In Asian countries, few places in the world are seeing the explosion of God’s power is massive right now. In church history, persecution makes the church grow: the work of the Holy Spirit is the main reason for growth in the house churches even of Cambodia and Thailand; which some meet in caves. There were 1 million in 1949 believers in China alone aside from Thailand and Cambodia to 100 million in 2007. In one church in Thailand I heard of, people wake up at 4:30 in the morning everyday to come together for worship and prayer for two hours. Some churches meet in a cave, the only place they are safe. They pray for the sick, a common practice in the church there, shouldn’t it be for us? Here Christians cast out demons. House churches are mostly led by young people who came out of the stricts governments without much freedom and want to have nothing to do with it but just share the love of Jesus. One thing about a worship service even where we are at is that they think a four hour sermon or service is short and have a lot of passion, joyous, and dancing. . It could be 120 degrees inside the building and the people will still meet for twelve hours straight. Hardly anyone one I’ve met in these areas have Bibles either (a huge commodity back at home). I believe if we would really preach the gospel, not get mixed up in abortion and gay rights (which are important), but just preach Jesus Christ, the devil doesn’t want to hear Jesus Christ preached and He wants our agenda to be moved to political things instead of letting Jesus change. The countries I’ve been to so far don’t talk about social issues or even backtalk about their government, and don’t have a “nation to be converted”; they just preach the gospel and the suffering has really made the church strong.
We tell people about Jesus and how much he loves them, it’s that simple and sometimes proved by healing people literally or raising them from the dead. Jesus calls us to have faith like a child for many reasons. Children are totally dependent and know they can’t do it themselves, and we are to be like children, totally dependent and know we can’t do it. Poor in spirit, childlike, depending on the Father and holding his Hand all the time. All children believe God does miracles until an adult teaches them that God can’t do it; which happens a lot when we make our faith untapped in the power of God and subtle it. Don’t talk about what you believe but act with a confidence in a big, powerful God who loves us all immeasurably. People around the world don’t have our technologies like the West, just God, and what’s possible when God becomes your sole purpose in life? Healings, changed lives, restoration, and countless things. You don’t have to be special, “called”, or complicated, just love and everything you do is holy unto Him. We have compartmentalized things too much in our walk, and everything we do is for Him as God says let me into everything. Just abide in Him, and the more you feel His love and show who you are, then you receive a fullness of Him with inexpressible joy. Miracles by themselves don’t thrill people with God, not even people with Jesus, they don’t even accomplish what God is after, it just gives evidence that He is real. Now that we know He is real, how do we respond?
The sad thing about all the orphanages I’ve been too the last few months is that most children were abandoned by parents, too unlovely to keep. But we show them they were loved, terrible to them yet beautiful to Him, heartbreaking situations yet bearable to be rescued.
The more you see display of God’s power in the world, the more normal it becomes, and then you begin to see the real Truth. The Truth is the power of God that resides in us isn’t just there to perform miracles. Mircales demonstrate God is real, but it’s love that is the greatest power in the universe and why we as Christians do what we do. It’s love that opens deaf ears and blind eyes, makes people praise in suffering, raised the dead, Love. It was always some vague cliche to me, but now I’m seeing the wild, extravagant, power and reality of God’s finger in all of our lives. God is calling all of us to a life of power, but it only comes through us humbling ourselves; setting aside our own fears and unbeliefs and proving to the people around us that God is real, relevant, and He is not mad at you no matter who you are or where you’re at. We don’t empty ourselves for a paycheck, pain, or own satisfaction, we die to ourselves to love others because we realize we can only keep what we are willing to give away. God let the things that are in heaven become real here on earth. When we are asking for the kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven we are truly asking that so it shows heaven is real.
Faith and Works isn’t better translated into a Love level and Faith level; love Jesus and those around us. It’s the love and compassion of God that allows us to do these things. Believe God, and who He says He is, and that we can do what He says we can do. God asks us to stop for one person each day and love them, don’t complicate the gospel, it’s good news, love God and the one in front of you. It’s simple and He’s beautiful. My first true test of service and love was when I was on a mission trip to Baltimore and a homeless man came up to me and a church pastor told me to avoid him, he’s just going to waste it on drinks; this has been a regret my whole life and mission (Matthew 25). The homeless people will forget to ask money when they show you love them and care for them. These people have no one, owned nothing, and living on the streets. What are we doing to them to show that He loves them? Without a shadow God will heal them, and through the love that God has for these people, they are loved and important, they are princes and princesses, not homeless but made whole. For the first time I understood the point of it all after that walk in Baltimore on a cold night and it’s why God put his finger print in all of our lives. Proof that He’s here, proof that He cares.
