Beautiful Feet in China

Excerpt from *ChinaAid website “I have attended the activities at their (underground) church which were basically Bible reading and singing by the people gathered there. These country women felt very happy that they could have such a religious activity and could sing together. I felt the sunshine in their hearts. Those of us who are better fed and better dressed may not have the sunshine as they do. Let me tell you the truth: after I watched this, I felt very moved though I’m not a religious person. After I contacted these believers living at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder of the society, and after I attended their activities, there were some changes in my understanding of Christianity. From my point of view, they really don’t care much about democracy or freedom as discussed by the intellectuals. They care more about their God, their church and the brothers and sisters inside the church!"

Isa 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" NIV

Perhaps, even at the risk of being harassed, beaten, arrested, humiliated or worse, this is why China has the largest and fastest growing evangelical Christian community on earth.?

Matt 16:24-25 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." NIV

This was my fourth trip to China, and I was excited to meet old friends, to experience again the incredible shopping, the sites and cuisine, but most of all to hear firsthand what the Lord was doing in their midst. And I wasn’t disappointed. I was greeted by a young man who had come to the meetings last year. At that time last year, he had purchased a ticket to fly to Seoul to see a medical specialist on stomach issues. He had been suffering for some time with severe pain intestinal pain and bloody stool. During our prayer, he felt heat permeate his entire body and the pain stopped (as well as the bloody stool). That evening as he was driving to the airport, the pain was still gone. However, as he had already made arrangements, he continued on to his appointment in Seoul and underwent a barrage of tests. One week later, to his surprise, he received the following report: all tests results were entirely normal. A miracle to be sure, but the greater miracle is how his relationship with Jesus changed. Once bound by a driven-ness to gain God’s love through works and perfection, he discovered for himself, the truth of God’s total and unconditional love for him! He is a changed man.

We held 3 days of meetings at the First Century Church and during every meeting we experienced the glory of God fall and many, many healings, signs and wonders following. A very young girl who was standing in the front row received a very dramatic healing of her crooked teeth and and feet! Another young man had a steel rod and plate in his forearm following a serious injury. He felt something going on in his arm and went to the hospital to have it x-rayed the following day. The steel was gone!

My friend Christine brought two of her unsaved designers to the meetings and so she asked if I would pray for them. They were more than a little nervous, but both were touched deeply and ended up on the floor being ministered to by Holy Spirit.

Jesus is moving powerfully in this vast nation, in the underground church, in the registered church, in the corporate world, in Starbucks, on the streets, in the prison systems, in the universities, through established missionary works and through friendships. We could learn much from the Chinese believers!

Matt 16:18-19 "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  NIV

 

*(ChinaAid is a nonprofit Christian organization seeking to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. It is recognized by the U. S. government and non-government organizations worldwide as a leading voice for the persecuted Church in China. ChinaAid exists to advance religious freedom in China by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping leaders on behalf of the persecuted church.)