How to Meet Jesus Today – Born-Again-Christian.Org

Mtt. 25:31-46 KJV

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory,

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Divine Appointments

Take that to heart, trust and obey the Shepherd, and you’re guaranteed to meet Jesus wherever you tread: He will be with you, eager to confirm His eternal Word.

It’s a modern Christian habit to enjoy a ‘Conference’ or ‘Camp Meeting’ for a few days each year. That’s a good thing, I witnessed my first miracle at a Christian conference soon after I was saved in 1988. (Jesus healed a woman’s shortened leg, it grew right before my eyes as we prayed.) I’ve been to several since then, and always been blessed.

But I’ve discovered something even more exciting…

Meeting Jesus in Jail

It works in hospitals, and old people’s homes too, but I encountered Him on my first visit to prison.

You will too, when you dare to venture believing His words that you just read.

A discovery this magnificent Christian made in 18th. Century England.

John Howard: Christian Reformer of Prisons

If you’ve stayed in prison, a humbling experience I recommend, you will have encountered the legacy of an English Christian named John Howard.

Howard was the first Englishman to systematically reform the way prisoners were housed, fed and treated.

A contemporary of John Wesley, George Whitefield, and the anointed composer G. F. Handel, John Howard lived in the 1700’s in Georgian England.

Protestant England

Following the turmoil of the two English Revolutions, the Roman Catholic Royal Stuart line withered, Queen Anne died in 1714 without heir, triggering into effect the 1701 Act of Settlement and 1707 Act of Union.

Hanoverian Protestant rule began, (King George II (pictured) reigned 1727-1760) England prospered materially and spiritually, expanding at home and abroad, birthing the Industrial Revolution, zealous missionary endeavour, and mighty British Empire.

The LORD blessed the nations through England. The sciences were established by Englishmen who believed the Holy Bible, prompting rapid developments in agriculture, and livestock breeding industries, which made England rich. Great discoveries and inventions followed, and Catholic attempts to usurp the throne were thwarted. (Thankfully, England still does not permit a Catholic to become its monarch. Something the present Queen’s son, Prince Charles, wants to change. The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 removed the ban on a royal heir marrying a Roman Catholic. Charles will doubtless press further for a Papist monarch of Britain, if he is ever enthroned.)

Chains, Irons, Hunger, & Disease

In stark contrast, the English penal system remained in a most primitive, wretched state, and nobody seemed to notice or care.

Until John Howard, as High Sheriff of Bedford, personally inspected a jail under his jurisdiction. He was appalled at what he found, and henceforth devoted his life to quietly reforming prisons of the realm.

When Saw We Thee?

Read his landmark book (below) for sober first-hand accounts of the shocking conditions.

It was an uphill task with a very steep gradient, but in humility and compassion, with unflagging Christian zeal, John Howard saw the fruit of his single-handed labours in England extend to Europe, and beyond.

The LORD Working With Him

It’s true to say that the standards of every prison on Earth today have been raised, and are still being improved, because of one man’s influence and faith.

He died at the age of 63, from the Rickettsial disease, Typhus (‘Jail Fever’), contracted after being bitten by human body lice whilst visiting a prison in the Crimean Peninsula, and was buried in Ukraine.

Such was his reputation, the funeral was attended by the Prince of Moldavia.

A commemorative statue of Howard was erected in Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London, the first civilian to be so honoured.

Prisoner support organisations, and penal reform groups, around the world have taken their lead from John Howard’s pioneering work, “The State of the Prisons in England and Wales” which he wrote and published at his own expense in 1777.

Still in print, it remains the standard text of prison reform.

“Another Crazy Christian”

Modern biographers of John Howard, miss the man by a metric-mile, focussing on his supposed “eccentricity”. Seeking to explain his motivation and devotion, authors have proposed that the benevolent Dr. Howard FRS., was driven by the psychiatric abnormality, Asperger’s syndrome.

A calumny based purely on ignorance and insolence.

Doubtless such commentators would allege a similar mental illness drove Christ to the Cross of Calvary!

John Howard was Christian, schooled as a Calvinist, he rejected the false-pomp of the established ‘Church of England’ (Episcopalian in North America) and worshipped with Dissenters (mostly Puritans and other Non-conformists such as Methodist and Baptists) wherever he lodged in his travels.

Like Father: Like Son

To the saints of God who follow in the steps of Christ, it becomes obvious what motivated John Howard, and fed his fervour to bless and lift anyone suffering in chains: He simply believed the word of God enough to obey it, and met Jesus in prison, just like you can today; His word guarantees it…

Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

The Prison Door is Open Before You

Almighty God is a Redeemer. He revels in transforming the chief of sinners into Blood-washed saints. No-one is beyond redemption. His Message is for ‘whoever believes‘.

There’s a prison near you whose inmates would love to hear some Good News for a change. If you’ve never visited a jail, start now.

Just pray, go, and ask the authorities for the names of some prisoners to visit, and you’ll be thrilled to see how easy it is to lead them to Christ.

You see, inmates already comprehend; guilt, judgment, condemnation, and captivity, before you even open your mouth.

Some of the most zealous Christians I’ve met, got saved in jail.

Read what happened when Jesus first sent me to Bangkok Women’s Prison to tell a heroin smuggler what He’s done for her.

Here’s some materials to help you set them free. And remember when you go; Jesus said you are actually visiting Him.

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Mtt. 25:40.

Holy Bible, KJV

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