My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As they entered the prison chapel last night, one inmate said to another “It’s gonna be so hot, they got no air conditioning”. What were they talking about? Unsaved sinners going to hell? Actually, it was the next stop for that inmate in the coming week – Lancaster County prison (which some inmates describe as similar to hell). While inmate chit-chat may be limited to local concerns, we volunteers always turn the conversation to consider eternal matters, encouraging every attendee to “seek the Lord while He may be found” since there will come a day (our death or Jesus’ return) when it’s too late.
Seeking God’s guidance has been an ongoing theme during prayer time, so Psalm 25 was very fitting:
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
I trust in you, my God!
Do not let me be disgraced,
or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.
No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.
Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord;
point out the right road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you.
Remember, O Lord, your unfailing love and compassion,
which you have shown from long ages past.
Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth;
look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love,
for you are merciful, O Lord.
The Lord is good and does what is right;
he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
He leads the humble in doing right,
teaching them his way.
The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
all who keep his covenant and obey his decrees.
For the honor of your name, O Lord,
forgive my many, many sins.
Who are those who fear the Lord?
He will show them the path they should choose. (Psalm 25:1-12)
In 1st service, Andy teed up the story of the lame man in Acts 3:1-11 by pondering what his life must have been like. From early childhood, missing out on running/playing with other kids, to adolescent questions of how to make a living, to making the only choice available in young adulthood – begging. A life of playing on people’s emotions for some pocket change, his perspective was completely limited by his disability until the day Peter and John came along. The change they offered was complete restoration and healing through Jesus Christ. We’re all crippled with sin from birth and need exactly the same thing. Will we turn over to God those things that cripple us – broken family, alcohol/drug addiction, depression, anger, love of pleasure, fear – to experience His freedom, jumping and leaping for joy as the lame man did?
“Lost and Found” was Matt’s topic for 2nd service, comparing mankind to the lost sheep in Luke 15:1-7 by discussing 9 characteristics of sheep that lead to our logical need for a shepherd. And as we’ve all gone astray, we need the Good Shepherd to return us to the proper path, protecting and leading us, caring for us and carrying our burdens as His prized possession, and giving us much more than we would have settled for. As the perfect lamb of God, He binds our wounds as He sacrifices Himself, taking the punishment for our sin so we can be made righteous before the Father. The question is- do we want to be found? And once found, will we live a life reflective of what He’s done for us?
Gratitude should be foremost in the Christian’s attitude, and let me express mine to all of you for your ongoing and faithful support of this prison ministry – it couldn’t happen without you. Accept our thanks as we all lift heavenward the prayer requests below. And please remember our chaplains, the staff, the inmates, and all those families in your prayers throughout the week. God bless you!
Grace and Peace,
Rick
Prayer Requests from last Thursday:
- Keith– My court date got moved to the 26th, pray it all goes well. Thankful I finally heard from lawyer who is working a deal with the attorney. Also thankful for my entry into drug rehab program. Bless my sons, my daughter, and the whole family.
- Eugene (volunteer) – please pray for the “Me-We-City” movement sponsored by pastors across Coatesville intent on transforming the community by transformation of minds, spirits, and bodies throughout the city- family by family, and neighborhood by neighborhood. Last week’s prayer focus was Men, this week’s prayer focus is for Women (and next week’s focus is youth).
Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm Monday service):
- Kenny– to get better every day
- Dan– for a better relationship with my family, and to make better choices.
- Drake– guidance, spiritual fruit, bodily healing from prescription meds.
- Brent– my friend’s daughter (Natalie, 16) going through tests for internal health problems that they can’t figure out. Also for outcome of the upcoming election.
- Ryan– going through some things, help me get a better perception, help me keep it simple. Also thankful for what we do have, even if it’s not very good.
- Vince– my Dad (Mark) is in the hospital with heart issues and Lyme disease.
- Steve– my 3 kids (1, 4, and 6) and my family and friends.
- Phil T– my sister-in-law has cancer surgery on Thurs, and please protect my son while on a job in the Poconos.
- Jose– for the salvation of all the souls in Chester County Prison.
- Deron– for my enemies.
- Zach– for restoration.
- Rick C– family of Ronny Diem – his wife passed unexpectedly and the funeral was this morning.
- Eric– for a good paying job, and for a girlfriend, to lose 5 pounds, and I’m depressed and need confidence. And that I won’t be turned into a dampyr (half human/half vampire). [NOTE: We believe Eric has mental issues, please pray for his mind]
Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm Monday service)
- Craig– thanks for the volunteers coming in to share with us each week, for my family at large, for my strength and zeal to run this race, for the PCRA to drop the extra 6 months on my sentence, and may my light shine as I head to Montgomery County.
- Martin– for family, salvation, thanks for volunteers.
- Steve– my lawyer was sick today, and I want to understand what I’m reading in the Bible.
- Clarence– thanks for volunteers, for the brothers back on the block, my family and children, the brothers in here tonight, and for the Lord to shine light on my case and get a hearing – been here in the dark over a year.
- Derrick– strength, my friend Lisa recovering well from breast cancer.
- Dominic– severe back pain, headed to Lancaster County where there’s no A/C, for a good outcome of everyone’s cases.
- Harry– wisdom and endurance for me, I get out on Monday and want to stay with the Lord. And for my daughter with 104 fever.
- Mike– my friend Michelle has cancer – bad diagnosis, it has metastasized.
- Matt R– for my friend Shaun who’s wife passed away 2 weeks ago, leaving him and 3 kids under 7 – strength and endurance. Also for my friend Aaron in active addiction to find God.
- Andy D– for Doris Haley family upon her passing a few weeks ago, and that her ministry would continue to inmates, their children, and people of Pocopson Home. Comfort and peace for the many people touched by her.
Prayers from Onesimus Prison Ministries
- Our prison chaplains – Jack, Heinrich, and Rhonda.
- Prison staff, their leadership, their families, and favor upon religious programs at the prison.
- Staff shortages impacting families and programs in the prison.
- Pray for a new ministry started by one of the volunteers to help men in crisis – The Archangel Project.
- Recently released inmates to continue their faith journey.
- Aftercare ministries taking care of inmate transition back into society.
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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