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Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
My church family took a double gut-punch last week, with the unexpected passing of one brother Thursday, then another brother unexpectedly passing on Friday. This is truly where Christians show the world how we are different. We look at death differently than the world.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.(1Thes 4:13-14)
This is where our trust in the Lord as believers carries us through, because we are assured we will see our believer loved ones again. For Christians, bodily death is simply a spiritual change of address.
We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2Cor 5:8)
Are we sad? Sure we are- as humans we all have emotions and a relational need to connect with others, and when our closest connections are broken (even temporarily), we are grieved. We don’t want to walk this path alone.
But again, this is where we’re different than the world, for we are never alone. Our Father reminds us throughout scripture He will never leave us nor forsake us, and Jesus told us He is with us to the end of the age (Mt 28.20). The family of believers stands ready to hold up a brother or sister that is hurting. We love one another by helping with physical needs, by sharing our memories, and reminding one another of the Hope we have in Christ. What a great family we’re part of.
And we thank all of you family members as you love others by lifting up these prayer requests each week, praying for people you will likely never meet (on this Earth, anyway). God loves you so much He sent His son to die for you. Remind someone today how much God loves them.
Grace and Peace,
Rick
P.S. – there are still a few benefit dinner tickets left for this Friday, but you’ll need to act quickly. Here’s the link to get yours – Benefit Dinner Tickets
Prayer Requests from last Thursday (12:00 Chapel Service):
- Sean– I finally have a court date on 12/11, also pray for my daughter Morgan and all the guys back on K block.
- Richard– my family and friends, and that the court sees me as a different person than I appear on paper.
- José– for my Mother who supports me, and for my younger brother.
- Patrick– my family support on the outside, my Dad’s health condition, and I’d love to be with my Mom on her birthday Oct 26.
- Manuel– my family, daughter Sophia and wife Adriana, and for my friend Javier who was in here and now retained by immigration.
- Andy D– for the situation our brother Phil alerted us to – Joy who is pregnant with twins went into very premature labor (not due until December) – pray all is well for her and those twin girls she’s carrying, miracle babies that the doctors didn’t expect to survive.
- Roland D– for each man to get a solid court date, and that God would be with each one at their trial.
- Eugene– for more laborers and fishers of men.
Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm Monday service):
- DeShawn– for my salvation, for fellow Christians and fellow sinners, for the revelation of Christ in the world, and for all of us to find what we’re looking for in life.
- Dandy– to find someone to love me and help me through life. For my little brother Luke and older brother Billy to stop abusing drugs and alcohol and get right. For my Mom to stop spreading hate towards me and my brothers.
- Ross– for the volunteers to be blessed, for our families, for all those who don’t know the Lord, may there be a great Revival and great Awakening. For my buddy Coles in a tough situation, and for all the 2 million prisoners in all the prisons across the country.
- Andrew– for my Mom Kathleen, my Dad James, and my sister Kira.
- Phil T– for our brother volunteer Jim to recover quickly from his knee surgery. And praise God for Joy’s labor to have diminished, and that she can be on bed rest at the Ronald McDonald house right next to the hospital just in case. And for all the kids at the Ronald McDonald house suffering with various illnesses and maladies.
- Erwin– for my sister (92) with cancer spreading in her body. May the Lord heal her as He will.
- Rick C– for healing and recovery of our brother Jose.
- Dan T– for the right opportunity to share Gospel with my Brother-in-law and that he would accept Christ.
Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm Monday service)
- Frankie– for my Mom, my uncle with cancer, for Matt, and everyone here.
- Chris– for a good interview with Liberty ministries Monday, for my release, and for all lost souls to find Jesus Christ.
- Jordan– for every man here, peace as we go through the process, please take away our pain, and for our loved ones.
- Lee– for my wife Steff, daughter Ava, and my unborn daughter Laney.
- Jason– for my kids, family, better relationship with my kids, get out of here, and get on the right path.
- Justin– for the earth and all that call it home.
- Alex– for the weak to find strength in the Lord, and find glory in the Lord’s name.
- Frank– peace for all the families in the room, for softened hearts to find God and get in tune with His power.
- David– for all the men in the room, my daughter taking care of the grandkids, for the grandkids getting tested with grief.
- Carl– for my daughter Amia, protect her, and please increase finances to help her.
- James– family.
- Jerry– for patience, health, and release next week.
- Andy D– pray for Matt.
Prayer Requests from Onesimus Ministries
- For a successful benefit dinner/silent auction at Green Street Grill on Oct 24.
- Continued safety for Heinrich and wife Susan visiting family in South Africa, and for Heinrich’s Mom and his sister’s family after her sudden passing several weeks ago.
- Chaplain Heinrich and all the male inmates and staff within his mission field
- Chaplain Rhonda and all the female inmates and staff within her mission field.
- Chaplain Jack Crans and the entire chaplaincy program, and the prison leadership within his mission field. Also for strength and healing in the face of his cancer.
- Onesimus Ministries board members, and the future of the board.
- Volunteers ministering to the male and female inmates at Chester County Prison.
- The families supporting each inmate, staff member, chaplain, and volunteer.
- Aftercare ministries and post-prison support organizations throughout Chester County ministering to recently released men and women.
If you’d like to find out more about mentoring and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison, drop us a note at outreach@onesimusministries.org.
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