The Prison Test, From Dream To Destiny

The way to your divine appointment 

Every Christian experiences a trial or tribulation. It can last for years depending on what God is preparing you for. These types of trials are situations where we do the right thing but end up in a long, drawn out battle.

It seems like inspite of doing right, you get punished instead. It's a test of your character. Your faith is tested and in the end God rewards you. When you get through the prison test, you have a strength and power that no one can shake.

Christians are going to experience tribulation, the difference is who stands on the foundation during the trial that comes out a winner. Matthew 7:25-27 shows us how one house falls and the other stands. They both experience the same storm, but one had a firm foundation.

You will have to suit up and put God's armor on. The ones who get through it never give up. If you allow these situations to work through your life, it will do its purpose to create perseverance and character.

No one can stop you from reaching your destiny and we are going to see that in the story of Joseph. It's about building character and being able to go from dream to destiny. Everybody has a God given destiny, but you have to go through your tests to get there. Genesis 39:19-20.

When you do right and suffer the wrong result, you just hold on because you are about to build some character into your life. Potipher's wife had used Joseph's coat to fabricate a lie about him. I'm sure by this time in Joseph's young life he never wanted another coat.

Has anyone ever lied on you? How are you going to respond to that lie about you? Romans 5:3-5. If you never have tribulation you never have perseverance. James 1:2-3.

You see, trials produce patience. Patience is not just waiting, but waiting with contentment. Perseverance is fighting the battle while waiting with contentment. Because you see, perseverance in a long trial can take years to see a breakthrough.

Joseph waited 13 years, Abraham's test of faith took 25 years after God promised him a son. Moses waited 40 years. Paul waited 13 years while David waited 16 years to be King after he was anointed, and went through a tribulation and trial that put his life on the line.

You have to enter warfare with joy and maintain a good attitude, and this is the most difficult thing to do. Attitude is everything in working through a hard trial. With the wrong attitude you can easily give up and miss your destiny.

The worst thing anybody can do is to promote you before God has you ready.Because God is still going to make you go through your test. I see a lot of preachers coming out of seminary and they haven't gone through any real hard tests, and they need to be prepared to be a Pastor because they are going to encounter some real difficult situations in a church. They will have to know how to be obedient to God even when they don't want to.

So, tests help us to become more obedient. Obedience is learned through suffering.Long, difficult trials produce character. All the junk comes out of you and it's like putting fire to metal. God has got to get the tarnish off of you before you can walk in your destiny. Hebrews 5:8.

Most of the time, your test is a lonely journey. Everyone forgot about Joseph, the Butler forgot him too. You may ask, why did God make Joseph wait 2 years after the Butler was released? Why didn't God give the Pharoah the dream then instead of two years later? Well, if you look at the story more closely you will see how Joseph tried to manipulate his freedom by telling the Butler to remember me when you go before the Pharoah.

Inspite of that failing, Joseph never lost hope. Hope in God, not in your circumstances or in others for they will fail you. God never fails us. What we want to change or how we want to change may not be the way God wants to do it. You see, God is working all things out for you for your good. That hope in us is what produces appointments by God for us. Romans 5:5.

If you will allow your trial to work character and character hope then you are going to arrive at your destiny. You are going to be ready for a divine appointment. Prov. 13:12

The way we know that Joseph had hope is because he never had self pity. Genesis 40:6-7. Joseph had noticed sadness in others in the prison. He gave to others in the midst of his own sorrow and tribulation. He gives hope to others by interpreting their dreams.

When you get to a nowhere place in your own circumstances and start helping and giving to someone else, you are getting close to persevering with contentment.

Joseph didn't drown in self pity over what his brothers did to him, nor over what Potipher's wife did to him. Joseph was numbered with the transgressors just as Jesus was. Joseph has encounters with two men, one saved and the other not. He says, remember me when you get to the palace. The saved man on the cross tells Jesus the same thing. Remember me when you get to your Kingdom.

So the next time you have a test or go through tribulation, count it all joy because you are on the road to destiny and if you can have hope and trust in God to get you through you are going to meet with your divine purpose. I count it all joy when I am faced with trials for I know that through them God is pulling me closer to what I was born for.


This article is based on the teaching of Robert Morris in From Dreams to Destiny.  This article only lists one of the 10 tests you will go through before reaching your destiny.  To see more on this subject go to believerschristianbookstore.blogspot.com


To puchase this teaching go to: www.believerschristianbookstore.org

Freedom Is Not Free

In our darkest hours hero's show us how to face our fears!


It's difficult for a person to sacrifice for someone else.  But it's worth it to some for a good cause, like freedom for our country. Christ sacrificed his life when we were but yet in our sin. 


Memorial Day has become a vacation time to many of us.  In 1971 our government extended Memorial Day to a full weekend.  Most of us think about barbecues and swimming season more than we do what it really stands for.  A sacrifice without thankfulness is meaningless, and that's what it's become.


I had a very unique Memorial experience at my church this Memorial Sunday morning and I am going to try to write my Pastor's story in his own voice. A Vietnam Veteran, he describes what freedom and Memorial Day really stands for.  He spoke with humility and a depth of love few of us know, and at moments with great emotion.  These are his words.

Freedom is not free.  We saw that on 911.  America had been drawn into war.  People had the idea that a hero was some sports person, but 911 gave us a glimpse of who the real hero's in our nation are.  That day helped redefine our values again.

This was the first time we had seen an attack on our citizens on our own soil.  I'm glad that Americans had never had to see legs blown off and hand to hand combat or your fellowman being shot down. But that day we saw our children bloody and blown up. We saw a steel tower crumble and disintegrate into a thick cloud of dust.

Being a hero is not kicking a football or ringing a basketball into a goal.  It means doing something good for others in a crisis.  You can be a hero yourself by doing good, like being a friend to a needy child or an elderly person, or helping someone overcome something you've overcome.  Caring enough to make a difference in someones life is a hero.

This day is a day of remembrance.  Remembrance of those who made a difference.  It cost them something to give us our freedom.  Think of the millions who have served in the military.  It has been one and a half million people who have served in all the wars beginning with the Civil War.  Today is about those who lost their lives for our freedom.  It is fitting to honor them today.

On June 05, 1967, Randy Jack Glenn, my best friend died before my eyes in Vietnam.  He was going across a rice patty when 50 caliber rifles began shooting at him.  I was asked to escort his body home to his parents.  Randy was the oldest of four boys from his parents.  I'll never forget his father as he picked his son's body up and hugged him.  His son had paid the ultimate sacrifice.

On June 15, 1968, I was dug in a hole in Vietnam.  That day the Vietcong came out upon us.  They were pushing towards us from the left flank.  We were calling to command to give us permission to clear for an air strike. Something told me not to come out and go across that river.

I heard a voice in my head that day say, you are going to die today just like your buddy did.  Don't ever take it light what servicemen have to go through for your freedom.  Romans 13:7.  May God continue to bless the USA and give us a spiritual awakening; a spiritual Tsunami. The hour is late, and the Anti-Christ Spirit is sweeping across this nation.

Politicians have taken away our 10 commandments and undermining the principles our nation was built on.  We must have a spiritual awakening.  We must get back to the bible.

Our men and women are willing to put their lives on the line and a lot die for our cause.  They're are people who refuse to serve.  There's people who refuse to serve in the church for the Lord too.  They do it because they realize that freedom is not free. You have to give of yourself to make others free.  It's difficult to die for someone else.

The age of servicemen in Vietnam was 18 to 19 years old.  I was a sergeant and was 20 years old so I was old compared to most of those boys.  But they all knew that if we die it was for a good cause.  People sit in the church all the time and hear the word and yet never surrender to God.  Tomorrow is not promised to you.

Jesus died while we were yet still filthy in our sin.  Our servicemen sacrifice for a good cause, but Jesus willingly died for those that were not even good.  Why would God send his only son to die for that?  Because of his amazing grace.  Jesus' life was not given because we deserved it but because he loved us. He loves his own creation.

None of us deserve the right to be forgiven sin.  We could never do enough to earn it.  The bible is a story of God's love for his creation.  But because of man's disobedience it separated us from God.  Sin will always separate you from God.  God keeps reaching out to save man. He saved Enoch, he saved Noah, Abraham for his faith, and David, a man after God's own heart. Forty two generations later he gave us his son.  John 3:16.  Yet, we glaze over this most read scripture of its true meaning in our hearts.  It's a dangerous thing to turn away from God.

I was in Vietnam and I was unsaved.  I heard bullets zoom past me, came upon booby traps that blew body parts off of men.  I remember praying, God, if you will get me out of this mess, I'll serve you.  But 17 years later, I found myself in darkness and dying spiritually.  Vietnam had put a darkness in me.

One day God called me out and light clashed with darkness.  I have an urgent message for you today. God will change your life.  A relationship with God is not for a week.  It is forever and forever and will never end. Jesus did not die so you could be rich with material things, but so you could have eternal life.

I seen what the natural life can do.  I've seen fire strike and stop nature.  It was a massive ball of fire, so powerful that it sucked the oxygen from the air.  War is destructive.  War is hell.  But war is nothing compared to the hell fire of damnation.  It burns on forever, unceasing, unending torment.

The fires of hell will never be quenched.  A place where your memory will never forget.  A preacher's voice will echo over and over into your ears in hell.  You'll go over those sermons you wished you had paid attention to over and over.  2,000 years ago Christ purchased your freedom and gave you eternal life.  No country can do that for you.  Freedom is not free.  Christ spilled his blood for that freedom. Romans 5:7-11.

You can serve the God's of this world and keep sinning but you can't serve Christ and keep sinning.  Sin is an enemy to God.  I didn't say that, God's word says it.  He saved us from sin: meaning to let it go.  Christ didn't fight that battle so that sin could overtake you again.  If you produce sin you will die and go to hell. We don't fight a terrorist  for him to come back on our territory.  That's what Jesus saved us from when he went into the pits of hell and took the keys from Satan.

We don't have to keep what life handed us, because Christ will give us a new life when we make him Lord of our life.  He washes you and gives you power to live above sin.  You can't straddle the fence.  You won't make it.  It's a heart matter.

My heart desired to do what was right for my country, but no matter how good I was as a person, I was lost and had I died I would have gone to hell.  I can't tell you enough what war does to a heart.  It turns cold and unable to love, but the blood of Christ restores it all.

Pastor Jerry Nelson is man of character who has raised the standard in his church for Godly living. I never understood what had built such a strong, moral character in him, now I know.  He has a mind that Christ's blood regenerated, for with his history he would have been like so many Vietnam Veterans spending their days dealing with injuries from agent orange and a mind with post trauma. God had a purpose for him and he is one of the most thankful and pure hearts I know today in ministry.  

He knows he was bought with a price and when they asked him who he is he simply says, I am the redeemed.  He's a King David spirit and has never lost his dance and praise for the one who restored him. He often thanks the Lord for satisfying him with long life.  He has seen evil and he has been touched by the Master and is anointed by the Holy Spirit with the mind gifts and healing. 


I am thankful today that he did not die on that battle field because he has changed my life and many others that has gone on to be disciples of Christ under his leadership.  He knows who he is in Christ and many people have been healed by his anointing and he is a preacher that has a voice of command of stronghold by the devil.  He often says, sometimes I kick the door in just to see if Satan is behind it.  He runs a tight ship in his church and has zero tolerance for division, backstabbing or ill treatment of another saint.

Sign Of Life From A Kidnapped Israeli Soldier In Gaza Prison

A Parent's Plea For Their Son

Gilad Shalit, a 22 year old Isaeli soldier was kidnapped 3 years ago by the Hamas.  He was on duty guarding and ensuring the security of the settlements around Gaza. Gilad's parents say that he is a well-mannered, quiet and introverted young man. Gilad was always volunteering to help everyone, even on his short vacations from the army he helped his parents run their Bed and Breakfast in Galilee.

Since the attack by the Hamas at Kerem Shalom on Sunday, 06/25/06, Gilad has been held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas. For over two years his parents had no news of him, if he was safe, alive or what his physical or mental condition was.  Now, after more than three years in captivity, the Shalit family receives a sign of life from Gilad in the form of a Hamas videotape addressed to Gilad's father.

"We are concerned by the images of him." said Gilad's father during a briefing last Friday night. "Aviva (Gilad's mother) and I are concerned in the face of the images we saw.  We must not forget that Gilad is suffering and rotting in the Hamas prison."

After 1,195 days in captivity, the roughly two-and-a-half minute video shows Gilad facing the camera.  The captive soldier appears to be in sound mental condition, although he weighs considerably less than he did 3 years ago.

In the tape, Shalit says, "Hello, this Gilad, son of Noam and Aviva Shalit, brother of Hadas and Yoel, who lives in Mitzpe Hila.  My ID number is 397029.  As you can see they let me see the paper today to read about myself, and in hopes of reading I hope to see information of my return home and my imminent release."

Gilad then continues, "I hope the current government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu reaches an agreement and as a result, allow me to fulfill my dream and be released.

Gilad addresses his parents and says, "I wish to send my well-wishes to my family and tell them that I love them and miss them greatly, and hope for the day I'll see them again.  Dad, Yoel, and Hadas, do you remember the day you arrived at my base in the Golan Heights, on December 31, 2005?  We toured around the base and you took a picture of me on a Merkava tank and on one of the old tanks at the entrance of the base.  Later, we ate dinner at Druze villages against the backdrop of the snowy Hermon Mountain."

He told his parents he was well medically, but they question that looking at him in the video.  He has a medical condition that they believe is not being treated.  He was low medical went he signed up for the Army. So it is crucial to get him out of this prison so he can be treated.

Gilad's parents viewed the video in the privacy of their home and later this week released it to the Prime Minister's office who released it to the public with the parent's permission. They have been told by the Prime Minister's office that negotiations are continuing for Gilad's release.

Groups have been formed around the world for the release of Gilad and a request for prayer for his release.

I am asking all the Wilson churches to put Gilad on their prayer list.  You may ask, what does one Israeli soldier matter? He would matter a great deal if he were your son, your brother or your grandson.  It reminds me of the last words of Schindler, in Schindler's list, "Just one, if I could have saved just one more."

As we speak, God is gathering his people from the four corners of the earth.  Gilad's family prays for mercy for God to send their son back to Israel from his captivity to his birth place, and asked us to pray that his captivity will end soon by the grace of God and intercessory prayer.


A petition to the Israeli government is in progress and hoping for a million signatures around the world. If you would like to help free Gilad go to www.habanim.org

A prayer from Wilson, North Carolina for Gilad today:

Psalm 70

Remember Gilad O'Lord

Make haste, O God, to deliver him
Make haste to help him O'Lord!

Let his captor's (a terrorist group) be ashamed and confounded
Those who seek his life, Let them be turned back and confused Who desire his hurt.
Let them be turned back because of their shame, Who say, "Aha, aha!"

Let all those who seek You Gilad rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, "Let God be magnified in this situation."

Gilad is poor and needy; Make haste to him, O'God!
You are his help and his deliverer; O'God do not delay!

In Jesus Name We Pray!

I want to encourage Christian's today to support Israel and pray for them just as we do for each other, for God said, "I will bless those who bless you and I will curse those who curse you." Let us always remember the mercy that Jesus gave us and may we always return that mercy in our hearts and with prayers for those Jews who need deliverance and mercy! We love you Gilad and are praying for your release!

A Tribute to Wilson Heros

Memorial Day is a special day to honor men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the military to defend and protect our country.

Many events are planned in Wilson to honor servicemen and our fallen heros.  There will be a poppy sale with ceremonies and special guests Saturday  downtown Wilson. Today, the Boy Scouts placed flags on veteran's graves at both Maplewood and Evergreen Cemeteries.  At Rest Haven Cemetery, members of American Legion Post 17 posted flags on veterans' graves starting this morning at 8:30 a.m.

On Sunday, there will be a Memorial Day service near the office at Maplewood Cemetery at 5:30 p.m.  American Legion Post 13 is sponsoring this event, which is free and open to the public.  On Monday, there will be a Memorial Day program at the Wilson County Courthouse starting at 10:00 a.m.

Portions of the program will honor soldiers who are Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.  The event is sponsored by the Wilson Committee on Patriotism.

Try to remember what this holiday is all about as you go about your cookouts, and church service Sunday, that these people were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and deserve so much appreciation.  If you know a military person tell him or her how much honor you have for them and thankfulness that they served to protect you.

The following is a list of military servants from my church Westmoreland PHC and people in my personal life that have served, some not with us any longer, but their memory lives on in our hearts.

Pastor Jerry Nelson, Woody Bradley, Joey Tedder, Bill Curley and others in Wilson who served: Doug Ellis, Lawerance Ellis, Ralph Knight (Sandoz Pharmacueticals), David Stewart (Sandoz Pharmacueticals) John Willard Collins, John (Jay) Luther Collins Jr., Larry Rowe, Allie Johnson, Ralph Johnson, Hank Braman, Dale Braman, James Lee Braman Sr.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  God Bless the United States of America and all our servicemen.  Let us once again be united as one nation under God, and make the Holy Bible the foundation again that blessed this nation from its birth.

The Answer To A Dying World: Pentecost

Easter and Christmas are special holidays because those are the times we celebrate the birth of Christ and Passover.  Pentecost is just as important.  It was the day the church was born, and it was born with fire. Acts 2:2.

Pentecost was one of the 7 feasts that Israel celebrated.  The City of Jerusalem was filled with things about Christ's resurrection.  Then the 12 disciples were up in the upper room in Jerusalem and they were praying with expectation.  Now, Jesus had promised them the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11.

Jesus never baptized anyone in the Holy Spirit until he ascended.  These disciples were not disappointed. John 1:33.  The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove.  John had discernment about this. John 14:26 and Acts 1:8.

These are just some of the scriptural promises they had.  Jesus said, I've got to go back to the Father first.  I've got to complete the work of the cross, and be glorified.  The descent of the Holy Spirit was sudden.  Cloven tongues hit them.  God had a fire for them, and God still has a fire for us today.

As the Spirit of God filled them, they received the promises.  The former rain and the latter rain was theirs.  Now, there is a church that is arising in these end times that is going to be on fire.  The Holy Spirit endues us from on High to complete his work and to overcome all opposition.

You don't have to be afraid of the devil, and you can get the promised blessings here in this world today.  It is not by our power or might but by him.  We've got too many churches trying to do it without his power.  The disciples came out of that place  on fire and began to preach.  I believe they were rejoicing, dancing and shouting.  The bible doesn't say that they were dancing and shouting but I know when the presence of the Holy Spirit is the midst of a congregation this is how the people react. These disciples were pricked in the heart and they knew how to preach to get a reaction from the people.

We can look back in Pentecostal periods like in the day of the great preacher, John Edwards in the second great awakening and see the same reaction.  One woman grabbed hold of a pillar in the building because she was afraid this power was going to lift her off the ground.  And as in today, some people don't understand when you begin to shout and cry and praise the Lord.

I praise and worship him in the spirit because one day the Lord passed by me and healed me and brought me from darkness into his marvelous light.  This is foolishness from ordinary people.  But you can not touch God through the intellect but must come through the spirit.

Spiritual things cannot be discerned by the natural man.  This is that Joel the prophet spoke of when he said God would pour out his spirit upon the sons and daughters with power.  People say, well I have an opinion about all this.  Well, I don't have an opinion, I have the word on the matter.  God said, I will show you miracles, signs and wonders.

Peter said, Jesus was raised up because the devil didn't have the power to hold him down.  Well, Glory!  Peter preached the cross and the Holy Spirit gave conviction power to that crowd that day on Pentecost and three thousand people were saved.  The reason we don't see that today is because the message is wrong.

Peter's message was simple, he preached the gospel, and all of it, not just half of it like we see today.  We're living in the dying hours of this world.  Perilous times, a time that is difficult to deal with.  You're not dealing with the dark spirits of the 1700's here.  These spirits are powerful and determined because they know their days are numbered.

Let's take a closer look at what is going on in the world and in the churches and get some discernment of how the gospel has been lost.

1.  World Is Dying Morally

Young people coming into the church doesn't even know what biblical morals are because we have become accepting of morals that are of the world.  When you've got back stabbing Christians, gossipers, bad stewards, and sin up in the church.  Young people see that and absorb that quicker than they do a Sunday School lesson.  Its time for us older Christians to clean up because we are responsible to teach the younger Christians and the Lord will hold us responsible for that one day.

2. The World Is Dying Educationally

We got schools that teach evolution and deny our children of hearing the truth of God as the Creator of the Universe.  That's not education, that's control over our children's minds.  They are not allowed to all sides, but one side, and that is to cut God out of this nation starting with the education system, which are our children.  We have a President that's telling our young teenagers its okay to go get an abortion.

We have fools teaching our children that there's no God and all that exist is some big bang.  But we know now since DNA that even a single molecule has a pattern. Scientist now call it a divine intellect, and our children don't even know who this divine intellect is since the bible is banned from schools.

We're living in a society where our children have access through electronics to see and hear anything they wish and making it near impossible for parents to monitor.  There is no honor to ministers, not even honor to his seat which God hath appointed.

The world is dying because men are lovers of pleasure and never able to come to knowledge of the spirit. Modern thinking will carry you to hell because God is left out and when he is left out so is truth.

3.  This World Is Dying Religiously

Our churches are luke-warm.  I know Pentecostals that the only fire they have is in their kitchen.  You say you're saved but we see no change in you.  Have you ever had a divine healing?  Have you been set free from something?  I remember the day I was set free, light clashed with darkness and I was changed and got up and turned my life around 180%.  My old friends didn't recognize me anymore.  I had different words on my tongue and the aroma of Christ was about my countenance.

We've got to stop preaching on partial gospel, but all of it.  Peter said, Repent and be saved and receive the Holy Ghost.  But you see people don't like preaching like was in the early church.  But the Holy spirit is raising up a remnant that will preach and walk in the power of the Holy Ghost.

Change would come in the church if we would raise up some Jeremiah's with some backbone that was all about obedience and not the people.  What gospel did Paul preach.  He was preaching to rich Greeks.  Oh they believed in God even in their sin.  Paul preached repentance, a new way, new life in Christ, reborn in the spirit to King Agrippa.

The early church did preach repentance.  You will fail with conviction of the people with preaching a half gospel.  The church must get things back in order.  Be careful not to apply the wrong faith doctrine.  You can't talk your way into faith, but it comes through self reproach from sin and feeling sorry and contrite for your wrong.  You will feel a desire to change direction and take steps to making a commitment and love for Christ. 11Corinthians 7:10.

Most people don't want to change their heart.  But a change in the heart must take place at the altar.  You have to experience a Bethel in your life.  A place where God changes everything about you, the way you think, the way you act, the way you love and a whole new set of morals.  Then people will turn and say, Wow, he's a new person.

The name means nothing if you've lost the fire and fallen out of love with Christ.  We have to allow him to do an operation on our hearts.  I'm not going to walk with the name Christian without the power of the Holy Ghost.  You are a sitting duck for the devil.  Because he is pouring out 3 powerful spirits upon this earth as the Holy Spirit is pouring out his enduement upon the sons and daughters.

Get a blazed and hear the mighty rushing of the wind.  The disciples turned the religious world upside down and we need to do just that too.  When the word has put a message up in your bones you can't help but talk about it.

You don't think your city can be saved.  Paul preached to many sin filled cities and the people were changed. He preached that no liars, fornicators, back stabbers, gossipers, and dividers would inherit the Kingdom of heaven.  When you've been washed a radical change occurs and you are not going to have these characteristics in you.

Ephesus was a city that worshiped the Goddess Diana.  The power of  word changed it.  These are the days that God's word has told us about, the outpouring.  Pentecostal power can change you  and your city.  The mission of the Holy Spirit is to testify of Jesus and the power of his blood.

Worthy Is The Lamb

 John The Revelator

John,  The Revelator is on the Pat mus Isle, and it is a lonely Island.  He got into the spirit and he received the word of Christ in another spiritual realm. We are going to look at just what all John saw and heard from Jesus in the flesh, and Jesus on the throne.

God is spirit.  You don't just touch him from the intellect but through your spirit.  Pentecostal people has it right, with a shout, "Glory to the Lamb of God."  Every creature in heaven and on earth heard them saying, "Blessed is he who sits on the throne."  (Revelation 5:9-12)

Christ is worthy of our honor, love and everything that is in us.  We need to give all the praise to him that is in us.  He redeemed us with his precious blood and only he is worthy.

John had been an eye witness to Jesus' ministry. (1 John 1:3)  So when we come together it should be a celebration when we invite Christ in our churches, homes, and our work places.  He wants us to have fellowship with him and the Father.

John said, I walked with Christ.  I heard him teach and preach.  I'm writing these things so your joy will abound.  John was there the day Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.  Water baptism is a outward sign of our inward experience with Christ.

My Pastor told a story of this lady once that wanted to be baptized in a service that he was a visiting minister at.  She couldn't get up in the pool of water to be immersed.  She could not bend very well. She just couldn't physically do what it would take to go up those steps and be bent backward into a pool.  The Pastor said, "So, I decided, she has faith and she wants to be baptized, so I took a pitcher of water on the minister stand and said, come here, and I poured it over her in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  I thought the Pastor of that church was going to call me down.  He stood and pointed his finger at me and said, "my brother, now that is faith in action."

You may not be where everyone else is in your faith and walk, but God will honor faith acted out. You should testify of him when he saves you.  When Jesus came up out of the water, a dove lit on him, and a voice was heard saying, "This is my Son, whom I am well pleased."  There you have the trinity in the Baptism of Christ;  the voice of the Father, the Son, and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

We are a bible based teaching church and we preach the word. His own received him not, but those who did receive him received the spiritual birth.  If you don't like your first birth try the second birth. Oh, taste and see how good it is!

Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost giving evidence when he came up out of the water.  God wants us baptized in the Spirit. The Holy Ghost is a surprise package.  I don't know how or when he will move when giving his word.  They are supernatural surprises.  So go to church and see what he is doing. Get in the spirit and take your eyes off of people and he might reveal some things to you from the Kingdom.

Just start praying and pray in faith.  You get to a place where you think you can't lay hold of the things in the spirit, but prayer and worship brings breakthrough.  Persist, and lay hold of the altar until you get your answer.

John was there when Jesus came up out of that water.  It is God's will for you to be filled with the spirit and sanctified.  He wants us to be filled and walk in his power.  All of the nine gifts will work through your life with the Holy Spirit.  Don't ever underestimate the power of the blood, the name of Jesus, or the power of the Holy Ghost.  All he needs is a virgin spirit.

While Jesus was tempted for 40 days and nights, he overcame all the temptation by saying, "It is written."  The word leads you to truth and power over the enemy, so make every effort to learn who God says you are and the power you have through Christ.

John was there and saw Jesus rebuke and overcome Satan, the tempter.  Jesus went into the temple on the Lord's day as was his practice every Sabbath.  He lived by the commandments and he kept the Sabbath Holy. He rested on the 7th day. Wouldn't it be wonderful if America could get a hold of that truth about the Sabbath.  And that is another sermon!

John was there when Jesus picked up the scroll and said, I have come to free the captive, its Jubilee! John was an eye witness to the Messiah.  He gave an overview of Jesus' ministry.  He saw Jesus heal many and restore the Samaritan woman's life. John was there with that wayward woman.  He saw Jesus change her life. The gospel will change your life and give you hope for a future.

I don't know how you feel about women preachers but Jesus made that Samaritan woman an instant evangelist.  John heard Jesus say to a dead girl, "Damsel, I say unto you rise."  John saw a funeral procession come through and boom, light and darkness clashed.  Jesus stops the whole funeral and he tells the young man that is dead, "Arise young man."

John was there when he heard Jesus say,  "Lazarus, come forth,"  Jesus commanded, oh death loose him.  If you are bound by darkness or bondage, when Jesus says, loose him, then you are free by the blood.  He is able, cry out to him.  Hear him say back to you, loose him!

You can be free!  You don't have to be bound by your past, or anything anybody did to you in your past.  He said in John 10:10, "I have come to give you life abundantly."  John heard the leper say, "Master, if you are willing you can make me well."  Jesus said, "I am willing."

I believe when John preached, he told about the transfiguration on the mountain.  Jesus' body broke forth into a countenance as white as snow.  A voice said, "This is my son, whom I am well pleased, listen to him."  Moses heard the voice of God say, "I AM  that I AM."  The people heard the voice say, "he carries my word."

I love the story of blind Bartimeus.  He was sitting on the road side.  He cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me."  Back in the old bible times, a beggar had to wear a certain garment to identify him as a beggar and needy.  It was a red and white garment and it gave you the right to beg for your support publicly.

Bartimeus heard about Jesus, but Jesus kept walking.  Bartimeus cried a little louder, "Jesus, Son of David."  We need to cry out with persistence and a little louder.  Jesus suddenly stood still, he heard Bartimeus.  Jesus said, "Bring him to me."  Jesus may have been thinking, Oh this is why I came down Jericho Road today, to run into Bartimeus.  Peter probably said, Oh Bartimeus, you got it made now for you have gotten the attention of the Master and he is calling for you.  Bartimeus laid his garments aside on the Jericho Road.  Well, glory!

When Jesus comes the tempter turns away.  The blind receive their sight again.  Jesus said, "What is it that you need?"  Bartimeus  said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."  Immediately as Jesus touched him his eyes were opened.  You see his faith healed him when he called Jesus Lord.  He has dropped his garments and made Jesus Lord.

Jesus is the Son of the Living God.  He takes care of all of human suffering.  He was in the beginning, and the word made flesh.  We behold God's glory in the flesh.  John was there at the last supper.  Jesus passed the wine, his blood and the bread, his body.  Jesus was laying the new covenant in order.

John saw Judas betray Jesus.  John was there when Jesus said, "stay awake and watch."  John was in the garden when the sin of the world was on Christ's shoulders.  The man in Jesus said, "Father, let this cup pass from me, but your will be done."  John said, I heard him cry in agony in the night, but I got sleepy.

His brow dripped blood and the weight of sin nearly caused death unto him in the garden. It was the beginning of a dark night for the work that our Lord had to accomplish for us to be redeemed, and that darkness lasted until the following evening when Jesus said, "It is finished." So never wonder why in heaven when everyone looks around no one can be found that is worthy to judge or to pass out rewards, or to open the book of life.  No one, but the Lamb of God.

John said, I saw him die on Calvary for us.  John heard Jesus say, "I will destroy the temple and rebuild it in 3 days, and that's just what he did.  Jesus stood up in the tomb and he walked out of that make shift altar where his blood spilled for us.  He had taken the keys from Satan and death reigned no more.

John saw Jesus return and he spent 40 days with him.  John was on the Pat mus Isle on the Sabbath and he was taken up in the spirit and he saw Jesus.  (Revelation 1) The glory of his power and majesty. His hair was like wool.  His voice was like many waters. His eyes like flames of fire. And his feet like unto fine brass. He held seven stars in his right hand.  Out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword.  His countenance was as  the sun shining in its full strength in him.

 Jesus said, "Fear not, I AM the first and the last.  I AM he that liveth, and was dead, and behold, I AM alive forever more and have the keys of hell and of death."  John said, I was there and saw the eternal Son.  He is worthy of our praise.  Worthy is the slain Lamb.  Worthy to be praised by ALL nations.

John had been washed in the blood, and a beloved disciple of Christ.  Thank God for our redeemer.  Let us be his unblemished bride.

The fire of the Holy Spirit falls in Wilson church

They were praising and the rush of a mighty wind came

Several local churches gather for a three day revival to celebrate Pentecost early at Perry's Temple Free Will Baptist Church in Wilson.  Thursday night's service was preached by Apostle Norwood Simmons of Deeper Life Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Several denominations worshiped under the same roof  with multiple cultures represented in the congregation.  They all had one thing in their minds and hearts; for the fire of Pentecost to fall.


Bishop J. N. Perry Jr., Pastor of Perry's Temple sat back subdued in the spirit while enjoying the worship and mighty anointed singing by Perry's Temple Choir.  Present in the service and a speaker was Pastor Douglas Bell of New Bethel Church in Freemont, North Carolina. Rev. Jerry Nelson of Westmoreland Pentecostal Holiness Church of Wilson was present with some of his congregation.  Evangelist Samatha Hooker of Wilson was present and so many more.


It was a packed house with at least 250 people.  The attendants were passing out the fans with loving hospitality. Parents brought their whole families. There was no day care, the children were in the midst of the worship and preaching just like the way it used to be.  It was like an old time gospel revival with a worship spirit united like so many churches have lost in the last 30 years.  The voices praising and singing together sounded like one voice with all the 7 music keys mingled together. Now that's how you make the devil mad!

It didn't take long for the spirit to show up when the Choir stood to sing, 'How Great Thou Art'.  Right about the time they started to sing 'Revive Me O'Lord' Pastor Nelson jumped up and danced across the altar with his leg hiked up in the air.  King David could not have done any better.

The sermon was entitled, 'The Whole Truth'. The Bishop preached from the book of John, chapter 10 with emphasis on verse 10.  He said, the Lord came to give us abundance and wholeness and doesn't want us to be in lack and half filled, and that its time for the church to be whole again. He said you can't help the lost if you're only half filled yourself.  He described the bible in a nut shell saying, "The old testament is the root and the new testament is the fruit."

He said when people ask him what denomination he is he tells them, "I'm a Church of Christ because I was redeemed by the blood of  Jesus Christ.  I'm a Presbaterian because I'm pressing my way on to heaven.  I'm a Methodist because I'm needful of my Lord.  I'm a Disciple of Christ because I'm a follower of Christ.  I'm a Baptist because I've been baptized in the Holy Spirit.  I'm a Pentecostal because I'm empowered by the Holy Spirit."

He continued, "Thank God we have a new High Priest.  We don't have to go to the temple and let some priest go behind the curtain for us, and not knowing if he is going to drop dead while asking for atonement for us.  You don't have a curtain, you can be out in the country all by yourself or in the car and grab hold of the steering wheel and approach the throne with boldness."

He added, "Jesus said, hold on cause I'm gonna send the Holy Spirit so you'll be able to do the works that I did and more. We have the power of the Holy Ghost today!  We are in the last part of our journey and we need to strengthen the body.  We want folks to get saved that stay saved.  We don't want church people that are professing to be saved and going out committing sin and not even knowing if you're being led by some molester or worse."

The Bishop holds up the Holy Bible and says, "Eat this book of words.  It might be sour in your mouth but it will be sweet in your belly.  If you're not ready to give praise and glory to the one who saved you then you don't have the whole truth yet.  If you ain't got it yet, keep on praying until it manifests."

The revival will continue tomorrow night for its last service beginning at 7:30 P.M. The church is located at 5000 Tartts Mill Road, Wilson, North Carolina, off Hwy 264 East at the Saratoga exit. Turn right and then a mile and a half turn right onto Tartts Mill.  The church phone is 252- 291-4124.

Links: Calledtobeanintercessor.blogspot.com  'The Refreshing' a sermon by Rev. Jerry Nelson

www.believerschristianbookstore.org  (teaching CD's on the early church and Pentecost)