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

 

When nothing comes

I've been sitting in front of my laptop all day and nothing has come to me, but I must write something, so I'm just going to tell you exactly what's happening.

All day long, I’ve heard nothing and I’ve felt nothing. So, what am I to do? Pray you say? I have been praying. 

Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. – Psalm 22:2 (NLT)

What do you do when nothing comes? Like me, you’ve prayed and now you’re waiting and waiting and waiting yet still nothing just silence.

God has been silent or so it seems. Perhaps we have not been listening or perhaps God’s silence is an invitation to draw closer to Him, to understand that even His silence has purpose. Perhaps God is teaching us that though He is silent, He is never absent.

Okay, so as I’m writing, something’s coming…

When nothing comes, don’t think that it’s an indication of God’s abandonment, for He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us (ref. Deuteronomy 31:6-8), but see it as an opportunity to build stronger faith and deeper trust.

This is a deafening silence that has more to do with the complete lack of a response than the lack of noise, because everything and everyone around you can still be heard – the hum of the refrigerator, birds singing, the whir of the blades of the fan spinning and the muffled voices from the television in the other room but no response from God.

So, today I waited; all day I waited to hear from God what He wants me to tell you. But now, many hours later, I know. It’s exactly what I’m telling you now. I understand why I had to endure this all-day silence.

When nothing comes and God seems distant and unreachable and you feel cast aside, it’s not any of those things, He is neither and has not cast you aside. God’s silence is never a sign that He has left but a test of whether you believe He hasn’t.

God’s silence always feels unbearable but, in the silence, we need to turn to God in faith and in trust, daring to believe even when nothing comes.  It is preparation, not punishment; God’s silence is the proving ground of your faith and trust. It’s not about what is spoken, it is about what is not – the quiet work being done in you.

When nothing comes, continue to hope. When nothing comes, continue to believe. When nothing comes, continue to trust. When nothing comes, continue to have faith.

I cannot find God anywhere— in front or back of me, to my left or my right. God is always at work, though I never see him. But he knows what I am doing, and when he tests me, I will be pure as gold. – Job 23:8-10 (CEV)

Beloved, you may be in a season of silence when nothing comes, but God wants you to know that He has not left, He is not lost and neither are you. The silence is temporary, but what it produces in you isn’t.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “When nothing comes” ©2026 March 10, 2026

 

Lent is…

 

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights… (Matthew 4:1-2 NIV)

According to Dictionary.com, Lent is the period of forty weekdays lasting from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, observed as a time of penance and fasting commemorating Jesus' fasting in the wilderness. (see Matthew 4:1-11)

This is a rather very generic definition of Lent and several other dictionaries and publications use similar wording, but Lent is so much more than that.

Lent is a time when we ought to reflect deeply upon the Passion, Crucifixion, Resurrection and even the ascension of Jesus Christ.

Lent is a time for us to take an honest review of our Christian walk which should not just be confined to forty days but spill over into the entire year and beyond; it is a lifelong process of conversion.

Beloved, your walk with God means choosing mercy over indifference and courage over silence and Jesus’ time in the wilderness must be your example of what your spiritual journey should look like.

Let’s look at some other aspects of what Lent is…

Lent presses us to examine the substance of our allegiance

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 NIV)

Lent clarifies where devotion rests

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

Lent reminds us that trust in God is expressed through trust in one another

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2 NIV)

Lent strengthens patience that is rooted in promise

This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. (Habakkuk 2:3 NLT)

Lent trains us to respond to fear with remembered faithfulness

But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting him, what can mere man do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4 TLB)

Lent invites us to live faith through action

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:17 NIV)

Lent forms people who seek healing for the world God loves

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)

Beloved, Lent is a time of reflection, repentance, renewal and restoration; it is a perfect time to become grounded in truth, sustained by grace, and open toward the future God continues to form.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Lent is…” ©2026 March 9, 2026

(some parts used with permission from Revd Mark Robinson)