Dear Bro. John:

The Lord woke me this morning with just a few words: “the wells of Beer-sheba”. I remembered a Broadcaster you had written on The Manner of Beer-sheba (February 1994) and was led to pull from my collection and read it. It really blessed me. Nothing has changed – – men are still worshiping in places that God Himself has killed and moved out of.

The following excerpt from the original Broadcaster is so good to me, I wanted to share it. It is worded so simply, and is simple to us now, but it is only because God’s love and mercy has shown this truth to us.

God was in the high places once, but when He moved into the symbolic ceremonies of the temple worship in Jerusalem, it became idolatrous to worship in the high places. And now, worship in symbolic ceremonies is idolatrous, because Jesus suffered and died to provide for us “a new and living way” to serve God. He called it, “in spirit and in truth”. This change from old covenant symbols to real spiritual life is implicitly denied every time that one of Christianity’s symbolic ceremonies is carried out. Every time a symbolic communion service is observed, men are proclaiming again that a manner of worship which God has abandoned still lives; only this time the cry is not “Beer-sheba”, but “the manner of symbols liveth”. I know that Jesus was circumcised, baptized with water, and observed the holy days and ceremonies of the Law. But he did all that so that we would not have to do them! He not only died for us, he also lived for us. He was circumcised for us, baptized in water for us, kept all the ordinances for us. Now he is our passover, our High Priest, and our Baptizer. Jesus is Lord of all. Trusting Jesus means acknowledging that God has abandoned the use of religious symbols. To worship God as He demands now, rather than as He told others in another covenant to worship Him, is really what trusting Jesus means.” (The Broadcaster, Feb. 1994)

To know such riches as is written above is one thing, but to move when God says “move” is to believe them. The whole world is still crying: “the manner of symbols liveth.” But how sweet are the living words of Jesus: “Symbolism is not me!”

I thank Jesus for reminding me this morning ” . . . . that Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”

And so am I!

Sandy 🙂

Pastor John,

In case I haven’t told you I am loving this Father and Son book. It is changing us! This morning I was praying God I just want to get over me and my flesh to able to do some good for people who don’t know what we have gotten to hear. Most of the things in our lives that we deal with is just our own flesh. We have got to get pasted that to really do so good. We talked about Job and how he was a perfect man (without God’s life) then where are we? I am not saying this in a discouraging way I feel like it is a call to move up. We are learning this for some reason even if it’s just to live a cleaner life. Well just wanted to thank you again.

Jammie

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Pastor John

After Wednesday night I’ve been thinking about Job as well, in particular this verse. “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” The question I have asked is repent of what? He had not done anything. He was just human and he saw or caught a glimpse of something so much greater – maybe the righteousness of God – and he could not (without the Spirit) humble himself far enough in response.

I have also been thinking about the various abilities to do things we all have. Doing anything is nothing. What is going on in the heart while you’re doing what you are doing? That is the question. The flesh loves making a “fair show” of itself. It makes me pull back and consider whatever I am doing and pray God that there is nothing of me in there.

These things are so good to consider but there is always goodness and severity to behold.

Damien
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Hi Damien.

What Job was feeling, neither he nor anyone else could see and understand until the Son of God came to reveal it to us. It was God’s kind of life. Job was already “a perfect and an upright man.” God said so. But what overwhelmed him in the end was a glimpse of a kind of life that is beyond perfection. God can rebuke even the most perfect man on earth because “the foolishness of God is wiser than man” and “the weakness of God is stronger than man.”

Oh no! I think I just said something that I want to add to the Father and Son book!

jdc

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Hi John,

I don’t know where to start, I have had so many new thoughts and feelings about what the Father did with his Son and what the Son did for us when he came down and secured a way for us here on earth. And all of it is because the Father wanted it to be so for us and his Son.

One thing that I really love about what God and his Son has done with us, through you with this Father and Son book, is how that when he reveals something to us about himself and the Son it redefines everything around us. It helps us to understand how he feels about everything and every being that was created.

It exposes the truth about everything. I am just thinking about how much light he has shown us about his Son and how much that was not known during the old testament times, on earth or in heaven. It gives a whole new meaning to the scripture in Mat 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (After the Son returned and was accepted of the Father of course.)

Wow. We are so blessed. The more we learn about the Father and the Son, the more it reveals about what is godly and what is evil, like Paul said:

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

What we have learned about Satan and the spirit of Satan through what God has revealed to you with this Father and Son book is astonishing John. No books can attain to what has been opened up to you and us. No wonder this book keeps growing. His knowledge and wisdom is endless, and I thank you for coming and taking the time to teach us what he is showing you. What an honor it is to be living during this time in life and to gather together with such wonderful people as God has put us with. Thank you Jesus!

Stuart

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Holy Love.

It is incomprehensible to the carnal mind . . .

. . . and yet, we FEEL holy love, from God and towards others, because of the presence of the holy spirit IN us.

I am grateful for that, above all else. . . because unlike faith and hope, it is a genuine FEELING that abides in us, when we stay close to Jesus and eat His Word.

I am thankful for that today. It feels GOOD to experience and to share holy love.

Brother Brad

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Amen, Brad. Keep feelin’, brother. In the book of Acts, Paul said that we feel our way to God, “though He be not far from any one of us.”

jdc

Hi John,

I was telling you and Barbara the other day about my tax situation this year, and how we found out at the last minute that we were going to owe over $7000 to the IRS because we could no longer claim Ellen and her educational deduction this year – which we were totally unprepared for. And how that when I got up from my desk while working shortly after we found out, I felt the Spirit say to me, “If you take all the work I send and work hard, I will send it ALL before it’s due.”

That was on about March 18th or so. When I told Song what the Spirit said to me that day, I’m pretty sure she did not believe me. But I have to say that I did not really believe me either …. It just felt like the “Amen” talking, so I told it.

As of today, in less than three weeks, before the deadline to pay our taxes, and in addition to my regular calendar of work, since March 20th, the Lord has sent in $9,900 in new web design orders/updates…. which is enough to pay for our tithes and offerings, our taxes, AND our beach trip this year – IN FULL! And that’s in a month (April) that in EVERY year prior, has been my slowest month of the year, without exception!

You can’t beat God, John. He is so good, He does things for me that I cannot even dream He could, or would do. I have never had this volume of work come in during one month the whole time I have been making websites. Amazing. And April 15th is still not even here yet! 🙂

OK, gotta get to work. We had a real good Hebrew class this morning, Aaron is doing very well. See you tonight!

Gary

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Your testimony (incredible!) reminds me of brother Tim’s testimony about “God’s economy”. Look at this! God chose what has always been the slowest month of your business’ year to teach you more about His economy. What love for you – and all who hear you! Your experience also reminds me of that phrase from the book of Hebrews about those of faith obtaining promises from God. You obtained a promise! I praise the Lord with you, brother Gary, for the promise you received. What a burden-bearer Jesus is! Something about that just makes me want to weep.

God is good.
jdc

http://goingtojesus.com/site/php/thoughts.php?tname=tfe04-01

Pastor John,

Last night I read the Thought for the Evening on the Goingtojesus website and then continued to read each of the 1 Corinthians 13 translation parts. The TFE dated today, April 5th, goes right along with what you said about the web site work and how the ones that are gone were not thinking about us anyway, they were thinking about themselves. This thought is a good reminder:

Thought for the Evening
4-05
1 CORINTHIANS 13, PART FIVE:
 ‘Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up’
1Corinthians 13:4c

The meaning of this part of Paul’s description of the love of God in action is encompassed in the latter part of his exhortation to the saints in Rome. In Romans 12:10, Paul wrote, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another.” The love of God makes us feel that it is preferable for a brother or sister to have the attention and the privilege. In the love of God, we would prefer that others receive the credit for any good that is done together. The flesh would prompt us to push ourselves to the fore, lest we “miss something”, but the “something” that the love of God wants is the blessing of the Lord, and so, we become willing for others to have the first of anything, or the better seats anywhere. Jesus described it this way: “When you are invited by any man to a wedding, do not sit in the highest place . . . but when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place.” This is the attitude toward others that anyone possesses who puts the love of God in action.

The love of God does not insist on having its own way; nor does it absolutely have to get its point across, in order to be happy. It is willing that others speak, and is content to be quiet when they want to. It is willing to be last; it is willing to have the smallest piece of the pie; it is willing to stay at home to make room for another to go on a trip; it is willing in all things not to have the pre-eminence because it loves God, and it understands that God dwells with the lowly in heart. It never “puts its best foot forward” because it puts no foot forward at all. It waits for the Spirit to open the door, and then it goes in.”

RE: “God, in me is no good thing, please help me to be what you want me to be.” –Rebekah E.

I love the humility and the compassion that Rebekah expressed in her synopsis of her trip to Europe (particularly the excerpt above). I appreciate that, especially in young people.

But I often stumble with this concept, Brother John.
Paul said: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing.”
That is the nature of man that Paul is talking about, isn’t it? Our sinful fleshly nature.

For surely, Rebekah and each one of us has “good” things in us, God-given characteristics and talents, particularly since giving us His Spirit. Isn’t Rebekah gifted at math and especially skilled at accounting? Doesn’t Darren have a remarkable gift from God that some of us do not have? His talent and artistry are good things aren’t they? Isn’t Bekah C. a fine writer with integrity, keen discernment and an honest heart? When we confess that we have nothing good in us, it seems to be a put-down of ourselves, and of the talents that we really do possess which make up our individual personalities, and which we all value about one another. It sounds harsh for Rebekah to say that about herself, even though I know she only means that in her fleshly nature there is NO good thing.

I do think her supplication to God is sincere and holy and humble, (I have prayed the very same thing frequently) but the more we confess our nothingness, the more we stay “nothing.” If we say, out loud, that we are worthless, how can we be of value to an employer or to our employees or to our customers? How can we be useful in the world if we have such a low level of confidence all of the time? I am wrestling with this because sometimes when I try to summon up the confidence and the ambition to seek out new paths, I am sabotaged by the concept of me being “nothing”; no good, as Paul professed. But I know that I am good! God has made me good. I am good for people to be around, at least I think so. And I am diligent, and enthusiastic, and courteous, and conscientious in my work—in anything I apply myself to. . . yet therein lies the conflict! :^/

Would you help me to understand how to be a “zero,” with Jesus, yet not let it affect my self-image in the world?

I’ll love you if you can fix this in me.

Brad

e.g.: Uncle Joe, you once said, could’ve been a brilliant lawyer, or a great baseball player too, but succeeded at neither. Could it be that he thought so little of himself that he simply never pursued those opportunities? Can humility be so heavy that it cripples us?

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Yes, you are right, Brad. Paul was careful to make sure that his readers knew that he was speaking of his fleshly nature when he said, “In me dwells no good thing.” One of the biggest problems that many of God’s children have is that of putting themselves down too far. That’s why I warned people Saturday night, if you remember, not to go into the negative numbers. Just stay at zero. So, yes, I am glad you pointed that out. There needs to be a balance in all things. Jesus has put many good things in all of us, and when we live in those good things, we stay happy.

jdc

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Man, oh man, you have a way of explaining something so thoroughly in just one small paragraph.

Brad

My Theology & Culture professor just mentioned that King James translated the Greek as “church” (and “bishop”, etc) for his own political purposes — to establish/legitimize Anglican polity. I haven’t heard a prof mention that yet, but it’s not unknown! You have been telling us that for several years now.

Bekah

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Yes, that is true. That is a known fact among scholars. King James gave his translators a list of rules they had to follow in their translation. The third of those rules (preserved at Cambridge University in England) was that they were required to mistranslated the Greek so as to make it appear that the word “church” belonged in there. Most believers, however, are not told about that, and so those who tell that story seem ungodly and irreverent. I have, in the past, also entertained suspicions about the word “pastor”, but I finally decided it was a harmless term. Likewise, “bishop”. It is the word “church” that is a major problem.

The Greeks had a word for “church”, and it is found nowhere in the original New Testament writings. The way that Christians typically translate the Greek word ekklesia (as “church”) is just wrong and very misleading. It legitimizes a religious system that is evil, one that destroys souls in the name of Jesus. William Tyndall (1494-1536) refused to use the word “church” in his English New Testament because he knew it had no place in the mouth of Jesus or the apostles. At that time, the Church held such power over men that it was forbidden for anyone to translate the Bible into a language that Englishmen could read,. That, and Tyndall’s determination to produce a faithful version of the NT, were principal reasons that CHURCHMEN, the powerful men whom King James wanted to please, viciously persecuted Tyndall and, eventually captured, tortured, and executed him.

Daddy