Because Some Stories Need to be Told

There are stories that just need to be told!  This is one of them.

There is a wonderful South African couple in our church.  Recently they were excited to learn that the wife's nephew, Sandesh, and his family from South Africa were coming to visit them.  She had not seen him in many years, but she had been a great influence on his life during his adolescence.  Knowing that he was a devout Hindu, and that his wife and children were also devout, the couple began to pray that this visit would be more than a family reunion.  They prayed that during this trip the nephew and his family would see and feel the love of Christ and ultimately come to know Him as Savior and Lord.

The nephew and his family spent twenty days in their home.  Twenty days of being loved by someone who knows the love of Christ.  They came to worship services and heard the Word of God preached.  The Uncle and Aunt even went to the point that they left Christian books in the couples room.  They never pressed or confronted, they simply loved.  When the time came for the nephew to return to South Africa there had been no apparent conversion, but seeds had been deeply planted.

Read closely the account from the Uncle:

"Before he went home at the end of December, he took a book left in his room by my wife which speaks about the Blood of Jesus. He went home and the SHED BLOOD of JESUS CHRIST caused the final nail to be driven into his heart bringing him to his knees and accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior. Oh! How precious is our Lord and what mercy he has!

Sandesh heart was moved by:

a.       the deep love he received in our home; love he said that he has not had for many, many years and this brought us to tears; he understood for the first time experiential Christ centered relationship.

b.      the word of God and the Spirit of God as ministered by Pastor Madden in church where he could experience Christ;

c.       an unknown stranger who came up to him after one Sunday morning service and said to him: During the service God spoke to me and said I need to give you this gift ($100.00); God talking directly to him in view of Sandesh having an unspoken need that was fulfilled."

  And now read Sandesh's own words:

"My personal experience at your Church when a member of Praise Cathedral church gifted me 100 dollars,was more than just that.The Lord knew i wanted a pair of boots and he sent it through somebody I barely knew.This is what he said to me,"The Lord wanted me to give this to you " that's it!!
I was happy,I didn't offend him by not accepting the gift.Yes I bought a pair of boots and moved on.

When I arrived back to SA,I kept going back to that particular experience .One morning while in prayer ,I broke down and the thought came to me "that a transaction for my soul was made" and I had accepted.

Since,I have a deep yearning to know and listen,read and meditate to the living word.they say that the truth will set you free.From a belief standpoint,I get the" truth"now.

By reflecting on the last 5 years of my life,the ups and downs,strife and struggles and more importantly and emptiness because of no relationship with a God.As a Hindu ,there were too Many.Too many prayers,festivals ...but nothing striking the heart and evolving a change from a human perspective.

Last week ,I went down on my knees,in total prayer and accepted with all my heart Jesus as my Lord ,and gave him command over me and accepted his" transaction " for my soul.I am certainly not the same,At 42 years old...I had to be accountable to someone...and that is now Jesus Christ.

Generally ,it would be difficult to get up at 1:45am and switch on the computer even to watch a movie,leave alone Watch a sermon! But I did,I wanted to .
I cover myself each morning with the blood and my family before leaving home.For the 1st. Time in my life ,when I am praying now,its real and alive.
As I steadily build a relationship with Jesus Christ,I wanted you to know that you and Mosie have been instrumental in sowing these seeds during the course of the last 20 years."

As we rejoice over this work, let it inspire us to seek the Lord for more testimonies of His grace and power being revealed in people's lives.  In the words of Andrew Murray "beware, in your prayer, above everything, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what he can do.  Expect unexpected things, above all that we ask or think.  Each time you intercede, be quiet first and worship God in His glory.  Think of what he can do, of how he delights to hear Christ, of your place in Christ, and expect great things!"

AMEN!