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  • Jenny’s question regarding Genesis 4:8–9, Part 2

    Thank you for the reply, but I still think there was something wrong with Cain’s question, because Cain DID know where Abel was, because Cain had killed him. So his question must have been inherently evil because he replied to God in a question to mask his knowledge of where Abel was. If he had not been lying he would/could have said, “I don’t know” and not add the question about “am I my brother’s keeper”. Cain was lying so the question was designed to distance himself from the truth, which is lying and evil. 

    Jenny

    ========

    Hi Jenny.

    I think we will agree if I explain myself more carefully.

    If Cain had been righteous and was wondering one day about God’s order, he might have asked God in innocent prayer, “Am I my brother’s keeper, or is he my keeper?”  So, you see, there would be no sin in that question.  That is what I meant when I said that there was nothing wrong with the question itself.  The wrong was in Cain’s heart, who was using an otherwise be an innocent question to hide the fact that he had sinned.  ALL the wrong was in Cain; none of it was in the question he asked.  And the wrong that was in Cain’s heart is what transformed the question into a lie.  As I understood your reply, that is what you were saying, too.

    Thanks again for the response.  I hope what I am saying is clearer now.

    Pastor John 

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1863963466773479699

     

  • Everyone is Thanking God for What They are Doing

    Pastor John,

    This morning, I was considering how the whole world is thanking God for the things it is accomplishing in their God’s name, no matter what it is. 

    The disciples were thanking God for Jesus’s presence on earth, while many of Israel’s elders, scribes, Pharisees, and others were thanking God for Jesus’s execution!

    It is just how you said Preacher Clark described it: “Everything you believe could be a lie…for all you know!”  And it may well be a lie if Jesus hasn’t revealed it.  And even then, it doesn’t have to be truth because he can send a delusion! (1Kings 22:21-23)

    It made me tremble this morning when I felt how I cannot know truth unless He reveals it to me.  I cannot be free from lies unless He frees me.  We are born into the lie that this world celebrates every day, namely, life in sin is life at all.  We have to be rescued or there is no getting out.

    No one, absolutely no one, figures out what is right – because nothing under the sun is right.  There is only Jesus and what of him is being revealed to us by the Father right now.  Whew!

    It is both fearful and wonderful.

    Jerry

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1863960792736948710

     

  • Randell’s question regarding 1Peter 3:9

    Hi John,

    I have a question that has come to mind several times.  In 2Peter 3:9, Peter tells us, “The Lord of the promise is not slow, as some think of slowness, but waits patiently for us, not wanting any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.”  Do you think that all those years that God was patience in heaven with the sin that was in heaven that He may have been giving Satan and other creatures time to repent? 

    Randell

    =========

    I don’t think so, Randell.  I believe that scripture from Peter applies only to humans.  Satan and his angels had seen the face of God and had been in His very presence many times, and probably were condemned eternally the moment they sinned.  As Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much shall be required.”  Much had been gven to them, and what was required of them, they failed to render to God.

    A good example of this is Moses.  God would not allow him to lead Israel into the promised land of Canaan just because Moses struck a rock when God had told him just to speak to it (Num. 20:1–13).  That seems like a heavy price to pay for what would normally be a minor offense, but much had been given to Moses, and so, much obedience was required of him.

    That is how I see it.  What do you think?

    Pastor John

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1863624390274957481

     

  • Jenny’s question regarding Genesis 4:8–9

    Re: Genesis 4:

    1. And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
    2. And Jehovah said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?”  And he said, “I don’t know.  Am I my brother’s keeper?”

    Hi Pastor John,

    I’m wondering about last night’s reading,* on the bottom of the first page where it says, “There was nothing inherently with Cain’s question.”  Would it be more accurate to say, “On the face of it there was nothing inherently wrong with Cain’s question”? … because there was something wrong with his question. 

    Jenny

    ==========

    Hi Jenny.

    I disagree.  There was nothing at all wrong with Cain’s question; that is the very reason Cain asked it.  There was something wrong with Cain, however, and he was using an otherwise innocent question to hide his guilt.  If the question had been inherently evil, Cain would not have asked it because an evil question would have given him away.

    I hope that helps.

    Pastor John

    *Father and Son Reading 28 PDF

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1863622124780339337

     

  • Thousand-year Reign

    Hi Pastor John,

    Referring back to Aunt Barbara’s question about when the old covenant believers will receive the Holy Ghost, there was a discussion a few weeks back about two excerpts in the Bible where it alluded to us doing animal sacrifices again during the thousand-year reign of Christ on Earth.  We all agreed that the timing didn’t make sense for doing this again, but I cannot find the verses that were being discussed.

    I was wondering if we’re all going to experience each other’s covenants together at some point.

    Wendy

    =========

    The verses about ceremonial worship during the Millennial Reign are all in the prophets, and they are still puzzling to me.  I cannot answer your question because of that.  I will say, though, that (1) I cannot fathom why we would revert to ceremonial worship after Jesus returns and (2) my inability to fathom it is irrelevant; God does what He does no matter what we poor humans think.

    Thank you for the question.  I wish I could give you a better answer.

    Pastor John

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1863618299034026422

     

  • Jesus is here!

    Pastor John,

    This thought for the morning is so good!  It goes right along with the feelings and what was being said tonight.  It doesn’t matter what we’re going through, Jesus is always right here to help us through.

    Michelle 

    https://goingtojesus.com/gtj_thoughts.html?tname=tfm11-29

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1863615815406297156

  • Galatians 4:25-26: What did Paul mean by ‘Present-day Jerusalem’?

    Pastor John,

    Galatians 4 says this:

    1. This Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to present-day Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
    2. But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all,

    What is the difference between the Jerusalem in verse 25 and the Jerusalem in verse 26?

    Verse 25: “present-day Jerusalem, for she is in slavery”

    Verse 26: “but the Jerusalem above is free”?

    Michelle

    ==========

    Hi Michelle.

    I am glad you are not just reading the Bible, but are also thinking about what you are reading.

    In Paul’s day, the “present-day Jerusalem” was the city of Jerusalem in the land of Israel.  That Jerusalem and those who belonged to her were still in bondage because they were still under the law and were required to keep it.  On the other hand, the Jerusalem that was “above” and free is the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12; 21:2) that belongs to “the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16), that is, to the people who have received the holy Ghost and have been circumcised in their hearts, not their bodies (Rom. 2:28–29).

    We who have been baptized into the body of Christ are “free” from the law (Rom. 7:4) so that we may live and worship in the newness of eternal life (Rom. 6:4).  Our beautiful Jerusalem, with its gates of pearl and its streets laid with transparent gold, is still to come; nevertheless, it is our home.

    I hope that helps explain the difference.  Thanks for the question!

    Pastor John 

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1863612946401644656

     

  • Confessing God’s Goodness

    Happy Thanksgiving John!

    I have to tell what Jesus did for me!  The last few day my foot was bothering me.  When I got home Tuesday, I could barely walk.  I have a bone in my feet that becomes dislodged sometimes.  I go see a podiatrist, get an injection, and the foot wrapped.  A few days later it is good.  I decided that I had to go see my podiatrist.  So, Wednesday morning, as soon as they opened, I called to get an appointment.  They were booked and no way to get me in.  I got a Monday morning appointment.  So I called a different one, but no one answered.  Closed for the holiday, I assume. 

    By now, I was caught in the whirlwind of work.  So I endured until the end of the day.  Walking became nearly intolerable.   The foot hurt, my muscles were cramping as I would lock the muscle in and around my foot so it wouldn’t move while walking.

    I made it home wondering how I would make it until Monday.  As I was going thru the living room, I felt compelled to get on the floor and pray.  I hesitated for a moment.  I didn’t want to have to get back up.  But I overcame that thought and got down on my face and prayed for relief.  I begged for healing.  I promised God I would tell everyone what He did for me if He would help me.  I have no idea how long this took. 

    Funny thing about fervent prayer: time, long or short, isn’t it; you don’t experience time the same as normal.  But I digress.  When I got up in the middle of the night for my normal bathroom visit, my foot was sore, and my muscles sore, but there was not the overwhelming pain.  I thanked God, praying again, and told Him that I would remember my promise if this was really true.  I slept like a baby. 

    This morning, again slight soreness in the foot, but my muscles are normal.  I can walk normal.  My foot flexes with no real pain.  We serve a great and wonderful God!

    I have to keep my promise.  So I am starting with you.  I am going to tell my coworkers at work today.  They all saw me dragging my foot.  

    I always wonder how He will show Himself next!  He has done so much for me.  

    Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

    Thank you for all your work teaching the truth about God!

    Mark

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1863609612995285389

     

     

  • Learning about Faith from Romans 1 and 4

    Whew Pastor John!

    I don’t want to write to you every day, but I can’t help it today.  I am amazed.

    I can’t believe that Jesus is letting me understand this!  I remember reading the Bible for the first time and turning the pages, telling Jesus that I didn’t understand a word of it but that I was gonna keep going.  And then, one day Jesus let something go in, and that was a game changer for me.

    I was reading scriptures on “faith” this morning from Roman’s 3 and 4.  So, I wanted to read more in Romans 4 because we have been reading about faith and works.  When I started the chapter, my thoughts were that I can see how people get confused about the issue of faith and works, but when I slowed down and read the whole chapter, I was amazed at the clarity.  I then wanted to confirm that Paul wrote Romans, and so, I went to chapter 1, and I became mesmerized just at the clarity of the description of who Paul was.  Wow!  And then I had to keep reading.

    It really is a matter of the heart.  The hearts of those believers in Rome grabbed onto what they wanted, and mine did, too.   I thank Jesus that I love His truth!

    I feel the sweetest love for Abraham this morning.  Abraham followed God before he received anything from Him.  I see why he was God’s friend.  And any heart following after God before the promise of the Spirit is given is like Abraham.

    We all did that.  We sought after God and kept coming before we received the Spirit, and God loved seeing us do that and soon sealed us with it.  That makes me very mushy toward the hearts of those who are now wanting His Spirtt.

    (By the way, mushy is best when two or more are gathered!)

    Who knew Romans 1 and 4 were so good! 

    Beth

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1861554723481883066

     

  • Genesis 3 Note

    Pastor John,

    I was reading Genesis in my King James Version Bible and in the margin of chapter 3, I had written the below note:

    SATAN>STEALS confidence in God

                 >KILLS zeal for God

                 >DESTROYS fellowship with God’s children

    This went along perfectly with our last Father and Son readings!*  The serpent was Satan because it did all of the above to Eve.  Christianity is Satan’s work because it does all three things to children of God ensnared in its web.  Satan is the Slanderer because the above list is the outcome of slander.

    The moral corruption in this world isn’t due to Satan (as you said last Wednesday); it’s what our human nature desires. Satan and his demons may use man’s moral corruption to their own ends, but Satan and his demons are not the instigators of that moral corruption—it’s innate in those whose lives have not been cleansed by the Holy Ghost.

    It feels good to have this clarity!  Thank you for all your teachings! 

    Allison

    *  Father and Son Reading, 26 PDF

    Tell us what you think:

    https://x.com/WitnessofSpirit/status/1861213291181129754

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