Volume 25, Issue 5
WisconsinChristianNews.com
Page 31
Lessons From Prison
By
Lynn
ored the prayers of the sinful tax col- lector as he beat his chest pleading for God to be merciful to him, a sin- ner. He didn’t honor the religious per- son who merely thanked God that he wasn’t like the sinful tax collector. So, what have I learned from the repentant lady at church and the re- pentant men, in prison, I have had the privilege to develop relationships with? Don’t forget the sins that sep- arated you from God. We have all broken God’s law, we have not lived out His word in our behavior, we all fall short. List them out, at least in your mind, they are why Jesus had to pay your penalty and die in your place. Then when you come to the Lord’s table, the deep emotions of
Fredrick September 2024 Have you ever done something wrong? Broken the law in some way? Have you sinned against God in some
way? Not just some church goers have a hard time naming specific sins or laws they have broken. Several years ago, I was sitting at a table of about 12 people at a Ducks Unlim- ited banquet. One of the people at the table was a retired game war- den. There was some bragging going on at the table as to how no
and the sin(s) they committed. They were sentenced by a judge to pay the penalty for their sin(s). Some 3-5 years be- hind bars, one 37 years. Each one of these men are paying an earthy consequence because of breaking an earthy law. Each one understands they broke God’s law, as well, and they are reminded of it, every day living behind bars and con- crete walls, but they know they are forgiven the eternal con- sequences because of their faith in Jesus Christ. The first four are walking in the Lord every day in prison. One did a pastoral degree while inside, speaks two languages and leads worship every Sunday. Lesson learned, “serve God where you are.” He will be getting out this fall after 37 years in prison. Another man never gives up hope as to what God can do. He has learned and teaches that God is faithful, even when we are not. He will be released next July. Another man, who will be released at Thanksgiving, daily reads his Bible and finds another man to read their Bibles and pray to- gether. And still another man, who will be released this fall, studies his Bible and reads any Christian literature he can get his hands on. He is hungry for Jesus and encourages others with God’s Word. Of course, I have learned much more from these men over the years of getting to know them. But con- sistent with all of them is they all know the sins they have committed and exactly why Jesus went to the cross for them. The price Jesus paid for them they are powerless to do; they know it and are very thankful. Each of these men will soon be out from the bars and con- crete walls and will join the ranks of the free. They will all be challenged by what we, on the outside, are faced with. Deci- sions. A man I have mentored in prison and on the outside, I
thanksgiving, praise and worship will not only be evident in your countenance, but deeply embedded in your heart. It is that attitude that will drive us to want to daily know Jesus more deeply and pattern our behavior in accord with His Word and will for our lives. I have never met, in person, the men I correspond with, but I can read their heart change over the years as they deeply reverence Jesus for taking their place on the cross, read and study God’s Word and commit to patterning their behavior in accord with God’s Word. Their lives are being transformed into the likeness of their Savior. I can read it and know it from their words. The lady that goes to the same church as my wife and I? I have known her a long time. She rarely smiled, she always looked troubled in her spirit. Today she worships and praises Jesus as if He is standing right in front of her, in person. She brings her grandchildren to church and is teaching them to worship and praise Jesus also. Thanksgiving and praise are all over her as she never forgets why she needed and still needs a Savior. She has lost significant weight and her con- tagious smile radiates to everyone. The love of Jesus has taught her to love herself and others. She is being trans- formed by God’s Word and it shows — not just in her coun- tenance, but in her behavior. The forgiveness for our sins is not about us, what we do or not do. It is what Jesus did and our acceptance of His gift to us. We always fall short, so there is never a time we do not need Jesus as our Savior. I believe the men in prisons and the lady at church would agree with the concluding Scripture from Jeremiah 9:23-24. This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Lynn Fredrick is the author of “Stand Firm.” Stand firm over sin. Stand firm in your faith. LynnFredrick.com
outdoorsman, at our table, had ever broken any hunting or fishing laws. They wanted the warden to know he was seated among, the ‘saints’ of outdoorsmen. I’ve known the warden all of his career; his smile told me this was going to be a gentle lesson in humility. He only asked several questions and everyone, at the table, quickly knew they were guilty of break- ing some DNR laws. He just kept smiling, let them off the hook, as they all turned their conversations to the fundraiser at hand. I have been in a church setting where I have shared my testimony of the sexual sin of pornography. Some open up and share their sin(s). Some cry in disbelief, not able to un- derstand what it would be like to be a sinner, on my level. The only sin they believe they may have committed is the sin of omission. Not doing something they should have done, like helping someone. Unfortunately, some people are not very self-reflective. The church my wife and I attend celebrates the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. There is a time of quiet reflec- tion during and for a few minutes after. This past Sunday, my wife and I both noticed a lady who came to faith in Jesus older in life and whose baptism we attended last summer. Tears were streaming down her face as she remembered that for- giveness, for her wayward life of sin, came though Jesus’ death on a cross, in her place. A countenance every believer at the communion table ought to have. How do we get it? I have written to men in prison for at least 25 years. I have no idea how many, I never kept track. Currently I write to 4 men in different Wisconsin prisons and an occasional one in Florida. Each one of them know exactly the law they broke
learned from him, that every day we are faced with decisions. He states that many days he has “to choose to be the better man.” In Christ-follower words, that would be, “will I live out God’s words to me, or will I do my own thing?” God’s will, ver- sus, my will. We all face that challenge. Also, I think we all face the temptation to be- come proud about our Christian life in the ab- sence of blatant sin. We can slide into the idea of being thankful that we are not like that sinner “over there.” We can easily forget that God hon-
Faith Baptist Church Evangelical, Reformed
‘Contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints.’
Freedom From Pornogr Pornography & Sexual Sin www.LynnFredrick.com
Faith Baptist Church is dedicated to pro- claiming the whole counsel of God (Acts 2:27) and UNAPOLOGETICALLY UPHOLDS the 5 solas:
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• Sinners are justified by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone, by the Holy Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone.
2003 10th St. • Monroe, WI Pastor Bob Leverton • (815) 541-6773 We would identify with those who preached the “old time” gospel. Our confession of faith is found in the old “London Confession of 1689.” We hope you will join us in worship to our Triune God. It is so needful in these last days that we are a Church Family! You are very welcome to join us! Sunday, 9:30 am • Prayer Meeting Wednesday 7:00 pm
STAND FIRM is the story of my journey as God led me out of addiction into the freedom found only in His grace. STAND FIRM is my story, but also a Bible- based guide of how to use the divine power of God to transform a person’s life.
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