August 6, 2006

DESPERATE TIMES

Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 2:3

I believe we would be fooling ourselves if we thought these are joyful and prosperous times that we're living in. Rather these are desperate times when many people are suffering in a myriad of ways. And for Chrstians, if we remain honest, we could attest that our faith seems to be getting tested to the maximum.

Speaking for myself, I seem to go from one problem to another. Then, when one problem gets resolved, a different one crops up in its place.

And with this in mind, during today's chapel service, before the minister came to the pulpit to give his sermon, I felt led to speak to the flock for a handful of minutes in order to give both them and my self an exhortation about being ''good soldiers" for Jesus Christ.

So I first read a small portion from the Apostle Paul's second letter to his beloved spiritual son, Timothy, who was a young pastor in the making. I then read a brief message which I wrote this morning shortly before sunrise. For as I was sitting on my bunk the Holy Spirit stirred me to get a pen and a piece of paper and write the following:

"We're living in very desperate and perilous times. And I believe that the Lord Jesus is calling each of us into a deeper and stronger relationship with Him.

This is not the time, my brothers, for the typical, mediocre, 'business as usual' approach to Christianity. For we are living in a critical period of the church's history, and at a time when many have grown spiritually cold. They're also indifferent to Christ's mandate to preach the gospel to every person.

In the United States of America, at least, many of us are content to stay cloistered within the walls of cozy church buildings rather than doing the work of soul winners, and going out along the highways and hedges in order to find the lost and compel them to come to Christ for salvation. We've been omitting the Lord's 'Great Commission', and we're instead settling for our self-made religious safety zones. And this should not be.

My brethren, as the world drifts towards increased wars, acts of terroroism and disease, and as false prophets and teachers flourish, we need to be more gounded in our faith, and in the knowlege of the Word of God than ever before."

David Berkowitz

August 13, 2006

ONE SOUL

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Luke 15:7

This morning we had another God-directed worship service in the chapel. The best part of the approximately 90 minute event, however, was when we had our altar call. As the preacher gave the invitation one individual came forward to confess that as of this moment, he was placing his faith in Jesus Christ. Up until now he had been a devout Muslim who had been following the teachings of Islam.

To protect his identity I will not reveal his name, nor will I gove any details about him. Nevertheless, he has been a popular and well respected member of the prison's Muslim community.

Furthermore, I learned afterwards that it was one of the members of my congregation who had been sharing his faith with him. And today, for the first time, this man came to the chapel. And while the minister was giving the message, this man made the decison in his heart that he was going to place his faith in Christ, which he did. Then, when the altar call was made, he came forward and announced it to the church. As a result, the more than fifty men in attendance broke into spontaneous applause. We gave God thanks, and when the service was finished, we took turns embracing him.

I have no doubt that there was joy in heaven today. There was much joy in our little church, too.

David Berkowitz

August 14, 2006

JOY DAY

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:24

After a prolonged heat wave with very high humidity, almost overnight, it seems, the weather has become nearly perfect with evenings that are cool enough for me to need a light sweatshirt. And it won't be much longer before my favorite season is here. When autumn arrives the leaves will of course begin to change their colors. While at nights the faint smell of woodsmoke will waft into the air as folks from nearby towns start up their woodstoves and fireplaces on chlly evenings.

But aside from this, today my heart was filled with an all-encompassing joy. God answered a prayer of mine, and on this special and wonderful day I was treated to a priceless gift from Him.

Now, however, shortly before bedtime, my heart is very happy and my souls is at rest. I only wish there would be more days like this one, and I am believing by faith that there wil be.

David Berkowitz

August 16, 2006

BLESSED FELLOWSHIP OF THE FORGIVEN

At three o'clock in the afternoon, when my work assignment was done, I was permitted to to outdoors for about an hour. It felt good to walk in the fresh air on such a stunning and gorgeous day.

And while I was in the recreation yard I happened to run into several men from my congregation. We than began to walk together. But as we were doing so I became aware of the deep brotherly love I feel toward these guys. For here were individuals, like myself, who committed crimes and did bad things. Yet at some point during our lives God was able to penetrate our hard hearts so that we would each hear the gospel, and believe it.

Moreover, as I listened to these prisoners talk about their hopes, dreams and day-to-day struggles, something continued to stir deep within me. It was a good feeling, however. It was also a recognition that even in this place of darkness and evil---a maximum security prison---God has somehow brought us together, a group of men from diverse backgrounds, so that He might teach us how to learn to love, live, work and grow together as a holy family . The Lord Jesus, I believe wants us to excel in every area of our lives.

Thus I consider myself privileged to be around such men. I am blessed to have them as friends, too, because they love Jesus, and so do I.

David Berkowitz

August 18, 2006

A PRODUCTIVE DAY

It's been a very productive and spirutially enriching day. My morning work assignment as a mobility guide for a sight-impaired prisoner was uneventful. But this afternoom, however, when I went to the Intermediate Care cell block to assist the men who are mentally challenged, I found a handful of guys who needed a friend to talk to. A couple of the men asked me to pray for them, too.

One particular inmate, who once told me that he is "HIV positive", said he's been feeling sick and has a bad case of diarrea. I did notice that he's lost weight. So he was glad when I put my right hand on his forehead and said a prayer for him. Many of these men simply need someone to show them compassion and concern. And this is my ministry; it is a joy to do it.

In addition, I was also able to spend time withmy friend "Larry". I wrote about him in my journal entry dated June, 20, 2006.

This afternoon I found Larry walking around the housing unit on this warm summer's day still wearing his tattered army coat. He was moving back and forth during our one hour re-creation period, which today happened to be held indoors, talking to himself while bundled in winder gear.

Poor Larry! He's a beautiful person who's now lost in a world of schizophrenia. Nevertheless, I could spend an entire day with Larry and enjoy his company, even though, sadly, most of his words are insane jibberish. Larry's a precious soul whom Jesus loves.

David Berkowitz

August 20, 2006

MY CHAPLAIN RETURNS

I cannot even begin to describe the many ways the Lord has been touching lives in this place. It says in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah the prophet, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything to hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27)

The answer to this question, of course, is that nothing is to hard for the Creator. He has power and authority over all things.

And with this in mind, I am full of joy right now because, as of today, my chaplain has returned to his post as pastor of the congregation after having taken a leave of absence for a few weeks in order to attend to his wife who, after a routine medical examination, was diagnosed with cancer. (see my Journal for July 23, 2006).

Fortunately, "Pastor Carl," as we affectionately like to call him, appeared to be well rested. He also preached with exceptional fervency as he attested to the goodness of God, and how his wife, after enduring a surgery to remove a tumor that was determined to cancerous, came out of her ordeal with an excellent prognosis. The doctors,. the chaplain said, believe thay got all the cancer cells. My pastor was so jubilant about this that on several occasions during his combination sermon and testimonial he broke into tears.

In addition, there were times during his message when the congregation was so moved that we erupted in spontaneous applause to give glory to Jesus Christ. I am very happy, therefore, for my pastor and his wife. His message from Psalm 40:1-5 was, I believe, sent to me from heaven, too.

David Berkowitz