Children are such amazing people. Their minds are ready to learn how to cope with life. First, they learn that Mom and Dad take care of their needs. That teaches them about love. Then, before you know it, that child is walking and talking. That’s just the beginning. Pretty soon, they dazzle anyone who will listen with their ability to count to ten, then one hundred! Children are marvelous. God is even more amazing and marvelous. He counts things that humans deem as innumerable.
If you are ever able to get away from the city lights on a clear, moonless night, you will be awestruck at the stars you can see. It’s been said that you may see more than 10,000 stars under the right conditions. That’s just a small percentage of what astronomers say there are in the universe. In our own small galaxy, it’s estimated that there are 100 billion stars. Add to that the stars in other galaxies, and I don’t think I can count that high. God can.
“The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:2-5).
God is great and all-knowing. The same God who knows every star, even the ones astronomers haven’t discovered yet, knows you. He knows everything about you. You are that important to Him. All of His creation is important to Him. He knows what’s happening in Africa, South America, the United States, England, Canada, and every nation you can name. He counts the stars, but he also cares about the birds and about you.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).
God loves you and knows all about your sins and whether you’ve accepted or rejected salvation through Christ. He knows every sin you have ever committed, and He knows the ones you are going to commit. He knows the joy in your future, and He knows the grief you may be going through now. Don’t give up on life, but put your faith in Him.
Job faced some terrible times. He lost his fortune and his children, then his health was attacked. These troubles were all the work of Satan. To add insult to injury, he had some friends come for a visit, and they were less than kind. When Job defended himself to his visitors, his faith was clear. He understood that God knew all about him.
“Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity” (Job 31:4-6).
God does count your steps. He knows where you’re headed and whether your steps will lead you to destruction, by your own choice, or if your steps will lead you closer to Him. Be sure you’re following the path of righteousness that leads you to a closer walk with the Lord.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand” (Psalm 37:23-24).
Let God guide your steps.
Scripture is full of accounts of people who accomplished great things when they allowed God to guide them. Abram was one such person. He lived in a very pagan culture, and his family was into idolatry. God told him to leave it behind, and He made a promise.
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).
This is a lesson for all of us. We cannot serve God and pagan ways. We have to choose which path to follow. Abraham did indeed follow God’s path. He made some mistakes along the way, but God’s mercy was upon him. He had two sons. The oldest son, Ishmael, was conceived out of a lack of faith that God would provide a son, but the youngest son, Isaac, was the son that God promised. Through Isaac’s bloodline, the entire world is blessed.
The Jewish nation is from the line of Isaac, and the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was born from that line. If you haven’t accepted Christ for salvation, then you’ve chosen to reject God and forfeit many blessings. God knows His chosen people, and the book of Numbers is an inventory of the Tribes of Israel. Today, the Jewish people are scattered among the nations, but they are returning to their God-given land. There’s much fighting for the land of Israel, but God gave it to Abraham thousands of years ago. His promise of blessing those who bless Israel has never been rescinded.
The first chapter of the Gospel of John gives us much information about Jesus. Jesus was God incarnate and the Creator of everything.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
In these verses, John refers to Jesus as “the Word.” Since Jesus created all things, that means He also created the angels. If someone tries to tell you that Jesus and Lucifer (Satan) are brothers, explain to them that they are wrong. Although humans cannot count the number of angels that were created, God knows.
“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22).
Humans cannot number the angels, but God knows how many there are. That’s comforting.
Of all the things that are uncountable by people but well known to God is that the redeemed may be the most remarkable. These are the souls who have accepted the free gift of salvation only found in Jesus. If you haven’t accepted that gift yet, don’t wait. There is a day coming very quickly when all true believers in Christ will be taken to Heaven in the Rapture.
When will that happen? Only God knows, but Scripture tells us, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25).
The nation of Israel was blind to who Jesus was. He was, and is, their Messiah. The blindness will be lifted when every Gentile who will choose salvation has done so. God knows who will make that choice. That’s why it’s so important to share the Gospel with all of your family and friends. God is counting. Once all the Gentiles have come to faith in Jesus, the Rapture will take us all to Heaven. Those who have stubbornly refused Christ’s free gift will be left on earth. You don’t want anyone you love to be left here. Share the Gospel now.
Will there be a second chance for people who are left here after the Rapture? Well, you don’t want to take that chance. It will be very, very difficult to come to salvation at that time. God will ordain 144,000 Jewish men, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel. These men will ignite a revival; people from everywhere in the world will respond to their message. When the Apostle John saw those who had come to salvation, he was unable to count the number.
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Revelation 7:9).
That’s a great wonder. During the reign of the evil Anti-Christ, anyone who rejects him and embraces the true Christ faces the very real threat of being beheaded. They will have a different position in Heaven than those of us who will be taken in the Rapture. John had seen pre-Tribulation Raptured Christians before God’s throne. The multitude of Raptured Christians is represented by twenty-four elders.
“And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold” (Revelation 4:4).
God knows if you’ve truly accepted Christ for salvation. If there’s any doubt in your mind, you need to settle that question right away. Have you accepted Christ in your mind but haven’t let Him into your heart? Are you still rebelling against Him by holding onto your favorite sin? Are you living with your girlfriend or boyfriend without the covenant of marriage? Maybe you’re a man but think you’re a woman, or a woman who thinks you’re a man. These sins are commonly accepted by the pagan society around us but are not pleasing to God. Remember that as a Christian, you are told to present yourself as a living sacrifice to God.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
God loves you and knows the number of hairs on your head. He loves you so much that He sent His Son to become the sacrifice that takes away your sin. Jesus went to the cross and suffered an agonizing death to purchase your salvation. Shouldn’t you be thankful? Shouldn’t you live to honor Him? God has you counted, but you need to be sure that you’re counted among the redeemed and not among those who have rejected the free gift of salvation only found through Christ. You have a choice.
God is still taking inventory, but one day soon, the time for counting will be over. Don’t wait. Accept Christ today, and be counted righteous through Him.
God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com
Recommended prophecy sites:
www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com
All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.
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