Matthew 7:16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
A couple years ago I met a guy who we will refer to as W.L. in the Durham County Jail. W.L. was a member of the Folk Nation Street Gang. We really hit it off and he had such a passion for the things of the Lord and to see other men come to JESUS! I spent a great deal of time with W.L. with discipleship and helping him in life. I reached out to help his girlfriend, her kids and her mother. I was doing whatever I could do to help him because he was busy reaching others for JESUS in the jail. W.L. had a good heart but just had never had good guidance in his life. It came time for him to go to court and I told him that I would be there to speak to the judge on his behalf. I told the judge and court room that day of W.L. being a changed man and that I felt strong that he would get out and be a positive influence in a community that he had gang banged for years. I made sure to prepare him for when he got out. I told him that he could not go back to doing the things that he was doing before.
A couple years ago I met a guy who we will refer to as W.L. in the Durham County Jail. W.L. was a member of the Folk Nation Street Gang. We really hit it off and he had such a passion for the things of the Lord and to see other men come to JESUS! I spent a great deal of time with W.L. with discipleship and helping him in life. I reached out to help his girlfriend, her kids and her mother. I was doing whatever I could do to help him because he was busy reaching others for JESUS in the jail. W.L. had a good heart but just had never had good guidance in his life. It came time for him to go to court and I told him that I would be there to speak to the judge on his behalf. I told the judge and court room that day of W.L. being a changed man and that I felt strong that he would get out and be a positive influence in a community that he had gang banged for years. I made sure to prepare him for when he got out. I told him that he could not go back to doing the things that he was doing before.
W.L. was released from jail and I never heard from him. He went right back to eating from the fruit of unrighteousness. He lived a life of fornication with his girlfriend prior and went right back to the same lifestyle. W.L. was a liar not only to me but more than that to God! He had been out a couple weeks when I finally was able to make contact with him. He made up phony excuses of how he needed to get things right in his life and spend time with his family. He had been making things right while in jail but it all started to fall apart. He got his girlfriend pregnant right away. He lied to me saying that they had gotten married. They both lived a phony life in a church that accepted them living as fornicators.
W.L. got mad at me when I told him that one day that he would have to give account for every word that he spoke.
Matthew 12:36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.
I brought up that he lied straight out to the Lord and that he would pay for it if he did not repent of the sinful life that he was living. I continued to hear the lifestyle that W.L. was living from family members and people on the streets. He not only fornicated with the mother of his child but was also fornicating with other women, he was back to carrying guns and having shoot outs with rival gang members. His life was full of sin! I tried to find him on the streets but never was able.
W.L. got mad at me when I told him that one day that he would have to give account for every word that he spoke.
Matthew 12:36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.
I brought up that he lied straight out to the Lord and that he would pay for it if he did not repent of the sinful life that he was living. I continued to hear the lifestyle that W.L. was living from family members and people on the streets. He not only fornicated with the mother of his child but was also fornicating with other women, he was back to carrying guns and having shoot outs with rival gang members. His life was full of sin! I tried to find him on the streets but never was able.
I knew there would be a day that W.L. would end up back in jail or I would hear that he was dead. This morning while checking the jail log there he was back in the Durham County Jail. He had a federal hold so I figured I had to get there quick to talk to him. By the time I got there he had already been processed and they were shipping him out. I was very disappointed that I was not able to speak to him. Did I want to tell him "I told you so"! Yes, I sure did! More than that I wanted to speak to him and tell him that I would be there for him if he wanted to turn back to JESUS! I wanted to tell him that I love him and that JESUS would take him back if he turned away from the sinful life.
I visited other inmates then when I was leaving the jail there sat his girlfriend. She told me that W.L. had been shot the end of last year and that he had lost half of one of his legs. THE FRUIT OF SIN! W.L. could have lived a good life in the Lord if he would have stuck to his word. Now he goes to federal prison crippled and leaves three kids that love him behind. I pray that he repents along with his girlfriend so they do not end up in HELL! I pray that they will turn from being lovers of sin and turn to being lovers of JESUS!
I visited other inmates then when I was leaving the jail there sat his girlfriend. She told me that W.L. had been shot the end of last year and that he had lost half of one of his legs. THE FRUIT OF SIN! W.L. could have lived a good life in the Lord if he would have stuck to his word. Now he goes to federal prison crippled and leaves three kids that love him behind. I pray that he repents along with his girlfriend so they do not end up in HELL! I pray that they will turn from being lovers of sin and turn to being lovers of JESUS!
RSS Feed