By Victor Davis

Before I came to prison, my ego was not well developed. This fact was marked by a lack of maturity and an underdeveloped sense of responsibility. I could procreate, but spiritually I was a child and an apostate. I lived life according to my own philosophical values. Although I believed in YAHSHUA, I was my own idol and lived as a womanizer, a substance abuser, and worst of all, an unreliable parent.

On January 10, 2014, I officially came into DOC custody, and everything I ever feared becoming, became a reality and a nightmare that I could not wake up from.

It was a surreal experience. Within a year’s time, I received the wages of my sins. Everything I identified with, and everyone I found security with was taken away from me. My life was desolate.

During my incarceration, I began to re-establish my relationship with YAHVEH through prayer, faith, and by being a Berean.

In addition to this, HE started to answer my prayers, even those that didn’t come in the form I thought they would.

However, YAHVEH pruned my heart through these things. As I have come to accept, YAHSHUA as YAHVEH, as well as my eternal SAVIOR, 1 have learned to be content and steadfast by trusting on HIM solely for all of my needs through endurance and not on the things of the world that I believed defined me.

so, what has YAHSHUA done for me since I’ve been incarcerated? HE has refined my heart by giving me His character.

My FATHER,

Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips, supply words that proclaim ‘Love lustres at Calvary. ‘

There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on thy SON, made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me; There the sword of thy justice smote the man, thy fellow; There thy infinite attributes were magnified, and infinite atonement was made; there infinite punishment was due, and infinite punishment was endured.

CHRIST was all anguish that I might be all joy, cast off that I might be welcomed as a friend, surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best, stripped that I might be clothed, wounded that I might be healed, athirst that I might drink, tormented that I might be comforted, made a shame that I might inherit glory, entered darkness that I might have eternal light.

My SAVIOUR wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes, groaned that I might have endless song, endured all pain

that I might have unfading health, bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem, bowed HIS head that I might uplift mine, experienced reproach that I might receive welcome, closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness, expired that I might for ever live.

O FATHER, who spared not thine only SON that thou mightest spare me, all this transfer thy love designed and accomplished; Help me to adore thee by lips and life. O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise, my every step buoyant with delight, as I see my enemies crushed, Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed, sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood, hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open.

Go forth, O conquering GOD, and show me the cross, mighty to subdue, comfort and save.

 by Aaron Hughes

I Peter 5:6 says “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of GOD, that HE may exalt you in due time. ” Before we can expect GOD to do anything for us, we must first humble ourselves. Humbling myself was the hardest thing for me to do. My sense of entitlement kept me from being able to bend my knee in service. I couldn’t understand how to get over my pride or how to set aside my false, so called “entitlement.”

Then I read I Peter 5: 7: “Casting all your care up-on HIM; for HE careth for you. ” Now I understand that HE is the ONE who makes all things possible, and if I want to humble myself, I have to die to self and allow HIM to do HIS perfect work.
Understanding that this process isn’t necessarily a work completed overnight, the last part of verse 6 says “That HE may exalt you in due time, ” not in my time, but in HIS time. I must stay persistent in seeking HIS will if I want to be exalted by the ALMIGHTY. Will it always be an easy road? Absolutely not, but it will be worth it.
There is nothing more desirable than to be exalted by GOD ALMIGHTY. So, please keep striving for HIS desires because the tribulations of this world cannot even hold a candle to HIS EVERLASTING GLORY.

 by Miguel (Juan Carlos Caballero)

First of all, thanks be to our Heavenly FATHER for HIS great loving kindness toward us, HIS  people. It’s just because of HIS mercy that I am still alive today. Looking back into my life, I can see that there is no possible way that I could have survived by myself in the world, doing all the wrong things that I was doing.

Now I can tell that nothing else but the protection of the LORD kept me alive. I could be dead by now, but today I can say, without a shadow of doubt, that my Heavenly FATHER, the LORD GOD ALMIGHTTY, the CREATOR of the universe, kept me alive until the day I repented of all my sins and surrendered my life completely to HIM!

And the very same day that I came to HIM  in true repentance, HE forgave me for all the sins that I committed during my life. HE forgave every single dirty thing I did in thoughts, words, and deeds. HE also gave me the power to live a victorious life, to overcome sin, the world, and the devil. HE gave me a new life. filled me with the HOLY SPIRIT; HE also filled me with the peace of GOD, HIS peace, “the peace that passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

When I was living outside for myself, the world, and the devil, I always had this feeling, this void, this emptiness in my heart. I knew that I was looking for something. I didn’t know at that time what I was looking for to fill my emptiness and make me feel complete.

So, I started trying to fix my problems with drugs, money, sex, prestige, and so on. But none of these things was helping me to fill the longing I had in my heart. Instead of helping me, all of these things were just making my life worse.

It was only the day I received JESUS as my LORD and SAVIOR that my searching stopped. When HE came to live in my heart, HE filled all of my emptiness. Now I can say with all confidence, I am complete in JESUS, who is the head of all principalities and power (Colossians 2:10). I’m alive! I have the real life, the abundant life, because JESUS lives in me!! Now I can confidently say:

“I’m not just existing, I am living!! ‘

Thank you, JESUS!! My friend, if you are still trying to fill the emptiness of your heart, TRUST in JESUS today. Ask IÆIIVI to come into your heart and be your LORD and SAVIOR. Ask HIM to save you from your sins; HE will do it.

HE is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). With GOD, there is no partiality. HE did it for me, and I-E will also do it for you. I-IE saved me. HE will save you also. Just trust 1-11M and believe HIS WORD. “Behold, I (JESUS) 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).

 by Gary J. Doby

Baseball has been honored as the “Perfect Game” and as “America’s Pastime. ” The ideal distances of 60′ 6″ from the rubber to the plate and 90′ baselines are just right. Three out at-bats and four ball, three strike counts at the plate move the game accordingly. The prescribed rules maintain order and form.

Yet those with a frue understanding of the game recognize certain “fundamentals” and how to best execute them, fundamentals that bring aesthetic satisfaction and victory to the team that performs. The timing and surprise of the “suicide squeeze ” make it the most exciting play in baseball. And following the basic tenet “Never make the last out at third base” can be the difference between victory and defeat.

After nine innings and 54 outs, however, it’s over for the day. The teams go on to pray another day. Yogi Berra famously pronounced: “It ain’t over ’til it’s over. ” Yet, in baseball, there’s always another game or another team.

Life, however, is not a mere “game. ” We are given, blessed with, a limited number of days to live and “once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 10:27). There are no double-headers, not 154 game schedules and no one has the promise of a tomorrow: “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14).

GOD has blessed us in HIS WORD with basic rules and fundamentals to assure us of “Victory in JESUS. ” The commands are clearly given in Exodus 20 and in the WORDS of CHRIST throughout HIS ministry.

CHRIST made the “rules ” clear and established several fundamentals necessary for salvation, victory over the grave. When HE commanded (John 3:7) “Ye must be born again, ” HE revealed to Nicodemus a basic tenet of CHRISTIANITY.

The means to the re-birth are certain. Every person must accept the fact that “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of GOD” (Romans 3:23) and that “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of GOD is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD ” (Romans 6:23).

CHRIST has guaranteed that Satan and sin cannot defeat us. Peter stated, “He that believeth on HIM shall not be confounded” (I Peter 3:6). JESUS said that 1—IE came so that “Whosoever believeth on HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Yet HE warned in John 3:18: “He that believeth not is condemned already.

Life is a gift, not a game. But there are fundamentals and rules for living. To “lose” is eternal damnation and separation from GOD.  CHRIST has already provided our victory. Just believe, accept GOD’s grace, and be saved. Where are you today?

“He that believeth on the SON hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the SON -shall not see life;

submitted by Rebecca Stowers

When you get what you want in your struggle for self and the world makes you king for a day,

Just go to a mirror and look at yourself and see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife whose judgment upon you must pass,

The fellow Whose verdict counts most in’ your life is the one staring back from.the glass.

Some    People   might thing you’re a straight-shorting chum and call your a wonderful  guy,

But the man in the glass says you,’re  Only a bum  if you can’t look him straight in the eye:

He’s the fellow to please never mind all the rest for he’s with you clear to the end,

And you’ve passed your most dangerous test if the guy in the glass is’ your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years and get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be heartache and tears if you’ve cheated the man ih the glass.—unknown

Chaplain Johnson (back); Terrie Dyer (peace & healing); Linda for healing (cancer); Alan Richards (healing/cancer); the entire yard (healing); inmates in the medical ward; inmates seeking relief through the courts; the lost and broken-hearted.

Pray for the peace and prosperity of this yard, for our families, children, and for each other. Pray that we all walk in wisdom to them who are without CHRIST, to be peacemakers, men of character, and that our joy will be full, and that JESUS CHRIST is glorified in each and every one of us. AMEN!! !