Hi all,
First a quick message for those in the US reading this: If you live in the US please read the mail-out newsletter coming this week for a prophetic message for the nation that is not in this e-newsletter (that goes out to so many nations). I”m not putting it online. The content of the mail out newsletter is always different than the e-newsletter for that reason, but this month I share a particularly ‘heavy’ recent word and vision from the Father for the US you might be interested in.
Facebook live
I’m doing about 1 Facebook Live video per week so if you are on Facebook you can look up John C Fenn and see and/or follow me for video and written posts. We’re working on posting them on my YouTube channel but it seems more difficult than a simple forward and I’m (we’re) still learning the process – but a couple of Facebook videos are there and I plan on doing one around the middle of each week. They are in the 5 to 10 minute range, but not over 10 minutes for sure.
Health, travels
On a personal note, I continue losing 1-2 pounds (.5-.9k) per week to reach my goal of no more than 250 (113k) so as of this writing I still have 8 to go, with a loss so far of 22 pounds (10k) since discovering my AFib and high blood pressure. In terms of my highest weight (because I lost some weight knowing I was going to have that physical back in January, lol…vanity, vanity…I’ve lost 46 pounds (20k) grand total overall. Once I have a time at the goal weight or a bit below and my blood pressure remains there, I’ll be looking at the ablatian for the AFib in February.
I’m planing a Chicago/northern Illinois/Kenosha area visit in early February, more details later, and planning Lithuania in the second half of March though exact details aren’t set. I’m also praying about a separate Finland and maybe Nordic nation trip but it’s just being ‘birthed’ in my spirit as to what the Father wants, but I know one is coming but not when yet – just that He wants me to do a separate trip there. Open to suggestions on that!
Also remember our Dutch conference May 25-28 which is during the US holiday, Memorial Day weekend. We are planning on spending a couple days after the conference with anyone who can stay to see some of the Netherlands. You can go and return in a week, and what a week it should be!
The Dutch conference is at a retreat center in a rural area outside a small town, so we are all lodged in the same place and eat our meals together and have time to visit. It is a time of a variety of things in the Lord ranging from teaching to question and answer to the move of the Father and Lord in our midst, to spending time with me and others from several nations ‘hanging out’ together. The Dutch conference is the place to be.
Speaking of the Netherlands, Wil and Ank will be moving to their new home the end of March – a beautiful home and setting better capable of hosting (home) meetings and regional gatherings and guests, and we all sensed such peace the Father had something like this for them. They do so much in communication, coordination, and teaching all who are doing and interested in family and home based church in Europe, and they are so loved and appreciated. They also travel extensively in Europe and host folks as well, so this home is perfect. They extend their thanks for those who gave and who have committed to helping monthly, and gifts between now and their move will be appreciated so they can make the move well supplied and furnished for all that will be needed in the transition.
Ezekiel 38 lining up
One of the most intriguing statements in Ezekiel 38 about the prophesied war between what most believe is a Russian led alliance against Israel, is that God says “I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth with all your armies…” (v4)
The ‘turn you about’ indicates a changing foreign policy for Russia. In other words before, it wasn’t interested in direct military involvement in the Middle East, but is now turned around and pulled into that region, choosing to align itself with what is modern day Turkey, Iran, and others.
To have ‘hooks in your jaws’ means being pulled in at first perhaps, unwillingly, almost lured in. That understanding makes sense because verse 10 says that in those days a thought will come to (him) and an ‘evil plan’ will be devised to invade Israel for the purpose of taking spoil. It reveals that invading Israel wasn’t on the agenda at the first, when they are drawn into Middle East conflicts.
That is exactly the process going on right now isn’t it? In the last month we’ve seen Turkey and Russia not only get closer, but are working militarily together in Syria to support the current government, while the US continues to talk big but in practice back away overall. The hooks are in the jaws, and the next thing at some point in the future will be the thought to go further into the Middle East by invading Israel. Obviously that won’t happen as long as the US has a presence and will to be involved with Israel and the Middle East…so watch the election in the US, for if it goes one way we may have time due to strong Presidential support for Israel, if it goes another way things will continue as they are.
China
Also interesting is the President of the Philippines saying he is backing his nation away from the US, this said after he spent time with China’s leaders to develop agreements for their increased involvement in his nation. Many of you will recall the times I’ve shared a visitation from 1991 or ’92 where the Lord told me; “…(most) are focused on the wall coming down and the fall of the USSR, but they should be focused on China, for she will become an economic powerhouse and seek to swallow up all of Asia and much of the world if she could, but this she must do to fulfill her role in the end times.”
I’ve never forgotten those words and that visitation for He confirmed we are in the end times and my understanding of the basic scenario. The economic growth of China can be seen from the Panama Canal (ownership) and them buying the largest port in the Canal in May, to Africa to the Philippines, and more. And of course military advancement often follows economic advancement, so expect to see more of China in the news – but they aren’t involved in the Ezekiel 38 war, they are part of the 200 million man army that invades Israel about 7 years after the Ezekiel 38 war, which will be Armageddon and the return of the Lord.
Meetings in homes and Abraham – what do they have in common?
In Genesis 18 in the writing style of Moses and Joshua, we see 3 men having a meal with Abraham. Moses and Joshua’s style was to show the natural view first, and then reveal the spiritual view and truth. This can be seen in several places, including Jacob wrestling with what is said to be a man initially, but who turns out to be the Lord*. Also Joshua is confronted by a man with sword drawn outside Jericho* and who turns out to be the Lord as Captain of the Lord of Host’s army. He reveals how Joshua is to conquer Jericho. *Genesis 32:22-32, Joshua 5:13-15, 6:1-5.
Note, Joshua worshipped the Lord and removed his shoes in His presence, revealing this was the Lord and not an angel, as erroneously reported by some who claimed to have met ‘the angel’ that met Joshua. Angels don’t receive worship and only God commands men in the OT to remove their shoes (Shoes are man made and we don’t approach God of our own doing or device). So if you hear someone or read a book claiming that person talked to the ‘angel’ Joshua talked to, the ‘angel’ that person talked to wasn’t one of God’s angels…but a demon appearing as one. Toss the book or recording for it is full of error as is the author or speaker.
In Genesis 18 we are told 3 men walk up to Abraham, who invites them to dinner, and they 3 are served by Abraham himself who stands by them as they eat. Only then, after the meal is eaten, is it revealed it is the Lord and 2 angels, for the Lord tells them Sarah will have a son about that time next year, and then the 2 angels leave to go to Sodom to rescue Lot and his family which is seen in the next chapter. But the Lord lingers behind and says within Himself:
“Shall I hide from Abraham that which I’m about to do? Since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation…for I have known him that he will teach his children and his household after him to keep the ways of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous…”
Meetings start out ‘in the natural’
In the same way Moses and Joshua’s style of writing was to provide the natural appearance of things first, and then reveal the supernatural truth, so it is with many, many things of the Lord – how many of us have started our walk with Him, or had experiences that started quite normally and naturally but turned out to be a God-encounter?
So is it with home based church and relationships. If you attend a house church meeting you won’t be impressed. There is no choir, no stained glass, no Italian marble in a foyer cafe’ where you and 200 people are offered coffee and pastries.
You walk into a home – if you don’t know someone there you will be nervous entering a home you’ve never been to before, and it all seems quite normal, natural, and you won’t be impressed. No one will hand you a bulletin or order of service. No smartly dressed usher will seat you – you may be greeted by the family dog, a toddler with mouth covered in breakfast may try to give you a slobbery greeting, you may even see a glimpse of someone dashing off to finish their make up or hair or put their socks on.
It’s all normal, the natural view if you were Moses or Joshua writing about it. But if you will stay, if you will invest yourself in the people, if you will allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone a few weeks in a row – the spiritual and supernatural will be revealed to you.
The auditorium church affirms people differently than a family based home church
In the auditorium a person is affirmed and put at ease with the order, the routine, the surroundings of woods and carpets, architecture and history – all appeal to the emotions and physical senses to make one feel at ease and secure and safe.
The family based home church is boring by contrast. The degree to which you will be unimpressed and bored reveals the degree to which your mind is trained by the auditorium church with expectations to be affirmed in that same way. If you are out of your comfort zone by the idea of church in the family and home, then you don’t know your Bible nor culture of God – in other words, a normal Christian. ha!
We’ve been born into and adopted into the family of God. It’s all family based. Jesus went to prepare a home for us where His Father and He live. Too late, it’s all family based. You will still know 100,000 years from now the Christians you know now. It’s all family and relationship based! Start renewing your mind to think as God thinks and be willing to transition from a structure based faith to God’s family based faith – you aren’t confused by family and home based church, you were confused by the auditorium culture and the light of God’s Word and ways are shining light on your confusion for the first time.
Also note what the Lord said back in Genesis 18:17-19: He based His giving revelation into the earth on the spiritual life of Abraham’s family. “Shall I hide from Abraham that which I’m about to do…seeing he will raise up his household and children in the ways of the Lord…”
If you want revelation from heaven, it starts with meeting the Lord in your home, with your spouse, family, friends; in your relationships. The Father is a Spirit, so He affirms us in our spirits, not our flesh. That is why walking into a family based home church appears all normal and natural and without an initial clue that something supernatural is about to happen and be revealed. Learn to be affirmed in your spirit instead of your flesh.
But stick around that home church…invest in the family of God, invest in the relationships and see the supernatural work of God in action. It will be messy. You will get to know people without their church faces on. You may even take off your church face to reveal what is really happening, thereby allowing God’s power to move through those people to heal, to comfort, to provide an inspired word to you.
Thank you for your prayers – there are some things happening I’m not at liberty to discuss, but we appreciate your prayers. Chris has had several weeks of peace at his group home, thank you for your prayers for him. We appreciate your financial support, for joining with us in ministry to the saints in so many nations.
Blessings!
John & Barb
