Hi all,
We just finished our retreat with representatives from 21 states plus Canada and the Netherlands. As several said, “We came not knowing anyone, but became instant friends like we’d known each other for years.” Paul described this in II Corinthians 5: 16-17 where he said ‘From henceforth I know no one by fleshly standards, but by (their) spirit, for if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation…”
His presence in our midst was truly known and felt in the worship, teaching, and fellowship around the tables during our meals, in a very family friendly and relaxed atmosphere. You could feel His peace. A group of us were talking afterwards about how to maintain that intimacy in future conferences. The heart of it was:
“We are looking for brothers and sisters, not distant relatives.”
We all found brothers and sisters at the retreat, but that sentence embodies everyone’s search when they move to a relationship based faith outside of the auditorium church. By its design (not a criticism) the auditorium based church attendees have a relationship with the auditorium and its predictable weekly format, rather than the people in that auditorium. Thus, the leaders of an auditorium based church must provide programs to promote its members getting to know one another.
Biblically however, faith is relationship based and meeting in the home is a natural outflow from those relationships developed. The search then focuses on finding ‘brothers and sisters, not distant cousins’ to build a relationship with. That is our prayer for each of you reading this, that the Father will provide those spiritual brothers and sisters for you.
Barb and I were especially happy those who attended were able to meet Wil and Ank from the Netherlands, who are truly apostles, traveling the EU building up others in their faith, working with us in the development of house churches, and our dear friends. They wrote a note to include in this newsletter:
It was a great blessing for us to be part of the conference last weekend and we are very thankful for that! We knew some of you by Facebook and such, but now we saw you face to face, which was wonderful. We treasure all the new contacts and would love to stay in touch with you all.
If you want to receive our newsletter and hear about what’s going on here in Europe and in our lives, please let us know and write to cwowi@solcon.nl If you visit Europe and want to see us, you are welcome to come and stay with us for a couple of days. It will be our pleasure to host you. You are welcome!!
Thank you for your support in any way, many blessings! Wil & Ank Kleinmeulman
I truly encourage especially those in Europe to include them in their giving. They open their home for individuals, families, and meetings, they travel all over Europe teaching and providing spiritual guidance and insights from their decades of experience, and spend time no one sees providing help to all who seek it. We support them – cwowi and John & Barb – monthly, and encourage others to do so as well.
Next trip: Bozeman, Montana November 3-4. John, Barb, and Brian will be going, the subject being ‘Balanced Biblical Prosperity’, and it is NOT about giving. It will include flowing worship and what the Bible actually says about money, looking at it differently than you ever have before. Receiving revelation about finances, how He leads concerning finances and more will be covered.
Prophetic insight
Three things to mention this month. The first is how effective our prayers are, what influence they have with the Father. This can be seen in Matthew 24: 15-20 when Jesus teaches what we might call the ‘classic’ understanding of Daniel 9: 25-27 is accurate, stating the ‘man of sin’ will enter the temple in Jerusalem at the mid-point of a 7 year treaty.
He tells everyone who sees that to get out of Jerusalem when that happens, but adds this in v20: “Pray that your (running out of town) doesn’t come in the winter nor on the Sabbath.” I find that amazing that even anti-Christ’s appearance in the temple can be altered as to the season of year down to the day of the week, by prayer.
So there is great peace about the soon coming US elections due to prayers of so many in this nation, sensing things once imminent have been or will be delayed. I have read and heard many threats coming from the left and increasingly in the last 3 weeks when I’ve asked the Father about it, He has replied ‘Nothing will come of it’. Before He often said, “You need to pray about that.” or things similar. No matter the outcome the Father has things under control, and there is peace about resting in that and continuing to be focused on, and about, the Father’s business.
And that’s the point – focus. Do not be distracted by headlines, web sites, or the opinions of others (even Bible teachers) that distract you from the peace in your spirit from the Father. Stay away from distractions. SO many Christians are like Golden Retrievers, which if you know the breed can be looking directly at you, but the slightest thing in their peripheral vision will cause them to run after it: Squirrel, car coming down the street, a voice from another room. Stop being spiritual Golden Retrievers, lol – stay focused on what the Lord has set before you for today.
I have learned the Lord’s focus is on His people and He will do what He will do completely apart from man’s government. There is peace in that if you realize you are a citizen of the Kingdom of Jesus, and though affected by the physical nation you’re a citizen of, for those who walk in faith, the kingdom of heaven’s rules and culture can supersede those of earthly governments if you look for His provision. That is when His people will walk as ‘giants in the land’ as He has told us.
The second is the increasing divide between the nations described in Ezekiel 38, one side with Israel, one said against. The long held belief is that modern Turkey (Togarmah in Ezekiel 38) will align against Israel with Iran (Persia) and Russia (Magog) against Israel, and that ‘moderate’ Arab nations with others from the west will end up siding with Israel (or at least not fight against it). The growing divide between Turkey and Saudi Arabia now going on fits that scenario. Watch for the sides to be increasingly drawn.
The third is the Lord, not the Father, told me to watch (and pray) because upcoming changes in governments in Europe will result (later, not imminent) in things affecting His people. He said some good things are coming to His people in Europe. But He didn’t provide details about the prayer request for His people and I didn’t ask, for now anyway.
I know when the Father talks to me about prophetic things it is more with nature and governments and things like that. But when the Lord stands before me and comments about things to pray about concerning His body – we are one with Him so He takes things personally. He said changes in governments are upcoming and to be praying for them. Paul’s instructions for governmental prayers in I Timothy 2:2 was that “we may live in peaceful lives (Greek: quiet and tranquil) in godliness and reverence.”
Godliness is a lifestyle, meaning praying that a person living righteously does not become a victim of evil doers, and living in ‘reverence’ in the Greek here is ‘dignity’ and ‘honesty’. Paul says pray we can live quiet and tranquil lives in that lifestyle of peace, with dignity and honesty. That is our prayer for our brethren in Europe in the coming months. He specifically mentioned through next spring. So watch and pray about European elections and EU policy changes.
A special thanks to those of you who support us financially and in prayer: One thing a retreat allows is the putting of a face with a name on an email or envelope. There are so many more however who were not at our recent retreat who I know by name but haven’t yet met face to face, or it’s been years. But you are loved and prayed for and appreciated just the same. With each donation whether via PayPal or in the mail I pause, read your name, and pray for you (plus any prayer requests mentioned).
There just aren’t words to express how much your gifts mean to us, how much they touch our hearts. For we know as Paul told the Corinthians, that you have first given yourself and your donation to the Lord, and then to us. And like he said in II Corinthians 3:2 we can also say, you are written in our hearts by the Lord, linked by His Spirit, truly brothers and sisters.
Thank you so very much!
John & Barb
