In a desert valley in California, lies the hottest, driest place in America, Death Valley. Nothing grows there because it doesn’t rain.

In the winter of 2004, seven inches of rain fell over a very short period. What followed was a phenomenon. In the spring of 2005, wildflowers in the millions bloomed suddenly and overtook the entire floor of Death Valley.

What It Proved

Death Valley is not really dead. It’s dormant. Just beneath the surface of the valley are seeds waiting for the right conditions to come about.

Seeds of Possibilities

If conditions are right, life is inevitable.

Why Is This Important For Us?

Our Ministry does its job. They put in long hours of studying and preaching. Our spiritual development is their responsibility and expertise. In the field, they labor and toil creating the conditions under which people can spiritually grow and flourish.

They plant the seeds of our salvation.

Opting Out Of The Altar Call

Don’t do it. The Holy Ghost comes in to water the seeds that have been planted. While the Spirit of God is moving freely and there is no drought, take advantage.

We forget: the Spirit of God is not everywhere and places exist in which you cannot pray or worship God.

Going To The Altar Is Like An End Zone Dance After A Touchdown. Except Spiritual.

Going down for prayer can change the course of a life. That’s an incredible thing.

Knowing a complete absolute victory was won for us on Calvary, can take us from doing fine to doing fantastic to being alive. Now we can keep winning. We have to get away from the kind of thinking that pulls the emergency brake and holds us back. If you’re in your own head, you’re behind enemy lines.

Instead, get in the prayer lines. That’s where the victories start and where the seeds grow.

The Bridge wants to share some of what we have, so here’s a small seed packet. Plant these and you’ll be shocked at what happens.

Elder

Jesus should be our Savior instead of everyone else. We’re moving forward. Some have been coming to church for years and still will not submit to the Cross. I ask you, “Who do you say He is”? “What is He to you”?

Living for God is not what we do. It’s who we are. We’re overcoming ourselves, not some outside source. This way is simple. His yoke is easy. That burden you’re carrying? Take it off your back and put it in your heart. You’ve got this! Don’t say you haven’t been a good Christian. Who cares? Come On! Get In!! Be Saved!!!

Brother Nobles

Elder LaFleur is building the Church. The Ministry is building the Church. If you are overcoming and building yourself, you are building the Church. If you are helping somebody else through their struggles, you are building the Church. David affirmed himself—he would not be moved. You’re a child of God. Affirm yourself. Affirm each other.

We’re looking at a room full of miracles. We were dead, but now alive. The seed has been planted that we will win the war, so walk in confidence. Go down for prayer. God is ready to touch our minds. Remember the man by the pool? His sins were erased. Tear down the walls! Don’t hold back! Just believe!!

Brother Gibbs

We want to be what God wants when He calls us to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. God set a boundary to keep the sea out there from us. Stay within the boundary. We’re producing the Latter Rain Church!

Brother Monte

If you’re not needing anything from the Lord, come on to the altar anyway. Others need prayer. Come and get prayer for them. As your mind comes up against you, tell it no. Get to the altar and receive your blessing. Let the Lord relieve your burden. We want God to hear our cry and not pass us by. We need His mercy upon us. No matter the situation, God is the Source. Stir up the Spirit! Seek Him!

Brother Patrick

Paul was faced with prison and the prospects of certain death by King Agrippa. His response was, “I think myself happy”. God has your solution no matter the problem or what burden you carry. God makes us free. In chains, we are free! Bring out the duct tape, it doesn’t matter. We are still FREE! Dig deeper and choose life!!

Brother Gill

Quit making excuses. Humble ourselves. God wants us to obey Him and stop obeying ourselves. The well of righteousness is here! There’s a resurrection taking place!!

Brother Kevin Wright

You can be coming and sitting in here and be complacent. Go Forward in 20GR18 with God! The Ministry is pointing us in the right direction. People are going to start saying, “I see it!!” Come on, turn the corner in 20GR18!!

H2O

Water is absolutely essential to life. Without it, seeds of truth remain dormant and hidden underneath the hardness of life and our hearts turn to stone.

Behold A Sower Went Forth To Sow

Elder started sowing seeds of truth a long time ago. Last year, he brought up the notion that sometimes we may have to go backwards to move forward. As we saw in Death Valley, we often need to look at what was there before to get a clearer picture of what is there now. The Super Bloom reveals a deeper understanding and appreciation for the present that comes from the past.

A 70s Throwback

There we were, bodies and souls packed into the church at Potter’s Hill. The piano, singers, and a few instruments were to the left, the ministry straight ahead, and the rest of us in the creaky pews. The altar opened and so did a call for the lost and anyone needing God’s intervention. The service had a great feeling of suspense for what God would do, hope for salvation, sweat in our palms, and the same people in the back not paying attention.

Stakes Were High

The youth group passed the age of 12, which meant we were now accountable to God. Of course we complained that right when we were old enough to have fun, we were supposed to do it responsibly.

We still felt conviction to get our houses in order in case the end of the world as we knew it came suddenly. We had all seen the ‘rapture at midnight’ tracts and books that were all the rage at the time. We wanted to avoid the mark of the beast and not bow down to the antichrist.

Foolish Virgins Are So Yesterday

From front to back, pews were full of new born babes in Christ. People were on the edge of their seats when the music started and eager to get down to the altar. Everyone wanted to be saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and Baptized in Jesus name. So we went to the altar as often as we could. The Holy Ghost would be there healing the sick, restoring hope to the broken, and bringing dead souls to life. It was the happening place.

One service, Elder preached about the ten virgins in Matthew 25. The five foolish ones slumbered and slept. When the Bridegroom came, they woke and begin flailing around trying to beg and borrow oil. It was too late. The Bridegroom shut the door.

No one wanted to be a foolish virgin with no oil. People were crying and seeking God with everything they had. No one was taking chances.

We Can Do It, Captain, We Have The Power.

Sister Jean started the Women Laborers. They all met before every service, held hands, and prayed. They even fasted and prayed extra during the week for special requests. Their prayer warrior reputation became legendary in the church.

When the women laborers went down to the altar, we’d sneak in behind them because we knew they were going to heaven, and if we were standing close to them during prayer, we might go right on with them. Hands were raised high to make sure Jesus didn’t pass over anybody.

Tonight could be the night. We kept our eyes closed tight so we wouldn’t see the wheat being separated from the chaff.

Glory Days

Elder started teaching more truth as people could handle it. Revelations were coming in fast. The zeal to learn the truth was through the roof. Whenever someone mentioned the Elder was having an in-home Bible study, flying in to the airport from a general meeting, or holding a P.C. (not for the faint of heart), word spread like wildfire. Homes, hospitals, restaurants, or airport parking lots—it didn’t matter. If Elder was there to talk, people gathered.

Souls were being called into the Body of Christ. They were hungry and ready to pay whatever price it took to hear the Word.

Put A Ring On It

It was official. We split from the harlot (Proverbs 7) and became the One, the Undefiled, the True Church. A small but mighty people, we stood with God’s Apostle and closed the door on false prophets. Like the wise virgins, we were preparing for the Bridegroom.

Elder taught things like the phases of salvation and four major doctrines. He armed the church with spiritual weapons to fight the carnal nature. Many who came in to the Church were spiritually starving, so Elder made sure a big table was spread. We learned. We worshiped. We loved. We fellowshipped. These were glorious days.

Losing Our Religion

Elder planted seeds of truth so deep until we were neither distracted nor did we give attention to people who wanted to pull us in a direction away from God’s will and His Church.

We saw the spiritual conflict in 1 Kings 18 going on in the religious world, when the children of God strayed away from truth. They weren’t eating at the table of God anymore. They had fallen far away from the victorious days of Joshua. Terrible tragedy was happening to the children in 1 Kings because of their refusal to separate themselves from the gods and idols in the world around them.

His Voice Won’t Be Silenced

In the middle of Babylon, God raised up a voice of truth because in every generation, He has never left His people without a testimony. God will always have a leader and there will always be His Word. It may not be popular, it may not be the majority, but His Voice will still be heard. He is God. He created the earth. He governs the world. He holds every one of His children in the palm of His hand and He will speak to anyone who wants to hear.

He called the Elder, and we were all there not fully realizing the magnitude of what was happening. God sent this man to Potter’s Hill, and we had a connection through him to power we had never known and access to prosperity in this wealthy church in Potter’s Hill, North Carolina.

Don’t Eat At Jezebel’s Table

All around, we saw churches rise up so fast and high. Our Apostle preached The Gospel and sowed us into God’s Kingdom and not into entertainment, stained glass, and cathedrals. He knew down the road, there would be a trail of disillusioned people and buildings full of unclean virgins.

Religion did not define our Christianity and Babylon was in our rear view mirror.

Then came Revelation 3:21.

Shibboleth, Sibboleth

If heaven requires a secret scripture or code to get in, Revelation 3:21 is the new shibboleth. Somewhere during these years, we traded milk for meat and began using spiritual grownup words like ‘overcome’.

In Potter’s Hill, Elder planted a strong work and established God’s True Church. We met the enemy and the real fight started. Then we all anchored our souls in the Body of Christ. His work there was done.

Change Of Address

The Church grew, the Lord spoke to Elder, and there was a big move. A building was up for sale in Onslow County where there were more restaurants and hotels, which were convenient for hosting General Meetings.

God opened that door. We moved in.

Luke, Meet Warm

With a nicer church and revelations under our belts, we learned that the Lord wasn’t going to pull a fast one and come back early. We collectively breathed a sigh of relief. There would be signs and He’d reveal them to His Ministry.

But remember Death Valley? The Super Bloom? The Ten Virgins?

Maybe we think we have time, so we hold back during altar calls and get slack on filling our lamps with oil. Brother Wright called it complacent. God calls it being lukewarm.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:15-16

When the Spirit is flowing, and we say, ‘nah, I’ll pass’ to the Holy Ghost, God doesn’t approve.

The old man tells us to catch the next one. The Lord isn’t revealing signs to His Ministry so we can have a last minute cue to slide in. Elder preached messages about God shutting the door. If you heard them, you know when God shuts the door, it’s over.

Decisions Are Hard, This One Is Not

Death Valley showed us what happens to seeds that get no water.

The Super Bloom showed us that we can spring to life when we let the Holy Ghost rain down on us.

Our early beginnings showed that God always has a man. Under that leader, people will rise to the call and achieve things that you completely did not anticipate and couldn’t have expected.

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize. Hold On. Keep Holding On!!