Hi all,
I just returned (Tuesday
night) from our house church gathering in Granby, Quebec which was
wonderful in every way, but will be taking the last couple of weeks of
July off through August 7 to rest and attempt
to work on the 'honey-do' list that has piled up. I'll still do my
Weekly Thoughts and Facebook live as I'll be around the house for the
most part, but will limit my email and Skype and Messenger
communications.
In
the 4 months between March 14 through July 18 I've been away the
equivalent of 2 months, so you can imagine the need to rest and attend
to home things.
I
meet with my cardiologist on the 31st to discuss options as now that
I've lost most of the weight he wanted me to lose with the blood
pressure also falling into the more normal category, we can discuss the
ablation of the nerve that is causing the A-fibrillation (AFib).
Ablatian is where they thread an electrode through an artery and zap the
nerve which should allow the rest of the electrical impulses to take
over and hopefully have a normal heart beat. He also wants to discuss
the 'reset' option, which is where they stop (my) heart and then a few
seconds later use the paddles to start it again. I'm a bit hesitant with
that option - I've been to heaven so that isn't the concern, it is for
Chris and Barb's sake, so wisdom needed as we discuss those 2 options.
Or do I do nothing and just live with it? Wisdom.
I'm
not tired, fatigued, lack energy or anything like that with the AFib,
but it has caused other issues or contributed to other issues which can
be dealt with to a degree with medicine. But maybe the ablatian will
make it so that no medicine is needed - that is where I ask you to pray
for wisdom. I've seen the Lord now 3 times this year, 2 in meetings and
once He came in the middle of the night when I was having some heart
related symptoms and He encouraged me and told me 'you will live and not
die', and then told me of things to happen between now and next
September (2018)...so I am encouraged, but I don't want to miss it. Why
He didn't just heal me in that visitation I don't know, but it is what
it is so I ask for prayer.
New England regional conference, Manchester, New Hampshire, October 6-8
This
will be held as in the past, at Tom and Sylvia's home in Manchester, NH
and it's not too early to be setting aside (Columbus Day weekend) the
dates...for info cwowi@aol.com or syto99@gmail.com.
Use of Skype
We've
always followed Paul's pattern in Acts and as seen in his letters that
make up our New Testament, and part of that was the way they traveled
back and forth visiting each other - city to city, nation to nation.
Today we do that via car and jet, but also by Skype and Messenger. Here
is an update from some ladies who first met at one of our conferences,
but then have built on the friendships using regular Skype visits,
Sharon writes:
"The
Skype Sisters started out with Sharon and Dean from Arkansas, Betsy
from Maine and Monique from Scotland. Since then, Ginette from Canada
has joined us sporadically. And now Heidi and Heather (California) and
Jenny from Finland are with us as often as they can join. We feel a
strong sister connection to one another and the relationships grow
deeper with each meeting. We all come away from the meetings feeling
encouraged, uplifted, and that the Father has met with us."
"We
have also started a group Skype text chat that we each can contribute
to each day. it has been a huge blessing to each of use and especially
when there is a need for emergency prayer. From the very first meeting
we have been amazed at the answers and miracles that have occurred in
answer to our prayers."
Recent cd and MP3 series
I
want to encourage you to get last month's series 'God's Culture of
Generosity' which has little if anything to do with giving money - it is
about the Kingdom of God and the way the Father is, and therefore what
He is trying to work in our own hearts. I've received several
testimonies from people who said they were 'blown away' by that
teaching, so if you hesitated getting it before, I'd encourage you to
get it. Also the series packages offered this month would be a huge
blessing to you, and include a couple of e-books.
Remember the vision of the slide?
Before
the elections the Father showed me a vision of a child's playground
slide. A man in a suit who I understood from what the Father said to be
in the US Congress was trying to walk up that slide, holding onto the
sides bent over, trying to go up - he would take a couple steps up then
slide right back down to where he started. The Father then spoke to me
and said that is what the Congress will be like, unable to get anything
of real substance accomplished. The fact He set the vision in a child's
playground told me they would be playing political games rather than
doing the job they were elected to do.
So
far that is what is happening. I also remember He said "The collapse
will come when conservatives are in charge." I'm not sharing at this
point the things the Lord told me a couple weeks ago when He came in the
middle of the night and told me of things through September 2018, but I
can tell you the last 2 years of the administration will be rough for
many. (People always email me and say 'Can you just tell me the details'
- The answer is no on this, don't ask please) Right now it is a matter
for prayer as it was also coupled with things He said about the body of
Christ.
For
that part He talked to me about how many are in fact getting serious
about their faith, about being in relationship with others, about
growing in Him. He talked again of separation between those serious
about growth in Him and in relationships with others, and those who
wanted to stay where they are spiritually. There are things coming even
this fall economically in the US that will shake some, but for others
nothing will change as they are in strong relationships with others on
the same spiritual page.
When
He appeared to me on November 4, 2001 and told me "I want you to start a
house church and house church network, and structure it in such a way
to facilitate the development of house churches around the world", I
asked Him why. His response was "It's against a time to come. It is
provision against a time to come. Be a resource for them."
I
realized at the time that would be a two-fold task. The first is good
basic teaching without religious strings attached, just the ways of the
Father and Son and Spirit. That is what my Weekly Thoughts are about,
all my cd's, books, Facebook Live each Wednesday
- I'm always looking for ways I can share the pure Word I've received
by revelation, no man taught me, to bless and strengthen the body of
Christ.
The
other part is teaching and conferences and meetings about house church -
not that the house is the focus - but the relationships of those who
meet in homes is the focus. Family based churches that meet in homes, in
relationship with others in a network of like-minded people. We now
have - that is Church Without Walls international (CWOWI), now with
affiliated house churches in about 3 dozen nations, is part of His
provision for a time yet future. The larger mystery of the 'provision'
is that we are each other's provision. The believers all connected on
the same spiritual page, realizing Christ is in us and we are the
church, in relationship with each other, looking out for each other. We
are each other's provision just as we see in Acts.
When
Jesus returns you can see His priorities from what He said of that time
in Matthew 25:31-46, which says in part "I was thirst and you gave me
drink, I was hungry and you fed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I
was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you visited me."
HIs
priorities are people - He lives in us, Christ in us, the HOPE...when
needs arise we provide hope and support for one another, meeting
physical needs and emotional and spiritual.
Some thoughts on house church meetings
What
we've found works is the Biblical pattern (Imagine that, just following
the Bible) of rotating homes and rotating who leads each meeting. If
house churches do not rotate who leads each meeting so that all who
attend are used to sharing what is on their heart then they will become
at most a hybrid version of the auditorium church merely meeting in the
home. (Some 'house churches' not in our network have only maybe 3-4 men
who share, 1 each week in 3 or 4 week rotation, and some have the same
person share each and every week but call themselves 'house church' just
because they meet in a house).
By
sharing I mean being in charge of the meeting, not just participating,
but opening your home and having to think through what you're going to
share with a group of people gathered in your home - at first it sounds
scary, but after 1 time you realize all you are doing among friends is
sharing what God is doing in your life - it is that simple, that
peaceful. From there the discussion and study and revelation just flow
among those gathered.
The
reason there is such peace is that you are free to share according to
Christ in you. If you are an intercessor the Lord may have you lead
everyone in prayer. If a teacher you may want to do a word study that
you are currently studying in your own time. If you are an exhorter you
may share a recent testimony of something the Lord did for you. If you
are a worshipper you may want to lead everyone in worship - all that is
fine, it is according to your own gifts - you don't have to be someone
or something you aren't. Just be yourself.
We've
had times when the host and leader for the day says "I don't have
anything; it has been a busy week, so maybe we should just take prayer
requests and go around laying hands on each other for those requests" -
and those are some of the most powerful! We've often spent 90 minutes
laying hands on each other, everyone involved sometimes having words
from the Lord, and all come away touched and having received. Relax,
Christ is in you, just share what He is doing in your life. Rotate
homes, rotate who leads. Be the provision for others in this way. You
are unique and Christ lives in you, so what you share will be unique in
Him as well.
Closing thoughts -
this has been a rough time financially as I've had lots of trips that
don't pay for themselves, but each is an investment in the
relationships, which are eternal. 200 years from now in heaven I'm not
going to regret having invested thousands of dollars in these trips
because the people we've invested in are in heaven, are thankful for
those times together - atmosphere and earth may pass and change, but
people are eternal, so each expense is really an investment reaping
spiritual dividends. But if you can help this month getting us caught up
it would be a huge help and blessing to us. Also keep me in prayer for
wisdom. Chris has done well enough on these trips, I pick him up Friday for a couple days at home - he understood I had to go tell people about Jesus, so I know he shares in this ministry.
Blessings and thanks!
John and Barb
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