2. Melissa
Melissa's mother had been sick for quite a while. She had been working for a textile firm for around 16 years. What started as a mild anxiety finally was labelled as Schizophrenia and she was put on appropriate drugs. It was 8 years since the medicines were first prescribed. Without the medicines, she would be hyperactive, anxious and suspicious. Melissa was the only one in the family to have accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. Melissa, her elder brother and parents attended an episcopal church in the heart of the city.
Seeing that the Church priest rarely bothered to visit their home or pray for her mother, Melissa contacted an evangelist from her own church to come and pray for her mother. She had heard from friends that her mother's condition could be demon possession rather than a mental disorder. The evangelist did pray but confessed that he did not have power to pray and bring about a deliverance for her mother. He suggested the name of a pastor who could probably help in this matter, for he had the gifts of prophecy and healing. Melissa's hopes got a boost by hearing this. She immediately made arrangements for a prayer meeting to be held at her home and invited the pastor of whom the evangelist had mentioned.
The prayer meeting was wonderful; different from the dull and dreary worship in her church. The pastor prayed and told Melissa that her mother was suffering from demonic affliction because of witch-craft done by her own relatives. 'So what was to be done next', was Melissa's immediate question. First of all, said he, the family had to worship God in Spirit and in Truth and then God would bring deliverance. 'Since your father and brother do not have an inclination to do so, you are the one who must do it. Join our church, worship in Spirit and in Truth, remove all your ornaments, take water baptism, fast and pray and God will heal her.'
Melissa believed everything that the pastor said because she was desperate to see her mother set free. In a week's time, she was in a new church, had taken baptism and removed all her ornaments. Several prayer meetings were held in her home later on, there were many more prophesies, but no actual deliverance for her mother. Someone said that she should have more faith. She tried hard, cried her heart out, obeyed more regulations that the pastors adviced. Nothing seemed to change.
Melissa's enthusiasm regarding her mother's deliverance which had reached the zenith after her changing the church and obeying regulations tapered off as time passed. 14 years on, Melissa's mother still had no deliverance from her condition. As the years passed by, the mother grew frail because of continual medication; she ate very little, had poor memory and was finally bedridden. The pastors no more prophesied deliverance and Melissa no more prayed for her mother's healing. She finally started praying that God would put an end to her mother's misery. Nothing seemed to work. Despite all this, Melissa was steadfast in her faith and devotion to Jesus. She did not understand many things, yet she believed that Jesus loved and cared for her. There was no looking back for her.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Fictional Stories, but could be true...
1. The Pastor's Son
Steve was in a dilemna. He knew for sure that he had not yet repented of his sins truly from his heart to take water baptism, but the pressure on him from family and church was tremendous. He was 18 now and was in this Bible believing Church since he was a child. His father was the pastor of the Church where the congregation averaged 200 every Sunday.His father was a dynamic preacher and committed to Christ and his kingdom. His mother was devout too and he had heard from her many times how she fasted and prayed that he may take water baptism. He disliked hearing that and would evade her questions saying that there was still time.
He had given many excuses and postponed the event, but his father was adamant now that he be baptized before the new year began, which was only a couple of months away. His father's ire was more so because the associate pastor's children who were younger than his son had already been baptized. It was like an insult to him, that being the pastor, his 18 year old son had not yet been baptized.
The year inched away to it's end and so did Steve's father's patience. He was unduly quiet lately and Steve knew that it was not a good sign. The turmoil in his heart increased each day. His Bible reading was erratic, his prayers minimal and worship was limited to his work on the key board each Sunday and a couple of songs at family prayer each night. He did not feel guilty inside him and seeing movies on TV with the ever available dish channels was his passion. No one knew of this part of his life though because he was discreet and did it in the privacy of his room using head phones so that no sound leaked out.
Finally the last week of the year arrived. A baptism ceremony had been scheduled for a few converts who were passionate about Jesus. His father's ever increasing silent, stern glances pierced his heart mercilessly and he decided to put an end to the matter. He informed his mother about his decision of taking the baptism. She was overjoyed and his father heaved a sigh of relief when she broke the news to him. The baptism was scheduled at 8.30 am, last Sunday of the year. There would be the 1st communion for the newly baptized.
Steve had witnessed many baptisms. All he had to do was nod and answer in the affirmative when the pastor asked the questions and he had memorized a couple of sentences as testimony. Nothing to worry about. The fasting prayers in the church commenced. Steve was there allright, but his thoughts were on the block-buster movie to be aired that night on Channel X.
The night prior to the baptism, Steve sat late into the night watching his favourite action movies, with his headphones in place. The baptism went on as scheduled. Steve had fooled everyone, except one ......God Almighty, his Creator.
Steve was in a dilemna. He knew for sure that he had not yet repented of his sins truly from his heart to take water baptism, but the pressure on him from family and church was tremendous. He was 18 now and was in this Bible believing Church since he was a child. His father was the pastor of the Church where the congregation averaged 200 every Sunday.His father was a dynamic preacher and committed to Christ and his kingdom. His mother was devout too and he had heard from her many times how she fasted and prayed that he may take water baptism. He disliked hearing that and would evade her questions saying that there was still time.
He had given many excuses and postponed the event, but his father was adamant now that he be baptized before the new year began, which was only a couple of months away. His father's ire was more so because the associate pastor's children who were younger than his son had already been baptized. It was like an insult to him, that being the pastor, his 18 year old son had not yet been baptized.
The year inched away to it's end and so did Steve's father's patience. He was unduly quiet lately and Steve knew that it was not a good sign. The turmoil in his heart increased each day. His Bible reading was erratic, his prayers minimal and worship was limited to his work on the key board each Sunday and a couple of songs at family prayer each night. He did not feel guilty inside him and seeing movies on TV with the ever available dish channels was his passion. No one knew of this part of his life though because he was discreet and did it in the privacy of his room using head phones so that no sound leaked out.
Finally the last week of the year arrived. A baptism ceremony had been scheduled for a few converts who were passionate about Jesus. His father's ever increasing silent, stern glances pierced his heart mercilessly and he decided to put an end to the matter. He informed his mother about his decision of taking the baptism. She was overjoyed and his father heaved a sigh of relief when she broke the news to him. The baptism was scheduled at 8.30 am, last Sunday of the year. There would be the 1st communion for the newly baptized.
Steve had witnessed many baptisms. All he had to do was nod and answer in the affirmative when the pastor asked the questions and he had memorized a couple of sentences as testimony. Nothing to worry about. The fasting prayers in the church commenced. Steve was there allright, but his thoughts were on the block-buster movie to be aired that night on Channel X.
The night prior to the baptism, Steve sat late into the night watching his favourite action movies, with his headphones in place. The baptism went on as scheduled. Steve had fooled everyone, except one ......God Almighty, his Creator.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
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