This post will conclude this week’s series of prisoner letters. I was blessed to be able to answer all of the men who sent me letters this past week. I went to the post office three times, carrying a large stack of material to be mailed out each time. It was a blessing to do so, knowing the joy each man will receive in receiving much spiritual material to study, helping them to make productive use of their time in prison. I have selected a number of letters to share with readers that I believe will give them an insider’s view at the spiritual life of a remnant of men behind bars.
---
Mr. Joseph Herrin,
I hope this letter finds you in good health today. I have been enjoying your Bible lessons and studies that you take the time to send me each week. I very greatly appreciate your effort in helping me to learn and study the Lord’s written word. I think you do a wonderful job in explaining the Lord’s word and breaking it down so everyone can gain something from it. I always gain a good message from my lessons.
If you have anything else that you think will help me in my faith in Jesus I would greatly appreciate it. To be honest with you Mr. Herrin, I’m really struggling in my faith right now. I don’t ever want to turn my back on the Lord, but I can feel myself slowly falling back into old habits as well as returning to my old self again before I found Jesus.
I don’t know if you know this or not, but I’m a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, so I struggle with practicing a Jewish religion (although I believe it’s the correct religion), and with racism. I’ve tried to turn from my old self, but I’m still fighting a losing battle, that’s how it feels anyway.
I’ve seen wonderful things happen and many of my prayers answered when I sincerely sought the Lord in all my ways. To name just a few, my Daddy was healed of cancer, my Mother got dental help, my son gets to go visit my Mother and Father now and my Dad has a higher paying job now. I’ve also got them to attending church services now as well, and I know all of this was answers to the prayers I prayed in Jesus’ name.
However, even though I’ve seen so much good and I want to believe, I still find myself in a battle of good and evil. One thing I keep thinking about is out of all the religions in the world, how do I know Christianity is the way to God? I know everyone says the Scripture is God breathed (and I very much want to believe this), but it was written by imperfect man, so how do we know they didn’t alter it throughout time and during translation from language to language? If you have anything on these subjects, I would greatly appreciate them.
Also I struggle a good bit with my vocabulary skills because I never paid much attention in school. If you could, and its not too much trouble, will you please send me a dictionary? I would like to try and build my vocabulary as well as my spelling. I would be very thankful if you could.
I reckon I will close for now. Thank you for your time Mr. Herrin. May the Lord continue to protect, lead, and bless you in many ways,
Curtis
---
Hello Curtis,
Thank you for writing. I have placed an order for a dictionary for you. It should be arriving from Books A Million in about a week.
In your letter you mentioned that you struggle with knowing that Christianity is the true religion of God, and that part of your struggle is due to you being a member of the Aryan Brotherhood and Christianity being a Jewish religion.
Curtis, in the eyes of God all thoughts of racial superiority or racial bias among men is folly. God created only one man in the beginning, and this was Adam. From Adam all the peoples of the Earth descended. Later when Yahweh judged mankind in the days of Noah by sending a flood upon the Earth, there was only one family saved. Through Noah and his three sons all the people and nations which currently exist came to be.
Genesis 9:19
These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was populated.
We are further told that God made every nation of men from “one blood.”
Acts 17:26
He made also of one blood every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth - having ordained times before appointed, and the bounds of their dwellings
[Young’s Literal Translation]
Curtis, holding onto thoughts of racial superiority is a form of pride, and it is one of the most foolish forms of pride for it arises not from man’s efforts or accomplishments, but from something he had absolutely no control over. No man can decide who his parents will be, or what ethnic group he will belong to. These things are entirely outside of a man’s control, or his ability to alter. Consequently, to adopt an attitude of arrogant superiority due to one’s ethnicity is one of the most appalling forms of pride.
The consequences of embracing ideas of racial superiority are very serious, for the Bible tells us that Yahweh is opposed to those who are proud and lofty, but He shows grace and favor to those who are humble. If you hold onto your pride in this area you will have God as your adversary, rather than as your helper.
I Peter 5:5-6
Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time...
I am going to include in this envelope a teaching I wrote on interracial relationships. It sets forth the attitude God would have His sons and daughters to embrace regarding people of different ethnic groups. It is very important that you disassociate yourself from the racist mindset of the Aryan Brotherhood. If you do not, you will be unable to make any progress in arriving at the knowledge of the truth. A man cannot adopt the mind of Satan, holding hatred and prejudice against his fellow man, and expect to also have the mind of Christ. One must displace the other. You cannot hold onto the Satanically inspired thoughts of racial superiority and contempt for men of other ethnic groups and come to the knowledge of the truth in Christ. You must decide what you would rather have. Do you want the acceptance of the Aryan Brotherhood and to hold onto a foolish form of pride, or do you want to walk in the grace, forgiveness, and love of God?
It will do me little good to explain to you why Christ is the Only way to the Father, if you will not relinquish your embrace of the idea of white supremacy.
John 14:6
Yahshua said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.”
Acts 4:11-12
“[Christ] is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the very corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”
Ultimately, it is God who must reveal truth to a man. He is more likely to do so to a humble man, than to a proud man. You must humble yourself if you are to come to God and expect to be accepted by Him.
In your letter you mentioned that you feel yourself slipping back into old habits and old ways, and you are afraid that you will fall away from God. Curtis, if you would grow in Christ, rather than fall away, you must walk in obedience to Him in all things. This includes separating yourself from evil companions and forsaking doctrines of demons, for that is what the teachings of the Aryan Brotherhood are. You will always struggle with backsliding as long as you maintain evil associations with other men.
Regarding your question about whether the Bible has been corrupted by men, since men are the ones who wrote it and have been keepers of the Scriptures over the years, you have raised a good point, and one that deserves a thoughtful reply. Errors have crept into the Bible over the centuries, for men do not always act faithfully in what they do. I have written a book on the subject of the Bible’s history and how it has come down to us at this present day. That writing is titled Yahweh’s Book. I am going to print out one chapter from that book and include it in this envelope. You will be receiving the entire book in the newsletters. I will cite the most pertinent parts of that chapter below.
---
I believe the Scriptures as originally written by men who were inspired of the Holy Spirit are free of error. However, we are thousands of years removed from the original autographs of these men, and if you are like me, the Bibles you read today have been translated into a language unknown to the Hebrew and Greek speaking writers. No matter how careful scribes are, or how much integrity men manifest in producing a Bible translation, errors are unavoidable. It is a sad reality, however, that not all who work on copying or translating Scriptures manifest integrity. In this fallen world we have sin and Satan to contend with. It should come as no surprise that Satan has paid special attention to introducing error into the pages of the Bibles that millions of people read.
II Corinthians 11:3-4
But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.
As much as Christians may protest, the fact remains that the very thing Paul warned against in the verses above has occurred. The serpent by his craftiness has led millions astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. One need only observe how the church has lost all practical knowledge of the feast days of Yahweh and have substituted the idolatrous celebrations of Christmas and Easter in their place. In this, they are no different than Jeroboam who erected an altar and golden calf in both Dan and Beersheba as a substitute for the true worship of Yahweh. One can also observe how many churches refer to Sunday as the “Sabbath Day.” The Biblical Sabbath has always been the 7th day of the week. It begins at sundown on Friday and runs until sundown on Saturday. Sunday is the first day of the week, and it is never called the “Sabbath” in the pages of Scripture. Yet the substitution of dates and holy days is merely the tip of the iceberg. So extensive has been Satan’s work in introducing falsehood and corruption to the church that there is hardly an area of doctrine or church life that has not suffered profound alteration. The apostle Paul prophesied the following regarding the state of the church in the last days in which we now live.
II Timothy 4:1, 3-4
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons... For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.
As one surveys the landscape of Christendom today they will observe thousands of denominations and sects all having embraced discordant beliefs. That great error has permeated the body of Christ is hardly debatable. Millions imbibe the polluted waters of false doctrine weekly as they attend their myriad houses of worship. Seeing that Yahweh has not preserved the church without error, why would believers think that the Bible has escaped unscathed through the millennia? The Scriptures have been in the care of sinful men. They have been copied and translated by people who are subject to all the failings of the sinful flesh. The Bible has been distorted as translators and copyists have been motivated by politics, monetary considerations, sectarian beliefs, and various base impulses.
Does it trouble you to hear one of Christ’s ministers declare that all existing Bible versions contain error today? If it does, perhaps your understanding of the environment that is most suitable for spiritual growth needs correcting. Spiritual beings need an adversarial environment to provide them an opportunity to struggle. It is the struggle that transforms fleshly beings into spiritual. Yahweh in His wisdom has allowed sin to be present in the church, and error to enter into the Scriptures, for He knows that the struggle of each individual to arrive at truth is essential to their attainment of spiritual maturity. Yahweh both tests and judges His children as He observes how they respond to the apostasy that exists in Christendom. Do they struggle against the darkness of error and sin? Or are they complacent, accepting as truth whatever other men and women tell them? In the kingdom of God, it is those who stir themselves up, and prepare themselves to do spiritual battle, who make the most progress. Complacency will consign an individual to become mired in the falsehoods and myths that thousands of years of sin and deceit have produced.
I would exhort Christians to view the presence of myriad and profound errors in the Bibles available to them today as an opportunity to exercise themselves spiritually. Do not think that Christianity cannot exist and flourish without a belief in an inerrant Bible translation today. The fact that the church is leavened with sin and error does not prevent you from walking as an overcomer in Christ. You simply need to rise up, exercise yourself unto godliness, and extricate yourself from the morass that Christendom has fallen into. The fact that all Bibles today contain error, much of it profound, does not prevent you from arriving at the knowledge of the truth. You have the Holy Spirit as your helper, and Yahweh will not withhold truth from those who prove themselves to be lovers of it...
Brothers and sisters, the errors that have crept into your Bibles are myriad, and they are profound. I have set forth just a sampling of the many deliberate alterations of the text of Scriptures that have unfaithfully been foisted upon the body of Christ. How is a disciple of Yahshua to recover from so much error in the church and in the Scriptures? There is only one way. They must take upon themselves the task of laboring diligently as a seeker of truth. Yahweh has allowed truth to be obscured through the introduction of much leaven. In this way He can test and prove those who are sincere lovers of the truth. These ones will pursue truth until they find it. They will manifest that zealous questing for truth described by Solomon in the Proverbs.
Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you will receive my sayings, and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of Yahweh, and discover the knowledge of God.
Is it time for you to do a truth check-up? How diligent has your quest for truth been? How zealously have you labored to acquire understanding and to arrive at the true knowledge of God? Yahweh has permitted the Bible to be corrupted by error so that those who are passionate for truth and who would acquit themselves as overcomers, might prove themselves by exercising themselves with patience, longsuffering, and perseverance in a lifelong quest for the true knowledge of heaven.
[End Excerpt]
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days,
Joseph Herrin
---
Greetings Brother Joseph,
Hello and how is the Lord’s servant at this appointed time and season? I hope and pray that all is well with you and your house - for we will at certain times experience some rainy days. We both know the weather (spiritual conditions) can and will change at any time according to Yahweh’s will for each of us.
Just this morning me and Brother Walker have had sweet fellowship, touching on matters relating to dreams (Yahweh inspired) and seeking God’s full counsel, the full thought of God as it relates to personal issues and issues within the body of Christ.
The air is pregnant with possibility and divine elements of God given change, however no servant is greater than his or her master. On this journey milk is a regular part of my diet (spiritually speaking), yet with age I crave bread and now am learning to chew my meat well. I don’t have all the answers, but we both know the One who does! And I’m only living for His glory and by His grace make this moment count as I pen these words to you Brother Joseph.
As I’ve already shared with many I meet along the way, you have to know where you have been in order to know where one’s headed. No one can take another where he or she has never been. I must give honor where honor is due and thank you for taking the time and sharing from the spiritual plate Yahweh set before you. As I’ve read and allow God to teach me, the Parables Studies, the Spirit of Yahweh has lowered me, so He can raise me up. There are many things I thought I knew in depth, but I was only scratching at the surface, or just looking, due to the temporal conflicts I had on all sides.
The deep calleth unto the deep - I am willing to be made willing. Like Solomon I want to know how to come in and go out... I recognize my lack. I’m aware of my need. Not just intellectual words, but the knowledge and wisdom that has the power to transform everything about me, for I’m my greatest enemy and deliverance from self is a repeated prayer from this living stone being shaped by the Master Craftsman.
As an open window before you Brother Joseph, I don’t write to impress. I just wanted to invite you to my door of fellowship. The things you have been inspired by Yahweh to share have enriched me and I can’t forget Brother Walker - he’s a revelation in motion!
Both of you have taught me that nothing is to be overlooked and that a servant is often content working in the shadows, behind the scenes. For I wanted you to know in the presence of Yahweh, Yahshua, and His holy angels to continue to stay faithful, for God is not forgetful to overlook your faithfulness in these famished times. He knows, He sees, and He will supply!
I was blessed by some teachings you in past times sent to Brother Walker as follows: The Swine (split hooves...) which included your life experience. The “No Apologies” text, and he (Brother Walker) shared with me the “Dragon Flood” teaching. In time I would like to have a copy of my own concerning these teachings and more. I love to read and reflect on what’s set before me.
Not sure of my calling right now. I’ve been engaged in writing a book that’s several years in the making called “Life After Darkness.” I write as Yahweh takes hold and stirs me, not from emotion, nor driven to be known.
I will bring these thoughts to a halt. Thank you for taking the time to listen. Be blessed and know that I pray that Yahweh give us the privilege to stay in touch in coming days,
Sincerely,
Robert
P.S.
Just to give you our spiritual status (me and Brother Walker): There are some in our midst that consider your writings as an enemy to the cross. One already has made his mind up concerning the deeper things of Yahweh and it has created strife/division right in our presence. We pray continuously that God’s will be done despite the ignorance some hold onto, although we haven’t done any harm. Brother Walker is very wise and patient in dealing with the persecution that we have had to deal with as the will of Yahweh is being made manifest. We wanted you to know our current status and the work of God that’s happening in this place.
---
Hello Robert,
Thank you for writing. It was a blessing to receive your letter which was so full of appreciation for the teachings I have been sending to men in prison. It is a great privilege for me to be able to do so.
You mentioned that there are some men at the prison who resist the truth and characterize the teachings I have shared as error. Having been called of Yahshua to minister these truths since 1999 through the Internet, and beginning in 2010 to men in prison as well, I am no stranger to the conflict that arises at the teaching of truth. In the lives of Christ and His disciples we see the same reaction when truth was proclaimed. It is ever a remnant who will receive truth and walk in it.
I am often reminded of a passage from John’s gospel where Christ shared some difficult sayings with the multitude who were following Him. Yahshua’s words offended many, and we are told that the majority departed from Him, including many who had been walking as His disciples.
John 6:60-68
Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?" But Yahshua, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe." For Yahshua knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father." As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. Yahshua said therefore to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.”
There are many “difficult statements” which the servants of God must proclaim. Many will be offended, but those who love truth will persevere even when they find themselves walking alone. It is far better to walk alone in truth than to be walking with a multitude in error. You are blessed that Yahweh has given you another like minded brother who loves truth to walk with you. In time you may find more who are receptive to the hard sayings of Christ, but it will always be a remnant, even among those who profess to be Christ’s disciples.
At this time Christ’s main focus is upon a first fruits group of overcomers. In due time all will come to the knowledge of truth, but in this age it is the time of the first fruits. I have written of this matter in the book Christ in You - The Hope of Glory. You will eventually receive this book in the newsletters, but I am going to print out a portion of it and include it in this mailing packet for you.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days,
Joseph Herrin
---
Dear Mr. Joseph,
Hello Sir! How are you at this present moment? I hope fine. Well, as for me, honestly I’m blessed and highly favored by the best. I received your Parables Bookshelf Series 1.1.1 and must say that I enjoyed it, most certainly did. Me and my cell mate have Bible study everyday and when I received it I decided to do something different. So we use it as a Bible study guide. Chapter 1 on Tuesday and Wednesday we did chapter 2. I can’t wait for the rest of the newsletters. I’m thirsty for the solid food.
Well, I just wanted to let you know a little about my blessing from God. First off, I’m 34 and soon to be 35 years old. I have 4 kids and a life sentence without parole for murder and armed robbery. That’s my curse for living a disobedient life away from God. I’ve been incarcerated for almost 7 years now. I was a gang banger, so I used to move to what men say and my fleshly desire wanted.
On June 12th, 2015 I got locked down for having a knife at this prison and they put me in the tier 2 program which consists of 9 months, 3 phases, 3 months each phase. When I first started it on July 15th I used to always think that I can’t do this - my life is over, etc.. I had did the weakest thing a person could ever do which was cut my arm to play mental health. Man, the Holy Spirit hit me like a ton of bricks falling out the sky and I cried for hours, then I came to an agreement with myself and God that I was done with this. Anyway, to make a long and interesting story short, cause I could write for days but don’t want to bore you with my problems because I know you have a thousand and one things to do. But I picked up my Bible and laid that gang thang to rest where it belongs and recruited a few followers from the same gang, some who I thought was more positive. I started a group called Men of Flavor Christian Brotherhood. We are so dedicated in knowing more about Yahweh and Yahshua despite the little we think we know, but I always have been a believer, just never so sincere in living in the faith and leaning on God and the Blood of the Lamb.
The devil tempts me every day. It seems like I try to refrain from speaking certain things and pray for wisdom and understanding and spiritual maturity. I’m on my 3rd phase in this program. I’m getting my G.E.D. and already have my barber’s license. I truly feel free on the inside. Just wanted to share that with you. If you have any ideas you can help me out with, please do, you being an experienced Christian could help make a great impact on me and my fellow brothers in the inside. I would like “The Mark of the Beast” too if you can send that. May God bless you and your family. Truly Blessed,
Yusef
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
No comments:
Post a Comment