AMedi aResour ceofJonat hanMi ni st r i esandFr i ends Vol ume2*Number2*2012
WhenTheSai nt sGo Mar chi ngI n “ Li ve”f r om NewOr l eans, Loui si ana,USA Wat chandl i st ent ot hi s musi cvi deoonl i neat : www. j onat hanheng. com
WATCHMANONTHEWALL byJonat han AREYOUAPREACHERORAPI MP,AWATCHMANORAWI MP? “ Sot hou,O s onofman,Ihav es ett heeawat c hmanunt ot hehous eofI s r ael ;t her ef or et hous hal thear t hewor datmymout h,andwar nt hem f r om me.WhenIs ayunt ot hewi c k ed,O wi c k edman,t hous hal t s ur el ydi e;i ft houdos tnots peakt owar nt hewi c k edf r om hi sway ,t hatwi c k edmans hal l di ei nhi s i ni qui t y ;buthi sbl oodwi l l Ir equi r eatt hi nehand.Nev er t hel es s ,i ft houwar nt hewi c k edofhi swayt ot ur n f r om i t ;i fhedonott ur nf r om hi sway ,hes hal l di ei nhi si ni qui t y ;butt houhas tdel i v er edt hys oul ” ( Ez ek i el 33: 79) . “ Bef or eIf or medt heei nt hebel l yIk newt hee;andbef or et houc ames tf or t houtoft hewombIs anc t i f i ed t hee,andIor dai nedt heeapr ophetunt ot henat i ons .Thens ai dI ,Ah,Lor dGOD!behol d,Ic annots peak : f orIam ac hi l d.Butt heLORDs ai dunt ome,Saynot ,Iam ac hi l d:f ort hous hal tgot oal l t hatIs hal l s end t hee,andwhat s oev erIc ommandt heet hous hal ts peak .Benotaf r ai doft hei rf ac es :f orIam wi t ht heet o del i v ert hee,s ai t ht heLORD.Thent heLORDputf or t hhi shand,andt ouc hedmymout h.Andt heLORD s ai dunt ome,Behol d,Ihav eputmywor dsi nt hymout h”( J er emi ah1: 59) . Ibel i ev et heChur c hoft heLor dJ es usChr i s ts t andst odayatt hec r os s r oadsofs pi r i t ual pur gi ngand s epar at i on-andi nf ac t ,hasal r eadys t ar t ed. Wewi t nes sc ov et ousChr i s t i answhor eadi l yembr ac et hes oc al l ed“ pr os per i t ygos pel ”( wor s tofal l ,i ti s c l ev er l yands ubt l yc l oak edi ns pi r i t ual i t y )aspr omot edbyc er t ai npuppetpr eac her swhoar emor e i nt er es t edi nt hei rownpopul ar i t y ,f i nanc i al l i v el i hoodandr eput at i ont hanc onc er nf ort hes pi r i t ual dev el opmentoft hei rf l oc k .Thes epr eac her smi ghthav ebeenbet t erc al l edashi r el i ngsands pi r i t ual pi mpsandt heyar ewol v esi ns heep’ sc l ot hi ng.Theyhav enoc onv i c t i onsanddi s c er nment ,t heys t and f ornot hi ng.Theyc annotpr eac ht hewhol ec ouns el ofGod’ sWor df orf earoft hr eat eni ngt hemeansof t hei rl i v el i hood. Thenwehav et hes oc al l ed“ Chr i s t i an”r oc kandr ol l gr oups ,c l ai mi ngt heyar ec ommuni c at i ngt hegos pel i nt hel anguageofoury out h.Butt heques t i onr eal l yi s ,“ Whatk i ndofagos pel ?”TheApos t l ePaul dec l ar ed,“ Butt houghwe,oranangel f r om heav en,pr eac hanyot hergos pel unt oy out hant hatwhi c hwe hav epr eac hedunt oy ou,l ethi m beac c ur s ed.Aswehav es ai dbef or e,s os ayInowagai n,I fanyman pr eac hanyot hergos pel unt oy out hant haty ehav er ec ei v ed,l ethi m beac c ur s ed”( Gal at i ans1: 89) .I f y ouwi l l not i c e,whatPaul s ai di nv er s eei ght ,her ei t er at edi nv er s eni ne.Whatmor eneedwes ay ?Onl y i ti snotmer el yt hewor dsofagr eatman,butt heLor d’ sc hos env es s el ! WHEREARETHEWATCHMENAMONGSTTHOSEI NTHEFI VEFOLDMI NI STRYTODAY? “ Andhegav es ome,apos t l es ;ands ome,pr ophet s ;ands ome,ev angel i s t s ;ands ome,pas t or sand t eac her s ;Fort heper f ec t i ngoft hes ai nt s ,f ort hewor koft hemi ni s t r y ,f ort heedi f y i ngoft hebodyofChr i s t : Ti l l weal l c omei nt heuni t yoft hef ai t h,andoft hek nowl edgeoft heSonofGod,unt oaper f ec tman,unt o t hemeas ur eoft hes t at ur eoft hef ul l nes sofChr i s t :Thatwehenc ef or t hbenomor ec hi l dr en,t os s edt oand f r o,andc ar r i edaboutwi t hev er ywi ndofdoc t r i ne,byt hes l ei ghtofmen,andc unni ngc r af t i nes s ,wher eby t heyl i ei nwai tt odec ei v e;Buts peak i ngt het r ut hi nl ov e,maygr owupi nt ohi mi nal l t hi ngs ,whi c hi st he head,ev enChr i s t :Fr om whom t hewhol ebodyf i t l yj oi nedt oget herandc ompac t edbyt hatwhi c hev er y j oi nts uppl i et h,ac c or di ngt ot heef f ec t ual wor k i ngi nt hemeas ur eofev er ypar t ,mak et hi nc r eas eoft he bodyunt ot heedi f y i ngofi t s el fi nl ov e”( Ephes i ans4: 1 116) . Asc l ear l yout l i nedi nEphes i ans4,Godor dai nedt hef i v ef ol dmi ni s t r yi nHi sBody ,namel y ,t heapos t l es , pr ophet s ,ev angel i s t s ,pas t or sandt eac her sf oras pec i f i ct as k .Whi l eeac hoft hes ehav et hei rr es pec t i v e r ol es ,i tmus tber ec ogni z et hatt hei rc al l i ngc omesdi r ec t l yf r om God-“ Ther ewasamans entf r om God,
whos enamewasJ ohn”( J ohn1: 6) .Unf or t unat el y ,whatwehav et odayar es el f appoi nt ed“ pr ophet sand ev angel i s t s ”whoc l ai m“ neworex t r aBi bl i c al r ev el at i on”andwhounder mi ne,adv er t ent l yorev en i nadv er t ent l y ,t heaut hor i t yoft heWor dofGod.Whoar et hey ?Theyar et heChar i s mat i cl eader s( Iwoul d qui c k l yaddt hatt her ear es omef ai t hf ul ,Godl yi ndi v i dual si nt hi smov ementwhoar emi ght i l yus edofGod t hough) ,t el ev i s i ont al ks howhos t s ,“ Chr i s t i an”r oc ks i nger s ,“ Chr i s t i an”ps y c hol ogi s t s ,c ouns el or sand s emi narpr of es s i onal si nBi bl ec ol l egesandc hur c hes . J us tast hepr ophet sofol dwhoal s ogener al l ys er v easwat c hmenoft hei rgener at i ons ,myc r yi st hatGod wi l l r ai s eupi ndi v i dual swi t hi nt hef i v ef ol dmi ni s t r ywhowi l l pr eac hwhat“ t huss ai t ht heLor d” .Ofc our s e, s omeoft hes ewi l l f ul f i l l t hes pec i f i cr ol eoft eac her s ;s omeot her s ,pas t or sandy etot her s ,ev angel i s t s , pr ophet sandapos t l es ;buti nwhat ev erc apac i t yoft hei rmi ni s t r yandc al l i ng,Ipl eadt hatt heywi l l al l be menenought os t andupanddel i v ert heWor dwi t hnounc er t ai ns ound-“ Pr eac ht hewor d;bei ns t anti n s eas on,outofs eas on,r epr ov e,r ebuk e,ex hor twi t hal l l ongs uf f er i nganddoc t r i ne.Fort het i mewi l l c ome whent heywi l l notendur es ounddoc t r i ne;butaf t ert hei rownl us t ss hal l t heyheapt ot hems el v est eac her s , hav i ngi t c hi ngear s ;Andt heys hal l t ur nawayt hei rear sf r om t het r ut h,ands hal l bet ur nedunt of abl es .But wat c ht houi nal l t hi ngs ,endur eaf f l i c t i ons ,dot hewor kofanev angel i s t ,mak ef ul l pr oofoft hymi ni s t r y ” ( 2Ti mot hy4: 25) . “ WOEI SUNTO MEI FIPREACHNOT” “…woei sunt ome,i fIpr eac hnott hegos pel ! ”( 1Cor i nt hi ans9: 16) . Gi v ent he“ eas ybel i ev i s m”Chr i s t i ani t yofourday ,whowoul ddar eques t i ont hatnotmanypeopl ear e dr awnandi nc or por at edi nt hec hur c h?Howev er ,mayIr emi ndy ou,myf r i end,t hats uc c es s f ul i ndoc t r i nat i on,r es pons es l i ps ,dec i s i onc ar dsandc hur c hmember s hi pdr i v esar er eal l ybes i det hepoi nt . Ias ky ou:Howmanyi nt heChur c hhav egenui nel yr epent edandar ebor nagai n?Al t hought heenemy ’ s pr i c ei shi gh,i ti sal ar mi ngt hatmi l l i onsar ef al l i ngpr eyt oi t -t hr oughc ompr omi s e!Ipr ayt hatGodhel pus k nowt hati ti snots omehal fgos pel t hats houl dbepr eac hed,but“ t hi sgos pel ”( ac c or di ngt oMat t hew 24: 14) -t heunadul t er at edandunc ompr omi s i ngWor d.I ndeed,pr eac her sneedt opr eac habouthel l agai nandwar npeopl et of l eef r om t hej udgmentt oc ome.Ofc our s e,weneedt oal s opr eac haboutheav en,t he l ov eandt hemer c yofGod-asl ongast hel ov eofGodi snotel ev at edabov eHi sj us t i c eandhol yhat r edof s i n,t hati s .Les twef or get ,t hemes s ageofr epent anc ei samaj orc har ac t er i s t i coft hemi ni s t r yofJ es us , “…Repent :f ort hek i ngdom ofheav eni sathand”( Mat t hew4: 17) ;“…ex c epty er epent ,y es hal l al l l i k ewi s eper i s h”( Luk e13: 3) .Butwhatk i ndsofmes s agesar edomi nat i ngt hepul pi t sandt hepr i nt edpage t oday ?Weheart hatapoors el f es t eem,andnots i n,i sourr ootpr obl em.I ns t eadofpr eac hi nghol i nes s ands anc t i f i c at i on,wear ec omi ngupwi t ht hi sps y c hol ogi c al s ubs t i t ut ec al l ed“ i nnerheal i ng” . I fpr eac her st odayt el l t hei rc ongr egat i onst hats oc i al dr i nk i ngi snotpr operandt hatwat c hi ngmov i es woul dgr os s l yhi nders pi r i t ual gr owt handwi t nes s ,t heywoul dpr obabl ybel ook edanddes pi s eduponas t hos e“ wear i ngs t r ai t j ac k et s ”wi t ha“ hol i er t hant hou”at t i t ude.Am Is ugges t i ngal egal i s t i c ,Pur i t ani c al , s el f r i ght eousmanmadel i s tofr ul esandor der s ?Godf or bi dami l l i ont i mes !T obeabs ol ut el yc er t ai n, abs t i nenc ef r om t hos eac t i v i t i esc annotandwi l l notmer i ty ouanys pec i al f av our sf r om God( Godwi l l not gl or yi nt hef l es hany way ! ) ;buty ouwi l l hav et hepot ent i al t owal ki nt hepowerofhol i nes sandex per i enc e t hef r ui t sofpr ay er .Somehow,al l owmet os ayt hati fy oudonot“ s ee”t hef i l t ht hati spor t r ay edi nt oday ’ s pi c t ur ehous es ,i ti sv er yl i k el yt haty ouar eei t herbl i nds pi r i t ual l yorel s edonotunder s t andt he al l c ons umi nghol i nes sofGod!Fur t her mor e,y oumaybei ndi r ec t l ys uppor t i ngt heof t enungodl yl i v esof t hemanyper s onal i t i esi nt hemov i ei ndus t r y ,whenev ert her ev enuegener at edi st r ans l at edi nt ot hei r i nc omes .Mypr ec i ousChr i s t i anf r i end,t her ear emul t i t udi noushos t sofs educ i ngs pi r i t sandt hes pi r i toft he wor l di nmanyoft hes es eemi ngl y har ml es sac t i v i t i esandpur s ui t s ,s uc hasdanc es ,ent er t ai nment ,par t i es ands oc i al dr i nk i ng-t heyar eal l “ ac c ur s ed”andar es c hedul edf oret er nal des t r uc t i on.Bel i ev eme, “ f r i ends hi poft hewor l di senmi t ywi t hGod”( J ames4: 4) .Per haps ,l etmeas ky ouanunc omf or t abl e,s ober butmuc hneededs el f s ear c hi ngques t i on,“ I fy ous eem t oenj oyt hes eac t i v i t i esandpur s ui t smor et han s eek i ngt hef ac eofGodi npr ay erandi nt her eadi ngofHi sWor d,Ir eal l ywonderi fheav enwoul dbe mi s er abl ef ory ou,i fy ouev erdogett her ebyt hegr ac eandmer c yofGod?”Ik nowIhav ebeens omewhat
s t r ongi nmys t at ement sf ors omeofy our eadi ngt hi s ,butIwantt oi mpr es sy out hatwear el i v i ngi n per i l oust i mess uc hast hewor l dhasnev erk nownbef or e! I fev ert her ewasat i mef ora“ wat c hmanont hewal l ” ,i ti snow.Mor eov er ,t hi swat c hman( whos houl dbe amemberoft hef i v ef ol dmi ni s t r y )mus tper s i s ti nat t ac k i ngs i nev enwhenhehasex per i enc eddef eat s andf ai l ur esi nhi sownl i f eandmi ni s t r y .WhydoIs ayt hi s ?Andwoul dn’ thebeahy poc r i t ei ns uc ha c as e? Notnec es s ar i l ys o,t hough.Yous ee,Godus esmen“ ofl i k epas s i onsaswear e” ,ev enasEl i j ahwass uc h asonewhos eex per i enc esofs t r uggl es ,s t umbl i ngsandt empt at i onsmadet hem r eal i z et heut t er hel pl es s nes sandungodl i nes soft hei rf l es handc aus est hem t ot ot al l ydependonGodandHi sHol ySpi r i t . Ev enast hef i r eofGod’ shol i nes sandHi sut t erhat r edofs i nhav edeal twi t ht hei rownper s onal l i v est o wher et heywer ebr oughtt oapl ac eofc ont r i t i onandhumi l i t y ,t heyt henl i v ec r uc i f i edl i v est owher et hei r ov er c omi ngv i c t or yi snowi nChr i s tandChr i s tal one( andnol ongeri nt hems el v esori nt hei rs pi r i t ual ac c ompl i s hment s ) ! Andl i k eDav i d,af t erhi sc onf es s i onofs i n,t heys houl dnowc r y ,“ Res t or eunt omet hej oyoft hys al v at i on; anduphol dmewi t ht hyf r ees pi r i t ”( Ps al m 51: 12) .Butt hi si snotal l !Godf ur t herenabl est hem t o“ t eac h t r ans gr es s or s[ Hi s ]way s ;ands i nner ss hal l bec onv er t edunt o[ Hi m] ”( Ps al m 51: 13) .Whatawonder f ul Godofgr ac ewhowor k st hr oughmen,asf r ai l t yaswear e!I ns omes mal l meas ur e,It hi nkIam begi nni ng t ol ear nt het r ut hofJ es us ’ wor dswhenHes ai d,“ Wher ef or eIs ayunt ot hee,Hers i ns( orany one,f ort hat mat t er ) ,whi c har emany ,ar ef or gi v en;f ors hel ov edmuc h:butt owhom l i t t l ei sf or gi v en,t hes amel ov et h l i t t l e”( Luk e7: 47) .HowIl ov et hi sbeaut i f ul appl i c at i onofr edeemi nggr ac e! Al s o,Iam r emi ndedofI s ai ah’ sv i s i onofGod’ sgl or y( I s ai ah6) .Seei ngt heLor dhi ghandl i f t edupi nHi s Hol yPr es enc e,I s ai ahwasac ut el ymadeawar eofhi ss t at eofunwor t hi nes sandhec r i ed,“ Woei sme!f or Iam undone;bec aus eIam amanofunc l eanl i ps ,andIdwel l i nt hemi ds tofapeopl eofunc l eanl i ps :f or mi neey eshav es eent heKi ng,t heLORDofhos t s ”( I s ai ah6: 5) .Thent hr oughGod’ sf or gi v enes sand r es t or at i on,hewasgl or i ous l ypur gedandhewentf or t hs peak i ngHi smes s age.Henc e,l i k eI s ai ah,our pr eac her smus tf al l ont hei rf ac esandweepov ert hei rs i nsandt hatofGod’ speopl e.Bel ov ed,wemaybe t empt edt oc ont empl at eonal es spai nf ul andl es sunc omf or t abl ewayofc onf r ont i ngs i nbutGodf or bi d! Repent anc ei ss t i l l t heonl yk eyandt her ei snoot herway !Andi tmus tbegi nwi t ht heBodyofChr i s t ,t he hous eofGod,“ I fmypeopl e,whi c har ec al l edbymyname,s hal l humbl et hems el v es ,andpr ay ,ands eek myf ac e,andt ur nf r om t hei rwi c k edway s ;t henwi l l Ihearf r om heav en,andwi l l f or gi v et hei rs i n,andwi l l heal t hei rl and”( 2Chr oni c l es7: 14) . Wi l l y oudot hi si nl ov i ngobedi enc et oHi sWor dt oday ? COPYRI GHT( C)1990WORLDHARVESTGOSPELPRESS ALLRI GHTSRESERVED ( Thi sar t i c l ewaswr i t t eni nt heear l y1990s .Themes s agei ss t i l l asr el ev antnowasi twasbac kt hen. )