Skip to main content

Conducting Business from a Prison Cell

53245631pb013_prison.jpgI Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3.1)
A sad facts here in Brazil is that the prison system doesn’t work. There are too many scoundrels for too few slammers. This scenario proffers two options, either overcrowding or early release. I have never visited a male prison but I’ve seen pictures. It is never a good situation.
Not all of the bad boys get out early, however. In fact there are a few hardened criminals who do remain behind the rusty bars and in their dank and dark dens of iniquity. These men and women are locked away from society yet many of them conduct gang business as normal from their cages. With cellphone technology they are able to communicate with their various evil contacts and command their diabolic domains from within.
Authorities, try as they might, find it almost impossible to stop the cryptic communications. Hits are made, drugs are run and people’s lives destroyed by incarcerated thugs. It is incredible. How can someone be so wickedly efficient from a prison cell.
The same question might have also been asked around two-thousand years ago. There were no Smart Phones, Androids or Internet back then but there was one person in particular who communicated very efficiently from within the thick damp walls of a Roman prison. His name was Paul of Tarsus. Reading Paul’s words in Ephesians 3 always remind me that he was in chains. “I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles….”
In fact Paul wrote: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon in chains. Can you imagine the world without these letters? I think that God had Paul chained so that he would have time to write them before his early death.
Paul was amazing and I never cease to wonder what it must have been like working with him. You’ve seen the Energizer Bunny commercials? Paul would have exhausted that hare.
In the above mentioned letters from his cell Paul tells us how to live the freedom that we have in Christ. He tells us how to be truly liberated even if confined in a prison cell, by a bad relationship or with sickness. His Holy Spirit inspired letters give us hope where there seems to be none. He never complains about his lot but always encourages, uplifts and edifies. Encourage, uplift and edify mean basically the same thing. My repetition was meant to intensify what Paul has so beautify communicated though himself chained.
If you find yourself unwillingly confined just now don’t give up hope. You may not have control over your situation. You may never escape. However, turn your attention to Paul’s God. He is attentive to your need. He can help any plight. He can help you to make a difference in your world. Study Paul’s manual on “How to Be in Control (Even though chained)”.* It is a Best Seller!
*Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

God Made Clothes

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Gen 3:21 I have always heard the following explanation of this verse.  Because Adam and Eve had sinned, they died spiritually. They also lost the right to be in the Garden of Eden and were cursed in other ways. For example, they had made clothes out of fig leaves, but God sacrificed a lamb; thus, God shed blood and made clothes. This sacrifice of an innocent lamb symbolized what Jesus Christ would do in the distant future.  Is this what you have heard? I don't know; it seems like this interpretation is stretching what Moses wrote in the above text. The text says that  God made clothes for Adam and his wife from skins.  We see no blood, we don't know what kind of skins, nor can I imagine God making an animal sacrifice. Did God have to skin animals to make these clothes? Or could he have just made them like he had everything else in the universe just a little while earlier?  To th...

What Are You Worth?

What are you Worth?  Have you ever thought about what you are worth? In investing circles there is a term used to gauge this exact question, it's called Net Worth. You take all of your assets, like property owned, funds in your bank account, clothes, jewelry, car, etc.. You total all of these things. You then take everything you owe, like mortgage, car loan, and credit card debt, and you subtract these items from the first total. This gives you your net worth. That number represents where you are financially. Most people never stop to think about this number because they don't understand anything about it. They never have two nickels to rub together. They live from hand to mouth and know (or at least believe) nothing will ever change so, they fall into the "daily grind" mentality. Psalm 49 should be a great encouragement to such as these. The sons of Korah write about them. These sons write about all of us. They call all people everywhere to listen to their wisdom. Bo...

Grazi and Cris Are Getting Baptized!

Graziele / Cris Grazilele (hard to pronounce if you are not a Brazilian) and Cris are getting baptized on Saturday night. Baptism is a big step of faith and these young ladies are ready. Grazi accepted the Lord several years ago when Company C was in it's infancy. She was invited to club by a friend, who has since left, and not long afterwards she opened her heart to the Savior. She is a determined twelve going on twenty year old. When Grazi sets her mind on a task she usually gets it done. Dawn has been teaching her Bible lessons and sewing skills recently and she's noted Grazi's abilities. Grazi plays the recorder in o ur orchestra. Cris is Alexandre's youngest sister. She accepted Christ when her older sister Dani shared her own personal decision a few years back. Cris always has a smile on her face and is a ready helper too. She is quiet but gifted. She is learning to play the violin and is also a part of our growing orchestra. Both of these gi...