Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Just a Closer Walk
    Just a Closer Walk
    Just a Closer Walk
    Ebook148 pages1 hour

    Just a Closer Walk

    By Jerry Marshall

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    In Just a Closer Walk, author Jerry Marshall, a Christian Correctional Officer, offers a unique perspective on his work experience and personal life. As God challenged him, he in turn wrote devotionals to encourage himself and others to experience a closer walk with Christ. We all experience loneliness, depression, anger, fear, or helplessness at some point in our lives. Through short, personal stories, Marshall tells us about how he dealt with these issues and shows how we can also overcome them to have a victorious life in Christ.

    Marshall takes examples from the Word of God and from his experiences and applies them to the problems each of us face on a daily basis. He has encountered the pains and trials of those behind prison walls, a wide range of people with many issues and difficulties, and explains how Christs love brought healing power into the prisons darkness.

    Just a Closer Walk, seeks to offer comfort to the hurting and encourages them to trust in God. He challenges those who feel they are settling for stale bread when they can experience the Bread of Life. Marshall speaks from his heart about Gods love, righteousness, and desire to draw His children into a closer walk with Him.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAbbott Press
    Release dateNov 15, 2013
    ISBN9781458212269
    Just a Closer Walk
    Author

    Jerry Marshall

    Following his service in the US Air Force, Jerry Marshall attended Multnomah School of the Bible, where he majored in Bible and Journalism, with the idea of doing what he enjoyed most, writing about the Lord. He worked at San Quentin Prison for two years and then at the Oregon State Penitentiary for thirty years. His experiences and interactions with inmates there provided much of his devotional material.

    Related to Just a Closer Walk

    Related ebooks

    New Age & Spirituality For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Jul 21, 2023

      D ear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to k

      6 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Sep 23, 2022

      D ear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to k

      7 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Jun 16, 2023

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      7 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Aug 19, 2019

      Thank you for your wonderfully illustrated Biblical series of articles that you regularly publish. I find that I can’t concentrate like I used to, and love the short, precise, and factual articles. I have learnt so much from reading them. I was fasci

      7 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Apr 5, 2024

      D ear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to k

      10 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Aug 7, 2020

      Greetings in the Holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In your July issue of JOY! you asked what we are grateful for. I’m grateful for the fact that Jesus Christ saved me and my family. My third born son suffered severe burns on his body, and my last b

      6 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Dec 29, 2023

      D ear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to k

      7 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Nov 25, 2022

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      8 min read

    • Article

      The Lost Language of Lament

      Jul 30, 2021

      The Lost Language of Lament
      3 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Jun 15, 2020

      A lot of people are asking why the world is the way it is. What’s going on? What on earth is God doing? Most of these people have never considered God before, but are questioning now that there is this terrible international crisis that is killing th

      7 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Jul 22, 2022

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      9 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Aug 26, 2022

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      8 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Mar 18, 2022

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      7 min read

    • Article

      Irresistible Grace

      Feb 10, 2023

      In his book Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis describes an insight about divine mercy that particularly resonates with my own experience. I suspect it may also resonate with yours. Stories of how people come to Christ are as unique as the individuals that

      3 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Jun 24, 2022

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      7 min read

    • Article

      Samuel Rodriguez

      Jul 26, 2022

      Samuel Rodriguez
      2 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Jun 12, 2020

      This lockdown has really shaken a lot of people and caused them to stop relying on themselves and the things of this world. Jesus is our only hope and I am so grateful that I know Him as my Lord and Saviour and best friend and protector. I have peace

      7 min read

    • Article

      A Deeper Kindness

      Mar 6, 2019

      For today’s contributor, the idea that true kindness has the power of God, divine Love, behind it made all the difference in defusing a heated situation.

      2 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Feb 9, 2024

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      11 min read

    • Article

      Reader Testimony

      Dec 31, 2021

      For as long as I can remember, I have had so-called symptoms of Bi-Polar mood disorder. I can also claim symptoms of PTSD. At risk of giving anything not of God any kind of recognition or sense of pride in itself, I hesitate to write too much about t

      3 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Nov 19, 2021

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      8 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Oct 28, 2022

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      7 min read

    • Article

      Overcoming Thoughts Of Suicide

      Jun 8, 2018

      Today’s contributor shares spiritual ideas that enabled her to help a friend struggling with the question of whether his life was worth living.

      3 min read

    • Article

      ‘Socially Acceptable’ Sins

      Apr 22, 2022

      In the church today, there are many sins that are seen as ‘socially acceptable’. Are we changing the Bible to fit our culture, or are we changing our culture to fit the Bible? While the sin of worry, for example, may not seem as severe as murder, it

      6 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Oct 2, 2020

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      8 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Oct 22, 2021

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      4 min read

    • Article

      Joy: God’s Gift to Every Born-Again Believer

      Aug 26, 2022

      Our Western society throws many challenges at us, but these are nothing like what the persecuted Church experiences, or even ordinary citizens in closed and communist nations. There are so many brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling with l

      2 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Oct 30, 2020

      It’s such a relief to read a magazine that the whole family can enjoy. May God continue bless you all. Shirley Hoshe What a joy to open the magazine and see all the beautiful organs of the world. Wow! They are true masterpieces. I am sure that each

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Just a Closer Walk

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Just a Closer Walk - Jerry Marshall

      Copyright © 2013 Jerry Marshall.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      Abbott Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

      Abbott Press

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.abbottpress.com

      Phone: 1-866-697-5310

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4582-1225-2 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4582-1226-9 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013918572

      Abbott Press rev. date: 11/04/2013

      Contents

      God’s Cure for Immor-ality

      The Joy of the Lord

      Hunger and Thirst

      In our Grief

      Sailing Away

      God’s Comfort

      Our Hope

      Our Example

      Aha!

      Judging by Appearance

      Like a Salesman

      Our Name

      Deciding to obey God

      A Job well done

      Loving in Truth

      Holidays in Prison

      Loving the Unlovely

      Our Daily Bread

      A Taste of Heaven

      When a Plan Comes Together

      Standing Firm

      Handling God’s Truth

      Sacred Circumstances

      Our Motives in Prayer

      The Artist

      Visiting Prisoners

      Removing the Plank

      Filled With Compassion

      Our Compassionate Savior

      Prison Epistles

      Fullness of Joy

      God’s Timing

      The Decisions We Make

      Pride or Contentment

      Commitment

      God Moments

      Keeping what we’ve attained

      Trivial Matters

      I Have My Rights!

      No Fear in Love

      Sowing and Reaping

      Tower Meditations

      We can Know

      Sound Doctrine

      Second Chances

      Who does God love more?

      Grumbling

      All things are Possible

      What We Think

      God’s Work

      Perseverance

      Chose to serve the Lord

      Checking In with God

      Surrendering our Rights

      Holy Passion

      Our Desperation

      Our Compass

      Never Lost

      The Power of Praise

      Being Still

      It’s not about You

      No Worries

      Peace During Change

      Waiting on God—How

      Waiting on God—Why

      An Eye for an Eye?

      Tough Love

      God’s Love Letter

      The Power of Forgiveness

      Knees Like a Camel

      Christ in you

      It’s all about Attitude

      God’s Children

      Forward

      The scriptural meditations in this book reflect the experience of a committed follower of Christ with men inside a maximum prison. His devotions express the joy of God’s forgiving and unconditional love. But a deeper meaning comes from the realization that they reflect the heart of the author, a veteran security officer who, over time, learned to love prison inmates like Jesus loved lepers.

      While this book conveys Christian theology, its greater value is how it shows Christianity in practice, the Good Samaritan in uniform.

      For many inmates, prison life is a profound hopelessness bound by loneliness and fear. Darkness prevails, light is rare, so when something with the power to change lives grows within the prison walls it is cause for celebration and thanksgiving. Such is this book of devotionals, a ray of light that brings joy to a joyless life and hope to a hopeless future.

      May this collection of thoughts and ideas find its way to the shelf of every prison chapel library and be the beacon of love and hope its author intended.

      Rev. Dr. Tim Cayton

      Administrator of Religious Services (ret)

      Oregon Department of Corrections

      Just a Closer Walk

      Encouraging words from within.

      These devotionals were written by a Christian Correctional Officer with thirty years’ experience working behind prison walls. He writes of work experiences and his personal life, and will encourage you to have a closer walk with Christ with all of its mountains and valleys.

      Loneliness, depression, anger, fear and helplessness are all too familiar to inmates… but also common feelings for anyone trapped in a helpless situation. This writer brings out many of these issues, and offers hope, joy and how to have victory over our daily struggles. The writer enjoys taking examples from God’s Word and applying them to the troubles of this world.

      In reading this book you will learn something of the trials of those behind walls. The writer addresses many of these issues and brings Christ’s love and healing power into that darkness, the issues that are much the same as those outside the walls.

      The author speaks from his heart to the hearts of his readers about God’s love, His forgiveness and His desire to lead His children into a life pleasing to Him.

      Just a Closer Walk will give you a glimpse behind steel gates, but as you read you will begin to see that the pains and ordeals inside are strikingly similar to the pain and darkness you see every day at your work, your home and your life.

      Acknowledgments

      I’m glad you paused to read this page because I wanted to tell you about my deep appreciation for several people whose help was invaluable in writing this book.

      This book would never have become a reality without the prayers and support of my wife, Peggy. She suggested I write a book, and has spent many hours patiently listening to and encouraging me.

      At one point when I needed someone with solid biblical understanding to edit for accuracy, and my friend Rod Rosencranz graciously stepped in to help with that. His side notes were more encouraging than he knows.

      Also guiding and encouraging me was my friend Bill Spivey, who helped keep me on track and show where God has led over the past few years.

      Chaplain Tim Cayton has been an encouragement. We met at my work post, where I told him of my writings. He encouraged me to continue the book, and volunteered to write a Preface. He has shown me a bigger picture of what God can do when we serve and obey Him.

      There are countless inmates I have spoken to over the years about the things of God. We have worshipped, encouraged, motivated and exhorted one another. I did not use names, but there may be individuals who will read these devotionals and recognize an exchange as theirs.

      Mostly I’d like to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father, The God of all comfort… without Whom these devotionals would be meaningless. Ultimately they are all about Him, His grace, mercy and peace.

      God’s Cure for Immor-ality

      Key verse: I Corinthians 15:53-54            Bible passage: 2 Timothy 1:6-10

      For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory."

      The cross changed history, and more importantly, it has changed lives. Only in Jesus Christ is there a remedy for sin; He alone can take the immoral and make them immortal. He alone can clothe us with immortality. Isn’t it interesting how one figure, a t, can change the eternal destiny of so many?

      The Israelites travelled three days in the wilderness, and became very thirsty God promised them water, but the water He provided was bitter (Exodus 15:22). Like their water, our sins are bitter to God and He can’t accept them. In order for our sins to be dealt with, or making us acceptable, there must be a remedy. God provided a piece of wood, a branch, as a remedy to make the Israelite’s water sweet. In the same way, He provided a branch for us, Jesus, Whose blood was shed on the cross to make our sins acceptable to God.

      Praise God that we have such a blessed redeemer, Who looked down through the ages and dropped clues through the prophets of this wonderful salvation plan.

      The Joy of the Lord

      Key verse: Nehemiah 8:10         Bible passage: Isaiah 35:1-4

      ". . . . Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

      There are times when God’s Word touches our heart so deeply all we can do is weep. Israel had been without the law for many long years, and when Ezra brought out the Law and began to read, the people wept with grief. They felt the hand of God heavy upon them, and

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1