<![CDATA[AriseandShine.org - August 2010]]>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:15:56 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[He is Good]]>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:23:22 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/he-is-goodThe Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of
​trouble; and He knows them that trust in Him. 
Nahum 1:7

In my brief exhortation before the congregation yesterday morning, I shared this verse from the little known Old Testament book by the prophet, Nahum...
I know, too, that I have used this Scripture often in my journal; it's one of my top ten favorite verses in the Bible.

In any event, I explained how this "day of trouble" is not necessarily a 24-hour period of time. Rather, it is a season or period of time which, I believe, can last from a few days to several months, or even a few years. Nevertheless, God is faithful. He is able to impart strength to His children, and to give us the ability to endure all our hardships if we would but continue to trust in Him. Also, that whenever a particular 'day of trouble' comes to an end, our faith would be stronger than when the difficulty or trial first began. I said, "He is good, because He is God." The guys seemed to like this little phrase.

I know that right now I have been going through a time of prolonged tiredness. I wish I had the opportunity to take a sabbatical of some kind, at least for several months, where I could seek the Lord's face and sense a deeper level of His presence. How I long to be refreshed in body and soul.

With almost everything I do these days, it seems as if I have to push myself to get it done. But as I told the guys in my church, all that I am going through right now helps to remind me of the popular poem, "Footprints in the Sand." I know it is Christ alone who's been carrying me. Frankly, I need the Lord every minute of every day because serving the Lord means having to place my reliance upon Jesus Christ alone, not on my strength or upon any human ability. Rather, it is the Lord who is living through me. As the prophet Zechariah said, "This is what the word of the Lord says, 'Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts'" (Zechariah 4:6).

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Brotherly Love]]>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:17:53 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/brotherly-loveBehold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in
to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. 
Revelation 3:20

Yesterday I was very fortunate... 
My chaplain is on another vacation. But before he left, he placed Philip and I in charge of overseeing the worship service.

​However, in his absence, we were privileged to have visiting with us four men who are members of New York City's Time Square Church. Interestingly, three of the four are former inmates, all of whom have long since completed all their parole requirements, while the fourth is an unemployed office worker. Yet as lay persons who lack fancy ministerial titles, they were able to give us the Word of God with clarity, simplicity, and with hearts of obvious sincerity.

And this, in my opinion, is what matters the most. It's all about demonstrating genuine care and concern for the brethren. Their willingness to travel back and forth by car from New York City, which is about a two and a half hour trip each way, and on a weekend, no less, is proof enough of their love for the men who are confined here. Not to mention, as well, the expenses for gas and tolls which comes out of their own pockets.

Truly, this is brotherly love in action. And we, being prison inmates, have nothing to give them in return, but our thanks mingled with lots of hugs. Furthermore, I am confident that these lay ministers will one day stand before He who knocks on the doors of hearts, and each will receive a generous reward.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Operation Yellowknife]]>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:15:56 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/operation-yellowknifeGive thanks unto the Lord, call upon His
name, make known His deeds among the
people... Talk ye of all His wondrous works. 
1 Chronicles 16:8-9

Project Yellowknife is now underway... 
"What is this?" you ask? The Lord has directed my heart to begin writing to different churches in the city of Yellowknife. This is the capital city of Canada's Northwest Territories province. I hope to encourage the Christians in this area by letting them know that I've been fervently praying for a move of God throughout Canada's remote Northland.

You see, ever since I was a new Christian, freshly saved and born again, the Lord placed within me a strong desire to pray for Christians in other countries. This is known in some church circles as intercessory prayer. In addition, ever since I was a child I've had an interest in geography. Even now, I would pick up a copy of National Geographic magazine and would often find myself captivated by the photos. I'd spend hours daydreaming of visiting many of these places.

I'm certain that I was born with a thing called "wanderlust." But because I am in prison, I have to use my God-given imagination to wander the globe.

Actually, I've been writing to Christians in other lands for more than twenty years, beginning with a pastor who had a prison ministry in Ghana, West Africa; he has since gone to be with the Lord. I enjoy sending letters of encouragement to fellow believers. They, in turn, often share the letters and my testimony with others. It's like being a missionary from inside a prison cell.

I want to make known the wonderful works of the Lord throughout the whole world, if I can. I hope to continue with Operation Yellowknife until I leave this earth.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Cloud Games]]>Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:14:15 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/cloud-gamesThey seem to enjoy playing games with me whenever I would look at them... 
Some of these celestial creatures have faces like men, but bodies like dragons. While others make themselves appear to look like huge lions with crowns on their heads, or as horses running side by side in a race across the expanse of the heavens. Perpetual tricksters. I'm referring to the splendid clouds of summer and how they seem to take obvious delight in teasing me.

This morning, as I stood in the prison's outdoor recreation yard, I could not keep my eyes from gazing upward. There was a brilliant blue sky that was filled with heaps of fluffy white clouds, many of which were the size of huge mountains.

Clever aerial performers that they are, these crafty chameleons love to parade themselves across the sky for all to see. At will, they can transform themselves from monsters into angels, or from animals into people. To me, such cloud formations serve to demonstrate the glory of God. Graceful and gentle, they look so gallant and majestic as they march to the commands of the Almighty. Always skillful at maneuvering through the air, they will dance and skip and vaporize right before my eyes, leaving me to my own imagination.

Today, as I watched this aerial circus from the ground, I saw a fat man wearing a big hat, and a cat, that, within minutes, turned himself into a giraffe. I'm convinced they were laughing at me as each cloud glided along its course. And I enjoyed every moment of their show.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Battle Fatigue/Part 2]]>Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:12:43 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/battle-fatiguepart-iiAnd let us not be weary in
well doing: for in due season
we shall reap, if we faint not. 
Galatians 6:9

I'd like to continue with what I was discussing yesterday. In relation to battle fatigue... 
...last night, I had the desire to confess to the Lord (within the privacy of my prison cell) that I have been somewhat disappointed and bitter about a certain matter. As the regular readers of my journal know, I've been wanting to leave the position as my congregation's worship leader for a couple of years. And there were times when I thought for sure that everything was arranged and my replacement was ready to step to the pulpit and take over. But this has yet to happen. Yes, there were moments when I thought, "Now!" But, like a mirage in the desert, "Poof!" Nothing.

I still believe, however, that the man whom I would like to see installed as inmate pastor and worship leader is thoroughly qualified. He would make a good leader, and he is a good example to the flock as to how a Christian should live. But for whatever reasons, he has wavered when it comes to taking the final step. Now, too, my hopes for change have dimmed even further because I see that he's also suffering from battle fatigue like I am. It's obvious by looking at his countenance. He's exhausted and battle weary. We're both in need of a prolonged period of spiritual, physical, and emotional rest.

No doubt, I would love a sabbatical. Maybe months of recuperation and a season for me to be refreshed in the Lord. But for now such a thing is not possible. So, by faith, I stumble forward, trusting in God that better days are coming. I also asked the Lord to remove from my heart any roots of bitterness, and for me to learn to be content in whatever circumstances I am in.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Battle Fatigue/Part 1]]>Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:10:39 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/battle-fatiguepart-iCome unto Me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Matthew 11:28

I have been dealing with a condition known as "Battle Fatigue." I'm not kidding... 
For a while now, I have mistakenly labeled it chronic fatigue and a general feeling of tiredness which never seems to go away. But the other day it suddenly dawned on me, "This isn't a condition of chronic fatigue after all!" Rather, it's something entirely different, although many of the symptoms may be the same.

Therefore, believing this to be a genuine case of battle fatigue and combat related weariness, I am looking at my situation differently. And, I should add, that what I am stating now is not to be taken as something bad. For I know with absolute certainty that God is with me. He has His hands upon my life and what is happening to me is for a good purpose. Nevertheless, I am presently looking at this from the standpoint of it being spiritual in nature and cause. In other words, it is more than a case of overall exhaustion.

As I had written in my journal for August 16, every Christian's work for the Lord has a spiritual component to it. That it is more than a physical work. So, looking at it in this manner, I now have more clarity as to what is going on with my own body. After all, soldiers can be afflicted with this ailment. And as a Christian who is active in serving Christ, this too can be a "warfare" to a degree, albeit a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:10-18).

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Supernatural Tasks]]>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:05:48 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/supernatural-tasksI can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me. 
Philippians 4:13

Recently, the Lord revealed to me that whenever a Christian is called by the Lord to do something, it requires a degree of supernatural strength...
 This is true even if it is only a physical labor, such as setting up chairs in preparation for a worship service or a Bible study, or maintaining the cleanliness of the building where believers gather in the name of Christ. And this is because these are not merely mundane human tasks, although by outward appearance it would seem to be the case. Rather they are deeds that will somehow, perhaps in the most minute way, assist in the furtherance of the gospel or help Christians to be strengthened in their faith, or to increase in the knowledge of God.

Therefore, with this in mind, whenever a work of God is being done, there will be differing degrees of spiritual opposition from the devil. And this is to be expected because the adversary's job is to hinder the church and to wear out the saints.

Thus, anything that is done by and for the Lord requires more than ordinary physical effort on the part of the believer. Although, yes, the body is being put to use, but what I am seeing, then, is that there is a spiritual element/component in operation, even if this element or component is unnoticed and unseen. It is still present, and it is real.

The point being, to accomplish what God has called us to do, we need His strength.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[The Presence of God]]>Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:04:07 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/the-presence-of-godYou will show me the path of life; in Your
presence is fullness of joy; at Your right
hand are pleasures forevermore. 
Psalm 16:11 NKJV

This morning, as is my custom every Sunday, I headed to the chapel area shortly after the completion of the breakfast meal around 8:15...
Ten inmates, including myself, have permission to go to the chapel area about 90 minutes before the start of the actual worship service, which normally begins at 10 A.M. As the "set-up crew" we go ahead of the others in order to set up all the equipment as well as to have a time of preparatory prayer to help set our hearts aright before the Lord.

For our equipment, we put into place everything from the choir's instruments and sound system, to hanging our colorful Scripture banners on the walls. We also place Gideon's pew-style Bibles on the chairs for the men to use, as well as prayer request forms, each man is free to fill out one or more request forms which are then placed into our community prayer box. The elders of our congregation pray over these requests on a regular basis.

My congregation asked for prayers for the salvation of their loved ones, to protection for their wives and children. Some request divine help for their appeals that are before the courts. They may also ask for prayers for those who are sick. While others seek help from God because they're lonely and depressed. Their needs are not much different from that of Christians on the outside.

Today was also Communion, which, under our chaplain's direction, we have once per month. My responsibility is to set up the various items that are needed for this. I have to lay out and fill the drinking cups with grape juice (no real wine here!). I likewise take the slices of matzoh* and break the matzoh into smaller, bite-size pieces. All of this has to be laid out on a clean white tablecloth before the service starts.

But beyond all these activities, the power and presence of God was here. Of course, the Lord's presence is always here; He is everywhere! But today was special. It was as if the Lord was touching many hearts in a noticeable way. I myself was weeping during our worship. I often shed tears. But this time there were many tears. And I saw several other men doing the same. For me, it felt as if Jesus Himself was personally refreshing my weary soul. I've been so exhausted. I needed this.

In addition, at the close of the service, because I am still officially the worship leader, I asked one particular man to come to the altar that we might pray for his mother. She was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Therefore, the entire congregation stood to our feet, and we simultaneously raised our hands toward heaven as we prayed for her, and for her son. He's considered to be mildly retarded and has a learning disability. He also talks with a pronounced lisp, and with much stuttering. Thus, I was brought to tears yet again hearing him as he cried out to God with stammering lips in behalf of his dying Mama. He reminded me of a sad and frightened child as he called upon the Lord.

But this is a part of what the church is for. It's not merely a place for people to socialize in. It's a "Holy Ghost Hospital" where the sick, desperate and brokenhearted can go to find help and healing, and victory from the power of sin. And, today, the prison's chapel was just such a place. It became a hospital for those who've been damaged by their own sin nature, and by a lifetime of Satan's buffetings, and who now need a touch from God.

D.B.

*Matzoh (also Matzo or Matzoth) is a flat, brittle piece of unleavened bread traditionally eaten by Jews during the Passover holiday. Nowadays, it is very popular in some parts of the world, and it is eaten by both Jews and Gentiles.
]]><![CDATA[A Heart to Know God]]>Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:01:48 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/a-heart-to-know-godAnd I will give them a heart to know
Me, that I am the Lord: and they shall
be My people, and I will be their God. 
Jeremiah 24:7

The parole board and the media can beat me up all they want... 
After all, they don't know me. But by the grace of God, I am moving forward on this journey called life.
I am thankful, as well, for yet another day to worship and serve my Creator. As I've written in previous journal entries, god is helping to put the past behind me. The consequences of my sins and crimes may last a lifetime. These things cannot be changed, obviously.

However, I am walking in the Light now. I'm in love with Jesus. And having the privilege of knowing Him makes all the difference. So it is time for another chapter of my life to begin. And what it will entail, I do not know. Although I do know that many trials and tribulations await me. Yet, getting closer and becoming more intimate with my heavenly Father is my biggest goal. He loves me, and I am His child.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Years Later]]>Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:14 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/years-laterThey that trust in the Lord shall
be as mount Zion, which cannot be
removed, but abideth forever. 
Psalm 125:1

Today marks thirty-three years since I was arrested... 
The entire ordeal is not a fading memory. It was a nightmare that I do not care to relive or revisit. Nevertheless, today's date caused me to reflect once more on what my life would be like if I lacked a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

No doubt I'd merely be existing with no reason to even get up in the morning other than a rule which says I have to. No doubt I would be living without hope, my mind and soul still in torment with recurring thoughts of committing suicide. I'd be living in a state of mental despair, too.

Therefore, I cannot thank the Lord enough for His wonderful salvation, and to have forgiveness for my many sins. Today I am free, and I am living with a whole new outlook on life. As a result, I truly thank the Lord with my whole heart, and I praise Him with my lips. As the Scripture says in the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, "the joy of the Lord is my strength."*

D.B.

*See Nehemiah 8:10.
]]><![CDATA[Family Day]]>Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:58:28 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/family-dayYesterday we had fifteen inmates volunteer to set up everything we needed for today's event... 
They also had to pound steel stakes into the hard earth with sledgehammers in order to erect four large tents, under which will sit approximately 150 people. In addition, stacks of metal folding chairs and lots of tables had to be brought out of storage and then set in organized rows. It was an operation which took about five hours under the watchful eye of a blazing sun.

Today was our annual Christian Family Banquet. It began around 8:30 in the morning, and it ended at 2:30 in the afternoon. I was able to mingle with many of our guests and meet the families of some of my fellow prisoners. My friend Dan, who visited from New Jersey, helped me and a dozen or so inmates serve the food. Then, about an hour after lunch was finished, it was time to serve the ice cream. So, me and another inmate dished out the ice cream into bowls. We served the kids first, scooping fresh ice cream from four large tubs. I enjoyed seeing lots of smiling faces.

Later, after the event was over and our guests left, it was time for all the prisoners, including myself, to line up for the standard and always degrading "strip-search." Then, when this was completed, I and about fourteen other men who were a part of the set-up and clean-up crew set out to take the tents down and drag these heavy things back to the storage area along with all the chairs and tables. It was exhausting work. And the trash had to be picked up and carted off, too.

The only disappointing note, however, was that the 25 members of the Manhattan Grace Tabernacle Church's choir from New York City were not able to make it; they had to cancel at the last minute. So they were missed. But we had our own choir present. They're a group of talented men who call themselves "The Voices of the Prodigal Sons," and they led in the praise and worship.

Altogether it was a joyous day as a big crowd gathered in the outdoor recreation yard under a clear blue sky. It was a day well spent.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Encouragement]]>Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:56:49 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/encouragementThis was a special day for me. My friends Walter and Andrea stopped by for a visit...
I had been expecting them because we made plans for this a few months ago. They're evangelists and they travel the country from their ministry base in California. Walter, however, is from New York and Andrea is from New Jersey. So for them, it's like coming home.

I enjoyed the time they and I spent together. Our hearts, I believe, are supernaturally knit together by our mutual love for Jesus Christ. Likewise, we especially enjoyed sharing our stories of how God is using us and how we're seeing lives touched by God's love and power.

For us, as with all my friends, it's not just about getting together for a social chat. Rather, we see ourselves as uniting as one in Christ. And we know, too, that His presence is with us. For as the Lord Jesus is quoted as saying in the Scriptures, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).

For my friends and I, our getting together in the prison's visiting room is also for the purpose of encouragement. Because as we share God's Word we are actually encouraging each other to have courage in God, and to never allow ourselves to lose the trust and hope we have in the One who is the King of the Universe, and the Lord of our very lives.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[Having Courage]]>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:54:46 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/having-courageBe of good courage, and he
shall strengthen your heart,
all ye that hope in the Lord. 
Psalm 31:24

I am a blessed man because my hope is in the Lord, and my strength comes from Him alone... 
And God's Word reminds me to be of good courage, always.
​
I am thankful, as well, for being able to be the Lord's hands and feet. Through God's grace, I am able to help those who are struggling with various problems. For some, it is loneliness and hopelessness. For others, it is regret and guilt which causes a man's soul to wither and his heart to despair. While other men may be quietly contemplating suicide. No doubt, I need the unction and guidance of the Holy Spirit for all this, and to impart words of encouragement to them. As God wants no soul to be lost. Besides, I do not know who will be the next one to hear the gospel and believe it unto salvation.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[More Waiting]]>Tue, 03 Aug 2010 23:52:10 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/more-waitingBut they that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength... 
Isaiah 40:31

As I wrote in my last journal entry, I need to regain both physical and spiritual strength... 
For a while now, I have been trying to cope with tiredness and exhaustion. So I am waiting upon the Lord for renewal, just as the Scripture says to do. The Lord knows I need a rest.

This past week, however, I was given extra work at my job as a sighted-guide for the men who are deemed legally blind, or at least have some kind of medically recognized problem with their eyes serious enough to require assistance as they navigate through the facility.

I've been trained to work with these individuals. But at times it can be tough work because their particular needs vary. As it turns out, I have been recently assigned to several prisoners whose needs are greater than most. They're not only blind, but they have psychological issues as well. So I've got my hands full.

There are about two dozen inmates who are assigned to work with the blind. Officially, we're called "Mobility Guides." We work in shifts. And my heart goes out to those with disabilities. Being in prison is difficult enough without having a physical or mental health issue, too. No doubt, I need God's help to do my job well.

D.B.
]]><![CDATA[An Overhaul]]>Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:47:17 GMThttps://www.ariseandshine.org/august-2010/an-overhaulWait on the Lord; be of good
courage, and He shall strengthen
thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. 
Psalm 27:14

For a long while now, I've noticed that I am lacking the inner strength and spiritual power that I had enjoyed in the past...
The same is true with joy. My cup used to be full, but it no longer is.

I would assume the reason for this is because I have become too busy. Between the array of weekly chapel activities, my two jobs here at the prison, daily correspondences plus trying to maintain my journal as well as help my fellow inmates, it has gotten overwhelming. In addition, people often try to place demands on my time.

Thus, I have been asking the Lord for a complete and total overhaul to include body, mind and soul. I need to spend more quality time in prayer, and reading my Bible. Basically, this is pretty much where I am right now. Like a car with more than one hundred thousand miles on it, I need to get myself a tune-up and a full-service overhaul. I'm a man who is in desperate need of renewal and refreshing. And this is my immediate goal.

D.B.
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