Hi all,
Modern societies look for examples of how to live in all the wrong places. Pop culture is an obvious example. So it seems out of touch for Christians to look at men and women in ancient times as examples both good and bad, but the lives of those ancient people are played out in scripture so we can live and learn.
David's life from Goliath to Bathsheba, from his son Absalom's rebellion to Solomon, are played out for all to read. His roller coaster rides of emotions at these various seasons of life are in the Psalms for all to see. Other's triumphs and failures have been written about in detail as examples for us. From Abraham making a baby with Hagar, to Israel in the wilderness, to the priests of Malachi's time twisting scripture to fit their own lusts, it's all there as examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Years ago I had a couple of visitations in which the Lord taught me about judgment.
During those times I asked about Ananias and Sapphira, whose deaths in Acts 5:1-11 put the fear of God on everyone as an example of what not to do.
"Why were you so hard on Ananias and Sapphira?" I asked. "Remember, my body was concentrated in Jerusalem at that time (except those who were scattered after Pentecost). What they sought to introduce could not be allowed."
The unity in the church in that first year was so strong hypocrisy was unheard of. That is, until Ananias & Sapphira decided to lie to everyone about their donation. The Lord judged them on the spot, each falling dead 3 hours apart after affirming the lie directly to Peter's face. The Lord told me:
"Remember my son. The level of judgement is always equal to the level of anointing."
That's when I asked Him to define 'the anointing'. He said:"You would think of it as the manifest presence of God." Immediately I considered not only His presence in a service, but also on a person's life. The manifest presence in the form of blessing, of grace, of timing. I came to understand 'the anointing' as more than His presence felt in a service, but in one's life. Manifest meaning 'obvious, apparent, or made known.'
He continued:"Many cry out to the Father to send revival, but I tell you the truth when I say, if the Father brought revival to this nation, there would be many, many, Ananias & Sapphira's (dead) across the land."
The Lord made an example of them at that time, yet later in Acts 7 he allowed Saul of Tarsus to persecute believers and take part in his execution. Acts 8:1-3 says Saul 'destroyed' the church by entering into houses and arresting men and women and sending them to prison. The Greek word translated 'destroy' is 'elymaineto' - you can see the English word 'eliminate' in that word. Believers gathered in homes then, as they do today in most of the world, so to enter into homes and haul people off to prison eliminated that (house) church, and destroyed whole families.
But the Lord stopped the persecution when He appeared to Saul (Paul) outside of Damascus, preventing the persecution of spreading while allowing the gospel to spread beyond Jerusalem. Paul said the Lord made an example of him through the grace show, and as a pattern for those who would later believe in the Lord.
Are there things in our past that make us fear ever returning to that (those) sin(s)? Did the Lord limit us or stop us, choosing to show us His salvation and making those things examples of mistakes never to be repeated?
Hebrews 10:32-33 says:"Remember those early days when you were first enlightened (about the Lord), and remember the great troubles you endured at that time, sometimes even publically exposed and persecuted."
Those days are to be examples for us that we never return, and that we see His grace in the midst.
Examine why they were made examples for all to see by giving a modern example
In 1995-96 then President Clinton's affair with a White House intern was made public. I asked the Father why He allowed that private scandal to be revealed.
"I allowed his affair to be seen....because he represents the sins of his generation, which are namely lust and greed. I allowed it that some might see his life and say, 'See, he's just like me', and continue in their way, or 'See, he's just like me', and repent and change their ways."
These errors were allowed to be exposed with the effect of being rebuked before all, as Paul instructed, that others may fear - and learn from their examples.
This is what happens when a pastor's sin is exposed - to serve as an example to others. In I Timothy 5:19-20 Paul writes:"Don't receive an accusation against an elder except with 2 or 3 witnesses. Those who sin rebuke before others, that all the rest may fear."
Therefore when we see a pastor's adultery exposed, or spiritual abuse, we aren't to gossip about it, nor rant in social media attacking the person personally. God's purpose is to make an example 'that others may fear'. The context of public exposure of sin is narrowed to leaders - he does not say to expose a church member's sin to the whole congregation. Paul writes specifically of leaders.
The news of Ananias & Sapphira's deaths would have made local news reports of the day like a pastor's failure makes the news in our day. Do we set those as examples before our eyes and contemplate the Lord's judgement and examine our own lives? Do we ever say something my parent's generation used say regularly:"There but by the grace of God go I." ?
Next week, a visitation I rarely share about how the Lord teaches us from examples in our own lives. Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]
Modern societies look for examples of how to live in all the wrong places. Pop culture is an obvious example. So it seems out of touch for Christians to look at men and women in ancient times as examples both good and bad, but the lives of those ancient people are played out in scripture so we can live and learn.
David's life from Goliath to Bathsheba, from his son Absalom's rebellion to Solomon, are played out for all to read. His roller coaster rides of emotions at these various seasons of life are in the Psalms for all to see. Other's triumphs and failures have been written about in detail as examples for us. From Abraham making a baby with Hagar, to Israel in the wilderness, to the priests of Malachi's time twisting scripture to fit their own lusts, it's all there as examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Years ago I had a couple of visitations in which the Lord taught me about judgment.
During those times I asked about Ananias and Sapphira, whose deaths in Acts 5:1-11 put the fear of God on everyone as an example of what not to do.
"Why were you so hard on Ananias and Sapphira?" I asked. "Remember, my body was concentrated in Jerusalem at that time (except those who were scattered after Pentecost). What they sought to introduce could not be allowed."
The unity in the church in that first year was so strong hypocrisy was unheard of. That is, until Ananias & Sapphira decided to lie to everyone about their donation. The Lord judged them on the spot, each falling dead 3 hours apart after affirming the lie directly to Peter's face. The Lord told me:
"Remember my son. The level of judgement is always equal to the level of anointing."
That's when I asked Him to define 'the anointing'. He said:"You would think of it as the manifest presence of God." Immediately I considered not only His presence in a service, but also on a person's life. The manifest presence in the form of blessing, of grace, of timing. I came to understand 'the anointing' as more than His presence felt in a service, but in one's life. Manifest meaning 'obvious, apparent, or made known.'
He continued:"Many cry out to the Father to send revival, but I tell you the truth when I say, if the Father brought revival to this nation, there would be many, many, Ananias & Sapphira's (dead) across the land."
The Lord made an example of them at that time, yet later in Acts 7 he allowed Saul of Tarsus to persecute believers and take part in his execution. Acts 8:1-3 says Saul 'destroyed' the church by entering into houses and arresting men and women and sending them to prison. The Greek word translated 'destroy' is 'elymaineto' - you can see the English word 'eliminate' in that word. Believers gathered in homes then, as they do today in most of the world, so to enter into homes and haul people off to prison eliminated that (house) church, and destroyed whole families.
But the Lord stopped the persecution when He appeared to Saul (Paul) outside of Damascus, preventing the persecution of spreading while allowing the gospel to spread beyond Jerusalem. Paul said the Lord made an example of him through the grace show, and as a pattern for those who would later believe in the Lord.
Are there things in our past that make us fear ever returning to that (those) sin(s)? Did the Lord limit us or stop us, choosing to show us His salvation and making those things examples of mistakes never to be repeated?
Hebrews 10:32-33 says:"Remember those early days when you were first enlightened (about the Lord), and remember the great troubles you endured at that time, sometimes even publically exposed and persecuted."
Those days are to be examples for us that we never return, and that we see His grace in the midst.
Examine why they were made examples for all to see by giving a modern example
In 1995-96 then President Clinton's affair with a White House intern was made public. I asked the Father why He allowed that private scandal to be revealed.
"I allowed his affair to be seen....because he represents the sins of his generation, which are namely lust and greed. I allowed it that some might see his life and say, 'See, he's just like me', and continue in their way, or 'See, he's just like me', and repent and change their ways."
These errors were allowed to be exposed with the effect of being rebuked before all, as Paul instructed, that others may fear - and learn from their examples.
This is what happens when a pastor's sin is exposed - to serve as an example to others. In I Timothy 5:19-20 Paul writes:"Don't receive an accusation against an elder except with 2 or 3 witnesses. Those who sin rebuke before others, that all the rest may fear."
Therefore when we see a pastor's adultery exposed, or spiritual abuse, we aren't to gossip about it, nor rant in social media attacking the person personally. God's purpose is to make an example 'that others may fear'. The context of public exposure of sin is narrowed to leaders - he does not say to expose a church member's sin to the whole congregation. Paul writes specifically of leaders.
The news of Ananias & Sapphira's deaths would have made local news reports of the day like a pastor's failure makes the news in our day. Do we set those as examples before our eyes and contemplate the Lord's judgement and examine our own lives? Do we ever say something my parent's generation used say regularly:"There but by the grace of God go I." ?
Next week, a visitation I rarely share about how the Lord teaches us from examples in our own lives. Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]
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