WORDS

PROVERBS 18:21 – DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE: AND THEY THAT LOVE IT SHALL EAT THE FRUIT THEREOF  (OR PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM SAYING THE WRONG THING).

PROVERBS 17:27a, 28 – HE THAT HATH KNOWLEDGE SPARETH HIS WORDS:

EVEN A FOOL, WHEN HE HOLDETH HIS PEACE, IS COUNTED WISE: AND HE THAT SHUTTETH HIS LIPS IS ESTEEMED A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING  (OR IT PAYS HIM OR HER TO KEEP THEIR MOUTH SHUT).

I HEARD FROM SOME SOURCE: EVERY PERSON HAS APPROXIMATELY 27,000 IN THEM TO SPEAK EVERY DAY.

I DON’T KNOW IF THAT IS TRUTH OR NOT, BUT SOMETIMES WE ARE AROUND THOSE, WHO SEEM TO USE ALL THEIR WORDS UP ON YOU AT ONE CONVERSATION.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

OF COURSE YOU DO.

WE DON’T REALLY MIND, THOUGH, IF IT IS EDIFYING AND UPLIFTING.

CREATION IS IN EXISTENCE BECAUSE OF THE SPOKEN WORD, OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.

ALL THROUGH THE FIRST CHAPTER OF GENESIS, WE READ: AND GOD SAID…

SO WE MUST COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WORDS ARE POWERFUL AND CREATIVE, WHEN SPOKEN.

WHEN ADAM AND EVE SINNED, THE FIRST NEGATIVE WORD WAS SPOKEN BY ADAM. ADAM SAID IN GENESIS 3:1 – I WAS AFRAID…

RIGHT THEN AND THERE , THE SPIRIT OF FEAR WAS SPOKEN INTO EXISTENCE.

SO, SOMETHING CHANGED IN OUR SPOKEN WORDS WHEN SIN CAME INTO THE WORLD.

WE ALREADY HAD THE POSITIVE WORDS; BUT HERE CAME THE NEGATIVE.

MATTHEW 12:37 – FOR BY THY WORDS THOU SHALT BE JUSTIFIED  (OR AQUITTED),  AND BY THY WORDS THOU SHALT BE CONDEMNED  (OR SENTENCED).

WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS, “GUILTY,” IT MEANS SOMETHING. WOULDN’T YOU AGREE?

WE CHOOSE WHAT HAPPENS AROUND US, AT TIMES, BY THE WORDS WE SPEAK ABOUT OURSELVES AND OTHERS.

AS WORDS ARE SPOKEN OVER US, WE CAN RECEIVE THEM OR REJECT THEM. 

BECAUSE WE LIVE IN SUCH A NEGATIVE SOCIETY, THOUGH, MOST PEOPLE ACCEPT THE NEGATIVE. I FEEL LIKE MANY OF YOU CAN RELATE TO THAT STATEMENT. I KNOW I CAN.

OUR CHILDREN HAVE WORDS FOLLOWING THEM WE SPOKE OVER THEM SINCE BIRTH, AND THEY REMAIN AROUND THEM, FOLLOWING THEM, WHEREVER THEY GO, UNTIL THEY RECEIVE THEM, OR REJECT THEM.

I HAVE HEARD, THAT SPOKEN WORDS ARE LIKE SOUND WAVES: AFTER THEY ARE RELEASED, THEY STAY IN THE AIR UNTIL THEY ARE PICKED-UP BY A RECEIVER.

IF WE COULD SEE IN THE SPIRIT WORLD, WE COULD SEE THOSE ACTUAL WORDS, SPOKEN OVER US, REMAINING IN THE AIR, FOLLOWING US AROUND: CURSES AND BLESSINGS.

OUR PARENTS DIDN’T, AND WE DON’T PURPOSE TO SPEAK CURSES OVER OUR CHILDREN. WE JUST DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING.

LET’S CHANGE THE WORDS WE SPEAK ABOUT, OR OVER OTHERS. ASK GOD TO HELP YOU, AND HE WILL.

 

 

*WATCH FOR: WORDS PART II  

 

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LYING THOUGHTS

THIS MESSAGE TODAY INVOLVES EVERY PERSON ON THE PLANET EARTH.

AS THIS MESSAGE UNFOLDS, YOU WILL BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD’S THOUGHTS ARE NOT OURS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE.

THE WORD THOUGHT IS DEFINED AS THE REASONING OF THE MIND; LYING, AS THE MANIFESTATION OF UNTRUTH.

SO, LYING THOUGHTS COULD BE EXPLAINED THIS WAY: MANIFESTATIONS OF UNTRUTHS BY THE REASONING OF THE MIND. OUR MINDS SEEM TO BE INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING WE SAY OR DO.

IN ROMANS 12:1,2 WE ARE TOLD TO PRESENT OUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, AND NOT TO BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLDS WAY OF THINKING, BUT TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS: THAT WE MAY DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS  …THAT GOOD, AND ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD.

SO TO STOP THINKING LYING THOUGHTS, WE HAVE TO RENEW OUR MINDS TO THE WORD OF GOD, AND NOT HOW THE WORLD THINKS.

 II CORINTHIANS 10:4,5 –   (FOR THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL, BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS;)

     CASTING DOWN EVERY IMAGINATION, AND EVERY HIGH THING (OR PROUD THING) THAT EXALTETH ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.

A THOUGHT STARTS OUT AS A SEED, AND BECOMES IMAGINATION; AND THEN A STRONGHOLD OF THE MIND. THIS NEGATIVE SEED IS PLANTED BY THE ENEMY, SATAN.

IF WE CAN CONTROL THE SEED STAGE, HE CAN CONTROL THE HARVEST.

WE HAVE A CHOICE IN THE MATTER: WE CAN ALLOW THE THOUGHTS TO STAY, OR FIND OUT WHAT THE WORD SAYS, AND THINK ON THOSE THINGS.

PHILIPPIANS 4:9 –   THOSE THINGS, WHICH YE HAVE BOTH LEARNED, AND RECEIVED, AND HEARD AND SEEN IN ME (PAUL) DO: AND THE GOD OF PEACE SHALL BE WITH YOU.

WHAT WE ALL NEED IS PEACE.

WE ARE TOLD TO THINK ON THESE THINGS IN PHILIPPIANS 4:6-8: WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, HONEST, JUST, PURE, LOVELY,  OF GOOD REPORT; AND IF THERE BE ANY VIRTURE OR PRAISE …AND THE GOD OF PEACE SHALL BE WITH YOU.

SO, ANY THOUGHT THAT DOESN’T MEASURE-UP TO THESE VERSES, HAVE TO BE LYING THOUGHTS.

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FROM PRISON TO THE PULPIT PART II

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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