Saved in a Jail Cell

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I was ready to do whatever He wanted me to do. Even if my actions got me killed. — Casey Diaz, The Shot Caller Saved in a Jail Cell by Casey Diaz from The Shot Caller Editor's note: Casey Diaz was a violent gangbanger whose crimes had caught up to him landing not only in jail but in solitary confinement. Today, Casey can't stop sharing his story of how God saw him, knew him, and never forgot him… even in a lonely prison cell. Today's excerpt is from The Shot Caller, in which he tells the shocking story of his violent youth and the miraculous moment he decided to give His life to God and become a new man. Casey's story showcases the love of God and that no one — no one — is too far gone for the saving grace of Jesus! * "What's salvation?" The chaplain took his time explaining to me the concept of salvation, which is that Christ's death on the Cross and subsequent resurrection saved me from God's judgment of sin — sin that had separated me from God. Instead of experiencing the consequence of sin, which was death, I had the assurance of knowing that when I died I would have eternal life with Christ. The chaplain seemed very excited about me. He gave me a Gideon Bible, with the King James translation. This particular Bible consisted of the New Testament and the book of Psalms and the book of Proverbs from the Old Testament. * When I returned to my cell, I read that Bible inside and out. If I was awake, I was reading one of the Gospels or one of the Epistles. I went to sleep reading my Bible and when I'd wake up, I'd discover that I'd slept right on top of it. Every hour I was awake, I was reading that Bible. I'd spend five, six hours reading, then fall asleep, wake up, do some push-ups and calisthenics, and get back to reading from where I left off. I didn't understand half of what I was reading, but that didn't even bother me. Neither did the thees and thous that sounded so foreign to me. Even though I didn't quite understand the message, I knew that whatever I was reading made me feel good. Several weeks after I received the Gideon Bible, I stopped reading. I looked around my bare cell, thinking. Then I heard God's voice speak to me. He said, When you get out of here, you're going to gather your homies together and tell them that you want nothing to do with the gang life anymore because you're a Christian. "Okay," I replied. "I will do that." I took God's direction to mean that I would say that to gang leaders after I got paroled, but that was a long way off because I still had more than seven years left on my sentence. A few days later, I was in my cell, reading my Bible. Nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, my gate opened, which had never happened before in that manner. You have to understand that in the world of incarceration, there is no such protocol. The system is the system. They never break the system. They never open a prisoner's gate until they've come to the wicket and told you to step all the way to the back of the cell, get on your knees, cross your legs, put your hands behind your head, and interlace your fingers. That's how it was done every single time my cell was about to be opened. For my gate to suddenly open like that didn't totally freak me out, but it was weird. I looked up from my chair and saw the warden and the CO gang coordinator who greeted me when I arrived from Delano, the same two who told me they were going to make sure that I served the rest of my time in the SHU, in solitary. The warden spoke first. "I don't know why we're doing this, but we're going to put you in mainline," he said. * Mainline. That meant I would leave solitary confinement and be transferred to the main prison population to serve the rest of my sentence with other prisoners. I didn't say anything. I was too stunned to react because this wasn't supposed to happen. I had been thrown in "the hole" and was supposed to stay in solitary for at least seven more years to finish my twelve-year, eight-month sentence. "When am I going to mainline?" I asked, afraid to get my hopes too high. "Right now." There was nothing to pack. I had the clothes on my back, the shortest toothbrush in the world, and my precious Bible. A few minutes later, one of the guards delivered a fresh set of state blue jeans, a white T-shirt, a pair of socks, and sneakers. I changed into the new garb, grabbed my Bible, but left my toothbrush behind. Within twenty minutes, I was processed into the B yard and a Level IV unit with two dozen men. Two COs escorted me to my new cell, which was empty. For a moment, I would have a cell to myself. I looked around at my new home and thought about how much my life had changed in the last half hour. Then I remembered what God had told me: When you get out of here, you're going to gather your guys together and tell them that you want nothing to do with the gang life anymore because you're a Christian. My heart was ready. I knew that declaring I no longer wanted to be a gang member meant that I was forfeiting my life. I was aware of that, but I was ready to do whatever He wanted me to do. Even if my actions got me killed. Excerpted with permission from The Shot Caller by Casey Diaz, copyright Casey Diaz. Hear Casey's incredible testimony WATCH Your Turn Have you ever wondered if someone you love is too far gone to meet Jesus and be saved? Maybe they're addicted to drugs, or living on the street, or partying every night, or just ignorant of how much God loves them. Keep praying! And let Casey's remarkable, spirit-filled story of salvation encourage you in your prayers. Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily COMMENT Share this devotion with someone who needs it today. You are never too far gone... Don't miss this $5 deal of the month The Shot Caller: A Latino Gangbanger's Miraculous Escape from a Life of Violence to a New Life in Christ by Casey Diaz Softcover, Regular: $17.99 Sale Price: $5.00 + free U.S. shipping* on orders $30 or more SHOP NOW "This is a story of a tough young man who lost his way, and of a loving God who never forgot him, no matter where he was." — Nicky Cruz, bestselling author of Run Baby Run The son of El Salvadorian immigrants, Casey Diaz was brought to Los Angeles at the age of two. An abusive, impoverished family life propelled Casey at only eleven years of age into the Rockwood Street Locos gang. Casey was willing to do anything to be number one, but years of chasing rival gang members led to a dramatic ambush and arrest by the LAPD. At just sixteen, Casey was sentenced to more than twelve years in solitary confinement in California's toughest prison as one of the state's most violent offenders. He thought his life was over. Yet, when a determined elderly woman paid Casey a visit, a whole new world of possibilities began to unfold. Casey scoffed as she quietly insisted God was going to use him. As the days in solitary wore on, Casey realized Someone else was calling the shots. What happened next can only be described as a miracle. Perfect for: People who believe they're too far gone Parents who want to keep their kids out of gangs – what are the warning signs Social workers who interact with at-risk youth Those looking for a gritty, informed perspective on LA street gangs and gang culture A visceral insider's look at the violent world of gangs and prison life, The Shot Caller is a remarkable demonstration of God's reckless, unending grace and His desire to reach even the worst of sinners—no matter where they are. Praise for The Shot Caller "Hard to put down! This book captured me and I wanted to read the whole book in one setting! I appreciated how upfront and honest the author was.The book is evidence to how much God loves us and wants to save us." - Ruth "Wonderful to see God is still doing fantastic miracles in the lives of those who need him and ask for his help!!! Fascinating account of Gods great love and mercy, gives me great hope for my family members who are not born again!!! A wonderful read for anyone who wants HOPE, it is there in CHRIST!" - Linda "Casey Diaz shows us that it does not matter how bad you've been.....God can turn your life around, forgive you and use your former life to rescue and save others! I'm not one that likes to read, but I couldn't put this book down!!" -Karla Don't miss this $5 deal PRISON FELLOWSHIP BIBLES ON SALE Under $5.00 each NIrV, Free on the Inside Bible A low-cost Bible developed with Prison Fellowship® uniquely designed for prison ministry. Softcover, Regular: $6.99 Sale Price: $4.89 + free U.S. shipping* on orders $30 or more SHOP NOW SHOP AUGUST DEALS *Sale prices valid through 8/31/2020, excluding eBooks.  eBooks purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose.  Free U.S. shipping on orders $30 or more, excluding Alaska and Hawaii Devotionals Daily ~ our mission is to help you grow and share your faith. Did you receive this message from a friend? Sign up to start receiving Devotionals Daily. Copyright © 2020 HarperCollins Christian Publishing,  All Rights Reserved. 501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN  37214  USA Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy *Manage your eMail preferences or unsubscribe

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