Participants: Yvonne Lewis (Host), Richard Bland
Series Code: UBR
Program Code: UBR000127A
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00:01 Stay tuned to meet a man
00:02 who looks forward to going into prison. 00:04 My name is Yvonne Lewis and you're watching 00:07 Urban Report. 00:30 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:32 My guest today is Richard Bland, President and Founder 00:36 of the United Prison Ministries. 00:37 Welcome back to Urban Report Brother Richard. 00:40 So happy to be right with you again, Yvonne. 00:42 So, tell us a little bit about United Prison Ministries, 00:47 just give us a little bit of history on it. 00:50 Well, number one, we came from California to Alabama 00:54 to open up a health restaurant, 00:56 that was the purpose of coming there, 00:57 the Lord closed the door on that when I say that because 01:01 as we got there things changed 01:03 from what we were told it was going to be like. 01:05 In the meantime, we were invited to go down to prison 01:08 with an inter-racial denominational group of people, 01:11 so we went down there, but as my custom has always been 01:15 I take things with me to share, so I took with me about 01:18 200 Bibles, Steps to Christ, Desire of Ages 01:21 and books of that nature with me, 01:23 and I left them at the prison, so, about 2 or 3 weeks later, 01:27 the Chaplain... well I asked the Chaplain that day 01:30 could the men have some cassette tapes 01:33 because Elder C.D. Brooks, a friend of mine, 01:36 had done a tremendous job of 32-Set tapes 01:39 about the Word of God, it didn't talk about a church 01:43 but it talked about what the Bible says, 01:44 and I thought that that was way excellent. 01:46 So, when I gave him the tapes, the Chaplain said to me, 01:51 you know, those books you brought... 01:53 I said, "What books?" he said, 01:55 "those books of E.G. White" that was what he said, 01:58 he said, "I'd like to have 1,000 of them" 01:59 I said, "A 1,000 of these?" he said, "Yes" 02:01 so the next day my wife and I, we drove to the prison 02:04 and before we got to the prison, we opened up every box 02:08 and put an Enrollment Card in there, 02:09 and the reason why I do that is because 02:11 when I fish, I don't want to fish with the... 02:13 I fish with the hook, so I catch the bait... 02:15 Come on, come on, come on now... 02:17 now the reason for that is that... 02:18 when people... I give them something, 02:20 I say, "Tell me what you think about it 02:21 in a week or two" or something like that, 02:22 well, since I'm not going to see these prisoners anymore, 02:25 I put an Enrollment Card in there so they can 02:27 enroll into a free Bible Course of that nature, 02:30 so, when I did that, we got to the prison, 02:32 some prisoners took the boxes out, 02:35 and the Chaplain said, 02:36 "Come on in and meet the Officers" 02:38 so I went into the prison, 02:39 and he introduced us to the Officers, 02:41 he said, "This is Mr. and Mrs. Bland, 02:43 they're going to start a Bible Course here" 02:45 which shocked both of us, we looked at each other, 02:47 and said, "What are you talking about?" 02:49 because we had already been told... 02:51 we weren't interested in that, even though from a child, 02:54 since I was 12 years old, 02:55 we had been going to jails and prisons 02:58 from our church, of that nature, 02:59 we called this, "A Sunshine Band Approach" 03:02 you know, you go there and sing and you leave, 03:04 but this particular time, after getting involved, 03:08 we decided that we wanted to share the Word of God 03:12 with the men, on a permanent basis, 03:15 so, in order to do that, 03:16 seeing that they were having 200 to 300 men at one time, 03:19 we said, "Every other week let's have about 10 men" 03:22 and the reason for that... so that we can teach them 03:25 because we recognized that the information that we had 03:28 out of the Bible, sometimes 03:30 other people don't care about it 03:32 and they feel... they want to fight what we have to say, 03:34 but if we teach them what the Bible says... 03:36 we didn't write the Bible, we just believe the Bible, 03:39 and we teach the inmates that... we have found out 03:42 that they will share exactly what the Bible is saying 03:45 so instead of starting out with 10 Bible students, 03:48 I actually ended up with 15, so from those 15 though, 03:52 we taught them what the Bible had to say, 03:54 and we said, "Stay with the Bible" 03:56 because, see... 03:57 you will never find a prisoner saying 04:00 the laws are done away with, 04:01 I've discovered... 04:03 I only hear church people say that, 04:04 "the laws have been done away with" 04:06 prisoners know there is a law 04:08 because that's why they're locked up in prison, 04:10 Right... and so we give them 04:11 what the laws of God are, which are the 10 Commandments, 04:14 and then we started out, 04:15 with the key item, I think was this... 04:17 I said, "What commandment do you think 04:19 every prisoner has committed?" 04:21 and they got to thinking, and they said, you know, 04:23 "All of us steal, one time or another. " 04:24 So I said, "That's right. " 04:27 I said, "Now this is what we're going to do. " 04:29 I said, "Everything you learn out of what we're teaching you 04:33 out of the Bible, you have to share with everybody 04:36 because Mark 16 verse 15 says, 04:37 "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel 04:39 to every person. " 04:40 So I said, "Where is your world?" 04:42 they said, "wherever I am... " 04:43 so I said, "Okay, now, if you do not give it to everybody, 04:48 which commandment have you broken?" 04:50 they said, "8th Commandment, because I have stolen from them, 04:52 because you gave it to me to give them," 04:53 such as, "If I give you a dollar to give everybody here, 04:56 and you don't give somebody a dollar, you've stolen. " 04:58 So they got the concept... that's there... you got it. 05:01 So, from those 15 Bible students 05:03 we decided to have some lessons that we drew up, 05:08 and in the lessons we drew up, 05:10 before they get their certificate, 05:12 they have to enroll 3 other people, 05:14 we thought that it was going to slow them down, 05:16 but we forgot we told them that they're supposed to give 05:18 to everybody that they come in contact with, 05:22 so in 6 months' time, we started out with 15, 05:24 we were giving about 18,000 Bible Studies, 05:27 just from those... 05:28 In 6 months? In 6 months' time... 05:30 from the 15? from the 15... 05:31 because they started sharing with their people, 05:33 and their people started sharing... 05:34 and they were telling the officers 05:36 and other inmates the same thing. 05:37 "If you don't want to steal now, what we shared with you, 05:40 you must share with somebody else. " 05:41 And then they shared with their families, and so it went on. 05:43 So from that, it locked us in... 05:46 to doing this, now at that time 05:48 for the first three years, 05:50 my wife and I have said before, 05:51 we funded the money for this, 05:53 but after three years, we ran into a different story, 05:55 so therefore, we incorporated, and now we let people all over 05:59 who love the Lord, to be involved. 06:01 And that's... first of all, it's a phenomenal 06:05 effort on your part, and we praise the Lord, 06:08 we know that the Holy Spirit impressed you to do this, 06:11 because, no other ministry 06:14 is doing... what you're doing, 06:15 is that correct? That's correct. 06:17 Tell us a bit about that... the niche that God has given you 06:23 to pass out all of this literature. 06:25 Well, we found out this, Yvonne, let me put it this way, 06:28 when you go to a prison and talk to them, 06:32 it's like... them smelling food, it makes them feel good, 06:36 but when you leave the "food" 06:39 such as the Word of God for them to study, 06:40 then they're eating the food, so they get the strength 06:43 so we wanted to plant seeds, and it says, 06:46 I think in Luke 8 and verse 11, "The seed is the word of God. " 06:49 So, we want to plant that seed, 24/7 they can pick up the Bible 06:53 because it's the seed of the Word of God. 06:55 So we start furnishing the Bible, 06:56 then they can pick up courses like the Bible 06:59 "Questions Answered" book that we've designed 07:01 where they can have answers, so, from that, 07:03 they had something that they can feed on 07:05 continually, now from that, 07:08 that's why it has grown so much because 07:11 when those prisoners start studying the Word of God, 07:13 then they are getting strong, 07:15 then they start sharing the Word of God, 07:17 now the key to the whole thing is this, 07:19 every prisoner is looking for peace of mind, 07:22 every person is looking for peace of mind. 07:24 That's right. 07:25 Well, only Christ can give you peace of mind. 07:26 See... That's right... 07:28 I mean... only Christ... see... 07:30 the devil can give you money, he'll give you fun, 07:34 Christ can give you money, He can give you fun, 07:36 but only Christ can give you peace of mind, 07:38 and they're all looking for that. 07:39 And I've discovered this, that I can see why 07:42 the devil does not want us to minister 07:46 to men and women in prison, why? 07:49 Number one, they got the time to really study the Bible, 07:52 Hmmm... And the devil wants them 07:54 to study more crime, Hmmm... 07:55 Hmmm... you see, because 07:57 there are two things you study in prison 07:58 it's either "crime" or "Christ," remember that, 08:02 if you meet anybody that's been in prison, 08:03 they'll tell you, we only do one of two things, 08:05 we either are going to talk about more crime, 08:08 or we get hooked on studying about... more Christ. 08:10 Now, what about the increasing impact of Islam in the prisons, 08:17 how is the Word of God kind of offsetting that? 08:22 Well, let's see... 08:24 the Word of God makes everybody love one another, 08:27 this is why the devil is using these other methods 08:30 see... the methods that... that people use in prison 08:34 to talk to prisoners telling them, 08:35 "the laws are done away with" 08:37 that makes them open to other things, 08:38 they see... you see... so they see that, 08:41 "Why do I need to get involved " then too... 08:43 people get in groups for protection, 08:45 remember I told you "it's either crime or Christ," 08:47 so if you went to prison, 08:48 and there are a bunch of guys here 08:50 of your category, or your neighborhood, 08:54 whether you have the Ku Klux Klan 08:57 or whether you... whatever case may be, 09:00 you want to hook up with them for protection, 09:01 you see what I mean, so they do that for protection, 09:04 it's not so much... so when you have that protection 09:07 well why not? Because somebody could stab you 09:09 or somebody can beat you up, 09:11 so therefore, that's why you see them getting in gangs 09:13 and they try to hook up with other people 09:16 so, that's why they'll start more crime, 09:17 in the prison 09:19 as well as when they get out of prison 09:21 because they're going to have somebody to hook to, 09:23 because most people who call themselves Christians 09:24 when you go to prison, 09:26 they want nothing to do with you it's sad to say... 09:27 So, you mean, you mean... when you come out, 09:32 Or even when you're there. Hmmm... 09:34 Christian people... it's amazing... 09:37 people who claim themselves to be Christians, 09:39 and I hate to tell you that, as a rule, 09:40 they won't go and visit, 09:42 because Number one, they'll say, 09:44 "Well, you did wrong, you deserve that" 09:46 but they deserve Christ, it's not so much 09:48 they deserve where they go, it's that they deserve Christ. 09:50 And most Christian people don't. 09:52 To be honest with you... since you asked me the question, 09:56 we've seen guys and women get out of prison... 09:58 sit in a church... 10:01 once they find they've been to prison 10:02 people in church begin to move away from them 10:05 and all that stuff... 10:06 so we're the opposite 10:07 of a prisoner... a prisoner, he says, 10:09 "Man, you've been in prison, come on man, 10:10 come on, let's get together. " 10:11 You will never find a prisoner drinking alone, 10:14 if he sees someone, he'll say, 10:15 "Come on, have a drink with me. " 10:17 You find a Christian, they'll eat alone, 10:19 they slip away, and they'll eat by themselves. 10:20 If you find a prisoner who is smoking, 10:22 he'll say, "Hey, have a draw" you see what I mean, 10:24 and Christians don't do that. 10:25 The devil uses God's methods and gives it to prisoners, 10:29 which makes them more loving, and kind, 10:32 as far as they're concerned, it makes them more welcoming, 10:33 you know what I mean? 10:35 That's really a good point, Brother Richard, 10:37 because when you think about gangs, 10:39 and what gangs provide, they provide... 10:42 it's a counterfeit, really, 10:44 they provide the "family" kind of situation, 10:47 they provide the protection, 10:48 That's exactly right. 10:49 they provide that sense of belonging, 10:52 and as Christians, we should be providing 10:55 that sense of "family," that sense of protection, 10:58 not so much physically but, 11:00 letting them know that they have divine protection 11:02 and being there to rally around them, 11:06 so, I really agree with what you're saying, 11:09 that it is... it's the counterfeit, 11:12 Oh yeah, it's a counterfeit, Satan's counterfeit... 11:13 it's a counterfeit... Hmmm... hmmm... 11:15 you see, because... see... 11:16 a prisoner says, "we are family" 11:17 Hmmm... hmmm... see the Mafia... 11:19 you've heard about the Mafia, they're family, 11:21 if you brought them up... you are family. 11:23 You see what I mean? Yes. 11:24 Now, it is true, true Christians are family too. 11:28 Hmmm... hmmm... You see, the reason why 11:31 a non-Christian doesn't believe, 11:33 because they know the people that believe 11:35 don't believe what they say they believe... 11:37 Did you hear what I said? 11:39 Say it again, say it again. 11:40 The reason why non-Christians don't believe, 11:43 because the people who are Christians 11:45 don't believe what they say they believe. 11:46 Oh... and they know that... 11:48 Hmmm... hmmm... you see what I mean? 11:49 Because they can spot hypocrisy. 11:50 Oh yes, they spot it all the time. 11:52 Guess who the thieves sell their goods to? 11:54 They sell it to Christian people when they've stolen goods 11:56 they come to them, they think they got a good deal. 11:58 They know they're buying stolen goods, 12:00 you see what I mean? Hmmm... hmmm... 12:01 but the thing about it is this, 12:03 I found out... if you really want to be like Jesus, 12:08 and really want to prosper, 12:09 provide for the material that we need 12:12 and people are looking for that material, 12:14 people are wanting the material, 12:16 people want Bibles, 12:17 we get requests, we can't fulfill them now, 12:20 because... people are not participating. 12:22 There are 3 things we ask the public to do, 12:24 Pray... number one... 12:27 two... send some of God's money that God has given them 12:32 to buy material... for every dollar you send, 12:35 we can witness to Christ, for every dollar. 12:38 That is... this... you have this 12:40 "One Dollar A Day Club for Jesus" 12:43 this sounds like an amazing opportunity for Christians 12:48 to get in and do something, 12:50 even if they're not going into the prisons themselves, 12:53 they can do something to get the word into the prisons 12:56 let's talk about this "Dollar A Day Club" 12:58 because this is really important. 13:00 Well, The Dollar A Day Club" 13:01 we put it together so people can know 13:03 it's very simple, number one is this, 13:05 we are authorized by the American Correction Association 13:11 to send material of this nature, 13:13 they don't check our material out 13:14 because they know our material has been certified. 13:17 Number two, the material... every book that we send, 13:21 a life can be changed, 13:24 so if you want 500 souls to come to Christ next month, 13:28 send us $500, we will assure you that 13:30 500 people are going to get the Word of God. 13:32 It's just a dollar a soul, you can't miss that 13:34 you see, and I was praying about it one day and the Lord said, 13:38 "I want every Christian to participate" 13:40 because Christians will grow other Christians, 13:43 the Mafia people 13:45 that are in prison, 13:47 like you're talking about the ISIL 13:49 they provide for those people, 13:51 they give them everything they need, 13:52 the Christian people... we have to beg for that... 13:55 but I don't anymore, because I said, 13:57 "Lord, I'm talking to Christian people on your Program... " 14:00 that's what I like about your Program 14:02 because you're reaching people who want to help. 14:03 That's one thing about the Urban Program that you have, 14:06 is reaching the heart of people, 14:08 and remember this, 14:10 if you want to reach the inner city, 14:12 reach the prison, because all the State prisons, 14:16 men and women come out of the inner city, 14:18 so that's where you can reach them, with the Word of God, 14:21 and the Word of God doesn't change, 14:22 remember this... 14:25 "A prisoner is looking for peace of mind" 14:28 that's what he wants. 14:30 And we can provide for... okay... 14:35 let's just look at a dollar, we can... you can... 14:40 a dollar is like... you can give that away, 14:43 you can just blow it, which you shouldn't, 14:45 but you can blow a dollar a day, 14:48 I mean, that is nothing, 14:49 and to know that we can help to get souls 14:52 for the Kingdom, 14:53 for a dollar! That's what I'm trying to say. 14:55 Thirty dollars a month, let's say... 14:57 We got some people who now started off with a dollar a day, 14:59 they give 200 dollars a month now, 15:01 some give 500... because they say... 15:03 "I want to win 500 souls this month. " 15:04 Some people want to win a 1,000 dollars this month 15:06 some people want to win 5,000 souls, 15:09 it works... we know it works 15:10 because they are not wasting their money, 15:12 we give them something they can study 15:14 and the average prisoner will share with somebody else 15:16 because remember this, prisoners share, 15:18 people who call themselves "Christians"... don't share... 15:22 so if you want to make sure you share, 15:24 give it to a prisoner, and the devil knew this. 15:27 Oh yes, oh yes, and doesn't want this to be successful. 15:31 Satan does not want this to be successful. 15:35 We know that... 15:37 We can reach people, the people in prison... 15:40 it's an investment, 15:41 it's an investment not only in their souls but 15:44 in Society as well, because when they come out, 15:47 they're either going to get deeper into crime, 15:49 because they can't survive, 15:52 or they're going to get deeper into Christ, 15:54 it's one or the other. Exactly right. 15:57 It's one or the other and so we shouldn't sit back and complain 16:00 that "Oh, people are coming out, 16:03 and they're just coming out and going back in and coming out," 16:05 let's see what we can do to stop the recidivism 16:09 and how can we do that? By introducing them to Christ. 16:12 Yes. And how can we do that? 16:15 One Dollar A Day, that's it. 16:17 They can go through our website. 16:19 That's it, let's put the website up for you now. 16:22 Let's have the website put up so that... 16:24 just say it and it's going to be on the screen. 16:27 They can go to our website, upmi. org 16:30 or United Prison Ministries International 16:34 and "like" us on Facebook, 16:36 Right. 16:38 go to "like" on Facebook, 16:39 "like" us on Facebook. 16:40 So you are: upmi. org and then... 16:44 you're also on Facebook, 16:45 and you want them to click "like" 16:47 just click "like" on Facebook, for upmi. 16:49 That's right. 16:50 And make a difference, we can make a difference, 16:52 we are in the last days, 16:56 and what I see, Brother Richard 16:59 is that God is shining the light in the inner cities 17:04 through upmi, through Dare to Dream, 17:07 through all kinds of methods, getting the word out 17:11 because Jesus is coming back, so, we can either sit back 17:14 and do nothing, Hmmm... hmmm... 17:16 and say, "That's for somebody else to do. " 17:18 Hmmm... hmmm... or, we can say, 17:20 "Let me give a dollar a day to something like this 17:24 and get a prisoner used to reading the Word 17:28 and let them get the Word. 17:30 Remember, they got the time, 17:32 remember they're looking for peace of mind 17:34 that's what we got, see, I'll tell them, I say, 17:36 "You tried everything else, try that... " 17:38 this is the same thing, 17:39 look, Moses tried everything else 17:41 he had murdered somebody, the Lord said, 17:43 "Okay, now, I'm going to put you out here 17:44 so that you can study my Word" you see what I mean? 17:46 Paul was going around killing people, 17:48 the Lord said, "I'm going to fix it 17:49 so you can work for me. " 17:50 You see what I mean? So, all of these things, 17:52 it's very important that we understand what is happening. 17:57 Yes. And it's not the idea 18:00 that you're helping somebody out... 18:01 you're doing what Jesus said to do, He says, 18:03 "You're doing it unto them, you're doing it unto me. " 18:05 Now if you love Jesus, I want to tell you this, 18:08 anybody that loves Jesus that hears this 18:10 will go and participate, I will assure you that. 18:14 If they love the Lord, and I tell them all the time, 18:17 if you love the Lord, you'll do what God said to do, 18:20 God said, "I was in prison... " and you did what to me? 18:23 Visited me. 18:25 You know how you visit Him? By the Bible... 18:27 you visit Him by the Word of God that's how you do it, 18:29 He is coming. If I send you a letter 18:31 haven't I visited you? Hmmm... 18:33 Well, Jesus said, "This is the letter to you. " 18:34 Yes. "This is the letter to you. " 18:36 And He wants everyone to have that letter. 18:39 Absolutely, and we can give with a dollar a day, 18:43 people can get the Word of God, 18:45 that's what you're telling us. 18:48 That's what I know! 18:49 and how do I know? 18:50 Because we've been doing it for years 18:52 so we know what happens. 18:53 Well you can say, "Well how can you do it for a dollar?" 18:54 Because the average prisoner, number one, 18:56 shares it with 8 or 10 other people, 18:58 now I will tell you this, 18:59 we used to mail this Bible for 12 cents 19:01 since a lot of people now-a-days, 19:04 don't use the Post Office, 19:06 it costs us $3.17 now to mail this same book to a prisoner, 19:10 did you know that? No, I didn't. 19:11 Because the devil knows how to try to stop it, 19:13 he said, "Listen, I can't stop the e-mail... " 19:16 but I know prisoners can't get e- mail, 19:18 but I can do it in such a way 19:20 so the Post Office has to survive so they raised the price 19:22 we're now paying 5 times more to mail this book 19:26 than this book costs us, right here, 19:27 5 times more, 19:29 so, this is not going to stop them... 19:31 because God's people are going to hear this Program 19:32 and I'm so glad that 19:34 God gave you the name, "Dare to Dream" 19:36 because the dream is coming true today. 19:38 Amen. 19:40 Now, you're talking to me... the dream is coming true 19:41 what is the dream? That Jesus is coming back again 19:43 and He's coming back because of this. 19:45 Because of His Word, and we know that. 19:47 Absolutely, tell us about some lives that have been changed 19:51 as a result of this Program. 19:54 I was just... just today... 19:56 just today... I did another Program 19:59 and I was thinking about this young lady who... 20:05 her mother and father... 20:06 in fact, her grandfather was a minister of the Church, 20:10 she went off to college, and by being in college, 20:14 another friend of hers, gave her some Marijuana 20:18 to start out with, 20:21 and then she started buying some Heroin at $10, 20:23 her habit got up to be $2,000 a day 20:26 so she stole from everybody and everything, 20:29 so she ends up in prison, and she did it again, 3 times, 20:33 but when she came into the prison the last time, 20:35 she said, "I've tried everything, 20:37 peace of mind... when she came across our Bible classes, 20:40 and started going there... it changed her life, 20:42 she said, "I'm so glad I came to prison 20:44 because now I found Jesus. " Because, remember, 20:48 who else has 8 to 10 hours 20:50 to study the Word of God but a prisoner? 20:52 and see, once they get hooked, they're on to it. 20:55 Can you study the Word of God 8 to 10 hours a day? 20:58 No... You see... but they do! 20:59 Yeah. Because they don't have to 21:01 pay for the food, they don't have to pay 21:02 for the light bill, their clothes, so they can spend 21:05 and that's what they're doing, they're studying the Word of God 21:07 then another young lady, I mean, I can tell you, 21:10 just coming there, she said, 21:11 "You know, I was on the street, trying to make a living 21:14 by prostitution and so forth and so on... 21:17 and now... and I couldn't make it, 21:20 but now, I'm so glad I came here because I found Jesus... " 21:22 remember, it's going to be either crime or Christ. 21:25 Now, how do we get them to go for Christ, 21:27 because we say, "Hey, do you have peace of mind?" 21:29 they say, "No," well then, "Try this. " 21:31 This is very simple, 21:32 then they say, "Well, the Bible is old... " 21:35 I say, "Look, just read the first two chapters of the Bible, 21:37 the first two chapters of the Bible will tell you things, 21:39 it's the foundation, just like this building here, 21:42 the first two chapters of the Bible 21:43 will tell you where you came from, 21:45 will tell you what to eat, will tell you who to marry, 21:48 and tell you when to worship, 21:49 all that's in the first 2 chapters, 21:51 where there's no sin. " 21:52 You see what I mean? so you got it all together. 21:54 Right. That's the foundation, 21:56 and so... people are looking for it, 21:58 just a night before last in prison, 22:00 a guy got up, he said, "My family thinks I'm nuts," 22:02 he said, "because I'm so happy now," 22:05 they said, "How can you be happy in prison?" 22:07 He said, "because I found God. " 22:08 He said, I was out there in the streets, 22:10 with you mom and dad, I couldn't find no God," 22:11 he said, "I got it, I got the secret, 22:13 I can trust God because God is worthy to be trusted, 22:18 he gave me my breath, so I can trust Him, 22:21 and now I'm at peace, I got happiness," 22:24 they said, "What?" 22:25 he said, "Maybe mom needs to go to prison too. " 22:29 Really, because people down here are frustrated. 22:33 Yes. They're angry, 22:35 People need the Lord, they need the Lord. 22:38 More than ever. 22:39 No matter... whether you're incarcerated or you're free, 22:43 you need Jesus, that's the bottom line. 22:45 Okay now, only twice in their person's life 22:47 that they actually have time, that they take time, 22:51 when they're in the hospital, 22:52 they got the time and not the mind, 22:54 and when they're in prison, 22:55 but in prison... they got the time and their mind 22:57 so let's feed these two and half million people. 23:01 What I've seen, Yvonne, 23:02 I'll take any prisoners that I've been studying with, 23:05 and put them against any theologian that you find, 23:08 and I'll say, the prisoner I will do, 23:10 because they got their mind 23:11 and they understand the Word of God. 23:12 A young man in prison that I've just been visiting... 23:15 what's today? on Monday, just two days ago, 23:18 he'd been there 42 years, 23:21 since he was 16 years old 23:23 because he was put there for a crime he didn't know, 23:26 but that's beside of the game line, 23:28 he said, I'm so happy I'm here because of what I can do now... 23:31 he brought over 20,000 people to Christ through our material 23:34 because he studied the Word, he gave them what the Bible says 23:37 because they're looking for it. 23:38 He's brought over 20,000? 20,000 people... that's right 23:41 according to the officials in prison, the wardens, 23:44 and how do I know it? Because the fact is, 23:46 he's given them the peace of mind. 23:48 They're changing... you see what I mean? 23:51 Yes... yes... and he's been there 42 years, 23:54 and guess what? 23:56 He says, "When you come in here, all I want you to do, 24:00 Brother Bland is furnish me the material. " 24:02 But we can't furnish him the material... 24:04 I got a letter in my pocket right now, 24:07 from the Chaplain, here... in fact... 24:10 I think from the Chaplain, in Rikers Island 24:14 and I will now tell, we gave him 28,000... 24:16 he just sent us a letter here saying, 24:18 he wants 600 books every week 24:19 because he got... 600 a week? 24:21 every week! right here... now... 24:23 right here... and the reason for it... 24:25 because he has 14,000 cells here that men will turn in every week 24:28 about 600... we can't... 24:31 we need the people's help, that's just one prison, 24:34 right here now, 24:35 he said, "On behalf of them... 14,000 Rikers Island here 24:39 many of our readers" and so forth, I would say this, 24:42 he said, one inmate... 24:43 Rabbi Lebokwitz, 24:46 a well-known religious leader in our State, 24:49 after reading the book, "Desire of Ages" 24:51 said, "I now believe in Jesus. " 24:52 Right here... here it is... right here... 24:54 A Rabbi? 24:55 A Rabbi... here it's written right here... 24:57 see right here... My! my... 24:58 see right there... he just wrote me that. 25:00 Wow! So I can go on and on, 25:02 and not only in this Country, 25:03 I can read it from other Countries, in Africa, 25:05 we get them from all over, Yes... yes. 25:07 I'm just looking here right now, 25:08 here's the man that told us right here... 25:10 he says... and this is very interesting 25:12 this happened 20-some years ago, 25:14 he said, his brother was in prison, 25:17 then he came to a meeting 25:18 just because his brother was in prison, 25:20 and he said that he learned something there 25:22 that he'll never forget, when you read the Word of God, 25:25 to put his name there, the Bible became alive for him, 25:29 see... the Bible... it's not a foreign book to them, 25:31 we say the Bible is like your insurance policy, 25:34 so, how is it an insurance policy? 25:36 If you want to collect, you put your name there, 25:38 "For God so loved Richard Bland 25:40 that He gave His only begotten son. " 25:41 You see what I mean? Hmmm... hmmm... 25:42 So, it became alive to them. 25:44 It personalized it. 25:45 That's right, then they found out, 25:46 let me tell you what else they found out, real quick... 25:48 they found out that when they went to church, 25:50 the Preacher lied to them, 25:52 their grandmother is not in heaven, 25:53 the Bible says, their grandmother is in the ground. 25:55 They found out that what they were eating... 25:57 the Bible said, "Don't eat that stuff. " 25:58 They found out that when they were worshipping, 26:00 they were going on the wrong day. 26:02 The Bible said that, and they tell you this all the time, 26:04 they say, "I'm so happy that I can now help my parents 26:07 who believe in a lie," because he said, 26:09 "You know mom, when did Jesus arise from the grace? 26:12 she said, "on Easter Sunday morning" 26:15 he said, "The Bible says Mark 16:9... 26:18 now that was the first day of the week. " 26:19 She said, "That's right. " 26:21 He said, "How can the 1st day and the 7th day be the same?" 26:23 She said, "We never thought about it. " 26:24 He said, "Well, mom, I'm glad I was in prison, 26:25 to help you out, I found that for you. " 26:27 You see what I mean? So, they finding truth. 26:29 Yes. They are studying the truth 26:31 so with us, we give them what the Bible says 26:33 we don't tell them... 26:34 we don't try to explain it to them, 26:36 we say, the Holy Spirit will do that. 26:37 That's what makes the difference. 26:39 That's phenomenal. 26:40 And so, we want to be asking our friends out here, 26:43 "Participate... go to our website, 26:45 look it up, listen to what they have to say. " 26:47 Let's put your website back up 26:49 so that people can go to that website and donate. 26:51 You know that God would have you 26:55 to support this effort, 26:58 this is about getting the Word of God 27:00 to people who need it most, 27:02 which is going to make a difference for all of us. 27:05 It makes a difference for everyone. 27:08 Everybody. For everyone. 27:09 ...but the crooks... 27:11 but the people who are making money off of prisons. 27:14 Now, prison is a money-maker, 27:15 but I want to tell you this before I forget, 27:17 My daughter Carol said to make sure I said, 27:19 "Like" us on Facebook. 27:21 I know, we said it before, but we got it covered. 27:23 "Like" us on Facebook... because I'm not used to that term. 27:25 Thank you so much. 27:26 God bless you. God bless you. 27:28 It's so good to have you back again. 27:29 In Matthew 25 verses 34 to 36 Jesus said, 27:34 "Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, 27:37 Come ye blessed of my Father, 27:38 inherit the kingdom prepared for you 27:40 from the foundation of the world: 27:42 For I was hungry, and you gave me meat: 27:44 I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: 27:46 I was a stranger, and you took me in: 27:48 Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: 27:51 and I was in prison, and you came unto me. " 27:54 Will the Lord be able to say that to you? 27:57 I pray that one day we'll hear, "Well done. " 27:59 Thanks so much for joining us, 28:01 join us next time... because you know what? 28:03 It wouldn't be the same without you. |
Revised 2015-09-01