A PRISONER SET FREE TO SING… A wonderful lady from the past, Madame Guyon, wrote lots of encouraging poems and other pieces of literature from her prison cell where she spent most of her life for her witness. Those were days when prison cells were usually holes in a wall, cold, dark, and yet she had incredible faith in her God to always be there with her…and He was! “ A little bird am I, shut out from the fields of air, And in my cage I sit and sing to Him who placed me there; Well pleased a prisoner to be, because, my God, it pleases Thee. Nought have I else to do; I sing the whole day long; And He whom most I love to please, Doth listen to my song; He caught and bound my wondering wing, But still He bends to hear me sing. My cage confines me round; Abroad I cannot fly; But though my wing is closely bound, my heart’s at liberty. My prison walls cannot control the flight, the freedom of my soul.” The presence of God hallows every place it touches…

ARE YOU PURE IN HEART?????

I read a devotional, “This Day With the Master” by Dr Dennis Kinlaw. He is a wonderful, Godly man who most days stirs my heart. Today I read this and his comments on I Thess 5:23-24…”We realize it is one thing to have our sins forgiven, and quite another matter to have our inner heart cleansed.” It has been my experience in 30 years of prison ministry, teaching and counseling inmates and interacting with the staff, that verse is entirely so and completely practical. Most of the time we believers concentrate on getting a person “saved.” Of course that is paramount, but it is also step one. MOST of the men I met in prison that had religious experience in the past, could remember a time when they had an experience with the Lord…but…here they were, addicted, friendless, family gone,no decent future ahead, sitting in prison. A question I get asked many,many times: what happened to me? Valid question. Most of us in the free world could ask the same thing. Years ago my friend and mentor, Chaplain David Wilson had me get acquainted with material by Dr David Seamanns, Healing For Damaged Emotions. He could not have given me a greater gift because I learned the answer to that question. It took much study and prayer. I developed what I call “think time.” I would hit a place in the material that really struck my heart. I needed to spend time meditating, pondering, thinking it through. It is a remarkable work, I once had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Dr Seamanns at his home, shortly before he moved on to Glory. He radiated love. His work radiated that same quality of love, and caring. You can tell he knew experientially what he was writing was true, needed, healing. Personally, I don’t think you can teach it until you have read and applied all that is in that work of love. Heart cleansing is a continuing process…theologically it is called sanctification. Scripture tells us to be ‘renewed in the ttitude of your mind…” and that sums it up. However, it is a life-long process and we individually must make a commitment to do it. Most are not willing to devote the time required, and most are never taught the need to cleanse our minds…our sin-riddled, ugly minds.Some even believe and/or are taught sanctification happens at salvation, we are saved and healed all at the same time. It is as if the Lord was the tooth fairy who tapped us on the head with a magic wand and whalah! Whole…it just doesn’t happen that way. We must read the Word, study it, memorize it, meditate on it and most important of all…apply it! A cleansed mind is not possible apart from applying the truths of God’s Word to our every day lives and all of our interaction with others. It is actually a life-long process. We need good, faithful, godly teachers, we need mentors that will walk along the path with us, We need someone we trust that we can and will be accountable to. When you get to the point where these things are part of your life each and every day…you will grow in grace and find yourself well long the road to a godly life. I wish you well!