Sabtu, 30 Januari 2016

Oops. I goofed!


Friends.

Last Thursday, I sent you my latest current event article. But I goofed! I gave a long excerpt followed by the link to the whole article.

The article went viral, but many of you never saw the link below the excerpt, so you didn't get to read the full article. So here it is along with the last 5 articles I've written, most of which have gone viral as well (thanks to those of you who clicked the social share buttons below each one).

SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS: hover your cursor over each link, then push the left mouse button. And you'll be taken to each article.

NEW: 3 Killer Lessons from THE WALKING DEAD (You don't have to watch this show to benefit from the 3 lessons. There's no spoiler here either.)






A Bonus Gift - The Rethinking Sampler (if you don't have my new 5-volume Rethinking Series)

     Enjoy!

     fv

     Psalm 115:1

P.S. Stay tuned for my next UNFILTERED update on Thursday, February 7th.
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John Fenn, What More Do You Want #4 (Witchcraft)

Hi all,
We used to have a pet dog, a Golden Retriever named Abe. Our boys were young so it was a good time to shop for a family pet, and a co-worker had some 6 week old puppies for sale. When we visited them a storm was approaching with darkening clouds and ever louder thunder, and while all the puppies were running around and playing as they do, after a thunder clap one ran into the garage to take cover.
 
"What a smart dog" Barb said, "He knows the storm is coming so ran inside. We'll take that one." Little did we know at the time that wasn't smarts he was displaying, but fear. Abe was afraid of the storm and dumb as a box of rocks. He had a good heart, but mentally speaking, the lights were flashing and the crossing gates were down, but there was no train coming down his tracks. He would grow up to become a Retriever that wouldn't retrieve and the largest lap dog you've ever seen.
 
He would sit at my feet and give me a sideways glance, looking away when I looked him directly in the eye. But when I turned away he would put 1 paw on my lap. I'd look at him and he would look away. Then when I was distracted the 2nd paw would come up on my lap. I'd look at him and he would look away. Then he would shuffle around to place the top half of his body on my lap in a half sitting position ready to jump, tail wagging in excited anticipation.
 
If I allowed him, I found myself with a 100 pound (45 kilo) Golden Retriever on my lap, totally at peace sitting there like an oversize golden canary on a narrow perch.
 
We have a saying in the US; "Give him an inch and he'll take a mile." For the rest of the world it might be 'Give him a centimeter and he'll take a kilometer." That was Abe. If I allowed just 1 paw on my lap, he took that as approval to keep going. 
 
And that is how religion is - if you have an empty space in your life, religion will move in to try to control it and take over. Like Abe, it waits until it thinks you aren't watching or are vulnerable, then a new rule is added or the rules change completely with a new set of standards to obey.
 
Edmund Burke, Irish statesman from the 1700's said: "The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion." We have Christ in us, and nothing is better than God in us - Satan can't touch that! All he can do is cause us to be distracted and forgetful of what we have in Christ so that we remove ourselves from the knowledge of Christ in us, in exchange for submitting ourselves to a form of godliness; accomplished by delusion, manipulation, and fear through high sounding but wrong teaching.
 
Witchcraft in the church
"Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that you are not obeying the truth...did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or the hearing of faith? Having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect (sanctified) by the flesh?"
 
So begins chapter 3 of Galatians, as Paul lays out the difference between having Christ in you versus obeying the Old Testament law. But the principle is the same whether we are talking the Old Testament law or a modern church that controls by fear and intimidation, tradition and man-made rules. The Galatians began in the freedom of Christ in them, but someone told them along the way they could be matured by and please God more by obeying the Jewish law.
 
I love the emphasis Paul places on where our priorities should be: Did you receive the Spirit by grace or by the law? Having the Holy Spirit IS the focus, the most valuable for Christ is in us, and the one thing we should always be aware of: Did you receive Him by doing external works, or grace?
 
What Paul said
The Greek word for 'bewitched' is 'baskaino' and means "To bring evil on a person by feigned (fake) praise or mislead and so charm" a person (Vine). It is used of leading someone into wrong teaching, and is seen when a person selectively believes some verses but not others, for instance.
 
The root of 'baskaino' is where we get the English root for 'fascinate'. "Fascinate" was first used to describe the process of bewitching a person, manipulating them for self centered gain, and the word 'enchant' is a synonym because of that. Paul is asking who enchanted them to leave the freedom of Christ for bondage? Like any deception, there is enough truth coupled with the lie that good hearted people who want to please God, don't realize until too late that in believing the kernel of truth, they also believed a huge lie.
 
The word 'perfect' is the word 'epiteleo' which means to bring something through to the end, so Paul was asking "Having begun in the Spirit 'are you now perfecting yourselves' by the flesh (law/legalism)?"
 
The essence of 'Christian' witchcraft
The future King Saul was the son of a wealthy man of the tribe of Benjamin.* When Samuel was led to anoint him King, we are told he was head and shoulders taller than all the people of Israel, and there was no one better looking than he. *I Samuel 9:1-3
 
But he had a major character flaw, and that was the fear of man sustained by a horrible self image. Samuel would later say of him, "When you were little in your own sight God made you king..."* Because of no confidence in himself, he was a man pleaser with no 'backbone' to withstand the opinions of others, so was always being moved by fear of man to do unwise things. 
 
Though the Spirit of God came on him* at times to prophesy or lead battles, he never allowed the Holy Spirit to change his basic character and self image, like so many Christians today. They have great experiences with and are touched by God, but never allow Him to actually change them (because that takes the work of rejecting old thoughts and feelings in favor of the new and unfamiliar God's ways and thoughts). I Samuel 9:21; 10:6-10,16-27; 11:6-15; 15:17 
 
The last incident was when he was told to destroy all the Amalekites including their animals, but King Saul kept alive King Agag* (and relatives as we'd later find out**) and the best of the animals. When confronted he told Samuel the best of the animals had been saved to sacrifice to the Lord by the people, not him. *I Samuel 15:32; **Esther 3:1
 
Saul selectively obeyed the Lord and lied to cover it up, choosing to obey part of His command and not obey the rest. Then he blamed the people for that part while saying "I have obeyed the command of the Lord!"
 
This manipulation founded upon selective obedience to the Lord while hiding the truth is the core of witchcraft, and the principle Paul was talking about to the Galatians.
 
Samuel replied to King Saul:
"To obey is better than sacrifice, for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry..." I Samuel 15:22-23
 
The word 'rebellion' in Hebrew is 'meri', from 'marah', or bitterness, used in Exodus 15:23 of the bitter and poisonous waters Israel found after leaving Egypt. When Saul's heart became bitter, poisoned, thus rebellious towards obeying the Lord with a whole heart, he 'dug in his heels' wanting to do things his way.
 
This was because as I said above, he never let the Lord actually change him though the Holy Spirit came upon him often. 'Stubbornness' in Hebrew means 'hard, dry, dense, severe' and is as idolatry because it is the purposeful exalting of self and one's will over God and His will.
 
THAT is why rebellion is as witchcraft, and why Paul asked who had bewitched them.
Who had twisted God's Word to bring them under the law and/or select what parts to obey while outwardly stating they are obeying all of God's Word?. Who had hardened their hearts against the Spirit and Christ in them in order to turn them to legalism? Why had they exalted their will against the revealed truth of Christ in them?
 
Sanctification?
Paul asked "Having begun by the Spirit, are you now made complete by the (law) flesh?" The answer is 'no', having begun in the Spirit we are therefore logically, also made complete by the Spirit. And that's where we'll start next week. Christ is in you, don't let the 100 pound dog of religion gradually take over your lap. 
 
Blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com
 
 
 
New CD/MP3 Series
 
What God Says About Sleep, Isomnia, and How He Speaks to Us in Our Sleep
(2 cd/MP3, $12/set or MP3 $10)
The Bible is surprisingly informative about sleep, why it eludes us, how to get a good night's sleep, and how and why the Lord speaks to us in our sleep. This series uncovers many scriptures about these issues, includes some scriptural ancient Rabbinical beliefs, and combines them with modern practical advice on how to apply what the Word teaches. You'll come away more knowledgeable about the Biblical subject of sleep and how & why the Lord uses sleep to speak to us!
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Back to basics

Church

It's 6:12 p.m. at my house right now, Karla is telling me to come eat dinner, and I hardly ever send an email at night, but I'm too excited not to reach out to you RIGHT NOW. :-)

You know, for several months now I have had to allow the Lord to strip me down and get me back to basics.

It's been hard but good.

Sometimes you need to hit the reset button.

I'll be sharing more about that in future emails.

But that's one reason why I just re-opened the doors to my free online discipleship course, "Embrace the Cross."


Because I want to help you do what I just did - get back to basics, back to a Christ-centered, Spirit-led, Scripture-based walk with Jesus that is based on a relationship with Him, not a religion about Him!

Or, at least, give you some practical encouragement to help you keep moving forward in that relationship.

This discipleship course has been closed and it's not even linked on the website yet because I wanted to give you a chance to get in first, before we make it public.

So click the link below to go to the hidden page:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=GtchA&m=3mQ_FI8MyPAqFNq&b=30u2VcQRayUqE6PLhsb7BQ

"Embrace the Cross" consists of nine video lessons that can be completed at your own pace, either by yourself or with a group.

Students progress through each level by watching, listening, reading, and putting things into practice.

A new level is unlocked for you each week.

We even have a place inside the course for you to leave comments and interact with me and other people taking the course.

Best of all, we offer the course for free. Donations are appreciated, but not required.

Watch the video and sign up here:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=GtchA&m=3mQ_FI8MyPAqFNq&b=30u2VcQRayUqE6PLhsb7BQ


I am your brother,


Chip Brogden


P.S. If you're one of those folks looking for a "deep word" then this course probably isn't for you. It's really designed as an introductory course (simple but thorough) to establish solid principles and lay a solid foundation for those "deep words" to come later. In fact, I probably won't let you take any of those "deep" courses anyway until you take this "basic" course first. It's the basis for everything that follows. That being said, most people find the simplicity of Christ to be about as deep as it gets.


Go here and see what you think:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=GtchA&m=3mQ_FI8MyPAqFNq&b=30u2VcQRayUqE6PLhsb7BQ
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Kamis, 28 Januari 2016

Too blessed to be stressed

Hi Dave and church!

I consider it a great privilege to be able to write you today!

We have been without power since Friday due to the big east coast snowstorm that gave us more ice than snow.

So I'm happy to report this morning that we now have lights, heat, and Internet!

Yay!

You tend to appreciate those little things when you don't have them.

That got me thinking about the many blessings we have that we take for granted.

And that go me thinking about this whole thing of what it means to be "blessed."

We all want to be blessed, not cursed.

Nothing wrong with that.

But so many times the prayer for "more" sometimes creates "less."

We seek the "blessing" and get broken instead.

We want a crown and God gives us a cross.

Ever wonder why that is?

Jesus reveals the secret here:
http://www.chipbrogden.com/the-blessing-and-the-breaking/

My advice is to stop fighting it and start embracing it.


I am your brother,


Chip Brogden

PO Box 1007
Wake Forest NC 27588
USA
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The Bird Clock: A Lesson in Grace

Hi Dave and church!

When my older daughter was just a little girl (maybe 7 or 8 years old) she saved her money and bought a clock for her bedroom.

This clock was very unique!

Instead of using numbers, this clock was decorated with different birds that would chirp their distinctive call at the top of the hour.

She was so proud of that clock!

And we were proud that she was able to buy it all by herself using her own hard-earned money.

Quite an accomplishment for a little kid.

That night she hung it on the wall over her bed all by herself and we admired it.

Afterwards we sat down at the table to eat dinner.

Everything was going great!

Everyone was happy!

That’s when we heard it…

C-R-A-S-H!!!!

What was that?!?

My daughter jumped up from the table and ran to her bedroom.

I followed, fearing the worse...

And when I walked into her room what I saw broke my heart...

READ THE REST OF THIS STORY (I promise a happy ending to brighten your day!)
http://www.chipbrogden.com/the-bird-clock-a-lesson-in-grace/



I am your brother,


Chip Brogden

PO Box 1007
Wake Forest NC 27588
USA
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Prevenience (#2): Just-in-time disciplemaking

Prevenience (#2):  Just-in-time disciplemaking
January 27, 2016

When I first read what Eugene Peterson wrote about the word "prevenience", I was stunned!  I realized that most of what I had learned about ministry was wrong.  
 
  • I've since come to see that the concept of prevenience calls into question the typical American approach to ministry. 
  • It calls into question most disciple making programs.  
  • It calls into question the "missional church" movement.  
  • It calls into question WWJD.  
And, it is foundational to everything we do in the LK10 Community!  

To read what Eugene Peterson wrote and to watch Jordan, Kent and myself discuss this topic, click on the picture below...

 
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The Occasional


 
Washington & Ohio launch More Simple Churches


Game-Changer #2: Will Work Without Permission


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Jumat, 22 Januari 2016

3 Killer Lessons from THE WALKING DEAD

"We are more willing to attack one another than to band together and fight the enemy."

~ Lance Wallnau

In my December blog post, I outlined 4 sobering (and uncommon) observations about ISIS.

If you didn't get a chance to read the entire article on my blog, there's a link to it at the bottom of this blog post.

Now on to another current issue.

AMC's TV drama The Walking Dead is the highest rated series in cable television history.

I'm not a zombie guy (though some mornings, I might resemble one).

Unlike many of my peers who possess a Y chromosome, slashy-burny-butcher-gore films don't appeal to me.

It's for this reason that I've stayed clear of watching The Walking Dead.

That is, until a friend told me that the show is largely about surviving in community over against blowing zombie carcasses to the moon.

So I gave it a try. And I was hooked in the first season. (In many ways, The Walking Day is similar to the TV show LOST -- which I thought was superb.)

Recently, I finished every episode of The Walking Dead to date.

Beyond the compelling characters, rich storylines, and incomparable acting, the parallels to the spiritual walk are impressive. The gruesome scenes, notwithstanding.

What follows are three critical lessons I observed while watching. And yes, if you're subscribed to my list, you must use the link below to read the whole article because you'll have no idea what I'm about to say otherwise. (Trust me, you want to know, even if you don't watch The Walking Dead or have zero intentions of ever doing so.)

Warning: if you're one of those befuddled souls who got on my mailing list by some freak accident in a parallel universe, our beloved Blog Manager moderates all comments. So if you write something that's downright nasty, you'll be blocked faster than Bill Clinton's arteries.


PO Box 140370
Gainesville Florida 32614
USA
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Occasional - Baptisms, Ohio Launch


The Occasional Newsletter

New Simple Church Launches in Ohio



Making Disciples

  • Nothing is more rewarding than parents being able to disciple their children in baptism.  
  • Aaron & Valerie have spent years preparing for this special day when Aaron would baptize two of their children, Isaac and Ava.

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John Fenn, Spirit of Prophecy #3 (Using Common Sense)

Hi all,
When I go to a store I usually have a list, and once inside the store I go to item 1, then to item 2, then to item 3, and can be in and out within a few minutes. Barb also has a list, but for some reason her list leads her on a path resembling what a drunken sailor might walk when he leaves a bar at 2am and tries to remember where he parked that aircraft carrier.
 
Neither is the right or wrong way to go shopping, and we each end up with what we went for, but...I better stop before I get into trouble and just make my point.
 
When the Lord gives us a promise it will happen, but how we are emotionally between the promise and the time of the answer is either focused and steadfast, or we wander all over our emotions and thoughts putting ourselves through misery until the Father manifests the answer.
 
Today is about how to stand on the Word for a promise and remain steadfast.
 
How much faith do you have in what God told you?
Have you ever wondered how Peter could be so sound asleep in jail* just hours before his scheduled execution that the angel had to literally strike him on the side to awaken him?
 
Have you ever wondered why Paul just shook the viper off his hand* and continued working, with no harm coming to him and no mention of concern on his part? *Acts 12:7, 28:3-6
 
Faith in the Word and Word
In John 21:18-19 Jesus indicates to Peter he will die by crucifixion 'when you are old'. When Peter was in jail sound asleep awaiting execution in Acts 12:7 it is no more than 12 years after Jesus told Peter how and when he would die. In Acts 12 he was set to be executed by sword and he wasn't old - so he was able to deeply sleep knowing he would somehow get out of that situation.
 
In Acts 27:24 while Paul is on board a ship being driven by a long lasting storm, an angel appears to him and says 'Fear not Paul, you must be brought before Caesar.' So when the venomous snake bit Paul right after they were shipwrecked on Malta, he just threw it into the fire and went on working because he knew he would be brought before Caesar.
 
Instead of Peter questioning why he was in jail about to die when Jesus told him something else, and instead of Paul being in fear because a poisonous snake bit him and he was about to die in contradiction to what the angel said, each man chose to believe what they'd been promised and went on about their lives.
 
They used their brains
They had direction from the Lord, direct words, and they used their brains to think and reason.
 
People of faith often lay aside common sense and logic once they receive a prophecy, verse, or other promise they feel is from the Lord, often to their own hurt and even death. They have a word but when things happen contrary to that they run around like Barb's shopping method, only instead of shopping they are in fear wandering here, there, and everywhere looking for assurance God is still in control.
 
But Peter and Paul were steadfast because they thought the promise through, and disciplined their thoughts and emotions accordingly. The pondered what they'd been told, giving them a quiet internal strength.
 
There was a man who received a personal prophecy that he would get wealthy in real estate. So without hesitation and without study, and without using any common sense from the brain God gave him, he began buying homes to then rent out. He mismanaged them because he hadn't educated himself about the subject, went bankrupt, his wife left him, and he was homeless for a time - and he blamed it on God who told him he said 'To get into real estate'.
 
God didn't tell him 'to get into real estate', and the legitimacy of the prophecy is highly questionable because it was a single word not even in the man's heart before that moment, and there were no other confirmations, but using the prophecy he threw common sense out the door, thinking God was his business partner.
 
He is not. He is God. He isn't a business partner. Christ lives in you and is therefore with you at your job. But they hired you not Him - it is your job, your business, we make our way prosperous, and He will guide us along the way during which we use clear thinking and common sense.
 
Healing
There was an up and coming evangelist who was diagnosed with cancer. Yet after prayer he said the Lord told him he was healed, or would be healed. He refused all treatment because 'God said'.
 
Some urged him to get treatment, noting that giving the promise of healing does not exclude doing what we are to do in the natural. But the young evangelist refused medical care, died, and left many confused about why if God said he was healed, he died. He should have sought treatment.
 
God may reveal to you that you have x job when you see the ad in the paper for it, but you still have to get up and go through the interview process - do what is right in the natural and let it come to pass, don't try to make it come to pass, nor think because God said it means it will magically appear.
 
Led by personal prophecy?
In I Timothy 1:18-19 Paul tells Timothy "This charge I give you son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on you, that by them you might war a good warfare; Holding faith and a good conscience; which some concerning the faith have made shipwreck..."
 
Notice Paul's instruction about the handling of prophecy combines the spiritual and 'common sense'. When Paul said to 'war a good warfare' he said to do so while 'holding faith and a good conscience'.
 
Faith is spiritual, good conscience is natural. God requires both when He gives us a promise. It means doing things right and with honesty so we can maintain a clear conscience. God's personal word to you will never require you to lie, cheat, steal, or to lay aside what is morally right.
 
II Peter 1:4 says "...through these are given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption of the world that came by evil desires."
 
We view promises as the point of answered prayer, this verse says God issues promises for the purpose of working in us the divine nature. The quicker you cooperate with Him to grow as a person and in Christ while 'standing' on a promise, the better off you will be emotionally and spiritually. Realize a promise is given for you to grow in Him - character building and fruit of the Spirit growth.
 
Faith with a clear conscience is the direct route to seeing God's word come to pass. Or a person can be in fear and back away from opportunities for the growth that comes by disciplining thoughts and emotions, and doing the right thing even if it is difficult. 
 
Many back away from difficulty thinking it is the devil or they just don't want to go through it. My experience has been usually the difficult decision and hardest on the flesh, is part of that 'divine nature' He wants us to grow in. When you value growth in Him above all else because in those times is when you get to know Him best, you will be steadfast like Peter and Paul.
 
Think His promises through, not for the purpose of figuring out how it might happen and then arranging your life to help Him make it happen - but ponder these things in your heart, do what is right, choose growth in the divine nature, and allow Him to work it out.
 
    New subject next week, until then, blessings,
        John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com
 
 
 
New CD/MP3 Series
 
Healthy Emotions, the Open Door to Healing
(2 cd/MP3, $12/set or MP3 $10)
This series is about emotional health which opens (or closes) the door to physical healing. Sometimes the key to physical healing can be traced back to emotional needs, thoughts, feelings, and thinking, which when brought in line with God's thinking by revelation, results in physical healing. Using examples in scripture and modern examples in real life, this series shows how people can transition from unhealthy to healthy feelings and emotions, and receive their healing.
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