The Red Iron Bars… a blog I began
about a prison in the Philippines sixth months ago. It’s back, but why?
Well there are guidelines we have out here
on the race, and a cultural sensitivity that we must always
carry within different locations… these things, however
inconvenient as they sometimes are, exist primarily for the protection
of our contacts and ministries. These aren’t always known to us, and don’t always get followed,
and then on occasion consequences come.
Recently a team had been working
in the prison and mistakenly posted a picture on the internet of
something in the prison. Indeed unintentional, however, the warden
was let go and ministry was banned from the prison.
My heart, our hearts, immediately went
out to our good friend and brother, Benhard. He was the passion
behind the ministry. For some years he and his team had been going
multiple times to the prison, ministering to some of the most broken,
ashamed, and hopeless people I have ever met. Watching this man work
was unbelievable… he preaches with more unction and sincerity than
I have seen. What a joy, high honor, and privilege I had in
preaching alongside him?
Their work there was unreal. In a very
dark place… they had totally transformed one of the cells, now a
bright glowing group of people for the gospel. The whole prison
indeed was being affected by their witness.
As I have been in prayer, this I know…
God is in control and He will have His glory. I am believing that
this is not a defeat nor a setback, but is serving for the spreading
of the Kingdom. I am believing Benhard and his team are simply
called to a new mission. And I’m believing it’s time for the
prisoners to grow up and lead in ways that would not be possible
otherwise.
Please pray for Benhard and his team as
they discern the future, that they would be protected from
discouragement… and that they would be filled with the confidence
that their labor was not in vain. Please pray also for the prison,
that leaders and preachers would be raised up among them, and that
genuine discipleship would take place.
the heart of Benhard, photo by Tim Guindon
On behalf of Benhard, his team, and a
couple hundred prisoners who will never know you, from the other side
of the world… thank you!
It can be very difficult to pray for
people you don’t know… I realize this, there may be prayer, but there is little heart behind it. And with
little heart comes little urgency, little power, and little chance of
sustaining the prayer in the cause. As far as the Philippines go, this
will be the case for most, if not, all those who read this blog.
Therefore, let me put a challenge before you… there ARE those in your midst who are also bound. There are prisoners that you can visit and
begin a relationship with. If not physically bound, there are surely
those around you that are held in mental, emotional, and spiritual
prisons.
Let us go to those in the anointing that has been given us…
“to open the prison doors for those who are bound (Is 61).� Let
us make a conscious effort to get off our “beaten� path and visit
someone who needs help… a friend, a coworker, or a family member…
maybe a husband or wife. Let our hands and feet, and hearts, be His,
and may He alone receive the glory!
