Tag: feet

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.

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Articles, Roy Porter

I’M FIXING TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU

| Roy

These are  two prophecies in one: Given through Pastor Roy Porter, June 27, 2010, Sunday Evening Service, five minutes apart.

Sometimes we think, God do You remember Me?

He says – I’m fixing to bring up something, a memorial. A memorial, a memorial for you. A memorial is coming before Me. I’m fixing to do something for you. I’ve seen how you have served Me. I’ve  seen how you lived for Me under stress and great distress. But you have been faithful to Me. There has been times when you felt you couldn’t go any further. There has been times when the enemy would wisper to you to give up. And you nearly buckled under. You nearly was sifted under the strain you were under. But you came back to Me. You came to my Word. You came back to pray and you didn’t turn away. But you turned towards Me.

And the Spirit of the Lord said,

I will never forget that,  for a memorial has come up and you will see a blessing. You will see a blessing that you did not even expect. For I will bless you in the middle, in the middle, in the middle, of your  attack. And I will raise you up in front of those who have talked about you and criticized you. And I will raise you up, and they shall know that I raised you up, because you have been faithful to Me.You have prayed and you have sought My face and you have done it with great tears and anguish sometimes. But you have been true to Me. And I will bless you sayest the Lord.

5 Minutes later, the next prophecy began:

Yea, sayest the Lord; Yea, sayest the Lord. The anointing will increase in your life this year. My anointing will touch you.  And My anointing will flow through and you will be amazed at what is being poured out upon you. For others shall see it. The gift that I impart into your life will be seen by others. The victory that I will impart in your life will be seen by others, and you shall minister to others.  And you shall minister with the authority that you have never had before, that you have never walked in before, a level that you have never dreamed that would be upon your life. And I will use you. I will use you and the world may not know you but I  know you and I will use you in a measure that you have never been used in before.  And because of the attacks that you have been under and because of all the pressure that you have been under and you have been true to Me. You will not be prideful but you will be humble as I use you. And you have learned wisdom in all your distress. In all the attacks you have learned wisdom. You have learned to walk in My wisdom sayest the Lord.  And I will use you and you shall not fall. You shall not go to the right nor to the left, but you will walk with Me. And you will go straight and you shall not lift yourself before others. You will give me the glory.  You will give Me the praise. Because you have been humble and you have looked to me and you have walked through this, I will raise you up, Sayest the Lord God.

Hallelujah!

And I will put My glory in you, and your glory shall spread out across wherever you walk. Your feet shall be beautiful. 

Hallelujah!

And the anointing that’s on you shall touch many.

Hallelujah!     

 

 

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

REVELATION OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

| Jeanette

While spending my special precious time with the Lord one morning, I was praying about the need of those to take their place in the body of Christ. While praying, God began to inspire me to write.

I call it:

 REVELATION OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

     Take My anointing with you wherever you go. Make Me known in a manifest way to those you minister. Make Me the shield of faith on your body mind and spirit.

     I shield your heart and vital organs. I shield My heart in you, My vital organs of those who trust in Me. I shield them, they are Mine to use . They walk for me, they run for Me. They are My possession.

      Do you understand what I mean?  – The vital organs, when they stop, My body (the body of Christ) dies.

     There are vital organs in the Church, in the body of Christ. They have My heart, they have My blood, they have My Church in operation.

     The kidneys take out impurities and so does the spleen.There are organs in My body, if they don’t function like they should, the whole body lays down. Do you understand what I mean?

     No, Lord, not exactly, I ask you to please show me.

     Well, you see your fingers, they are visible to you. You see your eyes, feet, and toes. You can see all the visible parts that show, but you can’t see vital organs without ex ray processes. I will teach you what I mean. There are those who have the heart of God operating inside of them. God doesn’t need just the head and the other parts of the body but He needs the heart to be a place where He can operate.

     Take for instance: You have heard the saying, “My heart was just not in that.” Well, it means: I went through the motions, my other parts were involved, even my mind, but my heart was not involved. Why do you think the heart was not involved?

     I will tell you why this is true in the body of Christ, It’s because the heart of man is not ready to receive the heart of God as their source. They say they know Me, they say they love Me but the other parts are  so busy doing what the mind, the intellect is saying to do, and not listening to the heart. No man can know their own heart until they know My heart.

     My heart is pure. May the body of Christ listen to my heart, cultivate My heart to become one with their heart, then My blood will flow in My body and all the vital parts will be shielded with My shield that faith brings. Faith in My heart, faith in Me.

     I don’t want My body to struggle to keep things going, I want them to have the God kind of heart that is pure and pumping good circulation to the body so My Body will move freely to others the heart of God.

    

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Articles, Roy Porter

GOD TIMING CHRISTIAN

| Roy

GENESIS 21:2

FOR SARAH CONCEIVED, AND BARE ABRAHAM A SON IN HIS OLD AGE, AT THE SET TIME OF WHICH GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM.

SARAH COULD HAVE CONCEIVED 25 YEARS SOONER, BUT THAT WASN’T IN GOD’S TIMING.

ABRAHAM’S FAITH HAD TO BE TESTED. GOD KNEW HOW HE WOULD SCORE, HE KNEW THE GRADE OF HIS REPORT CARD.

ABRAHAM  FATHERED AN ISHMAEL BEFORE HE FATHERED AN ISSAC. 

HE MISSED GOD’S TIMING, I HAVE MISSED GOD’S TIMING, I KNEW WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT, BUT MISSED GOD’S TIMING.

THIS CAN CAUSE CONFUSION AND DOUBT.

MOSES MISSED GOD’S TIMING, HE FELT THE CALL AND KNEW HIS PURPOSE, BUT HE MISSED GOD’S TIMING.

BUT PRAISE THE LORD AFTER WILDERNESS UNIVERSITY, HE RECEIVED A BURNING BUSH DEGREE. WHAT A MAN OF GOD MOSES WAS.

JOSEPH HAD A DREAM THAT HE WAS A LEADER OF THE FAMILY, THEY WOULD ALL BOW DOWN TO HIM. THIS DREAM WAS FROM GOD, BUT JOSEPH’S TIMING WAS OFF. IT WOULD HAPPEN OVER 20 YEARS LATER.  GOD’S TIMING. JOSEPH MUST BE TESTED. THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS TRIED. BETWEEN THE TRYING THERE IS CRYING SOMETIMES. BUT THE BLESSING IS WORTH THE WAITING.  GOD GIVES GREAT GIFTS TO THOSE WHO WAIT ON HIS TIMING.

DAVID WAS ANOINTED KING OF ISRAEL, BUT HE WAS FORCED TO WAIT ON GOD’S TIMING. BUT WHAT A KING DAVID WAS, HE WAS A MAN AFTER GOD’S HEART. HE WAITED PATIENTLY, WHILE KING SAUL TRIED TO KILL HIM. BUT GOD RAISED DAVID UP AND MADE HIM KING.

OUR LORD JESUS WAITED FROM BIRTH IN THE FLESH, UNTIL HIS MINISTRY BEGAN ON EARTH 30 YEARS LATER. JESUS IS NOW WAITING IN HEAVEN FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF HIS MINISTRY, WHICH WILL BE HIS RETURN TO EARTH TO PUT DOWN ALL OF HIS ENEMIES, UNDER HIS FEET, AND SET UP HIS THOUSAND YEAR  REIGN ON EARTH. 

GOD HAS SOMETHING GREAT FOR US IF WE WILL WAIT ON HIS TIMING.

GALATIANS 6:9

AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON (TIME) WE  SHALL REAP, IF WE FAINT NOT.   

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Articles, Roy Porter

NO MISSING LINK HERE

| Roy

 

PSALMS 16:10,11 –  FOR THOU WILT NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HELL: NEITHER WILT THOU SUFFER THINE HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION.

THY WILT SHEW ME THE PATH OF LIFE: IN THY PRESENCE IS FULNESS OF JOY: AT THY RIGHT HAND THERE ARE PLEASURES EVERMORE.

JESUS IS SPEAKING THROUGH DAVID, BY THE ANOINTING, CONCERNING HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION.

THE FATHER WILL RESURRECT THE BODY OF JESUS THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

JESUS TOLD THE UNBELIVING, RELIGIOUS CRITICS, AS JONAH STAYED IN THE BELLY OF THE FISH 3 DAYS AND NIGHTS, SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN STAY IN GRAVE 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS. HIS EARTHLY BODY WILL NOT SEE CORRUPTION. THE GRAVE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD HIM. JESUS WILL CONQUER DEATH AND THE GRAVE, HE WILL RIP APART SATANS AUTHORITY.

THE PATH OF LIFE WAS GIVEN TO THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS AT HIS RESURRECTION, ALSO FOR ALL OF US BELIVERS WHEN JESUS RETURNS FOR HIS CHURCH, THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST, AND THEN THOSE ALIVE SHALL BE CHANGED TO A GLORFIED BODY.

THE OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS IN THE PROMISED MESSIAH, WHO’S  BODIES WERE IN THE GRAVE, WERE RESURRECTED AT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

MATT 27:52,53 – AND THE GRAVES WERE OPENED, AND MANY BODIES OF THE SAINTS WHICH SLEPT AROSE.

AND CAME OUT OF THE GRAVES AFTER HIS RESURRECTION AND WENT INTO THE HOLY CITY, AND APPEARED UNTO MANY.

THIS WAS DONE FOR A WITNESS TO THE CITY OF JERUSALEM, THAT JESUS WAS THE SON OF GOD. WHAT MERCY.

DEATH COULD NOT HOLD JESUS, AND DEATH COULD NOT HOLD THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS, WHO DIED LOOKING FOR THE MESSIAH.

IN THE BOOK OF LUKE CHAPTER SIXTEEN, WE SEE A MAN THAT WENT TO HEAVEN AND WE SEE A MAN WHO WENT TO HELL. THERE WAS ACTUALLY AT THAT TIME TWO COMPARTMENTS IN THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, WHICH WAS SEPERATE FROM EACH OTHER. ONE COMPARTMENT WAS A PLACE TO TORMENT, FOR THE WICKED DEAD, THE OTHER COMPARTMENT WAS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD. THERE WAS A GULF THAT SEPERATED THEM. WHEN JESUS WENT INTO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, HE PREACHED TO THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD CONCERNING WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

LUKE 16:23  –  AND IN HELL (EVIL MAN) HE LIFT UP HIS EYES, BEING IN TORMENTS, AND SEETH ABRAHAM AFAR OFF, AND LAZARUS IN HIS BOSOM.

JESUS TOLD THIS TRUE STORY BEFORE HE WAS CRUCIFIED. IT IS EVIDENT THERE WERE 2 COMPARTMENTS IN HADES: ONE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD, THE OTHER FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS DEAD.

NOAH, ABRAHAM, ISSAC, JACOB, DAVID, AND MANY MORE, WERE THERE. DAVID WAS PROPHESYING OF THIS EVENT IN PSALMS SIXTEEN. ALL OF THESE WERE WAITING ON THE COMING MESSIAH AND THE RESSURECTION OF THERE BODIES.

JOB19:25,26 – FOR I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVETH, AND THAT HE SHALL STAND AT THE LATTER DAY UPON THE EARTH:

AND THOUGH AFTER MY SKIN WORMS DESTROY THIS BODY, YET IN MY FLESH SHALL I SEE GOD.

JOB WAS GIVEN BY GOD, THE REVELATION OF MESSIAH AND RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. JOB IS ACTUALLY THE OLDEST BOOK IN THE BIBLE.

ISAIAH 26:19  –  THY DEAD MEN SHALL LIVE, TOGETHER WITH MY DEAD BODY SHALL THEY ARISE. AWAKE AND SING, YE THAT DWELL IN DUST: FOR THE DEW IS AS THE DEW OF HERBS, AND THE EARTH SHALL CAST OUT THE DEAD.

ISAIAH HAD THIS REVELATION FROM GOD OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. JESUS IS ACTUALLY SPEAKING THROUGH ISAIAH IS THIS VERSE. JESUS SAID THE DEAD SHALL ARISE TOGETHER WITH MY DEAD BODY.

OUR FAITH WOULD BE IN VAIN WITHOUT A RESURRECTION, BUT OUR FAITH IS NOT IN VAIN BECAUSE JESUS IS THE FIRST TO EVERY RESURRECT FROM THE DEAD. HE PREDICTED HE WOULD ARISE FROM THE DEAD AND HE DID.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-26 – BUT NOW IS CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD, AND BECOME THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THEM THAT SLEPT (DIED).

FOR SINCE BY MAN CAME DEATH, BY MAN CAME ALSO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. (FIRST – ADAM, LAST ADAM – JESUS)

FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, EVEN SO IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE.

BUT EVERY MAN IN HIS OWN ORDER; CHRIST THE FIRSTFRUITS; AFTERWARD THEY THAT ARE CHRIST’S AT HIS COMING. (NEW TESTAMENT  BELIEVERS)

THEN COMETH THE END, WHEN HE SHALL HAVE DELIVERED UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD, EVEN THE FATHER; WHEN HE SHALL HAVE PUT DOWN ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY AND POWER. ( END OF THOUSAND YEAR REIGN ON EARTH.)

FOR HE MUST REIGN, TILL HE HATH PUT ALL ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET.

THE LAST ENEMY THAT SHALL BE DESTROYED IS DEATH.

JESUS SAID I AM THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE. AT THIS MONENT HE IS IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER, SITTING AT HIS RIGHT HAND. WAITING FOR THE HARVEST, KNOWING THAT HE WILL RETURN FOR HIS CHURCH, AND THE RESURRECTION OF THOSE WHO DIED IN CHRIST.     

1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18 – BUT I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU IGNORANT, BRETHREN, CONCERNING THEM WHICH ARE ASLEEP (BODY IN GRAVE, SPIRIT AND SOUL WITH JESUS), THAT YOU SORROW NOT, EVEN AS OTHERS WHICH HAVE NO HOPE.

FOR IF WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED AND ROSE AGAIN, EVEN SO THEM  ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING WITH THEM.

FOR THIS WE SAY UNTO TO YOU BY THE WORD OF THE LORD, THAT WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD SHALL NOT PREVENT THEM WHICH ARE ASLEEP.

FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD: AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST.

THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR: AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD.

WHEREFORE COMFORT ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS.

NO MISSING LINK HERE, GOD KNOWS ALL THE FUTURE,  HE PLANNED IT. HE CREATED THE EARTH AND ALL WE SEE. ACCEPT JESUS AS YOU SAVIOUR, HE LOVES YOU, IF YOU REJECT HIM AFTER ALL THE PROOF IN HIS WORD, AND HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, YOU ARE LOST AND WITHOUT HOPE. PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS. REPENT AND ASK JESUS TO COME INTO YOUR HEART BY FAITH. HE LOVES YOU, BUT IF YOU DIE WITHOUT HIM, HE WILL JUDGE YOU. HE CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND OR YOUR WORST ENEMY. YOU CHOOSE, RESURRECTION WITH THE RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST OR THE RESURRECTION OF UNRIGHTEOUS DEAD WITHOUT CHRIST.     

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Articles, Jeanette Porter

THE TRIED

| Jeanette

BEING TRIED IS NOT THE EASIEST PART OF BEING A CHILD OF GOD.

WE ARE TRIED MANY TIMES BY THE USE OF FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, CHURCH MEMBERS, AND ENEMIES OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

WE ARE TRIED BY OUR OWN IMAGINATIONS GOING WILD.

WE ARE TRIED BY BY OUR REACTIONS TO CERTAIN SITUATIONS.

WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE BATTLEFIELD AS WE SERVE THE LORD. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS, I 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. BUT WHILE GOING THROUGH A TUNNEL, THERE IS DARKNESS BEFORE THE LIGHT.

BUT AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE THE SENSE THAT WE ARE STILL MOVENG FORWARD, NO MATTER HOW DARK IT MAY SEEM.

THIS IS LIKE THE TIMES WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF BEING TRIED. WE REALIZE HOW POWERFUL THE GRACE OF GOD REALLY IS: HOW HE IS IN CHARGE, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO STRENGTH OF OUR OWN.

OUR TRUST CANNOT BE THE FLESH; FLESH WON’T HELP: IT HAS TO BE GOD WHO IS CARRYING US THROUGH.

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, AND SUFFERETH NOT OUR FEET TO BE MOVED.

FOR THOU O GOD, HAST PROVED US; HAS 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.”

VERSES 11,12 – THOU BROUGHTEST US INTO THE NET; THOU LAIDEST AFFLICTION UPON OUR LOINS. 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. 

THE MEANING IS, YOU CRUSHED US DOWN UNDER A HEAVY WEIGHT, OR LAID GREAT BURDENS ON OUR BACKS. 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.

VERSES 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 GO WITH HIS MOUTH AND TELL OTHERS HOW GOD BROUGHT HIM OUT.

BUT GOD DID MORE THAN JUST BRING HIM OUT OF HIS 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 BELIEVE THIS HAPPENS TO US AFTER WE HAVE BEEN TRIED.

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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.

    

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