"Is Jesus Real?"

And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life: he that comes to Me
​shall never hunger; and he that believes on Me shall never thirst."
John 6:35  
 
Being a follower of the Lord Jesus, and being open about it, brings letters my way from people who come from all walks of life...

A prison inmate who has now been incarcerated for 47 years and still has contact with individuals on the outside, is unusual. Most of those, who've been locked up for as long as I have, don't have much in the way of family and friends anymore. However, it's different for me. And it's not just because of the notoriety of the "Son of Sam" case. Rather, it's because I do my best to openly share my story of forgiveness, redemption, and hope with whomever I can.
 
And so, at this time, I would like to share a portion of a letter I received from a young man whom I will call "Ricky."*  In it, he asked, "What was the moment that you realized that Jesus is real?"
 
Here then was my response:  
​

Hi, Ricky!  Much thanks for your letter. Your question is a valid one, and challenging as well... 
 
No one is beyond the saving grace and the loving reach of the Lord Jesus Christ. As both the bread and water of life, Jesus invites all who are spiritually and inwardly hungry and thirsty, to come to Him, and to make our peace with God the Father, through Him.
 
Placing my faith in Jesus has been the best decision I ever made. And I will always be thankful for what the Lord has done for me, and for what He continues to do.
 
But how do I know that Jesus is real? I knew it the moment I got up off my knees after inviting Him into my heart. It happened around midnight, when after reading a portion of the 34th Psalm, I felt a strong desire to get on my knees in my prison cell, and while crying tears of sorrow and repentance as I kneeled alongside my bunk, I asked the Lord Jesus to please forgive me for all my sins and crimes.
 
And after about twenty or so minutes of quietly shedding tears, and praying, when I finally stood up, it was as if a tremendous load had been lifted off my shoulders. My life would never be the same after this.
 
Within days, my outlook on life began to change. I started to read the Bible with excitement and joy. I also felt a deep sense of peace within my soul. I began to attend the Bible studies we had at the prison, where I met other men who had also become Christians. I started to hang out with them instead of the guys I'd been hanging around with prior to this.
 
In time, everything became brand new, and it has been like this ever since. Of course, I've had my struggles and battles with temptation, and other challenges and setbacks as well. But by faith, and trusting in God's goodness and mercy, everything has worked out just fine. 
 
So here I am today, now more than thirty years later, and I am still following Jesus. I've never looked back.
 
This is how I know Jesus is real.

D.B.
​

*Ricky is not his real name. I have invited him to come to Christ, and I pray he does.