August 29, 2005

Hey Bro. John:

I was on pastorjohnshouse.com this morning and whew! I stumbled upon the Broadcaster titled "On the Question" written by you in August 1988. In light of our visitor's many questions regarding Jesus and other religions, I found the information in this Broadcaster to be SO good! I remember you telling us not too long ago: "Know why you are here." And a few weeks ago the Spirit awoke me with "Learn who you are." Considering what we've been seeing lately in the meetings, I keep hearing Jesus calling us to the classroom and saying, "Come, learn of Me."

So much in line with your straightforward wonderful answers in yesterday's meeting, what you simply stated below in this Broadcaster once again went into my heart:

From "On the Question", August 1988:

"The Question is, How do those who believe in Jesus know for certain that they, and they alone, have found the only way to eternal life? And God’s answer is that He gives the baptism of the holy Ghost to people who believe in the true Messiah. That is God’s answer, and it is so perfect and fulfilling that we don’t need another one."

And this from that same Broadcaster:

"The baptism of the holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues is the "baptism" of the Spirit, the credentials of Christ. It is the thing that sets the way of the Lord apart from every false way, including the religion of Christianity.

Wonderful simplicity, Bro. John. "The baptism of the holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues is the "baptism" of the Spirit, the credentials of Christ! Jesus just keeps teaching and preparing us and reinforcing in us who we are and why we are here. I love it!

Sister Sandy

August 23, 2005

Dear Bro. John:

I am still so full today and it just keeps gushing out - - and reading here your words in TFE 8-18 "Breaking the Rules", just stirred the feelings already within. It had to spill over.

"When God’s people learn more of Him, they always rejoice."

That is what God has been doing for me since Friday night when he blessed me so deeply with His "song in the night" for me in Bro. Darren's recording room - - He has drawn me closer and invited me to learn more of Him and has caused my heart and soul to rejoice. Learning more of God is so deeply cleansing. David said: "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." One touch from Jesus, and the beauty of all that He is, leaves the heart feeling overwhelmed. One touch from Him and things of yesterday are gone and tomorrows are not thought of. You feel as if you are suspended in a place you never want to leave. You are still walking through this world, but you are living in His. All you know is that His touch has left you standing in the midst of unimaginable love and mercy and beauty that is not of this world, but from the hand of the powerful and living God. And as if that wasn't enough, the tenderness that He has left inside you brings you to your knees.

David said in Psalms, "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?"

He also said, as we have surely done many times, that his tears were continually saying to him, "Where is thy God?" This past week, I discovered that when God appears, those tears of "thirsting and seeking" after God are transformed into tears of "deep love and joy", and they then proclaim, "My God has found me and I have found Him! Rejoice, oh my soul!"

When we as God's people learn more of Him and see the beauty of all that He is, we will refuse anything that will stain the glory of our beautiful garments of holiness and the love that Jesus has for His people. We will refuse anything that will keep us from having the same fellowship one with another that we have with Him. We will see how precious He is to us and how precious we are to Him and how precious we are to each other. We will open our hearts and humbly wait before Him to invite us to touch Him and come and learn more of Him. Our souls will pant and thirst after Him, and we will seek Him as David did, until our souls will shout:

". . . . hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."

". . . . hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."

Jesus knew where his hope was. I was reading in Luke 13 where the Pharisees tried to get him to flee from Herod. I love the strength in his words and the will of the Father echoing as Jesus spoke to them:

"The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."

That same tender, loving, peaceful Jesus that touched me in the recording room Friday night, boldly and confidently called Herod a "fox"! Jesus knew his destiny and he knew His Father was always in control of every situation. That is our wonderful Lord and He will gather under his wings His children if we will trust and seek after Him. Praise God!

I have caught myself weeping several times from God's love since last Friday night - - it just comes and goes from deep within. I can be listening to the song that He sent down to me that night and tears of joy and love just come pouring from my heart and places deep in my soul that have been touched by the beauty and majesty of my Father's love just washing over me. And I find myself not wanting to leave this place . . . . waiting to hear Jesus beckon me once again to "Come, learn of me."

As you said in the TFE, Bro. John, He is nobody's fool and when God sends knowledge for His people, it is to prepare us. Jesus told Jerusalem: ". . . . how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!"

Love,

Sister Sandy

"Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life."

August 22, 2005

Hey there,

I don't know what to say really.....but I wanted to say something, thank you, these last TFE's are wonderful. I feel like there are so many wonderful thoughts coming that I can barely keep up. The TFE's have been so good, I have just been left speechless. I am eating up the ones on Confessing Christ, Part 1, 2, and 3! I loved how you explained who is confessing to whom and especially this statement: "The way you worship is a confession of somebody as your Messiah. Which Messiah is it?" There is a Messiah of the flesh and a Messiah of the Spirit. Whew..It's just so good to know there is a difference.

Then, today, I read the TFE on Reconciled by his death....wow. That is good, too. As I was reading it, I was talking out loud the thoughts I was having. As I read on, you explained my thoughts as they were coming out! I never really saw it this way, but it is so true. When we are told to repent, we are repenting for being "enemies of God"; for being partakers in killing His son. So, when God nods His head to His Son "yes", the one who is making intercession for us and we receive the holy Ghost, God is saying, "I forgive you". " Whew! And the way to maintain that relationship with the Father is to die out to all the things that killed Jesus. What a thought.....to think that unless, and until, we repent and be baptized with the Spirit of God, the holy Ghost, "we remain before God responsible for Jesus' cruel death and are "enemies of God", and as enemies, we remain worthy of the awful vengeance of God for the murder of His Son that is coming upon the inhabitants of this earth." His vengeance is for those who do not repent for partaking in the killing of his Son. I never thought of myself as an "enemy of God" but I was, because I had sinned. Shewee... but thank God! He put it in my heart to love His son and I am no longer an "enemy of God". I thank Him. I am so thankful. He is saving me from His wrath. Lord help us! And help those who have yet to repent!

Amy P

PS That is something else that happens to you when you receive the holy Ghost: you are no longer "an enemy of God". 8-)

August 21, 2005

Hello Pastor John,

I hope every one there is well. The work that God is doing in people is so amazing to see and feel! Calling them out of those lying ceremonial tombs into the living body of Christ in Spirit and truth! PRAISE GOD! I love what Sandy said about Gods rod and His staff! How blessed are we, to be chastened by God and to be led by His Holy Spirit into His truth and Holiness! What a wonderful walk with our LORD we have, the time we have left here on earth is for learning and telling and showing the LORD's great mercy and love for people, giving PRAISE to GOD always and listening to His voice and obeying!

Thank you for loving God with your all!! and teaching us and correcting us for our good for the GLORY TO GOD FOREVER! Living in SPIRIT and TRUTH! WOW, may we understand all that JESUS gives to each of us. The amazing testimonies I have heard from God's people are treasures, and they teach us of His love and hope for us to enter into eternity with JESUS and HIM,forever PRAISING and giving THANKS to THEM for THEIR love everlasting!!

love,

wanda

August 21, 2005

Hi John,

Thank you for this wonderful list. A good thing to research and edify our hearts and minds.

Re: #10 on the list:

I thought the holy ghost enters into us, while the Lord Christ Jesus remains at the right hand of the Father, in heaven, having sent the spirit to come into us. The scripture, John 14:23 quotes Jesus answering Judas, ". . .my father will love him, and we will come UNTO him , and make our abode WITH him." Does that mean "IN" him?

When Brother Gary taught our OT class, I distinctly recall him saying that "we need to ask God for the holy spirit to COME INTO OUR HEARTS. Jesus cannot go there." (unless He's that 'divine blob spirit / person' that we've heard so much about.) ;^)

However, a few verses previous to this Jesus does, in fact, say, "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." John 14:20. So . . Am I correct? Or is this evidence of the co-mingling of Christ with the Father and the spirit. . .all being ONE??

Brad

Dear Brad:

Let me answer this more fully than I did before. My last answer was not as good as your question. Your memory is correct about what Brother Gary taught you, and Gary was correct in what he taught. The person Jesus has never been inside anyone except his mother Mary, and she was glad, after nine months or so, when he got out! The person of God the Father has never been inside anyone, period.

Jesus Christ and the Father are one in spirit, just as you and I can be one in spirit. And when we receive the Spirit, we are one with them. You can be in my heart, just as the Father was in Jesus' heart, and vice versa. Paul told the saints in Corinth that they were in his heart, and because of that, he was ready to live or die with them. This is the kind of love-bond and harmony that Jesus prayed for in John 17. There, he prayed that we who believe may be made one, just as he and the Father are one. Jesus was obviously not one person with the Father, just as you cannot be one person with me, but he was one in spirit with the Father, as we can be. Each person has a body. Jesus has one, and the Father has one. And you have one. But you three, the Father, the Son, and you, can be one--in heart, in love, in purpose, and in understanding.

Your question is a very good one. From your letter, I can see not only that Brother Gary did an excellent job of teaching you but that you did an excellent job of listening. Keep up the good work, and I hope to see you soon.

Pastor John

August 16, 2005

Hey,

I enjoyed reading the TFE for 8-08. While I was reading the Scripture from Romans 7:2 that you referenced concerning God's law ("For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he is alive, but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband."), I had this thought: When we receive the holy Ghost, we become joined to Jesus. Now, Jesus, the "husband", will never die because he has the Spirit of everlasting life in him from his Father. And, when we receive that Spirit of everlasting life from the Father, God's law is written in our hearts. Therefore, we are bound by God's law to Jesus as long as he stays alive! (Forever!)

Ha! That is so good to me.

Jesus paid the debt for us, and when we receive the holy Ghost, we are no longer a debtor to the flesh but a debtor to Jesus - "as long as you both shall live." ha! And under Gods Law, that is forever! 8-)

Thanks!

Amy

August 13, 2005

Bro. John: I know you don't like length, but this sure was good to me.

I had a wonderful lesson and blessing from the Lord this morning. I was awakened with such a feeling of thankfulness with these words being whispered softly from the Spirit:

"Thank Him for all He has done to keep us together as one"

When I got up, my thoughts were led to read Psalm 23. Remembering the words of the Spirit to me one morning a few weeks ago, "rod and staff", my heart was pricked to something in verse 4 that I had not paid much attention to when reading this verse before:

" . . . thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

Bro. John, I believe I've heard you say that the rod is for correction and the staff is for guidance. I could see how the staff would comfort, but I thought "how does the rod comfort?" David said, ". . . they comfort me." When my children were young and I had to correct and chasten them, I know they did not feel comfort at the time, but pain. Then as I searched, I found these scriptures:

Proverbs 10
[13] In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

Proverbs 29
[15] The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

When the rod of correction is being applied, it is hard to see the wisdom and understanding that God is guiding us into. But when we get there and we realize where we would have been without it - void of the understanding and wisdom of God - it is then that the comfort of the rod and the staff is felt.

Thankfulness comes in knowing that both the rod and the staff are in the hand of the Good Shepherd. I read today that a shepherd does much work to keep his sheep together as one in health and safety. He not only feeds and waters them, but he rescues them when they get stuck in the thorns and brambles (often due to their own ignorance because they are straying or trying to climb a steep cliff) and then He takes and guides them and makes them lie down again in green pastures and rest beside still waters. Sheep cannot free themselves when they get stuck. It takes the love and the labor, the rod and the staff, the correction and the guidance of the good shepherd. Such is our God. It is His understanding and His wisdom that makes us one. It is His understanding and His wisdom that brings us comfort.

I had never noticed that it is both the rod and the staff that brings the comfort. But Jesus wanted me to know that today. He wanted me to know that whatever we need from Him is so we will not be void of His understanding and His wisdom because that is where the comfort lies. And both the rod and the staff lead us to this comfort. He loves us that much! I have often heard the phrase "don't kick against the pricks." I understand that better now. A sheep that is trapped in the brambles and thorns and kicks against the pricks only causes itself more pain. It cannot free itself nor bring itself comfort. It is better to lie still, cry out, and wait for the good shepherd to come.

I thank Him today for being our Good Shepherd.

I "thank Him for all He has done to keep us together as one."

Love to all,
Sister Sandy

August 11, 2005

Hi Pastor John,

What a message you preached last night on "The Gods". We are so blessed, to hear such a message from God. On the way home, I had all kinds of thoughts going through my head about what I just heard you preach.

For one thing, I thought about what you said about "What is the first thing we do when we start feeling a call from God?" We find a church to go to. Wow! The first thing we do is go toward a demonic institution to find out about God!

Then I thought about how demons like to do good and look good (the best ones anyway). Sitting in a religious setting claiming to be of God, I thought about how demons do good deeds and can do good deeds, but they can't be holy. They can't please God, but they can fool men by their good deeds. And where I came from, I wanted to do good (so I joined), and doing that looked better to me than where I was at the time, but it was not enough. I thought how ironic it was that the first place we would run was to Satan (Christianity), to try to get right with God! WoW!

Only by the mercy of God can men be saved. We would go for the wrong thing every time.

"Jesus is our hero."

Bro. Stuart

August 10, 2005

Hello Pastor John,

I was praising Jesus in my heart today for the wonders we witnessed this past weekend and the Spirit asked, "What value, the Spirit in truth?" Then these thoughts came: "We know the value of our homes, cars, our monetary worth. We make sure the plumbing is always working in our homes, for we need water. We keep oil and fluids and a charged battery in our car to keep it running. And we always have to keep track of our money to meet our bills and expenses. We do all this maintenance to things not eternal, but what do we do to keep the Spirit of God Almighty and our Lord Jesus flowing forth from us?"

This question was so sobering and so sweet. What a mighty love our Father has for His children! The Holy Ghost is our strength, our life-line to our Father. PRAISE GOD FOREVER! HE gave us truth through you, His anointed and government! SOOO BLESSED ARE WE!! GOD is making us what HE wants us to be! If we are filled with the SPIRIT daily and talking with God, who know what HE will show us next!! Deep in the Spirit is where I want to be, closer to JESUS OUR LORD. Thank you, John, for loving JESUS and HIS children and teaching HIS truth! I pray we all go deeper in GOD'S SPIRIT and grow strong in HIS mighty love and mercy! What treasures we experience in SPIRIT and truth!! PRAISE GOD FOREVER AND EVER!! THANK YOU, JESUS!!

love,

Wanda

August 8, 2005

Hi Pastor John,

"WoW"! What a wonderful weekend! I am so thankful to be in the presence of God's wonderful power. To me, there is nothing greater then seeing God wash away someone's sins and make them a new creature in Him. I can't help but want to get as close as I can to see that happen to someone. What an honor to be there and see that happen, and to know that it is God doing it, and to know that their life will never be the same. WoW!

It was a special honor to see what God did for Brian and Amy. They both get to start out on the same road together and grow together in God. What a treat! Jesus did it again! I can't wait to see what is next.

Thank you Jesus.

Stuart

Hi Stuart:

We were all blessed and honored to see the work of God in our midst. I hope that we value seeing such things to the extent that His work deserves. It isn't every day (at least right now) that we get to see a husband and wife be born of the Spirit within a few minutes of each other.

Pastor John

August 1, 2005

John,

The other day Samuel wanted to have a "meeting". It wasn't the usual playing the guitar, praising God, etc. He had Samantha and I sit down and he passed out papers ("like Pastor John does"). He got in his chair and began to "read" from his paper. This is what he said:

"God did not go to the flood. Jesus sent Noah to a new place to live. He needed more animals so he called the zoo. Dinosaurs were in the flood and they died.... Raise your hand if you have God."

That was so cute...I just had to pass that on. :)

Love,

Carrie

That is wonderful. I hope Samuel has become a child again and is still doing that fifty years from now.

jdc

July 30, 2005

Thought for the Evening
7-30
Impossible to Return
"Old things are passed away."
1Cor. 5:17

The one baptism (Eph. 4:5) that cleanses fallen man from sin is not the baptism that washes the body; rather, it is the baptism that came "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1Pet. 3:21); that is, the holy Ghost baptism. The water of Noah’s flood, together with the ark, separated Noah from the wicked generation in which he lived; the flood destroyed the wicked and saved the righteous. In that way, it was a figure of God’s baptism in spirit (1Pet. 3:20). The Spirit is the "water of life"(Rev. 21:6) to which Jesus calls us, and it springs up like "rivers of living water" from those who receive it (Jn. 7:38). The holy Ghost is both the ark of safety and the power that will destroy the wicked forever.

John’s watery baptism in the Jordan River was another figure of the baptism of the Spirit. This is what John meant when he proclaimed, "I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I is coming, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire" (Lk. 3:16).

God used Noah and John to play special parts in producing "shadows of heavenly things". Then, when Jesus purchased our redemption and "the true light" began to shine, all such shadows, holy as they were in their time and place, passed away. In other words, after the Messiah had come, there remained no more need for the things that told us that he was coming.

In reality, it is as impossible to practice John’s baptism in water today as it would be for us to re-enter Noah’s ark. Neither of those two Old Testament shadows of heavenly things any longer exists. God’s will is the thing that made both of them shadows of Christ, and it is no longer His will that we should enter into an ark made of wood or be baptized with a baptism using earthly water. Jesus fulfilled those symbolic works that had been commanded by God, and then, God moved on. We need to move on with Him.

It is good for anyone to obey God and be baptized by the holy Spirit into Christ (Acts 5:32; Gal. 3:27). If we continue to keep His word after being cleansed by the Spirit’s baptism, God will keep us from even desiring to return to old things that have passed away. He will make us wiser than to try to return to things that no longer exist. In Christ–not in any shadow of him–is hidden all the wisdom and power and goodness of God.

One viewer's comments concerning this TFE follows . . .

Pastor John:

I don’t think Noah would have took a swim in the flood or that John would have tried to unloose Jesus’ shoes. They were both perfectly content to be in their places.

Bro. Billy

Yes, Brother Billy, and we who are children of God are happiest when we stay in our place, which is out of the shadows and walking with Jesus in the light of life.

Pastor John

July 29, 2005

Hi John.

What a blessed day in Jesus. This morning I was giving brother Tom an update on our visit to North Carolina this past weekend, and was sharing a little bit with him about what you spoke on concerning the flesh and it's "arsenal" and how Jesus was able to overcome that by seeking God.

It came to us as we were talking, that when God said "to be perfect as He is" (and as Jesus was), that the way to perfection is to always recognize our need. Being perfect is being perfectly and desperately in need of God. When we strive to achieve some "confidence" in our spiritual condition, if we ever do feel that way, it's too late! We've lost our need. This flesh is so crafty!

It is a perfect thing to be in need of God every hour of every day and know it. Jesus was perfect because he could do NOTHING without his Father, and did and said nothing without his Father. He did what he did and how he did it, because he saw completely his need of the Spirit to lead him, and therefore sought perfectly to get touch with his Father, the only one who IS "good". What hope that gave me, to know that I too can be perfect if I am always in need, and seeking the way of the Spirit only, and having no confidence in this flesh.

The other thing we talked about was a little of what you said about the folks in Louisville needing what the people in North Carolina had OUTSIDE of the meetings... and Tom said what Bro. Mark said, that there is a "fear" amongst folks in Louisville outside of the meetings. We can see it, we don't know what to do with it though.

It hit me when Tom said that: "God is not afraid of God." If we ask God, and He gives us what HE has, there is nothing to fear at all, because God is not afraid of God. We just all need to need Him! The Spirit of God is not afraid to be corrected, or to be hurt, because it is meek and lowly. The Spirit of God is not afraid to be right when it is right, because the truth is humble. And on the other hand, God is also NOT afraid of what's NOT God either! Like that Mr. Holding man, you just can't help but love those who are out of the way because they are like you are... in need! Maybe he can use us to encourage someone in need along the way, or to learn to forbear one another, or some other good thing. It's all good.

Needing God makes you just want to love everybody! It's just good to be in need and know it.

Gary

July 28, 2005

Hi John,

Just wanted to write a short mention of how thankful I was in the gathering on Sunday. When you started talking about Jesus praying to his Father and then said you heard in the spirit of why he prayed at great lengths. Then went to say that Jesus said, "that he knew he was no match for the flesh. And that was why he sought his father." WOW! That was so huge to me. It went deep in me. It felt so right. He knew he couldn't live without feeling his Father, period. I might have forgotten to breathe for a few seconds. I wasn't sure at first what I was experiencing in the feelings that came to me, but when Bro. Jimmy Tolle said in his testimony that the words you were hearing weren't just being said but being felt. That was it.

I felt a great love for us going out [from God] in the spirit, like "Talk to me, I what to help you, trust in me, the flesh will kill you. I know." Everybody is saying everthing, but who is really hearing from God? I'm so glad that Jesus had mercy on me and allows me to be able to love it with all my soul. Also to think that one day we might not be able to refer to the Bible for our proof that someone is right, but to know that what Jesus says is the proof, no matter who has a problem with it.

Thanks,

Paul C.

Hi Paul:

The Spirit of God inspired the men who wrote the Bible. That is the only reason we can trust what is written in it. That same Spirit wants to write some things from God on our hearts; and only if it does can we ever trust our hearts.

To become parchment for the Spirit of God to write upon is the best thing on earth to be.

jdc

July 26, 2005

Hello Pastor John,

I hope that you are getting around with ease and comfort. Those two words, ease and comfort, is how I felt when I read the TFE titled, "The Reign of Peace". WOW! The peace of GOD ruling in our hearts makes us able to live in this world! Making GOD first in everything keeps us humble, peaceful and able to reach out to people through love that was given from The Holy GOD to us! We are vessels filled with God's ways when we stay full of HIS SPIRIT!

Oh John, I gave GOD'S testimony in my life to a sweet elderly lady and two of her grown children. It felt so sweet and exciting to feel their open hearts to GOD'S love. It was so precious to be able to show and tell of GOD'S amazing grace that I can't seem to stop crying. How precious is THE MASTERS LOVE!! The words seemed to flow from deep inside my heart and I felt so small, yet HIS SPIRIT was so HUGE!! This probably doesn't make sense, but it is the best way I can describe how it felt. Telling of GOD'S amazing grace makes me soooo thankful-thankful-thankful!!

I pray GOD will let me tell many people of HIS MIGHTY LOVE AND HOLY WAY!! PRAISE GOD FOREVER!

love,

sis wanda

Dear Sister Wanda,

Thank you for this letter! I liked the part where you said that you had given God's testimony in your life. That was a good way to say it. If a testimony isn't about God, it might not be very valuable to the hearers.

Pastor John

July 25, 2005

The Mr. Holding series

Hello there!

It may interest some of you, though not all, to consider how the doctrine of the Trinity is defended by the article cited below. Brother Bob Payne came across it and forwarded it to me. In it, the supremely confident author of the article very ungraciously and sarcastically attacks both me personally and the tract that I wrote, titled, "Is Jesus God?"

http://www.pastorjohnshouse.com/tracts/isjesus.htm

I am responding to him, only because it might be helpful to you.

Pastor John

Here is the URL for the article: Whether you care to read it or not is entirely up to you.

http://www.tektonics.org/af/clarkj01.html

July 26, 2005

Dear Mister Holding:

A friend of mine sent me the URL for your web site article critical of my tract titled "Is Jesus God?" I am always happy to consider criticism of my work, and I thank you for yours.

Given the time, there is much that could be said in relation to the several positions that you take in your article, but to pick one, perhaps I could invite your attention to another of the articles on my web site, The Influence of the Doctrine of the Trinity on Translations of the Bible (see below for the URL). This work of mine deals with the matter of whether or not the Spirit of God is a person (a study based upon the biblical writers' original words), which issue is a crucial part of your criticism of my tract. When you find the time, you might be interested to read it and may possibly be enlightened by the irrefutable facts that are contained in it.

My hope is that, after all is said and done, Jesus will have made us one in his Spirit and light and that we both may stand before him blameless in the end. I am willing to be wrong and to change anything that Jesus allows me to see and to understand. And with that hope in my heart, I am

your non-Christian servant in Jesus Christ,

Pastor John Clark, Sr.

The URL for the Trinity Influence study:

http://www.pastorjohnshouse.com/books/trinity.htm

July 26, 2005

Response from Mr. Holding...

Well,

Why not answer what is already written as opposed to trying to bring up something new?

"Translations" had nothing to do with my conclusion.

July 26, 2005

Dear Mr. Holding:

Greetings in the name of Jesus, our Lord.

I am disappointed that you would not consider the evidence that I offered you concerning the idea of the personhood of the Spirit of God. That response is precisely to the point that you raised; to wit, the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. If the Spirit is a person, then the orthodox Christian view of "the Godhead" must be correct. If not, then what I taught in the tract, "Is Jesus God?", will be seen in an entirely different light from the contrary one you presented on your web site.

I clicked on the hyperlink you implanted in your article concerning the personhood of the Spirit, questioning my ability, or my willingness, to challenge the evidence you present concerning the matter of the Spirit being a person. Specifically, here is what you wrote on your website:

. . . With this we do not disagree, of course; we do disagree with John's assessment, "The Holy Spirit is not a person," and wonder if he can answer any of the questions here

(http://www.tektonics.org/qt/quietthird.html) about the Spirit doing quite personal things. . . .

My previous reply to you, so tersely rejected, was in response to your somewhat sarcastic challenge and it answered at least some of the questions you raised. I could answer much more fully, but we must start somewhere, must we not? I disagree with you, therefore, that I brought up "something new" in my letter to you. I was doing exactly what you suggested I had not the courage nor knowledge to do. But please understand that my reply was not in the spirit of debate (I will not do that). It was only to offer you sound and irrefutable biblical evidence from the Greek of the original authors, evidence which you failed to note in your article concerning the Spirit.

Since in that article you referred to the Greek personal pronoun, moi, ("to me") of Acts 13:2 as evidence of the Spirit being referred to as a person, I must assume that you already know that not once in the entirety of the New Testament writings is pneuma, the Spirit, referred to as "he" or "him" by the apostles. And yet you make no mention of that important biblical fact in your article. The Bible study to which I invited your attention, then, was not changing the subject; it dealt with that subject in complete detail and honesty, and I hoped that it might provoke in you at least a question or sincere comment.

Mr. Holding, if we are to develop into men who are truly good and wise, we must start our labor toward integrity by being honest with ourselves and those who listen to us. Part of that honesty is to admit to ourselves and to others when there exists biblical evidence that seems to contradict what we teach. I offered you such evidence concerning the Trinity, and you have refused to acknowledge it.

In that same spirit of sincerity, I forwarded the link to your rather caustic article against me and the tract I wrote to everyone on my mailing list. They are people who love God and who love the Spirit of truth. If they find any merit to your opinions, they will certainly let me know, but in a spirit of meekness and love. And if with their help and yours, I can be helped again to understand my Lord Jesus more perfectly, then I will, again, be a debtor to God for his blessing of others who love Him.

I wish you well and hope that at some point in the future, you will take advantage of the opportunity you have now to escape the snare of Christianity and be filled with the Spirit of comfort and light from Jesus. I remain

respectfully yours,

Pastor John Clark, Sr.

July 26, 2005

Note: The emails between Pastor John and Mr. Holding are written as a dialogue.

Everything Pastor John wrote is in blue.

Mr. Holding: Good grief,

(quoting Pastor John's previous email) Since in that article you referred to the Greek personal pronoun, moi, ("to me") of Acts 13:2 as evidence of the Spirit being referred to as a person, I must assume that you already know that not once in the entirety of the New Testament writings is pneuma, the Spirit, referred to as "he" or "him" by the apostles.

Mr. Holding (cont.): I also know that autos is used as self-referent and that the same argument is also used with reference to the Logos. That's why your alleged "important biblical fact" is in fact utterly meaningless. Old news: The Unitarians tried this on me once before. It is a failure as an argument.

Pastor John:

But sir, you haven't even looked at the evidence I offered you. You refused to do so. Surely, you can see that your judgment is unjust on that basis alone. "The same argument"? I don't understand. How can I make the same argument with a noun that is masculine? And as for autos, the fact that several of its forms may be either masculine or neuter provides no foundation for any conclusion at all. I do not ever refer to those forms as evidence that the Spirit is, or is not, a person. You judge too quickly both me and what I am saying.

Mr. Holding (again quoting Pastor John's previous email):

Mr. Holding, if we are to develop into men who are truly good and wise, we must start our labor toward integrity by being honest with ourselves and those who listen to us.

Mr. Holding: Then please do me the favor [of sparing[ me anything but a detailed, direct reply to all that I write.

Pastor John:

But sir, that is precisely what I did, and you refused to look at the detailed, direct evidence I provided you. I am at a loss as to what to do next. I wanted to communicate with you in a meaningful way.

Mr. Holding: I see no evidence that you are in any sense a respectable authority to be taken at word on matters such as the use of Greek; or that you have published in any journals and show any signs of a depth education.

Pastor John:

But, sir, you have refused to look at the evidence. How can you see it? Not that I claim any "respectable authority" in any area outside of my office in Christ, but if there were some "respectable authority" in my study that I wanted you to consider, how would you know it?

Mr. Holding: You have a lot to prove, and sound bites and the scuttling behind contrived verbiage is to no avail to those of us who do our homework.

Pastor John:

I really am not trying to prove anything. With my letter to you, I was merely responding to your suggestion that I was unable or unwilling to answer your contention that the Spirit of God is a person. I had hoped to have an intelligent and edifying conversation with you, even though I held no great hope of any conversion on your part. That kind of conversation is not happening, and that is a loss to both you and to me.

Can we not get past the harshness and agressive accusations and try to come to an agreement in Christ as partners in love and in faith?

Mr. Holding: You have some arguments about Greek? One of my contacts is one of the leading scholars on Koine Greek today. If you have the courage I'll tell you where to go to present them to him and others.

Pastor John:

I wouldn't lay claim to the virtue of courage, but I would be very grateful if there was a Greek scholar anywhere who would publicly judge the accuracy of the information presented in my study of pronouns related to the Spirit. If you know of any such scholar who would be willing to critique the facts that I present in my study, I would send it to him ASAP. He may disagree, as I am sure you would at first, with the conclusion I reach based upon those facts, but the facts can never be refuted by anyone with even an elementary level of knowledge of Greek grammar.

Mr. Holding, from your reticence to consider my work on Greek pronouns related to pneuma, and your apparent dependence upon "one of the leading scholars on Koine Greek today", I suspect that your personal knowledge of biblical Greek may not be as profound as your articles at first suggest. That's ok. I encourage you not to let that prevent you from looking at my study. Any first-year Greek student can easily understand the charts that I have provided, and their own text books would force them to agree with the facts contained in them.

Again, if you will provide me with the name of a Greek scholar who wants to see the charts, I would be happy to forward the charts to him. In the meantime, I wish you well. Thank you for responding.

Your servant in Christ Jesus,

John Clark, Sr.

Others wrote Pastor John about his correspondence with Mr. Holding, the letters are posted with a number. Here is the first response from a reader.

Number 1

July 26, 2005

Pastor John,

I wish he [Mr. Holding] would respond seriously. I would like to hear what he had to say. I see that you are being very careful with your attitude...attitude is so important isn't it?! I really liked the paragraph about being honest with ourselves and being wise men. I wish he would respond...in the same attitude as yours.

te.

Dear Token:

Mr. Holding is a very arrogant man, but "pride goes before destruction", and I want to be sure not to follow his lead. It is dangerous. He is the one hiding behind "erudite verbage" (a false accusation is a confession), but I don't want to be critical with him. He is ready for a fight, and I will not give him one by pointing out a fault like that. That is what the hateful, contentious Christian spirit wants us to do.

Thanks.

Pastor John

July 26, 2005

Mr. Holding (quoting from Pastor John's email):

But sir, you haven't even looked at the evidence I offered you. You refused to do so.

Mr. Holding:

It's OLD news, John. It's been argued before. It is irrelevant.

Pastor John:

It is not old news at all, sir, and if you had shown me the courtesy of merely perusing the charts in the study I sent you, as I showed you the courtesy of reading the entire article you wrote, you would know that. You asked for a response; indeed, you demanded one, that is, if I had the nerve to respond to such a man of your caliber, but by all appearances, you cower before real answers to your challenges. It is not a good thing that you are doing, Mr. Holding. And your pretended indifference and indignation is beginning to appear to be a thin cover for cowardice and a lack of personal and scholarly integrity.

Mr. Holding (quoting from Pastor John's email):

And as for autos, the fact that several of its forms may be either masculine or neuter provides no foundation for any conclusion at all.

Mr. Holding: In other words, no negative conclusion at all; hence your argument as well is meaningless.

Pastor John:

Isn't that exactly what I said to you? "NO conclusion". Didn't you notice that? If you had honored my response to you as I honored your arrogant challenge to me, you would have already understood what my study on the Trinity said. This is not a scholarly response on your part.

Mr. Holding (quoting from Pastor John's email):

To wit: But sir, that is precisely what I did, and you refused to look at the detailed, direct evidence I provided you. I am at a loss as to what to do next. I wanted to communicate with you in a meaningful way.

Mr. Holding: Then do the whole thing and get back to me. I get 150+ emails a week and you might try to respect that you're not the only pebble on the beach. That said: The cry "you didn't look at the evidence" is the same one I hear from people who say things like that Jesus never existed, so please excuse me if that falls on deaf ears. Just work on it, because the case hardly stands or falls on the lack of referent to the Spirit as a "he". In fact, it is a worthless argument from silence; so put it in File 13. Try answering what I do say and not what I don't.

Pastor John:

What you said was that I probably did not have the guts or the facts to dare to respond to your criticism of the doctrine I teach. Now that I have done that, you stand back and hurl more insults at me. You behave as though to sincerely consider my reply is beneath you.

The Greek pronouns related to the Spirit are anything but a "worthless argument", as you must know. If there was one instance from any book in the New Testament referring to the Spirit as "he" or "him", you would be using it to the hilt as proof that the Spirit is a person. You certainly tried to do that with reference to Acts 13:2. Be honest with yourself, now. Didn't you do that?

You are not being honest with yourself, Mr. Holding. How can we ever attain to the knowledge of God if we are dishonest with ourselves? Please consider what I am saying. I am not attacking you; I am pleading with you. And please, don't try to impress me with how many emails you get. If you have the time to throw down the gauntlet and issue a challenge to me in front of the whole world on the world-wide internet, then shouldn't you receive my response with humility and integrity?

Mr. Holding (quoting from Pastor John's email):

Can we not get past the harshness and aggressive accusations and try to come to an agreement in Christ as partners in love and in faith?

Mr. Holding: No more so than John with the anti-christs of his day, I'm afraid...

Mr. Holding (continuing to quote from Pastor John's email):

I wouldn't lay claim to the virtue of courage, but I would be very grateful if there was a Greek scholar anywhere who would publicly judge the accuracy of the information presented in my study of pronouns related to the Spirit. If you know of any such scholar who would be willing to critique the facts that I present in my study, I would send it to him ASAP.

Mr. Holding: He is online-contact only; I will send him whatever links you request.

Anyone can send a manuscript via email to a professor. Your comment in your last email that "One of my contacts is one of the leading scholars on Koine Greek today" stretched the truth just a bit, didn't it? Would that "contact" know you, Mr. Holding, from any other guy on the net who sends emails to scholars trying to get support for their doctrines? If you have the kind of relationship with that renowned scholar that would allow for a just hearing, then forward your contact with the Trinity study URL I have already sent to you. Let him look at the charts. He will tell you that in them, there is no error.

Mr. Holding, because I know that there is much for me to learn in Christ, I listen to criticism carefully, and I welcome it. I have forwarded not only the URL of your sarcastic article against me but also every word of your responses to me to this point, unedited, to everyone on my mailing list. It may be that they will be able to see something other than what I see in your letters, but to this point, I have found your erudition and courage to be reserved more to the realm of cruel sarcasm than of true and loving knowledge of God. Your arrogant boldness seems to have withered with the appearance of an opponent, even though in my case, the opponent only wishes to be a friendly correspondent. Additionally, I will post on my website, http://www.pastorjohnshouse.com , the entire conversation we have had, so that others may judge for themselves the content of our correspondence.

I remain your willing servant in the Lord, but I cannot force you to put down your "front" of superiority and to receive what the Lord Jesus has blessed me with, for your good. It has never been my intention to arouse in you any anger or strife, and I do not know how to offer to you more humbly than I have what the Lord has given to me. So, I again wish you the best in your future. At the same time, as a servant of Christ, I feel compelled to warn you of the dangers of arrogance, dishonesty with yourself, and cruel sarcasm toward those whom you consider less wise than yourself. Wisdom belongs to God, not to us.

Feel free to write when you will; my heart's door will stay open to you. But I cannot continue corresponding with you in the same vein in which the past few emails have gone. Neither of us would be improved by it.

Your non-Christian servant of the Lord Jesus Christ

Pastor John Clark, Sr.

PS I have added a few comments that I already received from people who have read our correspondence to this point, the first one being from a sister in the Lord who asked me to forward it to you.

Number 2

July 26, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am one of the people on Pastor John's email list. He has been sending your communication by email to the list, as he told you.

I am very puzzled as to your belligerent attitude to his earnest reply. It seems to me, after reading your website article, that Pastor John, if anyone, should have the right to have the attitude that you have taken. Yet he has not. I do not know Greek at all, but I do know when someone is refusing to return an argument in an academic manner. My sincere request to you is to please answer his replies straightly. I would very much be interested in your responses.

If you are satisfied with your email communications, then why not add them to your website at the end of the article. That way other people who visit that page can judge for themselves to validity of your arguments vs. Pastor John's.

Thank you,

J. Embry

Number 3

July 26, 2005

Bro. John: I went to Mr. Holding's website and tried to read some of what he had there. When I read this: "Tekton Apologetics Ministries is committed to providing scholarly answers . . . ."

I knew that I probably didn't need to read any further. However, I tried. Like you said, I, too, am willing to be wrong and consider. Reading his website reminded me so much of where I was in 1988 - - confusion!

. . . . I could not understand the big scholarly words, Bro. John. But I understand the tender Voice of my Savior. My prayer for the "scholars" is that they quit hiding behind the big words and just humble themselves before Jesus. Then they could just rest and receive from Jesus what they need.

Love,

Sister Sandy

Hi Sister Sandy!

I bet he would call me a pneumatomachianist! I'd call him "friend" and "brother" if he would just let Jesus open his heart.

jdc

Number 4

July 26, 2005

Hello there Pastor John, Amen! I was thinking that of the emails I have been reading about Mr. Holding and his article concerning what you wrote about "Is Jesus God?" His attitude in his review had nothing in its contents that would persuade me to his doctrine. There was no love of God in it toward anyone who is willing to learn, only words and sarcasm. He was only being an example of the god he serves (the god of Christianity). It was sad to me and quite pitiful. Thanks for the thought. What a wonderful prayer to pray. Amy

Dear Amy, The god of Christianity is a cold, cruel god, and how painful it is every time I meet a man who has been taken captive by that wicked spirit. Mr. Holding's spirit is a living testimony to that fact that God blessed us beyond measure when He called us out of Xty. How I praise Him for that mercy! I wish Mr. Holding could feel how much Jesus (and I) love him and want him to know the true God. But man, he has a big wall of pride around his heart. God can help him, though. Let's pray for that.

Pastor John

Number 5

July 26, 2005

Pastor John:

After reading your response to Mr. Holding, it was obvious to see that there were two very different spirits at work here. I am so happy that you are influenced by the one that is humble and compassionate, and not the other that is sarcastic and proud. I hope that Mr. Holding can see and feel the difference. Thank you for being my pastor.

Bob

Thank God for rescuing us both, Bob. I am no better than Mr. Holding, and except for the grace of God, I probably would have been much worse. I was inclined toward arrogant philosophical babblings when I was in college and impressed a lot of my fellow students with that kind of stuff. Thank God for the truth, and for the great love that comes with it.

As for Mr. Holding's spirit, it is pretty bad isn't it? How do we get the love of Jesus through that facade of superiority? God help us!

Pastor John

Number 6

July 26, 2005

John,

I wonder if Mr. Holding would respond as he has if he knew that his peers were witnessing this “conversation”. I am really having trouble following what he writes. I could not believe that anyone could be so blind to the truth if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Mr. Holding writes many words, but I am having trouble determining what he is trying to say. But, I get the sense that he is clutching at straw as he sinks in the mire of a self-perceived scholarly wisdom, and instead of asking for help, he throws straw in your face. Lord help him. I suppose that if Jesus were to stand before him and tell him a truth, he would accuse Jesus of being demon possessed. Could Mr. Holding be providing us a glimpse of what the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day were like?

MEH

Hi Mark:

Jesus spoke simply because he wanted to be understood. Any man sent from God is the same way. All the "hypostasis" and "homoiousias" jabber from men of Mr. Holding's persuasion is not meant to instruct; it is meant to impress. It is intended to make the hearers feel inferior, and those poor children of God who have not been taught the truth usually feel just that way. How many times have I witnessed them cowered by erudite fools who talk like that. Such talk is not of God.

Yes, this correspondence with Mr. Holding is a glimpse, albeit a very small one, of what it was like when the Lord tried to communicate with the hard-hearted elders of Israel. Mr. Holding, I was surprised to learn is a lightweight, much more bluster than substance, and apparently completely unable to conduct a serious and godly conversation when confronted with love and light. But then, isn't all of Christianity lightweight, really, when compared to the glory of the word of God? I can only hope that somewhere down the road, Jesus gets to him the way he got through my hard shell and touched me.

jdc

July 27, 2005

Response from Mr. Holding:

(quoting Pastor John ) It is not old news at all, sir,

Mr. Holding: It IS old news, and if you ever had done any study of the matter, you'd know it and not think you were Columbus discovering some New World. I've read literally thousands of books, periodical journals, and other materials from every side. Don't think to presume your superiority -- that's what the atheists do. Is that whose side you're on?

Pastor John wrote: Isn't that exactly what I said to you? "NO conclusion". Didn't you notice that?

Mr. Holding: Spare me the excuses -- I never drew a conclusion based on what you made an issue of in the first place!

Pastor John wrote: What you said was that I probably did not have the guts or the facts to dare to answer your criticism of the doctrine I teach.

Mr. Holding: Spare me, once again. The 4-5 links offered in my article completely undermine your arguments, such as they exist. Yeah, you are right: Your reply IS beneath me. I only gave you any attention at all because one of my readers asked to see you taken to task. I have a reputation for collecting the garbage, you might say.

Pastor John wrote: The Greek pronouns related to the Spirit are anything but a "worthless argument", as you must know.

Mr. Holding: I know they are worthless, your fruitless attempts at psychological bullying aside. :-) No, that was not what the use of Acts 13:2 was about. You may consider a course in remedial reading since psychological manipulation doesn't work.

Pastor John wrote: If you have the time to throw down the gauntlet and issue a challenge to me in front of the whole world on the world-wide internet, then shouldn't you receive my response with humility and integrity?

Mr. Holding: Only if it requires it....which it does not. You do little but deceive and mislead, I'd like to think in ignorance given the level of your research.

Pastor John wrote: Anyone can send a manuscript via email to a professor. Your comment in your last email that "One of my contacts is one of the leading scholars on Koine Greek today" stretched the truth just a bit, didn't it?

Mr. Holding: Not at all, my bullying muchacho. He just doesn't like (as many scholars) any Tom, Dick and Harry sending him emails. Very well, I'll send him your link. I can see his hearty laugh forming even now. Nevertheless you justify not giving you any direct contact by this:

Pastor John wrote: I have forwarded not only the URL of your sarcastic article against me but also every word of your responses to me to this point, unedited, to everyone on my mailing list.

Mr. Holding: Ah, a cyberspammer! Somehow that's not surprising. Nice to see you have a brainwashed handful; the response that called the detailed material on hypostasis "jabber" speaks for itself, and for yourself as a collector and controller of persons with insecurities. Jim Jones Jr. as it were. I'll look for the day when you pass out the Kool Aid in some South American country....Jim Jones was good at laying on the baloney too, you know. :-D

Dear Mr. Holding:

OK, I surrender. I will not make any more attempts at a conversation.

Because I do want to understand correctly what you are saying, and because you said above that I had misunderstood you, I did re-read your article on the personhood of the holy Spirit to see if I was mistaken about your usage of Acts 13 to show that the Spirit is a person. It still looks to me as if that is what you were doing. The relevant section is copied below.

If your "contact" has any comments about the facts of Greek grammar contained in my study of pronouns related to pneuma, or if he finds any error in it, I would welcome the information. If, however, he is as caustic as you are toward people, I had just as soon that we all just let this be the end of our commucnication.

This following is the section of your article in which you are using Acts 13:2 to make it appear that the Spirit is a person. You wrote on your website:

"Is it possible to lie to or test, to disobey or to grieve, an impersonal force? (See also Acts 16:16, Eph. 4:30) Or:

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. . . . .

Luke and Darth's "Force" didn't have anything to say, but the Spirit does, and even uses personal pronouns (Acts 13:2). . . . "

[And in the next paragraph, you wrote]

". . . . The Spirit is indeed the quiet member of the Trinity in terms of the reports we have; he was not incarnated among men and converses with them even now only inwardly. But he clearly does speak, and that's not what an impersonal force does."

Now, Mr. Holding, even if you will not admit it, that section in your writing is clearly an attempt on your part to use a Greek pronoun (moi) from Acts 13:2 to argue that the Spirit of God is a person. You are not being honest with yourself.

Beyond that, there is nothing else to be said.

Farewell,

Pastor John

Number 7

July 27, 2005

John,

Without having read Holding's article, I think you did the right thing. you invited him to research what you have already researched--exhaustively---re: the irrefutable evidence in "The Influence. . .", so the ball is in his court now. you needn't try to chnage his mind or even defend your position. most likely, he doesn't even have the Spirit of God to proivide the humility and meekness to take in the information Jesus has revealed to you.

love, Brad

Number 8

July 27, 2005

Thank you for sending your response to Mr. Holding. After reading his article, I was left with such a terrible feeling. I needed to read your response to get rid of some of it. Whew! Thank God for kindness and reasonableness. What wonderful weapons! I'm going to go use mine.

Donna

Number 9

July 27, 2005

Good morning Bro. John,

I just finished reading the article you sent a link to. My first impression about Mr. Holding? He is a very arrogant man looking for a fight with anyone who doesn't believe what he believes. From looking at his website briefly, the first thing I noticed that led me to believe that (after reading the article) is the picture of the chicken in his challenge to critics area. You just know he's looking to slam someone by that little picture. What about "Satire Central" at the bottom of his home page, or the foolish photos of what he says are him behind the pulpit? It is very true, that you can find whatever you are looking for in Christianity. Where is Jesus in any of that? It reminds me of a line from a good song - "They call it my Spirit, but I wouldn't go near it; they think I will, but I won't".

In every paragragh in the article he wrote, he was looking to publicly humiliate, belittle and intimidate you. What a sad man he is. The man of God that I know will not give in to that foolishness, and I thank Jesus for that. He reminds me of how my youngest brother used to be; always miserable, slamming people just to make himself feel like he was something. I sure am glad that he grew out of it. He is a better man today because he did.

Mr. Holding is nothing in my eyes but a big christian bully. He reminds me of those radio talk shows where the host is always looking to slam someone that calls in for what they think or believe, and people actually like that kind of thing. I sure am grateful that Jesus has taken us past all of that. You can't even be mad at someone like that. They are just lost and confused like we all were, thinking that we knew something. It took a touch from Jesus to let us know that we really didn't know anything, and still don't without him. I thank God for the love and mercy that He has shown us. I hope that I always remember that, because that is the only difference between any of us and a very sad man like Mr. Holding. I choose Jesus! That is where I place my hope.

Bro. Darren

Number 10

July 28, 2005

Hi John.

These conversations have been very instructive for me. We have met a lot of proud or arrogant sounding people on the internet over the years, but I do think that this fellow is one of the most abrasive. I think he is so scared, so afraid of being "found out"... you just can't help but love him. Like a little child, you can just feel him hiding his spiritual condition behind his arrogance and insults toward you. Because he really does not have answers at all and cannot bear the thought of being exposed.

I wonder how many of God's children Mr. Holding is inspiring to be as "confident" and as "abrasive" as he is... thinking that this is a place they should want to be in God. Maybe Mr. Holding will one day have a great fall or trial, and God will allow him to learn the need for kindness, a soft answer, and a humble attitude. I do hope God touches his heart one day... that would be wonderful.

This has inspired me to seek after the gentle Spirit of God all the more, the one that does not strive, and can be taught and helped by all those who have something for me.

Gary

Dear Brother Gary:

When Paul said that "the man of God must not strive", he meant that the man of God must not have a belligerent, arrogant attitude such as Mr. Holding has. Any sincere and humble person would be repulsed by the hateful, sarcastic spirit he has. If his doctrine is what had caused him to have that ungodly attitude, I thank God for saving me from believing it. Doesn't it make you wonder why he and others like him think that talking to people the way he does pleases God?

Btw, did you know that the Lord made my father burn his gospel tracts in a bonfire a few years after he began writing them because they had a harsh tone in them toward those who did not see the truth? From what he and my mother told me, there was a pretty large pile of gospel tracts that went up in flames in their back yard, but then, better for those hateful tracts to be cast into that earthly fire than for him to be cast into the fire of God's judgment.

No one who has learned truth from God is made arrogant by it. No one who acceptably serves the living God is hateful toward those who are astray. Remember what Hebrews says about God's ministers? God encompasses them "with infirmity" so that they may "have compassion on [not sarcasm toward] the ignorant, and on them who are out of the way." If Mr. Holding knew God, he would be gentle with those whom he judges as being "out of the way". If we would serve Christ acceptably, we must always remember that it is God's gentleness that makes a man great (Ps. 18:35).

I don't think I have ever been quite as sarcastic and cruel toward those whom I felt were wrong as Mr. Holding is, but I know that I could easily have become that cruel if I had not had the correction and guidance that God gave me, through those who were over me in the Lord. Brother Gary, you had some of that sharpness toward people when I first met you, but you have listened and learned that the way of Jesus is the way of love and of mercy. And he will make us even gentler and wiser still, if we will humble ourselves and listen to his voice.

Pray that he will do that for us, and for Mr. Holding. That foolish man is not so tough that the love of Jesus can't melt his heart yet. He doesn't frighten Jesus at all.

jdc

August 4, 2005

Hey there.

One last note on the Mr. Holding with whom I tried to have a reasonable conversation a week or so ago.

Mr. Holding directed me to a web site he apparently is a big part of, where he nominated me as "July screwball of the month". The site is:

http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/showthread.php?t=56580&page=18&pp=16

So, I went there just to see what it was. He had posted at least some of our correspondence, some of what I and Sister Sandy had written was prominent. But what struck me is the following introduction that he wrote about my responses to his material: I emphasize the words that were most stunning to me.

Mr. Holding wrote at the website:

"Meanwhile, I have been getting deliveries of nuts and fruit from the Jim Jones wannabe I wrote about at http://www.tektonics.org/af/clarkj01.html

No responses to any of my material of course, so I dismissed him pretty quickly . . . ."

No response to his material, so he "dismissed me"? I guess he did do that, but I felt as if he had run away when I wanted to play. I was interested to hear the reaction to my trinity study that he promised was forthcoming from his "contact" (one of the leading Greek scholars of our time, he said). But I doubt he really has any such friend.

Oh, well.

Praise ye the Lord.

Pastor John

End of the Mr. Holding Series

July 14, 2005

John,

I am thankful for just being a part of what God is doing in our midst...sound thoughts, feeling good things, being like-minded with my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I feel very rich.

Love,

Bess

P.S. Thank you for all you do to teach us the good and right way. :)

Sister Bess:

What makes it really good is when people love the truth when they hear it! Thank YOU!

jdc

July 14, 2005

Hey Pastor John,

I was just emailing you to give you an update on what’s going on with me. I started work on July 1st over here in Cary. So far, it’s been really tough adjusting to work life. First, it’s really hard leaving Maleah (and Bailey ;) ) in the morning and only getting to see her for a few hours at night. We’ve spent the last two years together almost all day. I don’t think we realized how much we love each other – she is having a tough time, too.

Second, what I’m doing is just hard in general. I am on the phone all day trying to get CPAs to attend an online seminar of our product. Needless to say, I have to deal with some pretty nasty people sometimes. The other thing I’m adjusting to is being around so many people ALL DAY that are not like me at all. For the most part, they are all pretty nice people and helpful to say the least. Most of us are young (under 30) and so the environment around here is upbeat.

However, we had to go on a company retreat last Thursday night and Friday all day. That night, they took us to a very nice restaurant and fed us well. But, I was the only one there not drinking (maybe one other new girl). It seemed like every time I turned around, someone was asking me if I wanted a beer or something. I would just politely say “No thanks, I don’t drink” and go on about my existence. Then, one guy looks over at me and says, “Drew, you don’t drink, right?” I said no and then he proceeded to ask me if I would give him my two beers (our VP said that was the limit) as a birthday gift. I knew immediately to say “no”, but it was hard because I was the new guy and didn’t want people angry with me. I did tell him no and told him I’d only been here three or four days and I’d at least like to make it a week. He laughed and said nobody would care but I stood my ground and just said I wouldn’t do it. Not long after that, I got the same question but from one of the directors around here. He’s been here longer than almost anyone. But still, I held my ground, told him no and that it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. He just kind of laughed and went on about his business – the Lord saved me on that one.

My seat during dinner was right beside the VP who is about mid 30s and a really nice guy. I felt really bad for him though because I could feel him succumbing to the pressure to drink. I figured he’d have a beer anyway, but one guy bought him a shot and kept trying to get him to drink it. He could only say no and give excuses for a few minutes before he gave in himself, obviously not wanting to. Then, every time one would come by and offer me my two beers and I would say no, I could feel like he almost admired me. I wasn’t really talking to anyone during dinner because I honestly didn’t have anything to say to anyone there. They were all caught up in their revelry. But this guy kept trying to make me feel comfortable and talk to me a little. I appreciated it.

That night, my roommates asked me if I was going to go out to the bars with everyone and I said, “Nah, I’m pretty tired – I’ll probably just take a shower and hit the sack.” One of them said, “How many beers did you have, man?” – as if I had had too many and that was why I was tired. I told him I didn’t drink. He asked, “Oh, so you just don’t like the taste of it or what?” I said, “No, it’s a choice not to.” He said, “Well, you have to respect that – to make a decision like that and stand behind it.” And he just went on about his business from there.

The whole night, I felt like I was “working.” Even though I really didn’t talk to anyone about the Lord or anything, I felt like I was doing my part just holding up my standard of holiness. It felt good to do it, but it was sort of tiring. The other thing I was excited to see about myself is the difference in my attitude towards these guys. In high school and even in college some, I hated sin so much that it often drove me to having bitter feelings and malice towards those who took part in it. This past week, however, I noticed that I was almost indifferent about it. It didn’t really change my opinion of the people – only made me wish I could help them or something. The ones that I had gotten to know beforehand and liked, I still liked. I knew that I could keep learning from them at work regardless of their after hour habits. It was a good feeling being able to look at things from that new angle as opposed to how I would have felt about it in the past.

Going through all of that though has made me realize the value of being around God’s people. You can really draw strength from those around you. It has made me hungry for a meeting – a hunger that I honestly haven’t felt like this in a while.

Anyway, that was kind of long and you don’t have to respond or anything if you’re busy – just thought I’d update you on what’s up with me.

See you this weekend,

Drew

July 14, 2005

John,

What a wonderful weekend. Everything about it was special. The testimonies, songs, visiting with one another, etc. were just wonderful.

I wanted to mention a couple thoughts I had. I loved how you described while you were here and in the TFE 7/8 how the issue is not whether or not our Father will give to us what we ask for when we “knock”. The issue is will we give to Him when He may ask something from us.

It reminded me when I was a young man, 19 or 20, just getting started on my own. My father’s youngest sister, who lived in California, died. He was a hard working man but never had a lot of extra money. He came to me and asked for $300 for a plane ticket to fly to California to attend the funeral. I did not have it. I didn’t even have $100 I could give to him. It made me feel terrible that I could not come up with the money to help my dad, who had never asked me for anything.

What if my heavenly Father would ask me for something and I am not where I should be spiritually? He may send a brother in the Lord to me that may need some encouragement. What if I am so spiritually poor I couldn’t help him? Help me Jesus to keep my spiritual bank account full.

Lastly, I was so blessed by the song, “The Love My Father Had For You”. As I was listening to the words, “The pain made me cry, and all I had to see me through was the love I felt inside, the love my Father had for you” , I could hardly take it in.

Everything you, as our pastor have taught us over the years can be summarized in these words. Everything Jesus lived and died for points to the love the Father has for me and you. If I can’t believe that and take it in, I can’t take anything in.

Thank you and all the other saints for coming this weekend. I loved it!

Tom

July 14, 2005

Bro. John:

I think one of the most important and loving things God does for his sheep is show us who is over us. Where would sheep be without a shepherd? They would be unprotected, hungry, and without love. I heard your father say in a message: (Preaching to his little flock in 1971)

"I'm so glad my lot's cast right here. You know, a lady came and got me told here for not being out on big fields and being out in big places, one thing or another. I looked at her and I thought to myself, 'If you loved these people here and the people like I love 'em wherever I go, you couldn't leave anybody.' I wouldn't forsake this for the whole world. I'd rather have a handful of people that will get molded together for God and live for somebody else than to be in "self" and go out. It's hard to get people right with God. It's not such a hard burden to get people through to the Lord, but, brother, when Israel stepped across the Red Sea and the Lord closed the walls up, they were not in Canaan. They had just got out of Egypt. When the Lord pulls you through the Red Sea, the crimson blood of Jesus, when you come through and you put your feet in the desert, that's the most important thing of all. That's where we are today."

Bro. John, the Israelites needed a shepherd and God anointed Moses to lead them. All along, God has given his people a shepherd to guide them. Only when they rebelled and did not follow the anointed one that God gave them did they lose out with God. Their error was the same then that it is now - - not recognizing the anointed man of God, not recognizing their shepherd. I am so thankful for a pastor and a shepherd to care and watch over me. I need guidance all the way home. I need my shepherd. We are still in the desert. Nothing in the truth comes to us by the carnal mind, but through, as Jesus told Peter, "my Father which is in heaven."

Matthew 16:16, 17

"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."

Thank you,

Sister Sandy (one of your sheep)

Thanks for that, Sister Sandy.

It is encouraging for me to hear or read excerpts of my father's sermons because he was a very courageous man with the truth, and I appreciate the reminder that his good example provides. I know, as Paul did, that "I am not worthy" to be what Jesus has made me. Sometimes, it makes me tremble to consider it. I wouldn't have used me if I had been Jesus. But I also know, as Paul said, "by the grace of God, I am what I am."

I believe that the Lord may want me, and all of us, to remember where he brought me (us) from, but now that he has done it, and now that I am here, my focus should be on what he wants me to do in this place. So, I lift up my head and get to work, knowing that his mercy on me was not simply for me but for the good of others. And I thank him for the precious, golden opportunity to have a place in his vineyard to work. He gave to me the best place on earth.

jdc

July 14, 2005

Pastor John:

I was watching a show on PBS last night about the pilgrimage that Muslims must make to Mecca. They estimated two million people herded into that small place. To me, the people were not cared for much better than cattle. Every time I see anything about any religion other than the real one, it makes me sad for the people who have something else standing in the door to keep them from the wonderful Jesus. One person interviewed, I sincerely believe, was under conviction, and my heart felt so sorry for him looking for Jesus in the wrong place. It made we realize for anyone to receive the Truth Jesus did a wonderful work..

Thanks:

Wendell S

Amen, Brother Wendell. I believe there are many sincere Muslims, as well as sincere Christians and others, who would rejoice to hear the truth, especially if they could see it put into practice by the ones trying to teach it. God help them, and us.

Pastor John

A comment from July 14, 2005 on the above email...

Hi:

God help anyone who is looking for truth.

Now that Islamic "terrorism" has it's roots in every place on the planet, and now that nobody is safe in any country from it, it could qualify as the 'red horse' in Revelation?

Rev 6:4 "And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword."

Just a thought. Islam's color is red, and it's symbol is a sword. Not that is anything but coincidence - but it's interesting.

Gary

This terrorism is certainly a part of that "taking peace from the earth" that the Red Horse represented, and a very large part, but with two truly "World" wars already under our belt, a thing unknown in world history before the past century, it is hard to make terrorism the only thing that the Red Horse represented. We might say it is the culmination of the Red Horse time period.

jdc

July 11, 2005

Hi pastor John,

I was on my way into work this morning and I was listening to the “What Must I Do To Be Saved" CD’s, and I started thinking about the "come get saved" doctrine and what it would do to me if I believed it. If I believed it (that Christian "get saved" doctrine), I would stop seeking God. Why would I need to seek God if I was already saved? And why would we need to assemble ourselves together? If everyone who believes is already "saved", we don’t need testimonies when we are already there. And why would I need any more touches from God? The first one should last for ever. And why would I need to learn anything more about God if I am already saved? Right? If I was saved, I would have to stop right were I got saved; no need to learn any more about God.

What a ridiculous doctrine! Look at all the things I would have missed seeing God do this past weekend! All anyone would have to do is look at what God did for Brother James and know that the "get saved" doctrine is a lie and to know all the wonderful touches that everyone received this weekend were needed because we are not “saved" yet. Thank you, Jesus for the truth!!!

The truth gives us hope; everything else is a thief and a robber. Thank you John for teaching us the things that God gives to you.

Stuart

Brother Stuart:

You are so right! That "get saved now" foolishness is robbing millions of the clean fear of God. And a lack of the fear of God leads to wickedness in some form--every time.

Pastor John

Hi pastor John,

I was thinking more about the “get saved” doctrine. How can preachers and pastors call people to come down to the "altar" and “get saved” when it is clear in the Bible that one must be baptized? Baptism is what washes away are sins. I would think that they all would have great big pools of water in front of the alters to dunk people in. If you are going to do it wrong, at least you could get closer then just “come get saved”.

I wish more of God's people would read their Bibles. Maybe they would at least question what was being done to them. The more I see what is being done to them by this world, the more I hate every lying way and love the truth more and more every day.

God, help us get this truth out to your people. Thank you, Jesus.

Stuart

Brother Stuart,

I said in my first book, Spiritual Light", that the separation of baptism and conversion is one of the most bizarre developments in the history of Christian doctrine. You are right about the absolute requirement of baptism, and you are right that if those who practice water baptism believed their own Bibles, they would have a baptismal pool put in their buildings very close to the "altar" because baptism is conversion. According to the Bible, simply repeating a "sinners prayer", or "getting saved" cannot possibly be what conversion is.

Of course, the best thing would be that God would show us all the whole truth and save us from ourselves and our own opinions. That way, there would be no money collected and spent on any baptismal pool.

I, too, wish that God's people would read their Bibles. It is a precious gift that is used much less than it should be.

Keep on thinking about the "come-and-get-saved" doctrine, Stuart. I am enjoying the fruit of your effort. "The thoughts of the righteous are right."

Pastor John

July 8, 2005

Hey, John

I wanted to share with you something from the other day. Keith, the kids and I went for a ride on the golf cart and we were riding across the road on some land of one of the old farmers around here we know looking for deer. We do that sometimes after supper so the kids can see them about the edge of dark. We decided to ride a little ways further this time and came across an old home place. The house had been torn down and there was a very old cemetery there that was grown up off a long dirt road. We could see some of the grave markers and one was from the 1800’s.

As we were heading back, Keith and I were talking about the happy life we are living here now and how fast it will go by. As I’m sure it did with all those people in that cemetery. We were saying how life here is going by so fast and how soon it will be we will be standing before God. We may live to be very old, but it's going to go by fast. As we were talking about how we enjoy life here on this earth and live a holy life how we'll make it to eternal life with Jesus, and all of a sudden Laura spoke up and said, “And we don’t eat and we don’t die!” She just laughed and we did too. I asked her who we would live with and she said, “Jesus.” When she said it, it was like with a “don’t you know” look. J She is really listening to what we say and what you say in the meetings. That really makes us feel so good.

The other day she was around here playing and I heard her go into her bedroom singing “We'll All Be Happy…..” When she saw me peeping in on her she just smiled and said, “ain’t that right, mama?” It made me cry and I pray that God has chosen her and that she’ll want to live a holy life. I pray that both my kids will.

I really thought it was something sweet and just wanted to share it with you. Will be glad when you get back to NC and see you againJ

Love,

Tracey

Dear Tracey:

Thank you for that beautiful story! Children take in far more than we think they take in concerning the holy truths of Jesus. I learned that long ago. We might not realize it at times, but then--bam! They hit us with a statement that lets us know that they are hearing us--and watching!

Please tell Laura that when you guys are living with Jesus, I want to be there, too.

jdc

PS I do think we will eat sometimes, though. I have read about some very good fruit trees on the new earth.

July 7, 2005

Thought for the Evening
7-06
"Watching Where You're Going"

A Letter from Sister Amy Concerning the Thought for the Evening

Hey,

When I read the TFE for June 26 about "Looking Up To The Father", I couldn't help but think of your father. I feel like that's what Preacher Clark did in his life. He looked up to his Father. From reading the stories you are writing about Preacher Clark, I saw how he heard from God and went with it. What he was saying was, "Anything that my Father says is better than anything your father says". He heard it, believed it, and put it into practice.

The stories and the TFE's that you have written recently are full of gold nuggets. I see there is plenty of room to improve and move up in God. Thanks for writing them and passing on some wisdom that came from experiences that can save us all.

Amy

Dear Amy:

Amen! That's exactly what I see in the stories about Preacher Clark. Actually, he seemed to be a man who was looking up to his heavenly Father so much that he tripped and fell a few times. But then, didn't Solomon say that a righteous man would "fall seven times"? Maybe that is because righteous men and women are always looking up instead of doing what earthly parents always tell their children: "Watch where you're going!" All things considered, I'd have to say it is probably better to watch where Jesus goes (Heb. 12:2) than to have our minds on where we think we're going.

Pastor John

July 7, 2005

Good morning Pastor John,

I'm sure you've heard by now, but we had a grand and glorious time last night! Brother James has received a full dose of the holy Ghost!!! He played like a little boy, like he has always wanted to do. God has done a wonderful thing right here in our midst and He has allowed us to be a part of it. I am still feasting from the joy in the spirit I felt last night. The hand of the Almighty God has touched our hearts and given us life.

Sister Sheila P.

Hi Sheila:

Gary's song says, "What can I do to repay such love? I wanna give my life back to the king." Sounds as if James is giving his life back to his King, who is the only one who really knows how to live our lives for us! When he lives through us, we are happy. Thanks God for a wonderful, blessed meeting there last night, and another one here among the saints with me.

Pastor John

July 6, 2005

Bro. John:

This TFE (7-02, "If You Knew", see below) reminded me of this scripture that I heard Uncle Joe quote on an old meeting CD. Another reason to "eagerly and diligently search your heart to find if there is anything in it that is not right" - - so that God will continue to hear the voice of our prayers. I could not bare this world without the mercy and love that God has shown and continues to show towards us. We need Him all the time.

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me." Psalms 66:18-20

Sister Sandy

-----------------------------------

Thought for the Evening
7-02
If You Knew

If you knew how much God loves you, you would eagerly and diligently search your heart to find if there is anything in it that is not right because you would know that whatever your might find, He would quickly forgive it and make you clean.

If you knew how much God loves you, you would be stunned to realize how close you are, right now, to the promise or everlasting life. The only people on earth who do not confess and repent of all their sin are those who do not know how very much God loves them.

July 4, 2005

I would just like to say thank you for the article, "A bruised reed He will not break" I really feel the Lord ministering to me, i feel like a bruised reed and i feel totally crushed, and I dont know how i can rise above this deep feeling of loss in my life, but all I know I is am being kept by the power of God, and somehow He will bring me through, thank you for that wonderful word, I have saved it, and I know i am able to read it again and again, so thank you for being there and helping me as I continue in walking this narrow way with Christ from

Victoria UK

Hi:

When Jesus described the gospel that God sent him to preach (Luke 4), the first element of it was "to heal the broken hearted". God cares very much about people's feelings. He starts there, with our feelings, when He begins to re-build a life. Pursue the righteousness of God, and I would expect happiness in your future. This world is not able to hurt us so deeply that Jesus can't make us happy again.

Thank you for your letter, and please feel free to stay in touch.

Your servant

Pastor John

June 16, 2005

Bro. John:

The emails this week have been so good. I've enjoyed the "manna" that my brothers and sisters have shared. As I read Bro. Gary's email, it was so good that I did not even notice that it was from 2004! That is how God is - - it does not matter the time period, the "new wine" just gets better and better the more you drink it!

And that is how it has been for me this week listening to the messages from old meetings. It is true that what we have right now in the truth is better -- only because God in his love has sent the increase of his knowledge to us. I am so thankful for the old saints who cleared the path and kept the weeds from growing up so that when the Lord showed us the way, it was clean and holy for us to follow. I am thankful for every one that overcame and for their testimonies and the way that they lived their lives. It is as I heard your father say in one of his testimonies, "You cannot know something that you don't experience." God took his life and molded him by the experiences he put him through. I am sure that is why he had such compassion for people and their situations in life. I heard him say that but for God, he would have just as easily been where they were.

When I read this from Bro. Gary's email:

"But God CAN be found, and He CAN forgive. He CAN pour out His Spirit again. The truth is a wonderful message of hope for God's children. If we will be humbled, if we see what our condition is now as being from God, He will answer. It makes us love our brothers and sisters scattered everywhere - to try to let them know that Jesus CAN forgive. To get them this message of hope."

I could not help but once again think of the story your father told of Peter. What a message of hope that is there! Jesus promised Peter the keys to the kingdom knowing that Peter would deny him. But Jesus knew that in Peter's heart there was a love that would come forth as the "bold man" and "speak the things of God" when the holy Ghost got in there. As your father said, when Peter went off and got alone with God, God was ready to do the rest. Jesus had already prayed that Peter's faith would not fail. Praise God! How beautiful are these verses from Luke 22, Bro. John, that Jesus spoke to the apostles before he was taken to be crucified:

[29] And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; [30] That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [31] And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: [32] But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

God has been impressing upon me the purpose of this life he has given to us: keeping ourselves filled daily with the good things of God, eating from His Spiritual table all the good things that He puts before us, not for our own satisfaction or blessings alone, but for those hungering and thirsting after righteousness as we once were. Jesus has appointed unto us a kingdom so that we might "strengthen the brethren". And I believe that just as he did for Peter, he has prayed to His Father for each one of us that our faith will not fail us. He loves us that much. His Father appointed unto him a kingdom and unto the apostles a kingdom and unto us a kingdom . . . .

"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."

What a beautiful story of hope he has given to us! There is no other place and no other love like this.

Love,

Sister Sandy

June 16, 2005

Hey Pastor John.

I just wanted to email and comment on the Thought for the Evening for 6-10, "Learning to Hurt", because the Lord has really been showing me some things concerning learning how to hurt, to be humble, meek, and to have a godly spirit. I found a tape dated back in June of 2003 on "Meekness." So I popped it in and listened to it. Everything said was soo good, but one thing that really stood out was when you told about how the lady that had a daughter that was demon possessed came to Jesus to ask for healing for her daughter. Jesus called her a dog and turned from her. Your response on that tape was that that lady could have gotten a bad attitude and snapped back at Jesus, asking things like: "Who do you think you are to deny me?" or "Well that is fine if you don't want to help me." But she didn't. She very meekly asked, "But aren't even the dogs worthy of a crumb?" And it was her meek and lowly attitude that encouraged him to heal that lady's daughter.

Then a few days later, I was reading in the All Things book. Well right at the end there was the last section that is titled GOD IS GOD. Towards the end of that section in the last paragraph you stated this: Believing that God was responsible was not the difficult part. Indeed, that was their only hope. The difficult part was to overcome in a meek and godly spirit the trials which God had determined for them. But this they did. And this, by God's grace, we may do, confident throughout our lives, as the righteous men of faith were confident throughout their lives, that every experience we face is but a necessary part of God's plan for presenting us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy."

That is why we have to go through things in our lives. Even the things that seem so unnecessary at times. So that we can learn to have meek and godly spirits. So that we can be presented faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Everything is necessary to teach us to be humble and meek. Boy, that has really been a big revelation for me!! It has helped me so much. Just learning that little part about life and about how life is suppose to be in God. We are suppose to love each other, and be kind and gentle to each other, even in trying times!! I am so thankful for that lesson. I am ready for my next test in order to put what I have newly learned into action.

Love,

Julie A.

Dear Julie:

It is a pretty good indication that you have really gotten the point, when you say you look forward to your next test. James told us to "count it all joy" when we are tested by God. He knew that those whom God tried were being honored, not condemned. He also understood that the benefits and rewards of being faithful are so great that we should willingly offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices to be used, or be tried if need be, at God's discretion.

May God give us the grace to face the next test with humility and love.

Pastor John

June 16, 2005

Good morning John.

Yesterday I was reading through chapter 26 in Leviticus. It's like the chapters in Deuteronomy, the "If... then..." chapters. I enjoy reading them from time to time very much.

It is very sobering to consider that God loves his people, and loves his covenant with them so much, that we shall always reap what we sow concerning how we live toward it (good or bad). What I noticed in reading through these "ifs" and "thens" this time, was that it went on for an especially LONG time. As I was reading it, I almost winced at the next "if" - knowing that a "then" would follow that would mean much pain and hurt for disobedience - and it kept getting worse and worse.

But this time, the last "if and then" was "especially" special.... and went like this: (starting with the END of the results of disobedience) - "And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye [be] in your enemies' land; [even] then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. And upon them that are left [alive] of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth. And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

NOW THE LAST "IF":

If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And [that] I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes. And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I [am] the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I [am] the LORD. These [are] the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses."

When I finished reading that, I felt the Lord "nudge" me, and say, "Do you really know this about me?" It made your song so much sweeter to me! Do I REALLY know that God could be THIS good, and his forgiveness THIS great? If so, then I have to believe that there is no hole that Jesus cannot bring His children out of if we will turn from iniquity, and confess (and forsake) whatever sin it is that gets us INTO the hole, accepting (and acknowleding) our condition as part of God's chastisement. I know this is nothing new - but it never gets old! It still feels new!

We (all of God's children everywhere today) have been chastised greatly by God - cursed with Christianity and its many divisions. Bound with fear and weakness. "Pining away" among the heathen, with so little of the power of God. But God CAN be found, and He CAN forgive. He CAN pour out His Spirit again. The truth is a wonderful message of hope for God's children. If we will be humbled, if we see what our condition is now as being from God, He will answer. It makes us love our brothers and sisters scattered everywhere - to try to let them know that Jesus CAN forgive. To get them this message of hope.

I was thinking that God has let us have a small "taste" of the many good things that await those who will hear truth (honor his covenant - that is the holy Ghost) and live it. Look at the lists we have made in the past weeks of all the special events we have been a part of just in the last few years! I want to continue to seek God in humility and in prayer, so that the things we HAVE seen, continue to be a testimony to God's children everywhere of what God does for those who will hear Him, and obey Him when he speaks. Everyone who is a part of this work, is such an IMPORTANT part - because what we have happening amongst us is our testimony of the "If...THEN..." of God - and without us all here, we would not have these wonderful things happen. Our memories, our experiences, all point to GOD - and say "look at what Jesus can do!" Look what he HAS done John! What an honor to be a part of it.

Well, I'm sorry to run on so long, but oh, I love these things, and what God has done! And besides it's snowing out, so I have time! :)

Wish you were here.

Gary

June 16, 2005

Pastor John,

Hello! Jesus IS really helping us all the time! This morning my first patient was a lady who often talks about heaven and the Lord, but the feeling I always have is that we wouldn't have any fellowship. Well, she mentioned a few things about heaven today that seemed odd. I didn't want to say anything and I didn't really know what to say. It worked out to where I didn't have to comment a couple of times. Then I started talking to the Lord, making sure that it wasn't me being fearful to say something if He wanted me to. I just needed Him to let me know what to say, if anything. I could feel a test coming. Right at the end of the appointment, Tom and Billy's cd was playing and that song, "When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be....." came on and she said, "I'm looking forward to that, aren't you?" I said, "Yes, I sure hope I make it in." Her whole demeanor, which had been very light, changed instantly, and she almost glared at me. She said, "Believe it! Don't doubt!" It was really scary the way she looked at me. I said, "Well, I know I have to live right everyday in order to make it there, every single day. I hope I make it in." That was it. She didn't comment on that, and there was no more discussion about heaven or God.

Later on today, I was thinking about my testimony about how the Lord didn't let me ever feel saved as a child when I really wanted to be right with Him. I was thankful for that, but I also felt like I needed to be better prepared for situations like today. I could tell my testimony, and I have before, but I was thinking that I really needed to know where those scriptures are in the Bible that point to our salvation as a future event. I can remember how some of them go, and maybe if Paul said them or not, but that's about it. So tonight, after a very long day, I just sat down and opened my Bible. I asked the Lord to help me read something that I needed, and in my heart I was asking Him to help me be better prepared for questions. The one scripture that came to my mind earlier was the one where Paul says that our salvation is nearer than when we believed. Now I could have gotten out my concordance, but I didn't. I just opened my Bible and started reading wherever my eyes fell. It was in Romans, chapter 11, and that was so good that I just kept reading, all the way through to chapter 13, which is exactly where Paul says that! It made tears come to my eyes! We have the best friend in the whole world. We don't even have to try real hard, we just have to want to do right, and he's ready! Isn't that good?

I appreciated that and wanted to share it with you! Good night!

Cris

Dear Sister Cris:

That is so good! Thanks for sharing it with me.

Pastor John

June 16, 2005

Thanks for this TFE John.

Today, men are very sophisticated and are so confident and proud of the fact that they would not build an image or worship a photograph, that this commandment does not even seem relevant - but it is. One of the verses I have always remembered concerning this subject was in Col.3: "....covetousness, which is idolatry".

Men are no different today from what they were back then - idolatry is still here. But in many cases the "tools" have changed. After reading this, I looked up idolatry in the New Testament again. From reading them (verses below) it seems that besides "covetousness", idolatry could also be described "partaking of any ceremony" (1 Cor. 10), or "joining oneself to an unbeliever" (2 Cor. 6). There's probably more, but these were the verses I found on idolatry at first look. Anyway, thanks for prompting me to read these. No idols is still a very relevant commandment.

Gary

Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

1Co 10:13-21 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we [being] many are one bread, [and] one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I [say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

2Co 6:14-17 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you . . ."

June 16, 2005

Amen to this Gary. I learned something the other day (that I already knew.---Ha Ha---- Did you know you can really do that???????) I was watching Caleb play around the pool where we were staying the other day, and I saw him just wanting to get into the water. He danced all around the pool just wanting to step over into it. No fear what so ever. I just looked and said to my self, "fear is learned." He had no concept of what would happen to him if he jumped into that pool of water. I thought about that even after we got back home. Fear is learned!!!!!! Then I was reading in Isaiah the other night and read , learn to do well. Yes, we even have to learn to do well. Some people think just because they receive the holy Ghost that's it, that God does all the work for them. John, that is only the beginning. We have to be taught, we have to learn of God.

If we are led by the holy Ghost, we are really learning GOD!!!! Isn't that wonderful!!!!! I loved what you said the other night about wrestling with "spirits. You are so right John, we ARE the ones holding on to them, not them holding on to us. The holy Ghost wouldn't have it....... It's us....We need to learn that. We already have the power to turn loose, we should have already learned that. I love it!!!! Jump into the water and find out, If you get in over your head, that is part of the lesson. God is there to teach us how to swim, He's there to show us how to turn loose of the spirit we are holding on to!!!!! . No need to be afraid.....Fear of God is a good clean fear. We need to learn that!!!!.Wednesday night was truly wonderful!!!!! Today is even better!!!! Love you all!!! Sis. Lou

June 11, 2005

Hi Pastor John,

In the scriptures the Spirit can also mean the holy Spirit, holy Ghost, the Spirit of God etc. Are the kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of God the same thing. I read probably a dozen scriptures in Matthew where Jesus was teaching referring to the kingdom of Heaven. When I looked up the scriptures in Mark and Luke, Jesus said the same thing and it was called the kingdom of God.

Examples:

Matthew 4:17 Mark 1:15

Matthew 11:11 Luke 7:28

Matthew 13:11 Mark 4:11 Luke 8:10

Matthew 18:3 Mark 10:15 Luke 18:17

Bro. Randell

Hi Randell:

Yes, "the kingdom of heaven", used mainly by Matthew, is identical to "the kingdom of God" found in the other gospels. Good to see that you are researching these things. Keep it up.

Pastor John

June 11, 2005

Pastor John,

Thank you so much for those pictures! They are a true reminder of wise and foolish. I pray that each one of God's children put the pictures where we will always be able to see them. May God never let us stay on the fence, for there is danger of falling off to the worldly side and never being able to climb back over.

On Saturday night, the Spirit said, "Stay close to Me, and do not fall behind, for there are many changes coming." It felt so good, and there was no fear in those words, just comfort! The feelings were excitement, like knowing we are going to get wonderful gifts. Staying full of God's Spirit every day is so peaceful and joyous, talking to our Father and waiting for His words is the best time of my life. Loving people and listening to them, helping if it's needed and in God's will. His way is the only way to peace, and to stay on the road with God and stay full of His Spirit is our hope!

Thank you, Pastor John for being full of His Holy Spirit and loving it! Thank God for you and all of God's people. What a blessing each one of you are to me. We are so blessed! PRAISE GOD FOREVER!!!

love sister wanda

PS For me to be able to say I am a sister in the family of God is so precious to me. I can't thank GOD enough!

Dear Sister Wanda,

I am thankful to have you as a sister in Christ, and I hope Jesus lets us both live a long time so that we can enjoy his blessing together!

Pastor John

June 11, 2005

Dear John,

I was reading the first few chapters in Deuteronomy this morning. Moses was addressing the Israelites about how the LORD had brought them up out of Egypt and given them a "promised land." But in their hearts, they turned it down and consequently suffered for it for forty years. And how many of them were left in the picture in the end? They had it all, if only they would have kept His statutes and His commandments. And listened to his voice.

I wonder how much more blessed I would have been had I clung to his commandments over the years. Clung to them like a sailor clinging to a capsized boat in a raging storm. My, my, how merciful our Lord. As I continued to read, the Spirit began to say to me as the LORD was saying through Moses; "I brought you out of the bondages of this world. I unlocked the prison doors of Christianity so that you may journey forward out of that institution of lies and corruption. Journey on to the land of the Truth that you may have salvation in the end. Keep my commandments so that someday thou shalt not linger on Pisgah looking westward, eastward, southward or northward. But thou will journey on across Jordan and enjoy the fruits of Eternity with Me."

That's where I want to be, John. I want to stay in that picture. God have mercy on us all.

Bro. Jim K

June 9, 2005

Hi Bro. John:

In a sermon, your father pointed out that Jesus gave Peter the key of authority (keys to the kingdom) before Peter denied him. When Peter denied him, your father said, he looked up and saw Jesus and realized that what Jesus had told him he would do he had indeed done. Then he went off and got alone with God and repented. After that, Peter went back to the same ones before whom he had denied Christ and testified of Jesus and told them to repent.

One of the things that I got out of this story is that Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom knowing that he would deny him three times. As your father told it, he gave Peter the key of authority before he denied him. Why would Jesus do that if he had not seen something in Peter that even Peter did not know was there? Jesus saw something in Peter's heart - - boldness in Christ. It reminded me of what you said in an email earlier this week: "I hardly know a person in Christ that I have not seen something about that I didn't like, but my excitement about seeing Jesus mold us into a perfectly joined body has always made it possible for me not to hang on to the fault but to look with great anticipation for the fellowship."

Jesus did not get hung up on Peter's fault. He knew that Peter would deny him, but he was looking for that next thing in Peter's heart to be brought forth - - "that bold man", as your father said. He knew that "bold man" was in Peter. He wanted Peter to know that. He knew that even though Peter would deny him, that Peter really loved Jesus. But because of a man-fearing spirit, Peter fell - - and then Jesus lifted him up again! Praise God! Jesus knew what was in Peter's heart.

God can put us in situations where we have to get alone with him and cry out. And what he is after is the next thing in our hearts that he knows is there. He wants us to know that it is there. Getting alone with God and asking Him is the only way to find out what it is. Attaining to the next thing, the next place that God wants to take us so that HE can possess us and HE can take charge, as your father said, so the "bold man" can speak the things of God. Jesus must have been looking "with great anticipation for the fellowship" that he knew was in Peter. Peter just had to find that out.

Bro. John, it really feels good to know that there are things in our heart that Jesus wants us to discover. He looks beyond our faults and blesses us so that we can attain to the good things, the bold things of Christ, that he has put there. Praise God! What a Saviour we have. What a good, loving, and merciful God.

It is all so good. I am really enjoying what Jesus is putting before me to learn.

Sister Sandy :)

June 8, 2005

Hey John,

Amen to Chris's email. Why not? Why not be bolder in the Spirit? If you love the Truth, why not shout it out. There are rewards not only in Eternity, but while we are here on earth for living for Jesus and expressing the Truth to people.

The Lord is allowing me to become bolder in the Spirit and is giving me more opportunities to do so. He's teaching me to be gentle about my "delivery", however, because I am realizing more and more how fragile people are.

It's the freedom that I love. This freedom the Spirit has given us is so precious. If the situation is right, surrender to the Spirit and just let it flow. There is no other feeling in this universe that compares with it, and there shouldn't be. This is the glory of God. And we have it. PRAISE GOD!!!! Thank him every chance you get for having it. And thank him aloud so other people will hear you. It's your beacon. Leave it on 24/7.

Our testimonies are more valuable than we know. I used to feel restricted by time in the office to tell people what Christ has done for me. But anymore, it doesn't make any difference. You don't have to burden people down, just shed a little light. Bring them up out of the darkness. We would be surprised what we are doing for people. If we really love the Truth and I mean REALLY love it, the Spirit will help you gain boldness. And it gets easier. Practice makes perfect.

Thanks again, Chris

Bro Jim K

Amen, Brother Jim.

May God help us all to be bold enough not to be nervous or fearful but to be patient and listen to "the still, small voice" of Jesus when we are in the presence of other people. It's the only way to be a light to them.

jdc

June 8, 2005

Dear Pastor John,

What a wonderful time Heidi and I had with you-all [while we were there]! Today, I am overflowing with feelings of thankfulness that we have been able to find each other. I thank God that we can enjoy the fellowship that Jesus has made possible by sending us the precious Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts through His Baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I thank God for the day that He blessed me with His Baptism.

I will be 50 years old this month. Some people have sent me "birthday wishes", but I like to think of the almost 30 years now that I have been able to be with Jesus. He is so precious to me. Some of us can remember our birthdays in the Spirit, but there are many that cannot. I am one of those. That is what Christianity does. It tells us that having the Holy Ghost is just a gift. But now I know that it is the New Birth experience that we need to get out of the grave and I am rejoicing! Looking back, I am thankful that Jesus rescued me. He has set me free from the snare of Satan, Christianity, the great whore of Babylon. I want to celebrate that!

Your words keep echoing in my mind, Pastor John, that you impressed on us in the Revelation Bible study: "you want to be there!" We want to be with Jesus in the end. We want to be on His side, in His army. But that starts now, not later. We don't want to wait. We want to receive with joy the New Birth message and walk after the Spirit in this life. We want to put on "robes of righteousness" so that we are ready. We need a wedding garment! And it is all about now. Now is the day of salvation. To believe the gospel! Later is too late and I fear for those who are unable. Only God is allowing us an entry and an opportunity. I am so thankful.

It is so good to see the ones who have believed and run with all their might towards that hope of salvation. They are truly "raining" on us all. I want to be full of rain! Looking back, Jesus has done some wonderful things for me. He took a lot of fear away, and helped me love myself. I sure hope that others will get the benefit. The week we visited with you all, I felt that there is no time to waste. We are too rich for that. When the reality sinks home that we are born to testify of the good things of the Kingdom of God, it is the green light to speak up. Now when given the opportunity, I can't help but tell what Jesus has done. I'm looking for an "opening" most all the time! Jesus is saying: "why not!" This is life with a purpose. It is what I have always wanted. It was waiting for me!

Hope you had a great trip, Pastor John. We were thinking of you and all our Family in Australia and California. I know there are many more too, and God willing we will meet with them too! Thank you Jesus.

Brother Adam

Thanks, Brother Adam. We all enjoyed your visit, and I am looking forward to you and Heidi coming again, and staying a long, long time!

Pastor John

June 8, 2005

Pastor John:

Here is a wonderful excerpt from Preacher Clark's message - 1970

"They said Jesus didn't teach like the Pharisees. When they preached or when they taught they always referred to some great ruler or some leader or some college professor - - they had them in those days. Paul attended one of them. Stephen attended the same institute Paul did - - Gamaliel's Institute - - that's the reason it hurt Paul so bad when Stephen was stoned to death. That's why he wouldn't take part in it. He was one of the students there - - he knew him. We read in Josephus' writing that when Stephen got into this way it liked to have killed Paul. The history is in there where he met him one day and got after him and Stephen tied him up just like this - - he never heard a man who knew so many scriptures. Paul said, 'Surely you didn't get all this information up at Gamaliel's Institute.' Stephen said, 'No sir' and he said where he got them. And Paul said he had to look back off and leave him. Paul said he had never been handled so. He said when he went over to have Stephen stoned to death, Paul said this later on, 'I couldn't afford to throw a stone at a man that I couldn't stand up and do battle with after he got into that.' And here's something else it says in that same article we were reading there and that was written with Josephus at the time that these scriptures were written. He said Paul said when he stood there and saw the first rock hit Stephen it was into the face and soon he said so many were hitting and he saw the blood and he said when he looked up, he heard Stephen say, "Lay not this sin to their charge." When he said that, Paul said "My Lord". Then he looked around and he said that those people throwing, he had never seen such a ugly, motley crowd in his life, even the Pharisees he had respected. From that minute on, Paul would get alone and seek God and ask God. He said on the way to Damascus he was still praying. Paul said he could not let another one of his classmates re-live such a mess as that if it's not you, but Lord if it is y