Unsnapped: An Unconventional Fragrance

By A. D. Wade

Throughout the Old Testament, God’s children were in and out of captivity because of their actions. It’s the same today. We call out to God when the going gets tough and forget him when things get easier again. In Unsnapped, author A. D. Wade speaks to people who are incarceratedand who do not know Christ.
Using the Bible and scripture as a guide, the author shows that even inmates have hope through Jesus; God did not intend for his children to remain in captivity. Men and women who are physically in prison can be set free if they simply accept the work that Jesus did on the cross for all of us. Wade communicates that people who have given their lives to Christ and are walking the walk they are talking have a true chance of repentance and rehabilitation. When prisoners or inmates receive the gospel and become disciples of Jesus, they have a responsibility to carry the gospel and their testimony to others who are hurting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9781664288867

A. D. Wade

A. D. Wade is an imperfect, practicing Christian who has chosen to remain anonymous at this time. Wade believes that the truths in this book do not conform to social, gender, or racial limitations.

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Copyright © 2022 A. D. Wade.

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 author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from King James version of the Bible, public domain.

Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8885-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8884-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8886-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023918136

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/05/2023

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 And

Chapter 2 What Are You Doing?

Chapter 3 Classed a Captive

Chapter 4 Additional Judgments

Chapter 5 The Unattractive

Chapter 6 Can You Handle the Truth?

Chapter 7 I Am His!

Chapter 8 It’s Already Done

Chapter 9 I’m Sorry!

Chapter 10 Thank You, Jesus

Chapter 11 Love

Chapter 12 Victory

Chapter 13 Prayer and Praise

Chapter 14 Hope

Chapter 15 Who Is Watching?

Chapter 16 Where Would You Be?

Chapter 17 Lead Me, Lord

Conclusion

This book is

dedicated to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ;

to my spouse, who never gave up on me and truly is unlike any other;

and to our children, including the one who can tell

me all about it when I see her again. I hope you

approve of the book cover, my precious angel.

I love you all!

A special thanks to D. Stephens for your corrections, suggestions, and time spent reading this and to B. Lynn for your additional proofreading along with corrections, suggestions, and time. You are an amazing artist. May your passion for reaching people through art flourish. Also, to the two Bible scholars who read this and edited even more, thank you.

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INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this book is to encourage people—Christians who are incarcerated. People who are incarcerated who do not know Christ. People who find themselves in a different kind of captivity.

People. Human beings who long for that something missing.

I know that this book may offend some because it addresses prisoners. Please take that up with the Lord, as he is the One who has put this revelation and passion in my heart. I have learned a lot about myself, including how to change and who I want to be through reading what has helped others and either applying it to myself and circumstances or taking in the idea and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me through what I read and how to apply it.

First of all, I encourage everyone to read their Bible. If you don’t have one, ask someone who does how to get one. It is not hard. Don’t complicate getting a Bible. Read it. Even when it does not make sense, keep reading. Get different translations. Right now in my view, I have two. I intend to get more before my time on earth is through. Make your Bible your journal if you have to. I will say that accepting Christ as your personal Savior will allow the Holy Spirit to guide you through the Scriptures.

The other purpose of this book is to say that, just because someone has told us what to believe, we should not do so unless it can be backed up with Scriptures. Even then, make sure that the people you are listening to have love as their motivating factor in guiding you.

Now, having said that, you will read in this book about inmates being set free. I am in no way excusing the actions of anyone in prison. What I am attempting to do is show that even inmates have hope through Jesus. God did not intend for his children to remain in captivity. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s children were in and out of captivity because of their actions. It’s the same today. We call out to God when the going gets tough and forget him when things get easier again. Stop that! Take him with you wherever you go, and stop listening to political people who claim to have the people’s safety and best interest at heart just to get votes.

A violent offender is less likely to reoffend than perpetrators of any other crime committed. A female violent offender is even less likely. Why do some deserve a second chance and others don’t? People who have turned their lives over to Christ and are walking the walk they are talking has a true chance of repentance and rehabilitation, if you will. People who have committed violent crimes and have truly changed could be the very ones you want going into your schools, diversion centers, juvenile detention centers, shelters, safe houses, the street, and your church to give their testimony of God’s redemptive grace. Don’t discount the very people who could help your community.

To those in prison, think of Christ in you as real. Picture a steel bunk. Christ is the steel that holds the weight of a person. Now spread a sheet over it so that it is covered all the way. Now you can see the sheet but not the steel under it. You know that it is there, and if the sheet is moved a certain way, you can see it. It can be the same with Jesus. You can’t see him, but if you move a certain way, you get a glimpse. You are the sheet; Jesus is the bunk. He is strong. Let him hold you.

CHAPTER 1

And

Webster’s New Basic Dictionary, Office Edition, defines the word and as

1. Together or along with: as well as.

2. Added to: plus.

3. As a result: in consequence and here I am.>

4. Used between 2 verbs and find it > and see>

T hat little three-letter word has made me wonder. You see, like many people, I have read through the Bible many times, and true enough, each time something new jumps out at me. This time, however, I believe it to be life-changing! One verse with the word and in a different translation has totally captivated me.

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Ephesians 4:8 King James Version)

Therefore He says: When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Ephesians 4:8 New King James Version)

Going back to the definitions of and—together, along with, as well as, added to, as a result, and in consequence—you could say it a different way (e.g., When Jesus ascended, he led captivity captive as well as gave gifts to men). I believe no one wants to talk about Jesus taking captivity captive because captivity has become such a lucrative business, and it is really unpopular to talk about setting captives free, especially if they have murdered someone. But most people forget that Moses and David murdered as well, and God forgave them and used them greatly.

Jesus took captivity captive when he died on the cross and gave gifts to men. Before this revelation, I also interpreted Ephesians 4:8 as meaning that Jesus just gave gifts to me.

Now, before you put this book down because you think that this is just another instance where some Jesus fanatic takes one verse of the Bible and runs with it without accompanying verses, wait for it. Many verses talk about setting the captives free, and we will get to them. Just know that he’s already done it.

Psalm 68:18 says, "You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell there."

The word and is not used in Psalm 68:18. Compared to Ephesians 4:8, Psalm 68:18 says it straight and puts it in an order. First, he ascended on high. Then he took captivity captive, and then he gave gifts to men.

My NKJV Study Bible notes say that Ephesians 4:8 is quoted as a reference to Psalm 68:18, written to the ascended Christ, who as victor gave spiritual gifts to his disciples. The imagery is that of a king coming home from battle leading a triumphant procession as he returns with the defeated captives.

Yep.

Now let’s look at Isaiah 61:1: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison doors to those who are bound."

As I read this, I wondered, Is it just spiritual bound-ness? Spiritual captivity? Nope! And this is good, good news, my family in Christ. Reading further on, my study Bible says, "The captives could include the physically captive as well as the spiritually captive. The phrase to proclaim liberty is used elsewhere in conjunction with the Jubilee Year, when slaves were set free according to the law. The liberty He proclaimed to those who are bound could mean being literally released from bondage and also carries the concept of coming from darkness to light" (emphasis added).

Now, taking all these together, I do believe that Jesus has already taken captivity captive. The Bible says so. That also means that people, men and women, who are physically in prison can be set free if they