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God Be Merciful........ 8/2/17
Luke 18:9-14 (KJV)
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
"
GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
And they ALL said AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday I posted-at the very end of sermon-a PRAYER request:
"
My son Joshua asks for your PRAYERS!
He and the other prisoners are locked in UN-air conditioned cells with no A/C, and until recently NO fan to even stir the air.
He has no access to cold water and the prison has now removed the coolers of ice and substituted two 8 oz. cups of ice, three times a day.
The temperature runs easily in the 110 degrees, 24/7.
Last winter, his dorm had no heat!!
May God SEND you and me into this cruel, hard world with maybe "JUST" a cup of COLD WATER!!!
Matthew 10:42 (KJV)
42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."
I do not believe I have ever asked anyone to understand my son's SIN or to trivialize and/or demean nor complain about his sentence-after, all, beloved:
"
HOW DIETH THE WISE MAN? AS A FOOL!!!!"
Ecclesiastes 2:16 (KJV)
16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
I once asked a medical specialist doctor HOW he slept at night, knowing that the next day he may discover a life ending disease in a patient, and he be the one to break the terrible news???
He quietly replied, "Sir, it is NOT a matter of IF we die, but WHEN and HOW!!!!!"
Yesterday, I received this post from a fellow Canadian minister:
"
Imagine being locked in a stifling prison cell with no access to cold water.
There's no air conditioner and no fan to stir the air.
This isn't 2000 years ago, when Paul and Silas suffered under similar circumstances.
It's 2017 in Jackson, Georgia, U.S.A. where Joshua Drucker and his prison mates are incarcerated.
Just recently a fan was installed to help alleviate the suffering.
And they do receive a small cup of ice a few times a day.
Joshua's father says the temperature is generally 110 degrees, 24/7.
And last winter the dorm had no heat!
My understanding of the prison system is to prepare the inmates for life in the outside world if, and when, they are granted freedom.
But the experience just described isn't preparation for anything: it's torture!
(Let's not imagine the guards and wardens exist under the same conditions.)
Does Joshua sing hymns like Paul and Silas did under their insufferable conditions?
His father hasn't said. Does he rejoice and give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18)?
That would be difficult under such day-in and day-out inhumane existence.
But you can be certain that he prays (vs 17). and he asks for our prayers as well, not for Joshua alone, but for all his fellow inmates who are likewise suffering in the prison."
I followed up early this morning and posted his letter on FB and shortly after, posted Joshua Drucker's reply from his prison cell:
"Les,
I liked the article that you wrote.
And to be honest, no, I am not always singing and praising God in the midst of my troubles.
I wish that I did have such a powerful testimony but unfortunately I don't.
My main fight in this season in my life is the "root of bitterness" described in Hebrews 12:15.
It is important that I fight this demon called bitterness each and everyday.
No one is exempt from it. And just when you think that you have it beat, it comes back with a vengeance.
I have found that the person you are upset with or mad at is probably enjoying their day while you are destroying yours because you are mad at them.
Is ANYONE in this life that important?
Yes, the conditions on death row are extreme.
After 5.5 years of being here I will admit that it hasn't gotten easier, but harder.
I thought it would be easy to bring light into this place but it isn't.
But...I am fighting, and will fight until the last bell sounds.
At times I am hard on myself because of my failures and shortcomings.
But I reminded myself tonight that I AM NOT GOD!!!!
Regardless of how hard we try, the talents we try to present, the deeds we attempt to do...at the end of the day, ONLY GOD CAN GIVE THE INCREASE.
TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY (AUG.10. I turned 39 years old today.
With the lifestyle I was living I should not of lived this long.
I just reconnected with a old friend that lost his children's mother to a heroine overdose at 32, and his fiance was 26 when she died in a drunk driving accident.
I should have been one of those numbers.
I apologize for not writing. To be honest, unless it is concerning law, I have no desire to write another snail mail letter for the rest of my life.lol:-) I did that for 12 years.
I am spoiled with this tablet.
Keep me in your prayers. Keep writing my friend, KEEP WRITING.
Joshua Drucker"
SMILE!!! PLEASE hang with me...................
Joshua's letter provoked the Canadian man of God's reply:
"Yesterday I wrote of Joshua Drucker and his fellows suffering heat torture in their Georgia prison.
This daily column is sent to approximately 500 readers, most of whom label themselves Christian.
Some, however, seem more interested in Joshua's rap sheet than the fact that our fellow human beings are being abused the way they are.
America should be ashamed of such inhumane mistreatment. And unfeeling
Christians should be ashamed for condemning the prisoners for their past.
Remember, when Jesus Christ judges the world, he will not consider Joshua any worse a sinner than you or me.
Leslie A Turvey
A servant of the only true and living God"
I had hesitated to post my son's PRAYER when I wrote it-again, because I want to stay APOLITICAL...............
But a PRAYER REQUEST is simply a request!!!
I think it will suffice for today's message to simply quote Brother Les Turvey:
"Remember, when Jesus Christ judges the world, he will not consider Joshua any worse a sinner than you or me."
Luke 18:13 (KJV)
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his
eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I stand with the PUBLICAN-
"GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER!!!"
HOW 'BOUT YOU????
GOD BLESS YOU,
PASTOR DOUG
404-295-5644 or
CHURCH ADDRESS:
70 Stone Rd.
McDonough, GA. 30253
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