"Get out of jail ~ FREE?" Really?

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Last night at the prison, right before we left, the girl that co-teaches with me asked the girls what their greatest fear was, "What do you fear the most?" she asked.

Interestingly, with the question, every one of them had pained faces. Sadly, not really surprisingly... yet, sadly, surprisingly as well..... their answers were unanimous. Everyone's greatest fear was the very same.

Their greatest want is getting out and going home. And as their greatest want, it is also the very thing that they fear the most.

I hate that! How sad is that! They can't wait to be set free.... yet, its also that freedom that keeps them frightened. It's something they think about all of the time... in fear, scared... petrified... trembling at the thought of once out what might happen.

What do you tell someone who wants to go, but is scared to leave?

The saddest part is knowing that getting out of jail doesn't always set one free.

There are too many people on the outside of the fence that still walk around still imprisoned. Saved Christians. People that have received the Savior Jesus that died and was risen to give them Life and give it to them in abundance (John 10:10). But yet, it was only the salvation from the final death that they received... they'll still live the rest of their lives bound with chains, walking in bondage to the strongholds that hold them, because they don't know that the power of sin over them has been broken... They don't realize that the Truth is there, and that it's in that Truth that sets them free. They'll hear the words, yet never believe them... the words will never resonate, it'll never make it inside them so they can live it out. They'll never walk in the freedom that Jesus came to give.

Yes! We really can be free!!! It's what Jesus died for! Why He rose again! It's why He came!

I want my girls even there, but especially OUT, to walk in freedom! To, yes, "Get out of jail - FREE!".... to get out of jail and really be free! It's only Truth, not chance, that can do that for them. That's why we go in to tell them of the Good News of what our Savior's said!

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33.


John 8:31-32, "Jesus said, "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.""

Rom 6:6-7, "We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin."

Gal 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

So... all that being said, I've created a new card. "Chance" will never set you Free... but Truth in Christ Jesus always does!