“And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred” (Mark 4:20).

It seems like yesterday that I was filled with the Holy Ghost and baptized in Jesus’ Name. In reality, I have been in Pentecost for twenty-eight years, now. I have watched the children grow up and get married! There have been births and deaths; weddings, anniversaries, celebrations, trials, divorces; miracles of healing, miracles of finances; miracles of land; and miracles of churches and sanctuaries. Deeper works of the Holy Ghost have changed us for a lifetime.

Evangelists have revived us, ripped us apart spiritually, and then repaired us with the balm of Gilead. Ministries have been created and absolved, and lives have been renewed and reborn by the power of God. I have seen souls saved, baptized in Jesus’ Name and filled with the Holy Ghost. I have witnessed the power of the death angel as it swept into a service when we interceded for a soul who lost out with God. I have been a part of a mighty sweeping revival when we were thrown to the floor face first in the spirit, falling like dominos throughout the sanctuary; I have heard the rustling of angel’s wings as our worship saturated the place.

Through hurricanes, and floods, and 911; through national tragedy and sorrow we as a church have put our trust in God. I’ve made up my mind, that no matter what we are called to face, I will not let go of the hem of his garment; I will hold to the horns of the altar as it says in Psalm 118:27:

“God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” I will refuse to doubt his promises, and now through a pandemic, I stand on God’s word, and refuse to listen to the enemy.

In John 10:10-12 the bible tells us:

¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

¹² But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

The church will stand; will you?

In the best of times, we have experienced victory marches, and in the midnight hour we have groaned in the spirit for the lost. We have had angels encamped about us; we have been commissioned to go, to give, and to heed the Spirit. We have been captivated by the preaching of a Jonathan Edwards’ message—“Sinners in the Hands of  an Angry God,” by Pastor Lappin, and we have been humbled by the power of a loving God full of mercy and grace.

In the sanctuary, we have been allowed to take a spotlight to our own souls, and the Lord has afforded us many once in a lifetime opportunities—messages from God delivered by many messengers of God—ministers who have stood behind the pulpit prepared to preach from notes, only to be stopped in their tracks by the Holy Ghost. The Lord had a different message to deliver to the church in Greenville, the messengers, in obedience to the Lord, set their notes aside and delivered the message of the hour: that the Lord loves us with an eternal love.

Today is the day of salvation. I am blessed to be here, in this place. Twenty-eight years. Has it really been that long? Not compared to eternity. Thank you for welcoming me into the church family over twenty-eight years ago. My life has been changed for eternity. I am truly blessed. This is just the beginning of what the Lord desires to do in Greenville.

Let’s Keep the Dream Alive!

This week’s Lattereign can be downloaded by clicking on the Download button below.