You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
John 5:39, 40
The ministry was in its startup phase and all the cost had depleted our finances and Christmas was just around the corner. Our Christmas tree was baron of gifts and we really did not expect that there were any on the way. It was rather sad; however, the work of the ministry kept my mind off the fact that I had nothing for my wife. Both of our Bibles were worn so it seemed that would be the ideal gift to give ourselves. So off to the local Christian bookstore we went only to find out that Bibles had really gone up in price. Making the decision to put them on lay-a-way it all seemed to be a good idea. So we gave what funds we brought and put that down with plans to pick them up Christmas Eve.
Preaching six days each week and running a small construction business made the days go by very quick. Ministering on radio, traveling and sending out prophesies through the mail we started to see a following of folks who were hungry to hear the voice of God. In that day most people thought we were crazy for making claims that God speaks to His people today. In fact some pastors considered us a threat to the church and did not want their people near us; well that just made for good advertising for us. Each Saturday morning I would be on the radio out of Dallas, Texas prophesying live over the radio to all who called into the station. During the week I would stop by at least one church each week and visit with the pastor. My plea was, if the pastor would allow me, to schedule a meeting in their church. The question was always the same, “What kind of meeting?” they would reply. A “Hearing Clinic” I would boldly announce; one pastor was very agreeable and I thought to myself, finally I am going to get to preach in a real church. Then he asked, “What kind of hearing aides are you selling?” As I began to explain what kind of ‘Hearing Clinic’ I was talking about I could see that his level of interest had withered away. Not discouraged I kept right on knocking on pastor’s doors with the same message. Although for the life of me
I could not understand why Pastor’s did not want their people learning to hear the voice of God. Finally I meet the Pastor who was going to set me straight and tell me where I was wrong. Just like so many other times I found myself standing in front of another Pastor’s door. As the door opened I made my introduction and began my spill on holding a ‘Hearing Clinic’ for the church congregation. The Pastor abruptly stopped me and asked, “So you think you can hear God?” and I replied with a confident YES! Holding his Bible under his arm he raised his voice and said, “Son the only way you can hear God is through this book!” Then the Holy Spirit told me to ask him if he was called to preach. So I asked the Pastor, “Reverend, were you called by God to preach?” “Bless God, Amen!” The Holy Spirit said, “Asking where his name is in the Bible!” As commanded I asked the Pastor, “Where did you read in the Bible that says you were called to preach?” Frustrated he step back and slammed the door in my face. I did not bother to knock on anymore Pastor’s doors and it was almost three years before I was asked to bring the message about Hearing the Voice of God. Oh, by the way, we did manage to get those new Bibles out of Lay-a-way; however, it was not until the middle of January.
How Do I Get Faith to Believe What God Says is True?
by Sandy Landry
Author & Teacher
Well, you can’t manufacture it or pretend you have it hoping it will kick in one day. It is a gift from God. So, you can ask for it. Remember in the Bible when the man said, “Help my unbelief”? The
thing about faith is it is the main thing that pleases God. There is a verse which says that “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” So that means I could die as a martyr, but if I didn’t die in faith leaning on His direction, wisdom, and strength, I might have well just have thrown myself in front of a bus because it is faith that counts.
There is another verse that says that when Jesus comes again, He is going to be looking for one thing: faith. So it is a big deal.
And yet another one that says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” So I can get faith by hearing the word of God. When a prophet speaks to me the word of God, it can stir faith in me to believe. Then when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. It doesn’t make it easy to stay in faith. I am not necessarily skipping through the tulips. I may be pushed to the max battling fear every step of the way, but faith makes it possible to put one foot in front of the other one. It is the weapon I fight with. It is my shield. When doubt, fear, and accusation come at me, I can lift up my faith as a shield against them.
Many times the word of God carries us over. Imagine that you are climbing a mountain and you come to a tight rope that leads to the other side, and you know that Jesus is calling you to the other side. That tight rope is faith. It must be crossed in faith. If you have a word that you are going to make it to the other side and there is no other way across, you can be confident in God and the word of faith that you can make it. It still doesn’t mean that you won’t have fear or be shaking, but even in that faith gives you confidence. It is confidence in God’s abilities when we are weak, and by the way, we are always better off when we are we weak. That is when we need faith. Confidence in our own abilities is a snare.
What if you don’t have faith that you can go across and still there is the rope and you don’t know another way to get there and you just step out on the rope, hoping and wishing and praying. That is dangerous. God might protect you, but He is not obligated to. He backs up FAITH coming to us by HIS WORD. We can be presumptuous and call our own risking, “faith.” You can remember times when the Israelites went in to battle because it “worked the last time”, and God had not called them to do it, and he let them be defeated.
So your word is an opportunity for you to exercise faith. It is “hearing” that may bring you faith. If faith stirs inside you, you have been given a gift by God. Or if it hasn’t, you are welcome to ask God to give you faith to believe. You now have a tight rope to walk across from one mountain to the next, right into victory.
Comments and Testimonies
For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. ~ Rev. 19:10b
Prophecy is the testimony that Jesus is not dead but Alive and Speaking to you and I.
Kent Simpson,
Prophetic Pastor
Hi Pastor Kent,
May this e-mail find you and yours in good health and the favor of God. I just want to tell you I enjoy your weekly news letters and teaching insights. It’s a highlight of the week.
Blessing in Jesus,
Chris Grau
In HIS Service,
Kent Simpson, Prophetic Pastor
Prophetic Ministries Tabernacle
PO Box 774
Gainesville, Texas 76241
We appreciative any financial support you can share; Prophetic Ministries Tabernacle is very grateful for your gift.
Prophetic Ministry Tabernacle and Video Church Network is approved by the IRS as a 501(c) 3 Tax-Exempted Non-profit Corporation and is listed as a Digital Electronic Church and a Brick and Mortar Congregation.