New Year, New Creation
I walked into the jail pod and saw the now-familiar faces of the men sitting at the table having their Bible study. (If one is "at the table," it means he is in fellowship with the other men who are gathered there. The others may be Christians or God-seekers. Coming to the table is sort of like going to church.) The group is gelling more and more. They meet daily--reading the Word and a couple of daily devotionals, praying and sharing.
As I looked past the table, I saw an older gentleman who got my attention and asked for a Bible. I gave him one of the NKJV Bibles I had in my supply. It turned out that "Larry" was a recent addition to the jail. "Would you like to come to a Bible study?" I asked him, pointing to the group of guys sitting at the table. After a slight hesitation, he decided to join us.
I introduced Larry and sat down. "Jay" was the only guy at the table I didn't know. He was very agitated. Jay had been arrested two days earlier, and had gotten saved two days before that on New Years Day.
"What do you do when your own family hates and rejects you?" Jay asked with frustration. "I come from a 'perfect' family. My parents and siblings are all successful, but I'm the black sheep of the family. I've struggled with a drug addiction for years. There was a time in my life when I was doing well, succeeding in school--all the things I thought my family would approve of. But all they said was, 'It's only a matter of time before you mess up.' The holidays came and things got really tough emotionally. I got high to deal with the pain. One thing led to another, and I got picked up on a drug charge. When I got arrested, my father said, 'I disown you as my son.'"
"Jay, I want to encourage you that the best thing you could have done was give your life to Christ. The Bible says that you're a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17); what better way to start a new year. The Bible also says in Psalm 27:10 'Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.' God is your Father now, Jay. He will never leave you or forsake you. And He has given you a new family of brothers in Christ." After a couple more people spoke, I prayed that the Father's love would envelope him, that the Lord would set him free from his addiction, and that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Afterward, we continued with the Bible study and sharing. Meanwhile, Larry had been quiet this whole time. I wondered what had been going on his mind. Finally, he said, "You know something, Jay? You remind me of myself many years ago. I'm 54 years old and I've been doing drugs since I was 15. I've tried everything to fill the emptiness in me, but nothing has worked." He picked up his newly-acquired Bible and continued: "I know that the only answer, our only hope is found in here."
Larry continued to exhort and encourage Jay to trust in the Lord and His Word and to forsake all else. He was very convincing! "Larry, have you given your life to Christ?" I asked him. He hadn't. And though he knew the truth about Christ, and could even preach Christ to another, he could not surrender his own life to Jesus. "Larry," I told him, "you'd make a great lifeguard...if you could only get into the pool, yourself."
Pray that Jay would be comforted and strengthened in the Lord. Pray that the Lord would set him free from his addiction. Pray that Larry would forsake his old life once and for all, and fully surrender to Jesus.
As I looked past the table, I saw an older gentleman who got my attention and asked for a Bible. I gave him one of the NKJV Bibles I had in my supply. It turned out that "Larry" was a recent addition to the jail. "Would you like to come to a Bible study?" I asked him, pointing to the group of guys sitting at the table. After a slight hesitation, he decided to join us.
I introduced Larry and sat down. "Jay" was the only guy at the table I didn't know. He was very agitated. Jay had been arrested two days earlier, and had gotten saved two days before that on New Years Day.
"What do you do when your own family hates and rejects you?" Jay asked with frustration. "I come from a 'perfect' family. My parents and siblings are all successful, but I'm the black sheep of the family. I've struggled with a drug addiction for years. There was a time in my life when I was doing well, succeeding in school--all the things I thought my family would approve of. But all they said was, 'It's only a matter of time before you mess up.' The holidays came and things got really tough emotionally. I got high to deal with the pain. One thing led to another, and I got picked up on a drug charge. When I got arrested, my father said, 'I disown you as my son.'"
"Jay, I want to encourage you that the best thing you could have done was give your life to Christ. The Bible says that you're a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17); what better way to start a new year. The Bible also says in Psalm 27:10 'Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.' God is your Father now, Jay. He will never leave you or forsake you. And He has given you a new family of brothers in Christ." After a couple more people spoke, I prayed that the Father's love would envelope him, that the Lord would set him free from his addiction, and that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Afterward, we continued with the Bible study and sharing. Meanwhile, Larry had been quiet this whole time. I wondered what had been going on his mind. Finally, he said, "You know something, Jay? You remind me of myself many years ago. I'm 54 years old and I've been doing drugs since I was 15. I've tried everything to fill the emptiness in me, but nothing has worked." He picked up his newly-acquired Bible and continued: "I know that the only answer, our only hope is found in here."
Larry continued to exhort and encourage Jay to trust in the Lord and His Word and to forsake all else. He was very convincing! "Larry, have you given your life to Christ?" I asked him. He hadn't. And though he knew the truth about Christ, and could even preach Christ to another, he could not surrender his own life to Jesus. "Larry," I told him, "you'd make a great lifeguard...if you could only get into the pool, yourself."
Pray that Jay would be comforted and strengthened in the Lord. Pray that the Lord would set him free from his addiction. Pray that Larry would forsake his old life once and for all, and fully surrender to Jesus.
posted by Brian at 4:43 PM
1 Comments:
Great site! I had gone to the Lord already for Jay and Larry. Have you ever tho't that there is something CONTROLLING them, as well as you and I, that makes us all FEEL and ACT the way we do? Is Destiny CONTROLLED by CODES?
You have DNA and RNA CODES in you, plus other CODES that switch things ON and OFF in yout body, ALL to CONTROL you!
WHO PUT THE CODES INTO YOU?
Likewise, YOU CAN READ CODES RIGHT OUT OF YOUR OWN BIBLE, that CONTROL your Destiny!
See the "Chosen"Code and "Color" Code; VISIT: http://quadcode.blogspot.com ! Save or Print it to study!
The Bible tells us many things about how God works in our lives, which I'm sure YOU know. He CHOSE US, WE DIDN'T CHOOSE HIM! THAT is the ONE thing WE do not have CONTROL over. We ARE allowed, however, to CHOOSE to scratch where it itches, CHOOSE our Life's mate, and CHOOSE whether or not to be "obedient" to our Savior.
There ARE consequences to pay if we CHOSEN remain disobedient too long, like the ONE CHOSEN thief on the cross. He was "Saved" at the last minute before he died, but LOOK AT HOW HIS LENGTHY DISOBEDIENCE MADE HIM SUFFER ON THE CROSS!
I'm with you on this! We talk and tell everyone we know, about Jesus' Love, and His Great Salvation! HE's IN us to do it!
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! CHECK OUT the site. Post a comment if you will.
Post a Comment
<< Home