Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Monday nights are always a joy for the prison ministry team, and last night was no exception. The inmates in both services were actively engaged, which is always great. It makes us feel like we’re making a difference when our incarcerated brothers respond to the love of Jesus as we sing, testify, and learn from the Holy Word of God.
Psalm 5 helped focus our minds on our standing before the Father:
O Lord, hear me as I pray;
pay attention to my groaning.
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I will never pray to anyone but you.
Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the slightest sin.
Therefore, the proud will not be allowed to stand in your presence,
for you hate all who do evil.
You will destroy those who tell lies.
The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.
Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple.
Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
or my enemies will conquer me.
Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn. (Psalm 5:1-8)
Jose began the 1st service message with an Old Testament passage to see how it looked towards the cross of Christ, then followed through with a New Testament passage in the light of the cross. He walked us through Numbers 21:4-8 where the journeying Israelites grumbled about God’s food and water provisions in the desert, so He sent poisonous snakes to get their attention and realize their sin. God eventually instructed Moses to put a bronze snake on a pole where those afflicted could look up and be delivered. We can clearly see foreshadowing of Christ on the cross, where Jesus even said in John 3:13 how the Son of Man must be lifted up, and those who look up and believe will be saved. We all must look to Christ alone for salvation.
In 2nd service, Matt took us “Into the Storm” asking what we normally do when a storm is coming. We tend to shelter and hunker down like cows do when storms come, or we sometimes run away. Since we know the source of all power and strength, shouldn’t we hit the storm straight on and get through it quicker as the mighty bison? Storms are inevitable in life and can beat us down if we just try to endure. Realize Jesus will always come to us like he did walking on water to the apostles in the midst of their storm, but not always right away. If we know Jesus, why not be bold like Peter and ask Jesus to call us out of the boat? He started as a bison, but “cowed out” when he focused on the storm instead of keeping locked-in on Jesus. That’s the answer – stay locked in on our Savior, he’s got us.
And that’s how the inmates feel when we remind them of all the prayer warriors lifting them up each week. They feel like we’ve got them covered, presenting their cares before our glorious Savior who is more than able to do more than we can ask or imagine. Thanks for your partnership on this faith journey, and may almighty God bless you and yours in a very special way this week.
Grace and Peace,
Rick
Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm service):
- Dave– for stability in my life
- Andy L– for my neighbor who was arrested for killing a dog who tried to kill her. Her court date is coming up, and the neighbors are all trying to help as they can.
- James– for faith, and for all the Moms as it was just Mother’s day on Sunday.
- Miguel– that my 3 boys (4-1/2, 2, and 9mos) are all doing OK, and that I can reshape myself in here to be better for them.
- Dan T– praise and thanksgiving that cancer recurrence was caught in time and treatments are over. Also pray for my brother-in-law to let go of trusting solely in intellect and finally accept Christ.
- Drake– thankful that my relationship with God allows me to move past trauma. Pray for those with mental health issues, and that we can all have a better relationship with our Moms.
- Nasim– for my relationship with God, still working on it, and help to overcome sin.
- Ryan– prayers for each of us, we are all in here for a reason, may the Lord help us stop looking at the negative and use this as a learning experience for what He is trying to teach us.
- Eric– pray for financial increase and a steady job when I get out, and a stable hobby and a girlfriend.
- Evan– for my Mom and all the other Moms that were missed on Mothers Day.
- Samuel– for my Grandfather (90) who got no welfare check today (financial hardship), and for my situation – that I can get home and get into rehab sooner.
- Ryan– I feel the Lord calling me to start a ministry called “Criminals for Christ”.
Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm service)
- Craig– for my strength in the Lord, no word yet on my hearing, although it’s moved to another judge who may not have reconsideration of sentence. Pray for judge’s heart to terminate my probation. Also for this facility as a whole, all the sick and shut-ins, and my family at large.
- Troy– My friend Jeff (56) died of a heart attack just before his 1st wedding anniversary – pray for his wife Sarah and the 3 kids they were in the process of adopting – not sure what will happen to them now.
- Martin– family, for my Grandmother (97) to have strength and health, for my sobriety, and God help me deal with the temptations every day.
- Jeremiah– for family, and thankful for the volunteers.
- Glenn– family and loved ones, friends, and for everyone to do the right thing.
- Jose G– salvation for Rony who struggles with alcoholism, and salvation for Johannes and Benjamin.
- Matt R– for my coworker Shaun and wife Megan (36) fighting for her life with stage 4 cancer – pray continued healing and strength. Also for friends Katy and Aaron on the verge of divorce, and Aaron battling addiction – may God help him get on the right path.
- Rick C– for my friend Louie who just underwent radical cancer surgery to remove colon, and for my friend Herb in Paoli hospital battling back from a coma after brain bleed/damage.
Prayers from Onesimus Prison Ministries
- For the Chaplaincy department at the prison – Pastor Jack Crans (healing from cancer), Rhonda Soland ministering to the ladies, and Heinrich Botes ministering to the men.
- Blessings upon newly installed Warden Holland, his leadership team, the prison staff, and all of their families.
- The inmate population on the minimum security blocks, the medium security blocks, the maximum security block, the restricted blocks, and all of their families.
- For the Aftercare ministries across Chester County.
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/
If this email was forwarded to you and you’d like to subscribe, click HERE.
