Praise God for the salvation of my mother-in-law on 23rd July 2006. I had prayed fourteen years for her and on many occasions shared the gospel whenever opportunities arose. In April this year when she spoke about death, I told her that she must know where she will be going i.e heaven or hell. Her response was that she was willing to go to the “burning place”. The door seems to be shut but things took a turn after her hospitalization in May. After she came home from the hospital, God provided an opportunity on 21st July for me to share about His unfailing love and the redemption of sin. It all began when she mentioned that her cousin will be visiting on 23rd July with a talisman paper from the Waterloo Street temple. Two days later, on that Sunday, in the presence of her two cousins, Peter and I, she said she wanted to receive Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. Hallelujah! God is great! She proclaimed it publicly out of her own will.

Jesus said in John 6:44-45 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: They will all be taught by God. John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.

Truly, she is born of water and the Spirit. She told me of the peace she has after receiving Christ into her heart and also her desire to be baptized. On Monday 24th July, she called all her relatives and friends to announce that she is a Christian. The Holy Spirit impressed upon her to ask me search all her belongings for talisman papers she had collected in the past and I led her in renouncement of her past worship of idols. On the eve of her baptism, she asked me to search again to make sure that there are no more, in her words “an zhang” things, in her possession. I had not spoken of these but God certainly taught her!

We all share this deep desire to see our loved ones come into God’s Kingdom. We are filled not only with joy whenever someone shares about salvation of a family member but also saddened with tears for our unsaved family members. Do not be discouraged but continue to pray unceasingly not only in your quiet time but more importantly as a Church. Prayer is not just personal or devotional; it is a work and ministry of the Church. Isaiah 56: 7 Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. Kingdom building is the work of the Church. Only when the whole Church gathers together and agree that they desire the will of God be done on earth, He will act from heaven. May all in the body of Christ participate in this great prayer work.