Mailbag

Send us comments on Twitter!
Watch What We Do!

Search

Looking for something specific? Try a search below!

  • Question regarding 1Cor. 5:21

    Good morning, 

    I was reading the “Random Thought” for 9-19, and wanted to see if you would something clear for me.  You wrote, “The kind of righteousness that Jesus brought to light and made available to those who trust in him was unknown to mankind before he paid the price for us not only to have it in us, but to become the righteousness of God in this world.  One of the most astonishing verses in all the Bible has to be that which Paul wrote to the saints in ancient Corinth (2Cor. 5:21): “Him who knew no sin, God made sin for us, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

    “Him who knew no sin [Jesus] God made sin for us…”

    God made Jesus sin?  What does that mean, and when did it happen?  When He put him in a fleshly body?  When He had Jesus hung on a tree to die as a sinner would?  Or when God made sin? 

    “…so that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

    Beth D 

    ===========

    Hi Beth.

    In the Old Testament, sins were transferred to the sacrificial animal by the laying on of hands just before the animal was slain (e.g., Lev. 4:15).  And since the Old Testament was the pattern that Jesus fulfilled, we may safely assume that God put the sins of the world upon Jesus when Jesus was about to die.  It is in only that sense that Jesus “became sin for us”.

    In the same way, we “become the righteousness of God” when the holy Ghost fills us, bringing into our hearts God’s righteousness, and peace, and joy (cf. Rom. 14:17).

    Don’t let Paul’s language confuse you.  He is just talking about Jesus taking on the sins of the world and about us taking on the righteousness of God.  That’s all.

    Thank you for the very good question.

    Pastor John

     

     

     

  • Thank You!

    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

  • Let Obedience Be Our Prayer

    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

    ========

    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

  • Satan’s Circumcision

    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.

  • Sarah H. – Knowing

    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

    =========

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

    Pastor John

  • Why Not Capitalize “holy”?

    I read your article* about evidence, ie, speaking in tongues, to receive salvation.  I’m very curious to know why you didn’t capitalize Holy.  you say “holy Spirit”.  that is not biblical.  all thru King James translation & others Holy is capitalized.  start w John 14:26.  Jesus spoke those words “the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost”??

    Michael

    ==========

    Hello Michael.

    Thank you for your good question.

    In the original documents of the New Testament, there were no small Greek letters at all.  Every letter was capital.  Small Greek letters were introduced in the 8th and 9th centuries, and from that point on, it was the writer’s choice, to use or not to use capital letters with some words.  In the Greek New Testament that has come down to us, names of people and places are capital, along with the beginning of sentences, but not much else.  Even the words, “God”, “Son of God”, and “Spirit” are not capitalized in the Greek text.  Most modern writers, including myself, capitalize those words out of respect for God and His Son, as well as for God’s Spirit.

    We do not capitalize such adjectives as “holy” because there is no need to do so.  Simply capitalizing “Spirit” lets the Reader know that God’s Spirit is being talked about.  We don’t capitalize the word “holy” when speaking of our “holy God” or the “holy Son of God”, and there is no good reason to capitalize “holy” when speaking of the “holy Spirit”.

    I hope that clears up that matter for you.  It is a small matter, though, compared to the message in my article, that the baptism of the holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, is the new birth.  Did you have any thoughts about that?

    Thank you again for writing.  I look forward to hearing from you again sometime.

    Pastor John

    * Ye Must Be Born Again – Going to Jesus.com ;

    The New Birth – Going to Jesus.com ;

    Going to Jesus.com – Speaking in Tongues at Spirit Baptism

  • “Cancer Is Just a Word.”

    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.)

  • From Your 2005 Sermon in KY

    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 heart

    I love you and am so glad you felt good enough to teach last night!  There was a teaching, and a meeting broke out smiley face2

    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”

  • Unnatural, Wonderful Things

    Good morning, 

    Wow, what an email on Job!  It really went in what you said about Job having a clear conscience before God.  I tried to imagine God putting even some of Job’s sufferings on me, and I would have to have a clear conscience before God or I would think I was hated by Him.  The accusations alone left me praying for a heart like Job.

    I read in Joshua this morning also.  In chapter 3, verse 7, God tells Joshua that He will magnify him in front of Israel so they will know He is with him: “And Jehovah said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel so that they will know that just as I was with Moses, I am with you.’”

    Then, in verses 15-17, God stops the waters of the Jordan and they all crossed over on dry ground. It tells us that the Jordan overflows all of its banks at harvest time, so it would be unnatural for the waters to stop and back up leaving them on dry ground.  And I thought about how when Jesus first touches us, the unnatural often occurs to show us he is with us. 

    For me, I can’t remember a time I wasn’t a liar; I became a liar at a very early age, and one of the first things Jesus did was make me honest.  I remember realizing he was doing it and feeling overwhelmed because I could not do it.  I knew he was with me.  It was the same for many things in my life that I could not change, but Jesus did it!  I thought of how my family must have felt, seeing all of the changes taking place.  Of course, they thought I was crazy; it was unnatural for me to be honest, or sober, or HAPPY and gushing over God’s Son.  It touched me, reading those things about Job  this morning and feeling that swell up in me, realizing God IS the same.  He is still letting us and the world know He is with us! 

    I can see why the angels stand and watch the face of God for the good of God’s “little ones”.  What a precious and tender time it is, when God is showing a new heart He is with them! 

    Beth D.

  • Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart

    Hi Pastor John, 

    I’m reading through Exodus and wondering why God continued to hardened Pharaohs heart up until the very end? Michelle and I are really enjoying and learning a lot in your Old Testament course. Thank you! 

    Best, Kevin

    =========

    Good question, Kevin.  And the answer is even better!  God hardened Pharaoh’s heart for the same reason He softened ours: that’s what He wanted to do.

    Paul spoke of this at length in Romans 9:

    1. What shall we say, then?  Is there injustice with God?  Absolutely not!
    2. For He said to Moses, “I will show mercy to whomever I show mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I have compassion.”
    3. So then, it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God, who shows mercy.
    4. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “This is the very reason I raised you up, so that in you, I might demonstrate my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
    5. So then, to whom He will, He shows mercy, and whom He will, He hardens.

    Paul continues with that subject, and you would enjoy reading the rest of what he said in Romans 9, but the above is his point.  So, if God has given us a desire to know Him, we are very, very blessed, for if we love God, it is only because He first loved us (1Jn. 4:19).  It really is as Jesus told his disciples: “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (Jn. 15:16).  We would have never chosen Jesus; he had to choose us and put it in our hearts to come to him.  Darren Prater’s song, “I Put It in Your Heart”, expresses this truth so beautifully.  Look it up some time.

    Thanks for the question.  It is an important one.  Let’s “rejoice always” in our hope and “walk worthy of the calling” we have received from God.

    Pastor John

Recent Posts