I love these thoughts from the latest Blog, John… they come from that “other” world.  Where it’s not “yes” or “no”, but it’s Jesus! 

With the mind of God, Herod could have been just like Solomon, when he was ready to divide that baby, and had an answer that men would have marveled at.  Had he answered with your wise answer, and said that John the Baptist’s head was worth more than 1/2 his kingdom, he would have gone down in history as a wise and righteous ruler.  Instead, he went down in history as a despot, and a fool.  It’s all a matter of the heart.

Oh, I love these thoughts, yes I do!

Gary

WORTH MORE THAN HALF THE KINGDOM

Herod, on his birthday, made a feast for his chief officials, the captains of a thousand, and the leading men of Galilee, and the daughter of [Herod’s wife] Herodias came in and danced, and she pleased Herod and those banqueting with him.  And the king said to the girl, ‘Ask of me whatever you desire, and I will grant it to you.’  And he made an oath to her: ‘Whatever you ask of me, I will grant you, up to half of my kingdom!’  So when she went out, she said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for myself?’  And she said, ‘The head of John the Baptizer.’  And immediately, she hurried in to the king and made her request, saying, ‘I want you to give me, right now, the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.’  And the king was deeply grieved, but because of the oaths and those feasting with him, he would not refuse her.  And so, the king sent an executioner and commanded that his head be brought in at once.  And he went out and beheaded him in the prison, and carried his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.”

Mark 6:21–28

If Herod wanted to give this dancing girl anything up to half of his kingdom, it was no one’s business but his.  It was perfectly lawful and permissible for him to do that, even if it was foolish for him to make such an offer because he enjoyed someone’s dancing.  Herod was probably drunk, having been at his birthday bash for a while before the girl danced; but again, the King was well within his rights as king to make that offer.  Even one of Jesus’ parables upheld the legality of a man doing whatever he wanted to do with what is his (Mt. 20:15).

But it was when the young girl, after being advised by her wicked mother, asked for the head of John the Baptist that Herod showed what a great fool he really was.  A sane response to the girl’s insane request would have been that John the Baptist was worth more than half his kingdom, more even than all of it.  God certainly thought so.  That is why He warned His people, “Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm!” (1Chron. 16:22; Ps. 105:15).

But Herod was a fool.  He did not value John as he should have, and so, he foolishly fell into his wife’s trap and assented to the ungodly request.

The apostles warned us that there are people around us like Herod’s wicked wife who will also lay traps for our souls.  They hate the truth as she did, and those who speak it, and if we get drunk on the things of this world, they will take advantage of our weakness and get us to agree with something that we should not agree to.  Our safety is in esteeming the things of God above everything in this life, all we have and even all that we are.  When the love of God fills our hearts as it did the prophets, Jesus, Paul, and others, nothing can move us to say or do anything which does not please God.  We will please God in everything, and keep our victory over sin.

Pastor John,

Last night was so sweet to me.  Soooo encouraging!!!!!  I could not sit in my seat any longer.  The Lord was wanting me to move.  When I saw Jim and we were in the middle praising God, it did something down deep.  My love for my husband bubbled to the top.  I knew He would take us both through any difficult times ahead.  And I praise and thank Him.

Keep the holy Ghost continually stirred up in us.

Love you, Pastor John.

Diane

Hi John,

I read the first 5 chapters of Daniel this morning when I got up.  I loved the faith and the trust in God from Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and even the faith and trust in God that Nebuchadnezzar had after he was turned to a wild animal and restored again.  Even the ones not of God at that time knew there was a God over them and wanted His favor.  The anointing of God makes all the difference in everything.  What does it matter what men say?  Our Lord is in control.  All we have to do is please him. 

What wonderful feelings tonight!  I loved all the songs and testimonies from everyone.  What faith, to “trust and wait” on him.  Wow, what a song from God to Darren!!  What an encouraging Savior we have in Jesus.  So good hearing you singing tonight, John!!   Oh, how sweet is his favor!!  Thank you, John!

Stuart

Pastor John,

Your note on Malachi 1:10 is very good!  God is the one who led us to you.  How wonderful!  Shouldn’t that note be a tract?

Julie P

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Thanks, Julie.

I re-read that portion of my book on Malachi, and I think it may be too long for a tract, but it could certainly be a Blog.  And the truth about hiring and firing ministers certainly needs to be told!

Pastor John

Hi Pastor John,

I was working in the mountains yesterday.  After I finished the job, the homeowner asked me to look at another window in her kitchen. Looking out the window, it has a wonderful view of pasture land which lead to the south-east side of Pilot Mountain. Beautiful! 

The homeowner had her printed testimony on the kitchen table. She is a cancer survivor, like me.  We shared one another’s cancer testimonies; I loved her humility. You can tell she puts everything she does into what knowledge she has about Jesus, but what is heart-braking is that she didn’t know anything about the Spirit, only what she had read or taught by her Pastor; she doesn’t have the experience of receiving the “Blessing”.  I could hardly contain my tears for her.

Right before I arrived at her house, I stopped in a parking lot (because I was early) and read again the tract, Stir Up the Gift of God, and came to the part, “Prayer is the paddle we use to “stir up” God’s unspeakable gift”.  It’ only the holy Ghost or God’s “Blessing” inside of us that can pray to God what we really need in our souls. Though prayer is the paddle, I had the thought that it is our experiences or testimonies with and of God that are the hands that hold the paddle.

As I was giving my testimony about my ex-cancer to her, I felt that paddle stirring in my heart and became so thankful for the holy Ghost and what Jesus has done for me. It is no small thing to receive the Truth and then have an anointed man of God to teach us and understand the truth.

She did have a hand written scripture on the kitchen table from, Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”.

I gave her a copy of my book, In God’s Shadow and I hope she reads it. It felt very good talking with her.  The book is a testimony that leads to the links of us on the web.  I know if she would only look up the links to our web pages, it would answer a lot of her questions about Jesus.

On my way home, I started just praising God in my truck and feeling the power of God in my body.  I started thanking God for the many experiences that he has given to me and the help that He has put around us, while so many precious souls do not have it.  I was praying, “Jesus, if I am to make it in the end, I will need to have more experiences with you.”  Past experiences are so wonderful to reflect on, and they help your faith, but it’s the new experiences that keep the paddle moving.

Thank you, Pastor John, for being used by Jesus to rescue me (us).  And, thank you to Barbara for making it possible for Judy and me to be there in August 2001.

God is good,

Billy  

Stir Up the Gift of God

Good morning John,

I loved reading through the tract last night about stirring up the gift of God.  It has always been one of my favorites, but I hadn’t read it in quite a while.  I feel like it was needed, because I had been feeling a little “humdrum” in the spirit for a while – letting my thoughts get too caught up in day-to-day activities, work, news, weather, jobs, etc., and not stirring up the holy Ghost in me enough to burn off the daily dirt of the world that builds up.  One of the things that stood out to me in the tract was the line that says, “Oh, how we need to stir this gift, which is our only hope, both as individuals and as the body of Christ!”  Like you mentioned last night, what a wonderful thing it would be if each of us – and all of God’s people – would stir up the gift that God has given us, every day.  What amazing things Jesus could do with us if we all kept the Spirit stirred in us, and made listening for, waiting for, and obeying that still, small voice our top priority every day!

Last night felt so good, praying with everyone and hearing Darren’s song, and Earl’s testimony again, along with Gary’s song.  This morning in the shower I was just praying and speaking in tongues, and letting that paddle of prayer stir the holy Ghost up in me.  It felt like a shower of warmth that went beyond just the water of the shower.  It made me very thankful just to have that free gift to even be able to stir it up.  God help us not to neglect it!  I like this verse in Jude that we recently went over with the translating group:  “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the holy spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, receiving the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” (20-21).
 

Vince
 

Good Morning Pastor John!

We are reading Psalms for part of OT homework.​ ​ I just love Psalms.​ ​ I feel like saying out loud​,​ “I know David!​ ​ Isn’t God good!”  It​’​s like knowing a VERY big important secret and stumbling across something written from someone else who knows the secret. ​ ​I get waves of excitement when reading different Psalms. ​​I would have liked to have met David! ​ ​So many feelings Jesus gives us can be found in PSALMS! It​’​s like a sweet​,​ sweet reminder from God that He gave those feelings​​ then​, just​ like He gives to me today.​

​Even Absalom turning against David, those feelings of loving your child but not being able to be a part of their lives, is part of my life.​ ​(I know that was due to David​’​s sin​,​ but it is still feelings of a longing for ​a child to get it right so you can be with them​.​)

It is a shouting kind of excitement to feel the words written!!!!!!

Excited in Jesus,

Beth