Saints in Lock-up

I've always heard that foreign prisons are the places nightmares are born... but I was surprised by what I found. The prison was large, filled with felons and some of the worst criminals in the country. It served as sort of holding bay for criminals bound for other, higher security prisons in the land. The inmates were ruthless, dirty and hungry. Not exactly the ideal setting for a church let alone a Bible school. But you know, God does not work the way we do. He reaches out to everyone and offers them a personal relationship with Him.
God spoke to a pastor in Johannesburg, South Africa and told him to begin preaching in the prison. It seemed pointless and absurd but God had other plans. The prisoners were more open than expected. They began trusting in Christ. The pastor found Bibles for the inmates and the new believers began to have regular meetings, which became a prison church. God wasn’t done there. Because of the nature of the prison, a holding place before inmates were sent to other facilities, many of the new Christians from this church were sent to other prisons, away from their “home church.” God had so changed the lives of the inmates who trusted in Him that they began to lead others to the Lord. As the pastor of the prison church began to notice this trend, God impressed upon him the need to train pastors for these new churches springing up in other prisons. Acting on the direction of God, the pastor started teaching Bible classes. These classes quickly became a school for pastors. For God, nothing is impossible and He is in control of all things. He loves everyone and calls people from all walks of life to know Him personally.

***Remember to pray for our brothers and sisters who have come to know the Lord in prison. When they re-enter society, they will experience Satanic oppression unlike many of us will ever experience in our lifetimes.

Waiting on God & Live Like You are Dying

Wait. I really hate that word. Wait. It seems like every time I want to do something important, memorable, valiant, I am told to wait. What am I waiting for? Like right now. I graduated in May of 2009 with a BA in Communications. I want to write. I want to create. I want to shine. I am ready to do these things but… every time I ask God what I should do, He says “Wait, my love.” Again I ask, what am I waiting for? It is so hard to put my desires and ambitions aside when there is no clear direction or purpose laid out for me. What do I do while I wait?
I have been contemplating this for several weeks now. If I want to serve the Lord one day, in fulltime ministry, it is time that I know the voice of God and obey EVERYTHING He says. I have been fighting against “wait” for some time. Fighting, until this past weekend rolled around. Suddenly, God brought a thought to mind. What if I had a vision from God, this very night, telling me that I was going to die suddenly exactly one year from today. What would I do? How would I use the time that was given to me? When faced with death, priorities tend to change and what used to be vitally important, suddenly becomes obsolete. So, what about my life and my priorities?
Although this thought might seem morbid or fruitless, a truth came to light. I do not know when God will choose to “call me home.” It could be when I am 90, after a long, full life. Oh the other hand, it could be much sooner than that. All I know is that I have the day, the moment, I am living right now. With this truth, I have decided to change the way I have been living. I am going to live each day like it could be my last. I am going to do some things I have been meaning to do for years, like taking a photography course and becoming fluent in Spanish. I am also going to start valuing small things, like spending time with those I love. Most importantly, I am going to be a witness to the lost and an encouragement to the saved in everything I do. By God’s grace, each moment will be more meaningful and productive. “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called of God.” (Ephesians 4:1, NAS) While I wait, I will walk worthily.