A Spiritual Problem

 

I look up to the mountains and hills, longing for God’s help. – Psalm 121:1 (TPT)

I am in no way an expert on any type of addiction, but what I do know is that there are many who have found themselves in positions where they have to deal with someone who has an addiction.

Though addiction, in whatever form it takes, is very personal to the individual, it becomes a personal condition for anyone who is in relationship with the addict; whether it’s a blood relative or a co-worker or boss, being related to that person takes a toll.

I have read that experts tend to study addiction in terms of a general disease and their solution to the problem of addiction is to apply evidence-based scientific interventions to develop treatment options.

But, from my own limited experience, I have observed that addiction seems to affect its victims in different ways, so that a generalized scientific intervention may not be the best solution, as it might not work for everyone. Anyway, what do I know. I’ve often wondered why persons become addicted in the first place; what is the root cause of their addiction. Does it stem from childhood? Not the addiction itself but the cause of it.

Perhaps it involves a complex set of factors that have an adverse effect on the mind from some childhood trauma? Addiction is still a problem, so it seems that no one has yet figured it out; nobody has come up with a single solution or approach to treating or curing addictions.

I have asked God and His response was, “Addicts are deeply wounded but it’s not an ordinary wound that requires ordinary healing.”

Puzzled, I queried, “Then how? Have they become disconnected from You and not realizing what it is, are searching for that fulfilment elsewhere in things that cannot truly satisfy? God, is addiction a spiritual problem?”

“Mostly, so it requires a spiritual solution. Their hearts are broken and they are lost.”

God told me that prayer is the solution to a spiritual problem; prayer works and faith fixes things. Psalm 147:3 (TPT) tells us that God ministers to the wounded and brokenhearted.

He heals the wounds of every shattered heart.

Beloved, you may not be dealing with an addict but may know someone who is, or perhaps you’re dealing with some other issue, you must pray. The solution to a spiritual problem is prayer. Prayer can, and will, make a difference. Be encouraged by James 5:14-16,

Are there any sick among you?...the prayer of faith will heal the sick and the Lord will raise them up, and if they have committed sins they will be forgiven. Confess and acknowledge how you have offended one another and then pray for one another to be instantly healed, for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!

This is worth repeating, tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!

Not a single passionate and heartfelt prayer goes unheard in heaven. When you pray for others, tremendous power is released, making a difference in a very real way, both spiritually and temporally, not only in the lives of others but in your own life.

So, let us pray for those who are addicted because prayers save, heal, and lead us and our loved ones back to the heart of God.

Prayer is powerful, and it works!

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “A Spiritual Problem” ©2026 March 17, 2026

The Fragrance of Love

 

Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. – John 12:3 (AMPC)

I’m sure that you all know the proverbial phrase “Love don’t cost a thing”, the simple meaning being that true love is free. Which it is depending on how you look at it but is it perfectly true that there isn't a cost? Because God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son (John 3:16) who paid a very high price for our redemption, and the perfume that Mary poured on Jesus’ feet, which Judas Iscariot described as worth a year’s wages for an ordinary work man (John 12:5), was rare and very expensive.

These were acts of love and they certainly cost a thing.

Both acts were done out of genuine, authentic love and both carried an extremely high price, so love, true love – love that’s real – costs something and in certain instances, everything.

This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. – 1 John 3:16 (ERV)

Are you willing to lay down your life in love for others; to pour out everything you cherish, to pay a great price, whatever the cost may be?

Mary, like Jesus, held nothing back. Their acts were signs of the authenticity of their love – love in its deepest form that gives generously and selflessly. The worth of such love can’t be measured.

The fragrance that filled the house wasn’t just the sweet aroma of Mary’s perfume but was symbolic of the sacrificial offering of a life fully given over to God in love, similarly, Jesus, in love, gave over His life to God as a sacrifice for us.

Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God – Ephesians 5:20 (NIV)

Beloved, genuine acts of love are not restrained but are poured out as an offering of yourself as you surrender everything that you have and are to God.

Love poured out changes the atmosphere around it and affects those in its wake in unimaginable ways.

During this season of Lent, may God, who is Love, teach you how to love as unselfishly as He loves, free your heart from holding back, and loosen whatever keeps you restrained, so that your life will exude the fragrance of love.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The Fragrance of Love” ©2026 March 16, 2026

 

Eternal Life

The frequency of the use of the expression “eternal life” by Apostle John in the gospel and epistles attributed to him is notable. The way in which he uses it is in a mingling of the future and the present, pertaining to a quality of life that one is afforded in God through faith in Jesus Christ.

In John's gospel account, Jesus Himself proclaimed,

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life.” – John 5:24 (AMP)

While in his first letter to the church community, John writes,

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. – 1 John 5:11 (ESV)

Adam possessed eternal life, he knew God (see John 17:3), theirs was an intimate and personal relationship but that connection was broken. All that occurred in the Garden brought death into life, but Jesus Christ restored that connection, through Him eternal life is again a possibility for those who believe.

Jesus said that when we believe and trust in the Father, eternal life begins and we pass over from death into life.

Eternal life is a present concept; we can have it right now. Understand that it is not something to possess after death, it is for this life.

Jesus came so that we may have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16 (ESV)

Too many Christians place a full stop after “perish” so they fail to realize that this truth continues, they don’t see the conjunction and the words that come after it.

Whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life now, at this present time. He gives it to you.

But earthly food spoils and ruins. So don’t work to get that kind of food. But work to get the food that stays good and gives you eternal life. The Son of Man will give you that food. He is the only one qualified by God the Father to give it to you. – John 6:27 (ERV)

Eternal life is not reserved for heaven, it is a now reality which relates to Matthew 6:10,

Your kingdom come…On earth as it is in heaven

Beloved you can have that connection which facilitates eternal life right here, right now. You may be saved but not experiencing all that salvation entails – you sincerely believe in the Son but have not truly connected in the way you should.

The truth is, not many of us have established that eternal life connection. Perhaps it’s because we’ve been taught that eternal life is for the afterlife. But we need to free ourselves from that wrongful belief by renewing our minds (see Romans 12:2).

We must let go of the mindset of limitation and start believing in more than enough, as we properly work out our salvation in reverence of God who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

Jesus died a very cruel death so that we may have life, eternal life. Thank God it’s never too late to embrace the gift of the cross in all its amazing manifestations.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Eternal Life” ©2026 March 15, 2026

 

 

Heaven’s Fullness

 

Galatians 4:4 (ESV) says,

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son

The fullness of time, from a purely earthly standpoint, is seen only in chronological terms as a point on a timeline, however, this phrase used by Paul in his letter to the Galatians, relates to the right or proper time for Jesus’ advent.

This expression concerns the Father and His chosen time and has to do with everything that has taken place and is still to take place in the eternal realm.

Galatians 4:4 from an eternal perspective can be understood as, God sent His Son so that we could partake of heaven’s fullness; the right or proper time for its release.

Jesus’ coming has given us the opportunity to step into eternal life, a life of abundance of everything, heaven’s fullness.

What did Jesus Himself say?

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 ESV)

And just as Jesus, while on earth, stepped in and out of the chronological timeline to access heaven’s provision, we, as sons and daughters of the Father through Christ, are privileged to do likewise. We are to freely partake of every victory, blessing and promise of God that is documented in His Word.

Jesus, through the cross has made this a possibility because the cross is the ultimate focus, culmination and fulfilment of every biblical blessing.

The cross is God’s glorious masterstroke. In it and through it is His provision. In the application of the cross, all of God’s favour is released. Heaven’s fullness is realized, fulfilled and accessed by means of the cross.

Understand that when Jesus said in John 18:36 that His Kingdom is not of this world, He was letting us know that there is a reality beyond our own, a reality that was outside of this earthly realm, a reality that is spiritually accessible, an eternal reality.

This was the reality in which Jesus operated while on earth. When Jesus healed the sick and fed the more than 5,000 and walked upon the water and stilled the raging winds, He did so from a place outside of earthly limitations.

Jesus, yet to be nailed to the cross, was ministering in the power of the completed work of the cross; He was accessing its provision as an example to us, bringing from the spiritual into the natural, stepping outside of the constraints of time to bring heaven’s fullness into time.

Beloved, Revelation 13:8 says that since the foundation of the world the Lamb was slain, that means that God had already made provision for mankind  from time immemorial, the cross was an eternal reality, a reality outside of this realm long before Jesus ever hung from it so heaven’s fullness has always been possible and will always be possible, you just have to lay claim to it and freely access it.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Heaven’s Fullness” ©2026 March 15, 2026

 

The Joy of Restoration

 

 

Scripture: Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

 

Reflection

The journey of repentance and renewal leads finally toward joy. God’s relationship with Creation is defined by restoring love, not by relentless accusation. The prophet speaks of a God who sings over a restored people.

Lent prepares the heart to receive that joy. Through repentance, patience, and renewed commitment, communities become ready to experience the fullness of God’s delight.

The future God prepares is not merely survival; it is flourishing. The promise of restoration carries music within it — the song of a God who rejoices in the healing of the world.

 

Prayer

God of rejoicing love,

Renew my spirit with hope.

Lift the weight of discouragement.

Teach me to trust your promise.

Let my life join

The song of your restoration ~ Amen.

 

Invitation

Step outside or pause in stillness. Listen for a moment of gratitude.

Say quietly:

“God, you rejoice over your people.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 22 | Saturday 14 March | The Joy of Restoration

 

Justice and Compassion

Scripture: Micah 6:8 (NIV)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Watercolour Illustration of balanced justice scales with green olive branches. Dreamstime.com

Reflection

The call of God remains disarmingly clear. Justice, mercy, and humility form the rhythm of faithful life. These are lived commitments shaping how power is used, how neighbours are treated, and how communities flourish.

Lent presses faith beyond private spirituality into public responsibility. The God who loves mercy also demands justice. Together they reshape the moral imagination of God’s people.

Walking humbly with God means aligning life with the purposes of God — purposes that honour dignity, confront harm, and build communities where love becomes visible.

 

Prayer

God of justice and mercy, 

Guide my steps in your ways. 

Teach me humility. 

Strengthen my commitment to justice. 

Shape my life 

As a witness to your love ~ Amen.

 

Invitation

Identify one small act of justice you can pursue today. Commit it to God.

Say quietly:

“God, lead my steps.”

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 21 | Friday 13 March | Justice and Compassion

Rediscover the Prophetic

 

Early Morning Mackerel Sky

From the time of creation God has been speaking and contrary to what some believe, God continues to speak, and it is this divine communication that we call the prophetic.

Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that,

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.

The prophetic is God’s way of revealing His heart, His will and His purpose through His Spirit to guide His people, glorify Christ and reveal His perspective.

The prophetic gives us direction enabling us to walk in God’s truth. Through the prophetic we are aligned to God.

God’s voice breaks into human reality not as a form of entertainment but for us to know Him and His desires. It is His way for His destiny to be fulfilled.

It’s not about predicting the future for predicting sake but it serves to serve Him by a foretelling of His plan.

It is imperative that we learn to recognize and acknowledge God’s voice if we are to follow His direction and guidance.

The prophetic cannot be detached from God otherwise it loses its true spirit and essence.

Some Christians seem to believe that hearing from God was confined to biblical times or even more so to the Old Testament times of the prophets, but God is still speaking.

Are we listening? Are you listening?

Some believe that the prophetic is no longer needed.

They argue that the bible and the church speak for God.

But are those enough?

Much more is required for a truly redemptive, personal relationship with God.

The prophetic was not limited to the so-called primitive church. The prophetic is not obsolete.

Even Scripture declares that these graces will be granted to the measure of the Spirit and of faith.

God’s marvellous grace imparts to each one of us varying gifts. So if God has given you the grace-gift of prophecy, activate your gift by using the proportion of faith you have to prophesy.  – Romans 12:6 (TPT)

You and I must understand that hearing the voice of God was not only necessary in the early days of Christianity.

Sadly, there exists an incredible hubris among certain believers who insist that Christianity has gone beyond the need for prophecy; they believe that we have transcended those days of long ago and that the written Word of God is enough to go by or get by; they believe that we are fine without the kind of divine presence and interaction with humanity described in that same written Word to which they refer.

To dissect God’s written Word in that way, picking and choosing whatever suits their narrative, is a dangerous practice.

Those who persist in this attitude are sorely mistaken and awfully misguided; the prophetic is even now more a necessity as godlessness seems to be reasserting itself into the highest levels of human society, culture and even the clergy.

What is seen as progress is nothing more than a shifting away from God’s resources for life and ministry in the present.

Can we afford to forget the Lord’s benefits, the gift of prophecy being one such benefit?

The Spirit gives to one person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy – 1 Corinthians 12:10 (ERV)

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church testifies to the prophetic as being a gift of God that was not restricted to the Old Testament era.

We are doing God a disservice when we believe that His mighty acts, His magnificent power, and His wonders were only for the early believers.

Surely, we must determine to rediscover the prophetic as individuals and as the Body of Christ.

As people of God, we cannot and must not continue to say or think that it is only for a particular type of Christian and not for us. That attitude reeks of conceit.

Let us not fall prey to the Sadducean doctrine which taught that God stopped speaking when He finished speaking with Moses and that no alleged communications via angels, ethereal or human, could possibly be valid.

It is said that the aristocratic Sadducees did not accept individual communication with God; in their day they rejected the prophetic and frankly, too many of us nowadays have adopted this same idea.

Prophecy demonstrates God’s reality. It did in biblical times and it does in our time.

Beloved, Heavenly vision is a gift from God. Hearing from God as His spokesperson, is a privilege and an honour which any one of us can experience.

The eyes of the Body of Christ are supposed to see in the prophetic, whether with dreams and visions or direct communication with the voice of God.

God gives us eyes for seeing and ears for hearing (Proverbs 20:12) the spiritual as part of our inheritance through Christ Jesus.

Let us, especially in this season of Lent, reconnect with God, repent, and rediscover His wonderful gift of the prophetic.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Rediscover the Prophetic” ©2026 March 11, 2026