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  • We are Blessed!

    Good morning Pastor John,

    I feel so very blessed today!  I woke up with a peace I can’t explain.  I think I am truly under His wing today.  Not peeking out, not pondering the old me, just living in peace and harmony in the Spirit.  We serve a good GOD!  We have a glorious brother in Jesus!  They gave us what we need, the holy Ghost!  GOD will truly give you the desires of your heart!  We just have to make sure we know what we desire and that it is in tune with the Spirit.

    I was listening to the Matthew study (18:1, I think, talking about our freedom) https://youtu.be/RqHEAsht2LQ?si=vFYA9MH3QwOONGoz, which I have heard several times.  But today it was like it is new!  I feel like Brother Jimmy with the Jerusalem Council book (Going to Jesus.com – The Jerusalem Council)   ; every time I go thru it, something new hits my heart.  After today, I feel like I need to start over with the series.

    As I write this, I have the song, “A Simple Life” playing, so I am writing thru watery eyes sorry for the missed spellings.  I have been so blessed this morning, more than ever.  Today is the greatest day of my life now!  The day I got the Holy ghost got me here but… the day we are born again is good, but it is not meant to be the best day, just the first brick of many.  I don’t know how to tell how I am feeling and what GOD has done to me, but I absolutely love it and I cannot just sit here. I HAD TO SHARE IT!!!!!

    One thing I feel, for the first time I think, is a heart with no self condemnation.   I love it.  I can live my life like this!  I feel the Spirit running up and down me again.  What a wonderful life this is!  I want to praise GOD, thank Jesus, and live in the Spirit always!

    Hope this does not come across a babbling but it is the best I can do!

    Love,

    Mark

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1881063337573888176

     

  •  “The” law

    John,

    I loved being in the translating session this morning….

    With zero understanding of Greek, this question may be beyond my understanding, but if the article (the) is present in the Greek text, is there a case when it should be excluded?

    ==========

    Yes.  To make a translation sound right in English—when it will still be a faithful translation—one may either leave off or add a “the” to an English sentence.

    ========== 

    I assume that we have to trust that the Greek texts that we have are authentic and haven’t been altered?

    ==========

    That’s right.  We have to start somewhere.

    ==========

    Thanks,

    Wendell

    Going to Jesus.com – Bible Translations

    Comments welcome:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1881040513316557049

     

  • Q&A: Leavened bread in Leviticus 7, Part Two

    Pastor John

    I, too, do not know why leaven was required by God in certain cases, but I have noticed a consistent feature of when peace offerings were required.

    The only feast day for which a peace offering was commanded to be offered was the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (Lev. 23:19). Aaron’s first sacrifices included peace offerings (Lev. 9:18).  The fire that came out from before Jehovah that day consumed the burnt offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings (vv.19, 24).

    As these peace offerings were not offered for a vow or freewill offering (compare Lev. 7:12 & Lev. 7:16), then it would appear that leavened bread would have been brought with each of these offerings.

    At Mt. Sinai, on the day the Old Covenant was instituted, the young men Moses sent offered burnt offerings and peace offerings (Ex. 24:5).  These were not Levitical offerings, so we do not know the details.

    These peace offerings were all associated with Old Testament figures that foreshadowed the making of the New Covenant, which was when men entered the kingdom of God.  Leaven is used as a symbol of sin in the New Testament, but there is also Jesus’ parable in Luke 13.

    1. Again, he said, “To what will I compare the kingdom of God?
    2. It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid within three measures of flour until it was all leavened.”

    So, maybe leaven was required as a figure of the Spirit that men would receive, beginning with the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 when the New Covenant began.

    Also, the two leavened loaves that were waved on Pentecost were brought out from their dwellings (Lev. 23:17).  I believe these loaves represent people.  The leavened bread in Leviticus 7 was brought by the person offering the peace offering.  So, the act of bringing leaven before God might also point to the spiritual condition of those who are ready to receive the Spirit, or something like that.

    Damien

    ==========

    So, the bottom line of our answer to Zoli is that we do not know, as you said at the beginning of your email.  We can conjecture reasonably about connections with the New Testament, as you have done, if we understand basic truths of the New Testament, as you do.  But we cannot know anything for certain without revelation knowledge.

    Thanks, Damien.  That kind of information is helpful, and may prove to be crucial to out understanding.  Let’s keep digging.

    Pastor John

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1881035831546368467

     

  • Leavened bread in Leviticus 7, Part One

    Pastor John,

    I was reading Leviticus 7 this morning, and noticed that in verse 13, God tells Moses to tell the people to bring “leavened bread” as part of their peace offerings to Him. 

    In most places, God told Israel to bring unleavened bread as part of their ceremonial sacrifices. Why is that different here? Is there a specific New Testament message hidden in there for us?

    Thank you.

    Zoli

    =========

    Hi Zoli.

    Yes, there is meaning in leavened bread being allowed for loaves with the Peace Offerings and for loaves brought for the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) offering (23:17).  We know that God had a purpose for that because we know that God commanded the ceremonies of the law as prophetic symbols of what His Son would do when he came.

    Having said that, the meaning for that specific element of the Peace Offerings

    and the Feast of Weeks is unknown to me, as is the case with many other specifics in Moses’ law.  If God does not tell us, we do not know.  Brother Damien has done a lot of work in this area and may have some insight on your question, but as for me, I do not know why God allowed for leaven in those cases.

    Thank you for the question.  Jesus has the answer, whatever it is.

    Pastor John

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1881032510030909758

     

  • Question regarding – 1John 5:7–8

    Pastor John,

    What is John saying here, in 1John 5:

    1. For there are three that bear witness:
    2. the Spirit, and the water, and the blood.  And these three agree.

    Beth D.

    ==========

    Hi Beth.

    I don’t have a clear answer for that, Beth, but the answer is definitely connected in some way with verses 5–6 of the same chapter:

    1. Who is it who overcomes the world except he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
    2. This is he who came through water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.  And the Spirit is the witness because the Spirit is truth.

    The answer to your question must have something to do with the Spirit bearing witness in the human body of Jesus and of us who believe.  His body and ours came “through water [our mother’s womb – see John 3:5] and blood”.  I think that “blood” here refers to human nature (see John 1:13).  If not, I do not know what John meant by that.

    By the way, Paul emphasized our human selves bearing witness in conjunction with the Spirit in Romans 8:16: “The Spirit itself bears witness, together with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”  So, that may help clarify what John wrote.

    That’s the best I can do with that one, Beth.  Thank you for your question.  It’s one that I have pondered over many times.

    Pastor John

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1881028900685508947

     

  • God’s Patience

    Hi Pastor John,

    We read the Random Thought 11-23, “Your Vision or God’s?” (Going to Jesus.com – Your Vision or God’s?)

    Your testimony is beautiful. I loved this part: 

    “The secret of God is with the humble! It is with the bruised and battered, and with those who are so beaten down by this life that they are not just willing for God to have His way but they are begging God to have His way. God’s secret is with those who have discovered how desperately needy they are and who are seeking Him and His will for them, the way some men pursue gold. The old song tells the truth: “He will not walk with the proud or the scornful.”

    That resonated with me because that was how I felt before God changed my life! I was completely finished with everything that wasn’t of God, it was like I was begging for Him to take over. It brings you to tears to consider how patient God was with me (and many others)…years, decades…that he waited for us to be willing to repent and have a clear conscience to walk with Him. I have always struggled with having patience. But, when I think about the patience that Jesus had with me, it makes me want to pray that I have that kind of patience with any of God’s people. If someone has to go through a trial over and over again for years to get the gold out of it, it’s worth everything for them to be free in Jesus and to save their soul in the end. It’s like you said, if Jesus isn’t finished with someone, we cannot be either! 

    I pray that I can help the body with the patience and love of God and not fall under a form of being right.

    Wendy

    Comments welcome:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1877841773587783957

     

     

  • God’s Got You Covered

    Pastor John,

    While we were on our trip we had an incident one evening at the hotel.  It scared me so I got still with Jesus.  I asked him about it and wanted to know what I need to get from it.  It was so sweet because the Spirit gently whispered, “I’ve got you covered.”  This morning, I was working and went to my fridge to get something to drink.  I had put on the fridge this letter from Jesus to us that Amy sent out several months ago:

    “God knows your heart.  Stay humble.  God’s nature is your nature.  He is in charge of you. Just be yourself in the Lord and listen to the Spirit and give in to Jesus.  Every time you give in to Jesus, you become more like him.  Remember that you were created for this.  God is taking care of you when you are not taking care of yourself.  God’s got you covered.  You’ve got a friend in Jesus and he is talking to God about you.  God’s got things for you.  To be persuaded of that is a wonderful thing.  Will you be persuaded?  What has God promised you?  He loved you before you even did anything.  God chose you.  Walk worthy of God’s goodness.  God’s plan covers your weaknesses; they are for the glory of God.  Don’t think of God as your accuser, that’s somebody else.  In God it’s yea!  Keep your eye on the prize.”

    I love these sweet reminders!

    Michelle 

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1877835368445174056

     

  • Old Meeting Notes

    Pastor John,

    Reading the old meeting notes from 1969* that you just sent out; I read: 

    Preacher Clark on how to tell a wise virgin from a foolish one: “The wise can get along with anybody. The foolish can’t get along with anybody. They are always discontent.”

    I had to consider what this meant for a moment, that the foolish can’t get along because they “are always discontent.”  I then heard my heart say, “Lord, some saints haven’t gotten along (with others) because they want their own way.”  I immediately heard back, “Well, they are discontent.”

    Ha!  That’s right!  If we are content, we aren’t pushing to have it our way. 

    Thanks for those!

    Jerry

    *21 – 1969 Gary’s CD-52&53

    Comments welcome:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1877387573972131886

  • Question regarding marriage: 1Corinthians 7:14

    Good morning Pastor John,

    Kevin and I were listening to a tract on Marriage and Divorce (Going to Jesus.com Tracts – Marriage and Divorce).  We talked about how the holy Ghost is needed in order to be equally yoked. 

    He had a question that I wasn’t sure how to answer from 1Corinthians 7:14 below:  What makes the children unclean?  

    “The [pleased-to-dwell-with] unbelieving husband is sanctified by the [believing] wife, and the [pleased-to-dwell-with] unbelieving wife is sanctified by the [believing] husband; otherwise, your children are unclean.”

    Is the answer the unbeliever?

    Thank you,

    Rebekah E.

    ==========

    Hi, Rebekah.

    I don’t know why Paul used that word in reference to children.  It may be that he knew the relationship between a believer and a non-believer which produced the child was not in the will of God.  Other than that, I can’t think of a reason Paul would have made that statement.  After all, Jesus spoke well of little children, even telling his disciples that unless they became as little children, they would never see the kingdom of God (Mt. 18:1–3).

    Sorry, but that’s the best I can do with that question.  Maybe someone who reads this can provide a better answer.

    Pastor John

    Comments welcome:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1877384575535432159

     

  • The Synthesis Book – Baptism

    I just finished reading the part in the Synthesis book about baptism.  So informative, so helpful and useful. I especially loved reading the words of this 17th century “Quaker” theologian (Robert Barclay) who basically summarized the truth about baptism:

    “As there is one Lord and one faith, so there is one baptism; which is ‘not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience before God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.’ And this baptism is a pure and spiritual thing, to wit, the baptism of the Spirit and fire, by which we are buried with Him, that being washed and purged from our sins, we may walk in newness of life; of which the baptism of John was a figure which was commanded for a time, and not to continue for ever.”

    I’m thankful that God allows us to see that the truth has been out there the whole time, despite the apostasy of the body of Christ, received, believed and taught by those who were willing and obedient. 

    Thank you that you keep digging, studying and writing, just so we (and hopefully many others) can be blessed by nuggets of knowledge such as this one.

    Zoli

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1877381964048585086

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