Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We are so blessed to have God’s Word so readily available to us. We can easily find it in many languages and various translations, so there’s really no excuse to not read or study it every day. God wants us to immerse ourselves in His living Word, which is the only book that can renew and transform our minds.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
“Most of all, let the Word of God fill you and renew your mind every day. When our minds are on Christ, Satan has little room to maneuver.” — Billy Graham
God makes some significant promises to those to meditate on His Word – so how do we do that? Unlike some eastern methods where the goal is to empty one’s mind, the goal of Christian meditation is to fill one’s mind with God’s Word and seek his mind.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8)
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:1-3)
There are numerous ways to study/meditate on the Word – my favorite is simple yet effective. Rick Warren calls it the “pronounce it” method, where you simply take one verse at a time, and you read it over and over, emphasizing the different major words each time, and thinking about that aspect of the verse.
For example, using John 3:16
For GOD so loved the world, that He gave his only Son…
For God so LOVED the world, that He gave his only Son…
For God so loved THE WORLD, that He gave his only Son…
For God so loved the world, that He GAVE his only Son…
(you get the idea)
Prison inmates not only have Bibles available to them, they also have a lot of time on their hands. Thank God we have our wonderful Chaplains Rhonda and Heinrich inside the prison each day to make those Bibles available and encourage the inmates to “dive in”. Let’s pray they do just that. And thanks for your tireless efforts to pray each week for our chaplains, the inmates and staff of Chester County Prison, and the specific prayer requests that get called out each week. May God reward you for time spent in His Word and in prayer.
Grace and Peace,
Rick
Prayer Requests from Chaplain Rhonda
Prayer requests for the week:
M.O. – “I am requesting (the) Life Recovery Bible and work book. I read my cellmate’s first few pages and it broke me down. I don’t read much but cannot wait to read this. Thank you!”
A.R. – finally leaving CCP after a LONG stay; found faith in God while she was here. Pray that she stays strong in Him and keeps Him as her Refuge.
V.G. – a sweet young woman who has a very low estimation of herself; blames herself for everything; self-loathing has been ingrained into her. Please pray that she really finds out who she is through a relationship with God, and finds out who HE says she is.
A.P. – another sweet young woman, seeking to find peace in God after years of drug abuse and addiction.
Thanks to all who prayed for me as I spent time touring the Holy Land. I so appreciate all your prayers. I had an absolutely amazing time there! What a special place!!
Prayers from Onesimus Ministries
Grace and Mercy for Chaplain Heinrich and wife Susan as they prepare for a trip to South Africa. May they accomplish all they set out to do, and be blessed as they are a blessing to others.
For God to make a way to finally open the prison doors to religious volunteers once again, and give us the chance to minister to inmates in person.
Health and peace among the prison population.
For every inmate to take seriously the will of God to study His word and make disciples.
Blessings upon all the Chester County aftercare ministries, that they may effectively disciple the men and women released from prison as they rebuild their lives on the foundation of God’s truth.
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 info@onesimusministries.org.
These weekly prayer requests are also posted on our website – https://onesimusministries.org/category/weekly-prayer-requests/
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