UNDERSTANDING NEW CHRISTIANS IN PRISON
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Chapter 15
FUTURE PLANNING
Hopefully, through the previous chapters, it has been clear that a Christian in prison has many unique and unusual experiences that need explaining in order to minister to him. It is my hope that you have a new understanding and ideas of how you can help your loved one in prison. Likewise, the future of your loved one needs attention and planning. It is very important to inmates to have plans and dreams of what we will do when we are released. Hope is a powerful motivator not only in prison but out as well. The more thought and detail that goes into planning his future, the better he will do upon release.
Living in a fast paced world is hard enough for the well adjusted, financially stable, normal life. Trying to plan where there is much uncertainty is challenging to say the least. There are several different areas in which your loved one should start to prepare his future plans. The first one is to develop a plan to continue his relationship with God in the outside world and have a strong connection immediately with a church and the Christian community. This not only helps to overcome temptations but also will provide accountability and fellowship. It is important to acknowledge that your friend or loved one will be faced with many of the temptations that affected his behavior before. Acknowledging this area of weakness is critical and of most importance so that such temptations can be deliberately avoided and accountability with others can be put into effect as check points. Small groups or Bible study groups are of most importance.
Daily Bible reading and prayer provide the strength and closeness to God to overcome any negative thoughts or feelings. If these aren't maintained in a very disciplined way, even the best plan will fail. Fellowship with God will give daily understanding, comfort, and self control. The Holy Spirit dwells within the believer and provides these fruits ' love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). Read the last one again! Yes, self-control!! He is the provider.
As far as choosing a good church, probably your friend or loved one will choose to go to your church with you initially. This is a good start, especially for the first year or so. As he grows in Christ and less accountability is needed, he may choose to visit other churches or not. Whatever church he attends it is important that he feels like it is his church. Some choose to stay at the same church if it fits their needs while others decide to go to another. What is important is that your loved one or friend is in a church that provides support through small groups and where he can grow stronger and stronger spiritually. Involvement in ministry service is important as soon as possible too. Be careful not to let your pride interfere in his decision, so that your relationship will stay strong no matter what. Hurt feelings can be a terrible distraction after a prison transition.
The second step to consider is your loved one's place to live and environment. Some may have a home to go to, but most do not. Many come from broken homes and don't have family or friends that would take them in and help them get started again. A good home is important. Some may leave prison and end up in a halfway house or cheap pay by the week hotel. Many of these places put the Christian inmate back in an environment of temptation or negative thinking and bad habits again. If an inmate has a problem with drinking alcohol, then the future plans should not include an environment that is near a bar or with friends that drink, etc. The less temptation there is in the environment the stronger a released inmate can grow in resisting it and thus have a good future.
Dear Reader - are you at peace with God? If not, you can be. Do you know what awaits you when you die? You can have the assurance from God that heaven will be your home, if you would like to be certain. You can even have that assurance RIGHT NOW! Either Jesus Christ died for your sins, or He didn't (He did!). Are you prepared to stand before God on the Judgment Day and tell Him that you didn't need the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross to have your sins forgiven and get in right-standing with God? We plead with you...please don't make such a tragic mistake.
To get to know God, to be at peace with God, to have your sins forgiven, to make certain heaven will be your home for eternity, to make certain that you are in right-standing with God right now ... please click here to help you understand the importance of being reconciled to God. What you do about being reconciled to God will determine where you will spend eternity, precious one. Your decision to be reconciled to God is the most important decision you'll ever make in this life, because in Christ, it is impossible to put a value on the worth of your soul in light of eternity.
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Remember: All that we do in this life comes back to our God-given purpose which is to serve and glorify God. The money and assets we accumulate, the fame and power we've attained or seek to attain - all of the things of this nature will one day pass away, but those lives of others we impact for Jesus Christ will last for eternity, and we will be rewarded for the part we helped play by impacting those lives ... for eternity. (Matthew 6:19-21 is our assurance)