Participants: C.A. Murray (Host)
Series Code: FIN
Program Code: FIN000001
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00:17 This is the Franklin County Jail in Benton, Illinois.
00:20 It's no longer in service, it's been out of use 00:23 for well over a decade perhaps even two. 00:26 It is old and cold. 00:29 The paint is pealing and it's not really 00:32 a nice place to be, but then I don't suspect 00:35 any jail, any prison is a nice place to be. 00:39 And yet even in these awful places 00:43 God has a mission field, 00:45 God has lives that He's calling, 00:48 lives that He's touching, lives that He's saving. 00:52 That's what Free Indeed is all about. 00:55 It's people telling us their stories, 00:59 people who've made mistakes. 01:01 Mistakes that have landed them in places just like this, 01:05 but even in those tough times and in those tough places, 01:09 God is doing miraculous things. 01:12 And in this show, 01:14 we want you to be a part of those miracles. 01:17 Realizing that if God can bless them, 01:21 God can bless you, if God can call them, 01:24 God can call you, if God can save them, 01:26 God can save you. 01:29 We will learn from their stories. 01:32 This season we'll be at the Receptive Diagnostic Center. 01:36 We'll be at the Indiana Women's Prison. 01:39 We'll be at the Putnamville Correctional Facility. 01:43 We'll also be at the Plainfield Correctional Facility. 01:46 We'll meet men and women whose lives have been touched, 01:50 whose lives have been changed, 01:53 who have found out that they can 01:55 and are free indeed in Christ Jesus. 02:00 So we want you to join us on this odyssey of discovery, 02:04 this walk though the lives of men and women 02:06 who have made mistakes. 02:08 Some of the people you'll meet 02:09 are gonna be in for a long time. 02:12 Some of the people will be out just days after you see them. 02:16 Some are even out now as we speak, 02:19 but each of them has a lesson for us. 02:21 And if our hearts are open, if our minds are attune, 02:24 you will learn those lessons, 02:26 and I believe your lives will be better. 02:28 What makes this show a little bit different? 02:30 Well, it's not so much about us ministering to them, 02:34 it's about them ministering to us, 02:36 about them telling us their stories, 02:38 their walk with Jesus. 02:40 Sure, we teach and preach to them, 02:42 but in a very special way they will teach 02:45 and preach to us and to you. 02:47 And we will learn through looking at their lives 02:50 that God is good and God is present 02:54 and that He cares about each and everyone. 02:57 So again I invite you to join us 02:59 on an odyssey of discovery, perhaps even self discovery 03:03 given the realization in the words of Jesus. 03:06 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, 03:10 ye shall be free indeed." 03:13 Free Indeed, that something that we all are looking for. 03:18 Sometimes we're behind different types of bars 03:23 but we all fight the battle of being free. 03:26 I wanna open up this, 03:29 this time with a prayer with your permission, 03:32 then we'll take it from there. 03:35 Father, we just want to thank you so much, 03:37 Lord, for being in our hearts. 03:39 We cry out to You, dear Father. 03:41 Father, we invite the Holy Spirit 03:43 just to throw a net over us, dear Father. 03:46 I'll be turning 24-years-old this week 03:48 and I'm the happiest 03:49 I've ever been in my entire life. 03:51 And for me to be able to say 03:53 that from prison is, is pretty amazing. 03:55 I know a lot of people in the streets 03:56 that can't even say that, and it's-- 03:59 there is no doubt in my mind it's 04:00 because I've been saved 04:03 and that I'm being able to do something 04:04 to give back to God 04:06 and to share my testimony with others. 04:08 It's just an amazing thing. 04:11 I'm lost without you, Jesus 04:22 When 3ABN came into this prison facility 04:25 I wasn't quite sure 04:27 how widespread God's evangelistic 04:30 and mission and missionaries 04:32 who suffer being spread throughout the world. 04:35 And you guys came in and said that, you know, 04:37 you guys air for millions of people 04:39 all around the world, 04:41 that just really touched my heart. 04:43 And that you guys were able to come here 04:45 and want to hear our testimonies, 04:47 want to hear from prisoners, lest of all people. 04:50 And I just thought it was amazing 04:51 and since then, you know, 04:53 it's just and it's also an encouragement, 04:56 because I know that, you know, 04:57 God's word is being spread throughout the world 04:59 and I'm not alone. 05:01 And it's just an amazing 05:02 blessing to have you guys come in here 05:04 and give us an opportunity 05:06 to share our stories to the world. 05:13 When I heard about Free Indeed coming to the facility, 05:17 I had no idea what it was. 05:19 I knew that Mr. Bay was a part of it 05:21 and I knew that 3ABN was a part of it, 05:24 which I read a little bit about them. 05:28 It was an exciting time, 05:30 a lot of people were really looking forward to it. 05:33 They were, they were looking for, 05:36 for more blessings from this, from this chapel. 05:42 It's not enough just to wanna do good 05:45 or to say that you're this or you're that, 05:48 you have to really be 05:49 who you say you are in the Lord. 05:51 And anybody can profess Jesus, 05:54 but it's not about professing Him. 05:57 But you have to posses Him, He has to be inside of you. 06:01 And that way no matter what's going on around you, 06:04 whether you lose children and loved ones, 06:06 you don't have to worry about. 06:08 Yes, it hurts but it won't hurt you as bad, 06:10 Brother Lemuel, because if something happens like that, 06:14 when you got God on your side. 06:15 And like I said, it doesn't mean, 06:16 you won't have problems 06:18 but you don't have to exalt your problems. 06:20 You can exalt your problem solver 06:23 and that is Jesus. 06:24 Amen. Yes. 06:29 In the religion that I was in, 06:30 I didn't believe the God would raise you from the dead. 06:32 Amen, because, you know, I just didn't believe that. 06:35 But I knew they still have something. 06:37 So I said, okay man, break that down for me. 06:40 And it broke it down like this. 06:41 They said, man, here's what that mean. 06:42 That means if you have Jesus Christ 06:44 to come into your heart and He don't come, 06:47 then it means He's not alive and the Bible's alive. 06:50 He's but if you're serious about it, 06:51 you ask Jesus Christ to com into your heart 06:53 and He does come, then it means Jesus is alive 06:56 and the Bible's only word of God. 06:59 Right there in that jail cell I had made my mind 07:01 that I'm gonna I find myself is Jesus 07:03 who he say He is. 07:04 And I pray and ask Jesus Christ come to my heart, 07:07 with everything that's in me 07:08 and when I pray that prayer 07:09 I knew that, I knew that, I knew that, I knew that, 07:11 I knew that Jesus is alive 07:14 and that the Bible is only word of God. 07:17 What got me through all of this, 07:19 all this, this, this 20 years, 07:21 I've been you know, waking up everyday 07:23 knowing that I'm innocent, 07:25 what got me through it, through it is God. 07:28 I'm gonna keep it real with you. I'm no good, 07:30 I'm not gonna come up here 07:31 and act as if I'm a holy savior, 07:34 you know, I wasn't an angel out there, 07:35 you know, but God is good. 07:38 I can say that God is good, He is good. 07:41 And He has got me through this, 07:43 that's the only way I got through is with God. 07:57 There are those who feel like, like that 08:02 Many times disrespected, don't be discouraged 08:09 Keep on pressing 08:16 Even when the sky is gray 08:20 And I'm looking for a sunny day 08:25 I've made up my mind to keep on pressing 08:31 Help me out Pressing 08:36 Keep on pressing Pressing 08:41 And I know what's going on Pressing 08:45 You got to keep moving Pressing on 08:49 Moving on Pressing on, pressing. 08:54 When this happened, I wanted to be mad at God 08:58 and I wanted to blame God, 09:00 why did you allow this to happen to my child? 09:02 He's so innocent. 09:05 I started to question, you know, 09:08 questionable, and almost hated Him. 09:12 But as I sat down he begin to talk to me and tell me, 09:16 "I'm not gonna leave you, 09:17 this is all gonna make you stronger, 09:19 this is all gonna work it out." 09:21 So I just have to believe that and trust in God 09:24 and know that he'll get my family through this. 09:29 To keep moving 09:31 Pressing, keep on, keep on, keep on 09:37 To keep pressing 09:39 Pressing on, pressing on Keep on, keep-- 09:45 When you really get to go in through 09:47 some hard times you think about, 09:48 you think about what I've gone through. 09:50 And if I can give a smile, 09:52 I can still smile after 20 years 09:54 of being incarcerated for something I didn't do, 09:56 I can walk around here 09:58 and still respect those who disrespect me, amen. 10:01 You know, and I still, you know, 10:03 I could still have a smile on my face 10:04 and still, you know, give a smile when it's needed. 10:08 Those who out there, that's going 10:09 through something, they can smile 10:10 and they can, you know, be happy. 10:11 That's the power of God, thank you, Lorenzo. 10:13 Amen. God bless you. 10:15 Pressing on, pressing on, pressing, pressing. 10:26 I always pray to Jesus. 10:28 I know that I wanna trust you, it's not I don't want to, 10:31 I don't know how, please show me. 10:33 And so, day by day and second by second 10:37 He has opened my heart 10:38 and not only towards Him, but to other people 10:41 who I never thought, you know what I mean, 10:43 that I would be involved with, just by helping them 10:47 and seeing that we have a common ground. 10:48 A lot of people have an issue with trust 10:51 and so that opening my heart to God, 10:54 that song is my favorite, my favorite. 11:00 Alone in a room It's just me and you 11:09 I feel so lost 'Cause I don't know what to do 11:18 Now what if I choose the wrong thing to do 11:27 I'm so afraid alone, afraid of disappointing you 11:33 So I need to talk to you And ask you for your guidance 11:42 Especially today When my life is so cloudy 11:51 Guide me until I'm sure I open up my heart to you. 12:07 It means a lot 12:09 when you get people from the outside come in, 12:11 you know, coming in, that might be the only visit 12:13 we get when we have Christmas behind bars. 12:16 That might be the only visit 12:17 somebody might get and touch the person. 12:25 Excuse me. 12:32 It's just, it's actually it's unexplainable feeling 12:36 because it's an overwhelming feeling. 12:42 I don't know you, you don't know me 12:44 but you treat me just like 12:45 if you'd been knowing me all my life. 12:48 Like I'm, it's good to be a part of a Christian family. 12:52 Because sometime your own family 12:53 just turn their backs on you. 12:59 And I just thank God 13:02 that there's people out there like free, 13:04 friendly Christmas behind bars, 13:07 because a lot of us need. 13:09 Just might encourage us that there's still hope. 13:18 Oh, yeah, yes I do So show me how 13:26 To do things your way 13:31 Don't let me make the same mistakes 13:37 Over and over again Your will be done 13:45 And I'll be the one 13:50 To make sure that it's carried out. 13:53 God had done so much for me 13:55 that I cannot, I cannot even 13:58 with the loss of my only child I ever have. 14:03 I cannot sit here 14:05 and not be thankful for what God has done 14:07 and not tell you that God is moving in my life 14:11 and blessing me and changing me. 14:14 Even with everything that's happened, 14:18 I couldn't do it. 14:22 I open, I open up 14:25 I open up my heart to you, to you 14:30 You're the lover of my soul The captain of my sea 14:35 I need a word from you Just one word, just one word 14:40 I open up, I open up open up my heart 14:49 Just one word could make A difference in what I do Lord 14:53 Guide me until I'm sure Oh, I open, I open up 15:02 open up my heart to you, to you. 15:05 Just trust, just try a little bit 15:08 at first all you got to do is give God a little bit, 15:10 open your heart to Him. 15:12 Sit and listen to that song, listen to the words, 15:15 you know, listen to the melody 15:17 and just ask God to open your heart. 15:20 And I think that if you would do that, 15:23 then your life will change dramatically. 15:25 You're the lover of my soul Captain of my sea 15:29 I need a word from you That's why I open up my heart. 15:55 When you make decisions out of desperation 16:00 usually they're bad decisions. 16:04 Amen. Come on. Amen. 16:06 How many have ever made a bad decision? 16:11 No, I'm not talking about 16:12 wearing brown shoes with a black tuxedo, 16:13 I'm talking about bad decision. 16:17 Made a bad decision. 16:21 Was that 'mesus' decision or a Jesus decision? 16:28 You see every decision 16:29 you make falls into two categories every decision. 16:32 One is a me and us decision, 'mesus' or a Jesus. 16:40 Every decision it's either 'mesus' or Jesus. 16:45 And every, every bad decision is a 'mesus' decision, 16:49 it's for me and my posse, 16:51 me and my crew, as a 'mesus' decision or a Jesus decision. 16:58 In 1980, I got charged with a murder charge. 17:04 I came from a very Christian family 17:07 when I was a kid, 17:08 I got married into a very, very abusive relationship. 17:14 I guess the last draw was when he threatened to kill me 17:18 and my kids both. 17:19 Everybody in here's not bad, we made a mistake 17:24 and you can go from whatever you do in here. 17:27 If it wasn't for God I wouldn't made it 17:29 because there was a lot of times 17:30 when I first came here with 80 years, 17:31 I don't think I would ever see daylight. 17:35 It was very unreal to me, 17:38 because I never been in trouble, 17:39 I never had been arrested or anything. 17:43 So it was really hard and I started praying 17:49 and asking Him to give me the strength to make it. 17:53 And here I do feel like I'm freed indeed. 17:57 It means to me that I'm free in my heart, 18:00 I may not be able to walk outside 18:02 but I'm free within me, God has given me that freedom. 18:06 And He's given me 18:08 good friends, good family, good loved ones 18:13 and who's taking care of me. 18:18 I won't give up or give in I'm holding on till the end 18:30 I will be steadfast unmovable Always abounding in You 18:44 Lord, I'm staying in Your will I won't give up or give in 19:01 I'm holding on till the end I will be steadfast unmovable 19:14 Always abounding in You Lord, I'm staying in Your will 19:29 I'm staying in Your will I'm staying in Your will 19:35 I'm staying, Lord 19:39 I'm staying in Your will, I'm staying 19:45 God is in my life everyday and I'm just so filled with joy 19:50 when I talk about God, because He's so amazing, 19:53 God is so amazing. 19:54 Because I didn't love myself, I thought I was ugly 19:59 because of all the detrimental abuse 20:04 that I went through, but He's just so amazing. 20:08 And He's always been there for me 20:11 and if it wasn't for God 20:12 I wouldn't be able to stay for 14 years in prison. 20:17 Your will Promise You, Lord 20:23 I am staying in Your will, Your will 20:31 Promise You, Lord. 20:35 Before you guys came in, you know, 20:37 I've done several live shows on the street 20:39 but my heart wasn't right, 20:40 I was just up there playing music, 20:42 might go smoke some weed on the break, honestly. 20:45 So when I heard you guys was come in, 20:47 I said this would be the first time 20:48 I've actually get to record when my heart is right 20:50 and I'm doing this for the right reason. 20:52 I'm so free right now, it's just, it's hard to say 20:55 when you guys come in to see all those barbed wires, 20:57 but just to know that I have a out day coming real soon. 21:01 And know that I could be free 21:02 and now my heart is right and thank God 21:04 that I wasn't free before this time. 21:14 Joy keeps you when you're all alone. 21:21 How many have ever been alone? 21:24 You can be sitting in a crowded room 21:28 and be alone, you know that. 21:31 Have a million people around you 21:34 and you're all alone. 21:37 Joy gives you the certainty that you're never ever alone, 21:45 because joy is in Jesus 21:49 and when you got, Jesus you got joy. 21:52 And when you got Jesus, you're never ever alone. 22:01 I shot somebody. I got locked up in 1999. 22:05 I was sentenced to 35 years. 22:08 And it wasn't until God actually speak unto me. 22:12 And even though I had a cellmate in the room, 22:14 I wouldn't heard Him talking. 22:15 I could hear God's voice plain as day, 22:17 just ministering to me. 22:20 You know, I didn't have any family writing me 22:22 and nobody at the time and it's just, 22:26 he came into my life, man, and that's just how God works, 22:32 man, he meets you at your lowest point, 22:34 when you think you can't go no farther He picks you up. 22:38 And He pick me up and He helped me. 22:44 Please understand that as you look into this word 22:50 what you will see is who you are in Christ Jesus. 22:55 We have an identity crisis, you're not the only ones. 23:00 There are so many people in the church 23:01 who don't understand who they are in Christ, 23:04 but God wants us to get into His word, 23:07 let the word get into us. 23:09 And to begin to understand 23:12 that someone quoted earlier Romans 8:28, 23:17 "All things work together for good 23:18 for those who love the Lord, 23:20 and are called according his purpose." 23:22 You cannot disconnect that from Roman 8:29, 23:25 because his purpose it goes on to say, 23:29 "Is for those He foreknew, 23:31 He predestined to become like Jesus." 23:36 Your destiny is to be like Jesus 23:40 and when you look into the mirror of the word 23:42 you will see who you really are in Christ. 23:47 We've never had an altar call 23:48 before in the whole 12 or 13 years 23:52 that we've been in the ministry, 23:54 have taken brown paper sacks that we have in some prisons. 23:58 But tonight there's something specials, 23:59 the Lord put it on His heart. 24:02 Is there anybody here tonight that would like to stand 24:07 and rededicate their life to Jesus or for the first time 24:11 I'd like to say that I would like to serve Jesus, 24:14 if there is, would you be willing to stand with us 24:17 as we close in prayer? 24:20 Yeah, amen. Is there another one? 24:24 Your heart He will bless beyond your wildest dreams. 24:28 Brothers, I know the Lord is calling your heart 24:32 and your mind and your time. 24:34 Brothers, do you understand that we're all family? 24:36 Do you understand that we're all cousins, man? 24:39 We're all go back to Adam and Eve 24:41 in the creative power of God in the Garden of Eden. 24:44 Our great, great, great grandparents 24:46 and it's our desire to see you 24:48 added to the kingdom of heaven. 24:50 JD said he had one talent and that was compassion. 24:53 I know that each and everyone of you have a talent, 24:56 I know that each and everyone of you 24:57 in this prison house tonight 24:59 could see how God have saved you 25:01 from them bullets that went past you, 25:03 from them drug overdoses and them tragic car crashes, 25:06 that nobody should have been alive in that car. 25:09 You've walked free time and time again, 25:12 won't you tonight stand with us 25:14 and bow before the throne room of God. 25:17 JD, would you close? 25:18 And I'll say something in closing. 25:21 If your heart is aching, it might be wise to stand, 25:26 because this is the Lord that's whispering in your ear. 25:31 Don't disappoint Him. 25:33 Remember this is about him, it's not about being tough, 25:39 it's about giving glory to Him. 25:41 And it doesn't mean that, 25:46 it means that you want to make a start. 25:49 You know, Shelley's mentioned something there and our-- 25:52 whenever our relationship was young in the Lord. 25:57 I'm willing to be made willing, Lord. 26:00 How precious is that? 26:02 I'm willing to be made willing, Lord. 26:05 I don't know what everything 26:08 but I'm willing to at least stand up 26:12 and then let Your work take over. 26:16 So let's go the Lord and prayer. 26:18 And as we're praying and some others wanna stand up. 26:22 Thank You, Jesus. Father, thank You, 26:27 there are times and words 26:29 we don't even know how to articulate. 26:32 We just thank You, Lord, for the Holy Spirit. 26:35 We thank You for the way 26:36 that the Holy Spirit can fix our heart. 26:39 And Father, I just especially thank for these tough guys 26:44 that are standing to their feet. 26:47 Father, they're willing to be made willing, 26:50 they're willing, Lord, to see what their next assignment is. 26:53 And I just ask in the name of Jesus 26:55 that as You impress them, 26:57 that You give them the Holy boldness 27:00 to take the step that you want them to go. 27:03 Put pride aside, Lord, 27:05 let them continue to grow in You 27:08 and make a difference in this world. 27:10 And Father, we look forward to that day 27:13 when we're walking on streets of gold, 27:16 when we can look to our right and our left. 27:19 I know you, I've seen you what did we made and JD, 27:24 you will never guess what happened. 27:27 I gave my Lord, my heart to the Lord, 27:31 and I brought other people into the kingdom. 27:34 God's multiplication is absolutely amazing, 27:38 so we thank You, Jesus. 27:40 We give you the praise and the glory, 27:42 just like we said earlier it's about You Lord, 27:45 it's not about us, we're just dust. 27:49 We ask this in the precious name of Your Son Jesus, amen. 27:54 You down 37 years. I'm 37-years-old. 27:56 Thirty seven years. That's right. 27:58 Are you say, you seen a lot of church groups 28:00 through here but what? 28:01 This is the first time I've ever seen this, 28:02 like we said, especially your testimony. 28:05 It's a first time, you ever seen anything like this. 28:07 Like this, yeah. 28:08 So you know what it's not me though man, I'm just-- 28:11 Oh, I could tell by your testimony. 28:12 Yeah, I mean. 28:13 I mean, it's the Lord working in our lives 28:16 and He will do before you what He's done for me. 28:19 He will do for me what He did for Noah. 28:22 He will do for you what He did for Daniel. 28:24 And so there's no limitation on God. |
Revised 2014-12-17