Priority #7 : Jesus is Coming Again

Chapter 42 - When God Says Thanks

This message was brought to me by an angel of God. There were 3 main areas the angel spoke about. The angel said that because of the days we're living in, and what God is doing, we must rally the people for the Lord. He talked about how there are many record books on people in heaven. I was taken up to the throne room and saw Abraham's record book, but could not find any bad things recorded. God told me that He doesn't record failure for believers. God made it clear that the judgment for believers will be from all the record books of only the good things we have done. The angel reminded me also of the great covering that God has provided for everyone. The three areas were knowing God's character, what He is really like, the desires of His heart towards people. The things that are important to God. The second area was your position in God. The third was about the preparation for that day when we will all be judged out of our record books.

 

In Numbers it talks about Balaam and how he wanted to curse Israel because of their type of living, he thought they needed to be wiped off the face of the earth. So God showed Balaam the prophet, Israel from different angles. God wants us to know our position before Him. God showed me the sacrifices and how Israel put their trust in them. These sacrifices were a type of the great sacrifice of Jesus, that we're putting our faith in. Israel, in-between sacrifices were covered. God stated that He looks at man from a different level than man does. God's eye view is on the top side of the great covering, atonement of Jesus. Man's eye view is on the underside of this covering. In Numbers 23:21, Balaam said Israel looks terrible, he said to God, "Look at all this evil in the camp. God said that He had not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither has He seen perverseness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of the king is among them," Hallelujah! Then He said "I have not beheld this, I can't see their sin through this covering." He said further more "I am not going to look under the covering, where man looks." In the 23rd verse, He said "I am not going to let satan bring any charges, and I am not going to let man bring any charges. There is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination in Israel."

 

Balaam was probably thinking, "God how could you do it!" Some of those people lost their temper this morning. Some of them had other problems. Then God let Balaam take a look at things they way He saw them. God said "you've looked at them through man's viewpoint, look at them now through My eyes." Then Balaam wrote "Now that my eyes are opened, I see things through God's viewpoint." He said "how goodly are they tents O Jacob, not evil." Now God said plainly that there are two things (other things may fall under those two categories), but two things that will take man out from under the covering. It's not that God removes the covering or that He goes down to look under it. But there are two things that cause man to remove himself. One is rebellion. And the other is idolatry. If you look in the life of Israel, you'll find that whenever God had to smite them and punish them, it was because of rebellion and idolatry.

 

God wants us to know our position in Him. That as we desire to live for God and want Him as our God that blood covering is there. He sees us through that covering, looking like Christ because we are accepted in Him, and all wrapped up and covered in His love. Paul talked about how he committed some things for that day, referring to the believers' judgment. Not everyone will be present at the believers' judgment, which is a judgment for reward as an athletic event. Only those people who are under the covering of Jesus' blood will be there. You put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ when you put your faith in His sacrifice, what He has done, and then you're covered.

 

This angel really stirred my heart two weeks ago, when he spoke of many, many people, and when their hearts were rebelling against God who were saying, "I'll serve God if it's convenient. But if it isn't I'll find some other way." One lady told me that if God demanded the leaving of the life of immorality that she was in, and some one told her she could live in, and still have fellowship with God, she said if God don't want me the way I am, I'm not going to serve Him. It isn't something you're going to have to do some other time, you're already rebelling in your heart, you're already out! She was filled with great fear when I told her that, you're already out because you already rebelled against Him, by not wanting to walk with Him and not wanting His plans. God hates rebellion. People who already know what God's Word says and still say in their heart, "I will take my chances against what God said; God said your bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. He said those that defile the temples of God, God will destroy. If you've been defiling God's temple the only way in the world you're going to be a part of that day when God says thanks to His people is to return to God in confession, giving yourself to Him. I know that angel is here tonight and I have to give you this message. There are people who are rebelling against God because of their failure to love some other brother or sister in the Lord. They wanted resentment to boil up inside of them. And the Word says to take heed lest a root of bitterness, resentment springs up inside of you and you're hurt by it and a lot of other people are troubled because of it. If there is resentment in your heart towards anyone, because of God's desire to prepare you for His coming, get rid of that resentment. Go to that person if it's the hardest thing you do, and ask God to melt you together, that this resentment will be gone. If you have made a god of other things, and if the choice is there between serving God or serving your own appetites and you say "I'll take my chances and serve my appetites" and the Word speaks of those whose god is their belly. He's referring to appetites, things that they would rather do than serve God. They love those things more than they love God. And He warned us against loving pleasure more than God, this message is a warning and one of great joy. When you are in rebellion or idolatry, it takes the covering away from you and you stand exposed and naked before God.

 

If some people come to your mind that you know you have resentments or bitterness towards then contact them and be reconciled to them. Forgive them so you can be a candidate for that great day. The angel told me that there are a lot of things people are doing that are good things and they are things of this life and they are necessary things. Things that need to be done and they have real value while here in this life. It isn't that the things you are doing are worthless, they have a reason here but they are not all things that are going to remain and last on. Books that people may write, who spend all their time writing books, those books may have value, but they're not going to remain. God has plenty of books there. Performance, singing, unless it's directed to a need of a life can be a performance and have a definite meaning but it will not go on. Even sermons that are preached, that may be giving out some information but may be preached to a crowd of people but not to the need of a person, they may help guide, motivate, or steer, but they will not be something that actually remains. Buildings have a great purpose but God doesn't need buildings. Programs, giving, if it's given for credit He said, "You get your reward right here.

 

People's missionary vision has been hurt because people have said, "can I get some credit if I give so much for missions." And it's all right if people have to be motivated but their giving isn't going down in God's book there because it's going down in someone else's. You will get your credit right here. The angel told me that these things may have satisfying rewards in this life, and they are important, but they will not remain. I asked him, "What will remain them?" In Philippians, 4:17, "you brought a gift for me, but I desire that you may have fruit towards your account. Not for reward but for the Lord." Jesus' prayer for your life was that the fruit of your efforts would remain. God wants us to have something up there that's in that book that will last forever. I remember hearing a voice in the hospital saying, "Strengthen the things that will remain." God says that people are important to Him. God has involved Himself with people.

 

If you want to know where God lives in this earth, look where people are hurting and you will find His address. God wants to help people. Things done with a performance will not remain because we haven't involved ourselves with the needs of an individual. When you get down on the level of personal human need and you take a person in your heart and arms, something starts writing down in that book in heaven. Your personal love, care concern, not what you put "saying" I owe this to God and I hope it gets to an individual, but when you see someone hurting and your heart hurts with them. When you care, that's when it counts.

 

I asked the children tonight, "What is Jesus like?" They told me that Jesus is somebody who loves to help you. If you're hungry, He'll provide for your food, if you're hurting He wants you well. He cares about you. God's desire is that we be like Jesus. We know that Jesus was always helping people out. God desires all men to do good. God wants us to represent Jesus to others. There may be a person who is lonely, or a person who may be hurting, or one filled with frustration. You can help these people. Jesus said "If you have done this unto one of the least of these my brethren, you've done it to me." And it's going down in the book. The angel said to me that more important to God then your witnessing to people about His salvation was your being like Him in their area of need. We've been so conditioned and we feel we aren't doing anything for God unless we were able to get out and witness and be able to skillfully use the Word and share the various parts of the Word. But this angel said when you're out there, helping people, you'll become to them the living word.

 

The word is a book that says, "I care and God cares." I care because God cares. This is something that anyone can do. Instead of witnessing we become a witness of what Jesus is really like. What you are to them. You're bringing the heart of God to them when you care for them. There are some people whose books are pretty empty. Let's get out there and get that book full. Not doing it for that reason, but mainly doing it because that's how God's heart beats for them. And as you're close to God, that's how you will feel about it. Things that are done because of His love, His Spirit are placed in our account. Matt. 25:34-40, He says that all of these things that we do, when we do it unto people we're doing it unto Him. That visit to a rest home, to cheer up some person who has had their downs and ups. That time when you watched someone's child just to help out. When you've shown kindness to an individual, letting them feel that they're worth something. When they've been battered and beaten down and they're depressed. And it seems that their self-esteem is crushed. You can go to them and lift up those hands that are hanging down. This is what Jesus did, all the time. God wants to be known by kindness and the only way, He'll be known by kindness is through you, and this is why it's important to show kindness.

 

Only "glory in this, that you know God, that He is the God of justice, a God who is filled with kindness, a God who will always do the right thing, a God who is fair. In these things I delight says the Lord." When we go out to do the work of God, people have gotten it so mixed up. They thought the only thing you could do for God was in a spiritual way. But it's hard to relate to a person's spirit. But it's not hard to relate to their physical needs, their bodies and emotions. God's Spirit gives you that love for people. Caring for those not in your family is important also. Caring for the widows, and fatherless is good. Don't worry about all the times you failed. I heard someone talk about the judgment day for believers. He said that God would project all of their sins in front of everybody. He said every sin you did after you were saved had been recorded. This isn't true. God destroyed all the records of sin for believers. He doesn't want to embarrass any of His children. Christ is our foundation. We are put on this foundation after we accept Christ. God tells us, "all you have done that's been like Jesus is going to be permanent and lasting." All those things that have held you back will be peeled away so that only the things like Christ will remain. God will remove the chaff. God is going to liberate you from all the bad things in your life. There is not going to be one person present at the believers' judgment who will hear one harsh word of condemnation. Jesus already bore our condemnation. God is looking forward toward this day. 1 Corinthians, 4:5, The Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness. And will make manifest the counsels of the heart. Then shall every man have praise of God. God will say thank you.

 

I asked the angel about the hidden things and the counsels of the heart and he said that there are 1000's of people who are serving God doing things you'd never have expected. Doing things constantly everyday. Nobody knows about it. Hidden in the dark corners of the heart. Things to help people. God is going to turn the light on these dark things so He can tell you thanks. I believe more people will turn to the Lord when they see you being a living word then witnessing to them about God's salvation. Don't you feel like helping someone in need? When you do this, Isaiah 58:8-14, "Then shall thy light break forth like the morning and thy health will be brought forth speedily." You want some divine health. Here's some good stuff, that you can have right here. You don't have to wait for that day. "Thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be your protection, your rear guard," the enemy can't sneak up on you. You don't even have to look over your shoulder. The glory of the Lord will be your guard. "Then you shall call," God said; "now I'll answer your prayers." If you do this you can find your prayer getting through. Then thou shall call and the Lord shall answer. "Thou shall cry and He shall say, "Here I am." "If you draw thy bread to the hungry, then shall thy light rise in obscurity and the darkness shall be thy noon day." You will have confidence. He will give you purpose in life, and guidance in life.

 

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