Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
First, a quick housekeeping item- We’re implementing the new email address list “prison-ministry-prayer-requests@googlegroups.com" to manage all the email addresses receiving this weekly email. Although google groups can be used as a discussion forum, we disabled most functions so this acts only as an email distribution list (in other words, I’m the only one who can send group emails). We have 13 people who haven’t accepted the group invitation, we’d appreciate if they could take care of that soon – thanks!
In the prison last night we had another wonderful evening of praise and worship, beginning with an excerpt from Psalm119 to help set the tone…
O Lord, listen to my cry;
give me the discerning mind you promised.
Listen to my prayer;
rescue me as you promised.
Let praise flow from my lips,
for you have taught me your principles.
Let my tongue sing about your word,
for all your commands are right.
Stand ready to help me,
for I have chosen to follow your commandments.
O Lord, I have longed for your salvation,
and your law is my delight.
Let me live so I can praise you,
and may your laws sustain me.
I have wandered away like a lost sheep;
come and find me,
for I have not forgotten your commands. (Psalm 119:169-176)
In 1st service, Andy L took us on the Israelite’s journey as God led them to the doorstep of the promised land, where they blew it. How? They focused on obstacles and not promises, looking at the size of the enemy instead of the size of their God. In other words, lack of faith. God made them wait until that generation passed before they could claim the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The lesson- God has many blessings for us, we must trust Him and obey. Don’t put it off, let God into your life today so you don’t miss out on all He has for you. You will be blessed, and He will bless others through our obedience.
In 2nd service, Andy D took us back to the reign of King Ahab and wife Jezebel, who promoted worship of false gods like many wicked kings before them. Elijah challenged 450 prophets of Baal to a sacrifice showdown- each will prepare a bull but call on their god to set fire to the offering, and everyone agreed to serve the one who brought fire. After hours of no response from Baal, Elijah rebuilt The Lord’s altar, had his sacrifice drenched 3 times with water, and called upon The Lord. Immediately fire from heaven consumed the sacrifice, the altar, the dust, and even the water, proving once again that The Lord is the one true God.
Like Elijah, our goal each week is to show inmates the true and living God. And remind them how Jesus said blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed – that’s us!
Blessings are truly in store for all who believe, trust, and obey like you do each week – God promised in His Word that by doing so you are building up treasures in heaven. Let me add my gratitude for your partnership in this ministry. Your prayers for prisoners and their families continue to rise to heaven as a pleasing aroma to our God. I pray you have a wonderful Easter, remembering how our Savior went to the cross for each of us, trading us our sin debt for His righteousness, then rising as the first fruits of the resurrection leading to new life in Christ for each of us. He is risen – He is risen indeed!
Grace and Peace,
Rick
Inmate Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm service):
- Monty– my unborn child due Sep 30, pray I can get out by then to be there.
- Jamie– for my 8-year-old daughter, she’s really going through it.
- John– for happiness (joy).
- Chris– to get out soon, and to help me with the range of emotions day to day. I’m thankful I’m still alive, and my grandmom died about a month ago. [After we sang Blessed Assurance, he tearfully said that was her favorite song]
- Phil T– a patient of my wife, his name is Sammy, having bad seizures after just being released from hospital.
- Rick– an older friend is fearful he may have cancer.
- Erwin– thankful my wife’s surgery went well.
- Dan T– my brother-in-law with a PhD, just can’t let go of secular thinking, pray for the Holy Spirit to break through.
- Andy L– my neighbor needs a kidney, and dialysis has been very hard for her. One of her dogs attacked her, causing a broken arm in 3 places, then just yesterday she had an accident and flipped her truck. Pray for this poor woman’s problems to be over.
Inmate/volunteer Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm service)
- Craig– Pray for God to give me strength to carry on, I’m wavering and things are heavy. Need to get past this present circumstance. Pray for his wife Kaye to carry on, and all his children and grandchildren – lots of birthdays going on right now – they don’t understand, they miss him and are sad he is not with them. Pray for the whole world in this troublesome time.
- Martin– Pray for his grandmother who just turned 97, his family, and for his recovery and placement in the rehab facility, that a bed will be available soon. Thankful for all the volunteers, and pray that his new Public Defender can be effective in getting him through the legal process.
- Harry– For all of us in here, Pray for strength in all that he has to endure, for wisdom, and for his walk with the Lord.
- Logan– Praise God for who He is and doing what He does.
- Jeremiah– Pray for God’s blessing on all the members of his family, and that his Public Defender can provide a better offer in his court trial.
Prayers from Onesimus Ministries
- Blessings of continued strength, endurance, compassion, and wisdom for God’s hands and feet in Chester County Prison – Chaplain Rhonda and Chaplain Heinrich, that they would continue to bless many residents, staff, and family members connected to the prison.
- Continued favor in the eyes of prison leadership towards the chaplaincy program, and that God’s Word would continue to spread throughout the prison population beyond the volunteers and services.
- Please guide the board members in finding a new location and provision of food/catering for the annual banquet in October. May God open doors to continue the annual celebration of this ministry.
- Blessings on the staff and leadership at Chester County Prison, who work many shifts and long hours in the face of shortages. We ask The Lord to watch over their families and bless their home lives.
- For inmates suffering with illness or struggling with addiction – may the power of the Holy Spirit of God provide healing and wholeness.
- We lift up those in the trenches of aftercare ministry, who meet daily with former inmates and their families, showing the love of Christ and helping guide them down the narrow path God wants all His followers on. May these ministries have all the resources they need to serve effectively.
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.
These weekly prayer requests are also posted on our website – https://onesimusministries.org/category/weekly-prayer-requests/
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