The Bible is the absolute best selling book of all time. It has been translated into more languages, published in more editions, printed in more copies, and read by more people than any other book in history! This says a lot, considering that various emperors, popes, kings, priests, princes and rulers have set out to destroy it completely at some point in time, and all failed!

Is the Bible we see today the same as it was when written? There are many points of reference to prove that the answer is yes. J. Harold Greenlee, professor of New Testament Greek states that the works of the early Christian writers "are so extensive that the New Testament could be reconstructed from them alone without the use of any New Testament manuscript". Put simply, if every single Bible and manuscript were destroyed, we could reproduce it exactly using quotations made elsewhere around the first century. To dismiss the accuracy of the Bible would prove more difficult than to dismiss the writings of Plato, Socrates or Homer, none of which have been nearly as criticised.

Another commonly asked question is how can we prove Jesus really ever existed? Many people are under the impression that the only references one can find about Jesus historically are in the Christian Bible. The fact is that Jesus is talked about in the writings of at least 19 non-Christian authors, 3 Jewish historians, and several more prior to the third century! Though not spoken of favourably, these early authors do confirm His life, teaching, death and the early church.

How do we answer the claims that Jesus was just a good moral teacher or prophet? Historians will affirm that the Septuagint was a name given to the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, which was in the reign of King Ptolemy Philadelphia of Egypt, between 286 and 246 BC. This means the Old Testament was completed prior to then. There are approximately 300 prophecies contained in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah.

According to Professor Peter W. Stoner, the mathematical odds of any one man fulfilling even just 8 of these prophecies is one in 100,000,000,000,000,000! Yet we know as Christians, Jesus fulfilled all of them!

There are various religious beliefs today that don't acknowledge Jesus was the Messiah. They go even further by saying He never claimed to be. However, there are many claims of Deity by Christ. The most obvious was the one He was crucified for; see Luke 22 v.67-70. Author C.S. Lewis says, "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with a man who claimed to be a poached egg - or else He would be the devil of Hell. Either, this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or worse". So, was he a liar? A lunatic? No, He was as He says He was: Lord! A good moral teacher is not an option.

There is a wealth of information available today, specifically in books referred to as Apologetics. These books build our faith and prepare us to have answers to common objections about our beliefs. Various authors include Lee Strobel, James Kennedy, F.F. Bruce and Norman Geisler. A very informative book to begin with is "Evidence That Demands A Verdict" by Josh McDowell.

Is it well with the Lord to have questions and to seek answers? I believe that is exactly what we are supposed to do. Imagine being in a classroom with an instructor who forbids you to ask any questions! A teacher cherishes a pupil with an inquisitive mind, as I believe our Father does. He wants us to be eager to learn all we can about Him.

"Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord." -  2 Peter 3 v.18

By studying the word, using other accurate resources and asking the Holy Spirit for guidance, we will be more effective witnesses for our Lord. It has become quite an adventure for me, since I am sceptical by nature. But I have realised that in finding these answers, my faith only grows stronger.

Do you have questions that you are afraid to ask? Don't be - the answers are there. Those answers will only strengthen your faith and provide peace of mind.

"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7 v.7

Into the Light -Isaiah 42 v.16

"And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

What a powerful verse of scripture, a verse that you would almost think had been solely written for those in prison. What words best depict those in prison than, darkness, blindness and crookedness. Christ Jesus our Lord knows only too well about the inmate in prison he spent so much time with these outcasts of society and was mocked and ridiculed. Then he was nailed to a cross to die an agonising death. Beside him hung two thieves and he also physically took the place of a murderer Barabbas. Because of His death on Calvary our Father in Heaven has made it possible for us to be saved through the shedding of his precious blood. Then when we accept our Lord as it states in this verse in Isaiah, he will make darkness light before us and crooked things straight he also will never forsake us. Dear friend Jesus loves you so very much and he has a plan for your life. He does stand at the door of your heart, just because you are in prison does not mean his love is any less for you than those in society. "For god so loved the world", that's you and me. We have all sinned in God's eyes, we are no different. You can know complete freedom and forgiveness from your dark past. What a Saviour, what a Lord. With Christ in your heart you have everything. Are you blind? Well maybe this is the way our Lord is speaking to you as he states in the first line of Isaiah 42 v.16.
 

Prodigal Son - Read Luke 15 v.11-32 Have absolute faith in God and never despair his pardon - nothing can compare to the love of God. Even if you should be so unhappy as to commit some dreadful crime, never despair of God. You are His children; humble yourselves before him, as before your father; implore His pardon and He will rejoice over your repentance as the Father rejoiced over that of the prodigal son. (Fyodor Dostoyevski)

Psalm 142 v.6-7 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name. The righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

My name is John Wilson and I live in Dumfries, Scotland. I'm now in my early fifties, married with a 20 year old daughter, Rebekah. My wife Carole has been a Christian for 28 years. I became a Christian 23 years ago, after a life of violence, drunkenness, drug taking , prison sentences and mental institutions.

By the time I had left school at 15 I already had 2 convictions, one for burglary, the other for drinking under age. At 16 years of age I led a local gang called "The Border", carrying and using knives, razors and even axes. Christmas '67 another man and I stole a car, wrecking it in a high speed chase with police. After a nine month hospital stint, (being told I'd never walk again due to the paralysis in my legs), I did walk out very bitter indeed. My life style became very violent, dependant on drink and drugs.

At 19 I was put in a detention centre for violence, at 20 I was married and parted in less than 3 weeks. Such were my selfish ways. From 21 to 28 years of age it was just one disaster after another. Losing my left kidney in a stabbing incident in London among other physical mishaps was the result of drunkenness and futile fights.

Trying to keep up the hard man reputation had its price to pay - sixteen prison sentences ranging from 3 months to 3 years. 5 spells in mental hospitals, at one point being in a strait-jacket and padded cell. Detained by police on suspicion of murder and crimes ranging from attempted murder to armed robbery, I appeared in courts varying from the London Old Bailey to the Guernsey States Court in the Channel Islands.

The Kray twins, Jimmy Boyle, John McVicar, Buster Edwards and John Stonehouse M.P. were just a few of my fellow wingmates while incarcerated.

Hearing the gospel preached in 1974 had always left me thinking about the saving power of the risen Christ. However many philosophies, religions and theories of men confused me.

Late 1978 saw me sleeping rough in the town of Dumfries. The so-called hard man was no more than a shuddering wreck, so bad that even the local mental hospital had barred me from its premises. Alcoholism was so rooted in my system that I was even drinking white spirit and after-shave lotion.

Contemplating suicide in early 1979 by plunging from a window,  the words of Jesus Christ seemed to speak to me from within. I walked over to the middle of my untidy room (which my mother had managed to get me) and began to pray on my knees to the Living God: "Lord, I'm selfish, proud, dirty minded, violent, blasphemous, just a total failure. If you will come into my heart and give me strength I will accept You as my Saviour and try, with your power, to live for You." At that moment I felt a small breeze come over me, but most of all I sensed great relief in my heart. Freedom and liberty seemed to flow through my body - it was good to be saved. The realisation that it was not religion, church attendance, or trying to be good that was Salvation, but simply trusting in the finished work of Christ, as the Lord said "it is finished" (John 19 v30). Every individual soul who trusts Christ as their saviour will be saved - (see Romans 10 v.13, John 3 v.16), because there is nothing more for you to do. Christ has done it all - see 1 John 2 v.2.

My friend, if you are somebody eternally lost, it will not be simply because of your sins - no matter how great and terrible they are. Jesus Christ (God's Son) suffered, bled, and died on the cross for your sins. Since he took your punishment, God can forgive you! If you end up in hell, it will be because you refused God's pardon based on the death of His Son Jesus Christ.

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God... who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree". (1 Peter 3 v.18, 2 v.24)
"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin... if we confess ours sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins" (1 John 1 v.7,9).

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God". (John 3 v.18)

So, dear friend, maybe you can relate to this true story, or maybe you think because you have never reached this low you don't need to be saved. God says man's attempts at Salvation are futile, and it's impossible to save yourself - see Ephesians 2 v.8-9, Jeremiah 17 v.9, Romans 8 v.7-8.

Do you know where you are going? All who want to go to Heaven "must be born again." Jesus talked about Heaven, and He said, "In my Father's House are many mansions". Also he said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me". (John 14 v.2,6). This is the Gospel.

If Jesus is right (and He most certainly is), then all other ways are wrong! Religion cannot save you, only Jesus can. God did not create the religions of the world; man did, to satisfy his conscience! Man is "forever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3 v.7)

Do you know the One who died on the cross for you? Jesus said, "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Jesus said that He is the only way to God the Father, and the new birth is the only way to Heaven. What did He mean? He meant a spiritual birth, whereby a person confesses his sins to Jesus Christ and accepts Him as Saviour. This is not religion, it is life. May this prayer help you to become a born-again Christian. Say this prayer sincerely from the bottom of your heart:

"Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you died for me. I acknowledge that I am a sinner. Please come into my life and forgive my sins. And save me. Amen".

So much has been written on 'forgiveness', one does tend to forget such a lot. What seems paramount is that words are easy to say, and no matter how well meaning, what do they mean? It is a general assumption that 'to forgive and forget' is a method - for lack of a better word - to escape the past. This I believe God does not teach us to do, but rather not to hold sins against each other.

Forgiving for one's own peace of mind does relieve the cancerous diseases of bitter emotions, of revenge, rage and bitterness. It also allows us to demonstrate that we are acting in a Christ-like manner in the eyes of others. Which in itself gives a sense of peace. This situation may make us feel better in the eyes of God, or so we may think. At least I did, and was very proud of my achievement. It had taken me years of pain, hurt and revenge to get this far, arrived at last, overcome, glory, glory.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me". Well, so I thought, also taking the attitude of, "I dearly love mankind, it's just people I don't like." My friends, I could never have been so wrong, and I have never been rebuked like I was rebuked by God. This attitude of mine changed forgiveness from expressing love to an expression of self-centredness and pure self-protection, ouch!!! Something I had forgotten or misunderstood when reading and studying the Word.

God does not unconditionally forgive us. He gives us forgiveness in Salvation and purely on the basis of our repentance. When we fully understand we cannot 'go it alone' and believe fully that only His Son Jesus can save us through the sacrifice of Himself, then only will He forgive us.

To conclude, may I sum up everything by the following quotation:-

"The answer is not to forgive unconditionally, but to ask the question, What does love require? Love for God and love for those who have harmed us". Amen

Note from the Editor:
At the age of fifteen years old I gave my life to Christ. Nineteen years later our Lord's hand is still upon my life. I can personally testify that our Lord has never left my side throughout these years. He will never leave us or forsake us: he has remained faithful and loving to me.

I pray that through this magazine you will come to know our Saviour Jesus Christ. As can be seen from this magazine many inmates have experienced the love of Christ and have trusted Him as their Saviour, some who in the world's eyes are past saving. But Christ came into this world for people such as this. He has made them new creations and has broken chains of hatred, unforgiveness, fear and loneliness.

Please write to us if you have any questions or if you want us to pray for you. Every letter will be answered.