Cleveland Daily Banner, penned this short article for the Cleveland, TN, newspaper: "THE ‘17 WORKS OF THE FLESH’ Bible study will begin March 16 at The Church of God, 1213 Chippewa St. The Rev. E. Roger Ammons, pastor and international evangelism director for the church, will be the teacher. The class will begin at 7:15 following a fellowship dinner at 6:30. Everyone is invited to participate. Books will be provided." About 2 weeks later, the pastor received a 4-page handwritten letter from an inmate at a federal correctional institution. Here are some excerpts: "Prison changed my life. Well, not the prison system, but God who works to change lives when we have lost it all, hit the bottom, and have nothing else to lose, find hope in prison. At the gates of hell God rescued me and revealed His love to me in Jesus... I’m hoping you will open your heart and give me a chance to minister to you. What God is doing in my life today is equipping me for tomorrow. You see, I’ve been in prison for almost 10 years. I've experienced 5 different prison institutions... I have 2 years left on my sentence, and if God brings me back to Cleveland, I hope to join what God is already doing. Before coming to prison I lived in Old Field on King Edward St. selling methamphetamine and running a crime ring... But thanks be to God who sets men free, He set me free. I’m writing in few words about the article placed in the Cleveland Daily Banner on the ‘17 Works of the Flesh’... and I'm wondering if I can have a copy... There is a program here at the camp called the "Positive Impact Team." There are four of us who leave the federal prison and travel around to schools, juvenile centers, and often churches. As long as there are schools and churches we are allowed to speak of our prison experience, our criminal background, and our encouragement for the future. We cannot speak on God or Jesus unless the children or young adults ask something of our faith. Since we are all Christian men, it never fails that one teenager will ask what we believe in or what has changed us, and from that point we take off, but God takes over and Jesus is lifted up… Romans 8 speaks of the difference between the flesh and the Holy Spirit, which one will lead us and govern our lives. I know what the flesh wants, and yet it comes with a price. I’ve sowed in the flesh and reaped many harmful and hurtful things. But now I see just enough to allow the Holy Spirit to teach me what it means to be in the Spirit... Please pray for me and where and what God will do with me when I come home."
When this letter was read to the church, Deacon Kryss Barick said that he had known this man before he went to prison. Wow!!! Look how God can use the media (in this case, a very short newspaper article) in evangelism. Look how God is using this man to minister from prison.
God has a plan to use each of us in winning lost souls to Jesus. What are you doing to win souls for Christ?
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