Prisoners understand

I’ll be speaking at a couple of prisons in the very near future and I’m really looking forward to it. I love a captive audience when I speak. (I know – I know – That was corny.)

One of the things I intend to tell them is how important following God’s rules can be to their lives. Ironically most people who are incarcerated understand that there are rules that must be followed better than most people outside those prison walls. Breaking rules is what landed them there in the first place, but trust me they understand that there are rules in prison too. I can personally attest to the fact that when someone enters prison they BETTER be quick to pick up on the rules; not just from the correctional officers, but the inmates themselves.

Some things you just don’t do, like becoming a snitch and ratting out someone to a guard. Breaking that rule at the very least ensures that you will be ostracized and live every day in fear; more likely you will be attacked and sliced from stem to stern with a shiv, or be horribly beaten by vicious sociopaths.

Better to follow the rules and peacefully serve your time and get it over with.

I believe the Bible was given to us by God because of His incomprehensible love for us. He ordained that it be written to achieve two specific purposes: that we might achieve eternal salvation, and that we might achieve peace, joy, and happiness in whatever remains of this life before we pass on into eternity.

I don’t like to think of the Bible as a book of rules per se, rather I like to think of it more as an owner’s manual written by a loving God detailing to His beloved children how best to obtain salvation and to succeed in whatever remains of this life on earth.

Consider an owner’s manual for a car for a moment. If you carefully adhere to the instructions as laid out in it, such as changing the oil, rotating tires regularly and so forth, you will get longer, more trouble free service from your car. Try running your engine without water in the radiator, or driving on a flat tire and see what happens to your trouble free existence.

By the same token if we carefully adhere to the instructions given to us in the Bible we can and will obtain more trouble free lives. Take the Ten Commandments for example; no one in their right mind thinks that lying, stealing, committing adultery, murdering, coveting, and the like will bring them happiness. These are rules, (or if you will God’s laws), and if we break them, then the forlorn misery and darkness that I mentioned earlier will descend upon us. God tells us what the rules are because He loves us.


The Bible tells us in John 1.1 “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God”. Serious students of the Bible believe that this verse which is also in Genesis refers to the “Word” as being Jesus Christ and not the written word of God.

Okay to better understand what God means by this we ought to take a closer look at the term “word”. A “word” is that by which we communicate our will; by which we convey our thoughts; or by which we issue commands; in essence it is the medium of our communication with others. (Selah Stop, reread this and then think about it for a moment.)

God’s written word states in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

After we die we derive eternal salvation through BELIEVING in Jesus Christ, (Word).

That is most important but next the Bible deals with what remains of our lives on this earth BEFORE we die. That life can be forlorn, full of misery, darkness, and hate, or it can be wonderful with peace, happiness, light, and joy.

The Bible teaches that we achieve the latter through following Jesus Christ via His written Word the Bible.

I write all of that to simply state that the Bible was given to us by a loving God to instruct us how to obtain temporary and everlasting peace, joy, and happiness. In order to derive it you must pick it up and read and study it often, preferably each and every day. You will see that it contains a wealth of helpful information beyond the Ten Commandments. We learn that we cannot worship money; pride is destructive; drinking to excess is harmful; we should help others; be a cheerful giver; and a host of other things.

And when you study your Bible, don’t be in a hurry. Clear your mind, and stop and listen to your Creator speak the grace and truth of Jesus Christ directly to little old you. It has worked for me and it will work for you. God personally guarantees it.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.