Pastor John, the feelings i was having last night were sooo good, and they carried over to this AM. It has been my prayer recently to know how to love God, and that’s exactly what you said when you prayed for me. Thank you for the message last night.

Anna

Good morning John.

I just wanted to thank Jesus, and for your prayer of faith that touched my body last night.

A couple days ago I did something to my lower back, and for the past two days was in extreme pain. It hurt to sit, to stand, to do anything. You saw me hanging on the swing-set yesterday, trying to get some relief. I hardly was able to work yesterday, because I could not sit for even a few minutes without pain – I felt like I had damaged a disc or something in my lower back. And it was getting worse, not better.

Last night, I was loving what you were preaching from 2 Thess., especially the section about the “man of sin”, but also other things as well. I was eating it up, it was so sweet tasting to me. I was loving it so much I kind of forgot about the pain during those parts, but when things got quiet at the end of the meeting, I was hurting so bad again. I could hardly sit in my chair.

Then, right when you started praying for people, I felt “go up there quickly”, that I would be touched if I asked you to pray for me. When you prayed for me, the relief in my back pain was instant. So much so, that I could hardly believe it… I kept “searching” for the pain afterwards, but it was nearly gone, it just felt like a little bruise was there for the rest of the night. But I could stand, sit, or anything without that painful feeling. Song told me after the meeting that when I got prayed for, she could feel it too, it was like a wind to her body. She had seen the pain I was in the past 2 days, so she was relieved too, and that encouraged both of us. She got relief too!

It is early in the morning now, and I am sitting at my desk, pain free. I still have a small sensation of a tenderness, but no pain at all. I went to the airport with you to take the girls to RDU this morning, and sat in the car for almost 2 hours, pain free without fidgeting or moving around like I had been doing two days before. That is not a small thing. I wanted to thank the Lord, and you, for praying for me. Jesus is still healing. Still touching. He’s still alive, and He still cares about our pain. If we need relief, He has it, and it can be immediate.

Gary

Hi, Pastor John:

There was an article that I was reading about, The Five Pillars of Islam. In one of the pillars, it talks about God being one God, then it says, “God begets not, nor was he begotten”.

— Shia Islamic Faith is based on the following

1. Monotheism: The Oneness of Allah

Allah, or God, is the center of Muslim belief. Whereas certain religions focus on individuals, like Christianity focuses on Jesus, Islam focuses solely on Allah. Although Muslims respect the divine prophets, the prophets – including Muhammad – are still only servants of Allah.

The Qur’an speaks of the oneness of God: “Allah has borne witness that there is no God but Him – and the angels, and those with knowledge also witness this. He is always standing firm on justice. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise.” (3:18)

Describing God

One of the shortest chapters of the Qur’an, “The Oneness of God”,[5] summarizes the nature of God in five verses:

In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Say, He is Allah, the One
Allah, the Eternal
He begets not, nor was He begotten
And there is nothing at all comparable to Him.

**********************************************************************************

The above sure explains away John 3:16: “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave up His only begotten Son, so that all who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

I also was thinking of all the blessings the people serving Islam or any other religion will never know (in Spirit) because they try explain Jesus away (underlined above), though He gives the rain and sunshine; they experience Jesus’ blessings everyday, but don’t know they come from Him. Then, I was thinking about Christianity, (Xty), and the ones serving it. People will never know Jesus or the freedom of the Spirit with Xty’s rituals and ordinances; and Xty explains Jesus away with their doctrine of the Trinity, and their ceremonies, though it speaks His name more than any religion on this planet.

We are so very blessed to know who Jesus is (in our hearts). I was listening to a CD this week, and you were saying that people are going to the lake of fire because they don’t know who Jesus is, even if they proclaim his name. It just makes you very humble, knowing where we are, together, and the time that Jesus has taken with everyone of us to bring us together to know him. It’s like that song, “I Want To Know Him More.” That is my prayer.

billy

Bro. John:

The Spirit woke me early this a.m. with something very simple but sobering.

“The words of Jesus are not just to read. They are to apply to our lives.”

When the Spirit comes with a simple truth like this, it makes you stop and examine yourself. It also makes me want to read again every word Jesus spoke. I love waking up to sobering thoughts that cut through the foolishness of this world.

Sandy
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Amen, Sandy. The way of the Spirit and of faith is not about God’s people waiting to hear “some new thing”, as the philosophers in Athens used to do (Acts 17). It is about rejoicing in the simple way which has already been revealed and established by God, the way that is already “nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart”. We rejoice because of what God has already given us and already promised us, and we seek no other doctrine but what the Spirit which we have already received teaches us. What Jesus has done for us already, and what he is doing, and what Jesus has already said to us, and is saying, and who Jesus is, and who he will always be, is enough.

jdc

Bro. John:

You mentioned Sebastian Franck today in the office and said your father really liked him. I can see why! I looked him up and found a letter he had written to a man named John Campanus in 1531. Wow! I included here the link of the letter.

http://wadsworth.com/history_d/special_features/ilrn_legacy/wawc1c01c/content/wciv1/readings/campanus.html

It is lengthy but well worth reading when you have time. Below are a few excerpts from it:
***************************************************************************************************

“Along with this, I ask what is the need or why should God wish to restore the outworn sacraments and take them back from Antichrist, yea, contrary to his own nature (which is Spirit and inward), yield to weak material elements? For he had been for fourteen hundred years now himself the teacher and baptizer and governor of the Feast, that is, in the Spirit and in truth without any outward means — in the Spirit, I say, in order that he may baptize, instruct, and nourish our spirit. And does he wish now, just as though he were weary of spiritual things and had quite forgotten his nature, to take refuge again in the poor sick elements of the world and re-establish the besmirched holy days and the sacraments of both Testaments? But God will remain [true] to his character, especially [as disclosed] in the New Testament, as long as the world stands.

Good luck, my brother, with thy wonderful theology. May it please God that it be as true as it is unbelievable to the world. Mine is not less wonderful. For I believe and am certain that at the present time not a single true and natural word of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is acknowledged on earth, yea, that no one has begun to recognize the righteous­ness of faith. No one, I say, in the whole of Germany, nay, more, in the whole world — I speak of those who sound forth their falsified word from their pulpits to the common people, that is, of the swine and the dogs — no one has been called or sent. Of this I have absolutely no doubt. Therefore, they preach without any fruit, for they are not sent of God but instead retch out the Word solely according to the letter, soiled with human filth, not according to the divine sense. For they also don’t know another word to say but what is Scriptural, and of no other teachers except their evangelists.

In brief, all that we have learned since childhood from the papists, we must all of a sudden again unlearn. Again, the same for what we have, received from Luther and Zwingli — all must be abandoned and altered. For one will sooner make a good Christian out of a Turk than out of a bad Christian or a learned divine! For the veil of Moses hinders them, that is, the death-dealing letter of Scripture, which they receive as life and as life-giving Spirit. I, however, hold completely that the intention of the Lord does not reside precisely in the rind of Scripture. That is, Scripture is not so easy for everyone to understand but what I would sooner believe that it were locked with seven seals and knowable to none but to the Lamb. For to such an extent does God hide his wisdom under the covering of likeness and literary parable of letters that none but those who are taught of God himself can understand them. And [he] does not so lightly expose his secret to the godless world and all scamps but rather conceals it beneath the rind so that only the instructed of God, as I have said, may be able to grasp it.”
==================

Thanks, Sandy.

Yes, I discovered Franck while doing some research as a seminary student and read some of his writings to my father, who rejoiced in them. Of course, as with John Fox and many others who were trying to break loose from the suffocating quilt of Christian doctrines and traditions, Franck’s vision may have been a little cloudy (but not anything in the excerpt you sent), but considering their times, they were remarkably inspired men.

Thank you again, I enjoyed reading what you sent and being re-acquainted with an old friend, Sebastian Franck.

jdc

Hello Pastor John

I have been reading your blogs from PastorJohnsHouse. They are very good! Sometimes the short ones are so powerful! Here are a couple of my favorites.

Jan. 17, 2012: As Many as I Love, I Chasten.

Jesus loves those whom he corrects, and those who receive his correction love him.

I love how you tell the rest of the story here. Those who receive his correction love him!!!

Another one: Sept. 2008 “Your Testings”

From a testimony by Uncle Joe, early 1960’s

“Your testings will make you better or bitter.”

So true!

Loved Ashley’s blog too from Dec 2007!

Especially liked “Feeding the Lambs” Dec.2, 2007 This one is so good! It details whose responsibility it is to feed the lambs of God.
There are so many more.
Well, they are all good!!! Just wanted to thank you for posting these blogs.

Sue

Y’all, while he was away, pastor John sent this email to me to forward to the group and I goofed up, and did not do it. This was pertaining John David’s testimony from last night.

For some reason I saw “NetMail” in the subject line and thought it went to everyone, but he clearly asked me to forward, and I missed it. Please forgive me not getting this to you. I’ll be more careful in the future.

Bro. Gary

==========

Hey Dad,

>>
>> I feel like the spirit spoke to me while I was walking around my yard today. I noticed a beautiful rock in the driveway, so I picked it up. It was white and translucent and even had a shine to it. But, I knew it was just another quartz, so after I looked it over for a few seconds, I threw it back in with the gravel.
>>
>> The spirit pointed out how I would have reacted differently if I had known it was a rare rock. Just its being rare would have made me value it more, even if it had no greater beauty than before. I probably would have made space for it in my house, had it been really rare.
>>
>> Then the spirit compared that to how beautiful blessings can go unnoticed in the background if they aren’t rare. Particularly, I felt that the spirit was pointing out all of the people that are here. What a wonderful blessing to “rub shoulders” with each other! The blessing of being around somebody who is living a clean life is beautiful!
>>
>> While I was thinking about this, it dawned on me that to shy away from each other here in order to avoid having to speak out when something isn’t right is another way of hiding our light under a bushel.
>>
>> John David
> ==============
>
> That is very good, John David!
>
> There are ways to care for the precious relationships God has given us, and there are ways to damage them. If we walk in the Spirit, we will improve them constantly.
>
> Interestingly, I have been working with several people lately on that very subject. Apparently, Jesus is wanting us, as a body, to learn this lesson. When the body of Christ is functioning as it should, we are wise enough and have sufficient love to “reprove one another”. That is one way that we “edify one another”. The apostle Paul complimented the saints in Rome for having such depth of fellowship among themselves that they were able to do that. Let’s pray for enough love and wisdom to be able to do that, too!
>
> When Solomon became so rich that he made gold and silver “as stones” in Jerusalem, the children who grew up at that time probably didn’t know how rare and valuable gold and silver were. That is how it can be with us when Jesus blesses us with spiritual riches, especially the riches of sincere, holy people in our lives! May God help us to realize and to hold dear those true riches which God has poured out on us, and not lose them!
>
> Dad

I say AMEN to this. I am thankful I can recall God’s feelings for me—His feelings in me—during my decades in sin, gradually convicting me, and finally winning my heart over.

Brad

Hey Pastor John!

I really enjoyed meeting tonight. I loved how you were talking about how Jesus was telling you to be “still”. The past couple of weeks Jesus has really been putting on my heart to stop “planning” my days and my life. I didn’t realize how much I did that until recently. Jesus has been stopping me mid- thought to show me how I get in His way.
The other night I was lying in bed and before I knew it my mind was “planning” whats next. I stopped and just begged Jesus to forgive me and teach me to be still, to trust Him and have faith and wisdom to just give over everything to Him. He knows what is best for me. (I sure don’t!)
I just want to be clay………..so that Jesus can mold me to whatever He wants me to be. There’s a lot of peace in that.

Love y’all
Michelle

PS
I have taken Wed. 8/29- Mon 9/3 off to come for a visit.

==========

Hi Pastor John:

Michelle’s email was is wonderful! I remember the first time I came to NC, when I got there, you told me, “Come over here (in your recliner) and rest.” “Rest” was a strange word to me. Darren’s song, “Rest, O, My Child”, is the song that changed my life; it set my heart totally free to, “be still” and “be led”.

You also said last night that you hope God rewards those who are traveling there this weekend. I felt in my heart last night that the reward IS to travel there. It is an honor to be there with the saints of God who know and love the truth, just to have an invitation to, “Come and Dine”. I understand that all can’t come, and some can’t come always, but God sees the heart. The heart that wants to be there is being rewarded for loving what God is doing there.

The older hymns played last night were so soothing to my soul; tears were flowing as I listened to those tested songs from decades past. I pray, “Lord, do I really know this Holy place that you have led me to? Let me appreciate it and honor it! Many have not.”

Your translation of Thessalonians was very good!

Lord willing, see all soon 🙂

billy

Pastor John:

Damien’s Facebook article on the Archbishop of Canterbury stirred up a memory.

I remember when I lived York, and Rowan Williams was just made the Archbishop of Canterbury. I attended a Christmas service at York Minster, and I still remember looking at him and wrestling with thoughts that he was “the anti-Christ”. I say “wrestle” because I was a Christian then, and I guess I wasn’t entirely comfortable having those thoughts. But they were there. I did not like his pointy hat (whatever it’s called), or all his robes. I just did not like him, though I tried to – and excused him saying he’s just a nice old man or whatever, but I distinctly recall keeping up a wall of resistance (or something) against him. I mean to say that although he was not the anti-Christ, I guess there was just something about him that made me feel that way.

This was around the time I really began to be willing to listen to God and whatever He was telling me. But it was only the beginning.

Jenny
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Hi Jenny.

That man was, of course, following the spirit of antichrist, so you were feeling right things even if you did not yet know how to piece it all together.
The way of the Lord is the way of the Spirit; the way of man is the way of pomp and ceremony. You were feeling that, along with some other good and right things, even way back then. That’s how it is with those who are Jesus’ sheep, even before they find their way into his flock. They feel right things without understanding them, and very many times, they beat themselves up for having those right thoughts and feelings because they do not know that it is Jesus talking to them.

Pastor John