When Did Rule over the Earth Change?

Hey Pastor John,

As it says in Genesis, God made ‘man’ in his image, and made him to rule over every living thing on this earth, and the earth.  My question is when did Satan take over?

Thanks, Kay

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Hi Kay.

We are not told when Satan became the “god of this world”, as Paul said it, but I would imagine that when Adam obeyed what the serpent and his wife suggested rather than to keep obeying God, that sad event had something to do with it.  But as for exactly when the transfer of authority over the world was made, that is one of those things the Bible does not specify. 

Thanks for the question.

Pastor John

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Satan’s Form during the Temptation (Part 2)

Thank you, Pastor John, for the reply to my earlier questions.  I was curious as to what form Satan took on when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness.  In scripture, it mentions just that Satan came to Jesus, but I wonder in what form? 

Thank you for all that you do for us! 

Best,

Kevin 

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Hi Kevin.

The short answer is, I don’t know.  But here are a couple of things you might want to think about.

At the time of the Temptation, Satan had not yet left his beautiful body to possess Judas’ body.  That took place during the last supper:

John 13

26. Jesus answered, “It’s the one I will give this bit of bread to, after I’ve dipped it.”  And when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.

27. And after the piece of bread, Satan entered into him.  Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

So, during the Temptation, Satan was still in the body with which he was created.  He may have had power to appear in various forms, but we are not told that he changed his form to meet with Jesus.

This is another one of those questions we’ll have to ask Jesus when he comes.  He knows the answer to them all. 

Thanks for writing,

Pastor John

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When Was the Son’s Part Revealed? (Part 1)

Hi Pastor John, 

We have been enjoying the Genesis readings very much and look forward to more.  I have a couple of questions as it pertains to the continued references to God creating and there being no reference to Jesus doing the creating. Where is it made clear Jesus did the creating?  Maybe that is made more clear in chapters to come?  I’m also wondering when God created Satan? 

Thanks, Kevin

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

Hi Brother Kevin!

From the creation of the world, God kept His Son a secret until the time He had appointed to make His Son known.

Ephesians 3

3. By revelation, the mystery was made known to me . . .

5. which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

8. To me, the least of all saints, was this grace given . . .

9. to enlighten all men as to what is the plan of the mystery that has been hidden from the Aeons [heavenly beings] by the God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1

25. I was made a minister by the commission of God which was given to me for you, …

26. the mystery that was hidden from the Aeons and from generations of man, but now is revealed to His saints.

Colossians 2

1. I want to make you aware of how difficult a struggle I am having for you, . . .

2. that [your] hearts may be comforted, knit together with love until you attain . . . to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, even of the Father and Christ.

The Son’s part in creation was, of course, also unknown until God revealed the Son.  That happened when the Spirit came and showed chosen men how great the Son really is.  Nobody understood this while Jesus was alive on earth; nobody really knew him, for that knowledge came to man through the Spirit after it came at Pentecost, and only then could men write such scriptures as these:

Hebrews 1

1. After God spoke in many and various ways to the fathers in olden times by the prophets, He spoke to us in these last days by a Son,

2. whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.

Colossians 1

15. [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature,

16. for by him were all things created, things in the heavens and things on earth, things visible and things invisible; whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities, all things were created through him and for him,

17. and he is before all things, and all things are held together by him.

John 1

1. In the beginning, the Word was there, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2. He was in the beginning with God.

3. All things were created through him, and without him was nothing created that was created.

In the Old Testament scriptures, which were all written before God revealed His Son, we can read them and see the Son in them, but nobody in those ancient times could see that, even the prophets themselves.  Jesus pointed out some verses of Psalm 110 that spoke of him before he came:

Matthew 22

41. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus put a question to them, 

42. saying, “What do you think about the Messiah?  Who’s son is he?”  They said to him, “The son of David.”

43. He said to them, “How is it, then, that David, by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’, saying, 

44. ‘The LORD [the Father] said to my Lord [the Son], ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool’?

45. Now, if David calls him ‘Lord’, how is he his son?”

As for when God (through His Son) created Satan, I suppose He created him at the same time He created the rest of heaven’s creatures, whenever that was.  Satan is really no big deal.  Christians make him something great, but he is a fool and a loser.  He is not even mentioned until the 13th book of the Bible, and then, in one of the last chapters.  Satan was never anything super special in heaven, even though he thought was, and has convinced men that he still is.

I hope that helps.

Pastor John

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Jerusalem Council Book

Hi John,

I have finished reading the Jerusalem Council book and it has been wonderful!  Some days I would read just three or four pages, but I would read it three or four times.

What a wealth of information!  I thought about Samantha’s email to you about water baptism, and how this book would answer just about any question a person could have about doctrinal issues.

I just love the conversations the Council members had among themselves.  Real discussions, questions and answers, such as any of us could have had in our journeys in seeking God.   What a treasure trove this book is!

Thank you, and Jesus, for this book; it might be my all time favorite…..

Debbie T

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Hi, Debbie.

I hope that young people, especially, will take the time to do what you have done.

When I was in college, I read all the dialogues that the philosopher Plato wrote, which are conversations, kind of like the conversation in The Jerusalem Council, with Socrates’ ideas in the center of it all, the way Paul’s gospel was the center of the Council.  I did not hurry through any of Plato’s dialogues.  And if while reading, I realized that my mind had drifted, I would go back to where I knew I had kept up with the conversation, and start reading again.  If young people would do with the Jerusalem Council the way I did with Plato’s dialogues, patiently and humbly willing to learn, the truth of Christ which they would take in will make them wise and bless them the rest of their lives.

Thank you for writing, Debbie.  I am glad you took the time to absorb that book.

Pastor John

 

 

 

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El Dorado

John,

I want to share a dream the Lord gave me the other day.

In my dream, I was in the meeting room at your house, and all the chairs were lined up around the outside walls, facing the center of the room.  I was standing by the equipment we do the Livestream with, when two Spanish men walked into the room.  They came up to me and ask me, “What is this place?”  I told them, “El Dorado”.  Then they walked back towards the fireplace and went into the closet where we keep the tables.  I knew they were there to perform.

There were people sitting in all the chairs around the room, people I did not know.  Then the men walked out of the closet and stood in front of the fireplace, started to play Mexican-style music, fast tempo, upbeat music, and everyone who was sitting down started clapping  to the rhythm of the music. The two men started swaying with the music like they were getting ready to perform.  Then the closest one to me looked at me and noticed that I was not clapping.  Then he stopped all the music, and looked at me, and asked me, “Why aren’t you clapping?”  I told him, “I don’t feel like it.”  Then he looked at me real disgusted, and asked me what my name was, and I told him, “El Dorado”.  Then I woke up.

I felt like the dream was from the Lord, but I did not understand right then what he was telling me.  I got to thinking about the dream and wondering why the only thing I said was “El Dorado”, so I looked up the meaning of “El Dorado”:  “(1) a city or country of fabulous riches thought by 16th century explorers to exist in South America and (2) a place of fabulous wealth or opportunity.” 

After I read the definition, I understood what the dream was about.  The first time he asked me, “What is this place?” and I answered “El Dorado”, that’s what we have, a city of riches and gold all around us from what pastor John has provided for us from the Lord.  And when he asked me my name and I responded, “El Dorado”, that’s what we all are if we love and live this truth: a place of riches and gold all around us.  We become the El Dorado that people travel all over this world to find, a great city of riches – and here we are, right in front of their noses, and they can’t see it or touch it.

I love how God uses men and their lust for things of this earth (like gold and hidden cities full riches that they spend their whole live trying to find, and even dying for) to help us see what we have, hidden in these earthen vessels, that he has given to us when he put us in his kingdom.  We have all the gold and riches we need in us if we believe it.  We live in the best place on earth!!

Stuart

 

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Paul and Water Baptism

Pastor John, 

I was talking to a friend today about why we don’t believe in water baptism, and I mentioned that John the Baptist said that someone was coming after him that was greater and was going to baptize in the Holy Ghost and fire.  “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” Matthew 3:11. They then asked about why Paul water baptized people after Pentecost after they already received the Holy Ghost. I know that it has to do something with the two gospels, but I was confused could you explain it to me? 

Thank you! 

Samantha 

=========

Hi Samantha!

The people that Paul baptized with water were Jews, and that was because John’s baptism was required of them.  He never baptized a Gentile with water.  Having said that, here are the facts:

(1) in Acts 19, the Bible never says whether the 12 men Paul baptized with water were Jews or Gentiles, so people will argue over that depending on what they already believe.  There is nothing we can do about that.  But even then,

(2) those 12 men received the holy Ghost AFTER Paul baptized them with water, not before, which is consistent with the way God dealt with the Jews.

(3) The only other people that Paul ever baptized with water were a few Jews in Corinth (1Cor. 1), and he regretted doing that because the Corinthians started making clubs based on who baptized them.  Paul told them,

(4) “I thank God I baptized none of you except…”. Then he listed the names of the few Jews there that he baptized.  Then, he told them

(5) “Christ did not send me to baptize [in water]” because water baptism was not for the Gentiles, to whom Paul was sent.

(6) There is no indication that the Jews whom Paul baptized in Corinth had the Spirit before Paul baptized them. The Bible doesn’t say, but I can tell you for sure that they did not.  God would not have given Jews the holy Ghost before they were baptized with John’s baptism.

(7) The Bible doesn’t specifically say that each person Paul said he baptized was a Jew, but it does tell us that at least one or two of them were. You can look up their names and see that.

There is no one else that Paul baptized with water.  I don’t know who else your friends could have been thinking about.  But I do know that Christians assume that whenever “baptism” is mentioned in the Bible, it is talking about water baptism, but with Paul, especially, that is not the case (example: the Philippian jailor in Acts 16, who was a Gentile and would not have needed John’s baptism).

I think it is great that you are discussing these issues with your friends and thinking about them.  Keep it up!  And thanks for the question; it is a good one!  I love questions!!

Pastor John

PS John’s baptism for the Jews was not merely a water baptism.  It ALWAYS included John’s message, which was to expect Jesus’ baptism to follow.  That is why Paul re-baptized those 12 Jews in Ephesus (Acts 19).  They had been baptized in water, but without John’s message.  Therefore, they had not really received the baptism that God required of Jews.  After they received that baptism, they received the holy Ghost.  God has never sent anyone just to baptize in water, the way Apollos had baptized those 12 men before Paul arrived.  But Paul straightened it all out when he came there and met them.

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Dream of Pastor John and Natalie

Pastor John,

I just had this dream about Natalie and woke up at 3:36 AM and started typing this. 

You asked me in my dream if I could find the tract, “Suffering and the Cross”.  I couldn’t find it on my computer or online, but I found a video recording of you preaching how much Jesus suffered on the cross.  I remember you teaching us in the dream, “Jesus was made perfect by the things he suffered in this world so that he could become a faithful High Priest.  His final suffering was being crucified.  Once Jesus finished His final suffering, He will never ever have to suffer again; He will be with His Father forevermore.” 

Afterwards, Natalie started testifying, “Jesus and I have suffered together.  After He died on His cross, He crossed over from this life to be with his Father, and so will we all, sooner or later, if we can see and be thankful for what He has given us in this life that has caused us to suffer.”  These were the only words that I heard, but you could feel the love of God in your message for us and see the joy on Natalie’s face as she was testifying.

In the next scene, I heard a gospel group start playing a gospel song.  I was sitting on a high, grass-covered hill that had beautiful, colored flowers around me peeking up to the sky overlooking a grass-covered valley, as the female lead vocalist and back-up singers started singing a chorus together.  It was a sunny day with a blue sky above me and puffy white, soft clouds being pushed around by a soft gentle breeze.  In the bottom of the valley, I saw a pure flowing River.  Still hearing the group singing the song (the vocals and harmony were perfect), I saw Natalie getting on a boat and riding up and down the river.  As the boat and Natalie were going to the other side, I heard the last line of the song, “As I cross the river, I’ll have another you.”

Billy

 

 

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Tom’s Response Leika’s Testimony

I love Leika’s testimony. It is very sweet. It reminded me of these verses I read the other day from John 10:

3. ”…and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4. And once he has driven out his sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 
5. They will never follow a stranger, but they will flee from him because they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

I am looking forward to meeting her. 

Tom

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Hi Pastor John, 

I would love to share my life testimony and how I received the Holy Ghost baptism.

I was raised by “born-again christian” parents (they believe in the Trinity and water baptism).  They were originally from the Catholic religion and then converted to become born-again christians.  We are six children, and I am in the fifth.  My papa was such a zealous man of his faith that he shared with his catholic friends the good news of Jesus and that God was angry when we worship a stone god (we have a lot of stone saints in Philippines).  When I was eight years old, my papa changed and backslid from his faith because he got into gambling and drugs.  My parents got separated.  From that time, I was raised by a single parent – my mama.

When I was a child, there was a Vacation Bible School for children (VBS) every summer in our place where we lived (not in the city I live now).  One of my favorite stories was the story of Enoch.  I was really amazed by the story of the first man God took, and their intimate fellowship.  I was very excited every time there was a VBS and heard the stories in the Bible.  I remember that we had a Bible verse on the wall in our house that said, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.”  As I grew up, I used to think that there were only two religions: catholic (false) and born-again (true).  Inside my heart, I believed that my religion was true. 

My siblings were not interested in the Bible and church, but they believed that Jesus saves and that He will come to judge the earth.  Also, my mama got very busy in supporting and raising her six children.  So, she had no time for teaching us about the Bible.  She always said for us go to church because it is required and Jesus was happy if His children go to church.  My mama was a cook in the church, and still is.  At that time, I used to think that every Sunday was the church day, so I needed to go to church so that Jesus would be happy for me.  Or felt guilt if I didn’t.  Many times, I didn’t go to church but still believe that I am a christian.

When I was in college, the church we used to attend had a conflict between pastors.  The pastor who was dear to my mama left and started up a house church. Five families gathered together and had fellowship.  I went with them.  Then I started to serve children and a praise and worship ministry.  I decided to repent and “accept Jesus Christ with my whole heart as my personal Lord and Savior”, and I got baptized in water.  Before I got baptized, the pastor taught me about sixteen fundamentals of truth, and I became a true member in church after my “acceptance” of Jesus and I was “saved”.  But I did not fully understand all that because I was young.  I was just happy that Jesus saved me and I was officially a member of His family.  At that time, I used to think that I just needed to believe and serve faithfully and that was enough to be saved.  As time went by, I had questions in my mind about who God really was, and am I really saved? Because every time I read the Bible of my mama, I didn’t understand it, and every time I prayed was not long like the others in churches I used to attend.  So, I read books in the bookstore, every break time in my college days, about testimonies from people about their experience with God. 

A friend of mine in the church said that she was reading a book, “Purpose-driven Life”, by Rick Warren, and she wanted me to read the book because it was a good book for the young people who had questions about their purpose.  The book said “Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning.  Without meaning, life has no significance or hope,” and “You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.”  And I ended up questioning myself.  What is my purpose?  Why am I here? and Is Jesus still working on us today?  I didn’t know God, and I didn’t understand it when I read the Bible.  Though I grew up in Christian family, I was not living in a godly way and didn’t know who God was, and I had a doubt about my relationship with Jesus, if I was truly saved.  In that book, it made my heart seek God more to know my purpose and my identity, and I couldn’t know myself if I didn’t know God personally. 

I sought God with all my heart, and I woke up often at three or four AM to pray and devotional.  And I didn’t know what to say to Him, and I just always said,  “Lord, I want to know you and I want to experience that you’re real of what the Bible said about you.”  And I poured out my heart to God.  Many days went by.  I looked up in the sky and said, “I believe that you’re there.”  Sometimes, I knelt down and cried and said nothing, and let my heart speak to Him, and I read verses in Psalms.

Then I had an experienced in the Lord that I’ve never forgotten in my whole life.  Before morning, I sat in the corner and let my heart speak to Him, and I began to feel cold in the room, and I heard a wind so cold and a voice said, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.”  After that voice, it entered into my heart, and I felt there was something in my stomach bubbling up that made my mouth move.  My eyes were crying, and I had a thought of “What is happening to me?”  It took a long time for me to feel that.  The question was what was happening to me?  Did that come from God? 

So I shared it with the pastor, that there was something in my belly that was bubbling up, and I didn’t know what was happening to me.  And he said, “Maybe you reject the Holy Spirit.”  After that conversation, I cried again to the Lord that I didn’t reject His Spirit and to search my heart to make it pure.  Many days went by, and I set aside that experience, but I was still hoping for the answer.

I graduated college when I met a Seventh Day Adventist.  He was zealous about his faith, and he believed also their religion was true.  It was my first time hearing about another religion.  So I began to search online the faith of Seventh Day Adventist, and I found out that we just had the same faith (believed in the Trinity and water baptism).  I questioned why there were so many religions, and not united in serving the Lord?

These experiences urged me that I need to read my Bible, and did fasting.  I started reading the New Testament from Matthew to Acts, and took down notes of the important verses, the disciples and Jesus, who they were.  I spent time for this and it came to the point that I was more at peace when I was alone studying the Bible than going to church.  Gradually, I understood the Bible, but not all.  I desired to become a missionary because I wanted God to work in my life, and I served God with my whole heart in the church and to share the gospel of Jesus to the people that were lost. 

The pastor gave me a book about baptism with the Holy Spirit.  I began to search on the internet about the Holy Spirit, and there was something in me that I needed to know, that maybe we had the same experience in the Lord.  And I became interested in the experience of the people who were baptized by the Holy Spirit.  There was an event where we were invited, and the people spoke in tongues when they worship God.  I had thought that I wanted to speak in tongues also because the pastor said that it was a language of heaven but not a new birth.  In the church where I used to go, they didn’t preach about speaking in tongues.  They just believed it was a gift given by God, but not all can speak in tongues. 

Fast forward.  I came to the website of Pastor John when our pastor in church assigned me to search a gospel tract for evangelism.  My first gospel tract that I came across was “The Father and the Son”.  And I searched more gospel tracts and the God had a Son before Mary Did book, and I read them.  The book convicted me that God was not three-in-one, and “Come out of her my people!”  After that, I didn’t go to church for three Sundays so that I could study the book, and my church mates and pastor messaged me of what’s happening to me.  And I said that I was studying the Bible.  I messaged back to the pastor in church and his wife that I needed to talk to them about the doctrines of Christianity and water baptism, that they were not right and not from God.  We need the Holy Ghost baptism to be born again.  I explained to them the true doctrine.  And he said “I don’t believe what you said, Leika, that the blood of Christ is the Spirit, and be careful what you believe now because I had a dream that you were possessed by a bad spirit.”  And his wife said, “Leika, I know that you’re searching God and have questions, but we cannot fathom God.”  And I cried in front of them that I believed the gospel tracts and I couldn’t be in church anymore.  And they hugged me.  I received a lot of messages from church members that they were disappointed and sad because they expected me to become a missionary, but now was believing in a different doctrine. 

God was the one who called me out from the confusion of Christianity.  After that, I no longer attended church.  New experiences happened to me, and every time I prayed to God, my stomach was bubbling up and felt joy and peace that I couldn’t explain.  I remember that it was God who baptized me with the Holy Ghost when I sought Him with my whole heart.  I didn’t know about the Baptism of the Holy Ghost; I just sought God.  He answered me, and I praise God that He is still working today, and in the generations to come.  Along the way, the Holy Spirit guides me and teaches me the truth.  And as I look back on my experiences, I know that God is true and that He sent His Son so that we can partake in His divine nature and live in righteousness and holiness in the Spirit. And those who seek Him wholeheartedly surely shall find Him.  I am thankful that He lead me to Pastor John and the peaceful music I heard from Sister Donna, Brother Gary, Brother Darren and the others.  Thankful for you all. 

Thank you.

Leika

 

 

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Leika’s Testimony

Hi Pastor John, 

I would love to share my life testimony and how I received the Holy Ghost baptism.

I was raised by “born-again christian” parents (they believe in the Trinity and water baptism).  They were originally from the Catholic religion and then converted to become born-again christians.  We are six children, and I am in the fifth.  My papa was such a zealous man of his faith that he shared with his catholic friends the good news of Jesus and that God was angry when we worship a stone god (we have a lot of stone saints in Philippines).  When I was eight years old, my papa changed and backslid from his faith because he got into gambling and drugs.  My parents got separated.  From that time, I was raised by a single parent – my mama.

When I was a child, there was a Vacation Bible School for children (VBS) every summer in our place where we lived (not in the city I live now).  One of my favorite stories was the story of Enoch.  I was really amazed by the story of the first man God took, and their intimate fellowship.  I was very excited every time there was a VBS and heard the stories in the Bible.  I remember that we had a Bible verse on the wall in our house that said, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.”  As I grew up, I used to think that there were only two religions: catholic (false) and born-again (true).  Inside my heart, I believed that my religion was true. 

My siblings were not interested in the Bible and church, but they believed that Jesus saves and that He will come to judge the earth.  Also, my mama got very busy in supporting and raising her six children.  So, she had no time for teaching us about the Bible.  She always said for us go to church because it is required and Jesus was happy if His children go to church.  My mama was a cook in the church, and still is.  At that time, I used to think that every Sunday was the church day, so I needed to go to church so that Jesus would be happy for me.  Or felt guilt if I didn’t.  Many times, I didn’t go to church but still believe that I am a christian.

When I was in college, the church we used to attend had a conflict between pastors.  The pastor who was dear to my mama left and started up a house church. Five families gathered together and had fellowship.  I went with them.  Then I started to serve children and a praise and worship ministry.  I decided to repent and “accept Jesus Christ with my whole heart as my personal Lord and Savior”, and I got baptized in water.  Before I got baptized, the pastor taught me about sixteen fundamentals of truth, and I became a true member in church after my “acceptance” of Jesus and I was “saved”.  But I did not fully understand all that because I was young.  I was just happy that Jesus saved me and I was officially a member of His family.  At that time, I used to think that I just needed to believe and serve faithfully and that was enough to be saved.  As time went by, I had questions in my mind about who God really was, and am I really saved? Because every time I read the Bible of my mama, I didn’t understand it, and every time I prayed was not long like the others in churches I used to attend.  So, I read books in the bookstore, every break time in my college days, about testimonies from people about their experience with God. 

A friend of mine in the church said that she was reading a book, “Purpose-driven Life”, by Rick Warren, and she wanted me to read the book because it was a good book for the young people who had questions about their purpose.  The book said “Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning.  Without meaning, life has no significance or hope,” and “You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.”  And I ended up questioning myself.  What is my purpose?  Why am I here? and Is Jesus still working on us today?  I didn’t know God, and I didn’t understand it when I read the Bible.  Though I grew up in Christian family, I was not living in a godly way and didn’t know who God was, and I had a doubt about my relationship with Jesus, if I was truly saved.  In that book, it made my heart seek God more to know my purpose and my identity, and I couldn’t know myself if I didn’t know God personally. 

I sought God with all my heart, and I woke up often at three or four AM to pray and devotional.  And I didn’t know what to say to Him, and I just always said,  “Lord, I want to know you and I want to experience that you’re real of what the Bible said about you.”  And I poured out my heart to God.  Many days went by.  I looked up in the sky and said, “I believe that you’re there.”  Sometimes, I knelt down and cried and said nothing, and let my heart speak to Him, and I read verses in Psalms.

Then I had an experienced in the Lord that I’ve never forgotten in my whole life.  Before morning, I sat in the corner and let my heart speak to Him, and I began to feel cold in the room, and I heard a wind so cold and a voice said, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.”  After that voice, it entered into my heart, and I felt there was something in my stomach bubbling up that made my mouth move.  My eyes were crying, and I had a thought of “What is happening to me?”  It took a long time for me to feel that.  The question was what was happening to me?  Did that come from God? 

So I shared it with the pastor, that there was something in my belly that was bubbling up, and I didn’t know what was happening to me.  And he said, “Maybe you reject the Holy Spirit.”  After that conversation, I cried again to the Lord that I didn’t reject His Spirit and to search my heart to make it pure.  Many days went by, and I set aside that experience, but I was still hoping for the answer.

I graduated college when I met a Seventh Day Adventist.  He was zealous about his faith, and he believed also their religion was true.  It was my first time hearing about another religion.  So I began to search online the faith of Seventh Day Adventist, and I found out that we just had the same faith (believed in the Trinity and water baptism).  I questioned why there were so many religions, and not united in serving the Lord?

These experiences urged me that I need to read my Bible, and did fasting.  I started reading the New Testament from Matthew to Acts, and took down notes of the important verses, the disciples and Jesus, who they were.  I spent time for this and it came to the point that I was more at peace when I was alone studying the Bible than going to church.  Gradually, I understood the Bible, but not all.  I desired to become a missionary because I wanted God to work in my life, and I served God with my whole heart in the church and to share the gospel of Jesus to the people that were lost. 

The pastor gave me a book about baptism with the Holy Spirit.  I began to search on the internet about the Holy Spirit, and there was something in me that I needed to know, that maybe we had the same experience in the Lord.  And I became interested in the experience of the people who were baptized by the Holy Spirit.  There was an event where we were invited, and the people spoke in tongues when they worship God.  I had thought that I wanted to speak in tongues also because the pastor said that it was a language of heaven but not a new birth.  In the church where I used to go, they didn’t preach about speaking in tongues.  They just believed it was a gift given by God, but not all can speak in tongues. 

Fast forward.  I came to the website of Pastor John when our pastor in church assigned me to search a gospel tract for evangelism.  My first gospel tract that I came across was “The Father and the Son”.  And I searched more gospel tracts and the God had a Son before Mary Did book, and I read them.  The book convicted me that God was not three-in-one, and “Come out of her my people!”  After that, I didn’t go to church for three Sundays so that I could study the book, and my church mates and pastor messaged me of what’s happening to me.  And I said that I was studying the Bible.  I messaged back to the pastor in church and his wife that I needed to talk to them about the doctrines of Christianity and water baptism, that they were not right and not from God.  We need the Holy Ghost baptism to be born again.  I explained to them the true doctrine.  And he said “I don’t believe what you said, Leika, that the blood of Christ is the Spirit, and be careful what you believe now because I had a dream that you were possessed by a bad spirit.”  And his wife said, “Leika, I know that you’re searching God and have questions, but we cannot fathom God.”  And I cried in front of them that I believed the gospel tracts and I couldn’t be in church anymore.  And they hugged me.  I received a lot of messages from church members that they were disappointed and sad because they expected me to become a missionary, but now was believing in a different doctrine. 

God was the one who called me out from the confusion of Christianity.  After that, I no longer attended church.  New experiences happened to me, and every time I prayed to God, my stomach was bubbling up and felt joy and peace that I couldn’t explain.  I remember that it was God who baptized me with the Holy Ghost when I sought Him with my whole heart.  I didn’t know about the Baptism of the Holy Ghost; I just sought God.  He answered me, and I praise God that He is still working today, and in the generations to come.  Along the way, the Holy Spirit guides me and teaches me the truth.  And as I look back on my experiences, I know that God is true and that He sent His Son so that we can partake in His divine nature and live in righteousness and holiness in the Spirit. And those who seek Him wholeheartedly surely shall find Him.  I am thankful that He lead me to Pastor John and the peaceful music I heard from Sister Donna, Brother Gary, Brother Darren and the others.  Thankful for you all. 

Thank you,

Leika

 

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My Daddy’s Voice

I had the sweetest thing happen today.

Not long ago I had a moment where it hit me, out of the blue, that I could not remember the sound of my daddy’s voice. I tried and tried but I could not remember how he sounded. I talked to Jesus about it because it really hurt.  I don’t feel a lot of those moments.

Well, today my sister posted 3 little video clips of my daddy on FB. One of him dancing with her at her wedding, one of him talking before he got his voice box removed, and one after. I just cried and thanked Jesus when I heard my daddy again.

I didn’t know we had any video of my daddy, but Jesus did.

Makes me thankful for the videos and pictures we have of us!

This made me miss y’all tonight, so thought I would share!

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