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  • Our “Place” is us

    Pastor John,

    This evening when you were telling us about God putting us here together and being put here for a reason, it made me think of something you wrote in “God Had a Son Before Mary Did” book: (Going to Jesus.com – God Had A Son Before Mary Did)

    “God‘s children are happiest when they occupy their appointed place in the order of God and acknowledge the places occupied by others.  When you are in the place that you were created to be, you feel contentment, for your place is not an it.  Your place is a who – you!  The “place” God has for you is your life as the person God intended you to be from the foundation of the world.  Only in that place, only in being yourself in Christ, will you ever experience perfect peace and joy.”

    I remember when I read this I had the same feelings as when I learned our names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world – very loved.

    He knows us, and what we need, and what we don’t need.  He knows how to make us happy!  He’s got each of our lives perfectly planned for us.  Mistakes and all.  That is perfect love. 

    Michelle 

     

     

  • 1982 Sermon

    Pastor John,

    I loved the sermon from 1981 Amy sent out yesterday.  There’s so many good things I had to listen a couple of times and this evening I read the transcript Amy sent out.

    After I listened the first time, I prayed, “Oh Lord, search my heart.  I want to get rid of rocks, thorns and any cares of this life that’s still there”.  Fill my heart with the love of God!”  I had the thought, Jesus when you filled me with the holy Ghost I became yours, heart, soul, mind and body.  You’re in there!  Then I read this in the transcript:  “And do not make God’s Holy Spirit sad, for the Spirit is God’s mark of ownership on you– a guarantee that the day will come when God will set you free.  Get rid of all bitterness, passion and anger.  No more shouting or insults.  No more hateful feelings of any kind.  Instead, be kind and tenderhearted one to another and forgive one another as God has forgiven you through Christ. Amen.  No more harmful words.”  Whew… that’s the love of God in action!

    You said, “Let the good thing that God has placed in you bear good fruit! This was so encouraging to me.  There is so much more, but I loved the feelings, serious but so encouraging.

    “If we’re going to understand the truth that’s on the way, we’ve got to prepare for it before it comes – you said, “I’m sure God has more for us to see.  Now’s the time to get ready to hear it.  Now’s the time. We can’t wait.”

    I want my heart to stay prepared, ready and free.

    I love the truth you have taught us.  Every bit all along the way.  It stirs my heart and makes me feel encouraged and excited.  

    And… I loved hearing you at 29 yrs old!  The anointing, zeal and love of God is still there!  This should encourage every young person who hears it! It sure did encourage me!  You’ve held onto the truth a long time… that is no small thing.  I’m so thankful Jesus put me here with you!

    Michelle 

     

  • Shedding more of Christianity

    Pastor John,

    I just had one of those mind-blowing moments, similar to when I first started coming around and learned how much I misunderstood what it meant to take God’s name in vain. After reading today’s Thought for the Evening, Reconciled By His Death,* the Spirit finally let me understand what it means to be dead with Christ, or reconciled by his death. I didn’t realize how much of Christianity I still had in me until I recognized that I still put too much emphasis on His physical death at Calvary. 

    I know now that the death Jesus experienced before he died on the cross –  the “death to sin, death to self and death to the ways of this world” is the one that we can be partakers in and has the power to reconcile us to God.  It’s the only type of death where we can still live after we’re dead! Now that I understand this, all the verses in the New Testament that talk about how we’re saved by Jesus’s death, particularly those said by Paul, are crystal clear!  I feel this will have a life changing effect on me. Learning things like this and letting it have its affect on me feels like what is meant to worship in “Spirit and in Truth”.  

    I’m sure this is one of those things where you’re like, “Well yeah, you didn’t know that? I have been saying that for years!” Well, now I know and it feels wonderful to know the Truth. 

    For those of us who grew up in Christianity, we’re so blessed to have you as a teacher to help us unravel from so much confusion. 

    Michael D

    ===========

    Thank you, Michael.

    It is wonderful feeling for us to finally get what the Lord has been saying for a while.  I know how that feels!  And that is how we “grow in Christ”.

    Pastor John

    * Going to Jesus.com – Reconciled By His Death

     

  • The Spirit vs. the Flesh

    Read this tonight. It is from the Thought for the Morning 8/10, “Hating God.”* The only way is to worship in spirit and in truth!  Any form of worship that man comes up with is hating God!  

    “There is no man who does not hate God unless the holy Spirit of God has come into him, no matter what that man says or thinks.  By nature, every man hates God.  This is the truth behind the fact that every way of worship man has devised is sinful. How can any way of worship that man invents honor a God that he by nature hates?  We need the holy Ghost to lead us in everything; it alone knows “the deep things of God.”  The holy Ghost is an absolute necessity for salvation.  Without the holy Ghost, man is led by his own flesh, and when the flesh leads a man, his actions, even his religious ones, reflect hatred of God instead of submission to Him.”

    Carrie

    ========

    Hi Carrie.

    That is what I believe. Without the Spirit, we have no choice but to be led by the flesh, and Paul said that the flesh is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit is contrary to the flesh (Gal. 5:17).

    Pastor John

    *https://www.goingtojesus.com/gtj_thoughts.html?tname=tfm08-10

     

  • Loving the feelings

    Hey, Pastor John,

    I just wanted to share some sweet thoughts I’ve been having!  I’ve been loving reading the things you have written over the years!  Last night, I was reading the “Keep Yourself Pure” tract (Going to Jesus.com Tracts – Keep Yourself Pure), and I was just thinking about how good God is that He gives us a kind of life to where we want to be pure and have peace!  It feels so sweet!  I know He is the only One that can do that because just going through daily life in the world you can feel all the junk that is out there, but to feel the difference among God’s people and in the wonderful feelings He gives us in the Spirit!  Wow!  After reading the tract, I starting listening to some of our music on Uncle Vince’s Youtube channel, and it felt so good! 

    I love this life Jesus has given me, and I pray that Jesus keeps me in that place!  It is worth everything, and I hope He never let’s me forget that!  Thank you for all you do to nurture us in the truth PJ!

    Love you! 

    Hope M.

    =========

    Hi Hope,

    Thank you, Hope.  I am very happy for you, that Jesus has put it into your heart to love him and his people. Hope to see you soon!

    Pastor John

  • Worldly Wisdom

    Pastor John,

    In your book, God Had a Son Before Mary Did (https://goingtojesus.com/gtj_books.html?tname=fands), you wrote that “Worldly wisdom makes God’s children half good, but the half that it makes good is what is seen instead of what is within, and in God’s eyes, being half good is worse than being no good at all because it is less honest” (page 519).

    I understand the second half of that statement because of the examples of being “neither hot nor cold” from Revelation 3, and having life versus form that you’ve taught us.

    Can you explain more about how the worldly wisdom makes God’s children half good and how the half that worldly wisdom makes good is what is seen instead of what is within?

    I thought that God gave some of His children worldly wisdom to be of a help to the body in this wicked world during trying times… but is worldly wisdom gained from time dealing with worldly people (like in our jobs or just day-to-day living, like going to the grocery store, getting a car fixed, etc.) and not of God?

    I’d love to understand this more.

    Amanda

    ============

    Hi Amanda.

    God does give wisdom to some of His people by which they understand how to handle the world’s money, business situations, etc. so that they might help others who are in need.  They are valuable and are a blessing to the whole body of Christ.  Such wisdom has value in this life, but it is not the kind of wisdom God’s faithful children live by.

    The sentence you quoted from the book is found in the Section titled “Hypocrisy”, in which I explain that worldly wisdom is knowing “how to put on a convincing act” that is, knowing how to be a hypocrite.

    The good that is done with worldly wisdom is the kind of good that the world can see, and when the world sees it, the world will praise you for it.  That is why Jesus said not to let the world see the good you do.  The world’s goodness is a goodness done in order to be seen; it is not from the heart.  It is good that is done because it loves the praise of man more than the praise of God.  That is worldly wisdom, and children of God who live by it become half-good.  They are no longer truly good, though they appear to be.  They are acting.

    The sentence you quoted opens the part of the book titled “Half Good”, and my meaning is explained in the paragraphs that follow, such as this:

    Half-good believers have enough love for God to repent and receive His life, but not enough love for him to continue in his word and be made free (cf. Jn. 8:31–32).  Satan is the father of all half-good believers because he, like them, did not continue in the truth he once knew (Jn. 8:44). . . .  Satan was cast out of heaven because he was half good.

    And this:

    Men and Satan both possess the kind of wisdom esteemed in this world, the kind that leads to acting good without being good

    So, the sentence you quoted from my book focuses on those who trust in the wisdom of this world and rely on an appearance of righteousness instead of being righteous.  Paul was referring to such people when he warned Timothy to stay away from those who “have a form of godliness, but deny its power” (2Tim. 3:5).

    I hope that clears up what I meant.

    Pastor John

     

  • COMPREHENDING REVELATION

    Brother John, 

    We are praising JESUS in our home this morning, after another day of deeper study re-reading your Revelation book. (Going to Jesus.com – Revelation)

    After we finished the morning Bible reading last week, we immediately dug into the Revelation book to attempt to understand it better, and after painstakingly reading aloud every day we finished Chapters 1 & 2! 

    Slowing down really helped us to genuinely comprehend  Jesus’ messages to the pastors and the Assemblies in Asia.  

    It’s amazing how insightful your analysis is, John!  You point out details and comparisons so clearly; points that any cursory reading would gloss over!  Now we understand it at least 50% better than before!  And it’s wonderful!! 

    Your examination of this book has changed my mindset from being discouraged to being elated that it IS understandable!!   

    There’s a lot of truth to the benefit of SLOWING DOWN.  Here a little, there a little, line upon line; literally!

    Thank you for your work for us (and for the Body of Christ).  

    Brad

  • God Had a Son Before Mary Did, book

    Pastor John,

         I love how you explained the Gods & Jesuses of Christianity in the book, God Had a Son before Mary Did! (Going to Jesus.com – God Had A Son Before Mary Did)

         I especially like how you started one sentence with (paraphrasing): “Common sense tells us the different doctrines and rituals from one sect cannot be the same God and Jesus of another one.”  and then calling Christianity so plainly “a madhouse of confusion” and comparing it to the ancient world’s polytheism!

         I thought several times that if people make it this far into the book, I hope that God would let these straight words and phrases ping something in their hearts to feel the relief and would lead them to want to seek the real God and the real Jesus!

    Amanda

    P.S.  And I almost forgot – What really struck me was when you asked, “Which God and Jesus do you believe in?  Which bridegroom are you going out to meet?”

    ==========

    Hi Amanda!

        You are blessed to understand and love this, Amanda.  Such plain, irrefutable truths provoke some souls to anger instead of seeing and embracing the great love of God in it for everyone.

         Thank you for writing.

    Pastor John

  • Living Testimonies

    Oh, Pastor John, I love how Jesus does things. 

    As I sat and listened this morning, I felt like He painted a whole picture for me.  All those people who saw Paul go from killing God’s people to doing everything he could to tell them about Jesus had the clearest, purest doctrine poured out, right in front of them.  A living testimony..  I thought of my children, my loved ones, and the ones I work with — seeing the real doctrine lived out in front of them over and over again.  My brothers and sisters watched Jesus raise the dead (me) and give life more abundantly right in front of them, and I was just the vessel he used to do it.  But they have all witnessed the truth.  The things written in the scriptures played out like a movie before their eyes because it was not from a stranger; it was real and put right in front of them.  Jesus gave them proof he is real! 

    We walk through this life like little lamps for anyone Jesus wants to show the truth to.  Nobody but Jesus could build something more beautiful or more merciful than filling this world with the truth walking around for people to see and feel … if they want it.  And what mercy for us, that the truth exposes hearts. We get to rest in the peace seeing a heart does not want it. 

    Will anyone be able to say they did not hear the doctrine? 

    Look how much light gathers in one place when we are all together, full of truth and praising God.  I wish I could paint the picture I see in my heart.  All of us with little lights shining as we go to work or to the grocery or to Walmart.  Ha! I  guess we are solar lights, getting all our light from soaking up the Son! 

    And we do not even  have to do anything but stay close to Jesus so He can use us to shine down here in this old dark world.  Nobody could do it more perfectly than Jesus did.  He gave us all our best chance. Living breathing testimonies of the truth!  Isn’t that beautiful! 

    Makes me want to be full and shiny for Jesus.

    Mathew 5

    14.You are the light of the world; a city set on a hill can’t be hidden.

    15.Nor do people light a candle and then place it under a bushel, but on a lampstand, and then it gives light to all who are in the house.

    16.Let your light shine like that before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

    Love,

    Beth

     

  • Stories of God

    Good morning Pastor John,

    I have been listening to the fireside chats and it makes me smile.  Hearing the sweet testimonies of wanting and seeking and getting the holy ghost are better than anything this world has to offer.  I have had quite a few nights of waking at 2 or 3 a.m. and having quiet talks with Jesus.  One of our most recent late‑night talks was about how completely different he has made me.  I lay in my bed quietly listing off the things that he has changed and how amazed I am that he did that.  I had to wipe the tears away as I told him that he really did make me a new creature. 

    So, as I listen to the other hearts Jesus has created tell about His Goodness, all I can do is smile and love every story of God that I hear.  We really are changed.  I look forward to watching and hearing the story God writes for Hannah. 

    Beth D.

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