Hi all,
On
April 10, 1912 the Titanic, the largest and most luxurious ocean liner
up to that time, left port for its maiden voyage. It was decorated with
the latest and greatest of all things; it had the new wireless telegraph
which provided passengers the unheard of ability to communicate with
people thousands of miles away, ornately decorated staterooms in first
class, and for safety, advanced watertight compartments.
One
of the most luxurious if not THE most luxurious appointment on the ship
was the 'Grand Staircase', reserved for use by first class passengers.
Above was a large glass dome letting in natural light, and the staircase
and surrounding woodwork were ornately carved.
The
flooring around the Grand Staircase was also the most modern
and luxurious of the time, using a newer process that was all the rage
in which linseed oil was solidified and mixed with pine rosin and wood
dust with coloring to form a tile flooring. Yes, the flooring around the
base of that Grand Staircase, that most luxurious appointment on the
most luxurious ocean liner ever built, was...linoleum.
In
their day linoleum was the 'in' thing, the most luxurious flooring
money could buy, but in our day it is among the least expensive and most
common of flooring.
What
is now the 'in' thing, will one day be the old thing. In the world
people proclaim things like 'this is what Paris is wearing' or 'all the
stars are wearing these', but next year the stars will be wearing
something different and Paris models will be showing off new styles on
the runways.
God doing a new thing?
In
church circles whatever is the latest and greatest is often labeled
'This is a new thing the Lord is doing'. But in the book of Acts, which
covers over 30 years, and the rest of the New Testament which covers a
total of about 70 years, we don't see the authors saying that God is
doing anything new other than the work of Jesus and the work of the Holy
Spirit in man. The New Testament IS the new thing.
Consider
that - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James - authors of the
New Testament, pillars of the faith, chosen by the Lord to live and die
in that time in history, over the course of 70 years of their faith,
never wrote anywhere the Lord is doing something new other than Jesus
and the Holy Spirit.
Of
course someone new to the Lord will rightly exclaim it is a new life
for them, but in terms of what heaven is doing their salvation and
baptism with the Holy Spirit is what He has been doing the last 2,000
years. It is only new to us while He remains the same yesterday, today,
and forever.
Same old stuff for me to work on
I
can't speak for you, but for me, He is still working on things in me He
started when I was first born again as a 16 year old. He has never
stopped working on me, fine tuning, changing things in me that I can
trace back over decades in my life. I don't need a 'new thing' until and
unless I first mature in the old things.
The family in Colorado Springs - love the world?
I
was teaching a class in Colorado Springs and after the day's session 4
of us went out to eat. As we walked to our booth I noticed a large
family in the middle of the room who had pushed together several tables -
there were about 10 or 14 people, with the kids at one end and adults
at the other.
I
also immediately saw angels standing behind some of the people, and
there was one angel clearly in charge. It isn't unusual for the Lord to
open my eyes to see His realm while I also see the natural world but I
did wonder why that was happening at a restaurant.
As
the 4 of us ordered our meal I kept a running conversation going with
my friends, while also turning to my left to talk to the angel standing a
few feet away. In the natural it looked like I was just looking to my
left for a glance at that large group, but in the Spirit I was talking
with the angel. The first thing I asked was 'Are these people
believers?' to which he replied they were.
Then
he added; "But they love this world with the toys and distractions in
it. They go to church, but only when it is convenient with their plans,
and rarely read the Bible or even talk of the Lord at home." I asked
what it was like to guard them and he surprised me saying: "It's more
fun to guard people like you." I told him I thought they'd be busier
with carnal Christians, but he responded:
"No.
Because of their love for this world and the things in it they have
shut the Lord out of their lives in those many areas. If a person is
walking with Him they are more sensitive to His direction, but when they
are doing their own thing they have tuned Him out, making them
insensitive to the things of the Spirit and preventing us from
protecting them or even warning them of things to come."
I
took that as a hint, so I turned my attention to a boy about age 12
sitting at the far end, all alone, and an angel standing right behind
him. The angel seemed rather subdued in his mood - quiet, somber,
looking at the boy. There was a heaviness about the whole family, and I
was still wondering why I was seeing them.
So
I asked the angel about the boy, and then I learned why my eyes were
opened to see them: "As it stands now, this boy will die in an ATV (all
terrain vehicle) accident when he is about 15." With that, suddenly a
large scene like on a TV appeared in the air next to the angel above the
boy as he was seated at the table. I saw this family in the woods and
somehow I knew it was a Sunday and they should have been in church but
chose to take their 4 wheelers into the mountains that day.
They
had made a ramp of dirt and were jumping their vehicles over it, flying
a good distance, and then I saw this boy, older now, jump his vehicle
and somehow it tilted back like he was trying a backwards flip but
didn't make it. The scene froze as his vehicle with him on the seat was
upside down with his head about to touch the ground and the whole thing
falling on him - and then it disappeared.
At
that point I interrupted the conversation my 3 friends were having, and
told them what I just told you. I realized my eyes had been opened
to see and talk to the angels so that we could intercede and stop that
horrible accident from taking that boy's life 3 years in the future, and
that this family would return to their first love. We prayed right
there, and when I looked back at the angels - the lead one smiled as did
the one standing behind the boy, and they disappeared.
My
host that night then observed, "This explains something that I've
experienced from time to time through the years. I'll be somewhere and
see a person and feel grieved and sad in my spirit, almost to the point
if I let myself go, I could stop and weep right there. It has happened
in airports or just when out and about in a normal routine - I'll see
someone among the hundreds and feel this deep sorrow - and I felt that
when we walked in and I saw that family, but I didn't know why. Now I
know I am sensing the Holy Spirit's sadness over someone's walk with the
Lord, that they aren't walking with Him as they should, maybe they love
the world rather than putting all their love on Him."
We
cannot live in the present in Him if we have also given our heart to
the world and the things therein. His presence requires being in the
present - leaving all love of the world, all people, all the past and
future at the door - to be wholly and completely devoted to Him.
Amazingly, He isn't ignorant of our needs or desires, and as Solomon
asked for wisdom rather than riches or victory over enemies*, because
(at that point in his life) he was completely in the present when he
asked for wisdom, the Lord gave him the things he didn't ask for. *I
Kings 3:5-14
May
we live come before His presence with thanksgiving and praise, focused
on the present, focused on Who we are worshipping, Who we are exalting,
wholly and completely focused on Him. If we do so, the rest will be
provided and fall into place in our lives.
New subject next week, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at cwowi@aol.com
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