Angels On Assignment By Charles and Frances Hunter, as told by Roland Buck (1979) TABLE OF CONTENTS: Who Is Roland Buck? A Word From the Wife of Roland Buck Chapter 1 » Encounter Possibly the questions most often asked are ... "How did it happen that God chose you?" "Was it through deep hunger on your part?" "Was it through prayer and fasting?" I would honestly have to say ... "I don't know! I fall short in all of these areas!" Chapter 2 » Good News For You and Your Family About three o'clock in the morning, I was abruptly awakened when someone grasped my arms and sat me right up in bed! Do you know ... that if even one member of your family is living for God, each individual member is highly favored? That a great host of angels has been assigned to bring these highly favored people to God? They have orders to listen to no objections, but to hasten individuals to a point of choice? If a person chooses the wrong way, the angels will begin the cycle all over again? Chapter 3 » Ministry of Angels The light flipped on and I saw what appeared to be two of the largest men I had ever seen! Strong currents of radiation pulsated from them. I started to fall, but was steadied by the strong hand of these sevenfootplus beings. IT SOUNDED LIKE HE SAID, "I AM GABRIEL," but it couldn't be ... he has not been seen for centuries. Am I really seeing things or IS HE REALLY HERE ... IN MY HOME? Chapter 4 » My Visit to the Throne Room The chain of strange happenings in my life date back to January 21, 1977, when I became God's guest. I discovered he wants to be treated like a friend. His words to me ... "Relax, I already know you," have changed my life. When he said, "I don't record failure," he opened a door of hope for all mankind. Chapter 5 » Sequel to the Throne Room Would you say ... Thirty correct predictions out of one hundred is phenomenal? ... How about 120 out of 120? ... God never misses. That is why you can rely wholly on him. ... God told me the Pope has no more influence with him than the least of his saints, and has no greater privileges, but because his influence with man is great, his choice is God's concern. Therefore, in order to help in the restoration of his fragmented body, God had chosen a man named Karol Wojtyla of Poland. Date of prediction: January 21, 1977 ... Date of fulfillment: October 16, 1978, Pope John Paul II. Chapter 6 » God's Priorities Queenie, that's my dog ... a purebred Great Dane ... quietly "woofed" as she pressed her wet nose against my face. The time was 2 AM. I knew what was up by now. This is the way she rouses me when she becomes aware that angelic visitors are in the house. ... Filled again with awe and wonder, I listened as Gabriel stressed seven things of utmost importance to God. Priorities that the world must hear ... Chapter 7 » He Tasted Death One time as the angels ministered to me, God allowed me to see Jesus as the sacrificed lamb ... My heart broke ... As this panorama of truth passed before me, I saw him as the lamb lying there in death. ... Then I saw the little lamb slowly start to rise, and as it rose up, it became a mighty ram with seven horns upon its head and it had seven eyes ... "You have seen him die as the lamb, now see him as he arose the great conqueror, with complete power in heaven and earth given to him." 1 Chapter 8 » You Are Covered (Atonement) I sat glued to my chair ... unable to move ... The same divine radiance which glowed from Moses' face after forty days with God, multiplied a hundred times from an eternity in God's presence, streamed from Gabriel's being and literally engulfed me ... His word and his touch brought back my strength. I cried ... and you, too, will cry as you discover the beauty of this message he brought directly from God's big heart! Chapter 9 » God's Warning Signals It happened in broad daylight the Saturday before Christmas ... The door of my church office opened and once again God's highest angel had come with a special word from God ... Remember, if you feel numb and cold inside and it's a weight and a burden for you to think, "Here's another week and I have to go to church. I don't want to fail God, but it's a chore; there is no excitement in my spiritual life," WATCH OUT! Chapter 10 » When God Says Thanks! His eyes were like deep, glowing embers, his voice resonant and clear … this giant angel … as he told me about "The Believer's Judgment." My heart leaped when I heard him say, "THE BELIEVER'S JUDGMENT IS NOT A DARK NIGHT THROUGH WHICH HE MUST PASS BEFORE HE BREAKS OUT INTO GOD'S ETERNAL DAY, BUT A DAY IN WHICH GOD HAS CHOSEN TO SAY THANKS TO HIS PEOPLE." Chapter 11 » Mission Philippines About four in the morning, the light came on in my room, and I opened my eyes ... There were two cots in the room. I was sleeping in one, and when I looked over at the empty one, I saw Gabriel sitting there. "How did you find me here?" "We didn't have any trouble finding you, because we arranged for you to be here!" Gabriel replied. Chapter 12 » Michael and His Angels I heard loud noises downstairs very early one Monday morning ... I will never forget the sight in my living room as I went to investigate ... Angelic warfare was being directed from my home as the Command post ... this attack was serious enough for Michael, the leader of all warring angels, to appear on the scene. (Additional angel material added in this chapter) Chapter 13 » Angels On Assignment What did angels do between those times of recorded appearances ... did they rest ... or what happened to them? "We are busy all the time scattering God's enemies and putting the pieces of his plan together ... I commanded a heavenly army with orders from God to push the walls of Jericho into the ground ... and we did!" That's what Chrioni, the great warring angel, told me ... and more! Chapter 14 » He is Coming Again! As I think of the return of Jesus, I remember what Gabriel said, "There has never been such excitement and activity in the courts of heaven since Jesus came the first time, as there is right now!" Chapter 15 » In Closing Charles & Frances Hunter Pastor Buck looked down. Gabriel's feet were about four inches off the floor! ... Then he looked at Cyprion's feet, and they were about eighteen inches off the floor. ... Then he looked at his own feet, and to his utter amazement, they were also about eighteen inches off the floor! Chapter 16 » In the Beginning As the book goes into its third printing before the end of two months, we wondered why God had left the seven empty pages at the end of the book. Now we know! Scripture Quotations are taken from: Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. The Authorized King James Version (KJV) The Living Bible, Paraphrased (TLB), © 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, IL The Amplified New Testament (AMP), © The Lockman Foundation 1954, 1958 JB Phillips, The Gospels, © The Macmillan Company, New York All references not specified are from the KJV. ISBN 0917726332 2 Who Is Roland Buck? Born: Everett, Washington, June 13, 1918 Graduated from Northwest College, Seattle, WA, 1939 Pastored churches in Granger and Yakima, WA, and Gooding and Boise, Idaho. Pastor of Central Assembly of God Christian Life Center, Boise, Idaho, from 1950 present. Average Sunday morning attendance in 1978 was about 1800. Married Charmian Jacobson, June 13, 1942 Born Again spiritually in 1929, and received the baptism with the Holy Spirit at the same time. Charmian was Born Again at age 10, and received the baptism with the Holy Spirit at age 21. This is the true story of an ordinary man who has experienced an extraordinary series of events. When we first heard of Roland Buck, we had been sharing the story of how God had placed a special warrior angel with us to protect us from the fiery darts of the devil until Jesus comes back. A couple asked us, "Have you heard about the pastor in Boise, Idaho, who has been having visitations from angels? They have been talking to him and bringing messages from God." Even in these days when the supernatural power of God is more in evidence than ever before, this shocked us; especially when Doug and Ruth told us that Gabriel was the one who brought the messages! For a moment it sounded like the most wayout statement we had ever heard, but somehow or other, there was such a ring of truth to it that we had a hungering created in our hearts to hear more! Our busy schedule kept us from calling this pastor to find out any of the details, but in God's perfect plan he kept nudging and nudging us to contact Roland Buck about writing a book. We were still too bogged down with other work, so we didn't do it! Then God really got busy when we continued being too busy! He brought a couple down to Houston from Sitka, Alaska, who had stopped by Eugene, Oregon, and picked up a series of "angel" tapes they wanted us to listen to. They were bubbling over because they had listened to these tapes all the way from Oregon to Texas. All they could say was, "You've got to listen to them you've got to listen to them!" And listen we did! Every time we got in the car, the tape player came on with another angel tape. At night when we went to bed, we went to sleep listening to "angel" tapes, until one Friday afternoon Charles said, "I am utterly compelled to call Pastor Buck to see if we can interview him with the idea of writing a book. These messages from the angels are so fantastic, the entire world needs to hear them." Frances was equally fascinated with the idea of angels talking to an individual, so we both went to the telephone to make the call. Pastor Buck immediately invited us to minister in his church in the evenings and said he would be more than happy to cooperate with interviews in the daytime. Although he assured us that the heart of the messages the angels had given him were on the tapes we had listened to, he said there might be some extras we would be interested in hearing. We could hardly wait to get there! We arrived on a Sunday evening just minutes before the church service, and afterwards we went out for a bite to eat with Roland and Charmian Buck. If there had been any skepticism in our hearts before then, it was gone as he began to share from his heart some of the beautiful truths the angels have brought to him directly from God. That evening was followed by two days of interviews in which we saw the heart of a man who said, "I want God to be in focus and glorified. I do not want any glory for myself." We asked him many of the questions you might ask: "Was it an unusual day when you had the first experience?" He said, "No, it was just an ordinary, runofthemill day before I went to bed that night. Angels are the last thing I would have thought of when I sat up in bed." We were both fascinated with his knowledge, not only of the Bible, but of the scriptural references as well. It seemed his total conversation was direct from the Word of God! We asked him if he had always 3 had the good memory which he has had since he returned from the Throne Room. He said, "I would have to say 'no.' Before this experience I had to use the scriptures that I knew, so I studied and read the Bible over and over again. I have been in the ministry many, many years, and I always had to use a concordance to look up verses, but for the 2,000 verses God gave me I don't have to do that any more. I don't even have to read them from the Bible when I speak, because I JUST KNOW THEM!" One of the things that spoke to our hearts about the genuineness of these experiences was the fact that they all tied back to the Bible! One night Charles said, "Can you imagine people believing the son of a Jewish carpenter who came up and said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me!" (John 14:6). We find it easier to believe the stories of angelic visitations in the twentieth century than it was for those people to believe that this ordinary young man was Jesus, the Son of God! Some people didn't believe that story. Some did! It will be the same way today. Some will believe this story. Some won't. We do! Whether you believe it or not, this book will cause you to see God's love in a greater way than ever before and it will make Jesus come alive to you! It will give a feeling of living right now in the limitless dimension of eternity! Charles & Frances Hunter TOP A Word From the Wife of Roland Buck What an exciting day to be alive! Although we have the darkness of wickedness on every hand, we have the assurance of God caring through a great supernatural renewal in our day. A spiritual awakening is always characterized by miracles of healing, many conversions and a new touch in lives. Part of the special work God is doing is a broader revelation of himself through the messages brought by angelic visitation. To think that our family and church could be a part of this expression of his love is more than I can comprehend. Two questions people ask me when they know that my precious husband has had many angelic encounters are: "Have you seen an angel," and "Why did God choose your husband?" I have not yet had an angelic encounter, but at times when I have gone to bed at night I have experienced such an overwhelming inflow of God's presence that I have had to go downstairs to praise and worship him. I am very much at peace because I know God does everything right. My husband is the leader and the one who is ministering to the people, so God has laid his hand especially on him. Who am I to question God? Our love is so close and we share the ministry so much together that although I have not seen an angel, I have been abundantly blessed as my husband pours out to me the truths that God has shown to him. In answer to the second question, "Why did God choose him?" you must understand my evaluations are purely human because we cannot limit God. In the first place, my husband is not easily swayed. We have pastored in Boise, Idaho, for 29 years. Through the years I have seen such a confidence and trust in God that he has been like a rock of Gibraltar. 4 He has maintained a steady, even ministry in spite of socalled "fads" in religious circles not "swayed with every wind of doctrine," but weighing carefully those things which could be of a questionable nature. He has always been a great student of the Word and in his ministry has built a bridge for the unbeliever instead of a barrier to the kingdom of God. The angelic encounters have not been his first knowledge of God dealing with him in a special way. Many times he has come to bed in the morning after God has spoken to him through the night hours regarding truths in the Word, giving him many scriptures to bear out the particular message he wanted to give him. His consistency and stability have created within our four children and me a trust in God that is unwavering. He has suffered three heart attacks and one heart arrest, but through it all the peace of God was felt within our whole family. God has given us a wonderful heritage. Although my husband has meditated a great deal on the Word, he is not a mystic, but very human and a person I have grown to love and trust. God can do as he pleases. Didn't he visit many people in the Old and New Testaments? He is still able to do the same in these days God is the God of the supernatural who can deny it? Charmain Buck TOP Encounter (Ch. 1) The most outstanding and thrilling thing that has ever taken place in my life has been the angelic visitations that have occurred during the past two years. God made it very clear to me that I am to share what happened in my life so I am passing on descriptions of what I have seen, experiences I have had, and messages I have been given. God is illuminating truths of the Bible in unprecedented ways prior to the return of Jesus. Revelations are being brought forth in all ministries flowing in the Spirit. In this relation, God quickened my spirit to John 16:1215: "Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't understand it now. When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes, he shall guide you into all truth, for he will not be presenting his own ideas, but will be passing on to you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future" (TLB). Jesus spoke these words. I have written these encounters and messages with the limitation of my own human understanding. In doing this, I have made references to what the angels have said, but not with the thought of quoting them verbatim, except where I have so stated. When you consider that there have been some fifty hours of angelic conversation which I have condensed with my own words and understanding into this single volume, you can perhaps realize that I have relied on my human ability to express these truths as I have comprehended them. I have not added to, or taken away from the Word of God, but the Spirit has opened my eyes to things I had not previously seen, just as he reveals truths to any believer who searches the Word. Among the many agencies the Spirit uses to minister to us are the Bible, circumstances, other believers and angels. He speaks directly to us in many ways through dreams, visions, and gifts of the Spirit, but always, it is the same Holy Spirit who speaks to us. "Our words are wise because they are from God ... But we know about these things because God has sent his Spirit to tell us, and his Spirit searches out and shows us all of God's deepest secrets" (I Cor. 2:7, 10 TLB). Paul also referred to receiving messages from God when he said, "Yet when I am among mature Christians I do speak with words of great wisdom, but not the kind that comes from here on earth, and 5 not the kind that appeals to the great men of this world, who are doomed to fall" (I Cor. 2:6 TLB). Praise God he is still speaking to us today! I know there are risks involved in speaking of unusual and uncommon experiences such as these. My first reaction was to try to get out of giving the message brought to me by an angel. I valued my credibility and felt it would be shattered. You will discover in these writings that God helped me change my mind. Some have asked what has happened as a result of these messages. Needless to say, I have no way of measuring the total impact, but evidence abounds that the Holy Spirit, true to his promise, has given wings to these messages and they have circled the globe by tape cassettes. People in all parts of the world have been liberated by these fresh truths from God's heart. Thousands have accepted Christ. Thousands of others with whom I am personally acquainted had become discouraged and left the ministry. Today, because they have found new hope, have returned to a place of service. As the Spirit accompanying these messages made the words they were hearing come alive, a new door of faith has opened wide to believers everywhere! At the time of this writing, there have been sixteen separate visitations by angels. (Webmaster's note all totaled, I believe there were 27 when it was all over. The final 9 visits are mentioned in the sequel book, written 3 years after pastor Bucks death, "The Man Who Talked With Angels," by his daughter, Sharon White). Though they come often, every two or three weeks, I have not, and cannot, become accustomed to them. There is such a holiness and such an awesomeness connected with each visit, that every time I see them, I am reminded of the eternal and unchanging God who has sent them, his closeness to us, and his intense interest and loving concern for our families. Each time the angels have come, they have brought a message from God for the world. If I could put the substance of these messages into one simple phrase, it would have to be, "I CARE!" As you read, I would encourage you to look beyond the encounter to the message. How very important each one must be to God for him to send them by "special" messenger. The messages included in this book have been given to my church following each one of the encounters. They are not angelic quotations as such, but a sharing of truths made real. It might be of interest to you to know that during the two to four hours they have stayed each time they have come, there has not been one verse of Scripture quoted. Instead, a living panorama causes truth to literally come alive as it passes before me. At times I have found myself living what I was seeing. Not once did they leave without giving me Bible references where the message could be found. Because of the nature of this book, some may look for reasons to refuse to accept ... instead of reasons why God has sent these messages. To others it may be in conflict with accepted beliefs. This is understandable. God merely stated how things really are, and made no effort to support any chosen position or theology, but rather to reveal his deep love for a world that had lost it's way, but has been found as a result of the sacrifice of Jesus. Possibly the questions asked most often are, "How did it happen that God chose you?" "Was it through deep hunger on your part?" "Was it through prayer and fasting?" I would honestly have to say, "I don't know!" I fall short in all of these areas. The activity of angels will intrigue you, but Gabriel brought a word of caution from God: "Do not seek angels. Seek Jesus! He is far greater than any angels!" TOP 6 Good News For You and Your Family (Ch. 2) On the night of June 18, 1978, I went to bed at my usual time with no advance notice that something was about to happen which would change my entire life! About three o'clock in the morning, I was abruptly awakened when someone grasped my arms and sat me right up in bed! The room was dark because the shades were pulled, but there was just enough light from outside so I could detect the outline of a huge being. To say the least, I was frightened because he was so strong I couldn't free myself from his grip. My fear didn't last, however, because I quickly became aware of a supernatural presence, and it didn't take me long to realize that this heavenly being was an angel from God. He confirmed this, turned loose of my shoulders, and told me not to be afraid! Then he told me that God had sent him because the prayers of God's people had been heard, and he was to deliver the message that their prayers had not only been heard, but had been answered! Hallelujah! I wasn't dreaming, it wasn't a vision; it was something very, very real! As we continued talking, he spoke so loudly I was sure he was going to wake up my wife who was asleep next to me. He didn't, but I wish he had! My dog, Queenie, comes into our room once in awhile when she gets lonesome, and sleeps beside the bed. She was there that night and was interested in everything the angel had to say. She was right beside me and I could feel her head turning every which way against my leg as first the angel spoke and then I answered! It was an unusual visit! It sounds strange, and I imagine some people might question my credibility. This is not important; God's message is, and he had something he wanted me to bring to the world! This unique conversation lasted for two solid hours as the angel shared magnificent truths from the Word of God with me. He discussed the unfolding plan of God for the entire world and brought me warm feelings from God's own heart as to the concern he has for people. His love for people is so great; He is a lot more interested in them than He is in procedure! He LOVES people! The angel gave me information which went in many different directions, but there was a keynote which the Lord emphasized to me that followed all the way through, and at first I wasn't certain how to relate this message until one night three weeks later, he returned, bringing more beautiful truths from God on the same subjects. I wanted to see what he looked like, but again I could only see the outline of this heavenly being in the darkness of our bedroom. The morning following the second visit, my wife asked me if we had another visitor during the night, because she said while she did not hear anything, she was aware of the real warmth of God's presence filling the room. There is something so awesome about God sending these special messengers with words from heaven that I feel a tremendous responsibility in sharing this. We are living in a beautiful time and a great awakening is happening throughout the world. Along with the great move of the Holy Spirit, there are also renewed attacks by the enemy against the work of God. In an effort to get at God and to try to hurt him, satanic forces are attacking the home, which is the closest thing on earth to God's heart. Homes are hurting and many times they do not understand why. This attack is more than just an attack on the home for every time you find a new chapter about to be opened in God's great work, you will find increased satanic activity. The enemies of God are following a practice that began a long time ago. In talking about these satanic attacks, the angel brought to my mind the ways the enemy fought in times past. When Moses was born and the plan of God began to unfold so that the children of Israel would be brought out of the land of Egypt, God prepared a small child whose mother recognized that he was very special and Satan made an effort to fight against God's plan. 7 Satan didn't know whom God had chosen, so he put it into the heart of the king to kill every child below a certain age so that he could get rid of the one baby who was going to have a definite part in the unfolding of God's plan. Another time was when a decree was given in Shushan. The enemy knew that the time was almost here for the great deliverance of Israel, so he worked through the heart of a man named Haman. A decree went out that all of the Jews were to be slain. Again the enemy tried to stop God's plan, but he did not succeed. When Jesus was born, the greatest chapter of all times began to unfold. Again the satanic forces said, "We have to stop him. He is God's own Son. We have to stop this deliverer, but we don't know where he is." They inquired, "Where is he? Where is he going to be born?" If Satan could have read minds, all he would have had to do was to go to the shepherds or the wise men and read their minds, but they weren't telling! He discovered the general area, so that same satanic force went into operation. Once again all the babies were killed. But Jesus wasn't there! In our day, there is a beautiful new chapter unfolding as God is bringing into focus families of the earth. He is letting them know that his plan of salvation, a principle he put into operation years and years ago, is not just a plan for a single person. He reserves a place for the whole family, but each member must individually be born again. I thought, "That's strange theology! That doesn't seem right." But I discovered that God himself is the one who started this! It was in his beautiful plan that he gave to Moses in the tabernacle. The angel brought to my attention the fact that God wanted the name of every head of the house and his family included in the gate of the tabernacle; the silver sockets, which held the veil of the temple, were to be made out of the shekels of their redemption. These sacrifices of half a shekel of silver were made by each man as a ransom for his soul unto the Lord. The shekels were to be melted, and the gates were to hang on the very fact that God has included ALL in his plan. This redemption plan for the families was so important to God that he required each family to give a memorial offering of half a shekel every year so they wouldn't forget. This is discussed in Exodus 30:1216 and 38:2528. Do you remember when Rahab saved the spies who went into Jericho? The spies, by inspiration of God, said, "Rahab, call your family here to this house and they will all be saved." (Joshua 6:1725) God worked through the one person that he had contact with in that home. Rahab brought every member of her family there, and they were all saved because God cared for the entire family! God's plan is a family plan. All of the beautiful ties of home and family are eternal, and you are going to have joy such as you have never dreamed of when you get to heaven. Gabriel spoke to me over and over again about the importance of families to God, and that we can trust him, even though we cannot comprehend how he can accomplish a family relationship in heaven. "How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods!" (Romans 11:33 TLB). The enemy wants to spoil God's plan by hurling heavy artillery into the homes, causing husbands to lose feelings for their wives; causing restlessness; causing things to fall apart; causing children and parents to hate each other. But God says Satan is not going to get away with it! One of the most impressive things the angel told me was that God always has a backup plan. God says his work will get done even if he has to call in someone else to do it or he will do it himself! This is beautifully described in the story of Esther, when Mordecai came to her and prophetically told her that God had put her right there at that particular time to get a job done. She could choose to do it if she wanted to, and be really blessed of God, but she could also be confident that his deliverance was not going to fail if she decided not to do it (Esther 4:14). God's plan will go through and he will raise up deliverance from another source if necessary. He will not fail! 8 God let me know that events, which He has decreed, HAVE TO HAPPEN! When he decrees it, an irreversible force is set in motion that nothing can stop. IT HAS TO HAPPEN! People he has included in his unfolding plan are not irreversibly stuck with that plan for themselves unless they want to be. God has predestined the event, but not the individuals. He said, "If you will link arms with me, there will be joy and happiness in it for you. I have FOREORDAINED you to be a partner with me in the great work that I am doing, but I will not hold you to it." God is at work! The enemy is at work! These are the two opposing forces, but God has already decreed that he is the winner! Many Christians have been praying for the unsaved loved ones in their families. When the angel brought me the message that their prayers had already been answered, I thought, "Does this mean they are already ALL saved?" "No, God does not mean he will violate the free right of choice he has given, but it means that he is going to do everything necessary to bring people to the point where it will be easy for them to make the choice to serve him. I have heard it said, "It's a good thing to make it hard for people to come to God because that way they will appreciate Him." That isn't God's way! He wants to make it real easy to come to Him, and real hard to get away! His whole desire is for you. He loves you! He's not looking for some reason to cast you away. He is looking for every reason to hold you! Since God has said that your prayers are already answered, those who have laid their loved ones before him in sincerity and in faith can stop praying right now! The angel said they could start praising God right now. He is on the job, and has released the forces to bring about circumstances, which would make it hard for these people to resist God. Then the angel said, "I am here right now leading a great band of angels in order to clear the way, to scatter the enemies, to move away the roadblocks, and to let people know that the heart of God is warm toward them." He shared many beautiful truths with me, and on this particular visit as he spoke to me, I realized the angel was the same one who had appeared to Zacharias with an identical message, "Your prayers are heard!" (Luke 1:13). This message that God brought to me through his angel was a little picture of the big heart of God and what He is doing today. The angel told me that God was interested in restoring homes into the kind of unit that would please him and that He could bless. He said his desire was to restore communication between children and their parents, and break down barriers of hatred so they could be buddies and have a wonderful family relationship. God showed His keen interest in families by forming the home before he made the church. He wants that same wonderful unity, and that recognition of himself, which people expect to feel only in the church, to also be in the home. He said, "I want the fathers to feel the hurts of their family. I want the children to know that when the enemy attacks, they can find a strong arm at home on which to lean. I want the mother's hearts to be opened and filled with compassion for the kids." I was certainly aware of the fact that God was interested in families, but to have an angel tell me this made it more real! He said that God's purpose, His desire, and one of the things that he wants to accomplish in all that he is doing, is to reach the rebellious children. He wants to turn the hearts of fathers and mothers toward their children. He said, "I want to take those rebellious children, those who are disobedient, and bring them to a point of knowing how complete my forgiveness really is. I want them to know that when they obey me, there is not one thing from the past against them on their record up in heaven. When I forgive, I not only forget the thing for which I have forgiven them, but I even forget that I forgave! 9 When you come to God the next time and say, "God, I hate to keep coming, because I know this is the twentieth time you have forgiven me, but will you forgive me once again?" He will look at you and say, "What are you talking about? I do not have any record of that. I do not have anything in my memory about that. As far as I'm concerned, this is the first time you have come." Did you know that this is the kind of forgiveness God has? I have heard many messages on how beautiful it is that God justifies the godly people, and I think this is wonderful! But God goes a step further, and says, "I want you to carry the message that I am ready to justify the ungodly" (Romans 4:5). The word “justify” means "just as though it had never happened." God said, "Because of the snares and the attacks of the devil, I want my people to know how complete that justification really is! I want to go into their minds, their hearts, and into their wellbeing. I want them to be able to look up into my face and know that they do not have to hang their heads and be ashamed, because when I see them, I see them as firstclass members of my family." He told me that I could find a brief of this message in Luke 1:17. This was the time of another great unfolding of a chapter in His plan. I got out my Bible to read it to see if it really said it that way, and lo and behold, it says it just that way. He was speaking about John the Baptist and the anointing of the Spirit and how John was going to go out and do God's work. "He shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient (or rebellious) to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." He wanted to let them know experientially what justification really means. God wants you to know that he is not your enemy; He is your friend! He doesn't want to hurt you; He wants to help you! Then he reminded me of something that happened in Acts 27:20 where Paul was shipwrecked. I really got excited when I read this! A terrible storm came up and all hope was gone. The crew gave up in despair, because they felt they would not be saved. But, in verse 22, Paul said, "I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship." How did Paul know this? "... For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: (God's plan was unfolding, and he was not going to allow anything like a storm to stop those plans) and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee." To you parents, God is saying the same thing, "I'm giving you all those who are sailing with you." When he said, "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: (I've got good news for you) for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me." I shall be just the way the angel said it! Paul told them to stand by, but many of the people didn't believe him. I'm sure some of them thought, "Man, this guy's had hallucinations. We have been in the storm area for too many days." They had seen men lose their minds before, because of the storms. They said, "We can hear the ground under the ship; we have sounded down." So with the guise of throwing some anchors over, they threw a boat over, and were going to get into it, but Paul said, "You had better obey. God has plans to save you, but you have to make the choice yourself." The soldiers cut the rope and the boat fell into the water. God still had a plan, and he sent a host of angels and they took the back end of the ship, twisted it off, and broke it up into little pieces so everyone would have something to hang onto. The angel visitor said that he had led a host of angels in at that time to make sure each person got to shore. Each one of the 276 who were saved had a big angel watching over them! I asked the angel, "Wouldn't it have been better if they had drowned, since they were a pretty rough bunch of characters? They were prisoners, many of them murderers, and humans of the lowest kind." No, the great miracle happened because God wants to save! Jesus didn't come to condemn the world, but that the world through him might have life! 10
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