Losing my freedom to find it
Prisons
“Simon (guy on the video) was sent to prison and lost his physical freedom. Whilst serving his sentence he discovered a new hope. He is not alone, there are many stories of prisoners finding hope. “For me, hope wasn’t abandoned at the gates of prison. It was the start of it.” This story is published in a book called 40 Stories of HOPE, one of 40 told by prisoners, ex-prisoners and prison chaplains. Thanks to churches and charities you can have a free copy and discover the true meaning of hope and freedom. Ask the prison chaplain for a copy, which is available from cwr.org.uk/hope”
We’ve discovered that following Jesus as men, a band of brothers has changed our lives forever. We’re not perfect fellas, but what unites us is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, our captain, brother, rescuer and friend.
Jesus calls us to live outrageous lives, not conforming to the patterns of the world around us but to be a new kind of man.
This new identity means that no matter who we are, what we have done and how tangled life has become, we don’t need to be defined by that stuff. Maybe for you it’s not about the chaos of your life but about its priorities, direction and purpose.
Each year we see loads of men decide to follow Jesus, men from all backgrounds and life experience, young and old, men with years left ahead and men with just days. This is more than just a moment, a choice you make today with a yes or no, this decision to follow Jesus will change your eternal destiny!
You also need to know that by saying ‘yes’ to Jesus means you accept the cost. Yeah I know, there is always a cost. The cost to following Jesus is to let him be master and commander, to let Jesus have access to every part of your life.
Following Jesus means that your life will sometimes be taken to the wire, this is not the easy option. To trust Jesus, to allow the Bible to speak into your life and live by it, will cost you – not always in your pocket, but cost your time, effort, passion, dreams and even hopes.
What you gain however is a restored relationship with the author of life, an eternal hope that death is not the end! That’s good news!
The Bible tells us that:
‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’
Becoming a follower of Jesus is simply about saying ‘yes’ to the friendship, ‘yes’ to the gift of life that Jesus won for you, and ‘yes’ to the future he has for you. Accepting Jesus into your life is not about a ritual, a set of beliefs or behaviours, it’s about a person, a relationship and it’s just a ‘yes’ away.
Maybe you want to pray this prayer, it’s nothing special, no magic combination of words, it’s just a conversation with Jesus.
I believe in you and I set my life on course with the Bible and in friendship with you.
I'm sorry for the mess, the madness and the mistakes.
Make me a new kind of man today Jesus, my friend.
If you have prayed this and spoken to Jesus then you have just started on an incredible journey, and we want to know about it because we want to cheer you on!
You can call us on 01246 452483 or email us at admin@cvm.org.uk
Jesus forgives us, sets us free to be the men we need to be and sets our feet on a new path – and you are not alone!
If you want to connect with us we have a booklet we can send you which talks even more about Jesus and what it means to be a new kind of man.
We have loads of resources, events and opportunities for you to keep moving forward in your faith, get in touch!
If you want to get plugged in with a band of brothers who are following Jesus and a local church near you, check out our CVM group finder.
We have about 500 mens groups across the UK that meet in and out of church buildings, pubs, bowling alleys and more so get involved.