August 17^th, 1960 “Doing God’s Will Late Mr. N. Daniel

Jonah 1:9-12

“For my sake this storm has come upon you.”

Many people do not realize how they are the cause of the storms that come into their homes, their lives and their churches. It is sad not to know how much harm you are causing to others. Here a prophet was bringing harm to others. He was fleeing from the presence of God. Any man who knows God and does not live in His will brings harm to others. When we are born of God we have a responsibility towards others. If you do not realize this, you will bring storms upon others. A woman was once confessing in our meetings, "I know it is because of my sins my two children died." We pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." But are we doing his will? Is your home the kingdom of God? Is your church so? Then why do we pray the Lord's prayer? When a man comes to the Lord, the next step is to do God's will. There is a plan of God chalked out for everyone who is born of Him. When you are converted, know that God has a plan for you.

Jonah was going out of God's will but God drew him into it. God brought Gideon into His plan. God gave Saul a new heart. I Sam. 10:9 But Saul did not continue in God's will. He thus brought a storm upon his family and it was destroyed. Saul had the privilege of fellowship with the prophet Samuel. But he broke that fellowship. I Sam. 15:35 Beware if you are making God sad about the appointment God has given you. You are deviating from His will. You may bring sorrow and death and madness into your family. Satan stalks Christians to trouble them.

Some people come only half way through to conversion and go back and do much harm to the kingdom of God. God wants you to be engaged in things of eternal value. But you can go right against God's will. Those that are outside God's will and those that associate themselves with the ungodly and the heathen are on the way to danger. Some are associating themselves with those that always talk evil against God's children. Their homes will become a hell.

Genesis 45:7 Joseph was in God's will all his life. He rejoiced in his sufferings. Phil. 4:12 "I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." It is a great thing to be satisfied in the state you are now in. I Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain." If your heart is satisfied in joy and in suffering, in want and in plenty - that is true Christian life. Joseph was always with God - even when cast in the pit, as a slave in Potiphar's house, as one condemned in the prison and also when he was on the throne of Egypt. God was with Joseph and Joseph was with God. You can be with God only in His will. You will not bring storms on yourself and others. You will bring down the abundance of God's blessing. It is a difficult life to be in God's will Once as a young man I was anticipating a certain dinner. But just before that dinner God told me to fast and pray. I obeyed. God once asked me to wear very plain and simple clothes. Flashy clothes were then the fashion. People laughed at me. Some thought I was going mad. But that dress did me good. Isaiah 53:10 "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." Those that are in God's will take other people's sins upon themselves like Jesus did. They rejoice to suffer with others. Those that walk on this royal highway will have the protection of the angels and archangels. Heaven will be with them.