Friday, July 31st, 2015
ABOUT RAPHAEL
I am a Gideon and the Lord has given me a prison ministry within that organization. Three months ago, another Gideon and I were meeting with five prisoners at the county jail on a warm Sunday afternoon.
I asked my usual question so I would know how to bend the discussion. “How many of you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?”
Four hands went up. The fifth man, a scruffy fellow who looked like he had recently slept in a foot of dirty water, told me, “I would like to be saved, but I have to forgive myself first.”
What an opening! I said, “Raphael, I have good news for you. You can’t forgive yourself. Only God can do that.” Fifteen minutes later he was a believer, and the Lord blessed me with witnessing the most amazing transformation from sinner to saint I’ve ever seen.
Read next Tuesday’s posting for more of the story.