Who are You this Halloween?

A preacher friend of mine recently talked to me about Halloween, saying:

"You know, it's funny. Some of us Christians won't participtate in Halloween. We refuse to go out and buy a mask or a costume and play dress up like most other people. "

"How is that funny?" I asked.

"It's funny because some of us don't have a problem wearing a mask year round and pretending to be someone we're not."

"Ah, I see, " I replied, "the hypocrisy thing, right?

"Yes, of course. But I was thinking how sad it is that many of us are deathly afraid of removing our masks for fear of rejection from others."

"That's interesting...."

"Sure. Think of it...How ironic that most Halloween masks are designed to turn us into monsters...Into something horrible...Yet the typical Christian mask we wear is designed not to scare others, but to hide our monstrosities from the world at large.
Some of us feel so unworthy, so destitute, so...not up to par with everyone else, that we feel the need to cover ourselves up with the smiling mask of fickle commitments and fair-weather friendships."

"Wow..."

"Yeah, 'wow'...So who are we going to be this Halloween?"

"I'm sure you have an idea."

"Wouldn't it be interesting if we used Halloween as the occasion to unmask ourselves before the world? As others prepare to be someone or something they're not, we capitalize on this night to become the someone we really are?"

"Scary!"

"Yes, but only then will most of us discover the liberating freedom and healing that's in Jesus Christ."

"So we shall know the truth..."

"'Yes, and that truth shall make us free."

Strange Tales of the Supernatural
The Mother's Prayer

A young boy sat and played upon a wall.

As he leapt to the ground, his feet gave way beneath him, allowing his face to strike the ground with all its might.

His mother, seeing the accident from afar, ran to him.

Arriving, she took the boy in her arms and saw his nose bent and broken, as well as the flesh about his eyes greatly blackened and bruised.

Now the woman was a faithful believer in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Laying her hands upon him, she called out to the Lord, saying:
"Jesus, heal him!"

At once, the boy's nose became whole and his briuses were diminished.

The Lord had healed him.

Strange Tales of the Supernatural
The Green Card

Now a certain woman who had moved from her native land to a great nation was in need of a Green Card.

So the woman cried out to the Lord, saying:

"Hear my heart oh, Lord! Renew my VISA and grant me my Green Card so that I may travel among the nations again!"

Now her home church also prayed to the Lord on her behalf.

At the beginning of the week, they lifted up their voices to Heaven saying:

"Oh Lord, we ask you to bring forth this woman's Green Card! For she has sought you these many months believing you for the answer to her prayers!"

Now the wife of a certain man who sat near the back of the sanctuary arose and proclaimed:

"My husband has heard us pray for a green car! Are we praying for a green car?"

"We have not prayed for a green car," answered the pastor, "we have prayed for a Green Card! Although at your word, we will now also pray for a green car."

"Yes," replied the woman, "do pray a car for me also for my current one is in need of much mechanical repair."

So the church also besought the Lord for the green car.

Now after not many days, the woman, the one who also was faithful in the tithe and offering, glorified the Lord saying:

"A certain one called me, saying the Lord had spoken to her to give me one of her cars!
A used car, but one with low miles, well maintained, very clean, luxurious and even green! Yes, the Lord has heard our prayers for the green car!"

After many more days, the Lord also granted her request for the Green Card.

The Lord is great and greatly to be praised! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever!


Selah

Strange Tales of the Supernatural
The Widow and the Vomiting Devil

Praying for a certain widow, a young minister declared:

"Lord, let the devil regurgitate everything he has stolen and is trying to keep from this woman!"
Certain others were amazed at the saying.

"He has told the devil to vomit upon her!" they said.

Yet on the seventh day, the widow glorified God saying:

"How great is the Lord! For within these seven days He has answered the cry of His servant!

He has released the benefits and money due to me from the time of my husbands death these many years ago!

He has returned to me the business of my youth from my former partner who desires to sign it over to me free and clear!

He has returned to me the young child I cared for as a babysitter many years ago! The one I loved as mine own but was taken from me!

He has been returned to me with signed adoption papers, ready to become a son in mine own home!

May the Lord be praised forever!"

The young minister quoted from Job 20:12-15 saying:

"Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue....
Though he savors it and won't let go of it and he holds it on the roof of his mouth,
the food in his belly turns sour. It becomes snake venom in his stomach.
He vomits up the riches that he swallowed. God forces them out of his stomach."

Strange Tales of the Supernatural
The Generous Man

A businessman found himself having compassion on a certain laborer who had done some contractual work for him.
He paid the laborer his wage plus a little extra that he had in his pocket.
Not having a check, he wished he were able to do more.
Upon leaving, he found a nice sum of money by the side of the road. The exact amount he had just paid the laborer.
"I could thank God for the blessing of allowing me to break even on my deal..." he thought,
"Or I could thank God for providing me the resources to bless the laborer as I originally planned."
So he took the money he found, returned to the laborer and presented the money to him.
The laborer was blessed, but the businessman was blessed more.


Selah.