The Jail service was extra rich last night. As always, a wide range of ages, races and appearances. One man I'd estimate mid or late fifties, was British and had never been to church, but one of the brothers in his dorm had been talking to him about the Bible so he agreed to come. I bumped into the brother before the service so I knew the situation and my mind started thinking if I should do something a little different? Because I'm vividly aware of the stakes, and in many cases I have but one opportunity to reach them, I pledge to God I will treat that pulpit, and that time, with absolute sacredness as well as urgency. It's not lost on me that in the group of men, there are perpetrators of vicious crimes, domestic violence, sexual assault, bloodshed, and ever manner of evil, so trust me when I say, before I leave home to go there, I cry out to God to penetrate the room with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to fall on every mind and move hearts and lives by His word and unction! Suffice to say, He ALWAYS answers that prayer! and I always leave shaking my head at how His presence permeated the room. That being said, I always come well prepared, but there are these spontaneous combustions where the Holy Spirit comes like fire! and moves me emotionally and I've learned not to hold it back or quench it. 

That was the case last night, my soul caught fire a number of times. I'll share one example because this was spontaneous; I was taking about the demon possessed man who lived in the tombs and was exceedingly violent because he had a "legion" of unclean spirits within. But when Jesus left Him "he was sitting, clothed, and in his right mind." Mk. 5:15 I paused and asked, 'what does it mean to be in your right mind?'  

I'll tell you what it means! -  you're at a family gathering and your four year old son or grandson calls out while rushing to you: smiling, filled with excitement and glee, holding a jar with a bug he captured saying, look, look what I have!  I paused, stepped away from the pulpit, sat down in a chair and said: you then, open your arms and say "Oh! bring it hear so I can see! And he has your full attention! for as long as he wants! That's one example of what it means to be in your right mind! I stood back up and got behind the pulpit and made a quick survey of the men and noticed one man, sixties, thin, missing a tooth, faced lined with sorrow, slumping in his chair sobbing. I didn't stare, and this man has come a number of times and always sat stoically, but tonight he broke down. I suspect this man is no first time offender, and I also think he's missed out on more experiences than we can number. 

Another 30 year old man, clean cut, tall, handsome and one would expect him to say he was a college professor or some dignified position. But he too, lost his son because of his violent drunken assaults that have led to prison time more than once. He stayed after the service and we talked at length as he poured out his losses, but also shared how his faith has grown, how he has cried out to God and repented and is brimming with hope. 

After the service all the men wanted to shake my hand and thank me, so I didn't have but a few seconds to talk to the British fella, I really was curious what he thought, but all he said was, "I'll come back."