Hope, Comfort and Freedom in Jesus

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1 Hope, Comfort and Freedom in Jesus Volume 6, Issue 3 July 2018 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Lesson 1 Quarterly Scripture Focus 1 Correspondence Courses 2 Message Magnet 3 V4C Submissions 4 V4C (continued) 5 Next Step Inside 6 Lesson (continued) 7 Can You Help? 7 Serve with MOH 7 Contact Information 8 Rewards Programs 8 Social Media Pages 8 Quarterly Scripture Focus: Romans 5:1, 11 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Love So Amazing by Kyle Murphy In the article for our previous quarterly newsletter I shared about some struggles I was facing in the form of distractions, distortions and discouragement. The article concluded by pointing to the solution to my struggle: fixing my eyes on what is unseen specifically God s mercy, grace and love. In this article, I would like to build upon this (what is unseen). Our quarterly scripture verse comes from Romans 5:1, 11. The NIV (which seeks to provide a balance between a word-for-word and thoughtfor-thought translation) is referenced to the left. The Living Bible (a version which paraphrases rather than translates the Bible) states it this way, So now, since we have been made right in God s sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Now we rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done in dying for our sins making us friends with God. I don t know about you, but I am comforted greatly by the truth found in those verses. Most days, I struggle with finding peace. Sure, I may experience peaceful moments, scenes and thoughts throughout each day but that s not the peace I m talking about. The peace I am referring to is the type that washes over and through me to my very core. The kind of peace that assures me everything is going to be okay. The only thing I have found that brings that type of peace is Jesus. In Philippians 4:7, Paul refers to it is as a peace which surpasses all understanding. It comes about as I accept and begin to comprehend what Jesus has done for me through the cross. Realizing that He offered Himself as a sacrifice and died for my sins; that He rose from the grave proclaiming victory over death; that through Him I have received reconciliation; that I am made holy and acceptable in God s sight. Now that, truly, is real peace. That is something to rejoice about! Members of the Next Step Christian Recovery program have heard me discuss the pursuit of happiness. In my pursuit of happiness over the years I found only fleeting moments of happiness. There s no real peace, and certainly no rejoicing, along that road. In the relationship I have with God though, there is something far greater than happiness there is joy! This joy I have through Jesus (and that you can have as well) leads to rejoicing; it leads to peace; it dispels any and all distractions, distortions or discouragement the devil tries to throw at me. Yes, I can (and do at times) turn back to the worldly pursuit of happiness and find myself once again vulnerable to the attacks of Satan and struggling to find peace and joy in my life. But, Continued on page 7

2 page 2 Message of Hope is pleased to announce that we have begun publishing our own correspondence courses. The first course has already been released and we have about two dozen individuals currently enrolled. It is titled Redefining Addiction: Merging Science and the Bible and is designed to help the student gain a better understanding of addiction its definition, causes and effects, as well as what the Bible has to say about being set free from the bondage of addiction. Congratulations to Kevin Odette for his faithfulness in his studies. He was the first to complete this eight-lesson course and receive a certificate. Great job Kevin! We appreciate your dedication and your feedback on the course. Thank you to everyone else who is participating in the course as well. Our next two courses will be available soon. They are: Meeting Life s Challenges and God s in Jail: Biblical Principles for Handling Money God s Way. Other courses under consideration are: Becoming a Christian, Christian Living, and Strengthening Your Relationship with God. Each course consists of eight lessons. The student completes a study question page at the conclusion of each lesson and returns it (in a postage-paid envelope provided by Message of Hope). Additional space is also provided on the back of the study question page for prayer requests, praise reports or questions about the lesson. Upon completion of the course, a Certificate of Completion is granted to the student. If interested in enrolling in courses through Message of Hope, please contact us at the following address: Message of Hope Attn: Correspondence Courses PO Box 221 Washington, MI 48094

3 page 3 We recently started a campaign with our Message of Hope sticker magnets called #StickItSaturday. Each Saturday we encourage our friends and ministry supporters to stick their Message Magnet somewhere, snap a pic, and upload it to social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.). Pictured here are a few of the fun and interesting places they have popped up over the last several weeks. If you have a Message Magnet, post a pic one of these Saturdays and add #StickItSaturday to the post! You can even tag our page in your posting to ensure we see it. If you don t have a magnet yet, make sure to get one today. Anyone donating $10 or more to Message of Hope will get one for free! Get yours today and join in on the fun!!

4 page 4 An Excerpt from Bloom Where You Are By Walter Bass Muskegon Correctional Facility, Muskegon, MI Just like any other person, I think about being free. I daydream about being home with my family and children. But I ask myself if I will make it before my time is up on earth. I think about, what if it s God s purpose for me to do His work in here. And I don t think about this just for myself but for other brothers here with me. We serve the Lord in hope that we will someday be released from prison. The spirit to do God s work, no matter where we are at, is our true purpose, be it in prison or outside of prison. I wonder if God told us that we were to stay locked up and do His work in here and save our brothers, would we really be content. I am reminded of Matthew 19:16-22 where a man asked Jesus what he needed to do to receive eternity. The man had kept all the commandments but when Jesus told him to go sell his possessions and give to the poor, the man became sad and grieved because he was very rich. We can t love God with all our heart and still be of this world. My will is to be out of prison. God s will is for me to do His work, to submit to His way. If I am to have the spirit of submission I then will humble myself to God. I shared this writing with a brother of mine here with me and he said to simply bloom where you are. A flower blooms where it is planted. So in closing, I will grow where I am and I will be fruitful as God s Word tells me to do, as I remain in the vine which is our Lord Jesus Christ. May God touch your hearts and speak to your spirit and give you fullness of joy. I send to you all love which was first given to me through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God be with you. An Excerpt from God s Love By Tadario Sims Muskegon Correctional Facility, Muskegon, MI God loves us regardless of how well we are performing. Sometimes we feel uneasy, wondering if we are doing enough to be worthy of his love. No matter how exemplary our behavior, the answer to that question will always be no. Our performance and His love are totally different issues, which we need to sort out. He loves us with an everlasting love that flows out from eternity without limits or conditions. Therefore, our accomplishments as Christians have no bearing on His love for us. Bring your performance anxiety to Him, and receive in its place His unfailing love. Try your best to stay conscious of His loving presence with you in all that you do, and He will direct your steps. It's been 10 years now, when I gave my life over to Jesus our Lord and Father. Over the 10 years it was ups and downs. But I didn't give up on His plan for my life. Now He has opened so many doors for me to help someone in need or just to bless them with a word from Him through me. I work for Him now every day and it feels so good to do the work of His grace and peace that He gives to us every day. Being behind the wall got me to see what God can do for me when I am all alone just with Him in prayer. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord our God goes with us. He will never leave you nor forsake you. That's what gives me my freedom every day by working for the Lord in Jesus name. And just to give someone hope who is struggling in their day, today walk with the Lord. Amen. An Excerpt from Are You Hurting? By Carl Nunnery, Farmington Correctional Facility, Farmington, MO When you find yourself in anguish, the Bible says in Psalm 55:16 to call upon God and the Lord will save you. God is that listening ear to us. We are to share all our struggles and pain with him. In Matthew 11:28 it says, Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest. The pain inside us makes us feel as if there is a constant battle within us. Sometimes we feel like giving into it because we don t see any other way out. The truth is, the secret to our inner peace is our relationship with Jesus Christ. When you feel weighted down with despair, look to God who will lift you up. 2 nd Thessalonians 3:16 says, The Lord of peace gives you peace at all times. My friend, you are never alone, even though at times of trouble you may feel as if you are. God urges you to call upon His name for His help in your time of need. All the things that you are battling can be removed and you can be left with an inner peace through the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

5 page 5 The Honest Life of a Christian By Matthew Nawrocki Newberry Correctional Facility, Newberry, MI I had this pit in my stomach And I wondered, Will it ever leave? My soul took a hit from all the feelings of uncertainty Then I went into His house And was acting like, O, woe is me Until the worship and the Word began to point at my disloyalty I'm sorry Father God for how selfish I could be To say that I was trusting when my heart was like the wavy sea My unstable mind has again been corrected I count it all joy because I know I'm being tested And this testing will produce what it s intended to produce If I let patience have its perfect work and do what it will do So thank you for correction Thank you for conviction Thank you for Your guidance Thank you for Your vision The Oil Within By Denise Mendoza Huron Valley Correctional Facility, Ypsilanti, MI Please read 2 nd Kings 4:7 This story is a great illustration of us Christians being living jars filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit and the empty vessels representing the unsaved. Here in prison one doesn t have to look very far to see the brokenness in those around us, where the failures and the heartaches of life have bled them dry. It is these who are empty vessels in which we have a wonderful opportunity to pour into them the oil of joy with a simple smile, a kind word of encouragement or an understanding ear to listen. We are able to do this because we, as Christians, have an infinite supply to draw from within us. In the story, the widow didn t run out of oil, she ran out of empty vessels. It is then that the oil stopped flowing. God isn t looking for perfect people. He s looking for willing people. God will equip you and continue to fill you so long as you allow Him to flow through you. With that in mind, I encourage you to look around and see the array of opportunities to outpour the love of Christ into those who are lost, the ones hurting and who are lonely. There are so many of us who are looking for a fairytale ending while living a nightmare. We may have hell all around us, but we have the Kingdom of Heaven inside of us. Do share Jesus today with someone, for He isn t one of many ways. He is the only way. V4C accepts and publishes works (such as testimonies, lessons, words of encouragement, and poems) from individuals currently behind the narrow windows of prison. Works may be submitted by mail or through Jpay. A completed Consent to Publish must be submitted before any works can be published. For more information or to become a part of V4C, please mail (or ) all submissions, consents, and/or requests to be added to our Jpay account to: Voices for Christ, PO Box , Clinton Township, Michigan, 48038

6 page 6 page 6 We have great news regarding our Next Step Christian Recovery program at Macomb & Carson City Correctional Facilities! Macomb Correctional Facility (MRF): For the last 6+ years we have held a weekly program at MRF in Level II. On June 11 th, we held our first meeting with some awesome men in Level I! Our thanks to Ms. Andrzejewski for her hard work and assistance in submitting our proposal, getting volunteers lien cleared, and coordinating the launch; to Warden Warren and Deputy Warden Stephenson for giving us the opportunity and for their support; to Joe Dunning for organizing and overseeing the program from inside; and to our volunteers, Mel and Rick without them we wouldn t be able to offer this program! Mel and Rick have been facilitating the class over these last few weeks and we are grealty encouraged by the enthusiasm and faithfulness of the members. Carson City Correctional Facility (DRF): Under the leadership of Dan, Mike, and the Holy Spirit, our weekly program at DRF continues to be a success! Those graduating have been expressing a desire to stay and work on their recovery. Up to this point, they had to sign back up and be placed on a waiting list to go through again. We are pleased to share that the Chaplain has approved an additional program sort of a phase two of Next Step called Next Step Continued Recovery. The members are able to continue working on their recovery and supporting each other while also learning how to facilitate the program. A member from the group is chosen each time a new class starts and works with the new members up through graduation. The Next Step program is designed to help its member gain a closer relationship with God and break the cycle the addiction in their lives. We also strive to follow Jesus words in Matthew 28:19 and make disciples. We are so thankful for Dan and Mike and their faithfulness in leading this program and their commitment to helping others strengthen their faith! From left to right: Rick and Mel outside the Administration Building at MRF

7 page 7 continued from page 1 because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done in dying for our sins I can be forgiven and reconciled to God. In this reconciliation, something quite amazing happens. Through Jesus Christ, we are considered friends with God. In case you missed that, I ll say it again God considers us to be friends of His! In reading the Bible, I have encountered a few Scriptures referring to Abraham as a friend of God (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). It seemed odd the first time I read that reference friend of God. But, I was able to accept it without too much difficulty because it s referring to Abraham, the man through whom God promised that all nations on earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:18). I don t consider it as too much of a stretch to view Abraham as a friend of God. But for me to be considered a friend of God now that is a stretch something nearly unfathomable. But, we are told in God s word that through Jesus we are made to be friends with God. Again, that is something to rejoice about! This past Sunday I was blessed to attend services at the congregation where my sister, brother-in-law and niece worship. Pastor Manu played a video of the Gaither Vocal Band singing Jesus Messiah. The lyrics tell such a wonderful story a beautiful truth that immediately puts things in perspective for those of us who know Christ: He became sin, who knew no sin So that we might become His righteousness Love so amazing, love so amazing Jesus Messiah Name above all names Blessed Redeemer Emmanuel Whatever your struggle, I encourage you to fix your eyes on what is unseen. Continue to grab hold of the peace and joy found in Jesus Christ, our Messiah, our Blessed Redeemer. Accept your position as a friend of God. Message of Hope is looking for opportunities to come and speak with you! As Message of Hope Jail and Prison Ministry grows, so does our need for additional support. We need the help of like-minded individuals in regard to volunteerism as well as financial support. We would love to come and speak with your congregation or organization about how we are sharing the love of God with those who are incarcerated and/or struggling with addiction and how you can partner with us. Please call or text Kyle at (586) or contact us via , Facebook or Instagram! We need your help!! Areas of service include: Regular Volunteer volunteering in a classroom setting with our Next Step Christian Recovery program Outreach Volunteer visiting inside in a oneon-one setting Correspondence Course Instructor providing lessons through the mail to our friends inside Card Ministry sending out birthday, Christmas and cards of encouragement Prayer Team praying for our friends inside for specific requests they submit

8 page 8 Website: messageofhope.org Phone: (586) info@messageofhope.org Message of Hope Instagram Page: instagram.com/mohjailandprisonministry Message of Hope Facebook Page: facebook.com/messageofhopejailandprisonministry Voices for Christ Facebook Page: facebook.com/voices4christ.org Voices for Christ website: voices4christ.org