Friend that Sticketh Closer than a Brother

Tonight was an exceptional blessing. As I prayed I said to the Lord that I wanted to know Him and speak with Him and be to him as Abraham, who was a friend of God, as Moses who spoke to Him as a friend to a friend. That is when the Lord said to my heart you can have that be so much more for I am your Father and you are my son, my adopted son. This means He chose me. Now I know He chose every human being in the world but some did not and have not accepted His choice, but I did as many who will read this did. Therefore we are special because we are adopted. Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Not only are we adopted and He is our Father but Christ is our elder brother Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint- heirs with Christ;. What could be better than a friend to friend relationship? A Father/son relationship and a brother to brother relationship in which the brother is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. How can a brother be more than a brother, when He is also your Friend and your Father. So tonight I realized that we have so much more available than simply a friend. We have a Father/son relationship, we have a Friend/friend relationship and the Friend is more than a Friend, He is a Brother, whose Friendship is greater than a Brother, because He is my Father. I know this sounds a little like, I am my own grandpa but it still blessed my soul that He, who is all in all wants to be all these relationships and more, to each of His children.

By Bob Hooker

On November 8, 1975, while sitting in his dorm room at Memphis State University, Robert Hooker realized he was miserable deep inside. He really didn’t have anything to live for. He had seen several of his friends die while in high school and college and knew that he too would face death someday. Robert’s heart was in turmoil as he picked up a small Bible and started to read. God’s Word was foreign to Robert and it was hard for him to understand; just as he was about to close the Bible he spotted some verses in the back of the Book. After reading these verses he understood that he was a sinner, and deserved to go to a place called Hell. Robert knelt beside his bed and asked Jesus Christ to save him and give him eternal life. Robert realized for the first time that Jesus Christ was truly the Son of God, and had lived a spotless life. He realized Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the grave, just so he could have eternal life. Robert graduated from Memphis State and went on to work at Trinity Baptist Church in Collierville, Tennessee as the Youth Pastor. While attending this church, God called Robert to preach and he, his wife and two daughters moved to Indiana to attend Hyles-Anderson College in January of 1982. Robert graduated from Hyles-Anderson College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pastoral Theology in May of 1985. Later, Robert received his Masters in Pastoral Theology. Bro. Hooker has been working at Hyles-Anderson College and in the ministries of First Baptist Church since 1985. In 2005 Bro. Hooker was given a Doctorate of Divinity by Dr. Jack Schaap. Dr. Hooker is the Sr. Vice President and a Professor at Hyles-Anderson College. Dr. Hooker teaches the Faith and Family Sunday school class at the First Baptist Church of Hammond. 1985 - Demerit Counselor 1986 - Part-time staff member at the church and director of the Sailor Ministry 1990 - Athletic Director and part-time faculty 1996 - Full-time faculty 2001 - Dean of Married Students 2003 - Dean of Student Counseling 2006 - Sr. Vice President

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