Inside Perspective -
January 2014
My Dear Family in Christ,
Ever precious greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ!
Today I am honored to write on behalf of the Body of
believers here at Rahway. This month we want to take the time to honor Sister
Debbie and all the Lord’s wonderful volunteers from Our Father’s Persistent Love
Ministries who joyfully help her yearly with the Christmas presents for our
children.
It is written, “Let another man praise thee,
and not thine own mouth; a stranger and not thine own lips.” (Proverbs 27:2)
In keeping with this truth, we the Body of Christ at
Rahway State Seminary want to take this time to thank and encourage you because
we are so grateful for your ministry! In the presence of God, all His holy
angels and blood-bought saints, we, being with you in spirit, want to thank you
publicly for your hearts toward us!
In your service to the Lord, you have indeed served us
with all of your hearts. Words cannot define the disastrous effect incarceration
has had upon our relationships with our families, and most especially with our
children. Thus, when you reach out to our kids in love on our behalf, you enter
a special place in our hearts. We are first of all humbled, but at once reminded
of the heart of God and His provision despite who we used to be and what we may
have done.
The gifts you give and the love you share when
delivering them are often, unknown to you, the first steps toward reconciliation
with our families. In my humble opinion, this is Christianity fleshed-out as the
Lord would have it! More than anything you have shared the precious love of your
Savior with our children, and for that, we are forever grateful.
Therefore, be encouraged beloved and press forward all
the more with the blood-stained Banner as the Lord’s coming draws ever nearer.
You have poured out your lives for us and the eternal consequence of such an
offering can only be weighed on the everlasting scales in glory. The Lord is
indeed forever your portion and your exceeding great reward!
It is written in Matthew 25: “Then shall the King say
unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye
gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took
me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison,
and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw
we thee an hungered, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we
thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we
thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say
unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the
least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
You have all served as humble encouragers to us and
our families all these many years, and that with great joy! You have been a fine
example to all of us and this day we praise God for you even as we storm the
Throne of Grace with all boldness on your behalf. Our God has shown Himself as
our Provider in Christ. He has declared himself afresh to us as Jehovah-Jireh
through your love causing us to embrace Him anew by faith!
I am not sure if everyone really understands the
enormity of this yearly project and all it entails for Sister Debbie. This year
they delivered gifts to about 110 children all throughout New Jersey and as far
away as North Carolina and Florida. God has His helpers everywhere and He
“always” makes a way. Mind you these are not just general gifts but particular
gifts given as the needs are made manifest. Almost all the gifts are
hand-delivered along with a personal witness and testimony of the Lord. Also
included is the evangelistically aimed Jesus film on DVD.
Interestingly, some of the families are not that
receptive and amazingly some are actually openly hostile! We have postulated
that the prisoner, as is often the case, has probably left a bad taste in the
mouth of their family. As such, and in honor of this ministries moniker
“Persistent Love,” the volunteers choose to push through by faith remembering
that it is all about the Lord’s witness and the children, not them. In the end
all are blessed!
I said to Sister Debbie the other day, “Isn’t it
something that we have to do battle to get people to receive free gifts given in
love!” We concluded that it is just the perfect picture of the free gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ! As believers, we really have to do battle to get people
to receive the gift of Christ! Sin has left a bad taste in their mouth but God
has “Persistent Love” and in the end all that do receive Christ shall be
blessed!
In closing, please know that even as the Lord has
engraved all of us on the palms of His Own hands, so also, Sister Debbie and all
of you volunteers have forever engraved your Savior’s love upon our hearts. Have
a Blessed New Year!
The saints of Rahway thank you with...
A HOLY FLAMING LOVE,
JOYFULLY IN JESUS,
LOVE PHILIP