Hi all,
Last
week I shared what I was thinking when the Lord 'broke in' to tell me
what the Spirit is saying to (many in) the body of Christ for this time.
I also said I wanted to share what it means by 'judgment begins at the
house of God' because it is directly related to what He said.
Quick summary of last week
In
the 10+ years between Pentecost in Acts 2 and Paul starting to teach in
Antioch in Acts 11, no one had been teaching the practical aspects
of applying life in Christ to daily life beyond the basics. The teaching
of Paul was so dramatically different than what anyone had heard since
Pentecost it caused the world to take notice that they were a distinct
group and called them 'Christians'. Amazing!
Setting the context
In
The Revelation chapters 2-3 the Lord gives individual words to the body
of Christ in 7 different cities in Asia, which was then merely a state
in the nation that would become modern Turkey. He says to each*, "He
that has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the
churches." *2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22
Note
that is plural. Therefore each word was first meant for the individual
church He addressed, then outward to the rest of the body of Christ.
Even you and I some 1900 years later have learned from those words!
The Visitation and the vision
Similarly,
what the Lord said to me is first for a specific group in the body of
Christ, then outward to the larger body of Christ. He was specifically
talking about those who over the last 10-15 years have lived their faith
similar to how it was in the 10 or so years between Pentecost and
Paul's teaching in Antioch; believers, but believers who have had little
growth as disciples and as people. Their knowledge was more broad and
general than specific to their life and growth as Christians and growth
as human beings.
In
our day there are many reasons for people having a broad knowledge but
little specific application to their faith. At the core isn't a lack of
teaching or teachers, but there is still a vast people calling
themselves Christian who over the course of years have stepped back
from each opportunity to grow, which came masked as hardship and
difficulty. Knowledge does not equal growth, only doing the Word equals
growth.
With
each personality conflict, with each disagreement, with each
misunderstanding, with each difficulty in life, these are a people who
backed off personal growth in Christ and as human beings, who backed off
opportunities to demonstrate love and forgiveness, the fruit of the
Spirit and difficult but godly decisions, in exchange for
staying stagnant in growth, unchallenged and unmoved.
He said;
"Those who in times past were easily distracted, having their ear
always to the latest thing, must give up those distractions and turn
their attention to me in order to grow. It is time for many to stop
following other voices that they might hear my voice." (Those other
voices can include but aren't limited to memories of the past, worldly
thoughts and ways of doing things, love of the world and things in it,
etc.)
Eating garbage
As
He was saying this to His left this vision appeared: I saw a woman
staring with head moved slightly forward as one does when concentrating
intensely while looking at a spectacle, with wide open eyes that were
not blinking at all, and open mouth gasping at all she saw - at many TV
and computer screens all floating in the air in front of her face in
random movement, maybe 8 screens all moving about like they were part of
a giant screen saver, and she was trying desperately to take it all in.
Then
1 screen came within arm's reach and she reached into the screen and
took out from it rotting garbage - but she thought it was good tasting
food and more than that, she thought it was the latest and greatest like
a new chef presenting a new dish to the public - she thought she was on
the cutting edge of secret knowledge and ate it all without question
nor discernment - she crammed it into her mouth, eating every word and
image, but not daintily, rather like a starving person crams food and
doesn't care that much of it gets on their mouth and face and clothes
and falls to the ground - she kept grabbing at and devouring it as each
screen moved around and came within arm's reach, slowly at first, then
faster and faster like a starving person...and she became a mess, with
garbage all over her otherwise white linen gown, all over her face, even
in her hair.
In her spirit
As she
was doing this my attention shifted to her insides for the simple
reason I could suddenly see her spirit and down in what would physically
have been in the stomach area, and within her being was a baby that
looked like a combination of Jesus and her. I've never seen anything
like it in my 30 years of Jesus visiting me and teaching me and showing
me things in the Spirit. The little baby in her was her, but also Jesus,
and words just can't describe it accurately enough. It was like she had
His traits and He had hers and they were one, except that He was trying
to grow in her but she wouldn't eat the right food that would allow
growth. It wasn't a case of malnourishment so much, but rather stunted
grow - she should have been an adult by now but wasn't able to grow due
to the diet she consumed.
In
the same way an apple seed is larger inside than it is on the outside,
in that within it is untold numbers of apple trees and apples, so too I
instantly knew that all the answers she was looking for 'out there' were
in Christ who was in her, and trying desperately to grow her from
baby-hood to adulthood. But she thought that dull and uninteresting. He
said "Part of her test of growth is this; Is she willing to have
questions remain unanswered, putting them in my care and trusting me for
her well-being, or will she continue to ignore my silence on these
questions, which are inconsequential though she thinks them important,
pressing on in them while ignoring areas I'm asking her to deal with?"
"There
are areas of her heart I long to touch, and areas in her life she needs
to face, but each area would require her to look honestly at her heart
and life which would then result in facing serious issues. And she knows
these things. On that day, do you think I'll ask her about what she
thinks she knows on so many subjects, or will I ask her about the issues
in her heart and her life where she denied me access?"
He
continued; "Many who have lived distracted lives such as this have an
open door to fear and the enemy's lies, for they ignore discernment in
favor of gathering as much information as possible from the many voices
they are straining to hear. In times past many have picked and chosen
the areas in which they want to grow in me as it suited them. Many have
failed in past years at opportunities they've had for growth, in favor
of adding knowledge and keeping themselves busy, ignoring true growth in
Me. Being focused on my voice is the first step towards growth in
strength and character in me, but many won't even press in to get to
know me and my voice because the other voices are so immediate. Thus,
they remain babes in me when they should be mature adults in me."
About 'Judgment begins at the house of God'
Peter said in I Peter 4:17:
"For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God."
What did he mean by that? Context is everything, so let me set the
context with the start of that chapter:
Peter's
first letter is focused on suffering - in fact that word is used 15 or
16 times in I Peter. He teaches about suffering two ways: Persecution is
the primary theme of I Peter, but also causing our flesh to suffer
because we won't allow it to go on sinning. He starts chapter 4 saying
this:
"Therefore
since Christ suffered for us in his flesh, arm yourselves with this
same mind; for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin..."
He goes on to speak of how in a past life we were sinners, but now the
people we used to run with think it strange we no longer go with them to
sin. (v3-4)
In
the rest of his letter, he uses suffering to talk of persecution -
'suffering in the Lord' or 'for the Lord' never is about sickness or
illness or some person bothering you - it is always either suffering in
your flesh because you won't let yourself sin anymore, or persecution.
In context, persecution of Christians is a sign of judgment coming on
the world, but first to the body of Christ.
Next
week I'll share in more detail what 'judgment begins at the house of
God' means, the rest of the vision, and comments He made about this year
and next.
Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com
New CD/MP3 Series
This series is focused on things learned over the past 12 years, a time
in which CWOWI has gone from a single house church to having affiliated
house churches in dozens of nations. This is not about a formula, but
about common intangible qualities observed across nations and cultures
that make for thriving home based churches. If you are considering house
church and have read or listened to teachings about them, you will want
this series because it deals with those intangible qualities that can't
be taught, but are caught in the heart and known to be true. Using
scripture and personal experience, this series can make the difference
between a 'mechanical' (going through the motions) atmosphere and a
living atmosphere in your house church. I recommend a listener first
listen to or read 'House Church Essentials 1& 2' first.
(2 cd/MP3, $12/set or MP3 $10)
This
series starts with defining the differences between angels and cherubs,
their assignments and duties, and how Satan was a cherub. It defines
'chains of darkness', whether demons are fallen angels, some of the
traits of angels in their assignments and what they can and cannot do.
Part 1 ends talking about 3 stages of demonic attack a person can
experience and how to deal with it. Besides chapter and verse, John
shares some of his experiences with angels and other spiritual
experiences which help provide further insight into the realm of angels
and demons!
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