Watertown, NY
Click here to find a team or start one of your own!
The following report is a continuation of yesterday’s story, which comes to us from team leader Scott with our team in Watertown, NY:
Lane approached our table. He was interested in some of the information we were providing on the Church and the free sacramentals. He explained to us how he subscribes to the Messianic Jewish belief in Christ Jesus. He told us some deep personal experiences in his life that were hurtful for him, such as being abused by his family, let down by church members of other faiths such as the Baptist movement and the Seventh Day Adventists, who would not give him a ride to their congregation/assembly on the days they would meet when he needed a ride. During his faith journey, as Lane put it, he “put God to the test,” by asking Him in prayer to show him a sign that God is real. During this time in his life, there were enemies accusing him of wrongdoing. At the time, he was not sure how to handle it. So, what Lane did was pull out a Bible, picked a random page, and without looking placed his finger on a random verse. What Lane described was exactly what he needed, as he put it, and according to him, his faith grew from there by this one single act.
Dave and I explained to Lane that this was not exactly “putting the Lord to the test,” because He always wants us to seek Him in prayer and talk to Him, just like a Father would want to talk to His son and see how he is doing. In the same way, a Father would also like to give His son what he wants (within reason), and to help him with his problems. We then proceeded to elaborate on scripture that what the Pharisee did was put the Lord to the test, when they witnessed miracles He performed right in front of them, but still publicly challenged Him because of their little faith and yearning for power and control.
We also explained to Lane that we should not let the hate, malice, and hardness of heart of those who are far from Christ ruin our own relationship with Him so as to lead us to sin through anger. Forgiveness is just as much for us as it is for them, and frees our spirit in a way that can draw closer to God. Lane also mentioned to us that evil spirits bother him. He mentioned that he was in line to be baptized in a Protestant church, as the pastor was baptizing up to 60 or 70 people, while he was last in line. Right before the pastor came to baptize him, he pulled something in his bicep and the pastor refrained from baptizing Lane. Myself and Dave proceeded to explain to Lane how the Church views baptism, as being baptized into the Holy Trinity as Christ proclaimed, and that it was like a minor exorcism and relieves him from original sin while offering spiritual protection.
Lane told us he would consider getting baptized and asked that we pray over him by laying on of the hands. Dave and I prayed out loud with him for a stable mind, stable emotions, to be baptized, to have Christ bring him into a closer union with him, and for the wicked spirits in his presence to depart never to return, in the name of Chris Jesus! Lane was very satisfied with this and told us he felt much better afterwards and would be looking into the Catholic Church.
Praised be Jesus Christ!