Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by sin, you who are Godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path and be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself (Galatians 6:1)
Galatians 5:1 - "Christ has set us free;", "stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
"Why are we here?"
We are here because there is no refuge, finally from ourself until a person confronts himself in the eyes and hearts of others he is running, afraid to be known, we can know neither ourselves or any other, we will be alone. Where else but in our common ground can we find such a mirror, here at last a person can appear clearly to himself to be a giant of his dreams or a sward of his fears, but as a man part of a whole with a share in his purpose, in this ground we can each take root and grow, not alone anymore as in death but alive to ourselves and to others.
-unknown-
I don't know who wrote this quote, but I like it. It's the kind of thing you see written on jail house walls on occasion with, of course, your usual 4 letter obscenities. I'd like to say this - there will always be people, anywhere that are appealing and some that are not appealing. Before I ever came to prison or spent time in jail my thoughts were skewed by media of what prison life and the people in there would be like. What I have found is that I'm not the only "normal guy who got caught doing something I shouldn't have done." I let several people in my pod read my daily posts and most tell me "Cody, it feels like you've taped into my life." or "sounds exactly like the things I think about". Now most won't say this in a crowd or at the poker table, but when I can get them alone one on one I think for the most part we are all alike. Tired of running scared, people, God's children who just want to be loved and have never figured out how to let go of the sin in our lives long enough to figure this thing out. We are creatures of habit and most operate under principals of comfort. We do what we know. Not many will brave the unknown as it is uncomfortable and scary. Although, the guys in here are scared of nothing! Lol. It's crazy, some of these guys would be more comfortable standing in front of a mob of armed men that wanted to beat, stab, and shoot them than they would be comfortable standing in front of a mob of Christians that wanted to love, help, and rescue them from their fears.
People everyday bring up some type of rehab or religion to me when they can get me alone and I'm not on the poker table. I've noticed that, more than most would think, most people want to talk about real stuff that matters. They just don't always know who is safe to talk to. So most are quietly seeking someone to talk about what they are going to do with their life and how to get there. Most are sick of being in places like these and just want to go home to their families, work, and make up for all the years they've squandered. Just like me! I am glad that God has given me the opportunity to be an ear to those who need one and I'm thankful that some just like me have been able to be an ear for me. We are all on "common ground" here in prison or in the world living free. We all struggle with life because life is hard and God tells us that it's going to be. But there are so many places in the Bible that can give us assurance that god has our backs no matter what. This affliction we face is only temporary and someone somewhere has already suffered this same thing, and they made it. So don't forget to praise the Lord in the good and the bad because "In Him there is no darkness" at all!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me a second chance for the 10th time and Lord please help me to stand firm in you always and to carry the message you want me to carry to the people who need to hear it most! I pray Psalm 90:17 Lord 'Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us all, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands. Amen.
Thoughts: Cunning, baffling, and powerful. Rob, steal, and destroy. A thief of souls. I snake in the grass. To me those words describe Satan the emperor of death. It also describes the nature of all sin. Sin in any form is put on earth to do all those things in our life. Ending in death. Sin is a normal everyday issue in the lives of us all. I have tried to live without God in my life for years because I just didn't know what I was missing out on and I wan't willing to "do the uncomfortable". Sin has been all these things in my life. It has taken from me everything that I was put on this earth to enjoy. I often thought I was "enjoying" my life by engaging in many sinful desires of the heart but actually I was assisting Satan in digging my own grave and helping him to ruin my life. Thank God somehow someway I have seen the light. Next time something so desirable you just have to have it knocks on your door, before you smoke it, inject it, snort it, lay down with it, play it, do it, entertain it's company, ask yourself if it's of God and if you wouldn't do it in front of your children or loved ones, in front of your pastor, or even Jesus don't do it, because the one offering it is in disguise and his tongue is forked. So stomp his head with your heal and tell him to kick rocks.
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