Hi all,
Barb was out on her shopping day, her weekly one afternoon break from caring for 3 boys, and she relished her Friday afternoons alone. That meant Friday dinner was up to me - since we used to own 2 pizza delivery stores in the 1980's, making home made pizza was a natural choice, and Friday became pizza night when the boys were young.

By the time all things were set Barb had arrived home, we put away the groceries, and I had the kitchen to myself. I decided to make cupcakes for dessert and surprise everyone. Barb had recipes, so I set to work. When the oven was preheated and the batter ready to be poured, I placed the paper cupcake cups neatly how I thought they should be, and poured batter into the first one.

It completely flattened out, batter running all over the cookie sheet like lava from a volcano. Cookie sheet you ask? Yes, I had never made cupcakes before and I had arranged the paper cups on our biggest cookie sheet, all ready to receive the batter. Hmmm, I thought, that first one must be defective, too weak to hold the batter. So I poured the batter into a 2nd one, and it too flattened out, and now I was totally confused.

Was the whole package of cupcake cups defective! Maybe you nest 2 cups or 3 to give them strength, but I can't recall Barb ever doing that.  I read and re-read the recipe...it said 'pour batter into cups'...simple enough, that's what I was doing! Duh! What could possibly be wrong?!!? 

"BARB!!! I need your help!" I yelled, accepting defeat, realizing I must be doing something wrong. I yelled I was making cupcakes so she arrived on the scene like a 911 responder, took one look and started laughing so hard I thought she'd pee her pants or bust a gut. She couldn't talk she was laughing so hard, tears streaming down her face, then she'd start to talk and then start laughing again. I was humiliated, confused, and didn't have a clue how I had missed it. My heart was to be a blessing, but I had messed up.

Gradually her laughter settled down and she wiped away enough tears to reach into a cabinet and through her laughter pull out a cupcake pan and put it on the counter. "THIS!" she started laughing again, "is what you use!" She turned on her heels still laughing and shaking her head, leaving me to clean up the aftermath of the Vesuvius-like flows of batter slowly making their way off the cookie sheet and onto the countertop.

Example #3: Moses, fear & revelation

If you formed your theology from Hollywood or most sermons, you probably think Moses received the call to deliver Israel from Egypt at the burning bush - nothing could be further from the truth.

Steven says in Acts 7: 22-25 when re-telling the history of his people: "And Moses was educated in all the ways of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. And when he was full 40 years old it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he avenged him that was oppressed and killed the Egyptian, for he supposed his brethren would have understood how God by his hand would deliver them from the Egyptians, but they understood not."

The confusion and fear Moses faced wasn't because his daughter had died like Jairus, nor because Someone was walking on the water to him like Peter, no, this fear and confusion was his own doing. He had the revelation correct, that he was the deliverer, but he assumed others had that same revelation.

Not only did he assume his brethren would know he was the deliverer, he made decisions on that assumption. He thought they'd rally around and start a civil war because all his education and life experience said that was what to do. He applied a genuine revelation from God to his own education and ideas, planned in his mind how God would make it come to pass, and acted on it, missing God altogether.

Sound familiar?
That assumption cost him 1/3 of his life. He was 40 when he killed the Egyptian, and he was 80 when the Lord appeared to him and told him they would be delivered not by armed conflict, but by signs and wonders.

Let me put 1/3 of Moses' wasted life in perspective to our time. For a person who would expect to live to 75, that means when he was 25 it came into his heart to do God's will, but missed it, not getting back on track until he was 50. Do you know someone like that?

We are told when they rejected him, Moses 'fled at this saying'. The Greek word 'fled' is 'pheugo', which means 'to run away as a fugitive', and you can see the English 'fugitive' in the 'pheugo' root. Moses didn't just casually walk away shaking his head. He was now a fugitive from justice, rejected by the very people God had shown him he was to deliver, and now a criminal being sought by the Egyptian king!

Moses was confused, humiliated, and didn't have a clue how he had missed it. He was sure he had a revelation from God, he thought he knew God would use his education and training to start a civil war, but his effort at entering God's perfect will and call on his life was rejected by all. (My series this month, 'Why those wasted years weren't wasted', goes into more detail on that subject)

Why he was ok with launching a new career
Hebrews 11:24 reveals more: "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."

Why would someone raised in Egypt's royal family make such a decision? Verses 26-27 answer that: "Esteeming the reproach of Christ as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he was mindful of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, but endured as seeing Him who is invisible."

The word 'esteeming' means 'to lead before the mind' and 'to look away from all else to focus on one object'. It means 'to lead the mind with Christ so as to turn from all else to focus on Him'.

When he knew he missed it but didn't know how, instead of submitting to fear, instead of wallowing in self-pity and confusion, he turned away from his mistake and focused on the inner value and esteem he placed in Christ. Even though he missed it, he did so unto the Lord, and that would not be wasted. "He endured as seeing Him who is invisible." He didn't see Him except in his heart, but He endured as if looking at Him.

At this point he knew more about what WASN'T God's will than he did of what WAS His will. We too must reject fear and confusion when we miss it, and be about what we know to do for the time being, for in doing what we know to do He can direct us. Even God can't steer a parked car. Get moving.

Refuse fear
There would one day be a 'payday' for him of doing God's will for his life, and he held that 'payday' in higher esteem than anything on earth. With that revelation held dear to his heart, he left Egypt, the land he was called to, left the people he was called to help, and began another career - that of a shepherd, and he did so for 1/3 of his life, always wondering about that 'incident' when he was young and how it all fit together.

We have seen Jairus being told not to fear but be re-directed to what he originally believed, and Peter not fearing because he focused on the fact Jesus is the Christ, and so ignored the storm swirling around him. Now we have seen Moses who refused fear and confusion based on internal revelation and the value he placed on knowing Christ, and went about his business until the Lord gave him further revelation.

So what if you made your cupcakes not knowing what you were doing - the idea was right, the application was wrong. The right way to do it will be revealed, and you can end up having cupcakes for dessert after all, as we did that night.

More next week, until then, blessings,
John Fenn

www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com

Hi all,
One of the blessings of having an adult son who is mentally 4 years old but loves Jesus, is that Chris is as much aware of the Lord in his life and his future in heaven as he is the natural world. Chris' best friend in the group home is Frankie, the daughter of a missionary couple who have chosen to continue their missionary work in Africa, and as a result only see Frankie a couple of times each year.

Barb is a brunette like Frankie's mom, and about the same size. As a result, when Barb and I pick up or drop off Chris, or go to the group home for planning meetings or to bring new clothes or bath supplies for Chris, Frankie latches on to Barb with long hugs - I mean easily 2 or 3 minutes long, clinging to Barb, often with tears in her eyes, (and Barb's) as Frankie longs for her mother. It's hard on Barb too as she knows she is merely a surrogate figure of her mom, and is powerless to help Frankie's sorrowful longing. 

Many times we've been there when Chris will roll up in his wheelchair, gently grab and hold Frankie's hand, and say tenderly yet with certainty, "It's OK Frankie, Jesus is with us, it's OK Frankie, Jesus is here." At those words Frankie shakes her head in agreement as it lies on Barb's shoulder, and draws back, drying her eyes. Chris' words having the affect of bringing Frankie out of her grief, back to being aware of His presence in her life.

Jairus and beyond
When Jesus told Jairus, 'Don't be put to flight in fear, but just believe', His words had the same affect on Jairus as Chris' words do on Frankie. It shakes the focus away from the fear and tragedy in their lives and redirects their attention to the higher but invisible truth of faith and peace.

Faith is our response to a personal and internal revelation. Noah received a revelation a flood was coming, his response was to build a boat - faith being the response to revelation. Moses received revelation to go to Egypt, his response of going was faith.

Faith is unseen so we must purposely redirect our attention to the revelation and peace down in our spirits when confronted in the natural with circumstances screaming fear.

So Jairus had to be redirected to focus on his original revelation and faith that arose out of that revelation, that if Jesus came and laid hands on her, his daughter would be OK. We have to be willing to forsake fear in favor of the revelation of peace, and then back that up with disciplined thoughts that refuse to entertain the possibilities fear presents. That's one reason Jesus allowed no one to follow them and pushed the unbelieving mourners out the door. He wanted Jairus focused on faith and peace, not fear.

A revelation from the Father is grace - He didn't have to show us that thing, speak to us, nor give us that peace assuring us all will be OK - He does these things because He is good. Our response is faith.

Example #2, Walking on water
Jesus walking on water is recorded in 3 of the 4 gospels, and each records a different perspective of the same event: Matthew 14: 22-32; Mark 6:45-52; John 6: 19-21.

Most translations try to help Gentile readers by providing a watered down translation where Jewish terms are used. Here is a prime example. Most Bibles translate the conversation between Jesus and Peter something like this as Jesus approaches the boat: "Take courage; It is I; don't be afraid". Then Peter replies, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."

Jesus actually said, "Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid!" And Peter responds, "Lord, if you are, command me to come to you on the water!"

I AM is the name of the One who spoke to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus 3:14, so when Jesus told the men He was I AM, the One who spoke to Moses, Peter challenged Him to prove it. "Lord, if you are, command me to come to you on the water!" Immediately of course, Jesus extended the invitation. (For more on I AM, listen to my series 'I AM; Who Jesus Is and Where He Came From)

Fear is met by revelation
Jesus issued the same command of 'fear not, meaning 'Don't be put to flight' here as He did to Jairus. This time however instead of fighting fear by recalling earlier faith and promises, fear is met by proof that Jesus is I AM.

This is the point of this second example - another way to keep emotions in control, to not be put to flight in fear, is to allow the fact Jesus is God to dominate your situation - He is in control even with the wind and waves roiling all around - you can still walk on the water as long as you keep Him in view and the truth He is I AM in the forefront of your mind. Take a step back and realize Who you have, and Who is in control.

When Peter forgot Who he was dealing with and got distracted by the storm, he began to sink. Even then, once refocused, Jesus extended His hand to pull him up and they both walked on the water back to the boat.

You can do the same - keep in mind Jesus is God. So what if the storm rages, walk out on the water in the middle of the storm - you are safe when moved by revelation of who Jesus is, and what He has commanded you to do - don't walk on water of your own initiative (presumption), but if extended an invitation, walk on!

Lost child
Peter was afraid when he focused on the storm, thus fear is also revelation, but it is a revelation of circumstances in the natural realm of present or future doom. Fear can also bring a spirit that attaches itself to circumstances. For instance, when our youngest son Brian was about 5 years old, he went missing after a church service. There is room for natural fear when a child goes missing, but there is more room for I AM.

I was the pastor of a church in SE Colorado, and we were renting an old grocery store at the time. With everybody gone from the building and our son still missing, we searched all over the building and outside, calling his name over and over again.

Fear set in - Barb as you can imagine was panic-stricken. She looked to me for direction, and I in turn switched my attention from the very fearful circumstances to my spirit, and there I found peace. I told her, "He is OK, and we'll find him, but I don't know where he is." Imaginations of him being abducted and abused or killed started to swirl in our minds, but we put them down, taking all our mental strength to stay focused on the peace in our spirits.

We had to get Chris and Jason home
He wasn't around the surrounding streets or neighbors, so we went home. It was SO hard leaving the church building not knowing where our 5 year old was. I had to redirect Barb away from 'scared mom' mode to the peace in her spirit, and it calmed her down considerably....still, we had to consider 'what do we do now?' and involving the police - yet we had such peace. About 10 minutes after arriving home the phone rang. Brian, and his buddy about his age, thinking he would play a trick on mom and dad, decided to crawl into the back of his buddy's family van and go home with them.

They had all arrived home and had gone inside, leaving Brian in a hot van for several minutes before his little friend told his parents Brian was in the van, which led to the phone call.

Were it not for the peace in our spirits that we made ourselves listen to and made our emotions submit to that peace, we would have been overwrought with fear that whole time. If we were so inclined, a spirit of fear could have attached itself to the natural fear, and tormented us even after Brian was discovered to be fine.

That spirit would have had us play it over and over in our minds, and being fear, is all about the future and would have painted a picture in our minds of future abductions with tragic results. It could have tormented us years in the future with thoughts about the other boys and images of future kidnappings and such. We never let it get to that, meeting natural fear with the supernatural peace in our spirits, and letting that dominate our emotions.

I think Brian still remembers the 'talking to' he got once we picked him up from our friends.

It all ties back to meeting circumstances of fear with the faith of a child, as Chris does; It's OK, Jesus is with us. Jesus is here.

More next week, blessings,

John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com

Hi all,
In the summer of 1994 Barb died and left her body - and fortunately came back. It was due to a medical condition which was corrected by surgery within that week, and she has been fine since.

Barb's condition made her very tired, so that afternoon she laid down to take a nap. She remembered going to sleep, and then was suddenly awake, aware her breathing was getting shallower and shallower, suddenly aware she was dying. She started screaming for help in her mind, but was too weak to make a sound.

She heard me making dinner in the kitchen and the boys playing in the living room, and she kept saying 'No Lord, it isn't my time, not yet, how will John take care of the boys? How will John be able to care for Chris? What about all the promises of ministry you made us? You made promises!"

Floating
In the midst of her objections she started to leave her body, and the peace of the Lord came over her, and she said in response, "Oh, OK, they'll be ok, they'll be just fine." as every care about us faded away. She describes it as lifting out of her body like her arms and legs were coming out of gloves and pants legs, leaving from the upper part of her shoulders and head, like a cicada leaves its shell, yet without effort. She lifted out of her body and floated at or just above the ceiling, looking down on her body.

As she viewed her lifeless body on the bed she spontaneously said, "So this is what has caused me all this trouble!?" She was so consumed with peace she saw her body with an emotional separation one feels when looking at a piece of meat for sale in a store - it meant nothing to her because she realized it wasn't the 'real' her. One day we'll all get a glorified body, one that will be one with our true selves, our spirit and soul. But that day, as she looked down on her body, it was more of a curiosity to her. 

All the limits, frailties, sinfulness, and sheer mortality of the flesh stood in sharp relief to the reality of her eternal spirit and soul, the real her, being in the Spirit realm with the Lord. She held no emotional attachment to her body, it was just a place for the real her to live in for a season.

She suddenly felt herself dropping back into her body, re-entering it the same way she left, feet and toes entering at the top back of the shoulders and sliding down into her legs, her arms and shoulders sliding down into her physical arms and shoulders, and then her head slipping into her physical head, she was fully aware this whole time, and once back in her body felt herself drifting off to sleep.

She woke up around 9pm, afraid  to tell me what had happened, how close she had come to leaving us. The next day she did tell me, and we moved quickly, with surgery almost immediately, and has been fine since.

Fear, or peace?
If only we could live in this world with the detachment Barb felt that day about her body; Where we are so overwhelmed with the Lord's presence that all the cares of the world are viewed with an objectivity that comes from being consumed with the reality of Christ in us, and our eternal destiny with Him. 

We disciples of the Lord Jesus live with this constant give and take between the peace in our spirits versus the 'outside' world which is dominated by fear. Emotional health and making wise decisions in life require us to be more aware of Christ in us and His peace, than the fear and fleshly things that surround us.

Jesus regularly told people to be at peace when the natural circumstances were screaming fear and pain. When Jairus received word his daughter had just died, Jesus told him 'Fear not'. When He came walking on the water in the midst of a storm He said, 'Fear not', and several more examples.

The Lord is the same today as He was in the gospels, so He still tells us to 'fear not' when we are in the midst of confusing and fearful situations. Maybe you've come to a church service or house church gathering of the church stressed out and confused, but in the worship His peace overwhelms you - that is Him saying 'Fear not'. We can live with questions in our minds, yet be overwhelmingly aware of His peace in our spirits, helping guide us in every decision and helping us understand world events correctly.

How do we 'tap into' that peace in our spirit while circumstances scream fear and destruction?

There are keys
Each time Jesus told someone to not fear though circumstances caused fear, we have instructions on how to do that within each story told. They aren't always obvious, but clearly when He told each person to 'fear not', He expected them to do exactly that. In this series we will look at several situations and we'll be able to apply what He told them to do, which will allow us to be at peace and make wise decisions.

Example #1, Jairus - Luke 8:41-56 & Mark 5: 22-43
Jairus' daughter was at the point of death, and when he caught up with Jesus he said this: "Come and lay your hands on her that she may be saved from this illness (made whole), and she shall live."

As Jesus headed towards His home a woman with a hemorrhaging condition yet with strong faith, touched the hem of His clothes and was healed. As Jesus told her it was her faith that made her whole and to be at peace, word came to Jairus that his daughter had indeed died.

"When Jesus heard (literally, 'overheard') it He said to him, "Be not afraid, only believe!" Mark 5:36

The word 'afraid' here is 'phobeo', which means 'to put to flight' - in other words Jairus, "Don't let your faith be put to flight by news of your daughter's death, just believe!"

The turning point for each of us
What is he to believe? Go back to the original faith and reason he asked Jesus to come: "Come and lay your hands on her that she may be whole, and she will live." Jesus is telling him to go back to his original faith, choosing to let that faith overwhelm the circumstances, and finding peace in that original faith.

You see, once Jairus' faith was set on Jesus coming and laying hands on her that she would live, it really didn't matter if the girl continued to lay at the point of death or even die. We see the same faith in Jesus concerning His friend Lazarus.

In John 11 when He was told Lazarus was sick, His response was that the sickness would not end in death, but the glory of God. Once He knew the end result would not be Lazarus' death, it didn't matter if he died because He already knew the end result would be life. The same with Jairus. Once he knew Jesus would lay hands on her and she would live, it didn't matter if she got better, worse, or even died.

To help Jairus focus on his original faith, the text says of Jesus: "And He allowed no one to follow Him from that point on, except Peter, James, and John." It also says when He arrived at the house and faced the mourners who laughed when He said she was just sleeping - temporary condition - "He put them all out."

The Greek word 'kata-gelao' is translated 'laughed Him to scorn'. 'Kata' means down or bad, 'gelao' is laugh, meaning a loud and condescending laugh against Jesus, as if He didn't know what He was talking about. The phrase 'He put them all out', implies force, that He literally shoved them all out the door.

You see, He didn't allow the crowds to follow Him nor did He allow the unbelieving mourners around Jairus or the situation because it was important Jairus stuck to his original belief - lay hands on her and she will live.

Sometimes it isn't that we don't have faith, it is that we have surrounded ourselves with people of doubt and unbelief.
How can you become (almost) as detached to the natural world as Barb was that day she died? When circumstances scream fear, you must go back to the last known thing the Lord said to you. Go back to your original faith, no matter if that was 10 minutes or 10 years ago. Go back to the original thing you believed, limit the unbelief around you, and you will be able to 'fear not, just believe'.

More next week...blessings,

John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com

Hi all,
In the last 2 weeks I've talked how the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives is the evidence He provides of His unconditional love and purpose for us. His presence along with His written Word and all else 'Christian' in our lives work together. But without actually experiencing Him, 'God' becomes just a formula.

A process
The world and culture carry more weight in a life than a God someone learns about in an hour of church, Sunday School, or youth group once a week, but never truly experience.

In order for God to make a profound difference in our life (or a child's), we must experience Him - not about Him, but experience HIM. At the point of experience "His opinion" is expressed - that which is felt, that which is perceived in our hearts, that which is felt in the worship, in prayer, in sitting in His presence - MUST carry more weight than the people and culture who destroy or prevent a person from knowing His love.

Great, but how?
Jesus had just fed 4,000 men, plus women and children, then He and the disciples got into their boat and headed out across the lake. When they got to the other side they were immediately besieged by the Pharisees demanding He give them a sign from heaven. But Jesus didn't respond, and instead they got in the boat and started out across the lake again.

While on the water Jesus told them to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, talking about not being part of the crowd that constantly seeks signs from heaven, but they thought He was talking about the fact they forgot to bring anything more than a single loaf of bread with them.

When He reminded them how He had fed thousands with 7 loaves, He asked: "How is it you don't understand?" The Greek is: "How is it that you haven't put it together?" (Mark 8:1-21)

The multiplying of the food was a miracle in their lives He expected them to consider, to let the amazing things they had just witnessed sink down in them and change their thinking.

Notice He didn't tell them to let the written Word of the Old Testament sink into their hearts and minds. He didn't ask them to pull notes from something He or John the Baptist had earlier taught. He expected them to think on and consider the miracle He did in their lives right then, in their presence. He asked them to consider His presence as manifest in the miracle of multiplied food so they could change their thinking.

This wasn't the first time Jesus had multiplied food, for just 2 chapters earlier He had fed 5,000 men plus women and children from a boy's lunch.

After that miracle Jesus came walking on the water to their boat in the early morning hours, and when they saw Him walk to their boat and the wind and waves go calm, 6:51-52 says they were "...astonished beyond measure because they had not considered the miracle of the loaves."

The Lord expected them to 'consider the miracle' and 'put it together' by thinking on the miracle immediately after they witnessed it, and let that experience change the way they thought. It isn't just the written Word we believe, but the Living Word we see all around us everyday in our lives, because we know Him. We must notice and believe His ongoing presence in our lives, and His ongoing miracles in our lives. All these work together to help us un-believe the lies and assure us in His unconditional love, restoring emotional health.

Therefore...
When we looked at David and Saul, we saw different events over months and years in their lives how the Lord moved them to the next step in their lives by some miracle, some evidence of Him in their lives. In between those 'benchmark' miracles of His presence, He expected them to think on what He had done in their lives to the point it made a difference in how they thought about themselves.

David wrote many of the Psalms at those benchmark points*. Several were written while being chased by King Saul. One was written after Ziklag had been burned and they feared for their wives and children. One was written after his sin with Bathsheba was revealed. What do you do to mark the 'benchmark' miracles or experiences with the Lord? (*I Sam 21:10-15/Ps 34/Ps 52. I Sam 22:1-5/Ps 56. I Sam 22:35/Ps 35. I Sam 24:1-8/Ps 57. I Sam 30:1-6/Ps 4. II Sam 12/Ps 51, for a few examples)

When my dad left our family it crushed my world. It also crushed my self-image, as like a lot of kids, we blamed ourselves for mom and dad's divorce. I thought I had failed him by not doing the chores, not greeting him with the love and enthusiasm he expected each night when he came home from work, and so on.

I dropped out of all activities or didn't continue in them very long from age 12-16. I flunked my freshman first semester of Algebra as all my grades nose-dived. I just didn't care about anyone, anything, and I didn't care about myself. I started, then dropped out of Boy Scouts. Started and then dropped out of Scuba lessons. Started and then dropped out of flying lessons. The list goes on. I would have dropped out of school if mom had let me, as I really didn't care at all for it.

When my friend Janny, who is still a very close friend to Barb and I, led me to the Lord while telling me about Jesus in German class (then I led Barb to the Lord), I latched onto the Father. I could feel a change inside, a new enthusiasm, a vague sort of life or energy or love or something - it was all new, but I was being changed.

Build a history with God
My life was real life. My dad had really walked out. I really didn't give a care about anything. That was real and it was internal, down inside of me. Now suddenly He was there, telling me in the Word that He loved me and had a purpose for my life. But I still struggled to believe Him because I saw no evidence of a plan or purpose. I expected a big 'flash' and suddenly my internal hurt would be healed. Not!

There were little 'benchmark' experiences, healings and miracles I saw, coincidences that were more than mere chance, feelings I felt down in my spirit, that one by one built a history of God in me, and slowly I started to believe in His opinions about me while letting go of what I had been thinking about me.

I remember talking to the Father one day and saying this: "Father, I don't mean to seem ungrateful or anything, but is this all there is? I figured to be born again and have you inside me it would be more...powerful...and I can't deny there is something in me saying there is more...Is that right?" (I actually prayed that, at the time the most afraid I'd ever been while praying, asking the Father is that was all there is!)

Then Janny and her boyfriend (and future husband) told Barb and me about the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. When we received that, our whole world changed. The Word came alive. That vague awareness of Him inside became an overriding presence, so much so anytime day or night I could just shift my attention to my spirit and feel Him there - though the process of doing that took most of my senior year of high school.

It was then my poor self-image faded in the light of the PROOF of His presence in me. I reasoned, I can't be that bad because Jesus died for me. I can't be that bad because He has put His Spirit inside of me...and that reality, combined with the written Word, combined with various miracles and evidence of His activity in my life, brought me from the brink of emotional and possible mental illness.

It is a process, but we must 'consider the loaves' in our own lives as evidence of His love, His abiding Presence and involvement in our lives, and then we begin to believe Him more than what we believe about ourselves.

In these end times people are becoming more and more unhealthy emotionally and mentally. How many times have you wondered what you'd do without Jesus as that Rock in your life? The way to maintain or recover from emotional or mental difficulties is always to center back to that unconditional love, and make all your thoughts go back to that love. He has invested in us for the ages to come...amazing grace!

This ends this series, but a related topic next week...blessings!

John Fenn

www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com