Pastor John, 

I was reading in 1John this morning and read these verses that really touched me:  

5:4 For everything that has been brought forth by God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world- our faith.

5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us; 5:15 and if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have made of Him.

Trust – firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

Faith –  complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

I have been praying for confidence.  I feel like Jesus is letting me know just what I have really been praying for!  It’s been a very sweet morning with Jesus!

Michelle 

 

Good morning Pastor John,

I had the sweetest experience I wanted to tell you about. 

Sometimes work can get heavy with the way the world is, but after Wednesday night I felt so encouraged and felt like a weight had been lifted.  Yesterday I left my house happy and ready to go.  When I get off the shuttle and walk into the hospital, I have to go up the escalator to get to my office.  As I was riding the escalator at the top I saw this older lady walk by.  She looked at me and smiled.  It was the sweetest smile, and she looked at me as if she recognized me.  She held my attention until I reached the top and then she walked away.  As I walked down the hallway, I had the sweetest feeling come over me, and I knew that she was an angel.  I can’t explain it, but I knew that she was an angel.

The moment I walked into my office, my day was hectic.  My supervisor was out sick and she was texting me all day sending me places and giving me things to do on top of my daily load.  When I got home I was so tired, I completely forgot about my encounter that morning.  This morning while driving to work, Jesus brought back to mind the angel I had seen and her sweet smile.  I thanked Jesus for her and for the sweet feelings that that encounter brought.  He said, “You’re never alone; I’m always with you.”  It was so sweet Pastor John.  His loving-kindness filled my car all the way to work.  It was as if warm honey just saturated my soul.  What sweet thoughts!

We all have to go out into this world for work, or school or just doing our daily chores, but He is with us wherever we go.  He’s always there to gives us comfort, peace, encouragement, strength, or whatever it is we may need!  It just makes me feel so blessed, so loved.  It makes you fall deeper in love with Jesus!

What a wonderful life we have!  What hope we have!  I love it Pastor John!

Michelle

 

I’ve been thinking about the email you wrote about Satan persecuting the Israelites only after he was thrown out of Heaven.  At first I didn’t see how it was a new thought.  I thought it was something you’d already taught before.  But while we were talking about it the other night, it was a real eye-opener for me to realize that Satan didn’t hate/have contempt for the Jews any more than he did any other people on the earth before the Holy Ghost came. I keep thinking about that.  Satan had one goal in mind, that being, he wanted law and order and if you weren’t following the law, then he had contempt for you no matter who you were, Jew or Gentile. So before the Holy Ghost Satan prosecuted (was the accuser of) the Jews who did not follow the law. And after the Holy Ghost came he persecuted anyone that represented Jesus in any form (the culture Jesus came from – the Jews – or the people Jesus gave the Spirit to).  He didn’t have the accuser job anymore, and he was filled with hate.

Ashley

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Yes.  Excellent!  Thanks for that. 

Pastor John

Hi Pastor John. 

I really enjoyed reading your translation of ​Psalm 19.  God’s creation (​“the heavens”)​ are still talking to us about our Creator.  ​He “made a home for the sun”.  It really touches me,​ knowing that H​e made a home for us when we didn’t have a home.  ​I am very grateful to be here.  I loved the part where the Psalmist is telling us what the commandments, precepts, testimonies, and fear are about.  This little Psalm has really blessed my heart – God loves us!  It really takes the holy Ghost to help us understand just how much.

Thank you, ​and all the translators who work with you!

Billy​

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​Hi Billy.

Here is the Psalm for those who have not seen our translation.

Pastor John 

Psalm 19
For the chief musician.
A melody by David. 

¶1. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament displays the work of His hands.
2. Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night declares understanding.
3. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
4. Their line goes out over all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.  Among them, He has made a home for the sun,
5. which, like a bride-groom coming out of his chamber, rejoices like a mighty man about to run a race.
6. His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit to the ends of it, and nothing is hidden from his heat.
7. The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.  The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.  The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.  The judgments of the Lord are true; they are altogether righteous.
10. They are more to be desired than gold, even than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11. Moreover, by them is your servant warned, and in keeping them, there is great reward.
12. Who can know his errors?  Hold me guiltless for hidden things!
13. And keep your servant from presumptuous sins so that they will not have dominion over me!  Then will I be perfect, and innocent of the great transgression.
14. Let the words of my mouth, and meditation of my heart be acceptable before you, O Jehovah, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Pastor John, 

My family and I read Psalm 19 this morning.  Our few comments as we looked at KJV in parallel are below:

 • 19:6 – We thought the KJV showed the sun rising from one end of heaven to the other in it’s circuit a little clearer.  “circuit to their ends” was a little hard to follow.

• 19:12 – The KJV says “secret faults” and your new translation uses “hidden things.”  Hidden things made me think of something outside of David.

Thanks,

Jason

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Hi Jason,

Thank you so much!  We cannot produce the kind of translation we would like to produce without input from others who read what we have done.  So, thanks again for your comments. 

I usually edit our translations after we all have read them.  This is how I edited Psalm 19:6 after I sent it out for everybody to read: 

“His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit to the ends of it, and nothing is hidden from his heat.”

 As for 19:12, the problem for us was that the Hebrew word for “fault” is not in the text.  However, after you mentioned this, I looked at it again, and I think we would be justified in saying that David was referring again to the “errors” which he mentioned in the first half of the verse.  It would mean something like this:  “Who can know his errors?  Hold me guiltless for hidden ones [that is, for my errors that are hidden from me]!” 

With that in mind, I have now edited verse 12 thus: 

12. Who can know his errors?  Hold me guiltless for hidden faults!

I like that translation better, and again, I thank you for the comments.

Pastor John

 

 

 

Hi Pastor John.         

I felt so safe during the meeting last night.  I feel I’m protected by a Pastor who loves me and fears God.  I love it when you “mean” it.

Billy M.

Pastor John, 

Wednesday evening we had the opportunity to hear our brother recount his testimony of how, just a year ago, he had made the decision to put his name on a list to possibly go through a tough medical procedure in the coming future.  He told us all then, that he was hoping God would help him by some other means, but that he had made the choice to be on that list…just in case.

The Spirit spoke to me during that time a year ago, and then repeated it again tonight, as our brother recounted his story. The Lord let me know that, that decision which our brother made, to make himself available for whatever God might do, was the behavior of a “wise virgin”.  And then, the Lord added this tonight:

A foolish virgin says in his heart, “God wouldn’t …(     )”

We can insert anything within the parentheses!

As you have told us for years, Pastor John, God is God, and those who are wise among his family, live in a manner that demonstrates their understanding that God is free to do anything He wants to do!

Jerry