Gary Field
DC # M05398
Century C.I.
Century, FL 32535

[drawing of a ball and chain.]
Free on the Inside

2/20/14

Greetings from the University of Adversity. :D

I hope that all is well and that these few lines from Between the Bars may find all who read them feeling blessed and highly favored. I would like to thank the volunteers who spend time transcribing my chicken scratch. :D A heartfelt word of gratitude to you all.

Please understand that BtB has had so many letters returned by Century C.I. as "unauthorized". That I no longer receive a notice of posted comments. However, I continue to post with the hopes that someone out there somewhere may be certified.

At the end of this post, other posts by this author (if you click back to about Oct. 20th, 2012), there is a collection of poems called "Snapshots of Grace". Please feel free to share them with others.

God Bless,
Bro Field

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Free On The Inside
My poem ended:
Just look what he's done for me
It was meant to be an inspiration
Telling how God's love had set me free

The inmate looked at me and smiled and said
"You had me going there for a minute,
I was ready to believe, but instead
you went and put that last part in it.

I liked what you said about salvation
And all the great things that he has done,
What'd you call it? 'The Propitiation.'
The sacrifice of God's begotten son.

I liked the 'grace and peace' you say you've found,
And how the savior has 'set you free',
But if you say that you're no longer bound,
Then why're you still in prison with me?"

Feeling like a fisherman with a bite,
I let out some line, just to see him run
I wouldn't land him without a fight.
But when I did, I'd hear the words, "Well done."

I said,
"You think God's word ends at the prison gates.
Or that His grace can be bound by the wire?
To suppose that He doesn't save inmates
Would make the Gospel out to be a liar

It says, 'He came to set the captives free'
That means those who were once bound by sin
It completely changed my custody
The day I let the savior come in.

I was no longer bound by Satan's snare,
I was no longer under the curse,
I was no longer on that broad through fare
Which only led from bad to worse."

He said, "I understand what you're saying,
But you don't seem to get my point.
I see you spend all that time praying
So why is it that you're still in the joint?"

I replied,
"There are people out there beyond this wall
That have what you may think is liberty.
They could be living in the Taj Majal,
Or in a mansion by the sea.

But they would still just be in bondage,
Ensnared by the very things they possessed.
If they were destitute of the Knowledge
By which the saints of God are blessed.

Our hopes are not like other men's.
We believe the redeemer's plans
And we believe there'll come a time when
We'll move to a mansion not made by hands."

"You're talking about some 'pie in the sky',
I'm trying to deal with things here on Earth
I'm not worried about the 'by and by'
Or some 'pipe dream' for what that's worth."

I thought about what Paul would have said,
As he sat in prison feeling content.
But this conversation was spirit led
So I just followed where it went.

"You seem to be looking for excuses.
For some 'reason' you can just stay the same.
I understand this world still seduces
But that's the reason why He came.

The bottom line is that you have choices
You've heard the word, but you have to believe
The Word of Truth is one of those voices
And the other will just try to deceive.

It's really not that complicated,
In fact, it's as simple as ABC:
Acceptance, Belief, and Confession
Is all it takes to set you free.

You 'accept' the fact that you're a sinner
You 'believe' that He died for your sins.
Repent and 'confess', then you're a winner
Automatically, salvation begins.

It's not just about the Kingdom to come,
In the here and now, we're satisfied
By the Grace of God, once saved, we become
Sanctified, and free on the inside.

We're free to approach the Throne of Grace
Led by the Spirit and Justified
And though we both remain in this place,
Brother, I'm free on the inside."

Glory be to God

Friendship is God loving us through others! :D