The Macedonian Cry
After celebrating 16th anniversary, 611 is now 17 years old! On the 17th May, C-Mo and I led the steering committee, of 6 men and 11 women, 17 in total to Europe for retreat, which is in essence another “royal tour” with “inner crown”. Stepping into Europe, we began to receive wonderful messages from our Father God.
We started off with going to Aiguille du Midi, a mountain within French Alps, the highest mountain in Europe by cable car. There,we worshipped our God, blessed and prayed for Europe. We were deeply moved by the Spirit of God, remembering that Europe was once greatly flourishing with the Gospel but now spiritually desolate. We sensed the agony and sorrow of Abba Father and that He desperately longed to bring revival and renewal to Europe.
By God’s Grace, the weather has been really good for us. Sun was out on our way up the mountain and rain came only after we left. Leaving the highest mountain in Europe, we came to Bordeaux, welcomed by double rainbows as we got off the plane. The next day, we enjoyed beautiful weather, with solar halo, and were grateful that God welcomed us with nice weather in Europe.
Our party spent six nights in an ancient castle built in 1789, which gave us a distinguished feeling. Coming up to the Feast of Pentecost, the steering committee gathered in an ancient castle. It felt like we had gone back in time and space, with gentle breeze, we waited for new wine and new oil of the Holy Spirit to fill us as well as to revive the Church!
There is neither coincidence nor impossibility in God. This year, we should have visited Turkey, the most western part of Asia as the continuation of the 7 churches’ journey last year. Instead, we came to the most western part of Europe, touring the highest mountain and the largest dunes in the continent. I recalled the day God called me back to Hong Kong in order to bring revival to Asia, hence Europe was never in my mind. However, the Hand of God was evident in this trip to connect us with Europe. Coincidentally, co-worker Melody’s sister and her husband live in France while Pastor Barnabas’s sister and her husband are in Belgium. Our team conveniently travelled to Europe, stayed in the castle, and had the first hand feeling of how the spiritually barren Europe seriously needed revival and renewal!
Indeed, we see the need of Europe and hear the Macedonian cry. We were prompted to study 1 Chronicles 22, the story of David preparing exceedingly abundant materials for Solomon, his son to build the temple of God. This spoke to us that each generation must fulfill the mission of the time. Reviving Europe is not solely the concern of this generation, rather it calls for cooperation of two generations. Brothers and sisters, ready yourself to respond to the Macedonian cry because you and I are to take part in worldwide revival!•[2017.05.28]
【延伸閱讀】
Thank God that our church has become a big Tree of Life family upon continuous renewal by the Holy Spirit. Read more Everyone has his own unique experience in following God, but we all need to keep a pure and simple heart in order to stay firm and further in the journey. Read more Last month, Basil and Ruby went for a trip revisiting their old places in Vancouver, Canada to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Read more