Q chain reactions

Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center

Three men in two days.  Three huge chances to share about the saving love of God with three men back-to-back in Q unit during this past couple of days at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.  

Here is Andre's story, first. 

It started out with asking the officer to make announcement about me being available to meet with anyone.

 Andre stepped forward quietly.  His Mom is a pastor and has been working to get him to turn his life over to Jesus. 

"I told her," Andre said, "I didn't want to make a commitment and then go back to my old ways and let her down."  That's honest.

Many don't want to go there.  They know Jesus means a changed morality where they live every day.  Their behavior will change. Some of the people they care about won't approve.  They are players--some want to give their problems away if they think it will get them out of trouble, for now, a far cry from working out restitution or making things right with those they have hurt the most. They can't manipulate God. 

Andre knows giving his life over to Jesus will mean lasting changed behavior.  He's been in Sunday School and knows some facts.  He has been in church and knows his way around the Bible.

Ray Pritchard's book

He flipped right to Romans 1:16-17 where we started.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.' "

He completed a worksheet I prepared on the Romans Road, Christ as the only way for salvation, and repentance and forgiveness of sins. He was ready to talk.

Romans 1:16 says the gospel is the power of God for salvation.  God does as astounding supernatural act to save a lost and condemned person through the Holy Spirit.  He continues to give a saved man the power to live the Christian life.

The saved man lives from faith to faith to faith... by the power of God.

Now, that is the greatest news anyone can receive.

He wanted to move forward to receive Christ so I asked him to write the Lord a prayer calling on Him to be saved.  He was to use his own words.  Later, he was to share with his Mom.  I'll check in later and see where he is. I asked him to read Ray Pritchard's book, "An anchor for the soul."

He is on the journey of his forever life.  He has an entire, wonderful opportunity to live for Jesus.