Chapter 2: Being Called into Action like Moses

Fact: The U.S. prison population has doubled since 1990 and is by far the world’s largest.

Like a bird that wanders from its nest

Is a man who wanders from his place.

                                                                                                                                                                                 - PROVERBS 27:8

We must stir up the gift of God.  Like sugar in the lemonade, it may be there but it needs to be set in motion.

                                                                                                                                                                    - VANCE HAVNER

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

One visit to the Greensboro County Jail was all it took for me to want to go back again and again.  Witnessing the power of forgiveness through Christ’s shed blood behind those bars reminded me that the ground is level at the foot of the cross.  Salvation is not reserved for those of a certain race, income or family lineage.  It is meant for all who are willing to come to Jesus just as they are and receive Him into their hearts and lives by leaving the past behind and focusing on the present of the present.

    The next several visits to the jail were shared with Harold as I observed the format of each hour and learned how to effectively lead inmates to Christ.  It is a humbling experience when the detention officers go to the various cell blocks to see if anyone wants to come to church.  It is an opportunity for inmates to worship God.  He has placed you on that floor to lead and direct an hour of worship and praise. 

    Format and organization are very important when you consider that the visitor stands on his feet for an hour while sharing with the inmates.  It might seem like a tall task with all eyes on you but you would be surprised just how fast an hour goes by.  Since the beginning of this ministry experience I have always tried to follow in the footsteps of my jail ministry mentors by providing the full worship experience.
    The visit starts with taking prayer requests and praises.  This is important to me because I want those inmates to know I will be praying for them long after I leave the jail on that Saturday morning.  We then dive into the Scripture which is simply sharing God’s Word and allowing Him to speak through you to the inmates.  About five to ten minutes before it is time to go, I lead an invitation for those who want to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior or rededicate their lives to Him.  At the end we all hold hands and sing “Amazing Grace” before closing in prayer.
    It is difficult to recall the first time I took a floor by myself.  It happens at different times for different volunteers.  You start out observing and sharing a little here and there during your initial visits with your partner.  Before you know it, you are taking a floor solo and leading the worship and praise hour.

TACKLING SOULS AT THE COUNTY JAIL

It was always a thrill getting the opportunity to tackle someone on the football field as I played football growing up.  It was a physical task that required a certain amount of strength to bring the ball carrier to the ground.  Even though there was a high level of excitement, the ball carrier would get back up and he would inevitably get tackled all over again.  It is the circle of life when it comes to playing football.  The ball is snapped and the person with the ball either scores a touchdown or gets tackled.

    Let’s draw a parallel to leading someone to the Lord.  Have you ever thought about the impact you can have on a person’s life when you allow God to use you to tackle their soul?  Think of the number of souls currently hovering between going to heaven or hell at this very moment.  How many of those lost souls are behind bars waiting for someone to invite them to begin a personal relationship with Christ?                  
    The difference between tackling a person and their soul is that when a person confesses Christ to be their Lord and Savior, the ramifications of that tackle are eternal.  They do not just simply get back up like the ball carrier and carry on business as usual.  Something magnificent and life changing has just taken place!  All their sins have been forgiven, eternal salvation is secure in heaven and the Holy Spirit has taken residence in their heart, allowing them to be God’s hands and feet on this Earth.  This is what makes tackling souls so exciting for God’s kingdom!

    As I stepped into the freight elevator at the county jail on a Saturday morning like any other, a prayer to lead someone to Christ made earlier in the year was about to be answered.  The message to be shared with the four inmates attending the jail ministry visit on the second floor was “Being Called into Action like Moses.”  I had felt a strong desire to share with the inmates how it is never too late to follow God’s will and be courageous in your life.

    Moses was in his 80’s when God called him from the midst of the burning bush to lead the Israelites out of Egypt due to their intense oppression and suffering at the hands of the Egyptians.  He initially did not accept the call and had made several excuses.  In Exodus 3:11 Moses said “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”  God instantly assured Moses that He would be with him.  In Exodus 4:1 Moses said “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’”  God immediately showed Moses two miracles he could perform through God.  He turned a rod into a serpent and then turned his hand as white as snow.  If needed, God would also allow Moses to turn water into blood.

    As if that wasn’t enough to move forward, Moses said in Exodus 4:10 “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”  God reminded Moses who created his mouth and told him He would teach Him what to say along the way.  After all excuses by Moses were exhausted, he simply said “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else you may send” (Exodus 4:13).  This did not please the Lord and the Bible actually says “the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses” (Exodus 4:14).

    The Associate Pastor at my church recently preached a message on “Building Up God’s House” and said something that appears to be very relevant not only to what was happening to Moses but also in our everyday lives.  He said “Answer the calls of God and not the whispers of the devil.”  I can just picture the devil whispering every excuse he could think of to tell Moses why he should not be the one to take this journey.  As the excuses mounted, God had an answer for Moses every time and His perfect Word has answers to our excuses when He is calling us into action.

    As I was sharing this story with the inmates and we were about to talk about the 180 degree turn Moses took to follow God’s calling, something very interesting happened in the jail.  The inmates started looking over my shoulder because there was an agitated inmate the detention officers were trying to calm down in his cell.  He kept saying “I need to see the preacher; I need to see the preacher!” 
    I’m going to have to be honest with you.  When this was all taking place, even though I felt protected by the hands of God, there was a small part of me that thought about what would happen if that inmate got out of his cell.  If he came rumbling and stumbling down that corridor, I would have no other choice but to tackle him.  Even though that thought crossed my mind, I continued to preach God’s Word.  I told the inmates the reason that inmate was making such a fuss was because the devil was doing all he could do to prevent them from hearing His perfect Word.  The last thing he wanted was these inmates to succumb to the call of Christ on their hearts and forever be changed.
    As I proceeded with the message, I talked about how God told Moses he would send Aaron the Levite to assist him in helping lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  Moses finally responded to the call of God.  In Exodus 4:18 it says “So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt and see whether they are still alive.” 
    Moses gained confidence as he continued to walk through the doors God was opening for him to be obedient.  He went from being fearful to fearless as he is later found in Exodus 32:11 pleading with God to spare the Israelites from utter destruction for not obeying His commandments and for worshipping false idols.  The amazing thing is that God answered Moses prayer and decided against destroying the Israelites.
    As the hour drew to a close in the jail, I looked each inmate in the eyes and asked them if they remembered a specific time in their life when they professed Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  As heads started to shake left and right and tears began to fall, I asked them if they wanted to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior today.  Three out of the four men received Christ into their heart and the fourth inmate rededicated his life.  After those decisions were made and a heartfelt prayer was sent up to Almighty God, it was so silent you could have heard a pin drop.  The inmate making all that noise in the back cell earlier was quieter than a mouse because it was too late to hold back three souls from an eternity in heaven any longer.     

    A prayer at the beginning of the year to lead one soul to Christ was answered beyond my wildest imagination in the most unexpected setting.  Confidence and courage were growing within me to tell others about the good news of Jesus Christ.  I’m reminded of Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.”  The upcoming opportunities and stories about to unfold are proof that “when you make much of Jesus, He will make much of you.”                               

Discussion Questions

1)   Are you open to God potentially calling you to some area of ministry in your local church?  Some examples are teaching a Sunday school class, assisting with the children’s ministry, singing in the choir or volunteering with your local jail ministry.

2)   Do you remember a specific time in your life when you professed Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior?  If not, do you want to receive Him into your heart today?  If so, please pray this suggested prayer:

“Lord Jesus Christ, I know I am a sinner and do not deserve eternal life.  But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for me.  Lord Jesus, come into my life; take control of my life; forgive my sins and save me.  I repent of my sins and now place my trust in You for my salvation.  I accept the free gift of eternal life.”

If you have sincerely prayed this prayer to God, you are saved and a new creation through Christ.  The life long journey of growing closer to Christ has just begun.  If you would like to receive some information on building on this new relationship with Christ, please email me at viera40@msn.com and I will send you a personal tract in the mail to help you get started.    

3)   Have you ever shared your faith in Christ with another person?  If not, what is stopping you?  Does the thought of tackling a soul for God’s Kingdom get you excited?

4)   Does the story of Moses encourage you that it is never too late to follow God’s will and be courageous in your life?

5)   How often have you answered the calls of God compared to listening to the whispers of the devil?  What excuses are you making that can be answered through God’s perfect Word?