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Introduction to Letters from the Edge of Society

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Letters from Prisoner/ Students

This is the introduction to a series of letters that will be read by the prison volunteers… members of The Park who dedicate some of their time, and resources to the prison ministry.

These videos will be approximately 5 minutes long, and I hope you will take the time to listen them, I think you might gain a different view of the incarcerated, and possibly even be uplifted a bit.

The first introduction is a little longer than I would have liked, but in the future there will be less introduction and more letter reading.

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“God’s Power In Broken Lives”

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There are many examples in God’s word that reveals his power through the brokenness of people’s lives.

What that shows us today is how important our total surrender and utter dependence is in our own lives. No matter how broken you think your life is or how hopeless things look God is waiting for you to run into his arms and to put your faith in Him, so he can show how sovereign he is and how endless his power is. His power can reign in the brokenness of your life as it did back then. I dare you and challenge you to believe.

Genesis 21:2 and 5-7

2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the very time God had said to him

5 Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Yitzchak (Isaac) was born to him

6 Sarah said God has given me good reason to laugh now everyone who hears about it will laugh with me.

7 and she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Nevertheless, I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Even when they were past the age of having children God’s power made the impossible happen. Just because the world says its hopeless know that God says, “Yes I can.”, his power is revealed in our weakness.

Genesis 22:1-2

1 After these things, God tested Abraham, he said to him “Abraham,” and he answered, “Here I am,”

2 He said take your son, your only son whom you love Yit’chak (Isaac) and go to the land of Moriah. There you are to offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain that I will point to you.

Even after God has given Abraham and Sarah a child that was promised in their old age now, he was asking him to sacrifice him to God without question, Abraham obeyed. Israel was shown favor based on Abrahams’s faithfulness. Abraham’s willingness to give up his son was a mirror image of what God was going to do for us by sacrificing his one and only son Yeshua for our sins.

Genesis 50:19-20

19 but Yosef said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Am I in the place of God?

20 you meant to do me harm, but God meant it for Good-so that it would come about as it is today, with many people’s lives being saved.

Here Joseph was hated by his brothers, sold as a salve by them accused of rape falsely, thrown into prison. Al this happened over a 13-year period Joseph had every reason to give up. Yet he stayed faithful to God and God’s power was revealed. He was in charge of Potipher’s house, was trustee in prison and eventually became second in command in Egypt. Everything he did God blessed. Through all the broken times in Joseph’s life God’s power conquered. All this led up to the saving of many lives. So, if you’re at the end of your rope, hold on, help is on the way.

Exodus 3:8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land flowing with milk and honey to the place of the Cannaanites, and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

God use Mose to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Here Moses was hidden so he wasn’t killed. He murdered a man which caused him to flee for forty years. Yet God still revealed his power through him and his brother Aaron to Pharoah to free his chosen people.

Joshua 6:5 The they are to blow a long blast on the shofar. On hearing the sound of the shofar, all the people are to shout as loudly as they can, and the wall will fall down flat. The people are to go up into the city each one straight from where he stands.

God still used this people to conquer Jericho despite their doubts and unfaithfulness. Even though at times when they trusted in other God’s. So, know that God can still use you no matter what you’ve done. As long as true repentance and complete surrender takes place.

2 Kings 4:4 Then go in; shut the door with you and your sons inside; and pour oil into all those containers and as they are filled put them aside

This servant’s husband had died and left a debt. The children were to become slaves as payment for the debt. Elisha told her to take every container she could find and fill it with oil to pay the debt.

No matter how bleak a situation looks in your life God will provide a way and leave you amazed knowing oly God could have done this.

Psalms 51:1-3

1 God in your grace have mercy on me; in your great compassion blotting out my crimes

2 Wash me completely from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my crimes, my sin confronts me at all times

Despite being a murderer, adulterer, and liar God used David to become king over his people. It was through his bloodline that the messiah was born.

Mark 14:72 and immediately the rooster crowed a second time, then Kefa (Peter) remembered what Yeshua said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times.” and throwing himself down, he burst into tears.

Lord Yeshua restored Peter although he denied him three times, He told him upon this Rock (Peter) I will build my church (Matthew 16:18) So, whether you have denied Jesus or rejected him he is quick to forgive and use you to reveal his power.

Acts 9:5 “Sir who are you?” he asked. “I am Yeshua, and you are persecuting me”

On the road to Damascus Jesus revealed himself to Paul. Up to this point, Paul was persecuting and even approving the killing of those who proclaimed Jesus. Paul from this point on began the journey of teaching Jesus to the Gentiles (us). So, if God can use a person who rejected Jesus to proclaim the good news of salvation through Yeshua, he too can reveal his power through your broken life. Just trust and believe.

Adam Gillespie

October 29, 2022

Thank you 🙂

Jolynn Gillespie

Articles by Prisoners

God Is Enough 

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No matter how broken things are in your life God will use that brokenness to fulfill his purpose.

There are many examples in his Word where God is glorified through broken lives. He is always enough to see us through whatever trial and tribulation that life throws at us. Once you come to a place in your life that God is enough, you are always at peace even in the midst of a storm. It is in these storms that our faith will be tested. We must choose to run into the arms of the Father as he whispers to us, no one will snatch you out of his hand. “I will always be enough”. 

Genesis 12:1 now Adonai said to Abraham, “Get yourself out of your country, away from your father’s house, and go to the land I will show you”. 

Abraham was asked to take his family and go to an unknown place away from his kinsmen. God wanted him to go immediately and not hesitate. Abraham trusted in God and left everything in obedience to Him, just as the disciples left all to follow Yeshua. We as God’s children are called to leave our old lives and follow Him to be Holy and set apart.  

Genesis 40:15 For the trust is that I was kidnapped from the Lord of the Hebrews and here too I have done nothing wrong that would justify putting me in this dungeon.  

Joesph was sold to be a slave by his brothers who were jealous of him. He was thrown into prison for a false accusation of rape and forgotten there. Yet he still put his face before God and trusted in his sovereignty. When we trust that God is enough in our lives, he will use what looks like a defeated situation and allow us to come out looking victorious.  

Judges 7:19  Guideon and the hundred men with him arrived at the edge of the camp a little before midnight, just after they changed the guard. They blew the shofars and broke into pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.  

The broken jars are a symbol of how God uses our broken lives to accomplish his purpose. He used the small array of 300 men to defeat a massive army. Their fear was turned to faith once they God was enough.  

2 Kings 4:4 Then go in, shut the door with you and your sons inside and pour oil into all those containers and as they are filled, put them aside 

This woman was in a hopeless situation. Her sons were to become slaves to pay a debt her husband had before he died. Elisha instructed her to fill all the jars she borrowed with oil to pay the debt. God will use what little we have and increase it.  God will always be enough to fulfill our needs.  

Luke 9:16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up toward heaven, made a brakhah, broke the loaves and began giving them to the talmid (Disciples) to distribute to the crowd.  

Only God can feed thousands with a small meal. Wherever an impossible situation presents itself in your life look to the heavens to our Father who will always make the impossible possible.  

Psalms 71:5-6

5 for you are my hope Adonai Elohim in whom I have trusted since I was young.  

6 from birth I have relied on you; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb 

Despite all the enemies David had coming at him in his life he trusted in God to be his hope and salvation. Let that be a reminder to us that no matter who is against us God is always for us.  

2 Corinthians 12:9 but he told me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness. 

Paul had a thorn in his side. He asked God to take it from him three times, but God says his grace is enough. Let this be a lesson for us that no matter the hardships we are going through that it is God who will see us through. It’s such a delight to know God is our rock and salvation.  

Luke 4:4 But Jesus answered him saying, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God.  

Satan came to Jesus after he fasted for forty days, knowing he was hungry he tempted him to turn a stone into bread. Jesus knew it was God’s word that will sustain him. So, when Satan comes to tempt you at your most vulnerable moment fight him off with the Word of God. God alone is our strength and shield. He will always be enough to guide us through times of darkness, times of storms, and times of loneliness, you can always trust in him.  

Adam Gillespie 

October 15, 2022 

Articles by Prisoners

WE MUST CONTINUE TO FIGHT

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Contributed by Adam Gillespie

We Must Continue to Fight

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you testified so well to your faith before many witnesses.

As believers in Christ, we must never have the misconception we are to lay back on the sidelines. That life will be easy, and we will never face trials and tribulations. Once we have made the decisions for Christ. Our enemy (Satan) will fight to get you back. Our spiritual enemy opposes the Christian pursuit of godly ideals. So, Paul urged his younger friend Timothy to plunge into this conflict. The goal is worth fighting for and it requires fighting for. So, my Christian brothers and sisters lets boot up and suit and get ready for war.

Ephesians 6:10-11

10. Finally, grow powerful in union with the Lord In union with this might strength!

11. Use all the armor and weaponry that God provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the adversary.

The only way we can withstand the attacks of the enemy is to put on the full armor of God that he supplies remember this struggle does not, not take place in the physical but in the spiritual. It is essentially warfare on the spiritual level with an enemy we cannot see.

1 Samuel 17:32 David said to sha’ul no one should lose heart because of him; your servant will go and fight this, Philistine.

You see David have the faith in God knowing he would hand this philistine over to him to defeat him. So, what enemy in your life that you need God to defeat for you? Have faith and he will do it.

1 Samuel 17:37 Then David said “Adonai, who rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will rescue me from the paw of this Philistine! Sha’ul said to David “Go, May Adonai be with you”

Each battle that God gets us through prepares us for the next one. But we must do our part and walk by faith, not by sight.

1 Samuel 17:51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine took the giant’s sword, drew it out of its sheath, and finished killing him, cutting off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead they fled.

We to when we draw on the strength of God to defeat our enemies they will flee as well. When we make a practice of this in our lives, we know we can face anything with God!!

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Moreover, take a stand against the adversary, and he will flee from you.

In this chapter, James is talking about letting go of selfish motives. We must be enemies of the world, not friends. The only way that we can face our enemy is to submit to God. Once we fight the enemy (Satan) in the power of the Holy Spirit the enemy has no choice but to flee.

Daniel 6:22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths, so they would not hurt me, this is because before him I was found innocent, and also, I have done no harm to you, your majesty.

Although men were against Daniel to have him killed Daniel trusted God knowing there was a death sentence waiting for him for doing so. Daniel didn’t fight in his own might. He entrusted himself to God. We to must fight our enemies with the same mindset, If God is for us, who can be against us. (see Romans 8:31)

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Paul knew his life would be soon over. He knew he had fought and ran the race well that God had set before him. Mainly the minister of the Gospel. He spent the first part of his life fighting against God then spent the rest fighting for him. He remained faithful to the lord, and service for him, this enabled him to face death courageously. Let us be encouraged by this. Continue to fight the good fight of faith. An award awaits us, to forever be in his presence, Hallelujah!!!!