I’ve been reading in Joshua this morning.  I do not remember knowing that Joshua fought for the Lord, clearing the land of enemies, until he was old, long after crossing into Canaan.  And I’m not sure if it’s the smoke of that burnt-up old upbringing in Christianity or just the flesh that made me say “Really? even after they crossed over…until he was old?” 

I had similar thoughts reading and thinking about all the killing in the book of Joshua.  It feels very good to know to say, “God, you’re right.  I want your heart,” and repent of my own thoughts, and go on.  There really is great comfort in just having that on the inside: “God is right.”

I talked to a dear relative yesterday.  It was pleasant enough a conversation, but reading this in Joshua reminded me of how there is still a separating darkness between God’s children and the world, still that dividing veil: “And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them” (Josh. 24:7a).

Beth D.

Good morning John.

I hope you are feeling OK today, and your throat made it through all that  you gave us last night. I think that Lee Ann has a writing gift.* She always says the best things, that I wished I could say. That is her part and gift, but I do have to say that she seems to always say much of what I feel, especially about valuing you.

This morning after you sent the link on Jack Coe, I spent some of today watching some old videos of him, and some AA Allen, and Benny Hinn, etc., also some more modern people who preach healing and such. These healing videos stir something good.  I appreciate men who have power and believe God.  But when it’s over, I always seem to have a yearning for more “something” – something that will go with it. Something that will feed, and stir growth and spiritual life beyond the healing part.  I guess it’s a longing for “meat” that should follow.  They have their wonderful part, but there is another part.

So after I watched these evangelists, I went back and listened to your message from last night.  And I have to agree with your father when he said that being with a few in the truth was better than all his healing campaigns.  “This” was better than “that”.   The end of your message about the bread and the blood, and the holy Ghost and Jesus, and Him being life, etc. etc., it was all there. It’s the missing part!  It’s not the “full” gospel without that part. I’m so thankful we get to feel and hear it.

Anyway, I agree with Lee Ann… when watching your message again I prayed to God that the value of you is fully known and appreciated in my heart.  At one point in your message you said something about not living long enough to see those things…. I had a bit of a hurt hit me… “no, you can’t go!”.  I guess one day that will be the case, but I don’t want to think about those things. I want to eat off of you for a good while to come!  I hope that’s the case.

Thank you for giving your body to this body. 

Gary

*See post titled “Thank You” 9/19/2021.

Good morning, John,

Thank you for last night.  I can’t imagine how much strength it takes to prepare and present what Jesus has for us (especially when you haven’t felt well).  You have done it so well, and for so many years now, and I am saying from the bottom of my heart, “Thank you”.  And thank you, Jesus, for giving us your best. 

I was so overwhelmed with feeling the love of God last night.  I wanted to speak, and I couldn’t open my mouth.  All I could do was feel it, and let it overwhelm me.  

I felt so thankful for good, pure food, and for having a heart that loved it and wanted to eat it!  The more I ate, the stronger I felt it.  The first song you sang, “I Want To Love Him More”,  perfectly expressed my feelings because it is so true!  

Then, when you sang “I Remember Dark Calvary”, I was thinking as you were singing the words that I possessed the very thing Jesus suffered and died for stirred up inside me, moving me!  Jesus’ very life inside me!  And I thought, “This is how you remember Calvary.  It is not a thinking thing.  It is stirring up the gift of God.  It is letting His life that he suffered and died to give us be alive and move us”!  And then you told us that very thing after you finished singing.

At the end when we were sitting around and it was quiet, I thought, “Have I valued what just happened here?  Have I valued what you’ve done, Jesus?  Did I take it in as fully as I could?”

These are precious times when we can be together.  We are not promised another meeting.  I know it takes so much from you physically when we get together, and you will not always be able to do that (can hardly even stand to type those words).

I felt the gravity of that last night when we were sitting there at the end.  And I was hoping I valued you enough.  That I valued fellowship enough.  That I valued feeling the Spirit enough.  That I valued what Jesus was offering us enough.  

Love,

Lee Ann

Pastor John,

I was in the shower, praying, brother John.  Out of my mouth came, “Let obedience be our prayer.”  I felt the Spirit say “YES!”

So good – and right!

Jerry

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Thanks, Jerry.

That reminds me of the time my father started praising the Lord after Oral Roberts prayed for him, and the doctor could not find the cancer that he had earlier told him was there.  The Lord told him, “Shut up!  I want your praise to be in your behavior from now on.”

God is serious about praising Him with our lives.  That way, the praise of our lips will be acceptable to Him.

Pastor John

I was listening to the most recent morning conversation again, and it feels so good.  That old holiness, clean and good!  As I listened to y’all talk about Jesus and the holy Ghost getting cut out/left out, I felt the biggest “Amen!” inside!  I was telling Jesus “That is so right, Lord!  That is exactly what Christians do.  They cut you out, and what you did for us.”

Then the thought came, “That is Satan’s circumcision.”  Cutting out Jesus and what he has for us.  Made me think about Satan digging in God’s garbage can, rummaging through the things He has discarded, and even having his own circumcision.

Also, it touched me how just the sound of your voices is so good to my soul when I hear them.

Beth D.

After the meeting Saturday night when you were talking about feeling the feelings of God and just knowing something about a certain situation, the Lord brought to mind something that happened years ago not long after I got the holy Ghost.

My mama and daddy were visiting with us in New Bern one weekend.  Mama’s shoulder started hurting really, really bad. She had bad bouts of bursitis sometimes and it was just intensifying with no relief. She was in the bedroom, and I just “knew” she was in there naming and claiming her healing, but she was in a lot of pain. An anger rose up in me and I went in the bedroom and told her to “come on, we’re going to the ER.”

She got up and went with me. They gave her a cortisone shot, and in a short period of time, she was feeling better.  They stayed and enjoyed the rest of the weekend. Isn’t that good?  God is good!

Sarah

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Yes, Sarah. That is very good. I am glad you believed God so you could help your mother. Jesus is always right.

Pastor John

Brother John,

The sincere joy and trust in Jesus that Carrie showed Saturday night was beautiful.  She was so right when she said that cancer is just a word.  Cancer is a word the world manufactured to describe an experience that isn’t working for their good—if they don’t love God.  In the kingdom of God, if you love God, cancer is just another one of those “All Things”* that works together for good to those who love Him.  That is not a bumper sticker to make folks feel better; it is a promise from the apostle Paul in Romans Chapter 8.  And he knew Jesus, and Jesus knew him.

When you know you are loved by the one true God, cancer really is no different than receiving a blessing.  It is all just events that God created to get His saints home to Him.

I know that cancer isn’t a good experience.  I can’t imagine it – in my flesh.  But I know in the Spirit, the Spirit Carrie is giving herself to, it is all the same; “just another one of those All Things” from God to get us home.

God bless her and keep her in that perfect place.  So sweet.

Jerry

* Going to Jesus.com – Suffering and the Saints

(The book Suffering and the Saints was originally titled, All Things.)

Yesterday’s Random Thought was from a sermon you preached in KY 16 years ago, and again last night:*

“God doesn’t judge things by how you feel; He goes by what He knows.  And when you go by what He knows, you feel as He feels.  That’s where good and right feelings come from, from what God knows.”

That’s what I love about the truth.  It never changes.  It is what it is because it comes from the only Creator there is!

His knowing is there for us, if we’ll have it!  And, when we partake in His knowing, we have right feelings and right judgement!

Thank you for sharing with us the knowing that He gives to you!  I am so very blessed to have been grafted into this body

I love you and am so glad you felt good enough to teach last night!  There was a teaching, and a meeting broke out

Praying for your continued health and looking forward to giving you a big ‘ol hug when I see you next week.

~Allison

* Going to Jesus.com – “The Gods”