Hi.

I’m really enjoying these new thoughts on the Spirit.  I was sitting here thinking about this morning’s meeting, and Jesus brought to mind how I received the spirit as a small child. I was about 6.5 years old, and a group of us kids were “playing meeting”.  One of us would be the preacher, one a singer, shouter, testifier, etc.  Well, this particular time, it became real to me and the grown-ups got involved.

I didn’t speak in tongues, but kinda stammered and made a “wooing” sound.  I remember feeling like I had received the holy Ghost, and I have always considered that my spiritual birthday, but I also remembered feeling unsure because I didn’t speak in tongues. 

A year later, almost to the day, Rebekah E. went to be prayed for, and that’s the day she received the Spirit, and that day was the first time my utterances began sounding like tongues.  I never really felt like I had a big holy Ghost testimony; I was just a small kid and didn’t have a big deliverance from sin, but thinking about it today, I thought, “Well hey! That was big!”  As a small child I had a testimony that makes what we are learning about the Spirit ring even more true!  That has touched me this morning!

Ashley

Hi Pastor John,

Jenny’s testimony about tithes and offerings reminded me about my experience in Christianity.  The church that I was going to always begged for tithes and offerings.  Every service had a tithe and offering opportunity for them to practically beg for more money.  I remember when I was single, on many occasions, giving my whole paychecks to the church.  I’m pretty sure the reason for me doing that was because I was not living right.  And I was just figuring my offering and tithes would cover my ungodly living somehow.  How ignorant I was at that time! Now that I know the truth, it was so wrong for the pastor to even accept that much money!  In the military, whenever you re-enlist, there’s usually a monetary bonus of several thousands of dollars.  I remember actually signing over my entire bonus check and they never blinked an eye!

Christianity definitely made merchandise of me and constantly took something from me. Whether it was my time, labor, or my finances. I was all used up and pretty much for their benefit.  This reminds me of Allison’s testimony, of how she describes Christianity as takers.  Take, take, take is all they do and nothing is given in return. No substance of any value that benefits the soul.

I agree wholeheartedly with Jenny’s sentiment towards you as my pastor!  It is so comforting to know that when I render my tithes and offerings, it is given with full confidence, because of the fellowship; connection and communion with you.  It’s a relationship where it’s a mutual understanding of rendering and receiving.  I’m being fed the pure bread, as a partaker, by you as my pastor, and that’s priceless! I love the perfect government of God! It comes with authority and submission. 

You’re quite the opposite of those Christian ministers, in that you don’t receive just anything.  In fact, you graciously released a portion of my tithe and offering, so I can be free from my debt to my mother.  I’m so grateful that you are NOT an oppressor and you have set me free!  That burden has been lifted and hopefully my mother will accept money from me this time.  Thank you for feeding me the truth and taking care of me spiritually as my pastor!

Love, In Christ,

David

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Hi Pastor John,

I know I texted you about this, but I wanted to write more about tithes. I am so thankful to have a godly pastor to whom I may render my tithes and offerings* without hesitation; no worry about whether my pastor is living up to his anointing. 

When I think back to my years in Christianity early on somehow, I felt like there should be a standard of rendering tithes and offerings, but it was not customary to give the full 10% tithes, or offerings.  Instead, I would give a little bit when they passed around the plate. I’m not sure how I ought to feel, but I’m actually glad I didn’t render my full tithe over all those years.

Nearing the end of being in Christianity, just before I learned the truth I began to go to a Pentecostal church, and I was feeling more serious about Jesus.  I was always serious, but somehow, I felt MORE serious.  I began to increase my tithes.  By this time, I knew the standard was 10% of your increase.  I still wasn’t giving that because I still had doubts about it.  But I was giving a lot more.  And of course, they were asking for more and more.

Not long after going to this church, I learned the truth, and thus knowing Christianity was a lie, I felt indignant about the tithes I had given; I almost asked for my tithes back, but I decided it was water under the bridge and I didn’t ask for it back.

About a year after I left Christianity, I found out that the pastor had an affair and messed up the whole church there.  That made me so angry.  And I was so glad I was no longer in that church, and not rendering my tithes to a man living in disgrace.

Remembering these things makes me so glad for an anointed man of God living a godly life.  I am thankful for the privilege of rendering my tithes and offerings with peace of mind.

Thank you.

Love, Jenny

* Going to Jesus.com – Tithes and Offerings: The Right Relationship Between a Pastor and His Congregation

I wanted to share something I felt yesterday as I watched the meeting from home.

I was hurting so bad in my body as the meeting started that I was not able to lift my head, and I could just listen to all of the sweet voices telling about our Jesus and what he has done.  When Bob told of the tree pinning his leg and being all alone and needing help, then speaking in tongues and feeling the calm peace come on him, tears rolled down my eyes.  I felt pinned down by the pain I was feeling, and Bob’s testimony felt like a gentle whisper from Jesus.  I had an ice pack on my head, but I could feel heat under that ice pack.  I thought Jesus was taking that awful pain, but that’s not what happened.  As I lay there with tears streaming down my face and waiting to see if Jesus took my pain, I realized how separate my body and my spirit felt.  My body hurt so badly but I had the sweetest feeling in my spirit. I do not believe I have ever felt the separation like that.  It felt so good to lie there and feel such sweetness in my spirit that the pain didn’t compare.  I don’t know if words can really tell how separated the two were. 

(Jesus did lift the pain last night and Jerry and I are both some better today.)

I am still tearing up this morning, as I think on Bob’s testimony, and of Leah, telling of the Spirit crying out to Jesus for her when she couldn’t after her terrible wreck.

The tenderness of those testimonies telling of Jesus and what he has done, and can do, are stirring in my heart this morning.  I wonder if the disciples and the ones Jesus healed felt this love and tenderness as they told of what Jesus did.  What tears the blind man, and the lepers must have shed as they told of Jesus touching them!  How could there not be tears?

I feel humbled and overwhelmed with love from Jesus, to get to be together and tell of his mercy and his goodness. 

Love you, Pastor John! 

Beth

Pastor John,

Sitting here thinking on the terrible things Paul went through in obedience to God; stoned, beaten, imprisoned, and he would not renounce Jesus and continued to preach him everywhere God carried him.

I realized that as things in this world worsen, and they surely are getting worse, that the prayer of God’s saints isn’t that God would spare us from the things that may befall the faithful, but that we have enough experience with Jesus, as Saul (Paul) of Tarsus did on the road to Damascus, so that no matter what we do go through, we will not deny the Savior who bought us.

I think that must start here, now, while there is peace to still be found on the earth. Not trading Jesus and our conscience with him now, for things that seem to present an easier path.

Today’s meeting was wonderful!
Jerry

Hi John,

I love all the scriptures that were read today about what happens at the new birth!  I wish every person on this planet with the holy ghost could watch and take in what we saw today.  What a wonderful time we could have with all our family if we all only knew what Jesus did for us the day we received the blessing of the holy ghost.

It really is all we need to worship him in spirit and truth, because if we follow the Spirit, it leads us to all truth.  Thank you, John, for teaching us what God gives to you.  It was beautiful today to watch and feel the love God has for us in His Spirit!

Stuart

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Thank you, Pastor John, for sharing the truth that the Lord has shown you.  The message today was about truth, love and hope for all who want to serve God the right way and the required steps to begin. The verses from the bible strongly supported your message.  No wonder the Catholic leaders do not want anyone to read the bible.  “Trust us” they say.  “We will show you the way.”  Just not the way of God, is what they don’t tell you.

I was reading in Psalms 115 tonight.  The dead idols mentioned fit exactly what I was taught.  A rosary in your pocket, scapular around your neck, idol of Mary in the yard, Jesus on the cross on the wall, none of which ever had an answer.  I remember as a young child praying, crying out to these idols and never getting relief.   The despair it put in my heart knowing there was something wrong with me.  Never any hope.  Later, when I was 15, I went on a band trip.  I was to room at a host band member’s home.  My dad had a gift, as he could sometimes just know things.  Before this trip he made a comment to me, be sure and make them take you to a Catholic place as there are a lot of holy rollers in that part of the country. 

Randy, a Baptist friend, and I were going to stay at the same home.  We discussed this and decided not to burden the host family and just go where they did.  Boy, was that an eye opening experience.  People were shouting, dancing, rolling in the isles.  I heard them talking but couldn’t understand a word.  But I did feel something was different while there.  I asked Randy later and he told me they were speaking in tongues.  I didn’t know what that meant and couldn’t ask when I got home, or else.  I am glad I didn’t make fun. 

This was about the same time I was learning about the crusades and the cruelties used to convert people to Catholicism.  These two things caused me to start to secretly question the Catholic belief, which caused me to work harder at being a good Catholic. It took many more years and me going to a place, Jimmy’s, to rescue a lost Catholic soul before I finally heard and felt the truth.  I just didn’t realize it was my lost soul that was to be rescued. 

I thank Jesus that He loved me before I even knew who He really was!  And then a few more years.  Because in 2001, when I asked you what was happening, I failed to listen to your advice when you said you were not sure yet but to stand still and see what the Lord was doing.  My carnal mind took over and I left, only to wander in the wilderness for 20 more years.  I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me by allowing me to come home!

Sorry I didn’t mean to get so long but reading Psalms for the first time ever has been slow for me, but at the same time a blessing.  I have to read many of them over and over.  It feels like every Psalm has something that relates to my experiences even when I don’t understand the whole Psalm, maybe only a single verse will I get. But it’s in my heart!

Thank you.

Love,
Mark W.

Hi Pastor John,

I had such a wonderful and blessed time this past weekend.  There was such an awesome feeling of praise, redemption, restoration, restitution, surrender, and lifting of burdens during the meeting and through my stay! Those same feelings were all throughout the music as well. I was so elated and was rejoicing in my heart when Hope received the Holy Ghost! It was so special to be able to witness that.

The message about the battle between the carnal mind and the mind of Christ was really good! We’re in such a spiritual warfare with the carnal mind, but once our hearts are fixed and established in the truth we won’t be moved by it.  You said that our hearts are fixed when they are taken apart (out with the bad) and cleaned by Jesus (in with the good).  And once you know people’s hearts, you won’t take up any gossip to use for slander.  And as soon as you get past the carnal mind and into the mind of Christ, you said, you get over fool’s hill!  My sincere prayer is that Jesus can give me a new, clean heart, uncluttered from every unclean influence!  Always willing to receive new instructions and corrections.  Anything that I’m currently not doing; but should and anything that I’m doing; but shouldn’t.  

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

I want the mind of Christ, where I’m alive to the things of God and have a “peace that passeth all understanding!” My desire is for Him to put the desire of His heart into my heart.  I often ask myself if it’s my desire or God’s?  Hopefully, it’s both!  I’m learning to just wait on the Lord for His answers.  

I also loved how you said that our meeting place is in heavenly places and NOT in NC!  That was a relief to hear and a burden lifted from me.  I didn’t want to be a loner, but now I realize that it’s just a spiritual condition where we meet and not a physical place.  The “meeting” (Holy Ghost) goes wherever you go.  You also said that if a person doesn’t meet Jesus where you meet Him, he is going to hell.  That’s a fearful and stern warning for us all!  I believe that what you were saying is that even though someone is physically there at the meeting, it does not necessarily mean that he is in fellowship with the saints there.  Only with an upright heart, clear conscience, and living right can we experience that fellowship/connection/bond with the saints and God.  My desire is to have a perfect unity with all the saints.  I want my thoughts, feelings, and heart to be aligned with God’s.  I want Jesus to be my North Star, my anchor, rooted and grounded in Him.  Never wavering! Amen! Without Jesus, I’m in complete and utter darkness.  Thank God that he orders my steps! 

Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

I believe God spoke to my heart and said, “Wait”.  Everything will absolutely fall into place exactly as He designed my life to be.  That place will be where I’m the happiest.  In due time, if God opens a door for me to move closer to the saints in NC, I would certainly do that.  Only He knows what’s right.

Pastor John, there are many decisions to make here in the relatively near future, but I’m going to completely trust in Him!  I just pray that I can believe what He says and have the strength to obey Him!  Please continue to pray for me as I will certainly do for all the saints there.

Love in Christ,

David

Good morning!

Just wanted to say how very good it was watching and feeling last night!

It felt so wonderful being able to pray after you mentioned we want to be the kind people who will sincerely ask the Lord if there’s anything He wants us to change.  I felt scared to do that for years. To get alone and really ask those questions and pour my heart out on those.

But, praise the Lord, I can now, and I have asked that question a lot lately!  It is such a miracle Jesus has done for me, us!!

To be at work and just say out loud “thank you Jesus!”  To lay in bed and just think on Him and feel a wide open tube or conduit with no junk or build up in it. Ready if He speaks, knowing He is listening to me.  Just incredible.

Just sitting here now my chest feels wide open and bright. 

I sincerely love Pastor John and all my family here with us!!  I’m so thankful Jesus answered our prayers, through you!  He does the impossible so we can do the possible. 

Bro Paul

Hi Pastor John,

This weekend was so sweet. It seems like so many things came together for me on the weekend. The message you gave about spirits talking to us was so good. I know there are many of us, myself included, who know we have this habit of listening to these horribly crushing and divisive spirits. It was frightening when you spoke about how when spirits say convincing things, you will say either way, “I just KNEW it”. Goodness, how scary. We MUST wait patiently on Jesus and not listen to everything that comes into our hearts.

The thing I most commonly hear, and listen to, is “You’re bad. There’s just something very bad about you”, and “You’ve messed up your life and you’re not good enough; you don’t belong”. These spirits want to crush any hope you have, and stop you from being free. They have nothing but ill-will for Us. But, I was so glad to hear the antidote; waiting patiently on the Lord, and He will support, strengthen and establish you. And I especially loved Psalm 112 v 7 that you gave, “He does not fear an evil report; his heart is fixed, trusting in Jehovah”. Oh, I love the word “fixed” in this context. I pray I will be ‘fixed’ on Jesus! Pray I will stop listening to these spirits, and wait on what Jesus says about me/us. Wait for the REAL answer. And then I loved the song of Aunt Kathy’s that was sang, “I Love Who I Am”. I loved singing that in the meeting. I sang along too and meant it, “I Love Who I Am”.

I feel like the message you gave has been touched on before. I pray I get the message this time and quit listening to those spirits that don’t want us to be free, and want to crush our spirits and not let us LIVE. 

Thank you, Pastor John. I love Us, and I love who I am!

Love,

Jenny