The Bible NETWork ~ Impacting the World for Christ one post at a time!

Today was a productive day. I spoke with Chris' Mom over the phone for a while, and have organized a fundraiser. The website is set up, and we're just waiting for his Mom to open a bank account.Once we set that up, we will then be able to raise an "assistance fund", no conditions or stipulations, for Chris to use at his discretion to either help hire a lawyer, or to care for his kids and family while he is behind bars. I figure I'm going to solicit all these liberal lobbies like NORML, MPP, DPA, ASA, and the like who receive millions in donations every year to help. If they say no, I'll just make sure everybody knows about it, and how their donation is better spent helping us...

I really feel like I want to tell him, just do the year and get back home to your kids, they need you. This sentence was very merciful for a judge looking at a recommended sentence of 5-99 years. You want to stand up and cry "injustice", but your kids need you. The fastest way out of there is to spend your time in prayer and supplication and try to be a minister to others.
And I also want to say that he needs to get himself into a church or start studying Christian theology. He needs sound doctrine to plant his mind in. All this stuff about "tree of life" and "calumus is really cannabis" and "sacrament" is not what all believers have believed for all time. He needs to nourish himself in the milk, and solidify his knowledge of the Gospel message of Jesus.

I would like to contact him, but visitation is really restricted with a lot of hoops to jump through and you've got to get approved, I don't know if I'll get in. I can send him a letter, but he's not receiving all of his mail and it's delayed. Plus they're moving him back to Brownwood from Abilene for his coerced plea hearing on the 10th, so I'm pretty sure my letter would get lost.

But yeah, I'm trying to find ways to be a witness, but if I could say something to him right now, it wouldn't be "Jesus loves you", it would be "it's not worth it. Trust me on this. Just do the year and get back to your kids"

I'd appreciate your prayers towards me on this.I've jumped in with both feet and most definitely need Holy Spirit to guide my steps and actions.

we have found a lawyer out of Austin that specializes in pot cases who is willing to take Chris' case, and review it to see if he's got any chance of winning a new trial, and to direct us on ways we can help him. He said he will do it for no cost, just not out of pocket. We give him the money he needs to make trips and he will counsel for nothing. It will still cost us a few thousand dollars cause it's a six hour round trip to Brownwood, and a twelve hour round trip to Abilene, where Chris is. We just got the fundraiser websites operating and have raised a few hundred so far, and we haven't really began to solicit- that's just from the people who are going to help with the fundraising

I've put money on commisary for Chris (a very cool site called JPAY.com, that lets you email prisoners, send them money, etc) and ordered him Wayne Grudem's "Making Sense Of" series. It was the closest thing to systematic theology that I could find in paperback, as they don't let hardback books in prison. I think he would do well to get a solid understanding of the Christian Faith. I think I might send him a Net Bible too, in a few days, once I've confirmed that he's received the books I already sent.

For a community that is generally postmodern and somewhat hostile to Christianity, There is much encouragement, support, and thanks for my help so far. I think the opportunity to witness in this matter is becoming very real. I've been keeping him lifted up in prayer and song, and I think others are begining to pray about it as well. I also think that there is hope for Chris, that God is gonna set him free, like what God means when he says he sets us free.

Pray for me, cause I need direction. I could even use some help if anyone is moved with compassion, or sees an opportunity to work for the Lord in this matter. We've been using facebook and telephone to communicate, and I can give the info if anyone is interested in networking with us, shooting off an email (40 cents each through Jpay.com) saying you've got him in your prayers, and stuff like that.

Jeff, I don't think anybody here knows what you're talking about. You never told us what happened.

-Dan.

oh, I mentioned it in the thread about Pat Robertson, and not here. Whoops.
Chris Diaz is a 22 year old kid from California that was caught with a half ounce of hash while travelling through Brownwood Texas, on his way to his grandmother's funeral. He was facing 5-99 years in jail, first offense, and spent months in solitary confimement. He got three years in a Texas prison in a plea deal. Where he lives, it's not a crime. Where he was at, it it a 100 year felony.

And I'm moved with compassion towards him and his family. I think the penalty is severe and inappropriate, and I also think the law needs revised in this matter so that the sentencing recommendations are more realistic in relationship to the crime, not so harsh in other words. So I contacted his family to see what I could do to help them, and it turned out I could do a lot of really simple things. I want Christ to set him free.

here is a you tube link in an above post that shows an interview with Chris while in Mendocino county jail awaiting extradition to Texas. I posted it in an above thread with some questions as well.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... .9.0...0.0

I'm confident that he could benefit from a relationship with Christ in the midst of his trial. Want to help lead him to the Lord/ strengthen his faith in Christ? I figured from the interview that he needed to build a sound theology to shape his Christian world view. And he needs Christ while he sits in prison, I mean, who wouldn't?

Have you thought of contacting Prison Fellowship for advice about this matter?

That's a good idea, thank you! I've mentioned him to their staff and they forwarded my letters over to breakpoint, but I never got any real response.
I just browsed their website, and already I see some resources that I can use; they've got a prayer team, articles like "prison survival guide" that can be sent to loved ones behind bars, a community resource directory that I could surely use (if I can figure out how to search it), and Angel Tree for his two kids.

I was sorry to see Chuck Colson pass, I enjoyed his "Two Minute warnings" that he put out. He was a solid soldier for Christ.

Again, thank you for mentioning Prison Fellowship, I will approach them today and see how we can work together.

I've been in contact with Prison Fellowship's regional director that covers Texas, and unfortunately they don't have any services available in that area (Abilene). They said my best bet would be to get in contact with the Chaplain at the facility, and encourage Chris to join the Bible studies.
They have a reintegration program called Interchange Freedom, but they only serve people with at least 18 months on their sentence, and he would have to be moved to a different facility in order to participate (if he was approved).

I'm begining to think that, as far as communicating the Gospel to Chris goes, I'm on my own. His family seems real appreciative of my help, and I'm glad that I get to represent Christ in this matter, as nobody else is. I've set up a jpay account and I can send him emails. I don't know if he's got the books I sent or not. I don't know if he'll read them. I sent him an email introducing myself and encouraging him to read the books.

but on a good note, I've heard that Chris had an interview with a parole agent. His parole might be in the works. That would be an answer to prayer! I'm going to send in a letter to the parole board encouraging them to parole Chris and listing all the ways I could support him and the support structures in place for him if they let him out.

And so, I'll keep praying, and trying to get other Christians to remember Chris as though they were bound with him.


"As a believer in Christ, I can have nothing to do with any prohibition law; I am under a strict law of love that prevents me from doing what might hurt another."
( Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans commentary book 4 -God's Glory- "Christian Liberty", circa 1950's )

PRAISE GOD!

the Allison & Leonard Moore Collective in Mendocino just donated 500 bucks to the legal defense fund! That means we have enough money to hire the attorney to go talk to Chris and review the case, to see if we can win a new trial. This is very important. If he's gonna lose a trial, we need to stop with the coerced plea hearing and start petitioning for parole. And if we can win a trial, then we go for it. Now that we got the cash together we can find out which direction to go!

Does any one want to write Chris a letter? I really feel like I need help in witnessing and ministering to him. There's plenty of potheads willing to donate money and write letters, but little enthusiasm from other Christians remembering him as though they were bound with them.

If anyone is interested, send me a message, and I will give you my JPAY login info, and you can send Chris an email on my dime. It's real easy to send one if anyone is interested, and I sure would appreciate it.

thanks,
Jeff Lucas

Brother JeffL : Excellant post ... !!! ... After watching the Video about Chris Diaz ... in house jail interview on youtube ... !!! ... I see a brother in Christ that like us ... are looking to God our maker for answers ... !!! ...Brother Illuvatar : Acts5:29 ... !!! ... And i ( Here is when i will be labled by christians ? here ! ) Believe that Chris Diaz is Correct in Obeying God ... and that is his Constitutional Right to Worship God as the Scriptures say to ... in Spirit and Truth ...!!! ... Psalms104:14 kjv ... He ( Lord Jesus ! ) causeth the grass to grow for cattle , and Herb for the service of MAN : that he may bring forth food out of the Earth ... !!! ... Food is nourishment for our bodies and our souls ... and i Believe that King David Wrote Most of Psalms ... as in Psalms103 ... !!! ... I Believe that the Texas Courts and the Texas Highway troopers have Violated Chris Diaz*s Constitutional Rights ... one Being his Constitutional Right 2nd amendment ( ) to Freedom of Religon ... and the Other ... Out of State Plates ... CALIF. ... Right to search a vehicle without Probable Cause ... !!! ... Elvis , Michael Jackson , Ana Nicole Smith , Whitney Houston , Etc. , Died from the Side effects of Perscription Drugs ... NO ??? !!! Glory Thanks Praise Blessings Honour to God through Christ ... bless everyone amen shalom bye !!! ...

Shalom to all , Smoking the Lord*s Herb or weed or Pot ... is Not a Sin ... if you use it for medical reasons ... as Chris Diaz*s has ... and he is not a criminal ... unless he Does Harm to Others ... !!! ... What is Criminal is the Injustice that he was Locked Up ... and he Never Got to go to his GrandMother*s Funeral ... No ? !!! ... In the Early 1900*s there was No War On Drugs ... in Fact ... the founding Fathers of the Constitution grew Pot or Herb inbetween the Cornfields and other places ...( all men are Created Equal ) and used to trade Pot as a Commodoties ... even Cocaine was in Coca Cola ... !!! ... Yes it was ... !!! ... I am not Condoning any Drug Use ... but just bringing up the Point that God Created * ALL THINGS * ... Heb.10:36 -39... !!! Brother JeffL ... please tell our brother Chris Diaz ... what the Holy Spirit caused me to Write to help Him ... i will go into my prayer closet to pray for him ... Glory to God through Christ bless everyone amen shalom bye

Opppsss ... In my 1 st post here i mistakenly wrote to brother Illuvatar ... when i should of wrote to brother Paco ... forgive me please ... amen shalom !!! bye !...

I thank you for your prayers towards Chris. I'm praying that the Lord sets him free. Like it's meant in the Word when it says the Lord sets us free. Freedom from the bondage of sin and death. I'm praying for Chris' salvation.

Would you mind sending Chris a letter of encouragement? I can send you my JPAY login info so it's real easy and won't cost you a thing.

I'm praying that other Christians find it in their hearts to try and minister to him. I feel like I'm the only person trying to communicate the Gospel to him, like I'm the only one saying, "yeah I'm a Christian and I care and so does my God". Hopefully the Lord has someone inside that can speak with him. -But I'm not praying the Lord throw someone in jail to witness to Chris Maybe a Chaplain might pick him out of a crowd and talk with him or a guy already there anyways or something.

When I saw the video, I thought of the Theology Program article I read a while back, "representing Christ to a postmodern world". How do I encourage him to put his trust in the Lord Jesus and take the time to understand the Gospel message? I've sent him Wayne Grudem's "Making Sense of" series, I hope he got them and I hope he reads them. I'll send him a NET Bible as soon as I confirm that he's received the books.

But I would really appreciate it if you sent him an email, if you don't mind. And of course, keep him lifted up in prayers.

God Bless,
Jeff Lucas

I heard an encouraging word this morning in a song.

"I can hear the least of these
Crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet
Of You, O God
So if you say move
It's time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
And show them who you are

Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh I could choose
Not to move
But I refuse"

-Josh Wilson-

It made me stop and think. I am burdened for Chris' salvation. God didn't burden others, He burdened me. I've been feeling alone, like I need help from my Christian brothers and sisters, but that's a lack of faith on my part. God didn't burden others, He burdened me. If God burdens someone to write a letter, praise Him. But if He doesn't, who cares? Let every man follow his own convictions on it. I don't need no stinking help, I got the Holy Ghost to help me!

Good song anyways, it really made me think this morning and gave me a bit of confidence.

Brother JeffL : Shalom to all , Brother please look at this website ; aclj dot org. ... means american civil liberty justice ... O K ??? ... I watched a program on a christian tv named Daystar ... that had their aclj program about U.S. Marines that put up 2 Crosses years ago at Camp Pendelton in Calif. to honor fallen Marines or Soldiers and their Widows ... a Athiest group was Challanging the Constitutional right for the Crosses to be there ... !!! ... I Believe that possibly aclj could help Brother Chris Diaz ... let*s both check into this ... what would Jesus Do ... ??? !!! ... Jesus Christ said to Bare one another*s Burdens ... !!! ... Glory to God through Christ ... bless everyone amen shalom bye !!!...