One of the reasons I enjoy visits to the La Paz prison is that the men are so real. It is like a warm bath. Really. It took three Lord-sent (I believe) dreams to get me to pass time in the prison. Honestly, except for visits to India, it is my favorite place in the world to be.
I was with Davidson today (not his real name, which the men never tell --- even to each other). He is my Bible verse friend. If I was in prison with him, he would be my mentor. He is solid.
And so each visit to La Paz includes him saying: "I have a verse for you, Patricio".
And I too give him a verse.
Nothing pre-canned…. He and I simply reach down within our heart and soul and spirit and from deep within we give meat from the Word -- specially chosen & appointed -- one-for-the-other.
Here is a man who lives for years with a 110 foot by 110 foot prison…. And where
do I live, I wonder?
· Today’s verse for Davidson "And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No." (My comment to Davidson: “Unlike Capernaum, he and I are in His inner temple.”).
I was with Davidson today (not his real name, which the men never tell --- even to each other). He is my Bible verse friend. If I was in prison with him, he would be my mentor. He is solid.
And so each visit to La Paz includes him saying: "I have a verse for you, Patricio".
And I too give him a verse.
Nothing pre-canned…. He and I simply reach down within our heart and soul and spirit and from deep within we give meat from the Word -- specially chosen & appointed -- one-for-the-other.
Here is a man who lives for years with a 110 foot by 110 foot prison…. And where
do I live, I wonder?· Today’s verse for Davidson "And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No." (My comment to Davidson: “Unlike Capernaum, he and I are in His inner temple.”).
· And " From the house of the LORD we bless you.” (My comment to Davidson: “We are in His inner temple.”)
· When he probed about that, out popped: " God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms" & "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
----------------------
Off the cuff, but from within my heart I commented that, unlike Capernaum, we are already in the heavenlies. And for that reason we have His peace. He could not believe it. “I have never heard it said like this before”, was his delayed response.
And he encouraged me, too, with a verse that my eyes had coincidentally crossed this morning:
“Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Shoot up a prayer for the prisoners in La Paz Prison, that they may realize in the Lord that they are not prisoners.
Patrick
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