Pastor John
You know what your message on Sunday does, PJ? — It knocks the dust of Christianity right off my heart. So many times my flesh has wanted you to be my hero, to be like those Christian ministers who say what the flesh wants to hear. But this… this makes my soul shout. This feeds my soul. I love this so much I can hardly stand it. I can’t tell you how many times Jesus has given it to me straight. He has stopped me in my tracks many times by saying it exactly like it is. Jesus does not sugarcoat things with me. This sounds and feels just like Jesus to me. And I love it. I need it this straight and this real.
Talk about “straight is the way”! You said,
“There is something about the truth Jesus gives that so satisfies the soul that you cannot want
something else. You can desire more of that heavenly manna and more of that refreshing
spiritual water, but no other bread or water can appeal to you. “I am the bread of life,” Jesus
said, “and he who comes to me will never hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst”
(Jn. 6:35). There have been people who attended our meetings for decades, even born to parents
who were already here, who never found the way of holiness. They knew when to clap their
hands and when to smile, but they never got to know the Spirit. In time, they were offended, not because I did anything, but because they were thirsty for something else, and God made sure that they found something better to their liking.
I didn’t take credit for them being here, and I didn’t take credit for them leaving. That is God’s business. I am not that powerful. No man is. It is not part of my job description to decide who or how many come or go; my job is to be faithful to the one who called me out of darkness and gave me hope of eternal life. My goal is not to try to persuade anybody to stay here and not go away; that is not by job. My job is to please my Master and teach you the way of righteousness, to feed you the living word of God, to offer you the bread of life that comes down from heaven, to give you a taste of
the Son of God, and hopefully, to cause you to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” It is actually none of my business whether or not that heavenly bread tastes good to you. The result of my feeding the body is entirely up to God.”
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Love,
Beth