Stay tuned to meet a man
who pays it for behind bars.
00:00:01.36\00:00:04.67
My name is Jason Bradley,
00:00:04.70\00:00:06.30
and you're
watching Urban Report.
00:00:06.33\00:00:08.47
Hello, and
welcome to Urban Report.
00:00:31.06\00:00:33.16
My guest today is Lemuel Vega,
00:00:33.19\00:00:35.26
founder of
Christmas Behind Bars,
00:00:35.30\00:00:37.47
and he has a compelling mission.
00:00:37.50\00:00:39.60
Welcome to Urban Report, Lemuel.
00:00:39.63\00:00:41.24
Jason, it's
been an amazing week.
00:00:41.27\00:00:42.90
We've had an
opportunity to work together
00:00:42.94\00:00:44.67
and there's future programs
coming up and it's awesome.
00:00:44.71\00:00:47.28
Absolutely.
00:00:47.31\00:00:48.64
And I'm looking forward
to getting into all of that,
00:00:48.68\00:00:51.05
but I want to
start with your journey
00:00:51.08\00:00:52.75
because God has blessed you
with a tremendous testimony.
00:00:52.78\00:00:56.89
Amen.
00:00:56.92\00:00:58.25
Um, so let's start
with your upbringing
00:00:58.29\00:00:59.72
and maybe some
things that transpired
00:00:59.75\00:01:01.72
and just take us through?
00:01:01.76\00:01:03.09
I want to tell you
that Christmas Behind Bars
00:01:03.12\00:01:04.89
is an answer to
a mother's prayer.
00:01:04.93\00:01:08.10
It's an answer
to mother's prayer
00:01:08.13\00:01:09.46
that never got to see a
change in their son's life,
00:01:09.50\00:01:11.73
but by faith
they continue to pray.
00:01:11.77\00:01:13.90
And my mother, you know,
I'd come home 12, 13 years old
00:01:13.94\00:01:16.97
and I'd come in, I'd be
high or had been drinking.
00:01:17.01\00:01:19.11
And I check her bedroom
00:01:19.14\00:01:20.58
and she'd be on her
knees with her Bible open
00:01:20.61\00:01:22.34
claiming God's promises.
00:01:22.38\00:01:24.15
You know, I said,
mom, give it a break,
00:01:24.18\00:01:25.75
'cause I was on a mission
00:01:25.78\00:01:27.38
and it was for destruction
in another direction.
00:01:27.42\00:01:30.89
And you know,
there's young people today.
00:01:30.92\00:01:32.32
Mom tells them be home
by 8 o'clock or 9 o'clock.
00:01:32.35\00:01:34.66
And they think
that mom's being rude
00:01:34.69\00:01:38.09
or unkind to them.
00:01:38.13\00:01:39.46
And that's not the case.
00:01:39.49\00:01:40.83
Moms are on our side
00:01:40.86\00:01:42.20
Grandmas are on
our side, you know?
00:01:42.23\00:01:43.57
And so, as a young person,
00:01:43.60\00:01:45.30
I was put in a Christian school,
00:01:45.33\00:01:47.24
you know, my mom worked hard
00:01:47.27\00:01:48.77
cleaning houses and two jobs
00:01:48.80\00:01:50.97
to put us in a Christian school.
00:01:51.01\00:01:53.17
But my heart wasn't right.
00:01:53.21\00:01:54.78
And I didn't care
nothing about school.
00:01:54.81\00:01:56.85
And I gave up on
school at an early age, Jason.
00:01:56.88\00:02:00.88
You know what's it look like,
00:02:00.92\00:02:02.25
if you ever seen a
kid tightened his seat
00:02:02.28\00:02:03.62
in second grade
with a jump rope?
00:02:03.65\00:02:05.15
Yeah. I mean,
jump rope, you know?
00:02:05.19\00:02:06.82
And so, so wherever
you're at in the world today,
00:02:06.86\00:02:09.09
you're
struggling with education.
00:02:09.12\00:02:10.46
I just wanna encourage
those people for education
00:02:10.49\00:02:13.06
because I didn't pay attention.
00:02:13.09\00:02:14.43
I can't do multiplication
or long division today.
00:02:14.46\00:02:16.80
You know, I
didn't learn all that,
00:02:16.83\00:02:18.20
but I do have a calculator.
00:02:18.23\00:02:19.80
So a calculator
helped me figure things out.
00:02:19.83\00:02:21.77
That's right.
00:02:21.80\00:02:23.14
You know, at 13 years old I
00:02:23.17\00:02:24.51
told my mom, I said,
look, I'm a teenager now.
00:02:24.54\00:02:26.84
I said I'm on my
own direction, you know?
00:02:26.88\00:02:29.68
And um, between
the age of 13 and 18,
00:02:29.71\00:02:33.25
how many years is that?
00:02:33.28\00:02:34.62
Five.
00:02:34.65\00:02:35.98
Five simple years,
00:02:36.02\00:02:37.35
I'm sitting in the county jail
00:02:37.39\00:02:39.12
facing 10 to 20 years in prison.
00:02:39.15\00:02:41.72
I had a lot of money
00:02:41.76\00:02:43.09
and I got the best
attorney money could buy
00:02:43.12\00:02:45.19
out of Indianapolis,
Indiana, a big city.
00:02:45.23\00:02:47.36
And I thought I would walk,
00:02:47.40\00:02:49.56
you know, but I
got more time in prison
00:02:49.60\00:02:51.50
than my brother got
with a public defender
00:02:51.53\00:02:54.64
holes in his
blue jeans, long hair.
00:02:54.67\00:02:57.01
Don't give a
attitude to the judge.
00:02:57.04\00:02:58.47
I don't care what you do
to me, that's what my brother,
00:02:58.51\00:03:00.84
and I was going in
there trying to get,
00:03:00.88\00:03:02.44
trying to escape, you know,
00:03:02.48\00:03:04.51
and I got more time
00:03:04.55\00:03:05.88
in this maximum security prison.
00:03:05.91\00:03:07.25
Oh, deed on my way to prison.
00:03:07.28\00:03:09.02
And the first words
00:03:09.05\00:03:10.39
I was shackled
and handcuffed Jason
00:03:10.42\00:03:11.82
to someone I didn't even know,
00:03:11.85\00:03:13.56
my feet, my hands
shackled to someone.
00:03:13.59\00:03:15.86
As we walked
together into the prison,
00:03:15.89\00:03:17.53
he doing life in prison.
00:03:17.56\00:03:19.56
He doing life.
00:03:19.59\00:03:20.93
We go in the back gates
00:03:20.96\00:03:22.30
of this maximum security prison.
00:03:22.33\00:03:23.77
And the first words I
heard in that prison is,
00:03:23.80\00:03:25.97
Hey boy,
00:03:26.00\00:03:27.84
I look carry my little
blanket, my shoes and stuff.
00:03:27.87\00:03:30.87
You know, he said,
I'll give you a shank
00:03:30.91\00:03:32.64
for that watch.
00:03:32.67\00:03:34.41
I said, what'd you say?
00:03:34.44\00:03:36.18
He said, I'll give you
a shank for that watch.
00:03:36.21\00:03:38.01
And you know, and from then
on and prison ain't no joke,
00:03:38.05\00:03:42.32
but I'll tell you what,
the way you walk the walk
00:03:42.35\00:03:44.79
and carry yourself and
God's mercy was with me.
00:03:44.82\00:03:47.36
Yes.
00:03:47.39\00:03:48.72
Because I didn't play,
00:03:48.76\00:03:50.09
I was friends on
all sides of the camp.
00:03:50.13\00:03:52.39
I had friends on
this side of the chow.
00:03:52.43\00:03:54.56
And on that side of the chow,
00:03:54.60\00:03:55.93
you can't tell me, I can't
say what these people over here.
00:03:55.96\00:03:58.10
And so, so God blessed me
through that journey in prison.
00:03:58.13\00:04:01.60
You didn't play prison politics?
00:04:01.64\00:04:03.27
Oh no, no, no, no, no, no.
00:04:03.30\00:04:04.64
I had friends everywhere
and hello, how you doing?
00:04:04.67\00:04:07.24
And you know, I tried
to get my GED in prison
00:04:07.28\00:04:11.21
and I couldn't.
00:04:11.25\00:04:12.58
I failed because I
mean, I'm trying to study
00:04:12.61\00:04:14.15
and people back here,
they're throwing stuff at you
00:04:14.18\00:04:16.02
or where you from boy
and all this kind of stuff.
00:04:16.05\00:04:18.85
And I just, I just
laid up in my side, quit.
00:04:18.89\00:04:21.29
I can't, I can't
get it, you know?
00:04:21.32\00:04:23.16
And so I got a job
00:04:23.19\00:04:24.53
in a furniture
factory in a prison, you know?
00:04:24.56\00:04:26.43
And one day I'm
coming down the steps
00:04:26.46\00:04:28.36
from the upstairs,
00:04:28.40\00:04:29.73
I worked
upstairs furniture factory
00:04:29.76\00:04:31.13
for and my friend
worked downstairs,
00:04:31.17\00:04:32.63
I, wasn't my friend.
00:04:32.67\00:04:34.00
Then I'm coming down the
stairs and he said, Vega.
00:04:34.04\00:04:36.04
He said, "What's wrong?"
00:04:36.07\00:04:37.67
I said, "What do
you mean what's wrong?"
00:04:37.71\00:04:39.04
'Cause in prison, you
don't tell people your problems.
00:04:39.07\00:04:40.44
I said, I said, "Why do
you ask me what's wrong?"
00:04:40.48\00:04:43.61
He said, "Vega, I don't
see your smile no more."
00:04:43.65\00:04:46.48
I said, "Man, these
people would be talking
00:04:46.51\00:04:47.85
about taking my watch man,"
00:04:47.88\00:04:49.25
and him and me up and
a bunch of funny stuff.
00:04:49.28\00:04:51.89
And he sent word.
00:04:51.92\00:04:53.25
So he was from a...
00:04:53.29\00:04:54.82
It wasn't a Christian religion.
00:04:54.86\00:04:56.19
He was from another
background of faith.
00:04:56.22\00:04:58.93
And he sent word
over to H cell house.
00:04:58.96\00:05:00.73
He said, "Look,
y'all leave Vega alone."
00:05:00.76\00:05:02.53
And so him and
all his people said,
00:05:02.56\00:05:04.73
"Look, y'all leave Vega alone."
00:05:04.77\00:05:06.10
So my life was blessed
00:05:06.13\00:05:09.74
even though I
went through prison.
00:05:09.77\00:05:11.21
You know, the
sad reality is, bro,
00:05:11.24\00:05:13.01
is prison don't change our life,
00:05:13.04\00:05:14.84
they can't.
00:05:14.88\00:05:16.78
They can mandate us to a cell.
00:05:16.81\00:05:18.68
They can mandate
us to incarceration,
00:05:18.71\00:05:21.02
but they can't change the heart.
00:05:21.05\00:05:23.18
And God doesn't try to change.
00:05:23.22\00:05:24.95
I mean, God doesn't
mandate change in our lives.
00:05:24.99\00:05:28.26
You know, He
give us a free will.
00:05:28.29\00:05:30.13
You know, and so, so
prison didn't change my life.
00:05:30.16\00:05:32.89
I got out of
prison and I joined church
00:05:32.93\00:05:36.16
because I wanted
to do what was right
00:05:36.20\00:05:38.37
just like all them people,
man, they want to do what,
00:05:38.40\00:05:40.50
when they get out,
00:05:40.54\00:05:41.87
they don't want to
start drinking again.
00:05:41.90\00:05:43.24
They don't want to
start shooting dope again.
00:05:43.27\00:05:44.87
They really want to
do good. I tested that.
00:05:44.91\00:05:48.04
And, but on our own...
00:05:48.08\00:05:50.41
That's right, and we
can't do it on our own.
00:05:50.45\00:05:52.81
We can't. We can't.
00:05:52.85\00:05:54.25
You know, so I
tried and I tried and I,
00:05:54.28\00:05:56.48
then I got focus
on people and stuff.
00:05:56.52\00:05:59.02
They had pretty cars,
they had nice clothes.
00:05:59.05\00:06:00.96
They had fancy jet
boats and all this stuff.
00:06:00.99\00:06:04.09
I said, man, I
know how to get stuff.
00:06:04.13\00:06:07.20
You know, and then you
start going back to the city
00:06:07.23\00:06:09.03
and buying drugs
00:06:09.06\00:06:10.40
and taking them
down to the police
00:06:10.43\00:06:11.77
and the police
take them in for you.
00:06:11.80\00:06:13.20
The people who
looked out for me,
00:06:13.23\00:06:14.57
they selling them.
00:06:14.60\00:06:15.94
They were happy that
I was still their friend
00:06:15.97\00:06:17.31
when I got out.
00:06:17.34\00:06:19.27
And then with all that money,
00:06:19.31\00:06:21.31
sick, suffering, suicidal
00:06:21.34\00:06:24.05
almost to go insane or
go back to prison or die.
00:06:24.08\00:06:28.95
I went to treatment.
00:06:28.98\00:06:30.69
You know, so I went to treatment
00:06:30.72\00:06:32.05
for the first time in my life.
00:06:32.09\00:06:33.42
And, Jason, I never
met no one before that
00:06:33.46\00:06:35.16
everyone to quit using drugs,
00:06:35.19\00:06:36.83
I thought I was
the only, the only Joe,
00:06:36.86\00:06:38.79
the only square on the block.
00:06:38.83\00:06:40.16
I thought I was the only one
00:06:40.20\00:06:41.66
that they weren't
having fun no more.
00:06:41.70\00:06:43.80
But you know it,
ain't no fun. That's right.
00:06:43.83\00:06:45.97
You know, I could give
you a pile of dope to anybody,
00:06:46.00\00:06:49.20
a pile of dope.
00:06:49.24\00:06:50.57
And I could tell you
what's going to happen.
00:06:50.61\00:06:52.01
Either you're going to run
out or you're going to die.
00:06:52.04\00:06:55.94
That's the reality of that.
00:06:55.98\00:06:57.95
But with Jesus,
00:06:57.98\00:06:59.65
there's never,
there's, it's always continual.
00:06:59.68\00:07:02.68
He feeds us, He waters
us, He strengthened us,
00:07:02.72\00:07:05.12
He nurtures us,
He encourages us.
00:07:05.15\00:07:07.02
I go to treatment
00:07:07.06\00:07:08.39
and the people with
their college education,
00:07:08.42\00:07:09.99
they said, well,
you need methadone
00:07:10.03\00:07:11.36
and you need an, and you need,
00:07:11.39\00:07:13.16
I'm like, look,
man, I got drugs.
00:07:13.19\00:07:14.76
Okay. I'm tired, I'm sick.
00:07:14.80\00:07:16.73
I want off this
trying to destruct it.
00:07:16.77\00:07:18.60
Will you help me?
00:07:18.63\00:07:20.04
They ain't got no help.
00:07:20.07\00:07:21.40
So they're trying to
solve your drug problem
00:07:21.44\00:07:23.04
with more drugs?
00:07:23.07\00:07:24.41
Right. Right, right.
00:07:24.44\00:07:25.77
That's like
someone got a bullet wound
00:07:25.81\00:07:27.14
and he bleeding and they say,
oh, well let me get a band aid
00:07:27.18\00:07:29.41
and put that on there.
00:07:29.44\00:07:30.78
No, this dude needs surgery.
00:07:30.81\00:07:32.15
And he needs help
in the surgical process
00:07:32.18\00:07:34.32
from Jesus starts in the heart.
00:07:34.35\00:07:35.98
Amen.
00:07:36.02\00:07:37.35
It starts with a
decision that they want help,
00:07:37.39\00:07:39.05
they want change.
00:07:39.09\00:07:40.56
And as they pray
and reach out to God
00:07:40.59\00:07:42.49
and that's what
happened in my life,
00:07:42.52\00:07:44.19
35 years old in a hospital room,
00:07:44.23\00:07:45.89
I just got down on my knees
00:07:45.93\00:07:48.26
and the only prayer I prayed,
00:07:48.30\00:07:50.93
dear Jesus, please help me.
00:07:50.97\00:07:53.13
I want to quit, but I can't.
00:07:53.17\00:07:55.67
Yeah.
00:07:55.70\00:07:57.11
And that began and
it was all sincerity
00:07:57.14\00:07:59.47
because I was hopeless.
00:07:59.51\00:08:00.84
And so, so that's the
beauty of Christmas Behind Bars
00:08:00.88\00:08:03.24
as God took the
rags of incarceration,
00:08:03.28\00:08:06.95
the hurt and the
heartache of incarceration,
00:08:06.98\00:08:09.18
the loneliness of incarceration,
00:08:09.22\00:08:11.19
the pain and the guilt and
the shame of incarceration.
00:08:11.22\00:08:14.39
He took it to a life
surrendered by God's grace
00:08:14.42\00:08:18.86
to be able to go back
00:08:18.89\00:08:20.80
and make some
little care packages
00:08:20.83\00:08:22.36
to say, bro,
there's hope for your life.
00:08:22.40\00:08:24.13
Sister, girl, don't
give up. God loves you.
00:08:24.17\00:08:26.60
It don't matter
how far you've sunk.
00:08:26.63\00:08:28.24
It don't matter how
dirty you think you is.
00:08:28.27\00:08:30.11
God will help
you just as you are.
00:08:30.14\00:08:31.77
So that's what Christmas Behind
Bars is about in a nutshell.
00:08:31.81\00:08:34.08
Amen.
00:08:34.11\00:08:35.44
And how did you,
00:08:35.48\00:08:36.81
so how did Christmas
Behind Bars get started?
00:08:36.85\00:08:39.01
What inspired the idea?
00:08:39.05\00:08:40.55
It was the
pastor's wife who come down.
00:08:40.58\00:08:42.55
It was a pastor.
00:08:42.58\00:08:43.92
A pastor came to pray with me
00:08:43.95\00:08:45.29
when I was in that
hospital for drug addiction.
00:08:45.32\00:08:47.26
Doctors couldn't help me.
Pastor came to pray with me.
00:08:47.29\00:08:49.86
And he told me
that God helped him.
00:08:49.89\00:08:52.23
He never been
incarcerated before, man,
00:08:52.26\00:08:54.26
never been in
trouble, never been in prison,
00:08:54.30\00:08:56.16
a good Christian home,
00:08:56.20\00:08:57.53
Christian college
and all this stuff.
00:08:57.57\00:08:59.37
But he said that
when his mother died,
00:08:59.40\00:09:00.84
he got addicted to cough syrup.
00:09:00.87\00:09:02.20
Wow.
00:09:02.24\00:09:03.57
And I'm thinking, "Oh
man, dude, you don't understand
00:09:03.61\00:09:04.97
what I'm going.
00:09:05.01\00:09:06.34
I'm talking drugs, I'm
talking all this stuff.
00:09:06.37\00:09:07.71
You don't understand."
00:09:07.74\00:09:09.08
But out of
respect, I listened to him
00:09:09.11\00:09:10.65
and he told me that
00:09:10.68\00:09:12.01
God helped him
with this problem.
00:09:12.05\00:09:14.58
He prayed and he left.
00:09:14.62\00:09:16.52
And as I saw the
most beautiful sunset
00:09:16.55\00:09:18.42
I'd ever seen
in my life, I said,
00:09:18.45\00:09:19.82
"Man, if God can paint
that somehow He can help me."
00:09:19.85\00:09:24.23
And I kneel down
in that hospital room.
00:09:24.26\00:09:25.89
So the pastor came,
prayed with me, inspired me,
00:09:25.93\00:09:28.33
encouraged me, directed
me, left me with a thought
00:09:28.36\00:09:30.20
that God helped
him, God could help me.
00:09:30.23\00:09:33.40
And it was his wife. We
started going to church.
00:09:33.44\00:09:35.44
It was probably about
six, eight months later
00:09:35.47\00:09:37.37
after I got out of the hospital.
00:09:37.41\00:09:38.74
I'd got a job at
little grocery business.
00:09:38.77\00:09:40.68
It was a pastor's wife's idea.
00:09:40.71\00:09:42.21
One day at church, he said,
00:09:42.24\00:09:43.58
we'd like to make
some care packages
00:09:43.61\00:09:45.35
for the folk down
in our county jail.
00:09:45.38\00:09:46.78
I said,
00:09:46.82\00:09:48.15
"Man, that
would be a great idea.
00:09:48.18\00:09:49.68
Then the inmates would
really appreciate that."
00:09:49.72\00:09:51.52
And I got some granola
bars and some chips and snacks
00:09:51.55\00:09:54.26
and I'd like to donate this.
00:09:54.29\00:09:56.09
And then every year it
just continued to grow.
00:09:56.12\00:09:58.33
It just grew from
there. It wasn't my idea.
00:09:58.36\00:10:00.50
You know, I've
had the opportunity
00:10:00.53\00:10:02.20
to go into prisons with you.
00:10:02.23\00:10:04.37
Amen.
00:10:04.40\00:10:05.73
And minister and spread
the gospel and everything.
00:10:05.77\00:10:07.10
And I just have to say that
00:10:07.14\00:10:08.47
it's been an
incredible experience.
00:10:08.50\00:10:10.21
What Christmas
Behind Bars is doing
00:10:10.24\00:10:13.51
is absolutely amazing.
00:10:13.54\00:10:15.04
Talk about what's in,
00:10:15.08\00:10:16.58
what the contents
of the packages are?
00:10:16.61\00:10:19.01
They got devotional
materials, the books,
00:10:19.05\00:10:22.12
3ABN has helped us
donate a lot of books
00:10:22.15\00:10:24.09
for the ministry.
00:10:24.12\00:10:25.45
So they have devotional books.
00:10:25.49\00:10:26.82
They have GLOW tracts.
00:10:26.86\00:10:28.19
We're really
thankful for those people
00:10:28.22\00:10:29.56
that help us donate those.
00:10:29.59\00:10:30.93
They have creation magazines.
00:10:30.96\00:10:32.29
We're thankful for those.
00:10:32.33\00:10:33.66
Granola bars, snacks,
soap, deodorant, toothbrush,
00:10:33.70\00:10:36.80
toothpaste, Bibles,
00:10:36.83\00:10:38.43
used Bibles, thinking of UCards,
00:10:38.47\00:10:40.97
man, when you are
in prison or jail,
00:10:41.00\00:10:42.37
you don't get your
name called for mail.
00:10:42.40\00:10:44.51
You might be one out of 20
to get your name called from.
00:10:44.54\00:10:47.38
Bradley, I got a letter for him.
00:10:47.41\00:10:49.01
Man, brother, you get
mail and no one get mad.
00:10:49.04\00:10:51.78
So those homemade
thinking of UCards
00:10:51.81\00:10:53.52
are worth their weight in gold,
00:10:53.55\00:10:54.88
the pictures with
scripture on the back of them.
00:10:54.92\00:10:57.15
They might throw
everything else away.
00:10:57.19\00:10:58.55
They're not gonna
throw away that picture.
00:10:58.59\00:11:00.22
On the back
there's words of hope
00:11:00.26\00:11:01.59
and encouragement.
00:11:01.62\00:11:02.96
They'll take a little toothpaste
00:11:02.99\00:11:04.33
on the back of that picture
00:11:04.36\00:11:05.69
and put it up on the wall.
00:11:05.73\00:11:07.06
Wow. So it's a blessing.
00:11:07.10\00:11:08.43
Yes. Amen.
00:11:08.46\00:11:09.80
Now we've been spending
00:11:09.83\00:11:11.17
quite a bit of time
together this week too.
00:11:11.20\00:11:13.34
We've also been in jail
00:11:13.37\00:11:15.04
and, but this was a
little bit different.
00:11:15.07\00:11:17.31
We had a chance
to go to the Benton,
00:11:17.34\00:11:20.81
Illinois, Franklin
county, historic jail museum
00:11:20.84\00:11:24.85
that Robert Ray so
graciously allowed us to use,
00:11:24.88\00:11:28.75
and we recorded a
new program for 3ABN.
00:11:28.78\00:11:32.19
Why don't you tell
us a little bit about
00:11:32.22\00:11:33.79
maybe some of the topics,
00:11:33.82\00:11:35.16
some of the illustrations
and things that you're doing?
00:11:35.19\00:11:36.96
Well, the new
program is analogies.
00:11:36.99\00:11:40.10
The new program is,
00:11:40.13\00:11:41.46
is things that you
and I have used in prison.
00:11:41.50\00:11:44.43
Something as simple
as a roll of toilet paper
00:11:44.47\00:11:47.54
and just different things,
00:11:47.57\00:11:49.14
garbage can, and trash,
00:11:49.17\00:11:52.04
and umbrellas, and mosquito net.
00:11:52.07\00:11:54.18
And so, so just
different analogies of,
00:11:54.21\00:11:56.41
of practical applications,
00:11:56.44\00:11:58.25
of how Jesus will
help you wherever you are.
00:11:58.28\00:12:01.62
Yeah. So just simple things.
00:12:01.65\00:12:03.49
So give us an example
00:12:03.52\00:12:04.85
and then we're going to
go to a clip in a little bit,
00:12:04.89\00:12:06.86
but give us an example of like,
00:12:06.89\00:12:08.89
okay, let's say
the toilet paper.
00:12:08.92\00:12:11.13
I'll let you give the example.
00:12:11.16\00:12:13.26
Okay.
00:12:13.29\00:12:14.63
So you use toilet paper, right?
00:12:14.66\00:12:16.20
It cleans up
messy situations, right?
00:12:16.23\00:12:17.97
So, you know, you might
have to dab or something,
00:12:18.00\00:12:20.47
you need a napkin.
00:12:20.50\00:12:22.10
But we have messy
situations in our lives
00:12:22.14\00:12:24.21
and Jesus cleans that up for us.
00:12:24.24\00:12:25.77
Amen. Correct?
00:12:25.81\00:12:27.14
Now give us the example
of the trash or treasure?
00:12:27.18\00:12:30.68
Well, I tell you
about the toilet paper.
00:12:30.71\00:12:32.71
I want to expound
on that a little bit
00:12:32.75\00:12:34.38
is I believe that
99.9% of everybody in prison
00:12:34.42\00:12:38.92
uses toilet paper
on a regular basis,
00:12:38.95\00:12:40.66
probably in the world.
00:12:40.69\00:12:42.02
Amen? I would hope so.
00:12:42.06\00:12:43.39
So why do we?
00:12:43.43\00:12:44.76
Because it cleans up
external messy situations.
00:12:44.79\00:12:46.73
That's right.
00:12:46.76\00:12:48.10
But God wants to
come into the heart
00:12:48.13\00:12:49.70
and clean up the heart.
00:12:49.73\00:12:51.07
So the toilet paper,
I'll take a little bit and,
00:12:51.10\00:12:53.10
and open my, put a
little bit by my heart
00:12:53.13\00:12:54.70
and I sit, as we
allow God to come in.
00:12:54.74\00:12:56.94
I said, as the
internal begins to change,
00:12:56.97\00:13:00.04
the external
comes into conformity
00:13:00.08\00:13:02.38
with the internal.
00:13:02.41\00:13:03.75
Yes.
00:13:03.78\00:13:05.11
So I just pray that as
long as everybody uses in the,
00:13:05.15\00:13:07.12
you know,
they'll think about that.
00:13:07.15\00:13:09.35
And the Holy
Spirit can use that.
00:13:09.38\00:13:10.72
So simple analogies like trash,
00:13:10.75\00:13:13.19
you know, the
pearl of great price,
00:13:13.22\00:13:14.72
you know, that God says,
00:13:14.76\00:13:16.32
you know, the kingdom of heaven
00:13:16.36\00:13:17.69
is like unto a
pearl of great price.
00:13:17.73\00:13:19.23
When a man found
it for the joy of,
00:13:19.26\00:13:21.16
he goes and sells a whole field,
00:13:21.20\00:13:22.80
he goes and buys.
00:13:22.83\00:13:24.37
So we want to let
the inmates know that
00:13:24.40\00:13:25.73
there ain't nothing
worse holding on to,
00:13:25.77\00:13:27.80
that Jesus is that
pearl of great price,
00:13:27.84\00:13:29.80
so just simple analogies.
00:13:29.84\00:13:31.34
Yeah, which is beautiful.
00:13:31.37\00:13:33.48
We have a clip from the program
00:13:33.51\00:13:36.95
and we're going to take
a look at that right now.
00:13:36.98\00:13:39.21
Amen.
00:13:39.25\00:13:40.65
Larry, would you come
up here? I got a question.
00:13:40.68\00:13:42.85
Have you ever
collected any trash?
00:13:42.88\00:13:44.75
Yes. I have like many people.
00:13:44.79\00:13:46.82
You have collected
trash in your life.
00:13:46.86\00:13:48.69
You know, I have
a trash can here.
00:13:48.72\00:13:51.53
And did you ever
have anger in your life?
00:13:51.56\00:13:54.96
I had anger.
00:13:55.00\00:13:56.33
Had anger in your life.
00:13:56.36\00:13:57.70
Drugs.
00:13:57.73\00:13:59.07
You've had drug
addiction? Drug addiction.
00:13:59.10\00:14:00.44
You know, so
many people in prison,
00:14:00.47\00:14:02.54
out of prison
suffer with drug addiction.
00:14:02.57\00:14:05.07
Alcohol.
00:14:05.11\00:14:06.44
Alcohol is another.
00:14:06.47\00:14:08.41
Shame.
00:14:08.44\00:14:09.78
Shame. Pain.
00:14:09.81\00:14:11.15
There's been a lot of things
00:14:11.18\00:14:12.51
I've done a lot
of terrible things.
00:14:12.55\00:14:16.89
Well, I'm afraid
I got more things
00:14:16.92\00:14:18.62
than you got
trash here in my life.
00:14:18.65\00:14:20.62
And you want to get
rid of that trash, right?
00:14:20.66\00:14:22.02
I do.
00:14:22.06\00:14:23.39
Let's have a word of prayer.
00:14:23.43\00:14:24.79
Dear heavenly Father,
00:14:24.83\00:14:26.16
Lord, we know we
can't do it on our own.
00:14:26.19\00:14:27.70
And that's why You give
the gift of Your Son, Jesus,
00:14:27.73\00:14:30.37
for all of humanity,
00:14:30.40\00:14:31.77
incarcerated, free,
00:14:31.80\00:14:33.74
but yet we're empty
and alone without You.
00:14:33.77\00:14:37.41
And, Larry, you just
say this prayer with me,
00:14:37.44\00:14:39.51
dear Lord, please help me.
00:14:39.54\00:14:41.04
Dear Lord, please help me.
00:14:41.08\00:14:42.48
I want to, but I can't.
00:14:42.51\00:14:43.95
I want to, but I can't.
00:14:43.98\00:14:45.58
Here's my life.
Take me and use me.
00:14:45.61\00:14:47.85
Here's my life.
Take me and use me.
00:14:47.88\00:14:50.39
Dear heavenly Father,
00:14:50.42\00:14:51.75
we just pray as
He acknowledges you,
00:14:51.79\00:14:53.22
Lord, he's willing to
surrender these things.
00:14:53.25\00:14:55.09
We just ask a special
anointing and blessing
00:14:55.12\00:14:57.83
as Larry's a representation
for all of the incarcerated,
00:14:57.86\00:15:01.56
all of the people
outside of Your will,
00:15:01.60\00:15:03.40
the people in
the free world today,
00:15:03.43\00:15:05.30
they are suffering
with many, many things.
00:15:05.33\00:15:07.87
We just ask for
a special blessing.
00:15:07.90\00:15:09.44
Now in Jesus' name, we pray.
00:15:09.47\00:15:11.51
Amen. Amen.
00:15:11.54\00:15:12.87
Amen.
00:15:12.91\00:15:14.24
Larry, let's
get rid of the pain.
00:15:14.28\00:15:18.08
You wanna
surrender that? Yes, I do.
00:15:18.11\00:15:20.08
Let's get rid of
the unforgiveness.
00:15:20.12\00:15:23.99
What else would
you like to surrender?
00:15:24.02\00:15:25.35
You got hate? Here,
you said in your life.
00:15:25.39\00:15:28.02
The drug addiction?
00:15:28.06\00:15:29.39
The drug addiction, alcohol.
00:15:29.42\00:15:31.46
Alcoholism.
00:15:31.49\00:15:32.83
And shame, pain.
00:15:32.86\00:15:34.33
The shame and the
pain. I get rid of it all.
00:15:34.36\00:15:36.83
You know, the Lord
wants to replace us with joy.
00:15:36.87\00:15:41.54
He wants to give us hope.
00:15:41.57\00:15:44.24
He wants to replace
us the hate with love.
00:15:44.27\00:15:49.68
He wants to continue to give
us the spirit of evangelism.
00:15:49.71\00:15:54.62
He wants to continue to help
us now throughout all eternity.
00:15:54.65\00:15:59.42
And He wants to use you
00:15:59.45\00:16:00.79
as a
representation for all people,
00:16:00.82\00:16:02.62
because the Word of God says,
00:16:02.66\00:16:03.99
"Go ye therefore and
proclaim the gospel."
00:16:04.03\00:16:06.16
He wants to use
you to bring hope
00:16:06.19\00:16:08.23
to the burden.
00:16:08.26\00:16:09.60
You have a
scripture today, Brother.
00:16:09.63\00:16:10.97
Absolutely.
00:16:11.00\00:16:12.33
Larry, I want to share this
encouraging scripture with you
00:16:12.37\00:16:13.70
that that really made a
difference for me in my life.
00:16:13.74\00:16:15.64
And this has come
from 2 Corinthians 5:17.
00:16:15.67\00:16:19.34
And it says,
00:16:19.37\00:16:20.71
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ,
00:16:20.74\00:16:22.21
he is a new creation,
old things have passed away,
00:16:22.24\00:16:26.51
behold, all
things have become new."
00:16:26.55\00:16:29.45
By accepting Christ,
you become a new creation.
00:16:29.48\00:16:33.05
All of those old
things have passed away.
00:16:33.09\00:16:35.22
We love you and God bless you.
00:16:35.26\00:16:36.73
Thank you.
00:16:36.76\00:16:38.09
Wow. That was an
amazing experience.
00:16:41.36\00:16:43.97
You know, it's been a blessing
to work with the 3ABN crew.
00:16:44.00\00:16:46.84
And if people could
see behind the scenes,
00:16:46.87\00:16:48.97
they'd be amazed how,
what goes into the programming.
00:16:49.00\00:16:50.57
That's right.
00:16:50.61\00:16:51.94
You know, I would recommend
anybody that comes to this area
00:16:51.97\00:16:54.18
to go and visit that museum.
00:16:54.21\00:16:56.34
It's really, really neat.
00:16:56.38\00:16:57.75
It has a lot of history
and it's worth the trip,
00:16:57.78\00:17:00.02
so many people come.
00:17:00.05\00:17:02.05
You know, the analogy of
the trash and the treasure
00:17:02.08\00:17:07.62
is we collect
trash in our lives.
00:17:07.66\00:17:10.69
It can be things
that will burden us down
00:17:10.73\00:17:12.53
and slow us from going forward.
00:17:12.56\00:17:14.83
And so we just take
simple things like the trash
00:17:14.86\00:17:17.90
and we ask people
00:17:17.93\00:17:19.27
if they'd like to keep the trash
00:17:19.30\00:17:20.67
or if they'd like to trade it in
00:17:20.70\00:17:22.04
and they'll trade it in
00:17:22.07\00:17:24.11
because they don't
want to keep trash,
00:17:24.14\00:17:25.47
it's nothing, you know?
00:17:25.51\00:17:26.84
And so we use
those analogies with sin.
00:17:26.88\00:17:29.18
Do we wanna hang on to the sin?
00:17:29.21\00:17:30.61
Or do we want the
fruits of the spirit,
00:17:30.65\00:17:32.51
joy, peace, hope,
happiness, forgiveness.
00:17:32.55\00:17:36.08
And we can have that
spirit of forgiveness
00:17:36.12\00:17:38.72
then to be more like Jesus.
00:17:38.75\00:17:40.86
So that's what we want these,
00:17:40.89\00:17:42.72
the trash and the
treasures to represent.
00:17:42.76\00:17:45.39
And so just simple things
00:17:45.43\00:17:48.76
to bring hope and encouragement.
00:17:48.80\00:17:50.33
Yeah. They're
simple yet profound.
00:17:50.37\00:17:53.30
I think they're
very powerful analogies.
00:17:53.34\00:17:56.00
And you know, when you
look at the life of Christ,
00:17:56.04\00:17:58.41
Jesus used
parables all the time.
00:17:58.44\00:18:00.51
For sure.
00:18:00.54\00:18:01.88
And it really
spoke to the people.
00:18:01.91\00:18:03.24
I see that you
have bread and water
00:18:03.28\00:18:04.61
sitting here on the set.
00:18:04.65\00:18:07.38
Well, tell me about
that? What's going on here?
00:18:07.42\00:18:10.35
Something as
simple as a loaf of bread,
00:18:10.39\00:18:12.42
we try to bring the inmates,
00:18:12.45\00:18:14.09
physical, tangible
food crackers for say,
00:18:14.12\00:18:18.66
you know, a
handful of crackers, Jason,
00:18:18.69\00:18:20.93
and a glass of water makes you
so you're not hungry at night.
00:18:20.96\00:18:24.70
So we try to bring
them the tangible stuff.
00:18:24.73\00:18:26.90
But this
represents the bread of life.
00:18:26.94\00:18:29.50
Jesus said, there's a
scripture if you could read it.
00:18:29.54\00:18:31.77
Yes.
00:18:31.81\00:18:33.14
And this is John 6:35,
00:18:33.17\00:18:35.61
"And Jesus said to
them, 'I am the bread of life.
00:18:35.64\00:18:38.45
He who comes to Me
shall never hunger,
00:18:38.48\00:18:41.38
and he who believes in
Me shall never thirst."
00:18:41.42\00:18:44.89
That's the internal hunger.
00:18:44.92\00:18:46.59
That's what humanity seeks for.
00:18:46.62\00:18:48.82
We seek to fit in.
00:18:48.86\00:18:50.36
We seek a stature in society
00:18:50.39\00:18:52.99
and the cars and the
house and all this stuff.
00:18:53.03\00:18:56.23
And that's not
what He's talking about.
00:18:56.26\00:18:57.93
He's talking about
filling the internal.
00:18:57.97\00:18:59.93
Yes.
00:18:59.97\00:19:01.30
And so when He says
I'm the bread of life,
00:19:01.34\00:19:02.67
He means, He, as we,
00:19:02.70\00:19:04.11
the world around
uses bread every day.
00:19:04.14\00:19:06.27
And so He used that in
his day and in this day.
00:19:06.31\00:19:09.41
So as we eat and consume food,
00:19:09.44\00:19:11.11
Jesus wants us to taste and see
00:19:11.15\00:19:14.42
that what He will do
00:19:14.45\00:19:15.78
will become living
realities in our life.
00:19:15.82\00:19:18.02
The water, you know,
we'll drink in this water
00:19:18.05\00:19:20.72
and sure we'll thirst again.
00:19:20.76\00:19:22.86
But when we come to
Jesus, we're not thirsty no more
00:19:22.89\00:19:26.03
for the broken
cisterns of society.
00:19:26.06\00:19:28.60
And so wherever you
are in the neighborhood,
00:19:28.63\00:19:31.27
don't feel like
you got to go down
00:19:31.30\00:19:33.13
and do wrong things
00:19:33.17\00:19:34.50
to buy the new Nike shoes.
00:19:34.54\00:19:36.10
God will give us the peace
that passes all understanding
00:19:36.14\00:19:39.11
with the old raggedy stuff.
00:19:39.14\00:19:40.48
Yeah.
00:19:40.51\00:19:41.84
Don't let someone
condemn you or put you down
00:19:41.88\00:19:43.21
because you don't fit
in with the other crowd
00:19:43.24\00:19:45.91
because Jesus,
00:19:45.95\00:19:47.28
He accepts people where they are
00:19:47.32\00:19:48.68
and He grows us inside
00:19:48.72\00:19:50.22
and He has a special mission
and purpose and a journey
00:19:50.25\00:19:52.95
for each and every one
of our people, you know?
00:19:52.99\00:19:56.02
Jesus said, He said,
00:19:56.06\00:19:57.63
as you've done it
unto the least of these,
00:19:57.66\00:20:00.20
He said, my brethren,
00:20:00.23\00:20:02.63
Jesus said that
the least of the least.
00:20:02.66\00:20:05.07
He equated them to his brethren.
00:20:05.10\00:20:07.44
So we are all
family. That's right.
00:20:07.47\00:20:09.50
We're all family.
Amen? That's right.
00:20:09.54\00:20:11.37
And thank God that
He doesn't leave us
00:20:11.41\00:20:13.01
the way that He finds us.
00:20:13.04\00:20:14.61
And you know, as I think
about the bread and water,
00:20:14.64\00:20:17.61
if you don't
consume bread and water
00:20:17.65\00:20:20.05
on a daily basis.
00:20:20.08\00:20:21.42
Physically.
00:20:21.45\00:20:22.78
Yeah physically,
you're, you know, you'll die.
00:20:22.82\00:20:24.85
Like if you don't eat and drink,
00:20:24.89\00:20:28.06
you will, you will die.
00:20:28.09\00:20:29.42
Come on now.
00:20:29.46\00:20:30.79
Now, if you don't read the Word,
00:20:30.83\00:20:32.16
if you don't
study the Word of God,
00:20:32.19\00:20:33.53
you're gonna die spiritually.
00:20:33.56\00:20:34.90
Amen.
00:20:34.93\00:20:36.26
And so, you know,
that's, that is paramount,
00:20:36.30\00:20:37.73
especially in today's society,
00:20:37.77\00:20:39.83
like we need to
be studying our Word.
00:20:39.87\00:20:42.50
We need to be
grounded in the Word,
00:20:42.54\00:20:44.14
because there's so much
stuff pulling for our attention.
00:20:44.17\00:20:46.68
The devil know that. Oh, yeah.
00:20:46.71\00:20:48.14
The devil know that.
00:20:48.18\00:20:49.51
So if he can
keep you on Facebook
00:20:49.54\00:20:51.38
and all this
Twitter and Instagram
00:20:51.41\00:20:53.15
and all, he can keep
us all focused on the news
00:20:53.18\00:20:55.68
and on the
drama and on the virus
00:20:55.72\00:20:57.25
and all this stuff
and on the economy.
00:20:57.29\00:20:59.29
So we are
worried about the worry.
00:20:59.32\00:21:01.56
Let me tell you
something, brother.
00:21:01.59\00:21:03.02
When people were taken out
of the bondage out of Egypt,
00:21:03.06\00:21:06.06
before they left
for the Promised Land,
00:21:06.09\00:21:07.96
they had to make
bricks without straw.
00:21:08.00\00:21:09.63
Their life got harder as
Christian people in bondage,
00:21:09.66\00:21:12.90
their life got harder,
00:21:12.93\00:21:14.44
but when they crossed
through on the Red Sea
00:21:14.47\00:21:16.77
and the Jesus is coming again
00:21:16.81\00:21:18.21
and He wants to take us through,
00:21:18.24\00:21:19.57
talking about water.
00:21:19.61\00:21:20.94
Amen? Yeah, amen.
00:21:20.98\00:21:22.31
You just hit on
something though.
00:21:22.34\00:21:23.68
You said when
they became Chris...
00:21:23.71\00:21:25.05
So, okay, so when
we become Christians,
00:21:25.08\00:21:26.82
it's just not
all perfect, right?
00:21:26.85\00:21:29.35
We like, we don't,
00:21:29.38\00:21:30.85
we don't have to
endure trials, huh?
00:21:30.89\00:21:32.25
Right. It gets
harder. It gets harder.
00:21:32.29\00:21:34.32
Sometimes it seems
like it gets harder.
00:21:34.36\00:21:36.19
But when we're just
floating down the river
00:21:36.22\00:21:37.99
and it's filled with
sewage and all kinds of stuff,
00:21:38.03\00:21:40.80
the devil don't care,
00:21:40.83\00:21:42.16
he'll let us float as
long as we wanna float.
00:21:42.20\00:21:43.83
Yeah. You know?
00:21:43.87\00:21:45.20
But see the beautiful thing is
00:21:45.23\00:21:46.84
like, you know,
00:21:46.87\00:21:48.60
when we become Christians,
00:21:48.64\00:21:49.97
like, it doesn't mean that
00:21:50.01\00:21:51.34
everything's
going to be the perfect
00:21:51.37\00:21:53.38
smooth sailing road.
00:21:53.41\00:21:54.78
The Bible says it
rains on the just and unjust,
00:21:54.81\00:21:57.61
you know, but we have
the purpose in our heart.
00:21:57.65\00:22:00.35
Yeah. We're serving a purpose.
00:22:00.38\00:22:02.25
We're serving someone
00:22:02.28\00:22:03.62
who wants to
spend eternity with us,
00:22:03.65\00:22:05.39
Jesus. Amen.
00:22:05.42\00:22:06.76
And so it's, it's all worth it.
00:22:06.79\00:22:08.32
See, when you're
going through these trials
00:22:08.36\00:22:09.72
and tribulations in the world,
00:22:09.76\00:22:11.66
you've got nobody on your side
00:22:11.69\00:22:13.53
that, you know, so
you wanna be with Jesus
00:22:13.56\00:22:16.83
and He stand with us.
00:22:16.87\00:22:18.20
If He before you... Come
on. Who can be against you?
00:22:18.23\00:22:20.54
Who can be
against you? That's right.
00:22:20.57\00:22:21.90
And there's been opposition
with Christmas Behind Bars,
00:22:21.94\00:22:24.24
brothers, you know,
00:22:24.27\00:22:25.61
as far as the going
into these prisons and stuff,
00:22:25.64\00:22:28.21
there's been opposition
00:22:28.24\00:22:30.65
as far as whether
it's to get product
00:22:30.68\00:22:32.51
or whether it's finances.
00:22:32.55\00:22:34.68
And so we just know,
00:22:34.72\00:22:36.69
you know, I just tell you,
I'll be honest with you, man.
00:22:36.72\00:22:39.25
You know, it was
freezing out cold.
00:22:39.29\00:22:41.02
It was zero degrees,
00:22:41.06\00:22:42.62
had two semi-trucks and trailers
00:22:42.66\00:22:44.33
going to the same place.
00:22:44.36\00:22:45.69
We're supposed to do
a bagging tonight. Okay.
00:22:45.73\00:22:47.50
We're supposed to be
there, have all set up.
00:22:47.53\00:22:49.53
The snow was
awful, 13 inches of snow.
00:22:49.56\00:22:51.53
It was awful.
00:22:51.57\00:22:52.90
And I'm unloading
this semi-trailer,
00:22:52.93\00:22:54.27
man, it's cold.
00:22:54.30\00:22:55.64
My fingers
aren't working no more.
00:22:55.67\00:22:57.01
My fingers are numb.
00:22:57.04\00:22:58.37
And I keep bringing the pallet
one at a time to the back.
00:22:58.41\00:23:00.44
So someone can offload
it and my fingers were numb.
00:23:00.48\00:23:03.04
And the thought
come to me, Jason,
00:23:03.08\00:23:05.28
a thought come to me.
00:23:05.31\00:23:06.65
And it was like, is
this really worth it?
00:23:06.68\00:23:10.19
Oh no. Where'd that come from?
00:23:10.22\00:23:12.05
This is worth it
because where do I have to go,
00:23:12.09\00:23:15.26
back to the dope house?
00:23:15.29\00:23:17.23
You know, back to prison myself,
00:23:17.26\00:23:18.73
it is worth it.
00:23:18.76\00:23:20.10
So the devil brings
some crazy thoughts.
00:23:20.13\00:23:22.26
And so by God's grace,
00:23:22.30\00:23:23.70
we got those 6,000
bags done that night
00:23:23.73\00:23:25.90
just as planned.
00:23:25.93\00:23:27.27
So it is worth it.
00:23:27.30\00:23:28.64
So all I can say is
we have to persevere
00:23:28.67\00:23:30.77
to endure till the end.
00:23:30.81\00:23:32.17
Amen? Amen.
00:23:32.21\00:23:33.98
What kind of opposition
00:23:34.01\00:23:35.38
or what kind of
challenges have you faced
00:23:35.41\00:23:38.11
with COVID in
getting into the prisons?
00:23:38.15\00:23:39.91
Well, the challenges are,
00:23:39.95\00:23:41.28
is we can't go in and
evangelize face to face.
00:23:41.32\00:23:43.89
Yeah.
00:23:43.92\00:23:45.25
But we're still
able to make the packages
00:23:45.29\00:23:46.62
and they have the
literature in there
00:23:46.65\00:23:47.99
and the windows of
heaven are still open.
00:23:48.02\00:23:49.99
The door to the
prison might be closed,
00:23:50.03\00:23:51.73
but the windows of heaven,
00:23:51.76\00:23:53.29
they going in cell by cell
with this devotional material.
00:23:53.33\00:23:56.46
So praise the Lord.
00:23:56.50\00:23:57.83
You know, I went to a prison.
00:23:57.87\00:23:59.20
It was in... I'm not
gonna name the state.
00:23:59.23\00:24:01.40
I was supposed to be there
at 7 o'clock in the morning.
00:24:01.44\00:24:04.37
And we're going
to deliver packages
00:24:04.41\00:24:05.81
over 2000 packages.
00:24:05.84\00:24:07.18
I'm there at 7 o'clock,
7 o'clock, 7:30, 8 o'clock,
00:24:07.21\00:24:10.45
9 o'clock, 10 o'clock, 11,
00:24:10.48\00:24:12.11
I still waiting
at the back gate.
00:24:12.15\00:24:13.48
I knew something
was tragically wrong,
00:24:13.52\00:24:15.55
but I didn't know what it was.
00:24:15.58\00:24:17.35
And the chaplain came
out and here's what he said,
00:24:17.39\00:24:21.02
"We had someone
commit suicide last night."
00:24:21.06\00:24:23.12
Wow.
00:24:23.16\00:24:24.49
We had an inmate kill
another inmate last night.
00:24:24.53\00:24:27.60
And we had two drug
overdoses last night.
00:24:27.63\00:24:30.13
That's a rough night.
00:24:30.17\00:24:31.50
You know, and
that's what he said.
00:24:31.53\00:24:32.87
That's a rough night.
00:24:32.90\00:24:34.24
I'm thinking, man,
that's a rough year.
00:24:34.27\00:24:35.60
That's a rough.
00:24:35.64\00:24:36.97
So anyway, so a bad prison,
00:24:37.01\00:24:39.67
my heart was broken
for those four people
00:24:39.71\00:24:43.14
that didn't receive a package.
00:24:43.18\00:24:44.51
Yeah.
00:24:44.55\00:24:45.88
I just wish somehow the
chaplain would announced
00:24:45.91\00:24:47.48
that bags are coming,
00:24:47.52\00:24:48.85
Christmas Behind Bars is coming.
00:24:48.88\00:24:50.22
Because what happens is
00:24:50.25\00:24:51.89
when they announced that
Christmas Behind Bars is coming
00:24:51.92\00:24:54.16
and the prison knows it.
00:24:54.19\00:24:56.06
The inmates got
something to look forward to.
00:24:56.09\00:24:57.59
Yes.
00:24:57.63\00:24:58.96
The suicide watch goes down
00:24:58.99\00:25:01.33
and a lot of
different things change.
00:25:01.36\00:25:02.80
The atmosphere changes,
00:25:02.83\00:25:04.17
because they're looking
forward to this ministry coming
00:25:04.20\00:25:06.10
because they know
they're gonna receive something.
00:25:06.13\00:25:09.00
And we as Christians, brothers,
00:25:09.04\00:25:11.37
we have been told that
the Savior was gonna come.
00:25:11.41\00:25:15.01
There was
propitiation for our sins,
00:25:15.04\00:25:16.58
the cross of Calvary
00:25:16.61\00:25:17.95
that Jesus would come
and go there and He did.
00:25:17.98\00:25:19.78
Amen.
00:25:19.81\00:25:21.15
And now we as Christians,
we have the opportunity
00:25:21.18\00:25:22.52
to look back unto the cross
00:25:22.55\00:25:24.72
and forward under the
sooner return of Jesus Christ.
00:25:24.75\00:25:28.26
So we as Christians
00:25:28.29\00:25:29.62
should be diligent
more now than ever.
00:25:29.66\00:25:31.86
Amen.
00:25:31.89\00:25:33.46
What are some of the
needs of Christmas Behind Bars?
00:25:33.50\00:25:36.30
We need Bibles, Bibles,
Bibles, Bibles, used Bibles.
00:25:36.33\00:25:39.30
If people at
home have used Bibles,
00:25:39.33\00:25:41.17
they can put them in a box.
00:25:41.20\00:25:42.54
If they got new Bibles,
they can put them in a box
00:25:42.57\00:25:44.14
and send them to us
at Christmas Behind Bars,
00:25:44.17\00:25:46.37
financial contributions
00:25:46.41\00:25:47.74
as we continue by
faith to say yes to prisons.
00:25:47.78\00:25:50.41
Nebraska called said, yes,
00:25:50.45\00:25:51.78
I just got a call this
morning from a man in Texas.
00:25:51.81\00:25:54.12
He said, there's a
prison in Oklahoma,
00:25:54.15\00:25:55.72
two of them that
would like packages.
00:25:55.75\00:25:57.75
So financial contributions,
homemade thinking of UCards,
00:25:57.79\00:26:01.19
brother, homemade cards.
00:26:01.22\00:26:03.06
The little
children can make cards.
00:26:03.09\00:26:04.79
They can use glue, glitter,
lays, pencil, crayon, marker.
00:26:04.83\00:26:07.56
They can use anything
to make a homemade card
00:26:07.60\00:26:10.03
and we give those to the inmates
00:26:10.07\00:26:11.43
and they're worth
their weight in gold.
00:26:11.47\00:26:12.80
Amen.
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.17
Well, we're gonna put up
your contact information.
00:26:14.20\00:26:15.54
Okay.
00:26:15.57\00:26:16.91
So that people know how
to get in touch with you,
00:26:16.94\00:26:18.94
how to send those
things to your organization.
00:26:18.97\00:26:22.41
If you want to
contact Christmas Behind Bars,
00:26:22.44\00:26:25.01
you can send them
mail at PO Box 474,
00:26:25.05\00:26:29.45
Bluffton, Indiana 46714,
00:26:29.48\00:26:34.19
or you can visit them online
00:26:34.22\00:26:36.52
at ChristmasBehindBars.org
00:26:36.56\00:26:40.16
Send them an email at
00:26:40.20\00:26:41.53
Contact@ ChristmasBehindBars.org
00:26:41.56\00:26:45.93
or you can give them a call.
00:26:45.97\00:26:48.07
And why don't you
share that number with us?
00:26:48.10\00:26:49.97
(260) 827-8835.
00:26:50.01\00:26:55.44
All right. All right. Yes.
00:26:55.48\00:26:57.48
And so hopefully our
viewers will reach out
00:26:57.51\00:26:59.85
and they will support
00:26:59.88\00:27:01.22
this wonderful,
wonderful organization.
00:27:01.25\00:27:04.62
And, Lemuel, give
us a final thought
00:27:04.65\00:27:08.29
for somebody who
hasn't accepted Christ
00:27:08.32\00:27:10.59
in their life?
00:27:10.63\00:27:11.96
For somebody that hasn't
accepted Christ in your life.
00:27:11.99\00:27:15.46
I would just like
to say, personally,
00:27:15.50\00:27:18.17
as you're willing,
00:27:18.20\00:27:19.90
He's able, He's
not gonna force you.
00:27:19.93\00:27:22.30
He's not gonna take you to
a place you don't wanna go.
00:27:22.34\00:27:24.67
It'll get better,
it'll grow brighter,
00:27:24.71\00:27:26.54
it'll grow stronger,
00:27:26.57\00:27:28.31
but today's the day
that you have to be willing
00:27:28.34\00:27:32.88
to taste and see
that God is good.
00:27:32.91\00:27:36.89
Amen.
00:27:36.92\00:27:38.25
Taste and see
that the Lord is good,
00:27:38.29\00:27:39.85
and you tasted and
you saw that He is good.
00:27:39.89\00:27:43.69
And you as well. Amen.
00:27:43.73\00:27:45.06
And that's our
promise to our viewers today.
00:27:45.09\00:27:47.10
That's right.
00:27:47.13\00:27:48.46
And now we're living for Him.
00:27:48.50\00:27:49.83
Thank you so much for
coming on and sharing.
00:27:49.86\00:27:51.93
And we wanna thank
you for joining us.
00:27:51.97\00:27:53.64
Make the decision
to accept Christ today,
00:27:53.67\00:27:56.07
until next time God bless you.
00:27:56.10\00:27:57.84