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  • The “gifts” in Hebrews 8&9

    Pastor John,

    I have a question about the gifts mention in Hebrews 8 and 9:

    Hebrews 8:

    1. Now the sum of what is being said is this: we have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
    2. a minister of the sanctuary, even the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man.
    3. Now, every high priest is ordained to make offerings of both gifts and sacrifices; therefore, it was necessary that this man also have something to offer.
    4. And if he was on earth, he would not be a priest, there being priests already who offer gifts according to the law,

    Hebrews 9:

    1. the holy Spirit indicating this: the way into the holiest place was not yet revealed as long as the first tabernacle still had a purpose,
    2. which was a figure for the time that has come, during which are being offered gifts and sacrifices that are powerless to perfect, as concerns the conscience, the one performing the rites,

    What were the gifts that were offered?  I cannot remember gifts, just sacrifices.  I remember incense ( prayers of the saints) and fat of the lamb.

    ==========

    The gifts mention in Hebrews 8 are the offerings that people were required to bring.  But thankful hearts often went beyond that.

    The door was always open for God’s people to bring Him gifts beyond the tithes and offerings which the law required.  Such gifts could take any form.  In various places in the Old Testament, we see that being done, such as when the Shunnamite couple built a room onto their house so the Elisha might have a place to rest when he passed by that way.

    ==========

    Does that have anything to do with the gifts of the spirit that come with God’s spirit?  Does it represent the shadow of gifts of the spirit?

    Thanks,

    Beth D.

    ==========

    No.  Those are gifts that God gives to us, not vice-versa.

    Thank you for the question.  It is so good for you, or anyone, to read the Bible and want to understand it!  Keep it up.’

    Pastor John

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1899829570460647886

  • One way!

    Pastor John 

    Today was a “popcorn” meeting with all the testimonies, and I missed my time to pop up, but something you said is so good to me that I wanted to write it out.  Regarding what you said about the seven pillars which are:

    one Body 

    one Spirit

    one Baptism

    one Hope

    one Lord

    one God

    one Faith

    You said if there were two of those things, we would all be scratching our heads, trying to figure out which one is right.  I love that.  It rang through me when you said it. Then at one point, you said Christianity was never of God. 

    When you said that, this is what I heard on the inside, “Amen!  Because if Christianity was ever of God, we would be confused, and God is not the God of confusion!”

    I love that He loved us so much that He made it ONE way for us.  So simple a fool not err. 

    God is so good! 

    Beth

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1899827119640785154

     

     

     

  • Hebrews 10

    Wow, pastor John, Hebrews 10 is chocked full of goodness. It’s brother Gary’s fault, I read it this morning.  And after reading the email that was just sent out regarding the person talking to their father about water baptism, this was so good to me.

    Just Look what is in here

    Hebrews 10

    1. You see, the law, containing a shadow of the good things to come, not the actual form of those things, can never make perfect those who approach the altar with the same sacrifices they offer continually, year after year.
    2. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, once cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
    3. On the contrary, in those sacrifices, remembrance of sins is made each year,

          4. for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

    1. This is why, when coming into the world, he said, “Sacrifice and offering have not pleased you, but a body you have prepared for me.

         6. In whole burnt offerings and such for sin, you have taken no  pleasure.

         7. Then I said, ‘Behold, I go (in a roll of a book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’”[19]

        8. Above, when he said, “Sacrifice and offering and whole burnt offerings and such for sin, you have not desired, nor taken pleasure” (which things were offered under the law),

         9. he then said, “Behold, I go to do your will, O God!” He is doing away with the first, that He might establish the second.

    1. By whose will, we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.
    2. Moreover, every priest stands daily, ministering and offering the same sacrifices, time after time, which can never take away sins,

       12. but he, having offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, sat down at the right hand of God,

       13. since that time, waiting until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet.

    1. For by one offering, he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
    2. And the holy Spirit also bears witness to us, for after He said,

       16. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and on their minds will I write them,”

    I don’t think I have realized that it says it was written on our minds too. Not just our hearts but our minds too. To have the mind of Christ. 

        17. then He said, “Of their sins and their lawless deeds will I never be reminded again.”

    1. Now, where there is remission for these things, there is no more offering for sin.
    2. Therefore, brothers, having boldness by the blood of Jesus for entrance into the holiest place,

        20. which new and living way he opened up for us through the veil, that is, his flesh,

    Amen! 

        21. and having a Great Priest over the house of God,

       22. let us draw near with a true heart, in the full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and the body washed with pure water,

    Not sure why verse 22 mentions the body washed with pure water? 

        23. let us hold fast the confession of the hope without wavering, for He who made the promise is faithful,

        24. and let us consider how we may provoke one another to love and to good works,

        25. not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

    I loved 23-25. We have been talking about encouraging one another and it is sweet to my soul to read it! 

    1. Now, if after receiving the knowledge of the truth, we willfully go on sinning, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

       27. but only a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation that will consume the adversaries.

    1. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy, by two or three witnesses.
    2. Of how much worse punishment, do you think, will he be worthy who has trampled under foot the Son of God, has regarded as a common thing the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has done outrage to the Spirit of grace?
    3. For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”[20]And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”[21]
    4. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

    26-31 is heart stilling for those of us whom Jesus let know the truth and become part of His family but for those who say we are all just sinners and Jesus died for our sins, we are good now, it should stop them in their tracks reading this.

    1. Remember the former days in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,

        33.sometimes being publicly exposed to insults and afflictions, and sometimes being companions of those treated that way.

    1. For you showed sympathy for my bonds, and you joyfully accepted the seizing of your possessions, knowing within yourselves that you have a greater and lasting possession in heaven.
    2. Do not, therefore, throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

    I love 35 so much!

    1. You have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.

    32-36 touched me . I thought of them taking Preacher Clarks belt and smiled reading them. I thought of you and LeeAnn being drug into this worlds  court and Jesus smiling at how you both stood fast in the truth and let him defend you. Amy French’s children being taken away and her standing still with Jesus. I could go on and on. Its beautiful to see the truth of these words played out in front of you. 

    1. For in just a very, very little while, “He who is coming shall come, and he will not tarry.”
    2. For in just a very, very little while, “He who is coming shall come, and he will not tarry.”[

    KJV37. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

    I included the KJV but I like yours much more because yours encourages the heart that it won’t be much longer, hold on to Jesus!

    1. Now, “The righteous man shall live by faith,” and yet, if he shrinks back, “my soul will take no pleasure in him.”[23]
    2. But as for us, we are not of those who draw back to damnation, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

    Amen! Just Amen! 

    Beth 

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1896744599047266484

     

  • An unexpected patient experience

    Hi Pastor John. 

    I had a visit with an 80-year old female patient today at work who I had never met before, who was previously followed by another doctor. She had the sweetest feeling about her when I first walked in the room. She was very pleasant and had a likable personality. She reminded me of a less spunky Lou, but just as personal and sweet. She told me she had been doing well recently, but her heart issues first started about 5 years ago when her grandchild died, then her husband died, then her son died, all in a 4 year span.

    She talked about how she now lives a quiet, simple life, and has had many good years with her family. She is just thankful for what she has experienced, and tries not to complain but there have been some pretty tough times, and getting older has come with challenges. She said that God has taken care of her thus far and He won’t give up on her now.

    As I looked in her eyes, it was a deep feeling that I’ve never experienced before. It was like I was looking into the eyes of my older self. She told me she had 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl, just like I will have. I have never met her before but immediately fell in love with her, and I felt the love come back to me. We were both holding back tears as she recounted her life.

    At the end of our visit, there was a brief moment as we stood there, and we both hugged each other and she said she loved me, and I said it back.

    I’m not quite sure what I’m feeling, but the closest I can think of is how life is so short, and I truly felt like I was looking in the eyes of my future self. When I left the room, I went into the bathroom and just cried, not quite understanding my deep feelings.  

    Name withheld

    Comments welcome:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1896929747076362433

  • Question regarding: John 3:5

    Hey Pastor John,

    I have a quick question about water baptism.  My Dad made sure to make mention to me today that if I do not believe in water baptism anymore, why did Jesus say it in John 3:5? He also made mention that the extra gifts are not required, which really made me question him because the Bible says we must be Born Again to enter into Heaven.

    I told him because they were all under the old law, water baptism was still in effect. I tried to explain how Jesus was the testator of the New Testament and how it wasn’t in effect yet.   My Dad had a hard time with that also.  Is my answer to him correct?  I try to be studied up for these questions, but want to make sure I’m on the right track since I’m still new to the Truth since I’ve been lied to in church religion my whole life.

    Name Withheld

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

    Hi ——,

    In John 3:5, Jesus was not speaking of water baptism.  Here is what he said that night to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a man be born of water and of spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”  But that is not all that Jesus said.  In the next verse, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  That is an explanation of what Jesus said in verse 5.  To be “born of water” is to be born “of the flesh”; when a pregnant woman’s water breaks, her baby is about to be born.  The Bible never says anything about a person being born by being baptized in water.

    Everybody on earth, saint or sinner, has been born of water; that is how we all got here.  And that is why Jesus then said to Nicodemus (verse 7), “You must be born again.”  That “you” in that verse is plural in Greek; Jesus was referring to all people, not just Nicodemus.  Then, in verse 8, he describes to Nicodemus what the born-again experience will be like: “The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it’s coming from or where it’s going.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  That is exactly what happened to Jesus’ followers on the day of Pentecost.  

    If people (all of whom have been born naturally) must be born by being baptized with water and then born by being baptized with the Spirit, Jesus would have told Nicodemus, “You must be born two more times”, not just “again”.  Jesus knew that Nicodemus (and everyone else on earth) had the first birth; he was telling him that they all need the second one.

    John’s baptism in water was still in effect at the time Nicodemus went to Jesus, as you said, but that fact has nothing to do with what Jesus said to Nicodemus that evening about the new birth.

    Keep praying for your Dad.  I am glad you had a conversation with him, and I hope that continues.

    Your servant in Christ,

    Pastor John

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1896736036853796900

     

  • A Caveman Could Do It

    Hey Pastor John,

    I was listening to yesterday’s fireside chat. You had mentioned that you really liked a Geico commercial that had a caveman in it.  All I have to say:

    ITS SO EASY A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT!!! 

    That goes for any and everything. It’s easy as long as we follow His voice when He speaks to us. It’s a beautiful simple life we live. Wouldn’t want it any other way. Jesus speaks the truth to us, we just got to listen and follow by feelings. GLORY TO GOD, if God can make a murderer an anointed man of God. Just think about what He can do with us. 

    Alex S.

    Comments welcome:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1896733906667552992

     

  • Galatians 1

    Hey,

    I wanted to share some good things that I was feeling this morning. I was reading in Galatians, where Paul was saying that he didn’t get his gospel from man, he wasn’t taught it by man, and that he got it from a revelation from Jesus (1:11-12).  It made me think of how we need to be so sure of our own beliefs and our own testimony as Paul was, in that he knew it was from Jesus because it was a revelation.  Our testimonies of what Jesus has done is what is going to ground us in what we know.  It’s not something that was taught in a theology class by a man who was taught it by another man, who told him it was right without a revelation to back it up.  If you are teaching/believing the true gospel and serving the true Jesus, you’re going to have a testimony or a revelation to go with it.  And if someone doesn’t have a personal testimony to go with what they teach/what they believe, what does that amount to?

    Jesus works through revelations and testimonies, not through theology classes or man’s word.  I was thinking about all the people sitting and listening to men try and teach this [Sunday] morning without even a testimony to back up what they are saying, who are making the people listening think they don’t need or can’t even get a revelation or testimony of their own.

    Anyways, that’s what I was feeling this morning and wanted to share, even though it’s something we’ve heard a lot of times, but one more won’t hurt. 🙂 

    Samantha 

    Comments welcome:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1896732224319537381

     

  • The Submissive Wife

    Hey Pastor John,

    I have a question related to this part of the Colossians reading this morning: “Wives, be submissive to your own husbands, as is appropriate in the Lord” (Col. 3:18).

    Can you expand on that a little?  When Paul says, “as is appropriate in the Lord,” he is talking in a spiritual sense, correct?  Or could this be physical as well?

    ==========

    The spiritual sense of every exhortation includes the physical.  The whole being, the whole life is involved when spiritual guidance is given.

    ==========

    Does “appropriate” mean to the extent it does not take you outside of the will of God?

    ==========

    Always.

    ==========

    I am curious about that part.  I know that is not saying be submissive as the world views it.  Over the years, I had gained such a yuck for the word submissive, due to its misuse.  I know better now as I have grown with Jesus.  But I want to understand this a little better and my role as a newish wife. 

    ==========

    Being submissive as a wife, especially to a godly husband, is a happy life.  The husband has the more challenging role from God because it requires more humility and wisdom for him to love his wife as Christ loves the saints (Eph. 5:25) than for the wife to be submissive.

    ==========

    Also, is being a virtuous woman, the same thing as being a submissive wife?

    ==========

    Not exactly.  Virtue includes doing all the will of God, not just the submissive part.  One description of a virtuous woman is found in Proverbs 31:10–31.

    ==========

    Have enjoyed thinking on things like this lately! 

    Thank you,

    Margo 

    ==========

    You are very welcome.  I am glad to know that you are thinking on these things.

    Your servant.

    Pastor John

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1896730996080611729

     

  • Jesus is an Optimist

    Pastor John,

    I want to tell a testimony about last night’s meeting.  The recent talks about believing have really hooked my heart.   That’s what it feels like, a big hook.  I found myself talking to Jesus and saying, “How do I just believe Lord?  I want to, but how do I just believe?” 

    I ended up telling Jesus that I can’t just make myself believe, and asking him to put that belief in me.  I felt like that story in Mark 9:24: “And immediately, the father of the child cried out with tears, “Sir, I believe! Help my unbelief!”

    I was having that conversation with Jesus as late as yesterday morning.  Then, after a phone call with one of my children, I found myself telling them that they need to see things differently, more positively. 

    I found myself thinking that I, myself, tend to look at things negatively.  So, I was talking to Jesus about making me an optimist instead of such a pessimist.  Those were my exact words.  So, I was shocked to hear those words used last night.  And this morning, I had to smile because the thought flooded my heart that Jesus is the ultimate optimist. 

    Jesus sees what we can be, even when we are wallowing in the gutter.  There is no bigger optimist than Jesus!  So, if we are gonna be like Jesus, we are supposed to be optimists! 

    I wanna be like Jesus.

    Beth D.

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1896728208822923564

     

  • Reading in Colossians 2

    Hey Pastor John,

    I loved what we read yesterday morning in Colossians 2!

    1. And you, being dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made alive with him, forgiving us of all transgressions,
    2. after he had blotted out that which was against us, the handwriting of ordinances that was contrary to us, removing it from between us when he nailed it to the cross,
    3. by which, stripping the rulers and authorities, he exposed them publicly, leading them along in a Triumph.

    After you read this, I thought, “Wow!  I’ve been looking at that all wrong!”   I know that you’ve explained this to us before, but it did not go in like it did this morning!  I had the thought, there is nothing about Jesus that is downtrodden!  There is a wonderful purpose for everything!  So, so good!!

    Michelle 

    Comments welcome:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1895124731952841071

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