VOLUME OCTOBER 2001 a
October 7, 2001
September 11, 2001, will be a day that will live in infamy. It has altered
the lives of many Americans and has changed this country. As I’ve shared in last month’s journal, we inmates were
not unaffected by all that has taken place.
Therefore we were not surprised to hear the news that the United States,
along with other nations has begun their bombing campaign against the Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
Me and a few of the men were discussing this during our meas. We promised,
as Christians, to continue to pray for our land and for all who are involved in this. We pray, too, for all those who have
to go one without a loved one.
There are a lot more widows and orphans in this world since the 9/11 terrorist
attacks. I cannot imagine how much they’re suffering, how much pain each wife or child is going through right now.
There will be a lot more who will be lift to grieve once this war on terrorism
is over. But I believe, also, that the world will never have complete peace until Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, returns.
David Berkowitz
October 8, 2001
TWO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Remember how short my time is…What man is he that liveth and shall
not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?
Psalm 89:47-48
It’s now about 10 o’clock in the morning. Today I got up early
to pray, and then I listened to the news reports that were coming in after the first day of military strikes in Afghanistan.
Like many of the inmates here, and like many people in America. We’ve been closely following these events.
And the prison I’m in is not exempt from its own tragedies and times
of solemnity. For this morning just before breakfast, one of the food setup workers whom I’ve known for years, suffered
a massive heart attack and died. He was unloading a food car at the time.
"Chip" (not his real name) had been in prison for more than 25 years. He
was a chain smoker who rolled his own cigarettes. His cell never seemed to be without plumes of gray smoke.
Yet Chip was polite and quiet, a man who was well liked. He was what we
inmates would call an "old timer". Although he was not "old" physically—maybe in his mid 50’s—the years
he was confined (like me) classified him as an elder in the system.
Then shortly after breakfast a corrections officer who is a Christian,
came to my cell to ask me if Chip had been a believer in Jesus Christ. He’s a decent guard and I noticed, too, how shaken
up he was. Chip died right in front of him.
Also, just yesterday, another inmate I’ll call Julio called home
only to find out that his mother passed away the day before. He was very broken up. Fortunately, he and I were able to pray
together before I had to go to the chapel for the Sunday morning service.
Julio’s had some suicide attempts in the past which were serious
enough to require medical attention, and even confinement to a psychiatric hospital until he got his life back together. So
I will have to keep praying for him and I’ll check up on him when I can;
In addition, many other prisoners have also been trying to help Julio to
cope. Some brought him cups of coffee. A few brought some food.
However, between the war in the Middle East and the threat of new terrorist
attacks in America, plus Chip’s sudden death and Julio losing his mom, this has been a solemn day.
With a pall of death in the air, my scripture readings for this morning
from Psalms 89 and 90, have been especially relevant.
For the Bible teaches that man is born with a sin nature and is this spiritually
and eternally dead. And while this may sound negative and hopeless, it’s not. For the Lord Jesus reveals that this is
why the new birth is necessary, to be born again, as the popular phrase goes.
Only a supernatural new birth can make man alive spiritually so that he
can enter into a personal relationship with his Creator.
Through this divine act all one’s sins are forgiven and removed.
This allows a person to be put into good standing with God, and to be able to approach a holy God. For no "sinners" can stand
in his presence.
Furthermore, because of this new birth, the eternal death penalty that
each person has hanging over him because of sin, can be taken away forever. What a blessing! And this is what John 3:16 is
all about:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever
believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
So in this world of frequent bad news and stories of suffering and sorrow,
it is refreshing to know that God’s great plan of salvation is still available.
For the Lord loves His creation. He cares about our welfare and our eternal
destiny. God wants us to spend eternity with Him in heaven and not with the devil in hell. He gave us His sinless son to die
in our place. He offers complete forgiveness to all who place their faith in Jesus. And this salvation is a free gift. It
has been purchased by the precious blood of God’s Son.
And this brings me back to the questions the psalm writer asked. Our time
on this earth is so short. Who will not see death? All will. Who shall have his soul delivered from the grave and the eternal
punishment for all sin? Those who place their faith in Jesus Christ. For on such people death no longer has its sting.
This is what I wanted to say for today.
David Berkowitz
October 12, 2001
ENCOURAGING MYSELF
"…but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."
1 Samuel 30:6
I have to keep praying and encouraging myself to press on in the Lord,
and to keep the faith.
Many Christians, including me, seem to be passing through a long season
of hardships and trials right now. And as for my self, I’ve been struggling with some depression for the past four weeks.
But my faith and hope are in the Lord, and I love Jesus so very much.
Yesterday, in fact, I received a good letter from a police officer friend
who lives in Texas. He said that the churches in his area have been "packed" since the terrorist attacks upon the United States.
Quite frankly, I don’t know what all this means for our nation, whether
this is the beginning of a genuine Holy Spirit led revival. But I am encouraged that people seem to be coming together, that
they’re singing "God Bless America" almost everywhere.
I am also glad that so many Americans have been showing great generosity
and kindness to those who have suffered loss as a result of the September 11th attacks. Still, I feel so uneasy. I do believe our nation is in trouble.
Like Isaiah the prophet said in the 21st chapter of h is book "My loins
are filled with pain; pangs have taken hold of me." The Islamic/Muslim world can be a hornet’s nest in certain areas.
So I pray that we have not opened a door that cannot be closed. I feel that America is now facing great danger. I’m
not exactly sure what it is, but of course we who know the Lord need not fear. Psalm 91!
David Berkowitz
October 14, 2001
GROUND FORCES
I heard on the news that our ground troops may be going into Afghanistan
to hunt for Osama bin Laden, cave by cave and house by house, if necessary.. Out of all that has happened thus far, this aspect
will be the most dangerous part of this military mission.
I pray that America’s service personnel will be safe. When they were
doing the aerial bombardments—and they still are—it has not been to dangerous as the Afghan/Taliban soldiers have
nothing as far as anti-aircraft weapons go. All their equipment is old Russian hand-me-downs from the 1970’s and early
80’s. this obsolete military hardware is no match for our planes and guided missiles.
But any ground battle will change things around and make America’s
troops more vulnerable to harm. I hope none of our soldiers and no innocent civilians get killed or hurt. I hope, too, that
many of the Taliban troops simply throw up their hands in surrender once the American artillery and infantry starts coming
in.
I’m sure that many Christians thought the world are praying for these
same things.
David Berkowitz
October 15, 2001
FEAR!
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the
strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
I know that the Gideons and other Christian organizations five out Bibles
to America’s military personnel. The give out Bibles by the tens of thousands. I pray that many of our soldiers will
read them and get a lot of encouragement and hope, that many will place their faith in the Lord.
In the past for or five weeks I have been physically drained. However the
Psalms have been filling me with so much hope, encouragement, and spiritual strength. So until my physical strength returns,
I am going to keep my faith planted firm, and my mind will stay in the scriptures.
In fact, yesterday I was meditating on Psalm 27. The writer, King David,
asks the questions: "Whom shall I fear? Of whom shall I be afraid?"
Psalm 18 says that in "my distress" I can call upon the Lord, and he will
save me from all my enemies. He is my rock, my Deliverer, my Buckler (my defensive shield,) and the source of my physician,
and spiritual, and emotional strength, I don’t have to be ashamed to trust in Him.
Psalm 37:39, for example, says: "But the salvation of the righteous is
of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble". Psalm 56:3 says: "What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee."
And Psalm 60:12 says: "Through God we will do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies." What awesome verses,
and there are hundreds of them!
And as I listen on the radio or read in the newspapers about all these
people who are very afraid of so many different things right now—hijackers, terrorist bombs, suspicious person, letters
seasoned with Anthrax, or who are fearful of war—the Holy Scriptures still offer the best comfort and hope. And Jesus
Christ still provides a peace which passes all human comprehension for those who place their faith in Him.
David Berkowitz
