Hi all,
I had picked Chris up from his group home for his usual Friday and Saturday home visit, and Saturday morning we were driving along doing the errands I saved up during the week to do with him. Chris is mentally about 4 years old, so when this happened in 2024, he was a few months shy of 45 years old physically.
As we drove I was thinking on how we've had 41 years of children's songs - 41 years of being 4. I was tired, listening to the same songs on my 'Chris' play lists we've listened to for years, but to Chris, they are familiar, comfortable, like home, and he never tires of hearing them. Also, Chris is very talkative. He's never met a stranger nor dog he didn't instantly like. He keeps a running commentary on traffic around us. It's all at a 4 year old level.
I talked to the Father inwardly, silently as we drove:
"Father, I long for an adult relationship with Chris. I long to talk to him on an adult level." Suddenly as we drove there appeared a rectangle, like a TV screen, in the air to my right. I could see the natural world as I drove along and that screen at the same time. It is what Elisha and his servant experienced in II Kings 6:15-17 when both men saw the physical army assembled against them, AND the angelic army protecting them at the same time. That's most often what happens to me, like 2 dimensions seen at the same time.
I was in heaven standing next to Chris, on his left side. Because I was standing and he was seated on what seemed to be a rock, I could only look down upon the top of his head and shoulders. I noticed his size - if he was normal he would by my size of about 6'6" (2m) - but due to his brain damage in labor with muscle atrophy over the years, he is smaller. I noticed his head was normal size and he still had his dark hair that he got from his mom (my wife Barb). He was a big man.
There were people sitting on the ground in front of him, listening intently. Some of their faces were blurred and I knew by the Spirit, just knew it within myself, that they had been some of Chris's care givers at one time on the earth. "Father, what am I seeing?" "You're seeing Chris in heaven." "What is he doing?" "He's telling people what it was like to be trapped in a flawed body, his thoughts, experiences. Also, how even though his injury robbed him of his ability to fully communicate, he knew things, he perceived things that people said and what was going on around him. He will continue to share his life with others that they may be blessed." Then the 'screen' disappeared and I was back in the natural, driving along, and I looked at Chris next to me in the front seat, and though what a good man he is, and how blessed we are as his parents.
I've seen a future with my son in heaven.
I realize countless people would love to see their 'special' child or grandchild as I did in their future life in heaven. All I can offer is the certain hope that there is a heaven, and our spirit and soul are eternal, combined, one, as the Father and His (Holy) Spirit are one.
The human spirit and soul are eternal, and down inside those frail, flawed, damaged, human bodies of those we love, is the real person. The eternal person. One day we and they will receive bodies made of indestructible, eternal, heavenly material, like our risen Lord's body. But for now, we work through life's struggles with that certainty inside us, that knowing in our spirit that our life here is but a vapor and we are renewed day by day as we look not at the seen, which is temporary, but at the unseen, which are eternal. (II Cor 4:16-18)
The deaf-mute, Will.
It was a Sunday service and duties related to my staff position caused me to come in after the service had started. I was seated higher up in the congregation. The mega-church met in a basketball arena, with the court covered temporarily with carpet. Seating was spread around half the oval, with the pulpit and worship team down on the floor.
Sitting a few rows above the floor and way below me was a deaf-mute man whose name was Will. Some weeks earlier the pastor had asked me to try to communicate with Will - I guess he thought because I have a handicapped son I could somehow communicate with this deaf-mute man.
The pastor wanted me to communicate to Will that he did not need to come down front at every altar call. Every service had an altar call, and every altar call Will came down front for prayer. If there was a call for women wanting prayer to get pregnant - Will was there. If there was a call for women's health issues - Will was there. If the call was for people struggling with addictions - Will was there. He was a deaf-mute so didn't know anything but that he loved the Lord and wanted to be where the action was. That meant every altar call Will came down front to be in the prayer line.
I completely failed in that request from the pastor.
Will's huge smile and blindingly white teeth against his dark skin, perfectly set his big innocent eyes which reflected a pure love and zeal for the Lord. He wasn't retarded intellectually that I knew of, he just couldn't hear or talk.
During the worship service I noticed that Will was seated a few rows off the floor of the arena, and his hands were raised straight up, his head tilted back, just loving and worshipping the Father. As I wondered how worship was done for a middle aged deaf-mute, my eyes were opened to the Father's realm.
There was a shaft of light coming from way up in the arena's roof area, straight to Will, encompassing his head and shoulders. I heard the Father talking to him as I also saw the Father's Words in sentences being poured from the top of the shaft down into Will's spirit and soul as if the light of God was a pipe or conduit through which the Word of the Father flowed into him. The sentences and the Father's voice seemed to be absorbed into him, and I wondered what he sensed.
Will was twisting left and right at the hips, hands raised, head back, in pure joy
I wondered if he heard the Father or just sensed His love for him. “My son, you have a throne and authority in my kingdom. I have provided great things for you and you shall walk in them, for you have been faithful in your love for me.”
As I witnessed this I blurted out in my mind, “Father, why him?” Just as quickly the Father responded:“Because of the simplicity of his love for me. His love for me is unencumbered with ulterior motives and he asks nothing for himself. The purity of his love for me is uncomplicated by issues others are distracted with. It is because of the simplicity and purity of his love that I bless him this way. In the ages to come he will share the wisdom which flows from this simplicity and purity of love.”
I asked, “You’ve given him a throne and authority?” Again He responded, “He has been given authority because he has done more with the little he has been given in this life than nearly everyone here [in the service] you would consider “whole.” Therefore they will come and sit at his feet to learn of him, and he will be their teacher.”
I asked, “Why don’t you just heal him?”
The Father replied very quickly and with a matter of fact tone, “I enjoy his worship.” “But Father,” I reasoned, “He’s missing so much of life he could have if he was healed—family, jobs, cars, and so on.” He replied, “I make sure he has everything he needs. He finds his fulfillment in his love and fellowship with me.” “But what a wonderful testimony and example of love he could be to everyone if you healed him, and he could tell us here in this life about loving you with purity and simplicity.”
He continued teaching me, “They [the congregation] have the scripture that tells them what pure religion and love is, yet this man is not even given a thought or noticed by them. Therefore I have set him in their midst as an example and
testimony to them, that by him they might know humility and simplicity of love for me."
"Learn wisdom in this son:Most just see a deaf mute, but I see a man who loves me in simplicity and purity, therefore he will be their teacher. Look at people as I see them, for man looks at the outward appearance, but I see the heart and weigh all things in the balance. Know people according to their heart."
All these things have contributed to having a big picture look at life. They have helped me not get focused on things that are in the big picture, very minor. In terms of doctrine, I am zealous for the truth and will call error, error, when I see it. But I will also get emails from people asking how I could visit with such and such a person because they don't believe the same, I remember I will know this person for eternity. In 200, 500, 10,000 years will a difference in what we believe now be a factor in our lives then? It makes me patient with people while seeing their flaws (and my own too), and gives me grace to allow the Lord to work within them to do His will - if they allow.
Live while always keeping the 'big picture' in your heart when dealing with one another. The words of Micah 6:8 are true:
"He has shown you oh man what the Lord requires of you:To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with your God."
New subject next week, until then, blessings,
John Fenn
http://www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected] or [email protected]
I had picked Chris up from his group home for his usual Friday and Saturday home visit, and Saturday morning we were driving along doing the errands I saved up during the week to do with him. Chris is mentally about 4 years old, so when this happened in 2024, he was a few months shy of 45 years old physically.
As we drove I was thinking on how we've had 41 years of children's songs - 41 years of being 4. I was tired, listening to the same songs on my 'Chris' play lists we've listened to for years, but to Chris, they are familiar, comfortable, like home, and he never tires of hearing them. Also, Chris is very talkative. He's never met a stranger nor dog he didn't instantly like. He keeps a running commentary on traffic around us. It's all at a 4 year old level.
I talked to the Father inwardly, silently as we drove:
"Father, I long for an adult relationship with Chris. I long to talk to him on an adult level." Suddenly as we drove there appeared a rectangle, like a TV screen, in the air to my right. I could see the natural world as I drove along and that screen at the same time. It is what Elisha and his servant experienced in II Kings 6:15-17 when both men saw the physical army assembled against them, AND the angelic army protecting them at the same time. That's most often what happens to me, like 2 dimensions seen at the same time.
I was in heaven standing next to Chris, on his left side. Because I was standing and he was seated on what seemed to be a rock, I could only look down upon the top of his head and shoulders. I noticed his size - if he was normal he would by my size of about 6'6" (2m) - but due to his brain damage in labor with muscle atrophy over the years, he is smaller. I noticed his head was normal size and he still had his dark hair that he got from his mom (my wife Barb). He was a big man.
There were people sitting on the ground in front of him, listening intently. Some of their faces were blurred and I knew by the Spirit, just knew it within myself, that they had been some of Chris's care givers at one time on the earth. "Father, what am I seeing?" "You're seeing Chris in heaven." "What is he doing?" "He's telling people what it was like to be trapped in a flawed body, his thoughts, experiences. Also, how even though his injury robbed him of his ability to fully communicate, he knew things, he perceived things that people said and what was going on around him. He will continue to share his life with others that they may be blessed." Then the 'screen' disappeared and I was back in the natural, driving along, and I looked at Chris next to me in the front seat, and though what a good man he is, and how blessed we are as his parents.
I've seen a future with my son in heaven.
I realize countless people would love to see their 'special' child or grandchild as I did in their future life in heaven. All I can offer is the certain hope that there is a heaven, and our spirit and soul are eternal, combined, one, as the Father and His (Holy) Spirit are one.
The human spirit and soul are eternal, and down inside those frail, flawed, damaged, human bodies of those we love, is the real person. The eternal person. One day we and they will receive bodies made of indestructible, eternal, heavenly material, like our risen Lord's body. But for now, we work through life's struggles with that certainty inside us, that knowing in our spirit that our life here is but a vapor and we are renewed day by day as we look not at the seen, which is temporary, but at the unseen, which are eternal. (II Cor 4:16-18)
The deaf-mute, Will.
It was a Sunday service and duties related to my staff position caused me to come in after the service had started. I was seated higher up in the congregation. The mega-church met in a basketball arena, with the court covered temporarily with carpet. Seating was spread around half the oval, with the pulpit and worship team down on the floor.
Sitting a few rows above the floor and way below me was a deaf-mute man whose name was Will. Some weeks earlier the pastor had asked me to try to communicate with Will - I guess he thought because I have a handicapped son I could somehow communicate with this deaf-mute man.
The pastor wanted me to communicate to Will that he did not need to come down front at every altar call. Every service had an altar call, and every altar call Will came down front for prayer. If there was a call for women wanting prayer to get pregnant - Will was there. If there was a call for women's health issues - Will was there. If the call was for people struggling with addictions - Will was there. He was a deaf-mute so didn't know anything but that he loved the Lord and wanted to be where the action was. That meant every altar call Will came down front to be in the prayer line.
I completely failed in that request from the pastor.
Will's huge smile and blindingly white teeth against his dark skin, perfectly set his big innocent eyes which reflected a pure love and zeal for the Lord. He wasn't retarded intellectually that I knew of, he just couldn't hear or talk.
During the worship service I noticed that Will was seated a few rows off the floor of the arena, and his hands were raised straight up, his head tilted back, just loving and worshipping the Father. As I wondered how worship was done for a middle aged deaf-mute, my eyes were opened to the Father's realm.
There was a shaft of light coming from way up in the arena's roof area, straight to Will, encompassing his head and shoulders. I heard the Father talking to him as I also saw the Father's Words in sentences being poured from the top of the shaft down into Will's spirit and soul as if the light of God was a pipe or conduit through which the Word of the Father flowed into him. The sentences and the Father's voice seemed to be absorbed into him, and I wondered what he sensed.
Will was twisting left and right at the hips, hands raised, head back, in pure joy
I wondered if he heard the Father or just sensed His love for him. “My son, you have a throne and authority in my kingdom. I have provided great things for you and you shall walk in them, for you have been faithful in your love for me.”
As I witnessed this I blurted out in my mind, “Father, why him?” Just as quickly the Father responded:“Because of the simplicity of his love for me. His love for me is unencumbered with ulterior motives and he asks nothing for himself. The purity of his love for me is uncomplicated by issues others are distracted with. It is because of the simplicity and purity of his love that I bless him this way. In the ages to come he will share the wisdom which flows from this simplicity and purity of love.”
I asked, “You’ve given him a throne and authority?” Again He responded, “He has been given authority because he has done more with the little he has been given in this life than nearly everyone here [in the service] you would consider “whole.” Therefore they will come and sit at his feet to learn of him, and he will be their teacher.”
I asked, “Why don’t you just heal him?”
The Father replied very quickly and with a matter of fact tone, “I enjoy his worship.” “But Father,” I reasoned, “He’s missing so much of life he could have if he was healed—family, jobs, cars, and so on.” He replied, “I make sure he has everything he needs. He finds his fulfillment in his love and fellowship with me.” “But what a wonderful testimony and example of love he could be to everyone if you healed him, and he could tell us here in this life about loving you with purity and simplicity.”
He continued teaching me, “They [the congregation] have the scripture that tells them what pure religion and love is, yet this man is not even given a thought or noticed by them. Therefore I have set him in their midst as an example and
testimony to them, that by him they might know humility and simplicity of love for me."
"Learn wisdom in this son:Most just see a deaf mute, but I see a man who loves me in simplicity and purity, therefore he will be their teacher. Look at people as I see them, for man looks at the outward appearance, but I see the heart and weigh all things in the balance. Know people according to their heart."
All these things have contributed to having a big picture look at life. They have helped me not get focused on things that are in the big picture, very minor. In terms of doctrine, I am zealous for the truth and will call error, error, when I see it. But I will also get emails from people asking how I could visit with such and such a person because they don't believe the same, I remember I will know this person for eternity. In 200, 500, 10,000 years will a difference in what we believe now be a factor in our lives then? It makes me patient with people while seeing their flaws (and my own too), and gives me grace to allow the Lord to work within them to do His will - if they allow.
Live while always keeping the 'big picture' in your heart when dealing with one another. The words of Micah 6:8 are true:
"He has shown you oh man what the Lord requires of you:To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with your God."
New subject next week, until then, blessings,
John Fenn
http://www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected] or [email protected]
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