The O’s Have It!

 

To me the adjective that best describes all the various and varying attributes of God is “infinite”.

Here are some other words for infinite that might paint a better picture:

boundless, immense, endless, limitless, very great, vast, unbounded, unlimited, never-ending, interminable, immeasurable, fathomless, extensive, great, huge, enormous, supreme, absolute, great

Infinite describes God’s own character – it is Who He is. Today I invite you to take a brief look with me at just three specific attributes of God. I say brief since an exhaustive study of a topic such as this is well beyond the scope of this blog.

God is infinite in His power, Omnipotent

God is infinite in His being, Omnipresent

God is infinite in His wisdom, Omniscient

Yes, the O’s have it!

OMONIPOTENT is the attribute of God that describes His ability to do whatever He wills. God not only is powerful but has complete control over His power to do with power all that power can do. The word omnipotent, though not found in the Bible is certainly apparent in the Scriptures.

O Lord God! You have made the heavens and earth by Your great power; nothing is too hard for You! 

(Jeremiah 32:17 TLB)

God is a free being who controls all the power that is. He can do all things.

OMNIPRESENT is the attribute of God that describes His ability to be present everywhere at once. He fills the universe in all its parts – the whole of God is present in every place, at the same time, even in every born-again believer through His Holy Spirit. God is in you and all around you. Everything, everywhere, in the universe is immediately in the presence of God. The omnipresence of God is wonderfully brought out by David in Psalm 139.

 I can never get away from my God!

(Psalm 139:7 TLB)

God is not an amorphous mass, He is three distinct Persons in One, the Trinity, and where one is all are.

OMNISCIENT is the attribute of God that describes His ability to perfectly and eternally know all things that can be known. He eternally knows what He knows, what He has known, and what He will know. God is not limited by time and space as we know time and space, therefore He is in the past, He is in the present, and He is in the future at once, so that His knowledge is fathomless. The omniscience of God is clearly taught in Scripture.

 Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His wisdom and knowledge…! 

(Romans 11:33 TLB)

God does not depend on a process of reasoning; He is all-inclusive knowing the end from the beginning.

Beloved, God cannot deny Himself and so we ought not to deny Who He is. All-Powerful, Ever-Present, All-Knowing are descriptive of Who God is, therefore these adjectives, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, cannot be separated but must be interwoven if we are to truly grasp and understand the character of our God – infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His power, His being, and His knowledge.

Amen†

 

Shelley Johnson “The O’s Have It!” © 2016 revisited July 29, 2025

 

 

My Cup Overflows!

 

“…my cup overflows. Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life…”  (Psalm 23:5,6 NIV)

If that isn’t a positive affirmation, I don’t know what is.

Imagine yourself, for a moment, filling a large jug with water into a teacup without stopping when the teacup is full. What do you see?

What if you changed the jug into a hose that’s attached to a fully opened tap? What do you see?

That’s how God wants to bless you. He wants you to experience a continuous source of supply, like gushing water from a tap, always flowing into your cup, filling it up to the brim and then overflowing.

This outpouring of God’s blessings was not and is not exclusively David’s but you too can have a life of Divine favour and grace upon grace, by drinking of the cup of Salvation through Jesus Christ and coming into genuine relationship with Him. David had a genuine relationship with God and was blessed in that relationship.

Beloved, know that God longs to fill every area of your life again and again with His goodness, and His love each day of your life. God’s desire is for you to be pursued by His abundant bountiful provision, always and everywhere no matter where you are.

How wonderful to be the recipient of such a beyond-your-imagination blessing – far more abundantly beyond all that you ask or think (see Ephesians 3:20).

Can you see yourself so blessed?

Can you believe that such a blessing can be yours?

Will you believe that it is already yours?

Yes, it can, it will if you just believe, for it is when you believe that you see…

“Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” (John 11:40 NLT);

it is when you believe that you will have…

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22 NIV);

it is when you speak what you believed, that it is manifested…

“I believed in God, so I spoke.” (2 Corinthians 4:13 NLT).

Beloved, your responsibility is to believe, only believe, and to speak, affirming, like David, every day, “My Cup Overflows!”, until you see, until you have, and until it is manifested.

Amen†

Shelley Johnson “My Cup Overflows!”  © 2016 revisited July 28, 2025

 

Thank God for you

“I am constantly thanking God for you in my prayers.” – Philemon 4 (Voice)

That’s what Paul said to Philemon. He considered Philemon to be a great blessing to him and not only did he tell him so, he lets Philemon know that he constantly thanks God for him as well. Have you ever thanked God for the people in your life? Read Paul’s prayers for Philemon in Philemon 4-6.

You may be thinking that it was easy for Paul to thank God for his friend because of the joy, comfort, and love he brought to him and to others, but the circumstances of your association ought not to make a difference in your remembering to present others to God in prayer.

Offering genuine prayers for people is an act of love which does not go unnoticed. For instance, it was when Job prayed for his friends that God restored his fortunes, even doubling the wealth that he had before (Job 42:10).

Why don’t you make a concerted effort to remember to thank God for the people who have affected your life? Given some thought, you’d realize that each person has been a blessing in one way or another, even if it may not be readily apparent. People aren’t placed in your life for no reason, and though some come for just a fleeting season, you must appreciate the role every one of them has played and continues to play.

Paul’s habit of remembering others when he prayed is evidenced in all his epistles. For example, in Romans 1:8, he writes, “Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you…”, in Ephesians 1:16, “I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly” and in Philippians 1:3, he says, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” How encouraged they must have felt knowing that someone was praying for them.

We all need to be prayed for, even the most highly regarded Christians – do not for a moment believe that priests and pastors, ministers and members of the clergy, Bishops and preachers, and the Pope are not in need of prayer. Just read John chapter seventeen and you will see that the entire chapter is devoted solely to Jesus praying, first for Himself, then His Disciples, and finally, for all Believers.

Beloved, if Jesus did it, who are you not to? Form a habit of thanking God for the people He blesses you with, and wherever possible, let them know you are praying for them, it’ll make a difference in their lives.

Amen†

 

Shelley Johnson “Thank God for you” © 2016 revisited July 27, 2025   

God owns Everything! – Part II

 

“When you come to grips with “God owns Everything!” and live as God’s faithful steward, God will always give you extra and you’ll begin to truly live the life of enjoyment and abundance that Jesus Christ came to give.”

That’s the final line from yesterday’s blog post, Part one of “God owns Everything!”

The fact is, to live as God’s faithful steward extends far beyond the physical. Stewardship is an evaluation of your trustworthiness, not just of what’s physically apparent but more importantly, God is looking for someone He could trust with true riches, the things that are eternal.

Stewardship is embedded in the spiritual. God entrusts to you money and other material possessions to determine how much He can trust you with, spiritually.

How much you have is not the determining factor, it’s how you manage what you have that is the indication of your spiritual reliability.

Jesus said, “If you cannot be trusted with worldly riches, you will not be trusted with the true riches. And if you cannot be trusted with the things that belong to someone else, you will not be given anything of your own.” – Luke 16:11-12 (ERV)

The only possession that is your own is in eternity and your stewardship of worldly riches will impact upon the eternal.

When you finally come to terms with and genuinely understand, that every financial decision is a spiritual decision, you will realize that the way you think about money and possessions must change – it’s a whole different way of thinking.

You begin to “see” that it really is all God’s and what you do with what belongs to Him can no longer be your decision, but the decision has to be His and His alone.

Your question must now be, “How does God want me to use this money?” and the only way to find out is to ask God. Keep in mind that it’s not just money but it’s every possession you have, your house, your car, yourself.

How can you use what God has given you to serve both God’s purpose and the needs of others?

So, it is clear that in order to live as God’s faithful steward, you cannot be focused on yourself. Selfishness is a breeding ground for unhappiness because it’s when you are behaving selfishly that you complain the most about everything. And who can enjoy life when they’re constantly complaining?

Think about that for a moment.

Beloved, be willing to give, and give cheerfully (read Malachi 3:10-11 & 2 Corinthians 9:7). That willingness can only come from a renewed heart and a transformed mind, eager to please God – “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:21 NLT).

What you do with what you have reveals the truth about your priorities. Even in this, is a reflection of what’s really going on deep within you beyond your conscious thoughts (read Luke 6:45).

God owns Everything!

Resign yourself to that truth, and you will see just how easy your life will become. It is freeing, because, the truth will always set you free. Free to give – it is easy to give cheerfully when you know it does not belong to you, since you’re not trying to selfishly hold on to it.

It is easy to be a cheerful giver when you know that by giving that which belongs to God, you’re actually engaged in doing the will of God.

It’s easy to give cheerfully when you know that the more you give the more you will receive (read 2 Corinthians 9:6-10, 1 Chronicles 29:14 & Luke 6:38).

Now that you know the truth, let go of ownership and enter into freedom, the freedom of stewardship where you get to enjoy the perks of ownership as you manage the property of the true owner, God, the owner of Everything.

Amen†

 

Shelley Johnson “God owns Everything! – Part II” © 2016 revisited July 26, 2025

 

God owns Everything! – Part I

 

“…all the world is mine and everything in it.” – Psalm 50:12 (NLT)

Your life experiences influence the way you think – from childhood you’ve been programmed by one thing or another, one person or another and altogether these have marked and continue to mark your thinking and ultimately your beliefs about many things, including how you value money and other material possessions.

Do you know that there are over 2000 verses in the Bible that, directly and indirectly, deal with money, finances, and possessions? The book of Proverbs alone is full of financial wisdom. This tells you that, how you view and treat with these things is important to God. He cares so much about it that He has given instructive lessons, throughout the Bible.

One of the very first things you learn is that God owns everything since He created everything (Genesis 1:1) and if He created it, then He owns it.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.” – Psalm 24:1-2 (NLT)

Here, it’s plain to see, creation establishes ownership: you belong to God along with everything you think is yours. Like Adam and Eve, you were created by God and placed in a garden that He also created, and, just as they left the Garden with nothing, so too you will have to leave behind, in this garden, everything you think you own.

“People come into the world with nothing. And when they die, they leave with nothing.” – Ecclesiastes 5:15a (ERV) (also read 1 Timothy 6:7) 

It is sometimes hard to come to grips with this, especially if you have worked hard to earn and are successful. But the truth is that even if you’ve worked hard for everything – house, land, car, boat, furniture – you still have to leave it all behind.

“They might work hard to get things, but they cannot take anything with them when they die.” – Ecclesiastes 5:15b

Everything belongs to God!

Understand that whether or not you have worked your fingers to the bone to acquire stuff, it is God who has given you that power and ability. You don’t have to believe me, you can read it for yourself in Deuteronomy 8:17-18.

“Don’t ever say to yourself, ‘I got all this wealth by my own power and ability.’ Remember the Lord your God is the one who gives you power to do these things. He does this because he wants to keep the agreement that he made with your ancestors, as he is doing today!” (ERV)

There is still another problem, and it is a worldwide epidemic that afflicts every single human being – selfishness.

Selfishness is a tricky affliction that can hide itself, making you think that you don’t suffer from it. Other people certainly, but never you, after all, you give money to the poor and to orphans and donation sheets.

Selfishness is in every financial decision that you make. You base your financial decisions on what’s best for you in your situation; even the money you donate so “freely” to charity is selfishly motivated because your giving, solely depends on how you feel. You give because it makes you feel good, you feel that you look good or both – it’s all about you. When your thoughts are set on “me” and “I” that is selfishness.

Right now, your view about what you have is all about you. You do not truly realize that your entire existence depends upon God. God is the owner of everything, not you. You are not the owner and you have to let go of ownership.

When you let go of ownership, that is when you enter genuine financial freedom. When you let go of ownership, that is when you begin to truly believe that God is Jehovah Jireh, your Provider, the supplier of all your needs.

However, to believe this requires a different way of thinking, a re-programming of your thought process, from thinking like the owner to thinking like the steward of someone else’s possessions. Actually, that is who you are: a steward who manages someone else’s property, and that someone else is God.

To change from thinking like the owner to manager will take some doing but it is not impossible and for you to truly enjoy what you have, you must do it and if you are a steward who does well at managing you’ll be given more to manage and more to enjoy (read Luke 16:10 and 1 Timothy 6:17).

Understand beloved, that being the steward and not the owner does not mean that you’re destined for the poor house, it simply means that you are giving up control of ownership and it certainly does not mean that you will no longer enjoy life, actually you will enjoy life more because true enjoyment comes from God for those who do the will of God, it is a gift (read Ecclesiastes 2:24-25) – there’s no price tag on enjoyment. You get the privilege as you learn to manage.

When you come to grips with “God owns Everything!” and live as God’s faithful steward, God will always give you extra and you’ll begin to truly live the life of enjoyment and abundance that Jesus Christ came to give.

“I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” – John 10:10 (AMPC)

Amen†

 

Shelley Johnson “God owns Everything! – Part I” © 2016 revisited July 25, 2025

 

 

 

 

What about Bathsheba?

 

I am sure that you have heard countless sermons about David and his accomplishments, from his defeat of the giant Goliath to his conquests in battle. But there is a particular account that you would have heard but not without its sugar coating, and that is the story of David’s encounter with Bathsheba.

We know about David but what about Bathsheba?  Have you ever paid attention to what we don’t hear from the pulpit but what is smeared all over 2 Samuel chapter eleven?

Long story short…

Bathsheba was married to a guy named Uriah who showed loyal devotion to his king, David and to his duty as a soldier in David’s army.

It was a Springtime evening when king David took a walk on the roof of the palace. From this vantage point he saw a beautiful woman bathing; intrigued, David sent someone to find out about her. Upon his return, the man told David everything he had found out, including Bathsheba’s name and the fact that she was “the wife of Uriah the Hittite”

Undaunted, David made a decision. David, the king, a man after God’s own heart, made a decision in his heart.

Now might be a good time to remind you that “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adultery, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and insults.” (Matthew 15:19 CEB)

Notice that the bible makes a point of telling us that Bathsheba, “was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness”. In other words, at that time, she would have been observing a period of abstinence and separation from her husband. After king David did what he did to Bathsheba, she ‘conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”’

We often hear of David and Bathsheba’s adulterous affair, but was it? Was it an affair or something else? To me an affair is consensual, where both parties consent to an entanglement outside of their bonds of marriage.

This, however, was not that. Let’s look at a few verses from 2 Samuel 11.

David, “saw a woman bathing”

“David sent someone to find out about her”

“David sent messengers to get her”

David, “slept with her”

David, David, David, David. What about Bathsheba? Bathsheba did not consent to this encounter. Yes, of course, she went when he sent for her, after all, David is the king of Israel.

When the king summons you, you go. Well, not Vashti but Bathsheba went, and most of us, if not all of us would go. There’s no indication that Bathsheba had any idea why she was being summoned.

Beloved, let’s not pretend. Bathsheba was a victim of rape. She was not a willing participant in David’s scheme. This was no lovey-dovey affair.

Then to make matters worse, David in an attempt to cover up this whole debacle, devises another terrible scheme and ultimately sends unsuspecting Uriah to his death, and Bathsheba mourns.

 ^“When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband.” – 2 Samuel 11:26 (CEB)

She mourned for her husband and undoubtedly grieved over everything that had transpired.

What about Bathsheba?

After the period of mourning, the king sent for Bathsheba yet again but this time he married her.

Bathsheba gave birth to their son, but that baby, conceived through an act of defilement, died just seven days later. (see 2 Samuel 11:27) – still, she must have mourned for her baby boy.

What…about...Bathsheba?

Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon (read 2 Samuel 12). Yes, that same Solomon “whose wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt.” (1 Kings 4:30 NLT). Yes, that same Solomon who became king after his father David (see 1 Kings 1:28-53).

And what about Bathsheba?

Bathsheba “went to ask the favor of King Solomon. The king stood up from his throne as she entered and bowed low to her. He ordered that a throne for his mother be placed beside his; so she sat at his right hand.” – 1 Kings 2:19 (TLB)

Bathsheba, after all that she’d been through, received honour. God did not forget his daughter. He gave her “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that [she] might be called [a tree] of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” (see Isaiah 61:3 KJV)

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “What about Bathsheba?” © July 23, 2025

 

 

 

My Cross to Bear

 

photo by Sarai

At the end of a rather intense discourse, in a most forlorn tone, my chat mate said to me, “I guess it’s my cross to bear” I did not respond but I did think of the many times I’ve heard people make this claim when referring to some sort of hardship or challenge they were experiencing.

“…my cross to bear”

Why are you bearing a cross after Jesus has already done so on your behalf? Are you negating what the Lord has already done? Or are you prepared to become a walking crucifix – surrendering yourself to the will of God, living as an example of Christ here and now in the way you carry yourself, think, and treat others?

“Jesus said to everyone, “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me.” – Luke 9:23 (CEB)

Bearing your cross has nothing to do with tolerating your ill-tempered boss.

Bearing your cross has nothing to do with your decision to remain in a loveless, contactless non-communication marriage.

Bearing your cross has to do with revealing to others the life-changing Jesus who is yearning for them to accept Him into their hearts.

Bearing your cross has to do with pointing others in the direction of the Source of all that is Real and Beautiful and True.

Bearing your cross has to do with reminding others of that which they have already affirmed so that they’ll remain on the path of Life.

Bearing your cross has to do with helping others see that God is not remote but is wherever they are.

Bearing your cross has to do with seeing another dimension – the holy and the sacred that are present here and now.

Bearing your cross has to do with having a moving, worshipful and spiritual experience as you say no to yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Jesus.

Bearing your cross has everything to do with Jesus.

Yes beloved, go right ahead and declare, “It is my cross to bear” but when you do, make sure you’re saying it for all the right reasons.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “My Cross to Bear” © July 22, 2025

 

Something to think about: "Supplication"

 

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

“Supplication” – what does it mean?

I got the same definition everywhere I looked, “asking or begging for something earnestly”, “to plead humbly”, “to beg”, but somehow, I felt there was more to it than that, like when you just know that something is missing.

Over the years I’ve learnt that we need not beg God for anything; the asking I could relate to since Jesus in Matthew 7:7,8 (ESV) told us, “Ask, and it will be given to you…For everyone who asks receives”.

This was definitely something to think about and think about it I did. I was not about to let this one rest. I knew there was more to it than what these dictionaries were offering me.

“Supplication” – what does it really mean?

Throwing out the “begging” and the “pleading” we’re left with “asking for something earnestly, humbly”.

Earnestly speaks of being sincere and serious about your intention and purpose, while humbly is about making yourself “low”, not simply by physically bowing down but it’s more about your attitude, your behavior, your approach, and your spirit. Let’s search the Word of God for a better understanding…

Philippians 2:5,6,7 (ESV)

“Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God…emptied himself…”

 1 Corinthians 15:28 (ESV)

“the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things in subjection under Him, that God may be all in all.”

 Matthew 26:39 (ESV)

And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.

 Jesus “emptied Himself”, was “subjected” to God so that “God may be all in all”, and “He fell on His face” before God, giving up His will to the will of the Father.

And this is what I believe is the true meaning of supplication – to be in complete submission to God where, like Jesus, you can sincerely say to God “Your will be done”.

“Supplication” is submitting to God’s plan for your life, His purpose, His guidance, and to be in obedience to God’s way.

“Supplication” is subjecting yourself to God’s leading and direction.

“Supplication” is surrendering your will to the will of God – His will supersedes.

“Supplication” is decreasing and allowing God to increase.

“Supplication” is being under God’s authority and control.

“Supplication” requires humility because without it there can be no submitting, no obeying, no subjecting, no surrendering, no decreasing, and no coming under anyone’s authority and control, not even God’s.

Beloved, when you go to God in prayer with thanksgiving to make your requests known, keep in mind that God knows what’s best for you and as you bow yourself down before Him in supplication you are in fact positioning yourself to receive. Now that’s something to think about. Amen?

Amen †

 

 

Shelley Johnson “Something to think about: Supplication” © 2016 revisited July 22, 2025

The Favor of God

 “…And Esther found favor in the sight of all who saw her.” – Esther 2:15 (AMP)

Some of you may have sung that familiar praise song that begins with the words, “The favor of God is upon me…”; but how many of you have sung it without truly believing those words? It is time to bring those words from your mouth into your heart.

That is what Esther did. Even though the name of God is not mentioned in the account of Esther’s story, her belief that the favor of God was upon her is evident and when the time came for Esther to draw on that favor, she did so without fear.

Aware of her predecessor’s fate, Esther, finding herself in a precarious situation, boldly declared, “though it is strictly forbidden, I will go in to see the king; and if I perish, I perish” (see Esther 4:16) and then confidently approached the king knowing that she was risking her life.

The king received Esther favorably and her life was spared, after all “the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.” – Esther 2:17 (ESV)

When you know and believe that you have the favor of God, you’re not fearful of approaching the Throne of the king and of the King of kings. Like Esther, if you find yourself in dire straits, before seeking natural favor, seek God for supernatural favor.

Natural favor is special treatment earned from some people sometimes, but supernatural favor is a gift from God that will cause you to be specially treated by everyone that lays their eyes on you.

Esther found both “favor and good success in the sight of God and man”. (see Proverbs 3:3-4)

You must remember that as a young Jewish orphan living in Persia in the time of Jewish captivity, the odds were stacked against Esther from the start. But God had given Esther favor and elevated her in a way that was humanly unthinkable – she married the king and became Queen of Persia – positioning her to carry out His will.

Esther did not have the best beginning, but she certainly had the greatest of endings. So do not despair if what you’re going through right now seems a hapless situation, instead, be confident that despite how utterly hopeless things may be looking from a human perspective, God can lift you out of the deepest pit. You have been given the favor of God.

The human perspective screams that there is no way out but never forget that God’s ways are vastly different from your own (see Isaiah 55:8). God has an awesome vantage point where He sees the end from the beginning (see Isaiah 46:10).

Beloved, you’re not able to imagine how things could ever turn out good but God already has the best solution to your problem; a solution you cannot begin to conceive “however, as the scripture says, What no one ever saw or heard, what no one ever thought could happen, is the very thing God prepared for those who love him.” (see 1 Corinthians 2:9). That’s the favor of God.

The favor of God is boundless, eternal, and available, all you have to do is believe and press on with complete confidence, knowing that He has already provided divine favor for every situation.

Amen†

Shelley Johnson “The Favor of God” © 2016 revisited July 21, 2025

 

 

 

What about Vashti?

 

He ordered them to bring in Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. The queen was a beautiful woman, and the king wanted to show off her beauty to the officials and all his guests. – Esther 1:11 (GNT)

Have you ever heard of Vashti? Did you even know that there was someone named Vashti in the bible? Vashti, married Xerxes, who became king of the newly formed Persian-Median Empire thereby making her queen. But then a time of celebration turned sour, particularly for Vashti.

Long story short…

Vashti was hosting an all-girls party while her husband, Xerxes, was hanging with his boys. These two parties were in full swing when Xerxes had a brilliant idea to send for Vashti to show her off to his, by this time, very drunk friends, acquaintances and associates.

Vashti’s husband, the king, must have been in a drunken stupor when he made that outrageous request of his wife, the queen. And when she refused to comply, he consulted with seven of his all-male panel of legal experts, to make a judgment on his wife’s disobedience. These men made a damning decision and Xerxes’ first queen was unceremoniously deposed, kicked out and banished, from the Empire. (The Book of Esther is an interesting read)

But as He usually does, “God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people” (Genesis 20:50 GNT)

You see, Vashti’s exit made way for Esther’s entrance.

But what about Vashti?

Vashti dared to defy her king’s demeaning command. She knew what the risks were but was willing to lose everything except her dignity. Vashti’s stand for justice paved the way for Esther to stand for justice. Both acts of defiance but while the former was forthright, the latter was subtle.

Xerxes used his position and authority against the dignity of his wife. How many men these days are doing the same? And how many women refuse to stand up to this type of utter humiliation or to speak out against this type of disrespect meted out to them? Sadly, this playbook hasn’t changed much.

Can you imagine a woman’s husband, boyfriend, partner, or even her boss, sending his assistants to bring her to his man cave to show her off to his drunk friends as some kind of prize or notch in his belt, to no doubt ogle and lust after her?

Well, that was king Xerxes’ intention when he ordered not one, not two but seven of his personal servants “to bring him Queen Vashti resplendent in her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the guests and officials” because, “She was extremely good-looking.” (MSG translation)

Vashti’s husband had neither respect for her as his wife nor regard for her position as queen of the Empire; that did not matter to him in the least. As far as he was concerned, he was king, she was his wife, his property, and so she was obliged to do his bidding.

Now, some would probably disagree with my perspective but think about it for one moment. I am sure that Vashti’s defiance would have spread far and wide throughout the king’s harem. That means that Esther would have heard about the incident, and it would have given her insight as to how to deal with Xerxes. Esther was no fool, she was courageous and wise and had enough time to devise a strategy of play to beat the king at his own game.

Beloved, from the pulpit, we always hear about Esther but, what about Vashti? No one speaks of her but she, like Esther, has earned her place of honourable mention. Let us not, like Xerxes, banish Vashti from the narrative.

Vashti’s role may have been brief but it was not unimportant. Do not discount her. God had a bigger plan in which Vashti played a pivotal role, for it opened a door for Esther to save an entire nation.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “What about Vashti?” © July 20, 2025

God has a Plan

 

This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head. – Ephesians 1:10 (GNT)

We are taught that salvation is only about us, about you and about me but from the above verse it’s pretty clear that salvation is about all of creation being restored.

Salvation is about all of creation being brought back into harmonious relationship under Jesus.

How was life in Eden?

Adam lived in perfect harmony with God and the rest of creation. Everything was good – everything was in balance and in tune, one with the other and with the Creator. And then, it was not.

That perfect communion was lost, stolen in the most surreptitious of ways. Man, bit into a lie and our ability to see Truth and to exist effortlessly was gone. But God had a plan then and God still has a plan; God has a plan of salvation, restoration and renewal and we play an integral role in His plan.

But, for us to fulfil our part we must first be restored.

Understand that God is not just interested in covering your sin, but in re-creating you; taking you back to a place of harmony, freedom, joy and love – reopening your spiritual eyes so that you may, once again, see Truth.

Beloved, it’s one thing to be saved but another to be made whole.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; - 1 Thessalonians 5:23a (AMP)

Too many are saved but “sick”, saved but oppressed, saved but empty, saved but disagreeable, saved but miserable, saved but spiritually clueless, saved but incomplete. They walk on the outskirts of their salvation, instead of working to complete it (see Philippians 2:12).

Have you been saved but remained exactly where your salvation occurred? Have you been saved but have not taken another step forward, unwilling to go deeper convinced that taking up your cross means to be heavy-laden, burdened by its weight, depressed by life’s problems and worried about your future? If so, then something has happened to you, but you haven’t allowed something to happen in you.

Beloved, you cannot continue like this. Salvation is for all of you “through and through”, “spirit, soul, and body—free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you will do it, because he is faithful.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23b & 24 GNT).

God specifically created you to be a part of His plan of the salvation of creation. Your role in the plan of God is important; God needs you. Will you answer His call?

Shelley Johnson “God has a Plan” © July 19, 2025

 

Dealing with Difficult Christians

On your spiritual walk, you will meet all types of people who are also on a similar path. Some are easy to deal with and unfortunately, others are not. Truth be told, there are Christians who are disagreeable and dealing with them is difficult.

People’s personal life experiences have an effect on the way they behave or act and being saved does not make them any less disagreeable. These Christians are, more often than not, persons who have been deeply hurt, they’re hurting people.

You have no idea what they may have been through or are going through so in dealing with such persons you have to draw upon the power of Jesus for control, of self and the situation.

It’s also good to remember that, like you, they too are created by God in His image and likeness. You have to change your perspective and see them as Jesus sees them, through eyes of Love.

No matter how they behave, respond to them, not with the same harsh words they may use but with patience, and kindness, and gentle words infused with love. Jesus is patient and kind and gentle with you every day and He always responds to you with Love.

As you continue along your spiritual journey you can rely on the Holy Spirit to cultivate in you godly characteristics that will cause you to respond to hurting people as Jesus does.

Beloved, as you get to know Jesus better, His divine power will give you everything you need for living a godly life.

Knowing God leads to self-control.

Self-control leads to patient endurance.

Patient endurance leads to godliness.

Godliness leads to “brotherly affection, and in your brotherly affection, [develop Christian] love [that is, learn to unselfishly seek the best for others and to do things for their benefit].”

[ref. 2 Peter 1:3 & 6-7]

Amen †

 

 

 

Shelley Johnson “Dealing with Difficult Christians” ©2013 revisited July 18, 2025

“How do I love again?”

 

Oh it was such a delightful day. Since then, you’ve been mistreated, cheated on, there’s no love, the faithfulness has gone, and you ask yourself, “How do I love again?”

That was Hosea’s predicament (see Hosea 1-3). His wife Gomer, the poster child for adultery, had abandoned him and their three children, but instead of divorcing her, suing for full custody, turning away, never looking back, and not even sparing a cursory sideways glance in her direction, Hosea, not only forgives his wife but spends money to buy her freedom.

You see, concerning that, sometimes we – husbands and wives – deceive ourselves, thinking we’d be better off elsewhere and we end up in situations that we can’t easily get out of. We find ourselves worse off than we ever were before.

That’s what happened to Gomer and rather than return home, she sold herself into slavery. Hosea had to buy her freedom.

But why didn’t Hosea just forget about her, leave her in her self-created mire and move on? There could only be one answer, God. God is the only one who could cause you to love again. Whether it’s that same person who has been caught up in a cycle of unfaithfulness or someone totally new, you still have to learn to love again.

To love again is an emotional healing process that takes time. When we are hurt badly, those wounds run deep and are terribly infected.

To love again requires those infected wounds to be opened and the poison removed. God alone knows how to perform this type of surgical procedure properly and thoroughly.

“Come and let us return [in repentance] to the Lord, For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.” – Hosea 6:1 (AMP)

Now, turning to look into a mirror, ask yourself honestly: “How many times have I been unfaithful, to others and to God?”

Emotional hurt is not exclusive to married couples. Every single day people hurt and are being hurt, emotionally as well as physically. Sometimes it is done deliberately, and at other times it is by accident or through ignorance – by words and by actions. But, however caused, that pain tears you apart, creates animosity, makes enemies, and destroys relationships.

Beloved, as you read the book of Hosea, recognize God’s unconditional love for you, His mercy and faithfulness towards you, and His utter forgiveness, coursing through the pages of this incredible story of true love, God’s love.

And as you read, know that God will never let you down, He never turns away from you no matter how often you turn away from Him. God is always ready and waiting to give you a fresh start, a new beginning.

Return to God, allow Him to heal you, remove the infection, bind up your wounds, and repair your broken heart, so that you can love again.

Amen†

 

Shelley Johnson “How do I love again?” © 2016 revisited July 17, 2025

 

 

 

You Are Not in this Alone

 

The Israelites, after their long sojourn in the wilderness, had become doubtful and discouraged even though they were now on the verge of the Promised Land.

God had brought them this far, yet they were demotivated and nervous about their fate, so God tells Moses to send 12 leaders, one from each tribe, to explore this land of abundance He had promised to give them. In doing so, they could see for themselves that the promise was real.

Upon their return, they gave this report,

“We went to the land to which you sent us and, oh! It does flow with milk and honey! Just look at this fruit! The only thing is that the people who live there are fierce, their cities are huge and well-fortified.” – Numbers 13:27-28 (MSG)

The evidence of the Promise was sure but there were challenges to overcome and obstacles to surmount.

Ten of the twelve scouts saw this opposition as invincible and concluded that it was not worth fighting for, while two of the twelve, Caleb and Joshua, saw the promise in all its rich abundance.

However, it was the disheartening part of the report that the people chose to accept and it made them question the validity of God’s promise.

How many of you are on the verge of your Promised Land but all you can see are the challenges before you?

God’s people always have, and always will, encounter obstacles on their way to receiving what He has promised; you are no exception.

Now pay attention to what Joshua and Caleb said,

“The land we walked through and scouted out is a very good land—very good indeed. If God is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land, a land that flows, as they say, with milk and honey. And He’ll give it to us. Just don’t rebel against God! And don’t be afraid of those people. Why, we’ll have them for lunch! They have no protection and God is on our side. Don’t be afraid of them!” – Numbers 14:7-9 (MSG)

Be the two and not the ten!

The majority of people can always find a reason not to believe and will go to extremes to convince you not to believe but if God has given you a promise, the opinion of the crowd doesn’t matter. All that matters is what God has told you.

Beloved, even if you stand alone, stand alone, because the truth is, you are not in this alone – God is with you. He is on your side. Not believing God is rebelling against God, so, only believe.

Those who see the obstacle as insurmountable or focus on their own ability, will be defeated and God offers them no protection.

You must put your faith and trust in the One who is able to do anything, far more than you could ever imagine, the One for whom nothing is too difficult to accomplish (see Ephesians 3:20 and Jeremiah 32:27) and believe that what He says will happen, will happen.

 Beloved, God will never say and not act, that’s not how He operates (Numbers 23:19). As a matter of fact, “God is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; He won’t leave you. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t worry.” – Deuteronomy 31:8 (MSG).

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “You Are Not in this Alone“ © 2017 revisited July 16, 2025

“Kamui”

 

It’s been a while since we’ve nibbled on some food for thought.

 I came across a word recently, not the usual Hebrew or Greek word used in Scripture, but a word linked to the first settlers of what we now know as Japan.  So, this word will never be found in your Bible – it is “Kamui” that has piqued my curiosity.

A brief back story: the Ainu were the aboriginal settlers of Japan. These indigenous people, migrating from as far as North America, lived in perfect harmony with nature, and their entire perspective of life centred around “Kamui”, the belief that every living thing possesses a sacred spirit; that everything in nature has a soul – trees, animals, rivers and streams – in other words, all of creation.

On hearing this, a Scripture verse immediately came to mind,

But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if my followers didn’t say them, these stones would shout them.” – Luke 19:40 (ERV)

Then, the creation story…

“And God said, Let the waters bring forth great quantities of creatures with living souls and fowl that may fly above the earth upon the face of the firmament of the heavens.” – Genesis 1:20 (JUB)

Then Noah and all the animals…

“So they went into the ark with Noah, two by two of all living beings in which there was the breath and spirit of life.” – Genesis 7:15 (JUB)

And that made me think of something else I’d once read…

“Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth?” – Ecclesiastes 3:21 (NRSVUE)

The soul, “nefesh” in Hebrew, is the vital substantial life force in all living creatures. God, at creation gave life to everything that He created.

Job 12:10 tells us that “the soul of every living thing” is in God’s hand.

photo by O'Reilly Lewis

In our origin story, ante-fall, Adam lived in perfect harmony with the rest of creation. Could this concept of “kamui” been the original intention of Creation? When God’s wind swept over and hovered over the void and God spoke life into existence and pronounced His creation as good, then formed man and placed him in the Garden; could this concept of “kamui” been the intention?

To live in harmony with all of creation, like the indigenous Ainu, and see God in every aspect of His creation; isn’t that how we are told to live?

This Truth is written clearly in Romans 12:16 (ESV), “Live in harmony with one another.” And Romans 1:20 (GNT) “Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made.”

This harmonious life is what existed once, where God brought all the animals to Adam, who named them (Genesis 2:19) and all the animals that lived in the ark with Noah and his family (Genesis 7:15-16) is evidence.

Beloved, let’s strive to live in harmony with each other, I know that the animal part is pushing it, but the prophet Isaiah tells us that,

“The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion will feed together, and a little child will lead them.”

So let us chew on this a while. Amen?

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Kamui” © July 15, 2025

 

 

Anything you ask in Jesus’ Name

 

In John 14:14 Jesus said, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (NKJV)

Jesus said it so you can be sure that it is a legitimate promise, ask anything in His Name and He will do it but that’s providing that the “anything” is for your good, appropriate, and in agreement with God’s will.

Jesus was actually having a private conversation with His disciples – His disciplined followers – in the upper room when He said this. He was making a promise to them, it was not meant for everybody and that is still the case today. However, many people proclaim this Scripture verse without understanding to whom it refers and that it’s conditional.

Too often we want to reap the benefits of God’s promises without doing our part. And, for some, it’s not that they don’t believe that God exists but they’re apathetic toward Jesus and basically ignore the Holy Spirit altogether – Father, Son and Spirit cannot be divorced from each other.

So, if you want to claim this particular promise, there are certain requirements to be met, things that you must do.

You must be born again (see John 3:7) through the experience of a spiritual re-birth in Jesus

You must become a disciplined follower of Jesus Christ, by getting into a genuine, meaningful relationship with Him

You must not let your heart be troubled but instead, trust and believe in God and also in Jesus (see John 14:1)

You must truly understand that Jesus is the only Way, the Truth and the Life; no-one comes to the Father except by Him (see John 14:6)

You must strive to know God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

After you’ve done your part, you then must understand further that, “anything” is limited in its scope, it is not a carte blanche license. Even as a born-again Christian, both your motives and your intentions play a pivotal role in what you ask and in the way you ask – there are ways that are right and proper.

Beloved, what Jesus said is true, however, Jesus will not do anything that is to your detriment or the detriment of others.

If the “anything” you’re asking is rooted in selfishness, in contravention to the Word of God, harmful to your spiritual well-being, or will cause undue hurt and distress, Jesus will not do it.

Remember, anything you ask in Jesus’ name must result in the Son bringing glory to the Father (John 14:13) – if what you’re asking will not bring God glory, Jesus will not do it.

Amen†

Shelley Johnson “Anything you ask in Jesus’ Name” © 2017 revisited July 14, 2025