Angels [Part 2]

Pastor, author, and Bible teacher, Alan Wright. The church that's born from the Gospel by the Holy Spirit, that in that, in you, people of God, the manifold, the beautiful, magnificent, multicolored wisdom of God is on display for the angels to see.

That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I'm Daniel Britt, excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series Higher Power as presented at Rinaldo Church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout our entire program today, I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It can be yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries. So as you listen to today's message, go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us at PastorAlan.org. That's PastorAlan.org.

Or call 877-544-4860, 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program. But right now, let's get started with today's teaching. Here is Alan Wright. We just praise him because we've grown up enough to know if it had not been for him, we would have been lost and perished. Any parent of a young child knows what this feels like, where just in the course of a common day, the parent saves the child's life dozens of times. I remember one time I was working on a book and we had just gone out to a simple dinner that night and we came back and I was just reflecting on the goodness of God and trying to thank him more and remember more of what he's done in my life. And the Holy Spirit brought all this to attention about how in the course of one night I'd saved Bennett's life about five times.

And I'm not making that up. This is what a parent does. You save your life dozens of times a day. The child doesn't know it. We first get out of the car. He's going to want to run across a busy parking lot. I take him by the hand and save him from the oncoming cars. We go into the restaurant and he wants to pick up a giant steak knife and start playing with it. And I remove it from him, saved his life again. And then he would like to eat every single French fry and every other bad thing you possibly could.

And at some point we say, no, once again, saving him from perishing, from ODing on French fries. And we go to get back into the car and I buckle him into his car seat. And thankfully I did because we had to stop abruptly. And if we had not, he probably would have flown through the car, saved his life a fourth time, putting him into bed that night, getting ready for it, helping him get his bath.

And he's ready to just go jump in. But I test and the water is scalding hot. And so I have to adjust it and get it more moderate temperature, saved his life five times. I'm just saying it just, the child does not know how many times his life is being saved. And we are the children of God. Psalm 91 verse three, he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler. A snare means there's a trap that you can't see and you don't step into it because you got guided around it, but you would have fallen into it had it not been for God. He will cover you with his pinions, verse four, and under his wings you'll find refuge. It's a beautiful image of the cherubim, the golden cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant that hover over what is called the mercy seat where the high priest once a year sprinkles the blood on behalf of the people of God. And there the very presence of God comes. That's the image, the forgiveness and the redemption of God's people. Later in Psalm 91 verse 11, the promise he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. I'm aware that there are times in which tragedies happen and we don't understand and we can spend a lot of time going, God, where were the angels then? But as I think about life and I think about my life and so many that I have loved and ministered to over the years, the question really that leaves me baffled is not why have there not been angels there in some instances, but the bigger question I have is how is it that we make it through such a hazardous life as long as we do? You never think of it. So many snares, so many traps, so many moments, so many predicaments, so many accidents that don't happen, so many protected. Some of you have heard me tell the story.

It is one of the most important in our family. It is worth retelling that when Ann was pregnant with little Abby and we were so excited about our second child and she began having some troubling symptoms in her pregnancy and we were out of town at the beach and I called a friend of mine, a doctor, an OBGYN, and described the situation. He said, well, she might be losing the child based on what you're saying.

He said, you could go to a nearby hospital and they could do an ultrasound and look for a heartbeat, but it might not be conclusive, but it could be reassuring. I said, honey, what do you want to do? She said, I'd like to go.

I said, we'll all go together. She said, no. She said, I'm fine. She said, I'm going to drive up to Wilmington.

There's a hospital there and you stay here with Bennett. So she did. And as she was driving that nervous drive there, her thoughts swirling, the Lord spoke to her. As clear, she said, as if she was hearing it audibly.

It didn't come audibly. It came in her heart, but she heard it. She heard the Lord say, I'm going to give you this baby twice. And when she heard it, all of her fear drained away and she went up to the community hospital and they did an ultrasound and they weren't able to hear a heartbeat. And she came home and she said there was no heartbeat. She said, but I'm okay. She said, the baby is going to be okay.

And we just let it go at that. And the baby was okay. Her symptoms stopped soon thereafter and she carried out a full pregnancy and little precious Abby was born. When Abby had not yet turned one, was a few weeks shy of her first birthday, we were in a very difficult season because the month prior, Ann's little sister had died leaving her four children. And it was the most grievous time of our lives. And about a month after that death, Ann had our little Abby in her car seat and also our niece, Mary Grace in the back seat.

Mary Grace was a couple years old. And as they were making their way down the road, a car ran a stop sign at full speed. We had one of these big, huge road master wagon station wagons, and it hit the vehicle so hard that it rolled the vehicle. And it was, as you could see, it was awful. Abby was sitting on the passenger side in the back and the roof of the car caved in on top of where she was sitting.

I mean, like the point of the metal, I don't know how it didn't come directly into her head. And Abby was stranded in her car seat upside down and someone helped Ann out and she was screaming, my baby is still in the car. And there was gasoline going everywhere and people were afraid to approach the car. But a man went over and rescued unharnessing our upside down child from the harness and brought her out. When I arrived at the scene, not knowing if my family was still alive or not, I got there and I saw Abby was being held by my mother-in-law, her Mimi, and she was as pleasant and happy as you could imagine. And what was reported to me was that though she had been tossed and turned and was stranded for some period of time upside down in her car seat, that when they pulled her out, she was simply smiling and she never cried and she didn't have one scratch on her. There was never a moment of traumatic dreams or fear or any other problem that she had. It was as if she had had a little amusement ride and she was perfect. And it was not till afterwards and Ann was in the hospital with a major hematoma on her leg and some damage but still spared amazingly that the word of the Lord came back to her and she heard the Lord say again, I told you I was going to give you this child twice. We thought the Lord had meant I'm going to give you this baby and then I'm going to let you keep the baby, but he saw this day coming. I think both of my children's lives have been saved by angels. And it blesses me to think of their protection.

That's Alan Wright and we'll have more teaching in a moment from today's important series. Would you love a better marriage? You don't need more good advice.

You need more good news. Marriages like people aren't changed by human effort or even by applying principles. Marriages are changed by the gospel of grace. In six video sessions, Pastor Alan and his wife, Ann, lead you and your spouse into a fresh encounter with the God of grace. You'll learn a simple grace-filled process that makes great communication easy. You'll discover the freedom of forgiveness and the power of celebration. You'll also learn how to pray for your spouse and how to bless one another with a faith-filled vision for the future.

To help you grow, when you order the video series, we'll also send you two copies of the accompanying study guide. Whether your marriage is going through some special challenges or your marriage is in a season of health, you'll find powerful, transformational truth in good news for your marriage. Make your gift to Alan Wright Ministries today and fill your marriage with the grace of God. The gospel is shared when you give to Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give today, we will send you today's special offer.

Today is the final day we're offering this special product. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Alan Wright Ministries. Call us at 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. Or come to our website, PastorAlan.org. Today's teaching now continues. Here once again is Alan Wright. It blesses me also to think of these Christmas angels that when they meet and speak the Word of God to God's people, I notice that they want the people of God to hear not only the good news of what God is doing, but the good news of who they really are. Zechariah, the angel comes and says, do not be afraid. Your prayer has been heard. The angel is saying, you're a man of God, Zechariah, the priest, John the Baptist's father. Your prayers have been rising up. The angel is saying, I've been witnessing God breathe in your prayers.

You're a godly man. When the angel comes to Joseph, it says, Joseph, son of David. And Joseph is so afraid and he's so concerned about the future. And the angel comes and says, here's who you are. You're son of David.

The lineage is flowing through you. When the angel Gabriel comes to Mary and she's trembling and squinting in the glory. And Gabriel says, greetings favored one.

It means one who has been graced over and over. I see the angels. They come and they tell the people who they are. In other words, God's perspective, heaven's perspective of those that are receiving the announcement of good news. So there are angels that are watching and they're seeing you from God's perspective. They're protecting and they're speaking forth.

And I want to mention one other thing that nourishes me and leave you with this thought. As I read the stories of Christmas and see these angels, I'm so nourished by their joy. They are some happy angels. Angels throughout scripture sometimes are used of God for judgment.

They're sometimes engaged in heavy battle. But what you see at Christmas is like spilling over from heaven, the joy of these angels who are seeing the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. Paul said in Ephesians three, speaking of the power of this gospel that they proclaimed to bring to light for everyone. What is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things so that through the church, through you, the manifold, it means multicolored, the multifaceted, multicolored wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. You what he's saying is that through the church, through the gospel, the church that's born from the gospel by the Holy Spirit, that in that, in you, people of God, the manifold, the beautiful, magnificent, multicolored wisdom of God is on display for the angels to see.

Wow. Peter said similarly, 1 Peter 1 12, it was revealed to them they were not serving. They were serving not themselves, but you and the things that have been announced to you through those who preach the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. He's talking of the gospel.

He's talking about the proclamation. He's talking about the mystery of redemption. And he calls it this things into which angels long to look. So the angels were surprised by the plan of God. They had not understood it, though they looked upon the face of God until they began to see it all happening. And their joy is tremendous when the gospel takes root.

Remember what Jesus said in Luke 15, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. It's as if the scene you get from the Christmas narrative, it's as if the angels were all wishing they could be the one to go and make the announcement, that they could be the ones to see it all. It's Gabriel's honor.

He's an archangel, evidently Michael also an archangel, many that are mentioned by name, but Gabriel who gets the privilege of speaking to Mary, Gabriel who gets the privilege of speaking to Zechariah. But this unidentified angel that comes to the shepherd and announces the good news, you always get the feeling like it's just like God's having to hold them back before He peels open the heavens and lets them come and make the joyous announcement. So great is the joy of heaven at Christmas that once the announcement is made, finally God says, oh, all right.

Oh, go ahead. And He just breaks back to the curtain of heaven and the shepherds get to look and see myriads of angels, a whole heavenly host that is just crying out the glory of God and the redemptive power of God to bring peace on earth. And I want you to hear it as an expression of God's heart to you. In the same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, fear not for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign for you. You'll find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest. And on earth, peace. It's God's heart this Christmas as seen in the joy of the angels, mighty warriors, majestic in their glory, morally pure and never fallen, never to fall from God's grace, creatures made by God for His purposes to glorify Him, to protect, nourish, strengthen, guide, unseen advocates. All of that and more says much about the love of God for you. They're angels in our midst. And that's the gospel. Alan Wright, our good news message today.

It's titled angels in the series, higher power. I encourage you to stay with us. Pastor Alan is back here in the studio sharing his parting good news thought for the day in just a moment. Would you love a better marriage? You don't need more good advice.

You need more good news. Marriages like people aren't changed by human effort or even by applying principles. Marriages are changed by the gospel of grace. In six video sessions, pastor Alan and his wife and lead you and your spouse into a fresh encounter with the God of grace. You'll learn a simple grace-filled process that makes great communication easy. You'll discover the freedom of forgiveness and the power of celebration. You'll also learn how to pray for your spouse and how to bless one another with a faith-filled vision for the future.

To help you grow, when you order the video series, we'll also send you two copies of the accompanying study guide. Whether your marriage is going through some special challenges or your marriage is in a season of health, you'll find powerful transformational truth in good news for your marriage. Make your gift to Alan Wright Ministries today and fill your marriage with the grace of God. The gospel is shared when you give to Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give today, we will send you today's special offer.

Today is the final day we're offering this special product. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Alan Wright Ministries. Call us at 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. Or come to our website, PastorAlan.org. Unlock the power of blessing your life. Discover God's grace-filled vision for your life by signing up for Alan Wright's free daily blessing. If you want to fill your heart with grace and encouragement, get Alan Wright's daily blessing.

It's free and just a click away at PastorAlan.org. Back here now with Pastor Alan as we wrap up our series, Higher Power, and put the conclusion on this teaching of angels as well. I remember during Christmas season, we were talking with our kids about angels. And of course, the part where the shepherds are afraid, you could understand that. But then there were other parts where the angels were appearing to Joseph and to Mary. And there was a little bit of standing up to the angel and say, well, let me ask you a few questions while you're here.

And we were kind of like, well, wow, that takes some guts. It does. I don't know that if there was a glorious angelic creature standing in my midst, that I would be able to have that sort of interaction. But I think that God wants us to know that while we don't worship angels and we don't really seek angels in the sense of like, oh, I got to hear an angel's voice or see an angel.

That's not really the way the scripture speaks of it, but he definitely wants us to know they are real. And you have instances in your life where there are angels in your midst and you didn't even know it. There have been times you've been protected by his angels and you were unaware of it.

And you can pillow your head tonight on this truth. His angels are watching over you. Thanks for listening today. Visit us online at PastorAlan.org or call 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. If you only caught part of today's teaching, not only can you listen again online, but also get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching delivered right to your email inbox free. Find out more about these and other resources at PastorAlan.org. That's PastorAlan.org. Today's good news message is a listener supported production of Alan Wright Ministries.