July 18, 2008

The following is a recent Creation Moment that Rebekah and Damien read and commented on. I thought their comments were worth passing along.

Pastor John

Is the Bible in Error on Pi?

1 Kings 7:23

Then he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other; it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

Everyone knows that when you divide the circumference of a circle by its diameter, you get three and one-seventh, the value of Pi. Even the ancients knew about Pi. But 1 Kings 7:23, tells us that the bronze Sea which Hiram made for King Solomon was thirty cubits in circumference and ten cubits in diameter. Those measurements only give a value of three, not Pi. Is this a mistake in the Bible?

For years Bible critics have pointed to 1 Kings 7:23 as an error or they use it to claim that the ancient Israelites were too ignorant to know about Pi. This was answered in the second century A.D. but critics still bring it up today. The solution to the problem is that the circumference of the vessel is measured from the inside walls of the vessel, while the diameter is measured from the outside walls. The wall thickness of the vessel makes up the missing "one-seventh." When confronted with this explanation, even many modern critics find it reasonable.

Damien's response to the Creation Moment:

Mmmm, this comes up from time to time. A silly argument against the bible really.

Assuming the sea was circular, the suggestion in the article yields a wall thickness of 0.225 cubits which was probably about 4 inches, which might seem a little thick but it is not unreasonable and agrees with the "hand breadth" of v26. To cast such a large metallic object and cool it without cracking is far from a trivial task. I suspect people who could carry out that task were perfectly capable of running a string around it and measuring its size. They would have had to prepare the mold (in clayey ground probably) for the sea beforehand as well which would require measurement. The pillars Jachin and Boaz were also extraordinary objects to produce - at any time in human history. At least 27 feet high and over 2 feet in diameter! No wonder they were named.

As for me, I've always tended to think it was an approximation. Is the Hebrew so precise in the words used for "brim" and "round about"? But thinking about what I wrote above I think I'll go with the bible as it is written.

"And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass."

Damien

Rebekah's response:

This one was interesting. However, when I noticed that they purposely left out the actual measurement of the thickness of the sea, I became very suspicious, so I looked it up. If I read right, it said that the thickness was a "handbreadth", which according to the internet is the breadth across the palm (or 2.5 - 4 inches). So, the difference between the inside diameter and the outside diameter should be 2.5 - 4 inches. Here is the math I did -- it's easy to follow:

Let d1 = diameter of the inside of vessel and d2 = diameter of the outside of vessel.

Let C = circumference of the inside of vessel.

So, according to CM theory, C = 30 cu. and d2 = 10 cu.

We know that C = pi*d1.

So, d1 = C/pi = 30/pi = 9.549 cu.

Now, let T = thickness of vessel.

So, T = d2 - d1 = 10 - 9.549 = .451 cu.

Converting to inches, we have that t =.451 cu. = (.451)*(18) inches = 8.113 inches, approximately.

That would have to be a pretty thick hand! I would much rather just say that I don't know why the Bible says what it does rather than try to make something work that doesn't just so I can say it is right.... unless I am missing something here, mathematically. After all, it is late at night. But, I did feel like they were fudging/hiding something when they left out the thickness in their explanation.

P.S. On an unrelated note, it is irritating that they call pi 3 1/7! Pi is an irrational number and therefore cannot be represented as a fraction. That's like calling you a woman or something. But hopefully, pi is not so irrational as to become upset with Creation Moments for making this grave mistake. :P

Ha!

Homework for everyone is to work out why Rebekah calculated twice the thickness I did - and who is right!

The use of three and one seventh is a little rough but I found out when I was teaching Physics that none of the boys had ever seen or heard of 22/7 being used as a (very useful) approximation for pi. In my days (before calculators) pi was commonly approximated as 22/7 for computational purposes. The writer of the article may be betraying their generation. Please forgive us old folk!

Damien

aha! yes damien is right... d2 - d1 is 2T. good job. it being damien, i assumed he was right, so then i just looked for my error. :P but i still say it would have been more respectful for them to have called 22/7 an approximation.

bekah

July 18, 2008

Hey,

I would like to add to all the wonderful thoughts from the NT class. The Saturday night class in KY added to my thinking about John the baptizer and his whole work.

The message I got from the fundamentals 3 & 4 lesson was that "the purpose of John the baptizer was to introduce Christ." The next thought was...John did not come to introduce baptism; he came to introduce Christ.

I saw how much clearer it is now to explain water baptism. To baptize was not the purpose of John the baptizer. Baptism was just a tool God used to introduce His Son to Israel. That was so good to me! John the Baptizer did not come to introduce baptism. 8-)

I feel like this NT study is really opening my eyes to a lot of things. I feel very thankful for that.

thanks for everything!

Amy

Hi Amy,

John the baptizer didn't come to introduce baptism any more than the Son of God came to heal the sick. Both of them came to do God's will. So, the whole issue is not what were they doing but, what was God doing? If we can get to the bottom of that, we will understand the mystery of the gospel of Christ.

Thanks for that thought, that John did not come to introduce baptism to Israel. I think that is one of the best insights anyone of us has had yet concerning John the baptizer. To think like that helps us get through the fog and get to the point.

jdc

July 18, 2008

Just so you won't forget to include in your new book the wonderful point you made the other night when we were talking about the mystery of Christ -- that point being that leaving the Son of God out of being with the Father in the beginning would lift Satan above the Son of God (not your words exactly, but to that effect). That thought was SO good to my soul. Even when our hearts do not quite understand all that God is putting before us, you can feel it stirring down deep that God has more!

I am looking forward to our next NT class!

Sandy :)

John the baptizer said that Jesus was greater than he because "he was before I was". If Satan was in heaven with God before God had a Son, as some teach, then who is greater, the Son or Satan?

jdc

I agree with Sandy - that was fabulous.

I was also thrilled at what you said in Louisville, and have been living on it this week it was so good. Something like: " Jesus did not come to heal the sick. Jesus did not come to raise the dead. He did not come to die on a cross, and he did not come to raise from the dead. He came TO DO THE WILL OF GOD, and it just happened that those things were part of doing the will of His Father."

Heb 10:7 "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me), to do thy will, O God."

We can DO that. We can DO the will of God. Each one of us.

That was great.

Gary

July 18, 2008

Hey,

I woke up this morning, after reading your NT class notes, and the first thing out of my mouth was....God revealed it to us (the mystery of the gospel). How important is that!! What does that say about how He feels about us? And, what does that say about how he feels about His Son?

I am still feasting on this. This is very good.

Before I went to bed last night, I looked up scriptures on hidden. I found this from 1Corinthians 2:7:

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory"

Amy

It is precious, Amy. May God help us to prove our love for the light of Jesus. (Isn't it great to know that name!!)

jdc

Hey!

Wow, this is good stuff from Amy!

You once told Bob something like that you knew evolution was wrong because it left out the love of God. The idea that Jesus was just a thought in God's mind leaves out God's love for us. It diminishes what God did for us in Christ. John 3:16-17 describes the manner in which God loved us. He gave His Son and sent Him into this world. How can you give and send a thought? What value would be in that? The Father loved the Son and if the Son delighted to be in the presence of God did not God feel at least as happy as well? God gave up having His Son delighting in His presence. He loved His Son and He really did GIVE something of great value to Him, to us!

This doctrine of there being no Son of God before Jesus' birth is being revealed to us as having no love of God in it. "Jesus only" might have been a better place for them to stay rather than this new error. For all its emphasis on the "most high God" it finds itself redefining the greatness of, and the love in, what God did for sinful man. It takes away from both the Father and the Son. It is a doctrine that will be loved by harsh, cold spirits which is just what I began to feel from Brother Joel.

Damien

John

For men to say they worship "God" offends nobody. Few say that they do not. "God" is an offense-less name for the most part.... by Himself. For men to say they love "God" offends virtually nobody, because who shouldn't? To say that God was there in the beginning offends nobody; most know that something created all that is.

But ...for men to worship the Son (Jesus is his name) as they worship the Father - many will despise you for that. For men to love the Son as they love the Father in truth (which can only be done by those who have received Spirit baptism), endurance will be needed to face the opposition to that truth (that the true love of God has some evidence). But I have noticed in recent times, that to say that the Son was CREATED by the Father - whoowie boy - that brings wrath!

And to go the next step now - to say that the Son was with the Father in creation, not as a "part" of God, or AS God himself, but as a beloved Son, created by and separate from His Father. Well - I can't see most of God's people embracing that.

God sure has us out there!!

Gary

I think you could safely say we have gone overboard . . . but then, if Peter had not gone overboard, he would never have walked on the water with Jesus!

jdc

July 18, 2008

Dear Pastor Clark,

I was surfing the internet for info related to a study I am doing at my church on prophecy. Your article on King Neb and explanation for the statue's continuity from Roman Empire through present day to the Second Coming was outstanding and what I have always taught, just not as concise as you have put it.

I want to share your article with others but I always like to have a background on the person who authored the idea, not just say I found it on the Internet. Can your provide a link that provides some background?

Sincerely,

JW

White Pine, TN

Dear JW:

This is Pastor John Clark, Sr. I wrote the article you mentioned about Nebuchadnezzar's image.

I am pastor of a home fellowship south of Burlington, NC. I have a M. Div. degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary ('77), and have been a pastor in a home setting since 1976.

In 1993, I rejected the entire religious system of Christianity as unworthy of the Lord Jesus, and I am striving, along with others, to learn to serve our Lord Jesus in spirit and in truth, as the Father desires (Jn. 4:22-24). My testimony concerning this can be read at www.isaiah58.com/testimonies/john.htm

My personal web site is www.pastorjohnshouse.com

Some of my books can be found at www.goingtojesus.com and at www.isaiah58.com

Please keep in touch with any comments, questions, or criticism you may feel led to express. The thoughts of people like you who love the Lord are extremely important to me, and to all of us here. I always pass them on to others here, and we prayerfully consider them.

Thank you for contacting me.

your (non-Christian) servant in Christ Jesus the Lord,

jdc

July 18, 2008

Hi John,

I want to thank you for coming to Louisville and teaching us the NT this past weekend. I really enjoyed hearing about the mystery of God’s son and how that the OT people of God did not even know that God had a son. It was hidden from them by God! The more I learn about this great work and life that God has let me in on, the more honored and humble I feel. I owe him everything! It is just by his mercy that any of us are here at this time in his creation.

Sometimes when I think of some of the silly things I have done and let rob me of the joy that he has put in my heart, I feel so ashamed and unworthy to even raise my head up toward him. He has been so patient with me. And after all the things we have been through, and he has brought us past, I don’t ever want to miss him again. He is worthy of every bit of praise I can give him.

After seeing some of the things we saw this past weekend, I pray that I never ever hurt another person on this planet in my lifetime. I hate what having a wrong spirit can do to people you love and care for. All it wants is to kill and to destroy you and the ones you love. An evil spirit is a thief and a robber, and I hate it more every day. I want that “heart of gold” that brother Darren sings about in his new song, and I know how to get it -- by seeking God and keeping him first, while it is available. The time is now while the door is open.

Thanks

Bro. Stuart

July 10, 2008

Hi John,

Thanks for sending the e-mail to me [this morning] that you sent. I have been thinking about it all day. I have been checking all my relationships with my wife, my children, my pastor, my friends and family, and the body of Christ, searching to find out if I am missing something and praying that God will show me if I am. I want to treat everyone in my life the way he wants me to, not just the way I think it should be. I need him to help me -- and He has! And I have faith that He will continue to do the same.

John, this is good! Thank you.

This means a lot. It is not a light thing.

Thanks

Stuart

Dear Brother Stuart:

Having and cherishing right relationships is what Jesus came to make us able to do. The love of God leads the way. I am glad God has given us -- you and me -- that blessing! It makes us rich.

jdc

July 7, 2008

John,

I wanted to tell you how I got blessed, where it lead me and how I will use it to glorify God.

I had not looked at [the GoingtoJesus.com] website in a while and WHOA!!!....what a change! Damien has worked wonders and put everything in a simple format that anyone can follow.

So this led me to think, hum, could there be something in here that I could pull out for my mom?? Almost weekly (it seems), we have the conversation about the upper room when Jesus said "do this for the remembrance of me"....drinking the wine and eating the bread or wafer and she JUST CAN'T GET PAST THE FACT THAT I KEEP TELLING HER THIS IS A CEREMONY OF THE PAST AND SHE DOESN'T NEED IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!! Well she's a Lutheran and was raised that way and those Lutherans cling to this (along with the Trinity) as though their lives depend on it!!

Anyway, I started browsing through all the goodies on the site and then I got down to the gospel tracts. My cursor went right down to the Baptism tract. I know good and well I've read this tract before, but I've never given it to her (I don't think). Something said READ, READ...and I did, and tears came in my eyes the more I read. John, I don't know if it was the teachings Saturday night and Sunday morning or what, but inside me I kept feeling THIS IS IT, THIS IS IT!!! It is so plain an elementary student can digest it. We all know those old dead ceremonies were for the Jews, not us lowly dog Gentiles that Paul preached to!! I've told her for years now that Jesus' death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice that paved the way for our salvation but I had left out the part about the Jews and the Gentiles, AND this weekend it has all been reinforced with WHO John the Baptist and Jesus came to minister to.

Although this tract has been out there for a while, it has never been clearer to me that this is all she needs. I feel I understand how to use it now. Thank you John. I have renewed hope now that I can make an inroad with my mom!! Even if I can't, it has still blessed me and I thank God for you and everyone who meets in your home!!

Love,

Brother David

Hi David:

What a wonderful email. I am glad that you see how simple the truth is. God is so great that he can be simple! Oh, how I wish your mother could see what you have seen. She would love it if she could, and I hope the tract helps.

When Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of me", he meant for his disciples to do what HE was doing, which was acting as a servant to them, passing out bread and wine. He did not mean for them to do what THEY were doing, which was eating and drinking. Jesus was the example, not his followers. On the GoingtoJesus site, you can read more on this at http://www.goingtojesus.com/site/php/books.php?tname=light:18:25

Pastor John

July 5, 2008

Hey Daddy,

I have been waking up coughing a lot lately but yesterday morning I woke up singing! I woke right up at 4:30 in the morning singing a song and my heart was filled with the joy of it. These are the words to it:

I'm so glad that He satisfies me,
I'm so glad that He satisfies me,
When the world gets me down,
Tries to make me frown,
Then I'm so glad that He satisfies me.

I'm so glad that He satisfies me,
I'm so glad that He satisfies me,
When they hand me toy,
And try to take my joy,
Then I'm so glad that He satisfies me.

I'm so glad that He satisfies me,
I'm so glad that He satisfies me,
. . .. keep
........deep
Cause I'm so glad that He satisfies me.

I am so glad that when Jesus comes to me, I am satisfied. Or when I hear His voice, the anointing, then I am satisfied. I am unsatisfied until that point and I am so glad! That was the feeling of the song...it was kind of a happy, snappy one. =) I love that quote from Sister Willie, "I'm sitting in the middle of satisfaction!"

te.

That is great. If you ever remember the tune, get it ready for the next prayer meeting!

Daddy

July 1, 2008

Hi John,

I want to tell what I have learned over the past year about trying to help people. I have watched you work with different situations over and over again, and what really sticks out to me is how you did not get in any hurry to give any advice or instruction to any one until it is time. I have heard you talk about it, and discuses it with different ones in the body, but you did not move until God was moving for them.

And that is the point. If god does not show up, there is nothing we can do but make things worse. If he does not give us something to say, all we do is get in the way.

I have also noticed that when God did move, all the instruction that was given was to save their souls and all of us around them. Also, it took some time to see if they were going to take the instructions and take it to God and get forgiveness from him. If God does not give forgiveness, there is none and we have to act accordingly, no matter what it looks like.

John, it has encouraged me to be ready to do my part when it comes. That is how we really love our brothers as ourselves: by being willing to speak when it is time and not to speak until then. I want to be more in touch with that than I ever have before. That is being a real help.

bro Stuart

July 1, 2008

Pastor John,

God has given new life, a new past and more blessings than can be numbered in the holy ghost: a Father, a Savior Jesus, a Pastor and a mother, the body of Christ. There is nothing God has left out.

[A few days ago] I woke up grateful for a new day from Jesus. I went to work and my boss was talking about how much her shoulder hurt. She was having a hard time lifting boxes. I have tried at times to help her but she would tell me she could do it. So, I ask Jesus if I could help her and the answer was yes.

All day was so good because she did not refuse me for the first time! She said" thank you for your help." I said "I have been thanking Jesus that I got to help." She said I knew you thanked him!

Then she mentioned that she should have called her specialist weeks ago for her shoulder because it takes at least two months to get an appointment. As soon as she said that, the holy ghost said, "Tell her to call now." I did not even hesitate. I said, "You should call now."

She said she would call later because she will have two months to wait anyway. I said, "No, the holy ghost said you should call now."

I turned around and started working and she went to her desk. A little later, I heard her walking up behind me, and when i turned around, she hugged me and she was smiling so big! She said, "I got an appointment tomorrow at 2:00!" All I could do is thank Jesus and God, and I told her, "Jesus did it!! She said, "I know, but someone had to hear Him and tell me!" WOW! God showed her He is real!!

And He showed me great mercy, and I am so thankful for His love and this life.

I heard this word [from the Spirit]: "conduit". I looked in the dictionary. It was a pipe for a water way. My answer is, "Yes Jesus, I can do it!! And I can tell on you and my Father in the holy ghost! This is living!

I am in love with Jesus and the holy ghost! And God and His people! He is still working on me, and for that I am so grateful.

Pastor John, your words are from God, and I am grateful for every word. God's government and standard is love. I want what is best for God's people.

love,

sister wanda

July 1, 2008

Pastor John

I just want to say how thankful I am for the SONGS OF REST. I am sitting here just enjoying the songs while I work. We are so blessed!

Sis Doris White

Amen. I am glad you are taking advantage of www.songsofrest.com web site. God has given us so much good music to listen to, all day long! Praise ye the Lord.

jdc

June 30, 2008

John:

After we arrived back in Lexington late sunday afternoon, I tried to take a nap. But all I could see in my mind was the meeting we just had. Each face that came to me, I would speak in tongues. It was so good. God has brothers and sisters from everywhere!!!!!!! To see a new sister (Joyce) amd see how happy her husband was for her to get the holy Ghost, to that sweet child lying on the floor speaking in tongues (she was maybe 8 or 9 years old), and the beautiful song sung by our sister. I just had so many images floating through my mind. And when Cris and Haskell came through the door with their sweet babies, all I could do was cry. I was so glad to see them. :) And also happy to see Haskell's mom and dad.

The meeting was wonderful Saturday night and it just continued into Sunday. Thank you John for keeping a high standard for us.

We are very thankful for you and Barbara.

Love,

Diane

Praise God, Diane!

There were too many holy and happy scenes for any one of us to take them all in. So, I am glad you shared with us some of the ones you saw. Weren't those scenes wonderful! Jesus is true and faithful, better than we can even think! Barbara said last night that after such meetings, she loves hearing what different people saw. I do, too.

There was a lot going on in the Spirit yesterday! I just hope that the people who received blessings from the Lord will hold on those blessings, and treasure them in their hearts. I have seen many be blessed, but then forgot what God had done.

Deut. 4:9

James 1:22-24

We are very thankful for you and Jim!

Pastor John

June 29, 2008

Pastor John:

I heard a Xn talk show host on the radio today. He has a courteous , articulate manner with callers. I gave him a chance. I listened. I "crossed my fingers," hoping he would speak some truth to a caller. He was counselling her on how to "accept" Jesus as her Lord and Savior, and become a candidate for heaven. The usual pathetic, Xn superstition.

After many good things he had previously told her about the truth of the Bible, and the claims of Christ, he finally gave her that magic formula, and my heart just sank, not because the caller believed him, but because the caller wasn't buying into it, and he lost her respect because she could see through the silliness of the superstition. Because of his lie, unbeknownst to him, he has brought reproach on Jesus, and probably turned a soul away from the possibility of learning the real truth. She was skeptical, and he made it worse! The truth would have been so much simpler, and it would have tasted so much sweeter to her, but then, they just don't know about the holy ghost and repentence and obedience. They only see it in terms of "grace" and little magical prayer rituals, and cute, convenient phrases. They have no knowledge of the gospel----the REAL gospel that saves!!!

Anyway, I really felt awful for him; he botched an opportunity so badly with his false doctrine, so I wrote him an e-mail (because I couldn't call in at the end of the show).

It was one of best letters I've ever written. I have been writing for two hours. I was going to let you review it. It was full of straight talk, which I knew he would probably reject or debate, but I HAD to tell him about the new birth!!! . . . And why Xty was not telling the truth. . . . And why he was unwittingly blocking the door to the kingdom for those who were truly seeking the truth.

I pressed a wrong key somehow and deleted my letter accidentally. Have you ever done that? Irretrievable. Phhhutt! Gone.

I am so sad. I suppose God made me an inept typist so that He could edit or delete my work if it wasn't His will to send it.

Oh well. Praise God! He's right!

Now,.. .To sleep...perchance , to dream. . . .

I guess there's a lesson in this.

But it really disappoints me.

I tried to share the truth with a man who needs it.

Maybe God has already determined that he isn't meant to hear it.

Brad

Hi Brad.

Be encouraged. You had a good thing in your heart, but God decided not to allow you to do it. King David did that, you know. He had it in his heart to build a temple for God, but God refused to allow him to build it. And God even told David that it was a good thing he had in his heart, but David was not the man that God wanted to do that work. As a consolation prize, of sorts, God allowed David to store up materials for the construction, and David did that with all his heart. Well, Brad, it may not be our lot to get this message out. Only God knows about that. But I know that we at least are storing riches up for the body of Christ that will help build up the body of Christ! Thank God for that part, even if it is the only part he ever allows us to have. It is wonderful, just that!

Pastor John

June 10, 2008

Pastor John

It is reassuring to know that Jesus' 70 disciples (the clergy???) might have had nice stone seats at their church. Oh, and the circular area - an apse they muse. Well may be they used a circle just as we have in our gatherings. Surely any reasonable person would want to get up off a stone seat!

Damien

Hi Damien:

"Jesus and Mary passed through this area"?!! Going where, I wonder? Just when I think I have heard it all . . . .

The "world's first church" will never be discovered because a church is a religious building of any sort, whether worship of Zeus or worship of ALLAH. a Jewish Temple is a church; a Buddhist temple is a church; a converted gas station is a church if it is used for religious services; most of the bottom half of my house is a church because we use it to gather and bless the Lord and one another.

The world's first church? I doubt it.

jdc

World's first church unearthed

From correspondents in Amman

June 10, 2008 11:16pm

Article from: Agence France-Presse

ARCHAELOGISTS in Jordan have unearthed what they claim is the world's first church, dating back almost 2000 years, according to a report in The Jordan Times. "We have uncovered what we believe to be the first church in the world, dating from 33 AD to 70 AD," said the head of Jordan's Rihab Centre for Archaeological Studies, Abdul Qader al-Husan.

He said it was uncovered under Saint Georgeous Church, which itself dates back to 230 AD, in Rihab in northern Jordan, near the Syrian border. "We have evidence to believe this church sheltered the early Christians - the 70 disciples of Jesus Christ," Mr Husan said. These Christians, who are described in a mosaic as "the 70 beloved by God and Divine", are said to have fled persecution in Jerusalem and founded churches in northern Jordan.

Mr Husan cited historical sources which suggest they both lived and practised religious rituals in the underground church and only left it after Christianity was embraced by Roman rulers. The bishop deputy of the Greek Orthodox archdiocese, Archimandrite Nektarious, described the discovery as an "important milestone for Christians all around the world".

Researchers recovered pottery dating back to between the 3rd and 7th centuries, which they say suggests these first Christians and their followers lived in the area until late Roman rule. Inside the cave there are several stone seats, which are believed to have been for the clergy, and a circular shaped area, thought to be the apse. There is also a deep tunnel, which is believed to have led to a water source.

Rihab is home to a total of 30 churches and Jesus and the Virgin Mary are believed to have passed through the area, Mr Husan said.

June 02, 2008

Dear bro. John,

I was very excited today as we discussed some things at the bible study. We were talking about the laws in Leviticus being exclusively for the Jews, because the Gentiles did not have the opportunity to be under the law and love of God. And that IT was that "schoolmaster" to bring them to the knowledge of Christ, so that when the law of God was written on their hearts by the baptism of the holy Ghost, they would recognize it! They knew God on the outside before He came to abide on the inside.

The Gentiles were never liberated from the law of Moses; they by-passed that and were made altogether perfect by the redeeming Spirit of Christ. All that those who were full of the holy Ghost rejoiced at was the love and mercy from God. It was the will of God, so the righteous said AMEN!!

But there was another spirit amongst the people of God, the Jews, a spirit that did not come from God. A spirit that was left out by God's new mercy upon men. The Jews who were living under that spirit were appalled at the idea of the Gentiles being grafted in. If the Gentiles had a part, then they (the Jews) thought they weren't 'special' anymore. And then to top it off, here was Paul saying that not only were the Gentiles in, but they did not need the very thing that made God's people special -- God's Law!

That was not an issue for those who only wanted the will of God, but that spirit that had learned to live amongst God's people who were lifted up by the exclusiveness of the Law. The spirit that had no love for the 'weightier matters' that God was most concerned with, hated what God had done for the Gentiles. That ungodly spirit had no place to work in God's new plan, however. People were now right with God, any people, by simply going to Jesus, and not by following those who were the chiefs under God's Law.

But my thoughts were this: that same spirit is now the spirit of the Christian Church. They are trying to control that which is free to all men, for their own glory. That spirit, that "me too" spirit that said 2000 years ago "Okay, the Gentiles can have the holy Ghost, but just tell them to submit to our law also and we will be okay with it." That spirit had already corrupted God's elders in that which was holy, and the moment God moved out of the law (like you said, Satan works in God's trash can) as soon as God threw it away, Satan completely moved in, troubling and confusing God's people.

The spirit today that rules the Christian church is saying "You can have the holy Ghost, but submit to me while you have it." The Spirit of God is saying "come out of her my people" and "Be right with me ANYWHERE YOU ARE."

That same spirit of old, is left out again by the commandment of God. So as Tom said this morning "it is willing to compromise." As the Church of God Overseer pleaded with your father many years ago now, "Don't leave the church, brother Clark!" The church IS left out, and the spirit of the church hates it. It can't stop God from doing His work, so it will offer a deal, a "me too" deal.

Brother John, we are smack dab in the middle of God getting His people out from under the influence of that old, unclean spirit. He is calling them right now, and some people are hearing. Sorry to go on and on but, WOW!!!!!

Jerry

May 31, 2008

Bro. John:

What a wonderful trip I had home from Henderson yesterday! I had been down to visit Sister Lou, and what normally would have been a little over an hour trip back home to Burlington turned into 4 hours! There had been an accident on I-85 and traffic was being detoured at East Club Blvd in Durham. I don't much care for traffic diversions (particularly if they take me into foreign territory!) and it had been stop, and roll a few inches, for miles from Henderson until the exit ramp. But then, when we got off at the exit, there was another very long stop and roll because construction was being done on the exit road and all the traffic was being merged again into one lane! While I was sitting on I-85 in miles upon miles of traffic in the hot weather, I noticed some people had obviously lost patience and were going by in the grass on my left, and some getting out of line on the right trying to pass traffic there. But there was no where to go but to the exit ramp ahead (whenever we got to it!) As I sat there, I was actually wondering to myself how long we were going to be in this traffic jam before I could get home. As I watched impatient people trying to get out of the line of traffic, and then after exiting onto a road that was another stop and roll because of construction, I thought, "Who in the world takes you off one road that is blocked and then puts you on another that is just as bad?" The Lord spoke to me and said, "What are you going to do with your detours?" Praise God! I was listening to my CDs and thinking about the precious cargo I had in my backseat (I had picked up two boxes of tracts at the printer in Henderson to bring back) I began thinking about how many wonderful things of God surrounded me in that car! Boxes of tracts, music and message CDs, individual tracts in my car, New Birth order cards, etc. Oh my! I had a choice of "Grrrrr!" - - grumbling and complaining about my detour dilemma, or enjoying God until He got me back on the road I needed to be on.

Then I began thinking about the "detours" in God that He puts us on during our way Home to Him (that was His point anyway!) They can be sickness or correction or other things God wants us to learn about Him (and ourselves) while we travel down these "detour" roads on the way Home. But one thing for sure. Patience and keeping our hearts and minds on God make these detour trips sweet. By the time I got home, my heart and mind was full of the thoughts of God. What I thought had been a problem with traffic, God had turned into a wonderful blessing and learning time with Him. Everybody say, "Praise God!" :)

Yesterday was the best little 4-hour trip I have ever had! It's never about the problem, it's about finding God. If we look and listen with our hearts, God is in everything!

Sandy :)

May 29, 2008

Hey John,

I would like to tell you something the spirit said to me a few weeks back it was after the Wednesday night meeting you guys had. I had talked to a few folks from there wanting to know about the meeting and most were talking about being thankful. Well, as I went about my day, I was just talking to Jesus and asking him if I was thankful enough, and this is what I heard: "WHEN YOU ARE REALLY THANKFUL, YOU WILL THANK ME FOR THE THINGS YOU DON'T HAVE."

I was sitting at that moment at a red light in an area of town I hung out in when was young. I remembered a situation in my life at that exact spot and just started thanking God and Jesus for not giving me the things I wanted back then, and now allowing me to be here in 2008 with the people I am with. My husband, my children, you. You all are good for me because you came from God. I remember talking with you and Barbara a few months back and her saying something along the lines of God doing things to me to make me the person I need to be to Paul's wife or Jacob and Noah's mother. I loved that!!!! I have been thinking, even more so, be the person I need to be to be, a child of God, a sister in the Lord, and even a sheep of yours. What an honor and sweet opportunity from GOD!!!!!!

Love you guys,

Jammie

May 28, 2008

Your reply in an email "God has to define it all":

"We MUST have God define all things for us if we are ever to understand life and how to live it. God absolutely demands that Man humble himself to confess he knows nothing rightly, and cannot think, feel, or do anything rightly within himself."

Bro. John:

I had a short dream last night. It only confirms what you said above.

In the dream, we had discovered what was wrong in a problem we had tried to fix. I looked at you and alarmingly said, "We've overcorrected!!"

The dream woke me and I thought about your reponse in that email. I've heard of things where overcorrecting has led to disaster. But there is a sweet balance in the Spirit. The Spirit doesn't overcorrect or undercorrect. It is always perfect. Jesus knows how to perfectly fix things. That is why we MUST have Him define all things for us or we will not do anything rightly. That is why we need Him every minute of every day.

God, teach us your ways.

Sandy

May 28, 2008

I was watching something on TV last night, and God gave me another "thinking" thought from Him. If you remember back a few years ago, the Lord taught me something from watching the Three Stooges! "When you think, you miss the Spirit."

In the scene last night, a man had gone inside a building to meet with a committee to determine if he was a qualified candidate to live in their town. When he came out of the meeting, there was a police guard standing outside the door. He looked at the guard and said, "Well, what do you think?" The police guard quickly responded, "That's not my job."

That is how it is in the kingdom of God, I believe, Bro. John. We all have our places and we can be at perfect peace with everything around us if we know what our job is. That police guard's job was to guard, and that was all, and he knew it. And he was perfectly content to just do his job.

I love God's simple ways of teaching. If we listen, He is always talking.

Sandy

May 26, 2008

Hi John,

What a wonderful weekend! I am so thankful and grateful that I was allowed to be a part of such glorious feelings from God. To see and feel his presence among us like we did is a honor, and I thank him for every touch I felt and saw on everyone that he touched by his grace. John, God took my feelings to a higher level then I have ever felt before. Every time someone testified or got blessed by God, I felt like it was me!!

I don’t think I could have felt any better or any more blessed then I did watching Jimmy get so drunk and blessed by God if it had been me instead of him because it was me out there with him ha ha!! I loved it from the bottom of my heart. I felt the same way with Tracy and everyone else who got blessed and touched by his power. And what judgment that was being poured out amongst us! When his power shows up, it shows you up! It lets you know where you are and everyone one else around you. I am so thankful that God is still teaching and guiding us and blessing us on the road home to him.

Stuart

May 26, 2008

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence" 1Cor. 26-29

Bro. John:

I am still so overwhelmed with the love of God from this weekend, that God would come down and still bless us as He does. He is so good and so mighty that no one can understand Him but by His Spirit. He is still teaching us how great and mighty He is and how small and foolish we are. This morning, I was still thinking on how He took control of my body and tongue to get His point across about "personality cult." It reminded me of several years ago in the basement of your home in Burlington when God defined what He thought about christianity. I remember then laying on the floor in the Spirit and hearing the word "christianity" and the Spirit started repeating "pew", "pew", and such a bad taste and smell came into my mouth and nose. That's what God thinks of it. How foolish that must have sounded and looked to the flesh, but that was God's holy response. Saturday night, lying on the floor in the Spirit, when I heard the words "personality cult", I immediately heard God say mockingly, "I'LL SHOW YOU PERSONALITY CULT!" Then, He took my mouth and tongue and began with many different sounds and "personalities". Between some of them He would laugh "Ha! Ha!" How foolish that must have looked to the flesh. But God was so serious it causes me to tremble now thinking of it. He is tired of being mocked. And we have seen the results of His weariness with man. God's "foolishness" is wiser than all of man, and when He blesses us with His "foolishness", He is telling us something very wise about Himself. He is pointing His finger at our foolishness and defining what is wise in Him. You said it so well in a recent email: "Every thought we have that is not what God thinks is a lie. Every feeling we have that is not what God feels is foolishness. Every deed we perform that is not in accord with what God is doing is sin." God spoke many things this weekend. He is still saying, as Sister Lou in the Spirit said several weeks ago, "Incline your ear to hear . . . ." I thank Jesus for this life. It is truly an amazing one. There is no other who would love us the way He does, and still continually bid us to come and learn more of Him.

Sandy

Amen, Sandy.

We MUST have God define all things for us if we are ever to understand life and how to live it. God absolutely demands that Man humble himself to confess he knows nothing rightly, and cannot think, feel, or do anything rightly within himself. In the end, Sandy, one way or another, God alone is going to own all the glory for every right things felt, said, or done by anyone in heaven or earth.

Pastor John

May 11, 2008

Hi Pastor John,

OK, I give: Why does the "Damnation Song" sound so happy? I had heard it first on your website and was confused by the title, not hearing all the lyrics. Then hearing it on the meeting CD a few weeks back I thought I got it... I know who it's about: saints whose hearts aren't really with the Lord, basically; it's the Lord telling them "goodbye" from the assembly of the truly happy saints, right? But why is the music so bright and upbeat?

Thank you! Brittanie

Brittanie dear! Have you never read the Scripture that tells us that all of heaven was called upon to rejoice when Satan was cast out? "And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon fought, and his angels, but he did not prevail, neither was there place found for them in heaven any longer. . . . For this, rejoice, O heavens and those who dwell in them! Alas, earth and sea, because the Slanderer has come down among you, having great anger, knowing that he has just a little time" (Rev. 12:7-8, 12).

If heaven rejoiced at the cleansing of the heavenly holy places, should we expect a sad song when God purifies His dwelling place on earth? If there is any sadness to be felt, pity the ones to whom the unclean spirits go when God removes them from the assembly of His saints; don't pity the saints. They are being blessed with a blessing akin to the blessing heaven received long ago.

Pastor John

April 25, 2008

Hey Pastor John,

[--------] called me a little while ago and said "someone" told him I didn't believe in the trinity and he wanted to know what I did think about the trinity, it was out of the ordinary for him to call and ask to talk about the subject. I told him what I believed and he agreed. He asked more about what church I go to and I explained about the bible studies and the meetings. It wasn't a long conversation but he did ask if I had any tracts I could give him I said of course and tried to pick out a couple I thought may help e.g. The New Birth, Keys of the Kingdom, What is Salvation?, and This is my Friend. However, without having the holy Ghost and just starting my journey in getting to know God I am afraid to talk to him in depth on to many subjects being I don't want to advise him on topics I may be unable to fully explain. He is a "member" of Southeast Christian and has searched many places trying to find God before. He seems happy where he is and I'm sure his motive is curiosity but I figure any reason is a good one. But the point of the whole email is to ask for advice on what I should tell him or what the best thing to do would be.

with love,
XXX

Hi XXX:

If [-----] does not have the Spirit of God, then all that the Lord has to say to him is, "Repent", even if he has been told that he has already repented and is already right with God without the holy ghost baptism. It doesn't matter to God in the least what men say about anything.

There is nothing in the Bible written to those who are not yet born into God's kingdom. That is why Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." (The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the holy ghost - Rom. 14:17). Until a person does that first thing Jesus said we all must do, there is no advice to give him. Until we become a part of God's kingdom, all our religious talk and religious activity is vain.

It is good that you don't feel that you should go "in depth on too many subjects" with him, or with anyone. Whatever I would say to him, if I please God, should lead to only one thing, where the love of God is, and that is what the Lord is always saying to those who have not yet been baptized with the holy ghost into the body of Christ: "Repent!"

Pastor John

April 23, 2008

Pastor John,

I just want to thank God for the fire He has filled you with! It poured out of you Sunday and it was a blessing to feel and hear. I loved every word. And the fear of God was there. It is sweet and true and just. It made me tremble.

I pray we serve God in every way! Thank you for showing us the DVD of your teaching on the trinity. It was a tender place to be, and each one of you loved God's people good! I hope we hear from each one of them. You have been given much to teach. Praise God!

We are looking forward to the "New Testament Study"! :-)

Sister Gwen said she was going to get her a new binder! YAY! GOD! thank you with my whole heart.

sister Wanda

April 23, 2008

"Can tree communication also praise God? Now that we know that trees can literally talk to one another, there is every reason to believe that they also literally praise their Creator, just as Scripture says." (From Today's Creation Moment - What are Your Trees Saying?)

John:

I absolutely loved reading this Today's Creation Moment - What are Your Trees Saying?! It touched one of those "living" places in my heart that God created in 2002 while driving down Highway 54 to work one morning. Do I believe that "trees can literally talk to one another"? Oh, Yes! And not only the trees, but God's other creations praise Him, too! Not only do I believe it, I know it. Preacher Clark used to say, "You don't know anything until you experience it." I experienced God's Creation coming alive one beautiful morning on the way to Chapel Hill! The sun and the sky that morning, along with the trees, were alive and praising God for just being who they are! It was an amazing experience to "hear" through the Spirit the creations of God thanking Him! So innocent, so happy, and so thankful just to have been created by the Creator. The sun was not longing to be the sky; the sky was not longing to be the sun; and the trees were just happy and thankful for them all! There was not one ounce of pride or envy felt in any of what was coming from God's creations that morning. It was all such sweet innocent harmony, that later that day, I put the child-like experience into a poem. I still love to read the words and feel in my soul the "Life" I heard through the Spirit that morning. God is always saying something through His Creation. It is just a matter of whether we have our hearts open to hear Him.

Sandy :)

April 21, 2008

Hey Brother John:

I was reading in Roman's earlier and while thinking about it afterward something occurred to me.

In chapter 4, Paul was talking about Abraham receiving the sign of circumcision while he was yet uncircumcised. In verse 11, Paul wrote "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also."

Under the Old Covenant, the seal of the righteousness of faith was circumcision of a man's foreskin, which was outward in the flesh and that could be seen (or not, as the case may be). But based on that, it was relatively easy to establish who was in covenant with God and who wasn't.

Under the New Covenant, the seal of the righteousness of faith is circumcision of the heart. But it is inwardly, where it can never be seen. So, God found a way to communicate to people who was circumcised and who was not. The answer He came up with is speaking in tongues/stammering lips when someone's heart is circumcised. Again, it is a sign that comes directly from God, and our part is simply to observe what God did.

Also, it is important to note that circumcision comes as a seal of the righteousness of the faith that we had while being yet uncircumcised. While a person is yet uncircumcised, they repent, and when their repentance is complete, then God justifies them and circumcises their heart, letting people know that he has done it by speaking through them by His Spirit.

This dispels the notion that a person is converted before he receives the Spirit, for circumcision (of the heart) is given as a seal of the righteousness of the faith that one has while being uncircumcised.

Billy H.

Thanks, Billy:

It has been confusing to some for me to point out that people can have faith, and can believe, before they receive God's spirit, but the Bible is very clear about it. "He who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6). Faith must dwell in the heart before one can receive forgiveness of sin, just as faith had to dwell in Abraham before God would give him the seal of circumcision. How can anyone even seek God without having faith. (The real test may not be, do we have faith before we find God, but do we have faith to believe God when we find Him?)

Anyway, your point is a good one. The holy ghost does not come into our hearts to give us faith; rather, it is sent to us as God response to the faith we already have, being without His Spirit.

Pastor John

April 19, 2008

Pastor John,

In your most rcent BLOG you wrote,

"Those who think that commandments are oppressive feel that way only because they are like Satan, who envied God's power to make the rules. Those who seek a place where there is no government are fools; there is no such place anywhere. Even in Hell, God reigns according to His own good pleasure."

Thanks for this BLOG John. It is hard for me to imagine that anyone could feel "oppressed" in the freedom of the Spirit that we have here. I have to shake my head when I hear that, and say "are you in the same place I am?" Sometimes, I wonder if such freedom as we have, and the very little that is required of us is just too much for some. But to feel "oppressed"?? Some other spirit is talking if we should feel that way around HERE.

This morning I read the story of men who also felt "oppressed" to have someone reign over them (below), and I guess the moral of the story is that those who don't want the men that God sends to reign over them to do so is primarily because, as you said, like Satan, they "hate" God (though they probably don't think that is the case.) The other part of the story is that, it appears to me that people who feel "oppressed" are the dissatisfied citizens who don't do anything! The "servants" are the ones working for Jesus and happy to keep making their treasures of God grow.

Of course, there was one servant to had some treasure and just held on to it - the future did not look too bright for him either.... so it's best to put what you have out there! In the end he is going to say "well DONE good and faithful servant" (not well "thought" or well "intended"!) --- DONE means you DID something!

Gary

Luk 19:12-27 "Jesus said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me."

April 19, 2008

Hey Pastor John:

I just read this:

"Happy is the man", Paul said, "who does not condemn himself in that thing that he allows [himself to do]" (Rom. 14:22). If you are living within the calling God has given you, then you are a happy person. Everything you are doing, God blesses you for. Nothing you do brings condemnation to your heart. Then, avoid the temptation to look around at others in the congregation and compare yourself with them. Paul said that it is unwise to do that. Instead, listen to the Spirit of God as He speaks softly to your heart, no matter what He is saying or not saying to anybody else.

That is from the TFT "Levels of Righteousness" (19nov02). I came across it because I bookmark a lot (!!) of things to read later, and something told me to open this page right now. It makes sense. I actually had a bit of a moral dilemma recently - I was actually crying over it and wasn't sure why - and I didn't know who of you there to ask. John and I talked about it, and basically it came down to do only what feels good and right, even if you can't say what's "wrong". I was still a little bothered about that because I thought I should at least know what the wrong thing would be to do, so that I could better "judge" the situation at hand, but I think it is best to just do what feels right; that way, no matter what, I am safe.

Anyway, thanks for writing this, and for being a servant to all of us God has placed with you. I was thinking about that earlier, how the person with the most responsibility (like a man of the house vs. wife and children) has to be the one with the most servant-like attitude.

TTYL.
-Brittanie

Thanks, Brittanie.

This will help somebody.

At the same time, I have to point out that doing what is right will not always make you feel good or happy. Sometimes it is heart-breaking to do the right thing. For one of many examples, when Hannah surrendered her little boy Samuel to the Lord, as she had promised to do, she probably felt very sad. But what you are talking about, I think, is doing only what makes the heart feel clean and good in the sight of God, and that is right.

jdc

April 19, 2008

Hey Brother John:

Today I was thinking about the times that God commanded His people to bring their tithes and offerings in so that the Levites and Priests would be encouraged in the Lord. Which means they could tend to the service of God without feeling like they had to earn a living to support their families. When the people obeyed, the servants of the Lord could concentrate on the Lord's work and the people were blessed thereby.

I also thought about you today and the wonderful things that we have been blessed by because you were able to concentrate on the things of God. And the work that we are now able to do in sending out all the mailings to God's children which we wouldn't be able to do without your faithfulness. And what you are getting ready to do for brother Hemphill and his peers and the congregations that they influence. You have done well, John, in all that you have done. I just wanted to send this to you and to hopefully encourage you in your endeavors. Keep up the good work my brother, and may God be pleased with all our efforts so that we may continue to be used to bring His people out of bondage.

Billy H.

Dear Brother Billy:

When we read the part in 2Chronicles about the Levites being "encouraged in the Lord" by Hezekiah's revival and God's people renewing their support of them, I pointed out that a servant of Jesus does not have to be covetous to be encouraged in the Lord by receiving the financial support God demands of His people. I know by experience that I am freer to be what Jesus has called me to be, and freer to do what Jesus has called me to do, because of you, and others like you, "whose hearts God has touched."

Your part, if you are wise, is to make certain that you know and understand what I am doing with my life because whatever I am doing, you are partly responsible for making it possible for me to do it. If there is anything evil that I am doing, then you will, in part, answer for it. But on the other hand, you will receive a reward for making possible whatever good I am able to accomplish because of your love and obedience to Christ in the matter of tithes and offerings.

I exhort you, and everyone else, to ask questions if you have them, and to expect clear answers about me. I want you to know me well. And you want to be wise, not foolish, in deciding who to bring God's tithes and offerings to.

jdc

April 18, 2008

Hey,

I sure have been thinking about Gary's song, "Breathe what I breathe". He couldn't find the song recorded, but the words are good just by themselves. I also keep thinking of the scripture, 'those who are led by the spirit, those are the sons of God.' God help me -to be completely willing to be led by his holy spirit.

I just wanted to pass on the words Gary sent me. Thank you for your labor. I hope to see you later.

Donna

April 18, 2008

Dear John,

I just want to tell you thanks for all of the work you put into the trinity study for the saints. You are a valuable child of God for His children.

I have never had an experience from God like Tim has had concerning the trinity, but I knew that the trinity wasn't real, and that it was full of confusion. And I know you have gone over the trinity study with us before & I knew, again, that the doctrine of the trinity wasn't true. I could see it but didn't have the confidence to explain what I knew because I felt I would get all tangled up in the scriptures/Greek. I wanted to have my own experience so that I would really be able to know that I could not be deceived by those who claimed to know more than I, scripturally.

But having the trinity study presented in the fashion you prepared for us last night was so plain to follow that I know that I could search it out & have confidence that what I would find would be the truth of the matter.

I felt so alive last night because those Greek and English words became so clear. I could feel my spirit getting so excited last night as you took us step by step into the minds of the writers of the Scriptures. Just knowing the very basics of the Greek grammar helped me to be able to comprehend the way that the apostles chose their words. Now the feelings from the Spirit that let me know the doctrine of the trinity was wrong now has the agreement of the Greek grammar that fits with it perfectly. God is good!

I feel like God quickened something within me & made it live last night...I have my own experience now.

Love,
Bess

Dear Sister Bess,

I think I have been more blessed by some of the reactions of some of God's people, like yours, to the trinity study than I got from the trinity study itself! Sister LeeAnn suggested making a video of the study and posting it on the internet, which is a great idea.

jdc

April 15, 2008

Pastor John:

I was doing some "trinity" reading and came across some very "deep" discussion about the significance of the phrase "only-begotten" translated from the Greek "monogenes".

There was discussion as to whether the "gen" part of this word came from gennao or ginomai but all seemed to think that it was a highly significant term. Some even translate it as unique. Then I came across this discussion.

2. The “Only Begotten Son” Language. The second piece of evidence we must examine is the expression “only-begotten.” It is the Greek word “monogeneis.” This is not simply “begotten,” for that expression can be applied to all believers, those who have been begotten or born again by the Spirit. This is a unique expression for a unique person, the only-begotten Son of God. The expression appears in John 1:14, 4:18 [sic should be 1:18], 3:16, and 3:18. It would literally mean the “only generated one.” This is the key expression for the doctrine of “the eternal generation of the Son,” meaning, he always was the only begotten Son. The expression does not refer to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, because he is the Son from eternity past: http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=166

Priceless (worthless) stuff this. But reading this gave me the distinct impression that the Greek word only occurred in connection with Jesus but upon checking for myself I found that the word actually occurs nine times in the NT and that on four of these occasions (Luke 7:12, 8:42, 9:38 and Heb 11:17) it is referring to the ordinary fact of someone (not Jesus) having an only child. There is nothing deep or mysterious about this word at all and to claim it as being a unique expression for a unique person is absolute rubbish, or plainly said, a lie.

When it comes to this stuff the wisdom of what you said last night is evident. Let us take what they say and see how the evidence stacks up. We were, and probably still are, trusting some things that simple inspection, as God leads us, will prove to be yet more cases of fraud.

Damien

Hey Damien:

This is an excerpt from the Apostate Father's book:

"Among the early Christian fathers, the Father is sometimes distinguished as a person other than the Son in this manner. The Father is the "unbegotten God", while Jesus is "the begotten of God". It is Ignatius’ consistent position that Jesus was "begotten by the Father before the beginning of time" (Mag. VI).

With Ignatius, as with other of these Church fathers, there was never an issue concerning whether the Son was begotten, or by whom. Without exception, the fathers of Christianity who referred to the Son of God as "begotten of the Father" used the phrase to refer to his generation in pre-creation eternity. In their eyes, the Son could not possibly be "co-equal" and "co-eternal" with the Father, as the doctrine of the Trinity holds.

The Greek word monogenes (only-begotten) appears in the New Testament only nine times. Four times it refers to a human being’s only child, either a girl (Lk. 8:42) or a boy (Lk. 7:12; 9:38), or to Isaac (Heb. 11:17). The other five times, it refers to the Son of God as the only begotten Son of God (Jn. 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1Jn. 4:9). The last reference suggests that God’s Son was begotten in heaven before the birth of Jesus on earth."

jdc

April 15, 2008

Bro. John:

I just woke from the best dream! It was so simple but so wonderful in the feelings! We were gathered together such as last night going over some material that you had written. In the text, you had written explanations of different words such as being sanctified, being justified, etc. When we got to "being delivered", you looked at me, smiled and said, "Sandy, tell us about being delivered". The experience of the Lord's visit still alive in my heart, with tears and much joy I stood up, threw my hands in the air, and began to speak in tongues. That was my "telling" of my deliverance!

Just words, Bro. John, never are effective enough to honor God. In the dream, it was the righteousness, peace and joy of the holy Ghost overflowing from my heart's experience that was honoring God and His power. Just "words" were not effective enough to tell about the experience with God that brought about the deliverance. Deliverance is not something that one just talks about. When the power of God delivers someone, it is who they become -- a living testimony of God.

What a wonderful start to a new day in God! Thanking Him all the day long for His love and power to deliver.

Sandy

April 13, 2008

Pastor John:

When I awoke this morning I was praying about various things and something you said a while back came to mind. You related how, when you were asking for favor with God, that He answered and said that what you needed was favor with His people.

We certainly need that favor, but why? So we might do a bigger thing, a better thing? Well that would be good if the Spirit remains in charge of it but the thought I had this morning was simple. Maybe every one else has long understood this but what I understood more clearly was that we need that favor with God's people to be able to do more good for them and that if we are praying to have favor with them we are effectively asking that they be able to have a heart to extend favor toward us - which they mostly don't have at this time. The prayer is not just for us to have something but they also. God's people need to have favor toward us but they have absolutely no idea that they have that need so we need to be willing to "stand in the gap before me [God] for the land, that I should not destroy it" and pray and live for them that God would help them. I hope that God will not have to say as He did through Ezekiel, "but I found none."

Later I went to GoingtoJesus and clicked on the link for today's TFE which is titled "Charity does not seek her own". This thought goes right along with what I had felt earlier.The first paragraph says it wonderfully well.

The love of God, when in action, does not seek its own salvation but the salvation of others. Jesus did not walk around on earth worrying about whether or not he would "make it into glory". He didn't live for himself; he lived for others. He told the disciples that their joy would be full when they at last were with him in the presence of the Father. It was this joyous hope of their salvation, not his own, that motivated him to "endure the cross, despising the shame" (Heb. 12:2). He could have bailed out at any time if all he was concerned about was his own welfare.

And later,

Everything depended on Jesus, and, thankfully, Jesus did not "seek his own" welfare but ours. Jesus was willing to be made a curse (Gal. 3:13) "so that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2Cor. 5:21).

Now, everything does not depend on us, but God has put us in a place where we can seek to have favor with His people and also to seek that His people be able to love what we have for them from Him. We can do something like what Jesus did on Earth and seek others welfare - and there is a cross to endure and a shame to be despised with this truth. God will raise up stones to cry out, but can we not be thankful that He has chosen us for part of this work!

Today's TFE is so good I could end up quoting it all, but one more part really stood out as well.

"There is no place for the spirits of envy and strife to work where this bond of charity exists among the children of God."

Without loving God's people and living for them in the Spirit those Spirits will have a place to work.

Damien

Hi Damien:

Wonderful letter! The reason for me being told by the Lord years ago that I needed to pray for favor from God's people is exactly as you describe. It was not at all for me simply to have their favor; it was not about me at all. I was to pray for their favor so that they would open their hearts to what Jesus has given to me -- to us all here -- for their blessing. We are their servants; but we need favor from them in order to be able to serve them anything!

jdc

April 13, 2008 Hey Brother John:

In Daniel 4:2, Nebuchadnezzar the king said "I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me".

Today, I was thinking about the king's testimony and my own testimony and they had a lot of similarity. The same can be said about the other saints. But the way in which they are all similar is that, until God does something we have nothing to offer. But when God does do something, then we too can "shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward us". As I considered my own testimony, it truly is a story of God. Through the years, God would do something and I would respond. Then, He would do something else, and again, I would respond. Each time I would grow in wisdom and understanding as my relationship with God grew. But until He did something I had no power to do or understand anything. Without God I am totally helpless and just a mess. Thank God He wasn't satisfied to leave me that way, and hopefully, He won't leave me the way I am now.

When we feel like giving our testimonies none of us should hesitate, because it is not about us. We are simply speaking of things we have seen and heard or felt. If it offends someone then they can complain to God since He's the only one who's done anything. When we look at our testimonies rightly then God looks really big and we look very small.

Billy H.

Amen!

jdc

April 11, 2008

Hi John.

That message on "New Commandments" - What wonderful food! We are so full. We are so blessed. John, I hope that I am thankful enough to Jesus for what He has done for us, through you and through your father. Today, I saw the extremely high value of it - again. One need only go down to "Egypt", where God's children are bound as slaves, to get a renewed desire to see them free. Moses just had to do something. I pray we can follow the Spirit to do our part. We don't want to kill a man (the way Moses did), but we want to do our part.

Gary

April 10, 2008

When I awoke this morning I was praying about various things and something you said a while back came to mind. You related how, when you were asking for favor with God, that He answered and said that what you needed was favor with His people.

We certainly need that favor, but why? So we might do a bigger thing, a better thing? Well that would be good if the Spirit remains in charge of it but the thought I had this morning was simple. Maybe every one else has long understood this but what I understood more clearly was that we need that favor with God's people to be able to do more good for them and that if we are praying to have favor with them we are effectively asking that they be able to have a heart to extend favor toward us - which they mostly don't have at this time. The prayer is not just for us to have something but they also. God's people need to have favor toward us but they have absolutely no idea that they have that need so we need to be willing to "stand in the gap before me [God] for the land, that I should not destroy it" and pray and live for them that God would help them. I hope that God will not have to say as He did through Ezekiel, "but I found none."

Later I went to GoingtoJesus and clicked on the link for today's TFE which is titled "Charity does not seek her own". This thought goes right along with what I had felt earlier.The first paragraph says it wonderfully well.

The love of God, when in action, does not seek its own salvation but the salvation of others. Jesus did not walk around on earth worrying about whether or not he would "make it into glory". He didn't live for himself; he lived for others. He told the disciples that their joy would be full when they at last were with him in the presence of the Father. It was this joyous hope of their salvation, not his own, that motivated him to "endure the cross, despising the shame" (Heb. 12:2). He could have bailed out at any time if all he was concerned about was his own welfare.

And later,

Everything depended on Jesus, and, thankfully, Jesus did not "seek his own" welfare but ours. Jesus was willing to be made a curse (Gal. 3:13) "so that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2Cor. 5:21).

Now, everything does not depend on us, but God has put us in a place where we can seek to have favor with His people and also to seek that His people be able to love what we have for them from Him. We can do something like what Jesus did on Earth and seek others welfare - and there is a cross to endure and a shame to be despised with this truth. God will raise up stones to cry out, but can we not be thankful that He has chosen us for part of this work!

Today's TFE is so good I could end up quoting it all, but one more part really stood out as well.

"There is no place for the spirits of envy and strife to work where this bond of charity exists among the children of God."

Without loving God's people and living for them in the Spirit those Spirits will have a place to work.

Damien

Hi Damien:

Wonderful letter! The reason for me being told by the Lord years ago that I needed to pray for favor from God's people is exactly as you describe. It was not at all for me simply to have their favor; it was not about me at all. I was to pray for their favor so that they would open their hearts to what Jesus has given to me -- to us all here -- for their blessing. We are their servants; but we need favor from them in order to be able to serve them anything!

I am glad you understand that important point. I thought I had been describing that experience I had with God that way all along, but sometimes I do not make things clear.

Let's pray for favor from the dear people of God that we will meet next week!

jdc

March 10, 2008

Hi Pastor John:

I was reading

Just a thought/question,
Billy M.

Billy:

Isaiah said that "Tophet has been prepared of old." There is nothing that suggests that Tophet was created after Jesus ascended into heaven to offer himself to the father. So, I believe your answer must be that Tophet was created in the beginning.

Pastor John