TURNED AROUND, A Rescue Mission Message
Posted by Brother Freedom
God especially has called YOU to be here this night! And God has a special invitation for each one of you. And I want to say this, because I might miss it at the last: I want to see each one of you in Heaven. Because, you know what, it’s a real place. The Bible tells me it is a place.
The Bible says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” [1st Corinthians 2:9]
It is a special place that God has made and given to us, that those that would believe in HIS Son, Jesus, who has lived through eternity.
When this old body, this old shell that we have [ends]; none of us know how long we have. But, there is a definite thing. The Bible says that “every knee shall bow.” [Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10] “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” [Hebrews 9:27]
But God has Good News! This place, I think is “Good News,” isn’t it? [The Rescue Mission has “Good News” as part of it’s name.] God has the Good News that HE loves you.
And, you know, God gives second chances. You know the Bible says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” [Romans 3:10] We are all found going in the wrong direction, until we meet Jesus.
And I would like to go over, today; I’m going to pray first. But there is a book in the Bible that is sort of half way through [the Bible]. But there is a real message in this book. It is only four chapters, real short.
But, I believe that God has a message for each one of us in this room, because it touched my heart in a real special way. And I’m just going to pray for a mighty blessing from God to touch each one of you. You know I’m just a mechanic! I’m a Caterpillar mechanic, worked about fifty years on Caterpillar equipment. And the last twenty years I prayed and I prayed. I was in a Caterpillar service truck and I kept praying. I said, “Lord, I want more of YOU.” And one day, God spoke to my heart in a special way. God is real!
After twenty years I kept seeking God. And after that time God spoke to me and said, “What do you know?” I said, “A little of YOU and a little of Caterpillar .” And HE said, “I’ll teach you right where you are!”
I knew a little bit about Caterpillar. I didn’t know near as much as God did. And with HIS help: God helped me. And HE helped me to understand HIM! HE helped me to understand when HE spoke that I knew that it was true, that I could rely totally on GOD, anytime! That when HE said, “…shut that engine down, there’s a rag going into the pump!” I knew that there was a rag going into the pump!! And I’d say, “In the Name of Jesus…” And men would say, “What’s wrong?!” And I would say, “There’s a rag…” There was two rags going into that pump. And it would have broken that shaft that drives that pump, and done a lot of damage.
But God was [speaking]. I’m just saying, God is REAL!
It takes TIME and GRADE. It takes time to know God. What I’m relating to [is]: IT’S WORTH IT!! Each one of you here: it’s worth ALL the world to know God, to know HIS Son JESUS!
“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” [Proverbs 10:22]
The Bible says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he CARETH for YOU.” [1st Peter 5:7] Isn’t that wonderful? That God has made it possible for you to function. HE’s excited for you!
The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16]
That’s each one of you NOT perishing. We can have THAT, as we “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” [Acts 16:31]
Father God, in the Name of Jesus, I pray for a mighty blessing from heaven this night. I pray that YOU touch each heart in a very special way. I pray for the shekinah glory to come down in this place. I pray that YOU would visit every heart this day, by YOUR special love, by YOUR special anointing.
I pray for the presence of the Holy Ghost to move in this place. Touch everyone afresh and anew with the power, that longing love that they desire, this night. Touch each one in a special way. Touch your servant here this night. Lord God, I have not a message, but I know that YOU have a message. And I pray that YOU would speak through me this night. Father, it will not be me that speaketh. I don’t want no glory! I want to glorify the Name of Jesus. I want to glorify YOU this night. Heavenly Father, I want YOUR Presence to be REAL! I want each one here to FEEL THY presence this night. Father God, OH, I feel YOU this night, in a very awesome and glorious way.
And Father, let YOUR people know that this is just a little bit of what Heaven is going to be. And Heaven is going to be a special place, for each [believing] one of us will be there one day, in the sweet bye and bye. Lord God, that YOU could open the clouds of glory and YOU know as YOU are coming through the eastern skies. And Father we know that YOUR coming is very soon, as YOUR Bible declares, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then LOOK UP, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” [Luke 21:28]
And Father, we RESPOND to that, we RESPOND, we see those coming, we see YOUR coming. We see the things that are drawing nigh. We see the wickedness that is in this world.
Father, we PRAISE YOU this night. We glorify YOU this night. Heavenly Father, we glorify the Name of Jesus. Jesus, YOU was so faithful to come to this world, to be that sacrifice of PRAISE! That through giving YOUR life that all of us here this night might be saved, that we might have forgiveness of sin, that we might KNOW YOU in a very special way, in a powerful way. Thank YOU Holy Ghost! Take charge this night, as only YOU can! Minister to each one in the Name of **JESUS** we pray this night! [Amen.]
My mother was something glorious when I was a young kid. And my brother and I (my brother lives here…and he has an automotive shop), when we were little my Mother would say, “Boys, I’m going to teach you some Bible stories.” And my mother could read this Bible, and it sounded just like a moving picture. Did you ever hear someone who could just tell you and you could just see it?? You could see everything happening. And my mother was that way.
And I remember this Book of Jonah, that how Jonah was called of God! You know, to be called of God is a very special, wonderful, exciting, a very special…I don’t know [how to express how special it is]. He doesn’t express it, it’s beyond description to have God say, “Hey, Take time! I want you to go to Nineveh. Jonah, I want you to go to Nineveh! And I want you to preach to that wicked city, Nineveh.”
You know, God cannot look upon sin. There is some things that God can’t do. God cannot look upon sin.
And that is what we are sorta out, when we are doing our first thing, we do our thing and we are sorta in our own way. You know, God wants us to follow HIM, instead of facing HIM. You know facing God is not good. But following Him is glorious!
The Bible says in Ephesians, [the] fifth chapter first verse: “Be ye therefore FOLLOWERS of God, as dear children;” [Ephesians 5:1] And that means the parent leads the children! God is the parent of ALL parents. HE is the glorious ONE. He will keep you through “the valley of the shadow of death.” We will fear no evil for HE is with us. His rod and His staff they comfort us. He prepares us a table in the presence of our enemies. Our cups will run over. Surely His goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. And we can dwell in the house of the Lord forever! [Psalm 23:4 and following paraphrased] For God gives us that confidence in HIM!!
For those [who] can believe, they can HAVE!! And that is this faith walk. It is what you can believe!
But Jonah was like me and a lot of others. He says, “I’m not going to go to Nineveh!” He thought he could fool God. He thought he could HIDE from God. So he goes to Joppa. And he goes and gets him a passage way on a boat to Tarshish. And he gets on this boat and he forgets that God knows everything. And God: He sees HIS child curled down there. “HE says, “What’s that Jonah up to now? You know, what’s he up to? You know I told him to go to Nineveh! I’m seeing Jonah get on a ship. Is that Jonah down there? Yes, that is Jonah!”
Jonah gets on that ship. God handles everything! So HE makes an angry sea out there. We would call it a storm. And these mariners on the ship they have seen this and they was afraid. And Jonah was asleep.
You know, a lot of times us Christians, sometimes we think everything is going well, and we go fall asleep. The Bible says, “… knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for NOW IS OUR SALVATION NEARER than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” [Romans 13:11-12] And that is our duty as Christians!
So they go wake Jonah up. They probably don’t even know his name. They wake him up and say, “Are YOU our problem???” He says, “What problem? I’m asleep. Don’t bother me!” And they say, “Hey, the ship’s rocking! The ship, the sea, the storms are out there shaking. We’re going to be sogged if you don’t get up. It must be your fault!”
And Jonah finally comes through. You know how you are when you are half asleep. You’re sorta groggy and these things.
Oh, glory to God!! I feel the presence of GOD here this night, in a glorious way! God wants to touch you this night! If there is a problem in your life God wants to TURN IT AROUND!!! The name of my message tonight is: TURNED AROUND!
There’s a turning point in God.
So God, HE’s already ahead of Jonah. So HE prepares a great big fish. I mean a fish that is just right for Jonah. And HE puts this fish at the right point in the sea. And at the right point, God calculates it right out. HE says at this point Jonah is going to be right here. And fish you be here. And you’ll open your jaws up, and you are going to invite Jonah into your inner most interals of that fish. That’s what it talks about. It is truth. It happened!
So they throw Jonah overboard. And these sailors were really afraid. They didn’t want to do this because Jonah told them he was a Hebrew. And the Hebrews were the ones that knew God. And so they knew. The Bible says, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” [1st Chronicles 16:22] So, they didn’t want to do this. Nevertheless, for their sake they threw him overboard because God was on their side. God says, “Throw him overboard! Let him fend for himself.” So he’s thrown overboard. And this fish swallows Jonah.
In the second chapter it says that Jonah finds himself down in the seaweed, down entangled. And we watch him cry out to God. “Lord, save me! Lord!” And God hears his cry. God says, “Hey!”
You know, sometimes we think that God will get somebody else to do our job. You know, I used to do this a lot of times. This week God was speaking to my heart. But you know, if HE calls you to do something HE never withdraws that calling! There will be people that are not saved that day when you stand before judgment and the Lord says, “Brother Freedom, it’s your fault! I called you to go some place and you DIDN’T go!”
The Bible says, “…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” [James 1:19] We are NOT to speak a lot of words! We are to be close in contact with OUR Creator.
John the tenth chapter indicates, “My sheep know MY voice. They come at MY call and a STRANGER they do not know.” [John 10:4-5] “The enemy cometh to kill, destroy and steal…” But Jesus says, “I AM come to give life and give it more abundantly.” [John 10:10] What a precious pardon!
And Jonah, at this time, received a pardon from God. He got a second chance. You know he could have met his last days. This is serious!! In the bottom of the ocean, in a monster, God has prepared for you, and you are entangled; think about it! It is really a sobering thought! But God knew all about him.
The Bible says (think about it) there is not one upon this earth that God is not aware of! [God knows every detail about sparrows! Luke 12:6] The all seeing EYE: it says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew HIMSELF strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward HIM.” [2nd Chronicles 16:9a]
Second Chronicles seven fourteen says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” [2 Chron 7:14]
I just put that in for special measure, that God is with the answer all the time. God is ALWAYS with the answer! HE was there, not far from Jonah. HE heard Jonah’s cry. HE heard that faintest cry!!! HE was WAITING for Jonah to cry out saying “God save me! Save ME!!”
I think about it myself; how precious God is; how glorious God has been! HE has ALWAYS been there! And I have failed God miserably! And God has given me second chance after second chance. And I have to say THAT… this night with disgust in my own heart.
HE is JESUS! HE is glorious! And here this night I want each one of you to lift up the Name of JESUS! Don’t lift up man. But lift up the Name of JESUS, the Name that is above EVERY NAME! And THAT Name will send you forth to HEAVEN!
And Jonah then, he goes back to Nineveh, and God did not withdraw that message God had layed upon his heart: “You go to Nineveh. And you tell that people that if they repent I’m not going to knock them off the face of the world!” That’s what it was! That is serious!
What would we think of San Francisco if it happened today, or someplace, our City? That is serious! It’s serious!
So, do you know what they did?? The king heard this plea and he repented. And he put his whole kingdom, everybody under his region, that was under his authority, he made proclamation. And that was that everybody was to obey that proclamation and that they would take off their clothes and put on sack cloth and ashes and they would repent and cry to God and see if God would forgive them. AND HE DID FORGIVE THEM!!
That shows the forgiveness of God! But, God is merciful here to each one of us. That mercy of God, that how Nineveh turned back! And Nineveh was SAVED! [Look] how Jonah turned around and he was SAVED!
And then Jonah gets angry with God because God tells Jonah that HE is going to let Nineveh off. And Jonah has lost the love.
Here tonight, brothers and sisters, we need the love of God; the LOVE of GOD! The love of God; the LOVE, GOD’S love that can change us! Hallelujah! Our own love can not change us! We need the love of God! We need the GLORY of God, so we can love someone that is not lovable…that we can love that one that does NOT love us. That we can walk with THAT love, “…the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” [Philippians 4:7a]; “for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” [Nehamiah 8:10b] Hallelujah!
Jonah lost THAT!!! He preached a good message. But there is more than preaching!!! The LOVE of God is here tonight to touch us! The love of God is here tonight to give us victory! The love of GOD is here to bless you! The love of God is to keep you and the joy of the Lord is your strength!
“NOW unto HIM that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the POWER that worketh in us…” [Ephesians 3:20] There is a joy that should be in reading this wonderful Word! That this Word [Bro. Freedom holds up the Bible] is glorious! There should be a JOY! There should be a DESIRE this night to love God’s wonderful Word that will take us, GOOD NEWS, to HEAVEN!!!!
I was talking to a man just yesterday. And he was telling me how proud he was, basically, because he had read the Bible through every three months. Well, praise God that is glorious. But I will tell you what we need beyond that, knowing the Word…. [we need] the LOVE OF GOD!
Oh, the love of God that saturates our [being]. The Bible says, “Love sufferth long, is kind. Love vaunteth not itself. It is not puffed up. Does not behave itself unseemly. Seeketh not her own. Rejoiceth not in iniquity. Rejoices in the truth. Beareth all things. Believeth all things. Hopeth all things. Endureth all things. Love NEVER faileth…” [From 1st Corinthians 13] That’s the love of God! The love of God!
“The fruit of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, goodness, meekness…” [Galatians 5:22] But, the top of it is LOVE!!! “Love thy neighbor as thyself…” [Matthew 19:19] “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.” [Deuteronomy 6:5]
Jesus said, “If you love ME…” we will keep HIS commandments. [John 14:15] The Bible also says, HIS commandments are not grevious! [Matthew 11:30] His commandments are there for a special reason: THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD! That we can KNOW that “God is with me.” Wherever I go HIS PRESENCE, HIS overshadowing power [is there].
In the Ninety-First Psalm it says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” It says, “I will say of the Lord, HE is my REFUGE and my fortress, my God, in HIM will I trust.” “He shall cover thee with HIS feathers. And under HIS wings shalt thou trust.” “His TRUTH shall be thy shield and buckler.” “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day…” [From Psalm 91]
YOU HAVE THAT GUARANTEE!!! In the night, praise God! Hallelujah! You can have that guarantee! It’s real!!
I tell you I don’t like these messages that there is no Spirit to it. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is THERE IS liberty.” [2nd Corinthians 3:17] And I tell you what, when God comes upon you…YOU FEEL THAT GLORY! And shame on us when we don’t. We need another dip. We need a closer encounter with God. Call unto HIM, “Lord, I want more of You! I want you to saturate my being with your presence this night, Brother C____, from your head to the very soles of your feet. [As he said this he layed a hand upon the head of one on the platform.]
God is here in the miracle working business! “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” [2nd Peter 3:9]
The Bible says, “And knowing the time that it is high time to wake out of sleep FOR NOW IS OUR SALVATION nearer than when you believed.” [Romans 13:11]
Brothers and sisters, tonight, I want to get sober with you right now for a moment. We are in a very sobering time. I believed that God would come WAY before this! But HE still hasn’t come. The Bible says, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” [Luke 21:28] Jesus said, when you see the budding of the fig tree look up. [Luke 21:28-31]
I’ll tell you there is perilous times here brothers and sisters! And I’m not going to tell you it is good. But I will tell you where your refuge is. Your fortress is in GOD, the presence of God! HE is real! The blessings of God are for evermore! It says, “A thousand shall fall at thy side, ten thousand…” Boy, I feel the presence of God! If you could feel what I can feel. The PRESENCE OF GOD IS REAL!! “…a THOUSAND shall fall at thy side, ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shall thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. And HE will give HIS angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. And they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” [quoting from Psalm 91]
There is POWER! There is GLORY through God here tonight! “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich…” [Proverbs 10:22a]
The Bible says, “Now unto HIM that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…” [Ephesians 3:20]
The twenty-seventh Psalm, the fifth verse says, “In the time of trouble HE SHALL…” THAT’S GOD! “…shall hide me in HIS pavilion, in the secret of HIS tabernacle shall he hide me. HE shall set me upon a rock.” [Psalm 27:5] Glory to God! Isn’t that glorious? HALLELUJAH!!
HE’S REAL! God is real!
You know, I’m here tonight because I guess there are some people that have never really felt the presence of God. But for years I asked God and God come down and gave me a double touch. And I seen God heal iron [referring to Caterpillar heavy equipment]. And I know that if HE can heal iron that HE can heal ANYTHING!
I seen a [Caterpillar tractor] starting engine on a Caterpillar D-8, 46A, 416. And this young fellow drained the oil out of it. And this starting engine was running bad. It needed an overhaul! But God is glorious! And J___, he pulled that oil plug out and he started that engine without any OIL in it!!! And it was burnt up!
And I was working on a final drive, back in the back [of the shop]. And I was just praising the Lord and having a good time. He says, would you come and pray for this Cat? And I says, “What! What’d you DO!” I said, “I heard it start.” He said, “Well, I didn’t have any oil in it.” He said, “It’s ruined!” He said, “But, if you would pray for it God would heal it!”
And I said, “Lord, I don’t want to pray for a starting engine.”
I told him, I made all kinds of excuses. I said, “God don’t heal equipment. HE does other things. HE heals people.” He says, “Why not?” And so, I sought God. God says, “If you can get rid of the unbelief around here I’ll heal it!”
And some of these men came up and said, “What are you going to do?” I said, “I’m going to pray for this starting engine!” [They said,] “Boy isn’t that something! We have a Caterpillar mechanic here, and he’s going to get in that! Boy we got to lock him up in the funny farm.”
I said, “In the Name of Jesus fill it up with oil!” And my son had worked in that same place and that starting engine had problems [even before this incident]. It needed an overhaul before this happened. But I thought “well, if it will just get going it will at least get J___ out of trouble.”
You know, that starting engine started up and it run perfect! We never did touch it until it went into the auction. And I don’t know what God did to it. It was true what I’m saying. God kept HIS hand upon that machine.
And, I seen God touch many people! I’ve seen HIM touch many hearts and lives. The most important message is God touching [you], having JESUS!
I was in jail ministry for about ten years. And I seen souls come to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. And there is a personal relationship that we can have when we come to JESUS. AND GOD FORGETS ABOUT THAT OLD WAY! And we can have a turn-about-face, that we can have a NEW LIFE, a new place and a new guarantee with God that “…if God be for us who can be against us!” [Romans 8:31b]
We need to “…come out, be ye separate, saith the Lord. And touch not the unclean thing.” It says, “I WILL RECEIVE YOU!” THAT’S GOD! “I will receive you and I shall be a Father unto you, and you shall be MY sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” [2nd Corinthians 6:16-18]
“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved,…” The Bible says, “cleanse yourselves of all filthiness of the flesh, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” [2nd Corinthians 7:1]
I’m here tonight to NOT excuse wrong doings. But I am here tonight that there is ONE that will help you to overcome. And it is a privilege to represent God. IT IS A PRIVILEGE to see God on hearts and lives!!! It is going to be more wonderful when you stand before HIM in that day and HE says, “Well done thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” [Matthew 21:23]
The Bible says, “…eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered the heart of man the things that are prepared for them that love GOD.” [1st Corinthians 2:9]
God has prepared for us a MANSION. [John 14:2] I’m limited on time here tonight, but I want you to see a picture that GOD LOVES YOU! If God be for you who can be AGAINST you? [Romans 8:31] “Nay, we are more than conquerors through HIM which loves us.” [Romans 8:37]
The Bible says, “I am persuaded that neither life nor death, nor angels.” This is Bible I’m quoting. “I’m persuaded that neither life nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Romans 8:38-39]
God has a blessing for you this night. In the last of that ninety-first Psalm it says, “He shall call upon ME and I will answer him.” This is what God will do. “I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.” That’s God speaking! Don’t you want that?? Don’t I want it??!!!
You know, the Bible says after we have done all good things in our lives, and then the last moments quit. It says to no avail! So we have to work [out] our our salvation, here tonight, with fear and tremblingness.
I have to seek God. I have to purpose in my heart, daily, that I will stand up and do what God would want me to do, that I might be ACCOUNTABLE to God this night, that you, each one of you here tonight, we ARE ACCOUNTABLE! And God sees you accountable. HE will turn your road around, and HE will BLESS you. And I will guarantee you HE will be by your side.
It says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” [Philippians 4:13] “…my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:19] And THAT is to the child of God.
If you know God, here tonight, you know Jesus, HIS Son to be your personal Savior, you can have the witness of God with you.
God is real! How many here tonight love God?? (many respond in affirmative) How many want more? I want more of God! (loud amens).
I’m just going to say and you repeat after me: Father God..I come to YOU this night..In the name of your Son, Jesus..I pray..that you will help me..in all the ways that are before me..because there is things that I need to change..I want to live for YOU..I want to be an example..for you..Help me this day..But now..I want to accept your Son, Jesus..As my Savior..as my helper..as my way maker..as my friend..as my provider..as my helper..Father, I ask this in Jesus Name..and I pray that you will guide me always..and keep me in YOUR ways..and in YOUR truth..and we lift up the Name of Jesus higher..And Father, I pray that you would fill me with your Spirit..Help me to strive to be an overcomer..Help me to be ready..that when you come through the clouds of glory..I will be ready..And I shall know what my reward will be..because I will be with YOU..forever..and I thank YOU Lord..In Jesus Name..Amen.
Didn’t hurt did it?? Glory to God! Hallelujah! I think we are just a few minutes late. But God IS real! HE is exciting! Hallelujah! This is an exciting God! Hallelujah! I tell you God IS REAL!!! You are children of God!
It’s a pleasure here tonight to know you! You know, this is a precious gift of people here tonight. And I know that I’m going to see you in Heaven. You know, I don’t know how many more years I’ve got if God doesn’t come. But I believe HE is going to come before I go. I believe HIS coming is very soon.
And the Bible says, “When you see these things come to pass…” [Mark 13:29] And here tonight, each one of us, I wish we would all start praying, deeply, for America. We need to pray for this wonderful Land. We need to pray for our leaders. We need to pray! We have a lot to pray for this night. We need to be “about the Father’s business.” And that is through prayer.
There is a work for each one of us to do. But I praise God, this night. I thank you, for each one of you here tonight, that God is so glorious I can hardly talk. GOD IS GOOD! Hallelujah!
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