Watchmen Who Understand The Times

9/24/06

 

 

1 Chr. 12:23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said......

32 men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do....

 

Eph. 5:15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

 

Pr. 22:3   A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge,

but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

 

The blatant attacks against Christianity are obviously supernatural!

 

When one half of one percent of our society has so much control over our political leaders and major corporations--that is supernatural.  Satan himself is behind such power!

 

Men and women driven by the enemy to undermine every Christian value and principle in this land who don’t even have a clue they are puppets used by a evil power.

 

2 Cor. 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 

Are we suppose to do nothing?

 

Well, we are suppose to pray.

 

Two comments about that......

 

1.  Most Christians don’t pray about these matters.

 

2.  Prayer without obedience is empty!

 

 

 

What is our individual responsibility to be watchmen?

 

In Revelation chapter one it says that Jesus has  “⁶made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father....”

 

Now, if we all have been made priests, then have we not all been made to be watchmen!

 

Every Christian is a watchman.  Some have more responsibility than others.

 

I wonder how many Christian leaders fall under this same rebuke that God spoke against the watchmen of Israel 2700 years ago!

 

Is. 56:10 Israel’s watchmen are blind,

they all lack knowledge;

they are all mute dogs,

they cannot bark;

they lie around and dream,

they love to sleep.

¹¹ They are dogs with mighty appetites;

they never have enough.

They are shepherds who lack understanding;

they all turn to their own way,

each seeks his own gain.

¹² “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!

Let us drink our fill of beer!

And tomorrow will be like today,

or even far better.”

 

Is. 62:6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;

they will never be silent day or night.

You who call on the LORD,

give yourselves no rest,

⁷ and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem

and makes her the praise of the earth.

 

We are the army of God!  We don’t fight with guns, we have a sword!  We don’t war against flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness in the heavenly realms!

 

 

 

We all have the responsibility to be watchmen.  We can’t hid and be quiet.  If we see the danger and don’t say anything we are accountable.

 

Ez. 33:1 The word of the LORD came to me: ²“Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, ³and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, ⁴then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. ⁵Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. ⁶But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’

⁷“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. ⁸When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. ⁹But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.

 

Madonna can do what she wants, but we have the right and responsibility to tell NBC what we think.

 

Following the lead of Rosie O'Donnell and ABC, NBC has decided to join in the bashing of Christians by airing a Madonna special in November. A specific date has not been released

 

In the show, Madonna, wearing a fake crown of thorns, descends on a suspended mirrored, disco ball-type cross. When some Christian leaders complained about the mockery, NBC ignored their concerns.

Making mockery of the crucifixion of Christ has been a trademark of Madonna for many years. In 1989 she had a video for the hit song "Like A Prayer." The video featured burning crosses, statues crying blood and Madonna--representing Jesus--freeing a saint from his sexual repression by seducing him. This is the same Madonna who once said, "Crucifixes are sexy because there's a naked man on them."

 

Kevin Reilly, an executive at NBC, said Madonna considered the scene mocking the crucifixion of Christ the highlight of her show. "We (NBC) viewed it and didn't see it as being inappropriate." Madonna considers mocking the crucifixion of Jesus the highlight of her show and NBC agrees.

 

 

Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world, has asked for and received permission to join the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. The NGLCC is a leading promoter of homosexual marriage.

Although Wal-Mart has never excluded homosexuals from being employees, customers, or suppliers, the company wanted to be more closely identified with promoting the homosexual agenda. Wal-Mart is now a "corporate member" of the NGLCC, putting their approval on the NGLCC's efforts to abolish the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. A Wal-Mart vice president will serve as an advisor to the NGLCC, helping them promote homosexual marriage.

Wal-Mart agreed to give $25,000 to the NGLCC and to pay for two conferences scheduled by NGLCC. Also, Wal-Mart will give homosexual-owned businesses special treatment when making purchases. Companies not owned by homosexuals will be moved down the list.

NGLCC called Wal-Mart's action "part of the company's ongoing commitment to advancing diversity (homosexuality) among all of its associate, supplier and customer bases."

Wal-Mart is offering the same kind of support for homosexual marriage which Ford Motor Company has been giving to homosexual groups for years.

 

Why are these things happening?

 

The Christians of this country have let it happen!

 

I am not a defeatist or a pessimist, I have hope, I believe in the Living God.  He has the power to send revival, to change people’s hearts.  I also know I have to do my part!

 

Last week Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, brazenly called President Bush "the Devil” at the United Nations General Assembly. At other times he has said, “You are a donkey, Mr. Bush."

 

If we had a liberal leader in office who had no convictions, was wishy-washy who was no threat to what was right--he wouldn’t be called the devil!

 

It is interesting that many members of the United Nations sat on their hands when President Bush presented a strong and clear argument against global terrorism on Tuesday. Yet they laughed and applauded on Wednesday when Chavez said, “Yesterday, the devil came right here…and it smells of sulfur still.”

 

 

Republican Senator Warner Refuses to Allow Vote on Legislation Upholding 200 + Year Right of Military Chaplains to Pray in the Name of Jesus.

 

This Violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution/Violates the Free Exercise Clause and Violates the Free Speech Clause of the United States Constitution After the United States House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the legislation.

 

On Wednesday, the "Washington Times" reported: "Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John W. Warner is blocking a House defense bill provision that would give military chaplains more freedom to pray as they see fit, saying he wants to put the matter off until 2007, a stance that angers House Republicans and conservative groups...."

 

John Warner 202-224-2023  Fax 202-224-6295

 

Freedom will not last when freedom is abused!

 

2 Cor. 3:7 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

 

We have taken our God given freedom and shoved God out!

 

Freedom is a "God thing."  True freedom must be established and built on the principles of God or eventually it will be gone.

 

Tolerance without limitations will result in disaster!

 

Australia Got It Right!  August 2005

 

Muslims who want to live under Islamic law were told to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to
Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John
Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face
a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to
Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the
country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state,
and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values,
if you want a country which has Islamic law or a theocratic state,
then Australia is not for you", he said on national television.

Howard angered some Australian Muslims on by
saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques
Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending
some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on
Bali (ba-lee) October 12, 2002, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians."

"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the
'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility
that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against
immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a
better life by coming to Australia." "However, there are a few things
that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some
born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a
multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and
our national identity. As Australians, we have our own culture, our
own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."

"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles,
trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"

"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to
become part of our society, Learn the language!"

"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right
wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on
Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly
documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of
our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another
part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask
is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."

"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like " A Fair Go",
then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this
planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change,
and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By
all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.

"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow
you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done
complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our
Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take
advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."

"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come
here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."

 

What will happen in this country if the words of the watchmen are not heeded?

 

Jer. 6:16 This is what the LORD says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;

ask for the ancient paths,

ask where the good way is, and walk in it,

and you will find rest for your souls.

But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

¹⁷ I appointed watchmen over you and said,

‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’

But you said, ‘We will not listen.’

¹⁸ Therefore hear, O nations;

observe, O witnesses,

what will happen to them.

¹⁹ Hear, O earth:

I am bringing disaster on this people,

the fruit of their schemes,

because they have not listened to my words

and have rejected my law.

 

There are four things a watchman must do....

 

1.     Pray.

2.     Stay informed, the world is bigger than your own little corner, remember Jimmy Stewart in the movie “Shenandoah.”

3.     Educate those you can influence.

4.     Be proactive, write letters, emails, make phone calls.