Stay tuned to meet a man 00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70 who spends every Christmas in prison. 00:00:02.73\00:00:04.90 My name is Yvonne Lewis 00:00:04.93\00:00:06.27 and you're watching Urban Report. 00:00:06.30\00:00:07.97 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:31.69\00:00:33.63 My guest today is Lemuel Vega, 00:00:33.66\00:00:36.13 he's the president of Christmas Behind Bars 00:00:36.16\00:00:38.90 and he is on fire for Jesus. 00:00:38.93\00:00:41.80 Welcome to Urban Report, Lemuel. 00:00:41.84\00:00:43.61 Thank you, sister. 00:00:43.64\00:00:44.97 You've been here a few times before 00:00:45.01\00:00:46.47 and every time you come, I just love it. 00:00:46.51\00:00:49.11 It's such a blessing 00:00:49.14\00:00:50.48 because what you're doing is it's so impactful, 00:00:50.51\00:00:54.98 it makes such a difference. 00:00:55.02\00:00:56.52 Tell us about Christmas Behind Bars. 00:00:56.55\00:00:58.52 What is it? 00:00:58.55\00:00:59.89 Well, you gave me a nice introduction, 00:00:59.92\00:01:01.26 president of Christmas Behind Bars, 00:01:01.29\00:01:02.62 but it says in the Word of God 00:01:02.66\00:01:03.99 in Matthew 25:31. 00:01:04.03\00:01:05.86 It says, "When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, 00:01:05.89\00:01:09.03 and all the holy angels with him, 00:01:09.06\00:01:11.03 then shall he sit upon his throne of his glory: 00:01:11.07\00:01:13.50 And before him shall be gathered all nations: 00:01:13.54\00:01:16.37 and he shall separate them one from another, 00:01:16.40\00:01:18.47 as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:" 00:01:18.51\00:01:20.78 So we want to be on the winning side, 00:01:20.81\00:01:22.14 amen. Amen. 00:01:22.18\00:01:23.51 Praise God. For sure. 00:01:23.55\00:01:24.88 Christmas Behind Bars is a prison ministry 00:01:24.91\00:01:26.92 that was ordained by God, 00:01:26.95\00:01:30.19 been in prison myself for some years 00:01:30.22\00:01:32.15 and the sad reality is, 00:01:32.19\00:01:33.52 Yvonne, prison doesn't change someone's life. 00:01:33.56\00:01:36.52 Prison doesn't have the ability to, 00:01:36.56\00:01:37.89 and I've told the inmates time and time again, 00:01:37.93\00:01:39.39 if you take a hound dog 00:01:39.43\00:01:41.13 and chain him up to a telephone pole, 00:01:41.16\00:01:43.03 and you tell him not to chase a bunny rabbit, 00:01:43.06\00:01:44.80 you can beat that dog, you can starve that dog, 00:01:44.83\00:01:46.84 you can whip that dog, whatever you want to do, 00:01:46.87\00:01:48.77 but when you let that dog go, he's probably going to... 00:01:48.80\00:01:51.44 Chase the bunny. 00:01:51.47\00:01:52.81 Chase the bunny rabbit 00:01:52.84\00:01:54.18 and so we were born with the sin nature, 00:01:54.21\00:01:55.71 were born with that sin nature, 00:01:55.74\00:01:57.25 unless we got a power greater than ourselves, 00:01:57.28\00:01:59.71 we have no ability to change. 00:01:59.75\00:02:01.58 And so the world is bringing all kinds of medication 00:02:01.62\00:02:03.75 and programs to people 00:02:03.79\00:02:06.12 who have been incarcerated 00:02:06.15\00:02:07.49 telling them this is the way but if God's not in it, 00:02:07.52\00:02:10.66 this is not going to happen. 00:02:10.69\00:02:12.19 If God be for us... 00:02:12.23\00:02:13.70 Who can be against us? Who can be against us? 00:02:13.73\00:02:15.76 So what you're saying is 00:02:15.80\00:02:17.30 all of those things are like a band-aid. 00:02:17.33\00:02:18.73 That's right. 00:02:18.77\00:02:20.10 Because they're not getting to the root, 00:02:20.14\00:02:21.47 everything needs to get to the root 00:02:21.50\00:02:22.84 cause of something, 00:02:22.87\00:02:24.21 like what is the root cause of this behavior, 00:02:24.24\00:02:27.11 it's sin. 00:02:27.14\00:02:28.48 Right. Sin is the root cause. 00:02:28.51\00:02:29.84 And what can change sin? 00:02:29.88\00:02:31.21 What can wash away my sin? 00:02:31.25\00:02:33.05 The shed blood of Jesus Christ. 00:02:33.08\00:02:34.42 Right. 00:02:34.45\00:02:35.78 You know, I had about four years clean 00:02:35.82\00:02:37.15 maybe something like that, 00:02:37.19\00:02:38.52 and I went to the hospital 00:02:38.55\00:02:39.89 because I had this really bad pain. 00:02:39.92\00:02:41.26 It was terrible. It's awful. 00:02:41.29\00:02:42.62 They called the doctor in I was in ER. 00:02:42.66\00:02:44.03 and the doctor tells me they did some x-rays says, 00:02:44.06\00:02:46.19 he's going to admit me to the hospital for a few days, 00:02:46.23\00:02:49.20 and I said, "For what?" 00:02:49.23\00:02:50.57 And he said, "Well, 00:02:50.60\00:02:51.93 we're going to give you morphine 00:02:51.97\00:02:53.30 or demerol treatment for a few days." 00:02:53.34\00:02:54.67 I said, "No, sir" I said, "I'm a drug addict," 00:02:54.70\00:02:56.04 and I said, "You can't." 00:02:56.07\00:02:57.41 He said, "I thought you were in a lot of pain." 00:02:57.44\00:02:58.77 I said, "Sir, I am, I'm in terrible pain, 00:02:58.81\00:03:00.78 but if you give me morphine or demerol today." 00:03:00.81\00:03:02.94 I said it, "On Monday morning, 00:03:02.98\00:03:04.31 my body ain't going to know 00:03:04.35\00:03:05.68 that I don't need that, I can't, 00:03:05.71\00:03:07.05 not supposed to have it." 00:03:07.08\00:03:08.42 And so this doctor educated in medicine. 00:03:08.45\00:03:11.15 He said, "Oh, yeah. 00:03:11.19\00:03:12.82 I used to smoke cigarettes 00:03:12.85\00:03:14.32 and if I would smoke a cigarette today, 00:03:14.36\00:03:15.72 it would make me..." 00:03:15.76\00:03:17.09 I said, "Dude, thank you very much." 00:03:17.13\00:03:18.46 And I went home and laid down. 00:03:18.49\00:03:19.83 My wife got me two Tylenol and I prayed 00:03:19.86\00:03:21.30 and the pain went away, so God is good. 00:03:21.33\00:03:23.26 So, prison ministry is near and dear to my heart 00:03:23.30\00:03:26.07 because there is no help by locking 00:03:26.10\00:03:29.07 the person away for x number of years. 00:03:29.10\00:03:31.01 There is no change available there. 00:03:31.04\00:03:32.97 I got out of prison, 00:03:33.01\00:03:34.71 struggled with drug addiction for 12 years. 00:03:34.74\00:03:37.45 I went to treatment and the doctors tell me, 00:03:37.48\00:03:39.75 I need methadone and I need antabuse. 00:03:39.78\00:03:42.08 I said, "No, dear I don't need." 00:03:42.12\00:03:43.99 I said, "I didn't come here to get high." 00:03:44.02\00:03:45.62 I threw my narcotics in the parking lot that night 00:03:45.65\00:03:47.79 at 10 o'clock walked in the treatment 00:03:47.82\00:03:49.49 and they want to put a band-aid on me 00:03:49.52\00:03:50.96 when I was fixing to die. 00:03:50.99\00:03:52.33 I kneeled down, and prayed 00:03:52.36\00:03:53.70 and asked God for help in my life, 00:03:53.73\00:03:55.16 and by God's grace 00:03:55.20\00:03:56.67 this prison ministry started one year later 00:03:56.70\00:03:59.13 after I committed my life to Christ. 00:03:59.17\00:04:01.07 And I want people to know, 00:04:01.10\00:04:02.50 I want our viewers to know 00:04:02.54\00:04:03.87 to commit your life to Christ for me was as simple as saying, 00:04:03.91\00:04:07.18 "Dear Jesus, please help me. 00:04:07.21\00:04:09.74 I want to quit but I can't." 00:04:09.78\00:04:11.41 So it's not some long drawn out prayer. 00:04:11.45\00:04:13.55 It's a desire for change. 00:04:13.58\00:04:14.92 It says in the Word of God in Matthew 5:6, 00:04:14.95\00:04:16.92 I think it says, "Blessed are they that hunger 00:04:16.95\00:04:20.29 and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." 00:04:20.32\00:04:23.53 So whether they're red, 00:04:23.56\00:04:24.89 yellow, black, or white, 00:04:24.93\00:04:26.26 Christian, Muslim, atheist, incarcerated, 00:04:26.29\00:04:29.56 we all hurt the same. 00:04:29.60\00:04:31.33 It's terrible. 00:04:31.37\00:04:32.70 It's painful. It's awful. 00:04:32.73\00:04:34.07 And God is the only one 00:04:34.10\00:04:35.44 that can begin to mend that brokenness 00:04:35.47\00:04:37.61 that sin has created in our lives since children. 00:04:37.64\00:04:40.88 And I think is great that you said that it... 00:04:40.91\00:04:43.95 You don't have to have some long formal, 00:04:43.98\00:04:46.55 oh thou that art, it's not about that. 00:04:46.58\00:04:50.09 It's about talking to your friend, 00:04:50.12\00:04:52.05 talking to your friend 00:04:52.09\00:04:53.46 that is the King of the universe. 00:04:53.49\00:04:54.82 Amen. 00:04:54.86\00:04:56.19 So you can come before him, you know, and just say, 00:04:56.22\00:04:58.79 "I don't even know how to talk to you. 00:04:58.83\00:05:00.43 I don't even know 00:05:00.46\00:05:01.80 what to say but help me, help me. 00:05:01.83\00:05:04.73 Show me what to say." 00:05:04.77\00:05:06.10 And God's Spirit will begin to help that person 00:05:06.13\00:05:09.30 to pray and open up to God in a whole new way. 00:05:09.34\00:05:12.97 Amen. 00:05:13.01\00:05:14.34 Harrisburg, Illinois a few years ago, 00:05:14.38\00:05:15.98 we had a 16-year-old child. 00:05:16.01\00:05:18.48 We were there, 00:05:18.51\00:05:19.91 we were sharing the ministry of Christmas Behind Bars. 00:05:19.95\00:05:23.39 We gave all the inmates a gift package, 00:05:23.42\00:05:24.99 and there was this one inmate in segregation and he said, 00:05:25.02\00:05:27.89 you know, they're just crying, just crying, he says, 00:05:27.92\00:05:29.96 "I'm tired of the gangs. 00:05:29.99\00:05:31.33 I'm tired of the drugs and I want change for my life." 00:05:31.36\00:05:33.40 And so he sat on the picnic table, 00:05:33.43\00:05:35.23 I just kneeled down right there 00:05:35.26\00:05:36.60 and I had prayer with him and I said, 00:05:36.63\00:05:39.00 "Now you pray," 16 years old he says, 00:05:39.03\00:05:41.44 " I don't know how to pray." 00:05:41.47\00:05:43.57 I said, "Brother, I said, Jesus is your friend." 00:05:43.61\00:05:45.81 I said you talk to him just like your friend." 00:05:45.84\00:05:47.94 You Know, you know how to ask your mama 00:05:47.98\00:05:49.31 when you want something. 00:05:49.34\00:05:50.68 You know, how to ask your daddy 00:05:50.71\00:05:52.05 when you want some. 00:05:52.08\00:05:53.42 You know how to ask adult man 00:05:53.45\00:05:54.78 when you need another pile of dope. 00:05:54.82\00:05:56.15 So we know how to speak and converse to one another 00:05:56.18\00:05:57.52 to convey a message to somebody. 00:05:57.55\00:05:59.12 He's standing at the door knocking, waiting, 00:05:59.15\00:06:01.76 asking you today, to come to him just as you are. 00:06:01.79\00:06:05.29 When we come to Christ, that's called justification. 00:06:05.33\00:06:07.40 You come to him just in your sins, 00:06:07.43\00:06:09.40 just in your situations, 00:06:09.43\00:06:10.77 whatever it is, no matter how painful, 00:06:10.80\00:06:12.43 no matter how unmanageable, no matter how lonely, 00:06:12.47\00:06:14.44 no matter how desperate, 00:06:14.47\00:06:15.80 you just call out to Jesus 00:06:15.84\00:06:17.17 just as you are and that gives him 00:06:17.21\00:06:18.87 the opportunity to come in 00:06:18.91\00:06:20.48 and be your attorney to be your friend. 00:06:20.51\00:06:22.18 That's right. 00:06:22.21\00:06:23.55 And we have to invite him. Amen. 00:06:23.58\00:06:25.71 It's different from Satan 00:06:25.75\00:06:27.82 who just barges in just, you know, 00:06:27.85\00:06:29.78 just does whatever he will, now Jesus is a gentleman. 00:06:29.82\00:06:33.66 That's right. 00:06:33.69\00:06:35.02 He is going to wait for you to invite him 00:06:35.06\00:06:36.52 and then once you do, 00:06:36.56\00:06:37.93 he said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." 00:06:37.96\00:06:40.03 I'm knocking at the door of your heart. 00:06:40.06\00:06:41.40 Amen. 00:06:41.43\00:06:42.76 I'm knocking, now open the door. 00:06:42.80\00:06:44.27 And if you open the door, 00:06:44.30\00:06:45.67 I'll come in and I'll sup with you, 00:06:45.70\00:06:48.20 I'll come in and share with you. 00:06:48.24\00:06:50.24 We will get to know each other. 00:06:50.27\00:06:52.07 When you eat with somebody that's an intimate act, 00:06:52.11\00:06:54.68 you know, you're going to break bread with somebody, eat. 00:06:54.71\00:06:57.28 That's an intimate thing. 00:06:57.31\00:06:58.81 Jesus said, "I'll come in, I'll sup with you, 00:06:58.85\00:07:02.48 I will give you your needs, just open the door." 00:07:02.52\00:07:06.65 And so that's what you do with Christmas Behind Bars. 00:07:06.69\00:07:10.29 You take information, and you take gifts to inmates 00:07:10.33\00:07:14.43 and you are inviting them to open the door to Jesus. 00:07:14.46\00:07:18.43 Oh, amen. 00:07:18.47\00:07:19.80 We were in... 00:07:19.83\00:07:21.20 We were in this huge prison, it wasn't, it was last year, 00:07:21.24\00:07:24.01 we were in this huge prison and it's a voluntary program 00:07:24.04\00:07:28.31 that inmates come out to the program, 00:07:28.34\00:07:29.68 they don't have to come so. 00:07:29.71\00:07:31.05 So the chapel is full of inmates, 00:07:31.08\00:07:32.41 it's a last program 00:07:32.45\00:07:33.78 and I have the chaplain come up to me 00:07:33.82\00:07:35.15 right before the program started 00:07:35.18\00:07:36.52 and inmates were already seated, 00:07:36.55\00:07:37.89 already started talking to me, 00:07:37.92\00:07:39.25 chaplain come up and he whispers in my ear, 00:07:39.29\00:07:40.62 he says, "You got the main Muslim, 00:07:40.66\00:07:42.82 the main Muslim leader in the whole prison 00:07:42.86\00:07:44.79 in the service here." 00:07:44.83\00:07:46.16 And I'm thinking, "Why are you telling me that." 00:07:46.19\00:07:48.33 And we talked and then we did the program, 00:07:48.36\00:07:50.03 we talked, we closed with prayer. 00:07:50.07\00:07:51.93 All the inmates left but there were two inmates 00:07:51.97\00:07:54.27 sitting in the middle of the chapel 00:07:54.30\00:07:55.94 and they come walking up to me 00:07:55.97\00:07:57.34 and the big guy says, 00:07:57.37\00:07:58.71 "Hey, would you have prayer for my mama, 00:07:58.74\00:08:01.81 she's really sick." 00:08:01.84\00:08:03.18 We go in the back room, 00:08:03.21\00:08:04.55 we kneel down, we had prayer, 00:08:04.58\00:08:05.91 she got cancer and you know I had prayer for, 00:08:05.95\00:08:08.08 I said, "Lord, we know you can heal, 00:08:08.12\00:08:09.45 nevertheless not our will." 00:08:09.48\00:08:10.85 And he left, 00:08:10.89\00:08:12.22 chaplain come running up to me said, 00:08:12.25\00:08:13.59 "What did he want? What did he want?" 00:08:13.62\00:08:14.99 I said, well, he wanted to have prayer. 00:08:15.02\00:08:16.36 He said, "That's the guy." 00:08:16.39\00:08:17.73 And I'm thinking, "Wow, Lord, what a awesome opportunity." 00:08:17.76\00:08:20.40 But the guy left, I said, 00:08:20.43\00:08:21.76 "I'll probably never meet him again. 00:08:21.80\00:08:23.13 He's gone left." 00:08:23.16\00:08:24.50 And then just a few weeks ago sister, 00:08:24.53\00:08:25.90 we were in that same prison 00:08:25.93\00:08:27.34 and I'm thinking about this guy, 00:08:27.37\00:08:28.70 I don't know his name. I don't know his number. 00:08:28.74\00:08:30.31 I don't remember what he looked like. 00:08:30.34\00:08:31.67 Right. 00:08:31.71\00:08:33.04 Last service in the prison, 00:08:33.07\00:08:34.44 the last day, the last program 00:08:34.48\00:08:36.41 this man came walking up to me and he said, 00:08:36.44\00:08:38.35 "You probably don't remember me." 00:08:38.38\00:08:40.18 He said, "But last year you had." 00:08:40.22\00:08:41.55 I said, "Yes," 00:08:41.58\00:08:42.92 I said, "I had prayer with you about your mom." 00:08:42.95\00:08:44.59 I said, "How she doing." 00:08:44.62\00:08:45.95 And he said, "Mama doing so much better." 00:08:45.99\00:08:48.82 He said, "I'd like you to have prayer with me this year, 00:08:48.86\00:08:51.26 I'm thinking about being a Christian." 00:08:51.29\00:08:52.83 Wow. 00:08:52.86\00:08:54.20 So the fruit that was in, 00:08:54.23\00:08:55.56 the seeds that were sown 00:08:55.60\00:08:56.93 begin to produce hope or a spark in his life 00:08:56.97\00:08:59.70 and now he want to have prayer. 00:08:59.73\00:09:01.27 He's considering being a Christian 00:09:01.30\00:09:02.87 and so wherever they are, 00:09:02.90\00:09:04.44 we all hurt the same and Jesus is the answer, 00:09:04.47\00:09:06.81 the common denominator 00:09:06.84\00:09:08.18 for the pain of sin in our world. 00:09:08.21\00:09:09.74 There's some pictures that maybe we could show, 00:09:09.78\00:09:11.88 I don't know if we have time for those. 00:09:11.91\00:09:13.25 Oh, sure. 00:09:13.28\00:09:14.62 Let show them. Okay. 00:09:14.65\00:09:15.98 Tell us what is that? 00:09:16.02\00:09:17.35 This picture here is actually the cell house, 00:09:17.39\00:09:18.75 where I spent my years in a maximum security prison, 00:09:18.79\00:09:21.26 and now I'm on the steps of that 00:09:21.29\00:09:23.79 ministering to the inmates, 00:09:23.83\00:09:25.29 so we have opportunity to go into that prison. 00:09:25.33\00:09:26.93 The next picture here is just kind of one of the corners 00:09:26.96\00:09:30.30 where I'd see from day to day, 00:09:30.33\00:09:31.67 it looks really, really rough and it was a, 00:09:31.70\00:09:33.90 it is a maximum security prison, 00:09:33.94\00:09:35.27 it's an old prison. 00:09:35.30\00:09:36.64 But now the next picture here, this is phenomenal. 00:09:36.67\00:09:38.77 This is actually my wife 00:09:38.81\00:09:40.38 and we're standing in the guard's hall 00:09:40.41\00:09:42.31 and she would come and visit me in the prison. 00:09:42.34\00:09:44.61 Every two weeks, she'd come and visit me. 00:09:44.65\00:09:46.55 She'd send me letters of encouragement, 00:09:46.58\00:09:48.15 "Don't give up, God loves you, you're not forgotten." 00:09:48.18\00:09:50.39 So God has brought up a full circle, amen. 00:09:50.42\00:09:52.39 Yes, amen. 00:09:52.42\00:09:53.76 So, and I know he's kind of done 00:09:53.79\00:09:55.86 some neat things in your life, 00:09:55.89\00:09:57.23 because you come and helped us at a prison in Indiana. 00:09:57.26\00:09:59.53 And it was such a blessing. 00:09:59.56\00:10:00.90 I loved it, 00:10:00.93\00:10:02.26 it was a women's prison in Indiana, 00:10:02.30\00:10:04.30 and it was a Christmas program. 00:10:04.33\00:10:06.00 That's right. 00:10:06.03\00:10:07.37 And you had some other volunteers there, 00:10:07.40\00:10:08.80 and Jason and I went and we gave our testimonies, 00:10:08.84\00:10:11.64 and I saying... 00:10:11.67\00:10:13.01 Amen. 00:10:13.04\00:10:14.38 And always just such a beautiful experience, 00:10:14.41\00:10:15.84 I mean really it's... 00:10:15.88\00:10:17.28 for me it waters my spirit to be able to share 00:10:17.31\00:10:20.95 what Jesus has done with women that are hungry 00:10:20.98\00:10:24.05 to know what Jesus can do for them. 00:10:24.09\00:10:27.62 What, how he can change their lives, 00:10:27.66\00:10:29.56 so it was, it was a wonderful experience. 00:10:29.59\00:10:32.03 What would you say to the viewers 00:10:32.06\00:10:33.70 because they've done...? 00:10:33.73\00:10:35.23 When you go to prison, you made headlines 00:10:35.26\00:10:37.23 and it's for the negative. 00:10:37.27\00:10:38.60 What would you share with the viewers about 00:10:38.63\00:10:39.97 how these women were 00:10:40.00\00:10:41.54 because they were like really bad 00:10:41.57\00:10:43.00 supposedly by society standards to be put in the prison? 00:10:43.04\00:10:45.61 But how did you feel and sense their spirit? 00:10:45.64\00:10:48.98 Oh, beautiful. 00:10:49.01\00:10:50.48 I mean they look like they're just regular women. 00:10:50.51\00:10:56.69 I don't mean that in a pejorative sense, 00:10:56.72\00:10:58.85 in a negative sense, 00:10:58.89\00:11:00.22 I mean that there wasn't anybody that 00:11:00.26\00:11:02.66 looked like some know, 00:11:02.69\00:11:04.86 raving lunatic or some terrible criminal. 00:11:04.89\00:11:08.76 They just looked like women that were incarcerated. 00:11:08.80\00:11:12.33 Women who were broken, 00:11:12.37\00:11:14.07 women who were hurting, 00:11:14.10\00:11:15.44 women who could smile, 00:11:15.47\00:11:18.34 women who would appreciate 00:11:18.37\00:11:20.21 just a word of encouragement, just a song, 00:11:20.24\00:11:23.11 that can point them to heaven. 00:11:23.14\00:11:26.61 For me it was like, 00:11:26.65\00:11:29.78 it was such a blessing to be able to share 00:11:29.82\00:11:33.46 what God has done for me 00:11:33.49\00:11:34.82 and know that they were 00:11:34.86\00:11:36.19 so appreciative of receiving it. 00:11:36.22\00:11:38.73 They just, they just appreciate your being there 00:11:38.76\00:11:41.90 and they're hungry for it. 00:11:41.93\00:11:43.47 They need it. 00:11:43.50\00:11:44.83 One of our friends 00:11:44.87\00:11:47.34 who is also in prison ministry said, 00:11:47.37\00:11:49.10 "People are either in prison. 00:11:49.14\00:11:51.34 Either they're going to have Christ or crime." 00:11:51.37\00:11:54.98 Right. 00:11:55.01\00:11:56.34 You pick, as Christians we want to give them Christ. 00:11:56.38\00:11:59.05 And that's what you're doing them, 00:11:59.08\00:12:01.02 when you go into the women's prisons, 00:12:01.05\00:12:02.95 when you go into the men's prisons, 00:12:02.98\00:12:04.62 you are bringing them not just literature, 00:12:04.65\00:12:07.62 you're bringing them gifts too. 00:12:07.66\00:12:09.46 And so many times they don't have any family. 00:12:09.49\00:12:12.26 They have nobody visiting them. 00:12:12.29\00:12:14.03 People have given up on them, right. 00:12:14.06\00:12:15.60 Absolutely. 00:12:15.63\00:12:16.97 For some this will be the only visit they get. 00:12:17.00\00:12:20.44 For some they don't have money on commissary, 00:12:20.47\00:12:22.50 they can't buy things in the prison, 00:12:22.54\00:12:24.04 and so it's just a beautiful thing 00:12:24.07\00:12:25.64 through our sponsorship 00:12:25.67\00:12:27.01 of the Christmas Behind Bars ministry. 00:12:27.04\00:12:28.71 You know we're able to give them 00:12:28.74\00:12:30.08 sometimes toothbrush, toothpaste, 00:12:30.11\00:12:31.45 soap, shampoo, 00:12:31.48\00:12:32.81 and you know you would think 00:12:32.85\00:12:34.18 that the prison provides that for them 00:12:34.22\00:12:35.55 and some prisons do, 00:12:35.58\00:12:36.92 but it's called an indigent toothbrush, 00:12:36.95\00:12:38.35 and so after you brush your teeth 00:12:38.39\00:12:39.72 about four or five times, 00:12:39.75\00:12:41.09 the bristles are all flat and it's just of no value. 00:12:41.12\00:12:43.53 So it's just a blessing to give them tangible gifts, 00:12:43.56\00:12:46.86 and at the same time let them know 00:12:46.90\00:12:48.86 that there's hope for their life... 00:12:48.90\00:12:50.33 And these are things we take for granted. 00:12:50.37\00:12:51.70 That's right. 00:12:51.73\00:12:53.07 You know, 00:12:53.10\00:12:54.44 we take our toothbrushes for granted. 00:12:54.47\00:12:55.80 That's right. 00:12:55.84\00:12:57.17 We take soap and deodorant for granted. 00:12:57.21\00:12:58.54 Right. 00:12:58.57\00:12:59.91 And yet these are things that are so important. 00:12:59.94\00:13:01.28 I want to go back a bit to the Muslim 00:13:01.31\00:13:04.21 because look at how God used you... 00:13:04.25\00:13:07.48 Praise God. Yes. 00:13:07.52\00:13:09.32 When you prayed for his mother and his mother got better. 00:13:09.35\00:13:13.42 So he was able to see that that prayer was answered, 00:13:13.46\00:13:16.66 that prayer that you prayed 00:13:16.69\00:13:18.03 in the name of Jesus was answered. 00:13:18.06\00:13:20.46 So now, his heart is softened. 00:13:20.50\00:13:22.76 Now he's open to more, 00:13:22.80\00:13:25.37 he is considering being a Christian, 00:13:25.40\00:13:27.54 so we want to ask you viewers to pray for that man, 00:13:27.57\00:13:30.27 pray for him, pray that 00:13:30.31\00:13:31.97 God will continue to move on his heart, 00:13:32.01\00:13:34.38 to open his heart to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:13:34.41\00:13:37.78 And more and more people are like that 00:13:37.81\00:13:40.72 if we can just share this word with everybody in there. 00:13:40.75\00:13:45.15 I mean my heart just breaks for those that are incarcerated 00:13:45.19\00:13:49.52 because so many times they're like throwaways 00:13:49.56\00:13:51.13 Amen. 00:13:51.16\00:13:52.49 And the first year, you know, 00:13:52.53\00:13:53.86 I don't remember him praying, we prayed together. 00:13:53.90\00:13:56.53 Now just a few weeks ago, 00:13:56.56\00:13:58.07 we kneeled down in the same room 00:13:58.10\00:13:59.43 in the back of the auditorium there, 00:13:59.47\00:14:01.07 and I prayed and I said, "Now you pray." 00:14:01.10\00:14:03.51 And he did pray. 00:14:03.54\00:14:05.14 You know, he shared a few words 00:14:05.17\00:14:06.51 and my wife sent him a study Bible. 00:14:06.54\00:14:08.18 Thanks to our sponsors that make Bibles possible. 00:14:08.21\00:14:10.58 So now he has a study Bible and it's just, 00:14:10.61\00:14:13.55 we just leave it in the Lord's hands, 00:14:13.58\00:14:14.92 so it's a real blessing. 00:14:14.95\00:14:16.28 Amen, amen. 00:14:16.32\00:14:17.65 There's a few more pictures if we have time for those. 00:14:17.69\00:14:19.02 Yeah, let's get them. Yeah. 00:14:19.05\00:14:20.56 What's that? 00:14:20.59\00:14:22.36 This is secure, maximum security prison, 00:14:22.39\00:14:25.69 and it's a pick up truck, we pull a trailer 00:14:25.73\00:14:28.53 and we're delivering packages, this is at the back gate. 00:14:28.56\00:14:31.93 We should have a couple more pictures 00:14:31.97\00:14:33.34 of just some prisons. 00:14:33.37\00:14:34.70 This is another prison. 00:14:34.74\00:14:36.37 It just shows the security is high, 00:14:36.40\00:14:39.14 but on the other hand, 00:14:39.17\00:14:40.51 God is opening doors in great ways. 00:14:40.54\00:14:42.14 So we can go to many countries and share the gospel. 00:14:42.18\00:14:44.51 But right here in our own community, 00:14:44.55\00:14:46.82 and you know, I told my wife, 00:14:46.85\00:14:48.48 it's been a few months ago. 00:14:48.52\00:14:50.15 I told her on the way to our prison 00:14:50.19\00:14:51.52 very early in the morning. 00:14:51.55\00:14:52.89 I said, "Baby, 00:14:52.92\00:14:54.26 I said, I believe that 00:14:54.29\00:14:55.62 this is one of the last reachable people groups 00:14:55.66\00:14:57.86 in the United Sates of America, 00:14:57.89\00:14:59.76 " because they're in prison, they want change, 00:14:59.79\00:15:02.16 but once they out in the world, 00:15:02.20\00:15:04.07 they're thinking about more foods stamps, 00:15:04.10\00:15:05.43 better job, better wife, 00:15:05.47\00:15:06.80 better car, all this temporal things, 00:15:06.84\00:15:09.20 but when they are incarcerated, 00:15:09.24\00:15:10.57 they hurt, they feel terrible, 00:15:10.61\00:15:11.97 they feel rejected, they feel ashamed. 00:15:12.01\00:15:14.11 And we can go in there and say, 00:15:14.14\00:15:15.48 bro, we love you, it don't matter what. 00:15:15.51\00:15:17.05 It don't matter your nationality, 00:15:17.08\00:15:19.65 your religious, 00:15:19.68\00:15:21.02 we love you and we come for all people. 00:15:21.05\00:15:23.05 And that's the gift of eternal life 00:15:23.08\00:15:24.45 through Jesus Christ, 00:15:24.49\00:15:25.82 he came and died for all people 00:15:25.85\00:15:28.12 that whosoever that every nation, 00:15:28.16\00:15:30.53 kindred and whosoever, 00:15:30.56\00:15:32.19 looketh, believeth in him shall be saved. 00:15:32.23\00:15:35.23 So that's the power of the gospel. 00:15:35.26\00:15:36.67 And if we don't tell them now, 00:15:36.70\00:15:38.43 then they'll die and they'll perish 00:15:38.47\00:15:41.54 without the plan of salvation. 00:15:41.57\00:15:43.17 So we want to go 00:15:43.20\00:15:44.54 and we appreciate your support for that. 00:15:44.57\00:15:48.41 What you're doing is just... 00:15:48.44\00:15:50.55 I mean it's just phenomenal because you're reaching, 00:15:50.58\00:15:52.55 you're doing what Jesus did, 00:15:52.58\00:15:53.92 you reach people where they are, right. 00:15:53.95\00:15:56.55 And then, you know, 00:15:56.58\00:15:58.69 you move forward from there, they need, 00:15:58.72\00:16:01.32 they are hurting, they are alone, 00:16:01.36\00:16:03.02 they are lonely and you're going in 00:16:03.06\00:16:05.99 and you're showing them love and that's what Jesus did. 00:16:06.03\00:16:08.63 And I do want to say something, 00:16:08.66\00:16:10.00 there's many different prison ministries out there 00:16:10.03\00:16:12.23 and we appreciate everyone. 00:16:12.27\00:16:13.60 But a lot of times, folks would go down to a prison 00:16:13.64\00:16:16.30 and they volunteer their time. 00:16:16.34\00:16:17.87 And so they have a designated time, 00:16:17.91\00:16:19.54 you come down here every Monday evening 00:16:19.57\00:16:20.91 or every Friday evening or every Sabbath morning, 00:16:20.94\00:16:22.61 whatever, you come down to prison, 00:16:22.64\00:16:24.05 you have a time slot of an hour 00:16:24.08\00:16:25.41 and 30 or 40 peoples come out of the prison 00:16:25.45\00:16:28.32 out of 2000 that's great. 00:16:28.35\00:16:29.72 So you have a Bible study with those 30 or 40, 00:16:29.75\00:16:31.75 but with Christmas Behind Bars when we go in, 00:16:31.79\00:16:33.96 we've a gift package for the whole 2000, 00:16:33.99\00:16:36.32 the whole 3000, 00:16:36.36\00:16:37.69 the 1700, the 1400, 00:16:37.73\00:16:39.46 so everyone gets invited to come out. 00:16:39.49\00:16:42.63 And by God's grace we're able to put the books, 00:16:42.66\00:16:44.80 The Desirer of Ages, The Great Controversy, 00:16:44.83\00:16:46.77 Steps to Christ throughout the whole prison, 00:16:46.80\00:16:48.74 and I want to tell you the fruit of one book, 00:16:48.77\00:16:51.11 in inmate's hands. 00:16:51.14\00:16:52.47 Yes, tell us. 00:16:52.51\00:16:53.84 We're at this county jail, it's a huge county jail, 00:16:53.88\00:16:56.11 and we're there with some volunteers. 00:16:56.14\00:16:57.85 It's two stories, 00:16:57.88\00:16:59.21 and I had these guys look over the range 00:16:59.25\00:17:00.58 and they locked over and they said, 00:17:00.62\00:17:01.95 "Are you a Sabbath keeper." 00:17:01.98\00:17:03.89 I said, "What you know about Sabbath?" 00:17:03.92\00:17:05.59 I said, "Hold on," 00:17:05.62\00:17:06.96 and I went up there and they got this book. 00:17:06.99\00:17:08.86 The Antichrist Agenda 00:17:08.89\00:17:10.66 by Danny Shelton and Shelley Quinn, 00:17:10.69\00:17:12.69 and they pulled this book out and they said, 00:17:12.73\00:17:14.46 we got the truth. 00:17:14.50\00:17:16.00 We understand, we see what's going. 00:17:16.03\00:17:17.83 I only had a few minutes with him, 00:17:17.87\00:17:19.80 I said, "Brothers, you keep seeking." 00:17:19.83\00:17:21.50 And they were great big dudes. 00:17:21.54\00:17:23.64 I said, "You keep seeking and keep studying. 00:17:23.67\00:17:25.21 I said, God's gonna use you in a mighty way." 00:17:25.24\00:17:27.04 So one book put into these people's hands. 00:17:27.08\00:17:29.74 Multitudes of material going there, 00:17:29.78\00:17:31.75 but one book put into these people's hands, 00:17:31.78\00:17:34.22 they receive the gospel. 00:17:34.25\00:17:35.58 So if any of the viewers want to donate a case of books, 00:17:35.62\00:17:38.22 they can call 3ABN. 00:17:38.25\00:17:39.65 They can say donate Christmas Behind Bars. 00:17:39.69\00:17:41.22 They call 3ABN, they can donate cases 00:17:41.26\00:17:43.53 and we'll get them into the prisoner's hand, so... 00:17:43.56\00:17:45.16 That will be tremendous. 00:17:45.19\00:17:46.53 In fact I think we need to tell them how they can... 00:17:46.56\00:17:49.13 What's your website, 00:17:49.16\00:17:50.73 so that they can go and donate financially 00:17:50.77\00:17:53.10 or they can find out 00:17:53.13\00:17:55.34 where to send books or whatever? 00:17:55.37\00:17:56.97 What if they want to volunteer? 00:17:57.01\00:17:58.37 That would be a blessing to have them volunteer, 00:17:58.41\00:18:00.24 they can make cards 00:18:00.28\00:18:01.61 or get involved in their own jail or prison. 00:18:01.64\00:18:03.11 We'd like to help other people network and do that. 00:18:03.14\00:18:05.58 So you're all over the country, right? 00:18:05.61\00:18:08.28 Is your ministry all over? 00:18:08.32\00:18:10.25 Where is it? 00:18:10.29\00:18:11.62 Yeah, Oklahoma, Candes, 00:18:11.65\00:18:13.19 Illinois, Arkansas, Minnesota, 00:18:13.22\00:18:15.09 Georgia, Tennessee, 00:18:15.12\00:18:16.83 new prison coming up in Tennessee, 00:18:16.86\00:18:18.26 Virginia, 00:18:18.29\00:18:19.63 so wherever the Lord opens the doors 00:18:19.66\00:18:21.23 and it's through sponsors that make it possible for us 00:18:21.26\00:18:23.26 to come to their state or their area. 00:18:23.30\00:18:24.70 So you are 100 percent donor supported. 00:18:24.73\00:18:27.77 100 percent donor supported, 00:18:27.80\00:18:29.24 and we're 100 percent volunteer, 00:18:29.27\00:18:30.61 so we don't get paid a dime for what we are doing, 00:18:30.64\00:18:32.64 so every dollar that's donated goes right into the ministry 00:18:32.67\00:18:35.31 so praise the Lord. 00:18:35.34\00:18:36.68 Amen, amen, so what's your website. 00:18:36.71\00:18:38.51 It is ChristmasBehindBars.org. 00:18:38.55\00:18:40.72 Great. 00:18:40.75\00:18:42.08 ChristmasBehindBars.org 00:18:42.12\00:18:43.45 and they can go online and look 00:18:43.49\00:18:44.92 and get my email address or calls us 00:18:44.95\00:18:47.09 or whatever that would be great. 00:18:47.12\00:18:48.46 Tell us, give us a couple of stories of how 00:18:48.49\00:18:51.26 Christmas Behind Bars has impacted inmates? 00:18:51.29\00:18:54.70 Well, there was one lady in the county jail. 00:18:54.73\00:18:57.07 And someone had told her about the Sabbath. 00:18:57.10\00:19:00.30 She got locked up, 00:19:00.34\00:19:01.67 she is in this pod with 10, 15, 20 girls 00:19:01.70\00:19:03.94 and someone told her about the Sabbath. 00:19:03.97\00:19:05.67 Said, yeah, yeah whatever. 00:19:05.71\00:19:07.04 She did something really bad and she got put in segregation. 00:19:07.08\00:19:09.38 So she goes to segregation... 00:19:09.41\00:19:10.98 Explain segregation to those who don't know. 00:19:11.01\00:19:13.11 Segregation means you can't function in the pack. 00:19:13.15\00:19:15.62 You've got to go into this little room 00:19:15.65\00:19:17.25 by yourself with nobody. 00:19:17.29\00:19:18.92 You don't get anything, any privileges, 00:19:18.95\00:19:20.56 all your stuff is taken away 00:19:20.59\00:19:21.92 so you're in solitary confinement 00:19:21.96\00:19:23.39 with a bed, a toilet, 00:19:23.43\00:19:24.79 and your meals come through this little slot, 00:19:24.83\00:19:26.83 no communication with nobody. 00:19:26.86\00:19:28.40 So she got moved from the pod, was told about the Sabbath, 00:19:28.43\00:19:31.17 gets put in segregation lockdown 00:19:31.20\00:19:33.77 and was written on the wall 00:19:33.80\00:19:35.14 about the Sabbath is the Seventh-day of the week 00:19:35.17\00:19:37.51 was written on the wall. 00:19:37.54\00:19:39.01 So she's icon it, she heard this. 00:19:39.04\00:19:40.61 Now she sees it and in her bag, 00:19:40.64\00:19:43.08 she got the Ten Commandments Twice Removed. 00:19:43.11\00:19:45.21 She wrote a letter said, 00:19:45.25\00:19:46.58 "I now know that the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week 00:19:46.61\00:19:50.22 and that's Saturday. 00:19:50.25\00:19:51.59 So praise the Lord. 00:19:51.62\00:19:52.95 So, so little things are going forward 00:19:52.99\00:19:54.32 and that we don't even, 00:19:54.36\00:19:55.72 you know, we don't know about it. 00:19:55.76\00:19:57.09 There have been baptisms, you know, 00:19:57.13\00:19:58.86 people make commitments to Christ. 00:19:58.89\00:20:00.50 Many study Bibles have went out and so it's just, 00:20:00.53\00:20:04.63 it's just phenomenal, it's a great blessing. 00:20:04.67\00:20:06.63 That is so great. 00:20:06.67\00:20:08.00 Did you bring more pictures? 00:20:08.04\00:20:09.37 Do we have more pictures or was that it? 00:20:09.40\00:20:10.74 We have a picture that's really, 00:20:10.77\00:20:12.11 a really solemn picture, 00:20:12.14\00:20:13.48 it's near and dear to my heart 00:20:13.51\00:20:14.84 and we'll look at that picture right now. 00:20:14.88\00:20:17.01 This picture here is what happens to people 00:20:17.05\00:20:20.08 when they die in prison 00:20:20.12\00:20:21.98 if they don't have any family members 00:20:22.02\00:20:23.69 to come and claim their body. 00:20:23.72\00:20:25.05 So it's a graveyard, 00:20:25.09\00:20:28.09 a cemetery outside the prison 00:20:28.12\00:20:29.49 and all these tombstones represent somebody 00:20:29.52\00:20:32.29 that didn't have nobody, 00:20:32.33\00:20:34.23 but if we can just connect them with Christ 00:20:34.26\00:20:36.50 during their time of incarceration 00:20:36.53\00:20:38.93 and if Jesus be for them, who can be against them. 00:20:38.97\00:20:42.60 So if God be for us, who can be against us? 00:20:42.64\00:20:45.04 And so, we want to give them the everlasting gospel. 00:20:45.07\00:20:47.84 We want to let them know there's pardon and forgiveness 00:20:47.88\00:20:50.05 before they're laid to rest. 00:20:50.08\00:20:51.71 Because so many times, 00:20:51.75\00:20:53.08 we go to, we go to memorials, 00:20:53.11\00:20:54.88 and we go to funerals 00:20:54.92\00:20:56.48 and the pastor says all these good words over, 00:20:56.52\00:20:58.95 "Billy Bob that died with a nine millimeter in his hand, 00:20:58.99\00:21:01.52 a pocket full of dope, doesn't kill somebody." 00:21:01.56\00:21:04.19 And the pastor wants to say, he's in heaven now. 00:21:04.23\00:21:06.16 It don't go that way, is today in this life 00:21:06.19\00:21:09.30 that will prepare for the judgment. 00:21:09.33\00:21:11.17 You know we were at the hospital ward 00:21:11.20\00:21:13.03 not so long ago, 00:21:13.07\00:21:14.40 and this, I went in the cancer unit 00:21:14.44\00:21:16.71 and there were three individuals laying in the beds 00:21:16.74\00:21:19.07 and they were all very, very sick. 00:21:19.11\00:21:20.58 The first guy, I began to tell about Jesus 00:21:20.61\00:21:22.81 and the guy said, 00:21:22.84\00:21:24.18 "Oh, I read my Bible every day for half hour." 00:21:24.21\00:21:25.91 But the programs 00:21:25.95\00:21:27.28 he was watching was all the sex 00:21:27.32\00:21:28.68 and the drugs and the drama 00:21:28.72\00:21:30.05 that you see on Main Street 00:21:30.09\00:21:31.72 and I just, there's nothing I could say. 00:21:31.75\00:21:34.52 He reads his Bible but that's his choice. 00:21:34.56\00:21:36.42 Second guy, I walked up to 00:21:36.46\00:21:38.53 and he looked like he should be in a concentration camp. 00:21:38.56\00:21:40.70 His body had wasted away, he couldn't talk 00:21:40.73\00:21:43.13 and what do you say to a man that you've never met before, 00:21:43.16\00:21:45.70 and I just open the Word of God and I begin to read Psalms 23 00:21:45.73\00:21:49.37 and I said, "The Lord is my shepherd, 00:21:49.40\00:21:50.94 " I was right there by his bed. 00:21:50.97\00:21:52.31 And I said, "The Lord is my shepherd, 00:21:52.34\00:21:53.68 I shall not want." 00:21:53.71\00:21:55.04 And something inspired me to ask him, 00:21:55.08\00:21:57.61 "Is the Lord your shepherd?" 00:21:57.65\00:21:59.78 And he shook his head and he begin to cry 00:21:59.81\00:22:03.18 and then I begin to tell him that, 00:22:03.22\00:22:04.55 "Yea, thou we walk through the valley 00:22:04.59\00:22:05.92 of the shadow of death, 00:22:05.95\00:22:07.29 and surely goodness and mercy..." 00:22:07.32\00:22:08.66 and he couldn't even talk 00:22:08.69\00:22:10.46 and I don't know what decision he made 00:22:10.49\00:22:11.83 but as we prayed he clung to my hand. 00:22:11.86\00:22:14.06 And I know that there was 00:22:14.10\00:22:15.43 something more positive than what he had. 00:22:15.46\00:22:17.50 And so, we may never meet these people on this earth, 00:22:17.53\00:22:19.73 but girl, I look forward throughout eternity to looking, 00:22:19.77\00:22:23.10 speaking with the rejected in this society, 00:22:23.14\00:22:25.97 in this life throughout eternity with Jesus. 00:22:26.01\00:22:28.34 Yes, brother, you know, as you were talking... 00:22:28.38\00:22:32.18 First of all the pictures of those graves, you know, 00:22:32.21\00:22:35.02 when you think about 00:22:35.05\00:22:36.45 people going to the grave without knowing about Christ. 00:22:36.48\00:22:39.65 See I think, we think that 00:22:39.69\00:22:41.16 everybody knows about Jesus. 00:22:41.19\00:22:42.82 No, they don't. 00:22:42.86\00:22:44.19 Everybody doesn't know about Jesus. 00:22:44.23\00:22:45.56 We have to take Jesus to them. Amen. 00:22:45.59\00:22:48.86 And even if they die, 00:22:48.90\00:22:50.47 even if they're buried in that cemetery, 00:22:50.50\00:22:52.90 they die in the Lord. 00:22:52.93\00:22:54.77 They'll be resurrected in the Lord. 00:22:54.80\00:22:56.24 They'll be resurrected in Him and have eternity with Him. 00:22:56.27\00:23:01.18 So to me it's like, it's a no-brainer. 00:23:01.21\00:23:04.21 We have to get the word into the prisons. 00:23:04.25\00:23:07.92 They are a captive audience so to speak so, 00:23:07.95\00:23:10.85 they have time to study, 00:23:10.89\00:23:12.55 they have time to learn about Jesus, 00:23:12.59\00:23:14.02 and really, I mean 00:23:14.06\00:23:15.42 not only is it helping them spiritually, 00:23:15.46\00:23:17.86 it's helping us socially because when they come out, 00:23:17.89\00:23:21.10 they are changed people 00:23:21.13\00:23:22.66 if they've gotten converted in prison. 00:23:22.70\00:23:25.40 So now, we won't have recidivism. 00:23:25.43\00:23:27.37 We won't have the same burden on society. 00:23:27.40\00:23:29.47 I mean it's like what. 00:23:29.50\00:23:31.74 it's like what is there to think about? 00:23:31.77\00:23:33.48 We need to get the word in 00:23:33.51\00:23:35.54 and everybody can't go into the prisons themselves, 00:23:35.58\00:23:38.95 but that's why we have programs like 00:23:38.98\00:23:40.95 Christmas Behind Bars 00:23:40.98\00:23:42.65 where you're doing the work, 00:23:42.68\00:23:44.35 you got volunteers to do the work, 00:23:44.39\00:23:46.32 and if people want to volunteer they can, 00:23:46.35\00:23:48.52 but you still are handling that, 00:23:48.56\00:23:51.46 we should support you in that. 00:23:51.49\00:23:52.89 Amen. 00:23:52.93\00:23:54.26 Well, thank you very much. We should support you. 00:23:54.30\00:23:55.63 I had a guy that got out of prison, 00:23:55.66\00:23:57.00 he got a book, he got a packet 00:23:57.03\00:23:58.37 when he was in the county jail, 00:23:58.40\00:23:59.73 he begin to understand reading the Bible 00:23:59.77\00:24:01.10 and he got the phonebook out 00:24:01.14\00:24:02.47 and he looked up at Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:24:02.50\00:24:03.87 and he started sending tithe to the Adventist church. 00:24:03.91\00:24:06.14 He got out, he joined the church, 00:24:06.17\00:24:07.64 he was baptized, 00:24:07.68\00:24:09.01 the church want to have a revival in the community. 00:24:09.04\00:24:10.65 And he said, 00:24:10.68\00:24:12.01 "Before we can have a revival in the community, 00:24:12.05\00:24:14.18 we need to have a revival in the church." 00:24:14.22\00:24:15.78 Oh, wow. 00:24:15.82\00:24:17.15 And so this man was willing to read 00:24:17.19\00:24:18.52 and study the Bible with him 00:24:18.55\00:24:19.89 after potluck and after church 00:24:19.92\00:24:21.26 and we do need a revival in the church. 00:24:21.29\00:24:22.69 And as we are in active service, 00:24:22.72\00:24:24.76 it may not be prison ministry. 00:24:24.79\00:24:26.46 We are in active service for your neighbor, 00:24:26.49\00:24:28.30 babysitting for your neighbor's children 00:24:28.33\00:24:29.66 and helping out, 00:24:29.70\00:24:31.03 active service is what God wants us 00:24:31.07\00:24:32.47 to evangelize the world through one heart at a time. 00:24:32.50\00:24:35.17 So prison ministry is valuable, near and dear to my heart 00:24:35.20\00:24:37.64 because I was there, 00:24:37.67\00:24:39.01 I appreciate your support for prison ministries. 00:24:39.04\00:24:41.04 But active service wherever they are 00:24:41.08\00:24:43.04 and if they'd like to help, help the prisoners. 00:24:43.08\00:24:45.61 You know they can sponsor us at Christmas Behind Bars. 00:24:45.65\00:24:47.72 Yes. 00:24:47.75\00:24:49.08 That is awesome. 00:24:49.12\00:24:50.45 How does your wife feel about Christmas Behind Bars? 00:24:50.49\00:24:52.75 I know that it's super important to you 00:24:52.79\00:24:56.29 because you had that experience. 00:24:56.32\00:24:58.43 How does she feel about it? 00:24:58.46\00:25:00.03 How much time do we have? 00:25:00.06\00:25:03.06 Got about two minutes. Two minutes. 00:25:03.10\00:25:05.43 Well, my wife visited me every two weeks 00:25:05.47\00:25:06.90 in the visiting room 00:25:06.94\00:25:08.27 so she understands the family side of it 00:25:08.30\00:25:09.90 before we were married. 00:25:09.94\00:25:11.27 Got out of prison, 00:25:11.31\00:25:12.64 we got married about nine months later 00:25:12.67\00:25:14.18 and I wanted to do what was right, 00:25:14.21\00:25:16.38 but I was powerless because I didn't have Christ 00:25:16.41\00:25:18.11 in my daily as my focal point. 00:25:18.15\00:25:20.05 So for the next 12 years of our marriage, 00:25:20.08\00:25:21.78 I struggled with addiction. 00:25:21.82\00:25:23.15 She went through a lot of painful moments in her life, 00:25:23.18\00:25:25.35 weeks, months in her life. 00:25:25.39\00:25:27.16 But when I gave my heart to Christ, 00:25:27.19\00:25:29.22 she was so grateful 00:25:29.26\00:25:31.36 and now to work for the incarcerated is phenomenal, 00:25:31.39\00:25:35.13 to write the letters 00:25:35.16\00:25:36.50 that she once wrote to me to encourage, 00:25:36.53\00:25:38.33 "Don't give up. You're not forgotten." 00:25:38.37\00:25:39.83 So the letter writing ministry and in every aspect of it 00:25:39.87\00:25:42.74 and the ministry grew, 00:25:42.77\00:25:44.11 it started one year with a jail of 350 inmates, 00:25:44.14\00:25:46.27 then it went to 400, 500, 600, 700 00:25:46.31\00:25:49.44 that was about 3000 inmates a year. 00:25:49.48\00:25:51.85 It would always finish 00:25:51.88\00:25:53.21 at Christmas time but Christmas, 00:25:53.25\00:25:54.58 you can't do them all so 00:25:54.62\00:25:55.95 it would be October, November, 00:25:55.98\00:25:57.32 December, September, October 00:25:57.35\00:25:58.69 and she said, "We can't grow no more. 00:25:58.72\00:26:00.62 3000, 5000, we can't grow no more." 00:26:00.66\00:26:02.56 And finally, she said, 00:26:02.59\00:26:03.93 "You know, I just left it up to the Lord." 00:26:03.96\00:26:05.33 So, so now I guess 00:26:05.36\00:26:06.70 it's probably 40, 50, 000 inmates 00:26:06.73\00:26:08.30 that are visited a year through our sponsors 00:26:08.33\00:26:11.17 that make it possible 00:26:11.20\00:26:12.53 and the Lord keeps the doors open, 00:26:12.57\00:26:13.90 so it's phenomenal. 00:26:13.94\00:26:15.27 40 to 50,000. 00:26:15.30\00:26:16.84 Three years ago, three years ago, 00:26:16.87\00:26:18.81 we had the privilege of visiting every inmate 00:26:18.84\00:26:20.61 in the state of Virginia and that was 30,000 inmates. 00:26:20.64\00:26:22.74 Every inmate in the state of Virginia 00:26:22.78\00:26:24.31 received the package from Christmas Behind Bars, 00:26:24.35\00:26:26.35 a devotional book, material, 00:26:26.38\00:26:29.32 that they could send for Bible studies 00:26:29.35\00:26:30.69 and so it's just phenomenal that 00:26:30.72\00:26:32.05 and it's run on a volunteer basis, 00:26:32.09\00:26:34.02 all the people at the warehouse. 00:26:34.06\00:26:35.56 Most of them have gotten packages, 00:26:35.59\00:26:36.96 most of them been incarcerated 00:26:36.99\00:26:38.36 and they come every day to help out 00:26:38.39\00:26:40.03 and volunteer their time 00:26:40.06\00:26:41.40 because they know 00:26:41.43\00:26:42.76 the value that was given to them. 00:26:42.80\00:26:44.13 How beautiful is that. 00:26:44.17\00:26:45.50 And there's no gift that's too small, right. 00:26:45.53\00:26:47.04 No, no. 00:26:47.07\00:26:48.40 Somebody might watching might say, 00:26:48.44\00:26:49.77 "Oh, I only have $5 on my desk." 00:26:49.80\00:26:51.17 We get brand new Bibles 00:26:51.21\00:26:52.54 from Remnant Publication for $3, 00:26:52.57\00:26:54.18 the red letters edition, 00:26:54.21\00:26:55.54 they have some study helps in the back. 00:26:55.58\00:26:56.91 So $3 is, 00:26:56.95\00:26:58.41 is and if you can only give a buck and a half, 00:26:58.45\00:27:00.52 two buck and a half make makes a Bible, amen. 00:27:00.55\00:27:02.75 So, absolutely. 00:27:02.78\00:27:04.12 Amen. Amen. 00:27:04.15\00:27:05.49 Well, thank you so much, brother, 00:27:05.52\00:27:06.86 'cause what you're doing. 00:27:06.89\00:27:08.22 It's you are changing lives 00:27:08.26\00:27:10.93 under the power of the Holy Spirit... 00:27:10.96\00:27:12.29 Praise God. 00:27:12.33\00:27:13.66 And we give God the praise. 00:27:13.70\00:27:15.03 He is using you to change lives. 00:27:15.06\00:27:16.60 Thank you so much. 00:27:16.63\00:27:17.97 Oh, God bless you, girl. For being with. 00:27:18.00\00:27:19.33 God bless you and continue to do 00:27:19.37\00:27:20.74 what you're doing 00:27:20.77\00:27:22.10 'cause we really, really need you 00:27:22.14\00:27:24.51 and what you're doing and Dona, 00:27:24.54\00:27:26.07 give her a hug from me too. 00:27:26.11\00:27:27.44 All right. 00:27:27.48\00:27:28.81 Well, we've reached the end of another program, you know, 00:27:28.84\00:27:30.78 we really need for you to support 00:27:30.81\00:27:32.85 Christmas Behind Bars. 00:27:32.88\00:27:35.12 Send any amount, any amount to them, 00:27:35.15\00:27:37.42 go to the website, you can donate from there. 00:27:37.45\00:27:40.06 But do something, 00:27:40.09\00:27:41.72 even if you can't go to prison yourself, 00:27:41.76\00:27:44.43 you can send something to this program 00:27:44.46\00:27:46.96 and make a difference for them. 00:27:47.00\00:27:48.90 I can't believe our time is up. 00:27:48.93\00:27:50.50 Whenever Lemuel is here, it is just... 00:27:50.53\00:27:53.40 We can just go on and on. 00:27:53.44\00:27:54.80 But may God bless you, 00:27:54.84\00:27:56.17 may He richly bless you 00:27:56.20\00:27:57.57 as you continue to serve Him and join us next time, 00:27:57.61\00:28:00.51 because you know what, 00:28:00.54\00:28:01.88 it just wouldn't be the same without you. 00:28:01.91\00:28:03.55