Division

Jesus said,

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’’ – Matthew 10: 34-36

Until I started walking seriously along the spiritual path, every time I read this, I felt troubled because before then, I just did not understand how Jesus could say such a thing. However, as my walk progressed further, I began to understand what Jesus was saying.

My mother, though a stalwart of the church, thought that I was going crazy as I would be on my bed waist deep in different translations of the bible, a myriad of books, journals and notebooks with my laptop somewhere in the mix. 

It’s not that she turned against me in such a manner as to sever ties, but it was causing division, as she looked on at my "madness" trying to comprehend what was happening to her daughter. I imagine that perhaps her Christian walk led her down a gentler path, whereas mine was intensely gruelling.

As time went by, she eventually came to terms with the way I was being schooled by Spirit and appreciated my spiritual perspective.

I know that some persons traversing the Christian path are not so fortunate; their families neither understand nor care to understand their journey.

The Amplified Bible says that it is a sword of division between belief and unbelief. People have gravely severed ties with family members because of their differing beliefs.

The Christian walk is not one of a cherry blossom laden path, where birds are chirping happy tunes and people are skipping along cheerily. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote,

Indeed, all who delight in pursuing righteousness and are determined to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be hunted and persecuted [because of their faith]. – 2 Timothy 3:12 (AMP)

Beloved, becoming a Christian may bring you peace of mind but it doesn’t always bring peace so, don’t be surprised when you experience conflict every now and then. During these times of tug o’ war it’s important for you to keep in mind that Jesus Himself said that trusting Him, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world. (John 16:33 MSG)

Living at odds with close relatives in a divided house is not easy; their verbal abuse, insults and ridicule because of your faith, hurt endlessly and trying to keep your cool under the pressure cuts like a newly sharpened knife but take heart, pray and stand firm in your belief. Jesus is the only one who can heal the pain and if it is to be, heal the division.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Division” ©2026, January 15, 2026

The Widows

I look up to the hills, but where will my help really come from? My help will come from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2 (ERV)

Seven years ago today, my marital status suddenly changed from “wife” to “widow”. My husband was not ill, so his death was an unexpected shock; I was unprepared.

A few months after, I took the car to the mechanic, something my husband would have done. The mechanic, in his attempt to console, told me of his sister who, after 25 years, was still mourning for her husband. She simply could not, as he put it, “catch herself”. He went on to say that her husband had died when she was 50, then after a brief pause, as though his mind had drifted, he looked directly at me and said, “Don’t be like my sister.”

He did not charge me for his service that day, and his advice was priceless.

Stories of widows can be found in both the Old and New Testaments. One who used her wits to secure her future, another who applied wisdom in dire circumstances, a tenacious one who threatens a judge, some in service that were overlooked, and widows who mourn.

God seems to be particularly concerned, along with the poor, orphans and strangers, about widows, and He was particularly concerned about me. My intention was to wallow in grief, but God arranged for me to have to go to the mechanic that day, to receive His message.

You see, I was not the only person grieving the loss, there were four children who had lost their father; for me to deliberately allow my grief to consume me would have been selfish. It wasn’t that I was not to mourn, to cry and to feel his loss but I was not to let it overtake me to the point where, like the mechanic’s sister, my life had also come to an end.

How fair would that have been to our children and how faithless I would have been in God?

The widows in the Word, defied convention. First century Widows were expected to be weak and unable to survive on their own, but the stories throughout the bible highlight widows who were savvy businesswomen, strong advocates for justice, those who showed wisdom in times of crises, women who saw opportunities and took advantage of them like, Tamar, Naomi and Ruth, to name a few.

Every one of the widows in the bible demonstrates the strength of sufficiency, not in themselves but in God. They shatter the stereotype as they epitomize fortitude and wisdom. They are widows on their knees, determined in faith, dependent upon God who cares profoundly.

Luke tells us of a widow named Anna, who never left the temple but stayed there day and night worshiping and praying and fasting as we read in chapter 2, verses 36 and 37 (NRSVUE),

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.

The widows in Jesus’ parables make sound decisions, act independently, and fight for their well-being. They weren’t without a voice. The parable of the woman and the unjust judge is a prime example. Her persistence prompts the judge to act (Luke 18:1-8).

Even the widows who were domesticated showed tenacity, like the widow at Zarephath of Sidon who was obedient to God and advocated for her son (1 Kings 17).

Those widows took bold steps, dismantling the usual visual of how the widow was seen, and were instrumental in the advancement of God’s plan.

Beloved, the widows teach lessons of purpose and persistence, faith and courage, trusting God to provide, and their stories assure us that God does not abandon us in times of despair. 

Open your heart to God, ask Him for help and He will supply whatever you need, just as He did for the widows and just as He has done and continues to do for me.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “The Widows” ©2026, January 14, 2026

 

 

 

Strengthen your Core

Every now and then I suffer excruciating back pains; just last week I bent down to retrieve a bottle cap (why did I do that?) and pain shot through my back like a torpedo. I could not move. I called out to my daughter for help. She admonished me saying, “Mom, you need to strengthen your core.”

I have heard this so many times, not just from my daughter but from my son, my niece, my doctor and a physio therapist – yes, I’ve been. So, why am I reluctant to strengthen my core, especially when I know that it will certainly ease my back problem?

Thinking about this physical core weakness, led me to ponder upon the strength of one’s spiritual core. I have noticed that many church-going people’s spiritual cores are weak. They attend services religiously, participate in weekly bible study, volunteer without hesitation, yet their faith seems lacklustre. Anything that requires them to demonstrate strong faith only exposes their doubtfulness.

There are times when we have all been uncertain about one thing or another, but consistent ambivalence is another matter.

Just as I need to make an expended effort to exercise my core muscles, we need to diligently exercise our faith muscles.

We have all been given the measure of faith (see Romans 12:3) so we have no excuse, the faith is there, we simply need to strengthen the faith we already have.

Faith is essential for living this spiritual life; it’s vital in our relationship with God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

…without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and rewards everyone who searches for him. – Hebrews 11:6 (CEV)

Now more than ever, in this topsy-turvy world, we need to be deliberate in developing our faith. Some of us have recently lost our livelihoods, we’re in a quandary because we cannot see when, how and if our circumstances will get better. It is hard but this is when we must dig in deep to strengthen our spiritual core.

Beloved, do you remember that faith you had when you first believed? What’s happened to it? That took strong faith.

You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following him. Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful. – Colossians 2:7 (CEV)

The wonderful thing about this journey is that you are not expected to grow strong faith on your own; you have a Helper, Christ’s own Spirit.

In Mark chapter nine, the man who brought his demon possessed son to be healed said to Jesus,

“…Please have pity and help us if you can!”

Sometimes we believe that Jesus cannot help us in our situations, but look at Jesus’ response to the boy’s bewildered father, knowing that it is His response to you,

“Why do you say ‘if you can’? Anything is possible for someone who has faith!”

It is time that you, like the boy's father, cry out to Jesus, “I do have faith! Please help me to have even more.”

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Strengthen your Core” ©2026, January 13, 2026

 

 

The Light Source

 Recently, I was thinking of how God commanded things into existence and something that I’ve probably just taken for granted suddenly struck me.

Then God said, “Let there be light!” And light began to shine. –  Genesis 1:3 (ERV)

“Let there be light and light began to shine” tumbled around in my head.

You see, it was on the very first day of creation that God made that pronouncement which brought forth light, but that light wasn’t the sun. After that, He commanded into being, the sky, the earth, the seas, grass, plants that made grain, and fruit trees with seeds.

All this was done in three days. It was not until day four that God said,

“Let there be lights in the sky. These lights will separate the days from the nights. They will be used for signs to show when special meetings begin and to show the days and years. They will be in the sky to shine light on the earth.” And it happened. – Genesis 1:14-15 (ERV)

So, God commanded light in verse 3 but not until verses 14 and 15 were there, lights in the sky. So, what was this light on day one; from where did this light come? Perhaps this is not news to you but for me it was time to dig just a little bit.

The sun, moon, and stars are not the light from the first day, they are light-bearers; created to bring light to earth.

So God made the two large lights. He made the larger light to rule during the day and the smaller light to rule during the night. He also made the stars.  – Genesis 1:16 (ERV)

The Hebrew word for the light God commanded on day one is “or”; the Hebrew word for the lights He created on day four is “me’orot”. So even though the English translation employs the word “light”, they’re not the same in Hebrew.

The first light, “or”, is God’s presence, the other lights, “me’orot, are vessels created to channel the light of God’s presence, the Source of light.

Jesus said,

I am the Light of the world. – John 8:12

And in John 1:1 (AMPC) we read,

In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

And, 1 John 1:5 (AMPC) tells us,

God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way].

Now, Scripture reveals that Jesus is the Light of the world, and Jesus is the Word and Jesus is God, and God is Light, therefore it can be said that, “In the beginning [before all time] was the Light, and the Light was with God, and the Light was God Himself.”

The light that came forth on day one was already in existence, “before all time”; it was the Light.

Beloved, God Himself is the Light Source that was the “Let there be light” Light! And He is your Light even on your darkest days.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “The Light Source” ©2026, January 12, 2026

 

 

 

 

A New Day, let us Pray

 

O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands, let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to the prayer I am praying before You.

I am Your child whom You redeemed by Your great strength and mighty hand. O Lord let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your child who delights in revering Your name.

Give me success today by granting me favour in the presence of men.

The gracious hand of my God is upon me. The God of heaven gives me success.

Remember me with Your favour, O my God.

Now, strengthen my hands so that everything I put my hands to, will be blessed and whatever I do prospers.

The joy of the Lord is my strength. Blessed be Your glorious name and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them.

You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship You. You are the Lord God.

You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.

You gave Your good Spirit to instruct me.

You do not withhold Your manna from my mouth, and You give me water for my thirst.

You sustain me; I lack nothing, my clothes do not wear out, nor do my feet become swollen. I possess houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. I eat to the fill and I am well-nourished. I revel in Your great goodness.

From heaven You hear me, and in Your great compassion You give me deliverers, who rescue me from the hand of my enemies. And when I cry out to You again, You hear from heaven and deliver me time after time.

In Your great mercy, You do not put an end to me or abandon me, for You are a gracious and merciful God.

O my God, the great, mighty and awesome God who keeps His covenant of love, in all that has happened to me, You have been just and You have acted faithfully.

I thank You O God for remembering me and showing me mercy according to Your great love.

I thank You that You remember me with favour, O my God.

In the Name of Jesus, Amen †

 

(Adapted from the Book of Nehemiah, Psalm 1 and Deuteronomy chapter 28)

 

Not just about Taxes

 

“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” – Mark 12:17 (ERV)

Jesus was responding to a group of religious and political leaders comprising Pharisees and Herodians, who, as was their norm, were trying to entrap Jesus by getting Him to say the wrong thing. This time they’d asked,

Tell us, is it right to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them or not?  – Mark 12:14 (ERV)

Speaking in the temple, Jesus used stories to teach the people (Mark 12:1 ERV); these stories are called parables, each with meaning beyond itself. Jesus, in earshot of the Jewish leaders, told a parable of a man who planted a vineyard (Mark 12:1-11). The wicked tenants in the story are not seen in a positive light especially since they do not respect the son of the vineyard owner.

When these Jewish leaders heard this story, they knew it was about them. They wanted to find a way to arrest Jesus… – Mark 12:12 (ERV)

Cue the Pharisees and the Herodians.

Now in those days paying taxes was not an uncommon practice. Taxes were imposed long before the reign of king Solomon, so taxation was not a Roman invention of Jesus’ day, however, the extortion that accompanied their method of collection resulted in undue oppression of the Jews and gave rise to the Jewish hatred of tax collectors.

The Roman denarius was used for paying taxes. This coin was referred to as “tribute money” and featured the image and name of a Caesar, either Augustus or Tiberias, along with the words “divine imperator”, “father of his country” on one side and “highest priest” on the other. Both the image and wording inscribed in Latin were part of the act of worship of Caesar performed in those days. Each Caesar, a title given to Roman emperors, was believed to be a son of a god.

The religious leaders asked Jesus this particular question about taxes, not to gain knowledge but to trick.

“Why are you trying to catch me saying something wrong? Bring me a silver coin. Let me see it.” – Mark 12:15 (ERV)

More than likely, the image of Tiberias, who was Caesar at the time of Jesus’ ministry, would have been on the coin that was handed to Jesus.

Jesus, as was His norm, flipped the narrative by asking,

“Whose picture is on the coin? And whose name is written on it?” They answered, “It is Caesar’s picture and Caesar’s name.” – Mark 12:16 (ERV)

Caesar’s picture and name were on the coin; the earthly governing authority was exactly where it was meant to be.

Beloved, Paul tells us in Romans 13:1(LEB),

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God.

Looking at some of those in authority it is difficult to comprehend this verse, but we must remember that God has a purpose for His actions.

The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked [according to their role] for the day of evil. – Proverbs 16:4 (AMP)

Even the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, who initiated the 70-year captivity of God’s chosen people, was appointed by God according to Daniel 2:37-38.

Jesus’ response, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” is not just about taxes, it is about leaders who claim, like the Caesars, what belongs to God – the tributes and the honour and the worship and the glory – and how we, as God’s people are to deal with them.

No matter what, God must always take priority, however, His people still have to adhere to the laws and demands of those in authority even if they are non-believers because God places non-Christians in positions of governing authority.

Be willing to serve the people who have authority in this world. Do this for the Lord.  – 1 Peter 2:13 (ERV)

It is God who establishes that authority therefore Christians, out of respect for God, must obey their leadership.

On the flip side of this same coin, this forbids God’s people to give to those opposed to God what must only be given to God.

Beloved, this is one of those biblical Truths that calls for some serious contemplation, it’s something that God’s people have wrestled with from time immemorial.

Whatever Jesus said then He is saying to us today.

And, when all is said and done, there remains, as faint as it may seem, a dividing line that mustn’t be crossed as we must be mindful to whom we give worshipful tribute to and that is not a contradiction.

Mark 12:17 (ERV) goes on to say that the men were amazed at what Jesus said just as we are.

 

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Not just about Taxes” ©2026, January 10, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

What about Obadiah?

 

What about Obadiah? I could see the puzzled expressions of those of you who may be asking, “Who?”

Isaiah and Jeremiah, yes; Jonah and even Malachai but Obadiah? Who’s that?

Long story short…

Obadiah was a prophet, whose prophecy condemned the behaviour of a people called the Edomites.

The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin who gave up his birthright for a pottage – some bread and some lentil stew – as recorded in Genesis 25:29-34.

Esau, after his departure from Canaan, took up residence at Mount Seir. He married the daughter of one of the tribal chiefs of the Horites, who were already dwelling there. With Esau’s sons and grandsons becoming chiefs themselves, the Edomites became the dominant tribe and gradually the Horites disappeared.

Over the centuries, Edom changed from being under the rule of tribal chiefs to a monarchy; eight kings had governed this nation long before Israel had any such ruler.

The Edomites’ first quarrel with the Israelites was in the time of Moses when Edom’s king refused the sojourners passage through their land (see Numbers 20:14-21).

Later, king Saul fought against the Edomites, and king David conquered them.

There were many battles fought between these two kingdoms, but it was when the Edomites rejoiced over the Babylonians’ destruction of Jerusalem and the depopulation of the Judeans that the hatred between these two nations intensified.

Though Edom figures prominently in the prophetic Scriptures, it is the very basis for the entire Book of Obadiah.

Related through Jacob and Esau, there was no love lost between these two nations and as a matter of course, the Edomites acted spitefully toward their Jewish relatives.

Nestled between Amos and Jonah, Obadiah’s is the shortest of the books of the prophets and is a prediction of the destruction of the kingdom of Edom.

In this brief one-chapter prophecy, Obadiah did not mix words when he pronounced God’s judgment against Edom for their overt agreement for the rebellion meted out to His people.

Imagine if a powerful nation invades another, completely ignoring that country’s sovereignty, while a tiny nation with almost no power to speak of stands in full support of that invasion; Edom is that tiny nation.

Edom, though not itself the attacker, supported the attacks by other nations against Jerusalem, not once, not twice but four times, in other words, Edom was well-invested.

“See, I will make you small among the nations; you will be utterly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord. (v 2-4 NIV)

Fallen Giant by Alex Speed

Beloved, some persons feel that God does not see the evil done against His children, but He is never deceived.  They wallow in their self-exaltation, full of their self-imposed superiority, believing that they are untouchable, unaware that Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall (Proverbs 16:18 GNT).

Obadiah’s prophecy may have been made centuries ago but God’s Word is still relevant today.

Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My words will not pass away. – Matthew 24:35 (AMP)

The word of our God stands forever (see Isaiah 40:8). And even though the prophecy concerns nations, it can be applicable to your own life.

Your home, your workplace, your church, are filled with persons who, acting out of spiteful pride, delight in your distress; they are all around you waiting to rejoice over your affliction, but you need not act nor react because God sees and God will avenge.

 Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. He can clearly see all things…– Hebrews 4:13 (ERV)

the Lord says, “I am the one who punishes; I will pay people back.” – Romans 12:19 (ERV)

God exacted His punishment upon the Edomites for standing with the enemies of His people who were in utter distress, just as Obadiah had pronounced.

Obadiah exhorted Edom to discontinue its wicked association with Jerusalem’s enemies to no avail. They refused to quit that alignment and paid the consequences for their wilful stubbornness.

Eventually, Edom became subdued by the same powerhouses they had venerated and, would no longer enjoy the freedom they once knew; their mournful existence came to an end and they soon disappeared, and those so-called powerhouses fared no better.

God shows his anger from heaven against all the evil and wrong things that people do. – Romans 1:18 (ERV)

Beloved, Obadiah’s message is clear; it is to one’s own peril in choosing to fight against God and His beloved people.

If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. – Romans 8:31 (ERV)

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “What about Obadiah?” ©2026, January 8, 2026