Some years back, as a chaplain, I met with a young woman for several months in a jail. At the time, she had reached the status of psychotic paranoia due to a drug habit that overwhelmed her. When I started to meet with her, she believed all the guards in the jail were trying to kill her. Slowly, slowly, she came out of her paranoia. As the weeks went on, I told her that Jesus Christ was the answer to her problems and that God wanted her to be His child. At one meeting, I led her to accept Jesus Christ as her Savior, but I wasn’t absolutely sure it “had stuck.”
The next week, she skipped into our meeting room with a big smile on her face. “Who are you, Crystal?” I asked. She answered, “I am a child of God.”
She ended up spending time in prison and has now been out for several years. To the question of “did it stick?” this is what I just read on her Facebook page.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father,
How can we ever express enough gratitude in our hearts for the forgiveness You give us through Jesus Christ? It’s Your forgiveness that cleanses us and makes us righteous in Your sight, freeing us from the power of sin. We sincerely ask today, and each and every day, for You to soften and cultivate forgiveness within our hearts. Take away any hardness that may have built up over the years and try to keep us from forgiving each other. Help us to forgive each other, as You have so graciously forgiven us. O Lord, may Your forgiveness flow freely from Your heart through ours to those around us.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Crystal is another sinner safely tucked away in God’s Kingdom here on earth. There’s only one explanation for her remarkable transformation. Jesus loves her, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
I went into downtown Minneapolis in mid-March to hear Erin Keefe perform Beethoven’s Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 61.
Before the concert began, the Holy Spirit called me to separate myself from everything but the music—for this would be the Melody of the Holy Spirit.
The orchestra had no idea I was within their music, but the Holy Spirit knows if I am within His Melody. No matter how small my part, I am an instrument in His orchestra. And if I am not playing in His orchestra, then nothing I do holds true significance.
As I became immersed in His melody, swept into the harmony of the Spiritual Kingdom of God, I realized something profound—He was not caught up in my small, earthly world. And that is as it should be. If I want to experience God, I must enter into His Kingdom here on earth and abide in Him there. I cannot ask Him to come into my world merely to do my bidding, to follow me where I go. No—He leads, and I follow.
That afternoon at Orchestra Hall, I lost myself in the music, and in doing so, I found a deep, abiding peace. God was in control of my life. And when I returned home, the worry I had carried—a confounding issue with a printing company—had inexplicably resolved itself. I had spent so much time fretting over something that had never been mine to control.
He had been in control all along. And He always will be.
Just to remind you, Shawn is the man who killed a woman while he was completely wasted on meth, and later became a born-again Christian in the jail where I served as a volunteer chaplain.
He called me last week to tell me a story of how he’s serving God in a high-security prison in Minnesota. He’s become a resident chaplain there now and works with the chaplain who’s been hired to minister to all prisoners.
The chaplain asked him to speak with a prisoner struggling with his faith, and Shawn met with him in the chapel later that same day. This individual told Shawn he was falsely accused of a crime for which he was serving a long sentence. Shawn believed him, and so do I. In my experience, I found that inmates freely admitted their crimes to me, some even for offenses they hadn’t been charged with. They needed to confess to someone and felt I was a person they could trust. I expect the same is true for Shawn. In my twenty years in prison ministry, I have had very few inmates tell me they were wrongly accused, and it often turned out they weren’t falsely accused out of the blue. They were in the wrong place with the wrong people at the wrong time and got caught up in a crime scene even though they didn’t commit the offense. For instance, one man told me he was with someone selling drugs when that person threw a large bag of meth into his car just as the police arrived.
When Shawn met with his fellow prisoner, he listened attentively to his story of being wrongly accused. After a time of prayer, Shawn shared with him the story of Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who spent about two years in an Egyptian prison before being freed by Pharaoh and made second in command during a time of famine in the land. This gave the young man a perspective that brought him a measure of peace.
As they continued sharing details of their lives in the chapel, it came to light that this fellow knew the young woman Shawn had murdered. Shawn and I both reflected that only in God’s Kingdom here on earth could something like this happen. Shawn will be serving 28 years in prison for his crime, but he’s happier and more at peace than many of the people I encounter in my life because he has the time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ that not many people outside of a prison or jail have.
This past Thursday, I appeared on a podcast called Book Banter with FINDING THE SAFEST PLACE ON EARTH. The host of the show is Dianne Burkhardt, a woman from Kansas who now lives in Berlin with her husband, whose job brings them there. She’s a fascinating person with a remarkable story of recovery from a terrible accident. You can find her website at BurckhardtBooks.com. I recommend checking it out.
There is a six-hour time difference between Berlin and Minneapolis, so the show was recorded at 9:30 AM my time and 3:30 PM her time. My interview will air in the last part of May, and I’ll notify you about that when the time comes. In the meantime, her interviews can be found on BookBanter.Buzzsprout.com.
The formal interview lasted an hour, followed by another hour of conversation with her. As I mentioned, she’s a captivating woman, and it was a significant achievement for me to be featured on her show with my book. This is the most prestigious podcast I’ve appeared on, and I was honored that she selected my book for discussion.
If you haven’t gotten a copy of my book yet, here’s the link for you to get one:
If you have read my book but haven’t left a review yet, I’d really appreciate it if you could do so at this link. A sentence or two would be great. You don’t need to critique the book.
Joseph is a member of our church’s prayer group who puts his actions where his faith is. He believes that Jesus came to save and heal and that He works through His faithful followers today to continue His mission on earth until His work on earth is done. Every year, he travels to Uganda for a week in God’s service to preach the gospel and be an instrument of His saving grace and healing touch. This year an 85-year-old woman named Pat also went to Uganda for the week. I received this note from Joseph yesterday.
“Wow!! Today was amazing. To God be the glory. Before we left for the orphanage we prayed for the manager Harriet at the hotel. She was tormented by a spirit at night and also wanted prayer for favor to keep her job and also for her son’s dad to help financially raise their son. We prayed as we were led by the Holy Spirit. She asked also for prayer for her grandmother who needs healing. We agreed to see her grandmother tomorrow after the hospital to minister healing.
“When we got to the orphanage 200 orphans greeted us with songs and dancing showing how grateful they were for supporting and praying for them. Pat shared an encouraging word that was well received. I shared the importance of being born again and living this life with the Holy Spirit inside you. I told them that Jesus loves all of us He created and desires that none us go to hell but go to heaven. But Jesus will not force you to love Him and not drag you into heaven kicking and screaming. I made an appeal for all the teachers, staff, and orphans to surrender their life today completely, repent, believe and confess the Lord Jesus. I asked who wanted to make that decision. Most of the hands were raised. They confessed out loud with their mouth and believed in their heart as Pastor Moses led them in prayer. Praise Jesus!!! I told them how important that decision is and how the angels rejoice in heaven over just 1 sinner who repents. They are definitely celebrating today!!
“We went to the Church of our Savior this evening. We spent the first part of the service praying and preparing our hearts to receive from the Lord. I shared on evangelism and the power of prayer. The message was received well. Then we prayed for 3 young women who wanted us to lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit in His fullness. They received and we prayed in the Spirit to close out the service. Thank you Jesus for the Holy Spirit!
“When we arrived back at the hotel, two security guards approached us and said they heard we pray for the sick. Simon the security guard asked if we could go and pray for his father in law Joseph. He was paralyzed from a stroke. When I found out it he was about 5 hrs away I told him I’m not in control of our schedule and driving and didn’t think we could on this trip. The other security guard said his son was 6 years old and will receive an operation early tomorrow morning at the hospital for a growth in his throat that makes it difficult to eat and breath. I told him we will be at the hospital tomorrow around noon. Pat suggested we pray tonight and there’s no distance in the Spirit. We all agreed. I shared a testimony with them of a lady who requested prayer a year or so ago that wanted prayer for her mom dying of cancer in France and couldn’t travel back to her daughter in Uganda. We prayed for her and she was healed completely and I got the testimony after getting back to America. That built his faith. Before we prayed we asked Simon and the other man if they were believers and born again. Simon said yes but he fell back into sin and messed up. We prayed for him and he repented and renewed his relationship with Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Then we prayed for Simon’s father in law Joseph to be completely healed and all paralysis and sickness leave in Jesus Name! Then we prayed for the 6 year old boy to be completely healed and that the tumor or growth shrink and disappear in the Name of Jesus.
“Please believe and stand with us that Jesus touched all these people today and that He will be glorified and the Name of Jesus will be exalted in Uganda and everywhere these testimonies are spoken. Please keep tomorrow’s schedule in prayer as we go to the hospital and lay hands on the sick, and minister healing to their body and mind. Please pray for Harriet’s grandmother who we will visit after the hospital. Believe for complete healing for her eyes and entire body! Please pray for more divine appointments everywhere we go to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God, heal the sick, and deliver those oppressed by spirits.
“God bless you, Joseph and Pat”
Lest you think Joseph is some wild-eyed zealot who thinks he can heal people, I can attest that he’s as “normal” a guy as your next-door neighbor, but he believes that salvation and healing are for today, and he believes that through faith and empowerment by the Holy Spirit, any faithful follower of Christ can be used by God to bring salvation and healing to a fallen world. I myself have been used by God to bring salvation to lost souls in jails and prisons, but I have not yet been an instrument of healing. I believe, I believe. Holy Spirit, help my unbelief.
On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. John 14:20
When He was on earth, Jesus was with His apostles and disciples. Jesus is telling them here that when He is taken into heaven, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they will spiritually be in Him and He will be Spiritually in them. And this is the case yet today.
Friends, this is not a good thought on which to smile and proclaim. Jesus said it, so it’s a fact, and each person has to experience this reality in their inner being as an actuality and not a concept.
The Safest Place on Earth is in God’s Kingdom here on earth, in Christ and Him in you. You live in His boat if you live in His Kingdom, and He lives in you. It is unexplainable, but if Jesus said it, it’s the truth, and you take it on faith.
Are you in His Kingdom today, or is He just a stray thought every now and then? Are you living in Him, or are you asking Him to bless what you have chosen to do? Jesus is not a puppy dog following you wherever you go; you’re the puppy dog.
At the weekly prayer meeting at our church yesterday, Don, a retired pastor, brought up that we need to be in constant pursuit of Jesus.
I thought about that and wanted to add some flesh to that statement. Living in the Spirit is a constant pursuit, yes, and it does not happen naturally. In fact, the natural life — that which we inherited from Adam — is our default disposition. Our theme songs in the natural life are “I did it my way” and “The world owes me a living.”
How do we constantly pursue God and live in His Spiritual Kingdom here on earth? There are no secrets here. The answer is always the same.
Prayer and Worship: Regularly engaging in prayer and worship helps deepen a Christian’s relationship with God. This can include personal prayer, attending church services, and participating in communal worship.
Bible Study: Reading and reflecting on the Bible is crucial for understanding God’s teachings and applying them to daily life. Many Christians also join Bible study groups to discuss and learn together.
Service to Others: Serving others and showing compassion is a central tenet of Christianity. This can involve volunteering, helping those in need, and performing acts of kindness.
Living by Christian Values: Christians strive to live by values such as love, forgiveness, humility, honesty, and integrity. This means making ethical choices and treating others with respect and kindness.
Sharing the Faith: Evangelism, or sharing one’s faith with others, is important for many Christians. This can be done through conversations, inviting others to church, or simply living a life that reflects Christian values.
Community Involvement: Being part of a church community provides support, fellowship, and opportunities for spiritual growth. It also offers a sense of belonging and accountability.
Personal Growth: Christians seek to grow spiritually and become more like Christ through practices like confession, repentance, and spiritual disciplines such as fasting and meditation.
Loving God and Neighbor: The greatest commandments in Christianity are to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-39). This encompasses all aspects of Christian living.
Are you pursuing God constantly. You can use the eight reminders above as a checklist.
Living in the natural world is the default position of every man and woman who has walked this earth since the fall of Adam and Eve. To live in God’s Kingdom here on earth is a choice. It is intentional, like leaving one building and entering another.
Just when I think I have that thought ingrained in my mind, I don’t have it at all because an idea is a concept. It is not the real thing. Christ living in me is not a concept. It is a reality. It is a fact.
When Christ says, “Remain in Me and I will remain in you,” it is as if He were standing in front of me saying those words. Not a thought of His standing in front of me but His actual spiritual being. It is as if I can see Him with my inner eye, speaking to me and wanting me to draw closer to Him.
For the next eight months, I met with Cate every Monday for 45 minutes. She was now saved but needed to be discipled, and she needed to learn the essentials of Scripture. We also talked about her court hearings that popped up every couple of months as the justice system moved along at its normal pace for cases such as this one—slow, very slow.
Her behavior in jail was exemplary once she became saved. The guards were amazed at the difference in her. She visited with the chaplain (me) every Monday. Every Sunday found her in church services both in the morning and in the afternoon. Whatever Bible studies there were for women, she was there. Whatever other Christian presentations or gatherings there were, you could find her in the audience. She signed up for a Teen Challenge drug program that met in the jail on Wednesdays for a couple of hours. Her hope was that she could get a downward departure for her eventual prison sentence and be sent to Teen Challenge in Minneapolis for 13 months, and then be out on probation.
We talked about what she should say at her court hearings and who she should get to testify or write letters to the court on her behalf; I wouldn’t be doing that because a chaplain does not get personally involved in the machinery of an ongoing adjudication of a criminal case. Encouragement and counsel yes, actual involvement no. Cate also had a case worker giving her advice.
She had a hunger for learning Scripture and read with due diligence the assignments I gave her each week to discuss the following week. Every time she danced through the door of the meeting room, I asked her the same question, “Who are you Cate?” And every time she answered with the same words and the same grin on her face, “I am a child of God.”
I became convinced that the transformation of Cate was so complete and the support for her so great that the judge would grant her the departure of her sentence and allow her to go to Teen Challenge for a year instead of prison. She and I talked about it and prayed about it. And then the day of her sentencing arrived. We were hopeful for the outcome. But …
You don’t steal a police car. There was no mercy shown. Cate was sentenced to one year in prison followed by a lengthy parole. I never heard from her again and had no idea of what happened to her when she was released and whether she got her kids back, until …
a request was made to a Monday noon prayer meeting at our church to pray for requests from church members and calls into the church office. I am regular member of that group, and there it was: “Would you please pray for my mother who is undergoing [a health issue]”, and it was signed by Cate [and her last name]. I found out from the church office what her phone number was and gave her a call. When she answered the phone, the first thing I asked was, “Who are you Cate?” And she immediately answered, “I am a child of God.” And so she is. She has her children back and is living an active Christian life of dependence on God and involvement in a church.
