Hi all,
Last week I shared how the Father first tries privately to get us to change our ways, and only takes things public if we refuse - patient to wait even decades for us to change. His ways in this are the same whether He uses the 'cattle prod' method of poking us, or the gentle and private internal workings to get us to grow up and lay aside sin. 
 
Here are examples of both the cattle prod and the internal dealings in the heart of man. 
 
The 16 year old speeding
...he got pulled over and warned against speeding from a small-town police officer. The kid admitted he had a habit of driving too fast and God was dealing with him about slowing down. I told him God tried first in the heart, and now because he wasn't obeying, the Lord was taking it to a new level of a warning ticket. I told him next time he may get a ticket and fine. Evidently he didn't judge himself, for a few weeks later I learned he did get a ticket and fine. A few weeks after that he had a non-injury accident. That accident got his attention, and to my knowledge he has driven focused and within the law ever since. 
 
I was an unpaid Associate Pastor at a church in the Boulder, Colorado area, and each Monday from 1-3 I led what I called 'Healing School', in which each week I took 1 example of healing in the NT and taught how the Lord brought healing to that person or persons. (I have a cd/MP3 series called 'Healing School' that is from a Bible school seminar where I taught based on those teachings.)
 
The stubborn man
It was one of those times that I had a stern word from the Father for a man who usually attended. I asked if he wanted it given privately or with our small group, who were by this time good friends. He said to just share it, so I did. I heard the Father by His Spirit saying, "I have been dealing with you about your smoking and losing weight, and the time of that grace is nearly ended. You need to obey my dealings with you." He acknowledged it was true, and asked for prayer...but nothing changed...
 
About 3 months later he had a very severe heart attack, but he survived much to the surprise of the doctors, though with some damage to the heart muscle. He then immediately changed his ways, losing about 35 pounds (16k) and immediately stopped smoking. The last I had heard he was lean and strong as if he had never had a heart attack.
 
Understanding spiritually what is happening
Back in the days of Job, his friend Elihu spoke accurately about the Lord. In fact Job and his other 3 friends had to repent for saying things that were wrong about the Lord (like, 'the Lord gives and the Lord takes away). Job admitted: I spoke of things I knew nothing about, I abhor myself... That means we dismiss things Job and his friends said about the Lord as having been spoken out of ignorance or in error. 
 
Only Elihu did not have to repent - what He said of God was accurate, including telling Job that 'God does not afflict*', and 'Far be it from the Almighty that He would pervert what is right*'. Elihu also explained to Job how the Lord had been trying privately to reach him privately, though Job resisted. *Job 34:12, 37:23
 
You may recall that Job explained why he was in the condition of the eruption of Shingles, or boils or blister like lesions on his skin, in 3: 25-26: "I have not been in peace, neither have I been able to sleep nor rest. What I greatly feared has happened to me. I have not felt safe, nor at peace, nor at rest, but only turmoil."
 
If you were a doctor and this patient named Job came to your office telling you his skin had erupted in sores from the stress he was under, the fear, the lack of sleep - what would you do? You'd tell him to take a holiday, delegate his work, and prescribe medicines to help him sleep - or at least some herbal tea! 
 
Someone wise in the things of the Spirit would know Job opened the door to his condition and it was only God who was sparing his life at each attempt the devil was making. But his refusal to cast his cares on the Lord, do what was right in the natural by better managing his various business interests, and take rest, opened the door to his condition. 
 
Elihu told Job that God had been trying to reach him, in chapters 33- 36 in particular, and includes some of my favorite verses in the whole Bible:
 
"God speaks once, yea twice, yet man perceives it not... 
...In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes upon man, then God speaks to try to open his ears and gives instruction, that He may withdraw man from what he intends to do, and repent of his pride, that He may keep his life from going into the pit, and his life from perishing. If he resists, he will have pain in his body..." Job 33: 14-end
 
This lays out the progression of God working privately in the hearts of people, through the eventual public revelation of their struggle with sin - in this case he was speaking of Job and his physical illness. That isn't to say every sickness is God making some secret sin public, not at all. But you have seen in these examples that things happen in a person's life because they won't obey the Lord. God was trying to save Job's life and placed limits on what the devil could do to him, and without the Lord's efforts Job would have surely met a premature death. 
 
A person not privy to the situation might see a speeding ticket given a 16 year old and make a comment about boys and their cars, but have no idea what God had been doing for months before. 
 
Another might see an overweight man who smoked, have a heart attack, and say, 'What did he expect?', not realizing God's work in the inner man. 
 
The friends of Job saw their friend in pain and suggest everything from God is doing it to him to a secret sin, not realizing the very private efforts of the Lord to deal with Job about fear, stress, worry, and his business and kids. 
 
Personally, that's why I usually limit my comments to the fruit of a person's life, for the heart is the realm of the Lord to know. 
 
Next week we forget the cattle prod and look at how He leads us like a shepherd. Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com

Hi all,
The northeast part of Oklahoma where I live is cattle country, with real cowboys, horses, spurs on their boots and cowboy hats on their heads. The region is called 'Green Country', for this eastern third of the state if well watered, with many hills and streams and large pastures good for grazing. When cattle are brought in to be separated, they pass through a passageway with a gate that makes the animals go right or left, used to separate young males (bulls or steers) from young females who have never had a baby (heifers). To encourage the animal to move along, a 'cattle prod' or what scripture calls an ox-goad, is used to poke them in their hip or rear end. 
 
The Lord's cattle prod
The Lord says this to Paul when He appeared to him outside Damascus: "Saul. Saul. Why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks (ox-goad, cattle prod)." Acts 26:14
 
The word 'goad' is the Greek word 'kentron', and means a 'sharp point, a sting'. It was used in that day of bees and scorpions as well as an ox-goad. The Lord was telling Saul to stop kicking against the Lord poking him to move him along. Evidently, Saul had been thinking on the claims of the Christians but resisting what the Lord was showing him, thus the 'It's hard for you to kick against the ox-goad' comment. Give up Saul! Stop resisting! 
 
Yes He is the Great Shepherd, but...He can poke you in the butt now and again when you need it, lol
Many of us have Psalm 23 on a plaque on their wall, highlighting v1: "The Lord is my Shepherd...", but I'd be surprised if any of us have Acts 26: 14 on our wall: "It's hard for you to kick against the cattle prod." 
 
So we must ask, what was the Lord poking Paul with, why, and in what way might He do that to us today? 
 
Context is everything
The Lord does not contradict Himself, and John 10 is true, He is the Good Shepherd, and I'll share more how He leads us later. But for this week, how might He jab us in the rear end? 
 
Hebrews 4: 12-13 tells us the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing between our soul and spirit, to the joints and marrow, and critiques the thoughts and motives of our heart. But lest anyone reading mistakenly think that is talking about the written Word of God, the writer continues: 
 
"And all things are open and naked before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Seeing then we have such a great high priest, Jesus Christ the righteous...."
 
It is the Person of the Word, not the written Word, that Hebrews 4:12 tells us is sharper than any two-edged sword, knowing even our deepest thoughts and intentions of the heart. Swords have 2 edges, 2 broad sides, and a point. The point is used to stab, deeply or shallow it doesn't matter, the pointy end is sharp and piercing. 
 
Saul of Tarsus, the future apostle Paul, was persecuting Christians, and no doubt studied their claims that Jesus was Messiah. It would appear from the Lord's words to him, that Paul had been thinking on these things for some time and stubbornly refused to believe, and instead expanded his efforts to stamp out all believers in Jesus as Messiah. 
 
The 'ox goad' he was kicking against, was the Person of Jesus as seen through the body of Christ. "Why are you persecuting me?" Jesus had long since ascended to heaven, but took persecution against His people personally, because we are His body.
 
The Lord's first efforts to reach us are private, in the heart
No one knew how the Lord was poking Saul of Tarsus in his heart to consider the claims of these believers in Jesus. It was private. The Lord only took it public because it got to the point he was strongly resisting, and not only resisting, but insisting on going the exact opposite direction. 
 
Years ago a noted TV evangelist was caught in a car with a prostitute about half his age. He later admitted that he had a 'porn problem' since he was a teenager. The Lord never changes; The way He dealt with Saul He dealt with this evangelist and countless others - keeping things internal, private, and only going public if the person insists on going the wrong direction - kicking against the ox-goad.
 
A man has lust in his heart for years, though on the outside his life and marriage seem perfect. But one day in a shock to all, he has an affair with a co-worker - it doesn't matter whether it is a pastor and a worship leader having an affair, or the factory boss and his secretary, the Lord works the same way: Private attempts first to get them to change their ways, then if the person firmly refuses, the Lord allows it to become public. 
 
Jesus taught the same thing in Matthew 18: 11-21 with the Parable of the Lost Sheep. He said if a brother trespasses, keep it private and you who he wronged get with him to seek reconciliation. If he won't be reconciled, take 1 or 2 others who are witnesses (know what is going on) and try to get him to reconcile. If he won't hear those 2 or 3, THEN and only then, take it to leadership, making it public. 
 
Look around at the news, Christian or secular: When secret things come to light, saved or unsaved, know the Father who loves all unconditionally, works the same way with all in the hopes they will come to Him. From unsaved rock star or actor to a small town pastor, He works privately to spare the person the embarrassment and possible collapse of their relationships and lives, in the hopes they will come to Him. He is SO very gracious and loving to all. 
 
He tries first to lead us like a Shepherd, but if we won't follow, there are those times He gets behind us and gives us a good stab in the butt to get our attention - not with sickness or tragic accident, but as He did with Saul - public revelation of what had been up to that point, private. It is much easier to be led, and I will pick it up there next week. Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com 
 

Hi all,
When Jesus returns to set foot on the Mount of Olives, He will find the physical earth in quite a mess.
 
During the preceding years the earth received a double asteroid/comet hit accompanied by a disruption in the magnetosphere resulting in solar flares scorching the earth and burning people, as well as a dust/vapor cloud that blocks much of the sunlight, and several very strong earthquakes as well, some in and around Jerusalem, to name the main natural events. 
 
Back to a new normal 
Zechariah 14:4 tells us at His return, Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives on the east of Jerusalem, and it will split half to the north and half to the south, 'with a very great valley in between'. 
 
Zechariah goes on to say in 14:8 at that time a fountain of living (fresh) waters will flow from Jerusalem, with half the water going to the Dead Sea and half to the Mediterranean Sea. An Israeli orthodox Rabbi said the source of the water was from water drained during Noah's flood, and reserved under Israel to be released at the coming of Messiah. 
 
Ezekiel 47 fills in some details about the half of the new river that flows into the Dead Sea, telling us it starts in the temple as a trickle on the east side, and gains volume as it makes its way to the Dead Sea. Of the Dead Sea he tells us the volume of water will be so great that it will be turned into a fresh water lake, with only the marshy areas on the edges left briny. (v8-12) To dilute the saltiness of the lake now, it will mean the Dead Sea will have to become a huge inland sea. 
 
Ezekiel also says it will be filled with fish, and fishermen will cast nets from along its banks, and very many fruit trees will grow along its shores. Amazing!
 
The plateau
Zechariah 14: 10 tells us the area around Jerusalem from Geba to Rimmon will be 'turned into a plain', in other words a massive flat area. Various sources put those areas 15-30 miles (24-48km) north to south. Zechariah doesn't say how this vast area will be 'turned into a plan', but you can't move that much earth without it 'quaking' quite a bit. It may be the result of the earthquake that occurs when Jesus sets foot on the Mount of Olives - we aren't told when, just that it will be 'turned into a plain'. 
 
Years ago I asked the Lord for what purpose He was going to do that, and He told me simply: "To be able to handle all the people who will be coming to Jerusalem." I thought how nice and how consistent is He, that when He commands the nations to come to Jerusalem at Tabernacles, He also make a place for them to gather.
 
There is a lesson there folks - what He commands, He supplies. Otherwise He could be blamed on the day of judgement as being unfair. 
 
Weather
Zechariah 14: 17-19 tells us that if a nation won't come up at the Feast of Tabernacles to Jerusalem to worship the King, then 'upon them will be no rain'. 
 
This reveals Jesus will command the weather when needed, leading us to conclude that with the exception of those who are disobedient, there will be no drought, no storms that wipe out crops, no killer frost just when the fruit trees are budding. The weather patterns released from their curse, will cooperate with the King, world-wide.
 
We are in training
Paul addressed the situation of 2 men in the church in Corinth suing one another, in I Corinthians 6: 1-7. Remember this was a home based church, for we are told in Acts 18:7 they started in the home of Titius Justus (Gaius), a Roman who lived next door to the synagogue. That means these men were sitting across from each other when they gathered as the church.
 
Paul tells them it is a shame that they who will administrate the world in the millennium, they who would administrate the angels, cannot settle the issue between themselves without going to a secular court. His point is that because they will be ruling over the earth with the Lord in the future, they are worthy now to settle the issues between them. He told the church to find others who were not party to the lawsuit, even the 'least esteemed', and let them decide the matter. 
 
He said they can certainly therefore judge the 'smallest matters' in v2, like what is going on between them. The Greek word 'smallest' is 'mikros', where we get 'micro'. So Paul considered whatever their situation to be, tiny, compared to what they will be doing in the millennium. Basically he told them to grow up, start setting issues now as their lives were preparation for future judgments they would be making. 
 
What if all Christians realized the trials and tribulations of this life are a sort of training for the millennial age? What if all Christians realized by making either wise or unwise choices now, they were being observed in consideration of their role in a future administration of the King over the whole earth? 
 
I'm not advocating a works-based salvation trying to show the Big Boss how good you are. Rather, living our Christian lives with the realization there is more to this life than just this life. That we are accountable to our Maker. That our lives now in this life, matter for something bigger than just what seems to be our puny existence on the planet. That we apply ourselves to truly become more Christ-like each and every day. 
 
Not for reward or position in the kingdom to come, imitating the mother of James and John who sought positions of authority for her sons in the age to come, but just going about our lives knowing we will give account, knowing that even small decisions now do matter, and that our individual value to the Lord is high enough He gave His life for us, then was resurrected so He could watch over and direct our lives personally. That is amazing grace and something to consider.
 
New subject next week, until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com
 

Hi all,
Last week I explained that upon His return, Jesus will set up the internal framework of His government, using those of us from Pentecost through His return as 'employees' of His world-wide Kingdom. I assume it would include Old Testament believers as well, though they may remain in heaven, but we only know in part for now...
 
Enforced righteousness
Revelation 19:15 says at His return He will 'strike down the nations' and 'will rule them with a rod of iron'. The word 'rule' here is actually 'poimanei' which means 'shepherd'. He will shepherd them with a rod of iron. 
 
This reveals His rule will be enforced righteousness, which means you and I will be making decisions and settling issues between people much like Solomon did in his wisdom. We may think 'I can barely run my life now and am looking for answers, who am I to tell someone what is right or wrong?' 
 
But Hebrews 6: 5 calls the gifts of the Spirit 'the powers of the age to come', which means when we are in our glorified bodies, full of the Spirit, we will administrate by words of knowledge, words of wisdom, the discerning of spirits and more. We will have the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to know what is righteous judgment and what is not.
 
For example, what if someone comes to you claiming a carpenter has over charged his time for a job they had him do. The contractor claims they changed what they wanted several times and are owed for his time - time he wouldn't have had to spend except that they kept changing their mind. You would have words of knowledge and wisdom from the Lord on who is right and would make an equitable decision. 
 
That doesn't mean each person will necessarily be happy with what you decide, but it will be a righteous decision whether they like it or not. Enforced righteousness. 
 
There are unsaved people and unsaved nations in the Millennium
One of the things the Lord establishes is the celebration the whole earth will have of God living with man. This is the literal fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, when they celebrated God living with man by commemorating Israel's walk in the wilderness with God. 
 
Zechariah 14: 16-19 tells us: "Whoever is left from the battle where all the nations came against Israel (the 2nd coming/Armageddon), will go up to Jerusalem year by year to worship the King, the Lord of the armies, to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. And it will be that whosoever does not come up to worship the King, for example if Egypt won't come up to worship the King, then upon them will be no rain...this is the plague they will be hit with if they don't come up to worship the King." 
 
Enforced righteousness. Jesus is King and He demands the people do the right thing and honor Him, or there will be consequences. It should not surprise us that even with those who survive Armageddon, there will be some who refuse to turn to the Lord, for human nature has not changed. 
 
Curse lifted, longer lives - play with that lion!
Isaiah 11: 6-11: "And the wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; and the calf and the young lion and the young calf together, and a little child will lead them. And the cow and the bear will feed together, their young ones will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. And the toddler will play on the hole of an asp (poisonous snake), and the just weaned child will put his hand on the adder's den (poisonous snake). They will not hurt nor destroy in all my kingdom; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
 
Isaiah 65: 20-25 tells of people building houses and planting vineyards and orchards, and ends with similar statements about wild and domesticated animals. But the English translation of v20 may leave the reader wondering about the apparent contradiction:
 
"There will no more be an infant who lives but a few days, nor an old man that has not fulfilled his days; For a child will die at 100 years old, but the sinner being 100 years old will be accursed." 
 
The English saying 'a child will die at 100 years old' just after saying no infant will die, would seem to contradict, but it is due to poor translation from Hebrew into English. In Hebrew it reads: 
 
"...youth will die at 100 years old..." In other words, childhood will cease at age 100. If we figure today that a child moves to becoming a 'tween' at age 10, that would seem to indicate a roughly 10 to 1 ratio to what Adam and Eve lived. 
 
If we consider Adam lived 930 years and use a 10 to 1 ratio, it means Adam was roughly our 93 years old when he died. Isaiah establishes that childhood ends at age 100 - and because death is suspended and a child born just after Jesus' return, by the end of 1000 years they may be 1000 years old! (like our 100) But because life is drawn out, they had 100 years of childhood. Amazing. 
 
Next week I'll close it out with the geographical changes around Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and how that 1000 years ends. Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com
 

Hi all,
Having just finished a sort series summarizing the chaos of the Tribulation, let us proceed to the transition from man's government to the government of Jesus, known as the Millennium.
 
Jesus materializes at His return
Ever since His ascension in Acts 1, when a person sees the Lord it is because that person is allowed to see or be in the Spirit realm, where He is. Paul saw the Lord in Acts 9, as did the believer named Ananias. Paul saw Him again in Acts 18 in Corinth, and again in Acts 22:17. The apostle John called it being 'in the Spirit' in Revelation 1:10 and 4:2. The first use is when he was in the Spirit and saw the Lord in His realm, and the second use was when he was caught up into heaven. 
 
For me, when my physical eyes are open and my spiritual eyes are opened to His realm, it is like an overlay of 2 parallel universes I see at the same time. This is described as happening to Elisha and his servant in II Kings 6: 15-17 who saw both the natural world around them AND the angelic army protecting them. 
 
But at the return of Jesus He will come out of the Spirit realm to be once again solidly in the natural world, and we will have our 'glorified' bodies as well that we may rule and reign with Him. As the angels said at His ascension: "This same Jesus who you have seen taken up into heaven, will come (back) in the same way as you've seen Him go into heaven." Acts 1: 11
 
The story of The Revelation is the story of transitioning, violently so, the end of man's government and the start of the 1,000 reign of Jesus as King over the whole earth. 
 
Consider from a political perspective what will happen at the return of Jesus 
When any king, queen, president, prime minister, dictator or despot takes office, they must first establish order, leadership, and infrastructure that their administration may function. 
 
Jesus reveals His course of action concerning this in Matthew 25: 31-32: "When the Son of man comes in His glory, and holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory: And before Him will be gathered all nations, and He will separate one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats."
 
We can understand practically speaking that representatives from all nations will be brought before Him, but there is another nation not hitherto considered: The nation of His people, who are also citizens of the nations of earth. From within the nations gathered before Him, Jesus will gather His people as He continues in v33-36:
 
"And He will put the sheep (nations) on His right, and the goat (nations) on His left. To those on His right He will say, 'Come you blessed of my Father, and inherit the kingdom which as been prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I hunger and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you took me in, naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to me."
 
Relationships
To make a point yet again - notice His standard for judgment on His people: It isn't how nice the church sound system is, or your attendance or giving money, nor even how many you won to the Lord. Jesus says His measuring stick is relationship and social based giving to those in your circle of friends, family, neighbors, coworkers - food, clothing, hospitality, visiting the sick, imprisoned and those in need. 
 
As I've said so many times, anyone can say they are born again, but that claim is unproven for it is unseen in the heart. God in His wisdom determined righteousness is proven within the framework of relationships. That is why we are told to judge one's fruits, not their heart, but the fruit of their lives, and that fruit is seen within relationships.
 
You are going into government service
Paul confirms the fact the Lord's 'sheep' will be separated from the rest and rule the nations in I Corinthians 6: 2-4: "Don't you know that the saints will judge the world? ....Don't you know that we will judge angels?" (The word 'judge' is administrative, and would be better translated in modern English, 'rule', 'govern', 'to decide'. It is not heaven/hell, but rather as a ruler making determinations and giving instructions.)
 
In The Revelation 20: 4-6, John describes seeing thrones and the saints given authority to rule with Christ for 1,000 years, a throne being the seat of authority. 
 
A point of order:
People sometimes ask why I usually refer to the last book of the Bible as The Revelation, rather than 'Revelation' or 'Revelations'. The reason is simple and is explained in The Revelation 1:1: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God (Father) gave to Him to show His servants things which must shortly come to pass..."
 
It is a revelation which the Father gave to Jesus in the form of a sealed scroll. John is called up to heaven in chapter 4, and he saw the Father on His throne surrounded by 24 elders and the cherubs, which are angelic winged creatures around the Father's throne. 
 
In chapter 5 a dilemma is presented: The Father has a scroll in His right hand, but verses 1-5 tell us no man is worthy to open the scroll. John 'cries much' because no one is worthy, but his sorrow is brought to an end by an elder in verse 5: "Don't cry, because the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David has prevailed to open the book and to loose its 7 seals." 
 
Immediately Jesus begins opening the revelation found in the scroll by breaking the 7 seals...and that is the rest of the book of The Revelation. 
 
Next week, about Jesus ruling from Jerusalem, the tone of His rule, our part, and more! Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com