Rich Kao

Amazed, astonished, or as we would say in our vernacular these days "blown away."  That was the common reaction to Jesus' ministry,  Mk 2:12, Mk 7:37, Mt. 13:54. Lk 6:19. 1 Cor 2:4-5.  But Jesus wasn't trying to put on a show.  He wasn't trying to just show off.  He wasn't trying to impress the world.  No, Jesus was in fact modeling "the new normal."  Signs?  Wonders?  Miracles?  Authority?  Power?  That's all part and parcel of the kingdom.  That's normal.  You can't separate the power of God from the message of God. They go together like salt and pepper, strawberries and cream.  For too long, we as Christians have gotten use to the "subnormal" level of power as if it's the normal, when in fact it's abnormal.  New Testament Christianity, Book of Acts, Gospels - that's the normal.  That's what's happened in church history, and is happening in many other parts of the world right now!  (China, Africa, Latin American...).  God is wanting to raise our faith level, our expectation level to where the new normal is normal.  To do that, we must battle unbelief, and learn to set our sights on the biblical precedents -- stories and acts of Jesus and the apostles to stimulate our faith.  When we set our sights on these realities, then the new normal comes into view, and we start moving in fresh apostolic power.  Full message here.