I Was In Prison
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Matthew 25:35-46
"…for I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you covered me; sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me. Then the just will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' And answering, the king will say to them, 'Amen I say to you, as long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me."
This morning I will go to the Juvenile Correctional Facility and I will look into the eyes of young men who have no hope, some who wonder if they will get a visitor, some who will have accomplished getting a GED or High School Diploma, some who have just learned to read, some who will hear Jesus knocking on the door of their heart and they will open the door and let Him in.
I remember a Pastor by the name of Dr. Chuck Lawless making this statement to me about eight years ago, he said,...."The reason I go to the prisons is because three fourths of the New Testament was written from prison and then I look in the Gospel and Jesus said, I was in prison and you came to visit me. He said, "how can I preach the gospel and not know what it is like inside of a prison."
Dr. Lawless also said when he was first invited to go to the prison he didn't want to go, but finally gave in. He said after his first visit, he could not get the faces of the men and women out of his mind, the ones who would die there, the women who were grammas walking with a walker who would die there.
I hope today in some small way God will use me to speak His Truth and someone will change the direction they are going in. I know nothing except Christ and Him crucified and that is enough. I was once lost, I was hurting, I was angry and a preacher came to my door and shared the gospel with me and I heard Christ knocking and I let Him in.
He changed my direction, He changed my thinking, He changed my life. I have made many mistakes, but I have learned the truth is in the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. So if the Word was God, then the Word is God and that is where I go for answers, that is where I find what I am looking for. I am so thankful today that I know Him!
"…for I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you covered me; sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me. Then the just will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' And answering, the king will say to them, 'Amen I say to you, as long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me."
This morning I will go to the Juvenile Correctional Facility and I will look into the eyes of young men who have no hope, some who wonder if they will get a visitor, some who will have accomplished getting a GED or High School Diploma, some who have just learned to read, some who will hear Jesus knocking on the door of their heart and they will open the door and let Him in.
I remember a Pastor by the name of Dr. Chuck Lawless making this statement to me about eight years ago, he said,...."The reason I go to the prisons is because three fourths of the New Testament was written from prison and then I look in the Gospel and Jesus said, I was in prison and you came to visit me. He said, "how can I preach the gospel and not know what it is like inside of a prison."
Dr. Lawless also said when he was first invited to go to the prison he didn't want to go, but finally gave in. He said after his first visit, he could not get the faces of the men and women out of his mind, the ones who would die there, the women who were grammas walking with a walker who would die there.
I hope today in some small way God will use me to speak His Truth and someone will change the direction they are going in. I know nothing except Christ and Him crucified and that is enough. I was once lost, I was hurting, I was angry and a preacher came to my door and shared the gospel with me and I heard Christ knocking and I let Him in.
He changed my direction, He changed my thinking, He changed my life. I have made many mistakes, but I have learned the truth is in the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. So if the Word was God, then the Word is God and that is where I go for answers, that is where I find what I am looking for. I am so thankful today that I know Him!
posted by Live, Love, Laugh | 4:24 AM
13 Comments:
Hallelujah!! Amen!!
"I know nothing except Christ and Him crucified and that is enough. I was once lost, I was hurting, I was angry...(Jesus) changed my direction, He changed my thinking, He changed my life. I have made many mistakes, but I have learned the truth is in the Word."
YES! YES! YES!
I've been thinking of prison ministry. I still have a long way to go before I can feel comfortable about it, but it's there, in the back of my mind. I feel I need more Bible knowledge and a general training in dealing with people who are locked up for life.
Do you have any advice? Maybe a web page on the subject.
I especially enjoy reading about the kids you've led to Christ. I love those posts!
Great post as usual Dana.
Your heart is spacious and pure, Dana - that is why you have so much to give. I'm happy for you, and for those you share God's love with. Blessings to your for this great love.
Dana, that GeorgeWesley comment was mine - my husband never remembers to sign out on the computer.
Obviously Heavenly Father has 'called' you into this particular service. Your heart tells the story.
I pray He will encourage you and give you the emotional support you need to do His work there.
Dana...this is just the calling for you. God put you in law enforcement for a reason. Having the knowledge to deal with these kind of young people is part of that calling.
I pray that God continues to strengthen you as you move further into this territory with love and grace!
I have some great memories from doing prison ministry. I am no longer able to do it, but I help send others.
How wonderful that you are able to touch the lives of so many. You are a beautiful tool of God & pray for you. I pray that those you see in your day, hear & choose to accept the Lord. You are awesome!
My mother was involved in the women's prison ministry for years, and one of her best friends still is. It's...challenging and not for the faint of heart.
Dana, have you seen Walk the Line? I watched it for the 2nd time Saturday and there is a scene that coincides with your post. God bless you for having such a soft spot for those boys. I'm sure I'll meet many of them in heaven thanks to your ministry.
HI LLL
God wants and does use you so much and as long as you are moldable in His hand... Great things will happen.
This is the day that the Lord has made..
Bless you sis
Doug
I am so glad that people such as you and the good doctor visit these folks, work these men.
There must have been some conversations around the good doctor's last name and his visits.
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