Good morning again!

While working in the yard the other day I had a thought about God being a businessman and expecting a good return. I thought about how Jesus made sure we knew this by the parable of talents. So I have been reading that parable. It would be so easy to say, “I need to do more; I need to give and do works.” My flesh wants some physical work to make Jesus happy.

It made me think about what I really have been taught. I am very thankful to have that knowledge from you and from Jesus, especially now. I have been reading all the instructions you have been giving. I found myself asking Jesus after I read the parable of the talents, “Is this all you want Lord? Can I just ask you to show me anything that is wrong and you want to be fixed? Can I ask you to help me have fellowship and to love your children, like you want them loved? Can I be still and listen? “

Something in me can’t believe it is that simple.

Then I thought about when I worked at Ford. I knew nothing in the beginning. I did not know how to walk in the plant safely, how to find my way when asked to move to another area, how to use any of the tools I was given. I had been a waitress; I had never seen assembly lines or manufacturing processes. Plus, I am not coordinated at all.

But I learned if I listened to what my supervisor wanted, and I really followed my trainer for the three days I had them, I could do the job. I may not have been good at it right away, but I could do what they wanted me to do. Eventually, I flowed with the workings of that plant. I could easily be placed wherever they needed me to work. I was pliable; I took instruction, and I became a useful employee.

I thought about you telling Samuel not to go too deep, to stay simple and follow his mama’s example (what a beautiful example she is to follow). I love the instruction. It is safe, and it brings me such relief, every time you give it. I know how to follow instructions.

I loved Caleb’s email, hearing his heart, and your response and instruction. I love that it is going to Jesus and saying, “Whatever you want Lord.” I pray to take the instruction and be pliable. I just want to be limp!

I do not want to be the selfish child in a household that has been given so much that it expects it, so spoiled it will cause interruptions and chaos. As a parent myself, I can see only one way to fix that. I don’t want Jesus to do that to me.

I am very thankful for the instruction and the examples I have. I am thankful for my foundation you are giving me in the truth.

I look at that last sentence and wish it could have better words to really tell you how I feel. It can’t be found in words.

Beth

Hi Pastor John,

After we got off the phone today, I was talking to Jesus about some of the things I hope he will restore.

Being able to have you lay hands on us and pray. I thought a lot about how it would be if we were not able to have that again. Seeing that picture of Sister Kathy standing in that glass door and knowing that she probably really wanted to hug you and see you, made that hit home even more. Hugging each other again, being in the same room. I remembered today the first time Sue hugged me and how it felt. I prayed today that Jesus would let me hug Sue again. I thought about many things. Hearing our singers sing songs with truth, the feeling that comes when the music starts and the spirit moves, seeing Brother Earl’s feet move when the spirit touches him, or Lee Ann’s shoulders bounce, or watching Carrie dance. Hands raising when we feel the spirit move!

I got very sad thinking about Jesus maybe not restoring us back to our normal. I know things will change. Jesus told me once, everything here is to get us ready to be with him. Everything was always meant to change, but some things are so precious. I don’t want them to change. Today really left me praying for a heart to value whatever we are given, when we are given it.

I felt a little heavy until I heard Sister Willie thanking Jesus. If Sister Wilie is happy and soaking up touches and testifying, that’s where I want to be too. I looked on Facebook and saw all your normal posts, and it felt really good. Helps keep the right perspective and helps me walk down the middle of the track. I am so thankful for the elders and the footsteps to follow. It is comforting. It would be very easy to get lost in this without a shirt tail, or 80 of them, to hold on to.

Thankful you were able to be out driving today. That’s a sweet testimony in itself!

Beth D.

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Amen, Beth!

It was sweet hearing your voice, too, and then Jerry’s, and then Sister Willie’s this afternoon on WhatsApp! Things are changing, but it will be for the better. Jesus does everything perfectly in order to perfect us.

Pastor John

Pastor John,

Over the past few weeks, we have been reading the story of David with the girls. We followed David’s life from a shepherd boy to defeating Goliath, to fleeing from Saul and how he hid in caves, forests, and mountains from Saul’s pursuits. Though David did nothing wrong to Saul, Saul turned against David and continually tried to kill him. David, however, still respected and acknowledged Saul as the anointed man whom God had set over him and all of Israel. When opportunities arose where David could have struck down Saul and killed him, ending his exile and hardships, he feared God’s anointing more than his own safety and comfort, and he would not lash out against Saul.

Even though the anointed man of God wrongfully turned on David and attempted to kill him, David never spoke evil against Saul. Now, David pleaded with Saul to give up his unjust pursuit, but the Bible never records David saying anything negative or slanderous regarding Saul, as David acknowledged God’s anointing on Saul and that God made Saul king. And as long as Saul was alive and king, he was still God’s anointed man, and opposing God’s anointed man was the same as opposing God, even if God’s anointed man was opposing him!

When the Amalekite messenger reported Saul’s death to David, and tried to win favor with David, falsely claiming that he was one who had slain Saul:

2 Samuel 1
14. And David said to him, “How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
15. Then David called to one of the young men and said, “Go near, and light upon him.” So he smote him that he died.
16. And David said to him, “Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slaughtered the anointed of the Lord.’”
¶17.Then David mourned with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son.

As you have mentioned many times, slander is a form of murder, as it kills a person’s influence. May God have mercy on anyone that stretches forth their hand against God’s anointed to oppose or attempt to kill their influence. And even if an anointed teacher/healer/pastor/evangelist/preacher of God has gotten off track and is currently out of the will of God, that person is still God’s anointed, and we would do well to follow David’s example of respecting, acknowledging, and fearing any anointing that God establishes.

Wanted to share some of the thoughts and feelings evoked while reading about David’s humility and respect.

Richard French

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Thanks, Richard.

David was certainly a wise man to think like that, and God richly rewarded him for it.

By example, my father taught us who knew him never to speak evil of a man anointed by God. He showed great respect to Oral Roberts, Kathryn Kuhlman, and others who had an anointing from God. He even told me one Sunday morning that God spoke to him as we watched some religious programming that morning, and said, “Don’t speak evil of anyone who is speaking well of my Son.” The safest way, I suppose, is just to heed Paul’s counsel and “speak evil of no man” (Tit. 3:2).

Thanks for letting us know what you and your sweet family have been up to.

Pastor John

Good morning,

Last night I started “Government in the Assembly of God”.* Reading about God’s order and the humility of authority felt so good, so clean. I felt like my house was being clean and set in order.

What struck me most was reading Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

You said in your notes that the word “vision” means “revelation”. After reading that, I kept hearing, “Revelation comes by the power of God; without His power people will perish. This kept ringing in my heart, and I had to stop. That created such a fervent prayer in my heart for more of the power of God. I just had to get on my knees.

Just writing this I can feel the spirit all over me. We need his power, I just want to be still, be ready, and be willing to let him fill me.

Michelle

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Thank you for letting me hear this testimony, Michelle. So good!

Pastor John

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It’s been a difficult time not seeing everyone and not knowing what this virus will do but the stillness with Jesus has been wonderful.

Michelle

* Follow the link below to read this blog by Pastor John, and more:

https://pastorjohnshouse.blogspot.com/2020/03/government-in-assembly-of-god-part-1.html

Good Morning Bro John!

Jesus is spoiling me! I had the best encouraging dream this morning! In the dream, I saw the inside of a forearm with a deep open wound and it was being closed up (healed) by an invisible power! Immediately, the Spirit spoke and said, “Healing is coming!” Oh my! The doctors can say it, the scientists can say it, but when Jesus says it, it is going to be! Sweet, sweet Jesus. He makes my day! Here’s a hug from Jesus!

Sandy

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Amen, Sandy! I believe it.

jdc

Good Morning!

Really enjoyed this!

You wrote in a blog*, “But what is it that God sees in their hearts that He would refuse to give them His Spirit? Only God knows, and He is always right.”

I always find such peace in this. God knows and knowing that helps me not hurt for the ones I love that He has not chosen as of now. It also lets me just live and not push past God. I love the peace it brings. “He is always right.” That is like a healing balm to me.

All those people out there right now separated from false teachers, alone with God, makes me pray for tender experiences to be had with Jesus during this virus. I pray they cry out to Jesus and never go back. How many hurting hearts will cry his name during this time?

The email between you and Jerry the other day and this blog struck me. I pray to stay close to Jesus and be free from wrong thoughts and feelings. It has been hard to be away from the anointing and the body so long. I need the anointing, and I need the body. I ask Jesus to give me his feelings and his thoughts every day. I really, really miss us just praising God together.

Beth D.

* https://www.goingtojesus.com/gtj_thoughts.html?tname=rdt04-02

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A sobering truth.

Pastor John

Bro. John:

I wanted to share with everyone the Spirit’s encouraging and comforting words I heard this morning. My daughter is a nurse at UNC Hospital and she texted me a picture of the mask they provide her to wear. She said they have to wear the same mask all week. They are only provided 1 mask per week! My heart dropped when I read that because of all the Covid -19 virus germs floating around. You would think they would provide a clean mask each day, but I suppose this is the shortage of masks we keep hearing about on the news. After I read her text, I went into the kitchen to fix some breakfast, still thinking on what I had just read, and the Spirit spoke to me so sweetly and said, “her protection is not in the mask, it is from the Lord!” Oh my! How I love Jesus! He always knows what we need to lift a burden off our hearts! I pray to believe in him for all of our safety thru this trying time in this country. And particularly for the safety of all the health care workers on the front lines of this virus. I know Jesus cares and loves us.

I loved reading these verses in James 5 this morning:

15 “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

I looked up the words “effectual” and “fervent” and they basically mean sincere, passionate, fruitful, productive, to name just a few.

I believe, Bro. John, when we pray this way from the bottom of our hearts (heart seeking), God will hear our cries and heal us and this land in which we live. I have to believe it because Jesus IS the Answer to every problem.

He is giving us this time alone to seek him. We are at your mercy, Lord; hear our prayers. May God help us to stand still in Jordan and feel His Presence.

Love,

Sandy

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This is wonderful, Sandy. Thank you!

Pastor John

Pastor John,

Having a conversation with Beth last night, talking about how we generally can tell who authored an email within the first few words of the first sentence. It is the spirit of the person that we are perceiving. We are feeling the spirit of the writer and recognizing it – the words aren’t unique to one person.

That Spirit sanctifies people’s words and actions. It makes people acceptable to God.

Paul said he was judging by it, and the power of God. It is amazing.

Foolish words are sometimes found in the mouths of sanctified wise virgins, and wise words sometimes come from the foolish, but it is the Spirit that sanctifies. The words don’t mean a thing.

Jerry

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That’s true, Jerry. And it is a person’s spirit that influences others more than the words they say. “The kingdom of God is not in word,” Paul said, and we could add, “Neither is the kingdom of Satan.” Jesus said, “It is the Spirit [of God] that gives life,” But it is also true that an unclean spirit brings death.

Pastor John

Pastor John,

You wrote in your book, Speaking in Tongues at Spirit Baptism, “The tongue of man and the heart of man have a unique relationship. Jesus said, ‘Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks’” (Mt. 12-34), which suggest that when the Spirit of God changes and fills the heart of a man, his mouth is moved to express something.”

This is beautiful to me. I read it again and again. To know what it feels like to have your heart so full and not be able to utter human words as you try to speak of it makes it so very beautiful to me. That God has ever filled and touched our hearts, overwhelms me.

Beth D.

My sweet wife and I have really been blessed for the past six or seven weeks, allocating time every evening at bedtime to read a few chapters of the stories of your father*… Well, actually, “the story of God”.

Aren’t you fortunate to have been the one to receive the benefits of the best years of his life, growing up in his household of peace in order and godliness, and then to be able to interview him and compile all of these amazing memories?

It makes me a little sad that in our age there are so many distractions and attractions and responsibilities and obligations that deter us (or at least most of us) from following after the Spirit as diligently as George Clark did. Your manuscript title is very apt: he truly was a “pioneer of the faith”.

I can only express from a very grateful heart how thankful I am that God has put me under your wing, to learn the Truth, and that you have continued to obey God and walk in His wisdom just as your father laid the foundation for a life such as that. Both of you are examples of true men of God, and both Allison and I are blessed by the things we are learning to understand, a little here and a little there. Thank you for your wonderful writings. They enrich our lives every day and show us the way of holiness; and how we, too, can be a light in this world by Preacher Clark’s example and yours.

Brad

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Hi Brad.

The biographical stories from my father’s remarkable life could encourage and challenge any child of God, regardless of where they stand with Him, high or low. I cannot tell you how many saints have told me what reading those stories did for them. A life lived in the Spirit is a life that the grave cannot end.

Thanks for writing.

Pastor John

* Follow the link below to read the story of George C. Clark, a Pioneer of the Faith.
https://www.pioneertract.com/