Already In The House

 

And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us [a]joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

(Ephesians 2:6 AMPC)

Scripture tells us that when we accept and receive Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we in Him and He in us, we are seated together with Him in our Father’s House – that’s why Jesus tells us that as His followers, even though we live in this world we do not belong to this world.

I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I am not of the world.

They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world.

(John 17:14, 16 AMPC)

Spiritually, we are in the Heavenly realm, the House of God.

As a Believer, your position is in Jesus, so that means that you are already in the House – the Heavenly places found in Him.

You must understand that in Jesus you were chosen before the foundations of the world were even laid. God picked you out to be His own child through Jesus Christ because it was His intention and His pleasure for you to be a part of His family, to be a part of His divine plan long before He spoke Creation into existence.

Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [[a]because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]—

 In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will,

(Ephesians 1:4, 5, 11 AMPC)

Beloved, knowing this Truth, and as a new year approaches, let today be the beginning of a new phase in your life in the One Who, in love, willingly sacrificed His life for yours, to provide you with the opportunity to be a part of His household, ushered in through the Blood that Jesus shed on the cross, accepted and approved by God.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Already In The House” ©2013 revisited December 27, 2025

Take Every Opportunity

 

Yesterday, Christmas Day, was a day of giving gifts and receiving gifts. We would have been careful to give gifts that we know our loved ones would like, appreciate and use. Just as we have been particular in our gift-giving, so too the Holy Spirit.

As it is written,

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 11 (NIV)

Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit of God gives gifts to each person, every one distinct and different, though He remains the same.

We are expected to use these various gifts that we’re given to lift up high the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and not in any way to give glory to ourselves.

Our aim is to take every opportunity to use these precious gifts in service to Christ; be it in the form of possessions, words of knowledge, spiritual understanding, wonder-working faith, power to heal, prophecy, the gift of interpretation of dreams, visions and of tongues, the ability to discern between true spirits and false ones, and all other diverse spiritual gifts.

Beloved, from today, resolve to take every opportunity to use your Spirit-given gifts, your time and your possessions to advance the cause of Jesus Christ.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Take Every Opportunity” © 2013 revisited December 26, 2025

That’s Not Ephemeral

 

Imagine our great and mighty God entering earth as a newborn baby, helpless and clueless just as we did but that’s where the similarity halted, for He was still God; that’s not ephemeral.

Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place. – Luke 2:7 (HCSB)

His birth may have been natural, but His conception was supernatural; that’s not ephemeral.

Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?” The angel replied to her:“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” – Luke 1:34-35 (HCSB)

 By the power of the Most High, the Roman emperor, unknowingly, was instrumental in the fulfilment of prophesy concerning our Saviour’s birth; that’s not ephemeral.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered…And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary – Luke 2:1, 4-5 (HCSB)

Augustus did not realize that by making this decree, what he was in fact doing was making possible the birth of Jesus to occur in the place appointed for His birth.

Beloved, nothing concerning the incarnation of Christ Jesus, happened by chance. It was all “predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will” (Ephesians 1:11 HCSB); that’s not ephemeral.

Jesus’ birth is not without significance; this wasn’t a mere run of the mill birth, this was God Himself manifest in flesh, born in human likeness, entering this realm to accomplish the salvation of all mankind. That’s not ephemeral, indeed it is enduring, it is eternal.

So, as you reflect upon the events of Jesus’ birth on earth this Christmas Day, take a moment to also reflect upon Jesus’ birth in you, keeping Jesus’ own words in mind, “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 HCSB).

May the power of the Most High overshadow you this celebration day, spiritually conceiving and birthing the life of Christ within you. Merry Christmas!

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “That’s Not Ephemeral” © 2025, December 25, 2025

 

 

 

So, it’s Christmas Eve…let’s get personal

 

So, it’s Christmas Eve and the house is thoroughly clean, the cake is baked, the ham thawed and ready for the oven, the tree is up and beautifully decorated, and the already  wrapped gifts are patiently waiting to take their place under the tree later tonight. Did I leave anything out? Don’t think so. It’s just for me to relax now and wait for tomorrow.

Hold up! That’s in an alternate universe!

Let’s go back a bit. Every year, yes, every year I say the same thing,

”Christmas Eve must find me with everything done. I’m not going through this another Christmas Eve! No! Next year I just want to be able to relax on Christmas Eve and wait for Christmas Day.”

Yes beloved, every single year I say it and every single Christmas Eve I’m in a supermarket somewhere. Why?

Let me begin again…

So, it’s Christmas Eve and all the public spaces in my house are thoroughly clean, “Yay!”

I never got around to buying any dried fruits to make cake, so there are none marinating. Luckily, we’re going to my sister’s for dinner, so the ham is still in the freezer; I’ll get to it on Boxing Day hopefully or New Year’s Day might just be an option. If you want to scream "Arrrghhh!" on my behalf, be my guest.

My saving grace, the tree is indeed up and beautifully decorated, actually three trees are up and beautifully decorated. The theme for this year is “Peacock”.

“For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s ships; once every three years the ships of Tarshish would come carrying gold and silver, ivory, monkeys, and peacocks.” – 1 Kings 10:22 (NASB)

In the time of King Solomon, the peacock was a symbol of wealth and prosperity. While peacocks, in general, represent the artistry and creativity of God, a white peacock holds additional spiritual significance as it symbolizes, spiritual awakening, rebirth, and new beginnings.

In this fast-paced time in which we now live we have a tendency, like Martha, to get so busy that we forget what matters spiritually.

Beloved, we are desperately in need of rebirth, a spiritual awakening for some or re-awakening for others, to place us back on the path to God as we manoeuvre through the various challenges along this journey called life.

On the heels of the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, let us remember that if it were not for His coming into this world, we would not be able to experience the joy of rebirth and new beginnings.

So yes, it’s Christmas Eve and I still haven’t seen the inside of a supermarket, I haven’t bought a single gift, and I still have a ham to bake, oh that’s day after tomorrow, and let’s not talk about the private spaces. But I have taken a pause from busy-ness to sit quietly, looking at the white peacock on my Christmas tree and thanking God for sending His beloved Son that I may experience all the wonderful things He has done and continues to do in my life.

Christmas Eve can find me in this same position next year. Amen?

Amen †

 

 

 

 

Shelley Johnson “So it’s Christmas Eve…let’s get personal” © 2015 revisited December 24, 2025

A Little Town

 

A familiar hymn written over 150 years ago by Phillips Brooks is still sung today. This beautiful carol speaks of a colossal event that took place in a little town, and just as this song has endured the ravages of time, so too has the event.

In 1868, Brooks wrote:

O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

God exalted an obscure young virgin from a little town called Nazareth by choosing her to give birth to the Messiah, as seen in the annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel.

“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!””

(Luke 1:26-28 NKJV)

This colossal event was prophesied 700 years before it occurred in a little town called Bethlehem (see Micah 5:1-2). A prophecy which was cited by the chief priests and scribes as recorded in the second chapter of Matthew’s Gospel.

In Micah’s prophecy, Bethlehem is paired with the name “Ephrathah” which was the ancient name for Bethlehem and is best translated “towards fruitfulness”.

So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

(Genesis 35:19 NKJV)

So, this little town was not without significance.

Too often we see ourselves as too obscure, too unqualified, too insignificant to be fruitful. We hear from God and we ignore the message because it doesn’t fit the mould we have created of ourselves.

When Gabriel called Mary “highly favoured” and “blessed among women”, she was flabbergasted by his greeting, but he reassured her by saying,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”

(Luke 1:30 NKJV)

A young woman from a little town had found favour with God.

Beloved, God, through Jesus the Messiah, finds favour with you. Stop considering yourself as grasshoppers in your own sight and in the sight of others (Numbers 13:33). You are no grasshopper. Because of His great love for you, God sent His Son Jesus.

Understand that Jesus left the realm of no limitations to descend into a place limited by time and space, confined in a body of flesh so that you may be redeemed from inherited sin.  

God is willing to use you to birth something huge, but you have to be willing to be used by God. Won’t you allow Him to fulfil His mission in you? Won’t you allow His Son, who, on your behalf, endured more humiliation here on earth than you can ever imagine, to abide in you?

Phillips Brooks’ little carol about a little town ends with this prayer,

 O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in;
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels,
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “A Little Town” © 2025, December 23, 2025

The Miraculous Conception

 

On December eight the Catholic Church commemorated the Immaculate Conception of Mary, blessed mother of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This dogma, defined by Pope Pius IX, is the belief that Mary was free from the stain of original sin from the moment she was conceived.

Though not a Catholic, I was very aware of the term Immaculate Conception, and for years I believed that the Immaculate Conception referred to the way in which Jesus Christ was conceived. Imagine my surprise the day I learnt that this was a celebration of Mary’s preservation from Adam’s sin, to which we are all subjected, and not the impregnation of Mary by the Holy Spirit, which was both immaculate and miraculous.

The miraculous conception is something that we should all be celebrating, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike. For all Christians ought to believe that it was indeed a young innocent virgin named Mary who was hand-picked by God Himself to bring His one and only beloved Son into this world to save us all. So why not celebrate?

All who confess that they belong to the Lord should remain mindful of this absolutely wonderful event. An event, which brought to us the incredible gift of salvation!

As we prepare to celebrate the glorious birth of our Lord Jesus Christ on December twenty-fifth, let us not forget to also prepare our hearts, as we remember, commemorate, and celebrate the blessing that was bestowed on the Virgin Mary, who, though confused by the message she had received, still accepted that message with grace and privilege saying,

“I belong to the Lord, body and soul, let it happen as you say.”

(Luke 1:38 – Phillips)

 Amen†

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shelley Johnson “The Miraculous Conception” © 2025, December 22, 2025

Kataluma

Just as it is nowadays where persons are required to register in the municipality in which they live, so it was in ancient Israel. With that in mind, we read,

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  – Luke 2:4-5 (ESV)

Joseph and Mary left Nazareth to become residents of Bethlehem before Jesus was born in order to fulfil prophecy.

“O Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are but a small Judean village, yet you will be the birthplace of my King who is alive from everlasting ages past!”  – Micah 5:2 (TLB)

As Israelites, both Joseph and Mary would have known of Micah’s prophecy therefore their relocation was deliberate.

The registration drive was in full swing and so all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city (Luke 2:3 NASB). Needless to say, every city, Bethlehem included, was packed with people, more people than could be accommodated.

Luke 2:7 (NIV) verifies this fact.

there was no guest room available for them.

Several translations and tradition have told us that there was no room in the inn, giving the impression that Joseph and pregnant Mary could not find a hotel or motel in which to stay. However, they were not trying to make a reservation at the Hilton or Benoni’s Bed n Breakfast.

Joseph and Mary were in search of a kataluma which was not uncommon accommodation in those days. Kataluma is a Greek word which is translated guest room and was located on the upper floor of a Jewish home. It was an upper room specifically reserved for visiting family and friends, while the rest of the household occupied the lower floor.

Kataluma is the same word used for the “upper room” in Luke 22:12 and Acts 1:13 where the Last Supper took place, while pandocheion, inn, can be found in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Unable to find a kataluma, this newly married couple, under the strain of extremely curious and challenging circumstances, could easily have given up but they did not, instead with love for God, and abiding trust in the word of God, they humbly remained true to their calling and strengthened by faith, accepted their fate determined to fulfil the purpose of God.

the time came for the baby to be born – Luke 2:6 (NIV)

But with already jam-packed lower and upper floors, what was the next best option? There was no inn in the little village of Bethlehem, no barn as is often depicted and no kataluma available for them but there was an area on the lower floor, a space where the household’s animals were placed at night.

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger – Luke 2:7 (NIV)

Mary lovingly lay her new-born baby in a limestone feeding trough.

Beloved, when you are called by God to fulfil His purposes, you just have to do whatever it is you must do.

Has God has given you a word? Was everything going well, working out as you imagined, but just as you were about to give birth to it, suddenly things became bleak, no longer going the way you imagined and now you’re wondering “What is God doing?”

Remember God always has a good plan. Joseph and Mary may have been going through that same mental torture when to every home they went there was no unoccupied kataluma. But look how it turned out, look at the significance of Jesus, the Bread of Life being born in Bethlehem, “house of bread”, and placed in a manger, a feeding trough.

Beloved, chew on that.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Kataluma” © 2025, December 21, 2025