Speaking to WMU

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director at CLI

We welcome the opportunity to speak to groups about CLI and our mission to the prisons.

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to speak to about 50 ladies at a regional WMU (Women's Missionary Union) meeting. At CLI we want to partner with as many churches as possible. They are excellent sources for good Christian books and other materials. We also have a number of churches which support CLI financially every month.

We pray your church will partner with us too! Please call us and tell us how we can best work together to share the gospel of Jesus Christ! We are at 919-212-8122.

Keeping our approach to God “new”: Feasting on Monday

Jesus is the new wine

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

On Mondays our staff, Anders, Martha and I fast and pray. We have a staff meeting at 10:30 AM and then pray for an hour for God’s work through CLI. This past Monday, after our prayer time, we feasted in joy with tuna salad, tortilla chips, guacamole dip and chocolate cake. Why the change? Well, I lead a Bible study on Monday night and was convicted during my preparation for the message. The Lord showed me that our fasting was becoming more of a ritual than an act with purpose and joy. The “all right” and “let the feast begin” responses from the staff let me know that God had us on the right track! A summary of the Monday evening message follows from Luke 5:33-39.

They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking." 34 Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast." 36 He told them this parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.'" NIV Luke 5:33-39

Jesus answered the question about fasting by comparing Himself to a bridegroom at a wedding. A wedding is a joyous occasion and it would be inappropriate, even rude to refuse food and festivities. When the wedding is over, when the bridegroom leaves, as when Jesus is taken and willingly goes to the cross, fasting will be appropriate again.

As Christians you and I live in what is called an “already,” “not yet” era. That is, Jesus has already come and has made it possible for believers to have a relationship with God. However, He has not yet returned to set up His Kingdom. So we feast because He has already come and paid the price for our sins and we fast because there are many that need to trust Him as their Savior and Lord. We need to do both with purpose and joy as the Lord leads.

After answering the fasting question, Jesus goes on to give a more complete response. He gives three illustrations all having to do with “new”. He uses the word “new” 8 times in just 4 verses. All illustrations are used to show that He is the “new” way, and thus even John the Baptist and his disciples are tied to the old period.

In the first illustration (v. 36), after many washings the older garment had shrunk. They didn’t have preshrunk fabrics at that time. When you put a new piece of cloth on the old and wash it, the new fabric will shrink and pull away from the original garment. The old has to make way for the new for even the mixture of old and new will not work. Mixing the two will result in damaging the new approach to God. Jesus is the new way and the only way to God.

The second illustration (v. 37) is a little more difficult to picture. Wineskins were usually made from the skins of small animals such as goats or sheep. The hair was removed, the skins treated, sewn together and the neck area of the animal became the neck of the “bottle” or container.

Over time, the skin would be come brittle and would not expand or enlarge. New wine ferments, it acts like yeast in bread; the end product is bigger. As the wine expands, the old brittle wineskin would burst and the wine would run all over the ground. Both the container and the drink are ruined.

Jesus is saying that the message that He is bringing (new wine) cannot be contained within Judaism (old wineskins). Judaism served its purpose as did old wineskins, but now it must make way for Jesus and the Gospel. Mixing the two would result in both being destroyed.

The third illustration (v.39) was a common proverb in the culture. It meant, “ you have set your course, you will never change your ways.” Some will never even give Jesus (new wine) a chance but will cling to their old ways (old wine). And here Jesus gives a warning to those who hang on to the past that does not include Him: they are going to miss the new reality of God’s Kingdom.

If you have never given Jesus an opportunity to give your life purpose and joy, do it today. If you have already trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, how are you clinging to the past in your relationship with God? Are you waking every morning and seeing new mercies, new opportunities and anticipating all the new things that God is going to do with you and through you?

Feast: Prepare a special meal or pot luck with family or friend with the express purpose of thanking God for His gifts and blessings. Let everyone take turns in thanking God. Or have an ice cream or dessert thanksgiving feast. Celebrate for your own deliverance from sin.

Fast: Fast one day for the salvation of your family, friends and neighbors. Write done their names and lift them up to the Lord through out the day. Do it all in joy! (If for health reasons you cannot fast from food, fast from something else. TV, radio, newspaper, sweets etc.

If you are in the Raleigh area and are not in a Bible study, we would like to invite you to join us on Monday evenings at 6:30 PM. Contact Kathleen for location and schedule.

Preaching the Gospel

Posted by Martha Carpenter - Office Administrator at CLI

You may think an inmate sitting in a prison cell cannot preach the gospel out in the world. But that is not the case for Reg, who is serving a life sentence in Virginia. Reg is participating in the CLI Leadership Bible Study. This is a correspondence course where the student inmates learn to influence other inmates for Christ inside the prisons.

Reg, however, is a bit of an artist. Each time he sends back one of the Bible study lessons for review, he draws a picture on the envelope. One of the questions in lesson 4 is “What do you think God is calling you to do?” He wrote, “For now to do His will and keep drawing on envelopes. Who knows, they just might plant a seed in someone’s heart who might look at them while going through the mail system. For God works in mysterious ways.” He does indeed!

Enjoy Reg’s illustration of Moses!

Check out the Man from George Street Video

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director at CLI

Enjoy this simple video about telling others about Christ!

Building a Team to Raise Funds

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

"Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold." (The LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh's officials and by the people.) NIV Exodus 11:2-3

God is always doing something new, even in the area of raising funds for ministry. Sometimes only prayer is required and then God answers by providing what is needed. Other times God may move us out of our “comfort zone” and have us ask other people for donations. As in Exodus 11:2, some of the Israelite slaves might have been rather anxious in going to the ruling class of Egyptians and asking them for personal articles of sliver and gold. What if they had killed them for such impudence!

But the Israelites were not killed. They received the silver and gold because God had prepared Egyptian hearts to be generous towards them. It is in this sense that CLI builds a team and sponsors the Author Dinner fundraiser. It takes a number of saints working in various capacities to make the evening of October 22 a success.

We prayed seven years ago how God would like us to raise funds to operate CLI in regard to sharing the gospel far and wide. There are expenses for staff, shipping, office supplies, mailing etc. God gave us the idea of the Author Dinner fundraiser that we have held once a year since that time. This year our guest author is Bill Dallas, a former inmate, who wrote “Lessons Learned from San Quentin.”

On Thursday our Author Dinner team gathered to discuss plans and actions in preparing for the dinner and making sure we follow the Lord’s directions. With only two months away, our Marketing and Fundraising committees are especially moving into high gear! Our prayer warriors are praying weekly for God to be glorified and that He makes our guests favorably disposed toward the prison inmates that we serve. The money that God provides through the dinner will change many imprisoned lives forever.

If you would like to attend the dinner, please check out our website. If you’d like to help us reach more inmates in prison and join the Author Dinner team, email me. kskaar@cli-nc.org

Ryan Farmer's Testimony

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director at CLI



Last October, former prison inmate Ryan Farmer gave a beautiful testimony about how the Lord touched him through CLI. We invite you to watch it again.

A Note from a Washington Chaplain

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director at CLI

Just a note to say, THANKS! For all the wonderful material material you sent to us recently. The response from the inmates is pure delight.

Often they will say, "How did you know I needed that!" We tell them that God knew their need, and you folks were his hands to make it happen. Muchas gracias, Thank you very much!

Encouragement in the Body of Christ

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Last week I wrote about the 917 new Christian books that CLI received from Crossing Community Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It turns out that our blog encouraged our brothers and sisters in Christ there. They in turn encouraged us…again! Here is their note:

“Thanks for sharing. We’ve shown this to our volunteers who have literally spent hundreds of hours sorting books---this was encouragement for them. Anticipate another shipment in December for Christmas. Blessings for your work for Jesus.”
Pam Millington

The encouragement continues. Through our partnership many inmates will be encouraged and built up in their faith. That is the real definitions of Christian encouragement: Helping others love and serve God. Go therefore and encourage today!

On a Personal Note

CLI’s new offices have been located in Hillcrest Baptist Church for about a year now. It is working out very well with some of the members volunteering each week. Anders and I wanted to live closer to our offices and God has led us to a town home about 7 minutes from CLI. We will be moving this Saturday. And no, this isn’t a call for help. Ha! Just a note or thanksgiving to God!

God Uses Broken Things

Posted By Martha Carpenter - Office Administrator at CLI

It is important to CLI to answer every letter we receive from inmates. We don’t want anyone to "slip through the cracks". When answering letters we pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us in what we write. We like to include what we call “encouragements”; short quotes from Christian pastors or authors that would be meaningful to those who are behind bars. Such as the quote below by Vance Havner:

“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. . . It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.” ~ Vance Havner

We included this quote in a letter to Jason. We received this letter from him this week. To God be the glory!

“I work to be anxious in nothing, but on the day I received your correspondence, Satan was hammering away to break me. Divorce papers for loss of custody for my children arrived, my crimes back to haunt me, and I knew I was under demonic attack. Why?

You see, for awhile since reading a book by Joyce Meyers titled Battlefield of the Mind, I have been submitting all to Christ. Having lived in my imagination for 33 years I surrendered my thought life to Christ, replacing what I normally imagined, thoughts of lust, power, money and worship of success, with thoughts of a renewed mind. The more I’ve spent time in prayer, the Word, and connected to the Vine, things, or life has become more peaceful. Still, today when I opened the envelope you sent me, I wept. At a time of discouragement
I read that –

“God uses broken things…”

The assault on my heart and mind was stopped as I read the quotes and verses sent. THANK YOU!

Prisons Receiving Christian Books in July

We praise the Lord for the opportunity to minister to the following prisons in July. We pray they will be blessed!

Arlington County Detention Facility Arlington, VA
Baskerville Correctional Center Baskerville, VA
Bell County Forestry Camp Pineville, KY
Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority1 Lynchburg, VA
Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority2 Lynchburg, VA
Central Utah Correctional Facility Gunnison, UT
Clallam Bay Corrections Center Clallam Bay, WA
DeMilly Correctional Inst Polk City, FL
Deuel Vocational Institution Tracy, CA
Dillwyn Correctional Center Dillwyn, VA
East Moline Correctional Facility East Moline, IL
Fox Lake Correctional Institution Fox Lake, WI
Franklin Correctional Institution Carrabelle, FL
Greensville Correctional Center Jarratt, VA
Henrico County Jail Richmond, VA
Henrico Regional Jail Barhamsville, VA
Jackson Correctional Institution Black River Falls, WI
Kenosha County Detention Center Kenosha, WI
Laramie County Detention Center Cheyenne, WY
Lunenburg Correctional Center Victoria, VA
Manitowoc County Jail Manitowoc, WI
Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center Saluda, VA
Oaks Correctional Facility East Lake, MI
Onondaga County Justice Center Syracuse, NY
Potomac Highlands Regional Jail Augusta, WV
Restitution Center Union Gap, WA
Saint Louis Correctional Facility Saint Louis, MI
Snohomish County Corrections Everett, WA
Southern Regional Jail Beaver, WV
Stevenson Correctional Institution Columbia, SC
Sussex I State Prison Waverly, VA
Sussex II State Prison Waverly, VA
Taycheedah Correctional Institution (Women's) Fond du Lac, WI
TDCJ Jester III Richmond, TX
TDCJ Jester IV Richmond, TX
Washington Corrections Center for Women Gig Harbor, WA
Wisconsin Secure Program Facility Boxcobel, WI
Witness International Fruitland, MD
Wyoming State Penitentiary Rawlins, WY
Yakima County Correctional Yakima, WA

The End of Cassettes

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director at CLI

Remember 8 track? How about Super 8? How about reel-to-reel? LPs? 45s? Dial telephones? Party lines??
Well, technology marches on and creates opportunities at CLI. A number of ministries are closing out their cassette tapes and looking for an appropriate outlet - other than the dumpster.
Enter CLI.
We have received several calls asking if we want their close out cassettes and video tapes. The answer is YES!
CLI has made a ministry of sending slightly used Christian materials to prisons, jails and youth centers all over the US.
If you have great Christian content on cassette or video tape, please send it our way. It will bless others in prison immeasurably! God bless you for caring!

Boxes of New Books!

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

Martha and I were standing in the hall when the CLI doorbell rang. Our interest was piqued when box after box was wheeled into our shipping room. As soon as the delivery man left, we grabbed the box cutter and slit open the top two boxes!

Wow, this was a most unusual delivery: 917, new, Christian, soft cover books! It was the number of books and the fact that they were new that made this an exciting occasion. We thank God and the church that He used to provide them.

They were shipped to CLI by Crossing Community Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Our volunteers have already begun sorting and stamping. We know the inmates that we serve in prisons will enjoy a “fresh” read!

The Family of God

Posted by Martha Carpenter - Office Administrator at CLI

Rejoice with us in the testimony of this woman who wrote to C.L.I. this week. Praise God for a sister in Christ who is sharing the gospel with her! Pray for her and her heart’s desire to share the gospel with her children. When we reach one person with the gospel, we reach many! As a Prison Chaplain recently wrote us:

“When you invest in the lives of these inmates . . . , you make an investment in the lives of thousands of families.” Chaplain Faithe Liburd, Lowell Correctional Institution, Ocala, FL

Excerpts from Trisha’s letter:

“Being a new “Baby in Christ” I am asking for your help in receiving a Bible so that I can utilize my time deep in the Word. For the first time in my life I’m realizing that all the answers in life are found in God’s Holy Bible. A fellow inmate, with the desire to be a missionary, has been sharing her Life Application Bible with me. Every weekend she dedicates teaching a new Bible lesson to me.

. . . I have three small children ages 9, 7, and 4. I have six months left and I want to learn as much as I can so that when I get out I can teach my children about God’s grace and mercy and unconditional love. I have never owned a Bible. . .
I want to learn the Bible and teach them about Noah’s Ark, Adam & Eve, Jonah in the belly of the whale. I want them as excited as I am. And I know they will be.

. . . It’s my duty to teach them about our Holy Father. Already on the phone when I say “Jesus loves you” they want to know who Jesus is. This brings light to a dark room. Hope where there was failure. A future instead of corruption. My way of life has lead me to prison. If my way lead to disaster God’s way must be better. I am now under His authority and He guides my ways. . .

Thank you for your service of helping distribute God’s Word. . . Being here has been a blessing. People can change. I have changed. Repentance set me right. Forgiveness set me free. Prison caused humility that lead me to my knees and cry out. The Lord answered my prayers. I am a Christian mother who will make it after all.” Inmate Trisha, Quincy, FL

Jar of Books and Jug of Bibles

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah. NIV 1 Kings 17:16

Sometimes we think of our books like the jar of flour and our bibles like the jug of oil from 1 Kings 17:16. We always have a supply to feed the hungry souls in prison. Since 1996 when CLI began providing books and other Christian resources free of charge, we have never been without resources to give.

I remember the first time I was faced with a short supply of books. At this time CLI was run from our home. We had a super group of volunteers who came over every Tuesday evening. (Note: we still have super volunteers!) A few days before they were to arrive, I noticed that we only had a few books. I thought, “Oh no, we don’t have enough work for them to do!” We had such a nice weekly flow, I didn’t want to call and tell them not to come.

Anders and I prayed for books and sure enough the phone rang with a dear saint wanting to bring over several boxes of books. By Tuesday evening we had plenty of books to review and prepare for their destination. We thanked God!

Now 13 years later, God has proven Himself faithful time and time again regarding our need for good quality Christian books and Bibles. Whenever our shipping room is getting bare, we pray and God provides the resources that we need to send to the imprisoned. Like the widow being fed in Elijah’s time, God feeds the spiritually hungry with a continual supply of His word. We thank God!