THIS WEEKS MESSAGE

THE MIND AND CHARACTER OF GOD
Part Four 

Presented to you by Pastor John S. Torell from his home church
"RESURRECTION LIFE OF JESUS CHURCH"
Sacramento, California

This message is available on audiocassette from our Book Store
Your responses and comments are always welcome.

RLJ-600

February 22, 1998

God the Father Selects Men and Women for His Work.

I spoke about God the Father last week. This week's message is on, "GOD THE FATHER SELECTS MEN AND WOMEN FOR HIS WORK."

I began today's message by sharing with you the basic laws of God, as we learn to know our heavenly Father. We must learn to understand the basic laws of God, before we can understand him as our Heavenly Father! One thing that we must understand is that God is micro managing His creation!

What does it mean to micro manage His creation? Usually when a person is in management or in charge of an organization he will set policies. He will then delegate others to implement the policies. God is micromanaging all of his creation even the hair on your head on a daily basis. This means that every time you comb or brush your hair and some of it falls out, there is a recount of your hair. I believe that Jesus made statements to show how our heavenly Father cares and intervenes in our life.

There are six points that I want to cover.

No. 1 Our Physical Birth.

Turn to Isaiah, chapter 49 verse 1. [Isaiah, was written 700 years before Christ. When the word Isles is used it is referring to islands. If you search history you'll find that the term Isles or islands were for the areas outside of Gibraltar. Someone may say, "How far did they travel in those days?" Travel was to the Mediterranean up to the coast of France. There was tin mining mean in England. There was also travel down the coast of Africa. So when Isaiah talks about the Isles he is talking about the nations west of Europe. This can be a very interesting study. In Ezekiel he also refers to the Isles. This would be the landmass west of Europe. Which is England, all islands including North and South America.] "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; 3 And said unto me, Thou [art] my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: [yet] surely my judgment [is] with the LORD, and my work with my God. 5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb [to be] his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength."

The prophet Isaiah is telling us that God had called him while he was still inside his mother’s womb. Today it would be called fetus, which is a nasty word. I like to call them babies. While he was a baby inside his mothers womb, God had put a call upon him. God had selected Isaiah to be a prophet. Is it significant that he had addressed this chapter to the nations west of Europe in which England and the United States are the leading nations in killing babies by abortion?

Turn to Jeremiah, chapter 1 verse 1. [What I'm trying to explain here is every one of us has been hand selected by God before the very creation of the earth. Before God even started creation, He designed every soul and all their characteristics. He selected the time frame that we were to be born, what century, what nation. He selected our parents. There are no accidents on this earth. Everything is predestined by God who has chosen each human being individually. That gives us a lot of responsibility.]

1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that [were] in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 2 To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I [am] a child. 7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I [am] a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I [am] with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD."

Does that mean that we are predestined so, as we do not have a choice? Yes, and no. We are predestined. The only choice that we can make is, yes to God and be successful or no to God and be a failure. God knows in advance who will fail. In Romans, He says that some vessels are made for dishonor. Every human being will have a chance. God knows in advance who will follow His will. Through this God is working out His eternal plan. You can, I can either fit into His plan or we can be discarded like garbage that He has tossed on the heap. He does select us from our very birth.

What does Paul say about this subject?

Turn to Galatians, chapter 1 verse 11. "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught [it], but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called [me] by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus."

Paul gives us a third account of how he was separated by God even in his mother’s womb. Did it look like he was going to be serving God? No, it did not look like that. It looked very bleak. God does micromanaging. Saul had a choice. He could stay blind or he could receive Christ. A prophetic word was given today and it said, as we are going into the end times there will be a swift judgment just as it was in the early church. It will be against the people that stand against the Holy Ghost. I believe we're going to see the fear of God come on many.

Turn to Romans, chapter 8 verse 28. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth."

The thought that I want to get across to you is that you are not an accident. We are here by design. We were very carefully selected. You are designed to be the best. God does not make an inferior product. Satan tries to make us inferior by enticing us to use alcohol, drugs and other things to destroy what God has built. Praise the Lord. When we get saved, we can be redeemed and re-created. We can be healed and restored. That is a beautiful thing. Remember that you are not an accident no matter how you were born. You are here by designed by God the Father Himself. That is a comforting thought to have.

It is exciting the way you think about your heavenly Father.

Turn to Psalm, chapter 139 verse 1. [David lived around the year 1000 BC] "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me]. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted [with] all my ways. 4 For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but], lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. [David had insight.] 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 [Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.

[God designed you completely. He did not delegate it to one of his angels. He designed every part of you. Every one of us was hand designed. We were not made like an automobile where they are all a like with just a different paint job.]

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou [art there]. 9 [If] I take the wings of the morning, [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light [are] both alike [to thee].

[David said that you and I can not escape from God. He made us. We are His. There is nowhere that we can run. He will hold us accountable. He will love us. He will mold and work with us. We cannot escape God. There are times when we think that life's pressures are to great and we want to run and hide. God will be right there waiting for you when you arrive. God is determined to mold you. You are like a key. When God is through with you, you will fit the lock.]

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.

[David didn't know about DNA 3000 years ago but God had all his members’ numbered. When the two cells come together the pattern is set for all of your body parts to be made. This pattern is written in the book that God has on each one of us. Think about it.]

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 [If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee."

What does this mean? It means God is thinking about you and I every day. He is thinking how He can bless His servant today. God is thinking about us continually. What a comfort.

No. 2 Our bodies

Turn to Matthew, chapter 10 verse 28. [There is a slogan that says, no body no ministry. You are off of this planet. Jesus made a provision for our bodies.]

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."

At the time of Christ they did not have fast food restaurants. What they had were fried sparrows. They would catch them in nets. They would be fried and then vendors would sell them to the public. They were very inexpensive. You could buy them for a few pennies. Jesus used this illustration to show our value. He could have said that you are worth more than many hamburgers. He said this, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?" It would be like a double hamburger. Jesus is saying, "This may look insignificant but not one of these birds can be caught and roasted unless the Father gives permission." That is micromanaging. Jesus said you are worth much more than many sparrows.

Turn to Luke, chapter 12 verse 4. "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows."

What Jesus is saying here is that God will look after over physical bodies. He will look after our living conditions.

No. 3 Our lining conditions

Turn to Luke, chapter 12 versus 22. "And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body [is more] than raiment. 24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more [will he clothe] you, O ye of little faith? 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Our heavenly Father says, "You seek the kingdom of God. Do what you are supposed to do and I will supply all your needs. Not all your wants but your needs. If you seek the kingdom of God."

Some of you may say that you are very secure in your job because you work for some large corporation. That is not your security. Your security is in God. You could have an accident or become ill suddenly and you are out of work. It is God who is our security. If you will realize that God is your source not the banks or the government. The Lord will flow through you when you have a need. The moment you make the government your source it has become your God. The Lord God Himself is our only source.

No. 4 God is reserving the right to intervene at any time in the affairs of men on this planet, when the will of God is not being done.

Some of us might get upset at that statement. We do not want God to intervene in any of our plans. When God calls us to do something and we do not answer there may be times he has to do something to get our attention. We get busy doing things that are of our interest and not His. He may have to have one of his angels pick you up and move you. It may mean that you will have your business destroyed because it is not what God wants you to do.

Globally God intervenes. Praise God for that.

Turn to Genesis, chapter 11 verse 1. "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top [may reach] unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

[Can you imagine the confusion? Suddenly two people that were working together; they could not understand what each other was saying. When God intervenes He does the job well. He is not sentimental. Learn and understand that. Do not hang on to the things of the world. They may become idols and then God may have to take them away from you. He wants you to look only to Him. Anything that becomes a god in your life you will lose.]

8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." [God intervened globally.]

God intervenes nationally or in our nations. Do you wonder what God is doing in our nations? It is going to rain tonight and it is going to rain next week. God is in charge of the rains and the winds. We say, "God, it interferes with our golf games." God says, "I don't care. I am God. I do as I please. I want your attention. I want you to serve Me." You do not argue with God.

Turn to Exodus, chapter 14 verse 5. "And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? [They lost their labor force.] 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses [and] chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because [there were] no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

[The problem here is that the Israelites did not know that God is going to take out the Egyptians. God sometimes does not tell you what He is going to do. He will take care of the enemy who is pursuing you at a designated place. God had a plan for the Egyptians. That was for them to be at the bottom of the Red Sea. The Egyptians had done enough damage. Their judgment time was coming. God told them to follow the Israelites and I will deal with you.]

12 [Is] not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry [ground] through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness [to them], but it gave light by night [to these]: so that the one came not near the other all the night. [The Egyptians had darkness and the Israelites had light. God separated them.] 21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go [back] by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry [land], and the waters were divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry [ground]: and the waters [were] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. [It took faith to walk between the two walls of water. It takes faith to walk with God when the enemy is behind you.]

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, [even] all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 25 And took off their chariot wheels, [Can you imagine God sending his angels to remove the wheels?] that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians. [They finally realized that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.]

26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

[God is micromanaging but He is using you and I to speak the words. God could have said, "Watch Me wipe out the Egyptians." But God told Moses what action to take. The Egyptians learned that you do not touch God's anointed. You and I are God's anointed. We have the Holy Ghost in us. Woe, unto the man or woman that lays a finger on God's people. Our Father will take care of them.]

27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, [and] all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry [land] in the midst of the sea; and the waters [were] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

[The last thing that Pharaoh must have remembered was standing in the middle of the Red Sea. His wheels were knocked off of his chariot. He realized that he fought the wrong God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As he lost his breath that day, he was taken to hell, with the whole army of Egyptians. Can you imagine hell opening up that morning? Pharaoh and his army in chains marching into hell. They were put in their place of torment where they have been for close to 4000 years. I am sure Pharaoh may have been crying out, why was I so stupid. Why did I not listen to Moses and believe in his God? He took his whole army with him. He is not alone. There are a lot of dictators in hell. There are a lot of army's in hell. There are a lot of people in hell that are crying out. God is reserving His right to intervene at anytime in the life of men on this planet. This includes yours and my life.] 30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. 31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses."

God has the right to intervene in our Individual lives.

Turn to Jonah, chapter 1 verse 1. [Jonah had a face-lift. This was not like what people have today. His face was burned. In the belly of the fish.]

"Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, and 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

[When God made Jonah he did not make five of him in case one did not want to go. He made one. He said, "I'm going to have a Jonah and I'm going to send him to Nineveh." God knew in advance that Jonah was not going to go. So God said, "That is fine. I'm going to cook him in the belly of the fish." So God also made a fish. God has a fish for each one of us. You do not want to get close to that fish. God love's us so much that if we deviate He will give us the fish treatment. The fish treatment could be almost anything. It could be a total stripping. With Jonah nothing prospered after he said no to God.]

3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: [Tarshish is a city between Turkey and Lebanon. Jonah said I'm going to run away. I going to take a cruise ship.]

so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. [He was going to leave the Lord.] 4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that [were] in the ship into the sea, to lighten [it] of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

[Here's what happens to the backsliden believer. He knows that God is in charge. Jonah had the attitude that he knew God was there but he didn't care. I'm going to go to sleep. I'm going to be depressed. God was not going to let him sleep very long.]

6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil [is] upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

[If you have a backslider around you it is like having did weight on you.]

8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil [is] upon us; What [is] thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what [is] thy country? and of what people [art] thou? 9 And he said unto them, I [am] an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry [land]. 10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest [is] upon you. [Every backslider knows why things are happening. The sailors here were humanists. They were sentimental.]

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring [it] to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. 14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee. 15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. 17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

[Jonah prayed when he was in the belly of the fish. What was in the belly the fish? There was probably seaweed, all kinds of smelly dead fish and acid. There was stomach acid that would work on your flesh. It would burn it.]

Turn to Jonan 2 verse 1. "Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadest cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward the holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

[Jonah got a lesson in the gospel in the belly of that fish. He learned repentance and salvation of the Lord.]

And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. Jonah 3 verse 1. "And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord." [He did not need a second prompting.]

What can we learn from this? God does micromanaging. He intervenes totally in your life. We must learn that the moment we are disobedient, God will shut you down. If you are out of God's will, I do not want to ride with you because God has a fish waiting for you. I do not want to join you in the belly of the fish. I will wait until you are finished and then meet you on the beach. Our heavenly Father is in total control.

I learned that when I am printing that when God is blessing me He also tells me when to stop. There were times when the printing was going well and I did not want to stop. So God would cause the printing equipment to malfunction so that I would. He would say, "It is time to clean up son and go home." Remember, when we make a mass we also have to clean it up. Remember to smile when you are cleaning it up. God will intervene, He is our Father.

No. 5 God's timing and men's perceptioin of time are not the same. Men must learn to line up with God's timing! Israel had to spend 430 years in Egypt to learn this.

Turn to Exodus, chapter 12 versus 40. [Last month we had some financial difficulties. I was talking to God and wondering how he was going to work this out. Within 24 hours God sent in 2000 dollars from unknown sources. There are days when we had very little finances in the mail and it looked like we were going into the abbess. God said, "I am still holding you by the hand. I have not abandoned you.]

"Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, [was] four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

[Do you think the people ask why they could not go out sooner? God said four hundred and thirty years, I have a purpose. Timing is so important. We have to learn to think like God, not our own. Serving God is to be faithful. There is a rescue mission in Chicago that has had its doors open for the last one hundred and twenty years. Every night someone is there saying, "Jesus saves." God is faithful. God does not change. The gospel must be preached to every generation. We cannot take a break from spreading the gospel. God is faithful. There is a new generation coming and they need the gospel.]

42 It [is] a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this [is] that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations."

Turn to Galatians, chapter 3 verse 16. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, [that] the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect." [God needed four hundred and thirty years in Egypt and He got four hundred and thirty years in Egypt. There most have been people that want to get out earlier but God said, "No! No! Four hundred and thirty years, then I will send a man." When God was ready He sent Moses. This is micromanaging.

The Jews had to spend 70 years in Babylon

Turn to Daniel, chapter 9 verse 2. "In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem."

Why seventy years? Why not 15? Why could God not be sentimental? If you or I had been in charge of the Israelites we would have gotten them out after five years. We would have been sentimental. God said it would be seventy years. God is not sentimental. We try to take shortcuts or compromise. God does not compromise.

Turn to Jeremiah, chapter 25 verse 10. [I learned over the years to be on God's time not mine.] "Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, [and] an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, [that] I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations." [It was seventy years no more no less.]

Turn to Jeremiah, chapter 29 verse 1. "Now these [are] the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; 2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) 3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying, 4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 5 Build ye houses, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. 8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that [be] in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. 10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place."

In Babylon they had false prophets. They prophesied to the people that they should not establish themselves because God was going to get them out quickly. The same thing is happening today. We are told not to worry about anything because God is going to come to get us and will not have to go through any type of tribulation. God told them that they would spend 70 years in Babylon. God is not sentimental. He is compassionate. It took Him seventy years to prepare the Jews to go back to the land.

1000 years are like one day to the Lord.

Turn to Psalm, chapter 90 verse 1. "A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou [art] God. 3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. 4 For a thousand years in thy sight [are but] as yesterday when it is past, and [as] a watch in the night."

God moves on eternity time. You and I move on earth time. Sometimes God is in a hurry and sometimes He is not. Find out where God is going and stay in His timing.

Turn to Second Peter, chapter 3 verse 1. "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in [both] which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." [The timing of God is eternal.]

Learn to number your days wisely.

Turn to Psalm, chapter 90 verse 12. "So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom." [You and I cannot waste our time. We can no longer say we have time to waste. We should number our days. We should be saying, "Father, God, how can I use my days for you for the maximum?" Are you numbering your days? One of my slogans is, "If you do not plan your life, someone else will plan it for you." There will always be problems and crisis in your life. What we have to say is, "I'm going to plan my day whether there is a crisis in it or not." If you are not determined to do this, month after month will disappear. A year will go by and you will wonder what happened. If you do not plan your life someone else will plan it for you. If you do not take control over the crisis in your life the crisis will rule you. Learn to rule with Christ.

No. 6 God is using the holy angels to carry out His commands

Turn to Joshua, chapter 5 verse 13. "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, [Art] thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? 15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy. And Joshua did so."

[Learn this; there are angels around you. There are holy angels around you. The Bible does not tell us how many angels are around us, but there are a designated number of angels around each and every one of us. There is an angel in charge of you. That angel never sleeps. He is always watching you. We can walk confident that when we are doing God's will His angels are there to protect us. When we are out of God's will that is when the angels lower their swords and the demons come in. Joshua saw the captain of the hosts.]

Turn to Hebrews, chapter 1 verse 13. "But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

[If we could open our spiritual eyes we would see that there are angels all around us. They are protecting us with a wall of fire; they are in constant communication with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. They are here to minister to you and I.

The six points that I just covered tell us how our heavenly Father cares for us. If we could just understand how much our heavenly Father cares for us, it would give us courage and understanding. We would walk in reverence not in rebellion.

You may ask yourself how can I have all these benefits. Be saved. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and be your Lord and Saviour. Repent of your sins. If you have accept Christ all these benefits are yours. Make up your mind not to be a Jonah. Be a Moses. Be faithful to the end.

May God richly bless you is my prayer