September 2010 Edition
“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:36b
God Doesn’t Always Win
That title above may seem shocking at first, maybe even
sacrileges, or you might think we lost our mind to say such a
thing. Have you ever been tempted to think that God is so
far out there that he can’t identify with our losses? The truth
is, God is intimately familiar with loss, and it’s really easy for
us forget that.
Many evangelical Christians, which certainly includes the
people receiving this newsletter, are familiar with 2 Peter 3:9
and verses like it that explicitly tell us God does not want
anyone to perish. His desire is that everyone repent, yet we
know that people perish into hell every day. God once again
suffers these losses as well.
We are told in the Bible that God had a very bad day before
days existed. We’re all familiar with the rebellion that
caused Satan to fall and then take 1/3 of the angels with him.
Imagine how God must have felt when that happened; any
of us would be devastated if we woke up one day and 1/3 of
the people we love spit in our face and walked out.
Alpha Prison Ministries does not win every time either. We
wish we did. Our success rate is nearly 9 out of every 10 men
that are crime free five years or longer after being released.
But we do lose a few. We know we have a relentless enemy.
We read in Genesis how God created the universe, the world
and everything in it, then he created man, the only creature
created in his very own image. God had a special attachment
to man, loved him deeply, and had fellowship with him every
day. We all know how that story turned out. Man committed
high treason against God, and God once again suffered a
painful loss. That was not a good day for God.
See us online...
Every September, we celebrate the victories. We invite you
to join us in that celebration. It is so much more than our
primary fund raising event, it is an opportunity for you to
witness the lives Satan sought to destroy having been turned
around. It is a way for us to thank everyone who comes along
side us in this battle and encourage others to join too.
And just so there’s no confusion about the title, God does
always reign and he always leads His people in triumph!
www.alphapm.org
SEPTEMBER 2010
Praise the Lord for this ministry, the opportunities, the volunteers and
supporters, and that he always meets our needs. Thank him that though we
may suffer loss, Christ always leads us in triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Pray that God’s people involved in ministry will not get discouraged and that
no attack of the devil will undermine their confidence.
Because our focus is prison ministry, we’ve not asked this before, but pray for
the peace of Jerusalem, pray for our leaders to bless Israel, and pray for our
nation. Politics cannot save us, only God can, and he will if we ask him to.
Please cut around these prayer requests and use this as a bookmark in your Bible.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for our banquet on September 27, 2010. Pray for good attendance,
for more people to connect with APM, for additional volunteers, and for the
generosity of God’s people for support.
ADVOCATE
Alpha Prison Ministries Newsletter
A
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Prison Ministries
The Annual APM Banquet
lived for ourselves, but to Him who died and rose again(2 Corinthians
5:15).
If you’ve attended our banquet in past years, you know what a blessing
it is to be there. If not, we invite you to experience it, and meet people
like Jeff (see his letter below) who have had their lives changed
through this ministry. Better yet, bring someone with you. You can
print extra copies of this newsletter from our web site so people you
invite can check us out in advance.
This new creation and life that is to be lived by the spirit cannot be
achieved without Christ—we are to reckon ourselves dead—we are
crucified with Christ, we are to pick up our cross of the previous
undisciplined life and tell Jesus we are going to follow him. Well, where
are we going to follow him to? Where did Christ go with his cross?
Our guest speaker this year is Chaplain Harris, a long time friend of
APM. We also have a special surprise planned which you will want to
be there to see.
The self-disciplined life is the life that no longer lives for itself—for
there is no good thing in the flesh, the flesh profits nothing, but the
Spirit gives life. John 15 is the resurrection. The remaining, that which
could not be shaken, is the life that is hidden in Christ (Colossians 3).
Please join us:
Monday, September
27, 2010Ministries
at 6:00 pm Banquet
Annual
Alpha Prison
Resurrection Life Church in Grandville
When:
Monday,
September
27, 2010 at 6:00 pm
RSVP before
September
15, 2010
Where: Resurrection Life Church - Grandville
RSVP before September 15, 2010
Winning the Battle Over Self
To me, John 15 opens the door to how self-discipline is achieved in a
Christian's life, especially one that has previously lived a very
undisciplined life. The fact that we must abide in Christ, is all that
really matters. Neither circumcision nor un-circumcision matters, but
a new creation (Galations 5:6), and this life that we live is not to be
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online
The branch cannot bear fruit apart from the vine, it will wither and die
or be thrown on the fire to burn...a Christian who has the war going on
between the flesh and spirit, cannot produce self-discipline in his life
apart from Christ. Christ alone will conform the undisciplined areas
into obedience, into success, and into victory.
"I am the Vine and ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in
him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: (self-discipline)for without
me ye can do nothing (John 15:5). If I don't abide in Christ my works
will be evident, self-discipline will be nonexistent, old habits will not
be broken, and sin will not be overcome.
How could it? My old nature has its path carved, it knows which way it
wants to go, and who am I to tell it any different? It needs to be put on
the cross and left there—everyday—possibly a few times a day, or a few
times an hour.
Jeff (an Alpha House resident)
We now offer easy access to an identical version of this newsletter so you can print extra copies.
Please feel free to make as many copies as you need. Now it’s easy to pass on the word about APM,
supply a resource table, or make these available at your church. Get it at alphapm.org.
Alpha Prison Ministries is an undenominational Christ-centered ministry to prisoners and ex-offenders.
PO Box 9216
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49509
A
l ha
Prison Ministries