The Holy Spirit is really at work in cell block 6B at the Allen County Jail

The Holy Spirit is really at work in cell block 6B at the Allen County Jail. God is forming a congregation in this block that is completely run by the inmates. The congregation is led by an inmate member of my “Substance Abuse Recovery Class”. Congregational activities include preaching of the word, prayer, bible study, singing, collection of commissaries to be shared with inmates in need, and they have recently started having communion (using juice). None of these activities take place in the jail chapel everything is done in the cell block. HOW COOL IS THAT!! 

Peace or Worry—It’s Your Choice

Peace or Worry—It’s Your Choice

God has given us all the power of choice. We can choose to have a life filled with peace or we can have a life filled with worry. I can choose to worry or I can choose to pray. God tells me in Philippians 4:6-7  “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Throughout the day I have to monitor my thought life. God tells me in Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise”.

Every morning I have a choice to make. I can lie around and worry or I can go for a walk and pray. I choose to walk and pray. I choose to look for beauty and think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. This works for me.

Elvis E. Netterville

Jail Ministry: Prayers from Inmate in the Allen County IN Jail

God was really at work in the hearts and minds on the inmates in my Jail Ministry Substance Abuse Recovery Class tonight. The men are really growing in their faith and prayer lives. I want to share with you some of their prayers. One man prayed "I thank God for what he is doing in my life and the lives of members of my family. I am asking for opportunities to do his work when I am transferred to federal prison.
Another man prayed " I ask God to help all of us change the way we think and act. I ask him to change our thinking from negative thinking to positive thinking.

Please pray for these men--they are our brothers in Christ.

What Are You Looking Forward To?

What are you looking forward to? How your future looks to you has a tremendous impact on your quality of life-on how you feel about yourself and how you feel about life in general. Have you ever notice how you feel when you are expecting something really good to happen to you? I am not talking about wishing or wishful thinking. I am talking about when you are confident that something good awaits you in the future; how great does that make you feel?

When you look at you future what do you see? Do you see things getting a lot better or do you see the same old things that are going on today in your life just going on and on and on? When it comes to your future are you hopeful or dredging the future? If you are one of God's people, I say to you just hold on-Jesus Christ is coming back. And the God of Hope has given His people reason for tremendous Hope.

Old Testament

Look what He says in the Old Testament in Isaiah 35(Msg)-"Energize the limp hands, strengthen the rubbery knees. Tell fearful souls, "Courage! Take heart! God is here, right here, on his way to put things right and redress all wrongs. He's on his way! He'll save you"

Blind eyes will be opened, deaf ears unstopped, Lame men and women will leap like deer, the voiceless break into song. Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness, streams flow in the desert. Hot sands will become a cool oasis, thirsty ground a splashing fountain. Even lowly jackals will have water to drink, and barren grasslands flourish richly."

God goes on to say: "There will be a highway called the Holy Road. No one rude or rebellious is permitted on this road. It's for God's people exclusively-impossible to get lost on it. Not even fools can get lost on it. No lions on this road, dangerous wild animals-Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening. Only the redeemed will walk on it. The people god has ransomed will come back on this road. They'll sing as they make their way home to Zion, unfading halos of joy encircling their heads, Welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night"

New Testament

My brother in Christ, you have every reason to be hopeful! This is not a case of looking at the world through rose colored glasses. These are not fairy tales or make believe. You have God's written promises. You can look forward to the day when God does away with tears and pain and those people and things that cause tears and pain. In fact God says He is going to start all over again and create everything anew. A fresh start for all who love and obey Him.

Revelation 21:1-8 (GW)

1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone.

2 Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband.

3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "God lives with humans! God will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God.

4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won't be any more death. There won't be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared."

5 The one sitting on the throne said, "I am making everything new." He said, "Write this: 'These words are faithful and true.'"

6 He said to me, "It has happened! I am the A and the Z, the beginning and the end. I will give a drink from the fountain filled with the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. It won't cost anything.

7 Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my children.

8 But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

So I say to you KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!!  Resist getting down and discouraged. Although the immediate future will contains some difficulties and challenges-even pain and heart ache. But for those us who love and trust the Lord our long term futures are bright and glorious!!

PRAISE GOD!!

SHOULDN'T SHEPHERDS TAKE CARE OF THE SHEEP?

SHOULDN'T SHEPHERDS TAKE CARE OF THE SHEEP?

Ezekiel 34:1-6 (GW)

1 The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy to these shepherds. Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty LORD says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn't shepherds take care of the sheep?

You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you don't take care of the sheep.

4 You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those that were sick, or bandaged those that were injured. You have not brought back those that strayed away or looked for those that were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently.

5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. When they were scattered, they became food for every wild animal.
6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered throughout the whole earth.

No one searched or looked for them.

Letter of Encouragement To An Allen County Jail Inmate 6-7-12

Allen County Jail
715 South Calhoun
Cell Block 6C
Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Dear Johnnie:
I hope you find this essay I wrote with you in mind encouraging.

What Are You Looking Forward To?

What are you looking forward to? How your future looks to you has a tremendous impact on your quality of life-on how you feel about yourself and how you feel about life in general. Have you ever notice how you feel when you are expecting something really good to happen to you? I am not talking about wishing or wishful thinking. I am talking about when you are confident that something good awaits you in the future; how great does that make you feel?

When you look at you future what do you see? Do you see things getting a lot better or do you see the same old things that are going on today in your life just going on and on and on? When it comes to your future are you hopeful or dredging the future? If you are one of God's people, I say to you just hold on-Jesus Christ is coming back. And the God of Hope has given His people reason for tremendous Hope.

Old Testament

Look what He says in the Old Testament in Isaiah 35(Msg)-"Energize the limp hands, strengthen the rubbery knees. Tell fearful souls, "Courage! Take heart! God is here, right here, on his way to put things right and redress all wrongs. He's on his way! He'll save you"

Blind eyes will be opened, deaf ears unstopped, Lame men and women will leap like deer, the voiceless break into song. Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness, streams flow in the desert. Hot sands will become a cool oasis, thirsty ground a splashing fountain. Even lowly jackals will have water to drink, and barren grasslands flourish richly."

God goes on to say: "There will be a highway called the Holy Road. No one rude or rebellious is permitted on this road. It's for God's people exclusively-impossible to get lost on it. Not even fools can get lost on it. No lions on this road, dangerous wild animals-Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening. Only the redeemed will walk on it. The people god has ransomed will come back on this road. They'll sing as they make their way home to Zion, unfading halos of joy encircling their heads, Welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night"

New Testament

My brother in Christ, you have every reason to be hopeful! This is not a case of looking at the world through rose colored glasses. These are not fairy tales or make believe. You have God's written promises. You can look forward to the day when God does away with tears and pain and those people and things that cause tears and pain. In fact God says He is going to start all over again and create everything anew. A fresh start for all who love and obey Him.

Revelation 21:1-8 (GW)
1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone.
2 Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband.
3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "God lives with humans! God will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God.
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won't be any more death. There won't be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared."
5 The one sitting on the throne said, "I am making everything new." He said, "Write this: 'These words are faithful and true.'"
6 He said to me, "It has happened! I am the A and the Z, the beginning and the end. I will give a drink from the fountain filled with the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. It won't cost anything.
7 Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my children.
8 But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

So I say to you KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!! Resist getting down and discouraged. Although the immediate future will contains some difficulties and challenges-even pain and heart ache. But for those us who love and trust the Lord our long term futures are bright and glorious!!

PRAISE GOD!!

Yours in Christ,

Elvis E. Netterville

Youth Basketball Coach Dead - Shooting death declared homicide

The Fort Wayne Inner-City Youth Basketball community lost a good man to gun violence Saturday morning. Greg was dedicated to his three sons and the youth in our community. Over the years Greg coached and refereed many basketball games in Christian Urban Ministries basketball programs. I will always remember Greg for his intense love of basketball as a teaching tool for teaching youngsters about life. I will miss you Coach. God bless you.

Shooting death declared homicide victim identified

http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs....