Participants:
Series Code: USP
Program Code: USP210010S
|
00:01 Why should you be stuck with trash
00:02 when the ultimate treasure is within your reach? 00:05 Stay tuned to find out how to live the abundant life. 00:13 They try to change us from the outside in, 00:15 and that's never going to work. 00:19 Because I know that no matter how hard 00:21 and cold the exterior may seem, 00:24 I know that inside we hurt. 00:27 So we just want to come and share some hope with you 00:30 and let you know that we love you, 00:32 and that Jesus loves you beyond anybody in this world. 00:38 I'm not here today to judge you or condemn you, 00:40 we're today to tell you that we love you 00:42 and we understand the situation that you're in. 00:51 Hello, I'm Jason Bradley, 00:52 and I'm so glad that you decided 00:54 to join us once again. 00:56 I'm here with Lemuel Vega, 00:57 founder of Christmas Behind Bars, 00:59 an organization that shares the hope of Christ 01:02 with people that are incarcerated. 01:05 Lemuel, we've been across the United States to 01:08 several correctional facilities. 01:10 Many. Yes. 01:11 Many, many, beyond several. 01:13 You and your team have come actually thousands of miles 01:16 to multiple states and we just say thank you. 01:18 Yes. 01:19 I mean, for you to come in and preach and sing 01:21 and different people come together. 01:23 And you know, the reason we do what we do, 01:25 Jason, is to share hope with these people that are, 01:29 they're in a place they don't want to be. 01:30 Amen? Amen. 01:32 So they've done something wrong and they find themselves 01:34 and they don't know how to change. 01:36 And, first of all, we want to tell them that 01:38 we love them, we care about them, 01:40 God loves them 01:41 and then it's through tangible things. 01:43 Yes. 01:44 Packages, you know, the granola bars and the chips 01:46 and you've helped pass out many packages 01:48 and how have you seen their lives touched from that? 01:52 I've seen where you call for volunteers, 01:55 you give an illustration, you call for volunteers 01:57 and people come up and they participate 02:00 in the illustrations 02:01 and then you hand them a Bible or some kind of gift. 02:05 And I've seen tears just stream down 02:08 grown men's eyes and streaming down their face. 02:12 I mean, it's really moving, it's really touching. 02:15 And that's the Lord. 02:16 We go physically and do those things, 02:18 but that's the Lord, 02:19 that that's a conversion process, 02:20 the Holy Spirit calling upon their hearts and lives. 02:23 And that's why we're using these analogies 02:25 that we've used in jails and prisons to let our viewers 02:28 know because we know 02:29 that it's applicable for all people. 02:31 That's right. 02:33 But you want to talk a little bit about the trash, 02:34 that's our analogy today. 02:35 Would you want to talk a little bit about that 02:37 for people in society 02:38 or where do you want to start with our scripture? 02:40 Absolutely. 02:41 I've got a scripture that I'd like to share. 02:44 And this scripture is found in Mark 8:36-37, 02:48 and the Word of God says this, 02:51 "For what will it profit a man 02:52 if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? 02:56 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" 03:01 So we're not just talking about people 03:03 that tried to gain the whole world 03:04 and got caught robbing a bank 03:06 or whatever and is incarcerated. 03:07 But there's people out there that they ain't got caught 03:09 and they're trying to gain something other than salvation. 03:12 Yes. 03:13 They're trying to gain money, 03:14 finances, status, whatever it is. 03:18 But what they don't realize 03:20 is they're just picking up trash. 03:22 And they're still empty inside. Yes. 03:24 No matter their bank account, no matter their status quo. 03:27 That's right. 03:28 There's no peace, 03:29 there's no security, there's no joy, 03:31 there's no, you know, none of that. 03:33 They're constantly looking over their shoulders, 03:35 making sure they're not about to get robbed, 03:37 making sure they're not about to get killed, 03:38 making sure that 03:40 they're not about to go to prison, 03:42 so that's not a comfortable lifestyle. 03:44 So that's the people outside of these bars, 03:46 but now the other spectrum 03:48 is for people that are inside these bars. 03:49 That's right. 03:51 You know, I wonder 03:52 if we could get one of the volunteers? 03:55 Larry, would you come up here? 03:56 I got a question, 03:58 have you ever collected any trash? 03:59 Yes, I have, like many people. 04:01 You've collected trash in your life. 04:03 You know, I have a trash can here 04:05 and did you ever have anger in your life? 04:09 I have anger. 04:10 Got anger in your life? Drugs. 04:12 You've had drug addiction? Drug addiction. 04:15 You know, so many people in prison, 04:17 out of prison suffer with drug addiction. 04:19 Alcohol. Alcohol is another. 04:23 Shame. Shame. 04:24 Pain. There's been a lot of things. 04:27 I've done a lot of terrible things. 04:28 Any guilt? 04:30 Well... 04:32 I'm afraid I got more things 04:33 than you got trash here in my life. 04:36 You know what, Larry? 04:38 At some point, you wanted 04:41 to get rid of that trash, but you couldn't. 04:46 How did you make a new beginning in your life? 04:50 I had to try and turn it up to the Lord. 04:54 So you was running miles 04:56 down the highway wanting change, 04:57 but you couldn't change. 04:59 Couldn't do it. I tried, I sincerely wanted to. 05:02 You know, that was for me too, 05:03 and that's for people that are hurting 05:05 all across the world, not just in prison. 05:08 So you're hurting, 05:09 and you're seeking, and you're wanting, 05:10 you're trying to fill that void in your life, 05:12 and what took place after that? 05:16 Things got worse and worse 05:18 and it came to one night when I was drunk 05:20 and I was on drugs and out on the motorcycle, 05:25 involved with a gang 05:26 and did something that could have gotten me killed. 05:28 With all this trash, baggage. Everything. 05:32 And most of it was coming out in that night. 05:34 And in the morning I just, 05:37 I woke up and I just, 05:38 I didn't even realize how much was real 05:40 and how much wasn't, 05:41 but I just couldn't take it anymore. 05:45 And you want to get rid of that trash? 05:46 God, I got to. I can't do this. 05:49 Well, here's how we have to do it. 05:51 Here's the beginning from my life, 05:52 for Jason's life, is we said "Lord," 05:55 we have to acknowledge Him first 05:56 and we have to acknowledge our own unmanageability. 05:59 And you want to get rid of that trash, right? 06:01 I do. Let's have a word of prayer. 06:03 Dear heavenly Father, Lord, 06:05 we know we can't do it on our own 06:06 and that's why You give the gift of Your Son, Jesus 06:09 for all of humanity, 06:10 incarcerated, free, 06:12 but yet we're empty and alone without You. 06:16 And, Larry, you just say this prayer with me. 06:18 Dear Lord, please help me. 06:19 Dear Lord, please help me. 06:21 I want to, but I can't. I want to, but I can't. 06:24 Here's my life, take me and use me. 06:26 Here's my life, take me and use me. 06:29 Dear heavenly Father, 06:30 we just pray as he acknowledges You, 06:32 Lord, he's willing to surrender these things. 06:34 We just ask a special anointing and blessing as Larry 06:37 is a representation for all of the incarcerated, 06:40 all of the people outside of Your will. 06:42 The people in the free world today 06:43 they are suffering with many, many things. 06:46 We just ask for a special blessing now 06:48 in Jesus' name we pray. 06:50 Amen. Amen. 06:52 Larry, let's get rid of the pain. 06:56 Do you want to surrender that? Yes, I do. 06:58 Let's get rid of the unforgiveness. 07:02 What else would you like to surrender? 07:04 You got hate here, you said in your life. 07:06 The drug addiction? 07:08 The drug addiction, the alcohol. 07:10 The alcoholism. And the shame, pain. 07:13 The shame and the pain. Get rid of it all. 07:15 You know, the Lord wants to replace us with joy. 07:20 He wants to give us hope, 07:23 He wants to replace the hate with love. 07:28 He wants to continue to give us the spirit of evangelism. 07:33 He wants to continue to help us now throughout all eternity. 07:38 And he wants to use you as a representation 07:40 for all people because the Word of God says, 07:42 "Go ye therefore and proclaim the gospel." 07:45 He wants to use you to bring hope to the burdened. 07:47 You have a scripture there, Brother. 07:48 Absolutely. 07:50 Larry, I want to share this encouraging scripture 07:51 with you that really made a difference for me in my life. 07:54 And this has come from 2 Corinthians 5:17 and it says, 07:59 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 08:01 he is a new creation, 08:03 old things have passed away, 08:05 behold, all things have become new." 08:08 By accepting Christ you 08:09 become a new creation, 08:11 all of those old things have passed away. 08:14 I'm going to present this Bible to you, Larry, 08:15 that many sponsors have made possible. 08:18 I want you to take this Bible 08:19 and I want it to be a daily active part of your life. 08:23 We love you and thank you 08:24 for being part of this ministry. 08:26 God bless you. 08:28 Lemuel asked my cousin Jewlee and I to come 08:31 and perform a skit for the inmates. 08:34 At first, it was to speak with the women, 08:36 but after we had finished all the women's blocks, 08:38 he had asked us to go and speak to the men. 08:41 So primarily what we did 08:42 there was go and perform skits in every cell block 08:45 and talking and interacting with the inmates. 08:48 I had never been in a setting like that before 08:50 and I was scared. 08:52 I guess I was expecting people to kind of not listen to 08:56 what we had to say because we were young. 08:58 I felt unqualified, I guess for it. 09:01 I was scared that, you know, people, 09:03 they wouldn't care 09:04 what we had to say or they wouldn't listen. 09:06 And I was expecting 09:08 probably the worst of the worst, 09:10 that's just how my mind goes. 09:11 You know, I walked in there scared 09:13 and expecting the worst 09:14 and being afraid 09:16 and then just seeing that 09:17 God gave me strength 09:19 and knowledge to be able to do 09:21 what I did, even though I was up there, 09:23 you know, shaking half of the time, 09:25 just to see him soften the hearts of people. 09:28 You know, I went in there expecting nobody 09:30 to listen to what we had to say. 09:32 And then just seeing God move through the room 09:34 and seeing people's demeanors just changed, 09:37 going from these hardened criminals, 09:39 to these opening, like, receiving people. 09:43 That impacted me so much, 09:45 to seeing what the power of the Holy Spirit 09:47 could do in a room, 09:48 and I was very blessed to be a part of that. 09:52 You know, for you at home, I want to tell you that 09:54 wherever you are in your daily life, 09:57 this trash can represents that 09:59 we can trade in, 10:01 we can trade in the old for what God has for us. 10:05 And as you see trash cans, perhaps in your house, 10:08 along at gas stations, 10:09 I want it to resonate in your life and mind, 10:13 that as you see a trash can, you can know that 10:15 we can trade in whatever might separate us 10:18 from our relationship with Jesus Christ. 10:20 For you at home that are Christians 10:22 and you've committed your life to Christ. 10:24 You know, the Word of God says that the wheat 10:27 and the tares are gonna grow together 10:29 until the end of time. 10:30 That the wheat and tares, 10:31 that's what's going on in our world, 10:33 the great controversy, they're growing together. 10:35 But there's coming a time 10:36 the Bible says that the wheat and the chaff, 10:42 the wheat and the chaff will be separated. 10:46 And the wheat He's going gather into the kingdom of heaven 10:49 and the chaff is going blow to the wind. 10:52 Amen. Amen? Amen. 10:53 You know, Lemuel, 10:54 I'm so thankful that we serve a forgiving God. 10:56 Amen. 10:57 I mean, that is the most powerful thing. 10:59 And this scripture here in 1 John Chapter 1... 11:01 Can I share something with you about giving a forgiving God? 11:02 Absolutely, share. 11:04 John 3:17, "For God sent not His Son 11:06 into the world to condemn the world, 11:09 but that the world through Him might have..." 11:12 Might have everlasting life. "Everlasting life." 11:14 I'm sorry, Brother. That's all right. 11:16 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins," He's what? 11:21 "Faithful and just to forgive us our sins." 11:23 Go ahead, come on. 11:25 "And to cleanse us," from how much unrighteousness? 11:28 "All unrighteousness." 11:30 That's right. That's right. 11:33 You know, when you think 11:34 about the practical illustration, 11:38 the application here, 11:39 when you have trash at your house 11:41 and that trash can is piling up and that trash 11:44 is just piling up and piling up. 11:46 Day after day. 11:47 And day after day and you're throwing 11:49 maybe the leftovers in there, 11:51 you're throwing everything in there, it begins to what? 11:54 Oh, it's nasty, it's stinky. Yeah. 11:56 It smells horrible, 11:58 you can't wait to get it out of there. 12:00 In our life. In our lives. 12:02 As we collect all that and the baggage and it festers. 12:04 That's right. 12:06 Man, Brother. That's right. 12:07 We want to give it to Jesus. Oh, yes. 12:09 And then when we do and we get that fresh scent, 12:13 that fresh scent comes back to the house and you're just... 12:16 Oh, yeah. 12:17 So you don't go through the dishwasher 12:19 before you come to Jesus. 12:20 That's right. Amen. 12:22 That's right. I'll tell you what? 12:23 It is such a blessing. 12:25 The analogies, Brother, for me, 12:27 when I was in second grade, 12:28 they tied me in a seat with a jump rope 12:30 so I didn't get school. 12:32 But when the teacher would unfold it 12:34 and make it practical, then I begin to understand. 12:38 Yes. And isn't that what Jesus did? 12:40 Oh, absolutely. 12:41 When Jesus was here, He walked with the people 12:43 and talked with the people. 12:44 Yes. What would you... 12:46 Is there a parable that sticks out in your mind 12:48 how Jesus met the people where they were? 12:51 You know, one thing 12:53 that resonates with me is the prodigal son. 12:56 Oh, yeah. 12:57 You know, that really stands out to me 12:59 because even though that child took 13:02 his inheritance early and he went to a far away land 13:07 and he went out on his own and he failed. 13:10 He made many mistakes. 13:11 Squandered it. 13:13 Squandered it on riotous living. 13:15 And when he came to himself, like Larry. 13:17 Yeah. 13:18 And he came back to his father, guess what happened? 13:21 Oh, his father is looking for him a long way off. 13:23 Embraced him, yes, and hugged his neck. 13:26 And Jesus is doing the same thing. 13:28 Our heavenly Father is beckoning 13:30 and calling and wooing. 13:31 That's right. 13:33 And that's the power of the gospel. 13:34 Wherever you are today, 13:36 and we want to say thank you for your time 13:38 and now for your conversion, for your willingness, 13:40 for your encouragement to encourage others. 13:42 Amen. Amen. 13:43 Amen. 13:45 And I would just want to thank you 13:46 for your time and what you've been 13:47 doing in spreading the gospel 13:49 and these practical illustrations here. 13:51 We're going to get rid of our trash 13:53 and accept God's rich treasure. 13:56 And we want that for you too. 13:58 If you're tired of your trash, give it to God 14:01 and He will replace that with marvelous treasure. 14:04 God bless. Amen. |
Revised 2021-12-16