When The Cloud Moves

Dear Friend,
How are you?  I’m well.

Have you felt it’s time for you to move from your town, job, church, relationships, etc.?  Since this January, the Father in His grace let me know some changes to come in my life.  I can’t thank Him enough, as He prepared my heart for a new season, rather than made me caught by surprise.  Then, earlier this month, when I searched for Pastor John Fenn’s audio teachings in The Church Without Walls International website, I came to find out his teaching, When The Cloud Moves, posted in January 2018.  It has a subtitle, When the grace has lifted from what you are doing, and a short explanation on his teaching:

When Israel traveled in the wilderness the Lord covered them by a cloud in daytime and fire for heat and light at night. When the cloud moved they knew it was time to move on. Today we liken ‘the cloud’ to grace to do a job, to hang in there with a tough relationship, to stay at a church, and so on. When there is no more grace to be where we are, or no more grace to continue pouring ourselves out for another person, but we wonder if it is us or is God saying move on – what to do! How do we know when the grace has moved? This series is based on principles seen in Israel’s walk in the wilderness following the cloud combined with real life stories to impart wisdom for knowing where God’s grace is leading next.
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I thought this would be a good teaching to me, as I knew the cloud would lift up in my journey.  Interestingly enough, on that week, Sister Ank Kleinmeulman in The Church Without Walls Europe posted a new video named When The Cloud Moves in Superhouse church YouTube channel.  I felt the Lord confirm the cloud’s moving.  I’m sharing the link of the website and the YouTube post, if you’re interested.  One of the Scriptures Pastor John shared in his teaching is Numbers 9:15~23:
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
18 At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.
20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed.
21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.. (Numbers 9:15~23, KJV)

What I liked from his teaching was the cloud covered the tabernacle where the ark of the covenant was, not the tents of the children of Israel.  Likewise, the cloud covers our heart where Christ lives, not the circumstances.  And there is always peace when the cloud remained in the tent.  When the cloud moves, the process might be laborious due to many people, their flocks and so on, and it may not always come in a convenient time.  Yet there is peace. He went on to say there is mix of recognizing what God is doing in our heart and taking stock of ourselves.  And there is indication that it’s time to move, i.e. recognizing God’s moving:

• When there is no fault of your own, yet God moves on (ex. A spouse divorced his/her spouse who has no fault, and left him/her.)
• Within yourself, you have been so drained, and you have no energy to go on.  God then moves on for your self-preservation (ex. from abusive relationships, from ministries, from jobs, etc.)
• You’ve done what you can do in this area, and now you can move. You lost interest, etc.

There is no provision, no grace in it, when the cloud departs from job, relationships, locations, church, etc.
And you may see and feel running out of provision within yourself (no energy, no motivation, no patience, etc.)

The cloud has not moved yet, but it has lifted up (the Lord’s giving notice).  And you would know it’s time to move and you would get ready.
When the cloud is on your heart, there is always rest.  You know there is a provision in there.  When it is God in the relationships, there is a rest.  Peace and comfort. (Coolness in the daytime, warmness at night) But in the current job, relationships, place, etc. you feel you have no more place in them.  And a great desire in your heart that has been dormant is now coming to the surface.  Hope would arise.

These are some excerpts from his teaching.

To me, one of the changes the cloud is leading to is leaving the auditorium church (traditional church).  As I was confirmed for house church, I have peace in not attending my mega church in Seoul any more in this transition.  After the pandemic-related restrictions were lifted, there has been some criticism against those who don’t come back to the traditional church service in person, but continue to stream in online from home.  I haven’t even attended online church service for more than a year, yet I don’t feel guilty or condemned thanks to the peace the Father gives me.  Otherwise, I could have thought, “Will I be punished?”  In peace and expectation, I look forward to the days when He connects me to people, and I would be part of a house church.  
In relationships, I also see the relationship with a friend of mine changed.  My heart is not in it.  The Father said to me that I would keep some distance yet I must continue to intercede with His love.  So I do.
Now, I’m expecting more changes to come in a new season.  The cloud has not moved yet, but I feel like I see it has lifted up.  And I am grateful for His grace, as I won’t be caught by surprise, but get prepared in peace.

Friend,
I just felt that I must share this with you so that you wouldn’t be caught by surprise.  Look at the cloud and get prepared, when you see it’s lifted.  It may be laborious, but there is always peace and provision from Him.

Have a bliss!
Yunee

 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)