Tag: CHURCHES

Articles, Roy Porter

YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE THE TEST OVER

| Jeanette

I HAVE BEEN TOLD, WHEN WE ARE TRIED, AND DON’T PASS THE TEST OF ENDURANCE, AND TRUST GOD TO FIGHT OUR BATTLE —- BY THIS, I MEAN, WE TAKE IT IN OUR OWN HANDS —-WE WILL AT SOME POINT IN LIFE, HAVE TO TAKE THE SAME TEST OVER AGAIN.

IT IS MUCH BETTER FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND WATCH GOD MOVE ON OUR BEHALF, AND WAIT IT OUT, AND LET GOD GET THE VICTORY FOR US, THAN TO HAVE TO FACE THIS AGAIN.

YOU WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN THROUGH A TRAIL, DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT; BUT YOU WILL FACE  ONE AT SOME POINT AND TIME AS YOU SERVE THE LORD.

II CORINTHAINS 8:2 –  HOW THAT IN A GREAT TRAIL OF AFFLICTION (OR IN A TIME OF MUCH TROUBLE)  THE ABUNDANCE OF THEIR JOY AND THEIR DEEP POVERTY ABOUNDED UNTO THEIR RICHES OF THEIR GREAT LIBERALITY.                                                                                                                                                    PAUL IS WRITING A LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS TO INFORM THEM OF HOW THE MACEDONIAN CHURCHES WHO WERE GOING THROUGH A TIME OF GREAT TROUBLE, WERE STILL FILLED WITH JOY THAT THEY COULD BE IN AN OVERFLOW OF GIVING TO THE CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM.

MANY OF US WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A GREAT TRIAL, WHETHER IT BE PHYSICAL OR FINANCIAL, WHATEVER IT IS, COULD LEARN FROM THESE MACEDONIANS. THEY WERE ONLY ACTING ON THE PRINCIPLES OF THE PROMISES OF GOD.

THEY DIDN’T ALLOW SATAN TO STEAL THEIR JOY, AND THEY WERE SOWING AN OFFERING AGAINST THEIR OWN POVERTY TO MINISTER TO THE NEEDS OF THE SAINTS. WHAT A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE TO US.

IF WE ARE BEING TRIED, WE SHOULD FIRST, PRAISE GOD THROUGH IT, AND THEN, TRUST HIM FOR THE OUTCOME.

ALSO, WE SHOULD ASK HIM, “LORD,WHAT CAN I LEARN THROUGH THIS?”

I PROMISE YOU, HE WILL SHOW YOU, AND BRING YOU TO A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW HE WORKS.

JAMES 1:2-4 – MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YE FALL INTO DIVERS TEMPTATIONS  (OR VARIOUS TRIALS):

     KNOWING THIS, THAT THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH WORKETH  (DEVELOPS)  PATIENCE.

     BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT  (COMPLETE) WORK, THAT YE MAY BE PERFECT  (MATURE)  AND ENTIRE, WANTING NOTHING  (OR LACKING NOTHING).

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN GOING THROUGH TRIALS THAT DEVELOPE PATIENCE, AND BEING TEMPTED TO DO EVIL. BEING TEMPTED TO DO EVIL , IS BEING DRAWN AND ENTICED BY YOUR OWN LUST.

GOD DOES NOT TEMPT MAN TO DO EVIL (JAMES 1:13-18).

JAMES 1:12 – BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION:  FOR WHEN HE IS TRIED, HE SHALL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH THE LORD HATH PROMISED TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM.

JAMES TELLS US TO COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN WE FALL INTO TRIALS (VERSE 2), BUT HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT FALLING INTO SIN, HE IS TALKING ABOUT DISCOVERING THAT WE CAN FIND STRENGTH TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION AND ENDURE TRIALS, THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS POWER.

WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER, TRIALS CAN CAUSE HIM OR HER TO BECOME BITTER AND CRITICAL AND LOOSE THE CROWN OF LIFE.

VERSE 12 READS …WHEN HE IS TRIED… THIS SHOULD TELL US  SOMETHING: WE WILL BE TRIED AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES. 

LETS PASS THE TEST THE FIRST TIME, SO WE WON’T HAVE TO TAKE IT OVER AGAIN!!! 

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

NEITHER FEARFUL NOR SELF-SUFFICIENT PART I

| Jeanette

I JOHN 4:18 – THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR: BECAUSE FEAR HATH TORMENT. HE THAT FEARETH IS NOT PERFECT IN LOVE.

FEAR MEANS DREAD, AND TORMENT MEANS TO SUFFER UNBAREABLE PAIN OR PUNISHMENT.

FEAR IS A TORMENT OF THE MIND. GOD REVEALED TO ME THAT FEAR AND WORRY ARE THE WORST THINGS WITH WHICH HIS MINISTERS HAVE TO DEAL. IT CAN PARALIZE. THIS COULD BE EMOTIONALLY OR PHYSICALLY. BOTH CAN BRING ON MANY DISEASES.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF FEAR AND DISEASE ARE PHENOMINAL.

WHAT WE CALL STAGE FRIEGHT, IS JUST AS REVELANT IN MINISTERS AS IT HAS EVER BEEN IN ANY PUBLIC SPEAKER.

ONE OF THE GREATEST RADIO VOICES OF THE PAST, C.M. WARD, WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS.  HE SAID, MANY TIMES BRFORE HE WAS TO SPEAK, HE WOULD SIT IN THE WAITING AREA, AND ASK GOD TO RAPTURE OUT THE CHURCH RIGHT THEN, SO HE WOULDN’T HAVE TO SPEAK.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON OF ALL THE FRIGHTS  IN THE LIFE OF A MINISTER; AND EVEN IN BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO ARE SCHEDULED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.

BUT I FEEL THE MOST DAMAGING KIND OF FEAR IS THE FEAR OF FAILURE. TO FAIL, MEANS TO BE WANTING. THOSE WITH ANY KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY, GET INTO FEAR.    MOSTLY, BECAUSE THEY GET THEIR MINDS OFF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS; AND ON THEIR WEAKNESS.

PSALM 89:33,34 – NEVERTHELESS MY LOVINGKINDNESS WILL I NOT UTTERLY TAKE FROM HIM, NOR SUFFER MY FAITHFULNESS TO FAIL.

      MY COVENANT WILL I NOT BREAK, NOR ALTER THE THING THAT IS GONE OUT OF MY LIPS.

WHOM GOD CALLS, HE EQUIPS!! HE GIVES US ALL THE TOOLS WE NEEP TO PERFORM IN OUR CALLING.

IF WE COULD ONLY UNDERSTAND —NO!, WE CAN’T DO IT,  BUT GOD THROUGH US CAN!

I USED TO SPEAK AT OTHER CHURCHES ON OCCASIONS. BUT LATER ON, I BEGAN TO FEEL THE STRESS OF MINISTRY, AND SAID TO MYSELF, “I’LL JUST SUPPORT MY HUSBAND IN HIS CALLING, AND LET HIM DO THE PREACHING.” I STILL MINISTERED TO PEOPLE AND TAUGHT CLASSES AND BIBLE STUDY, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO WHAT I CALLED ‘MINISTERING OUT, I WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT, AND LEFT IT TO MY HUSBAND.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? ALL THE DOORS CLOSED FOR ME.

I WAS WAS LOOKING AT MY ABILITY, NOT WHAT GOD COULD DO THROUGH ME. FEAR OF FAILURE HAD SET-IN. I WOULD BE ANOINTED AT ONE SERVICE, AND WOULD BE WORRIED THAT THE NEXT TIME I WOULDN’T BE, ESPECIALLY WHEN BEING TAKEN OUT OF MY “COMFORT-ZONE”. I WAS STILL DEPENDING ON MYSELF AND SOMEHOW I GOT MY EYES OFF THE COVENANT I  HAD WITH GOD.

DEUTERONOMY 31:6 – BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, FEAR NOT, NOR BE AFRAID OF THEM: FOR THE LORD THY GOD, HE IT IS THAT DOETH GOOD WITH THEE; HE WILL NOT FAIL THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE.

LUKE 22:32 – I HAVE PRAYED FOR THEE, THAT THY FAITH FAIL NOT…

FEAR AND FAITH ARE OPPOSITE. I DIDN’T REALLY SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH WHAT I WAS DOING. I WAS STILL AS BUSY AS EVER.

I BEGAN SOME YEARS AGO TO JOURNAL. I WOULD WRITE DOWN MY PRAYERSTO GOD, AND HE BAGAN TO SPEAK TO ME. HE WOULD TELL ME HE WANTED TO TAKE ME TO A NEW LEVEL WITH HIM. I WAS TO DEPEND ON HIM. I REALIZED I HAD LET FEAR AND WORRY, AND MY DELIVERY, KEEP ME FORM DOING WHAT HE WANTED OF ME. I WAS SO ASHAMED AND REPENTANT.

HE STARTED WITH A RADIO PROGRAM, “WOMAN OF GOD,” THEN, WRITING AND PUBLISHING THE SCHOOL OF THE BIBLE, AND MINISTERING OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE IN CHURCHES AND PRISONS.

I FOUND OUT, ALL I NEED TO DO IS PREPARE, AND TRUST HIM TO OPEN DOORS. HE GIVES ME THE MESSAGES. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS SPEAK WHAT HE GIVES ME, AND MOVE WHEN HE MOVES. HIS MESSAGE FOR THE HOUR IS ALL HE REQUIRES ME TO SPEAK.

I PRAY, SEEK HIM, AND SOMETIMES FAST, AND HE SHOWS UP, AND THERE IS A DEMONSTRATION OF HIS POWER: FOR HE KNOWS THOSE WHO WILL HEAR, AND HE KNOWS HOW TO REACH EACH PERSON.

THERE IS ALSO A WARNING THAT COMES WITH THE MINISTRY THAT SHOULD BE COVERED, AND THAT IS SELF-SIFFICIENTCY. WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS IN PART II.

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

THE HARVEST

| Jeanette

 

I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE THE GREATEST HARVEST, IN THESE LAST DAYS, THAN EVER BEFORE. I BELIEVE ALSO, THERE WILL BE USED EVEN THE BABES-IN-CHRIST WHO ARE NOT EVEN READY TO GO OUT, BY CHURCH STANDARDS. MORE AND MORE OF GOD’ CHILDREN WILL FEEL THE CALL THAN EVER BEFORE. THE BIGGEST CHURCHES MAY BE INVOLVED; BUT SO WILL THE SMALLER ONE’S WHO DON’T EVEN HAVE A BUDGET TO GO-OUT.

GOD BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME:

“I WILL PROVIDE ALL THEY NEED AND I WILL SEND THEM. MANY WILL STAY HOME AND PRAY, BUT THOSE WILL RECEIVE THE HARVEST JUST AS MUCH AS THOSE I SEND. I AM READY, BUT MY CHILDREN ARE NOT READY. THE FIELD’S ARE ALREADY WHITE  TO HARVEST.

WHY ARE MY PEOPLE NOT READY FOR HARVEST? BECAUSE THEY ARE WAITING FOR ME TO DO IT. THEY WANT TO REST IN ME, BUT THEY DON’T WANT TO PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THAT GREAT HARVEST, WHY DO I CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THEM? BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IS IN MAN. I KNOW THEY HAVE THE DESIRE, BUT TO MUCH OF THIS LIFE CONSUMES THEM. THEY ARE MINE AND I LOVE THEM AND CARE FOR THEM, BUT THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN THE PLAN I HAVE: THAT …NONE SHOULD PERISH… 

I DESIRE MY CHILDREN TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP ME, WHICH THEY DO, BUT I HAVE MORE FOR THEM———IT’S NOT THE BLESSINGS THEY SHOULD BE SEEKING, BUT THE BLESSER; THEN I WOULD GIVE THE CHARGE TO GO. THEY ARE WAITING FOR A SIGN, BUT IF THEY WILL SEEK ME, I WOULD GIVE THEM DIRECTIONS. THEY ARE SO CAUGHT-UP IN THIS LIFE, THEY FORGET WHY I CALL THEM.

MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN…  THERE IS A DOUBLE MEANING HERE. IT IS THE WILL OF THE PERSON INVOLVED. MY PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN SO INVOLVED WITH THE GOING-ON AROUND THEM, THAT THEIR MINDS ARE ON THE THINGS OF THIS LIFE.

AS I GIVE THIS MESSAGE, YOU MIGHT SAY, I’M NOT ONE OF THEM. WELL, I SAY YOU ARE! YOU HAVE A MIND-SET TOWARD TODAY! WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO; AND TOMORROW WHATMYOU MARE PLANNING. I SAY TO YOU…TOMORROW WILL TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS OF ITSELF…TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION…  OF SOME WHO WILL NOT LIVE THROUGH TOMORROW.

SOULS ARE IN THEBALANCE.

WHAT ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCALES FOR YOUR LIFE?

WHY THIS MESSAGE? BECAUSE I WANT MY OWN TO WAKE-UP TO THE FACT THAT I WILL NOT ALLOW THISN EARTH TO STAND FOREVER. I HAVE MY PLANS FOR THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH AND THE LAST SOUL TO COME IS HOLDING BACK. WHEN IT…WILL LET…  IT WILL BE TIME FOR MY COMING. I HAVE YOU HERE TO BRING IN THE HARVEST SO THAT LAST SOUL WILL BE WON; SO I CAN LIVE ETERNALLY WITH MY OWN.

TO SET THIS IN MOTION, I WANT MY OWN TO WOK IN THE VINYARD. THE HARVEST TRULY IS READY, BUT THE LABORERS ARE STILL FEW. PRAY THE LORD OF THE HARVEST WILL SEND LABORERS INTO THE WHITE FIELDS.

I WILL CLOSE THE HARVEST, WHEN ALL IS READY.

YOU ARE TO GIVE THIS MESSAGE, AND GIVE MY OWN THE WARNING TO ALL WHO WILL HEAR. MY OWN WILL UNDERSTAND AND QUIT WAITING FOR A GREATER REVELATION; BUT SOME WILL SAY, TOMORROW I WILL CONTINUE WITNESSING, WHEN THEY MIGHT NOT OPEN THEIR EYES TO TOMORROW. GO AHEAD, CHILDREN, GET YOUR HOUSE IN OODER, BUT DO FIRST THINGS FIRST. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MANY MISSED OPPORTUNITIES HAVE PASSED.

THIS IS WHY MY ENEMIES HAVE GOTTON SO MUCH ATTENTION. THEY CONTINUE TO KEEP SO MUCH STIRRED-UP, THAT MY OWN CHILDREN HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN THE BATTLE INSTEAD OF ALLOWING ME, AND ASKING ME TO FIGHT THOSE BATTLES.

YOU ARE TO PRESENT THIS MESSAGE WHEREVER I OPEN THE DOOR.

I JUST NEED MY OWN TO SEEK ME DAILY; AND ALL AROUND THEM WILL CHANGE.

THEY WILL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY TODAY.

BE GOD-CONSCIOUS AND NOT MADE-TO-BE WORLD CONSCIOUS.

I HAVE SENT YOU IN THE WORLD FOR A MISSION FOR ME. DON’T TAKE UP THE WORLD’S MISSION. THE WORLD’S MISION IS EARTHLY; MINE IS ETERNAL. ETERNAL LIFE SHOULD SHOULD BE YOUR MAIN CONCERN AND I WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST.

MUCH IS DONE BY THIS ONE AND THAT ONE TO FIGHT THE BATTLES IN COUNTRIES, WHICH, GOOD FOR THEIR CALLING IS THIS; BUT MY HARVEST IS THE CENTER OF MY CREATION. MY REASON FOR CREATING MINISTRY , IS SOULS IN THE BALANCE.

TOUCH HEARTS. I WILL GET THEIR ATTENTION BY THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; BUT YOU HAVE TO BE IN LINE WITH ME TO RECEIVE THE MESSAGE THAT WILL BRING THEM IN. 

GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF CHRISTIANITY.

GET BACK TO MY WAY OF DOING THINGS.

THOSE WHO SEEK, KNOCK, AND ASK , RECEIVE MY DOORS OPEN FOR THEM.

ASK ME, SEEK ME, AND KNOCK.

I AM WAITING!”

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Roy Porter, Services

The Tried

| LMCI

The subject of today’s message is: THE TRIED.
Our Scripture reading is found in Psalm 66. We will start with verse 8.

How can anyone who has not been tried speak of such a thing?
Well, no one who has not been tried can even understand this message until they have had this experience.
Being tried is not the easiest part of being a child of God.
We are tried by the use of family, friends, Church members, and by enemies to the Gospel.
We are tried by our own imaginations going wild.
We are tried by our reactions to situations.
We are always on the battlefield as we serve the Lord. But all we have to remember is, 1 Samuel 17:47b —-the battle is the Lord’s.
We don’t have to fight our battles.

Trials come, my friend; they come, but we should remember trials are like a tunnel. They have a beginning and an end. We can see light at the end of a tunnel. When we are going through them, we see nothing but darkness, but we as Christians, still have the sense that we are still moving: we are in place, moving forward.
It’s like the times when we are in the middle of being tried, that we realize how powerful the grace of God really is: how He is in charge, because we have no strength on our own, our trust cannot be in the flesh.
Flesh won’t help, it has to be God who is carrying us through.

Look at Psalm 66:8-12 —-O bless our God, ye His people, and make the voice of His praise be heard:
which holdeth our soul in life (which implies a previous condition of great danger), and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
For Thou, O God, hast proved (or tested) us; hast tried us as silver is tried.
Silver, according to ancient methods, required a prolonged process of refining before it could be pronounced pure, so you could say it this way, “You, through a long process, have purified us with fire.”
Verse 11,12 —-Thou broughtest us into the net (or into a dungeon or stronghold); Thou laidest affliction upon our loins (The meaning is, You crushed us down under a heavy weight of oppression, or laid great burdens on our backs).
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through the fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
Men came against us to harm us, but in the end, You brought us out into wealth and great abundance, a place of refreshment, a place of liberty.

Look at verse 16-20 —- Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.
I cried unto Him with my mouth, and He was extolled (or celebrated) with my tongue.
In all these verses, it seems the Psalmist has been through a terrible trial. He began to praise God with His mouth and tell others how God brought him out but. But God did more than just bring him out of this trial, He moved Him into a place of refreshment, a place of liberty, a place of blessing. He was elevated into another level with God by the passing of this great trial.
I have been told when we are tried, and don’t pass the test of endurance, and trust God to fight our battle: by this, I mean, we take it into our own hands —- we will at some point in life, have to take this same test over again.
It is much better for us to go ahead and watch God move on our behalf, and wait it out, and let God get the victory for us, than to have to face this again.
You who have never been through a trial, don’t know what I’m talking about, but you will face one at some point and time as you serve the Lord.

2 Corinthians 8:2 —- How that in a great trial of affliction (or in a time of much trouble) the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto their riches of their great liberality.
Paul is writing a letter to the Corinthians to inform them of how the Macedonian Churches who were going through a time of great trouble, were still filled with joy that they could be in an overflow of giving to the Churches in Jerusalem.
Many of us who are going through a great trial, whether it be physical or financial, whatever it is, could learn from these Macedonians. They were only acting on the principles of the promises of God.
They didn’t allow Satan to steal their joy, and they were sowing an offering against their own poverty to minister to the needs of the saints.
What a wonderful example to us.
If we are being tried, we should first praise God through it, and then trust Him for the outcome. Also we should ask Him, “Lord, what can I learn through this?”
I promise, He will show you, and bring you to a greater understanding of how He works.
Let’s go to James 1:2-4 —-My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (or various trials):
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh (or develops) patience.
But let patience have her perfect (or complete) work, that ye may be perfect (or mature) and entire (or finished), wanting nothing (or lacking nothing).
There is a difference in going through trials that develops patience, and being tempted to do evil. Being tempted to do evil, is being drawn and enticed by your own lust. God does not tempt man to do evil (James 1:13-18), but look at Verse 12 —-Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.
James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into trials (Verse 2), but he is not talking about falling into sin, He is talking about discovering that we can find strength to overcome temptation and endure trials, through the love of God and His power. Without the power of God in the life of a believer, trials can cause him to become bitter and critical and lose the crown of life.
Verse 12 reads, …for when he is tried… This should tell us something, we will be tried at some point in our lives.

God knows men’s ways
In Job 23:10, Job is talking —- but He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job is saying He knows every detail of what is happening to me, and when He hath tried me: when He has examined me, I will come forth as gold: He will pronounce me completely innocent.
God does reprove Job and humble him through this trial, but Job comes out the better for it.
Look at Job 42:12a —-So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: and Verse 10 says …the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before…Which brings us back to Psalm 66:12 again —- Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. And Verse 10 —-For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us as silver is tried.

The trying of our faith is of great value to us in our relationship with God. It brings us to a place of humility and trust that we as humans can’t seem to learn and grow without.
We will finish this message with Revelation 3:18 —-Jesus is talking here—-I counsel thee (or advise you) to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
What is He talking about here? Is he telling us to buy something material from Him? No. He is telling us we are to learn as much as we can through the trials we go through in life, and consider them as gold for our growth in righteousness.
Jesus tells us that those He dearly and tenderly loves, He tells them their faults and convicts and convinces and reproves and chastens them. He disciplines and instructs them. So we are to be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent: changing our minds and attitudes (From Verse 19).
We can learn by living every thing the Word tells us, or we will have to learn by experience through trials by fire.
Which-ever way we choose, we still have to learn one way or the other. It seems to me most people have to learn the hard way.
Then we can call ourselves, THE TRIED.

Pray this prayer with me:
Lord, forgive me for doing it my way. Help me to learn what Your Word says and do it, so I won’t have to learn everything through being tried. Show me what you want me to learn from the trials I have already been through and the one I’m in now. I submit to you and humble myself before You. I repent of self-dependence. I now depend on You.
Use me and help me grow so I can be what You intended me to be in Your kingdom. Thank You, Father.

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Articles, Other Writers

FROM PRISON TO THE PULPIT PART II

| Roy

IN CONTINUING, “FROM PRISON TO THE PULPIT PART I”, I FIND MYSELF STILL IN A PRISON, BUT THIS IS A STATE INSTITUTION CALLED PERRY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, INSTEAD OF FEDERAL.

A GOOD FRIEND, WHO WAS ONCE AN “ACQUAINTANCE IN CRIME”, ZEB OSBORNE, WAS ON THE YARD AS A PRISON MINISTER, AND WE STARTED TALKING OLD TIMES AND OUR PAST.

I NOTICED SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT HIM. HE NEVER MENTIONED HE HAD GOTTEN SAVED, OR THAT I WAS ON MY WAY TO HELL. 

I THOUGHT HE HAD A POSITION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, SO I ASKED HIM TO HELP ME GET TRANSFERRD TO A BETTER INSTITUTION. HE DID, AND I WAS TRANSFERRED TO DUTCHMAN, AND THEN TO GOODMAN WHICH WAS AND IS A MEDIUM SECURITY INSTITUTION.

I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AT THE TIME, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS DRAWING ME INTO THE CHURCH SERVICES PROVIDED BY VOLUNTEERS. ON MARCH THE 12TH, 1986, LIBERTY MINISTRIES CAME TO STEVENSON INSTITUTION FOR A CHURCH SERVICE THAT NIGHT.

I RODE IN THE PRISON TO STEVENSON CHURCH SERVICE MANY TIMES. WHEN THE ALTER CALL WAS MADE, I WOULD WANT TO GO DOWN TO THE ALTER, BUT MY HANDS WOULDN’T LET ME TURN LOOSE OF THE PEW IN FRONT OF ME. BUT THIS NIGHT, I LET GO, AND GAVE MY HEART TO JESUS.

WHEN I DID, THERE WAS DEFFINATELY A CHANGE IN MY LIFE. THE LORD PUT A HUNGER FOR HIS WORD IN MY HEART. WHEN I RETURNED BACK TO GOODMAN, AFTER THE SERVICE, I TOOK A PAPERBACK BOOK AND STUCK IT IN THE BLINDS TO CAUSE AN OPENING IN THE WINDOW FOR THE STREET LIGHT TO SHINE THROUGH. THIS WAS SO I COULD READ MY BIBLE. I READ MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE,  JOHN AND A PORTION OF ACTS.

SOMEHOW, I KNEW GOD HAD MORE FOR ME.

WHEN I WENT BACK TO CHURCH, MARCH THE 21ST, LIBERTY MINISTRIES WAS THERE AGAIN. PASTOR ROY PORTER JUST HAPPENED TO BE PREACHING ON THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST, AND I RECEIVED THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST THAT NIGHT. AND I TELL YOU, LIFE DON’T GET ANY BETTER THAN BEING SAVED AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY GJOST.

THINGS REALLY STARTED CHANGING IN MY LIFE. I WAS GOING UP FOR PAROLE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, SO I PRAYED ABOUT IT. MY FRIEND ZEB OSBORNE, SPOKE ON MY BEHALF AT THE PAROLE HEARING. THEY TOLD HIM HE WOULD NOT BE MAKING PAROLE. SO HE CAME OUT AND TOLD ME THAT NEWS, AND I TOLD HIM, “I DON’T ACCEPT THAT.” THEN IT WAS MY TURN TO GOD BEFORE THE PAROLE BOARD. I ANSWERED THEIR QUESTIONS. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY GAVE ME MY PAROLE!!!

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS WAS NOT MY FIRST TIME TO ASK THE LORD IN MY HEART: I WAS WAITING A NEW TRIAL FOR BANK ROBBERY, WHILE I WAS IN JAIL. I WAS READING THE BIBLE, OCCASIONALLY. THERE WERE NO PREACHERS COMING IN, SO I MOSTLY JUST READ. I THOUGHT I HAD GIVEN MY LIFE TO THE LORD, BUT IT WAS LIKE ALL THE TIMES I ASKED THE LORD TO HELP ME, AND I’D NEVER DO IT AGAIN, BUT I DID DO IT AGAIN.

I WAS JUST WANTING HIM TO HELP ME OUT OF A SITUATION.

IT’S WHAT YOU HEAR ABOUT A LOT, “JAILHOUSE SALVATION.” IT DOESN’T STICK. YOU ARE STILL ON YOUR WAY TO HELL, I’M SORRY TO SAY.

BUT IT HAS TO BE THE REAL DEAL.

WHEN I GOT OUT OF PRISON, GOD REALLY STARTED MOVING I MY LIFE. SOMEONE WAS PAYING FOR MY COLLEGE TUITION AT ERSKINE THEOLOGICAL SIMINARY. I WENT ONE SEMESTER AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD EXPELLED ANOTHER STUDENT WHO WAS WORKING ON HIS MINISTRY LISCENSE FOR PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST, AND I KNEW IT WASN’T THE PLACE FOR ME TO BE, SO I LEFT.

I WAS AT HOME ON MY KNEES PRAYING AND WORSHIPPING AND ASKING GOD TO SEND A COMPANION IN MY LIFE. I HAD NOR MORE THAT GOT THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH, THAN I HEARD A KNOCK AT THE FRONT DOOR. IT WAS MY EXWIFE. WE HAD BEEN DIVORCED 14 YEARS. SHE WAS SAVED, AND LIVING FOR THE LORD. WE SHORTLY REMARRIED. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS, I WAS PRAYING AND ASKED THE LORD FOR A SON: THREE WEEKS LATER I FOUND OUT SHE WAS PREGNANT. IN ABOUT 3 OR 4 MONTHS, I FOUND OUT IT WAS A BOY. GOD IS GOOD.

GOD PLACED ME IN A MINISTRY OF GOING BACK INTO THE PRISONS TO MINISTER TO THE INMATES OF ALL AGES.

GOD HAS TAKEN ME TO PLACES I NEVER DREAMED I WOULD GO. I HAVE MINISTED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 10 TIMES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. WHAT A JOY IT HAS BEEN TO SEE PEOPLE GET SAVED AND HEALED.

I HAVE A TRIP COMING UP JANUARY 2011 TO GO BACK TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. I NEED YOUR PRAYERS. 

I AM OPEN TO GO INTO PRISONS, CHURCHES, AND OTHER COUNTRIES AS THE LORD LEADS AND PROVIDES.

O HOW WONDERFUL IT IS FOR YOU IF JESUS IS IN YOUR HEART!! AND IF YOU DON’T KNOW JESUS, YOU CAN ASK HIM TO COME INTO YOUR HEART AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE. REALLY MEAN IT AND HE WILL COME IN. IT WOULD BE THE GREATEST THING YOU COULD EVER DO.

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