April 2009
The purpose of the monthly
view is to reflect God’s love and
glory. As Christians, we are mirrors that
brightly reflect the glory of the Lord.
As the Spirit of the Lord works within us,
we become more and more like Him and reflect
His glory even more.1
 |
| Click
for Larger Image |
My Latest Photo
Sometimes it isn’t
appropriate to reflect God’s glory
in prison. For instance, we are asked not
to smile in our mug shots, because we’re
supposed to be a hardened criminal. I comply,
but I’m smiling on the inside because
the Holy Spirit lives in me.
Many of you have requested
a photo in the past. I offer this photo,
taken on a recent visit. Jesus said, “Don’t
hide your light under a basket! Instead,
put it on a stand and let it shine for all.
In the same way, let your good deeds shine
out for all to see, so that everyone will
praise your heavenly Father.”2
Monthly Visitors
This may be your first
time to visit this website. If so, you are
one of the five to eighteen thousand unique
visitors monthly, totaling two to eight
hundred thousand hits. I’m asking
God to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so that you might grow in your knowledge
of God.3
I realize that most people
end up visiting this site because of my
infamous past, only to find out that I’ve
been born-again. Christ came into my heart
in 1975. What this means is that those who
become Christians become new persons. They
are not the same anymore, for the old life
is gone. A new life has begun!4
E-Mail & Correspondence
Our website Administrator
cannot answer all your e-mails, but please
keep those encouraging praise reports coming.
She does try to respond to many, but the
website itself is intended to answer most
of your questions. For instance, “Manson’s
Right-Hand Man Speaks Out!” is
a book of 208 Q’s & A’s
covering ten different subjects.
Some of you write to my
prison address, but it is difficult for
me to respond to everyone. For everyone
who writes, I do pray that Christ will be
more and more at home in your hearts as
you trust in Him. May your roots go down
deep into the soil of God’s marvelous
love. And may the Holy Spirit empower you
to understand how wide, how long, how high
and how deep God’s love really is.5
Difficult Times
I know that times are difficult
for many, so my heart goes out to you. One
promise to confess loudly right now reminds
us that “…those who wait on
the LORD will find new strength. They fly
high on wings like eagles. They will run
and not grow weary. They will walk and not
faint.”6
“Seek the LORD while
you can find Him. Call on Him now while
He is near. Let people turn from their wicked
deeds. Let them banish from their minds
the very thought of doing wrong! Let them
turn to the LORD that He may have mercy
on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will
abundantly pardon.”7
The LORD says, “My
thoughts are completely different from yours.
And my ways are far beyond anything you
could imagine. For just as the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways and my thoughts higher than
your thoughts.”8
“The rain and the
snow come down from heaven and stay on the
ground to water the earth. They cause the
grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry. It is the same
with my word. I send it out, and it always
produces fruit. It will accomplish all I
want it to, and it will prosper everywhere
I send it. You will live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into
song, and the trees of the field will clap
their hands! Where once there were thorns,
cypress trees will grow. Where briers grew,
myrtles will sprout up. This miracle will
bring great honor to the LORD’s name;
it will be an everlasting sign of His power
and love.”9
God Sent His Word
I had many opportunities
to receive God’s Word before that
day in 1975 when Jesus Christ came into
my heart, but my thoughts were not His thoughts.
I rejected His promises, so the LORD could
not accomplish all that He wanted to do.
He desired my prosperity by giving me the
ability to live in joy and peace.
How many times has God’s
Word come to you during your lifetime? The
LORD says, “He sent His Word and healed
them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD
for His goodness, and for His wonderful
works to the children of men!”10
It’s time for you
to accept God’s Word [Jesus]! “Even
to His own land and among His own people,
He was not accepted. But to all who believed
Him and accepted Him, He gave the right
to become children of God. They are reborn!
This is not physical birth resulting from
human passion or plan—this rebirth
comes from God.
So the Word became human
and lived here on earth among us. He was
full of unfailing love and faithfulness.
And we have seen His glory, the glory of
the only Son of the Father.”11
Happy Resurrection Day
Easter was once a pagan
holiday, until it was converted to celebrate
Christ’s resurrection. The date this
year is April 12th, 2009. We worship on
Sunday, the first day of the week, because
Jesus Christ rose from the dead on that
day.
This day could be the perfect
time for you to make a commitment or recommitment
to the Lord Jesus Christ. The scripture
tells us, “If you confess with your
mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in
your heart that God raised Him from the
dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing
in your heart that you are made right with
God, and it is by confessing with your mouth
that you are saved.
Anyone who believes in
Him will not be disappointed. Jew and Gentile
are the same in this respect. They all have
the same Lord, who generously gives His
riches to all who ask for them. For ANYONE
who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.”12
A Prayer For You ...
Our Father and our King,
Creator of everything, You are the beginning
and You are the end and all Your righteousness
is seen in Your son, Jesus. We pray in His
name, that the grace You have freely given
will be accepted by those who read this
message today. We seek Your will to be done
in our lives and in the lives of those ministered
to by this outreach. May the love of God
we have experienced be found by those who
recognize their need for the help only Your
Son can give. We are not unaware of the
schemes of Satan, and desire that the Light
of Your Word and Your Son shines in dark
places to expose the lies we have believed
for too long. Jesus is the way, the truth,
and the life to all of us who had lost our
way by denying Your truth. May He restore
us to a proper relationship with You, Father.
In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Scripture References (New Living
Translation):
Acknowledgement: A special thanks
to Sherry for transcribing this months view!
|
