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Prophetic update #2

3/28/2015

Hi all,
A relative of mine was taking a trail ride on horse back along with several relatives and friends. He is a tall man, retired from business, and not used to horses. As they went along the horses followed each other nose to tail on the rocky, mountainous path, often with steep drop offs on one side or the other of the trail. At one point the trail sloped up steeply and the horses plodded up, and then the trail fell away sharply at the top.

As my relative's horse stepped over the crest of the peak it fell to its knees as the trail turned steeply downward. My relative nearly went over the horse's head but regained himself after the close call, and the horse found his footing and resumed walking down the steep path.

Soon they came to another steep climb followed by another steep decline, and again my relative's horse stumbled to its knees but quickly recovered itself. With the 2nd stumble my relative yelled out to the Trail Guide who was on his horse at the front of the line; "Hey, what's wrong with my horse?! He keeps stumbling!" The Guide replied, "Oh, it's OK, he's blind and can't see the path, he just follows the other horses. You needed a big horse so I gave him to you. You'll be fine!"

Of course my relative was horrified, now scared with the realization the horse he was trusting with his life along the treacherous was completely blind and was only following the crowd.

My reason for sharing this prophetic update, which is about the spirits behind persecution, is that many Christians are like my relative on a blind horse. They think the spiritual horse they are riding is faith because it is following the crowd which brings comfort, but in reality they're on a spiritually blind faith that is going to stumble once the path has reached its zenith and starts heading downhill at a steep angle.

I've had 3 times and Barb once where the Father or Lord have said to us: "Times are coming when many who think they know what faith is will discover they don't know faith at all."

Last week...

I shared how Jesus was accused of #1 treason and #2 tax evasion, and lightly traced examples of the same spirit at work in persecution down through history. Now to my other points:

#3 - Jesus was accused of being a potentially violent threat against society

(False witness quoted) "And this fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days." Matthew 26:61; Mark 14:58

Notice that Jesus' words were taken out of context and twisted to suggest He would rise up to destroy the most sacred building in the nation. Just the threat and fear of Jesus taking to the streets was enough for them to want the death penalty. He was a threat to Rome and Israel's ruling officials.

The spirit that makes false accusations that Christians might become violent like other right-wing violent groups, is not only a lying spirit, but a lying spirit working with and linked with a spirit of fear. These two spirits cause confusion and cause people to believe a delusion about Christians.

Notice also this false witness said Jesus could rebuild the (stone) temple in three days - the threat being unauthorized actions, a vigilante, someone who wouldn't bother working with authorities (to rebuild the temple) but would do it Himself with presumably, His band of followers.

This spirit seeks to involve itself in the lives of ordinary people, to keep them controlled, corralled, for fear they might do something contrary to tax law, building codes, zoning and such on a local level. And it is fear and lying spirits behind it.

These accusations and misinformation cause Christians to be viewed as different from the rest of the citizenry. This was true for Jesus, it was true throughout the persecution seen in Acts, and even Hitler hated the Jews not so much for their economic power but because they were different than the rest of Germany.

The strategy for persecution is to separate the focus people from the rest of society and turn the citizens against them - and as happened with Jesus, it can happen in an instant. As Nero burned Rome and blamed Christians, so too have others blamed those who are different or stand out in a culture for their problems.

Look for the same lying spirit to cause government officials to suggest conservatives and Christians are a potentially violent threat against government and society - there is a spirit behind it as it was in Jesus' day, it is more than just people who disagree - they viewed Jesus as potentially violent and they will us too.

#4 - Living and teaching contrary to popular culture, which was seen as subversive and hindering government's goals"

And we found this fellow misleading the nation..." Luke 23:2. (Greek: diastrepho; to distort, twist, pervert)

This accusation reveals a goal to make Jesus a national threat, not just locally threatening the temple in Jerusalem, but a spirit accusing Christians as national threats. Rome misunderstood Christians, that they were cannibals because they ate and drank the body and blood of this man Jesus. They thought Christians were perverted, having these 'love feasts' where were said to be drunken orgies. They were thought to be some form of atheists because they had no shrines, no images, no statues to gods in their homes.

All that misunderstanding, propaganda, and cultural stereotypes led to Roman culture being suspicious of Christians, which contributed to the elements of my first 3 points above and last week. Accusations that Christians are subversive or live and teach contrary to society have been seen down through the centuries.

At some point dislike comes into the open in a culture and Christians (and Jews in many cases) are blamed for the economic problems of a nation, and are said to be the reason the government can't proceed with their plans. The plans will work IF ONLY we didn't have these Christians standing in our way...therefore they aren't Patriots, they don't want to pay their fair share, they are dangerous to our culture and way of life, and they are misleading the nation. Sound familiar? From ISIS to some in the liberal left in the US to dictators of history past, those are the same themes - as they did to our Lord so will they do to us.

Some things the Father has told me

Four times since 1991: "Watch Turkey. It will be rejected by Europe and will ally itself with Russia to become a major power once again in the Middle East."

2003: "...but watch out when Hillary takes office." At that time she was a US Senator, then she became Secretary of State. During her tenure we certainly did need to watch out, and continue to watch out. It remains to be seen if He was talking about being President.

2003 after the invasion of Iraq: I asked the Father what was going to happen to Iraq and He said: "It will all be undone." The only way for it to be all undone would be for Iran to set up a puppet Shia government or take it outright. Ancient Persia was the land of modern Iran and Iraq.

2003 after the Patriot Act was passed and I asked Him what He thought of it: "Laws that were passed to protect my people will one day be used against them." and "The IRS will be used against my people."

2005 when I was reviewing all that had happened in the US over the 10 years between 1995 and 2005, and I made the comment to the Father I didn't recognize the country for what it had been. He replied: "I tell you the truth when I say you won't recognize it again in another 10 years." (2015)

2006 when I was complaining to the Father we didn't have a savings account and though I know He will take care of us, still....and He replied: "Why would you want to put your money in there?" Suddenly a large screen appeared before me of a bank, and I knew somehow it was either Thursday or Friday, and the bank shut down. Suddenly the scene shifted to what I knew was Saturday morning and people were banging on the doors of the bank trying to get in, but it was closed. Then it opened for business on Monday and the US dollar was worth 50% of what it had been the previous week. Then the vision disappeared.

2014 springtime, among other things: "2017 will be a bad year for the world."

That's enough for now - I'm not trying to scare people, though over a year ago the Father revealed to Barb, who is a strong intercessor, that an economic crash is going to happen in September/October 2015, but it might be delayed by prayer. I've heard nothing from the Father about it, so I hope it is delayed.

I want the body of Christ to wake up, fall out of love with the world and its toys and distractions, and start to love one another in true relationship, true fellowship, in homes, in small groups...and I remind you what Jesus said to me in November 2001 when He appeared to me and laid His hands on my anointing me as an apostle to start house churches and a network of house churches. When I asked Him why He said: "It's a resource against a time to come. Be a resource, for it's against a time to come."

New subject next week, blessings,
John Fenn

www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]

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Prophetic update #1

3/21/2015

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Hi all,
With so many world events apparently running headlong into fulfillment of prophecy in recent weeks, it seemed good to share some prophetic updates and things to look for.

No matter what a person believes about end times, the end of the Book makes it clear this world is headed to the end of the government of man, culminating in the return of Jesus to set up His earthly kingdom. He does so at a time Israel is on the brink of destruction, and comes literally riding in on His white horse to save the day. Revelation 19:11

Here are some characteristics common to persecution through the centuries. Do you see them in our day?

News flash - Christians aren't persecuted just for being Christian

Church culture would have us believe Jesus was sent to the cross just for being Jesus, amd Christians are persecuted just for being Christian, but that is not the case. The old question, "If you were accused of being a Christian would there be enough evidence against you?" isn't exactly accurate. If we look at what the Bible actually says, we will see a spirit at work in our day. These were the charges against Jesus:

1: Treason. 2: Tax evasion. 3: Potential violence. 4: Being against popular culture.

#1, Treason - defined as 'betrayal of one's country'

Christians are not persecuted JUST for being Christian - that is the surface. Roman Governor Pontius Pilate asked Jesus: "Are you King of the Jews?" That was what it all pivoted around - treason - are you against Rome?. But when Pilate realized Jesus wasn't a direct threat he would have released Him, but the people kept the focus on treason, shouting: "We have no king but Caesar!" Even ISIS views Christians and for that matter, Muslims who don't believe as they do in the Caliphate, as traitors. (Matthew 27:11, John 19:15)

Until Christianity was legalized in the 3rd century, treason was the charge against Christians because they claimed to serve another king - they weren't in court just for being a Chrisitian. The Caesars demanded worship as gods, Christians refused, and that was treason, worthy of death.

Root accusations of treason can be disguised within many other charges

Therefore we look for evidence in culture and government of that spirit at work - a spirit that seeks to criminalize faith in Christ as treasonous to a nation's well-being, purpose, and greater good.

From Jesus throughout history, Jews and Christians have been blamed as the cause of a nation's ills, because they refused to be good patriots - good Romans, good Nazi's, or Communist party members. Look for the nations to increasingly look at Jews and Christians, as well as politically conservative people, as the cause of a nation's problems, which will degrade to a point they accuse them (us) as un-patriotic. Pick your nation, that's the spirit behind it.

Look at the progression - it doesn't start as full-blown treason

In the first 6 months of Jesus' ministry when John the Baptist and He were ministering at the same time, John 3 says the Pharisees and various religious rulers stood by and listened to what each said. But things escalated over the next 3 years to the point of plots against Jesus: "And they took counsel how they might destroy Him." (John 11:53)

In the USA when The Patriot Act was passed after the 9/11 attacks, it granted the government freedoms on spying and arrest that were unprecedented. I asked "What do you think of this Father?" and He immediately replied: "Laws that were designed to protect my people will one day be used against them."

#2, Jesus was accused of tax evasion & financial wrong doing

In Luke 23:2 we are told another charge against Jesus: "And they began to accuse Him saying, 'This man perverts the nation, forbidding the paying of taxes to Caesar, and saying He is a king."

Back at the time of the Patriot Act the Father also told me: "The IRS will be used to persecute my people." I realize these 2 points are to an American audience, but the spirit behind such things is common to all governments sliding toward anger directed at conservatives, Christians, and Jews.

In this day of electronic communication, finances, and government spying on citizens to a degree never before possible, realize that any government so determined could produce convincing evidence of a person's moral or financial wrong doing just by breaking into accounts and making them say whatever they want.

Rabbit trail, which means a slight detour off the path - what 666 means

Much ado has been made of the 666 of Revelation 13:18: "This is wisdom. Let him that has wisdom count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is 666." The previous verses say a person cannot buy nor sell without that mark on their forehead or wrist.

Note that the first rule for understanding prophecy is that it had to have made sense to the original hearers/readers, and then also must make sense to future hearers/readers. In John's time when Rome took slaves they took away their name and gave them a number instead, branding their forehead or wrist with that number. This indicated the person was a slave to Rome and their economic & political system..

A great trivia trick is to ask 'Who wrote the book of Romans?', and most will say "Paul". But Romans 16:22-23 says: "I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you...and Quartus, a brother."

Tertius is the Roman number 3, and Quartus is the Roman number 4, indicating slave #3 received dictation of Paul's letter to the Romans, and a co-worker was slave #4.

666 explained

The 666 is easy to explain. We look to Jesus as the truth, and then to Satan's perversion to understand the 666. So what is Jesus going to do at the setting up of His kingdom on earth, which will basically be a 777, God's number of completion? (6 being the number of man as man was created on day 6)

King Jesus will unite these three elements over all mankind: Political, economic, and religious unity. 777.

Therefore 666 is man's government trying to unify politics, economics, and religion - 666.

Dictators, Kings, Caesars, and to our day, rulers have tried to build their own 666. Rome was able to unify their world politically and economically, but not religiously because of those pesky Jews and Christians. They got to 66 but not to 666.

Fast forward to Nazi Germany. Hitler was able to unify his nation politically and economically, but not religiously because of Jews and Christians, though they tried to exterminate them all. Fast forward to the USSR. Stalin was able to unify the nation politically, economically, but not completely in the religion of atheism because of Jews and Christians.

One day there will be a man in the area of Europe and the Mediterranean, who will try again to bring the unity of man's perfect government as seen in the 666. He will unify things politically and economically, forcing all to be part of the system to buy/sell, and he will seek to unify religion as well.

Think of an economic system that would be against people raising their own fruits and vegetables, thereby side-stepping the system - So look for future government control over people making their own gardens.

But again, Christians will be seen as preventing that final '6', and eventually the nations will seek to destroy Israel as the last obstacle standing in their way.

I'm out of room for this week, points 3 & 4 and much insights next week, until then, blessings,

John Fenn

www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]

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God's will, Mine, Does He care? #6

3/14/2015

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Hi all,
I've been talking about the fact the Lord has delegated many decisions to us, and He doesn't really have a 'perfect will' for everything. One other thing that has been delegated to us is money. What I share below I've had to search out myself because it sure isn't taught in the auditorium church.

I was one of those people who spiritualized all things money while making minimum wage and giving to the point of hurting my family, all the while wondering why my 100 fold return wasn't happening, wondering why heaven's floodgates weren't being opened to me, why I didn't have a blessing to the point I didn't have room to contain it. What was I doing wrong? Why wasn't God blessing me; I was doing everything I'd been told.

Space is limited so for more information I have a couple series on Bible prosperity and NT giving, but here are 5 main points:

Point number 1 - the kingdom is based on and functions by revelation

Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16:16-18 that the Father had shown him Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and he said it was upon that rock of revelation He would build His gathering of the saints. Everything in the kingdom functions within and by revelation from heaven, Jesus being the greatest revelation and flowing down from Him. That means financial dealings will have revelation woven through all of it.

Point number 2 - God never promises to pour out money that you don't have room to receive

In Malachi 3:10, every auditorium based pastor's favorite verse (ha) God promises to open the windows of heaven to pour out a blessing they would not have room to receive IF they gave 10% to the temple. (We are now living temples with Christ in us so giving is to individuals, leaders and those in need as per Acts 2-6)

Malachi 3 is using irrigation terms, with the 'windows' of heaven being the word 'head gate' which is the gate that opens the flow of water to a field. In irrigation the water flows to the field, runs down furrows in the field, and exits the field in a ditch which connects to the neighbor's field, and the process continues on as each field in the irrigation process has too much water to contain, so it flows on to water the neighbor's field. Malachi 3 says if they are givers then rain will come to irrigate the fields, and that water will overflow to all fields. In Jesus' parables the earth stands for a person's heart and life. (Mark 4)

Therefore the water represents the flow of the Holy Spirit to our hearts (fields); The teaching, wisdom, comfort, and revelation is what He provides as He waters the field of our heart and life with revelation. Notice this - the water is not the crop! Water merely gives nourishment to the crop, the crop is your job, your investments, you material world. The 'water' of the Holy Spirit brings grace and creativity to your life.

This is seen in Genesis 30: 37-39 where Jacob did something silly, peeling poplar branches so they were green and white pattern and set them where the animals mated, producing spotted animals, which were all his for the taking by agreement with Laban. But in 31:10-13 he said he received the idea in a dream with instructions from an angel. He had made a vow to be a giver to God, and God poured out water - creativity - to water his crop (livestock). The 'water' was the idea to peel the bark, flowing from that revelation.

To an engineer the water poured out might be a word of knowledge how to solve a problem. To a mechanic it is a word about what is wrong with that motor. With an accountant it is a creative idea to help the company's profits. With the menopausal woman it may be a word on why you are standing there staring into the pantry...oh, no, sorry, maybe not that! Ha! Point is, the kingdom works by revelation, and as we give the Lord promises to pour out ideas and wisdom that water our field of life which in turns increase the 'crops' of life.

Point number 3 - it is up to us not God to change our ability to handle money

In Matthew 25:14-29 Jesus taught the parable of the talents, a unit of currency back then. Today we might say 1 talent equals say for our example, 1,000.00 USD or Euros. In the parable the master gave 1 servant 5 talents, another 2 talents, and another, 1 talent.

In this parable Jesus taught the only 3 things that can be done with money: Trade with it, gain interest on it, or bury it. All financial efforts on the earth will be within one or more of those categories. But the fact the master gave 5 talents to one man, and when he had doubled the master's money by trading with it (buy/sell) he got the 1 talent from the man who had buried that 1 talent. The master told the man with 1 he should have traded with it or at least put it in the bank for interest - it was up to the man to change how he dealt with money, not the master's. This shows us it is up to us change our ability to handle money, and the master will give us what we can handle, no more. So don't cry out to God for more money if you aren't handling well what you have. Change how you handle money by education, discipline, or otherwise studying an area of interest.

Wisdom: Money will flow away from you if you don't know the area you are putting it in. Learn by book and experience before investing large sums - learn enough so money will flow to you.

God will not allow you to be tested above what you are able, and will make a way of escape. (I Cor 10:13) So if you want to handle more, then educate yourself and gain experience. Today with computers you can learn things on a college level for free on the web, and you can invest in getting to know people who are doing what you are interested in doing, and learn from them.

Point number 4 - the Bible teaches multiple streams of income produce wealth

Never, no where, does it say 1 source of income will make you wealthy. It does pattern multiple streams of income however. In Job 1:2-3 it says he had 7,000 sheep. He would later tell of using his own wool to clothe those in need. Sheep provide meat to eat & sell, wool to sell and weave into material and clothes to sell.

He had 3,000 camels which were used for desert caravans to import and export goods. They were the long-haul what we call in the US, semi-trucks (lorries) of the day. He had 500 yoke of oxen (1,000 animals) which meant he was a rancher and farmer as he had to have much more cattle to have at the ready 500 yoke, which were used for plowing fields and grinding grain. He had 500 female donkeys, which were the short haul trucks of the day. Job was wealthy due to multiple streams of income which he managed well.

In Proverbs 31:10-31 we find the 'virtuous woman', and find she owns a business - a weaving company with employees, and she works alongside them arriving early, and providing for her family. She is a giver as was Jacob and Job. She weaves flax (linen), wool, silk. She exports her product, and then it says; "She considers a field and buys it." This shows she is expanding her streams of income, investing in a vineyard to produce wine and juice, etc. She "considered a field" the text says, meaning she studied it, learned, so that money wouldn't flow away from her, before buying the field.

You've been taught wrong if you think by giving x percent God will suddenly bless you. The money is on the earth, you have the responsibility given by Him to change your ability, to establish multiple streams of income for yourself - if you want His guidance you should be asking Him where to invest, what creative ideas He has for you, and know your own heart to know where you want to change your ability.

Point number 5 - the New Testament doesn't teach giving 10%, but 100%

The NT teaches we are to lay down our lives for each other, giving 100% of ourselves, our skills, our resources to one another as part of a lifestyle of giving within relationships so that there are no needs in our midst. WE are the temples of God, not a building, therefore we continue to give to the temple(s) in great freedom and responsibility to one another. See how they gave in Acts 2 through 6 for examples.

Giving in the New Testament is outlined in I Corinthians 16:2 and II Corinthians 8 and 9, a few verses of which are highlighted here. "Let every person set aside something weekly according to how the Lord has blessed them that week." and "(Giving) ...is accepted according to what a person has, not according to what they have not." (I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 8:12-13)

This means we are to discipline ourselves to set aside something as Christ in us and we determine, based on what we have. We can charge donations if we can pay it back, but don't give your food money away to build a well in some far off land, nor give your power bill money to someone else's power bill money. But if yours is covered you'll have some to give to others.

"For I don't want you to be burdened while easing their need." Giving to another is not to be a burden, it is to be a joy as he says in II Corinthians 9:7 - not grudgingly or out of need, but cheerfully as he purposes in his heart, for God loves a cheerful giver.

"Now He who gives seed to the sower also provides bread for your food, and He will multiply your seed sown." II Corinthians 9:10. This teaches God provides each of us seed to sow and bread for food. You don't want to give your bread away, but you also don't want to eat your seed. It is up to us to discipline ourselves to set aside something, to determine with Christ in us what He wants as seed, and act on it.

You never lose money, talent, resources, or work that you give to someone, what you give enters into your future to supply your future need. (Luke 6:38 among others)

When you put these things together you realize money is on earth, not in heaven. He gave us the responsibility to manage it, and to live a lifestyle of giving within a network of relationships. As we give we can expect revelation from heaven to water the fields of our lives, so our 'crops' may be blessed...but the motivation on all giving is love, simply, purely, no strings-attached, love...

Next week a prophetic update, until then, blessings,

John Fenn

www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]

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God's will, Mine, Does He care #5

3/7/2015

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Hi all,
I closed last week talking about the couple who were ready to break their engagement because of an argument on how to load the dishwasher. Today is about when the Lord might insert Himself into a decision that is ours to make, to reveal His will.

"Thus saith the Lord", about a dishwasher?

"Dishwasher couple" wanted me to give them a prophetic word from the Lord on who was right - how God wanted the dishwasher loaded. You could have knocked them over with a feather at my response that He didn't really care. They mistakenly thought He had a perfect will for everything in life.

I told them His only interest would be if loading it a particular way might result in someone's injury or violate love, then He might impress one of them not to load it that way or reveal something was wrong with the machine. As we talked about how doing something different isn't necessarily doing it wrong, it is just different than they would have done it, and the important thing was not to violate love, they forgave each other and compromised. They remain married to this day, over 15 years later.

Notice what I said - He won't tell them the natural order of how to most efficiently load the dishwasher, but He will enter the conflict IF love is violated. The Lord didn't care that the groom thought his fiance' loaded the dishwasher the wrong way, His concern was that love was being violated by their immaturity.

Very often the Lord doesn't have a perfect will for decisions in the natural, but He always has a perfect will for decisions of the Spirit - love.

When Barb and I were first married I remember a similar conflict. Barb was in the kitchen making dinner and said, 'The trash can is full'. I said something brilliant like 'So?' It escalated from there - "So empty it! Please." Without thinking I uttered another brilliant response which only escalated the conversation to just short of nuclear war: "You're the one who topped it off, so you empty it! Sweetie!", as if adding 'sweetie' hid the passive-aggressive stubbornness in my voice - and I said it as I continued reading my Bible - I was being spiritual after all and couldn't be bothered with such unimportant things like emptying the trash.

Somewhere just short of pushing the button to a nuclear conflagration Barb said with volume raised to 8 out of 10, 'Well, I grew up with my dad always emptying the trash, so I expect you to do that." I responded with volume raised to 9 out of 10, "Well, I grew up with the one who topped it off emptied it!!!"

(To avoid being the one who topped it off, no matter how full, you could always cram just a little bit more into it if you stood on top of the trash container and pushed it down below the rim thus claiming it wasn't yet full.) So I got up to stomp on it so I could claim it wasn't full any more.

The Lord really didn't care who emptied that trash can...

He didn't care about our trash can unless and until the qualities of love were about to be violated. And that is when scriptures started coming to mind like a pesky mosquito buzzing my face: "Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it" and "So too should men love their wives as they do their own bodies; he who loves his wife also loves himself." and "Husbands assign honor to your wife...so that your prayers aren't hindered..." from Ephesians 5:25-28 and I Peter 3:7.

THAT is how the Father revealed His will about the trash can - He didn't care who or how or when the trash got emptied, His interest in our trash can only went as far as love was about to be violated. And I've got to tell you who won that fight: Love. Over 36 years of marriage later I am still Trash Man!

The Lord may not have a perfect will whether you choose to live in apartment A or apartment B. That is your decision and He will remain silent in terms of telling you A or B. His interest in helping you decide will be in terms of love - does apartment A or B make you feel more peaceful, safe, at home? He will give you a peace and settled feeling in your spirit as it pertains to love and all the attributes of love - peace, security, safety, and then to convenience - which if not convenient to work and shopping for instance, you might be stressed which violates love, so His interest is in revealing to you which apartment would produce the least stress in you - which choice least violates the attributes of love. And once He reveals those spiritual elements THEN He leaves you to make a decision on A or B.

A mate: He will reveal to you issues of your heart and qualities within potential mates while letting you decide what you do with those insights. He won't pick 'that person' or 'that person' but He will reveal each person's heart to you in your spirit, and then let you decide which one to get to know better. Once you know their spirit then you can get to know their soul and see if you both want to work that through to marriage.

Food: That is why Paul wrote about meat sacrificed to idols in I Corinthians 10:23-33 and Romans 14 - Paul didn't tell them it is God's will to eat this or not eat that, he said if you are having a meal with a brother or sister who think eating meat that had earlier been sacrificed to an idol is a sin, then for their sake don't eat it. God doesn't care what you eat, but enters the event only if love is about to be violated, THEN He becomes involved and THAT becomes His revealed will. So Paul said if you are going to offend by eating meat when with that brother or sister, eat the vegetable dish instead.

Decisions, decisions

So much of modern church culture spiritualizes everything. They won't tell you whether they will make it to your event but they'll "pray about it." (Translation, no, they won't be there) Does God have a perfect will whether they accept your invitation or not? If they are violating love by not going because say, they are upset with you over something you said 6 months ago, then He will often actually lead them to go so they can grow in Him. (But often they go against Him and don't show up) But otherwise, He doesn't really care.

We have all been frustrated with the Lord when we have important decisions to make, yet He is completely silent in that arena while at the same time dealing with us about forgiving a family member who made us angry, or some other such thing completely unrelated to the prayer we need answer over THERE! Why is He silent on important natural decisions we must make while being so adamant about us dealing with our heart in other areas?!

II Peter 1:3-4 reveals "ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness HAVE BEEN PROVIDED to us through the knowledge of Him who called us to glory and virtue...that by this is given to us exceeding great and precious promises that we might be partakers of the divine nature..."

Notice what he says - the promises are given to us so that we might partake of the divine nature. WE see promises as answered prayer. HE sees the promises as opportunities for us to partake of His nature - everything is about growing up in Him. Every promise given has an expectation of growth attached. Every decision you make is expected to be one which will grow you in Him. That is why so often His will is the most difficult decision of the two before us.

When Barb and I were members in a church some 35 years ago, someone took things we said out of context, twisted them to their own use, and told the pastor. We heard the pastor was angry with us and our fate at that church hung in the balance. Was it now God's will we leave the church? That would have been easy, just start going elsewhere - surely that was the Lord's will. But no, we knew His decision would be always towards growth, so we humbled ourselves, sat down with the pastor and his wife, admitted to what we'd said, and asked forgiveness, and the relationship was restored. Too many just up and move to another church claiming it is God, but they are lying. They just don't want to grow up in Him. But that is their choice.

Colossians 3:15 says "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts..." The word 'rule' is brabeuo, which means 'to act as an umpire'. An umpire is neutral. The Spirit of Truth will bear witness to the truth, but He won't pick sides. He is an umpire, watching us and with us and in us walking through life - but most decisions are ours and the Umpire only enters into the decision making process if we start to do something that violates the attributes of love. But like any umpire, He will let the 'team' make stupid mistakes if they insist

How the dishwasher is loaded or who empties the trash isn't God's concern, He enters the picture as an Umpire, the Spirit of Truth, to intervene only when love is about to be violated.

Next week I close out this series talking about money decisions. Until then, blessings,

John Fenn

cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]

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