Greetings from abroad
I just want to thank each and every one of you for your support these last few weeks. Living out of suitcases again is never easy, but working with such awesome people and seeing the Lord work in ways I could never expect, makes everything worthwhile.
It is times like these that I am challenged afresh to the true meaning of being a Christian!
Humans are funny beings in that we like the idea of freedom and the unknown, but in the same breath slip into complacency and mundane life.
Very few break out of this mold and live life to the fullest.
This is the same for me! Colette and I have always done the work of the Lord full-time during our married lives, so you would think this flip-flopping would be an easy life to live. For myself, not at all. I like structure and security in order to be more productive.
Yet this is the very type of mindset that makes us miss so many opportunities in life.
As we have traveled and experienced people, places, and foods, I am reminded continually of how complacency is so dangerous to our spiritual life.
So many of us have slipped into the church culture and think we are living for Christ. Yet how different is it to another social club that you could join? You do you part and go home, but how anointed do you need to be to fill a seat, or to do a job, or even need to be a Christian? What are you doing to use what the Lord has given you to exercise your ministry?
Nothing made this more evident than a story told to me by a missionary couple that just came back from India and Thailand.
The first thing they told me was that in India, they slept on the concrete floor in the kitchen, and in Thailand, they slept in a tent on an air mattress. Now these guys are not spring chickens, and I know for myself, how I would suffer sleeping in these circumstances.
The second thing that blew my mind, is that in India, a normal church meeting consists of Christians, Hindus, and Muslims all together. They all come to hear the message and get prayer! They know the power of the Christian God, but still stick to their beliefs, because to convert could cost them their lives. It is the same in Thailand. Christianity is outlawed and so there are no churches so to speak, it is just gatherings in different places, that could end up with you being arrested and beaten for your belief. That is some hardcore stuff!
Now I know, the Lord has not called everyone to do this type of ministry, and this is not a guilt trip letter, but my question to you is, what are you prepared to do, in order to go deeper with your relationship with the Lord and to use the calling, placed on your life?
Is our current mindset getting in the way of us getting closer to the Lord and living the victorious life in Him? What if we did not have all the comforts of life - would we still have a passion and fire for Christ?
In our western world thinking, we don't want to go to church if the times are not convenient, or if the seats are not cinema chairs! We don't go to this church because the preacher is not well known and we cannot name drop.
I am reminded of Azusa street. The building was an old warehouse and the first chairs were made of paint cans and wooden planks found in the place. It was where rich, poor, old and young from all cultures, sat to hear the word from the Lord and feel His touch.
Look at what the Lord did there!
Let's break out of our comfortable western church culture mindset and start living for Christ! Let's bring back the supernatural that changes lives and gives people hope in the Lord Jesus and not what social event we can take them to.
Let's make the Church a living organism again to suffer when one suffers and rejoice when one rejoices!
So as Colette and I and our team take on Europe, keep us in your prayers and come be a part of what we are doing here for the Lord!
Much love and blessing,
Craig and Colette Toach
Apostles and Spiritual Parents
Apostolic Movement International
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