Your Harvest Will Come

Harvest Season has finally come and the reapers busy themselves gathering their abundance, but the seeds you’ve planted appear not to have yielded very much. All around you, people are enjoying the fruit of their labour, but all you seem to be getting is a mere fraction, a pittance, a morsel of what others have coming to them. And you think, “Life is so unfair”, “What about me?”, “Why do I always have to be eking out a living while others are getting abundant blessings?”.

Is this you? I’ve been there…an onlooker to others abundant harvest, while all I seem to be afforded is a scraping. But I have learned that on this spiritual journey nothing is ever as it seems. What you see is never what is – there is a reality that exists far beyond our natural perspective.

Our Lord said, 

“I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work. For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.” (Isaiah 55:8-9 MSG)

When things appear to be happening a certain way, contrary to what God has promised you, remember this passage and the verse that follows,

“…the word that I speak— it will not fail to do what I plan for it; it will do everything I send it to do.”

Beloved, other people may be reaping a lucrative harvest all around you but your harvest will come. Hasn’t God promised you life abundant? Then believe God, even if you’re struggling day after day, forcing ends to meet, always counting pennies and longing to be able to afford, everything. 

Instead, you complain, and complain, to anyone in earshot – to yourself, your family, your friends, colleagues, neighbours, and of course, to God. Haven’t you noticed that your endless griping has changed nothing, you’re still in a rut, scrounging for left overs never enjoying a full course but your message today is, “STOP!!!” 

When Ruth, knowing that the poor were allowed to follow the reapers to gather up whatever grain the harvesters had left behind, decided to go into the field, you can be sure that she was not expecting to receive the bountiful harvest that she eventually did. She did not complain or gripe. She went into that field with purpose – to glean so that she and Naomi, her mother-in-law, might have something to eat. Ruth accepted the little that she got without griping and she ended up marrying the owner of the field, a very wealthy man named Boaz (see the Book of Ruth)…

What a harvest!

Stop the complaining. Stop the griping. Stop the moaning. Stop the sighing.

Start thanking. Start praising. Start rejoicing. Start believing. Start expecting. Your harvest will come.

Amen†

Your Harvest Will Come

Shelley Johnson October 17, 2017

“The” Measure

Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:3 that God has given each one of us “the” measure of faith. I know that some translations say “a” measure but God is never ambiguous, in my opinion, “a” is too much of a generalization, too indefinite. On the other hand, “the” is very specific, and conveys a particular effect. “The” indicates importance, it’s a call to take notice or pay careful attention.

“…think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” – Romans 12:3 (KJV)

The measure of faith that God has given to every one of us is not for style, it is to be developed and used. And, when mixed with action, like bacon and eggs, peanut butter and jelly, grace and peace, is a winning combination. Add endurance to the mix, and just like cinnamon in hot cocoa, it makes it even better – nothing but victory can result.

James 1:22 and 2:17 say, “Don’t I beg you, only hear the message, but put it into practice; otherwise you are merely deluding yourselves…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (Phillips and NIV)

The measure of faith, when properly exercised, affects your mental attitude in a positive way, giving birth to sound judgment. It manifests in you, a faith-filled heart, which leads to an unyielding confidence in God. God wants you to live by faith, faith in Him and His Word, for it is actually impossible to please Him without doing so. You see, God is true, loyal, faithful, He cannot lie and He exalts His Word – when He speaks, you can bank on whatever He says…

“…anyone who is right with Me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy. But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.” – Hebrews 10:38 (MSG)

If you remain unmoved, unflinchingly stoic in your resolve to stick it out and stay with God’s plan no matter what, you’ll not be disappointed – you will see all His promises to you come to fruition. 

The measure of faith, exercised, developed, and put to use, is the substance you and I have been given by God to live by. We simply need to pray, and practice living by faith on purpose.

Amen† 

“The” Measure

Shelley Johnson October 9, 2017

Faith to Believe, truly Believe…

“Look at that man, bloated by self-importance— full of himself but soul-empty. But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive.” – Habakkuk 2:4 (MSG)

Some of us spend days in church performing church duties – we’re on this committee and that committee, we’re in the choir, worship team, we faithfully attend Bible Study and are first to arrive for the weekly prayer meeting – yet, with all this “church”, we don’t seem to possess the faith to believe, truly believe.

In fact, we are so wrapped up in our religious activities, we neglect the spiritual – physically producing but mentally lacking. Faith to believe, truly believe comes only when our minds are so renewed that we believe, without a doubt, that all things are possible through Christ. It’s faith that goes beyond what we can see, taste, hear, smell, and touch. It’s faith that has nothing to do with what you do but everything to do with what you know.

Memorizing Scripture verses is not an indication of great faith but believing the Word of God is. It’s faith that will keep you from falling apart in the midst of spiritual warfare, and keeps you going through those seasons of testing sore.

“Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!” – James 1:22 (MSG)

Faith to believe, truly believe, is faith that causes you to leave that job that you hate even though you don’t see another job on the horizon but you know, in your gut, that it is time to move on, and that God is your provider.

My friend, without faith to believe, truly believe, you will struggle through life rather than live through the struggle, settle for toxic relationships rather than spit out that poison in the face of singleness, continuously worry about the future rather than resting easy knowing that God has designed a great plan for your life…faith to believe, truly believe makes life livable.

“It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us?” – 2 Corinthians 5:7 (MSG)

All those countless hours doing church can never fill the emptiness you feel, or lift you out of depression or relieve stress, but loyal steady believing in God removes it all. Your situation may not necessarily change but the impact it has on you certainly will. 

Faith to believe, truly believe, is powerful faith! It’s faith that gives you power to bulldoze through every obstacle set along your life path. It is that “live by faith not by sight” faith.

Beloved, believe in faith, believe that faith works and will work for you. Be determined to be a doer of faith, be persistent in your resolve to develop your faith and the Holy Spirit of God will do the rest…be intentional with your faith...faith to believe, truly believe.

Amen†

Faith to Believe, truly Believe…

Shelley Johnson October 2, 2017

Activate His Power

Part of Apostle Paul’s prayer for every believer in Christ Jesus was that we would understand just “…how very great is His power at work in us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:19 GNT). Paul, like Jesus before him, could not impress upon us enough how important it is for us to believe. Jesus told Martha, in John 11:40, that if she believed, she would see the glory of God. I believe that this was not the first time Jesus was telling her this, since He is recorded as saying, “Didn’t I tell you…”

You see, when you believe, when you truly believe, you activate His power. As long as you do not allow unbelief to enter in, linger, and take up residence in you, the exceeding greatness of God’s power is released toward you. 

Look at the account of the centurion and his sick servant, in Luke 7:1-10. He strongly believed that all that was necessary was for Jesus to say the word and his servant would be healed. This man believed without doubt and his servant’s healing took effect immediately. Before Jesus even reached to the house, this incredible power, barreled its way towards the centurion’s home and struck its target, simply because he believed it could. That is how you activate His power!

Jairus’ little daughter, who, according to Matthew 9:18, had died, was restored to life when Jairus believed. He simply chose to believe and God’s power was activated. Notice as you read, how Jesus removed all unbelievers from their midst and with that, God’s exceedingly great power materialised. That is how you activate His power! Remove the unbelievers, the naysayers, the negativity from your midst and only believe.

Don’t you want to experience the full extent of the exceeding greatness of God’s power toward you? You may be tempted to think that this is too good to be true, or that it was only available in biblical days. Well these days are biblical days and God’s incredible power of which Paul spoke is not a myth, it is very real and it can be manifested in your life but only when you truly believe. Believe, and God will hold nothing back. It is a blessing from the realm of heaven.

Amen†

Activate His Power

Shelley Johnson September 19, 2017

Showers of Blessing

“…and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.” – Ezekiel 34:26 (ESV)

God compared His blessing to the falling rain. Not torrential rainfall, which may prove destructive but rather that type of rain that is strangely comforting, that type of rainfall that makes you revisit those carefree days of childhood, where at the first pitter-patter, you were out the door, not willing to miss out on even one raindrop. 

I believe that God is giving us a picture of showers that prompt you to curl up on your bed or favourite chair under the covers. A constant and measured shower of rain that’s soothing and refreshing and curiously healing. Rainfall that encourages crops to grow and flowers to bloom. Those rain showers that only bring benefits to the earth – the land and its inhabitants.

So, you must realize that God could not be referring to a mere drizzle, after all He is not stingy. He’s neither stingy with the rain He sends to nourish the earth nor the showers of blessing He sends to refresh His children. When God sends you a blessing, it’s enough to keep and enough to give and some left over. Like when Jesus fed the five thousand, it was more than enough and still had much more remaining. 

God gives and gives, plenty, bountifully and in great abundance. Psalm 68:9-10 says of God,

“You caused abundant rain to fall and restored Your worn-out land; Your people made their home there; in Your goodness You provided for the poor.” (GNT)

Oh yes, God’s blessing is always abundant and always restores. He sends it as showers, showers of blessing. When we truly understand that it is God’s desire to bless us, and we accept this truth and plant it in our hearts, and not just leave it floating around in our heads, we will dwell in a state of God’s showers of blessing, receiving from Him in every area of our lives, a people well provided for.

Amen† 

Showers of Blessing

Shelley Johnson September 11, 2017

Afraid?

Are you always afraid or fearful for one reason or another? Do you know that the Word of God says that a person is a slave to whatever he gives into? Yes it does in 2 Peter 2:19, check it out for yourself. When you are a self-professed worrier, as some like to profess to be; anxious for everything, a literal worryguts, endlessly fixated on your challenges and difficulties – some warranted, others contrived – and afraid of the outcome, then you are enslaved by your fears. 

All over the Old and New Testaments are instances where individuals and groups of people are told to not be afraid. 

Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today…” – Exodus 13:14 NLT

"Do not be afraid of them," the LORD said to Joshua – Joshua 10:8 NLT

“Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27 NIV

In his letter to Timothy, Paul wrote,

“The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 ERV

God never meant for us to be a people afraid but people who would trust the intent of His heart and believe that He desires nothing but our benefit. God has promised you and me that the plan He Himself has designed for each and every one of our lives is great (Jeremiah 29:11-14) but we have to cooperate with God by believing what He says. Instead we believe that it’s natural to be afraid, even of our own shadows, not realizing that to constantly think this way only keeps us rooted in fear.

Isaiah 26:3 assures us that if we keep our minds fixed on God, He will keep us in perfect peace. However, this cannot be properly done by means of our own power, we have to rely on the Holy Spirit’s power. God gave to us a powerful, loving, and disciplined Spirit, upon whose power we must draw if we are to truly overcome the fear to which we have given dominion over our lives.

Being continuously afraid gives fear a stranglehold on your mind and in turn your heart, and this chokes the life out of what you believe concerning God’s promises toward you. This fearfulness wreaks havoc in every area of your life; your general sense of perception is wrought askew, causing you to fall into a state of unbelief and making you unable to accept God’s testimony about you as a new creation in Christ Jesus. Consequently, you are not able to exercise even your mustard seed sized faith. 

Beloved, the sincere faith you had when you first believed in the Saviour, is that same faith you must keep ablaze even in the worst of circumstances. You must come to the realization that it is the same God who lovingly sent His only Son to die for you who is working all things together for your well-being. So, there is no reason to be afraid, is there? He knows what’s coming and it’s never for your harm but always for your ultimate good. If you continue to fear for your life and of what’s to come, you haven’t yet recognized your loving Father and the abundant blessings He has in store for you. 

We tend to give too much significance to our fears. Please, don’t let fear steal your reward (see Matthew 25:24-29). Surrender, as you once did yourself, whatever you are afraid of to God and allow Him to redeem it for something that is worthy. Let the transforming power of His Spirit transform your life. Be anxious for nothing (see Philippians 4:6).

Amen†

Afraid?

Shelley Johnson August 15, 2017

Love Yourself

You are God’s unique creation, wonderfully complex, an example of His marvelous workmanship and an imprint of His own image and likeness. There’s not another person in this world that’s like you, even if you’re an identical twin, you are still one of a kind. (see Psalm 139:13-18)

Jesus let us know in Matthew 22:39 that we are to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. Now the question is, do you love yourself? For how can you fulfill this great commandment to love, if you do not love yourself? Please do not confuse loving yourself with the kind self-love that is mired in vanity, self-centeredness, pride and arrogance – that’s a whole other topic. No this is about a love for self which promotes inner peace and contentment, love and compassion for others and most importantly love of God.

Sadly though, you look at yourself and you see only brokenness but that is not how God sees you. Beloved, God sees you as His unique and wonderful creation; He looks at you and He sees His marvelous workmanship. God looks at you and sees someone precious. Everything God created is good (1 Timothy 4:4) and that includes you.

I believe that the only way that you and I can properly love, self and others, is through a heart transformed by God’s Love. As you know, God is Love, that’s who He is, and His love bears no condemnation. But we have a tendency to engage in self-condemnation, to indulge in self-criticism and a depreciation of self. You see, when all you do is seek out the faults in yourself it makes it very easy for you to find fault in others too and this, in no way, honours God’s creation.

Whatever your reason for your lack of self-appreciation, it’s time for you to have a confrontation with Love, God’s love and to abide in that love, a love that enables you to see, in yourself, the beauty of God’s creation. The truth is, God loves you just as you are right now. He loved you first (1 John 4:19). 

Perhaps you’re thinking that this is easier said than done but know that you have this promise, 

“whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13 NLT)

This word, “whoever” means anyone and everyone – you, me, and everybody. You do not have to do this on your own, you are not expected to. God knows that the only way that you can cultivate the kind of love that’s needed is by the transforming power of His Holy Spirit working in you and with you. So, today, right where you are, call on Him, cry out to Him and allow His love to move you to love.

Amen†

Love Yourself

Shelley Johnson August 2, 2017

An Act of Love

To love your neighbour is not an act of obedience, as some tend to believe, but rather, is an act of love free of condemnation. To genuinely love another who is your polar opposite in culture, values, up-bringing, sexual orientation, creed and perception of God, is not easy, however that’s exactly what this great commandment urges us to do. Following directly after the first and greatest, which is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” indicates to us that it is indeed a consequence of the first. It shows that it is only when we allow the love of God to transform our hearts that we can then move towards acts of sacrificial, non-judgmental love. 

A heart transformed by God’s love can do nothing else but act out of love. In order for us to understand what neighbourly love is, Jesus left us with the parable of The Good Samaritan (see Matthew 22:34-40). Separated by centuries of animosity and divergent religious practices, beliefs and values, Samaritans were despised by Jews, yet Jesus’ cleverly woven tale of the innate goodness of man borne from godly love, has as its hero, a man of Samaria, a perceived enemy. 

An act of love demonstrated to us by that person who we have always considered to be an unworthy, un-lovable social outcast may prove awkward, even insulting, but God wants us to cast off our pride and our prejudices and see every aspect of His beautiful, praise worthy creation in every human being. He wants us to see others as He sees each one of us, not as the broken reflections of His divine nature that we are, but as reflections of His perfect Son, through an amazing transforming love which He alone can manifest in us. 

God’s love for us in Christ Jesus, His beloved Son, is a deep, wide, all-forgiving love that brings a grace that is greater than all our sin. To love our neighbour, is an act of love that refuses to allow us to love based on our judgments of them and their judgments of us. 

Amen†

An Act of Love

Shelley Johnson August 1, 2017

What’s up with your BS?

So, you’ve read the title of today’s blog post and, some of you, if not all, have come up with an interpretation of the acronym “BS”. Some eyebrows might be raised, some brows furrowed, some may frown and others may chuckle, but each one of you would have made a decision about its meaning according to what you believe. Those of you who may have gone into the gutter for its meaning can climb out now…

”BS” here doesn’t stand for that, even though at times your BS can be BS, it’s an acronym for “Belief System”. We all believe in something – we all have our own BS and when it comes to what we believe as Christians, unlike acronyms, it cannot be shorthand, however, like acronyms, your Belief System has to stand for something of substance and value. Beliefs are personal and who or what you believe in is also personal – it is a matter of choice – a choice that no-one but you can and must make. It is up to you to decide.

Joshua and his household made their choice when he publicly proclaimed,

“But maybe you don’t want to serve the Lord. You must choose for yourselves today. Today you must decide who you will serve…You must choose for yourselves. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15 (ERV)

If you consider yourself a Christian, what you believe is essential for the Christian life and plays an important role in your walk or journey. Your beliefs are rooted in where your faith rests and is fundamental in determining what your return will be. The Word of God tells us what to believe and lets us know the outcome, for instance, Jesus said to Martha,

“Remember what I told you? I said that if you believed, you would see God’s divine greatness.” – John 11:40 (ERV)

But many times we choose either not to believe or we believe some things and ignore the rest. Listen, if God says something “is” then that’s what you believe because whatever He says, He will bring to pass (Isaiah 46:11). You call yourself a Believer but what are you actually believing, and where is it taking you? 

The truth is, we have not been conditioned to completely believe God. We do not take Him at His word, yet we want others to believe that our word is our bond, even in our fickle state where we change our minds from one moment to the next. There’s a lack of persistent fidelity in our Belief System which causes the vacillation.

Your BS will drive your behavior and influence your life experiences. As passionate as your desires may be, you’ll never experience what you desire to be, only what you believe to be – change your BS, transform your life. Some BS, rather than lead you toward Christ is leading you away from Him and sadly, you are so resolute in your own BS that you do not recognize that you’re headed in the wrong direction.

People have a tendency to get so caught up in the church’s stated set of beliefs, they start believing the right things the wrong way and instead of establishing an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus, they become deeply involved with church and its activities. Jesus is not a doctrine or an accumulation of rules, He is a real Person, with whom you must be involved by way of a personal encounter (see Revelation 3:20). Bare knowledge of the content of the message of Christianity does not a Christian make, your Belief System cannot be built upon a shifting-sand foundation or based upon outward behavior. 

The Word of God distorted by misinterpretation, incorrect teaching, and abuse and misuse of Scripture can only result in an unclear, ambiguous presentation of the Truth. We are warned, 

“My dear friends, many false prophets are in the world now. So don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God.” – 1 John 4:1 (ERV)

Understand that beliefs are very powerful, and you can be deluded not only by others but by yourself as well. So it is crucial for you to also examine your BS in the light of the Word of God, not on your own but through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Author of the Word. 

Now, I am not attempting to foist my own BS on you, I cannot tell you what you should or shouldn’t believe, that my dear friend is entirely up to you. We are all varied in our beliefs, however, as it pertains to our walk with God, we can all agree on the basic belief that apart from Christ we are separated from God (John 14:6). This is a necessary starting point despite our certain theological differences. 

Amen†

What’s up with your BS?

Shelley Johnson July 31, 2017

Rest in God

When Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah and Jerusalem were faced with what to them seemed an impossible situation, a portion of what God said to them was,

“You won’t have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm…and watch God’s saving work for you take shape. Don’t be afraid, don’t waver. March out boldly tomorrow—God is with you.” – 2 Chronicles 20:17 (MSG)

This message is still relevant for us today but is deeper in its meaning and significance now than it was then, because of what Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection effected in the earth and for every individual. Most people, even Christians, don’t truly grasp the wonderment of Jesus’ miraculous, supernatural life, death and resurrection. Our vision is limited to our too shallow thoughts, but we must be willing to see beyond the obvious, delve into the deep and look far afield if we are to progress spiritually.

Jehoshaphat and his people were to “stand firm” in their confidence in God’s character and word but with Jesus we can do more than that, we have the ability to rest in God through the power of His own Spirit who lives inside our regenerated hearts. So ours is not just an attitude of quiet confidence in God but such a complete and utter dependence on Him that we can sleep soundly, undisturbed and unperturbed in every situation. 

“A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping!” – Mark 4:37-38 (MSG)

Rest in God gives us the ability, like Jesus, to sleep during the storms of life and stay afloat in the worst floods that may threaten to take us under but we are seated with Jesus in the Throne Room of heaven above the futility of this world, above the din and the noise, above the struggles and the challenges, above the ceaseless religious works and striving of the flesh – this is rest in God.

Rest in God is to be totally dependent on His saving work, the Divine work that only God can accomplish; it’s where the impossible is possible. Rest in God is to experience “Thy Kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven” – a taste of eternity. Rest in God is where the unsearchable things of God become searchable; it is to live in God’s reality and revelation. Rest in God sets us free from wrestling with issues and offers us in exchange for our weariness and heavy loads, easy yokes and light burdens. 

Rest in God is not a physical rest done through our efforts, but a spiritual rest apprehended only by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit; it’s where God is the centre and fills everything. Rest in God is a place of no fear, and no limitations; it brings us out on the other side of destruction, unscathed.

Rest in God is an active rest but it’s not our activity, for God does not require our help in solving our problems, because, as His children, our problems are His problems and He is pleased to save us. 

The work at Calvary has already secured a wonderful rest for us and has redeemed us from the endless fighting to obtain and maintain. Rest in God is a higher form of rest whose concept seems ridiculous to the world’s thinking because it goes against everything that we’ve been brought up to believe. “Rest in God” creates discomfort and discombobulation for the religious mind because such a mind cannot relate to such things; it’s incomprehensible to the one who believes that he must labour to dig a well then labour to draw from it rather than receive the water freely from a natural spring. 

Rest in God is a cessation of all our work in amassing material things, it is to leave the wilderness and enter the Promised Land, it is having a heart for God to believe, trust and obey Him and to cling to His truth which states,

“…he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own. Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].” – Hebrews 4:10-11 (AMPC).

Amen†

Rest in God

Shelley Johnson July 28, 2017

Jesus goes missing!

The Festival was over, and the caravan was on its way back home. For eleven years they’d done this journey without incident, so why would it be any different this twelfth year? But it was – Jesus goes missing!

After travelling an entire day, Jesus’ parents, expecting that He was somewhere among family and friends in the caravan, were unaware that He was missing. Retracing their steps, they went in search of their little boy, and found Him after three days of separation. He was in the Temple, and He was different, changed – no longer the same. (read Luke 2:41-52)

Three days completely immersed in the will of God can do that to a person. How can you remain the same after that? You too will be found different and changed. Even your closest relatives are ignorant of where you are and what is transpiring with you spiritually, and they fail to recognize that the “you” they’ve always known is missing.

Within you, as His temple, a unique sense of identity is manifested. Your usual worship gives place to extraordinary fellowship with the Father. Just as it is in pregnancy, something begins to grow inside you, an enlarging that you can feel though it’s not yet obvious to anyone else. It is the work of the Holy Spirit stirring deep within, restoring that connectivity to God that was lost…a cementing of your relationship with the Father.

During those days of separation, your spiritual awareness is piqued and that’s when you know that your life is about to change in ways unimaginable, a life that will follow a path you’ve never before tread. And, like Jesus, you also go “missing” as your metamorphosis begins to unfold – the person you once knew is fading away. Changes, some subtle, almost undetectable, while others are drastic. A complete 180⁰ turn, a transition from the “old man” to the new creature (see 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV).

Searching for the old you, expecting to find you familiar, but instead a re-born unfamiliar you who’s growing in spiritual wisdom emerges – you've found Jesus.

Amen†

Jesus goes missing!

Shelley Johnson July 27, 2017

Leaves are not Green

“So we do not set our sights on the things we can see with our eyes. All of that is fleeting; it will eventually fade away. Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on.” – 2 Corinthians 4:18 (VOICE)

Just because we cannot hear the sound of a dog whistle doesn’t mean that it’s not being blown, it’s merely above the range of human hearing. This is similar to the spiritual, in that, some things are out of our range of awareness, or to put it another way, what we are currently aware of is not all there is to be aware of.

In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Apostle Paul is exhorting us to trust in what is and not in what is seen because there’s far more than meets the eye. We have been raised to place our trust and confidence in only what we can hear or see but that is a fallacy rooted in the world’s system of belief, for the world says that seeing is believing, but our Lord Jesus says, “…better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.” (John 20:29 MSG)

To look up and not see a single star in the night sky surely does not diminish our belief in the existence of the stars. Living by only what we can see, and acting purely upon the things we hear or overhear, is not the way God wants His children to operate. We have been inculcated with many of the world’s misconceptions from childhood, so it is too easy for us to accept illusion as reality but we must resolve to understand that what we see or think we see may not be a true reflection of what is.

For instance, leaves are not green, but appear green because of the light they reflect. 

Everything we can see with our eyes is simply a matter of our perception, our perspective, our view and our interpretation of the symbols and signals that we receive; it’s what determines the way we see things, situations and circumstances. We allow our eyes and our ears to affect our beliefs, and our beliefs contribute to our experiences. If we change what we believe, we can change our circumstances.

“The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7 (VOICE)

The inherent truth of existence lies, not in our own ability to see, but in our trust in an omniscient God. Trusting in Him, in absolute conviction of faith that recognizes that there are realities that are unseen and unknown. When we can put aside our own reality and give ourselves over to the One who resides beyond this reality, the One who truly knows (see Psalm 139), only then will we experience the better blessings of which Jesus spoke. 

Amen†

Leaves are not Green

Shelley Johnson July 25, 2017

The First Fruit

A new Pastor, at his first weekly Bible study session, asked a question: “Who can tell me what the first fruit…?”

The words were barely out of his mouth before the hands of those eager to show off their biblical knowledge, sprung up. Hesitant but curious, the Pastor decided to indulge their agitation and pointed to sister Millie, a devoted Bible study attendee, “I never miss it, rain or shine” was her usual assertion; with a smug grin, she stood and said, “The apple…from the tree…in the Garden of Eden.” Then, looking from left to right at the others who shared the pew, took her seat, satisfied with her answer.

Next, brother Howard, the choir master “for well over two decades” was his proud declaration, cleared his throat, stood up and said, “Well, it can only be the first fruits presented to the prophet Elisha as recorded in 2 Kings 4:42, yes, Elisha, second Kings.” Stressing unnecessarily on the “d” in second, he seemed to marvel at his own brilliance, he then surveyed the room looking at no-one in particular, cleared his throat for no seeable reason, and sat down.

Pastor pursed his lips and motioned respectfully to Mrs. Watts the elder, her daughter-in-law was the younger. Her always well-manicured hand was raised high above her always bewigged head. The elder did not stand as she offered, with much dignity and exaltation, “The fig of the fig-less fig tree.” With a contemptuous smirk of utter self-satisfaction, and stroking her gold-engraved Bible cover, she looked at each face yet did not even notice the expression of sheer horror that had possessed the Pastor’s.

 

At this point, their new Pastor had heard more than he could stomach, and quickly composing himself, he asked, deliberately and slowly, “Now, who…can tell me…what…the first fruit…of the Spirit is?” Not a hand went up. The pang of disappointment that stabbed his heart came as a surprise. Ignoring it, he pressed on, “Please, turn to Galatians 5:22.” Pages fluttered as everyone searched for the epistle. He read aloud from his Bible…

“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others…” (MSG)

Now it was his turn to look around at those in attendance, hoping that the words might evoke some understanding but all he saw were blank faces. Silence pervaded the atmosphere, as the Pastor, his voice almost a whisper, said, “Love”. An unexpected wave of compassion filled his heart as he continued to speak to them...

“Love is the first fruit that Paul lists in Galatians five. The first fruit that we must all bear before we are able to bear any of the others on that list. First Corinthians thirteen, verses four and five…Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited, arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude, unmannerly, and does not act unbecomingly. Love, God’s love in us, does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful…” (AMPC)

Pausing for a moment, the Pastor prayed silently for the seed of God’s Word to find root in their hearts, for what he had just witnessed made him realize that these devout and ardent church-goers were only that – church-goers. This was a congregation that did its duty. They attended weekly Bible study without fail; they attended church every Sunday without fail; leaders and stewards; choir and committee members; organizers of tea parties and fundraisers. They were all good Christian folk who did not know what the first fruit of the Spirit is. 

Good Christians who were not concerned about “things like affection for others”, but were focused on things to do. They were good church-going Christian people who had no understanding of the Word. Regular church-goers consistently feeding on candy-bar Christianity – sweet but containing no nutritional value. People in church but not the Church.

The Pastor, from this brief interaction, recognized that much was lacking, most of all the very first element that comprised the fruit of the Holy Spirit, Love. He became keenly aware that these were people who, perhaps, over the years, had lost sight of what was really important. 

Have you lost sight of what’s really important? Have you replaced the first fruit of love with fig-less-ness? 

Each one of us is called to love – “to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love others in the same way you love yourself. There are no commandments more important than these.” (Mark 12:30, 31 VOICE)

Beloved, it is not easy to love but God is love and if we are His, then we must learn how to authentically love. Receiving His love will enable us to give love, for the source of our love lies not in ourselves but in the One who is Love. “First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.” (1 John 4:19 MSG).

Amen†

The First Fruit

Shelley Johnson July 20, 2017

A Little Leaven

“You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? This detour doesn’t come from the One who called you into the race in the first place. And please don’t toss this off as insignificant. It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread.” – Galatians 5:7-9 (MSG)

Think about this for a moment: 99% of food containing 1% of poison can kill a grown man. 

Like that 1% of poison, a minute amount of yeast – a little leaven – is deadly! Leaven, in Scripture, is used in most instances to symbolize the effects of sin, and even though some verses speak of a little leaven or yeast, that does not mean that there are varying degrees of sin, no, sin is sin and must never be quantified. Apostle Paul was trying to get an important point across to the Galatians at that time, and also to us today. It was important for them then and equally important for us now, to understand that just as a little leaven causes all the dough to rise, so too a mere speck of sin is enough to permeate an entire person, household, community, nation and church. 

When sinful behaviour, even in “small” amounts, is permitted, disregarded, or ignored, its results will be the same as leaven’s effect on dough. Jesus, in Matthew 13:33, helps us to further understand this effect that leaven has, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” My friends, the effects of a little leaven cannot be stressed enough, and we must not discount its power. 

Satan, and his advocates, have a way of convincing people that it’s just a little sin so there’s nothing wrong with that. But Galatians 5:9 uses the word “permeate” to describe the consequences of a little leaven, a little sin. Do you truly understand what that means? Permeate is to spread or flow throughout, to penetrate through the pores, to get into every part, to saturate, infiltrate, seep into…are you getting the picture? Left to do its thing, sin, like leaven, will spread and spread quickly throughout its host; seeping into every crevice, nook and cranny; hastily getting out of control like flood water or a raging wild fire. And all this happens unseen. 

According to Paul, all it takes is a simple deflection from the true course of obedience – a minor detour from your spiritual path, a casual stumble out of the will of God – it’s as “simple” as that. 

But the news isn’t all bad because we serve a God who never leaves His people without hope. His Word assures us that He has already made a way for us to get back on course (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). God has provided a solution to our little leaven problem – Repentance! 

Repenting is the very first step towards removing the leaven. You’re probably saying, “But we all sin and fall short of God’s glory though”, and that’s the Truth, but you have a choice to continue to run along in sin, or turn in the opposite direction, so that you can get back in the race mapped out for you by God Himself, running superbly with Spirit as your running mate and this time, side-stepping anyone who tries to cut in on you.

Amen†

A Little Leaven

Shelley Johnson July 19, 2017

Sneaky Sin

Sin is designed to lure and entrap you in the most surreptitious of ways. The devil is a master of disguise who veils his schemes in things that appear to be innocuous. He wraps sin up in a variety of packaging, often under the guise of fun and entertainment – a t.v. show, a play, a game, a movie, even a song, are not exempt from his methods of deceit, he will place his mark on them all as he seeks to entangle and destroy you. It is his sneaky way of distracting the unsuspecting believer away from the Lord and getting you mired in sin.

Beloved, sin can begin as the smallest and simplest of distractions. Something that seems to be just innocent fun turns out to be innocent fun with a side order of sin and sadly, many times, you’ve placed that order yourself. The devil’s expertise is sneakiness and you cannot afford to be deceived. Because Satan is so crafty and adept at his trade – he has had thousands of years to perfect it – it is easy to be outwitted by him but you cannot allow folly to outweigh wisdom. 

Without becoming fanatical, you need to get into the habit of carefully examining the things that you’re getting involved in. The seemingly “innocent fun” things that are demanding all your attention and taking you into the idol worship zone, is a trap that anyone can fall into without even realizing it.

Apostle Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians 10 to stay away from idol worship. He reminds us about what happened to the Israelites who indulged in idol worship and subsequently other sinful behavior while they were on their sojourn to the Promised Land. 

When your focus has shifted to constantly engaging in everything other than the things of God, you’re going to encounter the problem of yielding to temptation. The devil is counting on your willingness to compromise but Christians must set an example of restraint. It is not an easy road to walk but if you are sincere and serious, walk you must, always keeping in mind that you are not alone on your journey, you have an aid, a helper, a guide, advocate and counselor – the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will give you a heads up if you’ll be sensitive to His nudging and attentive to His leading. 

The Israelites had the presence of God with them constantly, night and day, hovering and covering, yet still they chose to be wayward. They committed sexual sins, had wild drunkard parties, complained bitterly and tested Christ. Please know that you can’t have it both ways; you cannot expect to have the Holy Spirit and partake in sin at the same time. God will not occupy the same space as sin. 

The Apostle wrote,

“They all ate the same spiritual food, and they all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from that spiritual rock that was with them, and that rock was Christ. But God was not pleased with most of those people…So anyone who thinks they are standing strong should be careful that they don’t fall. The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God…when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation…So, my dear friends, stay away from worshiping idols. You are intelligent people.” – 1 Corinthians 10:3-5, 12, 13, 14, 15 (ERV)

You are intelligent, trust God, He is your escape, ask Him for wisdom to recognize that sneaky sin that can so easily entrap you.

Amen†

Sneaky Sin

Shelley Johnson July 17, 2017

Fruit Inspector

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” – Matthew 7:15-20 (NLT)

Did you notice that just before Jesus begins explaining about fruit identification, He warned His listeners about false prophets? False prophets were as big a problem back then as they are today. Some of the Temple hierarchy were not who they presented themselves to be, and Jesus wanted to make sure that they could be spotted. And today, some false prophets have so honed their craft that they cannot be easily recognized even by their actions and that is why it is so important for us to become fruit inspectors, not to condemn but to warn and be warned.

But how can we identify the fruit in others when we are not sure of the fruit we’re bearing? First of all we have to properly learn about the fruit we are expected to bring forth and bear it ourselves. We are to inspect others' fruit as well as our own. 

From Jesus’ words, it is clear that we are to bear good fruit, not bad, unless you want to be “chopped down and thrown into the fire”. This good fruit has to do with the Christ-like characteristics, we as His followers must display. The problem is, we live in a society consumed by greed, selfishness, pride, envy, malice, jealousy and hate, where everyone is trying to outdo the other but if we are sincere about our desire to be like Jesus, bearing the fruit of which He speaks, then we need to set aside self-interests. 

The truth is, good fruit does not originate with us but comes from Christ’s own Spirit. It is the fruit of the Spirit, a gift from God which manifests when we abide in Jesus Christ, and it is made up of nine elements,

“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” – Galatians 5:22,23 (NLT)

One fruit with nine parts and every one of them must be cultivated in us if we are to reflect Jesus’ character. We cannot do anything on our own to manifest this fruit, the fruit of the Spirit can only be developed in us through His working within us. It’s a necessary on-going transformation process that can be very painful at times.

These elements were lost to us when Adam abdicated his position that day in the Garden. And in his attempts to compensate for his loss of fruit and hide from the presence of God, he covered himself with leaves. Just like the fig tree that Jesus cursed was full of leaves but no fruit…so were Adam and Eve, immediately after eating the forbidden fruit and so it is with the religious false prophets, they are full of leaves but no fruit.

Like Jesus we must be able to see through the leaves, which represent a false piety – a religious covering, a hiding from the presence of God, but God will always expose leaf wearers…He sees through everything, there’s no hiding from Him. God wants us to see past the leaves, observe the fruit of others, and inspect it carefully and if there’s anything that does not appear as it should, we need to “Beware”.

Amen†

Fruit Inspector

Shelley Johnson July 6, 2017