Post by watchmanjim on May 13, 2017 22:12:12 GMT -6
I've called myself a watchman. I've taken inspiration from Ezekiel 3, which the Lord has used to convict me seriously about warning others.
Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Eze 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
I have not been as faithful at this as I could wish.
Let me ask you some things. How many of you consider yourselves to actually be watchmen (or women) in the Biblical sense? Is it "a thing?" If you are one, how do you know? If you are one, does that set you apart from other Christian believers in any way? Is every true follower of God supposed to be a watchman? Is there something unusual or unique about being one? Does it bring a heightened level of responsibility, accountability, sacrifice, awareness, or reward?
Ezekiel was a priest, a prophet, and a watchman. How do we fulfill these roles today? And/or, do we, and/or, should we?
Do you decide to become a watchman, or does God commission you? Are you one if you think you're one? Are you one if you commit to be one? Do you bring the idea to God, or does He bring it to you?
I ask these questions for a reason. I am at the point in my local ministry where I am going to have to burst out with all the truth I know. I feel pressured by God to "spend and be spent" in the last few months we have remaining. To go on a zealous outreach stampede for the Lord. To use every means possible to warn the lost. To encourage the born-again to look upward and receive the full blessing of looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. But they want to know, "Who made you a watchman? Did God come to you, like He came to Ezekiel? Are you trying to make something of yourself? Are you trying to get us out of our comfort zone? Are you trying to say you're smarter than us? That you know the future, and we don't?" The II Peter 3 crowd demands answers. Sometimes the best answer is no answer at all. But I hold out hope that some will be softened and realize their sin of despising prophesyings, and of denying the Word of God.
I prepare, Lord willing, to launch a local crusade--the final over-drive outreach. I look at these verses, and I know what I have to do-- buy of God gold, tried in the fire. To be zealous, and repent.
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Please pray for me as I launch out into the firestorm with my family. I need to be fully vocal, to pull out all the stops, and not relent, until the Lord comes back, or allows me to be silenced.
Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Eze 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
I have not been as faithful at this as I could wish.
Let me ask you some things. How many of you consider yourselves to actually be watchmen (or women) in the Biblical sense? Is it "a thing?" If you are one, how do you know? If you are one, does that set you apart from other Christian believers in any way? Is every true follower of God supposed to be a watchman? Is there something unusual or unique about being one? Does it bring a heightened level of responsibility, accountability, sacrifice, awareness, or reward?
Ezekiel was a priest, a prophet, and a watchman. How do we fulfill these roles today? And/or, do we, and/or, should we?
Do you decide to become a watchman, or does God commission you? Are you one if you think you're one? Are you one if you commit to be one? Do you bring the idea to God, or does He bring it to you?
I ask these questions for a reason. I am at the point in my local ministry where I am going to have to burst out with all the truth I know. I feel pressured by God to "spend and be spent" in the last few months we have remaining. To go on a zealous outreach stampede for the Lord. To use every means possible to warn the lost. To encourage the born-again to look upward and receive the full blessing of looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. But they want to know, "Who made you a watchman? Did God come to you, like He came to Ezekiel? Are you trying to make something of yourself? Are you trying to get us out of our comfort zone? Are you trying to say you're smarter than us? That you know the future, and we don't?" The II Peter 3 crowd demands answers. Sometimes the best answer is no answer at all. But I hold out hope that some will be softened and realize their sin of despising prophesyings, and of denying the Word of God.
I prepare, Lord willing, to launch a local crusade--the final over-drive outreach. I look at these verses, and I know what I have to do-- buy of God gold, tried in the fire. To be zealous, and repent.
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Please pray for me as I launch out into the firestorm with my family. I need to be fully vocal, to pull out all the stops, and not relent, until the Lord comes back, or allows me to be silenced.
Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
