Remember the days of old, consider
the years of many generations: ask
thy father, and he will show thee;
thy elders, and they will tell thee.
Deuteronomy 32:7
The above Scripture was read earlier today by my chaplain as we celebrated our Christmas party, and as we devoted the event in my chaplain's honor....
the years of many generations: ask
thy father, and he will show thee;
thy elders, and they will tell thee.
Deuteronomy 32:7
The above Scripture was read earlier today by my chaplain as we celebrated our Christmas party, and as we devoted the event in my chaplain's honor....
It was his last meal with us because he's scheduled to retire the day before Christmas Eve. More than likely we will see his face no more as he heads off in several more days to join up with his loved ones in another state.
My chaplain has devoted fourteen years of his life ministering to the prison congregation here at Sullivan. And for his farewell message, his theme was building a monument for God. This being that we are God's monument. After all, the spiritual truth is that the church is not a building. It's a body of living souls who've been born again and redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
In this message, my chaplain made some good points. As the Israelites in Old Testament times built their monument to the Lord, often as a result of huge military victories, nowadays, in the church age, each Christian is himself a monument of the spiritual victory Christ Himself attained in our behalf. We are trophies of His grace. We are living stones and living memorials of God's goodness. As it says in one of the apostle Peter's letters, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5).
Also, in his approximately thirty minute message, my chaplain recounted some of the miracles we experienced within our own congregation. He reminded us of all those who, over the years, repented of their sins and received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. He asked us to think about all the times we gathered for prayer, and the many times, God, in His own way, answered each of those prayers. And, lastly, he reminded us of those men who, after having come to Christ while confined, are now out of prison and are doing well. They've not violated their conditions for parole, and they are presently involved in churches in their neighborhoods.
Afterwards, each man who wanted to, was allowed to approach the pulpit to give a short testimony of how God has touched his life. I, too, stood up to say a few words about how I have seen so many men change for the better after having placed their faith in Christ and then joined our Bible studies.
Altogether, there were about seventy people present for the party and farewell banquet. This included about a dozen men and women who are some of our volunteer ministers. Furthermore, all the food was paid for by the inmates themselves.
So it was for me a long and busy day. We had our regular church service in the morning. Then, at 12:45 in the afternoon, the men from my church went back to the chapel for our banquet, which lasted until nine o'clock because I was part of the clean-up crew. Later I showered, and now I am writing these words in my journal.
D.B.
My chaplain has devoted fourteen years of his life ministering to the prison congregation here at Sullivan. And for his farewell message, his theme was building a monument for God. This being that we are God's monument. After all, the spiritual truth is that the church is not a building. It's a body of living souls who've been born again and redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
In this message, my chaplain made some good points. As the Israelites in Old Testament times built their monument to the Lord, often as a result of huge military victories, nowadays, in the church age, each Christian is himself a monument of the spiritual victory Christ Himself attained in our behalf. We are trophies of His grace. We are living stones and living memorials of God's goodness. As it says in one of the apostle Peter's letters, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5).
Also, in his approximately thirty minute message, my chaplain recounted some of the miracles we experienced within our own congregation. He reminded us of all those who, over the years, repented of their sins and received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. He asked us to think about all the times we gathered for prayer, and the many times, God, in His own way, answered each of those prayers. And, lastly, he reminded us of those men who, after having come to Christ while confined, are now out of prison and are doing well. They've not violated their conditions for parole, and they are presently involved in churches in their neighborhoods.
Afterwards, each man who wanted to, was allowed to approach the pulpit to give a short testimony of how God has touched his life. I, too, stood up to say a few words about how I have seen so many men change for the better after having placed their faith in Christ and then joined our Bible studies.
Altogether, there were about seventy people present for the party and farewell banquet. This included about a dozen men and women who are some of our volunteer ministers. Furthermore, all the food was paid for by the inmates themselves.
So it was for me a long and busy day. We had our regular church service in the morning. Then, at 12:45 in the afternoon, the men from my church went back to the chapel for our banquet, which lasted until nine o'clock because I was part of the clean-up crew. Later I showered, and now I am writing these words in my journal.
D.B.
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