Hi all,
I had earlier shared how the Lord told of difficulties in January and February, “and especially around mid-February into March, with transition in March.” It certainly has been an eventful first 7 weeks to the start of the year! We pray for smooth transitions, nationally and internationally.
One of the things He had said as you’ll recall, after the election, was that the President’s cognitive abilities would decline until it was obvious by all, until a decision had to be made; or something physically happened. Praying for peace in the coming year about this, for all in authority that we may live quiet, peaceful lives in godliness.
Phoenix meeting and Tulsa conference
I want to mention our April 9 meeting in Phoenix. We have many friends in the Phoenix area so it will be part family reunion as well as a great way to meet others on the same spiritual page in the area. It will be a full day of teaching, sharing, lunch together, Q&A, and that night, anointed worship and personal ministry. Sunday morning for those local and interested in house church, we’ll meet elsewhere for ‘church in the home’. If you are in the area, or live elsewhere and want to join us for the day, it would be great to see you.
Our October 7-9 conference in Tulsa is a full weekend, packed with teaching, worship, prayer, and fellowship, lunches and dinners together; the pace allowing for friendships to develop or be renewed. Again, this is like a family reunion for many, but also a great way to meet new friends on the same spiritual page. I really feel it will be something special, and encourage you to consider attending.
We keep the numbers small so we can flow with the Spirit, get to know one another, and have the time that every person receives prayer that wants it. Information/registration can be found in my Weekly Thoughts and e-newsletter header above.
The Father communicating to us
After Peter proclaimed; “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” in Matthew 16:17, Jesus said: “You’re blessed Simon son of Jonah, because (man) flesh and blood didn’t reveal that to you, but my Father in heaven.”
What happened to Peter happened to all of us. But did we realize it was the Father Himself showing us the claims of Jesus and asking us to conclude He is the Son of the living God? Many Christians think God the Father doesn’t speak to them, doesn’t communicate to them. Wrong. He was showing you things and speaking to your heart long before you ever knew Him. This is how He does it, before we were born again, and after:
The context of Peter’s statement was that Jesus had asked the disciples who the people were saying He was. Peter’s statement reveals to us he too had heard what the people said, but he thought it through, rejected each argument one by one until the only conclusion was that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. We did the same thing when you heard about Jesus and somehow, way down inside, knew you had to decide for Him.
See, then believe
Jesus made 2 statements in John 6:40 and 45 that talks about this process. v40: “…all who see the Son, and believes on Him, will have everlasting life…”
Notice we first ‘see’ the son, which is revelation from the Father showing us who He is, then we believe. No one just thinks ‘I think I’ll be born again’. First comes a process by which they ‘see’ the Son of the Father, and then believe. How did that happen for you? For me, it was at age 16 when my classmate Janny, in German class between lessons, told me she and her boyfriend knew the God behind the Sunday morning liturgy. They actually knew Him. Over the course of a few weeks I observed answered prayer after answered prayer, about 7 in total, until I concluded they were on to something. I knew I had to decide for Jesus. I was convinced He was for me.
One day I stood in my bedroom and said something close to this: “Jesus. If you really have the last say in my life, then no matter what anyone thinks of me matters. All that matters is what you will say when I stand before you, and you’ll set things right.” And on that basis I told Him I give my life to Him and would serve Him all my days.
The very next thing I did was starting to talk to the Father, for at that point of my young life, I was desperate for a father. I’ve never looked back. Even then I realized it was the Father asking me to consider the claims of Jesus by subtly bringing up what Janny told me, and the record of answered prayers in her and her boyfriend’s lives.
Teachable; Hear, learn, believe
Jesus provides a little more detail in v45: “It is written in the prophets, They will all be taught of God (Father). Therefore everyone who has heard, and learned of the Father, comes to me.”
First we hear from the Father which tells us the person is open to suggestions about their life, their purpose on the planet, eternal life – then once opened to thinking that way the Father responds to them: We hear, learn, then come to Jesus.
See, hear, learn…and then STOP for some
Many people have experienced with the Father by His Spirit, especially during their teen years – at youth group, camps, retreats for teens. They experience the Holy Spirit, but it doesn’t ‘stick’. What happened? They were brought to the edge of decision, and backed away. These often retrain a respect for godly people and things through their lives, for deep inside they knew they experienced God, or ‘something’. The Father is patient. Often decades later in life that ‘seed’ planted is touched by the Father once again as they turn their thoughts to their own mortality, and they give their lives to Him. Sometimes…that is the process over decades.
Illuminate, enlightened, Spirit of wisdom and revelation in Him
In Hebrews 6:4-6 where the subject is what it takes to ‘lose’ one’s salvation, the author lays out the process of growth: “It is impossible for those once enlightened (had revealed to them by the Father that Jesus is the Son), and tasted of the heavenly gift (were born again), and made partakers of the Holy Spirit (baptized with the Holy Spirit), and the good word of God (rhema, were used to God communicating direct words to them), and the powers of the age to come (gifts of the Spirit active in their lives), if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance because they open crucify the son of God again (they know what they are doing and do it anyway).
The very first thing is ‘enlightened’. They had indeed seen the Son, they had heard from and learned of the Father, and they had come to Jesus – tasted the heavenly gift. (This shows us you don’t just ‘lose’ your salvation: An informed decision got you born again, and only a similarly informed and purposeful decision can cause you to ‘lose’ your salvation by the rejection of Jesus, though this person knows Him).
Paul’s prayers for the Ephesians and Colossians, even after being born again, involves prayer the Father will continue to ‘give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, that the eyes of your understanding would be enlightened to know the depth of the invitation which you have in Christ…” (Ephesians 1: 17-19)
The prayer I pray most often for myself is that Ephesians 1: 17-19 prayer – I regularly ask the Father to ‘open the eyes of my understanding by giving me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Colossians 1: 9 is similar, that I (we) would be filled with all spiritual wisdom and understanding. In Ephesians 3: 14-20 Paul prays the Father will strengthen them by His Spirit with might in their ‘inner man’ so they may know the unconditional love that is beyond head knowledge.
I pray that for saved and unsaved alike, because it all starts with the Father showing a person the claims and Person of Jesus Christ, then asks that person to make a decision.
A revelation is something you always knew, but never realized.
We sense something inside us. Our mind realizes something is stirring. That is how the Father communicates – when you get used to your mind picking up on things in your spirit like that, then He moves from the vague to the specific. You get better over time and repeated revelations at recognizing Him in your spirit, to the point that anytime, 24/7, you can shift attention to your spirit and sense Him, the Father, there….
It is a lifestyle, not a formula. Not a ‘do this and God will do that’. Talk to the Father. Conversationally. Then listen for His quiet reply. Sometimes just peace. Sometimes an excitement your mind can’t explain. Sometimes an assurance…and as you walk with Him, those vague assurances like someone looking into a fog that is clearing, become words that you perceive…and then you know His voice, and you’ll never listen to another…
This is how He works with any revelation – it’s how we grow. If you don’t want to believe miracles happen today, no worries, He won’t try to show you differently. But if you are curious, He will respond by bringing reports and people and scripture to you. Are you thinking about relationship based faith rather than auditorium based? Then He will guide you in that direction – if not, He will go with that until and unless you start wondering otherwise.
This month’s audio teaching
The series above is based on a recent visitation with the Lord, which built on a couple previous visitations – He just kept the conversation going, adding a bit more each time. What He shared is one of those things He is doing in His body that if we heed now, will find we have prepared ‘against a time to come’, concerning building a family of faith, a community of believers (not commune), but true Koinenia – fellowship by the Spirit.
Please know that whatever happens in the world, what Christ in us is doing is where the real action is. Let us not be one of those who run to and fro looking for the latest news ‘out there’ while ignoring the things in our hearts He is trying to get us to deal with. Also know you are prayed for and loved, and greatly appreciated! Blessings, John & Barb, Brian & Amy
