Pastor John,

What a wonderful testimony from Michelle!  Thank you, Jesus, for touching her and loving her the way you did, through your body.  And another beautiful song God gave Darren!  We always need God, no matter what we think.  Thank God for what he has done for our body, John.  How much it meant to Michelle as she was going through her sickness to have such loving and wonderful people around her!  Do we really know how much Jesus love us as a body? or how much we mean to one another in his body?  It sure comes through as we walk along in this world.  How sweet is his presence, when he moves, everything changes!!!

Look at all the testimonies Jesus gave everyone through what he was doing with Michelle! We don’t have a testimony unless he gives us one, and if he gives us one, it is for the whole body, near and far.  The love of God shines through his body if we walk in him.  The love and the hurt we felt for Michelle every time we would get an e-mail or a text touched our hearts, and we would fall on our face and pray and ask God, “Help Michelle!  Please touch her, Jesus!”  We knew he had to move for anything to change.  He is our life and our hope.

I love what you said: “There are no regrets in the love of God”, and I really liked Anna’s song “Good morning, Lord!”  Morning is my favorite time of the day, and I say the same things just about every morning.  Sweet!

I love this Acts reading.  It is amazing what we are seeing now.  I can’t wait to get to brother Paul’s part of Acts.  It is so exciting to feel what God was doing with Peter and the Jews. They where going in a direction they did not know God was taking them to, for all his people. 

Wow!!

Stuart

Hey everyone.

I was sitting here thinking about John David’s comment at the end of the meeting today about Peter baptizing Cornelius in water after Jesus baptized him with the holy Ghost.  It was, as JD,said, as if Peter was calling Cornelius unclean (or not clean enough) after God had cleansed him.  And that was what God had already told Peter not to!

God needed another man who could teach the apostles!

Contemplating this, I had another thought: “If Peter had done what he did to Cornelius (or any Gentile) after Paul’s gospel was revealed, it would have been unforgivable for Peter.”  Fortunately for Peter, Paul gospel had not yet been revealed!

In a way, however, Peter WAS doing that to the Gentiles in Antioch (Gal. 2), making them feel unclean (or not clean enough) after Jesus had washed them from their sins.  That is why Paul rebuked Peter in front of the whole group there in Antioch.

As Paul would say, “Jesus is good enough!  Don’t add anything to what he says or does!”

Pastor John

jdc

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Those are good thoughts.

Really, I guess, what Peter did to Cornelius ​at the end of Acts 10 ​is kind of what the apostolic and UPC folks do today with their water baptism​ ritual​ (except that Peter’s baptism was​,​ at one time​,​ ​really of God)​.​

Spirit baptized​ by Jesus​, but not clean enough…. That’s what that “ceremony” is saying.

Gary

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I was thinking about how at this point in Acts everything is “breaking up”, and how, ​as you have said, “God needed another man.”​ ​ I marvel at the kind of man God chose to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. ​ ​It is amazing that God chose a man who had been so zealous for the law…even to the extent of killing the ones whom he believed were transgressing it. ​ ​Can you believe it?  Of all people​,​ God chose Paul … to take the gospel to the Gentiles!​ ​ Wow. ​

​Donna​

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​It is really something to think about Jesus warning Peter beforehand ​(not to call common what He had cleansed, and then Peter leaving the impression that Cornelius was still common, or not clean enough, after Jesus had cleansed him) ​but Peter didn’t/couldn’t understand it. ​I n​ever thought of it that way.  But with all we’ve learned in the Father ​and​ Son book, that feels right. ​ ​What a wonderful, mysterious, exciting God we serve.

T​oken

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God gives the holy ghost to gentiles in Acts chapter 10 without Acts 2:38…what will our apostolic friends say?

Earl

Hi John,

I loved Earl’s testimony in the meeting tonight, and yours about what was going on with your family.  God is the judge of all things.  We just submit ourselves to him and don’t worry about anything anyone else is doing.  I like that John!  Good testimony!  🙂  Thank you!  Praise God!  I loved Darren’s song “To Fear The Lord”, too.  Wow!!  We enjoyed the reading in Acts tonight:  “God needed another man.”  After reading Acts 1 and 9, I sure do feel a lot different about what God did with Paul.  What a testimony from Jesus he was – to all the people of the earth!!

I love what God has opened up to us all through the Father and Son book, and we are understanding Acts better because of it.  What an honor to know and feel these things! Wow – chapter 8!

%&^#@   woooo weee 🙂  

Stuart 

Hi Pastor John,

I listened to your new song , “I’m here to praise his name”, all day long today. Brother Gary gave me a cd Sunday before we left to come home with the new music on it. As I listen to the cd, I could feel the spirit of God all over me. All I could do was fall on my face and pour my heart out to him and tell him how thankful I was for everything he has done for me in my life! And asked him to forgive me for all the times I may have missed what he was doing for me and not realize how much he loved me.

When you sang the words, “Before my eyes opened in this world of sorrow, he knew my path would be filled with sin and shame”, all I could do was thank God and Jesus for what they have changed in me, in my life, and where he has put me. It made me want to find someone that I have mistreated or mistreated me in my life and do anything I can for them to make their life easier or better some how. With out the spirit of God and his power in our life, we will mistreat one another, but all I could feel was love for everybody in my life around me.

I asked God, “Let me feel this way always!” When you know that God is the only reason you are who you are, you won’t be able to mistreat anybody in any way. There is no wrong spirit in that Love! I felt so grateful and overwhelmed with his presence while listening to your song John. I can’t put into words just how I was feeling. It was out of this world. Beautiful song, John. I know where it came form.

Thanks,

Stuart

Hi John,

Wow John, what a wonderful reading tonight in Act 5-7.  Since the Father and Son book was given to you, it has done something for us.  Every time we read the bible now, it’s like a new book. I love what we are feeling in all of it!!  What a amazing stand that Stephen took with the Sanhedrin!  I loved the part about Jesus standing by the right hand of the Father, looking down on what was going on.  I could feel the joy and love that they felt for Stephen.

And the love that God felt for his Son Jesus!!!  I could feel it more than ever with the reading tonight. No one will make it without going through his Son, named Jesus!! It’s the only way, and I love it.

I am so thankful to understand what you are saying, and to feel in me the spirit that his Son died for us to have.  I love this communion!  They can keep their crackers grape juice.

Thanks, John.

Stuart     

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John,

Thank you for making the bible alive!  My, to see Stephen one day!  I felt the same way about Peter last week.  Can’t wait to get to know Paul better. 😉

Thank you so much for all your work you’ve done. It feels so good to hear it!

Carrie

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Hey John,

Very good Acts reading tonight!  There is no way to take in what Stephen said to those men without knowing the Old Testament.

It was SO GOOD to learn that God spoke to Abraham while he lived in Ur, before he dwelt in Haran – and so much more in Ch 7!!!

I have read the bible and not understood it. You have to have a teacher. Thankful for my teacher and for ears to hear.  Love my life.

Jr.

Good Morning Pastor John,

I was on my way to work this morning pondering on the gathering we had last night and how much I loved what was said and the feelings of learning more about God. I started thinking about all the wonderful lessons and messages that God has given us over the years through you, our pastor. We have heard and seen things that we can’t even begin to explain to someone who has not been on this journey with us. It is a living, growing family in God; it is real life, living in his sweet spirit. Learning and growing through the wonderful blessing he gives us, and learning and growing through the sometime hard and tough lessons we go through on our journey here together.   

I started thinking about all that God gave your father and how much that has meant to us all, and how much God has built on that foundation, and how that was a gateway to what he has given us now.  By walking and living in those wonderful truths, it has allowed God to open up so much more understanding and knowledge about what he has done for us when he filled us with his sweet holy ghost.  I am in awe of his power and greatness; his teaching and learning is endless.

His knowledge is endless, his understanding and mercy is endless, and his mercy endureth forever.  If we walk in his spirit and grow all along the way, we will always be learning of his endless love for his people through his most wonderful creation – his Son. We are on a continual journey all our lives on this earth – and beyond, if we have pleased him in our lives when it is time for us to go.  I am so overwhelmed with thankfulness and gratefulness for all he has given us that I don’t know how to get it out (other than walking in it and living it every day and eating up the grass where he leads us as we go).  I have to take it out on you and everyone else in the body.

Thank you, John, for loving his ways and caring for his people the way you do, and all the body as well. 

Gratefully yours,

Stuart

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I know how you feel, Stuart.  My father used to say that he wanted to hug Jesus, but since he couldn’t reach him, he was going to take it out on us until Jesus got here!

Pastor John

PS I will take it out on you and Anna the next time I see you!

Good Morning!

I woke up so thankful (and still feeling it) that we have God’s commandments to live by. They are so precious! Just the thoughts and history of how they got into our hearts is overwhelming. I’m wiping the tears now because of His goodness, I feel from His love for me.

Billy

Being the Head

The thoughts of the righteous are right.

Proverbs 12:5

The correspondence between children of God who know and love the truth can be very instructive.  Here is some correspondence between Brother Jerry and Sister Lee Ann.

Dear Jerry,

Jerry, on Sunday night as we were sitting around talking, you were speaking to a woman you knew who had an ungodly husband, and such, and you said some things concerning those who are walking in the Spirit being the head.  As you were speaking, I knew I needed to pay attention to what you were saying.  It was very good, and I needed to hear it.  I was hoping you might remember what you said and send it to me.  You were talking about not being afraid of the “bumps” that might come up if an ungodly husband tries to cause problems, if and when his wife goes on with God.

Anyway, I would appreciate if you could send your thoughts if you get a chance.  I appreciate your zeal, Jerry!  You were a great encouragement to me.  Hope to see you again soon!

Love,

Lee Ann

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 Dear Lee Ann,

 One thing that Jesus taught me was that “meekness” is meekness to God and not to just anything that comes my way.  Not so long ago, I walked under the spirit of “meekness” to this world and the spirits that it is full of, thinking myself to be obeying God.  I would let feelings/spirits around me, that were not God, back me into a corner where I would hold on to my little light for dear life, not wanting to “make any waves”.  Many times, I would find myself spiritually drained while ungodliness was full steam ahead, even proud, right beside me.

 Now, there was no way for ME to fix this.  I tried at times and at best, after mustering all my courage, and trying to “stand for what is right”.  I just looked (and felt) weak and half-hearted to myself, and to others I am sure.  But, after time, Jesus has helped me to shine a little brighter, and that light started to drive out darkness from my presence which, otherwise, I could really do nothing about.  It’s the “light” that drives out the darkness, Jesus’ light.  My victory is to stay full of it.

That Spirit of light has already won every battle and IS the head of all things.  Only when I am walking full of that light am I, too, the head and not the tail.  That is one thing that makes being lukewarm or “on the fence” so bad.  When you’re in the middle like that, you have just enough God to make you different and a misfit in a sinful world, but not enough of the light and power of God to make darkness flee and to withstand the reproach of holiness.  It really is a dangerous place because the whole world, including our own carnal nature, is against God.  It is more pressure than we can bear unless we are full to the rim with the WINNER OF THE BATTLE.

When I am walking in the Spirit, my first response is the right one, the holy one.  I don’t have to be afraid of what I say or what I do, because of Him.  I don’t have to be afraid to say, “This is good, or this is evil.”  The Spirit always knows what to do, all the time.

Many times, I have tried to “water down” God’s thoughts or judgments inside of me because they did not seem “nice” enough.  I have learned that “nice” will get us all killed.  God is holy and that is VERY nice 🙂  I learned that I could not be full of the Spirit and at the same time be having unholy actions/reactions to life.  So, I am learning to just “LET HIM LIVE.”  YAY!  And trust him!!   The very best thing I could do for me, or for anyone else, is to stay full of the Spirit, to be overflowing, and then just do and say what the Spirit is leading me to do or say in every situation.  And it is at times not “nice”, but it is holy and right.  It is not against people, at all, it is just FOR God.  And the gap is so huge, that it tends to look otherwise.  It is hard to explain to folks.  The saints that love God the most are the most misunderstood by this world, I imagine.  But, they are the greatest refuge for a soul hungering and thirsting for Jesus.

One more thought.  I was walking the other day, thinking about things/people, and the holy Ghost said through me, “I don’t want to be any closer to you than you are to God.”  It was instruction from God, to me.  It was the way that I was supposed to live this life, with all people on this earth.  And I understood this also:  In the household of faith, there are to be no “inside deals” no relationships outside of fellowship.  They must be built on the foundation of holiness; that is the starting place, and then we increase from there.  If we build any other bond with one another other than fellowship, then when the truth, in love, comes to us for one another (and it will), we will feel pressure not to violate that “other friendship”.  And that makes it wicked.  I have heard it said that those relationships are like “You don’t kick my cat, and I won’t kick your dog.”  We have to start all relationships with “ I am going to kick your cat, (if God says it’s evil), and will you please kick my dog, too?”  I know I have just written on and on, Lee Ann, but it felt good.  I appreciate you and pray for us.

Love,

Jerry

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 Hi Jerry,

That was a wonderful reply to lee Ann and all of us.  I heard my father preaching on a CD recently (from 1968) that “social fellowship is of the devil.”  What you wrote here helps explain why.  What you said about building up relationships outside of fellowship is so true.  If we build up a relationship that is not based on fellowship in the light of Christ, then we will fear  to rock the boat when the word of God comes to us for one another!  In a parable in Matthew 13, Jesus mentioned that the word of God could be “choked out”.  I know of nothing that will choke it out more dramatically than earthly relationships not build up on the word of God.  This is why James said that “the friendship of the world is enmity with God; whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (4:4b).

God, help us to take that in!  There are some precious people here who have lost their connection with God because of that very thing.  They traded every good thing they had to prevent the word of God from coming to a relative of theirs with whom they had a relationship that was not fellowship in Christ.  Oh, how grievous this is to me!  It was so senseless and sad to see them throw away eternal riches in order to maintain an evil, fleshly relationship!

Pastor John

God’s Answer for a Hopeless World

“God so loved the world that He gave you​ His only begotten Son so that all who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

On a recent trip to Yellowstone National Park, I met and talked with a young man, an employee of the park.   During our conversation, he made a comment that impressed me.  I asked him if he’d be leaving at the summer’s end to return home, as many park employees do each year, and he told me that he lives in the area year-round.  Then he added, “I don’t know about anything that goes on outside the park anymore.”  His meaning was perfectly clear.  He didn’t care to know about what goes on in this world beyond the park’s borders.  He had abandoned interest in this world, its politics, its sports, its entire society and culture, and he was content with life as it is in Yellowstone Park, and nothing else.

There are some reasonable arguments against living a completely closed-in lifestyle, of course, but the Lord had a lesson for me in that young man’s words.  After my conversation with the park employee, I had to ask myself, “Am I as dedicated to my calling in Christ, and free from interest in this world’s vanities, as that young man was?”  He was not in the least attracted to or interested in the latest political scandal, or “important” sporting event, or rumors of war, no matter what countries it involved.

This young man’s attitude reminded me of a replica I once saw of Jerusalem as it was in Jesus’ time.   In that model, I saw that there was a three-storied theater located near the temple, and in another part of town, I saw a large hippodrome for chariot and horse races.  When I saw those things, I suddenly realized that, although these two places must have been popular attractions in Jesus’ time, there is no mention of these places in any of the four Gospels or in the book of Acts.  Those worldly intrusions into the holy city were completely irrelevant to the story of salvation, and in truth, they still are.  As with the social issues of the world to the young man I met at Yellowstone, whatever happened in Jerusalem’s places of entertainment appear to have been utterly meaningless to Jesus and to those who followed him.

God sent His dear Son to suffer and die because there was no human fix for this world.  It was only because there was no hope in this world for this world that God sent His Son here to die for us and make a way for us to live forever.  That is the difference between God and the young man in the park.  When God saw that there was no human answer for man’s sin, He still had the power to do something about it.  The best that my park friend could do was to withdraw from humans and try to live in peace with God’s non-human creation.

Pastor John,

Concerning a recent comment you made: “Midnight does not just turn into noon. It never has. It brightens into dawn, and in turn lightens into noon.”

Oh​,​ how safe this makes me feel !​​ ​It is so true.

My life was so dark, so black. ​ ​There were times I begged Jesus for death. ​ ​ How sweet God is to me.​ ​ He granted that prayer.​ ​ He put that dark life to death. ​ ​Each day has gotten brighter.​ ​ It has gotten sweeter. ​ ​As my midnight turned to dawn, I began to see. ​ ​A little at first , and more and more as Jesus gently brightens my life, holding my hand, and leading me to him. ​ ​Every day Jesus shows me a little more. That dark life is so far away from me, it feels dead.

I am so thankful.

I have listened to the ” book of Acts” ​teaching CD, over and over today. ​ ​Drinking in every word. ​ ​What you said about ” midnight not just turning to noon” is so true. I often worry about being on track….being where Jesus wants me to be. ​ ​That quote brings me peace.​ ​ I feel the truth in it.​ ​ I can just see Jesus coming to rescue me. Walking hand ​-​and​-​hand into the light.

Whew! I wish I could attach these feelings, and email them to you. ​ ​ What you said went straight into my heart.

Beth