September 2009

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).


DO YOU KNOW HIM?

What does it mean to know Him? Does it mean the same thing to God as it does to us? Does that mean that we believe that He exists? Scripture tells us that if we believe in one God, we do well, because the devils believe and tremble. Saying we believe only means that we are as familiar with Him as the devils. To know Him involves more than saying we believe. Knowing Him not only means understanding His power, majesty, and deity---it means knowing how He thinks, feels, and what He wants for us. Deep calls unto deep, and it takes time to search out the hidden things of God. The Bible says that there were “many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (John 21:25). So we know that His potential in our lives goes beyond all that is recorded in scripture. That means He has the potential to do a new thing in our lives if we will seek Him, and desire to know Him.

How can we know Him? It will happen through the power of His Spirit, and will require a desire in our hearts to seek God. We must use the measure of faith that God has given us to combat doubt, fear, and our lack of discipline. Jesus said those who receive Him, believing in His name, are given the power to become sons of God. It is written, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3). Then in verse 14, we are told that the word was made flesh. When the scripture says “Him”, it is referring to Jesus. And Jesus was given a name above all names---a name to which every knee must bow, whether it is in heaven, on earth, or below the earth. We are told that He is the creator of all things, and all things were created by and for Him. We have our free will, which is a good thing. The bad thing is that we have the power to make some terrible choices when we are lead by our carnal mind. Our carnal mind prevents us from knowing Him when it is not brought under subjection by our human will to His Spirit “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom 8:7). The word enmity means extreme hatred. It is impossible to get to know anyone we don’t love because we will not take the time to talk to them or learn about them. This applies to any relationship, including our relationship with God. And we must know God according to His word, not according to what our neighbor says, our family says, or anyone who would tell us anything about Him that is outside His word. Knowing Him takes more than just believing. It requires knowing, seeking, and doing His will. There is a will of God for us all. It may take a lifetime to find it, but as long as we are seeking it no matter where we are at, we are on the right track. It is our efforts to know God that make us known to Him. The word of God will accomplish whatever it was sent forth to do, it is that powerful, but what is it doing in our lives? “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23). From what we read here, we can gather that it is not enough to simply know of Him or the power of His name. The Word and the Name never lose their power. What’s most important is to take the time to get to know Him. When someone knows Him, it is evident through the change seen in their lives. What’s more important than any thing we do for Him is to know Him and have the knowledge that He knows us. BR

WORDS FROM BEHIND THE WALL

TREE OF LIFE

For us to be alive we must first be born. Character forms from a life time of joy and pain. Building individuals who will move on forever or fall into sin---an evil past, rotten fruit or other sins must be shed to grow high above this world. To be of worth to the planter, we have to produce fruit which will satisfy Him. We must use our holy body as a shelter shading everyone beneath us, helping them grow. The light is the source of energy we must utilize every chance we get. Everyone will someday pass, breaking down back into the earth, but a tree of life continues beyond the soul it grew out of. William D. Moctezuma

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A Father’s pride---his first born son---when he died---Dad was done. He couldn’t see how this came down. How his son could be in the ground. His pride and joy is now long gone—His baby boy. A path so wrong---made him wonder if indeed---he made a blunder---and did concede. Could he have done something more---to save his son and restore---what was stolen when he went astray---and started rolling with a gang that day! Joseph Aragon

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FELLOWSHIP

The camaraderie of the righteous enriches our holiness with pure sincerity and supplication for the good of all mankind. Fellowship deemed by the proper perception within our sociality nurture to serve good fellowship, understanding, and compassion for all mankind. Take in one’s stride, the raw gratification of helping other people regardless of their portion in life…thus only God is the Master of all worlds. So, have no fear knowing that God almighty is always near. Be of the brotherhood that minister good will to all humanity, no matter what walk of life they passion. Break the chains of fear, ism, and irredeemable acts. Know your self-worth, aim high, and seek the good in this life…fellowship holds that the presence of God can reside in all humanity. Even those locked up in prison. Michael T. Marshall

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I’M NOT BROKE

I’m not broke. I have plenty of money from all that coke. I just sold, being bold, not caring if it would send me to the grave. I gave money to my mom, she would cry knowing I told her a lie, but I was not a punk. Look at all the money in my trunk. But one day I was careless. I took a hit and another. Then it got serious. I was furious. My trunk wasn’t full anymore. Wait I hear someone knocking on my door. Wait, could it be the drug man looking for me? No it was someone going to cop some blow. Yeah, someone I didn’t know. He came to cop, but guess what? He was a cop. I went to prison one to three. Just when I thought I was free, one of the boys said grab a shank, it’s no prank. Time to get down---I was no punk, but I was afraid. A guy came up to me and that’s where he laid. I went to my cell and got on my knees and prayed. Mario Pimentel

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THE REBIRTH (PART THREE)

It does not matter what lifestyle you have chosen to live, if you have not accepted Jesus in your life and chosen to walk with Him daily, you are locked in a prison. The worst prison anyone can be locked in is the prison inside you. A place where the devil leads you to believe that death is your only escape. Friends, I am here to tell you; Jesus has the keys to your prison doors. His way out leads to eternal life---God has given us a promise---a promise which can be fulfilled through His son Jesus (Hebrews 10:16-17). He alone can give us true life (Ephesians 2:1-5). He has given us the strength to believe (Galatians 6:7-10). As you read these scriptures, allow mind to soak them in. Then through your very own life experiences you will see the truth. Remember, just as everything in life, you get what you give. Today I call upon all of you to stop. Stop cold whatever life you are living and take responsibility. We are humans responsible for the next generation. Although we have come so far since the beginning of our existence, we still fall short of the example we need to set for our future. The devil has set up road blocks for us to stumble. God has made our path clear and simple. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and follow your guide to heaven (Hebrews 11:1). I pray that eyes are opened to the reality of my words. “It’s never too late to ask Jesus into your life.” Accepting Jesus into my life did not release me from this physical prison. I still have to complete the time for the crime I committed. However, He has released me from the prison I was locked up inside of me, which I believed was a life sentence. Today I can live my days in peace. Peace of mind, peace of heart, peace of soul. I have learned that in Jesus there is no let downs, no waits, no on your own. The only thing there is, is love. His love contains all the peace, happiness, comfort, and freedom our life needs. The scripture I have chosen to close out this letter is Proverbs 3:5-6. These words sum up my testimony. Thank you for your time, God bless you in your walk, and may your life find the peace and comfort mine has.

Miguel Rios

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BE BLESSED AND MANIFEST

Living in this world isn’t always easy. Friends, parents, siblings, and even complete strangers can either lift you up or bring you down. To stand strong through the ups and downs, you need something solid on which you can build your life, your future, and your faith. Nothing and no one is more dependable than Jesus. He is the MAN.

Sabrina Davis

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GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS

While I tried to decide what to write for the newsletter, I ended up praying, asking God to guide me. I had not opened up the August newsletter yet because I was tired, but intended to read it the next morning. Before I began my day, I felt that I should write about something that occurred in the past two weeks. Now I can’t rid myself of how I felt about it, and then I read the August newsletter about us having compassion towards those of different races and religions. Two weeks ago, a lady on my unit came to me and asked if I had some A.A. books sent to her. I said no as this is a process, and it never occurred to me to do this. The night of the AA meeting I saw her coming down the hall, and asked her if she was going to the meeting. She said, “Yes, I feel someone is trying to tell me something.” She was very gothic looking and it is rumored that she worships satan. My roommate asked me, “Why do you talk to someone like that”? My reply was, “God made us all.” While we were at the AA meeting, it happened to be her turn to speak. We were at the part where we ask God to remove all defects of our character. I was sitting there thinking how interesting her response was going to be, knowing how she really felt (so I thought). She simply said, “I do not believe in God or the 12 steps, but I hope you people can change my mind.” I nearly fell out of my seat, but she was only being honest. When we got back to the unit, I said “you understand that God does exist or how else did you receive those books”? She said yes, but I am mad at Him right now. Wow, by looking at her outward appearance, (black hair, devil tattoos, etc.) you would have never thought it possible. I feel God pushed me to her for a reason. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met and I am glad I am not “racial” in any type of way. I do believe that God works in mysterious ways. Never stop believing. Paula Espinoza

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Inmates, please submit your inspirational thoughts for Words from Behind the Wall to Beth Marie Rexford, C/O International Christian Fellowship, 9146 Lincoln Ave, Brookfield IL 60513. Praise Reports from anyone also wanted. Thank you.