Melchizedek

Hello Pastor John.

I don’t recall ever hearing it discussed but did Melchizedek only have man’s kind of righteousness? Considering he was the “king of righteousness” and the fact that Abraham paid tithes to him and not much else is known about him. I assume he didn’t have God’s righteousness but I’ve never heard it said, or at least I don’t remember hearing about him specifically.

Robert A. Payne, L. G.

=========

Hi, Bob.

Thanks for the question.

It was impossible for anyone to possess God’s kind of righteousness before God’s extraordinary Son came and paid the price for it. “King of Righteousness” is the meaning of the name “Melchizedek”; the true King of Righteousness is the Son of God, of whom righteous Melchizedek was only a figure, like Abraham, David, and many others.

Pastor John

Advertisement

Fortunate to Be a Sheep in Your Flock: Brad

We are seeing & experiencing miracles worthy to write in a new bible.

I feel fortunate beyond what words can express, to be a sheep under you, John Clark, our phenomenal Shepherd.

I don’t think there’s anyone else on earth with more grace, graciousness, integrity, authority, and a caring heart.

I said to my darling wife tonight, “Where would you rather be”?

This was the most rewarding of any event you could choose for something to do on a Saturday night.  Damien said, “this is the real Saturday Night Live; Alive!”

Amen. 

In conversation with sister Willie on our drive back to her house, we recognized the indisputable and mysterious fact that we have all been chosen by God to be together in this body under you, brother John, and the more we can appreciate that, the better.

We’ve all been healed tonight. I feel different. Allison feels different. I could see the enormous change in Paul’s countenance, and on Jamie’s face as well. They are different people now, and we have all been touched by this blessing in a glorious way.

Thank you for your connection with God, for our benefit.

Praise God forever!!!

Brad

The Prophets: Margo

Hi Pastor John,

I hope you are well. 

I have a question related to the message Sunday morning.  When God started speaking through the prophets about Jesus, did they understand the prophecies?  At what point was it understood that He was revealing things to come and preparing His people?  I cannot imagine how David must have felt. To be praying and speaking on one thing and for those nuggets to be revealed. 

The message on Sunday makes me want to go through and read the Old Testament again.

Thank you, 

Margo

========

Hi Margo.

The prophets all died without understanding any of their prophecies about Christ.  We are not told when, but God did let them know that they were prophesying about a future event, as Peter said:

“Prophets who prophesied of the grace that has come to you searched out and diligently inquired about this salvation, trying to determine who or what time the Spirit of Christ which was in them was indicating when it testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and of the glory that followed.  To them, it was revealed that they were ministering those things not to themselves, but to you, which things are now 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 (1Pet. 1:10–12).

Pastor John

Reflection: Beth

Pastor John,

Isaiah 53: 

4. He has taken our sicknesses and borne our sufferings, yet we considered him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

I have been thinking about this verse since we read it in the meeting. Thinking about Jesus wearing our sickness, and sufferings on him, and the nature of man, seeing that sickness and suffering as his affliction, whew. 

I picture man seeing God’s Son in this flesh, thin and beaten and nailed to a tree and man saying, “eww!” when all along it is man’s sin and shame, and God’s love that he was showing us. 

I am in the kitchen now, cooking Jerry some pork chops, thinking it’s no different today.  If Jesus is so good as to show us something in ourselves, will we say “eww” to Jesus, or the body, or our pastor, or will we humble down and thank God for him for showing us?  And by “we” I mean me! 

If Jesus got back on that tree wearing our issue, what would we say? 

Just thinking out loud with you! 

Beth

=========

Wonderful thought, Beth!  And a good question for us all to ask ourselves.

Pastor John

Net mail – A dream: Damien

Pastor John,

A few years ago after I returned from my trip to Australia in 2017, I had a simple dream with both of my parents in it.  It reminds me in some ways of Brother Keith’s vision that he shared with us recently. It came to mind while I was talking with Kay early this morning.  It seems good to pass it on.

In the dream, there was a long line of people who were shuffling silently, uphill it seemed, along a sidewalk.  The path passed along the side of a featureless building.  At the head of the line of people was a door in the building. The people turned right and went through the door.  I noticed my father (he died in 1987) going through the door.  Looking back down the line a ways, I saw my mother (now 94) shuffling along with everyone else.

When I awoke, I knew that I was looking at people’s lives passing.  The door is the end.  As I thought about it this morning, it really hit me that everyone is going through that door.  I was in that line of people.  We all were.  Life is serious business.  We need God’s help. 

Damien

========

Amen, Damien.  And if we think on that, we are wise (cf. Eccl. 7:2-4).  Moses prayed that God would teach him to soberly think on that reality so that he might apply his heart to wisdom (Ps. 90:12).

Ezekiel 24:16

Hey Pastor John,

I’m still reading Ezekiel and have a question about Chapter 24 starting at verse 16:

16. Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

Am I reading this correctly?  God told Ezekiel that he was going to kill his wife but not to mourn or shed any tears for her?

======

Yes.

======

19 And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?

20 Then I answered them, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

What does He mean by He will “profane his sanctuary?”

======

God was about to remove His Spirit from the sanctuary, the temple that Solomon 

built, and let the heathen take it and the city of Jerusalem.

======

I am reading this in complete awe of what Ezekiel went through.  How God would make him act things out in his life and then prophecy to Israel.  He really went through something.

Thank you!

Michelle

Sometimes You Just Have To Let Go!

Hi Pastor John,

I wanted to write about my testimony that I gave in the meeting today. I know I left so much out, and I think it’s a good testimony that might help others who don’t live here, but want to.

When I first learned the truth was the truth in late September 2005, I loved it! I knew I wanted to live here because this was everything I had been searching for in Christianity, but never found. I immediately left Christianity and followed you. I received the CD’s and followed on whatever I heard from what was going on here. After a couple of years of receiving the CD’s I started visiting back and forth from Australia each year or two. Then, knowing I wanted to live here, I started cold – calling hospitals here in NC, making applications to jobs and making nurse profiles on hospital websites to try and see if a hospital would sponsor me as a nurse for a Green Card. I would make applications and get no reply, then wait a few more months and try again. I knocked on many doors, and got zero response. I don’t even think anyone ever replied to my emails.

At the same time as this I also put my name down in the Diversity Visa Lottery. The lottery does not automatically award you a Greencard; only the right to apply. So, if you win in the lottery you still have to go through the lengthy application process. I applied for the Green Card via a secondary company which turned out to be unnecessary because you can make the application for free once every year. But I didn’t know that, so I paid the company a one-time $400 fee to enter my name in the lottery each year for 4 years. The company placed a LOT of emphasis on making your application for 4 years, so I did. Then I all but forgot about it, and placed my effort in applying to hospitals for Green card sponsorship.

In the meantime, I kept up my normal life. But after a few years, and seeing there was no response from the hospitals, and thinking the 4-year Diversity Visa lottery time period was up, I finally concluded within myself that maybe moving to the US was just not going to be for me. I began to feel at peace with that, and finally I just let go of the idea of moving to the USA. I accepted that it would be perfectly okay for me to stay in Australia, just live right and continue to receive the CD’s, watch livestream when I could (internet connection was always an issue for me), visit when I could, and continue to follow you; my pastor. I fully felt myself let go.

(I want to say at this point I NEVER felt it was essential to my future salvation to LIVE in NC. Never at any point did I think that – I just WANTED to live here.)

When I let go of the idea of moving to the USA, I decided that I didn’t want to live in Sydney where I was almost completely alone. Instead, I wanted to move up to Tamworth in the country to be nearer to my Mum and Dad. Tamworth is 5 hours north of Sydney out in the country, so I didn’t see them a whole lot. I figured at least I could be near them.

So, I got a nursing job at the hospital at Tamworth, and packed up my Sydney apartment and moved everything to Tamworth. After I unloaded my belongings at Tamworth I returned to Sydney to clean up my apartment to have it ready for renters. Well, you wouldn’t believe it, but the very next day after I returned to Sydney to clean up the apartment, I received a phone call from the Green Card Lottery company telling me I had won a place in the Green Card Lottery!! I was astonished to say the least! At first, I thought they were scamming me and I cried and begged the lady on the phone, “please don’t tease me”. She assured me it was real, and she had me go on the website and confirm the details. And as you know it was real! She also explained that the 4 year time period had elapsed, but they take a few ?weeks before they get to calling people to tell them you’ve won. Anyway, as we know from Brother Gary’s song; Jesus had that lottery fixed!

The lesson I learned is that sometimes you have to let go, before God will do something.

And I think maybe the reason I didn’t find out about the Greencard until after I had moved to Tamworth was because Jesus knew I wanted time with my parents before I would live here; in fact, I had prayed that if I ever did get to move to the USA I would want some time of being closer to them before I left. But he also knew I would not have moved to Tamworth if I knew I’d gotten the Greencard – I would have stayed in Sydney to wait out the Greencard application process. I’m very thankful Jesus did it this way, and I’m thankful I won the lottery, and that I got a Greencard, and now I am a US citizen! But more than this, I am glad I live here in NC with everyone here. There’s no where else on earth to be! And I am most thankful you are my pastor.

Love, Jenny

Wednesday Meeting

Hi Pastor John,

Just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed the meeting on Wednesday.  Your message was so good about the simplicity of Christ and how to be rich in God! When men try to improve upon what God has already set up it causes so much confusion. I know a lot of it has to do with pride.  I guess men think they can out do God but they are sorely mistaken. 

My desire is to put all of my eggs in that one basket of Jesus.  That’s the greatest investment one can make because it’s an eternal one. I liked how you said that spending your riches make you more rich by testifying about Jesus.  That’s God’s economy not this world’s! There is no other satisfaction that I want more than to be content with Jesus.  If you’re satisfied and stay full of the Holy Ghost,  you don’t want to go anywhere else.  I liked the verse you shared in Proverbs 10:22 that talked about the blessing of the Lord makes one rich and adds no sorrow to it.  The Holy Ghost is the greatest gift that man can receive on this earth and it’s only by His mercy and grace.  That verse reminds me of 1Tim 6:6, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” 

I enjoyed Gary’s song about if man calls you a fish, are you a fish? It’s a really fun song but it’s also serious.  Doesn’t matter what man says about anything.  What matters is what God says about the matter.  That song is very relatable because, as I said before, D—– was looking at websites about you.  They were slandering you and saying we’re a cult.  I don’t hear God saying that, so all that is is noise. It’s only a man’s opinion and not factual. Like in the Old Testament, it takes 2 or 3 witnesses for something to be established as factual.  All they are doing is bearing false witnesses, so it doesn’t count.  In the New Testament, the Spirit is the witness, and He’s not testifying it to be true. 

Amy set me up on Signal.  So, I’m good to go on that and should be a great communication tool with everyone. I appreciate you.

David

Reading This Morning

Hi Pastor John,

This morning as we were reading the Iron Kingdom, I kept thinking, “Wow!  What pride those men had!”  Then, the image of Jesus washing his disciples feet took over my thoughts, and the sweetest feeling came over me.  It was like Jesus was saying, “People try to find me that way [Christianity], but this is the way.”  I’m so thankful we’ve found the way!

Michelle

Ezekiel 18:2

Hey Pastor John, 

What does verse 2 mean in the following passage:

Ezekiel 18

1. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2. “Why are you using this parable concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3. As I live, says the Lord God, I will damn myself if you will continue to use this parable in Israel.

Thank you!

Michelle G

============

Hi Michelle.

In Ezekiel 18:2, God’s people were saying that their fathers disobeyed God (the “sour grapes”) and that they were suffering the consequences.  That was the truth.  Their fathers had sinned, and they were suffering for it.  But God added the more important promise that in the Final Judgment, no one would reap another’s sin.  He said in verse 4, “Behold, all souls are mine, the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son; they are mine.  The soul that sins, it shall die!”  

In Jeremiah 31, God also said it:

29. In those days, they will no longer say, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’ teeth are set on edge.”
30. Instead, every man will die in his own iniquity; every man who eats sour grapes, his own teeth will be set on edge.

Thank you for the question, Michelle.  It is a good thing to read the Bible and pay enough attention to it to have questions.  Keep it up!

Pastor John

Faithful Messenger

Pastor John,

I was reading Proverbs this morning, and through a cross-reference I got to Proverbs 25:13: “As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: For he refresheth the soul of his masters.”

You are a faithful messenger, Pastor John, which means that you refresh your master Jesus’ soul.

May God help us, so we would all be faithful witnesses of Him and Him Son.

Zoli