An inmate’s daughter’s prayer ANSWERED!!!
On Monday, 7/7/14, three of us went to Maricopa County Jail. Midge, an elderly woman who has been doing this for nine years, Catherine and myself. We usually arrive around 8:30. This Monday was truly a blessing for them and us, as we were able to see more inmates than usual. Usually we leave the jail around 2 to 2:30, but this Monday we didn't leave till 4 o'clock.
In our 2nd session one of the young men, in his early twenty’s stated several times, "It doesn't make sense!" He had heard many times about Jesus dying on the cross to pay for our sins, again he states, “Doesn’t make sense!"
That's when I walked over and sat down next to him and asked him what doesn't make sense? He stated, "If someone who lives his life and breaks every single one of God's Laws and then right before he dies on his deathbed he accepts Jesus, are you telling me that that person is going to heaven...that doesn't make sense!" I’ve been told many times that Jesus loves me and all I have to do is accept Him and I’m saved, so I might as well get what I can and before I die ask Him.
That's when I shared with him what I’ve learned from Ray Comfort who brought us this teaching of The Way of The Master. I then asked him if he had ever lied, stolen or used the Lord's Name as a swear word, or ever looked with lust? He stated he had, with a flippant attitude!
I then asked, based on his own admission, would he be innocent or guilty in front of a Holy God...He said guilty! I then asked, Heaven or Hell, he stated probably Hell. I then asked did that concern him he said, yes. So that the others who were listening would have a clear understanding of what Hell is like, I then explained it. I have found that many, even those who claim to be Christian, don't really know what it’s like.
So as you can see his understanding of a god who will just set you free because you accept him didn’t make sense and rightly so.
Now is when I was able to give him the courtroom analogy that Ray had shown us. If he was in front of the Maricopa Judge and was about to be sentenced with the Judge stating he would have to spend life in jail or come up with one million dollars, to be set free. I then asked, so if he just told the Judge how sorry he was, please forgive me, and I’ll never do it again, could the Judge let him go? He stated, ”NO!”
I then asked what if just as the Judge was about to slam the gavel down for his sentence of life in prison, when someone he didn’t know walked into the courtroom and shouted out that he had a certified check for $1 Million Dollars. The man states he sold every thing he had, Stocks, Bonds, Investment property, cars & his house because he loves this man & didn’t want to see him suffer.
I then asked the inmate could the Judge let you go? He pondered a while and then with a smile, said, “YES!” That’s when I told him that’s what Jesus did for us two thousand years ago.
Now what is needed from us and in this case him, (the inmate) is NOT to just accept Jesus, but to REPENT, (have Godly sorrow (2Cor. 7:10)) and TRUST in Him for the forgiveness of our sin, and if he does, then I would assume that he would do as He requested, “to go and sin NO MORE!”
Now this is a true Blessing from the Lord, as not only did his body language change but also stated, “Now I understand, that makes sense!” He then made an amazing statement! “His 8-year-old daughter spoke with him last week and told him that she was praying that God would send someone to speak to him.”
I asked him to seriously think about what he has heard and when he goes back to his cell that he may want to get on his knees, no on his face, and ask the Lord to forgive him of all his sins, even name them, then share that experience with others in the jail.
Please pray for this young man as I think the Lord was calling him, as I finished speaking, I remembered what he said his daughter said to him, that she was praying that God would send someone to speak to him. I then said so can you see how your daughter’s prayer is being answered today!
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