- Jul 20, 2006
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The following post was made by my prison ministries mentor on another thread. It has some great thoughts and so I thought I would share it with you all here.
I am learning so much about the nature and character of God the Father as shown to us by His Son, Jesus Christ in prison ministry that I thought it would be nice to show a bit of what we teach and what I have learned.
Enjoy!
Corry,
Welcome, also!!!
The first thing that I learned in prison ministry, is when I entered those gates, I needed to surrender all of my prejudices against: rapists, murderers, child molesters, thieves, atheists, anything racial, religions (including Satan worshipers), any gender bias, caste systems, preconceived ideas and beliefs and most importantly any inferiority and superiority complexes - in order NOT to impede the Gospel.
I wasn't in there to get into debates, to feed my need to be right; the only thing that I felt we needed to discuss is 1 Corinthians, the 13th Chapter. Is it TRUE? If not, then my prison ministry wouldn't last, but for one session. If it IS - then there isn't anything else more important to study.
It strips one naked in one reading and reveals our want. It reveals all of our hypocrisies, while revealing our desperate condition. It reveals our agendas and manipulations and motives and places us at the foot of the cross. Every carnal heart comes to the cross with the worst of motives, but Christ understands, because it is the starting point. I have no righteousness of my own. I have one basic need, that out-rivals breath itself - Truth! Without it, I can never be whole or free. It is the cornerstone of my self-worth, and the foundation of Integrity. The basis for mutual love and self-respect to consummate. The universal [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] to all that will make one complete. The journey begins with imputed righteous as it ignites the rocket to practicality, and thrusts us into the deepest intimacies. The deeper in that the Holy Spirit takes us the less we need to have to victimize others, to inflate our fragile self-image, and in the process, conversion occurs. The needy, whiny, pity-parties begin to diminish, as maturity takes breath.
Jesus must be breathing on us as He begins CPR "Christ's Practical Redemption." A new motive replaces the old, the striving to be first, gives way to the desire to help others go first. The long lines at Stater Bros. don't appear long anymore and "Time" enters a new dimension. It finally becomes unshackled. Inch by inch we become useful in Christ's hands. We begin to take beatings that we don't deserve with patience. Neglects or slights that used to send us leaping into Satan's sandbox, go unnoticed, except, now instead of being triggers into one's inferiority complex or referred to as the "dark side of one's moon," it fails to raise its head. In its place, it seizes the "opportunity" to share the TRUTH with the one whose hand is still on the detonator. Satan's puppet strings are being cut, one at a time. Maslov's hierarchy of needs, that feeds into our insatiable carnality, is overcome; we can be homeless without shame or want and can even face death freely. This is far different than the carnal homeless, who still cling to Maslov's raft, but use apathy to cope with one's fears. Where winning the lottery would only vault them from materially homeless to destitute.
The lottery, in most cases, has proven to be a bigger curse. The God of mammon, appeases nobody's dire need for Christ. Sitting with inmates and pondering their plight; to which many have succumbed to the deception of feeding 'self' at all costs. Where the gift of friendship has been squandered. They use and abuse, just trying to stay afloat. Hedonism has been a brutal travel companion.
They, in most cases, have squandered their whole treasure chest of serotonin. The cashed it in for that one big orgasmic 'high,' leaving them with a brain without a compass. The frontal lobes are off line, their wants and needs are insatiable. Trust doesn't exist, because they judge people by their own motives. They are a loved-starved lot, that when I first go in to their pit of darkness and throw open the blinds, their eyes suddenly hurt. Yet, little by little, they begin to nurse and ween on HOPE. Their motives, like mine, begin to change, despair is gradually thwarted and before my eyes, "FAITH" begins a transformation, just like it did to me. They begin to stand erect and think NEW THOUGHTS! It is like Ann Keller at the well. "Suddenly, the mystery of knowledge was revealed to me." The paradigm shift has righted the floundering, scuttled vessel. Steady as she goes, mate. They begin to get their sea legs, as slowly they navigate their way out of the world's maze.
A Diamond in the rough, has replaced their onion character, where before they suffered from Halitosis of Relationship Skills. Now, the polishing begins. There is no more wanting or needing to be first. FREEDOM! HEAVEN ON EARTH! Lazarus Walks...No...Lazarus Lives...No...Lazarus is FREE! The butterfly begins its flight! Houston, We Have Lift Off! Only Christ can take the mind on such a wild ride. Disney can't duplicate it. Fantasy only deprives us of the experience.
So, I really grasped your original post. Is homelessness and giving up this quest for the brass ring, the answer? ...Worked for John the Baptist! What will my parents think after all of the money they spent on my education? I know that my doctor friends love going into the prisons with me. They love the fellowship. What a church! There are no potlucks - as a volunteer, but the feast goes on and we party-hearty and the only 'downer' occurs when it is time to LEAVE? What? We ventured into a time warp and must now leave C.S. Lewis' Wardrobe? But only for a fleeting week. Wish I didn't have to leave at all. Wish I could just get Roxanne (the writer's wife) and our dogs and take up residency. "Mom, Wish you were here."
The greatest travel vacation I've ever encountered! The only cost is the gas to get there. That disgusting commodity, Time, inside is such a menace. We only can stay two hours? To pour over the concepts of love and practical Christianity while overcoming the most vile of sinners, one's own mind, is such a wonderful conquest. Leaving carnality and embracing spirituality! Dumping man's religion and assimilating AGAPE! Jesus, could this be your coat of righteousness? Look, Lord, its just my size! What? One size fits all? How truly pragmatic You are! And it only costs me...One EGO??? A deal for twice the price. ...But, Lord, look! The crowd, they're all pointing and laughing at me. Their calling Your Robe of Righteous - The Emperor's New Clothes. Lord, they're saying, I'm delusional! That I'm really naked.
The world truly is in opposition to the Kingdom of God!
I am learning so much about the nature and character of God the Father as shown to us by His Son, Jesus Christ in prison ministry that I thought it would be nice to show a bit of what we teach and what I have learned.
Enjoy!
Corry,
Welcome, also!!!
The first thing that I learned in prison ministry, is when I entered those gates, I needed to surrender all of my prejudices against: rapists, murderers, child molesters, thieves, atheists, anything racial, religions (including Satan worshipers), any gender bias, caste systems, preconceived ideas and beliefs and most importantly any inferiority and superiority complexes - in order NOT to impede the Gospel.
I wasn't in there to get into debates, to feed my need to be right; the only thing that I felt we needed to discuss is 1 Corinthians, the 13th Chapter. Is it TRUE? If not, then my prison ministry wouldn't last, but for one session. If it IS - then there isn't anything else more important to study.
It strips one naked in one reading and reveals our want. It reveals all of our hypocrisies, while revealing our desperate condition. It reveals our agendas and manipulations and motives and places us at the foot of the cross. Every carnal heart comes to the cross with the worst of motives, but Christ understands, because it is the starting point. I have no righteousness of my own. I have one basic need, that out-rivals breath itself - Truth! Without it, I can never be whole or free. It is the cornerstone of my self-worth, and the foundation of Integrity. The basis for mutual love and self-respect to consummate. The universal [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] to all that will make one complete. The journey begins with imputed righteous as it ignites the rocket to practicality, and thrusts us into the deepest intimacies. The deeper in that the Holy Spirit takes us the less we need to have to victimize others, to inflate our fragile self-image, and in the process, conversion occurs. The needy, whiny, pity-parties begin to diminish, as maturity takes breath.
Jesus must be breathing on us as He begins CPR "Christ's Practical Redemption." A new motive replaces the old, the striving to be first, gives way to the desire to help others go first. The long lines at Stater Bros. don't appear long anymore and "Time" enters a new dimension. It finally becomes unshackled. Inch by inch we become useful in Christ's hands. We begin to take beatings that we don't deserve with patience. Neglects or slights that used to send us leaping into Satan's sandbox, go unnoticed, except, now instead of being triggers into one's inferiority complex or referred to as the "dark side of one's moon," it fails to raise its head. In its place, it seizes the "opportunity" to share the TRUTH with the one whose hand is still on the detonator. Satan's puppet strings are being cut, one at a time. Maslov's hierarchy of needs, that feeds into our insatiable carnality, is overcome; we can be homeless without shame or want and can even face death freely. This is far different than the carnal homeless, who still cling to Maslov's raft, but use apathy to cope with one's fears. Where winning the lottery would only vault them from materially homeless to destitute.
The lottery, in most cases, has proven to be a bigger curse. The God of mammon, appeases nobody's dire need for Christ. Sitting with inmates and pondering their plight; to which many have succumbed to the deception of feeding 'self' at all costs. Where the gift of friendship has been squandered. They use and abuse, just trying to stay afloat. Hedonism has been a brutal travel companion.
They, in most cases, have squandered their whole treasure chest of serotonin. The cashed it in for that one big orgasmic 'high,' leaving them with a brain without a compass. The frontal lobes are off line, their wants and needs are insatiable. Trust doesn't exist, because they judge people by their own motives. They are a loved-starved lot, that when I first go in to their pit of darkness and throw open the blinds, their eyes suddenly hurt. Yet, little by little, they begin to nurse and ween on HOPE. Their motives, like mine, begin to change, despair is gradually thwarted and before my eyes, "FAITH" begins a transformation, just like it did to me. They begin to stand erect and think NEW THOUGHTS! It is like Ann Keller at the well. "Suddenly, the mystery of knowledge was revealed to me." The paradigm shift has righted the floundering, scuttled vessel. Steady as she goes, mate. They begin to get their sea legs, as slowly they navigate their way out of the world's maze.
A Diamond in the rough, has replaced their onion character, where before they suffered from Halitosis of Relationship Skills. Now, the polishing begins. There is no more wanting or needing to be first. FREEDOM! HEAVEN ON EARTH! Lazarus Walks...No...Lazarus Lives...No...Lazarus is FREE! The butterfly begins its flight! Houston, We Have Lift Off! Only Christ can take the mind on such a wild ride. Disney can't duplicate it. Fantasy only deprives us of the experience.
So, I really grasped your original post. Is homelessness and giving up this quest for the brass ring, the answer? ...Worked for John the Baptist! What will my parents think after all of the money they spent on my education? I know that my doctor friends love going into the prisons with me. They love the fellowship. What a church! There are no potlucks - as a volunteer, but the feast goes on and we party-hearty and the only 'downer' occurs when it is time to LEAVE? What? We ventured into a time warp and must now leave C.S. Lewis' Wardrobe? But only for a fleeting week. Wish I didn't have to leave at all. Wish I could just get Roxanne (the writer's wife) and our dogs and take up residency. "Mom, Wish you were here."
The greatest travel vacation I've ever encountered! The only cost is the gas to get there. That disgusting commodity, Time, inside is such a menace. We only can stay two hours? To pour over the concepts of love and practical Christianity while overcoming the most vile of sinners, one's own mind, is such a wonderful conquest. Leaving carnality and embracing spirituality! Dumping man's religion and assimilating AGAPE! Jesus, could this be your coat of righteousness? Look, Lord, its just my size! What? One size fits all? How truly pragmatic You are! And it only costs me...One EGO??? A deal for twice the price. ...But, Lord, look! The crowd, they're all pointing and laughing at me. Their calling Your Robe of Righteous - The Emperor's New Clothes. Lord, they're saying, I'm delusional! That I'm really naked.
The world truly is in opposition to the Kingdom of God!
