Greetings,

Week 21 of the lockdown 😞.

No changes in the number of COVID cases at Dixon (2 staff) and Sheridan (2 inmates). Please continue to keep that in prayer.

I started finding, downloading, converting, and burning to DVD various teachings and thus far have a collection of 35 messages on 26 DVDs. I delivered 10 messages to Sheridan Thursday (August 6). I plan to continue searching for additional messages. I’m waiting to find out if the person who will be monitoring the DVD play is willing to monitor a DVD close enough to start the next lesson, where some can have up to 6 lessons. If he is then I’ll add to the library all SOCPM's original DVDs. SOCPM has a rather large collection of close to 50 DVDs with an unknown number of teachings.

Sadly, I’ve not yet received a reply from four teacher’s ministries, Voddie Bauchman, H. B. Charles, James Ford Jr., and Greg Koukl (Stand to Reason). All of them with the exception of Stand to Reason use form mail on their website contact pages. My guess is they are not monitored closely. I did find an e-mail for Voddie Bauchman but still no reply. I sent them a letter through U.S. Mail Friday (August 7). Please pray I hear a reply granting permission. I have as of now five Voddie Bauchman messages I’d like to add to the library. I did contact Alistair Begg’s ministry Truth for Life and was granted permission to use his sermons. They also said they will offer other free resources to inmates. A prayer of praise.

Because of all the time spent on building a DVD message library, I did not have any time to commit to doing SOCPM on Zoom. I had hoped to do a test connection with Joe, this week, but I was unable to schedule a time that fit both our schedules. I’m hoping to get that accomplished prior to my leaving for my mom’s memorial in Nevada on August 13. Please pray I can make progress in implementing SOCPM on Zoom

My busy week also prevented me from watching and taking notes to edit on Pastor Joe’s midweek message. I did write up one message based on my devotion in Tabletalk magazine, Hebrews 12:1-2, but falls far short of Pastor Joe’s message, but I trust God will still use it for His glory.

Also, pray for safe travels for Michelle and me as well as my son Cameron in our travels to and from Nevada. Lord willing, this will be the first time I’ve seen Cameron since he moved to Arizona in May 2015. Speaking of Cameron, praise God he is doing well. He’s been sober since May 6, is working two jobs, moved into his own apartment on August 1, furnished it, and did it all on his own. Doing it on his own is a big step. In the past, Cameron would at times call upon others to help him. His mom did drive down from Colorado to help do the actual move but still proud he did all the logistics on his own. As always pray for his salvation and that this stretch of sobriety and that he at long last has victory over his addiction. WoW, wouldn’t that all be big praises out our great God. I’m planning once he gets settled in to search for some churches near his apartment and suggest them to him.

I’ve been praying on bringing back the SOPCM newsletter ‘The Barbed Wire’ to replace the weekly ’Student Prayer Request.’ Seeing how there have been no student prayer requests other than SOCPM Alumni since March 13. If and when SOCPM returns to the prisons and once again starts to receive prayer requests from the students I will have a link in The Barbed Wire to take you to student prayer requests on SOCPM’s website where the Student Prayer Request are currently being posted. And to shorten the overall length of the newsletter, I would also have a link to Pastor Joe’s message. I'm still praying on what steps to take but I ask for your prayers in helping me discern God’s will.

Until then, a prayer of thanks for your ongoing prayers and a special thanks to those who support SOCPM financially despite being hard financially. That collection of 50 DVDs and many other resources would not have been possible without you. THANK YOU.

To Him be the glory in ALL things and to Him alone!

Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries

Weekly Message

SOCPM was unable to do all that was necessary to send n notes of Pastor Joe's message but did send the following to the chaplains for distribution to SOCPM students.

Hey guys, some personal stuff going on prevented me from having enough time to listen and edit this week’s message. Bummer and I apologize, even more so since my pastor took last week off to be with family and there was no message. To make it triple bad, I won’t have time to listen to next week’s message because I have to go out of town for a funeral next week leaving Thursday. I feel bad as I want to continue hopefully blessing you each week with something. Alright, enough of my sob stuff.

Part of my morning devotion included Hebrews 12:1-2.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

We all are going through some very trying times with COVID-19. cities in flames, gun violence up an alarming rate. It can be a challenge to maintain a strong faith that the author of Hebrews writes about. But as in all things, bad or good, we need to go to prayer and God’s Word. Some additional Scripture in my devotion reading today was Philippians 3:12-16.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Philippians 3:12-16

Theologian Charles Spurgeon comments; “I want to lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me. He has grasped me in order to make me perfect, and I want to grasp that perfection. He has laid hold of me to rid me of my sin, and I want to lay hold of a glean riddance of sin, apprehending that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." Spurgeon continues by saying, "If you are a true believer in Jesus, be of this mind, always to be pressing forward to something higher and better. If God has given you one form of perfection, press onward to a much higher form of perfection. Seek continually to rise. The eagle’s motto is, “Higher, Higher!” Let it be your motto too. Many of God’s people do not believe that he can make them what he means to make them, or, at least, they act as if they did not believe that he can. They are not, apparently, conscious of what their privileges really are, and are living far below where they might live in the happy enjoyment of peace and power and usefulness. May God help us, by His gracious Spirit, to know all of Christ that we can know, and to be as much like Christ as we can be."

My personal thoughts based on Philippians 3:12-16 and Spurgeon’s commentary, on my own I can’t expect perfection especially when it comes to ridding me of my sin, I can rest in the truth that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ I have that perfection. But as a follower, a true believer in Jesus Christ, I want to strive to something higher and better. Through prayer, I ask God to search me (Psalm 139:23-24). What is not right in my heart? What anxieties do I need to surrender to Christ? What sin must I confess and repent of? Then ask God to lead me through the help of the Holy Spirit to press forward to something higher and better.

Another part of Scripture that I go to, to remind me of my purpose and to encourage me is 2 Timothy 4:1-5;

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV).

Paul gives Timothy a strong command, a command that I also am to take heed, and this is not a command just given in front of my peers, but before God, before Christ who one day will judge all. In short, this is the utmost command in my life. It is no longer my life but the life of Christ who died for me and now lives in me (Galatians 2:20) I am to be ready to preach God’s Word at any time, not just when I teach a prison class (1 Peter 3:15). In the preaching of His Word I must be willing and able to reprove, to reprimand when necessary, express disapproval of words or actions, but yet to encourage without quarreling but a patient heart (2 Timothy 2:24-26). I will come across those who may have been taught unsound teaching, worldly teaching, that satisfy their own passions, what someone wants to hear. They are adamant in the false they have heard. They don’t want the truth they want myths, the supernatural not of God. Despite this I am to teach with clear with a clear mind, not be influenced by things that will cause me to stray from sound truth but if I am rightfully using God’s Word I need not be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15). I will encounter suffering but as a soldier of Christ, I must be willing to suffer (2 Timothy 1:8). Be an evangelist and fulfill my ministry, not another ministries calling, but the one I was called to by God (2 Timothy 1:9).

I’ll conclude by telling I’m still missing you and the interaction we shared in the classroom, but God is sovereign, so I can rest in Him by trusting Him. I pray all is well with you and your families. Especially with all the evil that is happening in our nation and our world. I pray they are safe and healthy and remain safe and healthy. Though I’m going out of town and won’t have time to do the usual message sharing, I’ll try to be still and listen to God on what I can send you something that will align with my time, To Him be the glory in ALL things and live out Romans 12:1-2.