I CAME INTO THE OFFICE THIS MORNING AND WAS WRITING A FEW LETTERS BACK TO INMATES WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE MINISTRY. I HAD 3 LETTERS ADDRESSED AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE NAMES IT DAWNED ON ME THAT ALL 3 WERE TO MEN AND A WOMAN WHO HAVE LIFE SENTENCES IN FLORIDA PRISON. BROKEN LIVES IN NEED OF HOPE AND HELP THAT ONLY JESUS CHRIST CAN GIVE. THIS PHOTO IS A SNAP SHOT OF SOME OF THE LETTERS WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS YEAR AND THEY ARE SO TOUCHING. THERE IS HOPE BEYOND THE RAZOR WIRE.
"GOD ON THE MOUNTAIN IS STILL GOD IN THE VALLEY!"
God on The Mountain..
"GOD ON THE MOUNTAIN IS STILL GOD IN THE VALLEY!"
Last night at the Discipleship class at the Georgia Prison I volunteer at a lady Correctional Officer Sergeant came in and asked me to come with her. She took me to another room.There sit 4 men both black and white guys then she with tears in her eyes asked will you please speak with these men and pray with them. I was shocked as she was a tough no-nonsense type of Correctional Officer Sergeant, the “Shorty Talcum” of the Rock at UCI back in the day.She then left and as I talked with the men and each one shared with tears and that brokenness I had not experienced in many years, I felt their pain.
One man from Michigan had a newborn baby in the hospital born without Kidneys and also his dad had just informed him he had a terminal illness. One of the other men shared his new born baby boy was in ICU at a Hospital in Georgia and was critically ill. He cried tears down his face as he said he might never get to hold his baby son. Another shared that he had just found out his aunt was close to death with the flu and she was like a mother to him. The other man shared that his mom had just found out she had cancer. By then with tears in my eyes and memories in my heart as I felt The deep pain and desperation of each of this men. Considering where I have been and where I am coming from, I know their pain, I had been there. In that same valley. I shared that it was no accident that the Sergeant Correctional Officer brought them out to share and pray. It was a true God Moment, and that the Lord JESUS CHRIST is more than just our comforter, but our SAVIOR.
Matt. 11:28 8 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
That even in that Prison, behind the Razor Wire and High Fence, I knew that no matter how dark, how messed up or how devastating life was that JESUS CHRIST IS THE PEACE AND COMFORT WE NEED. That as we prayed we found “ That God on the Mountain is Still God in the Valley.”
FROM THE JAIL HOUSE TO THE CHURCH HOUSE!
"FROM THE JAIL HOUSE TO THE CHURCH HOUSE: THE LIGHT OF CHRIST SHINES"
Shouts of JOY and VICTORY resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! Ps. 118:15
What a day of Joy and Victory as we enjoyed the Wedding of Doug and Zegan who just 1 year ago were in jail and prison.
Their lives devastated and destroyed by drugs and sin. Until they found JESUS in the JAIL HOUSE. The Redeeming Grace of God
Reaches into the darkness of SIN and REDEEMS what Satan and Sin has destroyed and devastated.
This is why Stacy and I LOVE what we do in PRISON MINISTRY. Stacy did the flowers for the wedding, our daughter Bethany did the photography, and it was a true labor of LOVE. Several ex-inmates from the Georgia RSAT Prison Drug Program attended, as did numerous ex-inmates from the County Jail who are part of the Drug Program "Transformation" at Church.
Totally Awesome to See the Power of God's Glorious Grace though Christ in action.
There is a Life beyond Addiction, Beyond the jail cell and beyond the Prison cell.
Jesus proclaims in John 10:10 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
GREAT LOVE: Submitted by an inmate.
GREAT LOVE
Once upon a time: There was an Island where all the feelings Lived.
Happiness, Sadness, Vanity, Richness and all the other feelings including LOVE.
One day it was announced to all that the Island was about to sink to the bottom of the Ocean.
So they all prepared their boats to leave the Island. But...Love was the only one that stayed.
She wanted to preserve the Island “Paradise”, until the last moment.
When the Island was almost totally submerged underwater. Then Love decided it was time to leave, so she began looking for someone to ask for Help.
Just as “Richness” was pulling out with his Grand Boat. Love asked “Can I leave with you?”
He replied, “I’m sorry, but I have lots of Gold and Silver on my boat and there is no room anywhere for you.”
Vanity was behind him pulling out and Love asked him “Can I please come with you in your Beautiful Vessel?” Vanity replied “I can’t help you, your too wet and you will damage my Beautiful Vessel.”
Soon after “Sadness “ came by and Love immediately yelled out to her, “Can I please go with you?” She replied quickly and said “I’m sorry Love but I just want to be by myself alone right now.”
Then came “Happiness” and she cried out “Happiness may I please come with you?”
But Happiness was so overjoyed that He didn’t hear Love cry out for help.
So Love, began to cry until she heard a voice that said, “Come Love, I will take you with me.”
Love looked up and saw it was “Mr. Elder” But she felt so Blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to get his name.
So when they arrived on land, Mr. Elder went on his special way. Suddenly Love realized how much she owed to Mr. Elder. So she searched for Mr. Knowledge, and she found him.
She asked Mr. Knowledge, “Who was the Elder that helped me?”
Mr. Knowledge said Oh! That was “Time”! Love then asked “Why did Time help me, when no one else would?”
Then Mr. Knowledge smiled, and with deep sincerity and wisdom, He replied:
“BECAUSE ONLY TIME IS CAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING HOW GREAT LOVE IS!”
PRISON MINISTRY TEAM TENNESSEE
A TIME OF REVIVAL AND FELLOWSHIP REACHING INTO THE JAILS AND PRISONS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF TENNESSEE & GEORGIA
“1 Thess. 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
THE LORD SO BLESSED OUR 4 DAYS OF PRISON MINISTRY REVIVAL AS THE WORD OR GOD AND HOPE OF GOD WAS PREACHED TO MEN AND WOMEN IN THE JAIL IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE AND THE STATE PRISON AND DRUG TREATMENT FACILITY AT WALKER STATE PRISON IN ROCK SPRINGS, GA. NOT ONLY DID WE ENCOURAGE AND BRING HOPE TO PRISONERS BUT ALSO EACH OTHER IN THE LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE OF CHRIST!
WHAT AN AWESOME TIME WITH SCOTT & CINDY HEBURN of SCOTT HEBURN PRISON MINISTRY, LANETTE & CISCO ESCOBAR of GOD'S TRIAL'S MINISTRY, MICKEY AND STACY PARK of SET FREE TO SERVE MINISTRIES, DOUG MORRIS AND ZEAGAN HARRIS OF FREEDOM CHURCH, CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.
GREAT FOOD, GREAT FELLOWSHIP!
FREEDOM IN CHRIST JESUS!