"The Black Sheep"
As I start to pen this message today, it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will speak directly to your heart. I never want to sound harsh but I must always be obedient to the Spirit. These are serious times. The King will not wait much longer, and souls are hanging in the balance. I�m not just talking about the people that display their sin openly, but some in the pulpit, the pews, the Sunday School class. I�m talking also to people that have attended faithfully every time the doors are open. They�ve come in, sat down, sang a few songs, shouted a little, put a dollar or two in the plate and went home satisfied with them-selves. Some toes may have already been stepped on here! If so, I�m glad � that means you�ve still got life in you and the Holy Spirit is dealing with your heart. Many have lived what appears to be a wonderful, holy life � but have they? Or is it just �religion�? Some may ask why I call it that � �religion�� Something needs to be made clear today to people sitting in churches everywhere � the true church is called and sent to reach the lost! You can have a church full of people every service, but if you�re not going after the lost then all you have is four walls and a bunch of folks in trouble of the worst kind. Sin is in many of the camps that wear the name of Christianity. It�s not because they are vile, evil people � it�s because they knoweth to do good and doeth it not! They are not going into the highways and hedges (hedges are fenced in areas) and compelling people to come in. They aren�t reaching out to �The Black Sheep.�
I�m sure most of you are familiar with James 4:17. When we know what�s good, we know we�re supposed to do it! We know as Christians we�re supposed to follow the example of Jesus. Where was He at constantly? Among the �black sheep� of society! Jesus didn�t build four walls, get some followers and just stay there. No, Jesus went out and got right in, rubbing elbows with people the �church group� (the �religious�) looked down on. They didn�t want the harlot! They didn�t want the thief or murderer! They didn�t want the sick or the possessed! They didn�t even want the poor! L But Jesus came for these very people, and He went to them. He fed them. He clothed them. He healed them on the outside AND the inside. He did not judge them, but loved them and offered freedom! They may have still lived in the same old house and neighborhood, but the old man was dead and all things made new. They were free! That freedom was brought to them and offered, and many accepted. Jesus taught by example and He commanded His disciples, His church, to do what He did! He said for them to go! Go and compel! Go cast out devils! Go heal the sick! Go bind up the broken heart! Go set the captive free! What are YOU doing? Jesus came for the sinner � �The Black Sheep�!
I was raised in the country and all my life heard about families having a �black sheep�. Heard every family had at least one. As a child I always wondered about that and sort of kept an eye out for that little black sheep. I had to see one. In later years after much good family raisin� and a lot of good church services, I looked in the mirror � backslidden and in terrible trouble with the law. Staring back at me was that black sheep! I was disobedient to God, rebellious, blackened by sin, a black spot on family and all that believed in me. I was lost. In Luke 15:1-7, Jesus gave example of going after the lost sheep. A man with 100 sheep leaves the 99 to go after the one lost sheep. This came right after the Pharisees (again, the �religious�) were talking about Him, complaining because He received sinners and ate with them. A true child of God goes after the sheep. That one little sheep was maybe mischievous, a bit rowdy, had to see the world (sin). I�m gonna call him a black sheep. The shepherd went after him and didn�t give up until he found it. He showed compassion. He loved it. It was his sheep and he picked it up rejoicing, and carried it back home. He called his neighbors together to show them, and they rejoiced together. You know, because of that shepherd�s love and the acceptance of the neighbors, I�m convinced that sheep washed white as snow. Love changes, love by action and not just words. I can see them now, picking things out of that little sheep�s wool. All the things that tried to stick to him while out exploring the world (sin). He cleaned up real good, all white, and shook off all the unwanted hitch-hikers. Nothing could stay because of the love shown to �The Black Sheep.�
We can read on down in Luke 15, staring in verse 11. Most everyone is familiar with the prodigal son. Here is a young man with everything before him � his father is well off, all is good for him. But the lights of town kept calling. He wanted to taste the world. I�m sure that when he took his portion of goods and went off down that broad road, he was labeled a �black sheep�. No doubt by his own brother! He was probably labeled by the neighbors and other family as well. You see, I know that story well because I lived it. I had no reason to take the path I took except being lured away by my own lusts! Many gave up on me and I often heard them say that I�d never amount to nothing. Only Jesus made a difference by sending caring and obedient disciples after this black sheep. Like the prodigal son I had to become sick of sin. I had to realize I would perish in that sin. I had to be brought down and humbled. I had to become repentant! There were some that never gave up on the prodigal son, the black sheep. He was met on the road back! He was taken back, restored, and a rejoicing took place. All was not good though � his brother and maybe others didn�t like it and were jealous. I have no doubt that happens today as well, when a black sheep comes to God! Perhaps that is why so many folk choose to disobey God and not go after �The Black Sheep�?
I challenge each of you to take a long look at this message. Put yourself under the microscope and examine yourself closely. If the woman down the road with 2 or 3 kids and no daddy came to your church, would you receive them? If you answer yes, why haven�t you went to them? If the drunk came in, would you stay with him until he prayed through? Then why haven�t you gone after him? How about that homosexual, that prostitute, that homeless person � why have you not gone after them? The worst of the worst is here in prison. I�ve been here for 12 years. I�ve walked the walk and talked the talk, and I�ve given the Gospel freely and born fruit. I�ve fought but not been tarnished by the many evil spirits that dwell in every prison. Why? Because there were a few men and women that came after a black sheep! I did say a �few�! Every day some-where prisoners are being released � murderers, rapists, thieves and robbers, child predators. Every evil though of, and some you�d never think of, being released. Most are coming out having just done time associating with other evil spirits, and they are
worse than ever before. They are not changed, not rehabilitated. That�s not Paul Patton�s fault! That�s not the General Assembly�s fault. They feed off of pornography through books, magazines and TV, and perversion is rampant. Some of the fault lies with anyone called Christian that hasn�t reached out to a black sheep. Only God can change a person. He�ll do it on the inside and all else will follow. You and I are RESPONSIBLE for all the outcasts of society. When we stand before the Great White Throne of Judgment, will the blood of others be on our hands and robes? If we fail to go after the black sheep out there, then we�ll be covered in blood! The answer to society�s outcasts is not to lock them up and throw away the key, it is JESUS. YOU are responsible for �The Black Sheep.�
No doubt many have found a nice stone to hurl at me, but that�s alright! If I didn�t love every one of you, whether free or in bondage, I�d just pat your back and say you�ll be fine. Because I love you I cannot tickle your ears and pat your backs into hell! I love you every one, but we have a commandment, a commission, and not doing it is sin. No sin will enter in! NO SIN! Don�t end up in hell for eternity over disobedience and a holier-than-thou attitude. Men receive some good solid preaching in prison, but they receive a lot of seducing half-truths also. Each of you must personally see that a solid non-perverted Word is taken to the black sheep. GO GET �THE BLACK SHEEP!�
I�ve looked back through my Bible at the many forewarnings God has given me, and I note them in the margins. Last February 2002, the Holy Spirit told me to �spend time before God, to get full of God, you�re about to walk on troubles waters.� He took me to Ezekiel 2 and 3 and told me the truth is not popular! He showed me about stubborn people in the church and how they would be like scarecrows trying to run me off. That people would lie, slander and give me hard looks to try and silence me. My instructions were simple, �Preach regardless! The Word of God tastes good to a child of God!� I know some have accepted this word today from God! You will start repenting and act on the word. To those who didn�t receive it and fit in with the scarecrows, be forewarned. God will bring you to the light. Darkness cannot continually hide in the house of God. You will be revealed and your opportunity to repent is almost over � the judgment of God is at hand. Many of my pastor friends have this problem in their churches, and God is about to deal with it. Brother ministers, preach the Word, nothing but the truth: don�t compromise and don�t back up. Push forward � help is on the way!
I want to thank all of you for your prayers. I want to thank those who have supported this ministry � we appreciate one stamp the same as $100. This ministry doesn�t belong to me or Kim � this is your ministry. If a soul is saved it is because you have helped in bringing forth the Gospel. It�s because you care about the black sheep. To my many brothers and sisters in prison being released soon, hang on and stay close to God! I know your burdens and desire to hear from you. To my many brothers and sisters on the outside, stay busy for God, go after the black sheep for time is short. Be careful to accept people � the life you change may keep a family, a community from being touched by crime. It will certainly be rewarded by God. I hope to soon be with you, to fellowship with you, to seek out the lost with you and pray with you. Kim and I love and appreciate you every one. By the time you read this newsletter, I will have 4 months to the parole board. Kim is putting together letters received on my behalf, and they will be forwarded to the Parole Board shortly. God�s will is my prayer for us and for you. That is the only way that I desire you to pray for this family.
In Christ's Love, Bro. Don George
