{"id":12476,"date":"2021-10-27T00:24:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-27T00:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pjhmail.wordpress.com\/?p=12476"},"modified":"2021-10-27T00:24:00","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T00:24:00","slug":"a-good-reminder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/12476\/a-good-reminder\/","title":{"rendered":"A Good Reminder"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thank you, Pastor John, for sending us the\u00a0document,\u00a0“New Testament Introduction: Hidden”.<\/p>\n

It is not a head knowledge of God that will save us, but a heart knowledge.\u00a0 A lot of times, God will put us through a trial or some other\u00a0kind of experience, such as cancer, to instill in us a desire to seek, ask, and knock.\u00a0 I remember Jesus putting a prayer in my heart while I sat at my\u00a0piano one morning\u00a0in 2009, just two weeks before that “blessed” kidney stone revealed the cancer in me, “Lord, make me a vessel of honor and not one of dishonor.\u201d<\/p>\n

That trial, or opportunity, [of going through cancer] began on a Saturday night while you visited\u00a0us in KY.\u00a0 I can’t begin\u00a0to count the lessons of knowledge about God that I have received while going through mine; some are recorded in the little book that I had such great help with.\u00a0 At each turn of the corner, there was another lesson for God’s people as the Spirit said to me at the start: “This is not about you, but it’s about the body of Christ (us).”\u00a0 I read that little\u00a0book at least\u00a0once a year as a\u00a0reminder of the\u00a0love of God that was shown me.\u00a0 Without God’s grace, strength, and wisdom, I could have easily failed that\u00a0trial.<\/p>\n

If we are not dead to the feelings of the Spirit when Jesus gives us those precious opportunities to seek Him in the way that He chooses, then we will certainly get the gold and knowledge from them for others.\u00a0 Every opportunity is one that will move us up closer to know God more if we hearken to His voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Love always,<\/p>\n

Billy<\/p>\n

==========<\/p>\n

Pastor John,<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0document,\u00a0“New Testament Introduction: Hidden”\u00a0is so good!\u00a0 I\u2019m so thankful for God’s love and his mercy.\u00a0 He touched me, loved me, and gave me a love and desire to know His truth!\u00a0 That is worth everything!<\/span><\/p>\n

I love this part of\u00a0what you wrote:<\/span><\/p>\n

“With the knowledge of God down in your soul, you will know the truth as they knew it, and the truth will make you free, as it did them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That is so wonderful!\u00a0 I love when I hear the truth and it sets me free!\u00a0 Free from the weight of Christian doctrines, free from wrong thoughts and ideas, and free from me!\u00a0 It feels good every time I hear and feel the truth, and it heals something inside!\u00a0 That\u2019s enough to make you want to shout for joy!<\/span><\/p>\n

Love you!<\/span><\/p>\n

Michelle<\/span><\/p>\n

==========<\/p>\n

RE: I came across an Introduction to the New Testament that I must have gone over with you in the beginning of our study of Matthew, though I don’t remember it.\u00a0 But it was so good to me that I thought I would send it out for you to read, too.\u00a0 It blessed me, and I hope it will bless you.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Pastor John<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

New Testament 2020 Introduction: Hidden<\/span><\/p>\n

What we have in Christ was once completely hidden<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

because Christ himself was once completely hidden.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>The mystery of God, spoken of by Jesus and Paul, was that in the beginning of<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

creation, God had a Son and that in His Son, God hid all true knowledge, so that without<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

knowing the Son, no one could truly know God.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew 11<\/span><\/p>\n

27b. No one really knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone really know the Father<\/span><\/p>\n

except the Son, and he to whom the Son may choose to reveal Him.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Son of God spoke those words while he was here on earth, talking to people\u00a0<\/em><\/span>around him. No one knew him, who he really was, because although the Son of God was\u00a0<\/em><\/span>here in the person of Jesus, he was still hidden. The mystery of God\u2019s hidden Son began\u00a0<\/em><\/span>to be revealed only on the day of Pentecost, when God’s Spirit was first given to men.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

1Corinthians 2<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God <\/span>predetermined before the ages for our glory,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. which none of the rulers of this age understood, for had they understood, they would <\/span>not have crucified the Lord of glory.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. As it is written, \u201cNo eye has seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered the heart of <\/span>man the things God has prepared for those who love Him.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even <\/span>the deep things of God.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Ephesians 3<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. By revelation, the mystery was made known to me,<\/span><\/li>\n
          2. …<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \n
            1. which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it is now <\/span>revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              God\u2019s Son was not only hidden from mankind from the beginning of creation, but he\u00a0<\/em><\/span>was also unknown to heavenly beings.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

              Colossians 1<\/span><\/p>\n

                \n
              1. was made a minister by the commission of God which was given to me for you, to <\/span>fulfill the word of God,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                  \n
                1. the mystery that was hidden from the Aeons and from generations of man, but now is <\/span>revealed to His saints.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  This knowledge of God has been revealed only to humans.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                  Proverbs 8<\/span><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  1. Does not wisdom call? And understanding give his voice?<\/span><\/li>\n
                  2. At the top of high places, along the road, at the crossroads, he stands.<\/span><\/li>\n
                  3. Beside the gates, at the entrance of the cities, at the doors, he cries out,<\/span><\/li>\n
                  4. \u201cUnto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the children of Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    All other creatures, including heavenly beings, are still without the knowledge of God.\u00a0<\/em><\/span>They know now that the Son of God exists, of course, but they still do not truly know him\u00a0<\/em><\/span>or his Father \u2013 and without the holy Ghost, they never will.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                    1Peter 1<\/span><\/p>\n

                      \n
                    1. Prophets who prophesied of the grace that has come to you earnestly sought and <\/span>diligently inquired about this salvation,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                        \n
                      1. trying to determine who or what time the Spirit of Christ that was in them was <\/span>indicating when it testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and of the glory that<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                        followed.<\/span><\/p>\n

                          \n
                        1. To them, it was revealed that they were not ministering those things to themselves but <\/span>to you, which things have now been reported to you by those who preach the gospel to you by the holy Spirit sent from heaven, into which things angels long to look.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                          Those to whom the mystery of God is revealed are more blessed than they at first can\u00a0<\/em><\/span>realize.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                          Matthew 13<\/span><\/p>\n

                            \n
                          1. The disciples approached and said to Jesus, \u201cWhy do you talk to them in parables?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n
                          2. Then he answered and said to them, \u201cTo you it is given to know the mysteries of the <\/span>kingdom of heaven, but to those, it is not given.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                            . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

                              \n
                            1. Your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears, because they hear.<\/span><\/li>\n
                            2. Truly, I tell you that many prophets and righteous men longed to see the things you\u2019re <\/span>seeing, and didn\u2019t see them, and to hear the things you\u2019re hearing, and didn\u2019t hear them.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                              1John<\/span><\/p>\n

                                \n
                              1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with <\/span>our eyes, which we beheld, and our hands touched: the Word of life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                  \n
                                1. And the life was revealed, and we saw it, and we are bearing witness and showing you <\/span>the eternal life which was with the Father and was revealed to us.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                  To be given the Spirit which reveals the mind of God is no small thing, and the wise know it.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                                  Romans 11<\/span><\/p>\n

                                    \n
                                  1. Oh, the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How <\/span>unsearchable His judgments, and inscrutable His ways!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                      \n
                                    1. Who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has been His counsellor?<\/span><\/li>\n
                                    2. Or who has first given to Him, so that it will be paid back to him?<\/span><\/li>\n
                                    3. For all things are of Him, and through Him, and for Him. To Him be glory forever. <\/span>Amen.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                      Paul prayed for God\u2019s people, that they would come to fully comprehend the mystery\u00a0<\/em><\/span>of God:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                                      Ephesians 1<\/span><\/p>\n

                                        \n
                                      1. I do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,<\/span><\/li>\n
                                      2. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, might give you a spirit of <\/span>wisdom and of revelation in His knowledge,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                          \n
                                        1. the eyes of your heart being enlightened so that you might know what is the hope of <\/span>His calling, and what is the richness of the glory of His inheritance among the saints.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                          Romans 16<\/span><\/p>\n

                                            \n
                                          1. To Him who is able to establish you in my gospel, and in the preaching of Jesus Christ, <\/span>and in the revelation of the mystery kept secret from time immemorial,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                              \n
                                            1. but now revealed, made known through the writings of the prophets, by command of <\/span>the eternal God, for the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                \n
                                              1. to Him, the only wise God, be glory forever through Jesus Christ. Amen.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                                Obedient saints, by their examples of living and worshipping in the Spirit, instruct\u00a0<\/em><\/span>heavenly beings in the wisdom of God.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                                                Ephesians 3<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                  \n
                                                1. To me, the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach among the Gentiles the <\/span>incomprehensible richness of Christ<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                    \n
                                                  1. and to enlighten all men as to what is the plan of the mystery that has been hidden <\/span>from the Aeons by the God who created all things through Jesus Christ,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                      \n
                                                    1. so that through the Assembly of God, the multi-faceted wisdom of God might now be <\/span>made known to the rulers and authorities among heavenly beings,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                        \n
                                                      1. according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                                        The four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were written after the Spirit came\u00a0<\/em><\/span>and revealed the mystery of God, but the story they tell took place before the Spirit came.\u00a0<\/em><\/span>In the gospels, the authors make comments that show they knew the mystery, but they did\u00a0<\/em><\/span>know the mystery while Jesus was here with them. The apostle John could never have\u00a0<\/em><\/span>written this beginning of his gospel before the Spirit came:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                                                        John 1<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                          \n
                                                        1. In the beginning, the Word was there, and the Word was with God, and the Word was <\/span>God.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                            \n
                                                          1. He was in the beginning with God.<\/span><\/li>\n
                                                          2. All things were created through him, and without him was nothing created that was <\/span>created.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                              \n
                                                            1. In him was life, and the life was the light of men,<\/span><\/li>\n
                                                            2. and the light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                                              . . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                \n
                                                              1. This was the true light, which sheds light on every man when he comes into the world.<\/span><\/li>\n
                                                              2. He was in the world, and the world was created through him, but the world did not <\/span>know him.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                                  \n
                                                                1. He came to his own things, but his own people did not receive him,<\/span><\/li>\n
                                                                2. but as many as did receive him, to them he granted the right to become children of <\/span>God, to those who believe on his name,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                                    \n
                                                                  1. who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of <\/span>God.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                                      \n
                                                                    1. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as <\/span>from a father to an only son, full of grace and truth.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                                                      During the time Jesus was on earth, John never dreamed that in the beginning, there\u00a0<\/em><\/span>was a Word, or that it was with God, or that it was God, or that the Word had come to\u00a0<\/em><\/span>earth, taken on the form of a man, and was \u201cthe true light\u201d of the world. Nor did he\u00a0<\/em><\/span>know that God had created all things through that Word, or that there was such a thing as being \u201cborn of God\u201d. Just because John wrote those things in the beginning of his\u00a0<\/em><\/span>gospel does not mean that he knew those things at the beginning of his story. He\u00a0<\/em><\/span>certainly did not. And neither did anyone else.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                      A Precious Opportunity<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                      Before Jesus left his disciples to go back to the Father to ask Him to give them His\u00a0<\/span>Spirit, he told them that when the Spirit came, it would guide them into all truth and teach\u00a0<\/span>them things that they could not yet bear to hear (Jn. 16:12\u201313). But even after the Spirit\u00a0<\/span>came, it could not teach the whole truth to some of those who received it because, even\u00a0<\/span> though they were now spiritually reborn as children of God, they did not value what they\u00a0<\/span>had received and remained carnally minded (cf. 1Cor. 3:1\u20133). This tells us that we can\u00a0<\/span>receive the Spirit and still fail to grow in knowledge and remain ignorant of things\u00a0<\/span>pertaining to the kingdom of God. Paul said that we have received the Spirit of God \u201cso\u00a0<\/span>that we might know the things freely given to us by God\u201d (1Cor. 2:12). However, we\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t know those things just because we have received the Spirit. To know them, we\u00a0<\/span>must ask, seek and knock until they are given to us.<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                      What a gift, to live in a time when we can ask, seek, and knock, and then have the\u00a0<\/span>things of God revealed to us by the Spirit! Remember what Jesus said. \u201cMany prophets\u00a0<\/span>and righteous men longed to see the things you\u2019re seeing, and didn\u2019t see them, and to hear\u00a0<\/span>the things you\u2019re hearing, and didn\u2019t hear them.\u201d We are living in a time when can learn\u00a0<\/span>of God! If it is His good pleasure to give us the kingdom, as Jesus said, then it must also\u00a0<\/span>be His good pleasure to give us the things pertaining to the kingdom!<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                      Paul revealed God\u2019s desire for us to know Him when he prayed for God\u2019s people, that\u00a0<\/span>they would be spiritually minded:<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                      Ephesians 3<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                        \n
                                                                      1. For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,<\/span><\/li>\n
                                                                      2. of whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named,<\/span><\/li>\n
                                                                      3. that, according to the richness of His glory, He might grant you power by His Spirit to <\/span>be strengthened in the inner man<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                                          \n
                                                                        1. (Christ dwells in your hearts through faith),<\/span><\/li>\n
                                                                        2. being rooted and grounded in love, that you might be able to comprehend with all the <\/span>saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                                            \n
                                                                          1. and to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, so that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. <\/span>That prayer tells us that we can be \u201cstrengthened in the inner man\u201d by the power of God; Paul would not have prayed for it if it could not happen. We can \u201ccomprehend the breadth and length and depth and height\u201d of the gospel of God and \u201cbe filled with all the fullness of God.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                                                            Paul told the saints in Corinth, the same believers who were overflowing with the\u00a0<\/span>gifts of God, that some of them needed to wake up because did not have the knowledge\u00a0<\/span>of God (1Cor. 15:34). They had the Spirit, but they did not know God.<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                            One of the worst mistakes a child of God can make is to justify a lack of knowledge\u00a0<\/span>of God by telling himself, \u201cI have the Spirit.\u201d What is the difference between that and a\u00a0<\/span>man refusing to seek the holy Ghost, saying, \u201cI\u2019m saved\u201d? My friends, having the Spirit\u00a0<\/span>is a testimony against us if we have not sought after the knowledge of God. Let\u2019s take\u00a0<\/span>advantage of the Spirit that God has given to us. The Spirit alone can lead us into the\u00a0<\/span>knowledge of God, and it will do so if we are willing and obedient.<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                            The Knowledge of God Is in Your Spirit, Not Your Head<\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                            The knowledge of God is not like the knowledge of algebra, or biology, or history.\u00a0<\/span>The knowledge of God is not the same as knowledge of the Bible, nor even the\u00a0<\/span>knowledge of doctrines, such as when a person is born again or when he is saved. \u201cWe\u00a0<\/span>speak wisdom,\u201d Paul said, \u201cbut not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this\u00a0<\/span>world who are being brought to nothing\u201d (1Cor. 2:6). The knowledge of God is in your\u00a0<\/span>gut; it is in your spirit! It is something that rises up out of your belly like a river. The\u00a0<\/span>knowledge of God feels the truth; it senses what God is thinking. You know the truth\u00a0<\/span>only when you feel it; before then, the knowledge that you have is something in your\u00a0<\/span>head, and we can be talked out of what is only in our head, or at least be talked into\u00a0<\/span>compromising it. To love and fear God is to know Him, and love and fear are feelings. <\/span><\/p>\n

                                                                            A<\/span>s we read through the books of the New Testament, our brains will be gathering\u00a0<\/span>information, and that is good. But it is more important that you feel the books of the New\u00a0<\/span>Testament, that is, that you feel the writers\u2019 great joy at understanding the mystery of\u00a0<\/span>God, of truly knowing the Father and the Son. I want you to feel their excitement at\u00a0<\/span>being able to write the books they wrote, and you will, once you begin to see what they\u00a0<\/span>saw. With the knowledge of God down in your soul, you will know the truth as they\u00a0<\/span>knew it, and the truth will make you free, as it did them.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                                                            Thank you, Pastor John, for sending us the\u00a0document,\u00a0“New Testament Introduction: Hidden”. It is not a head knowledge of God that will save us, but a heart knowledge.\u00a0 A lot of times, God will put us through a trial or some other\u00a0kind of experience, such as cancer, to instill in us a desire to seek, ask, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-netmail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12476"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12476\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}