Bible Studies By Mail

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.” Matthew 3:13

Sunday, 27^th: Sarah… enrolled for Bible studies at BSBM.org on October 1^st. Her last lesson asked, ‘If you are not saved, let us know.’ She responded: “I have not been baptized yet.” In a previous lesson she indicated that she wasn’t saved yet. (Several Scriptural documents were sent with her last lessons)

            Praise God – Jesus did the impossible for the whosoever believes! Pray Sarah reads and rereads the extra materials sent her regarding God’s salvation by grace and faith, not by our works.

Monday, 28^th: “I reckon I will say, Jesus is my everything in life. Family torn apart by lies from my sister, who I let move in with me. It’s sad but I pray God moves her out or plum saves her. I love Jesus so much, but she does not have a godly spirit. She is oppressed by Satan. Please pray for Billie… I love her, but she needs God! I’m very kind to her, she’s very hateful. Three doctors have dropped her now. God bless ya till yer cup plum runneth over. All my love in Christ, Wanda…“

            Praise God – He loves the unlovely and enables His children to do the same for His glory! Pray Wanda resists the devil and draws near to God daily. Pray Billie cries out to God for salvation.

Tuesday, 29^th: “Dear Bible Counselor, My name is César… I am 25 years old and I have been in jail for about 7 months as an illegal immigrant. Now that I am in here, I can truly say that God has touched my life. I have been reading my Bible for ½ a year now and God has made me new, new thoughts, new way of looking at life, everything about me is new. I have been struggling a bit understanding the Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I just want to know how to approach God.”

            Praise God – the Bible presents His triune Being… He is incomprehensible yet believable! Pray César reads and rereads the Scriptures presenting the Trinity.

Wednesday, 30^th: “Dear Chaplain Beam, This is Patsy… My case is finally over and I will be a while. I’m not sure how long yet. I would like to know if you could get me a Bible. I would like to get started on my Bible studies. Could you let Mr. and Mrs. Evans from Bible Studies By Mail know? And if they could pray for me as well. I will get in touch with them as soon as this is over. I am looking for a new church to go to when I get out of here.”

            Praise God – His grace & mercy are immeasurable! Pray Patsy spends hours reading God’s word and studying her lessons. Pray she befriends other Christian inmates and finishes her time well.

Thursday, 1^st: Today, BSBM Director and Office Administrator, Darryl & Joan Evans, travel to Maradi, Niger, West Africa for ministry reasons. This weekly Prayer & Praise e-mail will start again in late Jan 2012. Pray for BSBM’s workers as they maintain the ministry’s outreach to 1,400+ students.

Friday, 2^nd: “Brother Evans, Gracias for writing me again. I felt very, very feliz when I read you were going to resend me the 5 diplomas for courses I’ve completed. In a letter I sent to my children, I told them I had surrendered my life to the Lord and invited Him into my heart. I told them I was doing your studies and had received 5 diplomas but that the Marshalls had taken them away when they moved me. Maybe my kids will believe me now. Thank you for your help and understanding. Mario…“

            Praise God – He gives the hopeless reason to hope when by faith they trust in Jesus Christ! Pray Mario feeds on God’s word daily. Pray he becomes a spiritual warrior for his family and friends.

Saturday, 3^rd: Inmate William… sent a photo and wrote: “Thank you for grading my lessons. I only have one leg and one eye, and the eye only has 30% vision. I have to do all my lessons with a magnifying glass. I do my best. I have learned so much with your studies. Thank you for being there for me. I have passed your studies on to many other prisoners. We are all at different stages. Please send my lessons with a stamped return envelope if possible.”

            Praise God – He causes BSBM to meet up with the spiritually hungry and He leads His Church to help in the office and to give financially, so free lessons can be sent. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

“I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.” Daniel 2:23

Sunday, 20^th: “Praise the Lord! With His help we were able to get caught up on 3 months’ rent. We were in danger of being thrown out. The Lord works in amazing ways! My husband is trying to get a better job. Please pray God’s will is done and keep praying for my father to find the Lord. Pray the Lord shows me how to strengthen my family’s faith in Him. To Him be the glory, Valerie…“

            Praise God – He enables His children to accomplish the impossible through Christ! Pray Valerie is a living epistle of God’s truth to her family. Pray with her regarding things mentioned above.

Monday, 21^st: “¡Hola! The reason I’m writing is because I have a question. Could you help me learn to pray? What should I focus my prayers on? What should I say and how should I say it? Forgive all my questions, I just want to learn how to do it correctly. Gracias, Alberto…“

            Praise God – His word and the Holy Spirit teach and guide the Church regarding prayer! Pray Alberto reads and rereads the extra literature sent on prayer. Pray he finds his prayer closet in jail.

Tuesday, 22^nd: “Hello! I wanted to write and thank you for the lessons. I also wanted to thank you for the pre-stamped envelope. Do you have any extra literature to help keep me occupied while I wait for my next lessons? It would help keep me out of trouble. There are people here now that really test my patience. They keep trying to push my buttons. I get upset and it’s really bad for me. It’s getting close to sentencing and I feel really impatient. Please pray for me. Tran…“

            Praise God – He sends the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) to help each of His own! Pray Tran casts his anxieties upon Him and, in so doing, realizes that the peace of Christ is just a prayer away.

Wednesday, 23^rd: Mary… shared this about her last lessons: “I learned about the promised Savior, Jesus Christ, He is almighty God. He is our great Teacher. He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. He died that our sins would be forgiven and through Him we are eternally saved. He cleanses us from all unrighteousness plus He gives us the Holy Spirit and faith. Everything we need is in Him. I thank God I am saved and know I have a better Home.”

            Praise God – He is love and His word is a gracious love letter of immeasurable proportions! Pray Mary shares God’s message of salvation with neighbors and family using Bible verses.

Thursday, 24^th: Juana… wrote: “I write asking you to pray for my case. The lawyer I’ve been given says they want to deport me for not reporting to them on my 2007 case. They made me come to __ ____, TX and we live in _______, TX. Pray I can return to my daughters and grandchildren.”

            Praise God – He never fails to hear much less respond to prayers for help! Pray Juana comes to realize God’s caring arms are about her and her family. Pray her family seeks God’s help together.

Friday, 25^th: “Dear Family at BSBM, I have another brother here who wants to receive your studies. He is from Mexico. He says he has no way to return them to you. I told him not to worry, God would provide. He is José M… #… He would like them in Spanish. Thank you for sending my other brothers here their lessons. They were very happy to receive them. Thank you for the certificate. I’m going to send it to my father. He is 94 years old. Please keep him in your prayers. Fernando…“

            Praise God – He enables His children to grow spiritually and blossom where they are planted! Pray Fernando diligently studies so he can glorify His Father in jail. Pray his family is united in Christ.

Saturday, 26^th: “I’m writing to inform you that I am in a different unit now. I thank you for these wonderful lessons. Please keep sending them. Arlie R… #… Unit… …New Jersey”

            Praise God – while His love letter has some harsh warnings, the whole message is wonderful! Pray Arlie finds other inmates to share with. Pray these inmates sign up to study also.

“But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,” Acts 7:55

Sunday, 13^th: “Hermanos en Cristo, I am Julio… I am a Christian and I have time to study the Bible. I have studied various courses and my question is this. In many verses, Jesus speaks of the Father, who is God. Recently, some preachers came with different doctrines. They taught that only Jesus is God. Can you please help with this?” (Acts 7:55 is just one of the many verses Julio had written out.)

            Praise God – the Holy Spirit teaches truth to God’s child and then, he or she brags on Jesus! Pray Julio boldly shares the truth of God’s word among cellmates. Pray they sign up to study also.

Monday, 14^th: “¡Hola! I am doing correspondence Bible studies with you. I couldn’t send you the last exam because they transferred me. I desire to continue the studies. Send them to this address… There’s a guy in here interested in studying. Ramón… #… Muchas gracias, Guillermo…“

            Praise God – even inconvenient moves cause His child to be blessed and be a blessing! Pray Guillermo and Ramón study God’s word together. Pray Ramón accepts Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Tuesday, 15^th: Raymond… shared something he learned in lesson 24 of PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN LIVING: “In our situation, when we choose to walk by sight we see only our circumstances. But, when we choose to walk by faith we look beyond our circumstances and discover God at work. Faith is believing what God says in His word.”

            Praise God – like Stephen in Acts 7:55, He helps His children to see their future plain & clear! Pray Raymond shares the rich truths of God’s word with his family and neighborhood friends.

Wednesday, 16^th: “Hermano Evans, I ask that you continue to have me (us) in your prayers. I’ve been detained for 8 months in this place now. God knows I was deceived by these people who put drugs in my car. I have been a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Ciudad Juárez, México for 4 years. Psalm 37 is the prayer of my heart. I long to be with my wife and 5 children. Could you send a letter of recommendation on my behalf directed to Judge … ? Gracias. Your brother, Luís…“

            Praise God – His all-powerful arms extend to protect and provide for His own without failure! Pray Luís is moved to give God thanks like never before. Pray his lawyer & judge do their work justly.

Thursday, 17^th: “My wife María…, my son Oscar…, and I give thanks first of all to our God who is abounding in mercy. We thank you for your prayers. Our son is much better. God did a miracle in his life and ours. May God continue blessing this ministry mucho. Faustino…“ (He is an inmate student.)

            Praise God – His boundless mercy and grace turn sorrow into praise for His children! Pray Faustino, María & Oscar follow Christ closely, daily studying God’s word and meeting with believers.

Friday, 18^th: A student shared something she enjoyed in her last lessons: “I enjoyed the way lesson 3 defined repentance. Sometimes when it’s broken down, it helps people understand it so much better. Thank you so much for providing these lessons. God bless each of you, Leisa…“

            Praise God – He has given BSBM 1,424 students and saved 41 of them in the past 2 months! Pray BSBM’s student body sees believing and repenting as 2 faces on the same coin saved-by-faith.

Saturday, 19^th: “They moved me to another prison by plane and the Marshalls told me I couldn’t take any of my personal photos or papers. I would like to know if you would do me the favor of sending me all my diplomas again. I would like to continue studying also. I’m waiting for your reply, Mario…“

            Praise God – Yes, even inconvenient moves cause His child to be blessed and be a blessing! Pray Mario studies to show himself approved unto God, daily depending on Him to strengthen & lead.

“For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:12

Sunday, 6^th: Responding to a question, Rudi… wrote: “Yes, the Lord Jesus has entered my heart… it is His will that I am here in jail. I know very well He put me here to show me His great power.” (He is in a cell-pod with several other inmates who are also studying our courses. They call the pod their church.)

            Praise God – He is love and His correction is proof! Pray Rudi takes hold of God’s truth through personal obedience to Christ’s teaching in his lessons, Bible readings and group share time.

Monday, 7^th: Two recent letters from Fernando… First penned on October 16: “Dear brother Darryl, I want to know if you have a home program for inmates to come and rehabilitate, like a halfway house. If God were to open those doors again, I know I’d run through them. I’m just not sure where God wants me to go. If you could pray with me, asking God, ‘Where do you want me Lord? Show me the way.’, I would greatly appreciate it.” Second penned on October 31: “Thank you for telling me about the Jericho House in Las Cruces. I have written Pastor Gibbs and I’m waiting to hear if I can stay there and do my parole. The officers in here think I’m going crazy. They’ve caught me singing and dancing by myself in here. I look at them and say, it’s the joy of the Lord within my soul.”

            Praise God – His joy, in His child’s heart, overshadows every hardship! Pray Fernando comes to realize his personal worth is based upon what God thinks and says about him & not someone else.

Tuesday, 8^th: “Dear Pastor, My name is Thomas… I am a handicapped person who wants to get closer to God. I am residing in a halfway house at …Illinois and I cannot work. I would love to take your Bible study courses, if at all possible. Also, if you have a return stamped envelope to return them to you, it would be a little less strain on me. However, if you can’t the Lord will provide for me.”

            Praise God – The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. (Psa 24:1)! Pray Thomas grows to be a spiritual giant, living out the message of God’s hope wherever he goes.

Wednesday, 9^th: When asked what was the most important thing learned, Alfonso… wrote: “I must decide what road I want to follow. I have received the Lord Jesus and have believed for some time now, but how can I truly know that God has entered my heart? I cry and pray, begging for God’s love. So, why does He allow me to carry such a heavy burden?” (He is an inmate and a new student)

            Praise God – Repent, and believe in the gospel. – Jesus (Mark 1:15a)! Pray new student Alfonso comes to see by God’s grace that believing in Jesus involves personal repentance of his sin.

Thursday, 10^th: “Thank you for this opportunity to learn, grow and develop spiritually in the Lord’s word. I would like to ask for prayer for my marriage and our reunion again; for the Lord’s will regarding my marriage, family, career and life. I pray for postage, so I may continue to mail in my lessons. God bless and thank you, Samantha…“ (PTL! God has answered her prayer for postage.)

            Praise God – casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)! Pray Samantha truly casts all her cares upon the Lord, with thanksgiving and total surrender. Pray she has His joy.

Friday, 11^th: Inmate Modesto… shared: “When I arrived here in jail, I didn’t know anything about one needing to be born again. I started reading the Bible and realized one needs to be born again to belong to God’s family. I was born again on February 24, 2011 and I’m growing in His word.”

            Praise God – His word is a ONE ROAD map clearly showing how to get from earth to Heaven! Today is Modesto’s court day. Pray he accepts the judge’s decision as God’s will. Pray he is joyful.

Saturday, 12^th: Louise… mailed in an enrollment slip from Spokane. How did she get it? We don’t know. She is 70 and she wrote: “I love studying the Bible. I want to do all your courses.”

            Praise God – He has called BSBM to send studies to whoever asks, and He is enabling us! Pray Louise strives to finish her race well for God. Pray her family and friends are touched spiritually.