Underground Worship

Light is scarce in this darkness, with only gleaming streaks of light shining from their flashlights. The cement floor is cold, but the hearts are warm, warmed by the love of Jesus. Huddled together, upon the cement floor is a group of devoted and thriving Christians. They are in hiding, because what they are doing isn't safe. They are risking their life. Risking it all for Jesus. At any moment, the police could burst in, take them all under arrest, or worse, kill them. Yet despite their risk, they are singing loudly, taking the risk of being heard, because they know that their Jesus is greater than any man, or what any man could do to them. They are part of the underground church.

This happens daily in countries like China, where people are not allowed to be professing Christians, so they meet secretly. Risking their life, their family, everything, all because they love Jesus more than they love themselves.

Yesterday (Friday) and today, part of my youth group partook in 30 Hour Famine. (I made a post earlier this week about it, if you'd like to, you can read about it HERE!)We began fasting yesterday at 12:30pm, and finished around 6:30 this evening. It was an incredible experience, as always. Last night, we had our very own "Underground Worship", and I have to say I loved every bit of it. It was amazing. There were around 21 of us huddled together in one of the cold, cement floor storage rooms in the bottom of our church. All we had was our flashlights, our Bibles, sheets of music, and my youth pastor playing his guitar. We would sing songs, and share our favorite scriptures in between. The worship was simply beautiful - I could feel the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of the people in the room.  There was nothing quite like it, nothing I've ever experienced. It opened my eyes a bit more to the experiences people over in other countries have, the people that are professing Christians, and are risking it all in order to gather together and worship Him. There was a moment in between singing stanzas when my youth pastor said, "Would you be willing to risk it all?" It's a powerful yet thought-provoking question.

It means giving up everything. It means being put out in the spotlight for all to see, it means risking being beaten and persecuted, it means risking going to jail, it means risking losing your family, it means risking all that you have physically. Everything.

There are people in various countries who face this situation everyday, yet they are faithful.
You are able to have youth group, small groups, Bible studies, church on Sundays, everything, yet how many of us are as truly faithful as those people - Those people who are risking it all?
Isn't it ironic that those people, despite their circumstances, are far more in love with Jesus than most "Christians" in America are?
So, what about you?  How much do you love Jesus? Would YOU be willing to risk it all?

Some things you just have to give up...

 Movies and television have basically become a must-have in the American life, and probably even outside of America as well. But we're practically grown up thinking that movies/television are some of the only ways that we can be entertained. Do you know how much time is wasted from watching movies and television?

Listen to this fact: "According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube."

Did you see that?! 9 YEARS?!

Okay, there's something seriously wrong with that picture. (Pun not intended).

Now, don't get me wrong. There are some really cool movies out there (Inception, anyone?) but at the same time, let me remind you that the Christian life is a life of sacrifice. If the desire in your heart is that you truly want to love and focus on Christ, you should be willing to give up things for Him.

I mean, when I think about it, how many movies have I watched that Christ would have been so displeased with? But we tell ourselves that it's mere entertainment and no biggie because we wouldn't cuss like that, or be violent like that, or have sex like that, etc. But is it really even building us up? Or in fact, is it making us desensitized in the sense that we think it's okay? How much stronger of a Christian would you be if you spent your movie/TV watching time reading your Bible or praying?

I know for sure, that I would definitely be farther ahead and stronger in my walk with Christ.

But I've believed a lie that movies can give me some form of satisfaction greater than that of God. Maybe you're stuck believing that lie too.

And so, to test out this idea that Christ satisfies more than entertainment does, I'm giving it up for a month.

Would you like to go on this endeavor with me?

It means giving up any television or movie watching you normally do for an entire month (that includes all you Netflix users!) I firmly believe that doing this will open my eyes to how much time I've wasted watching movies and TV, and will enable me to have better control over my movie/television-watching habits. 

Either way, please keep me in your prayers during this! :) 

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ"

Philippians 3:7-8