Pastor John,

That is such a good email from Tom (see post 8/16/2024, Reading: The Crucifixion).  The last sentence of verse 21 that he copied stunned me:

21. “…that they all might be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they may also be one in us, so that the world might believe that you sent me.”

All that Jesus was doing and all that he is doing now is “so that the world might believe that you sent me.”  And by him doing so, men would repent and be reconciled to God, and be saved.  Jesus truly is the Savior of the world.

Wow.

Jesus’ unity with the Father convicts hearts, and it made the disciples believe, so that they too would find unity with the Father and Son, thereby convicting others.  And so forth, through the centuries. 

I’m repeating myself, but the disciples’ newfound unity with the Father and Son was convicting the hearts of those looking on (just as Jesus’ unity had done) so that some, the ones God had chosen from the beginning, would come forward and find their own unity with the Father and Son…and so on.

So the disciples being made one with the Father and Son through Spirit, made them fishers of men, the first of their kind (after Jesus), fishing for the hearts that God had ordained in the beginning to be His. And here we are today with the same holy charge, to live and be in Christ so that the world might believe that the Father sent the Son.

Wow, brother John.

When I think of bearing fruit, I see that it truly is so that men can eat and “taste and see that the Lord is good!”  If we aren’t bearing fruit – we really are being useless to God, being a reproach in front of men as to who and what he is.  That is frightening.  But God is wonderful.  We just need to soak up the rain, food, and sun(Son) that the Father sends, and we’ll bear much fruit!

Whew!

What a story. What an opportunity for life!

Jerry

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John,

I loved last night’s reading, The Crucifixion: God Had a Son, 18 PDF . 

There are so many nuggets it’s difficult to absorb them all in just one sitting.

You mentioned that we really don’t know exactly what the conversation was between God and Satan regarding the sifting of the disciples and Peter.  Using the conversation between God and Satan in the book of Job was a good example of how it could have been.

What I kept thinking about during the reading was Jesus telling Peter, “Satan has earnestly asked for you men, that he might sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith will not give out.”

I tried to imagine the conversation between Jesus and his Father.  There was Satan earnestly asking God to sift the disciples like wheat, and there was Jesus asking his Father not to let their faith fail. What love Jesus had for those men, and us.

As I was thinking about what words Jesus may have spoken to his Father, John 17 came to mind. According to John, Jesus prayed this prayer before his arrest. I won’t copy the entire chapter, even though each verse could apply:

1. Jesus spoke these things, and then he lifted his eyes toward heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, so that your Son might also glorify you,

6. I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

9. I pray for them. I’m not praying for the world, but for those you’ve given me, for they are yours,

11b. Holy Father, keep them in your name which you have given to me, that they may be one, just as we are.

12b. Those you gave me, I watched over, and not one of them has been lost except the son of damnation, that the scripture might be fulfilled.

21 …that they all might be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they may also be one in us, so that the world might believe that you sent me.

What comfort there is in knowing that when we are being sifted, Jesus is asking his father to not let our faith give out. I love what you wrote about how Peter’s self-confidence was sifted out of him.  “But Jesus prayed for Peter, and Jesus’ prayer saved him. Peter would never have recovered after vilely denying the Lord, but for the intercession of the Lord whom he had denied.”    

I hope I am thankful enough for the many times Jesus prayed and interceded for me. 

Thank you John, for sharing these wonderful messages from Jesus with us.

Tom 

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As I was reading over our papers from Wednesday night, could again feel the Spirit carry my heart and begin teaching my heart not just my brain!  What a unusually wonderful feeling as I just pushed my papers back, just listening to the Spirit take me though different thoughts and experiences!  It is just a wonderful heart-felt experience!  I can’t even begin to express how it’s making me feel, what Jesus is giving you!!  I feel lost for words to experiences HOW MUCH I LOVE IT!!

Jimmy T.

God Had a Son, 17 PDF

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Pastor John,

I am so moved by this Spiritual Light book (https://goingtojesus.com/gtj_books.html?tname=light) I’m reading.   Your testimony about God revealing the truth about the sacrifice of Christ is truly beyond this world.   And it touches me the way you dug in and studied the tabernacle, and would stop at the top of every hour to pray and ask for help to understand the reason for God’s specific instructions to Moses about how the tabernacle should be built and how it all relates to believers today.   And then when God met you on Hwy 39 with your answer in the form of a question, “Where was Christ when he was sacrificed??”  Oh my!  

But I keep thinking as I’m reading this that I would love to have this book preserved with the sound of your own voice reading it as an audiobook.  It would be so good for future generations to hear this book read aloud by you.  I know you have a lot on your plate already, but just wanted to let my humble request be known:)  I would be the first in line to download this as an audiobook!

Lee Ann

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Pastor John,

Last night I was reading the Sandy’s book.  I read: 

5/5/02- In a meeting

“ I come and walk among you because you are My people”

“ I come and walk among you because I love you”

“ I come and walk among you because I want you to know me”

This made me think of what Barbara said yesterday.  To come to the meeting so full and so happy to be here and to see everyone but when Jesus comes that’s everything!

We’re his people, he loves us and he wants us to know him!  Amen!

Michelle 

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I was reading the same part of her book last night.  Amen!

Pastor John

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https://www.goingtojesus.com/gtj_thoughts.html?tname=rdt07-25

I love when Jesus does this! It goes along wonderfully with what we ate for dinner last night! 

I was thinking last night about responding like Satan in the wilderness as he tried to “help” Jesus be the Messiah!  I thought about times I have wanted to encourage a brother or sister going through a trial, thinking I was doing good, trying to lift them up, when maybe God wanted them low!

Whew, we really do have to train to get still and listen just like Jesus did.  It makes the stories of Jesus not healing or not responding, come alive.

I find that kind of exciting, to train to be like Jesus.  Ha!  It’s really a training to do nothing (of ourselves)!  It makes me think of Sandy: “The whole world has it backwards!”

I love this!

Beth D.

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Hi Pastor John,

I cannot stop thinking about last night and what we read.  I knew that in this flesh “there is no good thing” but when you said that everything this flesh desires is what Satan desires. That really took my breath away.  My first reaction was, “No!  Everything like Satan really?”  What a sobering, honest truth about us humans.  To let that really sink in gave me a greater understanding of what Jesus has done for us.  He has given us a way of escape from being like Satan.  Jesus has made an escape for us!  An escape from this flesh and a way into His righteousness!  I’m just overwhelmed in the love that I feel every time Jesus gives us a clearer understanding of what he has done.

I went to bed last night so thankful.  Thankful that he chose to put his kind of life in us!  I feel so incredibly blessed and humbled to be able to hear and take in what we have been given!  

Thank you, Pastor John!  I’m thankful for every meal you and Jesus give us!

Michelle 

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Hi Michelle.

It is very humbling to be taught by Jesus.  The true knowledge of God does not make us proud; it makes us to know that we are hopelessly lost without God’s mercy!

I don’t remember saying that everything the flesh wants is what Satan wants.  I apologize for leaving that impression.  Satan is a very orderly being, Jesus said, and I am sure that he often has as hard a time getting people to do his will as Jesus does.  Rioters, vandals, drunkards, druggies, and other such people are contemptible to Satan, and his ministers often rail against sinners like that.

Still, as you said, it is eye-opening and very humbling to realize how much our human nature agrees with how Satan thinks.  Our hope of escape from that fallen nature is God’s mercy, and whoever realizes that is blessed.

“The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, those who hope in His mercy.”

Psalm 147:11

Pastor John

God Had a Son, 15 PDF

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Hi Pastor John, 

Tonight was so good. The reading was packed with gold nuggets.  It’s amazing to re-think Satan and that we would have been in agreement with him if we’re in the flesh.  And also that the temptation in the wilderness was NOT an attack by Satan, nor was it a temptation against Satan, but a temptation against the flesh!  That’s AMAZING!

I am not worthy to hear and take in all these incredible truths, but I thank God I am here to hear.  I wish all Gods children’s could know them.

Thank you for teaching them, and thank you your labor in the truth.

Jenny

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John, 

This reading from Wednesday night is wonderful reading.  I can feel it opening up a whole new place in my heart as I read it; it’s taking my heart and soul inside to the places I have long for.  I can actually feel it changing me inside!!  I have a heart FULL OF THANK FULLNESS this morning!! 

Jimmy T.

God Had a Son, 15 PDF

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