I don’t know what caused me to do this. Maybe I was just wanting to hear some good news for a change. No doubt 2020 has been rough on us all and the news in filled with such garbage that only adds to the stress. So, I went on Facebook and asked a group of United Pentecostal Church International ministers this question, “What’s the most amazing thing that you have personally seen God do?” I wasn’t expecting what came next.
I really thought that I’d get a few comments, but to my surprise 106 comments were posted from pastors, evangelist, missionaries, church planters, and lay leaders. I begin to read in awe and wonder as each person told of the amazing things that they had seen God do. You know it’s one thing to tune into a radio show or podcast and hear someone that you’ve never met tell amazing stories of what God has done. It’s another thing when you read names of folks that you have personally met and even have a relationship with.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE DEAD RAISED?
Have you ever seen the dead raised? To my amazement 14 people told of what they witnessed God do when they prayed for the dead in Jesus name. One brother shared this, “(God) Raised my youngest son from the dead after he was hit by a car on April 29, 2017 at12:04 pm.” Could you imagine?
I read comments of the paralyzed getting up out of their wheel chair and walking to the platform, grabbing the microphone and testifying of God’s goodness. One pastor told that during COVID God provided in cash $2.1 million in 6 months for them to purchase a building for their church. There were countless testimonies of God healing cancer in their body or someone they knew. Incurable diseases being healed at the mention of Jesus name. Many shared how God was filling folks with the Holy Ghost that had troubled backgrounds. It was truly a powerful time of testimony.
I began to look back on my life. What have I personally witnessed? What have I seen God do that people would say would say is impossible? My mind went to Montreal, Canada. On one particular day the whole day was filled with miracles.
MONTREAL MIRACLE
In Montreal, I watched three young men from Mexico and one devote Muslim receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost on a subway. Yes, three Catholic young men from Mexico, and a devote Muslim man from the Middle East began to speak in tongues like on the Day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts chapter 2. How did this come about? A group of apostolic young people were riding the subway to go ice skating. While on the ride we all began to sing praises and this caught the attention of all four men (technically it caught the attention of everyone riding the subway). The young Catholic men loved the singing, however, the Muslim man began shouting at us on the subway that “Allah is God, not Jesus!” It was a truly scary moment as the man continued to shout at us because of our testimony of Jesus Christ. Michael Thomas, who just got elected in 2020 to be Youth Ministries President for the UPCI, walks up to the man and says in the kindest way, “Sir, you have been dedicated to God for so long. Have you ever felt God?” to which the man replied, “No!” Michael then says, “Do you want to?” and the man replies, “Yes, of course!” The next thing you know this devote Muslim has his hands raised in the air, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance! He had received the Holy Ghost!
What happened to the three Catholic men from Mexico? They too began speaking in tongues on the subway as a group of young apostolics prayed for them!
GOD WASN’T DONE THAT DAY
That night we were having a powerful church service when a young man from the Middle East came running into the church at full sprint and down to the altar where he drops to his knees. The next thing you know he’s getting baptized in Jesus name! The young man who’s name is Qaysar tells us this, “I just moved here (Montreal) 28 days ago and when I walked by your church something spoke to me and said run into this church now.” Qaysar was a college student from Iran who knew nothing about Christianity. And yet, God spoke to him and told him to run into this place that he had never visited before. No longer a servant of Allah, Qaysar is a servant of Jesus Christ!
Yes, I’ve seen miracles of healing, but to me God filling devote Muslims and Catholics with his Spirit is the most powerful thing I’ve ever witnessed in my life. During COVID this is what we need! We need to put our trust in the God who can make a difference. A God who can change everything everything. And his name is Jesus!
THE CHRISTIAN’S NEED FOR STICKABILITY
Attached is a sermon that I preached to my congregation called “The Christian’s Need for Stickability.” In this message I compare the true persecution that our missionaries are facing compared to 7 true, yet silly, reasons why people here in the U.S. leave the church. The apostle Paul writes 1 Thessalonians to a very persecuted church and leaves them with a practical guide on how they can stay strong until Christ’s return. This guide is what I call, Stickability.
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In Christ,
Hank
Apostolic Insights 
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