Held Hostage

 In that day, declares the LORD Almighty, I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them. – Jeremiah 30:8 (NIV)

Beloved, what things are holding you captive?

Unforgiveness?

Guilt?

Bitterness?

Resentment?

Envy?

Pride?

Shame?

What yokes need to be broken off your necks?

What has you in bondage?

Fornication?

Adultery?

Pornography?

Lying?

Can you name those things that have enslaved you?

Certain behaviours allowed to go unchecked, can wreak havoc in our lives as they begin to exert control over us. When this happens, it is very difficult for us to break those ties and we are held hostage.

Don’t for a moment believe that this is a non-Christian affliction. Unless you’ve taken up residence under a rock, I’m sure that you have heard of, read and seen reports of priests, pastors, and other church leaders who have engaged in some of the worst behaviour.

Jeremiah 30 verse 8 reminds us of the God that we serve who has declared that He will do the breaking and the tearing and the releasing. Further, He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding (Ephesians 1:7-8 NLT).

Feelings of guilt and shame tend to drive a wedge between us and God but under the dispensation of grace through Jesus Christ, God has said, I will forgive their sins and will no longer remember their wrongs.” (Hebrews 8:12 GNT)

This is in no way permission for us to continue in sin. Confronting this same dilemma, Apostle Paul said to the Church in Rome, What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God's grace will increase? Certainly not! We have died to sin—how then can we go on living in it? (Romans 6:1-2 GNT)

Yes, we have died to sin, however, salvation is a process (see Philippians 2:12) and we all have weaknesses and we often stumble and sometimes we fall but we must get back up. According to a familiar Japanese proverb, “Fall seven times, stand up eight”.

Fall seven times, confess your sins to God every time and repent until you are able to remain standing, for If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9 NIV) and as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12 ESV).

Beloved, you cannot afford to continue being held hostage to a lifestyle of habitual sin, for it will affect your eternal life (John 10:10), not just in the future but in the present.

Know that just as Jesus pulled Peter up from sinking into the heaving sea (ref. Matthew 14:22-33), He can pull you up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set [your] feet upon a rock, making [your] steps secure (Psalm 40:2 ESV).

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Held Hostage” ©2026 April 23, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

What about Ebed-Melech?

 

Photo courtesy of O'Reilly Lewis

There are people in the bible who everyone knows because we hear about them over and over from pulpits, at Sunday School and in bible study.

Then there are those persons that are entirely unfamiliar; oftentimes appearing only once in the bible, their stories aren’t preached neither are they celebrated and so they remain on the pages of our bibles languishing in obscurity.

Ebed-Melech is one of those in the unfamiliar group of persons. He is an overlooked hero who stood when others fell. His name first appears in Jeremiah 38:7.

But Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, an important court official…

Long story short…

Ebed-Melech was an Ethiopian in the court of king Zedekiah. His name carries the meaning “servant of the king”, so it wasn’t just his name, but it echoed his position.

Though a foreigner in the land, Ebed-Melech held a position of great responsibility in the royal court of Judah.

At that time Jeremiah was a well-established prophet and spoke a prophecy which those in authority despised, as it spoke of Israel’s surrender to the Babylonians,

So these officials went to the king and said, “Sir, this man must die! That kind of talk will undermine the morale of the few fighting men we have left, as well as that of all the people. This man is a traitor!” – Jeremiah 38:4 (NLT)

The king agreed and, Jeremiah, who had been imprisoned, was taken from his cell and lowered by ropes into a waterless, mud-filled cistern by the ones who were intent on silencing him. Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

Enter Ebed-Melech. He heard that Jeremiah was in the cistern (Jeremiah 38:7 NLT) and without fear for his own life, implored the king not to leave Jeremiah there. The king relented and gave Ebed-Melech permission to rescue Jeremiah.

So the king told Ebed-Melech, “Take thirty of my men with you, and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies.” – Jeremiah 38:10 (NLT)

Ebed-Melech and the men went to the cistern, lowered a rope together with some old rags and discarded clothes and called out to Jeremiah saying, “Put these rags under your armpits to protect you from the ropes.”  (Jeremiah 38:12 NLT). Now, how thoughtful was that?

Ebed-Melech’s actions epitomized all the characteristics of love as Apostle Paul outlined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. For all intents and purposes, as “servant of the king”, and as loyalty subscribes, Ebed-Melech should have been Jeremiah’s opponent but instead, Ebed-Melech was “servant of the King”, the King of Creation.

Ebed-Melech honoured God by honouring His prophet. He could have chosen to remain silent, but he spoke up even at the risk of death.

While the voice of God had become an irritation to those in power, Ebed-Melech became a vessel of courage, compassion and righteousness.

His brief story invites us to recognize that God will use anyone even those whom society overlooks; His choices are not reserved for the powerful but for the willing.

Ebed-Melech was a man of great character and moral integrity who stood for truth when it was unpopular; he stood for what was right and he stood up for Jeremiah when everyone else was against him.

An outsider who had more going on inside him, because greater was He who was in him than he who was in the world (ref. 1 John 4:4). And just like that Ebed-Melech was woven into the fabric of the divine plan.

We may not have known his name, but God knows his name just as He knows yours.

Beloved, James 4:17 (TPT) says, if you know of an opportunity to do the right thing today, yet you refrain from doing it, you’re guilty of sin. Ebed-Melech knew of such an opportunity, and he did the right thing. He did not do the right thing for recognition, but he did what he did because it was the right thing to do.

Ebed-Melech chose courage over comfort, conviction over convenience and the King over the king and because of that, God rewarded him.

You see, Jeremiah’s despised prophecy did come to pass and the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem, captured king Zedekiah, pronounced judgment upon him, slaughtered his sons, slaughtered all the nobles of Judah, gouged out the king’s eyes, bound him in chains, burnt the palace and all the houses and tore down the walls of the city of Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 39:1-10).

Then God gave Jeremiah a message for Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian who recognized Jeremiah as authentic, and took a stand for righteousness, the foreigner who did not compromise his character for clout, the outsider who recognized the voice of God when others rejected it,

“Say to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I have threatened. I will send disaster, not prosperity. You will see its destruction, but I will rescue you from those you fear so much. Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the Lord, have spoken!’” – Jeremiah 39:16-18 (NLT)

Beloved, Ebed-Melech rescued Jeremiah and in turn, when disaster struck, God rescued him. God rewarded his faithfulness to Him. Ebed-Melech was left standing tall, while leaders who had hardened their hearts against God and manipulated truth and schemed for political and personal gain would fall.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “What about Ebed-Melech?” ©2026 April 22, 2026

What’s the Secret?

 

Recently, I came across a video of a guy talking about having strength and it got me thinking about Samson and the strength he possessed. It’s something I hadn’t really considered before but maybe you have and soon enough you’ll know what I mean because I am about to tell you.

The story of Samson can be found in the Old Testament Book of Judges, chapters 13 to 16 but long story very short…

Samson’s mother, who was barren was visited by the Angel of the Lord and He said to her,

“You have not been able to have children. But you will become pregnant and have a son. Don’t drink any wine or any other strong drink. Don’t eat any food that is unclean, because you are pregnant, and you will have a son. He will be dedicated to God in a special way. He will be a Nazirite. So you must never cut his hair. He will be God’s special person from before he is born. He will save the Israelites from the power of the Philistines.” – Judges 13:3-5 (ERV)

She then told her husband what had happened. Both weren’t sure how to properly care for God’s special person and the husband prayed for the Angel to return to instruct them as to his care.

I want you to note that the Angel of the Lord is no ordinary angel, He is pre-incarnate Jesus as attested to by Samson’s father, who, after the visitation said to his wife,

“We have seen God…” (v 22)

Indeed, Samson was born. At the time of his birth, the Israelites had been in bondage to the Philistines for 40 years and the Lord was about to use Samson to deliver Israel out of their hands.

Now as a Nazarite, Samson was living a life of strict obedience to his vows to God however he did have one conspicuous weakness which would ultimately be his downfall, but that’s a story for another day.

Samson had a secret and that secret was in his hair. You see, he became famous for his prodigious strength, strength that no one could figure out. And this leads to the thing I told you I never considered.

The question on everyone’s minds, especially the Philistines, was “What’s the secret?” And suddenly it dawned on me that Samson must have been an ordinary looking guy.

I’ve always had an image of Samson as being a behemoth of a man, with muscles like that of a world-champion body builder and those Bible Story illustrations I’d seen in books as a child helped to cement that picture in my mind, even docuseries on television present Samson in that light.

But think about it, if Samson flaunted a well-built ripped physique, why would anyone be so confused about the strength he displayed?

Samson performed incredible feats in his fight against the Philistines. He was able to catch 300 foxes to use as living firebrands (see Judges 15:4-6) and single-handedly kill 1,000 men using the jawbone of a dead donkey (see v 14-17).

Can you imagine an average looking Joe with no definition in his arms or legs or chest or back doing these things? You too would have been completely perplexed and prompted to ask, “What’s the secret?”

Samson spent years slaughtering Israel’s enemy, destroying their army and their nation.

What’s the secret?

Through a series of events which you ought to read for yourself, the secret of Samson’s strength was discovered. His strength, though symbolized by and tied to his uncut hair, was not in his hair.

Just as his birth was divinely foretold, Samson’s life was divinely touched.

Samson was moved upon by the Spirit of the Lord, he was God’s vessel who, when empowered by Spirit, became a powerhouse of supernatural strength enabling him to perform the extraordinary.

a young lion suddenly roared and jumped at Samson! The Spirit of the Lord came on Samson with great power. He tore the lion apart with his bare hands. (Judges 14:5-6 ERV)

he got up and grabbed the doors of the city gate and pulled them loose from the wall. He pulled down the doors, the two posts, and the bars that lock the doors shut. He put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill near the city of Hebron (Judges 16:3 ERV)

Beloved, the Spirit of the Lord still empowers but you and I must be willing to be used mightily. God still uses ordinary men and women in extraordinary ways.

I’ll leave you with this, the Spirit of the Lord came on Samson with great power but there’s a big difference between you and Samson in that, the Spirit came on him but the same Spirit lives in you and that’s your secret superpower.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “What’s the Secret?” ©2026 April 21, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleopas’ Companion

Now for us to speak of Cleopas’ companion, we should first speak of Cleopas. So, in case you’ve never met him, let me introduce you to Cleopas.

Cleopas was a disciple of Jesus, presumed to be one of the seventy-two whom Jesus sent out on a mission.

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. (Luke 10:1 NLT)

Among other things Jesus instructed the seventy-two to do, He also told them to, Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ (Luke 10:9 NLT)

So, if that presumption is true then Jesus was no stranger to Cleopas and Jesus would have known him. However, we don’t meet Cleopas until his name is mentioned in chapter twenty-four of Luke’s Gospel account, when he and his companion have an incredible encounter.

Long story short…

It was the afternoon of the day of Jesus’ resurrection. The Man who many had followed and were banking on to free them from the despotic rule of Rome had been brutally crucified and now His body was missing (Luke 24:21-23).

Two of those followers, despondent after everything that had occurred, embarked on the seven-mile journey from the city of Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus. For them, hope had faded.

As they walked along the road, discussing the events of the past three days, they unknowingly met up with Jesus and after an initial discourse, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself (Luke 24:27 NIV).

Keep in mind that what we know as the New Testament was not yet in existence, the Scriptures would have comprised the five books of Moses, known as the Law – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy – and the Prophets, five major and 12 minor.

But even after Jesus explained all the Scriptures concerning Himself, they still did not recognize Him. Do you see what they did not see?

Do you recognize that if at that time only the Old Testament existed then Jesus was there from the beginning just as Apostle John tells us in 1 John 1:1-4.

Luke does not give the details of what Jesus would have said to the two, but we are told that, they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if He were going on, but they begged Him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So He went home with them. As they sat down to eat, He took the bread and blessed it. Then He broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And at that moment He disappeared! (Luke 24:28-31 NLT).

Luke recorded an awesome encounter! But questions remain:

Did Luke not know Cleopas’ companion? Why didn’t Luke divulge his or her name?

Just a couple nights ago my daughter said to me, “Mom, when you relate a story, you always name names, but when I tell a story, for me mentioning the names of people is not important, what’s important is the story itself and the lessons to be learnt from the story.”

And this story of what happened on the road to Emmaus is a wonderful example of that.

Clearly the name of Cleopas’ companion was not integral to the story, so it wasn’t worth mentioning but Cleopas being named must hold some significance, otherwise Luke might as well have left him unnamed too since Cleopas is not a name that’s widely remembered and he is only mentioned this one time throughout the entire bible.

Luke intentionally named Cleopas and I believe that the significance is in the name itself, the meaning of the name.

Cleopas is a short form of the Greek name Kleopatros which means glory of the Father, renowned father or vision of glory. All apt descriptions of what occurred on that road to Emmaus and when they got to Emmaus.

Cleopas and his unnamed companion’s encounter that afternoon was indeed a vision of glory. They experienced the glory of the Father through Jesus, the Son when He opened their eyes to the spiritual.

Beloved, that encounter with Jesus was real and whether you are named or unnamed in the telling of a story, Jesus knows who you are, just as He knew Cleopas’ companion whose name we don’t know to this day.

Jesus showed up for both His followers in their moment of disappointment and despair, and when hope is fading fast, you can rest assured that Jesus will show up for you. Even now He is with you and is not about to disappear. Jesus is patiently waiting for your eyes to open, so you not only recognize Him but realize that He has been walking with you every step of your journey.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Cleopas’ Companion” ©2026 April 20, 2026

 

 

The Traveller’s Psalm

David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. – 1 Samuel 23:14 (NIV)

David, being pursued by King Saul, sought refuge in the hills under God’s protection.  Credited as writing most of the songs in the Book of Psalms, it would come as no surprise if the one, which is called the Traveller’s Psalm, was written while David was in the wilderness.

You see, in this Psalm, numbered 121 in the bible, David speaks of looking at the hills as he releases a heartfelt cry for help,

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

He then answers his own question with surety, indicating that he already knew the answer – help comes from the ultimate Helper – the Lord.

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

When you cannot find help, when no one is willing to assist, to whom do you turn? Do you just keep asking others for help?

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)

Have you ever been in such a predicament? Have you ever fallen alone? In desperation, that may prompt you to ask, like David, “from where does my help come?” and, like David, you must also know that your help comes from the Lord.

Don’t be like the woman with the 12-year haemorrhage who, only after she’d exhausted her resources, went to seek after the Lord for help (see Luke 8:43-48). Your first line of defence must always be the Lord, after all, He is a very present help in trouble (see Psalm 46:1).

We are all travellers on this journey of life, and David, in Psalm 121, reminds us that we do not travel alone; he lets us know that the Lord stands by our sides (v 5) so when trouble comes, for it will (see John 16:33), look to Him for help and be assured that He will provide divine care and protection.

Beloved, you may not be hiding out in the hills but as you travel along life’s journey, when you find yourself in need of help, the Traveller’s Psalm applied to your life, gives you courage in these uncertain, difficult and challenging times when fear can easily overwhelm.

Be assured that the Lord is with you day and night, offering you help, hope and protection, as you come and go both now and forever.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The Traveller’s Psalm” ©2026 April 19, 2026

Let us Pray…

Acts 7:56 (ERV)

Stephen said, “Look! I see heaven open. And I see the Son of Man standing at God’s right side.”

Beloved, heaven is open and Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:21). Jesus became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) by His death on the cross, healed us of our sins, and at once tore away the barrier between God and man, providing us complete access to the throne of Almighty God.

Hebrews 4:16 (ERV)

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.

We can boldly go to the throne of God in times of need because today, there is an open heaven, and we are invited to draw upwards into the realities of heaven where…

1 Corinthians 2:9 (ERV)

“No one has ever seen, no one has ever heard, no one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Heaven is open beloved, we have complete access to God and can go boldly to His throne where there is grace so let us pray…

Let us pray, ascending upward until heaven invades earth.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Let us pray…” ©2026 April 18, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Prayer for Stress Relief

Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail). – Psalm 55:22 (AMP)

Lord, You know things are hard for me right now. I am stressed and don’t see a way out, but I know that You see the bigger picture and that You can work miracles in my life. I release my burden on You trusting that I will get through this, not only surviving but thriving.

Thank You for sustaining me and upholding me so I do not slip, fall or fail.

I boldly declare that I am Your beloved child made righteous through Christ, so You will never allow me to be shaken. I no longer take ownership of this burden of stress, instead, I take ownership of the abundant life, love and healing that come from You.

I proclaim that I am leaving behind anything that causes me stress; all burdens were crucified with Christ on that rugged Cross!

Thank You for caring for me and carrying me along the path that leads to victory.

I will stay in faith, and I will trust You completely Lord.

I now open my heart to God’s presence to the point that there is no room for stress to creep in and settle down anymore.

Thank You that Your perfect love has cast out all anxiety and I no longer live as a prisoner of fear.

I decree that I was created for a life that’s better than the one I’m living; to live a life of victory, to live a life of supernatural abundance and to live a life free of the burden of stress.

Thank You for the river-like peace that now flows within me, for the calm that surrounds me and the tranquillity that attends me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “A Prayer for Stress Relief” ©2026 April 17, 2026