The gates of Hades

 

It was a pivotal moment in time when, in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples,

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” – Matthew 16:13 (NLT)

They replied, John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked,

“But who do you say I am?” – Matthew 16:15 (NLT)

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (v 16)

Jesus, responding to Peter said,

“You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.” (v 17)

Where this conversation was held is not without significance. Caesarea Philippi lay on the southern slopes of Mount Hebron; an ancient city which was the epicentre of worship of Pan, the heathen god of fertility. Herod the Great’s son Philip enlarged the city and gave it its name in honour of the Caesar, the so-called son of god.

This location was the place where persons came to make sacrifices to Pan and perform all sorts of diabolical fertility rituals and, it was the site of a unique feature – a large, cavernous grotto, believed to be the entrance to the underworld called the gates of Hades.

 It was at this secluded spot, where the four sources of the Jordan and nearby streams united, that Jesus chose to begin preparing His disciples for His approaching suffering, death and resurrection.

This was not a place that any God-fearing Jewish man or woman would voluntarily visit but this is where Jesus purposely took His disciples.

The gates of Hades represented an evil stronghold, so why did Jesus choose this location? Jesus wanted His disciples to have a visual point of reference for what He was about to tell them.

Jesus had started a conversation; He asked two pertinent questions. The first was answered by all the disciples but the answer to the second, and more important, was divinely revealed to Peter.

In this place, where people came to worship a false god and the Caesar, as the son of god, Peter, through divine revelation correctly identifies Jesus as, the Son of the living God.

In the midst of falsehood, truth prevailed. Then Jesus says to Peter,

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. – Matthew 16:18 (NRSVUE)

Jesus renames Peter, calling him Petros which means rock or bedrock and indeed this was an important time for Peter, but it held even greater significance.

You see, we have always been led to believe that this pivotal moment was purely about Peter being the rock or foundation of the church but looking at this entire passage in Matthew 16:13-20, there is more to be observed.

Taking a closer look at the specific location; the gates of Hades was a grotto carved deep into an enormous mountainous rock. Jesus was telling His disciples then and us now that the gates of evil are not strong enough to hold His Church back, the gates shall never be victorious over His Church.

The Kingdom of God is above all evil strongholds!

In the first century, people were placing their hopes in the gates of Hades, and even today, some people still place their hopes in all sorts of things other than Jesus, and they are being torn apart.

That day, Jesus didn’t only give Peter a new name, He gave Him the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, putting power in Peter’s hands and charging him with taking the mission to the ends of the earth and we, as Christians, are gifted and charged with the same.

”I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (v 19)

Beloved, where are there gates of Hades around you or in your own life? Places of sin and suffering, pain and sickness, hardships and challenges, distress and hopelessness, situations that are tearing individuals and families apart.

We, the Church, have been given the keys, authority and power to overcome the gates of Hades but it seems that we don’t realize that. Our focus has shifted; we have become too fixated on the what and not on Who and the why. It’s all about the brick and mortar and the manmade traditions and the mission has been almost aborted.

Jesus has built His Church on the foundation, the bedrock of Who He is, the Son of the Living God and as long as we remember that, then the gates of Hades shall not prevail against His Church.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The gates of Hades” ©2026 May 15, 2026

 

 

Intentions and Motives

 

Photo courtesy Chionsu Barclay

Throughout the bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, passages can be found which speak of intentions and motives. That tells us that our intentions and motives are of great concern to God and should be equally concerning to us.

If those intentions are godly and those motives are good, then our lives will be aligned with love and to be so aligned is essential to living fulfilling lives. However, if our intentions and motives stem from a place of selfishness, then we are treading the line of defilement.

In the gospel of Mark 7:20, 21& 23 (ESV) Jesus tells us, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts…All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Understand that our choices, actions and words, are all reflections of what is happening in our hearts; not the physical blood-pumping organ but a deeper place within us. The intentions and motives behind every choice we make, every action we take and everything we say reveal the core of our character.

Therefore, we must, as Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) tells us, guard our hearts above all else. The reason being that it determines the course of our lives. Our intentions and motives which emanate from within us, not only determine the course of our lives but also impact the lives of those around us.

All of us, Christian and non-Christian alike, tend to act one way in front of others but have different intentions and motives behind our actions. I have seen persons acting like the best Christian, pious and humble, in church on a Sunday but completely different on a Wednesday; they put on a religious false front, a performance, for the benefit of other churchgoers.

People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. (Proverbs 16:2 NLT)

The very first example of a religious false front is seen after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit when they sewed fig leaves together (see Genesis 3:7-10) and it’s sad that the religious covering is still being utilised today. But just as God saw through Adam and Eve’s futile attempts, He sees through ours. God sees through everything; He sees straight into our hearts past any religious performances.

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV)

We cannot hide from God, especially via dead works. The sewing of fig leaves was the first religious act and as with every religious performance since then, it does not work.

Don’t you know that God is omniscient? There’s absolutely no hiding place from His presence (see Psalm 139).

It’s clearly written in Hebrews 4:13 (ERV),

Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. He can clearly see all things. Everything is open before him.

All our intentions and motives, good or bad, honourable or not, are laid bare before God. He knows all our thoughts and desires (1 Chronicles 28:9 GNT). We are open books to God; even from a distance He knows what we’re thinking (ref. Psalm 139:2 MSG).

Keep in mind that, the Lord searches all hearts and examines secret motives and He gives all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve (ref. Jeremiah 17:10 NLT). Even our good actions can be driven by unhealthy intentions and motives.

You and I must take a closer and honest look at why we do what we do. We may find that our intentions and motives are rooted in a need to be in control or pride or a yearning for approval.

Beloved, while you may see yourself as good and believe that your actions are justified, God knows what is truly going on inside you and any great spiritual work that’s to be done in your life is God’s to do. The choice to seek transformation lies squarely in your lap. Your ultimate goal must be your emergence into a life that is wholly God-centered, focused on doing right because it is the right thing to do.

Living with good intentions and motives gives you a sense of peace, love, fulfilment and brings you to a place of genuine care and sincerity.

And now may the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart be pleasing to God (ref. Psalm 19:14).

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Intentions and Motives” ©2026 May 14, 2026

 

What about Eglah?

There are women in the bible, protagonists from whom great lessons are learnt but whose names remain unknown and then there are other women who are named but have done little to nothing other than being mentioned. Enter Eglah, she belongs to the latter list.

Why was Eglah mentioned? What was her role in the scheme of things? How has she or does she impact our lives?

Long story extremely short…

Eglah’s name appears in 2 Samuel 3:5,

and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. (ESV)

and again in 1 Chronicles 3:3 which gives us the same information,

the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah (ESV)

So now we know for sure that Eglah was David’s wife and the mother of his sixth and last son born in Hebron. That’s it.

But there must be more since nothing in God’s Word is without significance.

You see, Jesus the Messiah came from the lineage of David, the second king of Israel and one of the most commanding figures in the Old Testament.

God was building David’s house and establishing his dynasty therefore the names of those involved were important, even if their roles were not expanded.

Shortly after the death of Saul, David’s forces advanced into Hebron where David was declared king over Judah.

And it was in Hebron that David solidified his kingship, established political bonds and expanded his family. All of David’s actions were calculated and his marriages, strategic, as they strengthened his alliances.

We may not know much about Eglah but her being named in the narrative of king David’s descendants simply highlights the part she played in the king’s legacy.

Beloved, there are times when you may not be named, or known only as a member of your family, like my younger cousin, the middle child of three, who says, “Nobody knows me.”

That is how she feels, but that isn’t how we feel about her. We all know her and love her dearly but because she has lived abroad for many years, we seldom interact with her.

Her absence has not devalued her in any way whatsoever, she is a cherished and valued part of the whole.

Do you feel as she does? Unknown, overlooked perhaps? Are you, like Eglah, mentioned only as the wife of or mother of?

Eglah was an integral part of the whole; her role in David’s legacy was an important one in the establishment of the Davidic Covenant (see Psalm 132:12 and 1 Chronicles 17:11-14). God’s covenant with David mediated salvation for all, which began in the Old Testament and was accomplished in the New Testament of Jesus Christ.

“Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.” – Isaiah 55:3 (NLT)

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” – Revelation 22:16 (NIV)

Eglah’s mention may not have been memorable, but her role was noteworthy, for she contributed to the bigger picture of salvation as adding to David’s line of descendants, highlighting the value and significance of family in God’s redemptive plan.

Beloved, as Eglah was, you are special to God, created as a noteworthy contributor to God’s plan of redemption, here on this earth for such a time as this.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “What about Eglah?” ©2026 May 13, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Goodness of God

 

“I have seen the goodness of God

I bear witness to what He can do

My life has been touched by His rod

All He has done for me He will do for you”

(the chorus of “The Goodness of God” lyrics by Shelley Johnson)

God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.

Indeed, He is good, for that is who God is. God’s goodness is unquestionable. Everything God does and everything God gives is good and for good.

If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him. – Matthew 7:11 (AMP)

God wants all of us, His children, created in His image and likeness (see Genesis 1:26), to get back to that state of being where we produce “good” (see Galatians 5:22) so that we do not perish.

And already the axe [of God’s judgment] is swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. – Matthew 3:10 (AMP)

Mankind, originally created good – God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely (Genesis 1:31 AMP) – saw a disruption in our spiritual imagery and moral likeness after the fall of Adam which introduced the disorder, the moral degradation, the spiritual rebellion, the evil and the sin that are now prevalent throughout His very good creation.

Even though the nature of God’s creation was infected, His nature remains intact as He can be nothing else but good.

God is so good that immediately after the fall, the restoration of man began. No better evidence of God’s goodness can be found but, in the incarnation, the atoning death, the resurrection and Pentecost, and His goodness towards us continues to this day.

I am sure that you have seen God’s goodness in your life and can bear witnessed to what He can do.

But, we are prone to forgetting the good because we tend to focus on the bad but keep in mind always that even though you may be going through a rough patch, God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose (Romans 8:28 AMP). Be confident of this truth.

Since goodness is intrinsic to God, all that He does is necessarily good.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

Beloved, God is good and does good (Psalm 119:68); whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father (James 1:17 NLT); He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things (Psalm 107:9 NIV).

God has stored up His abundant goodness for those who reverently fear Him and He works for those who take refuge in Him (ref. Psalm 31:19). So, thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “The Goodness of God” ©2026 May 12, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus was not nice

Yes, that is the title of today’s devotion, it is not a typo. I indeed said what I said and I’ll say it again, “Jesus was not nice”. I know you like to believe He was, but He wasn’t nice.

Okay, before you start stoning me via cyberspace, or slamming your laptop shut or throwing aside your phone, hear me out.

The word “nice” isn’t an adjective used any where in the biblical text. I dare you to look for it. Nice is not descriptive of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Nice is generally defined as polite, agreeable, appropriate, pleasing, and socially acceptable. So now, think about these adjectives while you read the following verses.

John 2:13-16 (NIV)

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”

Matthew 9:23-24 (GNT)

Then Jesus went into the official's house. When he saw the musicians for the funeral and the people all stirred up, he said, “Get out, everybody!

In Matthew 23: 24-26, Jesus calls the church leaders, “Hypocrites!”, “Blind guides!”, and in verses 27-28 (MSG), He tells them,

“You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds.”

These are just a few examples of Jesus’ actions which cannot be described as nice. Jesus did not, as the colloquial idiom says, put water in His mouth to talk, no He said whatever He felt was necessary.

First-century Israel was not accustomed to this radical temperament of Jesus, who was a non-conformist in His day.

Jesus was not afraid to speak the truth, unlike most church goers, who prefer to sugar coat everything, not wanting to offend or to be in contention or to be seen as a not-nice-Christian. Instead, they pretend and feign being aghast if anyone dares to speak up and speak out.

If you think that being nice falls under the banner of “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do), then think again because Jesus was not nice.

There are many other adjectives used throughout the Word to describe Jesus but nice is not one of them.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29 NIV)

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. (Mark 6:34 NIV)

Search for yourself and you will see that Jesus was honest, kind, gentle, humble, compassionate, loving, blameless, righteous, just, fair, non-judgmental and so much more and at the same time, He was severely harsh towards sin and spoke hard truths without fear of contradiction.

Jesus Himself says, in John 10:11 & 14, that He is the Good Shepherd and in Mark 10:18 (AMP), after a man addresses Him as “Good Teacher”,

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is [essentially] good [by nature] except God alone.

Jesus was in fact expressing His divinity, in that, as God, He alone is good. Goodness is intrinsic to God. He is the Source of all goodness and there is no good apart from Him. Jesus is God incarnate therefore, all the attributes of God are the attributes of Him; Jesus is the good and all He does is good.

As you can see, Jesus was never described as nice, but He was described as good and there’s a difference.

Good, at times, disrupts, calls things out and sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable.

Nice gives wrong doing a pass by turning a blind eye or sweeping things under the carpet because nice prefers to not rock the boat.

Good overturns tables, makes cords and drives people out in the face of exploitation and injustice.

Nice remains silent in the face of exploitation and injustice, allowing both to thrive in God’s house, so as to not interfere with the traditions of the church or challenge the status quo.

Good speaks up when people are hurting and being treated unfairly.

Nice avoids conflict while good fights for what is right and just.

Jesus was not nice when He took a stand against religious hypocrisy. Jesus was not nice when He healed on the Sabbath. Jesus was not nice when He fed the five thousand. Jesus was simply being who He was and still is – good.

Beloved, you cannot know the good unless you are in right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper (Psalm 37:3 NLT).

Be good every chance you get, don’t get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time [you] will reap a harvest of blessing if [you] don’t give up (Galatians 6:9 NLT).

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Jesus was not nice” ©2026 May 11, 2026

 

Prayer for Finances

 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. – 2 Corinthians 9:7 (AMPC)

Heavenly Father, the Mighty One, God, the Lord, Who speaks and calls the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. You to whom every beast of the forest belongs, and the cattle upon a thousand hills or upon the mountains where thousands are and the world and its fullness, all honour and glory belong to You.

Lord, You said that I can call on You in the day of trouble and You will deliver me so, I come to You in Jesus’ name, I praise You, honour You, and glorify You for all that You have already provided and for all that You will continue to provide for me in Christ Jesus.

I now come into agreement with Your Word, knowing that it will not return to You without producing an effect. I declare that it will accomplish that which You please and purpose in my life and it will prosper in the thing for which it is sent.

I pray according to Your Word in 3 John 1:2, that I prosper in every way and I keep well, even as my soul keeps well and prospers. So, in the light of Your Word, I receive Your prosperity into my life.

I believe that You are, right now, as it is written in Philippians 4:19, liberally supplying, filling to the full, my every need according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

I decree and declare that Jesus has redeemed me from every curse, including the curse of poverty and of lack, for He is my Shepherd, Who feeds, guides, and shields me. Therefore, I am never in need; poverty and lack have no right to operate in my or the lives of my family.

God is for us so, nothing and no one can be against us! He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

I am a cheerful giver, and I generously give from my heart, not reluctantly, not sorrowfully, and not under compulsion. Because of this, I truly believe that You O God, are making all grace (every favour and earthly blessing) come to me in abundance, so that I may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].

I thank You that because I am a giver and I sow generously, blessings come to others and I also reap generously, increasing to my credit the harvest of blessing that is accumulating to my account.

I thank You that I am always, in all circumstances, self-sufficient. I have more than enough. I am furnished in abundance.

I thank You for establishing prosperity in my life. It belongs to me. I walk in the abundance of the Lord and everything I do prospers, in Jesus’ name!

Now to You, my God, Who, by the action of Your power that is at work within me, is able to carry out Your purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that I ask or think, infinitely beyond my highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams, be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. So be it.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Prayer for Finances” ©2026 May 11, 2026

(All Scripture verses taken from the AMPC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What about Eunice?

 

Eunice’s story is very short, but the influence of her faith was far reaching.

Eunice lived at a time when the gospel of Jesus Christ was a new concept, a new way to worship. Eunice, along with her mother Lois were Jewish women who, it is presumed, were converted to Christianity during Apostle Paul’s first missionary journey to Lystra.

By now, you may be wondering what is Eunice’s claim to fame; well, you see, Eunice had a Greek husband, a Gentile and they had a son. Their son’s name was Timothy (see Acts 16:1).

Yes, the same Timothy whose letters from Paul now form part of the New Testament pastoral letters, that Timothy to whom Paul wrote,

To Timothy, a dear son to me. (2 Timothy 1:2 ERV)

Despite the vast differences in the religious beliefs of this Jewish woman and her more than likely pagan Gentile husband, Eunice had passed on her beliefs to her son. The apostle was so impressed by the influence of her faith on the life of Timothy that he was obliged to make mention of it,

I remember your true faith. That kind of faith first belonged to your grandmother Lois and to your mother Eunice. I know you now have that same faith. (2 Timothy 1:5 ERV)

Today as we celebrate Mother’s Day in certain parts of the world, I think of the influence my own mother had on my faith and that kind of faith that first belonged to my grandmother which I now strive to live. Like Eunice and Lois, they were faithful and devoted advocates for Jesus Christ.

My mother ensured that she passed on her spiritual beliefs to her children just as her mother had done before her. Since my siblings and I were children, we were exposed to God’s Word.

From the days of his childhood, Eunice had instructed her son in the sacred writings of the Old Testament. She made sure that he knew the Holy Scriptures.

You have known the Holy Scriptures since you were a child. These Scriptures are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15 ERV)

Eunice’s life in Christ, so impacted the life of her son that he became Apostle Paul’s beloved spiritual child, his constant travel companion, his official representative and most importantly Christ’s faithful servant.

 Beloved, this brief story of Eunice, teaches us that the way we live our faith can have great influence on those who look to us as examples of Christian life.

Lois and Eunice were two mothers who lived in the faith of Christ and passed it on to their children. Thank God for your own mother who has passed on the legacy of her faith to you.

May our own witness of faith continue to guide our lives in a meaningful way so as to bring others closer to Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “What about Eunice?” ©2026 May 9, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

a Jew who accepted the new way, that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her husband, a Greek, was a Gentile.