Did God Create the Devil?

By Lani Finley

Jesus had a Choice, and He Chose You

By Larry R. Lasiter

The Sower Never Stops Sowing

By Larry R. Lasiter

The seeds which fell along the roadside the enemy quickly picked up so that they would have no chance to take root. In the parable this represents people who heard the message of the Gospel but did not understand or consider it and Satan snatched it away. The seeds which fell on rocky soil took root and began to grow, but since the roots were so shallow the plants quickly wilted under the heat of the sun. This represents people who received God’s Word but laid it down when they experienced persecution and found that there was a cost to pay. The seeds which fell among thorns also took root and began to grow, but were choked dry by the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of obtaining wealth. The seed sown upon good soil represents the person who receives the Word with joy, understands the value of it and begins to bear fruit for the Sower. The Sower, ultimately is God, though He spreads His Word by His faithful servants.

Jesus followed the parable of the sower with a like story of men who sowed their field with grains of wheat only to find that an enemy had secretly sown the seeds of weeds among the wheat. When the wheat sprouted then up came the weeds as well. Weeds use up the nutrients of the soil, but unlike wheat they bear no useful grain. And they could not easily be removed since their roots entangle the roots of the wheat.

The wheat represent the sons of God and the weeds represent the sons of the evil one. Consider why the enemy would secretly plant his sons among the sons of God? "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Jude, verses 3-4) Their goal is to turn true members of the Church from the original, Apostolic Faith to licentiousness. Licentiousness is a "disregard for the rules of correctness."

Though we usually apply the parable of the sower with the initial message of the Gospel of Salvation, it has a much broader meaning. Receiving the Gospel, repenting of sin, baptism and receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is just the beginning. The Bible teaches that the saints "are saved", "are being saved", and "shall be saved if they endure until the end." After the initial salvation the process of sanctification begins by which we are to, -"work out our salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12) What this means is that the Sower never stops sowing His Seeds of truth. We grow spiritually in the grace and knowledge of God by receiving new "seeds" in good soil which allows them to grow and bear fruit in our lives. We will, at times be faced with trials for the testing of our faith. And at times the evil one will plant thorns or cast stones in an effort to stop or hinder the growth of whatever seed the Lord has just planted.

For example: My dear friend Bishop Joseph Kimani of the Pure Word Churches of Africa shared the hardships he experienced when he learned of the Sabbath Day and was convicted to begin observing it. He was already saved and faithful to all the truth and understanding that he had. He had invited a minister who he had met online to come and preach crusades in Kenya. The man accepted but when he arrived and began preaching the outdoor crusades he preached the need for observing the Ten Commandments, including the fourth Commandment to observe the seventh day Sabbath. After the first meeting Brother Joseph confronted him and explained that his congregations observed Sunday not Saturday. At that point the minister asked the Bishop if he was open to a joint study of the matter and Brother Joseph agreed. After pouring over the Scriptures Brother Joseph became convinced and convicted that Saturday was the seventh day and that the Bible taught Sabbath observance. For years he had just assumed that the Sabbath had been changed to Sunday. But now he understood clearly that God had sown a new seed of truth and that to reject it would be to reject God.

Brother Joseph received this new truth in good soil but it did not stop the devil from sowing thorns and casting stones to cause problems. The next Sunday he announced to his congregation that the Church would begin holding services on the Sabbath the next week. The organization that he was affiliated with quickly sprang into action by sending a high ranking Overseer to the Church. This official told the congregation that Brother Joseph had received "doctrines from demons" and publicly denounced him. About 70% of the congregation left him. Receiving this new truth also cost him his Pastoral salary. But the Bishop was faithful and now God has blessed him with many congregations in Kenya and Tanzania. In 2001 I spent five weeks with him preaching outdoor crusades and strengthening and establishing new Churches.

All Christians are a work in progress. None of us know and understand all of God’s marvelous truths. The Sower never stops sowing seeds and if we ever come to a place in our Christian walk where we deny a truth to be planted and be established in our lives, we will stop growing and eventually die. Every time you read your Bible, hear the Word preached or sing a hymn or praise song, seeds are there to be received and planted. This is necessary in order to complete the sanctification process.

A group of tourists were walking through a picturesque village in Europe and as they passed by an old man sitting on a bench one asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" The old man replied, "No, only babies." Everyone begins life as a baby. Most babies will never grow to be a great in this world. But even the greatest of the great began as a baby who had to grow to the stature of greatness. As a father of five I watched my children grow from their birth. I watched as they struggled to learn to first crawl, then walk and finally run and jump. All five are grown now and have matured in many ways, but they are still learning today. I am happy to serve as Pastor to the four who live in Arkansas. And I have been privileged to watch them grow spiritually in the grace and knowledge of God through the years.

The purpose of the Sower in continuing to sow seeds in our lives is to bring us to the maturity of Christ. We are all still growing. Our Heavenly Father refers of us as His "children." Bringing His children to maturity is the reason the Lord placed certain gifts in His Church, -"And He gave gifts to men. . .And He gave some as Apostles, and some as Prophets, and some as Evangelists, and some as Pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the Body of Christ; until we all attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man. . .speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in all aspects into Him. . .from Whom the whole Body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the Body for the building up of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:8-16)

Feast of Tabernacles 2018 -Testimonies

We sponsored the Feast of Tabernacles 2018 again at beautiful Camp Wyldewood in Searcy, Arkansas. We enjoyed eight days of celebrating before the Lord and of having divine fellowship with each other. The theme for this year’s Feast was "You Have Come to Mt Zion." We have three evening ceremonies that are always particularly meaningful and powerful-"The Christian Concert by Signet", "An Evening in the Court of King Jesus Banquet" and the evening "Last Great Day Worship, Prayer and Testimony Service." The following testimonies will be from the evening service ushering in the Last Great Day.

We never know exactly what God wants to do, nor how He wants to do it during this time. So, I always isolate myself in prayer and mediation the afternoon prior and just listen for instructions. Also, everyone in attendance to this Feast had been asked to offer fervent prayers for this event.

What we always do is set up rows of chairs facing each other with a large open space in the middle in order to rise and come together. At the front between the rows we have two mic stands, one for taller people and one for shorter people-in order that they may testify as the Lord moves them.

This year the Lord moved me to set an Altar in front of the mic stands and told me that this was the Altar of Consecration. Then He told me to set an Altar in the back and said this is the Altar of Encounter. It seemed uncomfortable to me since our Sanctuary, nor any Sanctuary I have ministered in for the past 44 years had an Altar. Then I heard the Lord reassure me that we actually worship at His Altar on Mt Zion, but that there is great value in earthly shadows of the Heavenly realities-these two Altars were shadows, but shadows of Heavenly realities. Then He brought to my attention that the weekly Sabbath and all the Holy Day Festivals are earthly shadows of Heavenly realities, but He still wants us to observe them.

This year the Lord moved me to have a song entitled "I Surrender" to open this service. I had not remembered the lyrics to this song but I knew it was significant to the Lord. As I listened I then realized that the vocalist began singing "Here I am, down on my knees again, surrendering all. And find me here, Lord as You draw me near, desperate for You, desperate for You." It then follows with a plead to "Speak to me now." In my mind I could see the vocalist offering a desperate prayer at an Altar to encounter the Presence of God and to hear Him speak. It was also during the playing of this song that the Lord moved me to have the Elders come forward to anoint the Altars. As we came to the Altar of Encounter I encountered the manifest Presence of God-heavy and thick like moving through water. It was powerfully emotional.

After this song we all moved in the center of the hall to raise our voices and arms in enraptured praise. God then moved me to direct the brethren to seek out one another, embrace and say "If I have ever offended you or hurt you, please forgive me, I love you." And I gave the instruction that if you feel unable to do this, go to the Altar of Consecration and pray first. Many wonderful things happened during this service. PRAISE THE LORD! Larry R. Lasiter, Pastor

Being a new member of the Crusade Church, this was my first Feast of Tabernacles. It was about 4pm Sunday. We were having services at 7:30 to bring in the last great day. I felt led to go down to the bluff overlooking the Little Red River for some alone time with the Father. At first I was just admiring the view. Then I got down and started to pray. Aside from the more personal things, I also kept asking the Father to manifest his Presence. When I looked up I noticed a dandelion rising up out of the valley. When I started to focus on it, it started to move towards me. Eventually it was just hovering about 15-20 ft in front of me at a standstill.

I was excited but then my skepticism started to kick in. And the moment I began to question if this was just coincidence, the air around me started to sparkle. It was like pixie dust had just been dropped from the sky. I stuck around for a little while and took it all in. I didn't want to leave. But I also knew that something special was going to happen later at services so I headed back. Never in my life have I ever experienced anything like that before. Later on, after sharing my story I learned that Pastor had a similar experience. From which he got the name for this ministry. "Points of Truth Ministries – Bringing points of light into a dark world." For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you. -Ephesians 5:14

Randall Bustard

As I came into the sanctuary I noticed what looked like an altar sitting up front by the podium. I wondered about this and was in prayer about it before people arrived. I was somewhat uncomfortable in the flesh because it was something new. Then Pastor Larry explained that there were two altars. One was the Altar of Consecration and the other was the Altar of Encounter. I heard something during this time, " come and be filled". I forgot to tell this during my testimony the next day during services.

Shortly after hearing this I went to the Altar of Consecration to pray and ask God’s forgiveness and ask for my burdens to be lifted and my heart made new. I went and sat down in my chair and I heard an audible voice pleading, "encounter me". Fear struck my heart because to walk into the Presence of God and not be completely clean gave me great fear.

And thinking what if I hadn’t laid it all down. I heard again, "encounter me". Fear still struck me and I didn’t want to move out my chair. I heard for the third time, " encounter me". Elder Bryan Lewis then went up to the microphone and said that God wanted us to come to the Altar of Consecration, and I felt that he was talking to me and I was moved to go again to the Altar of Consecration to be prayed for. Shortly after being prayed for I went to the Altar of Encounter and bowed down and shut my eyes. I then thanked the Lord for His Presence which I felt and peace overwhelmed my heart.

During this time I saw the aura of golden bright light illuminating the area around the Altar of Encounter. I assumed that it came from the small candle to my right. The next morning I was thinking about the bright golden light, this was during hymns while a particular song was playing. At this time I realized that such small candle couldn’t put out that much light, and my eyes were closed during this time. In my heart I knew that the Lord had illuminated that area with his Presence, and joy swelled up inside me. I knew that one day we wouldn’t need a sun or a moon because the Lord would illuminate with His Presence.

I hear people say that God blesses us more than we know how to ask for. I didn’t understand what that meant until recently. For years the devil has built fortresses in me that I didn’t know were being built until it seemed to be too late. Growing up I started to believe that if I was going to be strong then I couldn’t show anybody my weaknesses. Yes, I could cry but only in secret. Yes, I could get mad at myself, but only in secret. I began to suppress my feelings to the point that I put on a mask that said I was okay. I would wear it with pride because I was being "strong." I was a good actor. I would cling to the idea that if I showed what I truly am, which is imperfect, then I would be hated. I had reached the place where I couldn’t cry- all my emotions were suppressed. I wasn’t sad but I wasn’t happy. But I felt that I had to show that I was "okay."

Last year at the feast 2017 was a groundbreaking moment in my life. It was the first time in a long time that I was actually able to cry. I was crying and pleading that the Lord take my pain and give me the ability to overcome. I told Him that I didn’t feel like I could bear another year of the sadness. But the Lord knew what I could handle. He led me to reach out to my brother and made me realize that I can’t do my walk alone. I need my Church.

Once I started letting go of some of my burdens the devil really attacked me with condemnation. He beat me to the ground and made me feel like I had nowhere to go. The only way I can picture it is that I would try to squirm away from him only to find that I would be where he wanted me. I hurt people closest to me and I felt like I couldn’t be forgiven. I would work on trying to understand God’s love for me. I tried to grasp that God loves me through my mistakes but I felt like He had left me. I would pray and worship and if nothing spiritual happened then I would get discouraged, like it would "confirm" my thinking that I was a lost cause. I began to try to force God to heal me and to show Himself to me. My thinking was, "I’m praying and worshiping so now it’s Your turn"

So this year on the evening before the Last Great Day I made sure to come in to worship not expecting something from God as if He owed me anything. I was thinking about that and praying about it when Big

Daddy (I’ve called Pastor "Big Daddy" since I was 4 yrs old) said that yes, we come to worship Him, but this night we needed to expect miracles-that God always seems to give to us during this service.

I prayed again with a desperate prayer. I wanted Him to heal me and I wanted Him to show Himself to me. I prayed that on the last song and afterward Big Daddy prayed again. He explained to us what the altars meant. He said one altar was for consecration and healing and one was to see or encounter the Presence of God. I was delighted because I knew that God had worded it that way through Big Daddy to confirm that I was supposed to go to both that night.

I waited to go to the Altar of Consecration and instead I began to go to my brothers one at a time asking forgiveness for any offence I have caused. As I said "I’m sorry if I’ve offended you, please forgive me." I started to realize how much I felt like I had hurt people and I felt very condemned. It reached the point that I decided that I wasn’t going to go to the altars because God didn’t want me to.

When I got to Big Daddy I could tell that he had recognized my despair. He asked me if I had gone to the Altar of Consecration, then said "go." I prayed that the Lord would give me the ability to forgive others but I don’t remember asking for forgiveness for myself. Maybe I did but I still hadn’t let it go. I got up and tried to finish my prayers with the brethren but Big Daddy came and told me to go back to the Altar of Consecration because the Lord had told him that I didn’t lay everything down. I didn’t know what it could’ve been. I knew that I didn’t feel different after my prayer but I didn’t know why. So I trusted God and my Pastor and went again. David Brown prayed over me and asked if I was able to lay everything down, and I felt like I did.

Afterwards Big Daddy led me back to the Altar of Encounter, something I would have never done unless I knew that God had ordained it. It’s not a light thing to be in the Presence of God, and I know I wouldn’t have felt worthy enough to even go back there. Of course my Heavenly Father knew that and that’s why He moved Big Daddy to lead me back there. It really blessed me that it happened that way because I felt like after years of not knowing where I stood with God, He was now speaking to me. Telling me that I need to forgive myself, because I am forgiven! And that He wants to be near me and to fellowship with me.

When I got to the Altar of Encounter, I saw a illuminating light. It was brighter than a candle so I figured it was the chandelier. But looking back I realized that the lights were dimmed in the sanctuary and this Altar was in the back and darkest part against the stone wall. All that time I kept seeing the light but I didn’t think anything of it. I thought, "was the lord trying to show me something?" But after a while the devil made me feel like I had missed out on a blessed moment with God because of something that I had failed to do. Pastor was concerned for me because I had been at the Altar so long. He came back to check on me and saw that I was crying and troubled. I kept saying to him "I can’t see Him! I can’t see the Lord!" I had prayed that if I was truly forgiven that the Lord would show me His Glory. And I felt that I had not seen.

Finally, I got up and joined in the prayers that were being prayed for people back at the Altar of Consecration. Big Daddy told me to get prayed for again and I was saying over and over, "I don’t understand!" And I still don’t understand why the lord led me to go three times. Maybe I didn’t lay everything down the second time or I picked something back up. But at the time I felt like going the third time just confirmed that I was doing something wrong. This time the Lord directed Matthew Lasiter to lead the prayer over me. He had suffered depression and anxiety a couple of years back and God delivered him during the Last Great Day service that year.

I went to my cabin and I prayed that if I still wasn’t letting go of something that the Lord would show me how to give it up because I didn’t know how. I did feel different, like the Lord had allowed me to release the weight that I was carrying. I now realize that I am powerful in Christ and that’s why the devil worked so hard to make me feel small.

The next day, I was still feeling a little discouraged and I wasn’t really looking forward to the testimonies. I knew that the Lord worked so powerfully that night and I thought it would make me sad about my missed opportunity for a testimony. But when Brittany testified about seeing the illuminating light at the Altar of Encounter, I knew in the Spirit that the Lord was confirming that He had shown me the Glory of His Presence! I literally saw the Light and was embraced by it. I find it almost comical now, because I was so upset about something that I didn’t understand. And it’s great, it’s truly great to be able to look back and just get tickled every time I think about it. That joy is something I had been missing.

Standing in the back with Elise before the service began, I looked into the sanctuary where the congregation was seated and saw a single drop fall. It was crystal white and fell centered between the testimony microphones just behind the Altar of Consecration. I kept watching for more but only saw the one. In our cabin later that night, I prayed the Lord would give confirmation. The next day I learned that Jessica Ryan had felt three drops like tears during praise and James Collins had seen a single red drop.

Then some of us remembered two like occasions in the past. While my dad (Pastor Larry) was praying a blessing on my brother Michael, a tear drop fell from the ceiling and landed on Pastor’s arm. He and Michael saw it and touched it-it was wet like water. Michael’s room is downstairs and Pastor’s bedroom was upstairs just above it so there was no possibility of a roof leak. Then sometime after that a single tear drop fell from above in our sanctuary and landed on Treon Lasiter’s (my mom) arm. It happened while I was singing special music. She could see and touch the tear.

I was sick. I had some bad problems starting up. I had a really awesome dream into the last great day after the night at the altars. I knew my healing had happened, I just had to go to dr to make sure. In my dream Adam Morales hit me with a stick. I was straight up healed. It was Sarah's husband Blake Moorer that told me to bring baptism clothes in my dream... I had no clue that was even happening. Pretty sure all that was already happening at those altars before I ever fell asleep. Pastor Larry was baptizing two after the morning services of the Last Great Day and was surprised when I stepped forward. He thought I was coming to help him out of the water, but I was coming for baptism. During the evening service of the Last Great Day I was looking toward the front and saw a red drop fall. It looked like a tear drop but was crystalized.

When I came to this Feast I was a skeptic. I had been suffering constant pain for the past nine years since I was involved in a car accident which fractured my back. It was very uncomfortable for me to even wear long pants due to the nerve pain in my legs. During the morning sermon of the first day I was in so much pain I had to get up and walk outside. I felt as though I had shown disrespect to Pastor Lasiter, so during lunch I went and apologized to him. He asked me if I had been anointed for healing and I said no. But during the afternoon service I felt moved to step forward and ask for the elders to anoint me. My pain left to my surprise!

I didn’t tell anyone for a few days. It was only after I stepped out of my cabin and tripped on a stump that I truly realized that I should give testimony of my healing. I fell hard but only received a few minor scrapes!

A fall like that would have put me down for the rest of the Feast but it didn’t hamper me at all!

I went to Pastor Lasiter and told him that when I came to this Feast that I was a skeptic, but that God healed me and that now I was a believer. I asked if he would baptize me, and he did on the afternoon of the Last Great Day.

The day before The Last Great Day as I was praying I desired to feel the Lord's presence. I knew He was there, I just wanted to feel His Presence and I wanted a vision. I was recounting to the Lord all the visions He has given me in the past and how very precious they were to me. On my way to the sanctuary as we ushered in the Last Great Day I felt accused, as though my motives were being questioned. I started to question my own motives on why I desired a vision. I knew those thoughts were from the enemy and that I needed to fight them, but they were still bothering me.

Later in the evening as John Murry was praying for me he asked the Lord to "show Elizabeth her pure heart." He prayed the same later as I came to the Altar of Consecration for prayer. I knew instantly that was the Lord's response to Satan's accusations. The Lord reminded me of a necklace my husband Matt gave me a few months after we married. Matt engraved "pure" on one side, but he didn't know why he chose that word. The Lord told me that was to be my reminder, that I am always welcome to seek His presence.

Later I went to the Altar of Encounter thinking if I prayed enough and pressed through the Lord would give me a vision. It didn't happen there, but I left with the understanding it would happen in God's time. That night I had a dream that it was the end times. Our church was together in a building I understood to be our church building but I did not recognize it. There was a war going on and as I looked out the window the enemy army was pressing in. They were in a straight line and everything they encountered died and was burned up The army only brought death and destruction, and they were headed straight for us.

We had no fear, not even a little bit, for we knew what awaited us on the other side of death. We all lined up in the hallway and held hands as we watched the enemy draw closer. They finally made their way to us and as a soldier came right next to me I looked over to the person I was holding hands with and said "I'll see you in eternity." And in an instant we had all vanished. We were taken from that moment and death did not touch us.

I cried during the evening service of the Last Great Day-I didn’t think it was possible to weep that much. It was a Spiritually powerful and touching night. Pastor had told us that God wanted us to go to each other and say "If I have ever offended or hurt you in any way, please forgive me. I love you." Then he told us that if we felt as if we couldn’t do this, then go to the Altar of Consecration and leave all unforgiveness there. I had gone to the Altar already, but Randal Bustard came to me and said that I needed to go again-that there was still someone I hadn’t forgiven. I briefly argued, but felt the fear of the Lord, so I decided to kneel at that Altar again. I met God there Who revealed to me that I had not forgiven myself and that I needed to lay down my guilt against myself. It was a liberating moment. That, along with encountering the Lord’s Presence earlier during the Feast has literally made me another person and I rejoice.

All night I wanted a personal encounter with the Lord, to feel His manifest Presence, to see Him, just something from the Lord. As I knelt at the Altar of Consecration brethren gathered around me to pray. Shane Morris was moved to pray aloud and as he prayed I saw in the Spirit a great chain. The links appeared so strong that it was impossible to break. I recognized that this was what was binding me from forgiving myself. As Shane continued to pray I saw each link of the chain shatter and turn into dusk. Then I felt the Holy Spirit moving me to wave a banner to the song "Break Every Chain." I did that the following morning during Last Great Day services.

Near the end of the evening Last Great Day service, Pastor was stirred in the Spirit and gave us all a reminder of who we are in Christ. That we were "more than conquerors" with "divinely powerful weapons of warfare" that we were "blood bought sons of God" and that "no weapon formed against can prosper." Pastor was exhorting us to leave our defensive posture behind and go on the offensive against the enemy. As he was preaching I saw the Glory of the Lord behind him as a fog or mist filling the sanctuary and I knew that He was preparing us for war-and I knew that we won that battle.

I came to the 2018 Feast spiritually battered from the previous year. In March I removed myself from my church brothers and even nearly unfriended the entire church from my FB friends list. It was due to some missed phone calls and the feeling of being ghosted by two long time twenty year friends in the church. It hurt my feelings pretty deeply unknowingly to them. In my absence from fellowship and contact with the brethren I unknowingly had forsaken God’s people, my brethren.

After three days of the Feast had passed Randall Bustard, James Collins, and I found a wonderful trifecta of fellowship that began to pull me out of my rut of showing up for services but not engaging anyone. As the Feast played out, the Lord had been working my heart to repentance as also the fellowship leading into the Last Great Day. Prior to events of Pastor being led to setting up prayer altars, the Lord had already began His incredible work that was about to play out. I sat in prayer in my pickup asking for forgiveness for forsaking all of my brothers and sisters. I felt so ashamed but knew I was redeemed but not complete. In my heart I knew I had to confess my sins to my brethren and ask them individually for forgiveness.

The evening of praise had begun and the altars were set but Pastor hadn’t completely explained what he was moved to do yet with the altars other than the naming them. The Altar up front was for Consecration to prepare for the Altar of Encounter in the back that was specifically there to enter the Lord’s Presence. While praise had opened in a sweet sound of acappella-voices singing praises I was moved twice by the Spirit to go straight to the back Altar. I was hesitant the first time because I didn’t think it was to be used yet as Pastor had not gave much explanation. I couldn’t resist the second time and went to the Altar in the back where I encountered the Presence of God for the second time in my life. The feeling of guilt and shame were present in my soul because I already knew I had to ask everyone for forgiveness and to confess that I had forsaken them.

The Lord called me back to remove those feelings and I can’t put into words how I felt when I touched the altar with my hands. I was a sobbing mess from the start of praise until I placed my hands on that altar. On my way to my knees the most blessed peace I have ever encountered rocked my soul. I instantly stopped crying and was going to ask the lord for forgiveness again for forsaking the brethren but before I could muster the thought God fired it into my soul that I was already forgiven. I sat in wonder for a brief moment, confused at the peace that had entered my heart and when it hit me and I broke down again in thankfulness to the Lord for fixing my heart and I told the Lord directly in His Presence that I would not forsake His people ever again. I slipped back into praise and John Murry noticed that I was quite shaken and put his arm on my shoulder; I immediately crumbled into his arms and confessed that I had forsaken him and was sorry.

After singing praise, the Lord moved Pastor to give his explanation of the altars which set the rest of the evening in motion. He set the stage for our intimate one on one session and he was led to have everyone ask each other for forgiveness for anything they may have done. The stage was now set but I had already, prior to any words being explained had already completed the task that was laid before us. I consecrated myself before service even started. Went before the Altar of His Presence and asked John to forgive me for my trespasses. That gave me the strength and courage to humble myself before everyone face to face.

I have heard many times of people receiving miraculous deliveries during this night. I didn’t know it but this night was tailored directly to heal my heart. Thank God for his tender mercies.

The evening of the Last Great Day Service was fast approaching and I felt like I needed to find a private place to pray and to consecrate myself before the service. I began walking in the camp hoping to find a suitable place and I same near the sanctuary. I don’t know why, but I felt like I should go in.

When I entered I felt the Lord’s Presence and saw some of the brothers preparing the room for the service and I noticed the Altars. I asked what they were for and they said that Pastor didn’t know yet but that God had moved him to have them. I sat down in one of the chairs, but then began to be drawn to the front Altar (we didn’t know yet that it was the Altar of Consecration). I stood up and walked to the Altar, kneeled and began to pray. I don’t really know what all happened there, but something happened there. I felt very strongly in the Spirit that the Lord was standing right in front of me. He was waiting for me there. And I testify also that I saw His Glory like a fog or mist.

It started Sunday late afternoon prior to the evening Last Great Day service, I was in my cabin meditating on the Word and in prayer. I had felt like there might have been something wrong, I hadn’t really experienced much in the Spirit since I came back to the Church. I was discouraged and thought that I might not have been doing all that I could be or something in me was blocking the Spirit. I wanted to prepare myself for that night and make sure that my heart was in the right place.

As I was in prayer I prayed that the Lord would move in a mighty way, that there be nothing that would hinder the Spirit from using me. I continued to pray for the Lord to allow me to feel His Presence and to be close to him that night.

As the service began, we were all together in the center of the room just lost in worship. I remember having my eyes closed and my hands raised - my left hand raised to my side and my right arm raised as high as it would go. While lost in worship I felt something drop on my hands, it felt like drops of water. I opened my eyes but I didn’t see anything. I didn’t think much about it and continued to worship.

Later on my Pastor was moved to have all of us go and embrace one another and ask for forgiveness for anything we may have done and tell one another that we loved them. I was instantly moved and I noticed half way through that I had this warm and comforting feeling surrounding me, -the feeling of an embrace. I noticed that the feeling continued even when I wasn’t hugging my brethren. I remember looking around at everyone and being overwhelmed by the love I saw and felt from them all and I started weeping. I realized the feeling I was experiencing was the Lords embrace. I couldn’t see anything but I knew in my spirit that He was there with me in the midst of everyone and He didn’t let me go. I knew then that God had answered my prayer and He allowed me to feel Him, -to feel his love and His embrace.

I felt lead to be prayed over at the Altar of Consecration. Later John Murry prayed over me near the end of the service. He prayed that when I stood up that I would continue to feel God’s love for me. That was confirmation that what I had experienced was real., because I had not told John or anyone else yet.

The next day I spoke with my Pastor and told him I had experienced three drops in my hand and I didn’t know what it meant. He then told me what I experienced was the tears of the Lord and that Sarah Lasiter Moorer had seen a white crystal like tear fall from the ceiling that same night and that James Collins had seen a crystalized red drop fall. Pastor told me that a heavenly tear fell upon his arm once while blessing his son, and that Momma T (Treon Lasiter) also experienced a tear fall on her during a service. I was instantly overwhelmed in the spirit and started to weep. God answered my prayers and I felt Him in a way I never have before. I have been filled with so much joy since and I long to experience more.

For quite some time (roughly 18-24 months preceding the Feast) I'd been feeling like God was nearly gone to me. It had become rare to feel His presence like before, manifest and strong! It had even been hard to concentrate on prayer and reading, seemed like my mind just would not focus properly on these things, like I was slipping away and couldn't do anything right spiritually. I'd talked to a brother about it at points along the way and he kept reminding me of how King David wrote in the Psalms that he felt much of what I was feeling like, so I kept on trying to walk and do the things I should do, but still feeling very discouraged at times. Where was God? Why did He seem so distant? Is He done with me? Did I cross that invisible line where there was no return? I had felt these things before but with much less intensity and for a much shorter time. Through all these feelings, I still knew He was there, even though it seemed I was just getting very small glimpses of His Presence now and then.

I had been looking forward to the Feast this year, even more than normal, feeling like there would be a big move by the Spirit this year, not knowing how or what, but hoping somehow to feel Him again, like before! On the eve of The Last Great Day it happened! I showed up hopeful and hungry for His Presence, even feeling like there was a couple specific things He wanted me to do that night! I did those things and as the service went on I felt His Presence more and stronger, emotion began to flood through me as I kept feeling the Spirit work, not only in me, but others as well! I felt cleansed and renewed that night! I'm still feeling it today, holding on to Him day by day, I feel my prayers are being heard in Heaven again, not just "stopping at the ceiling", not just going through the motions! I now awaken with a praise song in my mind, even before my mind is clear! I look forward to the time spent with The Lord daily, and what he has in store for the future! PRAISE THE LORD!

The reason that Satan is able to successfully attack us with accusations and cause us to feel ashamed and even condemned is because we truly do hate sin. We are sometimes enticed by sin and the pulls of the flesh, but only our body of death finds sin attractive. When we give in to sin it doesn’t take long for our conscience to rise up and for our heart to ache. The devil will always use this as an opportunity to accuse us-trying to get us to believe that we are without hope. That we have so offended God that we dare not draw near.

This tactic rarely works in nominal Christianity because they don’t really hate sin and they picture God as a god without a true standard nor wrath. They don’t strive to please God and are not pierced when they sin. Think about how your "Christian" friends think about God. The god they worship is not so demanding. They are not drawn nor driven to seek His Presence or to strive to obey and honor Him each day. There is no hunger or thirst for true fellowship with their Creator. Most "Christians" are spiritually blind to the condition of their heart. They don’t see how wicked they really are-they truly believe that they are good people. If the devil were to accuse these people they would say "How dare you! I’m a good person! I help others! I’m as good as anybody else! So what if I sin! Nobody’s perfect so don’t you judge me!!"

But God has opened our hearts to see the truth of our wicked nature in Adam and it pains us. Even our beloved Apostle Paul cried "O wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death?!" But then he realized and accepted that he was saved by Jesus-and that there is no condemnation in Christ. And that goes for all of us who have been born again of the Spirit.

Illustrations on Spiritual Growth

The story is told of a young girl who accepted Christ as her Savior and applied for membership in a local church. "Were you a sinner before you received the Lord Jesus into your life?" inquired an old deacon. "Yes, sir," she replied."Well, are you still a sinner?" "To tell you the truth, I feel I’m a greater sinner than ever." "Then what real change have you experienced?" "I don’t quite know how to explain it," she said, "except I used to be a sinner running after sin, but now that I am saved. I’m a sinner running from sin!" she was received into the fellowship of the church, and she proved by her consistent life that she was truly converted. END

The story is told that Andrew Jackson’s boyhood friends just couldn’t understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson’s friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now."

Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn’t they usually say three times and out?"

Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are ‘thrown,’ but whether you are willing to stay ‘thrown.’"

Older Testimonies Revisited

CHELSIE HEALED
Doctors found a growth on Chelsie Ryan’s ear bone. They were very concerned that if it didn't improve it would affect the muscles in her face. They gave her medicine and she was scheduled to return for a CAT scan. There was much pain and the church body joined together in prayer as the elders anointed her for healing.
Chelsie later testified that during the prayer it felt like something was being drawn out of her ear. This was further explained by what Michael Murry had seen during the anointing. He had seen the Lord reach in and take something out of her ear as we prayed. She was healed and did not have to undergo surgery. Even more so, she felt free as if she had been newly delivered.

Gaye Finley

Our beloved Evangelist from Atlanta, Lani Finley called requesting an anointed cloth for his wife Gaye. She had been experiencing shortness of breath and discomfort in her chest. After being examined by her physicians a nuclear scan was ordered which is the most comprehensive method available to determine the problem. After reading the results both physicians said that there was a blockage in her heart. One of these physicians was the foremost cardiologist in Atlanta. Gaye was scheduled for a surgical procedure the day the anointed cloth arrived in the mail. It was at this point that her cardiologists discovered that the blockage was no longer there. After being questioned whether the test had been wrong, He said,- "The nuclear scan doesn’t lie." It was surely a miracle. PRAISE THE LORD!

Dean Linville’s Step-Son Healed

Brother Dean, a faithful Deacon from Kentucky called me while on vacation in Florida with the news that his step-son had been diagnosed as having a heart attack. His step-son is a Pentecostal preacher and was scheduled for possible open heart surgery. Dean asked me to send an anointed cloth in hope that God would heal his step-son. God did heal him! When he returned for his check up there was no sign that he had ever had a heart attack! We are healed by the stripes of Jesus! May He receive the reward of His suffering. May His saints never fail to testify of His marvelous works and give Him the glory!

During our Tent Crusade in Clarksville, Arkansas we had a dramatic healing. Bridget, a young mother in our Russellville congregation had injured her back in a work related accident. Though she was experiencing much pain she decided to attend the Crusade anyway. Brethren made a bed in the back of the tent so she could lay down. The pain continued to get worse as the meeting went on and by the time it was over she leaning on the literature table crying.

I was talking with a visitor when sister Elva Sikes came over and told me that Bridget needed anointing for healing. As some of the brethren gathered around her I laid one hand on her head and placed one hand on the small of her back. As I prayed I began to feel movement in her back, under her skin. Soon I could actually feel a finger rise up from her back and I knew that it was God healing her. Suddenly she bolted upright! This was involuntary and I knew that she expected to feel pain but she didn’t. She began to jump and cry for joy saying,- "I’m healed, I’m healed, Praise God!"

MICHAEL, THE CROSS, & THE LORD
During worship, Michael Lasiter was given a spiritual experience. He saw in the Spirit that he had come to a room where a cross was being offered to him. The object was dark and sharp in places like railroad ties. He walked toward it, knowing the choice was his to receive it, and knelt beneath it to lift it up. When he did, he saw Jesus take His place next to him. The Lord carried half the weight of the cross and they began to walk. Michael remembers the path was treacherous with large pieces of gravel. He turned his head to make eye contact with the Lord and a great comfort came over him.

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