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God's Orders Only God can Countermand HIS Orders Sarawak, Borneo Mission Experience 1997 |
  There
is a very strange story recorded in I Kings 13. It had trouble me for
years until one day I had an experience that tested
me.
This king Jeroboam was leading God's people into sin. He encouraged the worship of idols. The king led people into sin and will have even greater punishment than those he caused to sin. The story takes an interesting twist here. God picked a man to tell the king his sinful problem. This man had very unique orders from God. He was to go, give the message, and go directly home a different way than which he had come. This unnamed man obeyed immediately. He went to king Jeroboam right to Bethel where he was in the middle of worshiping a golden calf. He boldly declared the message God told him to say. Instantly, the king became rebellious and pointed at the prophet to ask guards to kill him. The pointing arm shriveled. The altar was torn by unseen hands and the shaken king screamed for mercy. He asked the prophet to pray for him. The kings arm was healed back to its normal shape. When the pain was all gone, the king wanted the prophet to come to his home for refreshments. The king said he would give him a REWARD. WOW! Wouldn't it be nice to get a reward? This is fantastic! He gave a real bold message and terrible things happened. But the rest of God's orders needed to be obeyed also. As he thought about the rest of the orders from God, He could have said, "Well, maybe just this once"... or he could have said, "I will go home a different way right after I get my prize." Do you ever think through your parents requests this way? |
" I've
got to go now", the prophet announced. "God said to go home
quickly by a different way than I came. Good-bye King Jeroboam". And
off he went on his donkey.
On this new road, a man who claimed to be a prophet came running to him. All out of breath, he announced that he had a message from God. He said, "NO". At first he refused saying he would not drink water or eat bread for it was God's orders. The old man tricked this prophet to get off his donkey, listen to his made up story, and go home to eat lunch with him. He tricked him by telling a lie. He said God gave him a message too. During the meal, a real message came saying it was too bad he disobeyed. A lion would kill him on his way home and leave his donkey just standing where he died. His body would be a witness to what happened. The sad man realized he had made a big mistake. He had listened to the voice of someone else who claimed to be a person from God. God does not change His mind like that and tell someone else to tell you what to do. I had to explain this before I showed you how I had a similar experience. |
 On
the way home, a lion killed him. Someone ran to tell the old man who had
tricked the prophet. He felt bad. He went and took the prophet and buried
him. His trick was done because he wanted in on the gossip of what
happened to the king.
This prophet had refused the kings invitation even though he was promised a present. But he allowed himself to be tricked by one who claimed to have a message from heaven. Could we be doing the same thing? Does God order that we keep the commandments? There are some church leaders who say it does not matter that God said to keep the 7th day holy. Every one else keeps Sunday. They claim to have a message from heaven to do this. But where in the Bible can you find that God changed the day of worship? You must study the Bible carefully to make sure what people say is right. "When the Lord gives a man (or woman) a command such as He gave this messenger, He Himself must countermand the order. Upon those who turn from the voice of God to listen to counter orders, the threatened evil will come. Because this messenger obeyed false orders, God permitted him to be destroyed." MS 1912 |
  Now,
knowing this rule, I want you to think about it while I describe something
that happened to me.
I asked God if I should go to Borneo to teach children's meetings in evenings and doctor during the day. We had an invitation to go with a church building group of youth but only wanted to go if it was God's will. My husband wanted to go. God said He'd like me to go but there would be severe opposition from a pastor. I like peace and quiet so I thought about it awhile. I asked God to keep me in His hand and give me the right words to say in every trial. I would be willing to die for Him if needed. But like Peter, I was weak and human and could really mess things up if He left me for even a minute. This was our second trip into Borneo. |
 God
blessed in that I received from Borneo the translated lessons into the
language of Iban. Now, I had part of them done, but the final part arrived
in God's timing. Lesson 29 is on the gift of prophecy. The printer had
gotten to that part of the lesson book and had been delayed with other
jobs. When he saw me, he was embarrassed and asked forgiveness that he was
not done. I said, it was fine for I now had the rest translated that fit
right in where he had stopped temporarily. Collating 200 pages is
not an easy task if he does not have things in the right order for the
machine. It was an amazing miracle that the lessons arrived at the right
time. I did not even know the lady was doing the work, God had impressed
her to do it and expect me to come before I had decided. |
 While
speaking the topics each night in Borneo, the people came running from
where they were when they heard the Jesus film start up with the
generator. All ages attended. Interest was holding up great and when we
got to that lesson 29, the opposition was very strong. I was told that I
was finished. I could teach no more. There needed to be time for dancing.
I got up hours early that morning to spend time at the feet of Jesus. I
needed more than usual so asked Jesus to wake me up very early. I noticed
every Bible promise gave me courage to go ahead and speak what God had so
miraculously helped the printer include. He reminded me how many thousands
of miles those precious papers had traveled to be on time for printing. It
was important to present all that He had sent me to share. |
 I
asked Jesus to go with me to announce that there was still to be a meeting
because God had miraculously prepared that lesson for that village in
their own language. After
explaining, I left to do clinic for the day. As soon as it was time, my
husband set up equipment, started generator and we started the meeting. I
was so thankful for my husband. God blessed. We had more to give the next
night. During the little festive gathering after my meeting they said I
would have no more meetings at all. I sent up an emergency prayer to
heaven and was given an answer so unlike me. |
 I
said gently but firmly, "Oh, that is really too bad, for I was
planning to give this new church we are building a microphone system that
I brought. I guess I will have to take it back with me. I thought they
could use it during their loud rain storms on the tin roofs. It is
fun taking in equipment then leaving it with happy villagers for use when
we are gone. We return home much lighter and God always finds me another.
I made a short program on the second coming and heaven. When I finished under their pressure, many stood there gazing at me saying we want to hear more. I did not know how for the translator had taken off to another place. I just spoke to them in English with a smile on my face. I said how much I loved them. I wanted to see them in heaven. I hoped what I had shared at high risks to my popularity had been seed which would bring a great harvest. |
 Those
who give the gospel good news even if it makes them unpopular, God will
make good come from it. If I had disobeyed God and given in to the wishes
of the group leaders, God might have allowed a crocodile to
kill me. I was faithful to His command. I prayed for hours each morning
and God never left me through it all. My heart was wounded for months but
God healed me. I hope that I never oppose the gospel in any way. God
help me not to fall this way ever. I would rather die than discourage one
who is trying to share God's message.
Those who, in Christ's stead, beseech souls to be reconciled to God, and who hope to reign with Christ in glory, must expect to be partakers of His sufferings here. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Ps. 126:5, 6. |
Besides learning to obey God's orders bravely, we
learned many fun things.   We
learned to eat on the floor, and mix cement by hand and machine, and to
travel in dug out canoes. We enjoyed the jungle surprises of spiders,
insects, and snakes. Our boys love working with the church building crew
on things they could do. |
  |
"When the Lord gives a man (or woman) a command such as He gave this messenger, He Himself must countermand the order. Upon those who turn from the voice of God to listen to counter orders, the threatened evil will come. Because this messenger obeyed false orders, God permitted him to be destroyed." MS 1912 |
| This trip was not the only time God gave me this same
lesson. I hope I pass the test on this lesson every time it comes
around. I think it is offered to me on first grade level, eighth grade
level, high school level, college level, masters level and doctors level.
This seems to be a very important lesson God has for all of us.
God's orders don't change. YOU CAN NOT LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE who claim to know what God wants you to do. God tells you directly your orders. Follow God's orders only. This story is in the Bible for a very important reason. This is a lesson I have had to learn over and over. People love to tell me what to do. When God gives me my marching orders, there are usually many very strong willed people who try to order me off course. They sound so convincing. They make me feel like I am sinning to disobey them.
We should obey God rather than man. While Peter was preaching, he was arrested because he was preaching in the temple. An angel set him free and told him to go preach in the temple. He obeyed God instead of those who had thrown him into prison. "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." This voice from the heavenly angels was directly opposite to that voice from the authorities, and which should they obey? "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them." {TM 268.1} Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers (1923) |
What God led me to
say, made a difference. It was immediately said, "Oh, that is
right, well, of course you can hold the meeting."
There was a time I was told I
could only take one suitcase when going to Russia to teach 2,000 children
the gospel story. I asked God and He said, "If, that was all I took,
I would have a very small harvest for my work," I needed to take
enough lesson sets for each to have one. I obeyed God and He blessed with
a huge harvest. God provided each thing I took, and He impressed how much
to take.