WHY WE MUST DIE!

Praise the Lord everybody! for He is worthy to be praised! Despite everything that's going on in the world one thing I know, and that is that God is good!! My wife and I have been holding on a long time for our healing and a financial blessing from God and we don't know when He's going to do it but one thing we do know is that God is good no matter what.

 The other day my wife and I went to the "Hour of Power" at our church and Pastor Green was preaching from 2nd Corinthians and the Holy Ghost was moving through the church. Later that day I was drawn back to 2nd Corinthians chapter four and I started to meditate on it. The words "live, death and dying" kept jumping out at me. 2nd Corinthians 4:7-12   
⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

⁸ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

⁹ Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

¹⁰ Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

¹¹ For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

¹² So then death worketh in us, but life in you

 The bible talks about being born again and dying to self in other places but I received a new way of looking at it, Jesus wants to enter our lives by putting us on like a flesh suit, a garment He can wear as He works in this world. Great! but in order for Him to be effective, we must die. Dead people have no needs, desires or wants so the power that gives us life, has no hindrances.

Imagine if your garments had a mind of their own. Your trying to get dressed for work and as you put your shirt on your pants are trying to take themselves off or visa verse. You like your clothes neat and clean and your clothes keep jumping off the hanger on to the floor. WE HAVE TO DIE!!
We have to die so that God can work through us. WE HAVE TO DIE SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE! My flesh, my desires have at times been a great hindrance, they refuse to stay dead. I've had more resurrections then Lazarus and Jesus but I have come to point in my walk where I am determined to stay dead no matter what the cost. I'm fasting more, praying more and studying more.

We have to deny ourselves to stay dead. Feed the spirit, not the flesh. Dead people don't argue about their so-called "rights" They don't kick against the "pricks" and there "flesh" is totally under subjection because it is not being fed. I'm consecrating this week and probably every week from now on, I want to die so God can use me so that others might live.
                                              God bless you all, Brother Darrell, A Watchman

FLINT FACED MEN !!

 
Praise the Lord everybody! for He is worthy to be praised! I pray everybody is enjoying Gods grace and blessing. I am so encouraged by what God is doing in my life and at my church.(First church of Christ Holiness N.Y.C.) God is on the move and we better be ready to move with Him. These are the times that Paul talked about where men must STAND and when we have done all to stand we must still stand. This week God is showing me the type of man it takes to stand through all in these last and evil days.

Isaiah 50:4-7   
⁴ The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

⁵ The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

⁶ I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

⁷ For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed

When I read this I think of men like Noah, Abraham, Daniel, David, Joseph, Isaiah, Peter, Paul and many others. I call them "Flint Faced Men" were they perfect? No! but they were Men who were determined to serve God no matter what. In season and out of season, politically correct or not. They also set their faces like flint, "Why flint?" I thought to myself. Flint is a very hard stone and there are plenty of hard rocks God could have used in His word, but flint is special, because when you strike it it sends off sparks and is used to start fires. Flint Faced Men start fires! When struck with adversity they don't fold or fall down, they use it to spark a fire, a fire that burns within. It burns with a determined desire to serve God no matter what the hardship, inconvenience or set back. Abraham was "Flint Faced" as he led his son Isaac to be sacrificed. Daniel was "Flint faced" as he refused to bow down to the statue of Nebuchadnezzar and faced the lions den., Isaiah as he faced the prophets of Baal, David as he faced Goliath and Peter and Paul as they faced death numerous times for preaching the Gospel.

There are many examples of Flint Faced men through out the bible, they are there as examples to us. Everywhere we go holy ghost fire should break out, revivals should break out, healing should accur. people ought to be delivered and captives should be set free. This is my goal, to be focused on God to the point that I become a "flint faced" man of God and spark Holy Ghost fire where ever I go. The Lord did it for Ezekiel in Ezekiel 3:8-10  
⁸ Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.

⁹ As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

¹⁰ Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.

I shall not be moved, like a tree planted near the waters, I shall not be moved!

            God bless you all, Brother Darrell, A Watchman

 

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