(The following comments refer to the post titled: Notes from a 1975 Prayer Meeting, posted 10/3/2018.)
Pastor John.
I was writing down my feelings while listening to the CD of your Father, Uncle Joe, Brother Earl and others last night, from a prayer meeting in 1975. It brought to my mind feelings of honesty (with themselves), sincerity, humility, faith in God, and desperation, and their need for God. If we are honest with ourselves, that can be our “judgment”. We can hear and listen to the saints in those old meetings, and it will expose not only our weaknesses, but also any strengths that we may have, such as faith, sincerity, etc.. I feel that sincerity for the truth is one of the biggest weapons that one can desire to have. You could feel the love of God and for God when each soul on that CD testified.
Their testimonies were real, and you could feel their infirmities and their hurts. Their desperation, their sincerity, and their love for God and others saved them in their daily lives. Thank God that God entrusted Brother Earl to record those meetings! Gold is gold, no matter what decade it is found in.
I have to travel today, but I sit here with tears rolling down my face for the love that I am feeling for each and every one of those old saints, and the love that I’m feeling for us. It is a precious gift to each of us, what God had done to bring us together. I pray that I take advantage of His presents as well as His presence.
One of the most beautiful things is that we are in the meetings now and in the presence of saints who were there: Earl, Betty, Barbara, and you. What an honor! I’m beside myself to think that I’m in their mist. I pray that our children can feel the good things of God from us, and that they will say the same things about us when they grow up and listen to us on some type of recordings.
All I can say is, Thank you, Brother Earl!
Billy
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The notes from that old meeting that you sent to us are wonderful reading!
God was speaking to my heart Wednesday night as we listened to this CD of that meeting. I heard several things, but one thing has really stood out to me again today, after reading this part again from brother Murray:
“Uncle Joe (‘Hilliard’) told about a man who had cancer, and
some folk came and prayed for him, saying, “If it is your will, O God, heal him.”
Uncle Joe was glad no one prayed for him like that when he had cancer. He knew it was God’s will to heal him. He just had to make things right in his spirit and then contact God for the healing God wants His children to have.”
I felt God talking to my soul Wednesday night, telling me that not only is he “willing” to heal us, but that he also PAID for the opportunity to heal us. He paid for the opportunity to wash our sins away, and to heal our infirmities.
After hearing that, I said in my heart, “LORD, why would you have to pay to do anything?” And my thoughts then went back to a meeting in Louisville, KY, a decade or so ago, when you asked all of us out there, “Why do men have to die?” The answer was, “because God is Holy.” Because of who God is, men have to die – once. God’s holiness demands it.
I then understood that the holiness of God also required that a price be paid for us to receive His Spirit, and His healing, and His salvation, even if God was the One who had to provide the payment for it. A sacrifice had to be made to bridge the gap between God and man. God’s holiness demanded that as well.
That was so sweet to my soul.
I thought, “God, what kind of being are you, that You would pay to heal me? That you would pay to wash my sins away – not yours God, but MINE.”
It took my breath.
I then considered what it means when we “pay” for something here on Earth. It means we surrender something that we have of value, to get something else that we value in return. I then realized, God reached into his own pocket and paid what was dearest to his soul, His Son, for me.
He paid because I couldn’t, so that he could do good for me. There is no love like that in a human being, or on Earth. It is not of this world.
Jerry
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Pastor John,
I loved listening to the Old Meeting CD on Wednesday night. The humility, sincerity and love of God saturated my soul.
A few parts that stood out to me:
I loved Aunt Leatha’s testimony about Clyde. When she was praying for him, it touched me deeply, then when you said afterward that that was her former husband that left her and took the kids, I just had to let that sink in. It was so good, so honest, it made me hunger for a heart like that.
I loved when your father said, “We’ve got to come out and be separated, and obey God, and be obedient to Him, and stay in touch with him, and every time there’s a failure or anything not satisfaction [with God], let Jesus make intercession – continuously. If he was to give up that job [of interceding for us], we’d all perish. The first time you did a thing or said a word, and you did anything displeasing to God, it would all be over. He’s right there. He’s got one hand down here reaching for you, and got a hold of the Father with the other one.”
I love this! Having our comforter to make intercession for us! Imagining Jesus holding on to his Father’s hand while reaching down for us, what sweet, tender love that is. It makes me want to hold on tighter!
And when Uncle Joe was telling about the man who had cancer and the man was praying “if it’s your will”. But Uncle Joe said he knew it was God’s will to heal him. He “just had to make things right in his spirit and then contact God for the healing God wants His children to have.” That just stirs up faith deep inside! What sweet confidence in Jesus and his promises! How encouraging!
I just love it! These testimonies never get old, they are as filling now as I’m sure they were in 1975. What a treasure!
I’m very thankful for Uncle Earl taping these meetings way back then so we can hear them and love them! I love hearing Uncle Earl testify; he has the same heart today as he did then.
Thank you Pastor John and Amy for typing these notes!
Michelle
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Thank you and Amy for the time you spent organizing and writing the notes for the 1975 prayer meeting we listened to, and to Brother Earl for recording their meetings all those years ago. They are such a treasure to my soul! I love how real everyone was when they spoke. The testimonies are as relevant now as they were then, and they really touched me. I loved the preaching from Preacher Clark so much. I was thinking this morning that I really wish I could have spent some time with your daddy (I already know I would’ve loved him)! I am so thankful for the connection I feel with all of those old saints! I love them all!
I hope future generations will listen to our meeting CDs and be refreshed and encouraged from our testimonies and songs and your wonderful sermons the same we have been encouraged listening to theirs. I believe anyone who is hungry for the truth will love what they hear and feel when listening to our CDs! (Just like they are now).
Thank you for sending out these notes! They really blessed me this morning!
Lee Ann
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Amen! The truth is eternal, Lee Ann. I bet if we could hear the apostle Paul preach, we would feel right at home. How blessed we are! I hope we are thankful enough.
Pastor John
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Dear John,
Thank you typing out the notes for the cd, one wonderful pearl after another! Thank you for feeding us the good things that you have been taught and have loved from a young man!
The feelings of unity that came from your father, Uncle Joe, Br Earl, and Aunt Letha were so honest and from the heart that it made my heart love them more.
I love the effect that the truth produces in our hearts as we receive what is said. It makes us know there is no age or time in the Spirit. It is always a fit and timely message. It makes my heart long for home!
Good night and look forward to seeing everybody tomorrow!
Bess
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We have cleaned up the note that I gave you last Wednesday night, and have added a lot. I thought some of you would like to see the final version of the notes. (see post: Notes from A 1975 Prayer Meeting, posted 10/3/2018)
Pastor John