Marriage Seminar Testimonial 2019

 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” —Hebrews4:16

Our Marriage Seminars continue to make a difference in so many lives of the couples who are in the Texas prison system.  Here is just an example of the results we are seeing.

“Hi Betty,

It's been 3 years since my husband and I last saw you and your husband at the Wynne Unit in Huntsville! Just wanted to share that my husband and I are legally married, we are stronger than ever in our commitment and vows. God has blessed us tremendously. I am now the next leader for a KAIROS Outside for Woman in Central Texas.God has used my life in KAIROS Woman's Ministry and Immanuel Motorcycle Ministry. Immanuel MM goes the the Ney unit sharing the gospel. I go and share my testimony of how being a wife, mom and sister to the one's I love who are incarcerated. My husband and I still remember our first encounter as a couple and going through the Marriage seminar. I still remember the 3%,we are going strong as Jesus leads and we follow. My husband has become an amazing Man. In the last 3 years we have never encountered another ministry like WVIW. My husband is now at the Torres Unit and he has taken what he learned and imparts that to these men who's marriages are falling apart. God is good! You all are in our prayers...”

We are grateful for stories like these because they encourage us to keep going. We know God has placed families in our lives to be both a blessing to and to be blessed by. We hope you will pray with us for more opportunities in 2019 to encounter couples who need a testimony like the one above.

We have a big year ahead of us and we are counting on you to help us reach as many people as possible.  

God Bless You, 

— Johnny  

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It is time to Repent

Often on my many out-of- town trips, I would drive down the wrong road by mistake.  After a few miles I would realize the signposts no longer matched my directions.  Or the map clearly showed I was headed away from my destination, not toward it.

I could keep driving the wrong way, stubbornly insisting I would get there somehow.  Or I could backtrack---whining the whole time---until I reached the spot where I made a wrong turn and make the right one.  At that point I would be so relieved, so happy to be going in the correct direction, the whining ended and rejoicing would begin.

When we come to our senses, when we see our mistakes---our failures, our sins, our spiritual bloopers---for what they are, it is time not only to confess but also turn around and go back to where we know in our hearts we need to be.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near.

Repent and believe the good news!”

Mark 1:15

We will not drive this road alone.  God (our heavenly GPS) will never turn His back on you.  Patiently, lovingly, the Lord waits for each one of us to stop and face Him once more.  He will not say, “I told you so,” but rather, “I love you so.”

“He is patient with you,

Not wanting any to perish,

But everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

“Everyone.”  I guess that means, well, every one of us.  No matter what we have done.  No matter how deliberately.  All it takes: a change of heart.  And then a shift in direction.  If we are sorry yet keep on sinning, we are driving farther down the road that gets us no place we truly want to go.

To repent means to quit sinning, turn around, and walk back into God’s embrace…

“realizing that God’s kindness

Leads you toward repentance.”

Romans 2:4

Here’s the thing: this is a well-traveled road.  You are, no doubt, going to stumble along this route again someday, repenting afresh.  Rest assured, God’s patience will outlast your obstinacy.  He will still be there for you.

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Building Systems of Evangelism

It is almost midnight and I have just finished grading some assignments from my students at Christ for the Nations.

I teach a class there each Spring to 3rd-year students called "Building Systems of Evangelism". These are amazing young people. They are from all over the world, Africa, South America, India, Central America, and even the USA.

CFNI Evangelism Class

Johnny Moffitt pictured with his 2017 Spring Class from CFNI - 

I can tell you the church is in good hands.

These students will carry the Gospel where ever they go. Millions of people will choose to follow Christ through the ministry of those being trained in Bible schools like CFNI today. I am truly blessed to be part of it and see the hearts of these young Christians.

I am very proud of CFNI and proud to say "these are my students."

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Why Marriage Seminars?

This is why what we do is so important. After many years in prison, this beautiful couple came to one of the WVIW Marriage seminars.

Virgil has now been free for 2 years and the are going back in with us to share Christ, show other couples they can make a wonderful marriage through Jesus. 

Thank all of you who make this possible through your gifts and support.

-Johnny

Virgil and I served on our FIRST marriage seminar together at the Hutchins Unit...another dream come true! What a...

Posted by Shyrolon Wilson on Tuesday, April 25, 2017

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Grace with Confidence

 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”Hebrews4:16

A person who embraces grace with both arms, who stops fretting over their sin and begins focusing on their savior, who dries their tears so they see others who are hurting--- this is some kind of person.

God can use us wherever we are.  Brand-new believer, teenage dynamo, thirty-something parent, recommitted midlifer, silver-haired saint.  Whoever, wherever, God has plans for us.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”  1 Peter 4:10

The only time a grace-filled person feels completely at peace is when they are being used by God for His glory.  When we keep pouring His Word into our hearts, reading it on our own, hearing it taught, studying it with friends, that truth will begin spilling out.  Thirsty people will be drawn to us, holding out their cups.

“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”  Revelation 22:17

This is what I have been teaching to my students at Christ for the Nations this year.  God wants to use us all, but for that to happen we must be certain we keep ourselves filled up and walking in grace, in order for people to be drawn to the life-giving grace that is in us.

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The folks on the sidelines feel obligated to point out our lack of qualifications—we don’t know enough, aren’t perfect enough, or haven’t been believers long enough—we can gently remind them that God has His own agenda and His own timetable.

Whatever experiences reside in our past or present, God can use them to mold a brighter future for others.  You are more than enough.  You have more than enough grace. 

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Romans 8:37

Not less than but more than, because of God’s love.  Go and share His grace.

Johnny

God Will Destroy Your Shame

Very early this morning God woke me up with the words,"Secret addictions."  I immediately thought, what is that all about. 

I think many christians are hindered by one or more "secret addictions."  40 years ago, I was in bondage to a "secret addiction."  I heard a minister say, "If you have a secret, you will have shame."

I found that to be true in my own life.  Thank God we have a God who can deliver.  When my shame began to interfer with my life, ministry, and marriage, I asked for help from Him.  He touched me and delivered me from a very distructive "secret addiction."

He can and will do the same for you.  Face your own "secret addiction".  Ask God to deliver you.  He will and He will destroy the shame.

It just isn't fair

 I know, at least on some level, that God isn’t fair.  He’s just, yes.  But fair?  Thankfully, no, God is not fair.  After all, if He was fair, we would all be doomed.  God is perfect.  He doesn’t just appear to be perfect, He is perfect.  He cannot tolerate imperfection, and believe me, I have plenty of imperfection.

If God were fair, He would require that I pay for my imperfections (i.e., my sins). Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death.  I am glad that, instead of being fair, God is gracious and sent His Son to pay the penalty for my sin (Romans 5:8).

The question is not, “Is God fair?”  But, Is God good?”  We cannot base our belief of God’s goodness on our circumstances.  If we do, we will only view our situation as unfair.  God is good…not because our lives are going well; He is good because He is good.  When we settle in our hearts and minds that God is good, we can trust that He is working in our circumstances for our good.

Trust in the truth of God’s Word…He is good.  He does good.  And He will do it for you.

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Our time in Cuba was amazing

We are thinking about our great trip to Cuba.

God met the team in a tremendous way.  We were able to teach in three conferences and almost ten churches.  We ministered to several hundred people and I am especially thrilled to have ministered to over 500 prison ministry volunteers.

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Here is part of an email I received from one of our hosts.

"Greetings from the green alligator.

I hope you had made it back safely.

I want to thank you once again for coming down and being obedient to the voice of the holy spirit. We had a wonderful time together!!!  I know this is just the beginning of the many things God is going to do through your ministry down here."

The entire team is excited about going back.  Watch this blog for more reports on the trip. 

An Indescribable Gift

Here is a verse we often use as a hickory switch, thrashing ourselves whenever we stumble or fall short of God’s best for us.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 3:23

And that’s true, of course.  We have sinned.  We’ve already embraced that reality.  We know we fall short of perfection.  Way short.

But notice something interesting about that familiar verse: it ends in a comma.  Meaning sin is not the whole story.  Check out the rest of the sentence:

“And are justified freely by his grace

through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Romans 3:24

We’re not to stop at sin, then; we’re to move on to grace.  Freely.  No payment on our part is required, because the cost has been paid in full, and we’ve been redeemed.

Grace is a gift from God.  We’ve done nothing to deserve this gift.  We simply hold up our hands and say, “Thank you.” That’s grace in a nutshell.  A gift.  With a tag that reads, “For you.”

Here’s another verse we chop in half and use as a whip:

“For the wages of sin is death.”

Romans 6:23

Our shoulders sag as we nod in agreement.  That’s me.  I’ve sinned.  Now I have to pay for it.  Do you really?  Read the rest of the verse:

“but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

How often we’ve fixated on the first part of that truth and ignored the second.  We hear “sin” and“death” and completely miss “gift” of God” and “eternal life.”  No wonder we find it so hard to forgive ourselves.  We’re thinking punishment.  God is thinking Christmas.

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15

Think About Such Things

“WHATEVER IS TRUE, WHATEVER IS NOBLE, WHATEVER IS RIGHT, WHATEVER IS PURE, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, WHATEVER IS ADMIRABLE—IF ANYTHING IS EXCELLENT OR PRAISEWORTHY—
THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS”

— Phil 4:8

Pain is Real, But So Is Hope

thehopecenter:

Don’t ever lose #hope and always have #faith.

#thehopecenter #inspiration #pray #love #scripture #bible #prayer #believe #TGIF (at The Hope Center)

Perfect message for today, the last day of our three day marriage seminar in prison. Lives are changed by HOPE.

Time with Your Spouse

From the 3 days of uninterrupted time with your spouse, to the incredible true life stories, every second of the weekend is filled with a huge measure of grace and aimed at life change.

(via Marriage Seminars - WVIW Ministries - Worldwide Voice In the Wilderness)