“SHANGHAIED IN SHANGHAI”
MERRY WEDNESDAY BY PARRIS BAILEY-
“Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!” (2 Corinthians 6:11-13 MSG)
As I am writing this we will be landing in the USA after spending a week in Shanghai. I mentioned in one of my last blogs, China has been on our radar for almost 40 years. We felt the call to China way back in our Bible School days. Five years ago, we sent the Weidner’s to Shanghai, the Barnitz’s and 2 single girls are also helping with the work. To say the least one can’t help to be moved by their ministry. I can relate to the Queen of Sheba when she said, “And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.” I Kings 10:6 If you are a human your heart will be moved seeing orphaned babies cared for at the healing home (Chinese can have only one child so some abandon the ones with birth defects). One baby stands out because he is “blue”- born with his heart on the wrong side, he too awaits a family to care for him. You can’t imagine the bill every month! The whole purpose of our trip was to hold a Holy Spirit Revival Conference at their church but God had other plans. I guess you could say we got Holy Ghost Shanghaied (to abduct, kidnap, nobble, snatch – take away to an undisclosed location against their will). We ended up having a very historical weekend of services throughout Shanghai with precious believers who were stirred up to “make their calling and election sure”. The Chinese church is growing very rapidly, more than any other nation at this moment. Christians worldwide are being persecuted but the Apostle Paul said, “the Word of God cannot be bound”. First Cor 6:11 tells us we are not being fenced in, but are learning to live openly and expansively despite the restrictions in the natural realm. Christina is speaking Mandarin like she was born there, along with Jamie and their precious children. Spending the sabbath worshipping with our Victory team watching them interact was amazing. No the half is not being told. Their world just gets larger everyday. I find myself chuckling knowing who is really getting “SHANGHAIED IN SHANGHAI”!