In 1983, Ken Cooper’s 3-year career as an armed felon ended when he was sentenced to 99 years in Florida’s infamous prison—The Rock. With just five guards controlling 900 inmates, The Rock was a hell hole of knifings, beatings, murders, and rape. But while there, Ken Cooper heard the gospel through a brave prison chaplain and became a follower of Jesus. Soon some of Ken’s cellmates did too, and their lives began to change.
One day Ken and his friends adopted a kitten that they named Mr. Magoo. Mr. Magoo’s back had been broken and his eyes had been blinded by acid—cruel acts committed by other inmates. But Ken and the other kind inmates held Mr. Magoo each day, took turns feeding him, and even prayed for his sight to return. Mr. Magoo was lavished with love. And his sight did return!
The justice system could punish Ken and his cellmates, but it couldn’t change their hearts. The kindness shown to Mr. Magoo revealed the transformation taking place inside them.
The apostle Paul once lamented that many of his fellow Jews rejected Jesus for the Old Testament law. Paul’s response was that while that law was good (Romans 7:12,14) and glorious (2 Corinthians 3:7), it could only condemn when we broke it (v.9). Like the civil law that judged Ken Cooper, the law exposes our bad deeds and sentences us. In contrast, Jesus, by His Spirit, offers inner transformation. He enters our lives and starts restoring our souls to make us “more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image” (v.18). We are freed and changed (v.17). For Paul, the good-but-condemning law was no match for the good-and- transforming Spirit (v.8). Ken Cooper would concur, for God’s grace turned hardened criminals into kitten-loving gentlemen.
ABOUT KEN
Ken Cooper was a decent sort of man, got excellent grades in school, went to college, but had a penchant for stealing. He loved the adrelenin rush of it, the “natural” high it gave him.
He met a girl that made him “see the light” so to speak and they had a baby. He resolved to be the best husband and best dad anyone could hope for. He was, too… until his wife died and he gave his child away because he couldn’t take care of her. He felt like a failure, and that’s when he decided to rob banks.......for more details click the link below....
Ken coopers book "Held Hostage: A Serial Bank Robber’s Road to Redemption"
Held Hostage by Ken Cooper
PRAISE GOD
BLESSED BE THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD
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