Participants: Brian Hamilton (Host), Shelley Quinn (Host), Lynn Harris, Michael Harris
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY016082A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people. 01:07 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn and with me today 01:10 in the co-host seat is Brian Hamilton 01:12 who is our chief financial officer. 01:15 Brian, it's good to be sitting here with you. 01:17 Yeah, and I'm looking forward to today's program. 01:21 I'm as well. 01:22 We have an inspiring program for you today 01:24 because we've got two very inspiring gifts. 01:28 Yes, we do. Guests, gift guests. 01:30 What they are? 01:32 Yeah, they are gifts to us too. 01:33 They are gifts, amen. 01:34 So let me introduce Michael Harris 01:38 and his lovely wife Lynn Harris. 01:40 And you're with Restoration in the Son, 01:43 SON ministry, right? 01:44 Yes, yes. 01:45 What is Restoration in the Son? 01:47 It's a ministry that reaches out 01:49 to those who are living in darkness 01:52 and letting them know that their light is Christ Jesus. 01:54 Amen, amen, well. 01:55 And this is the road map. Amen. 01:57 At least to help. 01:59 We're so glad that you're joining us 02:01 from sunny Arizona. 02:02 And we know that, Brian, 02:04 you had done a lot of work with these two. 02:06 Yes. Michael's... 02:09 He is not a stranger to people who watch 3ABN 02:12 because he is a wonderful singer 02:14 and you will get to hear him today. 02:16 Yeah. And he's been on many times. 02:19 Lynn, you were a public health director 02:23 in a men's prison. 02:24 Oh, okay, in a men's prison. 02:26 But you're also a registered nurse 02:28 and these two have an amazing prison ministry 02:31 that they do. 02:33 We're going to hear about that 02:34 because that's kind of your passion these days, isn't it? 02:37 Yes, that's what kind of how our lives cross paths 02:42 is through a prison ministry together, and so yeah, 02:47 this is something we really enjoyed doing 02:49 and this is a, it's a great blessing. 02:50 Amen. 02:52 Well, we just want to thank you 02:53 for spending this time with us today 02:55 and we want to also thank you for your prayers 02:58 and your financial support. 02:59 I wanted to read a scripture to you. 03:02 This has a lot of meaning to me 03:03 because I prayed this over my sister's life 03:05 for so many years when she was involved in drugs. 03:09 And let me read it, 03:10 then I'll tell you the end of the story, 03:12 it's Acts 26:18. 03:14 To set this up, Paul is speaking 03:17 and he's telling what Jesus said to him on the road 03:21 to Damascus and when God called Paul who was then Saul, 03:27 here is what he said that he was sending him out 03:30 "To open their eyes, to open blind eyes 03:34 in order to turn them from darkness to light, 03:36 and from the power of Satan to God, 03:38 that they may receive forgiveness of sins 03:41 and an inheritance among those who are sanctified 03:46 by faith in Me." 03:47 And, Brian, that's what I prayed over my sister 03:49 I said, oh, Lord, open her eyes, 03:51 turn her from darkness to light, 03:52 from the power of Satan to you 03:55 and I prayed so hard that God would, 03:58 that she would receive forgiveness of sins 04:01 and the inheritance among those, 04:03 sanctified in Christ Jesus. 04:05 And guess what happened? 04:06 When she accepted the Lord, 04:08 she got delivered from drugs overnight literally, 04:11 from doing heroin and cocaine for years, 04:15 so it was very, very precious. 04:17 But before we get into the life story of these two 04:22 and how God is using them in such a marvelous way. 04:25 We wanted to actually feature a song from a 3ABN Project. 04:32 Tell us about the project? 04:33 Okay, it's An Evening with Michael Harris, 04:36 it's a DVD of inspirational music 04:40 and testimony, 04:41 something that we did with Dare to Dream program 04:47 that Michael did with Dare to Dream. 04:48 And we want to have Michael sing for us 04:52 just now the song, 04:54 "I Believe in a hill called Mount Calvary." 04:58 Amen. 05:00 Because of my choice to use drugs and alcohol, 05:06 Satan basically ripped my life apart, 05:11 but I cried up to God, 05:13 and he began to restore my life. 05:16 And you know, if had not been for Jesus Christ 05:20 dying for me on the cross on Calvary, 05:22 I would not have the victory over drugs or sin today. 05:28 They took the man with the nail scarred hands 05:32 to touch and to heal this man 05:36 with the needle scared thread arms, 05:41 and I give Christ all the praise, 05:45 because He's worthy to be praised. 05:49 And I'm thanking for what He's done for me in my life, 05:53 and I thank Him 05:55 for what He's going to do in my life. 06:02 It was a life 06:05 Filled with aimless 06:09 Desperation 06:13 Without hope 06:16 Walked a shell 06:19 Of a man 06:24 Then a hand with the nailprint 06:30 Reached downward 06:35 Just one touch 06:38 And my new life began 06:47 And the old rugged cross 06:52 Made the difference 06:59 In a life bound for heartache 07:05 And defeat 07:10 I will praise Him forever 07:16 And ever 07:21 For the cross made the difference 07:28 For me 07:32 I believe 07:35 In a hill called Mount Calvary 07:43 I believe 07:46 Whatever 07:50 The cost 07:55 And when time has surrendered 08:00 And this earth stands no more 08:05 I'll still cling 08:08 To the old rugged cross 08:17 Glory to God 08:23 I believe 08:26 In the Christ 08:28 Who was slain on the cross 08:35 Has the power 08:38 To change lives 08:42 Today 08:46 For He changed me completely 08:51 Now a new life is mine 08:57 That is why 09:00 By the cross 09:02 I will stay 09:07 I believe 09:11 In a hill called Mount Calvary 09:18 I believe 09:21 Whatever 09:24 The cost 09:31 When time has surrendered 09:35 And this earth stands no more 09:40 I'll still cling 09:43 to the old rugged cross 09:51 I'll still cling 09:54 To the old rugged cross. 10:07 And Lord, 10:10 I still believe in the old rugged cross. 10:16 You are to give God all the praise 10:19 because He's worthy He is worthy of our praise. 10:25 Amen, He is worthy of praise. Amen. 10:27 That is sermon set to music. Yes. 10:31 What a powerful, powerful message 10:35 and if you're just joining us, the singer is Michael Harris. 10:40 He is our special guest, 10:41 he and his wife Lynn are our special guests today. 10:45 Tell me when did you know 10:47 that God had given you a gift of that voice? 10:51 You know, I never thought 10:53 that anyone would want to hear me sing. 10:56 But when I was baptized in the church, 10:59 I started singing on for my congregation there 11:04 in Ventura, California back in those days, 11:08 and I would go into the retirement homes 11:11 and to the prisons 11:13 and they were like a captive audience. 11:16 And so they had no other choice but to listen to me. 11:19 But I never thought 11:20 that anyone would actually come out to a concert 11:23 to listen to me sing but is this, 11:26 I'm still amazed by what God is doing. 11:28 Amen, how old were you 11:30 when you were baptized, Michael? 11:31 I was 27 years old. 11:37 So just from your testimony on there, 11:40 I assume you did not grow up in the church. 11:42 No. Tell us about your early life? 11:44 You know, I was raised on the south side of Chicago 11:47 in a very gang and drug infiltrated community. 11:52 And I lived only a few blocks 11:54 from the Shiloh Seventh-day Adventist Church 11:56 which was a huge, 11:57 at that time a huge black church 11:59 on the south side there. 12:01 And no one ever knocked on my door 12:03 except for the Jehovah's Witness. 12:06 And so I had never heard 12:07 of the Seventh-day Adventist church 12:08 until much later in my life. 12:11 But once I heard the truth, I was converted immediately. 12:14 Amen, so did you fall into the pattern of others 12:19 in your neighborhood? 12:21 I was falling into the pattern of the others 12:23 but I decided I was going to escape 12:26 by way of the United States navy 12:28 and so I traveled around the world, 12:30 running away from my past, 12:35 and actually I took the world with me. 12:37 So you ran away from the past 12:39 but you couldn't run away from the demons... 12:40 No, I could not, I took the demons right along with me. 12:43 And somewhere along the line, I met Christ Jesus 12:47 and He pull me out of my reclay that I was drowning in, 12:51 and He placed my feet on the solid rock. 12:54 And I'm really grateful 12:56 for what He's done for me in my life 12:57 because I should not be sitting here. 12:59 My opinion, I should not be sitting here now 13:02 with all the things that I've gone through in my life. 13:05 Well, how did you meet your lovely wife? 13:07 Well, I was singing at a memorial service 13:12 and I was on my way out to Arizona 13:14 to sing for the camp meeting there. 13:17 And after I... 13:20 Actually I did a full hour concert 13:22 at a memorial service 13:24 all about the second coming you know, The Midnight Cry, 13:26 and No More Night and songs like that, Buelah Land. 13:29 And I rushed out of the church afterwards 13:33 and got in my car and drove off to Arizona, 13:35 and little I knew she was sitting there in the audience 13:38 video taping in then, 13:40 so I didn't meet her until much, much later 13:44 and finally I got a phone call one day asking me, 13:47 what would it take for me to out to Hawaii 13:49 to sing at a prison out there? 13:52 And so she arranged for me to come out to Hawaii, 13:55 to go out to Hawaii, 13:57 and originally I was supposed to sing at a prison 14:00 and then one or two churches, 14:02 I ended up singing in 22 churches. 14:05 And I spend about 14:07 I think five and a half months in Hawaii. 14:09 Are you saying this woman is very persuasive? 14:12 I think that we are no mistake. 14:16 I think that God ordained us to be together, 14:21 or God commissioned us to do ministry together, 14:25 because she is so knowledgeable of a lot of different things 14:27 especially in a health career. 14:29 And so when I do concert, she do the health intro 14:34 and I'll finish it off 14:35 with the salvation message in music so. 14:37 I believe that we're no mistake. 14:39 So, Lynn, from your perspective you were a widow, 14:42 you were actually involved, 14:44 just tell us a little bit about your medical history 14:46 with your husband and your involvement with prisons? 14:50 Well, I too, Shelley, 14:51 I wasn't raised in you know, a church. 14:54 I didn't have a church background. 14:57 I was kind of raised with accept everybody 15:00 and learn about everything, but on your own. 15:03 And when I was in Hawaii growing up, 15:06 God placed several light post around me, 15:09 Seventh-day Adventist. 15:10 I didn't even really realize it 15:12 but the people I love to be with 15:14 and the families I love to hang around 15:16 were Seventh-day Adventists. 15:18 They had this wonderful family, 15:19 a caring attitude 15:20 and I like to be with their family, 15:22 I didn't know what they were doing on Fridays and Saturdays 15:24 but I sure love to be with them. 15:26 There was just a love connection there. 15:28 And when I reached out to God and ask for him 15:31 if you really cared about me personally 15:34 and accept to Christ. 15:36 I realize it that the people that I was hanging around 15:39 were the ones that led me to the Lord 15:41 and invited me to church 15:44 and I became a Seventh-day Adventist in Hawaii, 15:46 and from there I went into the Weimar Institute. 15:51 I went to Weimar College 15:53 and learned about nutritional healing 15:54 and how God had designed our bodies to be well 15:58 and to be self healing 15:59 and we weren't supposed to be sick, 16:01 and he had a plan and food 16:03 that was designed for us to live long and prosper. 16:06 And so as I went into the health field, 16:08 I eventually went into nursing, went to Loma Linda. 16:12 And ended up 16:14 having the vegetarian restaurant in Berkeley, 16:17 and I met my first husband Dr, Thomas. 16:19 And from that point we both were hired 16:24 to work in the California state prisons. 16:27 And he was a chief physician 16:30 and I was a public health director. 16:32 And so we've got into prison ministry different, 16:35 in a different way and he said one day 16:37 and when I was kind of holding back 16:39 and saying I'm just fine here in Loma Linda 16:41 and I could to be here the rest of my life, 16:45 and take classes all the time 16:46 and be around all these wonderful churches and people. 16:50 He said, you know, then they want to pay us 16:52 to do prison ministry, you know, 16:54 we need to come out 16:55 and there is a people here they need us. 16:58 And we went out to the prisons and I was just, 17:01 it was like when Jesus said he was struck with compassion. 17:03 When I saw these inmates in and their lives, 17:06 and their health and their needs, it was, 17:08 I just had compassion 17:10 and I just felt like I had to be there. 17:12 And as I was in that program... 17:16 Can I say something real quick? Yes, yes. 17:18 Actually they were praying him to be the doctor, 17:20 and you to be the nurse, 17:21 you just converted it into a prison ministry. 17:23 There you go. Yes, amen. 17:26 But as I was in that program, 17:27 I realize that every thing that I learned in my education 17:31 through nutritional healing 17:34 and through Loma Linda school of nursing, 17:36 everything that I learn, 17:37 they were just dying to know that information, 17:39 and so I just took those health classes 17:42 that I learned at Weimar and Newstart 17:44 and I just taught them to the inmates. 17:46 I was supposed to be there to do infectious disease, 17:48 public health 17:49 but on the side I was teaching classes to inmates. 17:52 It eventually turned into 17:54 an inmate pure education program. 17:55 And I was able to put that into 33 prisons in California 17:59 teaching them how to, about water, exercise, 18:02 they eat natural remedies, 18:03 and the inmates just love to learn about these things 18:06 and practice them and then come back 18:08 and tell me that they just felt so much better 18:11 and they just, these are lifers, 18:13 these are people who were not gonna be getting out 18:15 in most of out life times. 18:18 And so, they, I wanted to teach them 18:20 how to stay well in prison, 18:21 how to prosper and how to know, 18:24 you know, how to... 18:25 I couldn't exactly say 18:27 how to have relationship with God, 18:28 but through teaching them about their body, 18:30 they came to the understanding 18:32 that they were intelligently designed. 18:34 And they would tell me this is no mistake 18:37 that our bodies function this way, 18:39 and so there must be a creator. 18:41 And then that just spring forward 18:44 and I never had to use a word Christianity, 18:46 I never had to open a Bible. 18:48 I would have Muslims, Christians, 18:52 atheists telling me that themselves 18:55 that they realize that there is more 18:57 to what they understood about the body 19:00 and about health that, you know, 19:04 by just learning about natural thing like that. 19:06 Boy, then it's really true 19:07 that the health message is the right arm of the gospel. 19:10 Yes. Amen. Amen. 19:12 So you guys, you've got him, 19:14 you've convinced him to come to Hawaii 19:18 and then you convinced him to stay for five months. 19:21 Did you know at the end of that five months 19:24 was there... 19:26 Did you know that the Lord meant you to be together 19:27 or was that something that developed overtime? 19:29 Well, she asks me first is that 19:31 how much would it cost for you to come to Hawaii 19:33 because she had called to lot of other artists I guessed, 19:36 and it was quite expensive. 19:40 You know, I usually give people 19:45 a good sale price 19:47 because the gospel should be free, 19:49 but it does take money to go from point A to point B. 19:52 So I try to give them the bare necessities so to speak. 19:59 Just get me there and just give me a place 20:01 under coconut tree somewhere and a microphone and I'm set. 20:06 So she ended up calling me because I was, 20:09 I guess a lone man on the totem pole, so. 20:12 The lowest bed. 20:14 I can say something about that when I was, 20:17 Diane and I were in Wisconsin for almost 10 years, 20:20 and Michael would come out and do camp meetings for us. 20:24 And we used and abused him every department, 20:28 every, you know, childrens, all the way out, 20:30 he would come and sing, you know, 20:32 so he was a great value for the amount that he charged. 20:38 He'd be a great value 20:40 for 100 times that amount, wouldn't he? 20:42 I sing children songs and I crawl around 20:44 and I curl my knees and ready to roll. 20:47 We loved it. It was a real blessing. 20:49 He went to all our schools in Hawaii, 20:51 he went to the prisons, 20:53 like I said 22 churches different islands, 20:56 and when I called I said, 20:58 what do you do, you know, I just, 20:59 I'm kind of trying to find people to come to Hawaii, 21:01 and this prison had not had a concert in 20 years. 21:03 Wow. 21:05 It's a prison in near our Adventist hospital in Kailua. 21:08 And then they hadn't had concerts in general 21:11 and because it rains everyday and it's only outdoors 21:14 is the place you can hold a concert. 21:16 And so I said, well, by faith 21:17 we're gonna just have this concert held 21:19 and I talked to the prison officials 21:21 and they were like, 21:22 they were willing to come over out here 21:24 and it may be cancelled 21:25 they say, well, he's a very humble person. 21:28 We're gonna have him schedule, can we get clearance 21:30 and we got out there and it was raining a little bit 21:33 and those, all the women are setting up, 21:35 the women inmates. 21:36 There is only 300 women in Hawaii in the prison there, 21:40 the rest are sent out of state. 21:42 And so these are the women 21:43 who probably are not gonna be getting out of prison. 21:47 And so this is gonna be home to them for long time. 21:51 When we send people away from their homes, 21:54 you now, they are away from all kinds of family, 21:56 so we went into the prison 21:57 and women are setting up all the sound system 21:59 and doing everything, 22:01 they're so excited to have this concert. 22:02 And Michael must have shook hands 22:04 with 300 of those women after the concert. 22:06 It was very moving. 22:07 When I called, they said, what he is gonna take 22:09 and how we're gonna do this, 22:11 expecting this huge number you know, money needed. 22:15 And he said, just get me there, 22:16 and he say just take a love offering 22:17 if we go to churches and I sell my CDs. 22:20 They said, what if no one loves you? 22:23 I had never had a... 22:24 I wasn't in a faith based, I colporteured through college, 22:27 and you know, to get there, I knew what that was like 22:29 but to be doing, this is your only income. 22:31 To colporteur means to sell the books. 22:33 To sell Christian books, to go to school, 22:36 they sell books door to door, but that was a short time, 22:39 you know, it wasn't 30 years of doing as I said, 22:42 what if nobody responds, what am I gonna do, he says... 22:45 What if nobody loves you? What if no one love you? 22:47 And he says, and I've been doing this 22:50 for almost 30 years and God is taking care of me. 22:52 And so I said, wow, I said, I got to, you know, 22:56 unfortunately in my real world to be in health all the time, 22:59 I really wasn't aware 23:01 if Michael was a really Christian singer 23:03 until I went to this funeral. 23:04 And I wasn't even really able to enjoy his music 23:07 'cause I was crying so much 23:08 at my girlfriend's mother's funereal. 23:09 So Michael sang and then I never really saw him 23:13 and what it was, I was grieving. 23:15 I've lost two husbands to cancer 23:18 and I was grieving 23:20 and I was looking at for a song one night just to help me. 23:23 And I was looking for word not for grace. 23:25 And I remember someone singing that before 23:27 and I went to the YouTube and I saw this 3ABN background, 23:30 I said, okay, and I saw this gentleman. 23:32 And didn't really even realize he was Michael 23:34 but when he sang were not for grace, I said, 23:37 where would I be right now 23:38 if it weren't for God's grace in my life. 23:40 I said, people have to hear this, 23:42 the women in prison need to hear this song. 23:44 And when I was grieving God showed me, 23:46 you need to go somewhere 23:48 where people are in worse shape, 23:50 I'm crying all day by myself. 23:52 Go somewhere to other people also who are suffering. 23:55 And so when I went to the women's prison, 23:57 they brought me out of my darkness. 23:59 And so when I talk about prison ministry, 24:02 they are the ones who kind of saved my life, 24:04 because I was, you know, I was pity pot, 24:07 I was just feeling sorry for myself, 24:09 yet I've had a wonderful marriage, 24:11 wonderful life, I still was disappointed, 24:14 and Satan tries to help us stay in disappointment 24:17 and we have to go out 24:18 and find people and bring value to them. 24:21 And so what prison ministry to me 24:22 is not about me being able to do something for them. 24:26 Whenever I go to prison ministry 24:28 that it does something for me 24:30 that there is no price I can pay for. 24:32 That what we hear constantly everybody that hear... 24:34 Now you begun a prison ministry at 3ABN 24:38 and tell us about that? 24:39 You know, well that came out of tragedy, 24:41 just like you went in tragedy of losing two husbands 24:45 very quickly right in a row. 24:47 And with us our son was became incarcerated 24:51 and will spend most of his life 24:53 if not all of his life, you know, in prison 24:57 and in that grief 24:59 and we were grieving just I know what that's like. 25:05 God placed us in prison to do ministry 25:08 and we began ministering to others 25:11 who had lost everything, at least we still had our son, 25:14 we can still touch him, talk to him, see him, you know, 25:18 even though he was separated now from us and would be. 25:22 But many of those incarcerated don't see family. 25:26 In fact we're their visit, 25:27 we're their family when we come in. 25:29 And so out of our grief, 25:32 God put us into ministry like He did with you. 25:34 And that brought healing to our life and our hearts, 25:37 you know, so it's a wonderful thing. 25:39 When I met someone who wanted to do prison ministry 25:42 and then when I said Michael, 25:43 there is a little school over here in there, 25:45 you know like first graders and second graders, 25:47 and he says, I got songs for them, 25:49 and he just jumped in there 25:51 and these kids are just delighted I found, 25:55 I didn't think when you go through grief 25:57 that you can never laugh again, that you can ever love again 25:59 or you can have a desire to go out 26:01 and do something, because you feel so sorry for yourself, 26:05 and which is what grief changes your brain. 26:07 Your brain chemistry is very dangerous 26:09 and so you have to find a way 26:12 for God to work through your grief. 26:15 And the word sorrow in the word, 26:16 and the Hebrew word for sorrow in Genesis 26:19 means birth pains. 26:21 So our grief and our sorrow 26:22 is about to give birth to something 26:24 that we would never be able to give birth to 26:28 unless we were going through that sorrow. 26:30 And so as I went through the sorrow, 26:33 I had no desire really to talk to anybody, do anything. 26:36 And when I met Michael 26:38 as he had this desire to reach people 26:40 and I said, boy, if someone wants to go out and back it, 26:44 not too many men I met 26:46 especially want to go into prison with me, 26:48 you know, and they just... 26:49 In fact when I come out of prison, 26:52 when I was in Hawaii, 26:53 I went to the prison people and we talked 26:56 and the only time they had open was Sabbath morning, 26:59 Saturday mornings at 7 o'clock. 27:01 I said that's a good time for me. 27:03 And then we had four other women 27:04 to go into each pod, so what happened was 27:08 when I come out of those prisons, 27:10 when I come out of women's prison, 27:12 the line for visitors was about three or four women, 27:15 or just may be one or two men. 27:17 When I come out of the men's prison 27:19 there is a line of people, 27:21 tons of women and men we need to visit men in prison. 27:25 So you're saying if I understood you correctly 27:27 that women get a lot fewer visitors. 27:30 Very few visitors, 27:31 on a weekend when it was the Saturday 27:33 when people should be free 27:34 to come visit their family members, 27:36 nobody was in line to visit them 27:38 and it just, that broke my heart, 27:40 and here was someone who said, let's go away, 27:42 any other prisons we can go to? 27:43 I didn't, I had met people 27:45 who even want to go into prison ministry 27:47 too much with me, because... 27:48 I think the reason why I like going into prisons 27:50 because I could have easily been one of those incarcerated, 27:54 you know, and a lot of those men and women and children, 27:58 teenagers 'cause we have youth authorities as well. 28:01 They think that they have pushed it to the side 28:03 and like caste aside by society. 28:07 And Jesus wants them to know that they're not forgotten 28:11 that He don't make any garbage, everyone has a purpose in life. 28:15 And then God wants us, 28:16 He's commissioned us to go unto this prisons 28:19 and to visit these people and feed the hungry 28:22 when they're hungry, 28:23 and give water to those who thirst. 28:25 And I see a lot of young people in our schools for example 28:30 and then a couple of years down a road 28:32 because I've been around the block for while. 28:34 Couple of years down the road, I'll go into a prison 28:36 and I will see some of the same faces 28:38 that I saw in our Christian academies locked up, 28:42 locked out, incarcerated... 28:43 See and this is, especially when it comes to drugs, 28:45 and drugs is not a respecter of persons, 28:48 it crosses all social economy. 28:49 Fifty percentage of the people 28:51 who are incarcerated today are there because of drugs 28:53 because I ask this question almost every time. 28:55 Wow, you know, Shelley, 28:58 Michael has a unique... 29:01 Maybe we can put it this way. 29:03 He has been prepared uniquely by God 29:05 for this kind of ministry because Michael knows 29:08 what it's like to have been pushed aside. 29:11 Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Have been abandoned as it were. 29:15 From a figure that should have been protecting 29:18 and loving and lifting you up 29:20 and that's I'm talking about your father. 29:22 Father, yes. 29:24 I went for years thinking that someone else is my father 29:27 up until I was like 11 years old. 29:29 And when I finally was able to meet this man 29:31 because my mother and he has separated. 29:34 He looked at my two older sisters 29:35 and he accepted them 29:36 but he rejected me right there on the spot. 29:39 And in my heart I'm wondering why is he rejecting me, 29:41 but coming to find out, I was a mistake, I was an accident, 29:44 but I realized down the line that God don't make mistakes. 29:47 But the problem in most of our institutions, 29:50 our facilities, our correctional facilities, 29:53 lot of those men and women 29:55 and teenagers were incarcerated, 29:58 because they don't have that father figure 30:00 in their home. 30:02 And somewhere along the line they got lost. 30:03 And so I think that the fathers need to step up 30:06 and lead their children 30:07 right into the arms of Jesus Christ. 30:09 But you know, I was just thinking 30:10 when you said that word correctional, 30:12 there is not just a whole lot of correction 30:14 that goes on or rehabilitation that goes on. 30:16 I call it a university of crime. 30:18 Yes. 30:19 So the... 30:21 You mentioned when we were in the green room 30:23 that this is their wilderness experience. 30:25 I want you to talk to that, 30:27 because the thing is I'm sitting here thinking 30:29 that if people don't go out to share, 30:34 if you don't visit, 30:35 you don't get involved in prison ministries, 30:37 then these same people, 30:39 there is kind of a revolving door, 30:40 when they do get out, 30:42 they usually end up going back in. 30:43 Their only hope is as we said, as Jesus told Paul. 30:50 Jesus is sending people in there to open their eyes 30:53 and turn them from darkness to light 30:55 from the power of Satan to God. 30:56 It's almost like mom and dad says, 30:58 you need a time out, you go to your room 30:59 and think about what you've just done. 31:01 And so when these guys are incarcerated, 31:03 they're sitting in prison, 31:05 and that's why it's very important, 31:06 very important that we go into these prisons 31:08 and teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ. 31:11 In that way when they, when they... 31:12 While they're sitting in there, I'll tell them 31:14 like Moses, he had to go out into the... 31:16 He left the palace and went to the desert 31:18 to find Christ Jesus, to find God. 31:21 And lot of these inmates, 31:22 they will find God in these institutions 31:25 and that's what I call their wilderness so to speak. 31:29 And so that's where they can find the savior. 31:31 And that's why it's so important 31:33 that we go into these prisons and teach them. 31:35 And let me read you something real quick here. 31:36 Sure. 31:38 Matthew 25:35-36, "For I was hungry 31:43 and you gave me something to eat, 31:46 I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, 31:49 I was a stranger and you invited me in, 31:52 I need a clothes and you clothed me, 31:55 I was sick and you looked after me, 31:57 I was in prison and you came to visit me." 32:00 Amen. 32:01 So you're actually visiting Jesus 32:03 when you go into these prisons. 32:04 Now lot of people think that these guys aren't good, 32:06 rightfully so, they should be in these places, and yeah, 32:08 you're right, they broke the law of the land. 32:11 But that doesn't mean that they should be forgotten. 32:13 There is still hope in these people. 32:15 And God don't cast anyone to the side. 32:18 And so I encourage those who are out there, 32:22 don't just look down on these people, 32:23 start a prison ministry in your church. 32:25 Go out, and go out and take this commission 32:28 that God has given us, 32:29 and reach out to these individuals 32:31 who are lost temporarily, because you know, 32:33 never could tell the hand that you help up, 32:36 may be the hand it may help you up one day. 32:39 I mean, I may be incarcerated, I may need you, Brian, 32:41 and you, Shelley, 32:43 or even my wife to come and visit me. 32:44 I pray that would never happen, but it could happen you know, 32:48 because there are so many people 32:49 who are locked up incarcerated today 32:51 for the crimes that they didn't commit. 32:52 You know, and I've heard so many stories about men 32:55 who were incarcerated for 20, 30 years of their lives 32:57 and coming to find out 32:59 that they were innocent of the crime. 33:00 Yes. 33:01 I like to speak to those of you 33:05 who are in prison ministry doing prison ministry. 33:10 You're going in each week to hold the service 33:12 and we pray that God is really blessing you 33:15 as you do that. 33:17 Often times I don't know about your experience 33:19 but mine is we'll get 10, 15 may be 20 inmates 33:25 to come out to our service 33:28 and then as some leave and they are released, 33:32 then we lose some and sometimes we gain some, 33:35 but we never really build our ministry up much 33:39 beyond the 10, 15 may be 20 that will come into service. 33:46 What we've discovered in experimenting 33:49 with our prison ministry 33:50 is when we have someone like Michael and Lynn 33:54 come to our prison and hold an event. 33:58 I call that an awareness event 34:00 and that opens it up to a wider group of people 34:03 who are incarcerated in that same prison 34:05 that will never come to your service 34:07 except if they were made aware of it in some way. 34:11 And so Michael and Lynn come in, 34:13 and Lynn shares message on health, 34:16 Michael shares testimony and music, 34:20 the gospel through music 34:22 and it reaches 150, 200 of the people 34:28 who will come to your concert, 34:30 and then from that you'll build your weekly service, 34:34 and so that's how you have blessed Michael and Lynn, 34:38 you have blessed our ministry through that means. 34:42 And you know the gospel is preached, 34:46 but when it's preached through music, 34:48 it touches the emotion of their heart 34:51 like it will in no other way. 34:53 You know, God has specially designed 34:56 that music accompanied with the gospel message... 35:01 Testimony, testimony. Will touch lives. 35:03 And so anyway I would encourage, 35:05 I encourage you to invite Michael and Lynn 35:09 to be a part of your prison ministry in your area. 35:12 They'll be open to it and little down the road 35:15 we'll share how you can contact him with that. 35:18 Absolutely. 35:19 You know, I have two nephews who have been incarcerated 35:22 for most of their lives. 35:24 I have one nephew has been in jail since he was, 35:27 well for the last 22 years 35:29 and I'm praying that God will somehow release him from that, 35:34 but I have such a heart for prison ministry, 35:40 because there are so many people out there 35:41 that needs to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. 35:44 And when they come out of the prisons, 35:46 maybe they may be, you never could tell what God, 35:48 what future God has for their lives. 35:50 That why it's important 35:52 that we don't just push them to the side 35:53 and just forget about them. 35:55 We need to go into these prisons. 35:56 We need to have more prison ministries 35:58 in our churches and we need to have more of an outreach. 36:00 And you know something... 36:02 Well, it can't be all things 36:03 to all people, I put it that way, 36:05 because we all have our part in the body. 36:07 J.D. and I never really felt particularly called 36:11 to "prison ministries" but we've gone and done it 36:13 and we loved it, just shocked us. 36:15 And I remember when we were in Indiana at, 36:18 I think it was maximum security prison 36:20 and J.D. got up to speak. 36:22 We were with Lemuel Vega in Christmas Behind Bars 36:25 and J.D. got up to speak. 36:26 And you know what was so interesting? 36:28 You know, you go in and cling behind, 36:31 you cling behind, that's fascinating experience. 36:35 But then here you're sitting in the chapel 36:37 with all of these gentlemen 36:39 and afterward we were giving out gift, gift bags. 36:44 And every one of these guys I mean, when J.D. was there 36:46 I could see the tears in their eyes, 36:48 and now they were trying to when he was speaking. 36:50 But when we lined up to give those gift bags, 36:54 J.D. was sitting at there 36:55 and he hugged the first guy that came through, 36:57 every guy was waiting for his hug. 37:00 And what you said it occurred to me 37:03 when you said that that it's a father's rejection, 37:07 not having their father, 37:09 they saw him as a grandfather or a father figure, 37:12 and everybody needs to be loved 37:15 and so many people haven't experienced 37:19 that real love and to get introduced to the love of God 37:23 where they will then open their hearts 37:25 and allow God to love them. 37:27 That's amazing. Can I say something? 37:29 There is a story about a man 37:30 who raised his son up in the church. 37:34 The mother passed away as she was giving birth 37:39 and the father raises son the best he knew how 37:42 and took him to cradle roll and you know, 37:45 throughout the church up until he got to certain age 37:47 and the son drifted away from God 37:50 and started to go out to different nightclubs 37:52 and places where Christians shouldn't be, 37:55 and somehow somewhere he ended up on the other side. 37:59 And one night, late at night and his son 38:02 and his father look so much alike you know, 38:04 when you see the son you saw the father, 38:06 you saw the father, you saw the son. 38:08 And one night, 38:10 very late may be midnight 2 o'clock in the morning 38:13 there was a urgent rap at the door 38:16 and the father came out and look off the window 38:18 and didn't recognize who was knocking on the door. 38:21 And so finally he heard a voice that said, dad it's me. 38:28 And the father opened the door 38:29 and realize it was a son and embraced him 38:31 and the son fell to the floor 38:33 and covered with blood from his head to his toes. 38:38 He says, dad, I killed a man tonight at the bar 38:42 that I frequently go to. 38:44 He had a knife in his hand and he says 38:47 and the police would probably be here any minute now 38:49 because they saw me as I drove off. 38:51 And father hurried his son in the back then 38:53 and told him to take a shower, 38:55 change clothes and he gave his son some money 38:58 and he said you take my car in the garage 39:00 and you drive as far away from this place 39:01 as you possibly can. 39:03 And so the son said, thank you dad and drove away. 39:07 And immediately the father changed into his son's clothes 39:12 and just as he changed into his son's clothes, 39:15 the bloody clothes, 39:17 the police kicked the door open, 39:19 and they arrested him, 39:21 because he look so much like a son, 39:23 and they arrested him, they tried him, 39:25 they convicted him and he was executed in his son's place. 39:31 And that's what Jesus has done for us 39:34 and that's what these inmates need to hear. 39:36 They need to hear that Jesus loves them so much 39:39 that He took their place. 39:41 Died the death that they should have died, 39:43 and the son heard about this little later down the road 39:46 and realized what his father had done for him, 39:48 and this changed his life forever. 39:50 Amen. What a story. 39:52 You know, Shelley, I just want to speak to the inmates 39:54 and people incarcerated because in my Bible it says 39:57 none are righteous, you know, not one. 40:00 And so if you've been incarcerated, 40:03 we break, that you have broken the law of the land 40:06 but we break the law of love, the God's heart everyday. 40:10 And so all of us just should be as incarcerated as anyone else 40:14 because of we break God's law everyday. 40:18 And so when you feel like you're down and out 40:20 and you've been forgotten, 40:23 your value can never be taken away. 40:25 No one can take your value. 40:27 God created you with a purpose and that value is there 40:30 and when you give your heart to him 40:32 and just ask him to cleanse your all unrighteousness 40:34 and confess your sins to Him, He says, 40:36 He's faithful and just to forgive you of your sins. 40:39 And if you can make right things 40:41 with the people that you have wrong, 40:42 some of us can't because they are not even here 40:45 or it's impossible, 40:47 make them right with God right now, 40:49 and He will accept you just as if you've never sinned. 40:52 And so we are, all of us who are outside, 40:55 we break God's heart and His law everyday 40:58 and so we have, we're gonna all be really guilty, 41:01 and I just want people to know that you are not, 41:05 you're even though society may try to forget you, 41:08 God never forgets you. 41:10 So Jesus took off His robe of divinity, 41:13 and put on His robe of humanity. 41:15 You know, Shelley, 41:17 this DVD that we saw one of the songs on 41:24 An Evening with Michael Harris. 41:27 We would like to make this available to our viewers, 41:33 if you would give a donation of $25 41:37 toward 3ABN's prison ministry. 41:40 Twenty five or more. Twenty five or more, thank you. 41:43 I'm the treasurer, I should know that part of it. 41:47 Yes, give 25 or more for 3ABN prison ministry, 41:52 we will be happy to be able to share one of these DVDs 41:56 with you for that. 41:58 And I know you'll be blessed by it. 42:00 And so... 42:01 What are some of the songs that are on this? 42:03 Okay. 42:04 Michael, you know, 42:06 you don't only do prison ministries I know that... 42:08 I go to different churches. 42:09 You go to churches, you do concerts, 42:10 I know you have CDs 'cause I've got some... 42:12 I sang for four General Conferences, so. 42:14 Yes. 42:15 We have, We're not for Grace, 42:17 I will Glory in the Cross, Had It Not Been, 42:22 another one Something Beautiful, 42:25 Wonderful Merciful Savior, that's a nice song. 42:27 I love that song. 42:28 Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone, 42:32 No More Night and Sweet Buelah Land. 42:35 And then also, I Believe in a Hill called Mt. Calvary 42:39 that you heard earlier. 42:40 And I'm sharing my testimony as I go through. 42:42 They're using it in prison ministries, 42:43 they're using it in schools, 42:45 this DVD is being used in different places 42:47 and it is Michael's testimony 42:50 of coming out of drugs and God's deliverance. 42:52 It's a one hour concert actually. 42:54 So if you want to make that donation 42:58 to get this DVD 43:01 that we're offering for $25 or more, 43:04 you can either call in and the number is area code 43:08 (618)-627-4651. 43:13 Again (618)-627-4651 43:16 and ask for this DVD and share your gift. 43:21 An Evening with Michael Harris. 43:23 An Evening with Michael Harris, that's right. 43:25 And then you can also write, our address is P.O. Box 220, 43:31 West Frankfort, Illinois, 62896. 43:35 Amen. Amen. Amen. 43:37 Well, what we want to do is give people an opportunity 43:40 because may be you would like to invite Michael and Lynn 43:44 to come to your church or to some kind of retreat 43:48 or a camp meeting, 43:50 or may be to the prison ministry, 43:52 and if you would like to get in touch with them 43:55 or find out more about Michael's products 43:57 and restorate this ministry, Restoration in the Son. 44:01 S-O-N. 44:02 S-O-N, and here is how you can get in touch with them. 44:09 If you would like to support 44:10 Restoration in the Son's Ministry, 44:12 you can write to them at PO Box 4008, 44:16 Scottsdale, Arizona 85261. 44:19 That's PO Box 4008, Scottsdale, Arizona 85261. 44:26 You can also reach them at (805) 844-4164. 44:30 That's (805) 844-4164. 44:34 You can also email them at restorationintheson@yahoo.com. 44:40 That's restorationintheson@yahoo.com 44:45 Call or write to them today, 44:47 they would love to hear from you. 44:52 And I'm sure they would enjoy hearing from you 44:54 and you will enjoy and your own personal evening 44:58 with Michael Harris. 45:00 And let me ask you as the wife of the singer, 45:04 you're the one who kind of puts all things together, 45:07 but you also do a lot of the health messages. 45:09 What has been the most challenging thing 45:12 about prison ministry for you 45:13 or vice-versa what's been most rewarding? 45:16 Well, one thing about Michael is this is all he loves to do. 45:20 I mean, it's throughout the whole week 45:23 he's just preparing a talks for prisons 45:26 or churches and he just... 45:27 He's in the recording studio all the time 45:30 even if our finances aren't there, 45:32 he just can't wait to make recordings for people 45:34 because he just wants to inspire them, 45:37 so this is what he loves to do, and you see that passion, 45:39 you just wish you can get into more and more prisons, 45:42 and we are cleared for we went 45:44 and did a training for 30 prisons in California. 45:47 We went to the training to get into every single ones 45:49 and we're just waiting if there is prison ministries 45:52 that are in effect we are able to get cleared 45:55 and come in and do a program, 45:57 but one of things was fun with Brian 45:59 was the chaplain after doing a health talk with inmates, 46:03 they were trying to write down 46:04 all the things I was talking about. 46:06 I was doing the eight natural remedies 46:08 and they were trying to keep up with the Newstart acronym. 46:11 And the chaplain said listen, just here's my email, 46:13 these inmates want more information on health 46:16 so you have a... 46:17 I'll be your liaison, just send me anything you want. 46:21 And so the doors to prison ministry can come 46:23 in many ways and the chaplain now 46:25 we email back and forth and give him health information 46:28 that he can give to the inmates 46:30 and the inmates were teaching the other inmates 46:32 in these different prison 46:33 so with the things that we share. 46:35 So I see that it's not only helping the inmates 46:38 but even the staff they said 46:41 this is helping our families too, 46:42 and so we don't even realize how far and why God, 46:46 you know, God's love is and his health message 46:49 is not something we need to be embarrassed about. 46:51 It's in the very first book of the Bible. 46:54 And so... 46:55 Well, you know, what we'd like to do right now 46:57 we agree with you totally 46:58 but you said that what introduced you 47:01 to this man was you were looking for the song, 47:03 Were it not for Grace and you found it on 3ABN, 47:07 and on YouTube I guess it was. 47:09 But what we'd like to do now is from the project 47:12 An Evening with Michael Harris 47:14 that we've been offering for $25 or more 47:19 donation for the prison ministries. 47:21 What we would like to do is play another selection 47:23 from that and it is, Were it not for Grace. 47:36 I've been saved by God's grace. 47:46 Time measured out my days 47:53 Life carried me along 48:01 In my soul I yearned 48:05 To follow God 48:08 But knew I'd never be so strong 48:14 I looked hard at this world 48:18 To learn how heaven 48:22 could be gained 48:27 Just to end where I began 48:32 Where human effort is all 48:39 In vain 48:44 Were it not for grace 48:51 I can tell you where I'd be 48:58 Wandering down some pointless road to nowhere 49:05 With my salvation up to me 49:12 I know how that would go 49:18 The battles I would face 49:25 Forever running but losing the race 49:32 Were it not for grace 49:42 So here is all my praise 49:49 Expressed with all my heart 49:56 I offered to the Friend 50:01 He took my place 50:04 He ran a course I could not start 50:10 And when He saw in full 50:15 Just how much His love would cost 50:23 He still went the final mile 50:28 Between me and heaven 50:31 So I would not 50:35 Be lost 50:40 Were it not 50:43 For grace 50:48 I can tell you where I'd be 50:55 Wandering down some pointless road 51:00 To nowhere 51:02 With my salvation up to me 51:09 I know how that would go 51:16 The battles I would face 51:23 Forever running 51:27 But losing the race 51:30 Were it not for grace 51:38 Forever running 51:42 But losing the race 51:46 Were it not 51:50 For grace. |
Revised 2016-11-17