OUR FATHER
The book of Genesis tells us that Abram from the land of Ur of the Chaldees, the father of Jews and Gentiles, was a successful and wealthy rancher. He and his wife, Sarai, are examples of saints who lived lives full of faith and obedience. Thus, God promised to make their descendants into a great nation which required Abram's obedience. This was the Abrahamic Covenant in which God said, "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness." 15:5,6.
Abraham's first son, Ishmael, was born to Abram and the Egyptian maidservant, Hagar, and all parties assumed Ishmael would be God's fulfillment to the promise. When Abram was 90 years old, God changed Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai's name to Sarah! Abraham means Father of Nations and Sarah means Princess! Soon thereafter, God surprised Sarah and Abraham at the ripe old age of 100, with a son, Isaac. Ishmael and Isaac were half-brothers and playmates; but when Sarai caught Ishmael mocking Isaac, she was furious, beat Hagar and demanded that Abraham evict Hagar and Ishmael from the homestead and send them to live in the wilderness. What a dysfunctional family!! Although it was "very grievous in Abraham's sight" he cooperated with Sarah.
Yet, because of their faith and obedience in the One and Only God, and in spite of the family problems, their hearts were circumcised as a sign of the special covenant between God and His people, and all believers yet to come.
At age 13, the miracle child, Isaac, was taken by his father to Mt. Moriah to be sacrificed at God's command. God did not want the physical death of Isaac, but wanted Abraham to "sacrifice" Isaac in his heart so Abraham would be convinced that his love for God was greater than his love for Isaac. It was a test of Abraham's faith and obedience. Thankfully, God in His restorative deliverance, stopped the slaying of Isaac by providing the ram caught by its horns in a bush. So the father took the ram and sacrificed it instead of his son, as a burnt offering on the altar.
In spite of the family's dysfunction, Abraham and Sarah were still blessed by God because of their faithfulness so much so that God named the couple "the father and mother of all nations!" Many kings were among their posterity! In particular, King Jesus! In Deuteronomy 6:4-9 we see the continuous and eternal ripple effects of their devotion to the God of Israel. Because of one father's faithfulness to His Heavenly Father, the Hebrew family to this day honors Him when they pray the SHEMA, a twice-daily blessing: "Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One." In 2017 the body of Christ adheres to the command found in Mark 12:29-31, where Jesus explained to the Jewish scribes: "The first of all the commandments is, 'Hear, O Isreal; the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but HE:"
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You can read the entire history of Abraham and his descendants in Genesis 11-25, Exodus 2:24, Acts 7:2-8, Romans 4, Galatians 3, Hebrews 6,7,11. Their story is a beautiful picture of God Our Father!
Research reports that thousands of offenders also come from dysfunctional households where neglect, abuse, rivalry, abandonment, poverty and criminal behavior are prevalent. The Real Root Causes of Violent Crime: The Breakdown of Marriage, Family and the Community, The Heritage Foundation, 3/17/95, Patrick Fagan; Broken Families, Parents Without Skills, Kids in Juvenile Justice, Georgia Public Policy Foundation, Mike Klein, 5/3/13.
American families of 2017 A.D. are at-risk just as Abraham's family was in disarray in 2091 B.C.
However, that's not the end of the story! God in His wondrous promise and love for His people has offered a solution to broken hearts and families through His own dear Son, Jesus Christ! Just as both Ishmael and Isaac's lives were spared, today's children can also be spared: through the new life and love of incarcerated parents who are turning to Jesus. Daily we see hundreds of female and male offenders converting to Jesus, hearts circumcised by the love of God, minds transformed by the Word, redeeming the time with their kids back home through visits, phone calls, love letters and prayers! Just as Father Abraham "believed God," and eventually prayed to seek God's forgiveness for his sins, offenders are also being reconciled to their children, and families are being healed and reunited! It is through the restoration process of Our Father and His Son - the work of perfect love on the Cross - that offenders and their families can become whole, living as faithful believers, and "talking about them (commandments) when they are at home or out for a walk; at bedtime and the first thing in the morning." Deuteronomy 6:4-8. The LORD is their GOD!
REMINDER! Father's Day is Sunday, June 18!
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Featured VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH are Tim and Teresa Atwell of Brookville, PA.
This lovely Christian couple has been volunteering at Quehanna Boot Camp for two years, and in prior years at SCI Forest.
Teresa's testimony: I was asked by a friend to attend a new prison volunteer orientation
and out of curiosity I said YES, but when the time came to go, I became afraid and started crying as I was waiting. I told God "Please don't let my friend pick me up." But she did. I continued to cry while we drove due to fear. She said "just go with me for one visit" and she promised me she'd work with me, and I'd be "hooked!" And I was!! There was a song playing on the radio that day that ministered to me: "What breaks God's heart, what makes Him cry, what would I see if I looked through His eyes." I have seen in these dark place where I didn't want to go that God's light indeed shines and no amount of darkness can ever take that light away. I have seen numerous lives changed because of God's loving kindness and am so glad that I cooperated with God that first day when I was crying and fearful!
"Tim came on board at Quehanna Boot Camp to co-facilitate and minister with Teresa in LIFE classes, and to do what Jesus requires: "I was in prison, and ye came unto me . . . and the King shall answer and say unto them, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:36-40
Thank you, Tim and Teresa, for the blessing you are to your young students.
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What does a LIFE I graduation of 21 female students look like? Young and older women who have presented their broken lives to godly mentors for weekly teaching, mentoring, encouragement, exemplary lifestyles, and prayer. Won't you pray for these grads who have worked hard to complete the LIFE curriculum?
Prayer Needs:
- genuine salvation experience while incarcerated
- lives of faith and growth while in prison
- successful completion of all faith-based re-entry courses
- successful re-entry to their homes
- finding support groups in their communities, including Bible-teaching churches
- restoration of families
- housing & employment opportunities
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When our LIFE students graduate, LIFE issues them a Certificate of Completion, along with a beautiful piece of literature. This time, the gift book was You Can Begin Again by Joyce Meyer. The Certificates act as a visible piece of their accomplishment but also as a way to demonstrate to POs, parole boards, wardens, counselors, chaplains, families, attorneys and judges that the student has been using his/her time wisely. Stewarding their time while in prison is imperative!!
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SCI Cambridge Springs graduated 21 ladies from LIFE I on May 7! Thank you Judy Smock, Lead Volunteer who was featured in our May LIFELINE, Carole Werder and Dawn George. Your faithfulness to the Lord and to the students and to the LIFE ministry is "par excellence!"
LIFE I is our basic faith-based life skills course offering topics on Obedience to Authority, God's Plan for Your Life, Stewardship, Relationships, Community, Work, The 7 Deadly Sins, Goals, Purpose and Fasting & Praying.
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Bookworms in the state prisons are now in love with more and more fine literature. The book of the month is Twelve Paradoxes of the Gospel by Cameron C. Taylor.
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A TRIP TO PHILADELPHIA: THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE
Brotherly love was in the air as we entered the Philadelphia Airport Marriott Hotel for the 5th annual Correctional Ministries & Chaplains Association Ministries Summit on May 6! It was no accident that God called Tracey Jones and Marcia Sinkovitz to share a novel idea, that of the Tremendous Life Book Club, now held in three state prisons. Hundreds of ministers, social workers, social justice advocates attended the two-day summit where ministries presented their missions of hope and restoration! At the Summit, Tracey presented "Learning for Lifers: Reading, Reflection, and Renewal" where inmates are learning and reporting that a book can really save a life via 'metanoia' (changing the mind from darkness to light) AND 'biblio-therapy' (the use of literature to help patients understand their health problems, symptoms).
If you are interested in starting a book club, contact Marcia at our LIFE office, 717-385-2037.
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