Dear friends,
Some thoughts on current events, a few prophetic things the Father has told me, update Chris’ remodel and conferences.
About current events
In the gospels we see an undercurrent of hatred against Rome in society combined with a theology that was looking for the coming of the Messiah, whom they believed would conquer Rome and restore Israel to an independent nation with Messiah ruling on the earth. Even after His resurrection and just before His ascension, Acts 1:6 tells us the disciples asked: “Lord, will you now at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” They knew what we call the ‘Millennial Kingdom’ was coming; they just didn’t know the
timing.
Today we can see similar undercurrents with many wondering if the rapture or Tribulation is in the near future. The recent advances by Russia have much of the world in fear and wondering ‘what’s next’, and the Internet is filled with people from every walk of life and every religious or non-religious viewpoint, expressing opinions and speculation on every little event. Some try to make each event fit into a particular chapter and verse, and speculate on things they know nothing about, putting many in fear and worry.
What the Lord told me
The Lord was remarkably silent about the religious culture of the day that theorized He would rise up militarily and defeat Rome. Some thought His signs and wonders would be used to supernaturally defeat the Roman army, and even after His resurrection they asked if it would happen then. His response was “It is not for you to know the times and seasons the Father has put within His own authority.”
I received a similar response during a visitation during the ‘Arab Spring’ and after the Japanese earthquake. He appeared to me to talk about what He was doing in the body of Christ and some personal instruction, but I kept pressing Him for details about current events. After telling me a few things without much detail He said this: “But what are these things to you? As for you; you must be about the Father’s business.”
In Revelation’s messages to the 7 churches, each concludes with “Let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” While each message was specific for that church in that city, the instruction was to hear what was being said ‘to the churches’. This shows us we are to listen for what God is saying to us individually in our body, and overall in the body of Christ.
But nowhere does He say to listen to what the world says or x commentator says or even what x minister has to say – just ‘He who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying…’ THIS is where we are to be getting our news, that which resonates with our spirit and bears witness with our spirit, NOT on things that stir up strife, anger, fear, and worry. We are not to be ignorant of what is around us, but we aren’t to focus on it either. We are to be about the Father’s business in our lives. That is our focus.
Recent things the Father said to me
I hesitate sharing some things just because of that ‘fear factor’. So before I go on let me remind you that prophecy spans ages and seasons of the Spirit. During a visitation in 1992 I asked the Lord about a couple I knew who had great and genuine prophetic words spoken over them of things they would do for the Lord. I knew those words were genuine both because they bore witness with my spirit, and also because the same words were spoken over them by several different speakers at our church over several months who picked them out of the congregation to give them a prophetic word.
But that couple later divorced and I was confused as to how those prophetic words could happen. During the visitation I asked about this couple and those prophetic words, and reminded Him that Isaiah 55 says His Word will not come back without accomplishing what it was sent out to do. His response was this:
“Sometimes a prophetic word spoken to people or about an event will not happen in this age, but will in the next.” That totally confused me, or more accurately, I was already confused and this revelation shined light on my state of confusion of what I believed. I told Him, “I need chapter and verse on that.” He replied, “The Old Testament has many prophecies that skip over this age to speak of the age to come, so why is it so hard for you to believe that a prophecy spoken over someone now might come to pass in the age to come? (Immediately Isaiah 11:1-9 & 65:17-25 came to mind, the wolf and lamb living by each other and feeding together, a word for the Millennium spoken in the OT, jumping over our time.)
I bring this up because there are many ‘prophecies’ out there real and imagined that speak horrible things over several nations. Many of these things that may be of the Holy Spirit, are for the age to come or the time of Tribulation, and not for next week, next month, or next year. And similar to the couple I was asking about, sometimes life happens and people don’t walk out the Lord’s perfect will for their lives even though they’ve had great words spoken over them. His explanation that day helped me see His Word will accomplish what it says, events will happen, people will fulfill their call, even if it is 100, 200, or 500 years from now – we are already in eternity in Him, so nothing is lost even though we have gotten off track. His promises will happen, just maybe not how or when we originally thought.
Recent things the Father told me
“The next President will take Executive Orders to a whole new level, and will rule with cruelty behind the scenes.” This comment came after I asked Him what He thought about the controversy in the US about all the Executive Orders the President was signing to amend, change, or make law and policy.
When I heard the US is giving up control of the Internet I asked the Father what it was about, and He said this: “Especially since what they call the Arab Spring, nations have wanted to control communication, for they saw it was through social media and Internet communication this was accomplished. You will hear of nations shutting down parts of the ‘net in the future, and one day this will be used against my people. The earth is about to enter into a time of increase persecution and distress, but no one can shut down my Spirit.” There was more specific to the US through 2017, but I’ll share that later or in the mailed out newsletter that goes to US addresses.
Things the Lord told me
My series from last month entitled ‘I’ve Been Ruined’, which details 10 things about the culture of the kingdom versus the culture of modern ‘church’, grew from the Lord telling me He was causing His people to examine their priorities and what is truly important. He observed that sometimes people are forced into decisions they should have made on their own, and that often the devil gets blamed for things He (the Lord) is stirring in people’s lives by either letting them reap what they’ve sown, or from within causing them to have to deal with unpleasant but important issues in life, and things related to growing in Him.
One interesting thing He said was that the days were coming where no one could sit on a fence in their walk with Him. The contrast between His disciples and unbelievers would become clearly defined in the west as it is now in other parts of the world. Again, there were other things specific to the US through 2017 that I’ll share in the mail-out newsletter.
Conferences and the network
We would appreciate your prayers for our conferences in The Netherlands April 25-27 and Finland 2-4. We expect people from over a dozen nations coming together, so safe travels, health, and that our eyes and ears would be opened to know what He is doing and saying in our midst.
Chris’ remodel
The overall estimates have been delayed as we await final pricing on some lumber for floor joists and such, but my concern has to do with a walk-in tub Chris needs. Because I walk him to the tub it has to be one with a wider door than the low-end models which are rather narrow in the door, and with the tub and installation it looks like $7500-9000. We will also have a roll-in shower, but he so loves the tub and playing with his ‘Match-box’ size cars in the warm water and his muscles, so we are trusting we’ll be able to have a tub for him. We’ve been told construction will start in summer, perhaps as late as August, which is a delay from what we’d hoped, but we are staying in peace.
One of the things the Father told me after His comment above that no one can shut down His Spirit, was that days of great clarity are coming. This clarity is not only what a person believes and why, but also clarity in being led by the Spirit in life and even to being directed to meetings of disciples that are otherwise secret meetings. That is why over the next 3 months I’m teaching a CD/MP3 series on the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son – to provide clarity in what we believe and lay the ground work for knowing how to be led and sensitive to what He is saying and doing.
Thank you for being part of our lives – CWOWI is growing at the pace of relationships in many states and nations, and your support in prayer and financial gifts enable us to continue. Next month I will share more about the network around the world, but I’ve run out of space today. Truly disciples are being made, miracles are happening, people’s lives are being changed by balanced teaching and healthy relationships.
Thank you SO much!
Blessings,
John and Barb
