April 3, 2012
Dear Friends,
This Sunday is Easter—the Christian celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord. Even our secular culture celebrates this holiday with signs of new life—eggs and bunnies. But our secular culture has tricked many of us Christians into believing that Easter is less important than that other Christian holiday, Christmas. We spend weeks and months getting ready for Christmas (even buying decorations on sale after the Big Day). How much time do we spend getting ready for Easter?
It’s true that without an Incarnation there would be no Resurrection. But what’s the Incarnation worth if the Lord remains in the tomb? He becomes just another religious martyr, with no power over life and death. Thankfully, the Lord Jesus did raise from the dead, as we celebrate every Sunday in our churches. And we have the new life which we celebrate so joyfully on Easter Sunday!
I wrote last month about Clark, who is in prison in Arizona, serving Life Without Parole after a murder conviction. I was able to visit Clark last month for two hours. Clark, a former Army medic who served in Iraq and suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD, or what used to be called “shell shock”), is not a Christian. He has rejected Christianity; he sees it as an impossible lifestyle for him. We’ve exchanged numerous long letters, beginning last August.
After our visit, I asked Clark if he would be willing to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Lewis’s approach, I believe, will address Clark’s serious questions about what it is that Christians believe. As I implied above, Clark sees Christianity as a lifestyle, not about truth. To my surprise, he agreed to read the book and I sent him a copy, which he should have received in the last few days. Pray for Clark to understand the new life in Christ.
At the brig, I am praying for two guards who regularly help out in the chapel programs. I don’t know their first names, so let’s just call them A and B. I also don’t know where they stand with the Lord, so pray that I will have the opportunity to explore that with them.
Roy, an important part of the Thursday night Bible study for several years, has been approved for parole and will be leaving any day now. Please pray for him. Daniel will be released this week also, after just a few months of incarceration.
As always, thank you for your prayers and financial donations.
Sincerely in Christ,
Ben Conarroe
Dear Friends,
This Sunday is Easter—the Christian celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord. Even our secular culture celebrates this holiday with signs of new life—eggs and bunnies. But our secular culture has tricked many of us Christians into believing that Easter is less important than that other Christian holiday, Christmas. We spend weeks and months getting ready for Christmas (even buying decorations on sale after the Big Day). How much time do we spend getting ready for Easter?
It’s true that without an Incarnation there would be no Resurrection. But what’s the Incarnation worth if the Lord remains in the tomb? He becomes just another religious martyr, with no power over life and death. Thankfully, the Lord Jesus did raise from the dead, as we celebrate every Sunday in our churches. And we have the new life which we celebrate so joyfully on Easter Sunday!
I wrote last month about Clark, who is in prison in Arizona, serving Life Without Parole after a murder conviction. I was able to visit Clark last month for two hours. Clark, a former Army medic who served in Iraq and suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD, or what used to be called “shell shock”), is not a Christian. He has rejected Christianity; he sees it as an impossible lifestyle for him. We’ve exchanged numerous long letters, beginning last August.
After our visit, I asked Clark if he would be willing to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Lewis’s approach, I believe, will address Clark’s serious questions about what it is that Christians believe. As I implied above, Clark sees Christianity as a lifestyle, not about truth. To my surprise, he agreed to read the book and I sent him a copy, which he should have received in the last few days. Pray for Clark to understand the new life in Christ.
At the brig, I am praying for two guards who regularly help out in the chapel programs. I don’t know their first names, so let’s just call them A and B. I also don’t know where they stand with the Lord, so pray that I will have the opportunity to explore that with them.
Roy, an important part of the Thursday night Bible study for several years, has been approved for parole and will be leaving any day now. Please pray for him. Daniel will be released this week also, after just a few months of incarceration.
As always, thank you for your prayers and financial donations.
Sincerely in Christ,
Ben Conarroe
