Somebody ought to Testify!

In Luke 17:12-19 it says “And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:  And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.  And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."

 After the Lord did such a great miracle in this man’s life, he just has to come back and say thank you. On the last day of the camp meeting here in Peru we all gathered in the church to hear testimonies of what the Lord has done in the lives of people during the retreat. So we are going to share a few of those testimonies with you.

 One young man said “ I came to these meetings looking to hear a word but I never expected God to move like He did. The first night Rev. Sanchez preached it was like a tornado hit the building. I have never experienced that before in my life. I got filled with the Holy Ghost for the first time and could not stop speaking in tongues all night!”

A pastor’s wife shared “I have been in a battle for a long time and many times I felt like I wanted to quit. I came to the meetings tired and weary from the devil warring against my mind.  Satan filled my life with fear and I could not seem to overcome it but during these meetings God set me free from the fear and filled me with power and I am renewed and revived and ready to fight the good fight of faith!

Another sister shared “I was in a place that I was coming to the church but not really serving God, I was going out on weekends looking for things of the world to satisfy me but was always left empty. I came looking for God to really change me. Last night I felt God so real in my life for the first time. I did not care what anyone thought I was praising my God. When Rev. Sanchez laid hands on me, God touched me! God delivered me and filled me with the Holy Ghost. I never knew what that felt like to have the power of God inside of me. But I feel it and it is real and my life is completely changed! "

 

An older lady shared “I always thought that healing was just something they made up on television for money. I know healing was in the Bible but I have never seen it before for real. But I came to the meeting with sever pain in my body. Even when I moved I had pain. But as the message was being preached I fell out of my seat under the power of God. This has never happened to me before! When I opened my eyes I was on the floor and when I got up the pain was gone. I started jumping and shouting because God did it for me! Now I know that every promise in God word is real and it is mine!"

One man shared “I had bad pain in my stomach, I could not eat or sleep. I went to the doctor and they could not find what was wrong but the condition was getting worse. At the altar Rev. Sanchez came by and said Nothing is impossible with God and when the word was spoken I felt a fire in my stomach and I fell to the floor crying and talking in tongues. Some of the brother had to help me to my seat because I could barely walk the presence of God was so strong. It was not until the next day that I realized the pain was gone! My God healed me!

 A young girl said "I was trying to serve God but not really letting my light shine. The world was really pulling at me and I started letting down in many areas of my life. When Sister Abigail preached on mantles it changed my life forever. The power of God came upon me like never before. I was shouting and crying! I could feel the love of God so strong in my life. As I was praising God I could no longer speak Spanish! God filled me with the Holy Ghost! It was beautiful! I felt like someone else was inside of me talking. I felt so full of power that I had to do something, so I started praying for my brother and sisters in the church and God was using me. I am so excited and I want to do more and more things for God."

 A Father shared “My wife and I love the Lord but we have been having problem with our children. Our kids are at a place were they are not really trying to serve God but we have kept them in church. This morning when Rev. Sanchez spoke on the candle stick the presence of God filled the church like I have never seen in my life. God’s power was touching people everywhere. As the spirit moved I could not find my children anywhere and I was concerned because I wanted to bring them to the altar. As I got closer to the front I found not one but all of my children on the floor crying! God had filled them all with His Spirit! My wife and in were jumping and shouting and crying! God did a miracle for our home and now we will all serve God together!"

Well my friends I hope you enjoyed these testimonies. There are so many more testimonies we could share of how God delivered, encouraged, healed and filled people with the Holy Ghost! But the good news is that God is not finished working in the lives of our brother and sister here in Peru. And God is not finished working things out for you! So keep praising Him and trusting in Him no mater what your situation looks like because no matter what the enemy may be saying my God is not a respecter of persons. What He does for one He will do for all. If He heals here, He will heal there, If He saves families here, He will save your family there, If He delivered here, He will deliver you there! Remember whenever God does something for somebody else that’s your time to rejoice because it means you're next in line for a miracle! So get rid of your fear, step out of doubt, shake off everything that tries to tell you God won’t do it because the devil is a liar! Oh Glory to God! So you might as well stop reading and get to praising! Because God is about to do something powerful on your behalf! You don’t have to see it, you just have to believe it, you don’t have to feel it , you just have to know it! The song writer said “ Right now if you believe God will work a miracle for you! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

God bless you

Rev. Melvin L. Sanchez

Healing is the children’s bread!

What a beautiful sight it is to see the sun shining over the mountains this morning. The birds are singing, the flowers are blowing in the wind. I made a decision to walk up the side of the mountain that the camp is on while I was praying. So as I looked over the church grounds and all the land and small impoverished homes built on the side of the mountain, I begin to think about the faithfulness of God. And how God’s Word never returns void but it accomplishes the thing He has sent it out to do. God never sleeps and He never slumbers and He always stands ready to fulfill His promises. God truly has His hands stretched out wide towards His people here in Peru. As I walked back down the mountain and went into the service to minister on “Our Ability to Create”, the Lord began to walk through the meeting changing lives and meeting needs. One lady shared “ I suffered from a severe case of back pain for years due to a hernia, I could barely take the pain but this morning while the word was being preached the presence of the Lord came upon me and all my pain is completely gone!" The service was just as powerful. Sister Abigail preached on “Mantles” and teenagers flooded the altar and many were filled with the Holy Ghost. As the power of God continued to move all the families gathered together and prayed for one another. Fathers were praying for sons, mothers with daughters, children praying for grandparents, it was awesome! Entire families were crying out to God in groups scattered all over the church! Tears flowed from the eyes, shouts of praise, cries of deliverance and victory filled the air. God’s mighty hand was in this service and He was healing relationships. Families were healed today. The hearts of the children were turned back to their parents and everyone was calling on God! We were in church late last night. And God just kept moving, people were falling out  under the power of God. Young children crying and talking in tongues! Elders stirred up their gifts and allowed themselves to be used by God. It was truly glorious!

But I cannot end this report without telling you that God still heals! He has never lost His power. I don’t care if you have problems in your body, in your marriage, in your mind or in your family. Our heavenly Fathers holds the remedy, He has the answer to it all! I want to encourage you to bring your need into the presence of God and watch God work. Jesus said that healing was the children's bread so it is already yours! You just simply have to have faith in God! Don’t you dare carry that problem or that sickness another moment but cast your cares onto Jesus right now because He cares for you. Because what would take you a lifetime to try to resolve can be done in seconds in the presence of God! So this morning grab a hold of your daily bread and rise and be healed in the name of Jesus!

God bless you

Rev. Melvin L. Sanchez

And God showed up!

We got up early Thursday morning and began to drive to the mountains to get to the campsite. As we drove we could see the business of the city and all the great buildings that havebeen built. We passed by the wonderful gardens and parks that were built for the people. They are breath taking. But as we drove a little further we could see the very impoverished homes built with cardboard and pieces of metal along the side of the mountains. We saw children dressed in rags running and playing. We saw people struggling to make a living traveling from car to car to wash car windows or sell you things. Even very little children were flipping in the street or doing some kind of entertainment just to maybe get a little change from you. So in the midst of overwhelming beauty there is still a strong hand of poverty and many people that need our help. That’s why I awnt to encourage you to give and make a donation to WWLM  right now! Help to empower us to continue to make a difference in the lives  of humanity. Whether it is Africa or Peru or wherever God may lead, becoming a monthly sponsor will cause you to be a part of a ministry that is changing the world one life at a time.

Then we finally got to the campsite. The mountains were just majestic! The flowers were beautiful! The small breeze that blew on my  face was so calming. The people quickly unpacked and headed for the water baptism. Nine people were baptized and they were very excited. The people clapped and cheered when they came out of the water; it was time of great rejoicing! After the baptism there were many activities and games that we could be a part of. Great joy and abundant laughter was everywhere. Soon it was time for dinner and all the meals are served family style. It is very nice! We have made many new friends around the diner table!

The night service was incredible! I preached on the topic "God specializes".  As the Word of God went forth many lives were being changed and transformed while we were preaching. People were crying and jumping and shouting. People were running and dancing and talking in tongues. The Holy ghost was moving! The more we preached the more the glory of God filled that house! People were getting healed and many lives were delivered. Souls were on their knees while the power of God kept moving! Some could no longer stand in the awesome presence of God and fell to the ground as the spirit of the Lord came upon them! At on point the shouting of the saints worshiping God over powered our microphones! There was no doubt that God Almighty showed up! Young children 4 and 5 years old were at the altar crying out to God! Some people were on their knees, some walking and crying. Others were running and praising God. All over the altar people were laid out under the power of God talking in tongues! It was awesome! So many things happened tonight! God was in control. As the meeting continued God began to call young people into the ministry! Pastor Gustavo’s son and daughter were touched mightily by the Holy Ghost and they laid at the altar under the power of God! Families gathered together and prayed for one another! Halleluiah! You know sometimes you try to write a report to help paint a picture of a meeting but all I can tell you is God walked through the house and did what nobody esle could do. After the meeting the power of God just rested in the building. Some young people had to be helped to their rooms. People left crying and talking in tongues! God showed up! He showed up in power and He touched the lives of His people! It was amazing, it was awesome, it was glorious!

God bless you & thank you for giving and praying

Rev. Melvin L. & Abigail Sanchez

No More Crutches!

What a great joy it is to be in Peru and see our great friends, Pastor Gustavo and his lovely wife Jenny.  Everyone is excited about the family retreat.  We are going to have a water baptism this morning and the meetings will start tonight.  There is also another church that will be joining us for the meetings and they will all be coming by bus to the campgrounds.  As I woke up early this morning and began to pray and think about all the services we will have in Peru in the days to come, my mind went back to my wife, Abigail and I preparing to leave for Peru.  In order for us to leave we had to get everything in order.  We had to have all the bills paid and all the food purchased and plenty of notes left for our children's grandparents.  We made calendars for our boys, we left special instructions for them and then we hugged our sons and told them how much we loved them and then said goodbye, which is never easy.  You get in a car or you get on a plane with tears in your eyes.  These are the moment in life when your heart is torn because sometimes you may want to stay home.  Sometimes you may want to stay with your children.  Sometimes you can come up with a thousands reasons why you can’t do what God is asking you to do.  But when the Father calls you, He does not want to hear all the reasons why you can’t do it. He is looking for immediate obedience.

You know the Bible says in Matthew 9:37-38, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few, Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”  You know my friends God is looking for labourers.  There is no doubt in my mind that He has not already called people.  He has already put in people’s heart what He is asking them to do.  But sometimes it is easy to forget what God has said or we look for the few to do the work of the many.  And other times we fill our lives with so many other things and plans, that we crowd out the voice of God and we no longer hear or feel the Father’s heart crying out to His people to go, to give and to send.  But this morning I want to talk to you about the biggest hindrance of them all.  It is called excuses!  Excuses are nothing more than crutches that we use to lean on.  We walk around on our crutches and use them for an excuse of why we cant do what the Father is asking.  So we say we are to young, we are to old, we just got married, we have children, we don’t have enough money, we don’t speak Spanish or French, somebody else can do it better and by the time we get done with all of our excuses we have built up two big crutches that we lean on to ease our conscious for not doing he Father’s will.  And every time God begins to call or inquire of us we simply hold our crutches in the air and wave them around.  But this morning I have prayed to the Lord of Harvest that He would rise in His power and glory and begin to stir the hearts of His people one more time.  I prayed that the Lord of Harvest would visit the dead and dormant areas of people’s lives one more time and cause them to stir up the gift that lies deep within them.  I prayed that God would shake and waken the laborers in this hour like never before!

My friends my heart is stirred to action this morning so I have to tell you that as long as you hold onto your crutches the easier it is for you to be deceived into wasting your talents to do other things. Or you will waste your time in nothingness.  And because idle hands find mischief you won’t see anything good in the place that God has called you to be in.  But I want to encourage you today to throw your crutches away!  Get rid of all your excuses and all the reason why you can’t do the Father’s will!  Stop blaming people, stop holding onto the past.  Stop running and get rid of your crutches!  It is time to rise up and go to the fields. It is time to use our talents for the Kingdom of God.  It is time for you to use you languages for the glory of God.  It’s time to use your gifts and your talents to help win souls.  God wants your time; He wants your finances.  He wants your song, your creativity, your leadership and your gifts of organization.  Whether you can build a house or mop the floor, God has a place for you in His Kingdom.  God wants you!  Not your crutches -- you.  Just you!  No More Crutches!

The Bible says in Acts 3:1-9, “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God:”

Wow, wasn’t that awesome!  That man does not need anybody to carry him no more!  He does not need crutches because after He was touched by the power of God, He got up!  He got up leaping and praising God!  What should have took him a process of time to accomplish was done within moments because He responded to God!  My Friends God is passing by your way right now!  He is reaching out His hand to you right now!  He is saying if you grab a hold of my hands (the church, the five fold ministry), there is a healing and restoring power that shall be released into the body and you shall receive strength.  Not strength to do your own thing or accomplish your own vision but strength to do the will of Father!  God Almighty is going to give you the power to do in these last days whatever it is you need to accomplish!  And let me tell you nothing shall stand in your way!  So in the name of Jesus of Nazareth throw away your crutches and rise up and walk!

God bless you
Rev. Melvin L. Sanchez

Friday Night Revival!

What great joy and excitement was in the house tonight.  We had Bishops, Pastors and Evangelists from Connecticut, New York, Maine and various other places and churches in the meeting tonight. The praise team sang and the people were praising God, truly this was a night a great rejoicing. It was not long before they had me up to preach and I spoke on "The Power of The Spoken Word"! The Lord moved mightily in this service. Revival had come to Rhode Island! As the Spirit of God began to fall in that church it did not matter if you were a Bishop or a regular church member - we all were glorying God! As the Holy Ghost moved people were crying and shouting and dancing all over the church! People were in the isles and on the floor talking in tongues as the Spirit gave them the utterance! The Shouts of praise filled the air and you could no longer hear any voices but it sounded like the rushing water! People began getting healed and delivered! Young people were set free from bondage's at the altar! And the Lord just kept on moving! Many pastors came to the altar crying out to God and the Lord met them with explosive power! One pastor said, “I came to this meeting on my last ounce of strength but God strengthened me in my inner man and I am going back to win my city for God!"  Another pastor said, “The devil has tried to take over my church but I have put him under my feet and nothing is going to stop me from preaching the Word again!"  One evangelist shared, “I have had pain in my back for years and it has stopped me from doing what God has called me to do because I could barely move.  But tonight when the Word was being preached God touched my back and the pain is all gone. Tomorrow I am going back to preach on the street, in the prisons and everywhere God leads me!"  As people filled the altar being saturated by the presence of God, Pastor Brown said, “This is what I have been praying for, this is what we have needed, a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost!”  And while he was speaking the power of God hit that building and all the Pastors and leaders went through that church praying for one another! The meeting was not ending it was just getting started! The church was on fire! All over the church people were praying for one another! The power of God was moving all over the church. It was incredible! People were in the back dancing, people were in the isles shouting and crying, people were in the pews and at the altar just being saturated by the power of God! God was having his way in His House and it was wonderful!  Many young people accepted the call of God tonight! It was amazing just watching God work. When church was over, God wasn’t done and people were still falling out under the power of God trying to leave the church. Others staggered like drunken men under the power of Almighty God and then it happened again! The church lifted up their voices with victory and the power of God fell in that place again!

Jesus said in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."  Everyone came in the church hungry for God and when you are hungry for God nothing in the natural will satisfy. God filled these precious people with His glorious presence and I want to encourage you to begin to hunger and thirst after God for He promised that you would be filled. And when God fills you up, you have peace and joy! When God fills you up you don’t worry and fear but you walk with confidence because you know everything is going to be alright. My Friend, this world will try to fill you up with things that will do you no good but when you are filled with God you see things differently and you think differently because your mind and heart are filled with God.  My friends the good news is when you are full you are satisfied, you don’t want anything else! And that’s the place God wants us to get to, a placed of being so filled up on Him we won't desire anything else because He is all we need!

God bless you

Rev. Melvin L. Sanchez

Touched By God!

The meetings have been absolutely wonderful. Abigail Sanchez preached today on “ Your relationship with God.” Many people cried as the Lord began to challenge our hearts and call us closer to Him. After the message we began to pray and seek God. While we prayed such a sweet presence of God filled that room. After awhile a word of prophecy came forth saying that “ Many have left off their first love and have set their hearts and affections on things. Many have spent time working for Me but have left off knowing Me.  But now is the time to return to thy beloved, now is the time to rend your heart and not your garment, for the Father stands and longs to be in fellowship and relations with His people.  Draw near my people for the end of things is near and now is the time to embrace the father,' heart and do thy fathers will but it will not come to pass without relationship.” After the word was brought forth a powerful cry went up to heaven. Tears flowed from peoples eyes. God was drawing us closer to Him.

It seemed like all day God was drawing us closer to the throne. Reminding us that our lives or not our own but His. There was a pastor that came to the meeting so discouraged because they just lost their church and now they are renting a place to have services but after the meeting the pastor said “ I thought I failed God but the Lord spoke to me and said I moved you to stir you to action that I may flow through you to reach your community.” This pastor was on fire because now she could see the plan of God unfolding. God set her in a place to win souls for Christ and that’s what they plan to do! Another young minister was running from the call of God but the Lord called him forward and began to speak into his life. He fell to his knees weeping, crying and talking in tongues under the power of God. When he got up he said “The Lord has restored my soul and renewed my vision."  He is no longer running but ready to finish the work that God has called him into. Today was just a day of God talking to hearts and drawing people closer to Him. At the end of service pastors were everywhere embracing and praying for one another. It was a beautiful scene in the House of God.

Before I end this report I am moved to encourage you to draw closer to God. No matter what you are going through or facing, take some time everyday to draw closer to God. Sometimes we don’t always have the answers and sometimes we don’t know why things happen to family, friends and loved ones. But if you draw close to God Hill give you peace, He will comfort your heart, He will give you the strength to complete the call that is upon your life. There are so many distractions in this life, so many things that will eat up your time and cause you to waste your talents on nothing. The Bible says in Proverbs 30: 15 “The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give…” These are things that just attach themselves to you and take, take, take. They want you to give everything but they give nothing. And our Heavenly Father is calling us away from all these little things that draw our attention. And as we respond to that call and walk towards Him all those things that produce nothing will fall off so we can produce more for the Kingdom of God!

God bless you --

Rev. Melvin L. Sanchez

God is moving in Rhode Island!

Greetings, it is such a blessing being here in Rhode Island with my wife Abigail and my sons, Melvin Jr. & Isaiah.  Pastor Brown and the Harvest Hope Church of God in Christ family were all excited to see us.  Our first meeting was wonderful! Rev. Hamlett preached on the subject “Prayer still works”. I can truly say that people were excited as the Spirit of God moved throughout the church. At the altar call, God really touched a Pastor who had just started back preaching after being sick for almost a year. When the presence of God moved on that Pastor, God both renewed and revived this man of God! The Pastor told us that he was encouraged and ready to move forward in the will of God. There was also woman of God sitting in the back, and the Lord showed me that her heart was broken and her spirit was discouraged because of things that had happened in the ministry. I called her forward began to tell her about things that happened and how she felt. As the Lord put the words in my mouth, I began to minister to her need.  As I spoke, healing and restoration began to take place in the heart of this woman of God. As she raised her hands, God began to do a work inside her heart! After prayer, she embraced her husband and the church began to pray around them! It was beautiful! So many other people were helped and helped today, and we just magnified God for his goodness!

Melvin Jr. decided he was going to sing everyone a song today while we were eating at the fellowship. So I made the announcement and Melvin Jr. stood on the chair and began to sing “Our God is a great big God!” Everyone clapped and cheered so Melvin Jr. decided to sing “Yes, Jesus loves me”, and then he closed out his singing session with “Who is the king of the jungle!” These songs were a great blessing to everyone!  I told Melvin Jr. how proud we were that he used his talents for the kingdom of God!  My son Melvin Jr. is 4 years old, but he did not let his age stop him from using his talents to bless others. So I want to encourage you today to use your gifts and talents to be a blessing to others. So many times when the opportunity arises for us to do something, we think that others can do it better or greater, so we let opportunities pass us by time and time again. But why not let today be a day of change! God wants to use you! God wants to use your gifts and talents to help someone else. Somebody needs your smile, your word of encouragement or maybe even your song. You were design to be a blessing so open up your heart and be a blessing to someone else today!


God bless you

Rev. Melvin Lewis Sanchez

Holy Ghost Rain!

Wednesday night was one of the most powerful services that I have ever experienced in my life. There was a man in the service that had problems with his joints and muscles and could barely move his upper body.  But when the Spirit of God began to move, he lifted up his hands, jumping up and down, because God had completely healed him. His family could not believe it, but after he got healed, they all got saved! Another lady had severe back pain for over 20 years, and she could barely turn from side to side.  She struggled to get up and down, but while I was preaching, she felt the presence of God come over her -and she stood up, shouting, completely healed! God was making Himself known in the midst of His people! We had many healed of all types of pains and sicknesses tonight! One young girl came to the altar very depressed.  The Lord showed me that she was planning to run away from home. When I told her what she was planning to do, she burst into tears and, right there at the altar, she surrender her life to God, and the Lord set her free from her depression, and also restored her relationship with her parents. We also had a Pastor in the church tonight that came ready to give up the ministry and walk away. He said the battle had been long and hard against him, and everything he does seems to fall apart in his hands. But tonight, when the Word was being preached, hope sprung up in his soul. At one point in the service, I went over to him and grabbed his hands and said “No matter what you are going through, don’t you dare give up on God, for the battle is not yours, but God’s!” After I spoke those words, the power of God came upon this Pastor mightily, and he went running and shouting! God had set him free and restored him!  He told me after the service “I feel just as strong as I did when I started the ministry. I am strong, renewed and full of faith! I am ready to fulfill my assignment!” The more the service went on, the more God moved!

As we were all at the altar praying, you could feel a mighty presence of God move into the church, and the Lord began to set people and ministries into place. It was awesome! Pastor Jackson was moving through the church, praying and speaking words into people lives. The young people started crying and talking in tongues, and they started going around praying for each other. Revival had broken out! The Holy Ghost rain was falling everywhere! The elders got on fire tonight, and went around laying hands on one another. Parents where praying for their children! People were lying across the altar, not able to get up because the power of God was upon them so strong. I looked from the pulpit, and all I could see were people everywhere praying and crying and seeking God. There was a mighty river flowing in this place! God has empowered this church. We were at the altar until almost 1am in the morning! Nobody wanted to leave! Pastor Jackson said he had never seen God move so mightily in his church before, and he is so grateful for all that God has done. After service, people testified how they were delivered from pornography, set free from drugs, healed and filled with the Holy Ghost. There is a great stirring here in Maine, and God is not finished yet! I know without a doubt that the best is yet to come!

Rev. Melvin L. Sanchez