Thus Saith God's Word
Rev. Ted Brooks. Pastor of West Saddletree Baptist Church
"And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet
was he preserved." (Hosea 12:13)
:"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
"How then shall they call on him whom they have not believed? And how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? And hpw shall they preach except they be sent? As
it is written. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed the gospel.
For Isaiah said, Lord who hath believed our report." (Romans 10:13-16)
Lord who hath believed our report?
My friend, regardless of what man says or does, or does not do. it doesn't
change God's holy word. Anything, my friend,, God has said can be counted
on. Years ago the church would stand* and sing the old beautiful hymn, "My
faith looks up to thee, thou Lamb of Calvary', Savior divine." Many a time
around that old altar a soft whisper could be heard, "Are you listening. Lord,
are you still there? What about me. Don't you care? I have prayed and he
answered not a word." Oh, my friend, have you ever tried to smile through
suffering? But when the preacher stood up to preach and said "Lo, I come in
the volume of the book, as it is written of me. Behold I come to do thy will,
O God," (Hebrews 10:7)
When Jacob was preserved from the famine that was "all over the face of
the earth," Jacob was living in Canaan and his sons came home one day and
said, "This man, who is the Lord of the land, has said, haste ye and go up to
thy father and say unto him thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me Lord
of all Egypt, come down unto me, tarry not." (Genesis 41:56. 42: 31; 45:9).
And the prophet of God brought Israel out. Oh, my friend, Jesus needed
to die in order to set aside the first testament in order to establish the second.
He died in order that we could be established strong in faith, hope and love.
This path Christ walked in was a faith walk. He walks in absolute dependence
on the father, never exerting self will, "Lo, I come to do thy will." He never
retaliated or threatened for any injustice done to him. He never asked for his
Miranda rights to be read. He had no lawyer for defense. No, my friend, his
trust was in God the father. "Blessed," said David," is the man who has his
hope in God." Jesus trusted in God. (Psalm 40:4)
Do you sometimes feel your mind is confused? Seems like you are blazing
through the Solar System, knocking on doors, and the road marked tomorrow
leads to a town called never? Oh, my friend, there is a weariness of spirit among'
many of God's people. Sometimes you and 1 feel trapped and it seems what we
do or ought to do will make no difference.
Our conversation centers around being tired or burned out or over
committed. Oh, my friend, "By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt
and by a prophet he shall be preserved. For whosoever shall call upon the name'
of the Lord shall be saved." Oh, my friend, for over 27 years 1 have been
preserved. With the exception of two Sabbath days I have made it a point to
attend church on Sunday. I found out that the feet ofthe prophets are beautiful,
as the gospel is being preached. It is vety important for me to know why I am
going through with what is before me. Like Jesus you and I need to know why
we are preserved every day, week, month and year.
Jesus knew why he was hanging on the cross. Hebrews tells us he called it
joy that set before him. You and I need to know why we are here and we have
to go on. We are here for a reason, not to be seen or to stand among certain
folks. Oh, my friend, I learned many years ago that is not about me or you.
We are kept bv the preached word of God. to work for nieht cometh when no
man can work. Joseph sent word to his father that a famine was coming. Jacob
did as he was told and went to Egypt.
Many would ask are you still there, if I were you I would give up. My friend,
you need to look the Devil in the eye and say it is not about me; it is about him,
to him be the glory. Everyday I tell the enemy of my soul, I am here for a
purpose and for a reason. It is here that I can and will learn to trust God, to
magnify him.
Listen to me, when you discover why you were sent here, all hell itself will
break loose. Oh, my friend, it was not the drunkard, thieves, liars, fornicators
and the adulterers who killed Christ, it was the religious folks, those who went
to the temple to pray and to offer sacrifice. It was when Jesus stood and cried
out, "Lo I come to do thy will, O Lord." You and I must learn to trust in God.
We need to stand up and sing a song. You and I need to understand trouble.
We are not be discouraged. Folks will say come down. Why dont you just be
like the rest and throw in the towel! Can't do it for do I now seek the favor of
men or of God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet please men, 1 should
not be the servant of Christ. But 1 make known to you. Brethren, that the gospel
which was preached by me is not after man, for I neither received it of man,
neither was i taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:1012)
Listen, my friend, do you know the difference between a preacher and a
prophet. A preacher is taught how to perform marriages, church rites, visit the
sick and attend board meetings. The fact is, a person can do these things and
yet not be saved and never be called to preach.
Oh, my friend, if God has called a man to preach and perform the sacred
things of God, but he is a man. a prophet who gets his marching orders from
God. Jesus said. "Lo, 1 come." He met a man sent off to school to be taught what
the rest will be saying altogether each week. No, my friend, Paul said I was
not taught by man. What Paul w as saying was this: "Whatever you have readI
want you to know that I did not get the go ahead from man to write what I
have written, but I got a revelation from God.
A prophet who preserved the saints of Opd, gets his orders and sermons
from God. "Surely the Lord God does nothirfg without revealing his secret to
this servant, the prophet." (Amos 3:7)
The reason any association is afraid of a prophet is because the prophet is
called of God. The prophet has to be receptive to God's revelations. The
prophet's ears must be open. His mind and heart are receptive to God's word.
The prophet is made aware of the plan and will of God.
Jesus, what was your purpose for coming? "I come to give my life a ransom
that no one should go down to a pit of darkness." Well, for what reason? "So
that you can have life and on the third day 1 shall return."
Jesus, was it worth it? To be put to open shame, to be embarrassed, to be
stripped naked? "Yes, but I will return. Yes, Satan was there working through
his imps."
Listen, my friend, as a child of God you want to be permitted to go through
life being cute. It is the job of Satan to shame you, to expose you, to strip you
from your reason and purpose. If you know why you are here, remember the
prophet is here to preserve you. Jesus knew why he was here. All the chief
priests, the soldiers knew, the Pharisees and Sadducees knew.
In spite of all the folks saying the same things, come down and save thyself.
(Matthew 27:39-44)
My friend, Satan will strip you of your home, cars and clothes. Satan will
lie on you. Everybody on the street will know you lost your employment. They
all will gather around some little table and talk of how bad things are going
for you. The purpose is to shame you., but you must remember God has
promised us a return and for the time being you have got a purpose for your
life. Hang in there. Don't come down. You must declare to live for him and
for him we will die.
Hang in here. God will resurrect you. You and I need to magnify him. For
this cause am I preserved. It is the reason why you are preserved. It is the reason
why we must be found each Sabbath in church. "How then shall they call on
him whom they have not bel ieved? And how shall they believe in him of whom
they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And howshall
they preach, except they be sent. Go to church each and every Sunday
for the feet of the preacher are beautiful. For he stands to preach the gospel of
peace which brings glad tidings. He has declared, "Heaven and earth shall
pass away before my word passes." In other words, the stars, the sun, the moon,
will fall from their socket before his word is changed. Go hear the prophet of
God. It is guaranteed to preserve you. ^
Carolina Indian Voic*_
Call (910) 521-2326.
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Smart Dorm Room Designs Please Parents And Students
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For more information, visit
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" . ..I
It's a smart Idea for college students
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