!

5 am lesson: seeing God from the will of His good pleasure

See God on His throne

The 5 am gathering of brethren in Christ learned that seeing God, that is, reading His words, require starting from the end (the goal and end result intended by God). That is how they were led in the Spirit to read Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

When they read chapter one this way the eyes of their hearts opened, just as Paul had prayed (which prayer the brethren copied and prayed daily). The key verses of the first prayer are: Ephesians 1:17-19. without the opening of our spiritual eyes we cannot understand this letter at all.

What does God want to achieve as the end result for His people? A glorious body of Christ, holy and without blemish, presented to Him, be the praise of His glory, fulfilling the will of His good pleasure! That makes sense of all the blessings He has given to those who believe just to make sure they make it to the end goal, all in Christ and filled with Christ to the full!

How can they make it? That is exactly what Paul’s letter is about.

Here are some of the findings received by us:

God created humans. He knows what we are made of and what we can and cannot in our natural capacity and capability.

He has a good plan for us so He has given us what we cannot have in the natural so that we may make it to reaching His final goal for us in Christ.

1. He has given us Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus has completed everything He needs to complete (the whole salvation package which encompasses all things, the entrance into the kingdom of God and the power and authority to live as children of God).

2. In Christ He has given us all spiritual blessings, pertaining to living the victorious life of the children of God.

3. In Christ He has given us the power to do so, that is, the power of the Holy Spirit. (This is the same power that He raised Jesus from the dead).

“and [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places]. far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name…not only in this age and in this world, but also…to come.” (1:19-21)

4. God wants us to know this. Why? Because only by knowing we can live accordingly, manifesting His power in and for us who believe.

5. God provided the Holy Spirit for us. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. He gives us understanding and the mighty strength to live out the title and entitlement of children of God.

6. Through the Holy Spirit we can access every spiritual blessing (which in KJV is described as “all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places” 1:3) giving by the Holy Spirit.

7. By faith we are joined to the Lord and be one spirit with the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:17). By faith we become members of His body, of His flesh and of His bone (6:30). By faith we reach into the spiritual realm (heavenly places) and receive all blessings which God has given us (Ephesians 1:3) to enable us to live for the praise of His glory, according to the will of His good pleasure.

This means we will not subject our body and soul (body, mind, emotion included) under the bondage of the evil power (all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name…) which rule this world (physical and spiritual). How do we do this? By the power of God in us and for us and all the spiritual resources readily available for us to use (using the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and taking the authority of the Son of God Himself, which has been given to us as children of God).

Watchman’s suggested readings: from KJV, NKJV, AMP; Ephesians 1; 1 Corinthians 2; 2 Corinthians 3.;

5 am lesson: God’s good pleasure is to give (2)

Holy Spirit pours from heaven

Seeing God, whose good pleasure is to give (part 2)

The one experience that a born again believer in Jesus Christ enjoys most is the exceeding greatness of the love of God poured down from heaven like an avalanche beyond all descriptions. It is like that when we grasp the true meaning of Chapter One, in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

The 5 am brethren (brothers and sisters in Christ) daily encountered this good news when they continued to read the words of God by faith and submit to the leading of the Lord Holy Spirit. The brethren concluded that God is indeed Love. His Son Jesus is Love. Why? Because they saw how God took the bother with us humans. God even took pleasure in formulating His will and plan to carry out to ensure us receiving what He has purposed and has given in Chris Jesus, His Son.  Here are some excerpts of what the members received.

Third Day:  They read Ephesians chapter one together and meditated on the words and phrases. They also were led to read 1 Corinthians 2:7-16. Prior to this the watchman received relevant verses from John 17, to which the brethren referred to as led by the Lord.

Some of the understandings of the verses are as follows (not in any sequential order): (Bible versions used: KJV and NKJV) (NKJV used is from the ‘Spirit Filled Life Bible’, from which some of the explanations are taken).

1:3 God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The ‘heavenly places’ refer to the invisible realm that surrounds our present daily situation, the arena or sphere of spiritual action and activity. The blessings have been given and is a done deal in Christ Jesus. We on our part need to reach out, receive and use them by faith. One requirement is that we walk by faith and not by sight. We live (are guided) by the Spirit and not by the flesh (our body, mind and emotion), trusting in God’s words and not man’s words.

Our only channel of blessing is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are ‘in Christ’. Our Lord Jesus Christ has resurrected and ascended into heaven. As He has promised His disciples, after His ascension, the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Christ) came and poured on them on Pentecost Day.

(NB: Pentecost Day falls on 15th-16^th May sundown to sundown in Jewish calendar, and 19^th May this year in Our calendar.)

1:13, 17 The Holy Spirit is the Sealer, authorizing the believer to represent Christ; the Revealer, enlightening the hearts to perceive God’s purpose.

The Holy Spirit is our seal and guarantee for our true identify as children of God.

17-19 The Holy Spirit gives and reveals to us the knowledge of God: the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of being His saints, the exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe.

The Holy Spirit is God, manifesting the power of God. Paul spoke of this in greater detail in 1 Corinthians 2.

2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you…declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2:4 And my speech and my preaching…in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.

2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit...

2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (John 15:15; 14:16-17; 16:13-15; 14:26)

Ephesians 1:19-23 The Holy Spirit reveals to us the working of God’s mighty power in Christ.

20 The power wrought in Christ, raised Him from the dead, and set Him at God’s right hand in the heavnely places.

21 Christ is far above all “Principality and power and might and dominion” which are terms used for ruling authorities in the invisible realm. It describes an invisible hierarchy of evil powers who deceive and manipulate human behavior, advancing Satanic strategies. Christ Himself and all who are in Christ are shown to be placed in authority above these powers, an authority that only spiritual warfare can assert, demonstrate, and sustain (6:12). Indeed, Christ’s supremacy is unrestricted restricted by any authority or power in this world or that which is to come. Imagine this same power now works in His believers! (Eph. 1:19-20)

22-23 His body, the church: The body of Christ represents Christ on earth. The church is to be filled with Him by the Holy Spirit. The disciples are commanded by Christ Jesus to do the works He did and even greater works. The unequal authority of Jesus (the name He has given them to use), and the immense power of the Holy Spirit, which quickens the words of God, are more than sufficient resources for those who are in Christ to live a victorious abundant life in this world.

Here are some further Bible verses to meditate upon:

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (Ephesians 1:17 “…in the knowledge of Him.”)

Colossians 1:9-11 “…pray for you…that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power…”

5 am lesson: See the God whose good pleasure is to give!

every spiritual blessing There is one book in the Bible that poses like a gigantic spiritual mountain, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. This book has been read many times and many have been awed by the first three chapters. Some have been urged to memorize the whole book and did succeed in doing so. Memorizing stories requires some natural effort but memorizing doctrine requires supernatural effort. Prayers were made and even written and proclaimed based on some of the verses. Results as testified (verbal and written) are inspiring and encouraging in spiritual building.

After the 5am class had been formed for five months (during which the brethren were led to read Old and New Testaments, Psalms, Gospels and Epistles, often covering passages from a few books together), on this anniversary date of the fifth month, the members were led to read this Epistle of Paul who wrote this while in prison.

The process so far:

First day: at 5 am, as a group, they read the whole letter together at one go and ask the Lord to draw their attention to some key points.

Same day: individually through out the day the members re-read, listen, and meditate accordingly. The watchman found his old collection of a 15 hours audio teaching (verse by verse) and listened throughout the day.

Second day: 5 am class read first chapter and discussed verse by verse. The members were led to re-read the whole letter as many times as possible through out the day (making time to focus on this). Members also raised the urge to memorize this letter. Each will be led by the Lord to decide how to do it and which clutters of verses to memorize.

Challenge envisaged: Because this is doctrine and the words are spiritual (not physical or visual even in the mind) it would require a lot of effort to even understand, not to mention to remember. Memory and understanding work best when associating words with stories and pictures. How to visualize doctrine? The challenge is great.

Supernatural Advantage

1. By faith. 2 Cor. 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
2. By the Spirit of the Lord in us. 1 Cor. 2:12 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
3. By the mind of Christ which we already have. 1 Cor. 2:16 “But we have the mind of Christ.”
4. By seeing and hearing the life testimony of others: the watchman has personally witnessed the recital of the Epistle of Ephesians by a young girl (around 13-14 years old). Her mother had taught her to read the Bible before she was old enough to go to school.
5. Goal of this group: The common goal is clear, just follow the Holy Spirit and obey the words of God. Jesus Himself is our ultimate example.
6. Bible verse: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8

______________________Key verses or points received with joy so far (1:1-9) (Watchman’s suggested readings from NKJV and Amplified Bible)

1. God is God. God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1:3)
2. God has a will. God has a purpose and choice in His will.
3. God is pleased with His Beloved Son, Jesus. Through Christ, it pleased Him and was His kind intent to plan in love for us, and bless us. (1:3,5,9)
4. The will and purpose regarding our destiny is in Christ.
5. In Christ God has blessed us (the saints -consecrated, set apart- faithful, loyal, steadfast in Christ Jesus) with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly places.

Some of the God’s blessings (5-9) for us are: God’s plan for us to be revealed as His own children through Jesus Christ (His Beloved Son); His favor and mercy, glorious grace freely bestowed on us in the Beloved (Jesus Christ); In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the remission, forgiveness of sins; being lavished every kind of wisdom and understanding, practical insight and prudence; making known to us the mystery of His will, His plan and purpose.