Dear SLAM,

Last Saturday morning FBC Blacktown had the privilege to serve in our first SLAM meeting for 2012. After some good fellowship with each other and deep prayer, our hearts and minds were prepared for the meeting ahead.

We were blessed to be able to share leisure time with three units who all got to hear a testimony from Emad and the Gospel message from a few of our boys. After one of the messages, one guy was asking more questions and asked if he could have a New Testament Bible. We took him to the table where the Bibles were and started going through the "Where will you spend eternity?" tract. Another inmate followed shortly after and both inmates read the prayer and said that they believed what they had prayed. Please pray for Zane and Thomas that there hearts are prepared as fertile ground and that when affliction comes (which it will) they can stay strong to their commitment to accept Christ as Saviour.

 Matthew M.

Hello Slam,

The ladies team went into the juveniles last Saturday and was encouraged with how the day went. Truly the Lord was in control and the Lord was present from the time the team went in to the time they left.

When our team first arrived, the guard didn't even know we were scheduled to go in, but praise the Lord we printed a list of the ladies that we had emailed earlier in the week and they allowed us in.

The first group that came out were not that receptive, but the second group of juveniles were touched by the Word and two inmates prayed and received the Lord as their Saviour. Please pray for these inmates, that they keep their eyes on Jesus and that that they stay strong and resist temptation.

Thankyou all for your prayers and please be in prayer for our Windsor visit in a few weeks.

In Christ,

Fran

God is not looking for capability, but availability 

 Chapters 3 and 4 of the book of Exodus record the conversation between Moses and the Lord after the Lord’s call to Moses to deliver the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. Moses initially responds by presenting objections to the Lord’s call on the basis of his inability to meet the requirements of the task. 

 The Lord then asks “What is that in thine hand?” and Moses answers, “A rod”. The answer suggests that perhaps there was more to the Lord’s question than Moses appreciated. It suggests that Moses believed that he was holding a mere stick, something common, almost worthless, and which Moses had probably found on, and picked up from, the ground. 

 It was, of course, this same rod which Moses wielded when he stretched out his hand at the time of the parting of the Red Sea, and which was used to strike the rock that brought forth in the wilderness rivers of water sufficient to satisfy the population and cattle of an entire nation, and which ultimately rested within the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. 

 The question which the Lord asked Moses is the same one which, only a few years ago, the Lord posed to many of us in a message that we heard the day we made the decision to join the SLAM ministry. What is that in thine hand? 

 The message is that God is capable of using for His glory something which is apparently useless, provided that it is made available for Him. God is only concerned with one’s preparedness to give to Him what one has, regardless of how little it is.

 Consider also the answers which were provided to Elisha’s question to the widow, “What hast thou in the house?” (see 2 Kings 4:2) and to the Lord’s question to His disciples, “How many loaves have ye?” (see Mark 6:38). 

 The friend for sinners 

 The Lord Jesus made known His love in a much more apparent way to those who at the time of His incarnation were openly rejected by society. He therefore earned the title “friend for sinners”. When asked by those who were self-righteous why he would closely associate Himself with this class of society, the Lord responded that He had come for sinners, not the righteous (see Luke 5:31-31 and parallel passages). 

 This does not mean that at this time there were some who were not sinners. It means that the Lord came for those who were prepared to confess their sinfulness and those who were publicly held out by society as sinners. 

 Likewise, the SLAM ministry is about presenting the gospel to those who are perceived by others as having committed things which will perhaps forever significantly diminish their prospects of being accepted by society, and who are prepared to admit that they have done wrong. 

 A typical day There are about 9 to 10 visits in the year. A visit is always on a Saturday morning and is typically structured as follows: 

 15 to 20 minutes for devotion and prayer at the gates of the prison; 
 10 to 15 minutes for completing forms and dealing with officials on entry into the prison; 
 1 hour for playing (usually) soccer with the inmates; 
 20 to 30 minutes for sharing a testimony and presenting the gospel message; 
 5 to 10 minutes for talking with the inmates and handing tracts; 
 10 minutes for exiting the prison; and lunch. 

  If you want to know more Around the beginning of each year a meeting is held for current and prospective SLAM members for the purpose of reflecting on the past year, hearing from God’s word, and then completing the prison clearance forms for the upcoming year and signing them in the presence of a prison official. 

 If clearance forms are not completed on this day, it is very difficult to arrange for them to be completed and processed at a later time. Therefore even if you are unsure about whether you will be coming to any of the prison visits scheduled for 2012, it is critical that you attend this meeting and complete the clearance forms just in case you later decide that you are able to make it to one or more of the scheduled visits. 

 Lord willing, the meeting for the year 2012 will be on 21 January 2012 at 9:30am at Faith Baptist Church, 32-34 Princes Road East, Regents Park (or Auburn for some GPS instruments). Of course, if you have any questions feel free to speak to anyone you know to be a SLAM member,

Dear SLAM

Last Saturday the soccer team visited Oberon Correctional Centre.

When we arrived at the Centre, we were told that nothing had been organised and that the inmates were unaware that we were coming. The activities officer nonetheless made a call to announce that if anyone was interested in playing soccer they should to come to the field. Within a few minutes about 10 inmates had arrived, and during the game, numbers gradually increased, so that by the end of it there were about 20 inmates.

Thankfully, there was plenty of time to comfortably share a testimony and present the gospel message. The inmates were very attentive and they all took a tract before leaving.

There was one inmate who, after the others had left, stayed back and shared his concerns and asked for a copy of the Bible. It was clear, from our time on the field and from what the activities officer later told us, that this inmate was having a difficult time in prison.

Please pray for this inmate and for all who heard the message.

The Soccer team
Daniel Habashy

Dear Slam, 

Praise God that we have been able to enter this prison this year with not many problems each month. Please pray for our final visit in November 2011.

The names of the girls that need prayer are the following: Dini, Louise and her cousin Sinna, Olga, Chantelle (who gets out in 2 weeks) & Crystal.

Thank you!
Fran Houais

Dear Slam

Visit date: 22

Dear SLAM

Last Saturday the soccer team visited two units at Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre.

We couldn’t play any sport because repair works were being carried out inside the prison, instead we spent the time around the inmates’ cells. It provided more time for personal conversation and discussion.

There was one boy, who when we first introduced ourselves, said he was convinced that God wouldn't do anything for him, and walked away. But after hearing the message he began asking questions, and wanted a copy of the Bible. We also had a discussion with two boys who had questions about the person of the Lord Jesus, and about how God could be manifested in flesh.

Unlike the times when we play sport, the boys this time weren’t restricted to being in one area. Sadly, some of them, especially in the second unit, chose to sit elsewhere during the testimony and message.

The inmates in each unit were given tracts before we left. Please pray for the words that were spoken, both through the Gospel messages, and through the several conversations that took place.

The soccer team
Daniel Habashy

Dear Slam,

I would like to thank all the prayers that were made for our first juvenile slam visit on Saturday. Not only has it been a blessing that the Lord has opened the doors (it has been years since we have gone into this prison), but it was truly a blessing that the Lord had given us an opportunity to witness to 2 groups of inmates. 

The inmates were very receptive to his Word and one officer with the first group was interested and asking questions.

We request prayer for the twenty or so inmates that heard the testimony and Word, and for the officer who was asking questions. 

And truly the Lord had reminded me this slam visit that He is able and to trust in Him, no matter what our expectations are.

Thankyou again for your prayers.

In Christ
Fran

This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.