Participants: Yvonne Lewis (Host), Lemuel Vega
Series Code: UBR
Program Code: UBR000071
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00:01 Stay tuned to meet a man that was once forced
00:03 to be behind bars but now... loves it... 00:05 my name is Yvonne Lewis, and you're watching 00:08 Urban Report 00:31 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:33 My guest today is Lemuel Vega... 00:35 Founder of "Christmas Behind Bars" 00:37 and a featured host on 3abn's Program... "Free Indeed" 00:41 Welcome to Urban Report Lemuel... 00:43 Yeah... Thank you... yeah, blessings to you... 00:46 Yeah... I'm so glad you're back because you were here before 00:48 and we had so... you had so much information 00:51 and it just felt like we didn't have enough time 00:54 so, I had to bring you back... Amen... 00:56 because your passion for your ministry is just... 00:58 and your ministry is so powerful... 01:00 Well, it has exploded since the last time we talked 01:02 so praise God... can we start with Scripture 01:04 Sure, please... I would like to start with 01:06 John Chapter 4 verse 7... There cometh a woman of Samaria 01:11 to draw water... Jesus saith unto her, 01:13 "Give me to drink" there was a dialogue 01:15 that took place and we'll skip down to John Chapter 4 verse 13 01:19 Jesus answered and said unto her "Whosoever drinketh of this 01:23 water... physical, literal water shall thirst again... " 01:27 but Jesus said, "Whosoever drinketh of the 01:31 water that I shall give him, shall never thirst... " 01:34 and that's what we're talking about here today 01:36 is "Living Water" hope for the communities, 01:38 hope for the inner cities, hope for the people 01:40 who find their lives have been derailed... Amen... 01:42 Amen... Jesus says, "But whosoever 01:44 drinketh of the water that I shall give him 01:47 shall never thirst but the water that I shall give 01:50 him... shall be in him a well of water... 01:53 springing up into everlasting life... " 01:55 so there has to be a relationship, a decided thought 01:59 in a person's life that they want change... 02:01 I have two bottles of water here there's a demonstration here 02:04 because here it talks about water springing up 02:08 unto everlasting life... so there has to be a journey 02:10 there has to be a decisive decision... that a person wants 02:14 something different... now, if you have 2 bottles of water here 02:17 which we do... a bottle of dirty-looking water 02:20 and we have a bottle of clean water 02:22 which one would you prefer to drink? 02:24 Oh, definitely the clean one. The clean one... 02:26 we all want clean... Amen... Amen... 02:28 we all have been trying all of our lives 02:30 since little children to change the internal drama 02:32 that's been going on... no one had to teach us 02:34 how to lie, steal or cheat... so you desire the clean water 02:38 but somehow... perhaps... people in our world 02:42 in my own personal life, I desire the clean water 02:46 but I found my life was infected with the dirty water 02:50 could you hold this for me... Sure... 02:51 so, how do we get... I'll have you hold the water here... 02:55 how do we get from the dirty water to the clean water 02:59 is... we ask Christ for help in our lives... Amen... 03:03 Okay... "so Lord... please help me... " 03:05 wow... is the cup clean yet? No... 03:09 No, the cup isn't clean yet, but day by day we say, 03:13 "Lord I need your help with my life... " 03:14 Is the cup clean yet? No... 03:16 It's a daily deal... so don't give up... 03:18 when you ask God for help in your life 03:20 and it doesn't change automatically 03:22 don't give up... is the cup clean? 03:24 You know what? It is now... 03:26 It looks clean... okay... so, we've been walking 03:28 with Jesus for a minute... okay... 03:29 things have been going good and all of a sudden... 03:31 maybe you cussed your parents out 03:33 or you cussed the police out or something... 03:34 Is the cup clean? No... 03:36 Let me tell you what Jesus does, Jesus said, 03:38 "I will never leave you nor forsake you... " 03:41 and Jesus has got a big cup so wherever you are at 03:43 you just continually allow God to transform your life 03:47 Yes... So, that's the deal with the 03:48 clean water and the dirty water, so, thank you for being 03:51 a part of that... our lives... 03:53 people in the world desire this clean water 03:56 but we find our lives infected with a problem called "sin"... 03:58 and Jesus is that answer... and that's the water 04:01 when He begins to come in and impart the Spiritual application 04:04 of the Living Water into our lives... then we begin to grow 04:08 and it will be a work in continuation until Jesus comes 04:11 so that's the power of the everlasting gospel 04:13 the three angels' message... And that's what we need... 04:16 isn't it? I mean we... this was a great 04:19 illustration because you're showing that 04:22 you're not immediately... just because you asked 04:25 to be cleansed... doesn't mean that you're never 04:28 going to sin again... you make mistakes... 04:30 but the Bible says... if we sin... we have an advocate 04:33 with the Father... Jesus Christ the Righteous... 04:36 so we can go to Him and say, "Lord, I've messed up... 04:39 please help me... " and He continues to cleanse us 04:43 from all unrighteousness... And "justification" is... 04:46 we come... just as we are... Amen... 04:48 Yes... because some people have the 04:50 thought that they'll get all cleaned up first 04:51 and then they'll come to Jesus. Right... 04:53 And that's not true... I've heard that so many times 04:55 like... I'll come to the Lord... but not now... 04:58 I'll come to Him... when I've changed... 05:01 we can't change... that's the problem... 05:04 that's why we're sinners and in of a Savior... 05:06 because we can't change... 05:07 The woman who was caught in adultery... 05:08 did she get cleaned up first? 05:10 When? When she came that day... 05:11 they dragged her up to Jesus? 05:13 No... no... They brought her in her sin... 05:15 They caught her in the act of adultery... 05:16 And what did Jesus tell that sister? 05:18 "Go and sin no more... " "Neither do I condemn thee 05:20 but go and sin no more," but we must come, 05:22 just as we are... Praise God... 05:23 I have something that the children of moms and dads 05:27 it's an information pack from Christmas Behind Bars 05:30 an envelope... and so, if any of our viewers 05:33 know of anybody who is incarcerated... 05:35 they can send 05:36 the incarcerated loved one's information to us... 05:39 and we will send them 05:41 an information packet from Christmas Behind Bars... 05:43 so they have an opportunity to sign up for free book offers 05:45 free Bible Study offers and things like that... 05:47 so, any of our viewers if they know of anyone who's 05:50 incarcerated... they can go online... 05:51 at christmasbehindbars. org and fill out the little form 05:55 and then we will see that their loved one 05:57 gets an information pack in the mail... 05:59 so that's something new... But I want to come back 06:01 to that... because... let's talk about 06:03 what Christmas Behind Bars is... 06:05 some of our viewers might not have seen the first program 06:07 that you did with us... tell us Christmas Behind Bars 06:10 what is it? Christmas Behind Bars is a 06:12 Program that started 16 years ago... 06:14 it started with one county jail in Central Indiana 06:17 and we put a little devotional book in the Package... 06:20 a toothbrush, a bar of soap, a few granola bars 06:23 a few things like that... so we actually 06:25 take and make gift packages for men and women 06:28 that are in prison... Oh... and how necessary is that! 06:32 I was watching "Free Indeed" and I saw... 06:35 one of the inmates talked about how much that meant to 06:40 receive that... no one was writing him... 06:42 no one was visiting him... and when he got that package 06:46 it was... it was like Jesus coming to him... 06:51 it was a manifestation really of the Lord's love to him... 06:54 of someone reaching out and saying... 06:56 "You're not worthless... you are a human being... 07:00 worthy of a gift... " and so, when this ministry that 07:04 you're doing... to me... it's so transforming... 07:07 because you're saying... to people who think 07:11 they have no one... "We love you... 07:13 we love you... " and this is what you give them 07:16 what are some of the responses that you get when you give it? 07:19 The responses are absolutely amazing... 07:21 we got a response from Virginia, we just completed 07:23 30,000 gift packages to the State of Virginia 07:26 that's every man and woman in the whole state of Virginia 07:29 received a gift package from Christmas Behind Bars... 07:32 so that's amazing... but the core letter that I got 07:35 out of stacks of letters from Virginia 07:37 was with this ministry... you are reaching 07:41 the "unchurched," the "unsaved" and you are encouraging 07:45 those who've made a relationship... 07:47 a commitment to start with Jesus... 07:49 to follow Jesus, so... and that's what 07:51 Christmas Behind Bars is all about... 07:52 unbeknownst to me when the program started... 07:55 we are able to reach every man and woman in the whole prison 07:58 in the whole jail... whoever they are... 08:00 it's not just a call, "Hey, who wants to go to Church today?" 08:02 "Who wants to go to Church?" and 30 people trickle out... 08:05 out of a prison of 2,000 inmates... 08:07 but every man and woman in the prison receives a gift 08:10 and that's the gift that God gave me 16 years ago 08:14 when I was sick and ready to die... 08:15 He gave me hope... through a magnificent 08:18 sunset that I'd never seen... I mean... just amazing... 08:21 in a derelictic state with 24 hours clean 08:24 I said, "Dear Jesus, please help me... I want to quit... 08:26 but I can't... " and through that... 08:28 God gave me something to encourage me 08:30 and through this... it's encouraging thousands 08:33 and thousands of people for the Kingdom of Heaven... 08:35 and so that's amazing... It is... you have... 08:37 such a unique past... because you can totally relate 08:43 to those inmates... because you were one... 08:45 Amen... Just give us just a little bit 08:47 of your testimony, if you would share what happened to you 08:50 that led you into the prison system... 08:53 As a young man... I struggled with a "sin" problem 08:56 you know, lying, stealing, cheating... so I was born with 09:00 that nature as we all... in the human race are... 09:02 and so, I thought that somehow if I could get enough money 09:05 as a young man... I'd begin to fit in... 09:08 I'd begin to connect... I was a little businessman... 09:11 if you will... buying and selling drugs... 09:13 and by the time I was 18 my daddy always told me, he said 09:15 "Kid, if you don't change your ways... you're going to be in 09:17 prison by the time you're 18 " I said, "All right... whatever" 09:19 you know... and I just kind of accepted that... 09:21 Well, at 18 years old... I was sent to a small, rural, 09:24 county jail looking at 10 to 20 years in prison... 09:26 and Sister... I wanted "change" 09:28 I wanted change... I didn't want that way of life 09:31 and that desire... there at 18 years old... 09:33 was to reach out to people who were 12- and 13-years-old 09:36 if I could just go back and tell them... not to go this road... 09:40 because this isn't happening... Well, I got out of prison... 09:43 it was some years later... I got out of prison... 09:44 and I begin to... I never really committed 09:47 my life to Christ... I tried Christ... 09:49 tried to read the Bible... but yet I never surrendered 09:51 and allowed him to come into my life... 09:53 and so, 16 years ago... sick and ready to die... 09:55 I got down on my knees... I asked Christ for help in my life 09:58 so I had a terrible past... just like every brother and 10:00 sister incarcerated... every child born upon the face 10:03 of the earth... they just feel like they don't fit in... 10:05 but with Jesus... they do... 10:06 and He'll cleanse us internally, programs in the world don't 10:09 change us... Anger Management classes, 10:11 Alcohol classes, Drug classes, Sex classes, Gambling classes, 10:14 they tried to change us on the exterior... 10:18 Right... By Jesus coming in... 10:20 per our invitation... begins to change us 10:22 on the interior... Yes... 10:23 so, when Christmas Behind Bars started... I had about... 10:25 one year clean... and it started with 10:27 one little county jail and then now it's growing 10:29 just magnificently, Sister... Well, that's tremendous... 10:33 So, because of your experience you knew the loneliness... 10:37 you knew... how the inmates feel there... day after day... 10:41 without receiving visits or mail or whatever... 10:44 you knew that... that whole deal... and so... 10:47 it was... I think... it was so obvious that God just called you 10:52 into this because you have a unique connection 10:55 with the brothers and sisters... Amen... and Christmas is the 10:57 loneliest time of one's incarceration... 10:59 I don't know why... Oh, tell us... tell us 11:01 tell us a little bit about that. I mean, people... 11:03 officers coming in and they're singing happy songs 11:05 and it's almost Christmas... you know, and so hopefully 11:07 at some point... we had a good Christmas 11:09 in our lives... somewhere as a child... 11:11 hopefully... and so we just think of being 11:13 at home with mom and dad, or being... whatever... 11:15 and so, Christmas was the loneliest time 11:17 of my incarceration... and I want you to know... 11:20 the name Christmas Behind Bars, doesn't mean we just 11:22 do this at Christmas... and it has absolutely nothing 11:25 to do with Santa Clause or jingle bells or 11:27 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer because they didn't do anything 11:30 for our babies while we were locked up... 11:31 All right... all right... Those men don't do anything 11:33 for our babies while we're locked up... 11:35 but Jesus' coming into our lives begins to change us internally. 11:38 Yeah... yes, yes... so how did you get the name 11:41 Christmas Behind Bars? Because it was always finished 11:44 by Christmas... it would grow... 11:45 it was started at Christmas... and then it would go... 11:48 November and December and then it went 11:49 October, November, December, 11:51 and then it started, September, October, November, December, 11:53 we were always finished by Christmas, 11:54 and somebody actually named the program... 11:57 we were running for about 6 years 11:59 and they gave me a brochure and it said, 12:00 Christmas Behind Bars... and it had the logos and everything 12:02 because I can't read, or draw, or write or spell... 12:05 and so God worked that out too. That's tremendous... 12:08 it is such a great Program... tell us about 12:12 some of the inmates whose lives have been changed... 12:15 as a result of Christmas Behind Bars... 12:17 Well, inmates have written many beautiful letters 12:21 they've made commitments, they said that, 12:23 if God can change and work in your life... 12:25 He can change my life... 12:27 you've been where I've been so I know that where 12:30 you are going... I can go too... 12:31 and we just always want 12:33 to keep them directed with Jesus... because if people 12:35 are just looking at me... and then I get irritated 12:38 or frustrated... I don't represent Christ rightly... 12:40 we want them to continue in their relationship with Jesus. 12:43 So, that's what it's about... Absolutely, you don't want to 12:45 be exalted... you want Christ to be exalted... 12:48 Amen... That's how it's supposed to be 12:50 because when man looks at man you know, we make mistakes... 12:53 we mess up... but Christ... if He is lifted up... 12:57 He'll draw all men unto Him... He'll draw all men unto Him... 12:59 so, that's great... so the children of inmates are 13:03 uniquely affected by the incarceration of their parents, 13:07 the fatherlessness... you know, when mom's are gone... 13:11 so, tell us again about what you have 13:14 in this package... that children can get involved in 13:18 to send to their parents... Amen... and I do want to say 13:21 for all the children out there in the world today 13:24 who do have people behind bars, moms or dads... 13:26 I just want them to know that "Daddy still loves you... 13:30 Mommy still loves you... " even though there might have 13:33 been abuse... there might have been beatings, 13:35 the crack... the alcoholic stupors 13:37 and right now... 13:39 they love their children more than ever 13:41 because they can think and their heart yearns to be reconnected 13:45 with their children... so, if Daddy can make a decision 13:48 for Christ... if Mommy... if the children can make a 13:50 decision for Christ... how is it that they'll be able 13:52 on that glorious day when Christ comes back 13:54 because God's been working together... 13:56 Anybody... out there today that knows of anybody 14:00 that's incarcerated... can go online at 14:03 christmasbehindbars. org there's a form that they can 14:06 fill out for their friend, loved one, mom or dad, 14:09 that's in prison... send it to us... 14:10 they'll fill it out right there and what we'll do is 14:13 we'll send this information pack to those that are incarcerated, 14:17 inside this information pack... those that are incarcerated 14:20 they can sign their children up for, "Your Story Hour" 14:23 "Adventures in the Holy Bible" the inmates can sign up 14:26 for the offers that 3abn offers for inmates... 14:29 there are a lot of Bible studies and a lot of book offers 14:31 so, here it is... the children are actually 14:34 encouraging mom and dad that's in prison... 14:35 they'll say, "Wow, where did that come from?" 14:37 you know, it came from whoever the viewer is today... 14:40 and then... they have an opportunity that something 14:42 might show up at their doorstep this information pack 14:45 from the one that's incarcerated so how beautiful is that? 14:48 Wow, you know, one of the things that's so sad to me 14:51 is the disconnection... the family is torn... 14:55 and the issue of fatherlessness is a huge sociological issue 15:02 because... when the man is gone 15:04 that house-band... 15:07 that one that's to be the provider and protector 15:09 is no longer there... so the children can be depressed 15:13 they have a lot of anti-social behavior 15:16 they drop out from school... all these things happen 15:19 because the family is broken and I've... 15:23 on Dare to Dream 15:25 we are very big on promoting the family 15:29 and things that are going to make a difference in the family, 15:31 this is huge because it will 15:33 allow people to... 15:35 first of all... the inmates will get mail... 15:37 Amen... Right... which is... 15:38 someone told me that this inmate said that 15:41 it's like gold 15:42 to just get a letter... I mean... I bet you... 15:44 even junk mail... stuff we throw out, you know, 15:48 would be so welcomed because it's a link to outside 15:51 so, now you have... a link with a purpose 15:54 right... because you are connecting people 15:58 to the Word of God, and to the Gospel... 16:01 so they have hope now, they are getting reconnected 16:04 with their families... all by the... 16:06 this is a great, great outreach... 16:08 a great evangelistic tool, tell us some of the other things 16:12 that Christmas Behind Bars is doing... 16:14 On the note of mail... one inmate actually said that he 16:17 signed up for the Bible studies just to get free mail... 16:19 Hmmm... Just to get a mail call 16:21 just to have his name called, "Donald, you got mail... " 16:23 and then he began sending those back... his heart begins to... 16:27 the heart of stone become a heart of flesh 16:29 and then he begins to share the gospel with his parents... 16:31 and his parents surrender their lives to Christ 16:33 so that's how the ripple effect goes... 16:35 that God has an original purpose for each and every one 16:38 of our lives... Jonah... defied God's purpose 16:41 for his life and ran from God... but yet when he surrendered 16:44 his life to Christ... God came back and flipped it 16:46 and used Jonah for His original mission to go into that 16:49 wicked city and God wants to reclaim us and take us 16:52 into that original purpose... Christmas Behind Bars has now 16:55 got their sights on the Cook County Jail... 16:58 in Northern Illinois... 11,000 men and women are 17:02 incarcerated in the Cook County Jail... 17:04 biggest jail ever... 17:06 I've thought about... by taking gift packages to that jail... 17:09 we just did a State of 30,000 packages in Virginia 17:12 there's a truck that's coming next week to take packages 17:16 to Minnesota... we got packages that are 17:18 going to Kentucky or Arkansas, amongst all the State of Indiana 17:22 so, Indiana still keeps... 17:23 we still try to keep our brothers and sisters 17:25 in Indiana supplied but God is growing the work in great places 17:30 there is a Program called... it's called, "Bridging the Gap" 17:34 and we put an application in the gift package... 17:38 that the inmates can sign their children up 17:40 that there would be a family member... 17:42 or there would be a Church-family member... 17:44 go and visit the inmate's family... 17:47 so it's called, Bridging the Gap 17:48 and so the inmates will send those to us 17:50 and then we try to forward those to different Churches 17:52 and Organizations, that somebody will take 17:55 those children coloring books, that somebody will 17:57 show up and bring them a bag of groceries... 17:58 that someone would answer a phone call to connect 18:01 with mom who's distraught... you know... 18:03 and so that's really a neat Program 18:05 that we're trying to undertake. That's great... so you have some 18:09 way to... kind of do some kind of intervention 18:13 with that family. A little bit... 18:15 we're just starting, we get all the requests back 18:17 and then we sent them to the Conference 18:19 and then the Conference tries to distribute those 18:21 to different Churches... and now the inmate's family 18:23 has already requested that you come 18:25 and visit them... that means... 18:26 how cool is that... you got an open invitation 18:28 to come and visit them... Yes... 18:30 we're hoping that that Program 18:31 will continue to grow... And hopefully... to invite them 18:34 to your Church... Amen... 18:35 so that they'll start coming to Church... then maybe 18:37 when the inmate comes out and he's already found the Lord 18:41 he'll come to Church... it's a great way... 18:43 to begin to build the Church... Right... we spend thousands of 18:47 dollars on Evangelistic Seminars cold calling people... 18:50 and this is a warm invitation, 18:52 "Hey, would you come and visit me... " 18:53 to knock on their door and do something for their family 18:55 or for their children... so that's amazing... 18:57 Re-entry... Re-entry is a big need and so 19:00 Christmas Behind Bars... someone just donated a 19:02 40-year-old home... and so we're trying to 19:05 dry-wall it, we need appliances, we need carpet... 19:07 we need all kinds of stuff we'll probably help 19:10 3 or 4... not a lot... get out of prison and begin 19:13 changing their lives... transitioning back into society, 19:16 I got a man that's getting... I have a man... and that's 19:19 correct language... I got a man, I have a man that's getting 19:22 out of prison next month... and so we're preparing 19:24 this home for him... that he will have an approved address 19:27 and just keep us in your prayers on that note... re-entering... 19:29 Is it like a half-way house? Yeah, it's going to be... 19:33 we're kind of the mentors and we have other volunteers 19:36 who've gotten out of prison... all our volunteers 19:39 have been in prison for the most part... 19:40 And so... They can totally relate to 19:42 to the people that are coming out. 19:43 Yeah, and encourage and include them and, I mean, 19:45 you have to do all kinds of things... 19:47 you have to get a letter to get a driver's license... 19:49 the list goes on and on... but so, Christmas Behind Bars 19:51 is endeavoring to assist people 19:54 as they are being released from prison... 19:57 That is such an important factor because one of the things 20:01 that I found with people in my own family... 20:03 that have been incarcerated and then released... 20:06 What do you do when you come out? 20:08 You're shut out... because... if you have a felony, 20:11 you are shut out... it's hard to get a job, 20:13 it's hard to find housing because you have a record 20:17 and when they do those background checks... 20:19 you're shut out... 20:20 so, how do you re-enter society? 20:23 That's why on Dare to Dream, we have "The New Journey" 20:26 you know, we have "Free Indeed" we're really trying to 20:29 reach out to those who've been incarcerated... 20:31 and say, "There are some options... there are some 20:34 resources here... " Does Christmas Behind Bars 20:37 offer resources as well to inmates as they come out? 20:41 We're trying to... we can send food vouchers to 20:43 people in our own Community but as far as being able to 20:46 supply people with clothes and suits and cars 20:49 and all that... that's just huge... 20:50 and so right now it's just the beginning stage 20:53 stage of that... but we're trying to work... 20:55 that way and see what God will do... 20:57 What you guys are doing is so awesome... 20:59 Tell our viewers what your needs are... 21:01 What does Christmas Behind Bars need? 21:03 Well, we need willing people to help sponsor these new States 21:07 Minnesota, Arkansas, Cook County Jail... 21:10 it's just not going to happen by itself... 21:11 because 11,000 packages like this... 21:15 would probably will cost $3 to $4 a piece... 21:19 I mean we get toothbrushes for 8 to 10 cents a piece... 21:22 that's great... the books are probably 0.89 cents a piece, 21:25 the list goes on and on... and so we need sponsors... 21:28 $11,000 times... I mean... whatever... 21:30 so... financial resources... we need Bibles... used Bibles 21:34 used or new Bibles... they can be hard cover or 21:36 soft cover... so we need Bibles. If they're written in already 21:40 can you use that? So, Sister, let me tell you 21:42 something... if they're written in... that makes them twice 21:43 as valuable... because somebody that hasn't read the 21:45 Word of God... they don't even know 21:47 where to start... but if it's underlined 21:49 or if it's highlighted... they open up and say, 21:50 "Wow, I'll read whatever is important to somebody else... 21:52 I'll read over here... and so, yeah, that's a real blessing 21:55 so they just box them up they gather them up... 21:58 they ship them to us... at Christmas Behind Bars 22:00 they go online... get our address... 22:01 send to Christmas Behind Bars, we'll take those Bibles 22:03 we'll go through them... we'll make sure that there's no 22:06 personal information in them and then we box them up 22:08 and then we take them down to the Prison... 22:10 so, that's amazing... Oh, that's so great... 22:12 I know people so appreciate that... 22:14 they've got to appreciate that, okay, so you need Bibles, 22:17 you need funds, of course, donations, 22:21 do you need volunteers? We do... 22:23 we do need volunteers to come down to the jails and 22:25 prisons... wherever we're going, to come and sing 22:28 and help pass out packages, I want you to know 22:30 that the Potomac Conference in Virginia... 22:33 they had probably about 30 volunteers to come 22:36 and help us deliver this... last 15,000 packages 22:38 and it was just a great blessing and they told us that 22:41 what they had been trying to do for 13 years... 22:44 they said, "God did... in about a year... " 22:48 they said, three weeks... but it's taken a year 22:49 to get all 30,000 packages in the State of Virginia... 22:52 but they've been trying to get in every prison 22:54 in the State of Virginia, it took them 13 years... 22:56 and it still hadn't happened, but God opened the door... 22:58 just wide open... to where we had the privilege 23:01 of going to every prison cell, every man and woman 23:03 and give them a gift package... tell them that Jesus loves them, 23:06 don't give up... there's hope in the world today... 23:08 even though the CNN News makes it look like... 23:10 just all the negative stuff that we see in the news media 23:13 doesn't bring us hope... Yes, yes, what are 23:16 some of the of the conditions... inside... you know, 23:18 as a person who's... I've been sheltered, basically, 23:22 so I don't really know, like, what it looks like 23:26 deep inside the jail... I know what it's like 23:29 if you go to visit someone, but internally, like, 23:33 what's it like... in there? 23:34 I'll tell you what it's like... Sister... internally 23:37 when all of your life consists of a little package here 23:40 you got a few socks, a few underwear, 23:42 a few cosmetics, a few things, 23:44 your whole life consists of nothing more than this... 23:46 so whether you go to segregation or whether you have a job, 23:49 or whether you got to school or whatever it is you still do 23:52 your whole life consists of little or nothing... 23:55 but if you have Jesus, He will blow that up and 23:58 He will magnify it and He will bless it... 23:59 and I've had inmate after inmate tell me that they've got 24:01 more peace, and more happiness, and more joy 24:03 than they ever had in the world, and if they wouldn't 24:06 have been incarcerated... arrested for a moment in time 24:08 that they could refocus 24:10 they would probably be dead... so multitudes realize 24:12 that this is their time period that they can grow... 24:15 a lot of people in the world say "Well, that's just 24:17 jailhouse religion... they just got Christ... 24:19 they're just weak... " No... it takes a strong man 24:22 or woman... especially in the penitentiary 24:24 to say, "I'm going to follow Jesus, I'm not a part 24:26 of the gang no more, I had a dude write to me... " 24:28 and He said that he gave up the Latino Gang 24:29 blah, blah, blah, blah, blah... he said, "Now, it's harder 24:32 externally it's harder... " but he got more joy... 24:34 and more peace now... than he ever had before... 24:36 so, if God be for us... finish it out Sister... 24:38 ...who can be against us... who can be against us... Amen... 24:40 Right... God is so good, and He reaches into 24:44 wherever you are... Amen... 24:46 He reaches you wherever you are The ghetto, the neighborhood, 24:49 the alcoholic stupor... Yes... yes... yes... 24:52 the dope house... He's calling and wooing... 24:55 What I'm finding now, Brother Lemuel, is 24:57 things are wrapping up... Amen Sister... 24:59 and so, this is the time... that's why I believe 25:02 God is opening the doors for us... 25:04 all over... I mean... just opening the door 25:06 so we can reach people and let them know 25:08 there's a God that loves you... 25:10 and come out... even if you're incarcerated... 25:13 you can come out from that mindset... 25:14 and be free indeed... Amen... 25:16 and so, that's what... that's why I know 25:19 you're about... with your ministry... 25:21 I want you to look into your camera 25:23 and I want you to speak to that inmate 25:26 that doesn't know Jesus... that inmate that 25:30 is where you used to be... what would you say to him... 25:34 My Brother, my Sister... wherever you are 25:37 in the world today... little children at home 25:39 without mommies and daddies... perhaps you've gotten in trouble 25:42 in school today... there's hope for your life 25:45 and I found true freedom... in and through... 25:47 a personal relationship with Jesus Christ... 25:50 a derelict, drug-addicted, sin-sick, alcoholic, 25:53 wife abuser... whatever it was, my life was just in turmoil 25:57 and I asked Christ for help in my life... 26:00 you may be a doctor, you may be a lawyer, 26:02 you might be in a high-rise office building today... 26:04 and whatever your addiction may be... 26:05 it may be porn addiction, it may be alcohol addiction, 26:08 whatever it is... Jesus is the answer... 26:11 He will heal... and mend the brokenness 26:13 that sin has caused in your life 26:16 and in our world today... through your surrender 26:19 to Christ... He will empower you, 26:21 you will be able to walk in newness of life 26:24 experiencing peace, joy, hope, in the midst of a turbulent time 26:29 Jesus is coming soon, and I look forward 26:32 to seeing you, my Brother, my Sister, my Friend, 26:35 in the Kingdom of Heaven, at 2 o'clock in the morning... 26:37 you done had a shoot-out with the police... 26:40 and you hang this out the window what does this mean? 26:42 that means... I surrender... how much are you surrendering 26:46 at this point? You're willing to surrender all 26:50 and I'm asking you right now 26:52 to kneel down and ask Jesus... as I did... 16 years ago... 26:57 "Dear Jesus, please help me I want to quit, but I can't, 27:01 dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you will bless 27:04 every decision just now, to bring honor and glory 27:07 unto you that we may meet others in the Kingdom of Heaven 27:10 in Jesus name I pray... Amen... Amen... 27:13 Sister Yvonne, it's been a privilege to be with you 27:16 you asked me what we need, we need a semi-truck... 27:18 Okay... We have two semi-trailers 27:20 but we need a semi-truck to get that product... down the highway 27:23 All right... well you know what? by the grace of God... 27:26 you'll have that... God is going to provide 27:28 all of your needs... christmasbehindbars. org 27:31 christmasbehindbars. org don't forget that website. 27:36 Thank you so much for being with us... 27:38 Amen... May God bless you. 27:40 The Lord Jesus expects us to life Him up... 27:43 so that he can heal the brokenhearted 27:45 and set the captives free... and he, who the Lord sets free, 27:48 is free indeed... Lemuel's Program brings comfort 27:52 to those that are the forgotten among us... 27:54 please remember to support Christmas Behind Bars 27:57 with your prayers and your tax-deductible love gifts 28:00 thanks so much for tuning in... 28:01 Join us next time... It just wouldn't be the same... 28:04 without you. |
Revised 2015-02-02