Liberty Ministries Church Intl

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

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.