May 4, 2005

Pastor John:

I was reading in Matthew and in ch. 6 verse 34 it says, "...sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof"...what does that mean? if you have time,

thanks

LP

Dear LP

It means that the challenges to your purity and faith that the world gives you today are enough to keep you busy. Don't think about tomorrow's issues.

Pastor John

May 4, 2005

Pastor John:

I love the simplicity of God. It is a simple matter of "Take everything else out of the picture, then where do you stand with Jesus?" That's all that really matters. There are no big "issues" in this life. Just cut out all the details and junk, and it's all about right choices in God and where we will spend eternity. And with whom. I love my simple life with Jesus. I heard you say on the message from last week (paraphrased), "Jesus is offering something free (a mansion), but people have to let go and quit dragging around all the things of this world to get it."

This world is out to entangle you in as much mess as it can. And Jesus stands ready to get you out! I am so glad that Jesus is in my life. See you soon,

Sandy :)

May 3, 2005

Hi Pastor John,

Concerning the TFE on 5-01, "The Lake of Fire: Memory", I had a dream in the early 90's about the place you were talking about. I dreamed that I was walking in the city of the new earth, the New Jerusalem, and the feelings of peace and joy and safety were all around me there. Everything was so bright and new and clean! All the homes sparkled and were made of something that looked like marble, maybe jasper. It was beautiful.

As I walk around the city, I came upon a gate that led outside of the city, and the walkway lead outside of the gate. The path was very clean and pure, so I kept walking on outside of the city. As I got outside the gate, I walked a little ways and I noticed something to my left, it was a big bubble in the grass. The grass was so green, greener then I have ever seen before. The bubble was made of glass with gold trim around it, and gold frames up and down the bubble kind of like window frames all over it. As I was looking at the bubble, I started to become overwhelmed with fear and torment and terror like nothing I have ever felt before. I knew that whatever or whoever was in that bubble did not want to be there. It was absolutely awful. I could feel fear and terror just pouring out of that bubble. I knew I did not want to look into it at all; it was bad enough just feeling those feelings coming out from the bubble where I was standing.

Then I heard a voice speaking to me (I say "heard", but it was more like inside of me coming out), "YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THERE. NO ONE WANTS TO BE HERE." I knew in the dream and know now that I don't want to end up in the Lake of Fire. No one wants to be there; it is real and will be forever and ever. I thank God for the opportunity that He has given me not to end up there. If we follow the Spirit, we won't be there, but we will feel those feelings there when we pass by that dumping ground for the wicked. That fear is clean, and I thank God for the fear of God that he has put in me, and us.

Brother Stuart

April 28, 2005

Hey Daddy!

Guess what! I just had the neatest experience! Today was the first really nice day this week, so I wanted to get out and walk during lunch. Well, I was walking my usual route when I decided to stop over at the UNC Student Stores to get a sandwich. I thought I’d sit down and eat while I was making some phone calls that I needed to make. Well, at UNC, there’s a square area in front of Student Stores called the “Pit” where students gather to eat, hang out, etc. It’s pretty much the heart of campus, and it’s usually bustling with activity. When I went through it today, I realized that there was a group of people gathered around a preacher. He was the perfect stereotype of a country-Christian-evangelical type minister, the old fire and brimstone kind that probably has the holy Ghost but is trying to be faithful to Christianity. As I walked passed, I heard him say (to a group of UNC-CH students!?), “GOD DID NOT CREATE HOMOSEXUALS.” (He pretty much talked in all caps, you get the picture.) So, I thought, wow I’d kinda like to come back and listen to this… and see the reactions! I thought it would be interesting.

Well, I came out and walked back over there after listening for a few minutes to a bluegrass band playing on the other side of the Pit. When I came back, he was still talking about homosexuality being sin, and some of the students were starting to heckle him a little bit. Just being typical disrespectful, arrogant, liberal, college students. At one point, this clean-cut looking guy steps out from the crowd and throws his hands up and shouts, “I AM A GAY AMERICAN!!” The preacher said, “YOU are SINNING!” And the guy just shouted, “I AM A GAY AMERICAN, AND I AM HAPPY!!” etc. and then strode off while different people were clapping and cheering. But, there were some who were really listening to the preacher. There was this one young man who I saw subtly shaking his head ‘yes’ when the preacher talked about homosexuality being wrong.

Well, then somehow it changed. The preacher left the topic of homosexuality and started talking about other things; I can’t remember them all. There were two guys in particular who were giving him a hard time—shooting out questions, and going back and forth with him— pretty much just trying to make him look like a country fool. And pretty much succeeding. Then, just as I was about tired of it all, the preacher suddenly started talking about speaking in tongues! I think it began when he suddenly (and I have no idea why) pointed to one of the two young men who were giving him an especially hard time and said, “Are you Charismatic?” The guy said no, he was Catholic actually. And the preacher said something like, “Charismatics believe in speaking in tongues. But the Baptists say it’s wrong! WHY??” Like I said, it was really hard to follow him, so I can’t even remember where he went from there; but I am almost positive, just the way that it felt, that he himself had the holy Ghost. And, the way he started talking about it, it almost sounded as if he was saying that you had to have it! I thought, hey I wonder if he believes that? I didn’t know if maybe he was saying some things that he didn’t even realize he was saying, sort-of like Brother Angley did that one time on his program. I thought, hey I really want to know if that’s what he believes, and if all these other people can ask him questions just to make him look silly, why don’t I give him a break and ask him a sincere question? So, I raised my hand and said, “I have a question. Are you saying that the holy Ghost baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues is the New Birth? That speaking in tongues is evidence of being born again?” Well, oh brother, he was not saying that! Haha. Speaking in tongues is a gift! Then, to explain it, he started talking about how people spoke in tongues on the day of Pentecost…? Sigh. Confusion!

I did ask him why he thought that the holy Ghost wasn’t the Spirit, but his response was only a bunch of circular nothings that reminded me of talking to a religion professor, so I just stood and listened and watched. Then he said something… I wish I could remember what, but he said so many random things that it is all kind-of a blur!—I think it was something along the lines that the holy Ghost wasn’t necessary because you didn’t have to have it to become a Christian!! And that there were many denominations that didn’t believe in it. I think he even used his earlier example about the Baptists! In other words, he trusted more in Christianity being right than the holy Ghost being right! I thought, man you are going all around your answer, if you could only see it!! And I just couldn’t stand it, so I said something like, “But don’t you think that could be the problem? That Christianity is the problem because it is teaching that you don’t have to have it?” Anyway, it came out that I spoke in tongues but I was not a Christian, and whew WHEEE!! He told me that was impossible because the definition of Christianity was followers of Jesus. I asked him where that was in the Bible (he was very heavy on things being in the Bible); I said that Christianity isn’t in the Bible, Jesus never used the term or talked about it, and that Christianity only started years after Jesus. He said that it WAS in the Bible. I said where? He said that the Bible talks about “followers of Jesus” all over the place! I said, but that isn’t Christianity! He said yes it was! I said, where does it say that in the Bible? He said, it’s the definition of Christianity! I said, who defined it as such in the Bible? This whole time, his tone was growing more and more on edge and uptight, but I was staying pretty calm. (At least, on the outside. :-P) He said, young lady, JESUS is the HEAD of the CHURCH! and Christianity is a religion—the ONLY PURE RELIGION ON EARTH! I said, Christianity is a PURE RELIGION?! Christianity?? He said yes! (I was thinking, how can anybody say that Christianity is pure? Man! Those words sounded so strange to me.) I said, But Christianity’s history is full of impurity! And how can a religion be pure when it’s completely divided? I think the truth is that Christianity is what is causing the division and confusion among God’s people!

By that time, though, he had stopped listening to anything I had to say and was trying to change the subject entirely. And I was tired of talking to him, too; I didn’t want to debate, and I saw that he didn’t believe or want the Truth. However! I didn’t really realize it, but during this whole time, some students had started to gather around me! The preacher had felt uncomfortable and moved on, but they wanted to keep talking to me. There was about five of them that kept talking to me until I had to leave to go back to work, and a few of them had the holy Ghost. Also—and this was very interesting—I realized after we had all talked for a while, that the Catholic guy who was giving the preacher such a hard time had stayed and was listening to everything that I had to say… but he had been so quiet that I hardly knew he was there! He was really listening. It was amazing. We talked about a few things, and I was so excited that I hardly remember anything, haha. But, it started with this one young man who had the holy Ghost and wanted to continue talking to me about why I didn’t want to be called a Christian. I really think it was the same guy who I had seen nod his head earlier when the preacher was talking about homosexuality being wrong. Anyway, he started saying the same old thing about how “Christian” was just a term, and it was the same thing as saying “Believer of Christ”, and that he could call me a “Believer of Christ” if it made me feel more comfortable, but it was the same thing. Now, for some reason, I have always had a hard time responding when people say that. It’s like sure, in one sense you can just say, Oh it’s just a term, why make a big deal out of it? I’ve never really known just what to say. But, today, I had no problem knowing what to say. It was so simple! Very kindly, I said something along the lines of: Look, I know. I know that people say it’s just a term that means believer. But, that’s not the truth. Because, believers of Jesus are those who have the holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, and there are tons of Christians who do not have the holy Ghost. That’s why I am not a Christian and not a part of Christianity. The basis of everything that I believe is that the holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues is the New Birth and you must have it to be saved in the end. Christianity is a religion that says that you do not have to have the holy Ghost; it is killing people because it is robbing them of this truth that they MUST know!

Well, this of course turned the conversation towards why it is that I think that the holy Ghost is a necessity. One girl with the holy Ghost brought up I Cor 13 and said that Paul called the holy Ghost a gift, and so why did I think that you had to have it? She said that when she received the Spirit (or was born again, or however she put it), she spoke in tongues, but that she had a friend who received the Spirit and did not speak in tongues until a few months later because she had kept on praying for that “gift” because she wanted to have that connection with Jesus. I felt so excited to hear her friend’s testimony about seeking the holy Ghost even after others had told her that she was “ok”, that I hated that we couldn’t just talk about that and forget her question, ha! But, I said that I thought that Paul was talking about the gift that he and others had that let them speak in other languages when they needed to communicate to other peoples. I thought it was neat because they then said something about that passage that I really didn’t think was in there, so I said, Man I wish we had a Bible! Well, the Catholic guy says, I have one, but it’s in Greek. I said, Well can you read it?? He said, Yep! I said, Well read it to us, then! It was so funny. He pulls out this Greek Bible and starts to read it; but this other girl had an English Bible, so then we just used that. We talked about the Saved doctrine some, too, and that went really well.

Anyway, it was SO GOOD!! I was so excited! When I knew I had to leave soon, I asked for a pen and paper and wrote down the website and told them all to please go there and that they would find better and more thorough answers to all their questions, like why I wasn’t a Christian and why I say that one must have the holy Ghost. I really, really hope that they do go and visit it because although they were a tough crowd, they were all sweet and sincere people… even Mr. Macho Catholic. (He actually ended up defending me once, even though I think it came out before he knew what he was doing!) Right before I left, one of the girls who had said she was born again but did not speak in tongues said something about hoping I was right, and I said, Well there’s only one way for any of us to find out what is right and that is to pray about it sincerely! And they all said, Yes, that’s right! So, I said, Well, y’all ask God to tell you if what I’m saying is right, and I will do the same! So, I hope that they do.

I would say that overall I passed; but boy, I sure wish I knew the Bible better than I did! I know that I could have done a much better job. Opportunities like that do not come everyday, and it really makes me want to study more so that next time I could give even better answers!! It made me feel like all of us young people should spend more time really learning how to answer questions about the Truths that we are taught. It made me realize how good it is to be prepared! Well, I have written a lot, and need to get back to work, so I will end this here. What a neat experience! How exciting!! It was so much fun, and I’m so glad that Jesus gave me a chance to do what I’m alive on this earth to do in a more explicit way today.

YAY!!!

See you in a few hours,

~ Bekah

Dear Rebekah:

You are right; a better knowledge of the Bible would be an asset, but it sounds as if you, and those other young people as well, did a good thing. It is a righteous thing to sincerely ask, and receive, concerning the things of the Spirit. I am glad you gave out the web address. Maybe I will hear from somebody who was there. I hope that some progress was made toward bringing all of the young people there, and you, and us, closer to the hope of the gospel; that is, fellowship in the light of Christ.

Daddy

aka / Pastor John

PS I wish that your Granddaddy was still here so that he could have heard about your confession of Christ. He would have been pleased.

A response to the email above...

Hi Pastor John,

How wonderful to read such a story as Rebekah wrote to you. Thank you for sharing it with the rest of us. It must have felt sooo good for Jesus to reveal those words for her to share with a group of young people who apparently are hungry to hear some good news!!! The truth!!! I hope they will take what Rebekah said to them to heart, and read your website, pray, and repent and ask Jesus to grant them the Holy Ghost that they will need to have any hope of salvation in the end!

It took a lot of courage for her to stand up to that 'preacher' like she did. He needed to hear exactly what she had for him. Maybe even he will think about it and realize that she is telling him the truth. I am thankful for the blessing you received from Rebekah's experience in the LORD. She has not just been sitting in the meetings, she's been taking in every ounce of gold given, as was obvious with her conversation. It sure was a blessing to me, too.

Love, Sister Mama

April 28, 2005

John,

I don't know why after all this time, I'm still amazed at how kind and gentle and good God is, and how little He does ask of us. He is just goooood!!!!!! A good God . . . a reallly goood God.

love you

sarah

Dear, dear Sarah:

If God ever stops amazing you . . . . . repent.

Of the increase of his government, there is no end. :)

jdc

April 26, 2005

Bro. John:

I loved this TFE! When I read what you wrote here, "Without the holy Ghost to guide a man, he cannot obey God and will be damned, no matter what he believes about Jesus, good or bad", it reminded me of what the Spirit woke me with one morning a few years back:

"You are born wild. It takes the holy Ghost to tame, teach, instruct and guide."

Man, without God's Spirit, has no choice but to be "wild" (desolate, uncontrolled, unruly, barbaric) - - in his actions and his thoughts. That's just the way it is. Every way and every thought of man is backwards from God.

Paul says it best in Ephesians 2:

[1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [Sons of God!]
[7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

How can we be anything but humbled and thankful, knowing that once we ". . . were by nature the children of wrath, even as others", but now sons and daughters of the living God of all Creation, because now ". . . we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

I thank God for His precious Spirit and for His Gift of Love - - a great Love that loved us even when we were dead in our sins. I needed that great Love then, and I still need it now to tame, teach, instruct and guide me all the way home to my Father.

Sandy (adopted April 23, 1989)

April 26, 2005

Pastor John,

Oh my! The TFE for 4-17 is good. How many of God's people have a Pastor that will tell them this wonderful truth. Who is not hoarding their money, or having a motive behind their teaching, or feeling pressured to please them, but only to please God. What a relief!

It does make me sad for every one of God's children who may have positioned himself as a minister to God's people not knowing what he was getting himself into. Whew. Christianity really is "making merchandise out of God's people." And what you said about the minister being indebted to the congregation, what a burden! I wonder if they have any idea what is happening to them, or if they even know that they can quit? That's why your words are so comforting to anyone who has an ear; there is a way out. Wow, all I can say is, anything other than God is a burden. Anything other than God is too much work. I love your kind and simple words, "Come on out of that system that calls itself by the name of Christ and trust your God. Just leave it all behind."

Amen!

Amy

April 25, 2005

John,

WOW!!! Everytime I think of yesterday, I tear up. Just seeing how happy and thankful that brother Ray was that God gave his wife the holy Ghost. To see him run out in the middle of the room and offer his praise and thanksgiving back to God and Jesus. And to see how tender and gentle all the ladies were that were praying and helping Cora Belle. I have the best family! I don't want to ever forget seeing brother Ray and sister Cora Belle on such a special day. Thank you Jesus.

Rob

Ditto.

jdc

April 25, 2005

Dear Pastor John,

We are very excited about visiting again! Thank you so much for inviting us. I know that when there is an open door, to enter in! That is Jesus saying that He has something good waiting.

Reading the OT last night, I was feeling some wonderful feelings throughout the story about Joseph and his brothers in Egypt. I loved reading how Joseph was able to be in the will of God wherever he went, and I loved the part where Joseph told his brothers that it was God who had sent him into Egypt for their good. My heart just soared when they were told to go and bring their father back quickly. Jacob was able to see Joseph again in his old age and his broken heart was comforted. There was to be food for all and a place to live. That made me think of how good it is for brethren to be together, for healing to take place in families, for food in the land when there is a drought, and a home to go to. I am very, very thankful Pastor John. That those things are around the corner to whosoever will! The love of the Family of God is waiting, and green pastures are there.

With Much Love,

Adam and Heidi

April 25, 2005

Hello Pastor John,

I have an aunt in a nursing home and she has been doing poorly lately, and when I visit her she always tells me to pray for her. I have talked to her about Jesus and told her to call out to Him and repent and ask for the Holy Ghost. When I pray for her there in her room she always says "thank you girl." When I was in the meeting there sister Myrtle was such a blessing to hear, and to see the power of God so strong in her soul made my heart sing. I pray that my aunt will call out to Jesus with all her heart and have the love of God fill her with his Spirit. That dear saint sister Myrtle showed that God never fails.

It was so sweet to hear that brother Rays wife got the Holy Ghost! Praise God! Thank you LORD for sister Cora!!OOh, John I pray that all of God's children come to the truth and that we all press on in faith,hope and charity! Thank you for all the thoughts for the evening, and each lesson you pass on to all of us. I appreciate and love all of God's people and pray for ones near and far. God truly is our refuge!

my love and prayers to all!

wanda

Hi Sister Wanda:

It was an honor to be here when Sister Cora Belle received the holy Ghost yesterday. I still feel as if my eyes were blessed to see that and to see how blessed Brother Ray was. God's people are the best there are anywhere, and you are one of them!

Pastor John

April 25, 2005

John:

What a wonderful day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like a song, huh? I know there is already a Sugar Mt. in NC, but now there must be one in VA.!!!!!

It was the sweetest day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To see Ray and Corabell; it was wonderful.

So many things come to me; Julie dancing was wonderful, she looked so beautiful. I have been thinking about the wonderful thing that happened to me.

Joel was hugging me and I was hugging him BIG. Then this beautiful language was whispering in my ear. And then came something to me in English which was very, very sweet! (Jim said to me, that was from Jesus) I thought, wow, He feels that way about little ole me! It was wonderful.

I also loved seeing Darren playing his guitar like I've never seen before!:) It was wonderful; it was from his heart and from Jesus. I just keep reliving the day over and over again.

I wonder how Ray and Corabell feel today. :) Maybe we will just have to call later on. :)

We love you, John.

Diane

Thanks, Diane, very much!

It was a remarkable day for a number of people, especially Sugar Ray and Cora Belle. That is something we may never see again in our lifetimes. I want to see the video because there was so much that I missed seeing among the folks over there praying with Cora Belle. But I did get a good view of Darren and Julie, and later, of Brother Ray dancing for joy! "God made him happy!"

I am glad that Jesus spoke some good, encouraging things to you. There is nothing like the voice of Jesus.

We love you, too! It has been a blessing to have your family in our lives.

jdc

April 22, 2005

Pastor John,

I was reading your TFE on "Charity beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things", and boy, it sure is good! I love what the love of God is: not whimpish, can endure anything, unshakable, not confused, not giving one inch of room for sin, it loves God's people and dies out to self for them. These are wonderful!

This past weekend in our Revelation study, we read this Scripture: (Rev. 2:11) "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death." When I read this line - they loved not their lives unto death - along with your statement - the object of the love of God is not man, but God - it just reinforced how much our lives are not our own. It reminded me of what we have been saying that it is not about you. It may sound funny to some when we say that, "it's not about you", but when I saw this in the Bible, it struck me as to how serious it really is - they loved not their lives unto death. wow!

I am taking this to mean that they didn't just love Jesus until they died, but they put Jesus first in all things even unto death. This is how they overcame, through the Spirit and their testimony and they realized it wasn't about them at all. They gave their lives to Jesus completely, whole-heartedly. This is a wonderful TFE with power and faith and hope! Jesus is giving us the instructions that we need to make it. What an encouragement to realize what the holy Ghost offers to us. Thanks again!

Amy

April 21, 2005

John,

I LOVED today [the translating session in Revelation]. Can you imagine what the translators in Xty who don't really know God's true doctrine or those who don't even have the holy Ghost, go through trying to translate what those ancient men of God received from God by the Spirit? Seeing at times the complexity of it is astounding, and we have the truth as God has taught it to you to draw from. Wow! Thank God for the holy Ghost that leads and teaches us. I feel very blessed to have been able to sit in with you all today.

Love,

Bess

Hi Bess:

Yes, it was a good time. Translating slows us down because not only do we have to ask ourselves, "What is this man of God really saying?", but we also have to answer that question! We learn more at a slower speed, don't we?

jdc

April 19, 2005

Pastor John

These words of Sister Sheila's remind me of something the spirit said to me a few weeks ago. I had been wondering about a situation at work and was wondering how "to be" or "what to do" when it came about. In effect the Spirit said "it's too late when it happens, it's what you ARE (already) that matters". It was saying that you must have your heart prepared for whatever God sends. There is no formula for "what to do".True life is being yourself, not a show. You can only be what is in your heart, anything else isn't sincere. We need God to make us new creatures that can "be themselves" and be acceptable to God.

All I can say to Sister Sheila's words and experience is AMEN! It is exactly what God was telling me.

Damien

. . . . and I say "amen!", too!

Pastor John

April 18, 2005

Brother John,

I want to tell about something really good that happened to me about a month ago.

On Friday morning, March 18, 2005, I woke up with this thought - - there is no excuse for bad behavior. I said, “God, I already know that, you’ve told me that before.” As I continued to get ready for work, I kept having the thought - - there is just no excuse for any kind of bad behavior. I kept pondering and saying, “God, what is it you want me to understand about this?” I went downstairs and told Sammy the thoughts I was having and said to him, “I know God wants me to understand something here, so help me out.” Sammy gave me the example of a little bird sitting on a waterfall. The bird is in perfect peace, even though he is within a few inches of that raging waterfall. He isn’t moved by what’s around him. If a person doesn’t have a certain thing inside of them, whether it be anger or whatever, then nothing like that can be drawn out.

On my way to work and most of the morning, I continued to think about this. During my lunch break from work, I called Brother John on my cell phone to tell him about these thoughts. I told him I knew there was no excuse for bad behavior but God was wanting me to learn something else about it. The more we talked, the clearer my understanding became. I said, “oh, John, no matter what kind of situation we’re in, we won’t have a bad attitude towards people, because if nothing bad is there in our spirit, then nothing can come out of our mouth.” I realized that tough situations just expose what’s already there. God wants all evil things out; not just better, but gone, forever. It doesn’t matter if we are sick, if we feel bad, if we are tired, if we have a lot going on, if we’re disappointed, if we get hurt, or whatever - if nothing evil is there, then nothing evil comes out of our mouth! I was beginning to really get excited! God was helping me clearly see something very important that would save me from making excuses for anyone. I was literally talking it out to my understanding.

Then I went to the gas station to fill up my car. As I was looking around at all the people there, some pumping gas, one person cleaning his car windshield, others going in and out of the store, I wanted to shout, "Hey everybody, we just learned something today; don't you wanna know what it is!!" We just learned something really good, me and John, we just got a clear understanding just a few minutes ago!!!" (I knew John already knew it, and I thought I knew it, but when the light comes on inside of me like that, it seems so new, and I find out that I really didn't know what I thought I already knew--at least, not the way I know it now!!). What a relief! Jesus really does want us to know what truth is and learn how to help others with it. What wonderful experiences Jesus gives us in our everyday "nuts and bolts" situations. I felt my insides smiling.

I thank Jesus for planting good thoughts in my spirit, Sammy for watering those thoughts, and Brother John for adding sunshine to them - all working together to produce good, healthy fruit.

Sheila

April 16, 2005

Hey,

I just wanted to write you and then I'm going to bed. I feel like I am getting better every day. It still hurts and sometimes I just have to cry and talk to Jesus. But ya know what? He's listening. Because after I let him know how I feel and let it all out he lets me get back up and go on. He helps me go to sleep at night too. If I wake up in the middle of the night crying, I just say Jesus please comfort me and he puts me to sleep. Last night when I laid down was the most difficult because I began to feel a very strong pull to be with Jim. It was so strong that I just could not take it. I went upstairs to my parents room and laid down with them and told them how I was feeling. It was really comforting and they liked it too. Afterwards I went back to my bed and fell to sleep. I understood completely what you were saying about other girls who did not want to face the pain, but rebelled and went away with their guy. But I chose to fight it and I needed my parents help this time. I've begun to "reconnect the dots". I took a walk with friend and called some others. Every time I began to feel that lonesomeness I just did one of those things. It's helping me heal. This feels right, doing these things. I feel that there is no choice. It's the only way.

TS

Dear TS:

There are many times in this life when the only choice good people are given is to choose between pain and sin, loneliness and sin, mockery and sin, being misunderstood and sin, or being hated and sin. Those are the kinds of choices that this world offers to those who desire to do what is right. One of the chief reasons that God's children are so precious is that they have chosen to suffer the pain, the loneliness, the mockery, and the being hated rather than sin. Most of us older ones whom you know in the Lord made those choices when we were your age. We know the feelings well, and we learned that blessings and peace come from making the right choice. I believe that there are many young people in this wretched culture who want to do what is right and good but who do not have anyone to give them the comfort and strength that your parents and others give to you. Try to find someone around you who needs help to choose to do and be good, and pass on to them the encouragement that you have received. Doing that makes life worth living.

Yes, over the years, we have seen several young women who belonged to Jesus choose sin instead of discomfort. But just look at them now. Oh, how sad! One of them called and asked her mother last year, "How did I get here?" She isn't the only unhappy lost sheep who is asking herself how she got where she is now. But, you know what, TS? Life for those who do the will of God rather than the will of the flesh can become so rich and sweet that we sometimes have to ask that same question: "How have we come to such a wonderful place as this?" But really, the answer is obvious to both them and us.

When you are my age, TS, you will be asking that question, too. The only unknown for you and other younger saints is, will you be asking it because of an abundance of peace and joy or because of sorrow and shame? You are doing well. Keep it up.

Much love,

Pastor John

April 13, 2005

Hey there!!!

All these sweet emails today make me feel all mushy. It is so good to read what everybody is feeling. Greg and Hartwell emails, just made me melt.

Last Thursday at work, I was sitting at my desk just working. Then all these thoughts and feelings came. Kinda like Jammie said in her testimony. I was like Ok God what is this? I know I don't feel this way, and I know you made me different. That is the old person. So it kept on and kept on. Then I just so happened to walk over to my team leads desk. She just briefly began to tell me, how someone had been acting a certain way, and then she showed me their call log(a call log shows all the merchants you talked to, and if you put them on hold, etc), I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. She was telling me exactly what I had been feeling and thinking, only it was the person sitting next to me. God had used my team lead to tell me where the spirit was coming from. I said to myself, you little rascal, you have infected the whole dept and you just thought you would drop by. It was such a relief for God to allow me to see that. Need less to say, it was gone after that day.

I have to thank Jesus for honesty! Something that is very new to me! I am so thankful that He is allowing me to be honest about things now. It is such a relief to be able to sit at home and tell my husband everything!!! Jesus has given me no place to hide! YAY! I loved what you said on Saturday, about being on the fence. It was like the more you talked, the more motivation I felt inside to do right, and to make it in this life. I didn't even know I needed that motivation until this weekend. It is good to be on your way to work and pray, or go home at night and read in your bible. Just being normal and putting 150% in everything. Little things like that have made a big difference.

Well, I won't go on and on. Just wanted to share my week. Enjoyed having you here all week! Bye.

Margo

Hi Margo:

I am glad you are enjoying being good and honest. Sometimes I think the feelings that come enough of a reward for living the way God wants us to live.

This is a spiritual world, and only Jesus has the power to save us from being influenced by the ungodly spirits around us every day--and he does it so well!

Pastor John

April 13, 2005

Good morning Pastor John,

I just wanted to say that I have enjoyed reading the emails lately and the responses you have given. The love of God in action, with authority and kindness. Your response to Sister Sandy touched on something you have been saying lately that has really been a blessing to me. This is what it is: We are not here to be saved; we are here to save others.

I love this! I had been reading in James and came across this scripture (James 5:20): "Let him know, that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."

When I read this along with your statement, something in me clicked. Converting a sinner from the error of his way may have nothing to do with words or even with scripture; it can be accomplished only with action and the love of God. Being a testimony. Your life in God is that magnet that attracts people, the God in you. It's different from anything this world has. And when you are living that with your whole heart, it is noticed and anyone who is after God will have to find out what it is that is causing you to feel like you do.

When you told us this, you said, "You are to be a light for God's people. A testimony." I was out walking one day at work and the spirit of thankfulness fell on me. I began to thank God for many things, and one was just that He has allowed me to live on this earth that He created; to be alive and to know the truth. The next prayer that came out of my mouth was, "Lord, make me a testimony". I didn't know what I was saying at the time, but God did. How wonderful it is to live in the Spirit! To know that He is giving you right thoughts and feelings.

God is so kind to us that he gives us the question and the answer. "Why are you here?" To help My people, to be a light, to shine with the glory of God, to live, to be a testimony of what I can do and am doing! Are we obeying the commandment from Jesus when he said, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." ?

This morning I was listening to a cd of Preacher Clark and he made a statement about how it is easy to love the people around you who love you, but to love people who are different in heart and mind, to show the love of God to them, is different. I took that to mean that it is easy to love those who do good to you or for you but the love of God stretches further than that. It's learning to be like Jesus, being that testimony.

Jesus said to love your enemies and he prayed for the ones who nailed him to the cross. Each one of us are a testimony, we came from different areas in life, different backgrounds, different cultures even, and how God brought us to Him is a wonderful testimony that needs to be lived and passed on to others so that they may live also! So many of God's people are sick and scattered about, and they need to see the love of God in action through us. That's why it is so sad when any of us are up and down spirutually, or not sure, or back and forth between decisions, how can someone look at your life when you are like this and see the glory of God, or that your life is different from the world's? It is so important to have a made up mind, and it is so wonderful that God has shown us the truth.

If you are not sure in your heart why you are here, or if you are up and down in God, you need to fall down on your face and ask God to fill you up with His zeal, so that you can fall in love with God's ways; otherwise, something, somewhere, is going to take you away into a dark place. I just wanted to say my heart goes out to God's people, and I know we can obey God and do good for them if we really want too. Thanks for the emails and for all the wonderful truths you have taught us and for obeying God when "the fire gets hot".

Amy

April 13, 2005

Bro. John:

I just read the email from Bro. Hartwell and wept for the tenderness and love that I felt in his words to you and yours to him. It was all so full of the love of God. It was wonderful. Thank you for sharing it and I hope Bro. Hartwell and Ann will come visit us again real soon. Today, I read a true story in Time magazine about a young soldier just 24 years old who was shipped over to Iraq (Baghdad) in 2004. He had only been there 4 days when he was shot in the head - - the bullet pierced his helmet, lodged in his skull, but stopped short of entering his brain. A year later, he carries only a small scar between his eyes. But his mental and emotional scars are much greater and deeper. He has lost his job, his wife, and he has 14 different medicines to help him control his temper, his migraines, his depression and more. But it was what this 24 year-old young man said that hit my heart with such soberness. His anger does not extend to the people of Iraq, or the U.S. Army, or the government that sent him. He said, "Even knowing the way things turned out, I wouldn't change a day of it. When you put on that uniform, you're part of something a lot bigger than yourself."

As I read that young man's words, I thought of what it means to receive the baptism of the holy Ghost - - when we receive that "uniform", that honor from God, how we are made part of something a lot bigger than ourselves. We are such very blessed people, and it is as you have been saying - - we are not here in the truth just for us, but to help God's precious people who are not free to love and worship Him as He wants them to love and worship Him. They don't know the enemy (Xty) that is killing them. But we know. He has opened our eyes to the truth. It is all bigger than us. But not bigger than God. The battle for the souls of God's people is real, and He expects our commitment to Him to be real so that He can use us for His glory - - not our own.

The soberness of it all makes me want to humbly fall down on my face and thank God for His truth. God help us to do what is required of us and commit ourselves wholly unto Him. We're part of something a lot bigger than ourselves or anything else on this earth.

Sister Sandy

And I hope that the importance of what we have for God's children everywhere will over-ride every self-serving motive that exists in our flesh. We are not here to be saved; we are here to save others.

jdc

April 11, 2005

Hi:

In your TFE 4-09 on "Charity is not easily provoked", you said that Paul paid the saints in Rome a big compliment because they were "able to reprove one another."

This is a very high compliment indeed. Another wonderful part of their ability to do this is that it is obvious that they were able to reprove a brother who had wandered off the right road without being too hard on each other. It has been my experience with some people that if I have a good, humble attitude toward they offer correction to me, then it makes that person feel free to correct me for every little thing and be too critical and hard. So I have learned with some people that it is best not to take their correction of me too gracefully; otherwise they will "go overboard". I've seen it happen to other people, not just me. So, the saints in Rome were not only able to reprove one another boldly, but they were also wise enough to do so without going overboard. That seems wonderful to me.

te.

Good, Token. And it is a wonderful quality for us to have in our souls to be patient and kind to each other while we learn how to do everything rightly, including how to offer correction to one another.

jdc

April 11, 2005

Hey Pastor John,

I was reading your TFE for 3-28, "But Are You Prepared?" and something struck me about this Scripture you quoted from 2Timothy and a phrase you wrote:

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"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (Then your comment) Men are selling their souls for the fortune and prestige that teaching such fables brings. And there is no lack of shoppers who will pay well to have them lie to them with style."

======

As I was reading this, I noticed that it is the people who are heaping these things to themselves and are hiring ministers to teach them falsely. I knew ministers were teaching false doctrine for money and deceiving many, but to think that the people are causing this to happen because of their own lusts really stood out to me.

I thought of this Scripture that follows the more famous one that says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." The next thing God said about his people was this: Because thou hast rejected knowledge . . . .". This would be because they have rejected the true knowledge of God and were hiring people without the knowledge of God to teach them fables. I found this that Jeremiah said: "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?"

This is very sad. I searched the Scriptures and found several places where God was sad for his people. I guess it just was made clearer by your statements. It is not just the minister in the pulpit; it is also the people who are hiring them. I see now why God would weep for His people with such sadness; they don't know Him, and yet they "love to have it so".

Amy

Excellent, Amy.

That Scripture you quoted from Jeremiah is one of the saddest in the Bible. You are right; the problem is not any more the men in the pulpit as it is the congregations that insists he teach only what they want to hear. That is Christianity. Thank God for delivering us from that abomination! I hope we value His blessing on us enought to please Him.

Pastor John

April 8, 2005

The subject of love has come up so much lately in the emails and in the conversations. (Such as the email from Tina R. recently and the comment from Preacher Clark about this world's version of love, etc.) I have been talking to the Lord a lot about it. I never want to fooled by this world's version of love. I want to love people like Jesus loves. Yesterday and today I have been almost like preaching to myself as do my household chores. These are some of the thoughts that I wish every young person could really take in. I am taking them in like I have never before.

There is no happily-ever-after with someone in this earth. Disney movies are not reality. The Hollywood version of love does not exist. The only "person" you will ever live happily-ever-after with is Jesus. Jesus is the only one who has been given the power to love you forever. So choose who you spend your time with wisely! Choose somebody who will not hinder your walk with Jesus. Look for somebody who will encourage your relationship with Jesus. On earth is the only place you will have to live with someone as husband or wife. After you die, it is no more. There is no husband/wife beyond the grave. Jesus is the only one you can really live happily-ever-after with. He loves you more than anyone ever can. He has already told you he wants to live you with forever! Solomon warns young people that whoever you spend your time with day-to-day will affect you. He warns us not to think we can get by with spending time anyone and not have their spirit affect us. If you marry, you will be spending A LOT of time with that person for the rest of your life. They WILL affect you. Look at Solomon's example. His foreign wives turned his heart away from God when he was old. Choose somebody who will affect you in a good way by helping you grow closer to Jesus over the course of your life. Jesus is the only one who makes a relationship with anybody good. The more of Jesus in the relationship, the better it is. So go ahead and seek after Jesus. He is the only one who you can really live happily-ever-after with. With Jesus everything will be perfect.

I want Jesus to get all the "Disney" out of me! I want to live with Him forever. I love Jesus and His ways. They are so wonderful!

te.

Thanks, Token, for a wonderful email. No young lady who has ever let Jesus be her "handsome prince" has ever been disappointed.

jdc

April 8, 2005

Hey!

I went to eat dinner with my folks last night. They wanted to take Josiah and I out for a belated birthday dinner. While at their house, I noticed a shelf of old books. They belonged to my great grandfather and relatives and dated from the 1830s to 1890's. Many were religious in nature. The first one I picked up was titled "The evils of infant baptism". It had chapters like Infant baptism perverts the word of God, Infant baptism destroys the power of the church, and so on. Another had to do with the Methodist Episcopal South church or something like that. Anyway, I thought you might be interested to see a time shot of Christianity. I have a question. Knowing that Christianity is not of God, what is Satan's purpose in letting Christianity evolve into a more blatant lie than ever before? Is it to convert more souls to Christianity (i.e., to allow for homosexuals and other sinful people)? Are not those people already lost? Or is it to deceive souls whose name is in the Book of Life? Is it a numbers game with Satan?

The other side to this is that when Christianity becomes so blatant a lie, perhaps some of God's children will see it for what it is and get out of it. Just some thoughts.

Bob

Hey Bob!

As far as Xty is concerned, Satan is not in control of everything that happens in it because deceived men are so unruly. I think that the majority of humans on earth are under neither God's control or Satan's. It is true that Satan has "deceived the whole world", but that does not mean that he is in control of the lust and pride and stubbornness that is in mankind; he can only maneuver to use it as best he can. Most men are doing neither the will of God nor the will of the Devil; they are doing their own will.

Over the years, I have very much enjoyed, and have been challenged at times by reading certain Xn writings from centuries past because of the sincerity and zeal in much of those writings, and often because of truth that was in them. When I hear some among us speak sarcastically of Martin Luther or any other such Xn from the past, it frightens me for us because I see in such men a superior sincerity and zeal, and I think that we would all do well to be more like those men in many ways. There is absolutely no room for pride in the way of holiness.

jdc

A comment on the above email...

Pastor John,

Where you speak of Martin Luther here is so true! I felt so good for what he did and the way he stood up for what he thought was right and what he knew was wrong with Catholicism. I admired the way he took in what the Lord was showing him at that time and he stood up for it. After all, if God showed US everything at once we would not be able to take it in. I think about your daddy and how he must have been so happy to receive what God showed him in his wonderful days. He did not know he wasn’t really a Christian. If God showed us all these wonderful things at once we would not be able to take it all in. As for Martin Luther, I feel he was shown a little bit but enough to figure out that the way he was being taught was wrong. It was a way out of that trap for him. I just wanted to share the thoughts I had after the movie and still have a lot now since the movie. I thank God for showing us all the great things he has shown and I’m sure there are more to come.

Love,

Tracey

April 8, 2005

Pastor John:

I was thinking about Eve in the garden and how the serpent beguiled her. If the serpent hadn't been there, Eve would have maybe been alright (Adam too). The serpent thought differently from Eve. She wasn't equipped to fend off its "suggestion" and she took it in. I wonder if the serpent knew perhaps that Even would do that already, before he said anything. Somehow the story makes me think that same thing is happening over and over still. Satan gets people to believe lies because he knows something about us: we aren't equipped to fend it off. But when Jesus comes! And the truth comes! That old liar is finished, and we are able to walk with God again. This world is full of that old liar constantly making suggestions, but Jesus has a remedy -- be full of the Spirit of Truth and give the Devil no place. The Spirit is our only hope, not Christianity.

I thank God for the opportunity to learn the Old Testament with you through your O.T. course, even though it is long distance, via the mail. I'm going to learn something about God so that I'm not easily "beguiled", as Eve was. I love what I heard on the last O.T. CD -- "go to the Source". That's where to get true information! And if we don't do that, sure enough, someone is going to come along and "paraphase" for us what the Source has said. I loved hearing about how we need to trust God and that man can't help us. We are in good hands!

Thank you Pastor John!

Adam C.

Hi Adam,

If God's children around the world would learn only the Old Testament, I believe that 90% of the walls of division that divide them would crumble. Yes, you will learn mush to protect you from "the wiles of the Devil". Pleased continue to keep me informed as to what you are learning. It is exciting for me to hear about my students' progress. And, of course, let me know if you have questions along the way.

Pastor John

Pastor John,

Brother Adam's e-mail about the Old Testament course reminded me again how much I loved hearing and learning the stories of God in the very first Old Testament class I took with you. I remember sitting in the class and thinking, "This is what I have always wanted." I did not even know that was what my soul was longing for until I heard those first stories being taught. I always wanted to know about God creating the whole earth and everything in it; I always wanted to know about Noah and how he obeyed God; I always wanted to know about the faith of Abraham. I always wanted to know everything that was in that book, the Bible. I wanted to know why it was written. There was always a longing in my heart to hear, to learn, and to understand those things. It is no small thing to me to have had the opportunity from God to learn these precious stories. Of all the precious things I have learned since God brought me here, I think learning the Old Testament was the most valuable. Thank you for being here, and thank you for teaching me, and thank you for obeying God.

Donna N.

April 7, 2005

Dear Pastor John,

I am so amazed today and so thankful to be able to play a part in the gospel tract distributing. The box of tracts arrived this last week and in reading them I am again overwhelmed by feelings of how precious they are. They are indeed rain falling from Heaven for my thirsty soul. There is not one thing out of place in them, not one small bit of danger. They are liberating completely. I love them and am in awe today that Jesus saw fit to allow me to give these to others. Dear God, help them go where you want them, let their words sink down deep into the souls of men and find a home-forever. Bring your lost sheep into a warm and loving fold where there is a caring shepherd!

When I was a young man, I found a gospel tract in a ditch. Someone had thrown it away. It was unwanted by a passerby. Possibly thrown from the window of a speeding car. But it found a home with me that I treasured and never forgot. I am forever grateful. I wish I could meet the person who played a part in sowing the seed of Christ that day. I would tell them that they did a wonderful thing. And now it is my turn. That is a desire that I have harbored for years- to be able to give back a little for the debt that I owe. That someone else may find a gospel tract too that spoke the truth and live.

Thank you so much for your faithful service to Christ Pastor John. Thank you for giving us an opportunity to partake in the joy of sharing about Jesus.

With Love,

Adam

Dear Adam:

We will only learn in another world what good we have done by spreading the truth with the tracts that we have. I am glad you are sowing the seed. Now, may God send someone to water it, and may He give the increase!

Pastor John

April 7, 2005

Pastor John:

In a recent letter to someone who wrote you about "unconditional love", you responded: "My father once said in a sermon he preached that he was more afraid of that thing the world calls "love" than anything he knew of. I agree. There is nothing more dangerous to our souls than what is called "love" by this world, and especially the unconditional kind of it."

Wow! That very thing has been on my mind this past year. I've been wondering about "love" and how many different kinds there are of it - like, how do I know when to really consider what or who I love, or when to suspect that it's a bad thing?

There are several kinds of love, Cheryl, and the Greeks had specific words for each of them. I wish the English language did as well. If it did, young people might not be so easily confused by the purveyors of immoral filth in the name of "love".

It's not really me to be too cynical. (By the way, I thank God so much for my mother lately, and that I live with and have her to raise me! Some of my "wild streaks", so to speak, are bridled by the way she's taught me. :-) She, for instance, reminds me not to assume the "best" of people so readily as I might. And to think, I used to not love her as much as I do now.:-))

And if you continue to pursue the right ways of God in Christ, you will love her even more as the years go on.

Have I mentioned this question to you before? Is it a normal (i.e., by godly standards) thing to be in and out of love with someone, depending on how they, or even you, behave for periods at a time? I don't mean fickle, I mean finding it extremely hard - perhaps impossible - to love them more than you would any other person, maybe because they're making it hard to do and you couldn't in good conscience keep your heart so close to them. This has happened to me with at least a few people recently, to different degrees, but when things seem closer to regular again I can't help but let it go and love them again. It seems the closer that people are to me, the gladder I am to love them and the more fiery the sadness I feel when we weather tough moods and seasons. This is especially important to me lately, what with graduation coming up soon and all the "friends and family" that brings around. I don't wanna walk around heartbroken or foolish for longer than I have to, if that makes any sense.

There is a verse from the gospel of John that speaks to your general question. It is what Jesus told his disciples the night before he died. He told them that they would remain in his love if they kept his commandments, just as he kept his Father's commandments and remained in his Father's love. There is a love from God that is for everybody, but is only given to those who obey His commandments. I often say it this way: God is loving and patient beyond description, but He is not a sucker, and He is nobody's fool.

I may have answered my own question here when I typed that bit on "in good conscience"! Still, I'd like to hear anything you have to add or correct. This past year has been pretty rough concerning discerning who and what I love. Only some things seem clearly "baAaad" to love, but to love anyone or anything at all makes me concerned about drifting out to sea. Well, rainbows follow rain, huh? *haha*

Thanks a bunch,

Cheryl M.

If we love anyone and anything, we love nobody and nothing but ourselves. You are, thankfully, more prudent than that. And as long as you stay on that course, you can expect a bunch of rainbows in your life.

Thanks for the good questions.

Pastor John

April 7, 2005

Hey Pastor John,

In the TFE 3-29 Heavenly Creatures you stated that Gabriel was an archangel rather than an ordinary angel. I couldn't remember that in the scriptures so I tried to look it up. Using the Strong's Concordance I looked up every scripture they had listed that included the words "Gabriel" or "archangel". Of course I was using the KJV. I found no place it stated that and figured you must have read it in some other translation. I recently learned (again) in the Revelation class that a mistranslation can completely change the meaning of what is being stated.

So, I would be thankful if you could clarify your statement for me.

Billy H.

Dear Billy:

Did I say that???!! Good grief! I was going by memory, and thought I remembered that Gabriel and Michael both had been called archangels. (It must be that this healthy Asian cuisine Sister Song has been feeding me here in Louisville has affected my brain!)

Gabriel is called a "man" in Daniel 9:21, which is what angels are sometimes called, since in several stories in the Bible, they appear as and sound just like humans. Gabriel is plainly called an "angel" in Luke 1:19 and 1:26.

I have corrected the 3-29 TFE (below). You will like this revised TFE much better. Thanks for checking that out for me! You are a valuable man.

John

PS I had pepperoni pizza for supper, so things should improve from here on out.

Thought for the Evening

3-29

Heavenly Creatures

"Above it stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew."

Isaiah 6:2

We are not told much about heaven in the Bible. The Lord is obviously more concerned about getting us there than in giving us detailed descriptions of the place and its inhabitants. I suppose that there is no reason to tell us much about it, really, if we don't know how to live so that we can, someday, see it.

What little we know about the heaven where God's throne is suggests that it is an amazing place, filled with unimaginable creatures and majestic, spectacular sights of vivid color and beauty. I suspect that there are more different kinds of creatures in heaven than there are on earth, but we are told of only a few of them. Isaiah tells us of the seraphim with six wings. Ezekiel tells us of four-faced and two-faced cherubim with various combinations of wings and faces, and their mysterious attendant "wheels" which themselves were living and were full of eyes. (Satan, by the way, is one of these creatures, a cherub. He was never an angel.) In Revelation, John tells us of four incredible "living things" covered with eyes and, like Isaiah's seraphim, having six wings. Besides this, there are angels in heaven beyond number of various degrees of authority and power, and of differing abilities. (It is a Christian myth that Gabriel is the angel who will blow the final trumpet in Revelation. That particular angel's name is not revealed. Gabriel is an angel, however, mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments by name.) Besides this breed of ordinary angels, and apparently above them, are the archangels. One of heaven's archangels is mentioned by name in the Bible: Michael (Jude 9). In the book of Daniel, the archangel Michael is called "one of the chief princes" (10:13) and "the great prince" (12:1) among angels, who apparently had special oversight of God's Old Testament people, the Jews (10:21; 12:1). An archangels' responsibilities and relationships with other heavenly creatures is not revealed, but from the biblical evidence, we can say that it appears that the function of both angels and archangels is consonant with what the word "angel" means : "messenger". John also tells us of seven flames of fire that continually blaze before God's throne, but he lets us know that they are not merely flames of fire; rather, they are yet another species of heavenly creature; they are living flames of fire.

That is just about the extent of biblical information concerning the denizens of heaven. But just that much information is astounding, and it stirs in our hearts a desire to see for ourselves those servants of our Father in heaven.

April 7, 2005

Hey,

I'm getting to the point to where i am really sick of the world and what's in it! Yesterday my Literature class watched half of a movie called "O" and it's supposed to be a modern day version of the play Othello...well it had a fair bit of language in it but i just tried to shrug it off and sit there not paying attention and hoping it would get better but the last couple mins of it before the teacher turned it off for the day was absolutely horrible! I don't even know why people would put things like that into a movie and why people would even watch it, so i walked back to my dorm after the class practically in tears and when i got back to my room i got on IM and told rebekah and i was shaking b/c it made me so sick. I just turned my head and tried to sing a song in my head to not pay attention and as soon as he turned it off, i ran out of there and we are supposed to finish the movie tomorrow and i am not going!

That made me think about some things and how much i am so thankful that i'm not the kind of person that likes to watch that junk! i hope i never have to see anything like that again! I got back to my room and the first thing i did was drop to the ground and cry and ask Jesus to take all that gross nonsense that i saw and heard out of my mind and eyes and ears and then i put on the "What a Happy Day" cd and fell asleep to it. That gave me some rest but by the time i got to the meeting, i felt cleaner every time someone hugged me! it was wonderful! i hate the things of this world, it just made me feel so gross and i makes me want to live so pure and clean! Well, that's my long story, sorry if it was too long. I hope you are having a good time in KY and i can't wait til you get back!!

Leah

Hi Leah:

The reason your professor had the class to see that movie is because he is consumed by perverted lust, which is a consuming factor in Amercian culture right now in history. The fact that cloaks that ungodly lust behind "academic freedom" means nothing to God, and he will answer on the Day of Judgment for the wretched influence that he, in his exalted position, is having on young people.

I am glad that you are wiser than that.

Pastor John

April 6, 2005

Hey Pastor John,

I was reading your TFE for 3-28 "But Are You Prepared?" and something struck me about this Scripture you quoted from 2Timothy and a phrase you wrote.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

Men are selling their souls for the fortune and prestige that teaching such fables brings. And there is no lack of shoppers who will pay well to have them lie to them with style.

As I was reading this, I noticed that it is the people that are heaping these things to themselves and are hiring ministers to teach them falsely. I knew ministers were teaching false doctrine and deceiving many, but to think that the people are causing this to happen because of their own lusts really stood out to me.

I thought of this Scripture, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge". This would be because they have rejected the true knowledge of God and are hiring people without the knowledge of God to teach them these fables. I found this that Jeremiah said:

"The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?"

This is very sad. I searched the Scriptures and found several places where God was sad for his people. I guess it just was made clearer by your statements, it is not just the minister in the pulpit, it is also the people who are hiring them. I see now why God would weep for His people with such sadness; they don't even know Him.

Amy

April 1, 2005

Why does the Baptist Church not only practice water Baptism, but two water baptisms if the first was not in their church? I heard a homily Sunday, the 20th of March where the pastor was preaching about the baptism of Paul by Annanius....he concluded " It dosen't say it here, but Paul must have received a "Believer's baptism" I couldn't hold back my anger!!! I need to be more loving to these poor lost leaders of the flock!

Jack C.

God bless....your web page on baptism gave me renewed encouragement that My belief is correct!

In Him, Always!

Jack C.

Dear Jack:

Jesus has called me and some others out of Christianity altogether so that we don't have have to sit in any Church and suffer through the things taught by in so many of them. Rather than being in a Baptist Chruch on any Sunday, or in any other Church on any other day, you will find more peace and wisdom at home alone with Jesus or with the few others in your area who are willing to obey the voice of God and "Come out of her, my people."

Pastor John

March 29, 2005

Dear Clark

I have been baptized in water but I have not been baptized by the Holy Spirit. I left the Charismatic Church because of certain doctrines that I felt were wrong. I started to keep the Sabbath and joined a home fellowship with people who are sacred name users and study and practice the Hebraic teachings. Being very hungry for the word of God, I learnt a lot of religious teachings which I did not learn in the Church. They also taught that you automatically receive the Spirit of God once immersed in the Name of Yeshua. My spirit was very troubled and I know that there is more to receive from Jesus. I know that I have not been baptized in His Spirit, because I have not yet spoken in tongues. The tongues that I heard in the Church made me realize that something is not quite right and I am of the opinion that it was not the Spirit of God, but some other spirit.

I am looking for someone who really has the Spirit of Christ. Many claim that they have the Spirit, but are liars.

The person who truly has the Spirit of Christ will be able to tell me the truth and lead me to receive the Spirit of Christ. I believe that God sends men who are Spirit filled to help others. I believe that it is the will of Christ to dwell in the flesh of those He chooses for His Kingdom. I have been swayed this way and that by all sorts of doctrines in search of the truth pertaining to the Scriptures. The conclusion is that there is no Church today that teaches the truth. Everyone is self-serving and full of self righteousness. I have found that men have twisted the Scriptures to suit their own doctrines. No one seems to be following Jesus’ teaching of denying oneself and taking up your cross to follow Him.

I feel that I am in a wilderness because I do not belong to any Church group. I have left all religious groups in obedience to the voice that told me to come out of Church organisations.

I want to be born again by the Spirit. Jesus said that you must be born again of water and the Spirit.

What now?

Kind regards

C B

Dear C B:

It sounds to me as if you have been sincerely seeking the Lord. You will find what you are looking for. I like your demand for nothing but the truth and your tough questions. Do not be concerned that Jesus will be irritated by them. Would to God that more people had enough love for Jesus that they, too, demanded nothing but his truth to be told them! You are not out of order when you demand to know by what authority a man is speaking, and you are in perfectly right to be skeptical of all men. Considering the realities of this life, those sentiments are to be expected from anyone who is not a fool.

Instead of me spending time telling you about me, why don't you just let me send you two things to listen to? One, a CD of music by some of the saints who meet in my house, a CD that we are in the end process of producing, but I will send you one of our practice versions. I think it is some of the most deeply touching music ever written. I call this particular CD my "sleep music" because I play it all night in my bedroom. Second, let me send you a CD that explains what the New Birth really is and how to receive it (the Spirit). From all that you say you have been through, I believe that you would benefit from those two CDs more than anything else.

Beyond that, please feel free to send me any question you may have. God is leading you, C B. You are on the right road. Please stay in touch and send me your address if you are interested in hearing the CD's.

Your non-Christian servant in Christ Jesus,

Pastor John

PS: You made the comment that you feel as if you are in the wilderness because you do not belong to any church group. May I suggest that it is the people who do belong to a church group who are in the wilderness, and that you are finding your way out?

March 29, 2005

Hey there,

I was listening to the "What Must I do to be Saved" series this morning, and you were talking about the coming wrath of God and the many things He is going to pour out on this nation; such things as famine, destruction, death, ect., and some of which He has already done. As I was thinking on that, I had a thought about the God of "unconditional love" that is taught in many places. I saw something very cunning and crafty behind that teaching that I had never seen before. If someone believes that God has "unconditional love", when something very tragic happens, it allows room for bitterness and hatred, and that hatred can turn toward God, which turns a person's heart away from God. So, even if a person is claiming that God loves everybody unconditionally, then something tragic happens, it sets them up for disappointment and a hatred toward God, working the opposite of what it claims because what they claim to believe is shown to be false and that can cause pride to rise up and harden their heart from God. It looks very loving on the outside but it is deadening the heart on the inside. That "unconditional love" doctrine is just another crafty teaching to fool God's children and make them disappointed.

That teaching of "unconditional love" damages the tender areas of the heart so that it is harder to see the wonderful hand of God working. It keeps people from learning Him and really getting the point. I pray for God's children everywhere that they could know the real, living, true God--who is full of conditions and truth. I look forward to the day when our God is revealed to all, and the god of Christianity and prince of the Earth is exposed in his pitiful state. God has a plan and it's conditional! I pray that we all submit to the hand of God and live that we might be saved from the coming wrath of God!

Amy

Hey, Amy!

Jesus' great desire was that his disciple would keep his commandments so that they would abide in his love, just as he had kept his Father's commandments and, so, abode in His love. He said in John Jn 15:10, "You shall abide in my love if you keep my commandments, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and am abiding in His love."

Unconditional love does not exist anywhere in this universe, not even in the hearts of those who claim that we all must have it.

It is the same sort of thing with the doctrine of many Christian ministers who are telling people that believers in Christ will not go through the "Great Tribulation". Their foolishness is setting millions of people up for a very great disappointment and shock because the saints of God will not only go through the "great tribulation" mentioned in Revelation 7 but they will also go through another, even greater, tribulation when the Beast and False prophet arrive on the scene. And individual believers will suffer at other times, besides these two general persecution times.

It may be that people invent these images of God as never punishing people or testing the hearts of man, so that they can win souls to such a good God. But such a god as that is not good; he is foolish and blind. And it may be that Christian ministers tell people they will never suffer adversities or persecutions so that those people will have a better attitude toward God and feel better about the future, but if God determines a time of suffering for the saints (as He most certainly shall), their good feeling about the future will turn to ashes and their attitude toward God will most certainly change. It is cruel and destructive to persuade people to trust in a god that only exists in the imagination of men.

Pastor John

In response to the email above...

Pastor John:

I like Amy's insight about unconditional love. I have experienced a lot of that touchy-feely religious attitude here in KALIFORNIA. One severely backslidden sister in the Lord, someone whom I know personally, believes so passionately in this god of unconditional love that she goes about her bizarre, unholy life, embracing all kinds of "spiritual paths," claiming to love everybody equally. That's just idiotic. That Xtn spirit makes people do the goofiest, most illogical things, in the name of sincerity and "love" and probably in the hopes that they will be redeemed by their altruistic good deeds.

John, I' ve enjoyed hearing you say, "The spirit of holiness is NOT contrary to common sense!" And yet---people under the influence of that unconditional-love spirit will go to great lengths, avoiding common-sense behavior, with the belief that it's their duty as Xns to act and think that way. It breaks my heart to see such vain "religiousness", especially in people whom the Lord has blessed with the holy Ghost. May God have mercy and give our brothers and sisters REST, and let us love conditionally, as God does, and as is the natural instinct of any normal human being.

Brad

Hey Brad!

Just think, you could not have spoken like this a few years ago! And now, look at you! There is no such thing as unconditional love anywhere in God's creation, whether in heaven, on earth, or in hell. Those who claim they love unconditionally are lying. God didn't create such a thing. There is no such thing as unconditional love. Love is always conditional if it is real. If it is unconditional, it is hatred, not love, and it destroys souls. My father once said in a sermon he preached that he was more afraid of that thing the world calls "love" than anything he knew of. I agree. There is nothing more dangerous to our souls than what is called "love" by this world, and especially the unconditional kind of it.

It's good to know, Brad, that the power of the holy Ghost is strong enough to deliver us from the idiocy of our times. You have cause to praise the Lord.

Pastor John

March 28, 2005

Hey there!

We had a wonderful trip back to L'ville from your house last night.

Today at work, I have been sitting here at my desk, and about 4 people sitting next to me have been talking about Christianity all day. They started talking about how much money there pastor's tell them to give to their churches. I was listening to their conversation for a long time. Then a question was presented to me, in my mind. "How much money does your Pastor tell you to give?" WOW! I said, "God, nothing! He doesn't preach every other week about giving him money, and he doesn't make you give to organizations, like Christian churches do. He only takes what you require from us, and nothing more."

It was amazing to me, as I was able to sit there and see how different we are from Christian places. It also made me sad for them though, because I was sitting there so excited because I was free and didn't have that oppressing feeling about it, as they did. And they have no idea they can be free from all the bondage of Christianity. I am so thankful that I am here. It is funny how sometimes you can hear truth and know certain things for a long time, and then God really shows you, and it is like you just learned it for the first time. I am glad Jesus is slowly teaching me how to have compassion and love for our brothers and sisters. They are so afraid.

Well, just wanted to share! See you this weekend.

Love,

Margo

Hi Margo:

God has given us a wonderful place of rest. We don't ever want to forget how precious it is. Nor do we want to ever start taking any credit for it. We are not wiser or better than others who are still inside Christianity; it is His mercy that has brought us out. Now, let's live so that we show ourselves worthy of it.

I am glad that you and Tony made the trip to be with us in the meetings this weekend.

Pastor John

March 28, 2005

Dear Bro. John:

I think the antichrist message is one of the most important messages God has revealed to us. As I typed the last of the messages (The Antichrist) last night from the New Birth series for you to record again, I had to stop about every other line, just sit there and let it sink in. I trembled at the thought that any of us could still be there - - "enthroned", as you said, with that spirit of antichrist in our temples. Only the mercy of God has saved us from being where God's other precious children are today - - dying with that spirit in Xty.

My heart and compassion was enlarged towards our brother in the Lord who was not able to grieve and hurt and weep and cry for the loss of his father. He is an example of what Xty has done to God's children. That spirit takes away their feelings and replaces it with zombie rhetoric that means nothing. It takes away their feelings and slowly drains out of them the life of the Spirit of God. As I continued to type and read of this deceitful and hateful spirit of antichrist, my heart became heavy for our brothers and sisters not here in the truth. God is commanding us to "weep for My People, cry for My People, hurt for My People" . . . . because they cannot do it for themselves. Their cry has been numbed and pushed down by that boastful, proud spirit of antichrist that they are looking for to come, but is already "enthroned."

God help us not to let our cries and our weeping and our hurting be numbed for our brothers and sisters in Xty. They are dying. As you said, "God is hearing the cry of His people, and He is hurt for them." I want my feelings to be as God's. Too satisfied are we if our hearts are not heavy with grief for the ones whose temples are still filled with this religious spirit. And God help us to rid ourselves of any part of that evil spirit that may still be looking for a place to set down with the righteousness of God in us. We should always be seeking God for those who need their temples made clean again. For those whose feelings have been numbed and cannot feel God's glory inside them. How precious are those feelings!

Xty has many lies. But our God has many wonderful truths! We need to be reminded from time to time of all the truths God does have for us. All my life, until I received the holy Ghost, I believed and was told the lie that the antichrist was someone coming in the future. I was one of those looking for a future "monster" to come, just as so many are doing today. One of the plain truths of God that I took in again last night while reading and typing this sobering and serious message is this:

"The antichrist is the one who teaches men to believe that they are "saved" before they receive the holy Ghost baptism. You never hear in any book of the New Testament of a person being born again before he receives the holy Ghost. Now you know why the word "antichrist" never appears in the book of Revelation. John's revelation dealt with the future, but as far as John was concerned (as 1John shows), the antichrist was very much a part of his present. The antichrist came teaching that men were right with God and had their sins washed away by the blood of Christ without receiving the holy Ghost baptism with the evidence of speaking in other tongues - - that's the doctrine of the antichrist and what a success that doctrine has been! It has ruined the beautiful garments of the saints. It has divided the fellowship."

This is a powerful message, Bro. John. I needed it refreshed in my soul to remind me how thankful I am and how thankful I must stay that God did not leave me in Xty. And He is standing ready right now to cleanse those who want their garments made beautiful again. We have a good and kind and wonderfully merciful Savior, and He is going to save His people by exposing that "man of sin"!

My people! My people!
Long to be free . . . . .

I thank God for this life. We are all honored to have a part in His kingdom.

Love,

Sister Sandy

March 26, 2005

Hiya, pastor John!

You wrote recently: "...The thought was right that, 'if you see anything that you can do that will please God, then do it.' That is the road that leads to eternal life because that is the road where your heart has no condemnation in it. A heart without condemnation is a heart that can hear the voice of Jesus clearly. Even if what you are doing is not quite right in God's sight, if you think it is, then your heart is clear, and He can guide you to the brighter way. ... So, do what you truly believe is the right thing to do; even if it is wrong, Jesus will be better able to get through to you."

Wow. See, that's the kind of stuff that I would never have thought about God. :-) That's actually the kind of thing that might scare me when I think it, because I don't think it can be right. Lately I've had a struggle, I guess realizing that I can't pretend to know things that I don't; God doesn't want that from me, does He? I'll have to have mistakes in life... I'm just really afraid to be too wrong for too long. Maybe that's impatience.

Anyway, thanks. I really have to learn that I can relax and still keep focus.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

We see this kind of mercy from God in several stories from the Bible. When His godly people were in desperate straits, God bent even His own rules to help them. As Jesus once said to some nit-picky men, "man was not made for the Sabbath; the Sabbath was made for man."

We see this kind of mercy in the story of David, when he was fleeing for his life from King Saul. David came in his desperate flight to the Lord's tabernacle and begged for food from the high priest. There was no food there except that which none but the priests could eat, but God gave that bread to David and the young men who were with him. David and his young friends were not made for the tabernacle; the taberbnacle was made for them.

We see this kind of mercy in the story of King Hezekiah's revival. The people of Israel had by then been so badly taught (for hundreds of years) concerning God's Law that they did not know they were supposed to prepare themselves to be ritually clean for the Passover. Hezekiah prayed that God would overlook their ignorance this time, and God not only overlooked it, He blessed the people and healed them because they were trying to do it right, though they did not yet know how.

Men are much, much more picky about proper religious form than God has ever been. Such men make God sick. In this new covenant, purchased for us by the blood of God's Son, there is no proper form required because it is a covennat of the spirit, not of the flesh. It is only a matter of the heart. That is why I told you that to keep your heart free from condemnation is more important than knowing exactly what to do all the time. More than that, a clear conscience is more valuable to you than knowing how to do the things you know are right to do.

This is why we should never have a bad attitude toward those who are still inside Christianity and are participating in its dead ceremonies. Some of those people are no doubt performing those religious rites only because they believe God wants them to, and they may have a pure heart, thinking that they are pleasing God. Only God can judge who has had the opportunity to come out and has turned a deaf ear to His call to "come out of her, my people", and who has not.

May God help them, and us. All we can do is sound out the call as best I can, and be as godly an example as possible of holiness and joy outside the white-washed walls of Christianity.

Pastor John

March 26, 2005

Hey John,

I wanted to tell you what I realized in the first Revelation Study. In the class I remembered a dream I had from the Lord sometimes after 1991 when I received the holy Ghost. I dreamed the scripture about "the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom", well I didn't realize until the other night that Jesus was telling me that if I didn't have the fear of God then I had the fear of something else. I then felt like hearing the "All Things" message; it taught me who was in control of my life and I that only needed to fear God and learn to trust him only. Little did I know that thinking that the devil could do something to me or to the people I love was a kind of bondage.

I sure do feel encouraged today!

Thank you,

caroline

Hi Caroline!

I wish that all of God's people everywhere truly understood that the phrase means: "Jesus is Lord of all." How can we fear the devil, disaster, or death, if Jesus is Lord of all?

jdc

March 25, 2005

Christians renew their faith in a 100-hour prayer marathon

It's 12:30 on a barely emerging Monday, and this man hopes he'll stay awake so he can pray for 31/2 hours more. One man rearranged his work schedule and took an extra day off, so he could reflect and meditate as part of a 100-hour prayer service organized by 25 local churches, Tuesday, March 22, 2005.

This is what's going on in my neighborhood. It's pathetic how hard Xtns try to do things in their will power and in the flesh. They just LOVE to work hard for God. It puffs them up with "accomplishment" and pride. And none of it is led by the Spirit. wow.

Name Withheld

Dear -----:

Their efforts may be, as you say, seeking God "in their own will-power and in the flesh", but I wouldn't be so critical. At least they are not out robbing banks and killing people, and who knows? Maybe Jesus will help them. I don't see anything evil about it. In any event, let's just pray that God will answer their prayers and visit them. None of us really knows what we are seeking for when we seek God, or even how exactly to go about it when we begin. We certainly have said and done our share of serving God in ways that we learned later were not the way He wanted us to do it. If they are sincere (as some of them no doubt are), and if they are really seeking God, even if it isn't the exact right way, well, let's just hope that God will bless and reward them for trying.

As for me, I am so very much wanting my generation to see and to know God's holiness and power that I would be thrilled to see it even if God poured it out on somebody else. Just give us Jesus!

Pastor John

In response the above email...

Oh John,

I read this article and the feeling I had was so sad for the people. They are really trying to find God (hopefully). Then I thought how blessed we are to be fed the things we are fed, and to have God really visit us. We could be them, and we have been them. Sometimes I still feel like them :), saying "Where are you God?" Then I thought about that testimony that He gave me about people feeding the hungry and the tower of Babel. He told me He has no respect for that, but He also told me that if there is a sincere heart doing those things, He will bring them out of it, just like He has done for us. Wow! What a good God!

Cris :)

March 22, 2005

Pastor John:

Welll. . . . . well. . . . um. . . I am, uhh. . .speechless. . . .

Margaret gave me the newly released, hot-off-the-press encyclopedia of "Thoughts for Today" and I am absolutely astonished. It is a monumental work, of such extraordinary depth, and breadth, and invaluable spiritual nutrition.. .I'm. ...as I said. . . speechless. And I can't put it down. The amazing thing is that I have forgotten so many of them! I don't even recall reading them on the e-mails. perahps there's something about readng them in print that makes them so REAL, as opposed to scrolling down an e-mail, reading on screen.

I even forgot that you sent me a love letter, John, regarding my mother's dying days, and the comfort in that brought back incredible memories. THANK YOU.

So many of them are exactly as Gary states in the introduction: TREASURES. Absolute treasures!

I am speechless----and blessed to be one of God's children who have been given you as a pastor and a family who knows and LOVES the truth.

WHY ME? whew!

Man, I feel happy. . .and humble .

God bless you John for all your work and integrity on our behalf.

Praise Jesus!

Brad

March 22, 2005

Pastor John:

Well, I had another lesson today. It was with my second patient. I had just gotten through asking the Lord some questions while I was cleaning my room. I was thinking about this past weekend, and asking God if I had said too much to my friend with whom I visited on Saturday. I was telling Him how I really wanted to learn to be quiet and wait on Him.

When Mr. W-, my 70 yr. old patient, came in, he was just talking about this ailment and that. Then he was telling me of his faith in the Lord and wanted us to pray for him and to request prayer for him in our "church". Before I could get his chair put back, he was telling me about how the Lord had called him to preach when he was a young man and that he had filled in at some churches over the years. Then he told me that he used to go and preach in some of the rest homes in our area, until a man who "is obviously not a Christian", put a stop to it.

Now, my mind was racing with all these things, like how I wanted to give him the tract on "How Can They Preach Unless They be Sent?", "Christ or Christianity", "The New Birth", etc. As I put his chair back, I calmly asked the Lord, "What do you want me to do? I recognize this is just what I was asking you about and this is a very quick test." All I could see and feel in me was, "Wait." I had the question in my mind to ask him if he'd ever been around the real power of God before, where people speak in tongues, shout, dance and praise God. But I felt like the Lord was still saying, "Wait." So I did.

At the end of the appt. I asked the question. His response was that he had been around the power of God where people shouted and praised God, and he was one of them. I said, "What about speaking in tongues?" He said that he had seen it some, but then went in to telling me about what Paul had preached on that, how we should be simple and use language that people could understand and all that. After he really went on about explaining that to me, the only response I could give to him was, "Well, he did say that." Isn't that wonderful??!!!! I couldn't believe that I was actually okay with not trying to debate, or to preach myself! God knows the truth, and I know the truth, and Mr. W-- thinks he knows and isn't looking. So I don't have to tell him!!! Isn't that wonderful?

Afterwards, he wanted to talk about it a little more and explain his feelings again. He said he was staying away from "that tongues stuff". He then asked me, "You know what I'm saying?" And I said, "Yes I do." And that was it. God was willing for him to be wrong. It was a wonderful lesson, and a scary one, too. I don't have to save the world. I only have to obey Jesus.

I thought that was pretty good. Hope you have a good evening.

Cris

Hi Cris:

That is a wonderful testimony. And, yes, it is also frightening to think that the Spirit would be willing to let us be wrong.

Pastor John

March 16, 2005

John,

I had a good thought from the Lord in the night.

The very first thing Christianity teaches people to say is wrong..."I profess..." or "I accept the Lord" or "I got saved", when instead, it should be "God did it", or "God brought me out", or ""God touched my heart."

The feeling was as if I were watching very young children being taught to say their very first words, and they were being taught in their first words . . . lies.

Donna

Hi Donna:

Christianity (Xty) is a very cruel religion, for all its sweet words. Babes in Christ, just entering in to their new life, are led to do evil from the time they take their first spiritual breath, and those babes obey because they love Jesus and are told that everybody who loves Jesus does those things. The saddest part of all is that just about everybody who loves Jesus DOES do those things. Weren't we all deceived into thinking that Xty was the family of God? While we were trying to be good Xns, how could we have known that by partaking of that religion, we were stumbling blocks for other children of God? Now that we are delivered from that abomination, how are we ever going to get our brothers and sisters to believe that Xty is of the devil, and that the thing they hold most dear (the Christian religion) is the very thing that is killing them? It was killing us, too, before Jesus helped us.

Jesus has revealed to us, Donna, that Xty itself is a lie and that everything it does promotes the spirit of the father of lies, even as it uses the name of the Lord of truth, Jesus. Thank God for that knowledge! We owe our lives to Jesus! He IS our Savior! He has saved us from Xty, the great whore on whose hands is the blood of saints. How can we praise him enough?

Yes, you are right. Xty is built upon the foundation of what ungodly men claim and do. The saints of God are built up only by what God says and does. I thank God that He has spoken to us and has done something for us. If He had not done that for us, we would still be in the darkness of the Christian religion, at times serving spirits other than God's, thinking we were doing God's work.

jdc

March 16, 2005

Hi Pastor John,

This weekend was so sweet! I just want to be pleasing to God. I am so thankful for the sweet life he has given me. I am in awe that he thinks of me! Whew! and I know that he always has thought of me, long before I ever gave Jesus a thought! If that isn't love what is?

Sister Tina

Hi Tina:

If that isn't love, there is no such thing.

jdc

March 16, 2005

Hey Pastor John,

I love you & sister Barbara. I hope that I can put my thoughts on paper. I have been praying for a good while now asking Jesus and the Father, "Where do I belong?" "Who am I?" "What am I?" I can't even write any more right now, because I'm starting to cry. The tears are getting my paper all wet..."Thankful tears".

Jesus wants us to know who we really are. He is showing us daily. First of all, I know that I am a wife, and all that goes with that. I know I'm a mother, and all that goes with that. I'm not writing these words lightly because there is a lot to these few words. Wife and mother - a big part of my life! Learning how to be a good wife and mother is very precious to me. Whew. I can't stop the tears from flowing. I love what God has made me.

This past Saturday evening (3/12/05), you started out saying that God is dissatisfied with some of our satisfaction. "You don't know God well enough yet to be as satisfied as you are." Well, then the praying started, and I began getting close to Emily & Ginger, just wanting to hold them, to get them some warmth. As I was going back and forth to them praying for them, I felt and heard sister Debbie Trowbridge praying for them also. She asked Emily, "Do you want to go let Pastor John pray for you?" Emily nodded yes. Debbie gently led her to you. Ginger and I followed, and you prayed for Emily. Other saints gathered around encouraging her. She began with the "stammering lips" and speaking in tongues. We kept encouraging her to keep yielding to the Spirit. She started feeling the Love Of God all over her. She was smiling, and feeling the Holy Ghost coming through her. Feeling it on her tongue and lips. She was giving the Holy Ghost a voice. She couldn't quit smiling.

You started singing that song about heaven. I was holding Emily's hands going around her very gentle, bidding her to come and play with me. Other children were standing all around us. I felt they wanted to play too. With a little encouragement, they began holding hands and forming a circle going round and round. It felt so good! Man, those children know how to have fun and praise God! I was feeling so innocent, fresh and alive, basking in all that love.

Then I heard a voice speak to me: "Do not exercise yourself in matters to high for you", and I said, "Yes, sir, with all due respect!"

The voice then said, "This is where you belong, with and like these children". I felt very, very safe & loved.

Sunday, after the wonderful meeting, we ate lunch at Bro. Gary's. I started telling Gary what that the voice said to me. I asked him if that was a scripture. He said yes. Bro. Jerry looked it up in the concordance.

Psalm 131:1-3 "LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things to high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and forever.

I love you Jesus, forever and always,

Sister Tammy

Dear Sister Tammy:

What the Lord said to you is good advice for all of us. In His eyes, we will always be children. May we always feel that way in His presence!

Pastor John

March 15, 2005

Pastor John,

Donna's email about being blessed to feel anything from God is so, so true! Keith, the kids and I went to spend the weekend with Cris & Haskell. While we were there we watched the movie, "Luther". After the movie went off, I could only sit there and really think of how blessed we are. When I say blessed, I really mean blessed. It makes you so thankful that God chose you. Words just can’t describe it. It’s the feelings. It’s an honor that God allowed me to be able to understand the truth and speak His language, as Donna said. I am so happy we aren’t like the world with the thoughts they have about God. I’m so happy we know the real God. It’s truly an honor.

Love,

Tracey

March 15, 2005

Pastor John:

We were talking about [the first part of] your message on Saturday night, and Song, Tammy and I wanted to see it in writing. Here it is. We thank you for the word of God pastor John.

Gary

Too Satisfied

(Transcribed from Message in Louisville, 3-12-05)

If I had to say, I would say that God is very dis-satisfied with some of our satisfaction. You don't know God well enough yet to be as satisfied as you are. You don't have enough experience with His power or His Spirit to be praying as little as you pray. That's what I'd say.

I think we need to seek God. Some people have received the holy Ghost, and I know how that is . . . it's not even a powerful enough experience for you to have a testimony about it. We don't want that. We want to have real experiences with God, and He's got them. He talks to people. I've heard His voice, right out of heaven. He talks to people, and He's got what we need so that when we're satisfied, He's satisfied.

We don't have that yet - not some of us. He sees more satisfaction here than He sees holiness. That's no good. We don't want to be any more satisfied than we are holy. We don't want to have any more satisfaction than we have power with God and knowledge of God. That's what we want to satisfy us, not a reputation among ourselves how we are. What good is that? What good is a reputation going to do you? You've got to have power with God or you are going to stay in the grave when Jesus comes back. You're going to have to have the knowledge of God or some spirit is going to deceive you before you die, and then you won't come out of the grave until the second resurrection. You need more than you have.

God has blessed us, and blessed us, and blessed us. To encourage us to seek Him. To try to persuade us to believe He loves us. That his thoughts are for us. That His goodness is available. You don't have enough of it to be as happy as you are. God wants you overflowing with it. He wants you to be satisfied and know why. Don't be content just to hide in a chair off in the corner; being close doesn't make any difference. Don't just be one in the crowd. Be one with Jesus. Glory to God. Have a connection. Secure your connection with God. That's what the Spirit of God is calling all of us to. Hallelujah. Glory to God. (prayer).

Pastor John 3-12-05

A response to the above message...

Hey John,

That message, "Too Satisfied", stirred something in me! I felt it on Saturday night when you were saying it, and I am feeling it again just reading the words. There is no doubt that those words were right out of heaven. For me, it was a step-up call to spend more time seeking God. All I could do when you finished speaking on Saturday was to fall down on my face and cry out to God. It was wonderful. I feel so encouraged by everything that was said on Saturday night and on Sunday morning. I agree with you that the shouting and praising God time is wonderful, but to hear words like you spoke on Saturday night and Sunday morning, that is food for my soul! I appreciate your connection with God, because it encourages me to do right so that my connection with God stays strong! After Billy Mellick said what he did with that piece of cable on Sunday morning, the Spirit told me, "Sometimes those cables have static in the line, but I want you to know that I am hearing you loud and clear". What encouragement to know that my prayers are being heard! I appreciate Gary typing out those words, and I am going to save the email so I can read it often.

Love,

Lee Ann

March 15, 2005

Dear Pastor John,

Please advise on how a former Christian should respond to an invitation to attend Christian functions such as Easter pageants in which friends are participating.

So far I have been successful in avoiding a verbal confrontation, but I think I should explain why I do not desire to attend them but don't know how to do so.

Every year I am sent an invitation to attend these events..

Thank you,

Sharon H.

Hi Sharon.

Thanks for writing again. I hope you and yours are doing well.

I think that all of us who believe in Jesus should attend every Christian ceremony and function to which we are invited, until we understand why we should not and until we are able to explain to our dear brothers and sisters still in Christianity why they should not. If you understand why it is not God's will to practice Christian rituals, then confess it before the brethren. Confessing the truth is how we confess Christ. When Jesus said that if we were ashamed of him before men, he will be ashamed of us before the Father, he was telling us to be courageous with the truth that he reveals to us.

Avoid contentiousness. Quarrels are no good, but an humble explanation of the faith is a gift from you to the person to whom you offer it. Stay humble and speak the truth in love, but enter into no debate with anyone. Debates are of the flesh (Rom. 1:29), but faithful testimonies please God and overcome the evil one (cp. Rev. 12:11).

Pastor John

March 15, 2005

What Jesus was telling Bess reminds me of what the Lord was teaching me a couple of months ago. The question I had was..."How do you love the people around you?" And the answer was, "Keep your own connection with God." (And the "keep" in the answer is an action word! ) When we do that, we cannot help but love the ones around us! It just overflows.

Donna

March 15, 2005

John,

In the Sunday meeting that I was in, in Louisville, one of the thoughts I had as the spirit of God was falling so beautifully in the room where we were meeting was ... "It is an honor for anyone to feel anything from God. To speak his words through our lips, to yield our bodies to praise him, to feel feelings." Just to yield our lips to God to praise Him, what an honor! To hear his heavenly language flow from our mouths. What an honor! To feel feelings! To feel God touch us, our hearts, our bodies, our minds, to feel feelings from God. I feel very honored every time I hear his beautiful language coming from my mouth. It is no small thing. Every time I feel a "tingle" in the spirit, or a burden, or anything from God, it is a gift from God.

I don't know what else to say about that one thought, but it really did something good for me. I heard from Barbara and the Pittmans that Sunday night was wonderful. I'm looking forward to hearing that CD!

Donna N.

Dear Donna:

You are right! We are honored just to be thought of by God. David felt the same way you feel. He even wrote a Psalm about it! Some of the words are: "What is man that thou art mindful of him?"

Amen. God help us to appreciate being on His mind, and in His heart.

jdc

March 15, 2005

Oh John,

That report from your week in Louisville sounds so wonderful!!!! Wish I could have been there. I know you all are having a wonderful time. God IS really blessing us John. It is too much to take in sometimes.

I had the funniest little thought this morning. I was just thanking God for what He has done in my life, especially these last two years. I had the thought of a big "ole" horse just rolling and rolling on the ground basking in the sun and loving the feeling. ( I use to see them do that when we had horses.) It was just like the Lord telling me that is what I have been doing these last two years, enjoying my grandchildren, and Keith and Tracey. I'm just basking in the SON. I can hardly write this for tears flooding my eyes. It is so sweet. I love ya'll.

See you when you come home.

LF

Hi Lou:

I am glad that folks get together when I am not around. Fellowship in the light is a wonderful gift, a necessary gift, a healing gift. God has blessed us to love one another.

Keep rolling in the grass.

jdc

March 15, 2005

Hi John:

Just read your email from Tim and Bess. Ditto on the missing you here. Sounds like a wonderful week out there!

Each year around this time, approaching April 23rd, I can't help but think of your father. Recalling all the wonderful things that God has done, and April 23rd coming up, I will have been in the truth 16 years! That is longer than I was married! This marriage with the Lord is so good - - it will last forever! :)

I was reading your father's stories this week, and revisiting the story of Maude brought me to tears again. There is just so much love in it. As I read of your visit to Kinston with Preacher Clark to see Maude after all those years had passed between them, it was as if I was sitting in that livingroom with you, Sister Patsy, Aunt Onie, Preacher Clark and Maude. I can only imagine the thoughts as you watched them. I was thinking of all the sweet memories of a life growing up with holiness all around you.

As I remembered my life without holiness until God's mercy came in, I thought of our children in the truth. How blessed they are to be growing up in holiness - - that "hedge" around them. If they stay faithful and true to God, they will never have mixed memories of the world and God. They will only have God's memories in them. It made me think of what Aunt Leatha said about Jesus and growing up in her house as a child - "I thought Jesus lived with us."

I love those stories of your father, John. I know his life is a story of God - - that is why they are so special. I only knew him four months, but God sure put something in my heart for him. Had he lived longer, I think he and I would have enjoyed some good conversations in the Lord. When I read the stories, the God in me is feeling the God that designed and worked out every detail of his life. God's memories. What a wonderful thing!

I've enjoyed ALL the TFEs that you have been sending. The one on "Becoming" was really good. I don't want to "become" anything. Jesus told me several years ago, "Happy is the man who IS". I gotta remember that! I think he made me pretty good just like I am! Or is that just like He IS! Just stick to God's memories! When we are testifying to what he has done, we are remembering him, not us. I know now why your father said, "Stir up the Gift of God". In the Spirit are God's memories. In the Spirit, HIS name is magnified. In the Spirit, we are dead! Dead as doornails! Woo Hoo! Stir up the Gift of God!!!

Thanks, John! See you when you get home.

Love,

Sister Sandy

March 14, 2005

Pastor John:

I was reading in Proverbs last night before going to bed & I was having good, quiet thoughts about family life & living clean before the Lord. :) Jesus woke me up this morning with a question & an answer: "How are a mother and her children kept safe? A mother and her children aren't kept safe just because the father is in the home with them. A mother & children are kept safe when the father stays full of the holy Ghost."

Love,

Bess

Amen, Bess!

jdc

March 14, 2005

Pastor John,

What a wonderful feeling is in your new song, "He Didn't Have To"! I love what it is saying to my heart. That is a beautiful song Pastor John. Jesus is so good to us! This last week has been a special one. I feel like He didn't have to help but he did! Several days after reading your TFE called "Becoming", I felt like a whole burden was gone. It was a burden of struggling to be free from the things around me that were out of place. The world is a confusing environment next to God's love and his cleanness. Jesus saw me in that condition and made everything alright. He gave me an invitation instead of a commandment. I felt like I could go to Him anytime. He wanted to be close to me and let me rest. I feel so rested now, really under the shadow of his wings. Words from your new song fit me now: "He could have left me just the same" . . . "He didn't owe me any love or tender care" . . . "He didn't have to bear my shame, though everything in me he changed . . ." Those are words of love from Jesus to us. He is so good. That is wonderful news, and was a wonderful present for Stephen and Amanda.

Brother Adam

March 3, 2005

Dear Brother Gary,

I never knew it will get this bad. I was studying with someone over the internet and at first he seems to be understanding me. But all of a sudden yesterday, he started calling me names. This morning I got the below email from him. This is kind of funny to me. I makes me cry for the blindness of the people that claim to know Jesus.

I have not bothered myself responding to his email.

JOE

Joseph

I have had a revelation. You are arrogant a false teacher a false prophet a false disciple you are in rebellion because you refuse to go to church and you are blaspheming the holy spirit by not believing in the trinity. Acts 2:38 Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Have a nice life

J.C

Don't Reply Your on IGGY

Dear Brother Joseph.

Congratulations... "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."

You've been blessed... but I know the feeling - it's a sad condition many of God's people (if Joey is really one of God's) are in.

Bro. Gary

February 28, 2005

OOh, Pastor John,

the sweetness of sister Myrtle's Spirit in the love of God is precious to feel. She gently spoke of Gods holiness and love, and sang along with you every word of one song during the meeting this past Sunday. Listening to that sweet saint, I felt such love and I was praying "please God let her always remember You." When God gave Joannie the Holy Ghost and all of us was praising God and crying with joy, I stepped down off the chair, and sister Myrtle turned to me smiling and said "this is what holiness is about", and she praised God and clapped her hands. I can still see her smiling face when I close my eyes!

Gods love endures through all things!! Let us Praise God and stay in the spirit and shout and always give glory to God for his goodness and wonderful works! Thank you for being our Pastor and for your family and opening your home for these blessed meetings.

love,

sister wanda

Dear Wanda

Aunt Myrtle has had the holy Ghost for longer than almost all of us have even been alive, about 75 years now. I am glad you were able to come to NC this weekend, and that you met Aunt Myrtle and had the chance to speak with her.

jdc

February 28, 2005

Dear Pastor John

I've been meaning to write you forever - i guess i'm experiencing the effects of my busi-ness in Christianity.

I have a pulling in my heart that won't let me go - and I know I need to leave my church. It's been extremely hard for me though, because I've been so entangled with the people's lives there. You know I only today read through that church's website with their statement of faith, etc... after 2-1/2 years of total commitment, only now do I think it's important to really understand what they believe. and what i'm hearing on sundays just doesn't feel right anymore. i think i can safely say that i'm in turmoil. though i've had the Holy Spirit since my very first steps as a believer, i feel as though i don't know anything anymore. i feel weary and shut down, and afraid to let it all go, at the same time. i'm trying to find a way to explain to them what's happening with me, and why i need to go.

Could you explain for me Jesus' "Great Commission" that most churches seem to take as their personal instruction to reach out to the lost, grow in numbers, and do stuff "for Jesus"? what does this Great Commission mean to me? how am I to understand it?

I'd appreciate it greatly. i'm starting to listen and read to your teachings - and just pray that the Lord will stay patient with me as i fumble through my mess. love,

A.M.

Dear A.M.:

Thank you so much for writing. It is so good to hear from you!

The only reason I had the strength to renounce Christianity (Xty) is the mercy of God. I am no better, wiser, or stronger than anyone. I pray constantly that God will show the same mercy to others, and I know that He intends to do just that. My hope is that you perceived enough about my spirit for me to be able to speak plainly to you of Xty and yet leave with you no impression of hatred or malice toward Christians. What I say about that dark religion often comes across as mean-spirited, but there is none of that in my heart toward the people within Christianity. Quite the contrary. I speak plainly because I love them, and the darkness inside Xty is so great that if I speak subtly, those whom I love cannot understand my meaning. Paul said, "Seeing we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech." That is what I also do. I hope that you sense that about me, and trusting that you do know that, I will speak frankly to you about Christianity and its ungodly ways.

The pressure exerted on people by Xn ministers with the phrase, "the great commission", is cruel and completely without any ordination of God. Jesus told his disciples to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature". He did not tell me to do that, at least not yet, nor did he say that to you (at least, not yet). The underlying reason for Christian ministers telling their congregations that Jesus' commandment to "go into all the world" applies to them is to get more money out of them and more work. Don't go anywhere or help anyone else go anywhere unless Jesus tells you to. Wicked men have transformed those precious words of the Savior into a tool of oppression, and many of God's people submit to that wickedness, ignorant of what is being done to their spirits.

Dear A.M., if Jesus wants you to go somewhere, or wants you to help send one of his servants somewhere, can he not speak to YOU? (I wish I could explain this as plainly as I see it!) This is the heart of practically every issue that one can raise, vis-a-vis Christianity. In the kingdom of God, A.M., Jesus speaks to his people; in Christianity, people are led by doctrines, institutions, and traditions of men. Even concerning the new birth, in Xty men tell men when they are right with God; but in the kingdom of God, the Spirit speaks, "crying out 'Abba, Father', when we are born again. The kingdom of God is founded and sustained by God's word; Xty is founded and sustained only by what men say. Do you understand this?

As for "doing something for Jesus", have you ever noticed that there is no such exhortation found in the Bible? The Christian call to "do something for Jesus" is just another vain catch-phrase used by Xn ministers to put enough guilt on people that they will do as they are told. We can do nothing for Jesus, A.M. King David said, "My goodness, O Lord, does not extend to you, but to the saints who are in the earth." Jesus has already been blessed by the Father so much that we