Thus Saith God's Word
by Rev. Ted Brooks
"Simon Peter answered and said. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Lis mg
God." (Matthew 16:16)
"He began to curse and swear. I know not this man ofwhomve speak "(Mark
14:71)
The ultimate test is used in mans ssays to find out if it really is as good as
it claims to be. the ultimate speed of a ear operating from a distance by remote
control.
So it is with man. He otien fails the test when trials come. There is a danger
svhen temptation comes to entice, to do wrong bs promise of pleasure or gain
that which is to arouse you to action, to risk the danger.
It was Satan who came to Jesus in the ss ilderness to tempt him." And when
he had fasted Ions das s and forts nights, he ss as afterward hungered. And when
the tempter came to him. Satan said, if thou be the Son of God. command that
these stones be made bread. Jesus said unto him. it is ssritten again, thou shall
not tempt the Lord thy God."
Satan cried out. "If thou be the Son of God. cast thyself down." (Verse 6)
Satan on a high exceeding mountain shessetlt him all the kingdom of the
svorld and the glory of them. Satan said all these things ss ill I give thee, if thou
wilt fall down and worship me. (Matthew 4:1-9)
Jesus' weapon was the word. "Thu shall not tempt the Lord thy God."
In Brother Paul's writing he declared "W here fore let him that lltinketh he
stand, take heed lest he fall." (I Corinthians 10:12)
My friend, there is a great falling away today. Mans of those who have been
in the church as a member, to preach, teach, lead the choir, ordained Deacon,
arc now beingtcstcd. Satan has mans on his tread mill to investigate judicially
to put to the test the limit of their breaking point.
The Devil does this all the time. Look back and see the young person who
was single and they were try ing to skate in this world alone. Soon apartner came
along and they teamed up and began to skate together. They get married. Soon
children come along. Months go by. then years pass on. Then comes a
temptation form Satan. You slip and fall. Once you embraced each other, held
hands and you secured each otner in every move. The music of life ssas great.
All at once, the music stops. Nothing seems to go right any more. Steps were
out of place. There on the floor with all eyes on you. you fell flat on your face
You are embarrassed. Even worse, your partner skates off and leaves sou flat
on your back. Satan slips in and w ill say to the one left standing, go ahead and
leave him or her behind. You can skate better by yourself.
Jesus had said to Peter earlier. "Peter. Satan has a desire to sift thee." At that
time Peter was high on the mountain. The keys to build the church were given
to Peter and with a promise from Christ Himself that "the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it." It was here that Peter boasted to follow Christ even unto
death and Jesus warned Peter that acock would crow twice in his denial. Peter
answered and said. "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God:" He began
to curse and to swear. I know not this man of whom ye speak. (Matthew 16:16
and Mark 14:71) Can you not see the contrast? Is it not a startling one. It is at
first sight almost inconceivable that these are the words of the same man. and
yet we know they are. Peter said. "I know not the man."
A cardiologist has what is called a treadmill. Some call it a stress test. This
machine has many monitors to connect to the body of a person. This machine
will force you to walk at a pace which is above the normal walking pace. The
purpose is to reveal the condition of the heart. It is an ultimate test to reveal the
true condition of the heart.
"Peter, lovest thou me more than these? Peter replied yea. Lord, thou
knowestthat I love thee. He said feed my lambs." Three times Jesus confronted
Peter with this question: lovest thou me more than these? (John 21:15-17)
You see. my friend, after several minutes on a tread mill, when cut off the
monitors will do a print out. The result will tell the doctor if you have a problem
with your heart. Possibly a blockage, valves closing ofT, hardening of the
arteries.
God does this in similar matters. God allows us as he did Peter, a test in our
lives, not to kill us or harm us or to cause us a heart attack, but to give us a
diagnosis concerning the condition of our faith.
God did tempt Abraham. Satan wanted Abraham's faith tested and tried to
see if he really loved God. Satan had said, " Does Abraham serve God for
naught. You bless him with herds, flocks and provided him with a son through
a barren wife. You protected him against other kings, even when he was not
honest. You asked him for his son and he will curse you to your face." (Genesis
: 22:1-18)
Satan with a breath of hate saying. "Put him on the tread mill. Give Abraham
the ultimate lest Let me have that remote. Let me turn up the speed. Let me has e
a less minutes ssith him under extreme pressure "
God's purpose for Abraham ssas for Abraham to know that he loved God
To know his ovvn truthfulness, his worth and his own sincerity
Ms friend. God wants us to want him. " I'hes that hunger and thirst shall be
filled." God can bring us to the place that we will call and say. "O God. I need
sou and I will not let sou go." Ms friend, there is a modern theology out there
which will make you believe if sou listen that God will never allow sou to be
in that place Hut I am telling you that according to the Bible God will allow
his children to reach a place that they has e no other source. God y ou are my only
source, my only way out I've done all I know to do. God I've got to have sou
l ook at Jacob He was desperate, leaving his father-in-law home (Hebron) he
had taken all his glory and l.aban ssas in hot pursuit and ahead ofhint was Lsau.
an angry brother ssith a mind to commit murder and the Bible tell us "And Jacob
ssas left alone and there he ssrestlcd svith a man " (Genesis 32:24) first the
isolation, the desperation, noss confirmation. Jacob had a plan, a scheme I fall
other plans fail, then run. He divided up his family in groups to flee, Jacobs ssas
desperate. Lsau had promised to kill him. Noss Jacob has a plan He had some
gifts to send Lsau and if that didn't ssork. we all ss ill split up and run and some
of us vv ill escape
Noss look and see God bring Jacob to a place of desperation, and noss God
says to Jacob. I am going to cripple sou. You said that in sour last resort that
s ou could run. but I'm taking ass as plan three. I am going to put sou in a position
that sou are going to have to depend on me There are those in the church xslio
need to be brought to that place that God is sour only source, not the church or
a building but God. I tell you svith tender love, if there ever has been an era in
the churches of our country that sse need to reach a place and to realize that God
is our only source that our only substitute is God. If we ever need God. it's noss
As I svrite this message this land, this country is under attack. Mas it help us to
realize God is our only source and that we need God today. I tell you sse not
only live in a troubled ssorld. but sve have a troubled church. You see. sse are
not immune from the troubles of this world. In this world you have tribulation
and because of the tribulations of this world it has crept in among the saints and
the saints are in trouble and when sou get a troubled saint, sou have got a
troubled church and when you get a troubled church sou have got a troubled
clergy and when sou have a troubled clergy, you have got trouble.
You and I need to pray that we would no longer depend upon the system of
the church, that we only iove but bring us to that place that God would be our
only source. We need God in our lives. He is our onK source.
Preacher, it is not a finance package that you need: it is God. He alone is
our subsidence. God knows where you are best at and if it takes desperation,
isolation. God will bring you to such a place and to be any where else sou will
find that fire that you warmed yourself is a false fire and it w ill not comfort you.
Folks, as I write this message this nation of ours is being attacked. We need
to pray that God will use this to bring all mankind to a place that God is our
only source.
(Continued next week.)
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Search For Truth
^ by I-'lder Joseph Bullard ^
The Seal of Coil
In the final days, just before the coming of Christ, there will be two groups
of people on the eartit-those w ho have the mark of the beast and those who have
the seal of Cod I hose who have the mark of the beast because will receive the
seven last plagues, but those who have the seal, which God will place upon His
people, will be protected from the terrible plagues
\\ hat is the mark of the beast ? I low can you be sure that sou will receive
the seal of God? I Ider Joseph Bullard explains the Bible's answers to these
questions for all that sincerely Sen nil for Troth.
The \enl of Gml i\ the answer to the err o) the nickeil. Revelation 7:1-3:
And alter these things I saw four angele standing on the four corners ol the
earth, holding the four w utds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the
earth, nor on the sea. not on any tree. (2) and I saw another angel ascending
from the cast, having the seal of the liv ing God: and he cried vv ith a loud voice
to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea. (31 Say ing.
Iiuit not the earth, neither the sea. 1101 the trees, till we have sealed the savants
of our God in then loiehcaov'
The iiiitoij work /v now going on and will he finished soon- at the close
of probation. Revelation 22:11-12: "lie that is unjust, let him be unjust still;
and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be
righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (12) And. behold. I come
quickly; and my reward is w ith trie, to give every many according as his work
shall be."
I seul is that which authenticates, confirms, ratifies, makes stable, and
which secures. I Rings 21:8: "So she w rote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed
them vv ith his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were
in his city, dwelling with Naboth."
Throughout the Bible. Coil appeals to the fact that He, as the Creator, is
the supreme Evidence that He is the only true God. Psalm 15:5: Jeremiah
111:1(1-12: "For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the
heavens." (10) "But the LORD is the true God. he is the living God. and an
everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not
he able to abide his indignation." (II) "Thus shall ye say unto them, the gods
that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the
earth, and front under these heavens." (12) "He hath made the earth by his
power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the
heavens by his discretion."
The seal of God must be some distinctive design that God has chosen as
the sign of His authority as the only true God. Exodus 31:16-17: "Wherefore
the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout
their generations, for a perpetual covenant. (17) It is a sign between me and the
children of Israel forever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth,
and on the seventh day lie rested, and was refreshed."
II hen you find the seal of God it will he something that reveals the name
of God, the distinguishing title of God und the territory over which He rules.
This verse in Exodus 20:8-11 shows all three. "Remember the Sabbath day.
to keep it holy. (9) six days shall thou labour, and do all thy work: (10) But the
seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shall not do any
vv ork. thou, nor thy son. nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant,
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: (11) For in six days the
LORD made heaven and earth, the sea. and all that in them is. and rested the
seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day. and hallowed it."
Actually, the Sabbath Is a double seal or sign of God- a mark of His
creative power and sanctifying power. Ezekiel 20 "20; 20:12: "And hallow my
Sabbaths: and they shall be a sign between me and you. that ye may know that
I am the LORD your God." (12) "Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to
be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that
sanctify them."
Sanciificatioii is a work of grace, so the Sabbath is actually a sign of
salvation by grace. The Sabbath is the flag of the Lord Jesus Christ as the
Creator und t'le re-creator or sanctifier of His people. Isaiali 58:13-14: "If
thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy
day: and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable: and shalt
honor him. not only thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words. (14) Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD;
and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with
the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."
The sealing is a restoration of the image of God. Theseuling is the definite
settling of the human being into the truth, the permanent fixing of the Law
of God in his life. Revelation 14:1: "And I looked, and. lo. a Lamb stood on
the Mount Sion. and with hint an hundred forty and four thousands, having his
Father's name written in their foreheads."
Keith Baugh, MD. MPH.
is the new medical director
of Southeastern Occupational
Health WORKS and a member
k of the medical staff of ^ i
ft Southeastern Regional I
ft Medical Center. /
lj A native of Asheville. NC. t.
Dr. Baugh earned his
A medical degree from
H the University of North
H Carolina at Chapel Hill In 1992. " 'v,r^
MM He completed an internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
W in Washington. DC. in 1993. Dr. Baugh earned a master s degree in
public health and completed a two-year residency in occupational
medicine at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
1 in Bethesda. MD. in 1999. He is certified in occupational medicine
I by the American Board of Preventive Medicine.
* We can all feel good about each new addition to the medical staff
at Southeastern Regional Medical Center. Each physician brings
years of education, specialized training and personal expertise to
our highly diversified health care team - and to our community
We'd like to extend a warm welcome to our newest doctor
With your arrival, there is a significant improvement in the general
health of this community.
SOUTHEASTERN
REGIONAL
MEDICAL CENTER
300 West 27th Street. Lumberton. NC (910) 671-5000 A
www.srmc.org