| Author | Message | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 314 Registered: 9-2006  |
This is the story of Tom Brooks as I heard it told; now Tom Brooks would be a nobody to many people, he was born into a rather poor Kentucky family, but Tom Brooks at about 16 years old could not read but had accepted Christ. One day he went to the local church and heard the Pastor preach a sermon on the text (Mat 17:20 KJV) And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. So Tom came home that night and said ìMama, that preacher down there says that if I believe nothing will be impossible, is that what the Bible says?î His mother answered ìYes Tom, thatís what the Bible says.î Tom said ìIím going to take this Bible to the woods with me and I ainít coming out till I can read this book.î His mother said ìNow Tom, that donít mean that, now you go down there to Berea Kentucky and they will teach you to read.î ìYou cainít go off in them woods!î but Tom said ìNo, Iím goin.î So Tom took his Bible and walked the woods day after day and held it open to that text by firelight at night repeating that text until finally one evening he was sitting on a log staring at his Bible and Tom began to read his book, he ran through the community shouting ìI can read, I can read!!î He ended up in Berea Kentucky teaching at the Bible school although he could read nothing else but the Bible, not even a Newspaper. Reading the Bible was all Tom asked for. One evening he came home and announced to his mother ìMama, God told me to build a church.î and his mother said ìWhy Tom, where you going to build it at?î and Tom said ìWell I got no land except the land Paw left me across the road before he died.î and his mother said ìWhy Tom, have you looked at that land lately, it is so steep even a Billy Goat couldnít climb that!î and Tom said ìwell, itís the only land I got and it says that if I believe, God will move a mountain.î ìI aim to go to the woods and I ainít coming out until he moves it.î His mother said ìNow Tom you cainít do that, you go off into them woods youíll starve!î But Tom went. His mother went to the Pastor of the church and told him the situation and the Pastor told her he guessed they would just have to pray for God too move that mountain. So Tom stayed gone for days on end walking through those woods repeating that scripture and praying. One day a man came knocking on Mrs. Brooksís door; he told her he needed to get hold of a Mr. Tom Brooks. Mrs. Brooks said ìWell, thatís my Son but heís off in them woods somewhere and I donít know where heís at.î The man told her he represented the strip mining company the other side of the mountain and if they could just push that mountain over into that strip mine they would pay him for it and that mountain would be just as level as that road out there. Mrs. Brooks walked through the house to the back porch and yelled as loud as she could ìTom!! Oh Tom!! God just moved your mountain, you can come home now!!î Tom Brooks built his church. Do you have mountains in your life? I had been praying for my rebellious wayward Son for many years and finally I cried out in desperation ìOh God, will I ever live to see him saved?î and God spoke to my heart and mind these four words ìHave faith in Godî and about five or seven years later my Son came to know our Lord. This is not just any leap of faith; it is a firm belief in Gods word that he is able and willing to do his word that he has proclaimed. Our ìmountainsî are many and of varied size and shapes. Let us begin to have true faith in God. I donít know about you but I have many ìMountainsî in my way but over the years God has pushed one after another of them out of the way. If we can get the ìFast foodî mentality out of the way and not be so easily discouraged but set too run the race before us with patience God hears and answers prayer. Like Tom who carried his Bible around, longing to read it, we need too believe and really long far what we pray for and God will give us that desire of him according to his will. Let our desire be for things of Gods kingdom for the Bible says it is Gods good pleasure to give us the Kingdom. (Luke 12:32 KJV) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. River | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 5197 Registered: 12-2003  |
River, thank you for reminding us that patience and endurance is a significant part of running the race. Faith includes trusting when the answers are not visibleóbut our trust must be in God, not in the idea of "faith". He alone is enough. Thank you, River. Colleen | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 315 Registered: 9-2006 |
Absolutely right Colleen, having faith in faith can get us into many hurtful disappointments and I think does many times. True faith is believing God for what he says he will do. The story is not meant to instruct or even remind, but to encourage too believe in God and take heart and be of good cheer even though the situation may look bleak. The story is actually an early peek at my article for February's Magazine. I was encouraged this morning through writing it. Maybe you could tell but yesterday I was a little down about ever reaching my Adventist associates. Be encouraged and lifted up today as I have been. River | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3249 Registered: 3-2004  |
Oh River, When I read things like the one above, my faith is straigthened for my sisters and brothers who do not know Jesus Christ. I know He is working on them in ways I cannot see and that is okay. After all he finally got a hold of me only 3 years ago. Three sisters are older than me and I have a younger sister and 3 younger brothers, so I just need to maintain my patience. God gives me plenty of time to practice it and I am really so thankful. He is always so awesome. Diana | ||
| Susans Registered user Username: Susans Post Number: 297 Registered: 8-2006 |
Thanks for that story, River! I am sending it to my husband. Susan | ||
| Qweary Registered user Username: Qweary Post Number: 22 Registered: 3-2004 |
River, I say AMEN!!!! I prayed for my husband for YEARS to be a good SDA. God took us both out of SDAism and led ua both to HIMself!!! God moved TWO mountains. Praise His name!! Yes, Diana, HE is Awesome!!! Qweary |
