Pastor John,

I just had to write you my heart is about to explode with thoughts and feelings.  I was listening to the CD “God’s right and I’m wrong”.  wow!  I LOVE ALL THESE FEELINGS!!!  I loved how you were talking about being perfection and how we have a wrong idea about it.  You said being perfect is relative to where you are now and what you know now.  John, that was something I know you have said before, but this time, it just went deep.  I think it is because for the first time in my life I feel like I am learning the mind of Christ.  It is like you are free — free to live, free to make mistakes (not sin but make mistakes) and live and learn God.  My heart is exploding!

On that CD, Darren is singing “Come On With Me”.  That is best way to put what I feel — an invitation to go with Him.  Also the other day, Paul and I were driving down the road and we saw a man on a motorcycle.  He looked like [our former pastor].  We looked at each other and had the same thoughts and feelings of thankfulness.  I was thanking God for sending you in 2001 to SAVE US.  I was thinking, “Where would we be?” and then I looked at my children and cried.  We are finally in a place to learn and live, and I am so Thankful.  I was trying to describe this to Ellen P. and she kept saying she could not fully understand what we were saying (because she had never been under the religious bondage and oppression that we once were under), but it was real for us.  But God sent you so that we could learn how to live. I feel like I am just starting to live and learn my Father. Thank you for all you have done for us.

Jammie

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Jesus said that the truth would set free those who follow him.  You are just one of many examples of being liberated.  I heard an old meeting CD yesterday from 1973, in which my father was preaching and warning some people that when they gathered for meetings, they were only “looking for a place to shout”.  He said, “shouting isn’t serving God; that’s God serving you!”  Serving God begins when we leave a meeting, not when we get there. The blessings He gives when we meet are Him serving us His bread of life.  Let’s eat together, and then go out and serve Him and others!

Pastor John

John,

I have thought about this past weekend all day long.  I have so many scenes burned into my memory.  I am so thankful I was able to go to Louisville. Saturday night was not of this world, and Sunday was more of the same.  I don’t think my eyes were dry all morning.  I really don’t know how to describe it.  That actually happened too.  I was talking to the man at work who has the holy Ghost that I have been talking to on and off for the last few months, and really couldn’t get it out in any kind of way that he could understand.  I told him that it was the most clean and holy thing I think I have ever experienced.  He started in with the “Be careful of what you’re feeling” speech, and “How do you know that was God?”

I tried to explain it to him the best I could, but he was already building a wall between us.  He changed the conversation to the book of Revelation and started trying to explain that this country is Babylon, and it is going to fall and all that yuk.  Thankfully, someone walked up and our conversation ended.  It is very sad to me how many of God’s people will do that when you talk about real life and freedom in the Spirit.  I hope the Lord will tear down the wall he has put up between us.  I really like him.  He is a gentle man with a good heart.  I believe that christianity has made him the way he is.  This experience today makes me hate that thing even more.

Thank you John, for loving the truth like you do.  It is great encouragement for us.  If you can love it that much, we can also.  If you can be consumed by the Spirit to that extent, so can we.

Darren

Dear Bro. John:

The following chorus came in a sweet, sweet dream from the Lord.  I wish I could remember the tune, but all that I can tell you is that it was heavenly.  We were sitting in a room, some of us at tables, and some in booths.  I was sitting with some others in a booth across from you.  Suddenly, the young people started singing this beautiful chorus and it was floating through the air.  Their voices were like angels – – soft, sweet, innocent and crystal-clear.  With my eyes closed, I lifted up my face toward heaven and was feeling this song, as gentle as the wind, blowing across my face.  It was a beautiful, sweet, pure feeling.  These are the words I heard being sung:

Watching ancient habits

Is teaching us all the time

Watching ancient habits

Is drinking from the Vine

When Jesus makes us happy

All things are made whole

Watching ancient habits

Reaches deep down in the soul!

In Webster’s the word “habit” is described as “condition, character, usual manner of  behavior.”  We have spoken of God as the “Ancient of days”, but I wasn’t sure how the word “ancient” was used in other scriptures, so I looked up a few for better understanding:

“With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.” Job 12:12

“I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.” Psalm 77:5

“Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” Proverbs 22:28

All of this reminded me of the sweet meetings in L’ville this past July 4^th weekend.  How the young people were “watching” the wonderful godly behavior of those old saints who traveled and testified of experiences and a life of holiness that can be lived by those who trust in the Lord.  Old saints whose hearts have been established and who love to testify of how Jesus has been there for every circumstance in their lives – – living testimonies that the young ones saw and heard from “ancients” who have stayed on the “old paths” where Jeremiah said: “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls . . . .”

After reading some in Jeremiah, it also struck me how fearful it is if we cause a little one to stumble. What are they learning by watching us, and what is God seeing?

“Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 23: 23,24

God help us to walk humbly and righteously with Him and live so that young hearts can sing their songs as in that dream!

Sandy 🙂

Hi Pastor John,

What a wonderful and glorious weekend we had.  I am still feasting on the feelings, sights, and sounds of the Spirit that fell.  There was substance when everyone was dancing at the same time during brother Gary’s song.  Bricks were falling everywhere, and were being ground to powder; the Spirit was carrying all the powder away, so it won’t be used again as mortar :).

Michael and Anna flooded my heart with joy, as well as Ellen S. and Jeremy.  It just makes you hungry for more of God.  Man, God is so good.  I loved seeing good examples of my elders there: Brother Ray & Coy, Sister Grandmama, Sister Willie & Lou . . . wow!  Not to mention Brother Earl and Sister Betty our little rocks ;).  They have been an example of love to me since I first met them.

Brother John, you sure have brought some good food with you this time.  The preaching was wonderful!  We will be persecuted . . .that is the self-check of living right in Jesus.  I loved what Stuart said, “Wow . . .what a low price!”  We can pay that price.

Thank you Jesus, for a wonderful time,

billy m.

Hi John,

I wanted to thank Jesus again, for this weekend.

But mostly, thank you for the message on “falling in love with the truth”, and better still, providing the example for us.  I love the music and the rejoicing and the flow of the Spirit and all those wonderful things – but I believe they only come together for us like that because of the living word/message that generates them.

Anyway, I’m very grateful.  I told Jesus this morning, wanted to tell you too.

thanks.

Gary

Hey,

I just want to say that I LOVE the feelings of LIFE this weekend.  I love them so much that I get angry when anything or anybody tries to take those feelings away.  My feelings ARE my life.  They are given as a gift to me from my Father, and I hold them to be precious and esteem them highly valuable.  I didn’t have feelings before, and I thank God now by loving LIFE and taking care of the valuable gift He has given.

Let us esteem what God has done highly, and live right! His gift to us is the most precious thing on the whole planet. I want every action and every decision of every day to say to God, “Thank you, God.  I absolutley love what you have done for me.”

I love our God!

Donna

Hey,

Today the kids and I went shopping again 🙂  I love being able to take them out and shopping with them.  Three little ones like that draw a lot of attention and the two most common things I hear are, “Are they triplets?”  and “They are so well behaved.”  I tell people that it takes a lot of work at home to be able to take them out in public.  I’ve even told some that we spank them if they need it.  It makes me think of what you have told us before.  If we will just be who Jesus has made us, we will shine.  Being normal will make us shine.  It’s amazing how most people (around here anyway) don’t think that having well behaved children is normal anymore.

There was a young man who was working as a cashier at one of the stores the other week that really stood out to me.  He seemed sincere in wanting to know how to have well behaved kids.  He looked me in the eyes and said that he wished he could take his kids out in public.  I felt really sad for him.  I told him that it takes a lot of work at home, and they have to know that you mean what you say.  I also told him that I pray a lot and get help.

I had to go back to that store today to return something, and I was hoping to run into him.  He was there and he remembered us.  He talked to the kids some.  I was prepared to give him a business card this time.  He got busy helping someone else and it turned out that the lady working with him was the one who wanted to know my “secret” this time.  I handed her a pastorjohnshouse.com card.  I told her that was my secret and if she visited the website she could get help.  She tucked it in her smock and said she would do that.

When I left, I felt a little disappointed that I didn’t get to mention spanking to either of them, because that is really what is lacking in most homes today.  There is a big pressure to be “nice” and spanking is seen as being mean and impatient.  I wanted them to know that those well behaved children are the results of us being “mean” enough to spank them. 🙂

I had another stop to make at the post office, and we all filed out of the car 🙂  (I really do enjoy going out with them!)  As we were walking in, I was still feeling like I had missed something at the store, and the Lord said, “It is better to obey God than men.”  That broke that feeling that I had.  I was pointing them to my help, and I wasn’t trying to be anyone’s hero 🙂 .  If they get in touch with Jesus, they can overcome the same spirits that are around us all.  Including those that would make you feel mean for doing what is godly.  I was feeling this “pressure” to tell them about spanking, but what Jesus did was enough.  Jesus knows my heart and that I still want to outright tell them that spanking is good if done correctly, but I’m trusting him about all of that.

I was wondering if there was anything on the website to encourage people who are looking for help in parenting?  I’m thankful to have the family that we do.  A couple of weeks ago, Token said that as parents, we can’t catch it all and that we need each other.  She also said that God has set it up that way.  I love that.  It’s a relief! 🙂  I’m just wondering about other children of God, who are looking for help.  I only heard bits and pieces of some testimonies on the beach Thursday morning, but it was the relief that I was looking for.  And watching your gentleness with Daniel’s fear of the ocean was wonderful for me.  We don’t want to be too far one way or the other, and I need the ones who have been there before me to show me what is good.  I’m thankful for my family. 🙂  I want to live and let my children live 🙂

Love you,
Cris

P.S.  In no way do I feel that my children are “saints”….at least not yet anyway! 🙂  And even then they will still need correction!  And I would very much appreciate your prayers that the praise that men may give me now for having “good” children doesn’t puff me up.  We are just being normal!  We have plenty of times when they are not so “good”, and I want to remember that it is all working together for good if we love God.

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Hi Cris.

Rearing children is indeed a community project!  I am thankful for the sweet, godly community that we have.  The fellowship we share in Christ serves children well, as parents take advantage of the wisdom and love in this body of Christ for all these wonderful kids.

Keep up the good work!

Pastor John