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"Because He slew me not from the womb." (Jeremiah 20:17)
If is said by many that Jeremiah's prophecy might be considered the great
bok on backsliders and he witnessed the danger of apostasy . All through his
writing his message seems to be that ofjudgement w ithout mercy for those who
became apostates and defy God.
His message repeatedly refers to the immediate Babylonian captivity, the
return of Israel after 70 years, another worldwide depression, a final regathering
of Israel at the end of this age.
Jeremiah s purpose was to make clear to Israel the consequences of sin and
apostasy to reveal to them their own future in the plan of God for man and to
emphasize the fact that the destiny ofeverv man is determined by his conformity
or lack ofconformity to God and his plan. Jeremiah's looking down through the
ages of time and saw the destruction coming upon a people who had backslid
on God.
Like a lot of people whom you and I are acquainted with who do not believe
that the people of God can turn and forsake God which means to leave, refuse,
"And the destruction of transgressors and of the sinners shall be together and
they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed." (Isaiah 1:28)
No man could do this who had not known God at one time and who did not
have him to forsake. So you see, my friend, this clearly refers to backsliders who
reject God to the point of being destroyed. Men are warned not to forsake God.
(Deuteronomy 12:17; 14:27) The Lord predicted that his people would forsake
him and warned of the damnation that would follow if thev did so. (Deuteronomy
31:16, I Chronicles 28:9, II Chronicles 15:2))
Let's make this real in our life time. "Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty
and maketh it waste and turneth it upside down and scattereth abroad the
inhabitants thereof." (Isaiah 24:1)
Isaiah was who God gave for a sign and a wonder to his people by his walking
among them for 3 years naked and barefooted. He was not nude, he simply laid
aside his peculiar prophetic garment. Can you not see this today, men who were
called by God to preach God's word has laid aside theircalling from God. They
no longer ring out the message of the sins of Jeroboam who did sin and who
made Israel to sin,. (I Kings 14:16)
And because preachers have laid aside the message of God we now have
statisticians telling us that in the last 40 years in America we have a 500 percent
increase in violent crimes. .
When Jeremiah saw what we would be looking at, drugs, murder, rape,
incest, high white collar crime, and he viewed the judgment ofGod, Jeremiah
cried out "cursed be my birthday. Let it not blessed, cursed is the man who
brought my father the announcement of my birth. Let him be as the cities which
God overthrow and repented not because he slew me not from the wombbecause
I died not in my mother's womb. (Jeremiah 20:14-18)
24 fr'end- as the sonS said> "You ain't seen nothing yet, read again Isaiah
Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste and turned it
upside down and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be as
with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as
with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with
the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver
of usury to him. The Lord shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled; for the
Lord had spoken his word.. The earth mourneth and fadeth away the world
languished and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The
earth also id defiled under the inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed
the law, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
(Isaiah 24:1-5)
These were God's people chosen people whom he had delivered from
bondage, walked them through the Red Sea, crossed Jordan and left behind a
number of stones for a witness. When they came to Jericho it was straitly shut
up "But they did it God's way wfith a march and the blast of the ram's horn and
with a great shout, the wall of the city came down. (Joshua 6:1-8)
But something went wrong. Rohoboam who forsook the counsel of the old
men, which they had given him and consulted with the young men, Rehoboam
declared my finger shall be thicker than my father's loin." (I Kings 12:4-10)
It was here the people made them idols, images of other gods. It was here
Achan did sin, stealing a Babylonian garment, the accursed things, and the
anger of God was kindled against the children of God. (Joshua 7:1)
The voice of God cried out. Israel hath sinned and they have transgressed
my covenant which I commanded them. (Joshua 7:11)
My friend, these are the same people whom God later said to them, "If my
people which are called by 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." (II Chronicles 7:14)
Well, you know the story. They did not tum from their wicked ways. They
did not seek God, nor did they humble themselves.
My friend, you may not keep your end of the bargain, but God will keep his.
"There was a great famine in Samaria and behold they besieged it until an ass's
head sold for fourscore pieces of silver and the fourth part of a cob of dove's
dung for five pieces of silver."
IT was here that Benhadad was passing through that he heard a cry.'' Help,
help, my lord, O King and Benhadad said what can I do. If the Lord do not help
thee, whence shall I help thee? Out of the farm fear or out of the wine press?"
In other words, your stores are empty and there is no more wine for joy. What
can I do?
Now listen carefully, my friend. This woman cried. "This woman said unto
me, give thy son that we may eat him today and we will eat my son tomorrow."
(II Kings 6:25) "So we boiled my son an did eat him and I said unto her on the
next day, give thy son that we may eat him. And she hid her son." (Verse 29)
The point 1 am try ing to drive into your soul and mind is that God is not mocked.
Whatever a person sows, that is what he shall reap.
When God said to the people ofGod,'' Seek me and turn from your wicked
ways, humble yourselves." IF was then that God said "See I have set before
thee this day life and good, and death and evil." (Deuteronomy 30:15) IT was
at that hour that God dec lared " I call heaven and earth o record this day against
you that 1 have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore,
choose life that both thou and thy seed may live. That thou mayest love the Lord
they God and that thou mayest obey his voice." (Deuteronomy 30" 19-20) Let
me say this, my friend, God keeps a record. It was yonder in Nehemiah when
He said "And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles and the
rulers and the people that they might be recorded by genealogy. And I found
a register ofthe genealogy." (Nehemiah 7:5) Jeremiah knew God kept a record.
HE knew God meant what he said. "Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty
and maketh it a waste." (Isaiah 24:1)
When Jeremiah understood this, he cried out' 'cursed be my birthday. Let
it not be blessed. Cursed is the man who brought my father the announcement
of my birth. Let him be as the cities that God overthrew and repented not. Let
him hear the cry in the morning because he slew me not in my mother's womb.
Because I did not die in my mother's womb." (Jeremiah 20:14-18)
Folks, look around you. Do you not see the killing? Are you not concerned?
Are you not perplexed about the events that are taking place in our county? Do
you not see the conditions that brought about the fall of the Roman Empire are
being re enacted?
The goal that the Communists have set for our destruction are being fulfilled.
Cannot you seethe decline in moral value, corruption in politics? Bad business
is the order of the day. Have we passed the point of no return? I for one believe
we have reached perilous times. Paul the Apostle declared, "This know tt+
New New Because He slew me not form the womb." (Jeremiah 20:17)
It is said by many that Jeremiah's prophecy might be considered the great
book on backsliders and he witnesses the danger of apostasy. All through his
writing, his message seems to be that of judgment without mercy for those who
become apostates and defy God.
His message repeatedly refers to the immediate Babylonian captivity the
return of Israel after 70 years, another worldwide depression, a final regathering
of Israel at the end of this age.
Jeremiah's purpose was to make clear to Israel the consequences of sin and
apostasy to reveal to them their ortn future in the plan of God for man and to
emphasize the fact that the destiny of every man is determined by his conformity
or lack ofconformity to God and his plan. Jeremiah's looking down through
the ages oftime and saw the destruction coming upon apeople who had backslid
on God.
Like a lot of people whom you are acquainted with who do not believe that
the people ofGod can tum and forsake ((to leave, refuse) "And the destruction
of transgressors and ofthe sinners shall be together and they that forsake the
Lord shall be consumed." (Isaiah 1:28)
No man could do this who had not known God at one tie and who did not
have Him to forsake. So you sec, my friend, this clearly refers to backsliders
who reject God to the point of being destroyed. Men are warned not to forsake
God. (Deuteronomy 12:17) The Lord predicted that His people would forsake
Him and warned of the damnation that would follow if they did so."
(Deuteronomy 31:16,1 Chronicles 28:9, II Chronicles 15:2)
Let's make this real in our life time. "Behold the Lord maketh the earth
empty and maketh it waste and turneth it upside down and scattereth abroad the
inhabitants thereof." (Isaiah 24:1) .... ?.
isaiah was who God gave for a sign and a wonder to his people by his walking
among them for three years naked and barefooted. He was not nude, he simply
laid aside his peculiar prophetic garment. Can you not see this today? Men who
were called by God to preach God's word have laid aside their calling from
God. They no longer ring out the message of the sins of Jeroboam who did sin
and who made Israel to sin. (I Kings 14:16)
And because preachers have laid aside the message of God we now have
statisticians telling us that in the last forty years in America we have a 500
percent increase in violent crimes.
When Jeremiah saw what we would be looking at. drugs, murder, rape,
incest, high white collar crime and he viewed the judgement of God, Jeremiah
cried out, "Cursed by my birthday, let it not be blessed, cursed is the man who
brought my father the announcement of my birth. Let him be as the cities which
God overthrows and repented not because He slew me not from the womb.
Because I died not in my mother's womb." (Jeremiah 20:14-18)
My friend, as the song said "You ain't seen nothing yet." Read Isaiah 24:1:
"Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste and tumeth it
upside down and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
"And it shall be as with the people so with the priest; as with the servant so
with his mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with
the borrower, as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The
Lord shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled; for the Lord had spoken his
word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world relinquished and fadeth
away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled
under the inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the law, changed
the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant." (Isaiah 24:1-5)
These were God's people, chosen people, whom he had delivered from
bondage, walked them through the Red Sea, crossed Jordan, and left behind a
number of stones for a witness. When these that in the last days perilous times
shall come. Brother Paul was speaking of a selfish time, evil times. "For men
shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." (II Timothy 3:1-5)
Our whole culture seems to be facing the possibility of a kind of nervous
breakdown. Oh, my friend, we did have the cure, but the church took sides with
the politicians who became the murderers of the helpless unborn. Abortion is
now pervading our county. We are lost to recognize is it a person of a thing?
Babies are a gift from God and ought to be so received. But the church folks
are defiant, bold, insolent, arrogant in speech and conduct, willing to meet
danger head on. You have become a church that you don't care what the word
says do. The church confesses she will do as she pleased. It is her doors and
nobody else's. The church has the mind to say I'm free to shape our service the
way we feel pleased to.
Oh my friend, Israel had this attitude Show would do as she pleased. Did not
you read of the two women who agreed to boil and did eat their own children?
Do you not see around you the sickness of food? Are you not watching people
who enter this country are asked to laundry their clothes and to both and washed
their shoes because of disease?
You see this nation which was founded on the principles of God's word has
now failed to build upon God's foundation. We have sought to bring him word,
hay and stubble. Your works have not been works that were everlasting. The
church has failed to walk to his high power, failed to be aware of who shall
ascend into the hills of God or who shall stand in his holy place. He who hath
clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor
sworn deceitfully.
My friend, God's calling for a meeting in Robeson County, not just with
politicians but all the people to be made aware of his coming judgment.
Friend, we were not sent to be here always, but what time we were to be here,
we were warned not to be deceived, neither to give place to Satan, least he
get an advantage. (II Corinthians 2:11)
You need to settle it now. You will reap what you sow.
Preachers today know more about medical problems than they do of
spiritual things. Around the altars are words like gall stones, back, kneejoint
pain, heart surgery, lung bypass, cancer, but my friend, we have replaced
rejoicing and praising God with complaints. In the end the doctor will say "I
did all 1 could."
Now let me speak or write to the young people and those who are without
the forgiveness of Jesus our Lord.
Listen, young girl, young boy, you young married couples, have boy ever
pondered who will be in hell? Have you considered what hell will be like?
You remember what I wrote earlier about Jeremiah who said why I died not
in my mother's womb?
You will remember every opportunity you have had and wasted it. You
will remember every prayer Mom and Dad prayed. I ask you again, have you
considered what hell will be like?
Friend, God is never at a loss. It may seem with all the high crime rate that
he is dead and it may look so because the land is over run with sin, but have
you, young girl, counted the cost ifyoursoul were to be lost? Young boy, have
you considered what hell will be like?
Young girl, young boy, young parent, hell is a place all games will be over.
There will be no more playing games. In life you are warned not to neglect,
not to forget, don't come perverted, you are warned to turn. "Let the sinner
forsake his way." (Isaiah 55:7)
The problem you might have is because sentence against an evil work is
not expected speedily therefore the heart is set fully to do evil. (Ecclesiastes
8:11)
I ask you again, young girl, have you counted the cost if your soul was to
be lost? Do you know the condition of hell? One man we know of sent a report
back and said "In hell he lifted up his eyes, in fire yet he could see, and in
torment and he begged for Water." (Luke 16:23-24)
Hell is no resort. It is not a place of retreat. It is not for a son and dad to
go to get alone and have a man to man talk. It is not a place to settle your
nerves.
Young boy, the time it takes to get there is in a moment. They go down to
hell in a moment. (Job 21:13) The company which you will have will be mean
men who are brought here, On earth they raped, killed, stole, but here they
shall be humble. (Isaiah 5:15)
Young girl, the question is how do they get her. "Men are cast into hell.
(Ezekiel 31:15-17)
Young boy, do you want to know where hell is? David the psalmist said
"They go to the lower part of the earth."
The condition ofthis place, young boy is a place of sorrow, a place of fire.
(Luke 16:23-24) If it ever had been possible and the church could have rented
a bus and took a tour of hell one of the things which would have caught your
eye would have been that there were no doors to escape. Whatever thy hand
finds to do, do it with all thy might for there is no work, devices, nor
knowledge nor wisdom in hell where thou goest., (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Son, daughter, on his earth you may be a genius with Internet, but in hell you
wont be able to get out. There is no escape. Young boy, during your funeral it
' may take a wake of a couple of days but the moment you deceased and during
your funeral, like the rich man who lifted his eyes and he cried, he was already
in hell.
Church, listen ifyou could take atourofhellforone moment and ifyou could
carry Robeson County with you, there would never be another killing in this
county. One moment in hell there would never be another division in the church.
One moment in hell and HBO television would shut down. One moment in hell
there would never be the murder of the helpless unborn. One moment in all and
all dirty books, magazines would be burned up. One moment in hell and you
never would see or hear of a drug dealer.
If the church could ride the avenue of hell you would not see flowers on the
banks of hell. Young girl you will never hear a robin sing. Young parent, there
will be no childrai there to comfort you.
On this trip the\will be no laughter and no joy as a Mom and daughter would
sit together hand in aand on this bus all your differences would vanish. On this
trip to hell you would take notice of no lights there, no water, no mercy, no pity
and no Christians. Do you not see what a terrible place this is? Nothing down
there but Christ's rejects, murders, blasphemers, swearers, haters of God,
drunkards and liars, the very filthy, vile the cruel, mean. Young boy, young girl,
this will be your lot, your neighbor eternal in hell. Down there is no hospital
for the sick, no march for blood donors, kidney transplants,. DO you not get the
message? GO d is not mocked. (Galatians 6:7)
Jeremiah said cursed be my birthday. Why came I from the womb to see
labor and sorrow?
Have you counted the cost?
Church,, you cannot mock God with a false profession. He knows who loves
him and who pretends to be saved. Moses penned it down "Be sure your sin will
find you out." (Numbers 32:23)
Sinner man. like a blood hound on the trail of a fleeing murderer, Divine
Justice will soon overtake you.
I ask you again, have you counted the cost if your soul was to be lost?
Think about it. One hundred years from now just about anyone of us will be
beneath the clay. Some 75 years from now, 50 years, 15. 10, 5, months, days
and weeks. You need to come now to Jesus. Sooner or later all of us will stand
before God.
What about you Dad. You have been married all these years to a wonderful
wife, lovely family, a son who has his Dad's image, a lovely daughter, are you
going to let hell and the devil separate you from the grace and the love of God
and family? You need to repent. Do it now. Soon the game of waiting and
putting salvation off will be too late. "Today, lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews ^3:13)
Young boy, young girl, don't let Satan deceive you. There is no escape. No
matter how wise you plan. There is no escape from death. All here today will
die, the doctors, pharmac ist, carpenter, lawyer, preacher, all of us are sentenced
to die. Are you ready?
Let me close now, I know there are those who do not believe that there is a
hell.
Some several years ago I had friend who was well up in age. Each Saturday
morning I would go over to shave him. On this particular morning he said to
me, "Take your time, cause I have something I want to tell you."
He and I often discussed the Bible and God and his Son Jesus Christ, but this
day I sensed a different voice of concern. He said to me: "Brother Brooks, do
you see the little bam out there behind the house? I was out there one day
cleaning up and when I turned the comer I met a man standing there and he
called me by name and said, 'you remember how I use to preach and tell you
that there was no such place as hell? Well don't believe a word of it. There is
a place of hell."'
Now listen carefully, the man whom he met at his little bam had been dead
for a few years, but the old man said to me. "This is the truth."
Hell is real. Some will say forget hell. It is who has the most marbles that
wins. Son there is a hell and forgetting it does not eliminate it. Hell is a place
made for the devil. (Matthew 25:41)
Those who forget God shall be turned into hell and all nations that forget
God. (Psalm 9:17)
Hell is place that can enlarge itself by opening its mouth,.
I close with his thought. America is like she is because she has neglected the
laws of God. Amen.
I
by Alt?i ISfy?? Oxendtnn ^ |
73rd ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS
Even though I'd been hearing about the Oscars for weeks, I wasn't all
that interested. Then I found myself watching most of the show, anyway.
One thing that kept surprising, and intriguing me ( because I must not
have thought about it before) was the idea that the Academy Awards and
I had been growing up together, during these 73 years since I was a
baby!! An interesting coincidence.
But when Steve Martin suddenly announced that the "show" was over, I
felt a letdown. Couldn't someone have said something like:" Best wishes
to everyone here tonight, and to all who are watching on TV!?" We try
to do something like that in our religious get-togethers.
WORSHIP
Later, I watched and listened tOi a coupl&of Christian programs, including
WORSHIP, the latenight show that actually shows off the magnificent
scenery around the country put here by our Creator. I especially
enjoy scenes of North Carolina and Montana (which I claim as my two
homes) and other mountain states. (Looks like I'll always be a mountain
girl at heart.)
During "WORSHIP" I'm always impressed by the great job the program
planners have done, by accompanying the awesome scenes with
appropriate music and important verses from the Bible. And 1 believe
most people, even non-Christians, could relate to the shorty everydaylife
sermonettes by the young men who share their experiences in a spirit
of humility, instead of a holier-than-thou attitude.
SPECIAL EXPERIENCES
The older 1 get, the more remarkable it seems that a shy, unspectacular
girl from the Rockies ( who suffered from an inferiority complex for so
many years) could go on to have such an assortment of unusual experiences
across this country, spanning 56 years, ever since graduating from
our little high school, in a little town (Twin Bridges) in the wide-open-,
spaces, "big sky" state of Montana.
One such experience was a concert by Negro (African-American) Paul
Robeson while 1 was a student at the University of Montana in Missoula.
I was so in awe after hearing him sing that I could not believe I was
actually shaking his hand at the reception held in the Student Union
afterward.
Later, I remember, I asked Paul Willianson (a Negro classmate and fellow
member of the Wesley Foundation that met every Sunday might in
our downtown Methodist Church) if HE was going to follow in Paul
Robeson's footsteps.
( Several years ago, 1 was shocked to discover that Mr. Robeson, one of
my heroes, had become infatuated with the Communist Party and had
spent several years in Russia. However, during my research into Communism
in THIS country, I learned that Communist leaders had targeted
Blacks long before the Civil Rights movement got underway. (They reportedly
referred to their project as "The Negro Problem".) I'm sure that
most African Americans (including Angela Davis and others in her later
generation) joined because they believed Communism was their ONLY
path .to. really achieving EQUAL rights!
JUBILEE SINGERS
I'm glad I got to see most of the recent PBS show about the Jubilee
Singers from Fisk University in Nashville. I visited Fisk while attending
Scarritt College as a graduate student, nearly a century after the Jubilee
Singers began thrilling audiences with their Negro Spirituals. (I've always
loved the old spirituals!)
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