Participants: C.A. Murray (Host), Lemuel Vega (Host), Bernard Winfrey, Creig Allen, Dustin Duff, Kyle Stockberger, Shawn Weddle, Thomas Meyer
Series Code: FIN
Program Code: FIN000007
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00:01 Hi, I'm C.A. Murray and this is Free Indeed,
00:05 a different kind of ministry. 00:07 The men and women that you will meet 00:09 in this particular program have found Jesus 00:11 in very trying circumstances. 00:14 They are going to tell you their story, 00:16 their own personal journey of their walk of faith. 00:20 We haven't changed their music 00:22 and we haven't changed their words 00:23 because it's their personal testimony. 00:26 It's their walk of faith with Jesus Christ. 00:29 So you're gonna meet some people, 00:30 some men and women who've made 00:31 some mistakes in their lives, 00:33 but they're trying to change 00:35 that through the power of Jesus Christ. 00:37 You will meet men and women who've found 00:39 as we have found that freedom is not really, 00:43 doesn't have much to do with where you are. 00:46 It is more what you are. 00:48 You'll find as they have found that in Jesus, 00:51 you can indeed be free indeed. 01:18 It's hard to imagine spending hours, later on months, 01:21 years, most of your life in something like this 01:26 and yet that's the reality for far too many individuals. 01:31 Today's program was recorded 01:32 at the Putnamville Correctional Facility 01:35 and we want to thank the administrators, guards, 01:38 staff, and the inmate for sharing their lives with us. 01:43 On today's program, we're going to meet Kyle, 01:45 and Shawn, and Thomas, 01:48 and Creig and we're going to hear 01:49 just a little from our buddy, Lemuel Vega 01:52 of Christmas Behind Bars. 01:55 When we think about the inmate population 01:57 is very easy to see them as just one mass of individuals, 02:01 one gang of people, and-- yet the truth is every story 02:06 is an individual story, every testimony, 02:09 an individual testimony. 02:12 These people are here 02:13 because they made individual decisions. 02:16 Now they are making new decision, right decisions, 02:19 correct decisions for Jesus Christ. 02:22 You're going to hear here a very beautiful song 02:23 called "breathe" and-- you're going to experience 02:25 something that's going to bless you. Stay by. 02:31 Is it possible to have true freedom in prison? 02:35 Yes. Is it? Yes. I want to share with you 02:37 that I pray that this program will encourage you 02:40 and inspire you to take the-- true freedom that you found 02:43 in these undesirable circumstances 02:47 out to the-- street with you. 02:49 It is possible, it is attainable, 02:52 prison didn't change my life. 02:54 I'm sorry to say, I struggled with drug addiction 02:56 for the next 12 years of my life 02:59 and it was until 13 years ago that I got down in my knees 03:03 in a hospital room, sick, and ready to die. 03:06 And today if you're sick and tired of the circumstances 03:09 that sin has brought in your life, we've signed up 03:14 for the death sentence. 03:15 We was born with unmanageability. 03:17 And we said yes, we like it or did we. 03:21 No, you don't like it, but yet you tried to numb 03:24 the consequences and things, the shame and the pain 03:27 and the guilt of sin in our world today, 03:29 we tried to check out and-- think that it is not a reality. 03:32 But when we come to places like this since that sin 03:36 and reality is here and this is not what you want. 03:40 I know it's not what you want. 03:41 And God has provided-- how many of you know 03:43 about the Christmas Behind Bars program? 03:47 Let me ask you a question, 03:48 how many of you have received gift packages 03:51 from the county jail only, county jail only. 03:54 How many of you received packages from county jail only? 03:57 How many of you received packages from RDC only. 04:01 Wow, that's amazing. 04:03 Is that amazing that God has provided an opportunity 04:06 for these grocery sacks to go into the diagnostic center. 04:11 Do you remember going through the diagnostic center, 04:14 it was like they can't give you the time and day, 04:16 because they're busy. 04:18 It's not a very nice place to be in the diagnostic center. 04:21 I want to tell you that God provided 04:23 such an awesome opportunity last night 04:25 that we were at the diagnostic center 04:27 not just to give brown paper sacks, but to do this program 04:32 in the west part in RDC. 04:35 To let the world know-- 04:40 to let the world know 04:41 that there is hope in this time of need. 04:44 Our world is reeling from the consequences of sin. 04:47 How many of you here this afternoon 04:50 want something different than were you at tonight. Amen. 04:53 And I will tell you that we're going to come to the Lord 04:55 in prayer and ask that as Jesus ascended 04:59 unto the right hand of God, we're going to come 05:01 to the throne room of-- God boldly, because He cared 05:05 for the sparrow that you throw some bread crumbs to. 05:09 You got compassion today for the sparrow 05:12 on the walk you throw a few bread crumbs. 05:15 At least, I did. 05:16 And then you get to see the-- little birds come and eat. 05:19 God careth for the sparrow. 05:20 How much more does He careth for humanity? 05:24 Amen. Amen. Let--let us pray. 05:28 Our dear heavenly Father, we come boldly, 05:30 petitioning Your gracing, and your mercy. 05:32 Father petitioning the-- transforming power through 05:35 Your Holy Spirit that our lives may be changed, Father. 05:38 That we can go forth from these prison houses, 05:41 new people, Father. 05:42 Father, productive members of society not only, 05:46 but to be that loving kind dad, to be that good husband, 05:49 to be that kind caring individual 05:52 that you want to impute into our life, 05:54 Father righteousness, Father that we can overcome 05:57 temptation, that sin would not so easily 06:00 be set us ever again, because Your blood is sufficient, 06:03 Your grace is sufficient, and we pray 06:06 that You'll come into this place and that Your angels 06:09 that excel in strength, Father, would guard this prison, 06:12 would send the evilness on its way 06:14 that these men may contemplate 06:16 as they hear truth and that they maybe willing 06:19 to surrender their will unto the as you knock it, 06:23 as they hear it through Your voice 06:24 that they would answer the call under salvation 06:27 as our prayer and our desire in Jesus name we pray, amen. 06:33 Amen. I would like to introduce to you 06:34 some hardworking people. 06:37 People that have given up their state pay, 06:39 they have given up their time at Pen products 06:41 to come out, to work, whatever. 06:43 I know at Plainfield, there were-- the musicians 06:46 did not get paid to come out and practice 06:48 and I'm sure that these men have put forth 06:50 a lot of effort to make this possible. 06:52 So we are going to hear some wonderful selections 06:54 from your own. 07:01 The name of this song is called "breathe," 07:03 it reminds me that everything 07:05 that comes from my heavenly Father. 07:16 This is the air I breathe 07:23 This is the air I breathe 07:30 Your holy presence 07:36 Living in me 07:48 It's a blessing to be 07:49 on the same very part of prison ministry, 07:52 the only thing I have ever done in my entire life 07:56 even before becoming Christian was playing music 07:58 and now it is so much more clear I'm doing it for purpose 08:02 and I'm giving something back to God, 08:05 it feels great that-- I will be turning 24 years 08:11 old this week and I'm the happiest 08:13 I've ever been in my entire life 08:15 and for me to be able to say that from prisons 08:17 is pretty amazing and a lot of people in the streets 08:20 they can't even say that, there's no doubt in my mind 08:23 its because-- I have been saved 08:26 and then I'm being able to do something 08:28 to give back to God and to share my testimony 08:30 with others is just an amazing thing. 08:34 I'm lost without you, Jesus. 08:41 It's has been a great experience 08:45 being on worship team 08:46 and being a part of the services here. 08:51 Although I was always little scared and nervous, 08:52 I knew that was a devil trying to keep me 08:54 from doing something that I know Jesus 08:55 would want me to do, so. 08:58 That's what made me get up here and just have faith 09:04 and do what the Lord would have me to do 09:06 and the more I do, the easier it gets 09:09 and I can tell by that in the way people react 09:13 like in church services and so forth and I pray throughout 09:17 the world when people see this that Jesus Christ 09:20 can change anyone's life and that the power 09:23 that He gives you through the Holy Spirit 09:26 will give you the courage, the strength to do anything. 09:30 So, yeah, I was a little nervous at first, 09:34 but not so much 09:37 to where I couldn't get up here, you know. 09:51 When 3ABN came into this prison facility, 09:54 I wasn't quite sure how widespread 09:57 God's evangelistic and missionaries and stuff 10:02 are being spread throughout the world and you guys came 10:04 in and said that-- you know you guys air 10:07 from millions of people all around the world. 10:10 It just really touched my heart 10:11 and you guys were able to come here 10:14 and want to hear our testimony, 10:16 want to hear from prisoners, least of all people 10:18 and I just thought it was amazing since then, 10:21 you know, it's also an encouragement 10:25 because I know that-- you know God's word 10:27 has been spread throughout the world and I'm not alone 10:30 and it's just an amazing blessing 10:31 that have you guys come in here 10:33 and give us an opportunity to share 10:35 our stories to the world. 10:39 I'm desperate for you 10:47 I'm lost without you 10:52 Amen. Amen. 10:56 I would like the testimonies that are shared here 11:00 to be a message of hope for those people in the world. 11:03 I would like the world to know the victims, 11:06 perhaps I would like the world 11:08 to know that reads the headlines everyday 11:10 about the scandalous things, the criminals have done 11:14 or supposedly have done that there is hope for their lives. 11:18 But they need to focus also 11:21 because when you point a finger, 11:22 you have got a few pointing back towards you. 11:25 So, we need to personally 11:27 keep our focus on Jesus Christ 11:29 and what He has done for humanity 11:32 and then we'll love our brother. 11:34 We'll love our name. 11:35 And so the testimonies 11:37 that are shared here is my desire to go across 11:41 the airways around the world to share hope with humanity. 11:46 What Jesus is doing not only in these places, 11:48 but promising those people free by society standards, 11:53 what He will do in and through their lives. 11:56 Today we are privileged to have, Mr. Creig Allen. 12:00 Creig, this is your, how many time in jail? 12:03 This is my fifth time in jail. 12:04 Fifth time in prison, that is like huge, 12:07 people think that its revolving door, 12:09 but it is not, is it? No, sir, it's not. 12:10 Is there hope for you to leave 12:13 this prison and not come back? 12:15 Yes, sir, there is. 12:16 Would you share with us what that hope maybe? 12:19 That hope is God, God in Jesus Christ. 12:22 And how do we come to the knowledge of God? 12:24 How do we find that personal relationship with Jesus? 12:27 Seek Him, open your heart, open your mind, 12:30 be sincere and seek God and you'll find Him. 12:33 Now you've got a special message to the young people. 12:36 The people out there in the neighborhood 12:38 that they doesn't maybe have stability in their home. 12:40 What would that message be 12:41 to the young people in the world today? 12:43 That would be to first allow yourself to be renewed 12:48 and transformed by God's love. 12:50 When you open your heart and your mind to God, 12:52 He'll change you. 12:53 That was one of my biggest problems 12:56 trying to change myself and each time 12:58 that I tried to change myself I failed. 13:01 This time, I know forth fact that I'm going to succeed 13:05 because I have given God my life 13:07 and He is transforming, He is real, take it for granted, 13:10 don't take if for granted, 13:12 I mean really, really sincerely seek Him 13:14 and when you find Him, believe me, 13:17 He will do everything that you already 13:18 tried to do and more. 13:20 He will do it for us. 13:21 Yes. But yet we have a part to play 13:23 in this relationship with Jesus. 13:24 Yes, sir. Is it a once saved, always saved, 13:27 or is it daily relationship for you? 13:29 Well, it's once saved, you're saved, 13:31 but it's always daily, it's a renewal. 13:33 A continual. Yes, sir. Renewing of our minds 13:35 that our minds may be transformed. 13:37 Yes, sir. In closing what message of hope 13:39 would you share with those still suffering with drugs, 13:41 or alcohol, or the sin problem. 13:44 I would simply say, don't give up, 13:46 don't give up hope, don't give up faith. 13:48 Set your eyes on God and stay steadfast 13:52 no matter what happens, because if you trust in Him, 13:54 He will take care of everything. 13:56 We live in troublous times, 13:58 I believe that He is coming soon 14:00 and He is calling His people 14:01 to a higher, more noble calling, amen. 14:03 Amen. Thank you very, very much brother 14:06 and God bless you. 14:13 Before we read God's word, let's talk 14:15 to God for just a second. 14:17 Heavenly Father, Your word is truly a lamp 14:19 unto our feet and a light unto our path. 14:24 Shine that light before us, so that we may see 14:28 and walk in Your footsteps in Jesus name, amen. 14:37 Second Kings, Chapter 6, just two versus, 28 and 29. 14:46 The Bible says "Then the king said to her. 14:50 What is troubling you? 14:53 And she answered, this woman said to me 14:58 'Give your son, that we may eat him today." 15:04 I said this was a strange text of scripture. 15:09 "And we will eat my son tomorrow. 15:14 So we boiled my son and ate him. 15:19 And I said to her on the next day, 15:23 'Give your son that we may eat him. 15:27 But she has hidden her son." 15:33 Very strange, strange scripture. 15:39 It's a desperate situation. But in desperate times, 15:46 people do desperate things. 15:51 Now every thing you read in the Bible 15:53 is not commended by the Bible. 15:55 You see the Bible shows the-- good, the bad, and the ugly. 16:01 Many times it puts that in there, 16:03 so you don't fall into that trap. 16:07 But this is a desperate time. 16:08 It's--it's a time of famine. 16:10 All the food has been eaten and all the grass 16:14 has been eaten and all the plants have been eaten, 16:16 so people now are beginning to eat 16:20 strange things, strange animals. 16:23 Now eating animals is not strange, 16:26 but the kind of animals they were eating 16:29 and the parts of the animals that they were eating. 16:34 I'll say again brethren, desperate times 16:39 call for desperate measures. 16:43 And these were desperate times. 16:46 The situation was desperate. 16:50 The problem is when you make decisions out of desperation, 16:58 usually the bad decision. 17:01 Come on. 17:04 How many of you ever made a bad decision? 17:07 Mm-hmm. Now, I'm not talking about 17:09 wearing brown shoes or a black tuxedo. 17:11 I'm talking about bad decisions. 17:15 Made a bad decision 17:19 was that a Mesus decision or a Jesus decision. 17:25 You see every decision you make falls in two categories. 17:29 Every decision, one is a me and us decision, 17:33 Mesus or Jesus. 17:37 Every decision, is it a Mesus or Jesus 17:41 and every, every bad decision is a Mesus decision, 17:46 is for me and my posse, 17:49 me and my crew as a Mesus decision 17:52 or a Jesus decision and everyone 17:56 of those bad decisions, you know has a Mesus decision. 18:01 I got a good friend, 18:02 he is about to get married for the fourth time. 18:06 In fact by now, I think he is married. 18:07 And I asked him how did you think this one is going 18:13 to take and you had 18:15 three tries at it and failed every time. 18:21 He said, 'cause this is a Jesus decision. 18:24 That first three was a Mesus decision. 18:28 I did that for me, this one I'm doing for God. 18:33 So, I know this one is going to be a good decision. 18:38 One of the good things about 18:40 giving your life to Jesus 18:43 is that it keeps you from making desperate decisions. 18:50 When you turned your life over to Jesus, 18:52 it keeps you from making desperate decisions. 18:55 When--when you get to the point in your life, 18:59 when you feel its all on you. 19:02 Ever been at that point, at that position. 19:04 You know I-- I got me into this hole 19:07 and I got to get me out. 19:11 See that's the point of desperation. 19:14 I got in, I got to get out. 19:18 But Jesus is knocking on the door of your life 19:22 trying to tell you is not about you anymore, 19:26 because the same hole you're in, 19:29 if you just look over your shoulder, 19:32 I'm in that hole with you. 19:34 So what you had to do is turn over to Jesus and say, 19:39 listen Jesus how you going to get us out of this mess. 19:51 Because everything that touches you, touches Jesus, 19:54 everything that troubles you, troubles Jesus, 19:57 everything that bothers you, bothers Jesus. 20:01 And listen everybody that disturbs you, disturbs Jesus. 20:06 Which is why you don't have to lay awake nights 20:10 trying to get even with foe, 20:16 how to deal, think about revenge, 20:19 because God's got your back. 20:27 The Bible says, when--when you do right 20:33 and folk do you wrong, hello. 20:39 There he can cause a fire on their own head. 20:44 When they repay your good with evil, 20:47 God says I'm writing it down. 20:52 So, you don't have to worry about. 20:53 All right, I'll take care of that. 20:56 Uh-uh, God's going to take care of that. 21:00 Vengeance is mine sayeth, hello, 21:04 He's got your back, once you are his child 21:07 and so you don't have to worry about being desperate, 21:12 because God's going to take care of you. 21:15 And no matter what hole you crawl into or fall into, 21:19 you got enough brains to ask, 21:22 Jesus has enough love to answer, amen. 21:26 You just got to trust in God. 21:28 You just got to trust in God. 21:29 Now, the cute little story about little boy 21:31 just three years of age. 21:33 Going to church and he had little saying 21:37 to do in front of the whole church and he was nervous. 21:40 Just three words, trust in God, trust in God 21:44 and so since he was so afraid he forget it, 21:46 he had written on little piece of paper 21:48 sitting in back of daddy's car driving to the church. 21:51 Trust in God, trust in God, trust in God 21:55 and it was kind of a warm spring day 21:57 and so daddy rolled down the window 22:01 to get little air in the car and a gust of wind 22:04 blew in the car, snatched the little piece of paper 22:07 and blew it out the-- window and little boy said, 22:09 daddy, daddy, stop the car. 22:12 My trust in God just flew out the window. 22:19 Now you laugh, but how is that in our own lives. 22:23 Little trouble come along, somebody get on your case 22:27 and your trusting God flies out the window 22:36 and you get desperate 22:39 and you make desperate decisions 22:41 and desperate decisions are bad decisions. 22:47 Being in Jesus keeps you from desperate decisions. 22:53 That mean your life is going to be easy. 22:56 John 16:33, Jesus said I have--I have spoken 22:58 these things unto you because in the world 23:01 ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; 23:09 for I have overcome the world, amen. 23:14 Brethren, its either Mesus or Jesus, 23:20 the choice is yours. 23:23 Christ died to give you control of your life. 23:28 You commit your life to Him, He gives you control. 23:32 Religion is easy, is commitment and control. 23:38 You commit to Jesus, He gives you control. 23:42 So you don't have to be desperate, 23:44 because with you in Christ, you got control 23:48 and the Bible says, you've got a future in him, amen. 23:53 Amen. God bless you. 24:02 How many of you today would be willing to trade 24:06 in the Mesus for Jesus, for real? 24:15 How many of you today are willing 24:18 to not let our trust in Jesus 24:22 fly out the window and it's by God's grace 24:26 that He will empower us to daily live in service for Him. 24:31 But we must remember each and every morning, 24:34 each and every evening to say Lord, thank you for this day. 24:39 Father I messed up today and what's going to happen 24:42 is the flavor of Christ is going to continue 24:46 to be a continual thought in your mind and in your life. 24:50 It may start as hard to open the Bible, 24:54 I'm going to have worship, okay, 24:56 and then off to work you go. 24:58 But as you grow in wisdom and stature with favor 25:01 in with God and man, it becomes continually 25:05 second nature, a love relationship, 25:08 and it's not like okay, Lord now I need Your help 25:10 is to continual relationship with our Creator. 25:14 So brothers, this is not scientific, 25:17 this is personal what He has done in our lives 25:20 that we want to share with you 25:22 and you know what's going to happen in your lives, 25:24 you are going to become missionaries, 25:26 because you're gonna want to share with the downtrodden 25:29 in our world today. 25:31 How many of you would like to recommit, 25:36 rededicate or the first time ask Jesus 25:41 to be your Lord and Savior. 25:44 This is not a once saved, this is not an altar call, 25:47 but how many of you would like to rededicate 25:50 and ask God to be able to use you 25:53 as a vessel that was once broken, to mend you, 25:57 repair you that He is the-- potter and we are the clay. 26:01 I would like to ask two volunteers 26:04 to come up and close with prayer, the one over here. 26:06 There's one brother that would be willing 26:08 to close with prayer. 26:09 There's one, the one right here come up brother. 26:20 Dear heavenly Father, we come in the name of Jesus 26:22 and we just ask that You can give us the strength to pray 26:25 for what you want and to whom we come across trials 26:30 and we want to do some we know its wrong 26:32 just to have faith in You and you know when trials 26:35 come we can just cast a care upon you and believe and trust 26:39 in You for what you want above all else 26:42 that we can just for--just for one just have that leap 26:46 of faith and that's what we want 26:48 and that our lives will be changed. 26:50 We will just have the faith 26:51 and we pray that in Jesus name, amen. 26:58 Heavenly Father, we come before you 27:00 in the name of Jesus. 27:01 Father, I plead the blood of Jesus over this congregation, 27:04 over this ministry, and over your entire word. 27:07 I pray Father that you watch with Your holy word 27:11 as it goes out into these vessels. 27:13 Heavenly Father, let you word be planted 27:15 into the good soul of our heart 27:17 and let it be Your Spirit Father, that brings forth 27:20 a harvest in due time. 27:22 Heavenly Father, I pray for this ministry 27:24 and I ask that You open doors Father 27:27 that no man can shut and that you take them 27:30 on a journey that only Jesus can take them too. 27:33 Heavenly Father, I plead the blood of Jesus 27:35 over our families and our loved ones 27:37 and over this ministry and over Your word 27:39 and I ask that You protect us from seen and unseen danger. 27:43 Father let us continue to grow in Your word. 27:46 Help us to be transformed 27:48 within the renewing of our mind, help us to be most 27:51 submissive to You in your will, 27:53 in Jesus name I pray Father 27:56 and as that You lead us and guide us, amen. 28:01 Oh, well, there is too much freedom going on out there, 28:04 so close, but yet so far away 28:09 like the brother may I seek today. 28:11 They can be out there 28:12 free of restraints but not free. Yeah. 28:15 And that's the truth. 28:20 That's the truth. |
Revised 2014-12-17