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  • Love the Mercy of God Recreating Us

    Pastor John,

    I have been thinking about Wednesday night’s meeting all day. I love the mercy God shows all of us.​ ​ I love what God molds us into. ​​When we were reading Psalms last night​,​ I kept thinking how I was a person who thought God did not do anything about sin and wickedness. ​ ​I mocked God at times.​ ​ I did not know the truth then because I did not know my Father or His judgment, ​but then Jesus re​-​created me and gave me a heart that fears Him and wants to seek His ways. ​ ​That is so beautiful and full of mercy.​ ​ This world will not get down on their face in a room full of people and let God touch them like J​— did last night. ​ ​This world will not stand up and share their hearts about the love for their wife like sweet Brother Jimmy did. ​ ​I love hearing how Jimmy wants to be close to Debbie in Heaven. ​ ​I ask Jesus all the time if Jerry and I can share a mansion and Michelle can live right next door. 

    I love what Jesus turns us into. ​ ​There is nothing else I would want to be but mushy and sweet and wide open to share it. ​ ​When I came to my first meeting seeking the holy ghost​,​ Donna Nelson said our music was so genuine. ​ ​That struck my heart that day and stayed with me. ​ ​Now, ​every time I see how real Jesus makes us​,​ it stirs deep down in my heart. ​ ​Oh Praise God for making us real!​ ​ ​Praise God for real feelings, ​and for ​new ​hearts to be what Jesus is making us be. ​ ​Jesus is making us into what will please God.​ ​ Whew! ​ ​That takes my breath away today. ​ ​Makes me want to lie on my face and let him cut and mold and shape me into whatever He pleases.​ ​ I love that our brother stood up with tears and said​,​ “I don’t want to be ​me.”​ ​ What mercy that is from Jesus, ​to want to be better, to want to be more like Him.

    I love His mercy ❤

    Beth

  • Keep Asking

    Hi Bro John, 

    I want to tell you about a sweet little experience I had this morning. Jesus is always on time when we need encouraging.

    At 7:30 this morning, I read the “Remember What the Spirit Has Been Saying” that Bro Gary sent out late last night, – ​  It was “Keep asking for an answer.​”​ And that was an answer to the prayer I had just prayed around 4:30 this morning.

    I woke up at 4:15 this morning with my feet burning in new places & I started talking to Jesus about all the pain I’ve had this week  – reminding him of how bad I hurt Tues​day​ night & didn’t get to sleep until close to 3:30 Wednesday​ morning. I talked to him about all the on-line research I’ve done for the past two years trying to find help for my feet, the doctors I’ve seen & followed all their recommendations & still the relief is minimal. ​ ​Still telling him my heart, I said, “Jesus, I am so tired & so worn out, would you please help me & make this better for me?”​ I reminded him of the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years before he healed her & I said, ​”​Lord, I’ve hurt with both these feet since 2006 & that’s 11 years for me, will you heal me when I get to 12 years like you did her?​  If not, I just don’t feel like I have the energy to keep researching, looking for answers, going to new doctors & sometimes I just feel like giving up. ​ ​But Lord, I know that all it would take is just a touch from you, so how can I give up, you’ve always been there for me even though right now I don’t see anything happening to improve the condition of my feet.”​

    So about 7:30 this morning, I got up & read the emails & there was Brother Gary, with a message from you & right on time with “Keep asking for an answer.”​

    Well, that made me feel so much better!! I am grateful for the messages & reminders that God sends our way & I pray that He continues to bless those that do this for us.

    Hope you have a very good day.

    Sheila

  • An Old Sermon “Your Choices Determine Your Future”

    John,

    I know I sent this to you again about 6 months  ago. But, I think about this message and re-read it often. It is so true. 

    Thanks,

    Paul C.

    I listened to your sermon from Sunday.  The title was called, “Your choices determine your future.”   I felt as though it was going to be good.  It was!  Here are some things that really touched me that you preached.

    (1)  Our lives, right now, are the result of the decisions we have made in the past.

    (2)  After Adam made his decision, after the deed was done, he had no more choice. He could only reap what he had sown.  You are going to reap what you have sown!

    (3)  Whether we want it this way or not, our choices determine our future. Adam lost his happy life.  He ate sorrow the rest of his time on earth.  He had no choice about that because he had made the wrong choice.

    (4). You then asked a question John, you asked, “Do you have any good thing in your life that you  want to keep?” Do you really want to keep your blessings?  The key is to live like you want to keep them.  You have to have thankfulness for what God has giving you – health, wealth, the people in your life – treat those people land things like you value them because things can change, and will change.

    (5). God told Adam, “In the day you eat thereof, you will die.”  Adam didn’t believe it, and he didn’t value his happy life, so God gave him another one.

    (6). Don’t play around with your blessings.  You may wake up one day to find them gone, and there may not be a way to get them back.  Value them!

    (7). God has blessed us with the freedom to make choices, but once our choice has been made and the deed done, the results are entirely up to God.  You have no say-so in that.

    We have to take advantage of the opportunity to make the right choices!

    This was just the first four tracks of the CD.  It made me consider the times, today.  God is so good!  Let’s choose God first.

     

     

  • Feelings!

    Such wonderful feelings tonight!  Feelings!  I was soaking up every part of the meeting.  Fellowship is in the feelings.  Pray to have God’s feelings.  I loved the testimonies and the music.  We are blessed to be able to listen to such things!  Words can’t describe the feelings! 🙂

    Carrie

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

    Hey Pastor John!

    I loved the meeting.  Jesus knew exactly what my heart needed this week.  I loved what you said about feelings and about sin coming from the heart.  I was talking to Jesus while mowing the lawn recently.  I was thinking about everything that Jesus has done in my life the last few months, and really just wanted to have a conversation with him.  I asked why some things are so easy when he gets rid of them. He just takes them away, and we are perfectly content with it. Then I proceeded to ask why other things are more painful and hurt/sting when he starts removing them.  It’s not that you don’t want them gone, but they just hurt a little more in the process.  I immediately heard back, “Those are the things that keep your heart from ME!”  He answered the question! 🙂  Rather it is people or things, if they keep our heart from fellowship and feelings, he wants them gone. But He doesn’t leave us empty. The sweet thing I’ve noticed lately is the more I let go and let God do the work to remove those things, the more He replaces with Him and what He wants for us.  I am thankful for my conversation with Jesus and for feelings.

    I also had something else happen.  The testimonies tonight reminded me of it.  When I came home from NC, I could not find my favorite pair of sandals.  I looked everywhere for them.  I was sure I had not left them at the beach.  And I knew I had not taken them with me to NC.  I finally gave up looking.  But I was really disappointed and told Jesus how they were my favorite pair.  I didn’t really want to spend the money on a new pair.  I was perfectly content with them, and just really wanted to find them.  I had forgotten about it and moved on.  While cleaning this past Saturday I found them!  I’m thankful that Jesus heard my prayer.  It’s so sweet to think that Jesus cares about something as small as a cheap pair of sandals.

    Anyways, I wanted to share! The meeting stirred those up in me. Miss you and hopefully will see you soon!

    Margo

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

    Pastor John,

    I heard two things from the Spirit this evening, while you were preaching.  I want to share them.

    Feelings: “Don’t confuse God’s feelings with your opinion”; they are not the same thing.  God’s feelings are not just another option among many.  God’s feelings are truth, they create, and they govern all of creation.  What He feels, is.

    Being a Loner:  “You can be a loner sitting right here in this meeting.”  And you can be in perfect unity with the body of Christ even in their absence. Being a loner isn’t cutting yourself off from God’s children; it is cutting yourself off from the feelings of God, and you can do that while surrounded by the body of Christ.

    Jerry

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

    Pastor John.

    I loved the feelings last night and the testimonies. It reminded me of a conversation I had with my boss’s boss. He called me to congratulate me on my raise, and I told him Jesus did it and he agreed. We began to talk about Lord, and he brought up how we surround ourselves with good people and how they can help lift us up when we are not able.  He used the example of when they tore a hole in the roof of the house and let the sick man down for Jesus to heal. What struck me was all that has been said through the weekend and last night.

    Token’s testimony last night about asking the body for advice touched me; it made me want to be in touch with the Spirit so I can be a help, not a drain on the body.  Makes me want to do my part so I can lower someone down to be healed by Jesus or lift someone up to him.  Just everything makes me want to give my whole heart to God.

    Also, I want to thank everybody for all they have done for me and my family.  We could have not made it without you all in every way. Hope to see you all in the near future.

    Greg

  • Encouraging Words

    Pastor John, 

    I think these are some of the most wonderful and encouraging words: 

    Revelation 22:17

    17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

     Romans 10:13

    13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

    Beth

    ==========

    Yes, Beth, they are precious, encouraging words.

    Pastor John

  • The Souls under the Altar

    Pastor John,

    I was reading what you said about the state of dead saints, that those martyrs who were under the altar of God were asking God how long it would be until their deaths were avenged. God told them to wait until their brothers finished their course, who were about to be killed the same way they had been.

    My question is, who does this comment cover? Just the saints who live on earth after the death of those saints under God’s altar? Or does it include all saints throughout time who have been martyred for faithfulness to God?

    =========

    When God mentioned that certain brothers were about to be martyred the way those souls under His altar had been martyred, He was referring to believers who were about be killed in a time of great persecution which is still to come.

    =========

    As I kept reading what you wrote about the state of dead saints, another question came: “How will God avenge these martyred souls?” Then I thought, “Well, I guess it will be when the Second Death occurs, for then those who have put to death God’s faithful saints.”
    Just some thoughts I was having while reading on the web sight.

    Tony E

    =========

    Thanks for the question and comment, Tony.

    Yes, the horrific Second Death will be God’s final justification of His beloved Son and His fiercest vengeance against all rebellion and rejection of Jesus. “God is not mocked”; therefore, the Second Death is unavoidable for sinners. We trust God, and we believe He will judge every soul in perfect righteousness; indeed, we love God for the same reason we fear Him: His perfect judgments and His grace.

    Pastor John

  • Revelation 21:24-26

    Hey John,

    I had a question on Revelations 21:24–26, where it says “All the nations [of the new earth] will walk in his light and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honor and into it, and the gates will never be closed by day and by night.”

    Do you think we will live in that city of New Jerusalem, or will there a new Earth and we’ll just go up to visit the city certain times year like Old Testament people who lived in Israel sometimes went up to Jerusalem?

    Jimmy T

    ==========

    Good question, Jimmy.

    There will be some believers who will live in the New Jerusalem, but for the most part, God’s children will be given places on the New Earth to live, and we will go up, at least monthly (Isa. 66:23), to worship God in the New Jerusalem.

    Pastor John

  • Live!

    Sitting in my truck at Lowes getting some materials listening to Darren’s music.  Hard to get out of truck feeling so thankful. We are so very blessed to know the truth!

    “For life is all the matter of the heart.”

    I sure appreciate you, John, and where God has my little family.
    I want to scream, “LIVE, everyone!”

    Paul C.

    You may enjoy a collection of Darren’s music by clicking on the following link:

    http://www.isaiah58.com/music/slimplayer/indexdarrenprater.html

  • The God-spell

    Wonderful testimony from Barbara in Sunday’s meeting!!  Wow, what a song by Darren, “Come Home”!  Praise God!!  Help us be worthy of your work and power in your sweet holy ghost!  My, my, what wonderful feelings!!  Have a little drink!!!  It was so sweet seeing Ashley dancing!!!  I love it! Thank you God!!  And thank you, Jesus.  I loved the feelings today; they were so strong and encouraging, just overwhelming!!  Thank you, Jesus!!  Glory to God!!  I love being under a “God-spell”.  That is the only way to live; walking according to the God-spell is life more abundantly! 

    Stuart

  • Your Translation

    Pastor John, 

    Surely you are aware that the modern translations of the bible are Satan’s playground; the NIV being the most corrupt of all!

    ==========

    It is true that the NIV is a poor translation; at times it is more of a paraphrase verse than a translation.  I don’t use it.

    Did you know that when the Pilgrims fled Europe and came to America, they considered the King James Version a perversion of the scriptures?  They only used the Geneva version. Interestingly, in a recent survey, the KJV was found to have followed William Tyndall’s version of the New Testament 92% of the time.  But some of the churchmen who helped produce the KJV were of the same ilk as the churchmen who hunted Tyndall down and killed him for translating the Bible into English!

    ==========

    Why do you quote scripture from other than the KJV?

    Sometimes, the Greek is better translated in other versions.  Here are a couple of examples of places where the KJV got it dead wrong:

    1.

    Acts 12:4 KJV

    [4] And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after EASTER to bring him forth to the people.

    The word “Easter” is an intentional mistranslation by the KJV. The Greek word is “Passover”, not “Easter”.  The translators wanted to make it seem that their Christian holiday was already being practiced in the book of Acts.

    2.

    Acts 19:37 KJV

    [37] For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of CHURCHES, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

    The word “churches” is an intentional mistranslation by the KJV. The Greek word is “temples”, not “churches”.   The KJV was trying to protect their church buildings by making it appear that even the mad heathen mob in Ephesus saw church vandalism as a crime.

    By the way, the Greek noun for “church” is not found in the New Testament books. Every time the word church is found, it should read “assembly” or “congregation”. One of Tyndall’s “crimes” in his English translation was that he refused to use the word “church” because he knew it had no place in the Bible. That is one reason Churchmen hated him so much, and eventually killed him.

    There are many more examples, but that shows you where I am coming from.

    ==========

    Jesus said in John 10 4-5 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.

    Sir, the modern translations are (to me) the voice of strangers! Satan has so twisted the word that we have a new breed of “Christian” coming down the pike! It is he who thinks and believes he can be in the world and partake of the things of the world and still belong to Christ. These are the products of the New Age movement and the New Age churches who teach and preach from corrupt bibles such as the NIV.

    Sometimes, newer translations are the product of sincere, dedicated people.  Only by seeing how faithfully they adhere to the Greek and Hebrew texts can we really know how good or how bad they are.  Our heavenly Shepherd speaks every language on earth and in heaven.  He is not restricted to the way humans spoke in England in 1600.

    ==========

    I am amazed quite honestly at the light you have from the scripture, and have had many confirmations from the information contained in your tracts. So for that I an thankful and grateful!  My beliefs are not mainstream by any means, but then true Holy Ghost filled believers are not mainstream either. 

    Being mainstream in the religious system called Christianity is to be far from the will of God.

    ==========

    It’s amazing how many people today who call themselves “Christian” believe that they have received all that God has for them when they “believed” and were water baptized. They love the term Holy Spirit because it doesn’t sound as radical and the term “Holy Ghost” And they believe they are Spirit filled simply by believing. If you mention the Holy Ghost to them, ….they’ll say they already have it. If you ask them as Paul did the Ephesians in Acts 19 if they received the Holy Ghost since they believed, …..they’ll say they already have it! They received it when they were saved! Only it’s the Holy SPIRIT now NOT the Holy Ghost. My My Satan is such a deceiver!

    Yes, he is.

    My father once said that he liked “holy ghost” instead of “holy spirit” because the word “ghost” sounded like it came from somebody.  🙂

    ==========

    With that being said, lastly, I’m wondering why you change the word “Ghost” to “Spirit” so many times while quoting KJV scripture in your tract “Have Ye Received the Holy Ghost Since “Ye” believed? 

    The KJV translates the Greek word “pneuma” as “ghost” sometimes, but at other times, the KJV translates it as “spirit”. Both are correct, even if “ghost” is a bit archaic now.

    ==========

    This is a very honest and sincere question, and I honestly am wondering about this in my mind. I am praying for an answer and confirmation. Do you believe these two terms can be interchanged without the danger of misinterpretation or confusion?

    Thanks!

    D. Lott

    ==========

    Dear Brother Don,

    Thank you so much for writing!  It would be wonderful if we could meet some time and talk face to face about the things of God.   Email and text have some severe limitations. I hope that Jesus makes a meeting happen for us!

    You are certainly welcome here any time.  God bless both you and the saints there with you, from all the saints here.  We love you in the Lord.

    Please keep in touch.

    Your servant,

    John

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