First Read: Colossians 4:9; Philemon 1-25
KH: Hey Lord, Jon sure made a mess out of his life. Can it be fixed?
God: Now Son, you’ve read My Word. I specialize in fixing messes. Even the giant mess Adam and Eve made will be fixed one day soon. Let’s go meet Onesimus. He can help you understand… That’s him walking with Tychicus. They are going to see Philemon. Go talk with him Son.
KH: Ok Lord… Excuse me fellas, what’s going on here?
Onesimus (ON): Well, Tychicus and I are going to see my master Philemon. We have a letter for him about me and a letter to the church that meets in his house. My master’s name, Philemon, means “friendly one.” It’s a good name for him. He’s been friendly to everyone he meets since I’ve known him. I’ve seen him deal with lots of people over the years, but today will be a real test to see if he can live up to his name of being the “friendly one.” I’m pretty nervous.
KH: What’s to be nervous about?
ON: Oh, you don’t know what I did to him! I robbed him and then ran away. He has the legal right under Roman law to kill me or have me beaten. I hope this letter calms him down.
KH: Who’s the letter from?
ON: The apostle, Paul. I ran to Rome to avoid the slave catchers. I found Paul there, and he led me to Jesus.
KH: Why do you say you “found him there?” Were you looking for him?
ON: Not at first. Rome is a big city to hide in. I heard Paul preach when he was in Colosse at the church in my master’s house. I didn’t get saved, but what he said stuck with me. I knew I was a sinner and needed the Lord.
KH: Where did you find him?
ON: In prison. He was arrested in Jerusalem on false charges and was in Rome for his final appeal before Caesar. It’s taken several years to go through the legal process.
KH: I know how that goes! Sort of like the Supreme Court.
ON: Like what?
KH: Never mind. That’s what it is called in my country, and it is a slow process getting there as well. So, what’s in the letter that you hope will calm him down?
ON: Well, I spent a lot of time helping Paul and ministering to him in prison after he led me to Jesus. He explains to Philemon that I am a new man now. My name means “profitable,” but I never lived up to it. Now, with the Lord, I hope he gives me a chance to live up to that name. Paul also appeals to Philemon to receive me as a faithful and beloved brother (Phi 1:16). It’s a good thing Tychicus is with me to mediate. The letter to the church also mentions me (Col. 4:9). I pray it will cause the church to forgive my sin and accept me back. Paul even offers to pay back what I stole (Phi 1:18)!
KH: I think you will be fine, Onesimus. God forgives and even uses our failures for His glory (I Cor. 1:27-31). Philemon is a Christian and loves the Lord. I predict he will accept your apology and welcome you back. Just be faithful from now on.
ON: Oh, I will! I’ve been made new on the inside.
KH: Have a good trip, fellas.
God: Let’s go home, Son. …I fixed the mess Onesimus made because he left it in My hands. I’ll take care of your current crisis, too. Relax. I’ve got your back.
MRS. HOVIND IS HOME AGAIN! She was recently allowed to return home for home confinement. Keep her in prayer as this trial comes to an end.
Dr. Kent E. Hovind is currently at the Edgefield Federal Correctional Institution in South Carolina. Please send postcards and letters to:
Kent E. Hovind #06452-017
FPC Edgefield D-2
P.O. BOX 725
Edgefield, SC 29824
Feel free to send Dr. Hovind a letter or postcard. Please understand he is not able to answer every letter he receives, but he certainly appreciates any support and encouragement. He can also receive new books, but only directly from bookstores. And no hardcover books are allowed. No DVDs, CDs, or anything hard or sharp such as staples, etc (no tracts with staples in them). Do not send more than one tract at a time, as all gifts containing more than one tract will not be allowed. Do not put “Dr.” on his name, or it may be discarded by the guards. They do not always return postal items that are not delivered to inmates, so you may want to save a copy before mailing, so that you might try again in the event that he was recently moved for example.
Please write with the understanding that whatever you write could be subject to monitoring by the guards. Please do not write politically-charged or tax-related comments, etc. In the event that Dr. Hovind is moved to another facility, one can always check for his current address by using the Inmate Locator on the Bureau of Prisons website:
http://www.bop.gov/
Encouraging comments on this blog are greatly appreciated, and Dr. Hovind does read all approved comments.
From the CSE team,
Thank you for your continued support.
Brother Kent,
Great story! Enjoyed it immensely Brother. Hang in there, we are praying
for you and yours – among the churches in the USA, and around the world.
I believe as you do that the Rapture is close at hand. Those who are saved
and serve our Lord Jesus Christ, will be caught up in the clouds. Ever more, we will
be with the Lord.
For those of you that read this, and are not saved, please visit:
http://www.GoodPersonTEST.com, http://www.NeedGOD.com , or : http://www.LivingWaters.com, or: http://www.WayoftheMaster.com
No one wants to be “Left Behind”, and the signs of the times are around us.
If you want to know more about prophecies, visit: http://www.LambLion.com
God Bless you Brother Kent Hovind! You are always in my prayers. You are such a blessing to us all!!!
In His Love,
Terry Burton
http://www.FieryPhoenix.us
http://www.HighwayToHeaven.us
http://www.Luke16.com
It beggars belief [oh the irony of a "nation of laws"]
The American prison population is approaching or arrived at 2.5 million but Hawaii can’t afford to pay its public school teachers for the full five day school week; with Florida and other states possibly soon to follow?
The upside of course is that public school teachers in Hawaii might run short on time for teaching monkeys to man Darwinian evolution. Remember Darwin?- he’s the world renown celebrated scientist who taught us that cells are simple blobs of jelly or uncomplicated protoplasm.
So how does this really work. If there is a blessing on anyone when they give material support to the Christian Gospel what happens to the “entity” that tries to steal from Christian ministries. Oh, who needs to ask!
Jesus asked “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” Does it matter if prisons, as they are currently configured, are a 300 year old tradition of man or a 3000 year old one. If they are a breach of God’s commandments, immutable law, then they fall into the category of “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition”. People calling themselves right wing, left wing, conservatives or liberal – it really doesn’t add up – all you are really seeing is thoroughly modern unbelievers. The same old limp salads with different dressings.
cheers
I am happy to hear that Jo Hovind is back home. All of the bad news enveloping the world is staggering, to say the least. It sure is good to read some good news every once and a while in a fallen society.
Kent is in a prison of someone else’s making and there are millions out in the world, whether believers or unbelievers in a prison of their own making. Sin enslaves, destroys us. I think of what Paul said and I say it at times.
“And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” (Acts 26:29)
I tell people that I wish they were as I am except for the bonds of sin that I got wrapped in after I came to the Lord. They still slow me down, hold me down, eat at me, and sadden me many times. But I know that my victory is in the Lord Jesus Christ and I must keep my eyes on him to walk on the water through the storms of life coming my way. The storms will get worse as the time goes on but Jesus remains the same and he is our victory.
Ekkman
I like the post, and in response to Ekkman’s comment Amen brother!
With love in Christ
Three Crosses
We are using CSE materials to witness to a man we have known for 20 years and at 60, after a life of “agnosticism” this MD/PhD is listening to the Gospel. Thank you eternally!
CSE’s newletter just came in the mail. It says that CSE has moved the headquarters as a result to the court order. I thought the money recently collected would allow CSE to keep the property. I need an update, say, every two weeks or so and I am sure most of us would also. However, I have not checked the http://www.drdino.com/legal for information, yet.
Br. Kent,
every single time I pick up a newspaper or read a headline or listen to the radio I try to pick up some new insight into the workings of the world. Often I do. I hope this not only reflects a growth in knowledge but that Grace also is an area of increase.
The fact that there are usually so many new insights experienced through the course of any week makes me wonder if there aren’t an infinite number of them out there to be had; or at least far more to be had than I shall ever get to through the course of a natural life. Any fairly average public library has more books in it than I could read in a normal lifetime. If we all live fairly average lifetimes shall we all only ever learn a fraction of what there is to be learnt?
It seems Paul, [Saul] would consider all of his rather rigorous and excellent education void, vain or redundant when comparing it to knowing Jesus Christ as the Living personal reality that He is.
Flicking channels a few nights ago I chanced upon a National Geographic doco on the Freemasons. At the risk of appearing pagan friendly I tend to credit this institute with far more civility and reason than a lot of zealot or fundamental Pentecostals would frame them with. At its core Freemasonry appears to be a fairly insular fraternity with some mundanely arcane and esoteric content and an anachronistic style. This is from an outsider, but, there was one point in the doco that disturbed me. They inducted a new officer infront of a altar with a Koran sitting side by side with a Tanakh, and Bible.
This is their problem. The “tolerance” “brotherhood of man” “inclusiveness” eclecticism masks a mistaken ideology. Light cannot fellowship with darkness. A Koran cannot sit on the same table with a Bible. In the physical experiment they may, but not in the intellectual investigation and defense of truth. One of them has to be removed; we know which one!
17 years ago I worked in Saudi Arabia and got very friendly with several Americans. Scot No__an [Ex Air Force Ejection seat mechanic working on F-5's] and Ricky Al__der [serving Sergeant, tank warfare instructor]. At our Bible studies a question emerged. What is the American National Flag flying for? Does it fly for Jesus? Does it fly for the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob?
Is the corporation, as a corporation, united States of America, ashamed of Jesus Christ the Lord. Can it espouse the doctrine that He committed Himself, His life to? Whether America stands or falls it does so, I suggest, at the Cross of Calvary. What the Koran has to say about His life and What the Bible has to say about it are mutually exclusive. One nation trying to include all, runs the very real risk of including none at all.
What I have wondered is if your patriotism, nostalgia, didn’t run far too deep?
thankyou for your patience; I am trying to make my point
I praise the Lord for the news that Mrs. Hovind is home! What do you mean by home confinement? Is there more time on her sentence that she is allowed to serve at home? If so, how long before she is really free?
Bro. Hovind, I have been leading the people of our church to pray for you and Mrs. Hovind regularly. I can hardly wait for Wednesday night to come so I can tell them. We will continue to pray for you until victory is won, restitution is made and or vengeance is meted out by the Lord Himself!
God bless you for all you do and for being such a good ensample to us.
(Check out the uses of “ensample” and “example” in the Bible. Once you know the meaning of the prefixes “en-”, “ex-” and the root word, “sample”, the Bible proves itself again to be the very Word of God – accurate to the “T”!!) Hint: You are an ensample to believers and an example to the lost. The reason is as simple as understanding the difference between being ‘in” a group or “out from” a group.)
God bless you, Bro. Hovind!
Pastor Coleman