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  • Family

    Good morning Pastor John!

    I woke up an hour early this morning with the sweetest thoughts of this weekend. Replaying different moments with my brothers and sisters the hugs, conversations, and just sitting near them. After lunch with more sweet family yesterday, Michelle and I watched the video of her first visit, and then we babysat little Webers, and watched the meeting from Sunday morning. I left her at 8:30 pm and I was still not ready for our day to end. Jesus gave me such a full life that is full of gold like Darren’s song. I truly could not fit anymore in yesterday because I ran out of earthly time. Oh to think one day there will be no more time limits on worshiping God!

    Just to really take in that this is my sweet family; this is God’s family and that He really put me here is so full in my heart this morning. I am going to work with sweet moments of my brothers and sisters sewn into my heart. I really feel like Jesus sewed them in, like they are part of me.

    ‘“Who are my mother and my brothers?’ he asked.

    Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother ( Mark 3:33-34).’”

    Beth

    P.S. Plus, who else can say they are related to a bird, a worm and a seal!!!

  • God Is So Good!

    I’m counting my blessings.  Flooding in my town. Most businesses had water in their doors.  But God!!!  Haute Stuff was spared!  I’m so grateful to my good God!

    Patty

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  • Revelation Reading

    Good morning!

    Gary’s testimony of his dream, Darren’s new song, and especially the reading in Revelation last night was so filling; it was rich and satisfying. It’s kind of like a Thanksgiving meal; you know you’re full, but you want that extra piece of turkey or dressing just a little while after you eat. I’m sure most of us, if not all of us, left the meeting wanting more.

    The experiences we have with the Spirit, make the scriptures come alive, and make you feel alive.

    Billy

    ==========

    Good morning, John.

    Even though Dee and I watched the meeting on streaming, we are thankful to be a part of what we heard last night.

    Very thankful for what God has revealed to you over the years and that you have clung to this Truth because of your experiences. Nothing can take those from you or us.

     Wonderful message on mercy. God grant us mercy on anyone who has fallen away, repented and wishes to return. I wish they would all come back. That would be a glorious day!!!

     Jim K

    ==========

    Hey Pastor John,

    I loved the reading in Revelation last night.  I especially loved reading about and trying to envision the image of Jesus that John saw (this brought tears to my eyes) and trying to image Jesus’ voice being like the sound of many waters. 

    I also liked the verses at the end of some of the messages that advised the reader to listen to the words Jesus sent to the Assemblies, and if the reader will listen and will overcome, then he will receive a stone with a name on it, and be able to eat from the tree of life, and will not be harmed by the Second Death. 

    I woke up this morning feeling so refreshed.

    Thank you! Anna

    ==========

    Hi John,

    I have been reading the feedback from folks, and they echo my sentiments too.

    My favorite part of last night though was hearing you tell how Jesus gave you your message on Revelation to the pastors, and how Jesus spoke in your heart with His voice, and so forth.  I remember you saying how a man can only teach his experiences, and whenever I hear you tell those stories of what God did for you, or spoke to you, I feel like I always learn something new.  It’s like the new birth – there is always a new angle on the gem so to speak, and it never gets old.

    We are blessed.  I’m so thankful that Jesus got in touch with you, and you got in touch with Him.  Those experiences have made all the difference in my life; that I know.

    Gary

  • Abundant Life

    Pastor John,

    For days I have heard this: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

    It really stirred my heart each time I heard it.  Tuesday I was sitting in the car thinking about it, and all of a sudden, I had the most wonderful thoughts come. 

    Even words have life since Jesus touched me. I am gonna list a few just to give an example:

    Cup
    Flowing
    River
    Water
    Empire
    Living
    Gold
    King
    Door
    Table
    Heart
    Connection
    Iron

    Now that is just a few every day words. Every one of those words has life in them now. They are part of our life in Jesus.  They are alive and have a new meaning. Not to mention words like, Prince, peace, Master, Lord, Father, love, and I could go on and on. 

    It was so good to feel this.  I picked up a few new CDs last night after the meeting and randomly put one in today. Guess which one it was?  “Life more abundantly!” Gary even sang a song about it!

    Jesus really does give life, and so much more abundantly.  I could never have imagined a life like this.  I have never felt so alive!  I mean even words are alive!

    Beth 

     

  • Touch during Meeting

    Hi John,

    Was so glad to hear the good report from Lou.

    I’d like to praise God for last night’s feelings too, and a touch I received.

    For three weeks I had been having throat issues again, where I could not swallow due to extreme dryness and a lump in my throat, especially at night – below my sinuses, and above my esophagus.  It was like a wad of solid phlegm would not move out of there, no matter how hard or many times I swallowed.

    It had grown worse for the past two weeks, finally, yesterday morning it was so bad that I made an appointment with the ENT doctor (the morning of the meeting), which they set for Jan 19(the earliest they could get me in unless a cancellation came up)…. I wanted to make sure it was nothing real serious, since it felt like an “object” was in my throat.

    During the meeting ( I felt the Spirit on me several times, and my throat was actually OK during the meeting – so much so, that I noticed my throat wasn’t so bad as it had been earlier in the day.  When I got home from the meeting I told Song that I felt God had touched me sometime during the testimonies and your preaching… she had been praying for me for a good while now, so she was happy for me.  Last night I slept without waking from throat troubles, as I had for many days before.  And today, I felt NO lump in the throat at all, and just a very mild dryness (and as I type this at 7:30 this evening, I can’t say that I feel any discomfort or noticeable unusual dryness at all.)

    Praise the Lord for a touch!  I really needed one, and I’m thankful to get His relief.  The power of God is wonderful, and I love how Jesus touches us, over and over …. He is never lacking anything we need.  I wanted to tell on Jesus… Praise the Lord, my throat is feeling much better today than it has for many weeks now, and I believe relief came during last night’s meeting.

    Gary

  • Parking at Work Testimony

    Hi Pastor John,

    I wanted to write out my testimony for everyone about my parking at work because I felt I left out some details in the meeting on Wednesday.

    First, here is the background information: so at my work these are my parking options: the closest parking garage is 2 minute walk to work, but costs $85 a month, or $8 a day to park. I could park remotely but that is 21 minute bus ride. I don’t like either of those options. However, since my building is close to the edge of the hospital campus I discovered a street where I can park on the street for free. It’s an 8 minute walk to work and I find that really good. Only thing is, at night in winter it’s dark and unsafe. During daylight savings I parked there and I felt it is safe, but not in the dark.

    After day light savings ended I began wondering what I am going to do. I knew I couldn’t park on the street, but I did not want to pay the $85 a month while I am trying to save money, and I didn’t fancy the long bus ride in addition to the drive to work until I could start parking on the street again.

    Then one day as I was nearing work I knew I would be late if I didn’t park in the garage close to my work. So I resolved to park there and just pay the $8. As I was driving down into the parking deck I had the feeling that Jesus was going to do something about it. I imagined maybe someone would give me a pass for that day, or something. I noted the feeling I had and continued on my day.

    That day I looked after a very sweet old man and it was his last treatment that day; he had an all day treatment and he was there with his daughter. At the end of his treatment we were saying our goodbye’s when his daughter offered me their parking pass!! She said, “I don’t know if you could use this or not, it only has a few passes left on it.” I was surprised, and said, “Oh yes, I could use it. That means so much, thank you very much”. It turned out that pass had 13 or 14 more passes on it!! Wow! That was Jesus! I love that! I love that I had that feeling as I was parking in the morning, and then later on it happened.

    After I had used the pass a few times I began wondering about whether I was breaking any rules regarding gifts – I know there are restrictions on patients giving nurses gifts, but I didn’t know if this situation breached any rules. I had my evaluation with my boss around then, so I brought it up with her. I didn’t think she would be concerned; and she wasn’t concerned when I told her. I ended up discussing my parking situation with her, and she handed me a whole new 30 day parking pass!! I couldn’t believe it! I was surprised again, and very thankful. I know my boss gave that pass to me, but that was Jesus caring for me. Wow! That second pass will get me through almost to daylight savings. Then I will only have to take the long bus just a few times before daylight savings starts again.

    Then last Wednesday evening I was getting ready to drive out of the parking garage and head for the meeting. I began to think about the meeting and wondered if I would have the chance to tell my testimony about the parking passes. As I was nearing the boom gate/barrier/arm thing, I had the thought, “it would be great if the boom gate just opened”. It was a fleeting thought, and I had no real thought that it would happen. Instead I began to get my remote parking pass ready to give it a try, but I was fully thinking it would not work at all: that remote pass is not approved for that parking garage, but I decided to give it a try anyway. I had just barely got my arm barely through my car window when to my surprise, the boom gate opened!! I was so surprised – it just opened! The little screen said, “Thank you. Please exit.” I was like, “Wow, okay!” I was so surprised because I had not scanned any pass at all, and the one I had in my hand was not approved for that parking garage! I knew that was Jesus, too; I knew he was giving me a reason to tell my testimony that night!!

    Anyway, I just love all of this! I love Jesus caring for me, and most of all I love that I’d had the thought and feeling that morning that Jesus was going to do something, and that day, something did happen. It’s wonderful!

    Jenny 🙂

     

     

  • Jerry and Tom’s Comments

    Pastor John,

    I must watch the Wednesday night meeting that I missed because I like the comments from Tom and Jerry about the message. (See post 12/29/2016: The Message Last Night.)

    It’s a very appropriate and timely message for me because for a considerable amount of time I felt some pressure and anxiety about being too judgmental toward others who don’t know the truth; Christians who either have or don’t have the Holy Ghost, yet they’ve been touched by God’s mercy in spite of the fact that they don’t know the things that we know. I just want to be humble and meek, and courteous when I talk to people—either sinners or believers—I don’t want to put up any obstacles to the love of God in me for them. I’ve grown weary of losing friends and acquaintances and being misunderstood and rejected when I share the light. Sometimes people just can’t take a lot of the truth. Sometimes it’s not necessary to tell them, because they’ve experienced the love of God in a different way.

    And if I try to point out that they’re wrong about salvation or wrong about the Trinity or about the gifts of the Spirit it just gets into a scriptural debate and argument and you don’t persuade any souls to Christ that way.

    It’s better to be good than it is to be right, as you’ve said John, and I just want to feel free to love people and let them see the goodness in me, from God.
    Brad

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

    Thanks for this, Brad.

    Please note that I prefaced my remarks Wednesday night by saying that what I saw that day helped me see more clearly how well my father and the older saints with him had taught us.  We were taught to love God’s people, regardless of what they believe or even how they are living.

    My question to God earlier that day concerned why the “get saved” doctrine seems to be acceptable to Him, at least to the extent that He has used mightily some men who teach that false doctrine.  What came to me as an answer made me see that we are to follow God’s example, and to love and honor those men and all God’s children.  Now, that is what my father had always done and taught us to do.  But something about it seemed new, or went deeper in our hearts.

    The bottom line is that I will not be treating God’s people whom I meet any differently; I have always honored and loved them.  But I certainly do understand better now why it is right to do so.

    Pastor John

  • The Book of Life

    Hi John,

    I was reading in Luke this morning regarding the time Jesus sent 70 disciples out to preach the gospel. Upon their return they were rejoicing that they had authority over demons, etc. Jesus told them not to rejoice because the demons were subject to them but rather they should rejoice because their names were written in heaven. This event took place before Pentecost.

    I began looking for similar scriptures that made reference to one’s name written in heaven. Hebrews 12:23 mentions the Great Assembly, the first born written in heaven. This is the only one I could find.

    The book of Revelation mentions the Book of Life several times which I assume is different than what Jesus was referring to regarding names being written in heaven.

    My question is this. I always assumed that one’s name is written in the Book of Life when one is born again, but I cannot find a scripture reference to support this assumption. Is this correct?

    As far as one’s name written in heaven, it sounds like one’s name is written in heaven before they are born again. True?

    Thanks,

    Tom

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

    Hi, Tom!

    First, the Book of Life is what Jesus (and the author of Hebrews) was talking about when he mentioned names written in heaven.

    Secondly, no new names have been written in that Book since the foundation of the world.  If your name is in there, you will be called into the kingdom of God.  If not, you will not be called.

    So, yes, your name must have been written in the Book of Life before the world was created, or you will never be born again.  If it is in there, it has been there since before the world was created, and you will, at some point in your life, feel God’s call to come.

    Pastor John

  • The Message Last Night

    John,

    I loved what you said last night regarding Oral Roberts and others who had an anointing to perform miracles but yet teach doctrine contrary to the truth.  In essence, I believe what you said was that God is not bothered by what these men are teaching to the point of preventing His anointing and power to work through these men.  Jesus is seeking sincere hearts, and he is ready to forgive anyone who repents. 

    I may not have stated your exact words, but I felt a sense of liberty from what you said. I have been guilty in the past of trying to reason with those for example, who believe they are saved. I have learned that it is much better to avoid these kinds of conversations and focus on what Jesus has done in their lives. 

    As I was reading my Bible this morning, I ran across these scriptures which seem to speak to what you were saying last night. 

    Luke 9:

    49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth
    not with us.

    50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

    Mark 9:

    38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad
     him, because he followeth not us.

    39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

    40 For he that is not against us is on our part.”

    Thank you for the message last night. 

    Tom

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

    Pastor John, 

    That was a very good email from Tom, describing the love of God shown to us last night. 

    The scriptures from Luke and Mark, that Tom shared in his email are right-on with the new liberty that we were just offered in last night’s meeting.

    That liberty is more freedom in the Spirit!  Freedom to live, without apology to anyone!  Freedom to love with our cups running over for other people, without pausing to take a “flesh break” to add the disclaimer: “they don’t know the truth, but…..”  It is freedom to just love, period, whenever God has loved someone! Again God has shown us that we are free! 

    Last night’s message let me understand this: In whomever Jesus dwells, to any measure, it is so by the Father’s doing.  And it is holy, and its value is immeasurable…. in every person.

    Pastor John, I feel like we were just given permission to “eat up” every little bit of Jesus, wherever He may be found. That includes loving others that God has touched, without fear, while receiving every good and right thing that they have received from God as well.  We can trust Jesus completely to keep us all the while. The real boundaries of all of our comings and goings are in His Spirit, within us. We don’t need any self-imposed limitations; we may impede His work.

    “We can trust Jesus”.  That was the other part of the message last night. We can trust him…while we live! Yes, in everything that we do.  No fear, no excuses, no disclaimers – just normal life in Jesus.

    I am instantly made better by this.  It removes walls from around my heart that God did not put up.  Those walls are there, and they extinguish life and fellowship instead of promoting it.

    Maybe this love that we have been shown can compel others to abandon their chains too. If anything can do that, surely the love of God is it.

    Thank you for last night.

    Jerry

     

  • Praying to Angels?

    Hi John,

    There’s no doubt the angels are around us and sometimes appear in situations to help us, but what do you think about people who claim to be Christians and yet he they pray to angels and they see angels as helping them in their life on a daily basis, rather than God or Jesus?

    It seems peculiar to me when I was talking to a woman and she told me about how she had lost something and then she suddenly found it she will leave her angels were watching over her well that’s all well and good but why do people particularly those who bring raised Catholic tend to disbelieve and have faith in God and Jesus and they talk more about angels?  It’s as if they’re ashamed of Jesus, and they probably are, afraid to confess his name and his power and his sovereignty so they attribute little miracles in their day to angels….instead of giving glory to God– for those angels!

    Brad
    ==========

    Hi Brad.

    Catholics who pray to angels are just being good Christians.  Catholicism is the original Christianity, and with their traditions, ceremonies, and wealth, they are in the best position to show the world what real Christianity is.

    Let’s be thankful that God has called us out of it, and walk humbly before Him in His ways.

    Pastor John

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