Mailbag

Send us comments on Twitter!
Watch What We Do!

Search

Looking for something specific? Try a search below!

  • Feeling in Tune with the Spirit

    Hi John,

    The message and the songs last night were wonderful! I especially loved what you said about how to know when someone really loves you. If someone truly loves another person, they will live right so that they can live together with the other person forever with Jesus. It felt so good to have fellowship in what you were saying because I was feeling and thinking on those things earlier in the day, at work yesterday. I don’t remember exactly what prompted me to start thinking about it, but I thought to myself, “You go get right with God (receive the holy ghost), and then live a holy life before God, and then sit back and see who loves you.” Well, what you were saying last night helped to perfect those thoughts I was having. You can see who are the ones who love you by the way they are living. I love it when I have thoughts or feelings about something, and then find out you or someone else in the body is having similar thoughts!

    After the meeting, I was recounting to Amy the time when I was seeking the holy Ghost and when I received it. God had put it in my heart to seek Him, and had given me a desire to please Him. I hadn’t really thought about it like this, but after last night, I realized that the primary reason that there are some who are no longer in my life and who want nothing to do with me, and that there are ones now who ARE in my life and really DO love me, is because I put Jesus first in my life. I am so thankful that He gave me the desire to put him first!

    Then, this morning, Amy was talking about a song she sang with Amanda from Deuteronomy 32, “Rejoice All Ye Nations”. I pulled it up on my phone and we listened to it. Then my phone automatically went to the next song in my search list, which was a song from Deuteronomy 28. Amy immediately recognized it and sang the first verse, which starts out, “Disobedience brings a curse, But obedience brings a blessing, And if you’ll only put Jesus first…”

    I love it when those kinds of things happen – really makes you feel in tune with some of God’s thoughts 🙂

    Vince

  • Satisfied by Jesus

    Dear Pastor John,

    In reading your material on your website, I’ve come to the conclusion that you take the bible quite literally. Don’t think I can do that, as it leaves me with some serious unanswered questions. Maybe you can answer them though.

    If Adam was created and entertained God for a time, which appears to be the case since God saw that it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone, did God add to Adam testicles when He created Eve? I can’t see Adam needing those body parts before Eve was created, unless there were other humans (maybe Cro-magnon or Neandertals) on earth.

    And there probably were other humans on the planet before Adam, so Adam really wasn’t the first “man”. Who did Adam and Eve’s sons marry and start families with? Their sisters? And who was Cain afraid would kill him when he was banished? Certainly it should be obvious that there were other humans before Adam and Eve were created.

    Also, if God has a body, such as we do (created in His image), then that would mean God has limits to His being, even if His body is spiritual. How could God be everywhere, if He has body parts? That doesn’t make any sense to me, but who can know God? Do you really believe what the bible says about God’s appearance? If we were created in His image (with a head, arms, legs, torso, etc.), then apparently the apes were too! I think the bible meant something else. What makes more sense to me is that, possibly, God is the dimension that encompasses and gives existence to all other dimensions. Our existence is composed of those dimensions that we and our universe are constrained to. In such a scenario, God is everywhere at all times, and yet we are separated from God by those constraints that He dictated. And His son is the dimension by which we can be joined to God. Not sure how Jesus became man, but by God’s infinite power and wisdom. I just cannot see a God-figure sitting on a throne in heaven with another by his side.

    Maybe you have some insights into these questions and points of view?

    Your humble servant,

    Ed

    ==========

    Hi, Ed.

    Thank you for writing. I understand your questions and can certainly see your point of view.

    There are many questions that can be raised concerning things that God has not revealed to us. Understanding and living according to what He has revealed pretty much consumes all my time. As Moses said, the hidden things belong to God, but the things that He has revealed belong to us and to our children, so that we may learn to walk in His ways (Dt. 29:29). That is my life’s purpose.

    What can satisfy intelligent, inquisitive minds such as yours is an overwhelming personal experience with God, and Jesus made that experience – the baptism of the holy Ghost – possible by his sacrificial death. In John 4:14, he told the woman at the well (whose confidence and openness I would compare with yours) that if someone drinks of his spiritual water, they would be so satisfied that they would never thirst again.

    The new birth experience (the holy Ghost baptism) will not answer all your questions, Ed, but it can satisfy your soul so that you know (1) that what God has revealed is true and (2) that He has a good and wise purpose for keeping the rest to Himself. Without Jesus’ soul-satisfying drink of the Spirit, however, we are left with nothing but human logic and our own reasonings, and frankly, I consider that to be a condition worse than death.

    If you are looking for God’s perfect answer to the multitude of man’s unanswerable questions, there it is, and I sincerely hope you receive it. If so, you will never thirst again.

    Your servant in Christ Jesus,

    Pastor John

  • The Son as “Wisdom”

    Pastotor John,
    I am studying Proverbs along with your book Solomon’s Wisdom…

    On page 24/124 of your book where Wisdom is talking in Proverbs 8, you wrote: “When all these things were created, I was beside Him as His Son.” By saying “as His Son”, do you mean to imply that Wisdom is identified as Christ? This is confusing to me. In the Bible the Hebrew for Wisdom is a feminine pronoun. Is that right? I’m not very good at this at all. I am very confused with Wisdom being synonymous with Christ, if this is what you are saying.

    Thank you for your help.

    Diane H.

    =======

    Hi Diane.

    Thank you for your question; it is a good one.

    In 1Corinthians 1:24, Paul wrote that “we preach Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.” In Greek as well as in Hebrew, the noun “wisdom” is feminine (as well as the noun “power”), but as you can see, Paul felt free to apply those feminine words to Christ. So, the fact that the Hebrew word “wisdom” in Proverbs 8 is feminine does not mean it cannot be used to refer to a man.

    The New Testament speaks often about God’s Son being in the beginning with the Father, but he was hidden by God until “the fullness of time”, in Paul’s words. In Proverbs 8, the hidden Son described through David his sweet life with the Father in the beginning, before God created all things (by the Son, as men learned after the Spirit came). The Son often spoke through holy men of God before he took on flesh and walked among us as Jesus Christ, but since he was hidden, no one understood, in ancient time, that it was the Son speaking. You might be interested in reading chapter 4 “The Son in the Old Testament” in my online book, God Had a Son before Mary Did. It is here:

    https://goingtojesus.com/gtj_books.html?tname=fands

    In that chapter, Proverbs 8 is also translated and dealt with. Thank you again for your good question. Please stay in touch if you have any more questions or comments.

    Pastor John

  • 100%

    Good morning!

    I woke up to read (below) this morning. After the meeting last night, and really listening to what the Lord is telling us about being in 100%, these verses stood out to me. I love that Jesus is talking to us. I have been spending a lot of quiet time with Jesus, and this instruction, this warning, feels good. It may seem very simple, but to say “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” feels like very needed instruction. I wonder how much doubt or worry can be there if you are giving Jesus 100%. Last night and this morning just feels really good and leaves me asking Jesus to help me give him everything. Praying for a pure heart.

    James 1:

    5. If anyone among you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all, and does not belittle, and it shall be given to him.
    6. But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, wind-driven and tossed.
    7. Let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
    8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

    Beth 

  • Testimonies

    Hi John,

    Listening to all the testimonies from our last meeting reminded me of what God did for me when I first moved to California.

    I was 24 years old and had planned to come out to California with a friend. Something went wrong with my friends plans, and I ended up coming out here all alone. I did not know a soul in CA, and had no place to stay. I got here at night and took a taxi to the closest hotel.

    The next morning, I went to breakfast, (I don’t quite remember the details) but I ended up telling me story to the waiter. Now, that’s something I don’t think I would ever do, just start telling my story to a stranger. I wish I remembered the details, but I don’t. Anyway, he told me that I should move into a motel where it would be cheaper, and he ended up taking me there. After that, he advised me to look for someone who needed a roommate. Every day he came by to check on me, and he’d bring me a newspaper. So, I found someone that needed a roommate, and I ended up moving in with her. But once I did that, I lost touch with the guy. I don’t even remember his name now. I am sure he was an angel that God sent to take care of me because so many bad things could have happened to me. I was so naive.

    I thank God for sending that angel to care of me. He has, and continues to take good to me. I am blessed and thankful.

    Margaret

  • Story

    Hey,

    Yesterday I watched a program on Amazon that used to come on tv a long time ago. It is called “I Shouldn’t Be Alive”. In this episode, there was a young vibrant girl who was an athlete. She was a well-known runner and trained for high endurance marathons etc.. She went out for a morning run in a secluded area with her dog, and she slipped off the side and fell a long ways off a cliff severing her entire pelvis area. Her legs were only attached to her mid-section by soft tissue and vessels. As I watched this, I listened as the story was told of her incredible self-will. How she was so strong in body that she willed herself to live the first 2 nights. After the first night, she noticed a soft sack appearing in her abdomen area; she was bleeding internally. Again, they spoke of her survival through the night and her willing herself and her body to live. On the 3rd day, she was dying and she knew it. She was exhausted and had no more strength in herself to “will herself to live” anymore. She began crying, sobbing, and crying out for help. And immediately as she was crying out, there was a man right there to rescue her.

    Seeing it from God’s point of view, that was all He was waiting on – for her to realize that her own self will wasn’t going to save her and if she would cry out to Him for help, He would be right there. It really struck me. And, God was already setting things up in the background for when she finally humbled herself that her help was already on the way! I just loved that. What a story.

    They told her she would never walk again, but she did, and not only that, she married and had a baby. Jesus had something waiting for her on the other side. She wept as she told the story. It is a good parallel of what Jesus will do for us if we surrender ourselves to God’s will. We have no idea what Jesus has waiting for us on the other side, if we just humble ourselves and call out for help.

    Touching story.

    Amy B

  • Concerning Your Translators

    comments: I was so thrilled to see your site.* Then I read that you do not have scholars to translate the Greek Manuscripts, but Spirit filled saints. How can you translate Greek without knowing the Greek language? This is a very important question for me as I do not believe in the Trinity doctrine and have believed all along that man changed the original Greek text when it was translated. I understand the translators must be spirit filled, however, knowing the ancient Greek language should be a requirement.

    Thank you for your help.

    Diane H.
    ============

    Hi, Diane.

    Thank you for writing.

    First, let me assure you that we do not attempt to translate the Bible without having a working knowledge of biblical Hebrew and Greek. You are right about such knowledge being a requirement for translators.

    I hope that brings you some relief concerning our translation of Old and New Testament books.

    Sincerely,

    Pastor John

    *Going to Jesus: Bible Translation

  • “My Yoke Is Easy . . . .”

    Dear Bro. John:

    What a wonderful meeting today! Even over the Skype-waves, the feelings were wonderful! I loved watching as each one took a little drink of the Spirit and got blessed. It blessed me! I especially loved Bess near the end of the meeting. I loved her testimony, her holy Ghost hair, and her sweetness. And when she tried to tell about talking to Jesus about the mess they were in awhile back and just started laughing – – that was so good – – because, as she said, Jesus came and brought the Victory! It is so good when Jesus comes and we can look back at what he has done to get us out of our messes and just be happy telling about him and the Victory!

    One of the things you brought out today when you were talking about the standards in the holy Ghost helped me to understand more fully what Jesus meant when he said “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” When you said (paraphrased): “the least we have in the holy Ghost exceeds the Scribes and the Pharisees in their religious ways”, that really pricked my heart. I can read Jesus’ words now as: “my Spirit is easy and my Spirit is light.”! To be yoked to the holy Ghost instead of religious ways, whew! How blessed we are!

    Having participated in Christianity and the religious ceremonies before the Lord rescued me, I felt like a yoke WAS around my neck and the ceremonies were burdensome because they made no sense to me. I am so thankful that Jesus makes sense and gives us good sense if we will follow his Spirit. He didn’t have to die and send back the holy Ghost so we could share in what he and his Father have known since before this world began. But they both loved us and were willing to save us from ourselves. That alone is an overwhelming and humbling thought!

    Thank you for following the truth and loving it. It gives us all strength and comfort to know that Jesus anointed a man of God to teach us and help us understand him better. I sure felt that today as I watched you pray for each one.

    Hope to see you Wednesday.

    A very thankful sheep,

    Sandy smiley face2

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

    Good morning Pastor John,

    I loved the meetings this weekend! The preaching, the testimonies, the music, watching my brothers and sisters being blessed! I feel like my cup is running over!

    I’m especially thankful for the open invitation Jesus has been giving to us! Sunday when the spirit started blessing I felt like, “Here is your open invitation”, I felt like running so fast to Jesus, I just couldn’t get there fast enough! I love it! His sweet feelings just overwhelmed me!

    I love his mercy! I love us! So very thankful this morning!

    Michelle

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

    I have to agree with Michelle, the weekend was great. But, I would have to say Sunday was the best meeting ever!!!

    When Brother Gary started singing his song at the end, it hit my heart so hard. Listening to the words and hearing what Jesus was saying in it, I had to get as low as I could and cry out to HIM for his goodness and mercy.

    So even though I wasn’t there, and you always say “You missed the best meeting”. I would have to say no I didn’t, I was feeling everything that was being felt and I am so thankful for that.

    Thank you Bro. Gary for listening to the spirit and writing that great song.

    Steven W.

  • The Little Things

    Hi, Pastor John.

    It was an honor to be there to read Psalm 119, this past Sunday; 22 parts and 22 people. It was a small thing, but big at the same time. God is in charge!

    Tuesday, my tires needed air and I went to Sheetz in Graham. As I waited my turn, my thoughts were on the Psalm 119 reading, still. I pulled up to the air compressor, and saw a valve stem cover laying on the ground in font of it. I thought, “I’ll set it on the curb and if anyone needs one, they will see it and use it”. As I set the air pressure gauge and bent over to remove the valve stem cover on my tire, I noticed I didn’t have one on it. So, when I finished, I smiled and picked up the cover that I sat down on the curb and put it on my truck tire, thanking God that he was thinking of me. It was very humbling!

    After I got into my truck to leave, the spirit reminded me how God helped me through the big things in my life like: cancer, sick kids; when Josh’s appendix ruptured, etc.– Big things that increased my faith in what God has done for me and others; big obstacles (which are not big to God). The spirit also reminded me that God is in control of the smallest things in my life, such as the little tire valve stem cover, and that he is in charge of everyone of the little things, too. The big things are obvious, but there are far more little things, I’m sure, that we can’t even number nor are fully aware (unless He lets us see it) what God does for us on a daily basis.

    It was a very sweet feeling being reminded how much Jesus cares.

    Just a “little” lesson from Jesus,

    Billy

  • A List

    Pastor John,

    I made this list a year or so ago – I just found it. It made me smile. I know some, if not all of this is true.

    • Talking about God is not the same as talking from him. The whole world is talking about God, whether for him or against him. Christianity exists by God not talking back.

    • The only thing of value is what comes from God.

    • The only thing true about God is what God says about himself; no one else knows him.

    • Even telling what God has done for you can be misleading if it isn’t in accord with what God is doing right now. Not everything you think is a testimony. God’s words have value – wait on them.

    • Don’t speak more than your elders about God; you don’t know him that well. Look around you and learn.

    • Those who know God the most usually speak the least. But when they speak, it matters. Let God lend weight to your words.

    • All you have is an opinion about God until he shows up.

    • Wait on God.

    Jerry

Recent Posts