April 2010 Newsletter

Timothy Nathaneal, a doulos of Jesus the Christ, a fallen saint, rightly sentenced to life to serve the forsaken in prison, by the Holy Spirit. To all my beloved who are outside or behind the wall. Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. His response was a question: ‘Where do you want to go?’ ‘I don’t know’, answered Alice. ‘Then’, said the cat, ‘It doesn’t matter’”. Lewis Carroll, Alice in wonderland

For those who claim to be followers of the living Christ, it does matter! This fork in the road has only two road signs: One reads “Higher Highway” and the other sign reads “Wandering Lower Road”. Many “Christians” wish to take the “Higher Highway”, and avoid being seen on the “Wandering Lower Road”. They end up living somewhere in Wonderland, completely missing the mark of the Bible; lost and looking for the answer to life. There are still things on the lower road we don’t want to give up. We hold onto the flesh and all it desires, fooling ourselves into believing we’re not “that bad”. “I’m not as bad as that guy…Did you see what he did? I didn’t do that!” “And that fellow over there, he thinks he’s fooling us…all that Holy living stuff.”

“I do my best; it’s not perfect---no one is perfect. I’m a good person and God knows this. He understands me. We have an understanding. I pray every night and go to church when I can. Jesus is OK with me.”

The question then is: By whose standard are we judging? What standard are we “OK” or being good?” If we came up with any “way” or any “Jesus” that is outside of the Bible, then this is called idolatry and is not how you will be judged. Not by your way, but by His way. Without Jesus we are not good enough…ever! And with Jesus He has set a way to live. There are only two roads: Heaven or Hell. There is no middle ground. He is NEVER OK with sin. We are called in the Bible “over comers”. Are you an over comer or one of the lost in the church, telling God what is right and wrong. Telling God how it’s OK to live.

“If my people (Christians) who are called by my name (Christians) will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways (path, road), then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14

Can someone out there tell me tell me why we think we can call ourselves Christians, go to church, pray and ask of Him and live a testimony that points anywhere but back to Christ? It’s a daily choice to overcome our willful disobedience and act of will to put on the cloth of Holy living.

Grace of Works
by Steve Trotz

Is the battle inside, a battle of pride?

He said if we love Him we will obey; if not that we lied,

Denied the gift He laid before us.

A chance and a way to rise from the dust,

Renew the marriage our forefathers discarded.

He died so we could remarry Him into our heart.

Our obedience to Him is how we’re dearly departed.

From the fleshly ways we have lived for years

Tears, fears and the gnashing of teeth,

Don’t you see He gave us a way to walk in peace?

It takes more than accepting His gift;

It takes a change in our walk or again we will slip.

Not a jot or tittle will pass from His Law.

Yes, yes, yes we have flaws and forever we will!

James said “I’ll show you my faith by my works”.

What works are those, the works of grace

But grace is a gift, one side of His face.

The other is works a side we forsake.

Jesus is the Word, the way, the truth and the life.

So if He is the Word where do we draw the line?

Separate ourselves from His law for all of time

Or allow Him to write His law on our hearts,

So to the ends of the earth we can do our part.

Let’s not add to or do away with any of His Word

From Genesis to Revelation it’s all for His good!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Christianity is not a fast food restaurant where you can have it your way!

As all have come to know, I start off my letter, “Timothy Nathaneal a “doulos” of Christ” which means to be a willing slave of Christ. I have chosen that road that I will travel. I know the cost and have willingly submitted to my King’s demands. As I walk down this path, He shows me how He wishes for me to live. The Bible is my road map. The blessing comes from obedience. Peace comes from obedience. My calling is formed in obedience to His way.

In describing how Christians should live, Paul often resorts to character metaphors. Besides my ‘doulos’, I have come up with 14 others that we can look at. Christians are to be like:

• · Soldiers…2 Timothy 2:3…Like a single-minded soldier. We should respond to the orders of our commanding officer, the Lord Jesus, with unquestioning obedience.
• · Farmers…2 Timothy 2:6…Farmers labor strenuously and consistently in order to reap a fruit harvest. We also must work hard in serving the Lord.
• · Athletes…2 Timothy 2:5…Athletes follow strict training rules so as to avoid being disqualified from their race; we must display a similar measure of self-control.
• · Workers…2 Timothy 2:15…Our w0rk is to “rightly divide” or correctly handle God’s word so as to avoid shame.
• · Vessels…2Timothy 2:20, 21…We must take care to keep ourselves pure, like a clean dish, so that we will be “’useful for the Master”.
• · Fishers (Phishers) of Men…Matthew 4:19…As fishermen, we are called to “catch” men with the Good News of Christ.
• · Salt…Matthew 5:13…As salt, we act as a godly preservative in an evil society; more over, we make people thirsty to know their Creator.
• · Light…Matthew 5:14-16…As light, we point the way to reconciliation with God, as we reflect God’s character, for He is light (John 1:7).
• · Branches…John 15:5…As branches, we bear godly fruit as long as we are attached to the vine, Christ.
• · Stewards…I Corinthians 4:1, 2…Like Administrators, we have responsibilities to manage. God will evaluate how we handle the resources He has given us.
• · Ambassadors…2 Corinthians 5:20…We are representatives of God’s kingdom to the lost citizens of this world.
• · Living Stones…I Peter 2:5…In former days, God dwelt in a physical temple; now He dwells in His people, the Church.
• · Priests…I Peter 2:5, 9, 10…Like priests, we have the privilege of approaching near to God, and responsibility of helping others in reconciling themselves to Him.
• · Sojourners…I Peter 2:11…As children of God, we do not belong to the world. This world is not our home; we are only “Passing through”.

“One day a Christian came to a fork in the road and saw The One who hung on that tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ Christian asked. ‘Where are you going’? ‘I’m going to live with Jesus’, Christian answered. ‘Then, it doesn’t matter. I am the way, the truth and the life. In my Father’s house are many mansions and no one comes to the Father except through Me’.

Go take the Higher Highway; it’s through the narrow gate. If you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray to the Father and He will give you another Helper---said Jesus.

So, it’s your choice; a cat that is here one moment and gone the next, or Jesus who will never leave you or forsake you.

As for me, I Timothy Nathanael, a doulos of Christ, pray that He will show me a clear path, the light out of this world; the great apostasy.

“The way of the world is self seeking and self shielding. “Spare thyself” is the sum of its philosophy. But the doctrine of Christ is not “save thyself” but “sacrifice thyself”. There is no such thing as belonging to Christ and living to please self. Make no mistake on that point.” A.W. Pink The Cross and Self.

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die…because only the man who is dead to his own will can follow Christ. In fact, every command of Jesus is a call to die, with all our affections and lusts.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

April Newsletter

Timothy Nathaneal, a doulos of Jesus the Christ, a fallen saint, rightly sentenced to life to serve the forsaken in prison, by the Holy Spirit. To all my beloved who are outside or behind the wall. Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.

‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. His response was a question: ‘Where do you want to go?’

‘I don’t know’, answered Alice. ‘Then’, said the cat, ‘It doesn’t matter’”.

Lewis Carroll, Alice in wonderland

For those who claim to be followers of the living Christ, it does matter! This fork in the road has only two road signs: One reads “Higher Highway” and the other sign reads “Wandering Lower Road”. Many “Christians” wish to take the “Higher Highway”, and avoid being seen on the “Wandering Lower Road”. They end up living somewhere in Wonderland, completely missing the mark of the Bible; lost and looking for the answer to life. There are still things on the lower road we don’t want to give up. We hold onto the flesh and all it desires, fooling ourselves into believing we’re not “that bad”. “I’m not as bad as that guy…Did you see what he did? I didn’t do that!” “And that fellow over there, he thinks he’s fooling us…all that Holy living stuff.”

“I do my best; it’s not perfect---no one is perfect. I’m a good person and God knows this. He understands me. We have an understanding. I pray every night and go to church when I can. Jesus is OK with me.”

The question then is: By whose standard are we judging? What standard are we “OK” or being good?” If we came up with any “way” or any “Jesus” that is outside of the Bible, then this is called idolatry and is not how you will be judged. Not by your way, but by His way. Without Jesus we are not good enough…ever! And with Jesus He has set a way to live. There are only two roads: Heaven or Hell. There is no middle ground. He is NEVER OK with sin. We are called in the Bible “over comers”. Are you an over comer or one of the lost in the church, telling God what is right and wrong. Telling God how it’s OK to live.

“If my people (Christians) who are called by my name (Christians) will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways (path, road), then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14

Can someone out there tell me tell me why we think we can call ourselves Christians, go to church, pray and ask of Him and live a testimony that points anywhere but back to Christ? It’s a daily choice to overcome our willful disobedience and act of will to put on the cloth of Holy living.

Grace of Works by Steve Trotz

Is the battle inside, a battle of pride?

He said if we love Him we will obey; if not that we lied,

Denied the gift He laid before us.

A chance and a way to rise from the dust,

Renew the marriage our forefathers discarded.

He died so we could remarry Him into our heart.

Our obedience to Him is how we’re dearly departed.

From the fleshly ways we have lived for years

Tears, fears and the gnashing of teeth,

Don’t you see He gave us a way to walk in peace?

It takes more than accepting His gift;

It takes a change in our walk or again we will slip.

Not a jot or tittle will pass from His Law.

Yes, yes, yes we have flaws and forever we will!

James said “I’ll show you my faith by my works”.

What works are those, the works of grace

But grace is a gift, one side of His face.

The other is works a side we forsake.

Jesus is the Word, the way, the truth and the life.

So if He is the Word where do we draw the line?

Separate ourselves from His law for all of time

Or allow Him to write His law on our hearts,

So to the ends of the earth we can do our part.

Let’s not add to or do away with any of His Word

From Genesis to Revelation it’s all for His good!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Christianity is not a fast food restaurant where you can have it your way!

As all have come to know, I start off my letter, “Timothy Nathaneal a “doulos” of Christ” which means to be a willing slave of Christ. I have chosen that road that I will travel. I know the cost and have willingly submitted to my King’s demands. As I walk down this path, He shows me how He wishes for me to live. The Bible is my road map. The blessing comes from obedience. Peace comes from obedience. My calling is formed in obedience to His way.

In describing how Christians should live, Paul often resorts to character metaphors. Besides my ‘doulos’, I have come up with 14 others that we can look at. Christians are to be like:

· Soldiers…2 Timothy 2:3…Like a single-minded soldier. We should respond to the orders of our commanding officer, the Lord Jesus, with unquestioning obedience.

· Farmers…2 Timothy 2:6…Farmers labor strenuously and consistently in order to reap a fruit harvest. We also must work hard in serving the Lord.

· Athletes…2 Timothy 2:5…Athletes follow strict training rules so as to avoid being disqualified from their race; we must display a similar measure of self-control.

· Workers…2 Timothy 2:15…Our w0rk is to “rightly divide” or correctly handle God’s word so as to avoid shame.

· Vessels…2Timothy 2:20, 21…We must take care to keep ourselves pure, like a clean dish, so that we will be “’useful for the Master”.

· Fishers (Phishers) of Men…Matthew 4:19…As fishermen, we are called to “catch” men with the Good News of Christ.

· Salt…Matthew 5:13…As salt, we act as a godly preservative in an evil society; more over, we make people thirsty to know their Creator.

· Light…Matthew 5:14-16…As light, we point the way to reconciliation with God, as we reflect God’s character, for He is light (John 1:7).

· Branches…John 15:5…As branches, we bear godly fruit as long as we are attached to the vine, Christ.

· Stewards…I Corinthians 4:1, 2…Like Administrators, we have responsibilities to manage. God will evaluate how we handle the resources He has given us.

· Ambassadors…2 Corinthians 5:20…We are representatives of God’s kingdom to the lost citizens of this world.

· Living Stones…I Peter 2:5…In former days, God dwelt in a physical temple; now He dwells in His people, the Church.

· Priests…I Peter 2:5, 9, 10…Like priests, we have the privilege of approaching near to God, and responsibility of helping others in reconciling themselves to Him.

· Sojourners…I Peter 2:11…As children of God, we do not belong to the world. This world is not our home; we are only “Passing through”.

“One day a Christian came to a fork in the road and saw The One who hung on that tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ Christian asked. ‘Where are you going’? ‘I’m going to live with Jesus’, Christian answered. ‘Then, it doesn’t matter. I am the way, the truth and the life. In my Father’s house are many mansions and no one comes to the Father except through Me’.

Go take the Higher Highway; it’s through the narrow gate. If you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray to the Father and He will give you another Helper---said Jesus.

So, it’s your choice; a cat that is here one moment and gone the next, or Jesus who will never leave you or forsake you.

As for me, I Timothy Nathanael, a doulos of Christ, pray that He will show me a clear path, the light out of this world; the great apostasy.

“The way of the world is self seeking and self shielding. “Spare thyself” is the sum of its philosophy. But the doctrine of Christ is not “save thyself” but “sacrifice thyself”. There is no such thing as belonging to Christ and living to please self. Make no mistake on that point.” A.W. Pink The Cross and Self.

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die…because only the man who is dead to his own will can follow Christ. In fact, every command of Jesus is a call to die, with all our affections and lusts.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

March 2010 Newsletter

I, Timothy Nathaneal, a doulos of Christ living out a walk of obedience to our Father God as a templar, a tentmaker missionary guided by the Holy Spirit. But not just me; I also am witness to countless others who have been called to a life apart from this world.

We who are the forsaken of the world will be the example of Christ’s forgiveness and restoration; we will be the tool to call His church back to what we first heard.

Ask yourself, what is that? “Be saved from this perverse generation”… Peter. We are to hold fast to the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers. See Acts 2:42. But I must ask---can you say this of your walk, can you say this of your Sunday go to meetin’ church? Many of the men I live with do say this…and I stand as the witness to this truth. So what is this “perverse generation”? Perverse: “skolios” = corrupt or crooked. Generation: “genea” + one’s own kind, race descendant or nationality.

This is our perverse generation, not some past and lost one in history, but it is today. How can we turn on our televisions and not see it? If there is no conviction in your walk, there might not be the Holy Spirit in your life.

“There is no man so good who, were he to submit all his thoughts and actions to the law, would not deserve hanging ten times in his life”. ---Michel Eyquem Montague

So then, are we under the Law or Grace? “For those who say that now we’re under grace and not the law, we can disregard the law-they should note the connection Paul makes in I Timothy. If we’re born again, born under grace and not the law, we should have a heart that’s bent on pleasing God, or doing what’s right and Holy, and not on being ‘lawless and insubordinate’ (I Timothy 9). We don’t need the law to keep us from sinning, we should love living righteous lives.” ---Kevin Blankenship

Mean time at work, back in the cell house or on the yard, the brothers are condemned for trying to live differently behind the walls. We can expect this treatment from the world, but when we get it from the church… To call sin, sin, is to be called a legalist. A fanatic. And so I am. “Repent! The time is here.” The truth in love! I like how one commentator put it…

“Many people will condemn anyone with standards, especially higher standards, as being a legalist. Having standards and keeping them does not make us legalists and obedience doesn’t make us legalists. We are legalists when we think what we do is what makes us right before God.” ---David Gozik “We should love living righteous lives”. ---K.B.

So, where do we start? “Rules for holy living”---Colossians 3:1-17. Stop here, get your Bible out and take the time to read this first.

I’m inviting one of our brothers in Christ, “Hot Rod” to help in this teaching. From the desk of Hot Rod Ministries:
“I like it best how Paul says it in the NIV, ‘But now you must rid yourself of these things’. In order for us as humans to be more like Jesus, we must get rid of anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. None of these things brings us closer to our Father. No, all of this pushes us away from the walk that He wants with us.”
x
Philip Yancey puts it this way…
“Pleasing God doesn’t mean that we must busy ourselves with a new set of ‘spiritual’ activities. As the Puritans said; whether cleaning house or preaching sermons, shoeing horses or translating the Bible, any human activity, may constitute an offering to God”.

Paul goes on to tell us and the Colossians how to be the people that God wants us to be. The end of vs. 12 says “to clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience”.

It is sometimes very hard for us to see through our past and all the bad in prison. To remember the way God wants us to live. I know for myself waking up every morning in prison has its bad and its good. It’s very easy for me to fall back into my old ways of anger, range and malice, but Paul tells us to ‘Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts’. We do this in a world with so much negativity. Please pray that He will strengthen us as we do His work daily”. ---“Hot Rod”, Hot Rod Ministries---“Tuning up His Saints”

While obedience to rules cannot bring salvation, those who are saved ought to live worthy of that salvation. Paul is giving the Colossians (us) instructions concerning our daily walk. He tells us the negatives and the positives to the walk God wants Christians to live. If I was like some of the teachers of today, I would now focus on verses 12-17 which Hot Rod already covered. I too want you to understand what we are to clothe ourselves in. But God has called me to call the Church to repentance. So, I want to pick up at verse 5.

Key word study:
“Therefore put to death”. Death (mortify): “nekroō; can be used physically or figuratively, of both persons or things, to be as good as dead. **2 Corinthians 7:10. When A. Bierce was asked about this death, he simply put it this way…”To die: to stop sinning suddenly”.
Fornication: “porneia”; sexual immorality, marital unfaithfulness, prostitution, adultery, pornography: a generic term for all sexual sin of any kind. **See Acts 15 and Ephesians 5:3. Within marriage, sex is beautiful, fulfilling, creative. Outside of marriage, it is ugly, destructive and damning. ---John MacArthur
Uncleanness: “alatharsia”; impurity, a state of moral filthiness. **Romans 6:19, Galatians 5:19, I Thessalonians 4:7. “Living right…living in the light” B.B.S.

“I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.” Jonathan Swift.
Inordinate affection (passion): Pathos”; lost sexual passion. **Romans 1:18-32 ( a must read). “I think that man is lost indeed who has lost the sense of shame”. ---Plantus
Evil concupiscene (desire): Evil: “kakos”; a perversion of what pertains to goodness. Concupiscene (desire): “epithymia; longing or craving. **I Timothy 6:10
Covetousness ; “Pleonexia”; greediness. **Ephesians 5:1-7, Hebrews 13:5 “After a time you may find that “having” is not so pleasing a thing. It’s not logical, but it is often true.” --Spock, “Amok time”, Stardate 3372.7
The next word is one that I could write meaningful PBMs on and take it down infinite roads. Let me put it this way…it’s anything that is put in between you and God.
Idolatry: “eidōlolatria”, the reverence and worship of idols (things). **I Corinthians 10:14, Galatians 5:20.
“You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.” ---D.L. Moody

“The dearest idol I have known,
Whate’er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.”
---William Cowpen

I went to a Bible study last night at our Fremont Prison Church. After the main teaching, we broke into small groups. I was with two other men. The topic was on “Not being a people pleaser and instead being a God pleaser.” The Q and A started and the first question was: “What does it mean to be justified? And this was handled well until we got to being ‘God pleasers’ and the topic turned to sin. And out of one of these men came, “Oh…that does not matter! I am justified!” So I asked if he was saying that it’s OK to sin and he told me in short “yes’”. We all have sin so it does not matter. I am justified”. Now with both of these men at me, I held fast for a holy living. I know we all have sin in our lives, but we need to look at the must in the New Testament. Grace does not give us a license to sin… We should want to live righteous lives. The Bible tells a lot about what that life should look like. Continuing on, I was told that it’s people like me that keep people out of the church, fanatics”. The last question to me was…”Do I think that the 21st century Church is wrong then?” I believe that it will have a lot to answer for, in short, yes”. I turn on TBN, listen to the radio and hear very little about Holiness, repentance, sin and never about Hell. I hear a lot of “feel good sermons” with no meat; one or two verses and then a lot of fluff that had nothing or very little to do with the verse that was just read. I know better than others the cost of a compromised life…being in the church and not being in Christ. If you want a true Church, atone, walk, and cling to the word of God by which everything is upheld. Sin has a price and satan will demand his payment.

Remember my fellow saints that cowards never won heaven (Revelation 21:6-8). Do not claim that you are His, that you have been born again, that you have overcome, unless you can prove this by living a heroic life; to dare to be holy in spite of men and devils. Sin blinds us all the way, on a path to hell. I was blind, but only by His loving mercy I have been saved from the penalty of sin. Now I can see. I serve my King, not my king-self; when I like it and even more when I don’t. The early church called themselves “Believers in the Way”. Now the question is what “way” are you following? Yours or the doctrine of the Apostles; Jesus or the world!

Updates:
One of the brothers wrote me and asked what has been going on lately. The past couple of PBM have had little to no updates. Winters in prison are long. I don’t make it to the yard very much, it’s the Southern Cal in me. So I have no sports updates.

Two of the brothers have been moved. Pray for them: Greg and John Mark. So my nightly bible study which I have been teaching has moved out of Phish Bowl Coffee House down to the first tier to an older brother’s house since he cannot climb 3 tiers to make it to the Coffee House.

You all know by now I have to keep a lot of details out of P.B.M. because D.O.C. reads all mail and I don’t think it is right to talk about private things of others. But let me put one thing down. One man I have been working with is going from a shock collar of a gang to starting a true walk with Christ. It’s in the baby stage right now. He has a new heart for Christ and not knowing why, he is not liking all of his “homies”. I tell him that it’s OK to love his boys, but you will start to hate the sin. This is the Holy Spirit working in you.

As for me, I have been “laid-in” from work for the rest of this month and forfeit all of my pay. This was my fault because I left a box knife in my tool belt when I left work. You can imagine how prison doesn’t like ‘knives’ unaccounted for. What I want to share most about this incident is how great God is. This offense should have gotten me fired with a write up and 30 days in the hole. This was a bone head move on my part. Even though I fall short many days, I try to live out what I preach. One thing is to be a servant to all. So my boss who had to come back to work from home and go to the warden to explain this, strongly requested that I be given a second chance. This came about because of the overwhelming support of the other inmates who did not take the opportunity to throw me under the bus, but instead pulled me out of the path of that bus. I tell you the truth, living right, living in the light, is the best way to live…the only way. PTL!


I have been asked about my cellie. I have to say, which one? I have been playing musical cellies for months now. Today’s cellie is “Ramsey” and he seems to be a good guy. Can you imagine coming home to someone you don’t know living in your box? We have little to no say who they move in your house or when they move someone on you.

And last:

Thank you saints who make Phish Bowl Coffee House’s door stay open. The other day an inmate came up to P.B.C.H. and asked if I could buy someone’s stuff to help him out. This man it seemed was selling his stuff to buy hygiene products. He’s back on a “technical parole violation” for 18 months turn around. His wife and son are having a hard time making it on the street without him. So he’s doing what it takes to make it work, taking no help from the street. So we (all of the Phish Bowl family) were able to give him soap and shampoo. This is just one of many stories of how P.B.C.H. is working to help the prisoners (Hebrews 13:1-3 and Matthew 25: 31-46 (a must read).

Phish food for March:

I’m still in I Timothy, so for this month I’m calling you all to take time each day (Sunday is a day of rest and church) to reread I Timothy, plus get a commentary or study Bible and start to break down t his book…dive into His word.