Inside Story: Prisoner to Preacher
I was arrested and jailed for a murder I did not commit. I had been a lay pastor of a little church before I was imprisoned, and I was angry at this injustice. Then a group of Adventists visited the prison, and I heard their message of hope. But I found it difficult to accept the 
Sabbath. In the same prison was an Adventist man who also had been wrongfully accused of a crime. He encouraged me to follow God’s commandments.
I challenged the Adventists to bring me another Bible in another version that clearly stated that the Sabbath is Saturday. Only then would I believe. They brought me a Catholic Bible, which names Saturday as the Sabbath. I thought a long time about the law and the Commandments. If it’s true that the law was done away with, then why am I in prison for a crime I didn’t commit? If the law is done away with, then all the law should have been done away with. It struck me like lightning! The law wasn’t done away with at all, and therefore the Sabbath was still binding.
Convinced of this truth, I shared this message with other prisoners and began studying the Bible with others who wanted to know the truth. Some of these prisoners asked to be baptized even before I was. But I hesitated. I wanted to wait until I was freed to be baptized so I could profess my faith as a free man.
As I waited for my freedom, I had a troubling thought: What will happen to me if I put off following God and I die? I decided to follow God’s calling and be baptized while I was still in prison.
I remained in prison long after I was supposed to be freed. But God used me to lead others to Christ inside the prison.
At last I was freed. I became a lay worker under an Adventist pastor. I gave Bible studies, and in five years I led more than 150 people to Christ. One congregation with 30 members worships under a mango tree, for they have no other place to meet.
I harbor no ill feelings for those who wrongfully accused me of murder, for if I hadn’t gone to prison I might not have found this wonderful Adventist faith.
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Conrado Andoy, 65, shares his faith in central Philippines.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
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We must thank God for every situation that we find ourself in. There is a lesson to be learnt from it.
All we have to do is to ask God to reveal to us the purpose and allow God to use us in accomplishing his mission.
It is said when a certain man lost everything, he still sang & praised God & said “It is well OH Lord with my Soul” why can’t we do the same? & thank the Lord in every situation because it comes with a purpose in our lives,,, and he knws the way out! we thank you oh Lord & please guide us through in all times Good and difficult!
God is so good to us we must be thankful for God’s grace and mercy. We must praise Him at all times even when things go wrong we must continue to thank Him and praise Him for His faithfulness to His children. I love the lord he is good, and He knows the love I have for Him. He knows what’s best for us, we must trust and believe in God’s word in the good times and bad times..