Benjamin Wallace Bower
Northwest Correctional Complex
TOMIS ID 00373829
960 State Route 212
Tiptonville, TN 38079-4037

Ben's Story

Andrea's Visit with Ben on 10-9-2004

Scriptures we read together: Malachi 4:16, Psalm 119:144 and Job Chapter 28 (which Ben says he really likes)

I was able to spend 4 hours fellowshipping with Ben about many things. The guard granted our request again for use of a Bible and additionally, much to our amazement, let me borrow a pencil and a sheet of paper. We felt so RICH to have such items to use during our time together. I was also allowed to take the paper (with my written notes) out with me when I left.

Ben shared with me a story he read about Socrates. He said an aspiring student asked Socrates if he could learn from him. Socrates took the student to a lake and held him briefly under the water. When he let the boy up, who gasped for air, he told him, "When you want to learn as much as you wanted that next gulp of air, then you can be my student."

Ben said that he wanted to learn and understand God with that same level of "Need." He said he knows that he needs Him as desperately as he needs his next gulp of air!

He recounted a story of another inmate he knew named Robert, who when ordered to get up for count in the morning, jumped off his bunk and exclaimed, "GET UP! Anything less than breathing is wasting Bible Time!"

Ben had a great realization about the Lord's Person which he said he is enjoying very much. He asked another inmate, "Who Are You?" It was difficult for him to answer with anything other than his name, or a description of himself. Later that night, when Ben couldn't sleep, he laid awake in his bunk and began probing the Lord as if he was a reporter. He asked the Lord the questions of Who, What, Where, When and Why?

When he asked the Lord, "Who are You?" The Lord spoke to Him in a clear and wonderful way saying, "I AM."
Ben "got it" and was filled with joy over this response!

Then he asked the Lord, "What Are You?" And the Lord spoke to him (in his spirit) concerning the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering etc. He spoke also to him, many of His Names.

Ben asked, "Where Are You?" and He answered, "Right Here."

He asked, "When Are You?" and He answered, "Right Now."

The only question that Ben did not explore with God that night was, Why are You?
So this became a primary topic that Ben and I fellowshipped on our visit together. We got to discuss what we thought motivated and inspired God to create the heavens and the earth and all things in it. Ben immediately answered according to Ephesians, "It was His good pleasure." We then discussed what was in His heart, causing Him to delight in creating man and why He saved and redeemed man back to Himself from his fallen condition. This lead to our discussion on how God is carrying out His plan and purpose through man on the earth today. We talked about being God's farm, in that we have received Christ as a Seed of Life. And by nourishing and watering this Seed we are growing Christ for God's pleasure. We talked about gaining and growing Christ that we could ripen to become the firstfruits of God's harvest.

We also enjoyed Christ as the Treasure in us, the earthen vessels. We pondered His coming as a Thief in the night, looking for faith on the earth, looking to steal away His Treasure. We saw that when He comes, in His secret coming, He will be looking for Christ formed in us.

We saw all the faith filled, ripened harvest of God, becoming a City, The New Jerusalem. We saw that Christ has made us living stones for God's building and as such, how we are being transformed into precious materials, which comprise the City, described in Revelation.

The four hour visit was laid up as treasure in Heaven. We enjoyed Malachi 3:16
" Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name".

We made some eternal memories in our visit, which we believe will be part of our remembrance and fellowship when we recline again at table, with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the Heavens.

Additionally, we talked about Ben's participation in the PACE program. Starting Monday, Oct. 11th, he begins a speech class. Eventually, he will have the opportunity to speak to groups of kids that come into the prison. I encouraged Ben of the power of his testimony to help other youth who are heading down a road to destruction, and we talked about what he would like to share with them.

Some of what he mentioned is the following: He learned from his mistakes that;

* Sin is enticing and it appears to be something it is not.
* He shared that It was a slow progression of wrong thought that caused him to eventually not care about anything.
* He said that the rap music he would listen to (with terrible lyrics) seeded his mind with poison. He said that you wouldn't think that it would cause you to do things, but over time, it can influence you towards acts of evil.

He said that instead of telling kids not to do something, since they tend to react the opposite, he would suggest another way instead.