My One

 

Believers are children of God.

when the right time finally came, God sent his own Son. He came as the son of a human mother and lived under the Jewish Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might become God's children. (Galatians 4:4-5 (GNT)

And as a believer, you are to be and are even now, one with God (read John 17:20-26)

I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that they may be one, just as you and I are one: I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one (v 22, 23 GNT)

Jesus prayed for believers to be one, not just with one another but with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

 To show that you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, “Father, my Father” (Galatians 4:6 GNT)

Jesus, as John 10:30 records, emphasized that He and the Father are One.

Jesus is One with the Father and believers are one with Jesus, therefore you are also one with the Father.

In Jesus, believers are one as individuals and one as a whole, that is the Church as the Body of Christ.

Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. (1 Corinthians 12:12 GNT)

Whether you understand it or not, Jesus’ oneness with the Church, His Body of believers, is a complete unity, even though the process is not yet complete.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; there is one God and Father of all people, who is Lord of all, works through all, and is in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6 GNT)

Believers have a specific purpose; an important role in the bigger scheme of things.

It was he who “gave gifts to people”; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers. He did this to prepare all God's people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the body of Christ. And so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God; we shall become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ's full stature. (Ephesians 4:11-13 GNT)

Beloved, spiritually, you are one with God; you have joined yourself to Him (see 1 Corinthians 6:17). You are in Him and He in you, mutually my One/My one.

Too many believers don’t quite get it, there’s a disconnect from the deeper understanding of being one and the significance of this “My One” concept and its power to enrich every area of their lives is missed.

Time to reconnect.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “My One” © 2026 September 1, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makarios in Mourning

 

Yesterday, my sister’s husband, who after being married to my sister for 54 years, was more of a brother than a brother-in-law to me, died peacefully in his sleep.

Last week, one of my dearest friends lost her younger sister and just about a month ago, without any warning, my dear sweet cousin passed quietly while watching television.

Every single day people lose a loved one and I think of those who were in Nepal at the time of that devastating flood, the lives of locals and foreigners taken in a matter of minutes.

So, in light of all this I decided to revisit “Makarios in Mourning”…

 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (NRSV)

How can you experience Makarios in mourning?

It was December 2024, four loved ones passed: two of them, still young in their early twenties, and one, just six years old…gone.

How can I experience Makarios in that? How can a family, who is mourning the loss of three family members in an instant, be in a state of sublime happiness?

In Jesus’ day, people were experiencing loss as a way of life. Under Roman rule, oppression was the order of the day. Remember, Jesus was a real man living in a historical time. Children, in those days, seldom reached adulthood. People, men, women, and children, living under extremely harsh conditions were dying. Existing in horrific circumstances was all Jesus’ listeners knew, to mourn was their reality.

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4…

“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of everyone, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”

Drawing from this passage in Ecclesiastes, Jesus was helping His audience then and us now, to understand that “makarios” is in our compassion, it’s in our care and lovingkindness toward others, it is in our ability to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15).

There is no “blessed” in only mourning for yourself and not having a thought for others.

“Blessed are those who mourn…”

Loss teaches us something. We learn that it’s not about what to cherish but who to cherish. We recognize that those around us matter much more than the things we possess. A lost possession can be replaced but not the people in our lives, they are irreplaceable.

Another translation says,

“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.” (MSG)

Jesus is telling us that when we mourn, we will be comforted by the only One from whom genuine lasting comfort is provided.   

“…for they will be comforted”

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (2 Corinthians 1:4 NRSV)

We have no control over loss and suffering, and we mourn over our inability to do so but we have a God who comforts us. We can rely on Him to provide the comfort that’s needed.

Only God can turn our mourning into joy, comfort us, and give us gladness for sorrow. Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. (see Jeremiah 31:13) 

I will change their sadness into happiness. I will comfort my people, making them happy instead of sad.

Amen!

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Makarios in Mourning” © 2025 (January 21, 2025) revisited September 1, 2026

 

 

 

Independence Day

 

The Trinity Hills

Today, August 31, my country is celebrating 64 years of independence. A nation gains its independence, when it is freed from outside control. That freedom from outside influences, is celebrated then, and every year thereafter, with much pomp and ceremony.

We are raised to be independent persons by our parents and by society but then, somewhere along the line, we are told that God wants us to be totally dependent on Him. Truth be told, moving from independent to dependent is easier said than done.

You see, the independence that our parents and society urged us to gain is based on becoming solely dependent on ourselves, where we completely rely on our own efforts to control and direct our own lives. So, to become completely dependent on another, even though it’s God, is difficult.

To become completely dependent on God involves reprogramming but it’s a process we must go through, for to be truly independent is to be utterly dependent on God because that is the epitome of freedom.

We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong in that freedom. Don’t go back into slavery again. – Galatians 5:1 (ERV)

The day you surrender your will to the will of Jesus Christ is your Independence Day. That is the moment when Jesus Christ, the Saviour, sets you free from the control of outside influences. That’s the day you are set free from sin's dominion over your life.

You gain freedom in Christ; you gain Eternal Life and death no longer has its hold on you. The spiritual chains of bondage fall away from your soul, and you walk away completely liberated because, when the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. – John 8:36 (NIV)

That is your ultimate celebration of independence. You can be sure there will be fireworks in heaven on that day.

Independence Day, that day when you are loosed from the old spiritual influences that have you bound. Like Lazarus, we’re bound hand and foot with graveclothes until Jesus cries out, “Loose him, and let him go!” (John 11:44).

It is really Jesus Himself who does the loosing, for He was sent by the Father to proclaim liberty to the captives, to set free those who are bound (Isaiah 61:1) but you play an important role by being willing to be set free.

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me free. – Psalm 118:5 (AMP)

Are you willing to be set free? Are you ready to celebrate your true Independence Day?

Happy Independence!

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Independence Day” © 2016 revisited August 31, 2026

From where does your help come?

For too many, our first call for help is to others – from family and from friends. We seem to not remember that God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1 NLT).

From where does your help come?

Are you one who, like the woman who had been haemorrhaging for twelve years, goes searching everywhere for help and only after all resources have been exhausted turns to the Lord? 

From where does your help come?

The ancients on pilgrimage to Jerusalem knew that help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2 NLT).

From where does your help come?

We need to get in the habit of looking to the Lord for help first; He must be our first port of call so to speak and not our last resort.

We need to depend on the Lord; trust Him and have faith in Him and in His ability.

From where does your help come?

The Lord assures us of His help in Isaiah 41:10 (AMP), saying,

Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].

Beloved, consider this short devotion a note along your path to remind you that God genuinely cares about you (see 1 Peter 5:7); He is your ever-present help; He is constantly watching over your life – as the psalmist says, The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (Psalm 121:8 NLT).

From where does your help come?

From where does your help come, should never be a mystery, for your help, no matter what that help is, comes from God! Amen?

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “From where does your help come?” © 2026 August 29, 2026

Different Perspectives

 

In reading the Gospels it’s clear that they, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all had different perspectives of the same event. And this reminded me of a discussion I had with a dear friend who was adamantly disagreeing with my understanding of a certain passage of Scripture.

The truth is, some people don’t always agree with what I write or say and that’s quite okay with me. Scripture is meant to be discussed. Everyone’s understanding is seldom at the same level so, what you may see is not necessarily what someone else sees and that’s really okay.

In dealing with the biblical, we must take into consideration that people will have different perspectives. We are not all going to be on the same page even if we are on the same page of the bible. And, as I’m sure you know, you can read a chapter today and a year, a month, a week or a day from now, you’ll have a completely different perspective.

The bible is the Living Word of God, it isn’t static, it’s active (see Hebrews 4:12), moving as you move and growing as you grow; it matches your level of understanding. So, when someone’s perspective is different from yours, neither of you should get uptight about that.

Perspectives, like the Living Word, are not fixed; perspectives can change, as 1 Corinthians 13:11 (ERV) states, 

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I made plans like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways.

The same way you grow up in the flesh, you grow up in the Spirit (see Hebrews 5:12-14). So, even as an adult, depending on your life experiences, your perspectives can change. People react differently to the same exact situation. I’m sure you can relate to that.

Beloved, what’s most important, is having a healthy perspective that’s rooted in the Truth. Your study of God’s Word must be Spirit-led. 

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (John 16:13 NASB)

Your perspective from the mountaintop is going to be different from your perspective from the valley.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Different Perspectives” © 2026 August 28, 2026

 

 

God or Gold?

Still looking at Genesis chapter 24, we are told that Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. The servant met Rebekah at a well, when she gave him water to drink, and also watered his camels, that was a sure sign that she was the one.

When she had finished, the man took an expensive gold ring and put it in her nose and put two large gold bracelets on her arms. He said, “Please tell me who your father is. Is there room in his house for my men and me to spend the night? – Genesis 24:22-23 (GNT)

Rebekah could hardly wait to relate to her mother and family, all that had happened at the well. She was highly motivated.

The young woman ran to her mother's house and told the whole story. Now Rebecca had a brother named Laban, and he ran outside to go to the well where Abraham's servant was. Laban had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms and had heard her say what the man had told her. He went to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well, and said, “Come home with me. You are a man whom the Lord has blessed. Why are you standing out here? I have a room ready for you in my house, and there is a place for your camels.”  – Genesis 24:28-31 (GNT)

Laban, Rebekah’s brother, could hardly wait to entertain the man who was bearing gifts of gold. He was highly motivated.

Both were highly motivated but for vastly different reasons.

We have already established that Abraham typifies the Father, Isaac the Son, typifies Jesus, the servant, the Spirit and Rebekah, the bride. But who does Laban represent?

Laban, Rebekah’s brother, is symbolic of the world and its way of thinking, with its lust for riches and endless grasping for the material. 

Laban was focused on the gifts of gold and ran to the servant, while Rebekah was focused on the father and the son and ran to give her testimony.

They both had room for the servant but for vastly different reasons.

Too many sitting in congregations today are like Laban, inviting the Servant in only for the gold with no genuine commitment to the Father and the Son.

Rebekah’s heart was turned to the Son; the moment she agreed to a commitment, the Servant showered her with precious gifts of gold.

Laban’s heart was turned to himself; he acknowledged God but never made a genuine commitment yet sought the gold.

Same gift, two vastly different responses.

Beloved, you can be drawn to the Spirit without saying yes to God. How many are sitting in congregations seeking the gold but not saying “yes” to God? Examine your heart. Have you made a genuine commitment? Have you chosen God or gold?

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “God or Gold?” © 2026 August 27, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy looking at pictures. There was a time when people displayed their pictures around their homes – on coffee tables or hung on walls. I loved to pore through photo albums, but these days pictures are stored digitally and even though I still enjoy watching pictures, it does not quite give me that same feeling of nostalgia.

Moving right along…the bible causes us to form pictures in our minds. The Word is written in such a way that when we read these fascinating stories, we experience a picture forming process which allows us to see the characters and the places.

Reading Genesis chapter 24, you would notice that the entire chapter is completely devoted to Abraham’s servant who was sent to find a bride for Isaac, Abraham’s son of promise.

This chapter speaks of four main characters, Abraham, Isaac, the servant and Rebekah. Has a picture formed in your mind?

Abraham is a picture of the Father;

Isaac is a picture of the Son;

The servant is a picture of the Spirit;

And Rebekah is a picture of the Church.

In Genesis 22, we read where God tested Abraham – picture the scene.

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” (v 1-2 NIV)

After this incredible event, nothing more is said about Isaac, it’s as if he disappeared from the picture but then he reappears in chapter 24, when Abraham sends his servant to find him a bride.

What is this a picture of?

It’s a picture of the ascension of Jesus which occurred forty days after Jesus, the Son, was resurrected (see Acts 1:6-11).

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven (Acts 1:1-2 NLT)

Though we are left to picture, we aren’t often left to wonder, however, we are definitely left to dig deeper.

You see, after Isaac, the son, is seemingly left out of the picture, he is brought back into the narrative when Abraham, his father, sends his servant, Eliezer to go to my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac (Genesis 24:4 NRSVUE).

Similarly, after the Son disappears from view, His Spirit is sent to go and get a bride, the Church, for the Son, Jesus.

Beloved, it is no coincidence that the name of the servant, Eliezer, means “my God is my help”; for who is our Helper?

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name (John 14:26 ESV)

Picture this, when Eliezer encountered Rebekah, her response was “yes” – “yes” to giving him water at the well and “yes” to going with him to Abraham and to Isaac.

They called her and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” Rebekah said, “Yes, I will go.” (Genesis 24:58 ERV)

This is a picture of the bride, that is you, individually and you, collectively as the Church, saying yes to the Spirit to go to the Father and to the Son.

Eliezer asked Rebekah, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us…” (Genesis 24:23 ESV) and the Spirit asks each one of us the same question.

To whom do you belong; is there room in your house for them, the Father, the Son and the Spirit?

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Pictures” © 2026 August 27, 2026