November 2008
SOUND THE TRUMPET IN PRAYER
And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that opresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies (Numbers 10:9).
The Throne of Grace
In the book of Hebrews, the writer tells us of our need of faith to fully receive the promises of God (see Hebrews 3 and 4). There was a generation who died in the wilderness because they didn’t believe the promises of God. We are exhorted not to follow this example. Instead, we are told to understand and believe that there remains a “rest” for the people of God. “Rest” implies sabbatism", i.e. the repose of Christianity (as a type of heaven). This is not implying a physical rest, but a spiritual rest. Grace is the unmerited favor of God, but we must have faith in God to receive it. Without faith this is impossible. Scripture says, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). The word “unbelief” implies lack of Christian faith or unfaithfulness. We can read many examples in scripture where someone’s faith brought them blessing from God, and where someone’s lack of faith limited God from doing anything for them. Many times our fear and unbelief is a result of past failures or actual or perceived rejections. This is because we tend to carry baggage and live in the past. It may not be easy to get beyond things that happened in the past because there are triggers in the present that remind us of the past. This is why we need to seek a time of rest with God. This rest comes to us through prayer and devotion.
There is deliverance for all who seek it from God. There are times when a spiritual healing can be more beneficial than a physical healing. Also, there are times when a spiritual deliverance is more needed than a physical one. In Mark chapter 5, we see two accounts of deliverance. It should be noted that Jesus had compassion on all people (the multitudes). And scripture tells us all men are of one blood (see Acts 17:26). Also, Malachi 2:10 tells us that we all have one father. Although the gospel came first to the Jews, God sent Peter a vision and told him to “call nothing unclean that I have made clean.” Therefore, the blessing of the gospel and the grace of God became available for all nations.
Going back to the book of Mark, chapter 5, we read that two individuals received deliverance from God, and neither of them was of the house of Israel. One was a man possessed by the devil. The Bible says of this man, “And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones” (Mark 5:5). This man, who was so dangerous that everybody feared him, was still able to worship Jesus. The devil can not stop our worship, and worship always results in deliverance. This man knew he needed help. If we look at this in a spiritual sense, we know that today many cut themselves with the things of this world. They are hurt repeatedly by drugs, alcohol, and sin. Those of us who have been delivered can remember what it was like. This is the good news preached to the poor. Jesus will deliver anyone who seeks deliverance. In fact, the Bible tells us this is why He came. We may not have been worthy, but God’s love and grace makes us worthy. We need only to believe and obey the Word. God’s grace is for all mankind. There was a woman who was Syrophenician, and her daughter had an unclean spirit. She had faith that Jesus could help her. In spite of the protests from the disciples, she kept worshipping Jesus, and asking for help. That was how great her faith was. Although Jesus told her He came for the lost sheep of Israel, and it wasn’t right to cast the children’s bread to the dogs. She had faith to believe that even the bread crumbs could help her. That is how strong her faith was in His ability to deliver. Because of her faith, her daughter was delivered. We need to pray for faith like this in our day. With everything that is going on in our world, we need to believe in God’s delivering power like never before. Circumstances may cause us to doubt, but we must continually seek the grace of God in times of doubt and fear---whether we feel we deserve it or not. The Word exhorts us saying, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). BR
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WORDS FROM BEHIND THE WALL
You may never be behind bars, but God will put us in circumstances and situations in order to teach us to talk to Him. Most of us aren’t that patient. We are more intent on getting out of our circumstances than we are of finding out what great things God wants to show us. God never allows difficulty just for the sake of difficulty. There is always a higher purpose involved. The problem is we can not always identify God’s higher purpose in the midst of our trials. That’s when we must exercise our faith by waiting on His word for us. God entreats us to pray because He knows we are often caught in a prison of our own making. Not a prison with bars and locks, but an intellectual prison, and an emotional prison. Remember the shortest distance between our problem and the solution is the distance between our knees and the floor. Sometimes we make commitments that we can not keep. We may do it unintentionally, but nevertheless at times we disappoint those counting on us. When we want and need the word that we can count on and depend on, we have to call on God. If you have been seeking God’s will and seem to be getting nowhere, examine your heart and surrender to God. By settling this issue, you will put yourself in a position that will allow God to bless you. Are you facing a decision in your life that is too big for you to handle? Are you going through some difficulty that has you confused and disheartened? Are you willing to say yes to whatever God requires? If so, you have taken the first step in learning how to talk to God. There is nothing greater than seeking and knowing His power.
David Turner
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OPEN EARS
I find myself getting into trouble whenever I allow boredom to set in. This leaves me more of a chance to accept the suggestion of satan. The evil one waits for us to be in the danger area. It always happens when laziness sets in, and I avoid dong more productive things. Like David when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. If he left with his army to fight the Ammonites this would not have happened. Leading him to more sins, but David is not alone. I also submit an open ear to the devil each time I ditch school or work. Every day I decide to hang with my friends instead of helping around the house. I must keep busy with what Christ wants me to do---prayer, worship, good works, working hard, and most of all studying scripture. The Word keeps me safe from attack. “For satan finds some mischief still, for idle hands to do.” Isaac Watts
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PLEASING LOVE
You burn with anger each time my guard is up. Hate forms around every single plot you think of. All of your efforts were based on sending me to death. Stop using those who are close to me so that I fall. Give in because anything you suggest isn’t being heard. My heart is not with you, but is with pleasing the example of love. Keeping myself busy with whatever is good so my mind is off you. Our past was full of everything that pleases you, but now my life is devoted to the love shown to me since I was born.
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LOVING KINDNESS
If only I may show others the same love you have shown me. Everyday people work hard for the one they serve best to hurt me. How can I find love in my beaten heart, even with you showing the way? My body wants to fight back, giving up, but you teach me to trust in my faith. Tell the world to stop pushing and let my life continue. Pour on my wounds the endless love you have. Use your peaceful hand to wipe away the hot saliva the enemy spits on me. Share with me from the cup of redemption so I am reminded of your promise. Being beaten from all sides presents me with little hope. Nothing, but the love of my Lord may keep me alive.
William D. Moctezuma
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WE MUST SUFFER LIKE CHRIST
People want God’s blessing, but they do not want to suffer to get it. It is better to suffer for doing good than to suffer for doing bad. I have been suffering in jail a long time, but it is for my good. If Jesus can suffer on the cross so can we.
(Luke 24:26) Joe B. Festherson
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BURIED ALIVE
It’s been so many years since you seen him alive, or even seen the pain in his eyes. His bed is the coffin; and his cell is in the grave where he lies, all alone in the valley of dry bones. It’s like he’s buried alive in the darkness. No one else can hear when God consciously tries to talk to him, and no one else can see when the devil constantly tries to break him down and walk with him. But he stands firm. Prison is like being on life support, but your family and friends are the respirator. Your love generates air for our lungs to breathe, giving us reason to even want to breathe. Can you feel my pain? Can you enter the dark confines of our minds, and begin to visualize not seeing your children and your wife again. Not being able to witness the beautiful things in life again. Swallowed whole and digested. Now he wallows in the intestines of the beast. Many nights he prays and reads the Testaments for peace and for salvation because in the back of his mind he’s been in hell his whole incarceration. Everyday it feels like he’s drowning, but he holds tightly to the rope of faith. Ironically the love that his family sends in the form of a letter is that rope of faith that helps him ascend out of the mausoleum he’s been buried alive in.
Joseph Langdon
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GOD’S LOVE
Someone has suggested that what all of us want more than anything else in this world is to feel that we are worth something. We want to be able to know and appreciate ourselves. What we really need is to love ourselves. God planned for us to feel good about ourselves because He loves us. As it says in John 3:16, that God loved the world so much that that He gave His only son so that everyone that believes in Him may not die, but have eternal life. God cares about us. We need to love ourselves too. Though out Jesus’ life, He told us how valuable we are to Him. He prayed to God while facing death, “I in them and you in me so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me, and that you love them as you love me” (John 17:23). I thought I should remind you how much God loves us. So love yourself. These are not my words, but Gods. Keep your head up and have a blessed day.
Jamal Rehman
PRAISE REPORTS
A few months ago I was talking to one of the sisters at church, and I told her that before the end of this year, Jesus was going to provide me with a washer and dryer. I got goose bumps every time I thought about it or talked about it. Last week it happened, I was provided with a washer and dryer free of charge. God is so good. He is so good to me.
Lisa Armes
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Inmates, please submit your thoughts for Words From Behind the Wall to Beth Marie Rexford, C/O International Christian Fellowship, 9146 Lincoln Ave, Brookfield IL
Praise Reports from everyone also wanted. Thank you.