Hi Pastor John! 

I am so happy!  I am just happy.  I love hearing from Jesus and learning how to be more like him.

Last week, as I was getting ready for work one morning, Jesus whispered something to my heart.  Jesus whispered, “It is good to be under your husband and to take instruction from him.  It is good to be a good wife.”  I thought about it all day.  The feelings I had were thankfulness and an eagerness to be a good wife to Jerry, for Jesus.  I thought about Jesus changing my heart and making me able to even want to be under my husband.

The following night, Jerry sat down with me and told me that I needed to change something I had been doing.  Jerry told me that it was hurting my spirit, and it was going to cause trouble in my walk with Jesus.  I knew Jerry was right.  Jesus had already pricked my heart about it.  How sweet it was of Jesus to prepare my heart!  I feel so thankful to have a husband that can help me and keep me on track.  That is a gift from Jesus.  I am also thankful that Jesus gave me a heart that is thankful for that correction.  That came from Jesus.  I was never able to take instruction or correction from anyone.  I had a rebellious heart my whole life. 

Sometimes, I can see the things that Jesus is changing in me, and I feel so overwhelmed with his love!

I am just happy, and I am so thankful.  I never had a thankful heart; that came from Jesus, too!

Beth

 

Pastor John,

This is what I heard from the Spirit this morning:

When you are speaking to someone, “why” are you saying the things that you are saying? What are you hoping to accomplish with your words? Are you accomplishing or provoking righteousness with your talk, or is it something that someone will have to get over, to get back to the power and liberty and glory of God? If it is the latter, we would do well to abstain from speaking.

This morning, brother John, something happened to me at work, that was unpleasant. It was substantial enough that I considered telling my wife, but then I realized it would accomplish nothing at all, and would certainly provoke a feeling in her that she would have to get over, to get happy again. For what good?

Years ago, I heard the Spirit ask this question: If you are not bringing out the best in God’s people, than what are you bringing out of them?

It is a serious question. Jesus takes it serious. We have a duty, one to another, to provoke one another to righteousness. It is easy to do, the joy of the Lord accomplishes it in abundance.

Just some thoughts.

Thanks.

Jerry

 

Wow, brother John, I love this.

That means we are known to the world by the judgment that WE  execute.

Whether we be loved or whether we be hated, we will be defined, to this world, by our judgment of sin. 

Jerry

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God’s Judgments

“The LORD is known by the judgment which He executes.”

Psalm 9:16

If the LORD is known by the judgment He executes, then if He never judges, He is never known.  Or if He executes judgment and we do not see that He is doing so, then we do not know Him.

We are blessed that God judges, for He reveals Himself to us in His judgments.  Pray to be able to see and perceive it, when God executes His judgments.  Otherwise, you will never come to know Him.

 

Hi Pastor John,

I wanted to write to tell you how much I enjoyed the meeting today. From the moment I walked in the door the feelings were so good!  The message you gave to the young people was so good.  I hope they really take that in, I hope we really take that in.  

I also wanted to thank you, for the care and instruction that you have given to me. When you said, “Let me mold you”, I felt like I could have just melted. What a great feeling!  I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much love!  Thank you!

Michelle

Hey John,

To have these feeling tonight as you spoke about thankful and Happy!! The love of the truth!! The rock that the truth is for us!!  Pride!! Not to Forget to get down on your knees to pray!! What a meal tonight. I feel like a have been washed!!

So good !!

Thank you John!!

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I love what you said this morning and this evening: God is in 1st place and there is no 2nd place. When you said that this morning, as you were turning back towards us from the fireplace, faith hit my heart and I kept hearing in my heart throughout the day: “Knowing and loving this will keep you above the shadows of this world.”  And to hear you preaching and testifying about it tonight was just wonderful!

Gnite❤

Bess

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Pastor John,

Last night was so good and so encouraging.  I woke up this morning still feeling it. 

As I was driving into work this morning, it was damp and cloudy but I looked up and saw the light from the sun beaming through the clouds.  I was overcome with feelings of thankfulness of being filled with Gods life! What a wonderful feeling.  I felt like this human body could not contain the joy and sheer delight of being one of His!!

Thank you Pastor John for the encouragement!   We are so blessed!

Michelle H

Pastor John,

I saw a sign today, a large billboard advertising a local church and claiming that this church was the birthplace of a local County, and also of a local University.  I then considered the significance of us, the body of Christ, knowing that we are not the church, and that the church is not the body of Christ.

What that billboard is really saying is, “Praise the church”, “You need the church”, “You need to be a part of the church, and to revere and submit to those who hold a place of authority within it”.  Men rule over God’s children in that place, with no authority from God to do so.  My, what a resemblance to Satan’s fatal mistake, in his desire to, “be like the Most High”.

I cannot recall ever hearing a healthy member of the body of Christ calling lost souls to the body. There is no earthly door for which a man can enter into Christ’s body.  Jesus is that door, and all that the body of Christ can and should do, is point to Him.

Thank you, Jesus, that we are free from that heresy!   Thank you that we know you are not there!  That is huge. 

It made me consider what it means to, “be made merchandise of”.  Merchandise is the inventory with which a business entices someone to do business.

What merchandise just our little group would make for the church if God condemned us to such a fate.

Our liberty and peace, knowledge, music, freedom and power, paraded in front of lost souls – only to draw them into lifeless darkness that offers none of these things.

It takes my breath, considering it.

We are so kept by God!  These thoughts make me love people very much.  I am so thankful for that today.

Jerry

Good Morning Pastor John,

This morning, I read your Random Thought “Planted by God”:

“It means everything to be who you are and where you are because of something God has done instead of because of what you have done.  If who you are and where you are is the result of your plans and your choices, it is not eternal; it will not last.  You will be moved.  But if you are who you are because God’s word came to you and made you who you are, and put you where you are, there is hope. Abide in that place, and thank God for the opportunity to be a part of something that He has done.  It is no small thing to have your life shaped by God’s hand.”

Feeling very thankful this morning for what God has done!!!!

Sue

Brother John, 

I heard this from the Spirit the other morning. I wrote it down so I would not forget it. It made me feel good to read it again:

To further your cause, is to lessen His.

See you soon!

Jerry

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Amen, Jerry.   We do not further the cause of Christ when we are seeking to further our own.  Jesus said something close to this when he said that the man who teaches a doctrine other than God’s is seeking his own glory, not God’s.  

Let’s seek the glory of God!

Pastor John

Hey brother John,

Tonight’s meeting was sooo good! Just watching Jesus wash his children made me cry with thankfulness. Each time someone went up for prayer I would pray for them, too, and could feel the sweetest feelings. It was like you said: Jesus loves to wash the dirt off of us. I feel so blessed to be in this family that he has put together.

Natalie

Hey John,

The meeting was so good tonight!! James’ testimony, Token’s, Richard’s and many more!  The things in Judges about God picking his people back up over and over!!  When you said “throw unconditional love in the garbage!”  That was alive!!  And “live in a place where you need God!”

Thankful for the good food tonight.  Loved it!

Jr.