Tag: CAUSES

Articles, Roy Porter

THE CORPSE THAT COULDN’T STAY DEAD

| Roy

 

JOHN 11:1-3,14,15,21- NOW A CERTAIN MAN, WAS SICK, NAMED LAZARUS OF BETHANY, THE TOWN OF MARY AND HER SISTER MARTHA.

IT WAS  THAT MARY WHICH ANOINTED THE LORD WITH OINTMENT, AND WIPED HIS FEET WITH HER HAIR, WHOSE BROTHER LAZARUS WAS SICK.

THEREFORE HIS SISTERS SENT UNTO HIM SAYING, LORD BEHOLD, HE WHOM THOU LOVEST IS SICK.

THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THEM PLAINLY, LAZARUS IS DEAD.

 

AND I AM GLAD FOU YOUR SAKES THAT I WAS NOT THERE, TO THE INTENT YE MAY BELIEVE: NEVERTHELESS LET US GO UNTO HIM.

THEN  SAID MARTHA UNTO JESUS, LORD, IF THOU HADST BEEN HERE, MY BROTHER HAD NOT DIED.

MARTHA’S FAITH STOPPED AT THE DEATH OF HER BROTHER. THE GRAVE WAS THE END OF HER FAITH. HER FAITH WAS LIMITED TO SEEING HER BROTHER’S BREATH.

MANY OF US CAN ONLY BELIEVE IF WE SEE, BUT THE KIND OF FAITH THE LORD WANT’S US TO WALK AND LIVE IN, IS A FAITH THAT DOESN’T HAVE TO SEE TO BELIEVE.

EVERY DREAM, EVERY VISION THAT SEEMS TO BE DEAD CAN BE RESURRECTED. THE LIFELESS VISION IS JUST A FAITH AWAY FROM WAKING UP AND COMING ALIVE.

THEY WERE HAVING A WAKE BEFORE JESUS ARRIVED. THEY WERE WATCHING THE BODY BEFORE BURIAL, THATS WHAT WE CALL A WAKE. PEOPLE WATCH DEAD DREAM’S , VISION’S, AND DEAD PURPOSES, AND THEY LOOK AT THEM AND SAY ISN’T THAT A PRETTY CORPSE. I THOUGHT THIS VISION WAS FROM GOD BUT IT’S DEAD, I GUESS IT WAS JUST MY THOUGHT’S, SO I WRAPPED IT UP AND BURIED IT. WE HAD A GOOD FUNERAL.

WHAT WE NEED IS NOT EVERBODY COMING TO A WAKE TO TALK ABOUT THE DEATH OF A VISION, BUT WE NEED TO CAUSE AN AWAKENING THAT CAUSES A SHAKING IN THE GRAVEYARD OF  DESERTED VISIONS.

FAITH DOESN’T STOP WHEN SOMETHING LOOKS DEAD. I HAVE ALMOST BURIED VISIONS THAT GOD GAVE ME AND THEY SEEMED TO BE DEAD. BUT OUR FAITH MUST NOT BE LIMITED TO WHAT WE SEE, OR FEEL.

FAITH MUST NOT STOP WHEN SOMETHING LOOKS DEAD. THE STONE THAT HAS BEEN ROLLED TO THE TOMB HAS TO BE MOVED. THE STONE HAS TO BE MOVED FROM THE PAGES OF THE BIBLE TO THE PAGES OF OUR HEART. THEN WE HAVE THE FAITH THAT DOESN’T STOP AT THE DEATH OF SOMETHING, BUT IS UNLIMITED FAITH.

FAITH COMETH BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. WE SPEAK TO THE VISION, VISION COME FORTH, LET MY VISION BE LOOSED IN JESUS’ NAME. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE DEATH OF MY VISION, RESURRECTION AND LIFE  TO MY VISION IN JESUS NAME.

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

THEY ENDURE BUT FOR A TIME

| Jeanette

 

There are many times in the book of Revelation, where we are instructed to endure to the end.  Today we are going to discuss endurance out of the account of Mark four. For those who are not familiar with this text: Jesus is the sewer and the Word of God is the seed.  We are the soil.

Whether we are the good ground or the stony:
is up to us.

 

Mark 4: 16,17 —- And these are they likewise which are sown
on stony ground; who, when they have heard the Word, immediately receive it
with gladness;

And have not root in themselves, and so
endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction (or hardship, trouble) or
persecution ( or torture or oppression) ariseth
for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

 

Many of us have gotten a
glimpse of heaven in a mighty service or a revelation from God in our private
time with Him.  The word we received was
alive to us and in us.  We knew it was
just what we needed.  Everything was so
clear: God had it all under control, and we were in His hands.  Nothing could shake that.  It was settled. But then, afterward, when
affliction or sorrow or persecution arose, because of the Word, we immediately
become offended, displeased, indignant, and resentful.  Our affections are divided.  We had more of the rocky than the good soil
in our hearts.  No wonder we could not
endure.  The Word of God could not strike
a deep root in our souls.

 

This is when we were not
constant in the faith; and in our hour of temptation, we faltered.

 

I see this so much among
believers.  They are rooted in the
Word.  They didn’t take what Word they
got, and meditate on it until it could get down in their spirit man.  It seemed to only help the hour or the day
they heard it.  Then, BOOM! It was gone.

 

Brothers and sisters, we
have all been there.

 

Getting rooted and grounded
takes time.

 

The Word has to become alive
in our spirits to produce faith to endure.
We have to speak it everyday; eat and digest it, so to speak.

 

You could say, “I spoke the
Word over Aunt Lucy, but she died. The Word don’t work”.

 

Our Lord warns, we will
encounter such cases, which first excite hope, and expectation, and then clouds
the soul of the Christian laborer with disappointment and grief.

 

The Word in us is supposed
to produce fruit.  But to endure, we have
to prepare the soil.

How do we prepare the soil?

Look at Matthew 13:19-21
—- When anyone heareth the word of the
kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one (Satan) and catcheth away that which was sown in his
heart.  This is he which received seed by
the wayside.

But he that received the seed into stony
places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon (or in a while) with joy
reveiveth it.

Yet hath he not root in himself, but
dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the
word. By and by he is offended.

From this
account in Matthew we see this same story which we know as the Parable Of The
Sower.  We know Satan is the one who
steals the Word, and we know He is the one who causes trials and persecution.

 

WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH SATAN’S
ATTACKS

 

So, to prepare the soil, we
have to deal with Satan’s attacks.  He
comes immediately to rob from us, the Word we received with joy.

 

It’s no wonder he hates the
Word of God, and does all in his power to steal it from us.

 

Look at what Psalm 119:105
has to say about the Word:

Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

It shines like a light on my feet and directs
them where to go.  It keeps us from
stumbling.

 

Verse 11 —– Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might
not sin against Thee.

 

Acts 17:11 —- These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they (talking about the Jews in the synagogue at
Berea) received the word with all
readiness of mind (or we could say with a ready-mind), and searched the scriptures daily , whether those things were so (or
true).

The word shows us what is
true and what is error.

 

We could go on to John 17:17
were we are told we are sanctified through God’s truth, because His word is
truth:  That God will , through His word,
set us apart to Himself.

 

In II Timothy 3:15,16, we
find the word is …able to make us wise
unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

And that it is
God-breathed …and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

God reveals Himself through
His word;  and in it, He shows us how we
are to live after we become a Christian.

His word has an authority
which far reverses the ambition for greatness seen in secular philosophers.

And I Peter 2:2,3 tells us,
His word causes us to grow up in Him.

And Joshua 1:8 —- This book of the law shall not depart out of
thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all
that is written therein: for then thou
shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

In this verse alone, we are
told we can be prosperous and successful if

We speak the Word

We meditate the Word day and night

We do what it says

 

It’s  no wonder the devil wants to steal it!

 

 

 

Jesus used the Word against
Satan.  During His temptation in the
wilderness, Jesus said, “It is written, It is written, It is written,” after
which, Satan left Him for a season.

 

We are instructed also, in
Mark 16, to use the name of Jesus.  He
has given us that authority.  Look at
verse 17a —- And these signs shall
follow them that believe: In My name they shall cast out devils;…

This is one of the last
instructions given by Jesus before He ascended into heaven, —– and verse 20
reads like this —-And they went forth,
and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word
with signs following. Amen.

They were not alone in their
commission, this verse says the Lord was working with them. Also we see here, that
signs follow the word.

 

DON’T GET DISTRACTED, STUDY THE
WORD

Another way to prepare the
soil, for the Word is not to let distractions, around us, keep us from studying
the Word of God.

II Timothy 2:15 —- Study to show thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It is not enough to read and
study the Word, we have to be able to know how to use it.

 

USE THE WORD AGAINST SATAN

Jesus knew which part of the
Word to use against Satan during His temptation.  He quoted the Scripture that fir the
situation.

Look at Matthew 4 starting
with verse 1

Then
was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

And when He had fasted forty days and
forty  and forty nights, He was afterward
ahungered.

And when the tempter came to Him, He
said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

But He answered and said, It is written,
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of God.

 

THEN Satan did a strange
thing: He quoted a Scripture to Jesus: verse 6 —- And saith unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for
it is written,

He
shall give His angels charge concerning thee;

and in their hands they shall bear the
up,

lest at any time thou dash thy foot
against a stone.

Now, let’s read that verse
from the Old Testament, from which He is Quoting, Psalm 91:11 —- For He shall give His angels charge over
thee, to keep thee in all thy ways …

He left out that last
part.  Why? Look at it again …. to keep thee in all thy ways…—-
Because the omission of this sentence alters the whole character of the
quotation, taking into account that the word, ways, implies ways
appointed by God.

 

Then once again, the devil
tempted Jesus; and once again Jesus used the  Word of God against him.

 

In the next part to this
temptation of Christ, Satan said in verse8 and 9

—-Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and
showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

And
saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and
worship me.

Verse 10 —- Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hense (or
be gone!), Satan:  For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord
thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.

Ten, in verse 11, the devil
left Him, and angels came and ministered unto Him.

 

Jesus was tempted on three
levels:

1-
Physically

2-
Spiritually

3-
Intellectually

Each of which, He won, using the Word of God.

He quoted the right Scripture for each attack.

He knew how to combat every blow.

 

If we know the Word, we should know who we are in Christ.  This will give us an advantage over the enemy
of our soul.

If we know the Word, we know our future.

If we know the Word, we know God will always fight our battles, and
bring us the victory.

If we know the Word, we know Satan’s future.  Aso it would be good to remind him and
ourselves, of this fact.

 

 

Say it with me,

“Satan, your kingdom is
coming down”

“The blood of Jesus is
against you!”

“I can do all things
through Christ which strengthenth me.”

“No weapon formed against
me shall prosper”

and on and on, we can go.

 

All of God’s children go through attacks of Satan, trying to steal the life
out of us: which is God’s Word; but isn’t it wonderful, that when we are rooted
and grounded in the Word, we can endure until the end.

At that point, he will never again cause us to doubt God and His word,
nor can he steal from us.

 

I will leave you with these last two verses:

1-
Romans 8:31b —- …If God be for us, who can be against us?

2-
Isaiah 40:8 —- The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but
the Word of our God shall stand forever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Bless the name of the Lord!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share
Articles, Jeanette Porter

PEACE TO THIS HOUSE

| Jeanette

HOW CAN WE BE THE CHRISTIAN AND MINISTER GOD WANTS US TO BE, IF THERE IS NO PEACE WITHIN?

IN MY TIME WITH THE LORD, HE SPOKE TO MY HEART, “I AM GOING TO BRING PEACE TO THIS HOUSE.”

I THOUGHT, THERE IS NO TROUBLE IN MY HOUSE. MY HUSBAND HAVE BEEN MARRIED OVER 4O YEARS, AND WE GET ALONG GREAT. THERE IS NO ONE ELSE IN THE HOUSE BUT THE TWO OF US.

THEN I REALIZED, OUR LORD WAS TALKIING ABOUT HIS TEMPLE WITHIN ME.

WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, I CORINTHIANS 6:19 –  WHAT?  KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST WHICH IS IN YE HAVE OF GOD, AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN?

IF HE WAS GOING TO BRING PEACE TO MY HOUSE THERE MUST BE A LACK OF IT. I WAS TROUBLED ABOUT TOO MANY THINGS: MINISTRY, PEOPLE.

I KNEW I NEEDED TO HAVE PEACE WITHIN, SO I COULD BE MY BEST FOR GOD AND HIS KINGDOM.

WORRY IS NOT JUST A LACK OF FAITH, IT IS SIN. IT CAUSES A LACK OF PEACE OF MIND AND HEART.

PHILIPPIANS 4:5-7 – LET YOUR MODERATION (SELF CONTROL) BE KNOWN UNTO ALL MEN, THE LORD IS AT HAND (THE LORD IS COMING; THE LORD IS IN CONTROL).

BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING  (DO NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT ANYTHING; OR DO NOT BE ANXIOUS); BUT IN EVERTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD.

AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING, SHALL KEEP (GUARD LIKE A WARRIOR ON DUTY) YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS.

GOD GIVES US PEACE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. JESUS IS CALLED THE PRINCE OF PEACEIN ISAIAH 9:6 – FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN: AND THE GOVERNMENTSHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER: AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL, COUNSELOR, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

MANY HAVE INTERRUPTED SLEEP, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF PEACE: PSALM 4:8 – I WILL BOTH LAY ME DOWN IN PEACE, AND SLEEP: FOR THOU, LORD, ONLY MAKEST ME DWELL IN SAFETY.

WE SEE IN THIS VERSE, ONLY THE PRINCE OF PEACE CAN BRING PEACE.

YOU MAY BE THE ONE WHO IS NOT SLEEPING WELL BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT SEPARATES YOU FROM GOD’S BEST FOR YOU. YOU LIE AWAKE, KNOWING, JESUS IS COMING BACK SOON, AND YOU ARE NOT READY. YOU CALL IT THE END OF THE WORLD, BUT FOR A BELIEVER IT IS OUR REAL LIFE, AND NEW GLORIOUS BEGINNING.

THOSE DREAMS YOU HAVE BEEN HAVING, TROUBLE YOU. YOU WAKE UP IN A COLD SWEAT, SAYING, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?”

THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT BORN AGAIN, WILL NEVER FIND PEACE UNTIL YOU GIVE YOUR LIVES TO JESUS CHRIST , AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

GIVE YOUR HEART AND LIFE TO JESUS, HE IS CALLING YOU TO HIS LOVE AND FORGIVENESS.

SOME NEED TO GIVE UP THAT THING THAT IS COMING BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR LORD: OF YOU DON’T, YOU WILL END UP LOOSING THAT THING, AND ALSO THE ONE WHO DIED FOR YOU.

YOUR CHILDREN NEED PEACE OPERATING IN YOUR LIFE. THIS WILL HELP THEM TO FIND PEACE IN THEIR LIVES.

YOU MIGHT SAY, “I’M DOING THE BEST I CAN, BUT MY CHILDREN A DRIVING ME CRAZY.”

TAKE INVENTORY, DO YOU HAVE PEACE WITH GOD?

DOES YOUR CHILD EXPERIENCE PEACE AND LOVE AT HOME? OR IS THERE ALWAYS TERMOIL, AND A LOT OF YELLING AND SOMETIMES, EVEN FIGHTS BREAK OUT?

SOMETIMES CHILDREN CULTIVATE THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR IN THEIR LIVES, AND BECOME ANGRY AND REBELLIOUS; AND DON’T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ACT THAT WAY, AND FEEL THE STRESS OF LIFE.

IF YOU CULTIVATE A TRUST IN GOD TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING, AND YOU DO YOUR BEST, GOD WILL SEE AND HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND HEAL YOUR LIFE.

WHEN WE AS BELIEVERS DON’T HAVE PEACE, I BELIEVE WE ARE NOT REALLY ABIDING IN HIM. I KNOW HOW THE BALLTES COME TO TRY AND STOP US FROM TRUSTING GOD WITH EVEYTHING THAT COMES OUR WAY, BUT I ALSO KNOW GOD DECLARES THAT THE BATTLE IS HIS.

I HAVE PRAISED MYSELF OUT OF MANY SITUATIONS, WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATIONS (SUGGESTS PRAYER TO AVOID ALL EVIL) I LET MY REQUEST BE KNOWN UNTO GOD.

HE ALREADY KNOWS, HE JUST WANTS YOU TO INTIMATELY SHARE IT WITH HIM.

AND ONCE YOU GIVE IT TO HIM, IT’S HIS.

IF WE ASK GOD TO HELP US WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT IN THE FLESH, WE WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR DAILY WALK WITH HIM.

THE PEACE THAT GOD GIVES, FLOWS FROM THE SENCING OF HIS MOST GRACIOUS PRESENCE, AND CONSISTS IN CHILD LIKE CONFIDENCE AND TRUSTFUL LOVE.

THIS PEACE PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING; IT’S CALM BLESSEDNESS GOSES FARTHER THAN THE REACH OF HUMAN THOUGHT; IT CAN BE ONLY KNOWN BY THYE INNER EXPERIENCE OF THE BELIEVER.

HE IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK (EPHESIANS 3:20).

PHILIPPIANS 4:7b – …SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS… THE PEACE OF GOD IN THE HEART IS A SURE AND RELIABLE MILITARY FORCE, GUARDING IT SO THAT THE EVIL SPIRIT, ONCE CAST OUT, CANNOT RETURN.

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THE FREEDOM YOU FEEL WHEN SOMETHING BOTHERING YOU KEAVES?

IN CHRIST JESUS, TRUE ABIDING BELIEVERS, UNDERSTAND HIS PROMISE, PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU, LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED, NEITHER LET IT BE AFRAID (JOHN 14). WE SEE HERE, JESUS GIVES US PEACE, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT ALSO GIVES US PEACE: GALATIANS 5:22 – BUT THE FRUIT OF THE (HOLY) SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONG-SUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH…

SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT PEACE COMES FROM THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT     

 

Share
Articles, Other Writers

FROM PRISON TO THE PULPIT PART I

| Roy

THIS IS AN UNUSUAL TITLE FOR A TESTIMONY, BUT I’VE LIVED AN UNUSUAL LIFE.

MY NAME IS CHARLES SELLERS, FORMALLY KNOWN AS C.A. SELLERS.

BEING A SHARECROPPER’S SON, AND IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT A SHARECROPER IS, IT IS TAKING CARE OF ANOTHER PERSON’S LAND. YOU CAN LIVE THERE AND PLANT FOOD ON THAT PROPERTY.

IN OTHER WORDS, MY FAMILY WAS POVERTY STRICKEN.

MY DAD LEFT MY MOM WITH 6 CHILDREN, WHEN I WAS 4 YEARS OLD. SO ME AND MY SIBLINGS HAD NOTHING. WE HAD NO CHRISTMAS PRESENTS, NO BIRTHDAY PARTIES; NOTHING NORMAL CHILDREN ENJOYED. EVEN OUR CLOTHES WERE HAND-ME-DOWNS.

IT WASN’T MY MOM’S FAULT, IT WASN’T MY FAULT; IT’S JUST THE WAY IT WAS.

PROBABLY, IF THERE WAS ANYONE TO BLAME, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY DAD.

BUT THAT IS A DIFFERENT STORY WITHIN ITSELF.

MY DAD DIED WHEN I WAS 9 YEARS OLD. MY MOM HAD HIS BODY BROUGHT HOME. WHILE HE LAID IN HIS COFFIN IN OUR LIVING ROOM, I WAS AT MY FRIEND’S HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET, AND STOLE SOME MONEY THAT WAS LAYING ON HIS AUNT’S DRESSER.

AT THAT MOMENT, I STARTED A LIFE OF STEALING.

OVER THE YEARS, I’VE STOLEN EVERYTHING FROM BICYCLES TO ROBBING BANKS. I SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE LOCKED UP.

I’VE DONE TIME IN 8 FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS. SOME, LIKE TERR HUNTA, ATLANTA FEDERAL PENN., LEWISBURG FEDERAL PENN., ASHLAND KENTUCKY CORRECTIONAL INST., PETERSBURG VIRGINIA FEDERAL FORMITORY, TALAHASSIE (FLORIDA) CORRECTIONAL INST., LOUIVILLE KENTUCKY CORRECTIONAL INST.

ALSO, I’VE DONE TIME IN 7 STATE INSTITUTIONS, STARTING AT HOMESVIEW TO PERRY CORRECTIONAL INST., AND SEVERAL MORE.

I REMEMBER AND INCIDENT WHEN I BROKE IN A SCHOOL AND THE POLICE SHOWED UP. I CLIMBED OUT A WINDOW, AND WAS RUNNING ACROSS THE ROOF. THE ROOF RAN OUT AND I DROPPED DOWN 2 STORIES TO THE GROUND, ROLLED, AND KEPT ON RUNNING. FOR THIS ONE, I NEVER GOT CAUGHT.

BY LOOKING OVER THIS EVENT AND MANY MORE IN MY LIFE, I NOW REALIZE, GOD HAD HIS HAND ON ME.

I’VE BEEN SHOT; I WOKE-UP OUT OF A THREE DAY COMA BY FOOD POISONING, AND FOUND MY LIVE-IN GIRL FRIEND WAS DEAD. THE DOCTORS SAID IT WAS NATURAL CAUSES, BUT I BELIEVE SHE ALSO HAD FOOD POISONING.

AS MY LIFE PROGRESSED, I FOUND MYSELF DOING THINGS I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER DO: LIKE SHOOTING DRUGS IN MY VEINS, UNTIL I DESTROYED EVERY VISIBLE VEIN IN MY BODY; AND TAKING UP A GUN AND ROBBING BANKS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. THIS WAS A LONG WAY FROM STEALING BICYCLES AS A CHILD.

I GUESS YOU COULD SAY I WAS NOW IN THE BIG TIME: SELLING DRUGS, ROBBING BANKS, BUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS LIFE STYLE TOOK ME FURTHER THAN I WANTED OR PLANNED TO GO, AND COST ME MORE THAT I WANTED TO PAY. YOU SEE, THE COST WAS MY FREEDOM, THE SUFFERING OF MY FAMILY, AND ALWAYS LOOSING EVERYTHING AGAIN AND AGAIN, AS I WOULD REPEATEDLY GET ARRESTED AND CONVICTED, AND SENT BACK TO PRISON.

A LIFE IN PRISON WASN’T EASY. WHEN I STARTED OUT IN REFORM SCHOOL, I HAD TO DIG 10 FOOT DITCHES, 18 INCHES WIDE, WITH A 10 FOOT SHOVEL. I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVE NEVER SEEN A 10 FOOT SHOVEL, BUT BELIEVE ME THEY HAD THEM.

I WAS 12 YEARS OLD AT THIS TIME.

WHEN I TURNED 15, I WAS SENT TO THE NATIONAL TRAINING SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON DC. BELIEVE ME, THIS PLACE WAS “HELL”. I WAS IN A FIGHT ALMOST EVERY DAY. WHEN THEY WOULD PUT ME IN LOCK-UP, THEY WOULD STRIP ME OF ALL MY CLOTHES, AND PUT ME IN  A SMALL TILED ROOM. THE TEMPERATURE IN THE ROOM WAS THE SAME AS IT WAS OUTSIDE. SO CAN YOU IMAGINE DECEMBER AND JANUARY? HOW COLD IT GETS IN DC? 

I COULDN’T TAKE MUCH MORE OF THIS PLACE, SO I PLANNED MY ESCAPE AND CARRIED THROUGH WITH IT. AS I CLIMBED THE FENCE SURROUNDING THE INSTITUTION, THEN BARBED WIRE BROKE AT THE TOP OF THE FENCE, AND I FEEL 10 FEET, AND JUST KNEW I WAS GOING TO GET CAUGHT, BUT NO ONE SAW ME BREAK OUT OF LINE GOING BACK TO THE DORM FROM THE GYM.

WE WERE SURROUNDED BY GUARDS. IT WAS AT NIGHT, BUT NOBODY SAW ME.

I MADE MY WAY TO A RAILROAD TRACK, AND THERE WAS A SLOW MOVING TRAIN. I JUST KNEW IT WOULD TAKE ME A LONG WAY FROM WHERE I WAS AT. I DIDN’T CARE WHERE IT WAS GOING AS LONG AS IT WOULD TAKE ME AWAY FROM THERE. WELL I JUMPED IN THE OPEN DOOR OF THE BOXCAR, AND THE TRAIN KEPT ROLLING FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES; IT STOPPED, AND HERE CAME A TOW MOTOR IN THE BOXCAR I WAS IN, TAKING OUT PALLETS OF FREIGHT. I GOT OUT OF YTHE BOXCAR AND FOUND MYSELF IN DOWN TOWN DC.

TO SHORTEN THIS, I MADE IT BACK TO SOUTH CAROLINA, WENT TO CALIFORNIA, CAME BACK TO SC AND GOT CAUGHT. I WAS OUT FOR 2 MONTHS, AND THEY PUT ME BACK IN THE STRIPP-CELL AGAIN, NAKED. THEY THEN TRANSFERRED ME TO ASHLAND KENTUCKY.

THIS IS NOT THE END OF MY STORY: BUT HOW I CAME TO THE LORD, AND WHERE I AM NOW WILL BE IN “FROM PRISON TO THE PULPIT PART II”, COMING UP NEXT.

    

Share