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Hi,
I just wanted to tell you about the very sweet time I had at Tim and Bess’ tonight. We were sitting on the front porch after dinner while it was raining, just talking, and I had the sweetest feelings of being blessed and loved by God. And also secure. English words are insufficient to describe it. It was rich and full!! So good. Very deeply thankful. Goodnight.
Jenny
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Praise the Lord, Jenny!
Isn’t fellowship wonderful?
Pastor John
John,
RE: Philippians 2:6
It is puzzling to me how Paul could be “blameless according to Law.” Do you think he was referring to traditions of the Pharisees?
Wendell
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Hi Wendell,
Since Paul was a Pharisee as he was growing up, yes, he certainly meant, at least, that he was blameless according the way Pharisees interpreted the law. But I get the sense that Paul meant he had been blameless in a more general sense, beyond mere Pharisaism. I think Paul meant he studiously kept the law as it was written by Moses.
Beyond that, I think Paul was also saying that if Jesus had really been a false prophet, as he and others at that time thought, then even his cruel abuse of Jesus’ followers was right, according to the law.
Do you see something Paul did as a young man that would have made him not “blameless according to the law”, other than that?
jdc
Hi Pastor John,
How do I get baptized with the Holy Spirit? How do I pray in the Spirit? PLEASE HELP ME.
Litia
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Dear Litia,
The Bible tells us exactly what to do to receive the Spirit, and that is, repent and believe the gospel. Repentance is a matter of the heart, and it can take a while for some people because our flesh resists it. It would have us believe we have repented when we have not. Many well-meaning Christian ministers ignorantly work with the flesh and tell people they have repented before they have fully done so. But knowing men would arise and do that, God provided a sign so that we could know for ourselves when our repentance is complete and that He has accepted it: the baptism of the holy ghost. And from everything I can tell in the Bible and outside the Bible, God’s proof that a person has received the baptism is that they begin speaking in tongues (or have “stammering lips” as the Bible says it).
Believe in God’s witness that you have fully repented, Litia, and wait for it. Only God knows your heart, and He will give you His Spirit when your repentance is complete.
Pastor John
Pastor John,
This morning when I woke up there was a worldly song playing in my head that I hadn’t heard in a long time. It made me smile because the words are, “I’m Forever Yours, Faithfully.” At breakfast, Hope randomly asked about worldly music because she has heard a little bit at school, and I told her that God can use anything to speak to us. I didn’t want her to be afraid of hearing it. All three kids were there, and I Googled the song that Jesus woke me with this morning. It was so sweet that I cried when I heard it!! The complete line was, “Oh girl, you stood by me. I’m forever yours, faithfully.” The kids saw & felt that. I loved how Jesus set that up :). When you and Donna both mentioned worldly music in the meeting tonight, it felt even sweeter. 🙂
Cris
A loner’s spiritual experiences are rarely to be trusted, but when they are trustworthy, they are the most trustworthy of all.
When Israel had, in the main, become apostate, God sent them a man who had been separated from human company for years, John the Baptist, and anyone in Israel who refused John was damned by God. John’s message and baptism was not optional for the Jews.
Usually, when someone has a spiritual experience apart from the community of faith, it is an experience of their own imagination, or even a demonic encounter. But at those very rare times when someone has a spiritual experience with Christ who is detached from the ordinary fellowship of the body of Christ, it is always a matter of life or death that we hear what that person has to say.
Stay humble, and be prepared always to hear from God when He speaks to the body of Christ by someone who is not a part of the daily fellowship that we know. When God sees a body growing too comfortable in a way that does not bear the best fruit, He may send a stranger in to re-arrange things and make us more perfect in His sight.
Pastor John
http://www.isaiah58.com/music/JohnClark/John%20Clark%20-%20Going%20Home.mp3
Pastor John,
Been listening to your old cd, “Going Home – Again”. These songs are timeless. I remember the feelings when I first heard them. The feelings are just as wonderful.
Billy M
Hi Pastor John!
I wanted to share the feelings Jesus filled me with. All this week I have woken up so full of happiness. So full of love. Almost giddy, a feeling of bubbling over. I have battled depression since I can remember. I used to sit and wonder as a little girl how happy people felt inside. I bet they do not feel like this!!! They can’t; this is Jesus ! It just keeps coming, day after day. I love this.
I drove a few hours for work yesterday, just looking at the trees, the hills, and the sky. I kept thinking, “Wow, Jesus is coming back…and I have the holy ghost!” I was on my way to hell , and Jesus reached down and gently loved me and guided my steps towards him. I am so happy! I am just skipping along in my heart. I am just happy , and that is Jesus. I prayed before I came down to NC, asking Jesus to help graft me in to the body there. To remove any awkwardness. It felt so good to be with everyone. I did not feel awkward at all. The fact Jesus hears those little prayers just touches me so much. I feel like Jesus is doing something. I don’t know what it is, but I feel excited and happy.
Beth
Ps…..I am so happy!
John,
Whew, tonight was good! Below are some notes that I took from the beginning of the meeting. It’s not word for word, but I was trying to type as fast as you were talking! All I could say is Amen! So good to hear Kay and Bekah’s dreams too. When they told them before, I think the meeting was just on Skype. It makes you want to stay close to Him!
Love,
Carrie
Notes from the meeting tonight:
There is nothing honorable talking about how bad you are. (Those that just talk about their problems instead of going to Jesus for deliverance from them) are just stubborn and rebellious. If you are honest, then you repent (of sins, not talk about them). It will be obvious when Jesus does something. Stop “trying” to be honest and just be honest and fall down at Jesus’ feet and repent. Jesus will make the change (we need him to make in us if we go to him). God wants you to honor the Son. The Son will fix you. Stop talking about your problems. You don’t have any problems, you just need faith in God. The flesh loves being puffed up by talking about its own weakness and talking about its doing/done wrong. Jesus is available! His power is available!
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To be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Pastor John,
Last night I started reading the Father & son book. I asked Jesus to read the book with me and help me really understand what He has revealed. As I was reading, the spirit said, “God SENT His only son.” Then the thought came, “It doesn’t say ‘God created and gave His only son.’” It was just a moment, but it let me know Jesus is gonna read the book with me. The fact Jesus is allowing me to see the truth and that it is right there in the bible – yet hidden from this world – is so amazing to me. I am excited to grow in Jesus. I am excited to learn. I feel like this is a whole new chapter in my life!
Beth
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I am not sure what you mean by that. The Bible clearly teaches that God DID create a Son and that God DID “give” him (Jn. 3:16). Could you explain more about what you heard from the Lord?
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Pastor John
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I was excited…sorry. It was that the spirit said, “God SENT his only son”, meaning that God’s Son already had to be there in order to be sent. Otherwise, it would have said, “for God so loved the world He CREATED a son.” That is the thought and understanding I got. To be sent/gave meant that the Son was already there, in heaven with the Father.
Happy to be coming this weekend.
Beth
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Amen. Yes. Thank you for clearing that up for me.
Pastor John
When we stopped to visit an elderly sister recently, she blessed us with this sobering message in song.
Pastor John
SisterAngie
