Healing

Hi Pastor John, 

Thinking about today, I came to the meeting today with a bad migraine, feeling like Jesus was going to do something.  I have been asking him for faith for healing.  When I heard that verse about faith in that song today, I felt Jesus with me.  My migraine lifted, and it has not come back.  I have felt such a peace since the meeting – a still quiet peace inside.  I feel like Jesus is healing something much deeper than migraines.  I feel like Jesus is healing me to be able to trust him.

I learned at a very early age that I couldn’t trust my mom and dad or others I should have been able to trust.  I only say that because I haven’t really known how to trust, even Jesus.  Sounds silly, but I know I have been broken about being able to trust.  When you prayed for me Friday night and my headache didn’t lift, I felt hurt that Jesus didn’t take it.  I went back and listened to my testimony about being built block by block, and I talked to Jesus and said, “I am just going to trust you, Jesus.”  I think that testimony went in even deeper this weekend.  I don’t know if Jesus healed my migraines permanently, but I know I feel a peace inside that feels like something else was done.  I know Jesus loves me, and that is a very big healing for me.

Beth

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Thankful!

Hi Pastor John, 

I had the most wonderful feeling of thankfulness from Jesus today. It was not a human feeling.  This kind of thankfulness is from Jesus.

I had been feeling pretty sad.  Jerry and I came down with a cold this weekend.  That meant I couldn’t go see Bess or Debbie T.  We had to cancel dinner with Tom, Suzi, Michael and Anna.  Add a cold day in the rain today, and I was feeling kind of pitiful.

Now for the good part:

I put on your CD “The Best Thing to Me”.  Pastor John, just your voice made me feel better.  I began to think about how thankful I am to be here with you.  How thankful I am that you wanted Jesus more than high positions and titles.  Thankful for how much you love Jesus. Thankful that how others treated you did not stop you from obeying and trusting.  The feeling that filled my car was from Heaven.  It made me weep.

Then I began to thank Jesus for taking such sweet care of Bess and her dad.  I couldn’t go and comfort my sweet sister, but Jesus did.  I thanked him for taking care of Debbie T.  I thanked him for guiding the doctor’s hand.  I thanked him for the wonderful news about Jr.  No cancer! I thanked him for wise counsel and a family that loves the truth.  Sister Willie is right; you cannot complain and feel thankful at the same time.  Thankfulness is consuming.  No room for anything else when Jesus lets you feel his thankfulness. 

Beth

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On Our Hearts

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.” Heb.10:16

So, whatever today brings, we are blessed and are His children on whose hearts He has written His laws!  Mmmmmmmm.

Feeling very thankful this morning for being His.

Beth

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Family

Good morning Pastor John!

I woke up an hour early this morning with the sweetest thoughts of this weekend. Replaying different moments with my brothers and sisters the hugs, conversations, and just sitting near them. After lunch with more sweet family yesterday, Michelle and I watched the video of her first visit, and then we babysat little Webers, and watched the meeting from Sunday morning. I left her at 8:30 pm and I was still not ready for our day to end. Jesus gave me such a full life that is full of gold like Darren’s song. I truly could not fit anymore in yesterday because I ran out of earthly time. Oh to think one day there will be no more time limits on worshiping God!

Just to really take in that this is my sweet family; this is God’s family and that He really put me here is so full in my heart this morning. I am going to work with sweet moments of my brothers and sisters sewn into my heart. I really feel like Jesus sewed them in, like they are part of me.

‘“Who are my mother and my brothers?’ he asked.

Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother ( Mark 3:33-34).'”

Beth

P.S. Plus, who else can say they are related to a bird, a worm and a seal!!!

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Revelation Reading

Good morning!

Gary’s testimony of his dream, Darren’s new song, and especially the reading in Revelation last night was so filling; it was rich and satisfying. It’s kind of like a Thanksgiving meal; you know you’re full, but you want that extra piece of turkey or dressing just a little while after you eat. I’m sure most of us, if not all of us, left the meeting wanting more.

The experiences we have with the Spirit, make the scriptures come alive, and make you feel alive.

Billy

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Good morning, John.

Even though Dee and I watched the meeting on streaming, we are thankful to be a part of what we heard last night.

Very thankful for what God has revealed to you over the years and that you have clung to this Truth because of your experiences. Nothing can take those from you or us.

Wonderful message on mercy. God grant us mercy on anyone who has fallen away, repented and wishes to return. I wish they would all come back. That would be a glorious day!!!

Jim K

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Hey Pastor John,

I loved the reading in Revelation last night.  I especially loved reading about and trying to envision the image of Jesus that John saw (this brought tears to my eyes) and trying to image Jesus’ voice being like the sound of many waters. 

I also liked the verses at the end of some of the messages that advised the reader to listen to the words Jesus sent to the Assemblies, and if the reader will listen and will overcome, then he will receive a stone with a name on it, and be able to eat from the tree of life, and will not be harmed by the Second Death. 

I woke up this morning feeling so refreshed.

Thank you! Anna

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Hi John,

I have been reading the feedback from folks, and they echo my sentiments too.

My favorite part of last night though was hearing you tell how Jesus gave you your message on Revelation to the pastors, and how Jesus spoke in your heart with His voice, and so forth.  I remember you saying how a man can only teach his experiences, and whenever I hear you tell those stories of what God did for you, or spoke to you, I feel like I always learn something new.  It’s like the new birth – there is always a new angle on the gem so to speak, and it never gets old.

We are blessed.  I’m so thankful that Jesus got in touch with you, and you got in touch with Him.  Those experiences have made all the difference in my life; that I know.

Gary

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Parking at Work Testimony

Hi Pastor John,

I wanted to write out my testimony for everyone about my parking at work because I felt I left out some details in the meeting on Wednesday.

First, here is the background information: so at my work these are my parking options: the closest parking garage is 2 minute walk to work, but costs $85 a month, or $8 a day to park. I could park remotely but that is 21 minute bus ride. I don’t like either of those options. However, since my building is close to the edge of the hospital campus I discovered a street where I can park on the street for free. It’s an 8 minute walk to work and I find that really good. Only thing is, at night in winter it’s dark and unsafe. During daylight savings I parked there and I felt it is safe, but not in the dark.

After day light savings ended I began wondering what I am going to do. I knew I couldn’t park on the street, but I did not want to pay the $85 a month while I am trying to save money, and I didn’t fancy the long bus ride in addition to the drive to work until I could start parking on the street again.

Then one day as I was nearing work I knew I would be late if I didn’t park in the garage close to my work. So I resolved to park there and just pay the $8. As I was driving down into the parking deck I had the feeling that Jesus was going to do something about it. I imagined maybe someone would give me a pass for that day, or something. I noted the feeling I had and continued on my day.

That day I looked after a very sweet old man and it was his last treatment that day; he had an all day treatment and he was there with his daughter. At the end of his treatment we were saying our goodbye’s when his daughter offered me their parking pass!! She said, “I don’t know if you could use this or not, it only has a few passes left on it.” I was surprised, and said, “Oh yes, I could use it. That means so much, thank you very much”. It turned out that pass had 13 or 14 more passes on it!! Wow! That was Jesus! I love that! I love that I had that feeling as I was parking in the morning, and then later on it happened.

After I had used the pass a few times I began wondering about whether I was breaking any rules regarding gifts – I know there are restrictions on patients giving nurses gifts, but I didn’t know if this situation breached any rules. I had my evaluation with my boss around then, so I brought it up with her. I didn’t think she would be concerned; and she wasn’t concerned when I told her. I ended up discussing my parking situation with her, and she handed me a whole new 30 day parking pass!! I couldn’t believe it! I was surprised again, and very thankful. I know my boss gave that pass to me, but that was Jesus caring for me. Wow! That second pass will get me through almost to daylight savings. Then I will only have to take the long bus just a few times before daylight savings starts again.

Then last Wednesday evening I was getting ready to drive out of the parking garage and head for the meeting. I began to think about the meeting and wondered if I would have the chance to tell my testimony about the parking passes. As I was nearing the boom gate/barrier/arm thing, I had the thought, “it would be great if the boom gate just opened”. It was a fleeting thought, and I had no real thought that it would happen. Instead I began to get my remote parking pass ready to give it a try, but I was fully thinking it would not work at all: that remote pass is not approved for that parking garage, but I decided to give it a try anyway. I had just barely got my arm barely through my car window when to my surprise, the boom gate opened!! I was so surprised – it just opened! The little screen said, “Thank you. Please exit.” I was like, “Wow, okay!” I was so surprised because I had not scanned any pass at all, and the one I had in my hand was not approved for that parking garage! I knew that was Jesus, too; I knew he was giving me a reason to tell my testimony that night!!

Anyway, I just love all of this! I love Jesus caring for me, and most of all I love that I’d had the thought and feeling that morning that Jesus was going to do something, and that day, something did happen. It’s wonderful!

Jenny 🙂

 

 

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Jerry and Tom’s Comments

Pastor John,

I must watch the Wednesday night meeting that I missed because I like the comments from Tom and Jerry about the message. (See post 12/29/2016: The Message Last Night.)

It’s a very appropriate and timely message for me because for a considerable amount of time I felt some pressure and anxiety about being too judgmental toward others who don’t know the truth; Christians who either have or don’t have the Holy Ghost, yet they’ve been touched by God’s mercy in spite of the fact that they don’t know the things that we know. I just want to be humble and meek, and courteous when I talk to people—either sinners or believers—I don’t want to put up any obstacles to the love of God in me for them. I’ve grown weary of losing friends and acquaintances and being misunderstood and rejected when I share the light. Sometimes people just can’t take a lot of the truth. Sometimes it’s not necessary to tell them, because they’ve experienced the love of God in a different way.

And if I try to point out that they’re wrong about salvation or wrong about the Trinity or about the gifts of the Spirit it just gets into a scriptural debate and argument and you don’t persuade any souls to Christ that way.

It’s better to be good than it is to be right, as you’ve said John, and I just want to feel free to love people and let them see the goodness in me, from God.
Brad

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Thanks for this, Brad.

Please note that I prefaced my remarks Wednesday night by saying that what I saw that day helped me see more clearly how well my father and the older saints with him had taught us.  We were taught to love God’s people, regardless of what they believe or even how they are living.

My question to God earlier that day concerned why the “get saved” doctrine seems to be acceptable to Him, at least to the extent that He has used mightily some men who teach that false doctrine.  What came to me as an answer made me see that we are to follow God’s example, and to love and honor those men and all God’s children.  Now, that is what my father had always done and taught us to do.  But something about it seemed new, or went deeper in our hearts.

The bottom line is that I will not be treating God’s people whom I meet any differently; I have always honored and loved them.  But I certainly do understand better now why it is right to do so.

Pastor John

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2015 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,000 times in 2015. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 3 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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The Gospel of John, etc.

Dear Bro. John:

I am still thinking on what we read Sunday morning about John the Baptizer.  Particularly, this part:

“And John testified, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove, and it remained on him.

And I did not know him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whomever you see the Spirit descend and remain on him, he is the one who baptizes with holy Spirit.’

And I have seen, and I have testified that this is the Son of God!”

When we read that today, it touched my heart thinking how John must have felt when “that moment” occurred just as God had said it would.  Though we don’t know exactly when God spoke that to John, and though John did not have the understanding of what God was saying to him, he believed God and held on to what God gave him.  All he could have known that day was that the Word of God that came to him prior to this event was fulfilled before his eyes!  What a moment that must have been!

As in many of the prophets, when God spoke to them, the thing to be fulfilled had not yet occurred.  They had to believe and hold on to what He had spoken.  Jeremiah and the captivity of God’s people came to mind:

“For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Whew!  It took great faith in God to wait 70 years for His Word to be fulfilled.  Some probably lost hope and became disheartened.  But those who held on got to see how much God loved them – – that beautiful “moment” when the Word of God is fulfilled and the heart is made glad.  I pray that we can hold on to whatever God says long enough to see what He has in store for us – – the “moments” of His fulfillment, however long it may take.  For surely, with every promise of God, there is a performance of His good word! 

I loved the feelings in the reading today. Thank you for all you do to teach us and stir up the Gift of God in us!  There is so much more of God to learn than what we will know in this short life, but I am so completely satisfied with the beautiful things He is showing us thus far.  We are so richly blessed . . . . 

Sandy

 

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Why I Want to Work

Pastor John, 

Friday afternoon, I was thinking about the tract room being open for us to come help prepare mailings, and I wanted to go.  I was looking forward to seeing everyone.  But I asked myself this question, “Why are you going to the tract room tonight?”  I then thought about what Michelle H. testified to the other night.  She said that before she found the truth, she, having the holy Ghost, sat under a Pastor, a doctrine, and elders in that doctrine, who made an evening out of delivering a sermon about the necessity of longer sleeves on women.   I knew that that was my answer.  That was why I was going to the tract room to work – because of my brothers and sisters in Christ who are  sitting under those oppressive misunderstandings.

I want to please God.  And the Truth, which is plainly spoken in those tracts, is my outlet to do so.  A vital part of that Truth is that a child of God can hear from their Creator everyday, so as to be guided into pleasing Him.  If I didn’t have Truth guiding my worship and obedience, something would have to fill its place.  My desire for God would make me find an outlet.  Some of God’s children are past the ceremonies, so the only thing left after that is an oppressed lifestyle, outlined by a set of man-made rules like the ones that Sister Michelle used to live under, regarding carnal things. I would imagine that when oppression of yourself becomes the only outlet that you have to serve God, a faithful child of God would equate more oppression with a closer walk.

That makes me want to work in the tract room.

You recently talked about the man who led his family in long prayer on the floor before every meal, and the Truth, through your father Preacher Clark, rescued them.  The anointing broke their yoke.  And knowledge of the Truth would keep them from ever getting under another one.  That makes me want to work in the tract room.  A saint could read one of those tracts, like Gary and Song, and it can change their life forever.

Jerry

(For a complete list of our Gospel Tracts please visit:

http://goingtojesus.com/site/php/the-new-birth.html)

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