Participants: C.A. Murray (Host), J.D. & Shelley Quinn (Host), Lemuel Vega (Host), Donna Johnson, Jessica Utter, Lara Campbell
Series Code: FIN
Program Code: FIN000002
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00:01 Hi, I'm C.A. Murray. And this is Free Indeed.
00:05 A different kind of ministry. 00:07 The men and women that you will meet 00:09 in this particular program have found Jesus 00:11 in very trying circumstances. 00:15 They're gonna tell you their story, 00:16 their own personal journey of their walk of faith. 00:20 We haven't changed their music, 00:22 and we haven't changed their words 00:23 because it's their personal testimony. 00:26 It's their walk of faith with Jesus Christ. 00:29 So you're gonna meet some people, 00:30 some men and women who have made 00:31 some mistakes in their lives. 00:33 But they're trying to change 00:35 that through the power of Jesus Christ. 00:37 You will meet men and women who have found 00:40 as we have found that freedom is not really, 00:44 doesn't have much to do with where you are, 00:46 it is more what you are. 00:48 You will find, as they have found 00:50 that in Jesus you can indeed be Free Indeed. 01:14 This jail is no longer in use, it's old, paint is peeling, 01:19 but it'll take much more than a coat of paint 01:20 to make this place a nice place to live. 01:23 On today's program, we travel to the Indiana Women's Prison. 01:29 It's a prison, we're gonna meet Donna, 01:32 and Laura, and Jessica. 01:35 These are women with great love and great faith, 01:40 But they're in prison. 01:43 They're gonna minister to us as we minister to them, 01:46 JD and Shelley have a powerful word for them. 01:51 Lemuel Vega interviewed some of them. 01:53 We're gonna be blessed, 01:54 we want you to give special ear to this particular program. 01:57 God's got something to say to you. 02:06 Today, we are at the Indiana Women's Prison, 02:08 and we have a lovely speaker with us, 02:10 her name is Donna Johnson. 02:11 And this is your first time in prison. Yes, it is. 02:14 How long have you been in prison, Donna? 02:15 Sixteen years. Sixteen years. Yes. 02:19 I'm sure that on this journey beginning to prison 02:22 with a long sentence, a very long sentence, 02:25 how long of a sentence did you come to prison with? 02:26 A fifty year sentence. 02:28 Fifty year bit, that's pretty tough for a young lady 02:31 to be coming up into prison with a fifty year bit, that's huge. 02:36 Do you have some children at home? 02:38 Yes, I had four children, but I have two left now. 02:42 Two left and where are those children? 02:44 They're in prison. They're in prison. Yes. 02:47 That has to be heartbreaking for a mother. 02:50 My mother never lived long enough to see 02:52 a transformation in my life. 02:54 But I look forward to seeing my mother one day. 02:57 Share with us the message that, that really reiterated, 03:00 you personally connected without relationship with Jesus. 03:04 Well, before I came to the prison, 03:06 I was like everybody else in here, 03:08 I didn't--I knew God but I acted like I didn't know Him, 03:12 the way that I carried myself, the way that I lived. 03:15 So when I got into the county jail, 03:17 as I got try to getting close to the Lord. How? 03:21 I will go to Church there, but you have to, 03:24 it's not, it's more than just going to Church. 03:26 You got to have a desire to change your life, 03:30 a desire to serve Christ. 03:33 It's not enough just want to do good 03:36 or to say that you're this or you're that, 03:38 you have to really be who you say you are in the Lord. 03:42 And anybody can profess Jesus, 03:44 but it's not about professing Him, 03:47 but you have to possess Him. 03:49 He has to be inside of you. 03:51 And that way no matter what's going on around you, 03:55 whether you lose children and loved ones, 03:57 you don't have to worry about. 03:58 Yes, it hurts, but it won't hurt as bad, Brother Lemuel. 04:02 Because if something happens like 04:04 that when you got God on your side and like I said, 04:06 it doesn't mean you won't have problems. 04:08 But you can you don't have to exalt your problems, 04:11 you can exalt your problem solver. 04:13 And that is Jesus. Amen. Yes. 04:20 You know, on this Christian journey, 04:22 I'm so thankful that you reiterated that, 04:24 because trials and temptations still come, 04:26 when I drive through the neighborhood 04:28 and I see the girl on the corner 04:29 selling the crack cocaine, I've got a choice. Yes. 04:33 And my choice is like, dear Lord, 04:34 please help me and I'll just keep on driving. 04:37 So even with ten years clean, we still got choices, 04:40 problems, you lost children, that's tragic. 04:44 And the devil wants to kill the whole human race 04:47 and God said no, I'm gonna give my only begotten son 04:50 and so there's the four angels in Revelations 04:52 are holding the four winds of strife. 04:55 That's you, that human race has an opportunity to decide 04:59 who you will serve. 05:00 Because through God, through the gift of his son 05:02 on the Cross of Calvary, now we have a decision, 05:05 we can make a decision 05:06 the devil cannot come in and overtake us. 05:09 So today you have a choice to make. 05:11 If you're not in the kingdom of heaven, dear sister, 05:14 it's because you chose not to be there. 05:17 I know no one here today is satisfied 05:19 with the lifestyle of sin. 05:21 So problems still come, but God wants us keep us 05:25 our focus on Him, and on Him alone, 05:29 and then these trials will not ditch us. 05:31 Is that correct? Amen. 05:33 Would you have a favorite Bible scripture 05:34 or something that you'd like to share? 05:36 Actually I want to go back 05:37 and I'd like you to share with the world, 05:39 because there's a lot of people 05:40 in the world today just playing Church. 05:43 We're not got out of prison, I played Church, 05:45 I wanted what was right and I begin to go to Church 05:48 and I seen all the other people had fancy car, 05:50 had this, had that. 05:51 Would you share with those people 05:52 that we cannot just be professors. 05:55 Well, but one reason, one reason 05:58 why we can't be professors is because 06:01 when the trials and storms of life rage. 06:04 If you fake in, you'll be-- everybody would know it. 06:08 Because even with the cursing or whatever, 06:10 I used to curse like a sailor. 06:12 But you know what, I knew 06:13 that God won't dwell in an unclean temple. 06:15 And you just have to, you have to be like I said, 06:18 who you say you are in the Lord. 06:20 And even though we have hard trials and tribulations, 06:24 like I said, it won't be easy 06:26 because we change our life and walk with Christ. 06:29 But it'll be easy just knowing that if we're good to a point 06:33 where we feel like we can't make it. 06:35 That's when He'll pick us up and carry us. 06:38 Do you have a favorite Bible scripture in closing, sister? 06:40 Yes, I do, Brother Lemuel. 06:41 I have a lot of favorite scriptures 06:43 but this one I like the most. 06:45 It's Matthew Chapter 11 verses 28 to 30. 06:49 And this is said, Jesus said, take--this is Jesus talking. 06:53 Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor 06:57 and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 07:01 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, 07:05 for I am meek and lowly in heart, 07:07 and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 07:10 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 07:14 And I love that scripture because 07:16 truly Jesus is all that He said He is and even more. 07:20 And you know what, when you become, 07:22 when you decide to change your life 07:24 over to walk with Jesus. 07:26 Don't think it's gonna be a bed of roses 07:29 because you're going to have all kinds of adversaries 07:31 trying to attack you, but Jesus said, 07:34 all men, not some, He said that all men 07:37 will hate you for my name's sake. 07:39 So He just said, this race is not given to the swift 07:42 nor to the strong, but to the one 07:44 that endureth until the end. Amen. 07:49 A lot of times in my life, it's just me and God, 07:53 and I tend to forget about that and I think Oh, well, 07:56 I have to make sure that this person is happy 07:58 and I have to make sure and I forget sometimes 08:01 that it is, it's me and God. 08:04 And it's between us and I'm not the type 08:07 that's gonna stand up and quote you 08:09 a millions, million scriptures. 08:10 And I'm not gonna, I can't preach 08:13 but I love what I have between Him 08:15 and it's intimate relationship, 08:17 the opening of my heart that I have had a horrible time 08:21 doing that with God, because of my past with, 08:24 with men really and not trusting. 08:27 And so, I've I always pray, dear Jesus, 08:30 I know that, I want to trust you. 08:32 It's not that I don't want You, 08:33 I don't know how, please show me. 08:35 And so day by day and second by second, 08:39 He has opened my heart and not only towards Him 08:42 but to other people who I never thought, 08:44 you know what I mean, 08:45 that I would be involved with just by helping them 08:49 and seeing that we have a common ground. 08:51 A lot of people have an issue with trust. 08:53 And so by opening my heart to God that, 08:56 that song is my favorite, my favorite. 09:02 Alone in a room, It's just me and You 09:11 I feel so lost 'Cause I don't know what to do 09:20 Now what if I choose the wrong thing to do 09:29 I'm so afraid, afraid of disappointing You 09:36 So I need to talk to You and ask You for Your guidance 09:45 Especially today when my life is so cloudy 09:54 Guide me until I'm sure 09:58 I open up my heart, oh, yeah 10:14 My hopes and dreams are fading fast 10:24 I'm all burned out 10:27 and I don't think my strengths gonna last 10:32 So I'm crying out, crying out to You 10:39 Lord I know that You're the only one 10:44 who is able to pull me through 10:47 So I need to talk to You and ask You for your guidance 10:57 Especially today, when my world seems 11:04 just a little bit cloudy Lord, You guide me 11:11 I open up my heart, oh, yeah, yes I do 11:23 So show me how to do things Your way 11:34 Don't let me make the same mistakes over and over again 11:42 Your will be done and I'll be the one 11:52 to make sure that it's carried out 11:56 And in me, I don't want any doubt, that's why 12:01 I want to talk to You, yes I do 12:05 And ask You for Your guidance 12:09 Especially today, when my world seems 12:17 just a little bit cloudy 12:18 Lord, You would guide me through 12:22 would guide me through 12:24 I open up, I open up, open up my heart to You, to You 12:32 You're the lover of my soul The Captain of my sea 12:37 I need a word from You Just one word, just one word 12:43 I open up, I open up, open up my heart 12:51 Just one word could make a difference in what I do 12:54 Lord, guide me until I'm sure 12:59 Oh, I open up, I open up, open up my heart to You, to You. 13:07 Just trust, just try a little bit at first. 13:10 All you got to do is give God a little bit, 13:12 open your heart to Him. 13:14 Sit and listen to that song, listen to the words, 13:17 you know, listen to the melody 13:19 and just ask God to open, open your heart. 13:22 And I think that if you would do 13:25 that your life will change dramatically. 13:27 You're the lover of my soul The Captain of my sea 13:31 I need a word from You That's why I open up my heart. 13:57 Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! 13:59 We could be in a concert hall in New York City 14:02 and it wouldn't touch this, okay, 14:03 you can't touch that. 14:05 We are here in the Indiana Women's Prison, 14:07 and you'd to pay $45 for a ticket to be here today. 14:11 And I tell you what, your tickets already been paid 14:13 because Jesus died upon the Cross Calvary 14:16 to be free indeed. So we have a special guest 14:19 and I'd like to call up Jessica Utter, 14:21 one of your very own and God has made it possible 14:25 that we all can experience this true freedom. 14:28 How many times you've been in prison? 14:29 This is my third time. Third time in prison. 14:32 How much time do you have remaining left? 14:34 Hmm, about four months when I get time 14:36 for completing my bachelor's degree. 14:38 As we talk, you got a bachelor's degree. 14:41 I'm working on it. Working on it, 14:42 I didn't even get my GED in the Penitentiary, 14:44 I tried but I didn't because I just couldn't, 14:46 I wasn't ready I guess. 14:48 Jessica, you have a special message 14:50 to the teenagers today. 14:52 You know, you were probably side tracked 14:54 as a young lady and begin your world, begin 14:56 to spiral downward, what message of hope, 14:59 this is Free Indeed and it's about 15:00 giving a message of hope to the world today. 15:02 What would you share with those 15:04 young ladies out there and the young people? 15:06 I just would like to say 15:07 that you don't always have to fit in, 15:09 I spent my entire life trying to fit in with crowds 15:12 and doing the things that they were doing 15:14 and it's not about that, Jesus is with you all the time 15:17 and no matter where you're at and what you're doing, 15:19 He's gonna be there. 15:21 So peer pressures a big tool in society today 15:24 and you feel like you've got to do things to fit in. 15:27 Yeah, I mean I did, 15:28 I ended up doing drugs, drinking, you know. 15:32 Yeah, peer pressure is really quite a thing 15:34 but how even though in prison share with me 15:37 about that freedom that you found. 15:39 Well, I came here, I've started at the county, 15:43 I got to the county that I was facing 40 years 15:45 for dealing cocaine and I just felt lost-- 15:49 I was doing it because 15:50 I was trying to fit in with other people. 15:52 And I just realized that it was time to do 15:55 something different clearly 15:56 what I was doing wasn't working. 15:58 And we can't get out on our own. Right. 15:59 I mean you get in, it's easy to get in 16:01 but you can't get out on your own. Yeah. 16:03 And that's through the power of God. 16:04 How did you come to that relationship with Jesus? 16:06 I've always known God, 16:08 I just finally was realized 16:10 that I needed to, like I said, do something different, 16:12 so I just started praying and going to Church 16:14 and got baptized and. 16:16 And that gave you some, some internal peace. Yes. 16:20 What would you share with the drug addict 16:21 that's still suffering in society today 16:23 or that person with a peer pressure 16:25 they're doing stuff that they really don't want to do. 16:29 Just ask God unto your life, He's everything that you need. 16:32 Do you have a favorite Bible scripture 16:33 something that you've been holding unto you that helps you? 16:36 Psalm 73:23, "Yet I still belong to you, 16:41 you are holding my right hand," 16:42 unto me that's just saying that, 16:44 He is always with me not matter what, 16:45 no matter where I'm at and what I'm doing 16:47 or how I'm feeling, He's always there. Amen. 16:50 And Christ died for the human race 16:52 and He ascended unto his Father, 16:55 and He promised that He would the comforter His Holy Spirit. 16:58 So no matter what we're going through, 16:59 He'll be there to bless and hold our hand 17:01 and encourage us, amen. Amen. 17:03 Thank you very, very much for giving up your time. 17:05 Thank you. God bless you. 17:09 This is our pleasure to be here as I look out here, 17:13 what beautiful women, God loves each one of you. 17:17 The focal point of our life is Jesus Christ. 17:22 And in a few minutes Shelley is going to share 17:24 some scripture with you. 17:26 First of all, Free Indeed, 17:29 that's something that we all are looking for. 17:32 Sometimes we're behind different types of bars, 17:37 but we all fight the battle of being free. 17:40 I'm gonna open up this, this time with a prayer 17:44 with your permission and we'll take it from there. 17:48 Father, we just want to thank You so much, 17:50 Lord, for being in our hearts. 17:53 We cry out to You, dear Father. 17:55 Father, we invite the Holy Spirit 17:57 just to through a net over us, dear Father. 18:00 And as we just become sensitive to You, dear Father. 18:04 I just say as that is Shelley opens up this time 18:07 that Your words will come out of her mouth. 18:10 Father, words that each person here, 18:13 each precious lady here, dear Father. 18:15 Each precious man that's here, dear Father, 18:18 that something will touch their hearts 18:20 and it'll bring a little bit more light 18:23 to what they're looking for. 18:25 Father, we're looking to be freed, 18:27 we'll give you the praise and glory, 18:29 thank you for this time. 18:30 In the name of your precious, precious son, amen. 18:36 I found the scripture and I want to read it to you. 18:38 So I'm gonna read it to you from the NIV, Jeremiah 29:11. 18:43 And the Lord says, "I know the plans 18:46 I have for you, plans to prosper you 18:49 and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope," 18:53 and He's not talking about wishful thinking hope, 18:56 He's talking about eager expectation, 19:00 that you expect God to do something for you. 19:03 He says hope and a future. "Then you will call upon me." 19:11 When? When will we call upon God? 19:15 When we recognize that God has a plan for our lives 19:21 and it's better than the one we're living. 19:24 I know God's plan for my life 19:26 is better than the one I'm living, 19:28 but I'm here to tell you, He's got a plan for all of us. 19:33 And it's a plan that's better than the one we're living. 19:36 And He says, "when you know this you will call upon me 19:40 and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 19:43 You will seek me and find me when you seek for me 19:49 with all your heart. 19:50 I will be found by you, 19:53 and I will bring you back from captivity." 19:57 I don't know about you, but that's an exciting thought 20:00 to think that the God of heaven, in Jeremiah 31:3, 20:04 He says, I have loved you and that's all of you." 20:08 Donna, where are you sitting? 20:09 I was talking to Donna a while ago. 20:11 God loves you with all of his heart, 20:15 with an everlasting love 20:18 and therefore with loving kindness, He draws us. 20:22 You know, the good news is this, 20:25 God not only has plan for you, 20:29 but He is the one that will work it out in you 20:31 when you surrender to God. 20:34 When you say, Lord, help me, 20:37 I'm here to surrender my will, 20:38 let your will be done in my life. 20:41 Then God will cause you to be all that He calls you to be. 20:48 The Bible says, Paul says, that He works in you 20:54 to will and to do his good pleasure. 20:58 You know, Paul said in Philippians 2:12, 21:00 "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." 21:03 And I used to do that with my knees knocking, 21:06 because I didn't know how much God loved me. 21:09 But in the very next verse in Philippians 2:13, 21:11 He says, "not in your own strength, 21:14 for it is God who works in you to will and to act, 21:20 to do God's good pleasure." 21:22 You know, how that works, it's two separate steps. 21:25 First, God works in us to line our will up with his. 21:31 To change our desires when, you know, 21:34 the Bible says, "we have the mind of Christ," 21:37 it's right here, this is the mind of Christ. 21:40 And the more this word that we get into our mind, 21:43 God will reprogram our mind. 21:46 I mean, I had things happen to me when I was a child, 21:48 that shouldn't happened to any child 21:50 and I know that there's probably stories in here 21:52 that are a whole lot worse than mine. 21:54 But God will reprogram your mind 21:58 as you get the scripture into your heart. 22:00 And He'll line your will up with His will. 22:04 He will cut you free from the court 22:06 of the wicked that binds you. 22:08 I know He's cut me free. 22:10 I had a sister who was a drug addict for 15 years. 22:13 I prayed and I said, Oh, Lord, 22:15 open her eyes and turn out from darkness to life 22:17 from the power of Satan to you 22:19 that she might receive forgiveness of sins. 22:22 And that she might receive and be a partaker 22:25 of the inheritance that's in for those 22:29 who are sanctified by Christ. 22:31 And so when, when you are praying 22:35 like that for someone else or when you recognize 22:38 that God has a plan you get this word in your heart, 22:41 then He lines your will up with His will, 22:44 His thoughts become your thoughts. 22:46 You begin to think differently about things. 22:50 And then will God ever forces to act, no. 22:55 So how can He work in His to will and to do? 22:59 Well, it's two separate steps. 23:01 As He changes our will and lines our thoughts up 23:04 with His, our desires up with His, 23:07 then He says, there is just one step between me 23:10 working in you to will and to do. 23:13 And that's step is that you take one little step of faith 23:18 and as soon as you do, the power of the Holy Spirit 23:22 will show up to working you to do the right thing. 23:28 I want you to say, I've got such a short time 23:30 to talk to you and I'm used 23:32 I can't I usually teach for an hour or so, 23:35 I've got all these things that I want to tell you 23:37 in just such a short time. 23:39 But if you don't hear anything, 23:40 yes I'm saying here this. 23:42 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. 23:46 That's His promise. That's His promise in James 4:8. 23:50 "If you will take that step toward God, 23:53 He will draw you closer." 23:55 And how do we draw near? 23:58 Hebrews 4:16, the Lord says, "that we can come boldly, 24:03 boldly before His throne of grace to find mercy 24:07 and help in the time of need." 24:09 So we draw near through prayer. 24:12 We draw near through studying His word. 24:15 We draw near by confessing our sins 24:18 and 1 John 1:9 says, "that if we confess our sins, 24:22 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins," 24:25 and not only that, "but to cleanse us 24:27 of all unrighteousness." 24:30 One of my favorite verses 24:32 in the Bible, is Luke 7:47. 24:36 When you get a chance I want you to look at 24:38 look this up just remember, Luke in a 7:47 Boeing jet, 24:42 that's how you remember Luke 7:47. 24:45 And what this to said the scripture up, 24:48 there was a woman Jesus was, you know, 24:51 in the day of Jesus, they reclined, 24:53 they sat and the tables were really low. 24:56 So he's reclined at a table, having a meal with a Pharisee. 25:01 And the Pharisees were very religious. 25:04 And he's got his group and this woman comes in 25:07 and she breaks an alabaster box. 25:10 And she begins to pour it out on his feet. 25:14 And he begins, she's crying 25:16 and she takes down her long hair. 25:19 She is washing his feet with her hair. 25:23 And he asks this Pharisee, this very religious man. 25:30 This holier than down man, who is recoiling at the act 25:34 that Jesus would let this woman of ill repute wash his feet. 25:41 And you know, what Jesus says to him, 25:43 He tells him this parable about a man 25:46 who owed a lot and a man who owed a little. 25:51 And the deaths were both wiped away by the master. 25:56 And he said, who do you think will love more. 25:59 The one who had a little forgiven, 26:01 this little debt or the one who had this big debt forgiven. 26:06 And the man the Pharisee rightly judges, 26:08 he says, well, I suppose the man 26:11 who had the amongst forgiven would love the most. 26:15 You know what Jesus says, He says, amen. 26:19 Therefore I tell you that, you know, 26:22 when I came into your home, you didn't wash my feet. 26:25 You didn't give me anything to wash my feet 26:27 and that was a very important part of their culture, 26:30 you want a really good host, 26:32 if you wouldn't wash their feet. 26:33 Because they walked around in these sandals 26:35 and they were dusty and they had 26:37 may be cow dung on them or sheep dung or something, 26:40 it was considered courtesy. 26:43 But here's what happened. 26:45 He says, I say to you, her sins 26:49 which are many are forgiven because she loved much. 26:55 But to whom little is forgiven the same love's little. 27:02 I believe that you have more potential sitting in this room 27:05 for good than most churches. I mean that. 27:11 Because when you come to the Lord, 27:14 we're all sinners. We're all sinners saved by grace. 27:18 But when you come to the Lord, and give your heart to the Lord. 27:21 The more you've been forgiven 27:22 that greater that sinned at that was on your back, 27:25 the more you will love God. 27:28 So my time is up well, I'm gonna tell you 27:31 is draw near to God. 27:33 Romans 15:13 says, "the God of hope 27:38 will fill your heart to overflowing 27:43 and you will bubble over with hope, 27:46 and expect and see for what a God of love 27:50 will do in your life." 27:52 You are beautiful and I love you. 28:06 You've been here how long? Eleven years. 28:08 And this is the best gift, what? 28:09 This is the best gift we've ever got. 28:10 Well, it's a little late for Christmas 28:12 but we just made a program called Christmas behind bars, 28:15 but it's kind of a year along program now so. 28:17 That's a best gift we've ever had. 28:19 Good, well. You can do me a favor 28:20 and you could write to your superintendent, 28:22 let him know that you appreciate it-- 28:25 Thanks, man. Hey, you're welcome. 28:27 It's a blessing to me. God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17