Update #8
- Published on Monday, 11 July 2016 21:38
Dear Friends,
I lay awake in my bunk for a long time last night. I must confess something.
I haven't been able to bring myself to write an update for a while. The reason? Whatever I say eventually gets read by many people around the world.
There are some really, really good writers reading this right now. What can I say by comparison?
Is my paralysis due to pride or fear? Probably a mix of both.
God knows I'm not saying this to give an appearance of humility. I simply have to admit I'm still battling against my native sins.
How we need one another's prayers! How we need to stay small and childlike! Otherwise, how shall we acquire grace? "...For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
The desire of the human heart is to be great and rich. This is anti-Christ.
How can we break these chains?
The donkey who carried Jesus into Jerusalem might teach us. After people threw their cloaks across his back, and after Jesus took his rightful place, you no longer see or hear about the donkey in the gospel narrative. The donkey is hidden. Now you only see and hear the King riding in triumph.
We must channel our desires into becoming good bearers of Jesus like that donkey. To humble ourselves before Him, to break our hearts at the Cross, to let His Life and Light fill us. To remain hidden under His glory. To carry Him to the world so that multitudes might worship Him.
For the one seeking lowliness, to do the will of the Father is the most important thing. Rank, status, the "importance" of the assignment doesn't matter.
Therefore an "unimportant" act such as bringing someone a glass of cold water in the love of Christ might be a far more significant act than, say, giving $100 million to a worthy cause. Because the former action touches the heart of God and has a reward, whereas the latter, if done by selfish desire, has no lasting reward for the giver.
I must testify to the joy and peace of Jesus which has come as a result of your prayers. I love Bernard of Clairvaux's hymn: "Jesus Thou joy of loving hearts
Thou Fount of Life Thou Light of men.
From the best bliss that earth imparts--
We turn unfilled to Thee again!"
I will be frank again. I am as red-blooded as any married male. To sublimate natural desires for Christ's sake and by His grace live a life of celibacy and chastity in a sex-crazed world full of temptation is not only essential--it's possible. Bonhoeffer said it well: "Natural desire repeatedly mastered enriches the soul." I must lift my hands in worship to the Savior Who makes all things possible.
We must exhort one another, pray for each other and live in frank transparency with our victories and failures if are are to overcome sin in these days, and if we are to have any hope of offering Christ's redemption to the depravity all around.
The grace of God is still as potent as Paul said it was: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously and godly IN THIS PRESENT WORLD." (Titus 3:11-14)
Life here at FCC Petersburg has settled into a routine. Right now we are adjusting to the warm summer days and nights. These block housing units (no air-conditioning) can begin to feel a bit like ovens by the end of the day. But there are plenty of fans and we have all the ice we want, which is a huge blessing!
A prayer request: An inmate I'll call "Henry" is in a severe trial. He's a very sincere brother who apparently was handed a sentence disproportionate to his offense; a gun charge that netted him 17 years. In the three years since he's been incarcerated, 3-4 family members have died. About year ago, his house burned down. His wife and daughter were not injured, but they lost everything. The insurance company has refused to pay damages even though the fire marshal ruled the fire was accidental in nature.
All this feels like the trials of Job to my brother and the years stretch out dreadfully ahead of him. Can we pray that his sentence would be reduced and that he could have the grace to face whatever comes?
Also, please keep praying earnestly for the ongoing legal case. I don't have much info, but apparently at least one other party is still going on trial in Buffalo in early fall.
Linda and I and our family once again wish to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support in prayer, visits, letters and finances.
Peace and blessings,
Ken Miller 08464-082
Federal Correctional Complex
P.O. Box 1000
Petersburg, VA 23804
Update #7
- Published on Saturday, 18 June 2016 09:42
Dear friends,
Sunday Evening June 12: I just left the prison chapel and I must bear witness to what I saw and heard.
I heard the Good News about the Miracle Worker from Galilee who stood up in the synagogue one Sabbath day and declared that He had come to proclaim good news to the poor, set the captive free, give sight to the blind, and bring freedom to the oppressed.
He promised to completely transform people's lives.
And countless millions have testified in the 2,000 years since that day, that yes, He actually does bring about the very transformation He promised. The preacher this evening testified that it happened to him 35 years ago.
As sat there listening, I thought about what happened to me 35 years ago, and how He is still patiently helping me change.
Jesus is Who He said he was, no doubt about it!!
Tonight the preacher very clearly and very simply preached deliverance from sin, salvation from hell, and the hope of heaven for all who surrender to Jesus.
I also witnessed tonight that men still have a hunger to be changed. The preacher issued an open eye invitation for all who wanted to receive Jesus or re-dedicate their lives to Him. About 30-40 men stepped forward.
Please join with me in praying for these men, that every one of them could enter into true faith and repentance and a joyful life with Christ.
For all who are weary, overwhelmed and discouraged, and hardly able to go on, Jesus knows and cares!
FCC Petersburg Low
Kenneth L Miller 08464-082
P.O. Box 1000
Petersburg, VA 23804
Update #6
- Published on Friday, 10 June 2016 07:24
Dear Friends,
A lot of people have been praying that I could get a leave to attend my daughter's wedding on June 11. The other day I was informed by the prison staff that my request for a leave was denied. It seems that due to the nature of my offense I'm not able to get "community release status."
Of course I was sad about that, and the tears came. But due to the joy of the upcoming occasion, I couldn't stay sad very long. Neither would I want anyone else's joy to be in the least bit dampened just because I can't be there.
God heard our prayers. And His answer was "no." We remember that His ways are infinitely higher than our ways and He often doesn't give us what we want because He has something better in mind. In His good time we will understand better.
I'm not upset at the FBOP or the prison staff either. They are just doing their job, a job worthy of our prayers.
But there are a couple of things I'd like to say.
God's design for marriage, family, and human sexuality stands as strong as ever. Judicial rulings, government legislation, and personal choice may attempt to find alternatives to God's created order. But all such attempts will ultimately be exposed for what they are--revolt against the Living God of Heaven--and will be judged as such.
I am also so happy to declare God's transforming power available for all of us poor sinners who surrender to Jesus in faith and repentance.
I am positively thrilled that God has led my daughter and a wonderful godly man together and that the two of them are absolutely committed to one another for life, come what may.
June 10 (The day prior to our daughter's wedding) marks 27 years since Linda and I joined our lives together by the grace of God. We join countless millions who testify to the goodness of God's amazing plan. Click here to read “Twenty-Five Years Together.”
So it's my wish that this time could be an occasion for the whole world to glorify the goodness of God and His wonderful plan for marriage and family.
Now that would make my day!
Ken Miller
Write to Ken's fellow prisoner
- Published on Monday, 06 June 2016 10:04
Ken has a fellow prisoner who is a very sincere Christian, and gets almost no mail. He would love to correspond with someone. If you feel led to correspond with this man, please drop me a note here with your address. Preferably it should be a church address or PO box, instead of a personal home address. Thanks, Darrell
Prison Update #5
- Published on Monday, 06 June 2016 09:46
Peace and blessings to all in Jesus Christ!
LESSONS FROM GOD'S CREATURES
Today I had a close encounter with one of God's special creatures. I was sitting comfortably under a shade tree with my bare feet stretched out in front of me, engrossed in a book. A couple of men were sitting at a picnic table near me. The table rests on a concrete pad which has a hollowed out space underneath it.
I was interrupted from my reverie with "You'd better hold real still, Miller." I looked up, and about 8 feet from me was a black and white furry critter heading straight toward me. Again the advice from the picnic table, "If I was you, I'd hold read still." I WAS me, and I felt the urge to bolt. But to extricate myself from my comfortable position meant moving fast. I was sure my approaching friend could move faster. So in the interests of self-preservation, I stayed motionless. But my heart pounded.
Mr. Skunk came right up to my bare feet, and I felt the tickle of his gentle black nose as he sniffed my feet for about 30 seconds. Then he turned tail and ambled back to his hole under the picnic table. I breathed again.
A couple of the guys joked about the smell of Miller's feet driving the skunk away. Could be. If so, it was the first time I beat a skunk at his own game.
A lesson: Perhaps God was reminding me that it's best to face our problems rather than run from them. Running from problems almost guarantees we'll face them later at unexpected times. Just ask a certain relative of mine.
As a young girl, she ran behind the house to get away from an approaching skunk. Alas, she learned that a problem evaded is not a problem eliminated. Because as she rounded the far corner of the house, she encountered the same skunk. Running too fast to stop, she executed an artful leap right over the puzzled critter, who kept right on going his way.
That story has become part of the Miller family lore.
The second encounter happened as I was enjoying the camaraderie at the pavilion this evening. A fellow inmate was feeding the birds. He opened a Little Debbie snack and put some crumbs into his open hand. A lowly sparrow hopped onto his fingers and began to pluck morsels right off his hand. What struck me most was the look of great pleasure on the face of my fellow inmate as he fed that little bird a few feet from where I was sitting. It was a look full of tenderness, even love. That look of sublime pleasure reminded me that our Heavenly Father derives great pleasure in helping us, who are of "more value than many sparrows."
How it must grieve Him when we take our eyes off His super-abundant provisions and focus on our needs and problems. That's a sure way to sink down, as walking-on-the-water Peter would attest. Of course life is full of problems and we must face them (see skunk story above). But thank God, we can face them walking beside Him, with one hand in His and His peace in our hearts! (Isaiah 40:11b, Philippians 4:4-7)
Picture the look of pleasure on His face when we reach out to take of His provisions!
Thanks again to all of God's people for your love and prayers,
Ken Miller