The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     June 2022

By Darrell Rozeboom, missionary to Michigan prisoners

Hello everyone Im helping my dad continue these updates as he focuses on other areas not only on the website but in other areas of life, as we read through this letter from a inmate we would like to focus on the trials and great need for prayer that many are going through not only in prison but also out here and to see how God is working in many lives.

Thanks for your letter and the advice on the Parole Board interview. And thanks for making yourself available by phone. I already told them that I didn’t have a representative coming to the interview, but at my interview I will let them know that you are available by phone.
My Parole Board interview is scheduled for Tuesday, June 28, 2022, some time in the morning. I will be going over to the Control Center at 8 am, then will wait in the waiting area until they call my name. There are 9 inmates scheduled that morning for an interview, and I think at least 3 of them will be ahead of me since they have representatives coming.
I thank God for His work in my life and the good desires He has placed in my heart. It is Christ living in me who gives me the desire and the strength to make the right choices that are pleasing to Him. I realize the Parole Board doesn’t give much weight to that, but I know that walking with the Lord is the rock solid path for me for healthy thinking and living. I will do my best to present to the Board all the other reasons I am a diferent person than I used to be.
May God bless you and watch over you.

As I read this the first thing I noticed was that he said he didnt have a representative and it struck me that WOW as believers in Christ we always have a representative in heaven. Romans 8:34 obviously this man needs a human representative which my dad is happy to do. Another thing is that he’s living in prison, but yet Christ is living in him and we see again what we already know that Christ came to this earth to save sinners, Mark 2:17. Also when I read the Lord is my rock I couldnt help but to think of Matt 7 :24-27 where Jesus speaks about building our house upon the solid foundation of Him and no matter where we are at in life, or what we are going through, that foundation cannot be moved and our faith must be in Him. So we look forward to seeing how God will work not only in his situation but in all of our lives. with love, by Darrell for Marie & Gerrit

 

 

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     December 2021

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoner

 

Just a reminder, this is a follow up on two emails I received from Don since last month. The first email was about what every one else did wrong and he was just going to sit and wait for the Lord to do everything for him. I was encouraged about this email

Mr. Rozeboom,
Thank you for agreeing to be by my side, I have a very good feeling about you in my corner. I’m not expecting you to do everything for me, I understand that I must do my part as well, Paul also said if we don’t have love, we have nothing, we are nothing but a noise, a clinging symbol. I’m willing to do my part to be better, and to show the board that they are not gonna see me again. I have a big problem with using my words, I have a big problem expressing myself, and that’s why I’m a passive person. I been working on being assertive, saying something when its appropriate, and knowing when to let things go, that’s something I’ll never stop working on. So there’s no time like the present, let’s get started, I’m ready to change, and I’m ready to start a whole new victimless life.

Hi Don, I sure enjoyed your last email, the next thing you know I will want to be a Pen Pal. But, I tell everyone, that I’m not a Pen Pal. About six months ago, I looked back to see how many J-pay stamps I have been buying. I bought about 750 stamps in 2 years time. (I need to buy stamps to send a email!) I want to let you know why I suggested praying for your enemies’ and taking voluntary self-help classes. You need to know that the class instructors and the guards give reports that are known to the Parole board. These reports are the most personal and the closest representatives for you, even myself. The best way I know is for you to pray for your enemies (parole board and guards) and even others, because when you are praying for them it is very difficult for you to hate them and it will show in your relationship with them and the reports improve. The closer you are to God the more spiritual you become and the calmer you will be. Having Jesus Christ as your all in all is ALL. You can improve your relation to HIM by going to church, Bible studies, and telling of Him to others, self-help classes. I know this is not easy, but you know what? it is the same out here.

Now, We can start with the most important decision, which sets the tone for your future, and that is the placement you want to pursue. The first option, I believe being with family is the best, IF they can and are willing to furnish you with your body and spiritual needs and if your victim and her family have forgiven you or they all live a hundred miles away. As a felon it is very difficult to find a place to live. It needs to be a place were no children under 18 lives (even family) no guns, even toy guns, No day care, church, school, or park nearby. Felon free work place. Felon loving church members. Is your family willing, or I should say excited to furnish all the above, if they can not fulfill all except one it still isn’t good for you. Your second choice is Living Water. They are the best in the state when it comes to keeping you out of prison; they have a very low recidivism rate. The reason is because they help you do all that I wrote above. You don’t pay rent (400.00) until you are working and the nice part is you live in a regular house and have a bedroom with a lock. The 3-4 people living with you (all returning citizens) are going to help you a lot with phones, food, transportation an more. You get more time out (away from your room) from the parole agent than any other organization. The third choice is Exodus Place, a place where a lot of veterans live and originally was build to house returning citizens and has a lot of smaller bedrooms. I pay your 1st months rent and you are expected to pay me back after you are working, which would be within a week. Just like LW except the rent is 780.00 with food furnished, but you have more of what you would call freedom (being more by yourself) Your work would be walking distance, having no transportation cost. Not very good options! But, without help you will have a real struggle to have a happy life. One thing about each one of these 3 options, you have the freedom to leave ANYTIME YOU LIKE. Most of the guys like it at LW, but not so much at Exodus and I would guess going home can be a situation where you might not be able to repair frictions. Also going to LW is a sure way that you will be able to come to Kent, because the Kent parole agents accept all those that are scheduled to go there. Mostly they will accept me also, but there is a possibility there would be a transfer. The other thing is, you can change your mind even though you are scheduled to go to LW, right after you get out. Lot to consider, but I suggest you get back on your feet for a while and then if you want to go to family, transfer later. God bless you in your future decisions.

Love Marie and Gerrit

If you can recall the first email I received Don was much different than the following which I just received. He is interested in our well being. He is giving, in the fact that he wants me to help his friend and is trusting me to be of some help to them, plus is looking at his future in a positive light.

Mr. Rozeboom,

Hello How are you? I hope you are safe, and healthy. I told my best friend in here about you, and how you are helping me, and how you are gonna help me when i get out of here, and he wants me to give you his information, because he just seen the board, and is waiting on them to give him a answer. his name is —–. he is expecting to hear from you on J Pay. Anyway i just turned 40 yesterday, if it be God’s will i’ll be turning 41 at home out in the world, plus the rest of my years on this Earth. i turned in my PER last Thursday now i’m waiting on my 30 day notice to see the board. I put Living Water down as my first place to parole to i don’t know the address so i just put down that it’s in Grand Rapids, take care, stay safe, and healthy, and God bless.

PS: You might think that this email is not very fitting for the holiday’s, but as always I plan to write a generic letter to all those that I am in contact with. That number remains to be about 40 for several years now. The prison system is releasing many now, mostly due to not being able to find those that are willing to work and many retirements.

 

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     November 2021

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoner

This is a follow-up on last months emails from and to a new inmate that I received recently.

Mr. Rozeboom,

I was told this morning that the Parole board gave me a flop, I see them again November 2022 the thing is they made that decision back in July of this year, and nobody told me until now. I’m a little upset that nobody told me this sooner, here I was hoping that I get a decision from them, and they made it already this whole time. The board went back on their word when they told me I will go home if I do what they say, I did everything that they said, I held up my part, but they lied, and went back on theirs. I’m upset about this, but the Bible says ” Be angry, but do not sin ” it also says ” Do not avenge yourselves, leave it to the wrath of God for it is written vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord ” Paul is one of my favorite apostles. But its like I said before, I look at this flop as God telling me that he’s not done making plans for me yet, and he wants me to stay put until he has everything ready for me. Will you please coach me, and get me ready for the board next year? and Will you please be my representative when I see the board next year?.

Hi Don,

Your last email asked me to be with you in your next attempt at getting a parole. Which I will be happy to do! I believe you will have a good opportunity to get out next time. There are several things you can do which you haven’t done in the past to please the board. 1- You need someone like myself which gives you support the board likes, (They don’t really like family that well) The difference is that I write the board on your behalf, I will be your representative at the actual hearing, I will have the best placement in the state in place before your hearing which is Living Water. The board knows that my and Living Water’s recidivism rate in very low, regardless of rumors, the board wants you to succeed and not come back. In other words by Gods grace and help we have a track record. I pick you up when you leave prison and actually personally help you get all you need those first days, food, a bed, clothes, phone, ID’s, transportation, work, etc. Believe me, you will not just sit and say the Lord has a plan for me and do nothing, I have the resources, but you need to apply and do. 2- the board loves their self-help classes! I think they are not any good in themselves, but are very useful if you are saved, because then they may help you see yourself from a different and good angle. These classes (if you apply yourself to them) will give you answers to the questions the parole board are asking. Then you don’t need to memorize anything and become nervous by forgetting, because it will be you that is answering instead of what you perceive what they want to hear. When actually they want to hear YOU in honesty. Later I will send you a 3 page do’s and don’ts at a parole hearing, not to memorize but to know what most of the questions will be, so you don’t have any surprises. 3- as when you go for any important meeting, you need to be trimmed and look clean. 4- Using proper words of respect, speaking slowly and using Sir/Madam a few times. On 3 -4, You may start practicing with all those you come in contact with daily, along with respecting and loving all your enemies.

Like Jesus said, Love the Lord your God (and more) love your neighbor, as yourself. Many times some will have a very difficult time loving themselves! If you don’t love yourself it isn’t possible to love others. You wrote in a previous email “I tried it my way, and I see where it got me, now I want to go His way, etc. That is a great start, now what does that look like in our every day life? You also mentioned “Vengeance is mine” found in the last part of Roman’s 12. Paul our favorite apostle, also said in the verse just before that; “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” This is hard work that is why Jesus said, “If it be possible”. Then after your verse 19, Paul says “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Verse 21;  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

This fits my last email when I wrote, pray for the guards and now add the parole board members, your perceived enemies. That and the self-help classes will be the hardest things I suggest you do. Why? Because we really want God to have “Vengeance on our enemies, and it seems unfair for God to expect or demand that we pray for our enemies. I thought God wanted me to wait for His plan to solve all my problems.

I want to add the next two verse’s Paul wrote which are in Romans 13:1-2. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

² Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. (NIV)

Jesus said, it will not be easy to be a Christian, but it will set you free, even inside a prison! Paul was a lifer in prison, as we all are, but yet free. With Hope, Gerrit

 

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     October 2021

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoner

 Attempting to give you a little window of what I do. The heading above “uslepers” describes me and many of those God allows me to help. This reminds me never to put myself higher than the least of these, which I consider as the outreach congregation I serve. The phrase Missionary’s to Michigan prisoner, describes my mission. Almost all which serve in the prison work, call themselves as in  “Prison Ministry” What is the difference? Ministry begins with the word and ends in the word (men go into prison and preach, then leave) no personal connection and no human needs given.. Missionary begins with personal visits then the physical needs, becomes a friend and gains confidence with the stranger and ends in the word. This is what Sonja in Africa does too. As a doctor she sees many of the people with aids, has sympathy and loves souls, builds a room for them to become well, gives them medicine for their physical needs and while they are there she brings the gospel to them. But, there are many other issues that are there when they have aids, so it is when they are in prison. I recently received a email, I see several defects in it, which is typical in most of the mail I get from prisoner. As you read the following, how would you respond?

 Mr. Rozeboom
Hello, it’s great to hear from you. I would love to have you in my corner. I have family support, and a job waiting for me in Muskegon, MI I also have money saved up to get my own place as soon as possible. Please tell me all that you can do for me, and if you have any questions for me I’ll be happy to answer them I want to do whatever I can to help you, so you can help me. I don’t claim a religion, but I am a believer in the Father, Son, and Holy Sprit, I got saved in 2014, and I got baptized in 2017 I do read my bible, and I plan on continuing my close, personal relationship with my Lord, and Savior.

 

 Hi Donald, It’s great to know that there are some returning citizens as your self that have every thing you need to keep you from going back to prison. You see, most are basically homeless and most of the guys I help need a home, work, food, clothes, a phone, personal care items, license, transportation, placement that takes them away from old “so called” friends or victims. Giving them Christian mentors which help them have an opportunity for a new Christian life, which is their greatest desire. I copied the heart of your email to me. “I have family support, and a job waiting for me, have money saved up to get my own place. I don’t claim a religion, but I am a believer in the Father, Son, and Holy Sprit, I got saved–” As you can see, you have all the things above that I do, the ones you don’t have you can buy. I would only get in your way to try and help you in those things, especially long distance. But, I also see you have been in prison 4 1/2 years beyond your ERD, which as a Christian, doesn’t seem to be as it should. Before I guess what the problem’s could be, I would like to have you write me about your parole hearing’s. The reasons they gave for your 4 flops, and the reasons you know that led to the flops. I have been a representative at many parole hearings and know what the parole board expects from you to give a parole. Maybe I can help you get out so that the family can help you stay out, because if you can’t get a parole means you have some issues in your life that needs repair, which you probably don’t even know you have, and if you don’t correct them, you will be one of those 60% that go back and each time it becomes a higher mountain to get out. I would love to to give you some suggestions in this area. Love Gerrit

Mr Rozeboom

I have seen the parole board so many times I lost count, but with every flop I got, I looked at it as God telling me that I’m not ready to leave prison, like he’s not done preparing a place for me out there in the world, you know how he has a plan for everyone. God is not finished with his plans for me out there, and he won’t let me go out there just to fall flat on my face, only to come back to prison. Going back to prison is NOT a option for me I have some good ideas that I will make a reality if it be God’s will, I want his will be done in my life, I tried it my way, and I see where it got me, now i want to go his way, because what is impossible with man, is possible with God, that’s one of my favorite verses in the bible. I think the reason I got flopped so many times is, because I was not put in the MSOP program, I was either at a facility that didn’t offer that program, or I was at the bottom of the list, and was not able to take the program. I did take the program at St. Louis facility, but I got kicked out of the group for lack of progress, but they were letting guys stay in the group that had porn, and was fighting, and drinking spud juice. I tried to get back into the program, but they wouldn’t let me back in, so I got moved to Parnell facility, where I spent almost a year, before they moved me to JCS where I was enrolled into the program. When I saw the parole board he told me if I finished the MSOP program, stayed out of trouble, and didn’t get any tickets that I was gonna go home, I have held up my part, and done everything he has asked of me, I have even helped other guys who didn’t understand the work in the MSOP program. But like I said God is not finished with his plans for me, until he’s ready to put me where he wants me I will wait here, and let him use me as he sees fit in prison, because I’m a servant of my God, if he wants me to do nothing, and wait, then that’s what I will do, if he wants me to serve him in here he will let me know, and he will put me where he wants me. It’s like Jesus told the Devil out in the wilderness ” It is written you shall serve God, and God alone” . A big problem I have is talking when I’m nervous, when I’m put under pressure I panic, and everything I had practiced in my head for weeks before I see the board gos away, and I’m looking like a idiot in front of the board trying to remember what I was gonna say, but my mind gos blank, and I can’t even give good answers, because I get so scared, and nervous, I just break under all the pressure. I need to overcome that so I can tell the board what I really want them to know with confidence. When I said I have family support, I meant they are there for mental support. I need a place to go to until I find a apartment, I need a car to get around, I need a drivers license, and I need a phone, clothes. I do however have the most important thing in my life, and that’s Jesus, I seeked him out , I have found him, and now that I have my Jesus, everything else will be added to me through Jesus, and I thank Jesus for using my friend John Shank to contact you so you could be brought to me, and do God’s will maybe God is ready for me to go out in the world, and he’s using you to get me out of here so I can see his plans for me out there.

Next month I will give you my response email, Love, Marie & Gerrit

 

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     September 2021

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoners

This is an extension of last month’s newsletter. As I was writing last months letter I was being reminded of the importance of every posture Jesus did.. Not of the posture of Jesus, but of the person evaluating what Jesus was doing, and what posture the sinner believes he needs to do to please Jesus. I probably have you confused already. Let me give you a simple example.

Marie was having some dizzy spells and in examination, the doctor was asking questions, like what was she doing just before being dizzy. It was determined, that Marie was on her knees praying before entering the bed.. The doctor then took her blood pressure as an example, first sitting and then as she stood. it was 50 sitting and standing 30, and getting up from her knees would be at least 5 points less, which is way to low. Then the doctor said, you know that Jesus answers prayer from those that sit! I said; “Yes, but we have been praying on our knees before bedtime since childhood, about 83 years and posture is very important for us! But, I also understand that not before very long we will be unable to because of age.

This is the kind of “posture” I want to discuss. We know that posture is very important for the sinner, especially in the Old Testament time; men fell prone on their faces (posture) whenever a vision was given. The priest walked backward (posture) when entering the most Holy Place. Job sat on an ash heap in sackcloth and ashes.

The New Testament has many postures; some in more subtle forms, like praying on our knees once a day, how we dress, no running in church, praying with our hands folded and our eyes closed, others read their prayers, some raise their hands in praise, or call out amen. Others are not so subtle, like when they pray, they change their voice to a singsong tone, taught by their Dad. You may tell because they immediately after prayer switch back to their normal voice. Also, sinners come spiritually prone (posture) to a crucified Jesus and then believe that anytime you come to Jesus, it is a must to be in a prone posture. They have no Joy in a celebrated Jesus rising from the tomb. So, you cannot be saved by a risen Christ, only by a crucified Jesus. But, isn’t it so, if you don’t have the birth of Jesus you cannot be saved? If you don’t have a risen Jesus you cannot be saved? If you don’t have an ascended Jesus you cannot be saved? How about all the perceived smaller things Jesus did like miracles or sayings (if there is such a thing as smaller with Jesus). For instance, “If you don’t know me you don’t know the Father” Can you be saved without knowing the Father? Or, “Follow me.” Can you be saved without following Jesus?

In other words, there are no smaller things that Jesus did or said here on earth, which isn’t a part of His Kingdom! There is a certain group of individuals that believe if you aren’t humbled and prone in the experience from being at the cross, they assume being at the ascension must be the same, so they never arise from their knees in sanctification! They must be such a grief for the Holy Sprit to deal with such a one! Especially in the three main benefits: Love, Joy and Peace. The Father elects them and the Holy Sprit comes to dwell in them to help them grow and they refuse to come to their knees. They do not believe they can have the fruit of the Holy Sprit, which is also the fruit of Jesus, spoken by Him on the mount. If Jesus and the Holy Sprit have these fruits, then the Father being part of the trinity has them also. If your belief is so narrow: Then how can you not grieve the Holy Sprit?

Again, when the new birth remains in direct relationship with sanctification to how you live your life and your beliefs, then anything to do with Jesus must be humble and prone. Therefore, the crucified Jesus is the closest representation of Jesus. Then when it comes to celebration and joy as in graduation, we have a hard time to have a graduation. Are they wrong? No, not when it comes to conversion, but yes when it comes to sanctification, because the Father and Holy Sprit desire for us to have the fruit of Jesus. If you were a natural born child and didn’t grow enough to get off your knees, you would be unhealthy. Then when you are at a celebration, it is difficult, even to the point of being out of order.

Can you believe that all of this came from a root problem? Sovereignty and responsibility! He didn’t like the “lot of talk about Jesus” in the backdrop of responsibility. Responsibility is a by- product of speaking about doing well in education, which is done by being responsible. Of course they are prone on Sunday, but when Monday comes, they are very responsible workers and they excel in celebration in the workplace and have love, joy and peace in their finances that was achieved by responsibility.

When I look back on what I wrote, I find that I didn’t do a very good job explaining what I wanted to covey. Let me try once more. When Jesus came to this sin sick world, He first needed to do what we can not do and that is to fulfill the law, meaning He needed to live a sinless LIFE and obey all the laws of God. In other big words, He needed to restore the Covenant of works, which we and Adam couldn’t do. We Failed! This in turn is called His active obedience. Jesus needed to do this in order for Him to be able to die for the penalty of death, which we deserve. Therefore, by removing the sting of death, He also is able to cleanse the unable believer to do good works, to remove the sins against the law, but Jesus by His active obedience does remove the guilt of the law and makes the law a friend. The Holy Sprit helps the believer to appreciate in thankfulness for such a great salvation. Thank God it doesn’t end there! He needed to be raised by the Sprit to Glorification and be ascended to His father to be able to be a intercessor (between us and His Father) in order to be able to accept us and cleanse our sinful life. My point is the statement. Without a crucified Jesus,” you can not be saved” is true. But it is also true that all the other things of Jesus LIFE that He performed are also true! Can you be saved without Jesus being in Heaven and His cleansing work, today?

Love Marie & Gerrit

 

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     June 2021

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoner

They and we!

Being I will be using these two words a lot in this news letter, I decided it would be nice to know who are the THEYS and who are the WE”S. This makes it more personal and it will tell us which one of the two every one is. Of course no one else will know, except the persons themselves, unless some one wants to expose themselves with their actions or words. I have 5 things that make you a THEY, if you have, before or after, been supportive of any of the 5 issues below.

.

1 – If you have voted lately to “cancer culture” a legal corporation and ruthlessly put them out of business, which is likely against the law. You are a THEY

2- If you have lately been supportive of dividing property or any persons. You are a They

3 – If you have been an advocate to sew discord for a supposed better outcome and advocating division rather than unity. You are a They

4 – If you are a part of or actually putting volunteers into dividing booty for you, instead of doing the dirty work yourself. You are a THEY.

5 – If you believe that the THEYS own the schools instead of those that pay tuition, donate, volunteers and the people that work there. You are a THEY.

 

Now for the WE’S, If you have, been supportive of any of the 5 issues below. you are a WE.

 

1 – If you are saddened and hurt by what THEY did to a corporation which WE have supported for years and for no reason was canceled, likely against the law. You are a WE

2 – If you are a volunteer and are being told to divide, which is impossible, and if you don’t feel like to or don’t want to and you know it is unbiblical. You are a WE.

3 – If you hate being divided and desire unity. You are a WE.

4 – If you believe God hates those which sew discord among believers and children. You are a WE.

5 – If you have sacrificed many things because of the cost of tuition and now beleive you own a part of the school. You are a WE.

 

Some months ago I wrote about the word blessing and it took 3 months of newsletters and then only began to touch the surface. The following 3 paragraphs I wrote then and the purpose of this letter is to have the THEYS and the WES to consider if you can hope for a BLESSING.

 

It is amazing how that we live our lives doing and even saying things that over the years has been a part of our vocabulary, which after we study, we are puzzled about the meaning of what we muttered.

 The associated words of blessing I had in mind are, Praise Him, Worship, Seek Him first, The Kingdom, His Power, His Glory, Prayer and others. When these are expressed rightly, then the Lord is being blessed and/or is a blessing to man. Believing in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is worshiping the LORD, which can excite a blessing.

Then you have the words, Thankfulness, Forgiving our debtors, Giving of alms, Loving our neighbor, loving our enemies, Adoring God for the beauty in nature, Having Joy in His trials, Show Kindness to all creatures, which includes mankind. Have Empathy to all those that are sick, Give a cup of cold water, Help those that are in prison, the least of these. All these and more are associated words with blessing in earth and heaven. This word blessing has touched a wide spectrum of this life and the spiritual.

 

Number 1, Can we hope for a blessing when WE or THEY can personally or as an entity go to a corporation and tell them you may no longer exist? Could NRC and FRC get together and decide they didn’t agree with the PTRS, and say, without going to court, “we are taking you over. You are not doing what is good, we are going to get some volunteers and divide your books between us. Besides, we are going to decide where professors may teach. The NRC gets to have the Seminary and FRC the apartment building. This seems against the law. But what about dividing Christians? What about unity? Does God bless these kinds of actions? Did you vote with the THEY’S and hope for a blessing?

 

Number 2.Can we hope for a blessing if the Volunteers, which have given for years, are told to divide the spoils when WE don’t agree with the division? Is it against the Bible to disobey, or is it like I was taught as a child. If your parents (THEYS) ask you to do something you must obey, except if it’s against the Bible, then you should disobey? Is it Biblical to ask another, (a WE) to be supportive of someone that is dividing and sewing discord? Did you vote with the THEYS and hope for a blessing?

 

Number 3, Can we hope for a blessing when we are minimizing the sin of sewing discord  and not working to our utmost for unity. Or is loving your neighbor as yourself no longer vitreous or a command from God? Is it true that it will only hurt for a short time and God will bless after that? Did you vote with the THEYS and hope for a blessing?

 

Number 4, Can we hope for a blessing if we are a volunteer? Most volunteers are dedicated to perform their work, without compensation. They give their time and talents with joy, in this case many have been there for years. Do you think that giving them tasks, which destroy their desire to continue their joy, is blessing them? Is it true that it will only hurt for a short time? Nearly everyone has volunteered over the years and—Did you vote with the THEYS and hope for a blessing?

 

Number 5, Can we hope for a blessing when others take away our property and are happy with the out come? Do you agree that the THEYS do a better over sight than others? Do you believe that the people that pay for the actual operation of the school have any ownership in the school? Do you agree that the THEYS own the property? Evidently THEY do, because they would not consider that the true owners have a right to vote on the issues of their own property. Did you vote with the THEYS and hope for a blessing?

Just be ready to volunteer, AGAIN. And start saving because THEY will have an urgent need!

Hope, Marie & Gerrit

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     May 2021

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoners

 

This month I am using John Piper and Spurgeon to help present the word “UNITY”. I have edited some of Pipers info because of space. As I read many different text and ideas, I also found that the opposite of unity is DISCORD. I decided that after each point Piper makes about unity, I would give you a Bible text below it about discord. I also found that we couldn’t maintain a true Christian life without the Holy Sprits guidance. I also realize that respected church leaders, and ourselves, if we watch too much news, know how to sew discord to our advantage. That is why this writing is filled with Bible texts

 

The following 4 points are written by John Piper

Christian unity in the new testament gets its goodness from a combination of;                 its Source, its Views, its affections, and its Aims.

Source

Paul tells us to “be eager to maintain the unity of the Sprit in the bond of peace” Eph. 4: 3 I take that to mean that the Holy Sprit is the great giver of unity’ “In one Sprit we were all baptized into one body —-Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—- and all were made to drink of one Sprit. 1Cor.12: 13.

Discord

Heb. 12: 14. Follow peace with all men, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Views

Paul says that pastors and teachers are to equip the saints “until we all attain to the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the son of God” Eph  4: 13. In other words, the unity we pursue is the unity in the truth. Of course, Christian unity is more than shared truth, but not less.

Discord

Romans 17: 17-18: Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them, which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine, which ye have learned; and avoid them. v18, For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly: and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Affections

To be sure, unifying love in the body of Christ includes a rugged commitment to do good for the family of God whether you feel like it or not. Gal 6: 11. But, as difficult as it is for diverse people, the experience of Christian unity is more than that. It includes affectionate love, but just sacrifice for those you don’t like. It is a feeling of endearment. We are to have affection for those who are our family in Christ. Love one another with brotherly affection.

Discord

Heb 13: 1-3. Let brotherly love continue. v 2; Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. v 3: Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity,  as being yourselves also in the body.

Aims

Sprit-rooted. Christ-manifesting, truth-cherishing, humbly loving unity is designed by God to have two aims; a witness to the world, and an acclamations of the glory of God. The apostle John makes the first of these most clear. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13: 34-35

Discord

Cor 3: 3. For ye are yet carnal, for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

James 3: 16   For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Christian unity includes affectionate love, not just sacrifice for those you don’t like!

. John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books, including Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist and most recently Providence.

Spurgeon’s words and thoughts

And the philosophical and emotional affectionate climate today makes it even harder; since truth claims are only seen as a cloak for power grabbing.

Where the Spirit of God is; there must be love, and if I have once known and recognized any man to be my brother in Christ Jesus, the love of Christ constraineth me no more to think of him as a stranger or foreigner, but a fellow citizen with the saints. Now I hate High Churchism as my soul hates Satan; but I love George Herbert, although George Herbert is a desperately High Churchman. I hate his High Churchism, but I love George Herbert from my very soul, and I have a warm corner in my heart for every man who is like him. Let me find a man who loves my Lord Jesus Christ as George Herbert did and I do not ask myself whether I shall love him or not; there is no room for question, for I cannot help myself; unless I can leave off loving Jesus Christ, I cannot cease loving those who love him. (The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. XII, 6)

            It is in the midst of a difference that we have our golden opportunity. When everything is going well and we are all standing around in a nice little circle, there is not much to be seen by the world. But when we come to the place where there is a real difference, and we exhibit uncompromised principles but at the same time observable love, then there is something that the world can see, something they can use to judge that they are really Christians, and that Jesus has indeed been sent by the Father. (Complete Works, vol. 4, 201,emphassis added) 

Love, Marie & Gerrit

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     April 2021

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoners

 

More than one heaven

Is there more than one heaven? In what some people call a Bible within a Bible “The Psalms” it says in (8; 3,) “When I consider thy heavens (in the plural), etc.” and again in (PS. 19; 1,) “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Again in (PS. 89; 11,) “the heavens are thine, the earth also is thine.” (Heavens plural, earth singular) There seems to be more than one heaven, or parts, or layers, or degrees. Consider what the Bible records in (Luke 17; 24,) “For as the lightning that lighteneth out of one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven, etc.” or (PS. 147; 8) “Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain on earth, etc.” We always think of heaven beyond our eyesight, (or surely we could see heaven) but here it says at least a part of heaven is below the clouds and I’ve seen the clouds very close to earth, especially when it rains as the verse is referring to. I have been in an airplane and the mountain top where I was above the clouds. Then in (Gen. 28; 11) “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: etc.” Jacob saw a ladder. Do you really believe it was miles and miles long to reach heaven? Do you think it had steps, as we know ladders have? I’ll answer the last question with a rhetorical question. Do angels, which live in the spiritual world use steps? I think steps for a spiritual being would be useless. Jacob answers the other question about how far away it was in verse 17. “And he was afraid, and said; how dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven.” Jacob says that the place where he is standing on earth is the house of God and placed a stone there. Jacob believes that God was right there where the stone lay, which makes the ladder very short. Then Jacob doesn’t call it a ladder anymore but a gate.

Where do you think God was before He created the earth as stated in the first verse of the Bible? (Gen. 1; 1) “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” On the second day He made the firmament and verse 8 says “And God called the firmament heaven.” Was your answer to the question of where God resided before creating earth, heaven? If your answer was different than heaven, then I’m confused, because the Bible only tells of three places, heaven, earth and hell. It would be absurd to even consider God living in hell from eternity. There was no earth, so the answer needs to be heaven. If God was already in heaven, why is it so clear in Gen. 1 that God created the heaven? It says “the heaven” a couple different times. Could it be that God created another or an extension onto the other parts of heaven that were already there? He created the firmament (heaven) the second day and it wasn’t until the fourth day that He created the sun, moon and stars. Could it be that the heaven that was created near earth was needed for spiritual beings such as angels to travel? Surely the firmament could not of been a void space between earth and heaven, where the spiritual beings needed to leave heaven to visit man. Surely God would have a conduit between Himself and man, especially to the soul or heart of man, which is spiritual. In this way free communication could be had, with out leaving heaven, by Himself and His angels. Not only that, but making a way for Christ to travel to earth to fulfill Salvation for His elect. (Eph. 4; 10) records “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.” (Notice it says all heavens) It also would hold that Christ can not leave the heavens in the spiritual, even when on earth, which would agree with that the Spiritual world (heaven) is the air surrounding us. Could it be that when Christ cried “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?” that He was shunned from heaven to be part of the cost He needed to bear to save His chosen people?

Can man see into heaven? Many people have. Jacob, who I mentioned before, and Paul, who saw things in the third heaven that he didn’t feel free to explain, and John when on the island of Patmos was commanded to write all the things he saw. Then also Jesus said in (John 1; 51) “Verily, Verily, (which means, Pay attention, I’m about to say some thing very important and true) Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” Then David in (PS.91; 11) “He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways” The angels needed to open heaven many times to appear to man through visions, “to keep thee in all thy ways”. Moses surely was the one that had heaven open for him the most often. So many chapters from Exodus to Duet. start with “ And the Lord spake unto Moses”. These repeated and familiar words are so repetitious to us, but must of meant every thing to Moses, knowing that the Lord was yet speaking to him. It all started with some thing that Moses surely never forgot. In (Exodus 3; 2) it says “And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” It is no wonder that Moses stopped to see this great sight! Surely Moses saw fire before, but this wasn’t any thing that he ever saw in this world. Then before he knows it, God is speaking to him, and by the voice coming from the bush, Moses knows that ”great sight” was from God or the angel speaking in Gods stead. He immediately hides his face and becomes afraid, which tells us Moses knew it was God. Then Moses makes an interesting statement. “They will not believe me, they’ll say, the Lord hath not appeared to thee”. Visions are not easily explained, because Moses knew there wasn’t any thing on earth to compare it with. God says of Moses in (Duet. 34; 10,) “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” Moses had no misconceptions of what God looked like, or rather was like, because God opened the gate so often for him from heaven. Neither, did Moses have any misconceptions of God’s power, which he saw displayed so often, but especially in the burning bush.

Love, Marie & Gerrit

 

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     January 2021

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoner

It is amazing how that we live our lives doing and even saying things that over the years has been a part of our vocabulary, which after we study, we are puzzled about the meaning of what we muttered. This month and possibility for several months I could be considering the word “Blessing”. Again, a friend, which is a manager over housing for returning citizens and leads a bible class once a week wrote an article for his monthly news letter, much as I do. Last month he wrote the following:

“At least several times a week someone will tell me as a form of encouragement to “be blest”. The phrase is used to conclude a telephone message or as a farewell. As Christians we want to be blest, blessed by God. The tension however when compared to my opinion of “being blessed” to what the bible says of receiving Gods blessing, Jesus says in Luke 14; But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; and then thou shalt be blessed, for they can not recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. (V13 & 14) Many of us when we think about being blessed by God we think about what God will give us. The bible teaches that (being blest) is giving to others; others that do not have the resources to pay us back, is giving to others. Guess who will repay us? The Lord Jesus will do it in the Kingdom of God at the wedding feast of the Lamb. It is an eternal reward that brings glory to God, people into His Kingdom and benefit to us. Where do you and I want to be blest? Here is where tension comes into my life because it addresses the core issue of life.”

Basically, he implies at the least that blessings are presented in His Kingdom. That didn’t match my thinking and experiences. The first place I thought about in the bible, was the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus. There I read, that most all the blessed, the poor, the meek, etc ends “they shall inherit the Kingdom of heaven. That was when I figured out that I was attempting to prove my friend was wrong, which we should never do. We should always follow the Truth. Then I turned my thoughts to the person that God called Blessed, Abraham. What was the blessing Abraham received? That his Seed (Jesus Christ) would come from his loins and that He, Jesus’ Kingdom would be an everlasting Kingdom. Also, that the gentiles would be blessed, through Abraham’s blessing. All because Abraham was willing to slay his own son, moved the Father of all creation, was willing to lavish Abraham with all those blessings, which were encased in the multitudes of promises to Abraham and all who believe. With this short introduction, I would expect some of you will give me some help on explaining the vast subject of “Blessing”

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     November 2020

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoners

Recently Marie and I needed to plan for a period of time, an appointment at 3 PM at the dentist and an appointment to pick up our daughter at 5:45 PM. I wanted to shop at two places in between and decided it would be nice in that time period to have dinner at Russ’s. Well the dentist, the other 2 stops, the traffic and Russ’s was prompt, so that we had 45 minutes of extra time with nothing to do. As we were concerned about not having enough time, the first part of our time seemed to fly by, but when we had nothing to do, time really slowed to a crawl. Marie and I talked about the amazing thing about time, when you are late, then the time flies and when you are early, time drags on. At our age we are supposed to be at home, sitting on our couch watching TV to make the time move faster. We never had a TV and still don’t and the couch isn’t wearing out. Years ago when I worked by the hour, I suspected the boss had figured out a way to make the clock speed up during break time and slow done during work time.

By now you gather I’m writing about “time” in this article. In addition to those above, I first would like to refer to several different “times“.

Social Time; Recently I was dealing with this with one of the inmates which had come home, that I thought was doing well. He seemed to have everything he needed to survive after leaving prison. Then I heard he was back on drugs and was sent to Muskegon, a halfway house for more of their self help classes. When I went to visit him, I asked him, “What are you doing here, you should know better!”. He said; “I was bored’. “Bored, I asked? you should of got a second job” He said, “I did have 2 jobs, but that was the problem, I did nothing but work and sleep. Then when Sundays came, I didn’t have anything to do! I didn’t have any social time! And I fell”. We were at the doctors (a team of doctors) to have Marie’s memory loss diagnosed and during our conference with them they expressed the importance of having her all the social time possible, suggesting that some of our time is important for our health. There are a few people that seem to be OK with being a hermit, but the vast amount of people need social time. Of course, we all know someone that over-socializes and needs to have many friends. The other day I signed up on face book for the first time to advertise a garage sale and found that face book is crawling with people that want to be friends. I just read about a student that chose to be a part of doing school virtually; after a month she wrote this; “I’ve now realized that school is the way I socialize. It’s hard because (on line school) lacks communication with my friends since they can’t talk to me during school hours. I don’t think I would do it (online) again just because I am struggling with the social aspect.” (time)

Time line. This is one “time” that prisoners are well aware of. The self- help classes always goes back to where they went wrong in the early time of their life, and then attempt to teach them how to avoid the same mistakes they made in the past. When they come to the Parole board hearing (which determines whether they are safe to leave prison) they are faced directly about the time line of their crime, explaining in detail of their past crime. Many times we that are on the outside of the fence are encouraged not to dwell on the time line of our lives, especially if the Lord has brought a change in our lives. Then all thoughts, words and actions are to be directed to Jesus, which has redeemed us from those same sins. I always tell the inmates that I meet for the first time, “I don’t need to know about your past, I only need you to be a better person in the future. Now, if you want to talk about your past I’m a good listener.” Isn’t it amazing that, Jesus encourage’s sinners when praying, to do the same?

Redeeming the time;  Ephesians 5:15–16 says, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” The phrase redeeming the time is also found in Colossians 4:5: “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the “time”. In both passages, redeeming the time is related to wisdom in how we “walk,” that is, in how we live. We can evaluate our gifts and interests and find ways to invest them for God’s kingdom. Volunteering, serving at church, leading a ministry, taking Bible studies to the jails and prisons, and studying to show ourselves “approved unto God” are all ways we can redeem the time (2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. To redeem something means to buy it back, to regain possession of it. Time is a gift from God, and none of us know how much of it we are allotted. Only God knows how much time each of us has on this earth to make decisions that will impact eternity (Psalm 139:16). When God says we should be “redeeming the time,” He wants us to live in constant awareness of that ticking clock and make the most of the time we have.

Times with-in our vacation time. Taking a short break or a longer vacation is usually a time where we really find what is inside us. Often we are going and doing things that others with us, like children, are pressing to for activates which interest them. Believe me we’ve been there. One of the things we have done as a family is camping for 6 days every year, and don’t get me wrong it has been one of the things that has cemented our family together in many ways. Yet we dress and skip certain duties for convenience. Yes, it is a great way to relax and recharge, but if you want to follow Jesus, I don’t read of Him taking any vacations. Yes, He did take breaks, but I believe he was always alone with His father. Sure, pastors and counselors have a very stress filled life and need a get away. As for myself, on Sundays I shut down my electronics and attend church, plus play my harp at homes of care, but that cannot be for all people! I’m old and happen to enjoy church and singing, plus having no children at home. Sure in the past we went to Florida for a couple weeks, but Marie would be homesick to be with family and I would be fretting about the money we spent, which could have been used for more important things. I better stop now, before I get in real trouble.

There are many more different “times” I could bring to your attention, like now we have been married for 64 years and how short that has been! The Bible calls it a hand breath. I always thought that was the with of your hand, but actually it is the thinnest part of your hand if you live a long life.

I read a article by John Gills, a Baptist minister, about Ecclesiastes 3 :1-8 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; etc. It will be the December News Letter, by the time and if the Lord wills. It helped me see that the Lord has no need of time, before the world was and there will be no time after the end of time. I guess that is why we call this a “Time state”

Love ,Gerrit & Marie

 The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     October 2020

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoners

What came first, the Chicken or the egg?

That is easy, it is the chicken. See how easy that was? Lets first have the terminology correct. A chicken is actually referred to as 3 different species’, the rooster, the hen and the chick, same as people, man, women and child. If you are Christian and read the Bible, we know God created all the animals, birds (Fowls) and fish. In Genesis 1: 20 and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. Then in verse 21 God says and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. So, God created birds like the eagle and others like them which fly in the heaven ( I dare say you didn’t consider heaven being that near to us) and birds like the chicken who are only able to fly a short distance and only rarely. I bring this to your attention, because it is only these creatures, besides man, God spoke to directly and blessed them, plus told them to multiply, Genesis 1: 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply —- and let the fowl multiply in the earth. Its plain that God created all creatures, including man, male and female, then stressing, be fruitful and multiply, even the plants produces the seed to multiply. God is a God of law and order. So, then after God created the Rooster and the hen, they listened to Him and she laid an egg, which gave them hope to multiply. That was easy, Rooster and Hen first, egg last.

Now that was a strange way to introduce my picture on the subject I was to write about this month! I want to expand on the phrase “hope leads to faith, which, leads to Jesus and hopelessness leads to death.”

Especially hope coming before faith.                              

As far as what comes first, hope or faith it is difficult for most to know, including myself. They seem to be the same to me, but then one morning I woke up with the chicken and egg question and applied it to the hope and faith question. We know that using every day examples do not fully do justice to the subject we are trying to portray, but sometimes, it brings us to a human level which is helpful. In the spiritual sense, and conversion is spiritual, the Holy Sprit, (or if you prefer God) which is the same, the rooster becomes the Holy Sprit covering us, as the hen and impregnated (as it were) or freely gives us faith. With this covering it gives us spiritual life, whereby we can love God and our neighbor as ourselves. Out of this experience, we receive hope for glorification and that we may serve, receiving hope that our fruit may be blessed for our children and many, the egg. It must follow then that hope is part of receiving everything, which likely is imbedded in sanctification, if believing sanctifiction begins immediately after faith. Is there then no pre-faith signs? Yes, but they are not the fruit of the Holy Sprit and Jesus Christ’s list on the mount, but are encased in guilt of conscience, sinned to much, God seems too Holy for me, I am not worthy, trials to get our attention to the gospel, emotions are tender, etc. We need to be very careful to express that any number of these things are leading to faith, because any of these things can be caused by other stressful things happening in our life. The only true way we may know if we have faith is when the Holy Sprit shows us the things of Jesus Christ and when we love Christ and hate sin.

One other thought I would like you to consider is 1 Corinthians 13: 13 and now abideth faith, hope and charity (love) these three, but the greatest is Charity. Love and hope are logical outcomes of faith, but they are also tied to faith. Without faith, we would have no love for what God did and no hope of glorification. From our human perspective the question becomes fairly easy. We have faith in God and love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)  We also have hope of our future glorification. We have only been concerned so far of what we think, but what is God saying?

Ephesians 2: 4-7 tells us much. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we where dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

God does not need faith or hope. He is God. He never fails. He knows all. He is perfect. God does not need to have faith or hope because He knows everything, including the future. If He did not LOVE we would not be here. Faith and hope are necessary for us in this sin filled world but they are not necessary for God. He is love (1 John 4:8) that is why God says love is first. We are created and if we would not have sinned in paradise, we would still only love, and faith and hope would no longer be needed regarding salvation and not needed in heaven.

Love Marie & Gerrit

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     August 2020

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoner

Searching for a subject for this month, I came across 2 short notes I wrote within the last 10 years and a letter sent to me by a young mother, which the Lord allowed me to help, that was facing an uncertain life.

When are we called to be a missionary?

1 – Today, if you hear His voice.

2 – The Bible has many invitations to all, but especially for those that love Him, to work in growing His Kingdom.

3 – Jesus said: we must love the Lord with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.

4 – even beginners in grace are also valuable in mission service.

5- when young, having a large family and a job, that becomes number one, but you can use writing a letter to a friend, even in prison, as a teaching tool for your children to love mission.

6 – mission will show you the true meaning of assurance

7 – when you are helping others, you will find a full harvest for yourself.

8 – If you want to grow in grace, go do something you know you can not do.

9 – mission allows you to live the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

10- if you by grace may live the fruit of the Holy Spirit, then the mountains will disappear and you will bless and glorify God, for which you were born to do, in this short life.

 

The difficult hurdle for most is to find the worst sinners to love. Most would choose those that are most like ourselves to love.

1 – To have satisfaction in knowing that you are loving your neighbor, you would find this mostly in loving sinners. What we mean is that where sin abounds, grace does more abound. Besides that, what do you gain if you love the righteous and despise the sinner. You can not chose your neighbors, sinners have spiritual needs. Needless to say prisoners are a motley group of sinners, as were the disciples.

2 – Prisoners are prisoners for a reason and we must support punishment for the crimes committed. We also know there are some Christians falsely accused and they need our support in word and deed. Always realizing that we could have been snared as christian sinners, and except mercy we ourselves could be incarcerated.

3 – We often hear of what some inmates are able to do in prison, such as sports, education privileges, air conditioning (not true). we think, I’m not able to get these things free and feel vindicated for being tough on prisoners. But, we forget that one of Jesus’s work with sinners was “compassion” on body and soul. In the following points we hope to show a few of the losses inmates are forced to deal with.

4 – FREEDOM; Physically they are confined to living in a very small area for up to many years.

5 – Privacy; there is very little to no privacy, in restrooms, some live in cubicles with 10 other men.

6 – Hope; prison can be such a lonely place that all hope is lost.

7 – Security; theft and violence is a daily occurrence.

8 – Information; no connection with the out side world leaves them with the “fear of the unknown”.

9 – Communication; fear of being ridiculed or targeted for what you say, leaves them not talking.

10 – Religion; even seeking out others that are christian, becomes very difficult.

11 – Food; at a cost of 87 cents per inmate per day, they don’t receive enough protein for exercising.

12 – Property; they have no personal value, even clothes need to be brought when leaving for home.

 

You saved my life!

My husband going to prison was one of the most challenging events in my life!

Having two children at the age of two and five with My Life (husband)

“My life” going to prison for a sex offense was beyond devastating!

What was God doing in my life?

No one in my life knew what to say for my support, even my pastor didn’t have any education for such a horrendous situation.

Many others were avoiding me, not knowing what to say. I was bombarded with many questions from within, and without.

What would I do with out money? My life (husband) was the bread-winner in our family unit. What about my kids, what do I tell them or not tell them?

How am I going to raise them by myself?

How am I going to face my friends, what do I tell them? Oh what shame! I feel so alone! God, are you sure I deserve this?

No matter how I tried to avoid the question, it kept coming back. Maybe a divorce would be better? Who can I call to help me; I have so many fears of the unknown, hope for my future seems to be gone. I often cried myself to sleep, wasn’t eating properly and began to worry about my health.

Then one day a friend called and told me she knew of a man that was an outreach volunteer for men in prison, would you consider letting him call you, he has been trained to help you in many ways. I was at wits end and what can I lose? Besides some one is actually caring about me, so I said yes. When he called he said, I have so many ways I can help you, and I would like to come with my wife to visit you. You can pick the place, but with two children, I suggest we come to your home after your children are in bed sleeping for the night. He all ready was taking some of my fears away by bringing his wife, and understanding that I wouldn’t want my kids to hear about prison.

When they arrived, we sat by the kitchen table, and I asked: My friends are failing to understand, and you folks are strangers, so what’s in it for you, why would you help someone like me?         He told me, We didn’t have anyone to help us when we were at the same devastating position you are in right now and want to help as many people that the Lord sends us. Lets talk about a few of the things I want to do to help you. I will visit your husband and make sure he does all the things in prison to be a better person. I’ll get the form to fill out for you and your kids to visit him, take you there and show you all the rules the prison has. In short, you need money, know how to approach your kids about their dad, how to get help from your church and your friends, a divorce is not considered, because you promised to love him through good and bad and he has bad right now and needs you at this time. There are many more fears that you have, but if you can change the outcomes, then they are no longer fears.

By the time they left, my hope for the future was revived, I was quite excited about their faith in me that I could be strong enough to get through this.That many times God stops men and sends them to prison for their good, and in the end of this trial, you will see how much you need Him each day.

Without the volunteer outreach which kept me in hope, I don’t know where I would be, but after all their help and now two years later, after My Life has been released from prison, I am so happy that he went to prison, because now I needed to be without him for two years, other wise I would have had to deal with his sins for a life time.

Hope, Marie & Gerrit

PS: again the computer will not allow me to use the word, Love

 

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     July 2020

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoner

Full assurance #2

If we separate anyone of the three persons, away from the trinity ( which is actually impossible, because then every thing is lost) but if we do, for this discussion of assurance, then the Father is probably the most difficult person to know. You may say that Jesus said: “if you know me, then you know the Father” but when He added  “because we are one” puts us right back into the trinity! Again for this discussion, when we separate the Father from the trinity, we soon realize full assurance leaves us unsure. One of the many reasons we have this defect, in that we are faced with a Father, which Excel’s in and outside a Spiritual Kingdom and besides that we flail and fail and can not even survive in a sin filled world. At best we see darkly, so how can we begin to know Him, much less have full assurance? Another reason is He remains in heaven, except the only time I can recall was on Mt Sinai and then the chosen people were terrified. How can you have full assurance of the object you are terrified of? The main problem still remains, He has knowledge way beyond our knowing. Our knowing becomes nothing, because there is no comparison to His Knowledge. Maybe some text will make my point.

Psalm 139: 1-3  O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

Psalm 139: 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are alike to thee.

Matt 10; 29-30 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Psalm 139; 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

As far as His Kingdom is concerned, it is difficult to explain. In light of having full knowledge or assurance of His Kingdom, when it takes numerous books to explain it’s different prosperities. It is His Kingdom of heaven, which he gave to His son, and then Jesus gives it back in return. It must be a glorious place and yet it dwells in each of His chosen sinners.

John 3; 5 Jesus answered, Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

Matt 7; 21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of the Father which is in heaven

Now when we consider His will, we can only think in human knowing, which is limited. He doesn’t think, He speaks and it is. Many times He does the opposite of what we think that He should do.

Genesis 1: 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

As I was writing the things above I kept thinking about the first part of the Lords prayer:

The disciples understood there was something lacking in their prayer life when they observed Jesus.

Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

There isn’t much in this prayer about you and me, but only our Father’s dwelling, His name, His Kingdom, His will, etc. which, we are all urged to do by Jesus Name, the one the Father gave to pay for the sin’s of many. This shows the Fathers love for those that He has chosen.

John 17; 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Jeremiah 31: 3 b Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee

Then we have the Holy Spirit, the one the father gives to many, this shows the Fathers love for those He has chosen, which leads them through a difficult journey, named sanctification, to show the sinner the wonderful things about Jesus. Thereby receiving knowledge about God, especially about the Father and Jesus Christ. This assurance or knowledge is at best shaky and ebbs and flows until we reach the goal, then a super charge of understanding will be glorious, to be with the Father of life, Jesus the son, savior of all and the Holy Spirit, the indweller for eternity. If you cannot accept all three as a whole and equally, then assurance is also broken

John 14: 16 (The Son said;) And I will pray the Farther, and he will give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Since writing about the Father, I have noticed in many sermons that we need renewing in so many ways, because of sin, and need God given trials to even keep us on the path of life. The Lord’s Supper is a real reminder of not being able to remember. When facing extreme pain on the death bed, prayer is not possible and many other ways we experience our weakness in the face of the power of God.. You see, when the believer enters heaven, then you will be like Him, even His power and Glory. That is full assurance and anything in this sin-sick world is always less.

Now, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any assurance! When the Holy Sprit gives faith and dwells in a sinner, there is the beginning of assurance and knowledge. If it doesn’t grow, you are a most miserable creature,. Because when the Holy Sprit shows and teaches you the things of Jesus Christ, through sanctification, there needs to be a noticeable growth in works to receive and cling to Him in love. From there the believer is given the knowledge, that they are a child of God, which brings them to the precious promises recorded in the word. What happens then? The sin of of the past, present and the future become mountains of sins and all there is left is prayer. What does prayer show us?  That we are in need for all things in Christ Jesus.. It reminds me of a fact. We come into this world crying and helpless and leave the same way. That is why heaven is so unknown and why assurance just ebbs and flows.

I have read Hebrews 6, where the writer discusses full assurance and begins with “let us go on unto perfection” which means if he ‘needs to go on’ that he hasn’t arrived.

Job said; Wherefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. David said; Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is high, I cannot attain unto it. The thief on the cross-said; And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. Peter said; Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord . The good man in the temple thought he had attained and then, despised the sinner in the back of the temple, a warning that being humbled and confessing is preferred.. Love Marie & Gerrit

 

The US Lepers News

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit     June 2020

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoner

Full assurance. NO.1

Last month when I wrote there is no such thing as full assurance, I was focused on the word “full”. Here on earth, where sin is attached to everything, we have so many distractions, making assurance in anything a moveable goal. For example; when I am in counsel with a inmate, I can feel a certain assurance that the Lord will go before me and be my breaker, (because it has happened more often in the past), but when He has solved the issue in a way removed from what I thought would be the end result. Then I would find myself in awe, and realize it was nothing in me, but what He has done. Then my assurance and thinking what God would do soon brings us to realize what God says is true, “My ways are not your ways” and my assurance again needs to change to His will. Then we find our assurance wasn’t much to start with, compared with “full”, but a shaky assurance which ebb’s and flows. A full assurance is reserved for where there is no sin, in heaven. Some say, ” The knowledge of God is ever growing in heaven”. If that is true, then assurance is connected closely to knowing God, which never becomes full, but ever growing. I didn’t want to bring up heaven, because I only know of one man that saw the third heaven and he wasn’t able to explain it to us. From the Bible we know a few things about the heavens, but I want to get back to full assurance.

When most people talk about full assurance, the focus is completely on Jesus, and of course there is much written about Jesus, so it follows that a person can know much about Jesus, but because we, as creatures are covered with sin, like scales on a fish, our assurance ebb’s and flows. If we need proof, then we should just listen to some of the most respected people of the Bible. “Have Mercy on me a sinner” or “I am the chief of sinners” “I am undone”, or listen to God Himself ” No one does good, no not one” or ‘All have come short of the Glory of God.” This tells us much about ourselves. This tells us we have a lot of baggage to keep us from being full of anything, except sin. Let’s say there is a person that is always on the flow and feels the closeness to Jesus all of the time and always can say, Jesus is all and in all. Could that person only have a one half fullness, because he or she only has full assurance in Jesus? But has very little assurance in the other two thirds of God? Very seldom openly mentioning the name of the Father or Holy Spirit. Before I attempt to explain this statement I would like to establish something else first.

What does it mean when the pastor says, “To be right with God you need to “know” something of God and “know” something of yourself?. Jesus told the disciples, “If you have “known” me you have “known” the Father” He needed to explain this to them in several different ways and then it seems they still didn’t fully understand, probably because they didn’t experience the Father as they did being with Jesus. Besides that, the disciples, especially Peter didn’t know much about himself, even saying he wasn’t that kind of person that would deny Jesus and so did the others say so, but then in a short time was doing so three times. These two examples shows that they didn’t know the Father and didn’t know themselves very well, which is a very big part of having full assurance. The point I wanted to make by these two examples is that knowledge and assurance are on the same coin, because, how can you have assurance without knowledge of what you are assured of? I don’t mean knowing what you read, but at the very least, if you have experience, knowledge follows, and if you have knowledge assurance will follow. Back to those which have full assurance in Jesus Christ.

We once had a lady at our table that could not say a full sentence without referring to Jesus in one way or another. Very impressive! But later I realized she never mentioned the Father or Holy Spirit and because of space for this writing, I would like to point out some scriptures about the importance on knowing the Holy Spirit, which is so important to help us have more knowledge of Jesus more fully, which gives us more assurance. This is not to lessen the importance of the Father in this discussion of assurance. My focus then is on the Holy Spirit, not to bring Him above the Father or the Son, but equal. Lets begin with the simplest and easiest miracle to understand and know (knowledge) it to be true of the special work attributed to the Holy Spirit.

No. 1— Matthew 1: 20. “for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost”. Luke 1; 35. “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee” You could assume then that Jesus, as the Son of God, had the support of a spiritual Father and a spiritual Holy Spirit, making the trinity equal. The obvious observation is that the Spirit is all-powerful as; Jesus is, to have the ability to perform miracles. It seems that it would of been impossible for Jesus to be born without the Holy Spirit, now that is comforting, especially coming from the true Comforter.

No 2. Luke 4: 1 and 14: Verse 1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Verse 14 And Jesus returned in the Power of the Spirit into Galilee. Then in between verse’s 1 and 14 Jesus said; “as it is written” each time, quoting what the author of those words had written,. 2 Peter 1:21.  but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Jesus being full of the Spirit is comforting.

No 3 . John 14:26 the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you,—-unto the uttermost part of the earth. Amazing! The Holy Spirit was given, by the father, to live within those that have faith in Jesus, in a special way, guiding you in all truth, comforting in love, reprove the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, and in many other ways. Jesus said; but you cannot bear them now. Jesus was telling them many great things about himself and the father, but when he was in the middle of telling them about the great things the Holy Spirit would be for them, he stops and said this is too much and good to bear. Knowing that the Holy Spirit will guide them in all truth, what a comfort that He is the truth.

No. 4 Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. The Holy Spirit was with Jesus through out His entire life and death. What a comfort to know we have a triune God! How can we have comfort, without knowledge? How can we have assurance, without comfort? How can we have full assurance when we can only scratch the surface of a triune God? Love Marie & Gerrit

 

The US Lepers News August 2019

A 501 C 3 Non-Profit

By Gerrit & Marie Rozeboom, missionary’s to Michigan prisoners

Growing in Grace. I was sitting in Mac Donald’s contemplating were to start on this subject. Just then a waitress came to us, (my stranger friend beside me) and asked; “Is everything good? My friend said; “Everything could always be better.” That is a good introduction to Growing in Grace. Let’s begin by what Grace is. There has been many ways which Grace has been explained and will continue to be in various ways, especially at conference’s, etc. The most simple way I can thinks of is, Grace is an unexplained gift given by a Holy God to the worst gang banger He can find and everyone which has been given the grace to receive it. What is the Gift? It is the Lord Jesus Christ. When you are given the gift of Jesus, you don’t get a half of Jesus, but all of Him, His Attributes, His Love, His salvation, His fullness, etc. You can not have Him better or worse. Recall what my friend said; “Everything could always be better.” he could not be referring to Jesus’s fullness, which is well beyond our understanding. Wait a minute, if the gift of Jesus is all and all for a gang banger, then why do we even need to Grow.

I hope it is OK to use Peter as an example. Do you recall what Jesus said when He approached Peter about his love for Him? We can hear and read volumes of all the different ways Peter loved Jesus, but not much about the command that Jesus was pressing on him. Yes, Peter needs to love Jesus in order to do the commands Jesus requires of Peter, mainly “Feed my sheep”. Can we agree that the sheep are the lost sheep of Israel, both the older ones and also the lambs? Everyone? Good. Then we have to determine what “feed” means. At our house we have always fed birds. When you feed birds it is always the same, we need the feed stored in the garage and need to go out of our comfortable homes, it seems when the weather is the most inclement the birds need the most care, therefore we need to dress ourselves against the elements. Especially we would feed the new-born with more empathy, keeping them from the elements and making sure the food was fresh. Baby lambs were the most exciting to serve. There always seemed to be times the mother didn’t produce enough milk or was missing altogether, then we would need to feed supplement milk for them to grow. Children might be able to understand and learn from the poor example of feeding birds, what Jesus was telling Peter and everyone to do when it comes to feeding the sheep and tending to the lambs. When feeding birds we need to learn and store knowledge, so we can answer questions and bring a message. We need, in most cases, to be willing to leave our comfortable homes and dress ourselves in prayer and the Holy Spirit to be able to fight the inclement weather (the world). Taking care of the new-borne with loving care, bringing them the warm milk of the gospel and giving them the tender touch of the word as Jesus would have us to do.

Because of space and because earthly examples are at best poor, I would like to relate a more appropriate way to show what growing in Grace looks like. In the Bible we find, for three years Jesus was attempting to teach His disciples things that they basically couldn’t grasp. The new way of salvation must have been difficult for them, plus they seemed to be slow learners in many ways. They were mostly Jews, including Jesus, born and living in the old Testament days, Jesus even saying and doing things required by the priest. But, on the other hand He was mixing in the new way. It must have been very difficult for them when the Jewish leaders came, of which it was likely they knew some of them and probably were friends, now they needed to go against what they believed and thought was true in the past. They must have been overwhelmed with all the changes that each day brought. You would think they would gradually follow Jesus’s advice, but it seems they caused Jesus more grief the closer He came to the cross. They were discussing who would be the greatest in the Kingdom, they thought Jesus was come to be an earthly King, in the garden they were sleepers, drew a sword, abandoning Him, at least Peter attempted to stay with Him, but in the end denied Him. Actually all the other’s when fleeing Him, were denying Him, just like all of us would and did. Peter wasn’t paying much attention when Jesus commanded him to feed my sheep, what a serious disobedience to make light of the Good Shepard’s command to tend to the lambs. The reason I don’t think he was paying much attention is because soon he was instead saying; ”What of these?” Then to top it off, after Jesus said; “Stay in Jerusalem until the comforter comes!” they went fishing, representing their old life before they knew of Jesus. I don’t bring all these sin’s to condemn, but to show what we and they are as man without the comforter. When the comforter comes, His main work is to show us the things of Christ, especially what He had said to the disciples for three years. In a moment the Holy Spirit opened the eyes of His Disciples at Pentecost, to see and taste of all that He taught and did in those 3 years before. Peter and them all, weren’t afraid of a young maiden girl anymore. But spoke boldly of all the things Jesus taught them in the past. And they began by preaching the gospel to the people in their own language. This is what we seem to be led to believe, but it isn’t what happened.

When Peter stood up, he didn’t begin by preaching. He began (Acts 2;15) by defending his brothers (pastors) “For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day”. Then he reads for 5 verses from the book of Joel, about the Holy Spirit’s work in Prophesy, Visions and Dreams. Then finally begins preaching in verse 22 directly to the Jews; “Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God, among you by Miracles and Wonders and Signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. (The same 3 words which he quoted from Joel, Prophesy, Visions and Dreams explained in verses 18,19 and 20.) Wouldn’t you expect Peter to say something more like we hear today? This Jesus Christ, which died for your sin’s and now sits on the right hand of His Father as our Prophet, Priest and King, which makes intercession for all your sin’s, Hear ye Him. But, instead he addresses Him as Jesus of Nazareth.

Back to the subject at hand, What was the difference between then, “going fishing” and now at Pentecost? The Holy Spirit’s work. He came visually and with power. Did you ever think about how Peter could go from “going fishing” to standing before thousands of people with so many different kinds of nationalities? That must have been a daunting task! We can read the results, but Peter is living in God’s time and he doesn’t know the future. Peter must of felt something close to my saying, (Some inmates have called it a parable) If you want to Grow in Grace, go do something you know you can not do.

Again, This was the Holy Spirit teaching the things of Jesus Christ, from and through the Holy Spirit, and the fruits were, they were Growing in Grace. What does growing in Grace look like in real time? It is ongoing, but mainly, what are you doing today. Because there is no tomorrow, because it never comes and yesterday is but one day, is past and sealed in a book by God and can not be changed. We must be dressed and ready at any moment, no matter how inclement the weather, to feed the lambs, and even birds. Then when you go where you know it can not be done by you, is the right time for the Holy Spirit to level the mountains of impossibilities and will replace them with hills of blessings. When that happens, it will humble you, because it was nothing you did or could have done, but the confirmation that God is using you for his Kingdom is profound. This humbles us which decreases us and He increases. That is Growing in Grace! This is only the beginning, Peter didn’t stop feeding the Sheep at Pentecost, it was the very beginning of his work on earth, and we see the same process in Paul’s experiences, he was converted in the way, because the Lord had told Ananias that Paul was a chosen one, Then he could do nothing for days until the Holy Spirit filled him, then the Spirit could teach him the things of Jesus, then he began a life by preaching (speacking to others) without ceasing.
Acts 22;17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Each time he experienced the Holy Spirit’s blessing, he eventually could say “I am chief” indicating he was on his way to meet Jesus Christ in the air. How many times must we Grow in Grace? Until it is our life, you see, Growing in Grace is the conforming to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance, against such there is no law. Jesus gave His fruit in the form of the beatitudes, which are the same as the Holy Spirit’s. If the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the Son are the same, then surely the fruit of the Father is the same, because they are all one. If Growing in Grace is being conformed to the Holy Spirit then that would mean you are being conformed to God. Love, Marie & Gerrit