Talk about Jesus

When you share your faith with others what do you talk about? Do you talk about yourself and all that you’ve done? Or, do you talk about the One Who saved you and about all He has done in your life? Talking to others about Jesus can be intimidating, but we must talk about Jesus. 

Your life has been changed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and nothing should make you shy away from talking about Him. But talking is not enough. The way you live your life must bear witness to your conversation since your character contributes to its authenticity and credibility. As Saint Francis of Assisi put it, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary use words.” You see, if your conduct contradicts what you are attempting to convey in words to the unsaved, then your conversation may seem disingenuous.

When the apostle Peter spoke to the crowd gathered in Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 2:14-41, he talked about Jesus – His death and His resurrection. Jesus hung on the cross at Calvary as payment for your debt of sin. Jesus was your substitute, He took your place and you ought to consider it a privilege to share the good news of His death and resurrection with everyone. The foundation of your faith is the resurrection of Jesus Christ; without the empty tomb the cross holds no power. The resurrection of Jesus gives hope and meaning to your life, present and eternal.

Talk about Jesus, He is “the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42). Talk about Jesus, there is nothing else in this world that you can talk about that would be of more importance to a person. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:15). Declare the Good News!

Talk about Jesus ©2013 Shelley Johnson 24-Feb-13

Love One Another

Scripture tells us that “we love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19); God infuses His own love into us by His Spirit, so that we may love as He loves. His love brings us a grace that is high, wide, long, deep and all-forgiving and it is this love that allows us to love the God-created personhood of others. Without His love it is impossible for us to truly love one another and even ourselves.

As Christians, we must cultivate genuine concern and care for our fellowman which ought to be deeper and better than anyone else’s on earth. We are the carriers of God’s message of love. Love should be our theme in living.

It is commanded by Christ that we love one another: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31), therefore it is our obligation to love people despite their race, creed, nationality, social status, background, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political affiliation. Our job is to love, it is Jesus who redeems.

Loving people who we do not know neither comes naturally nor does it come easily but with the Holy Spirit’s continuous guidance, love will be produced in us and we will prevail in this. We are to remain steadfast in our commitment to love as God loves. We must love intentionally through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit of God.

Remember, when we love one another, we honour God, He lives in union with us and His love is perfected in us:

“The message you heard from the very beginning is this: we must love one another…Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God…This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that He loved us…if we love one another, God lives in union with us, and His love is made perfect in us…The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love his brother also.” 1 John 3:11, 4:7,10,12,20

Love One Another ©2013 Shelley Johnson 8-Mar-13

A “Well, Whatever” Mentality

Do you ever respond to situations and circumstances with the statement “well, whatever”? Such an answer, as innocent as it may seem, shows that you are not interested, do not care, or are not particularly concerned. This type of response indicates a mentality of indifference. Indifference to certain things may not appear to be a serious concern but when that same mentality starts to seep into other areas of your life, which undoubtedly it will, a tangible problem is created. When you are indifferent about life in general, other people, or the things of God, a real problem exists. It means that nothing really matters to you, you are neither hot nor cold, and you have no sincere care or concern. 

Here are twelve truths about a “well, whatever” mentality:

a “well, whatever” mentality never seeks first the Kingdom of God

a “well, whatever” mentality never moves in the direction of God’s will and purpose

a “well, whatever” mentality is self-absorbed

a “well, whatever” mentality is unfocused and easily distracted

a “well, whatever” mentality is faithless 

a “well, whatever” mentality is an “I give up” mentality

a “well, whatever” mentality is a smaller than mentality

a “well, whatever” mentality is not a “more than a conqueror” mentality

a “well, whatever” mentality does not possess power

a “well, whatever” mentality does not produce deliverance

a “well, whatever” mentality has no vision

a “well, whatever” mentality has no ambition

Having a “well, whatever” mentality corrupts both your moral and spiritual life, and actually robs you of the life God has planned for you. This is certainly not the mentality that God wants you to possess. God wants you to have a transformed mind, a mind for the spiritual, the mind of Christ.

Amen †

A “Well, Whatever” Mentality ©2013 Shelley Johnson 19-Jul-13

Lord, teach us how to pray

Luke 11:1, as it is written,

“Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us how to pray, as John taught His disciples.’”

The Lord Jesus has taught us all how to pray by giving us a model for prayer. We know it as “The Lord’s Prayer” and all our prayers should follow this example. 

Enter into God’s presence by acknowledging Who He is in adoration, reverence and love. Recognize that it is about God’s will and not your own, even Jesus recognized this. Thank God for His daily provision both in the natural and in the spiritual realms. Then comes your confession of sin, and as you ask God for forgiveness of sin you must also ask Him to teach you how to forgive. After which you pray for protection from the one who lures you into sin and for deliverance from him. End your prayer giving God all praise, honour and glory.

Understand that there is great power in prayer, do not underestimate that power. When you pray focus on God and your conversation with Him; speak then listen in your spirit for His answer. Be confident that God answers your prayers once they are aligned to His will (see John 5:14-15). If you do not know or are unsure of what God’s will is, you can ask Him if He is willing (see Luke 5:12-13).

God desires to have consistent communication with you through prayer, so “pray continually, for this is God’s will for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18).

Lord, teach us how to pray ©2013 Shelley Johnson 28-Sep-13

What about morality?

The Word of God says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals’.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not believe that you can maintain friendships with persons who are mired in corruption and not become corrupt yourself. Moral deficiency of character is contagious. Dishonest, unethical and uncharitable companions will eventually deprave your good manners, character and morals.

“Come back to your right senses and stop your sinful ways.” – 1 Corinthians 15:34

You must not hold fellowship with persons who persist in wrong doing and immoral practices. You must stand firm for what is morally right and not only shun immorality but speak out against it (see Ephesians 5:11). 

“I declare to your shame that some of you do not know God.” – 1 Corinthians 15:34

The more you study the Word of God, the more you will understand God’s character and know who He is, and even more so, you will realize how far short you are fallen from His moral conduct. God has the highest standard of all and in His Word is the standard of morality to which you must aspire. Chapter three of the second book of Timothy outlines, in vivid detail, the things that God considers immoral and those which constitute morality.

Because we are of this world, our natural instinct is to gravitate to what is immoral; only the Lord, through the inner working of His Holy Spirit, develops moral character in us (see Galatians 5:19-23). Understand that none of us, with our own striving, can attain morality and must, therefore, submit ourselves utterly to the Holy Spirit. 

In today’s society, where everyone’s own morality is advocated, moral restraint must be practiced by exercising Christ-like virtues, controlling your thoughts, guarding your heart and of course, keeping good godly company.

What about morality? ©2013 Shelley Johnson 12-Mar-13

Yes Jesus loves me

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

(Anna Bartlett Warner)

Yes beloved of God, Jesus loves you. His love for you is imprinted throughout the Bible. His ultimate expression of love for you was demonstrated on the cross at Calvary. Romans 5:8 tells us, 

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus came from the comfort of heaven, setting aside the privileges of the Deity, to be crushed, abused, humiliated and rejected on your behalf. Because of His great love for you, He took on the judgment meant for you so that you may be saved.

John 3:17…”For God did not send His Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its Saviour.”

The Bible reveals to us, an incredible story of God’s love; it is a mystery that God should so love us that He would give up His only Son to die on our behalf. 

Today beloved, you must ask God for a deep revelation of the Truth of His Love for you – a love that never wanes, never wavers, is patient, kind, forgiving, does not give up on you, never fails you, is unconditional, and eternal.

Yes Jesus loves me ©2013 Shelley Johnson 22-Aug-13

The Holy Spirit Reveals the Deep things of God

Let us read 1 Corinthians 2:9-13, as it is written,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him (Isaiah 64:4) but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught us by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.”

This passage of Scripture clearly tells us, that it is indeed the Holy Spirit who reveals the inconceivable, unimaginable things that God has prepared for the individual believer who loves Him. Conversely, those same things remain hidden from and are actually foolishness to those who have not yet believed – they are still in a natural state of being (see 1 Corinthians 2:14).

As believers, we receive the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit and through His working in us, we are enabled to receive understanding of spiritual truth. We must, however, put away our own wisdom and, by faith, yield completely to His Spirit; only then will we receive the wisdom of God (see 1 Corinthians 3:18). 

We first come to God mired in our carnal nature – formless, empty and blind to the deep things of God (see Genesis 1:1, 2). Then, the Spirit begins to move in us (see Genesis 1:2), working to bring about our spiritual understanding and transformation (see Romans 12:2), and the darkness starts to give way to the light (see Genesis 1:3, 4). In the light, as the Spirit’s revelation unfolds before us, we recognize the insufficiency of our own interpretation of the things of God.  

The Holy Spirit is the Revealer of the deep things of God, and is the Interpreter of His revelation. If we empty ourselves daily and depend entirely upon the Spirit’s revelation and interpretation, He will give us the power to understand and discern what He reveals.

The Holy Spirit Reveals the Deep things of God ©2013 Shelley 5-Apr-13

What A Gift!

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away…refer to Job 1:21

Job uttered these words in anguish but the truth is, what the Lord gives He does not take back “For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). In other words, God does not withdraw His gifts; when the Lord gives it’s irreversible, can’t be cancelled, beyond recall, firm, fixed and final.

However, if we view Job’s lament from a different angle it could be seen as a good thing in that the Lord gives us Life, a new Life, one that is real and full of His Truth, and He takes away all our guilt and self-criticism and self-judgment, our selfishness, our inner turmoil, our low self-esteem, our negativity, our control and dependence on self, and really so much more. 

He strips us of who we think we are, lays us bare, naked and exposed;

He takes away all of our self-imposed limitations;

He crucifies us, the old us, and makes us new – a new birth, a re-birth, a new life in Him – the Lord gives us Life;

He transforms us into who He originally created us to be – a person of Love; a person who lives, in this world but is not of this world – what a gift! Praise God!

What A Gift! ©2009 Shelley Johnson 16-Dec-2009 (22-Feb-16)

Prayer for Today

“Give in to God, come to terms with Him and everything will turn out just fine. Let Him tell you what to do; take His words to heart. Come back to God Almighty and He’ll rebuild your life. Clean house of everything evil. Relax your grip on your money and abandon your gold-plated luxury. God Almighty will be your treasure, more wealth than you can imagine.” – Job 22:22-25 (MSG)

Let us pray,

Lord, You are my Treasure, far beyond any wealth that I can ever think of or imagine. Thank You for revealing to me the true riches of Your Kingdom. I set my heart on You alone as I completely submit to Your way, Your will, and Your instruction. Cleanse my heart of everything evil so that it may freely receive Your Word. Help me to hold tightly onto You as I relax my grip on, and abandon, the things of this world. Thank You for rebuilding my life and renewing my spirit. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins; teach me how to forgive as You do so that I will be quick to forgive. Lord, make me truly grateful for all that You have given me and may I always delight myself in You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Prepare to receive the blessing of the Lord:

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord smile down on you and show you his kindness.
May the Lord answer your prayers and give you peace.

Prayer for Today ©2013 Shelley Johnson 29-Sep-13

Sharing the Good News

Matthew 28:18-20, as it is written,
Then Jesus came to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So you must go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”

As followers of Jesus, He has sent us on a mission of sharing the Good News of Christ with everyone. Sharing this wondrously Good News is to evangelize and incidentally ‘evangelize’ comes from the Greek word for ‘good news’. This sharing is called The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).

Now even though Jesus, in His generosity, has given each of us our own gift (Ephesians 4:7-13), so that we aren’t all evangelists, as His disciples, He has commanded all of us to become fervently involved in evangelism – Sharing the Good News.

So, “always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have, in a gentle way with respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Sharing the Good News ©2013 Shelley Johnson 13-Sep-13

Our Betrayal

We look upon Judas Iscariot and his awful act of betrayal, with disdain, and rightly so…but, how many times have we ourselves allowed our fleshly weaknesses and worldly desires to take precedence over the good we ought to do? How many times, out of convenience, have we laid aside the things of God to indulge in our own plans because it seemed easier? How many times have we turned away from Jesus’ teachings to satisfy our own cravings? How many times have we offered to kiss one in order to acquire favour or rob the promotion due another? 

During this Lenten Season, as you gaze upon the cross of Christ’s crucifixion, seek a deeper revelation of His incredible sacrifice, take an honest look inwardly and ask yourself: How many times have I participated in an act of betrayal of Jesus Christ by giving the devil access through…?

...my selfish motives; my love of money and other earthly treasures; my lust; my avarice and greed; my envy and jealousy; my arrogance; my self-righteous attitude; my bitterness and resentment; my pride; my apathy; my insincerity; my don’t care behavior; my spiritual disillusionment; my prayer-less existence; my carnal thoughts and ideas; my baseless words, filthy speech and lies; my drunkenness; my cultivating a wrong view of God by rejecting His Word; my disbelief; devising wickedness in my heart; causing mischief, sowing discord and stirring up strife; my disobedience to Jesus’ instructions…

And the list goes on and on and we do not even recognize that we are giving the devil access to use us and every time we give the devil access, we send Jesus to the cross all over again.

When we have not stayed true to our commitment to Jesus Christ, when we have allowed the things of this world to overshadow and outweigh the things of God, we betray Jesus. But there’s good news in the cross, the crucifixion, and the resurrection through which all our sins have been forgiven forever! 

Today, let us re-commit ourselves to Him by, once again, confessing with our lips that Jesus is Lord and re-kindling belief in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead.

Amen †

Our Betrayal © 2014 Shelley Johnson 17-Apr-14

Jesus, the only way to God

“Jesus said to him, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6

Realise that you are on a journey, a journey back to God. God, the Source from which you came. God, the Creator of the heavens and of the earth, and of all that is seen and unseen. The mysterious Three in One God – One God and Three Persons, yet each is fully the One. 

It is a journey of renewal, a re-awakening of your long-dormant spirit to the reality that is God. First you must believe in your heart in Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, who came to earth to die on your behalf, so that you may have Life eternal, forgiveness of your sins once and for all – to be your Saviour. 

Now, say aloud…”Jesus is Lord!”

Jesus is the way to God, the Father. He is the Way, He is the Truth and He is the Life – three in one. No one comes to the Father except through Him.

Jesus is the ONLY way to God...He is the route...He is the road...there is no other way.

Jesus, the only way to God ©2012 Shelley Johnson 25-09-2012 & 06-10-2012

Discipline your child

Proverbs 13:24, as it is written,
“If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don’t love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them.”

As a parent you want to ensure that your child, whom you love dearly, is heading in the right direction and to do so is to discipline her. You want her to grow up to be a mature and responsible adult, and to experience a good and successful life. So it is with God – when you are disciplined by God, your heavenly Father, it’s because He loves you. God wants the best for you, His child, so every time you go off course, He pulls you right back, oftentimes with some form of correction. Your heavenly Father’s desire is for you to grow up to be a mature and responsible Christian; if He were to leave you alone when you go astray, chances are you would fall into a habit of disobedience and disbelief, both of which are detrimental to your well-being and your Christian walk. 

So, “my child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when He corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes those He accepts as His children.” [Hebrews 12:5-6]

Discipline your child ©2013 Shelley Johnson 1-Jun-13

Jesus, the Vine: John 15:5

Jesus, the Vine: John 15:5 ©2012 Shelley Johnson 03-10-2012

The Power of Christ in You

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness”
[2 Corinthians 12:9]

The power of Christ in you is the presence of His Holy Spirit on the inside of you. The Holy Spirit empowers you to do all that God has called you to do; the Holy Spirit empowers you to face all that this life presents. Don’t look at life as burdensome, instead be grateful that your weakness allows God to manifest His power in you. Keep ever present in your mind that it is not by your human effort that all you need to do will be accomplished but it is all done only by the power of Christ in you; you “can do all things through Christ who strengthens you” (Philippians 4:13); you can do so much more through the power of Christ in you – the Holy Spirit – than you can ever do on your own. Beloved, it is very important that you understand this.

At those times of weakness, when you feel powerless, cling to this Truth:

“The Lord is your strength” [see Psalm 28:7]

When you are weak, the Lord is strong! He is your strength! Remember His power! The Lord’s power is in you – He strengthens you with power through his Spirit in your inner being [see Ephesians 3:16].





(See also Psalm 21:13, 62:11, 68:35; Isaiah 40:28-31; Romans 15:13; Ephesians 1:19-20)

The Power of Christ in You ©2013 Shelley Johnson 9-Jul-13

Roasted in Fire and Entirely Consumed

Just as the Jews chose the best of their flock as a sacrifice for their sins, God chose the best of the human “flock” as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Peter 1:18, 19). Just as the sins of the ancient people were transferred to their sacrificial lamb, our sins were transferred to Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21), our Sacrificial Lamb.

Just as the lamb was roasted in fire upon wood outside of the camp, the rejection, shame, reproach and suffering upon a wooden cross that Christ endured is symbolic of Him being roasted in fire (Hebrews 13:11-12). The lamb is such a fitting and worthy symbol of Jesus, who in innocence, patiently endured suffering as our substitute (Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19). Christ’s offering of Himself, speaks of His complete unselfishness and His total dedication to God and the will of God. We too must offer ourselves to be roasted by fire, by “dying daily”, and sacrificing our own lives unto God, through His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:36; 12:1-2). 

Just as the Jews consumed the sacrificial lamb, we too are to eat of the Sacrifice. We are to consume God’s own sacrifice, Christ Jesus; but unlike the Jews at that first Passover (Exodus 12), we do not eat a dead, lifeless lamb but we are, right now, partakers of the Living Lamb (John 6:54). To eat the Living lamb is to partake of the Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:4) and of Christ’s sufferings and His glory (1 Peter 4:13, 5:1). We consume Christ spiritually via the Sacrament of Holy Communion and by the meditation and reading of the Word of God. We consume Christ as a sign of fellowship with God and each other. It is symbolic of the great heavenly feast (Revelation 19:9).

Let us pray to understand and grasp the spiritual principles of this Truth, so that we may live our lives, re-born as new creations in Christ, following in His footsteps, partaking in His sufferings and His glory, allowed and encouraged to eat of this amazing sacrifice.

Roasted in Fire and Entirely Consumed ©2013 Shelley Johnson 1-March-2013

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Psalm 23, verse 4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me…”

During Lent, we ought to reflect on all the things that Jesus accomplished on the cross for us. One such thing is victory over death; not only physical death but spiritual death as well. Through the fall of Adam we inherited spiritual death, that is, separation from God. Jesus came, died on the cross and became the means by which we may be reunited to our loving Father. It is a journey that we must all experience if our relationship with God is to be restored.

Know that Jesus walks with us on this journey. Sometimes He takes us up to the mountaintop and other times down into the valley, where we can deposit our brokenness, our wounds, our un-forgiveness, our hurts, our sins, our anger, our sorrows, and our pain. This valley is a place of darkness but walking through it with Jesus, His light illuminates the way and causes us to see the truth of the cross. We no longer see our fallen existence which brought death, we now see the shadow of what was once our reality, and we recognize that in Christ, the reality that God reveals is Life.

The valley of the shadow of death is a place we must all pass through on our way to closer communion with God. God has already prepared the table for those with whom He is in fellowship (see verse 5). Do not be afraid of the evil that lurks in the valley, it’s only a vague reminder of what once was. Jesus has destroyed the reality of death (see 2 Timothy 1:10) and now only its shadow remains, and, shadows can cause no harm.

The Valley of the Shadow of Death ©2013 Shelley Johnson

Jesus is the Solution

As it is written, 

Jesus replied, “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry again. [John 6:35] 

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’" [Matthew 4:4]

I have not departed from His commands, but have treasured His words more than daily food. [Job 23:12] 

When I discovered Your words, I devoured them. [Jeremiah 15:16] 

Jesus is the Bread upon which we must feed, the Word of God (John 1:14) that we must treasure and devour daily. In the natural, we are expected to eat three meals a day but we are to consume the Bread of Life more often than that. Jesus is our spiritual food. He sustains us and satisfies our spiritual hunger. When we feed on the Word of God daily, we will never again be hungry. Jesus is the solution; let us feed on Him, the Bread of Life, the Word of God, daily. Amen.

Jesus is the Solution ©2013 Shelley Johnson 16-Jul-13 

Season of Lent

The Christian season of Lent is one that is often misunderstood. For so many people today it passes without much thought, whilst for others it's simply a time of "giving up" certain things like chocolate biscuits, crisps, sweets, wine and swearing!

Yet, Lent began as a time of preparation for new believers who were to be baptised at Easter time, and then as time passed other followers of Jesus began to share in this journey of preparation, and so the season of Lent became a significant part of the church's journey through the year.

Traditionally there were three disciplines that were to be practiced in sincerity in Lent as part of our preparation for the journey through Jesus Christ's suffering and triumph in Holy Week. These were fasting, alms giving and prayer. In the worship life of the church, Lent provides for us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on Jesus’ life among us, to prepare for the celebration of Holy Week and to journey toward the Easter resurrection together to discover that God’s perfect love will turn our sorrow into joy, our fear into hope, and our dying into eternal life.

- Rev'd Ann Pollard, Team Vicar, The Team Parish of Dewsbury

Our Lenten Sacrifice

Today is the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday. Lent is the season on the Christian calendar when we commemorate the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness.

Shortly after He was baptized by John the Baptist and anointed by the Holy Spirit in the River Jordan, Jesus was led into the wilderness by the same Spirit to be tempted by the devil.

Luke 4:13, as it is written,
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil.”

Jesus was tempted to the utmost regarding each one of the instinctual needs of humanity “yet did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). It was a period of extreme testing – a spiritual battle between His divinity and His humanity.

Lent represents our own battle with the same temptations. Like our Lord Jesus, we must remain steadfast in our resolve to not yield to the devil’s enticements. We must hold fast to the Word of God, recite it aloud when necessary and fill the atmosphere with praise and prayer.

Lent also represents a time of sacrifice. We often give up indulging in the things we most enjoy, as our sacrifice for Lent but the sacrifice we should offer is that of our very selves. Paul exhorts us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1); to “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13) by complete submission to the Holy Spirit of God. Paul is speaking about the spiritual sacrifice God desires, the true Lenten sacrifice.

In this season of Lent, let us focus on higher things rather than our comforts and pleasures; let us follow Jesus; let us “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service”, for this is what we are called to do.

Our Lenten Sacrifice ©2013 Shelley Johnson 13-Feb-13

The Lord makes the Bitter, Sweet

The sojourning Israelites, thirsty, came to a place called Marah (bitterness) but could not drink the water there because it was bitter. They began to complain bitterly against Moses, adding their bitterness to an already bitter dilemma. Moses cried out to God about this situation. And under God’s direction, threw a certain tree into the bitter water and the bitter water became sweet.

“When they came to Marah they could not drink its waters for they were bitter…so the people murmured against Moses… And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree which he cast into the waters, and the waters were made sweet…” Exodus 15:23, 24, 25

The Lord provided the tree that turned the bitter undrinkable water into sweet refreshing water fit for His children to drink.

“…they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a sepulcher.” Acts 13:29

The tree at Marah is symbolic of the cross of Jesus, and just as that tree turned the bitterness into sweetness, so Jesus, Whom the Lord provided, turns our bitter situations sweet.

Beloved, is a “bitter waters” situation before you today? Remember all that Jesus accomplished for you on the cross and cast Him into your situation; He is the solution to “bitter waters” situations. Only Jesus can take away the bitterness you’re faced with and make it sweet.

Jesus sweetens all that’s bitter in your life! Hallelujah!

The Lord makes the Bitter, Sweet ©2013 Shelley Johnson

Photo: on Nelson Island Trinidad

I Surrender

Pray: God I desire that You empty me of my will, replacing it with Yours, so that I may be in absolute surrender to You. I am Yours, I belong to You, You paid a hefty price for me and I acknowledge Your ownership. I surrender myself and all that I am to You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Absolute surrender to God is a decisive step that you must take if you are serious about your spiritual walk and are to become a true follower of Jesus Christ. It is a step toward becoming a living sacrifice as described by Apostle Paul in Romans 12. 

In the Old Testament, the whole animal was laid upon the altar, everything still intact, nothing removed, and sacrificed unto the Lord. In the same way today, you are to offer yourself to God, lay upon His altar keeping nothing but giving it all to Him, everything that we have and everything that we are.

Surrender it all – a complete sacrifice made willingly – and allow yourself to be utterly consumed by the fire of His Holy Spirit, becoming a burnt offering, a sweet and satisfying odor to the Lord.

I Surrender ©2013 Shelley Johnson 12-Apr-13

The Peace of Christ

It was going to be a time of extreme testing for the disciples…the ultimate trial and testing of their faith. After all they’d experienced during their time with Jesus, nothing would compare with what they were about to go through. They must have been overwhelmed with trepidation at Christ’s impending fate and its aftermath. Jesus, well aware of His disciples’ state of mind said to them…

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” [John 14:27]

Even today, during your own times of trial and testing, these words of Jesus are also for you. Yes beloved, Jesus’ promise of His peace is available to you, right now. Please know that His peace is extra-ordinary, super-natural – not of this world. As Jesus Himself said, “it’s not as the world gives”. There is nothing like it to be found here on earth, it’s a peace that transcends your human understanding. The peace of Christ will not stop your trials but will enfold you in the midst of your trials.

The peace of Christ is for you today, take hold of this gift and do not allow yourself to succumb to the voice of fear. Instead, listen to the Word of God, “…don’t be troubled or afraid…For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” [John 14:27; 2 Timothy 1:7].

So fill your mind and heart with the peace of Christ that He so lovingly has given to you and be released from fear and anxiety even in the midst of difficult times.

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” [2 Thessalonians 3:16]

Amen †

The Peace of Christ ©2013 Shelley Johnson 9-Sep-13

Remember

Remember ©2013 Shelley Johnson 16-Sep-13

The Lord is Always Present

The psalmist wrote, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7-10

This Psalm clearly shows us that there is absolutely nowhere we can go where the Lord is not. The Lord is always present whether we feel His presence or not and wherever we are He is. The Lord is not restricted to being only in one place at a time, He is not limited by space and time, rather He is omnipresent, able to be everywhere at the same time. The Lord is an infinite being, greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out! (Job 36:26).

The Bible tells us that we live and move and exist in the Lord (Acts 17:28), therefore He is all around us; we exist within Him. Living our lives conscious of His presence will cause us to live our lives differently. The Lord wants us to realize that He is with us in every situation. He wants us to recognize that He is ever-present and available. The Lord is always present, for He assures us that He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5).

Today the Lord wants you to know that whatever you do and wherever you go, He is with you. Through every challenge, He is with you. In good times and during the not-so-good times, He is your constant companion, loving, watching, protecting, and taking care of you – the Lord is always present.

The Lord is Always Present ©2013 Shelley Johnson 7-Oct-13

Meat in the Middle

You’ve left the shore and you’re in a boat rowing across a lake to get to the other side – to cross over. You’re mid-way there – in the middle of the lake – when suddenly, without notice, a storm breaks. The wind’s whipping up with unbridled ferocity, and it’s causing the water to heave. Rowing has become pointless – the oars break under the pressure. What do you do?

The noise of the now swirling wind and crashing waves is tremendous. You call out to Jesus but you cannot even hear your own voice over the torrent that has now engulfed you. Is Jesus hearing your call? It was Jesus who told you to cross over to the other side. It was Jesus who told you that He would meet you in Bethsaida (Mark 6:45). You know His voice, you’ve heard Him many times before. Could you be wrong this time? Your every fiber tells you that you’re not wrong; so what’s really happening then?

You were going through the middle to get to the other side and everything seemed fine. You were already half way there when this storm comes out of nowhere. It’s in the middle of the journey when the storms come. These storms are not without purpose. Early on, in the beginning, safely on shore, you were at the toddler stage of your spiritual growth, but now the time has come for you to cross over to the other side. On shore, you heard the Word and became familiar with the basics of the Word of God – this is milk. But you can’t stay at this stage if you’re to grow; no-one remains a toddler forever. The time to be fed solid food must come. Solid food or meat speaks of deep teaching, you’ve done the hearing now it’s time to do the Word of God – it’s meat in the middle. Meat builds you up and strengthens you. The meat that you’re fed in the middle strengthens your character and builds your endurance in preparation for the next half of the journey. 

In the middle, you may feel as if Jesus is ignoring your call but remember Jesus will never leave you. If you look carefully, you’ll catch a glimpse of Him through the haze, through the fog, just look beyond the raindrops – He is there waiting for you to come through. And as you regain your focus, even in the midst of the storm, you will see Him. You are not alone. Do not give in to your fear of this storm you’ve never seen before. Push through it, do not give up and do not give in to your fear. Meditate on Jesus’ own words – “Do not be afraid! I Am!”

Yes, Jesus always “is”, so don’t be afraid. Jesus is always with you; even in the worst storm, He is. Jesus will meet you on the other side. He may even meet you along the way for short periods to feed you the meat in the middle. Eat the meat. Sometimes the chewing is tedious and the meat hard to swallow but keep on eating. Oftentimes we try to pound the meat in our own efforts to make it tender but to no avail. No amount of seasoning can make this meat palatable but do not spit it out – keep on eating the meat in the middle. 

Before you know it, the storm would have passed, storms never last, and you’d be on the other side having safely crossed over.

Amen †

Meat in the Middle Shelley Johnson 03-Feb-2016