The Battle Report
The battle between good and evil never ends. Sometimes we get a little reprieve in our own personal lives, but in reality, someone, somewhere, is going through a difficult time. Whether we like it or not, our own break will end at some point, and something in the category of pain, suffering, sickness, and death will invade our space. It is called “life on earth.”
The great thing about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is not that we will avoid the consequences of this corrupt world, but that we do not have to face them or endure them alone. We have both the promise of a better future in a better location (heaven) and the comfort of getting through our time on earth with the help of our Creator Himself.
As you know, we are deeply involved in prison ministry. Prison can be a state of being, or a location, or both. In essence, earth itself is a prison. The boundaries are vast and the opportunities for managing our time here are many, but regardless, we are stuck here until it is our time to graduate to the place we all look forward to yet do everything in our power to delay actually getting there.
This is the way it is supposed to be because we are here on an assignment to participate in what God has for us for such a time as this. One of the most difficult concepts to embrace is the reality that our fight is not against mankind. Therefore, our enemies to stand against and defeat are not in the physical.
Ephesians 6:11-12 (NLT)
11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
The two most powerful spiritual weapons are prayer and scripture. I personally believe that praying the scriptures are the most effective prayers.
Psalm 91, often referred to as “the soldier’s prayer” is something my wife Susan and I have begun to utilize in our own personal prayer life. I have enclosed a brief explanation of why it is called “the soldier’s prayer” as well as the psalm itself. We are praying this daily over our family, friends, ministry, and our country, and we encourage you to do so as well.
During World War I, the 91st Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Expeditionary Army was preparing to enter combat in Europe. Because their commander was a devout Christian, he assembled his men and gave each of them a little card on which was printed Psalm 91, the same number psalm as their brigade. They agreed to recite that psalm daily. After they had begun praying the psalm, the 91st Brigade was engaged in three of the bloodiest battles of World War I: Chateau Thierry, Belle Wood, and the Argonne. Other American units that fought in the same battles had up to 90 percent casualties, but the 91st Brigade did not suffer a single combat-related casualty.
Psalm 91 (NLT)
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. 8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. 9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! 14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”
Overview of 2016
As a result of your prayers, financial support and volunteerism, we were able to undertake the following in 2016:
Provide training materials and resources for 8 prison ministries besides our own.
Provide personal jail visits to over 1200 men and women.
Provide the Lessons for Life Correspondence Course to over 500 students.
Provide Life Coach Training to 33 new students, many of which are incarcerated.
Provide Lessons for Life Training live in the following facilities: Douglas County Jail, Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry Center, Comcor Community Correctional Facility, Denver Women’s Correctional Facility, and Ellsworth Correctional Facility – East Camp.
Provide Life Coaching for over 70 different individuals.
Participate with Brothers in Blue weekend events at Winfield and Ellsworth Correctional Facilities in Kansas.
Begin providing study bibles directly to inmates.
Thanks to you, our ministry opportunities continue to expand.
We could never do this by ourselves.
Merry Christmas!