Adly and I came here knowing the LORD was in this trip. Pastors laid their hands on me the day before I left and one told be I would be speaking in a church on the LORD's Day. Here we are!
Loll, Adly's brother, told him of your church and we told our church last Sunday. After meeting with you pastor last evening I contacted my church to pray for us this morning. Later this morning you pray for them, please.
Thank you so much Pastor Joes for inviting me to speak. It is an honor!
Look in Habbakuk with me this morning
Habbakuk 1.1-5
1. Look at the nations and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told.
September 1992 a pastor in heaven told me that verse was for me. If you had told me then that I would be in Haiti this morning and speaking in a church there I would not believe it!
If God told you the things He has in store for your life, for this church, for Pastor Joes, you would not believe it! Amazing wonderful works He wants to do.
The LORD works in wondrous ways. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
The LORD has wonderful plans for this church, The Evangelical Church of God!
2.Jesus said, "I will build My Church and the gates of hell will not overcome it!
He is building His church.
Earthquakes can't wipe it out! You are living proof.
All the plans of the enemy cannot overcome it.
Sometimes He builds it in ways different than we plan. He is the Architect! He is the Cornerstone. We are living stones being fitted together by Him to rise into a beautiful edifice for His glory!
Someone asked me how big my church is this past week before I flew here. I told them it is hard to count.
I have been in my church as its pastor for 30 years. In that time we have helped 2 Spanish speaking churches and a French speaking Haitian church get started. They all have their own buildings now. We are getting ready to begin another Spanish speaking church. When I came there 30 years ago I never would have imagined this! The young man who is taking care of the church in my absence is 30 years old. He grew up in our church, but he almost died from leukemia when he was a boy. he is now studying to become a pastor.
Jesus is building His Church. The pastor speaking at my church is a Cuban pastor who was imprisoned in Cuba for preaching the Gospel. He is building His church!
I have three daughters, all in their 30's, married and mothers of children, my grandchildren. Two of them recently came to me and said, "Dad we want to help run the preschool." They prayed about it and they began working there last month. If God had told me that was going to happen a year ago I would have not believed it!
He has good plans for you, building plans. He knows how we are going to get this church rebuilt physically. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills... chorus Iearned as a little boy.
He owns the cattle on a thousand hills,
The wealth in every mine,
He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills,
The sun and stars that shine.
Wonderful riches more than tongue can tell
He is my Father so there mine as well
He owns the cattle on a thousand hills
I know that He will care for me!!!
Finally,
3. Psalm 133.1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. Young man Palo Mark Stephens anointed today as he joined the church.
I just met your pastor last night. I heard about him last week and your church. 10 days ago I did not know you guys existed. You are my family!
Pastor Joes and I are brothers!
He was born in Haiti. I was born in the United States. He is my younger brother. We need a translator to speak words but last night his beautiful smile spoke to my heart before we began to converse. We grew up with different foods (although now having eaten at Loll's home I have come to love Haitian food! He played soccer. I played baseball. We are different, yet we are brothers.
We have our Father in Heaven.
We have been born from above, born again.
We have been washed in the blood of Jesus, filled with His Spirit.
Our names are written down in heaven.
When we get there we will speak the same language! We won't need Adly to translate!
It is so good and pleasant for us this day to share together and now we will be praying for each other!
I just became Uncle Larry to 7 beautiful children! I have another 7 nieces and nephews today! God is so good!
Look at the nations (including USA) and be utterly amazed. God is going to something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told!
Jesus is building His Church in such a marvelous way! And the gates of hell will not overcome it!
Good and pleasant things are going to happen here, they are happening this morning. God is working out His plan. He is working out His purposes. He is working all things together for our good. Some wonderful things are happening this moment in both of our churches and we are just getting started on a journey together!!!
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