28 Dec THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
Welcome to the December 2021 publication and by God’s grace and mercies Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us (1 Corinthians 1:10) I will continue my monthly publication of this blog page before the 7th of each month. However this is chapter four of my free gospel literature “I AM”
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead ,yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die .Believest thou this?.” (John 11:25-26)
Below is a letter from a Death row Christian Brother who was scheduled for execution on May 8, 1998.This letter was sent as an encouragement to the 42 prisoners that attended a spiritual retreat by the Kairos prison Ministry at the Fountain prison, Atmore, Alabama, U.S.A.
To my fellow prisoners at Fountain prison,
Peace to you from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The peace that the world does not know but that only comes from God. My name is Steve Thompson and I’m across the road here at Holman prison on Death row where I’m awaiting a May 8th execution date, I’ve been locked up for 14 years, 12 1/2 of them on death row. Now my time has come to lay down this earthly body and let my spirit go to be with the Lord in paradise, something that I’m looking forward to. I know that you can relate to me in that prison life is no life especially apart from God. The reason that I am writing to you Brothers both saved and unsaved is to try to encourage you that have a chance to make the most of it.This is my first and only case, so I can tell you and many of you already know that it takes only once to destroy your life, the lives of many others, victims, family, friends and loved ones. Most get another chance in life, some more than that. But for some like myself, my first case will be my last case. You see unlike God who will forgive you all wrongs just as He has done for me, Man does not forgive, does not love, does not have or grant mercy as the Lord does. Many of you are a testament to that fact.
So now that you know that “Society” isn’t fooling around and has lock them up and throw away the key mentality, and you know that prison stinks .I know that I wouldn’t wish one day of the last 14 years on my worst enemy. It’s time for all of us to put our past behind with our actions, attitudes and deeds, and turn over our life over. I encourage you to do so with God as He works to help you, He wants you to be free, He wants you to have joy, peace and prosperity. All you have to do is to surrender your life to Him. Get real with God and He will get real with you.Of course, you don’t have to surrender to God. You can go about the way you’re going and hope that you can prosper, find peace, and have joy in your life.
I know if you allow God in, all of these things will be yours, no hoping, no wishing, no begging. Try it and see. I’m here on Death row awaiting my execution and I have JOY, PEACE and everything I need to wake up each day and be glad. I want all of you to have this too. Then once you have it, you can take it with you when you leave prison and start your life anew. A LIFE WITH CHRIST. Though I have not seen or met any of you, I love you and care about you in the Lord and I want you to be free. Think about it, was your life so wonderful and great out there that it was worth where you are now?
Take advantage of the second chance you have and make the most of it. You don’t have to come back to prison ever again, but if you don’t make a change now, sooner or later, you will be back in prison, and the next time may be the last time as it was and is for me. We all have to die but no one has to die before their time. I don’t think any of you want to spend the rest of your life in prison either. Even those of you with life without parole, if you’re real and sincere in your heart, surrendering to Jesus Christ, God can free you too. Nothing is impossible for Him if you will trust and obey. I will stop this now. Thanks for your time and attention. I hope that you all enjoy your Kairos weekend and all the good food. Just remember that after the free world people have gone and you go back to your dorm and bunk, God is there with you knocking, won’t let Him in and give Christ a chance?
Make the most of this second chance.
Decolores!
In His Love,
Steve Allen Thompson.
His letter does not tell us what crime led him to prison but one thing that comes to my mind any time I read this letter is the word of the thief on the cross to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom’. He did not tell us the year he repented from his sins, believed and surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus, but one thing I know is that before his repentance he was, ‘dead in trespasses and sins and walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience’ and had his ‘conversation in times past in the lusts of his flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and was by nature the child of wrath’.
After his repentance, after he confessed his sins and forsook them, after he surrendered his life to Jesus, he was washed with the precious blood of the Lamb, his sins were forgiven and he passed from condemnation to justification and became righteous in Christ Jesus for he was in Christ and therefore a new creature.Though he was awaiting execution yet he could write such an encouraging letter to his fellow prisoners because he had Joy and knew the meaning, and his joy no man or circumstances could take away because it came from Jesus.
J – Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)
O- Others (Philippians 2:3)
Y – Yourself ( Philippians 4;13)
He had Peace as a river,
P- Prosperity of God’s servant. (Psalm 35:27)
E- Enduring hardness as a good soldier of Christ. (2 Timothy 2:3)
A- Abiding in Christ and Christ in you. (John 15:4)
C –Crucified with Christ and crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (Ephesians 4:22)
E – Earnestly contending for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints.(Jude 3)
Steve Allen Thompson turned to the stronghold and became a “Prisoner of hope” as it is written in the Psalms, Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die (79:11). In His love and mercy through Jesus Christ the mediator of the new covenant and through the blood of the covenant that speaketh better things than that of Abel, God sent forth the prisoner out of the pit where there is no water, the pit of hell.
“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” (Revelation 14:13).
You have to be focused on Jesus and ‘don’t walk as fools, but as wise’ so that you can take the heavenly race as a solemn serious matter. The fact that you are alive and reading this book shows that there is hope for you, ‘For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope’. However big is the weight of the guilt and condemnation of your sins do not despair or panic, just repent and come to Jesus.Only believe that ‘He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by Him’.
Though Apostle Paul was before a blasphemer, a persecutor and injurious person yet he obtained mercy. He called himself the chief of sinners but he obtained mercy from God when he surrendered to the Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus, today you also will obtain mercy if you make and take a decision in the right direction. Jesus cast out seven devils from Mary Magdalene and He is able to cast out all the evil spirits and demons that is tormenting and afflicting you even if they are legions, only believe in Jesus and though you were dead you shall live.
It is not too late for you to get out of the congregation of the unjust, ungodly and unrighteous. Don’t allow the value system of the world, or the god of trend and fashion to lead you to hell. The sun is setting and darkness is coming, take opportunity now and come to Jesus. Stop being subject to satanic manipulation and a candidate of hell.
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