Hungry for hope

I am distributing a Bible study on "hope," as the men get really discouraged and need to keep their hearts focused on Him. I am meeting with Dustin at the Regional Justice Center.  He is a 20's young man who is reading the Scriptures faithfully.  He made it through the New Testament a couple of times and now we are walking through the Old Testament.


I am deeply appreciative for so many faithful family and friends who continue to support me as a missionary chaplain with Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries. Sometimes, I am overwhelmed in thankfulness.

 I met with Mary Ann Morbley, the program director and my supervisor at the RJC, to go over the four notebooks with materials I use with the men, based on need.  I have received wonderful materials from the solid ministries of  John Piper, Ray Pritchard, and John MacArthur.  There is an ongoing problem when volunteers bring in materials that are not approved or go through Mary Ann. This places the volunteer status of that ministry group in jeopardy.

I have met with 63 men so far this month with five recommitting themselves to the Lord.  I share with a group in the E and D (or Edward and David) Units, regularly for discipleship and prayer.  My purpose is to meet with men as regularly as possible while they are at the RJC to establish a firm foundation in the Lord and the Scriptures for them.

Dustin asks questions about personal application and obedience.  He doesn't want to fit into the woodwork so that he assimilates himself into the world while claiming to be a Christian.  He witnesses to his family who are not saved.

His Dad is in the Mormon church and Dustin wants to understand what the differences are and what is going on.  I carefully avoid criticizing other groups, by RJC volunteer policy, so we open the Scriptures together. He got to see his entire family, this week, which really built up his spirit.

I received a letter from Joseph from the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla.  He survived a frightening racially-driven riot in his unit, recently.  By God's grace, he was not attacked. You may recall he was convicted of a homicide as a nurses aide in Federal Way several months ago.  Joseph learned an reopened investigation continues by the FW Police Department which may result in another trial and a return to the RJC which is a remarkable answer to prayer. 

dearest place on earth

 “Give yourself to the Church. You that are members of the Church have not found it perfect and I hope that you feel almost glad that you have not. If I had never joined a Church till I had found one that was perfect, I would never have joined one at all! 

And the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect Church after I had become a member of it.

Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us… 

All who have first given themselves to the Lord, should, as speedily as possible, also give themselves to the Lord’s people. How else is there to be a Church on the earth? If it is right for anyone to refrain from membership in the Church, it is right for everyone, and then the testimony for God would be lost to the world!

As I have already said, the Church is faulty, but that is no excuse for you not joining it, if you are the Lord’s. Nor need your own faults keep you back, for the Church is not an institution for perfect people, but a sanctuary for sinners saved by grace, who, though they are saved, are still sinners and need all the help they can derive from the sympathy and guidance of their fellow believers.

The Church is the nursery for God’s weak children where they are nourished and grow strong. It is the fold for Christ’s sheep—the home for Christ’s family.”

–Charles H. Spurgeon, “The Best Donation,” (No. 2234), in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 37,  an exposition of 2 Corinthians 8:5 preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England, on April 5, 1891.