Pastor John,

I have been thinking about what you said Friday night about Wed night’s reading of Revelation.  It left me praying to Jesus to not let me grow complacent and take for granted all that Jesus has given us.  We have so much to eat!

I was listening to the latest meeting CD today, and Judy M was testifying about her scare with the horse.  At one point she said that Billy told her “not to grow complacent” with the horses.  When she said that, it struck my heart.  I knew Jesus wanted me to hear that. Judy also said things “can change in a moment”, and after my scare at work with a gunman, I feel like Jesus was wanting me to hear that also.

I was just about to go to bed but after reading today’s Excerpt (below), I had to write.  God’s patience is terrifying.  It is terrifying to think we could be the “ignorant creatures” God is using.  Israel grew tired of Manna.  I pray that Jesus gives me a heart to cherish our Manna. How terrifying to not cherish and love what God has given and for Him to take it away!

I am thankful that you love Jesus and the things of God we are given, Pastor John.  Thank you for all the time and work you put into teaching us.

Beth

Pastor John,

I am so thankful for our comforter.  This week work has been extremely busy and I’ve been a little overwhelmed with school work.  When I got home from class on Tuesday I could not wait to spend some time with Jesus.  I knew that if I could just get still He would be there to help me, and He did!  I started praying and then began to speak in tongues, I felt the relief from head to toe.  I went to bed that night so thankful for the holy Ghost, so thankful that I know who gives us relief!

This morning I was getting ready for work and hopped in my car.  As I was driving I began to feel this “push” and didn’t like it.  I had a cd on in my car but it began to skip, I took it out and wiped it off but again it skipped.  So I took it out, I felt like Jesus just wanted to spend some quite time together.  So I said, “Jesus, I’m here.”  It was so sweet, a gentle, sweet calm fell in my car.  I began to speak in tongues, very softly.  Whatever that “push” was just had to leave.  Jesus left me with the sweetest feelings to start my day.

I love these feelings!  I’m falling deeper and deeper in love with Jesus!  Learning to go to Him and trust that He will take care of me! 

I’ve been thinking about Bess’ testimony about driving to the doctors office with no directions, but Jesus is our map!  He will guide and direct our path if we let Him.  Whew…just feels so good!

Michelle

 

Hey,

I see so much love from Jesus for his mother in the Father and Son excerpt, below. The other thing that I thought is that all of Jesus’ family must have abandoned him to one degree or another; if Jesus felt the best person to care for his mother was John? I wish I knew all the details.

Jenny

John,  

The excerpt today echoes the thoughts I’ve been having since our reading tonight and since we read the last few chapters of Revelation. I’ve never felt the love, like I have this time, that Jesus has for the Jews at the end. It brought tears to my eyes while we were reading tonight when I was thinking about him being reunited with the remnant that is left at the end. Thinking about their names being in the Book of Life, and at the time, they didn’t even believe in Jesus or his book. Wow. Such love Jesus has for them! 

Carrie

 

Pastor John, 

​I was talking to Jesus yesterday on the way to work.  I had just finished listening to Donna’s song, “Run to my Jesus”.  I was asking Him to “empty me and fill me at His command,” as the song says.  Then I came to a stoplight, and the car in front of me had a license tag that read, “4bearance”.  That really struck me because you just don’t see that everyday.  So, I looked up the definition:  “Self-control; patient restraint; hold back, abstain.”

I thought about that off and on, all day.

Last night, I got home and started reading.  I wanted to find out where that word was in the Bible, and I found it in Romans.  I read in chapter 2 and by the time I had finished, I had such a fear of God in my heart that I began to pray . . . I mean really pray.  The spirit of prayer fell on me, and I began crying and speaking in tongues.  I began asking for discernment and understanding.  I have prayed for these before, but not like it fell on me last night.

I feel like Jesus is trying to teach me something but I’m not getting it.  I feel it, but don’t understand it.  Can you help me?

Michelle

Hey John,

I still have the sweet feelings from last nights meeting.  Yes, we are blessed to hear these words of life.  What compassion it gave me for God’s people that have little to no food!  I just want to thank you for feeding us, and I thank all the translators too. 

I loved Darren and Gary songs last night.
Jr.

Good morning Pastor John, 

​I had the sweetest drive into work this morning!  

When I passed by Carrie’s neighborhood and saw her coming out, I don’t even think she saw me but it made me smile to see her.  I thought, Oh Jesus I love her, I love my sweet family.  Then I had the thought, Jesus did it!  He put that love in my heart. 

Then a little later I looked out my window to see this beautiful sunrise with the most amazing colors!  And again, I had the thought, Jesus did it!  He created this beautiful sunrise for us to enjoy. 

As I continued driving and listening to our wonderful music that moves me down deep in my soul, I had the thought again, Jesus did it!  He’s given us our musicians and this wonderful music!​ Whew…. how sweet!  All because He did it!

I love Jesus made us, us!

Hope you have a great day!

Michelle

 

After reading those things tonight from your book on Revelation, I sat back and thanked God for what we’ve heard.  It made my mouth shut in some places and hang down in others.  It was so wonderful!  It really keeps you in focus.

Billy M.

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Thank you so much for the reading last night!  I was sitting there thinking, “How does he do that?” (Putting it all together and make it so clear.)  I love how Jesus teaches you and you teach us!

Before coming to the truth, I never knew the Old Testament could be so alive!  I love how you added the OT scriptures to the Revelation study.  One of my favorite parts was the story of Joseph talking to his brothers, and comparing it to Jesus talking to the Jews.  Whew!  What love!

I was so thankful to be there last night, and thankful to be literally sitting there instead of watching it on Livestream.  I am blessed!

Carrie

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Good morning,

I feel so full after last night, reading about when the Jews turn to Jesus in the end.  I feel stirred with a longing to be full of zeal and to be faithful to God.  The love that was, and that will be, poured out from God for His people, the Jews, pierces my soul when we read about it.  I got up this morning just saying over and over “Lord, let me be faithful to you!”

How can I love Him enough for His mercy and not leaving me out there?

After learning the truth, the Jews will outlaw false doctrine.  Whew!  Their zeal for Jesus provokes me to jealousy now! When I first started taking the OT course, I used to feel jealous about them being God’s chosen people.  But I see why God loves them so much.  I want to be so full of zeal that I would fit right in with them at that time!  I consider what we have now, and think,  “Lord, am I thankful enough?  Do I really value it enough?  What would those weeping Jews see in me?”

We don’t have to wait to learn the truth.  God has already poured out His love on us.  We are already filled with His spirit. We have already met Jesus.  That is just rolling through me this morning.

Beth

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Hey Pastor John,

I have loved reading Revelation.  It has stirred up such feelings, feelings I never knew existed.  I love it because I feel like I’m getting to know who Jesus is, His love, His mercy and His power. I’m in awe of this precious life that He has given to us.  He’s chosen us to understand it, to love it, to feel it!  Wow, that is no small thing.  

I wish every child of God could hear and feel what we’ve been given.  What a remarkable life!

Thank you, Pastor John!

Michelle H

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Pastor John, 

I agree with Carrie, the way you put scripture together makes it easy to learn and to understand. 

Also putting Joseph and Jesus together like that was new to me.  I never thought about it being a shadow of things to come. 

It was good reading that last night.

Thank you,

Steve 

 

 

 

Hi Pastor John, 

Today I was in the car and I was listening to a brother testify.  This brother said, “I know I can sit here in this chair (at the prayer meetings) and die.”  That struck my heart when he said that, and almost immediately Jesus said, “I am life support.”  Jesus will keep us alive when our spirits are tired and need help to keep going. Jesus will bring us into the “emergency room”, as Sister Willie says, and plug us into the body where we can get nutrients and be fed.  There really is nothing new in this world.  Jesus is the original life support!  That is so good to me.

Yet, just as in the world, a body cannot stay on life support.  Almost immediately the muscles weaken causing atrophy.  I was in a coma for seven days once, and after I woke up, I remember not being able to sit up without help.  I remember wanting to stand, and my mind was ready to get up and walk, but my muscles could not function like they were supposed to.  The lack of circulation and blood flow had an almost immediate effect.  I could not eat or swallow after only seven days.  The muscles were too weak.  I had to do daily exercises to even take a drink of water.  I was so thirsty, yet I could not have a sip of water, for the doctors feared I would choke on it.

You can overcome the atrophy and get strong again, but it is not without work, and it is not without pain.  The longer the body is on life support, the harder it is to regain strength and function.

I love the mercy in this, and I love His wisdom.  We can rest when our spirits are tired.  Jesus will keep us alive.  But we have to get up and use our spiritual muscles!  We have to move and let the blood flow, or everything vital begins to die.  We do not want to get to the point where we cannot take a sip of water from Jesus.  Imagine being so thirsty for a drink, and having the water available, but no longer having the strength to swallow.

Also while I was in a coma, the hospital sent two men from local churches, on separate occasions, to anoint my head with oil because the odds were high that I was going to die, and that was supposed to ensure I made it to Heaven.  I am so very thankful for the oil that will really get me home. 

I found this definition of atrophy:

Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body.

Beth