Independence Day

 

The Trinity Hills

Today, August 31, my country is celebrating 64 years of independence. A nation gains its independence, when it is freed from outside control. That freedom from outside influences, is celebrated then, and every year thereafter, with much pomp and ceremony.

We are raised to be independent persons by our parents and by society but then, somewhere along the line, we are told that God wants us to be totally dependent on Him. Truth be told, moving from independent to dependent is easier said than done.

You see, the independence that our parents and society urged us to gain is based on becoming solely dependent on ourselves, where we completely rely on our own efforts to control and direct our own lives. So, to become completely dependent on another, even though it’s God, is difficult.

To become completely dependent on God involves reprogramming but it’s a process we must go through, for to be truly independent is to be utterly dependent on God because that is the epitome of freedom.

We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong in that freedom. Don’t go back into slavery again. – Galatians 5:1 (ERV)

The day you surrender your will to the will of Jesus Christ is your Independence Day. That is the moment when Jesus Christ, the Saviour, sets you free from the control of outside influences. That’s the day you are set free from sin's dominion over your life.

You gain freedom in Christ; you gain Eternal Life and death no longer has its hold on you. The spiritual chains of bondage fall away from your soul, and you walk away completely liberated because, when the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. – John 8:36 (NIV)

That is your ultimate celebration of independence. You can be sure there will be fireworks in heaven on that day.

Independence Day, that day when you are loosed from the old spiritual influences that have you bound. Like Lazarus, we’re bound hand and foot with graveclothes until Jesus cries out, “Loose him, and let him go!” (John 11:44).

It is really Jesus Himself who does the loosing, for He was sent by the Father to proclaim liberty to the captives, to set free those who are bound (Isaiah 61:1) but you play an important role by being willing to be set free.

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me free. – Psalm 118:5 (AMP)

Are you willing to be set free? Are you ready to celebrate your true Independence Day?

Happy Independence!

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Independence Day” © 2016 revisited August 31, 2026

From where does your help come?

For too many, our first call for help is to others – from family and from friends. We seem to not remember that God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1 NLT).

From where does your help come?

Are you one who, like the woman who had been haemorrhaging for twelve years, goes searching everywhere for help and only after all resources have been exhausted turns to the Lord? 

From where does your help come?

The ancients on pilgrimage to Jerusalem knew that help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2 NLT).

From where does your help come?

We need to get in the habit of looking to the Lord for help first; He must be our first port of call so to speak and not our last resort.

We need to depend on the Lord; trust Him and have faith in Him and in His ability.

From where does your help come?

The Lord assures us of His help in Isaiah 41:10 (AMP), saying,

Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].

Beloved, consider this short devotion a note along your path to remind you that God genuinely cares about you (see 1 Peter 5:7); He is your ever-present help; He is constantly watching over your life – as the psalmist says, The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (Psalm 121:8 NLT).

From where does your help come?

From where does your help come, should never be a mystery, for your help, no matter what that help is, comes from God! Amen?

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “From where does your help come?” © 2026 August 29, 2026

Different Perspectives

 

In reading the Gospels it’s clear that they, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all had different perspectives of the same event. And this reminded me of a discussion I had with a dear friend who was adamantly disagreeing with my understanding of a certain passage of Scripture.

The truth is, some people don’t always agree with what I write or say and that’s quite okay with me. Scripture is meant to be discussed. Everyone’s understanding is seldom at the same level so, what you may see is not necessarily what someone else sees and that’s really okay.

In dealing with the biblical, we must take into consideration that people will have different perspectives. We are not all going to be on the same page even if we are on the same page of the bible. And, as I’m sure you know, you can read a chapter today and a year, a month, a week or a day from now, you’ll have a completely different perspective.

The bible is the Living Word of God, it isn’t static, it’s active (see Hebrews 4:12), moving as you move and growing as you grow; it matches your level of understanding. So, when someone’s perspective is different from yours, neither of you should get uptight about that.

Perspectives, like the Living Word, are not fixed; perspectives can change, as 1 Corinthians 13:11 (ERV) states, 

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I made plans like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways.

The same way you grow up in the flesh, you grow up in the Spirit (see Hebrews 5:12-14). So, even as an adult, depending on your life experiences, your perspectives can change. People react differently to the same exact situation. I’m sure you can relate to that.

Beloved, what’s most important, is having a healthy perspective that’s rooted in the Truth. Your study of God’s Word must be Spirit-led. 

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (John 16:13 NASB)

Your perspective from the mountaintop is going to be different from your perspective from the valley.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Different Perspectives” © 2026 August 28, 2026

 

 

God or Gold?

Still looking at Genesis chapter 24, we are told that Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. The servant met Rebekah at a well, when she gave him water to drink, and also watered his camels, that was a sure sign that she was the one.

When she had finished, the man took an expensive gold ring and put it in her nose and put two large gold bracelets on her arms. He said, “Please tell me who your father is. Is there room in his house for my men and me to spend the night? – Genesis 24:22-23 (GNT)

Rebekah could hardly wait to relate to her mother and family, all that had happened at the well. She was highly motivated.

The young woman ran to her mother's house and told the whole story. Now Rebecca had a brother named Laban, and he ran outside to go to the well where Abraham's servant was. Laban had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms and had heard her say what the man had told her. He went to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well, and said, “Come home with me. You are a man whom the Lord has blessed. Why are you standing out here? I have a room ready for you in my house, and there is a place for your camels.”  – Genesis 24:28-31 (GNT)

Laban, Rebekah’s brother, could hardly wait to entertain the man who was bearing gifts of gold. He was highly motivated.

Both were highly motivated but for vastly different reasons.

We have already established that Abraham typifies the Father, Isaac the Son, typifies Jesus, the servant, the Spirit and Rebekah, the bride. But who does Laban represent?

Laban, Rebekah’s brother, is symbolic of the world and its way of thinking, with its lust for riches and endless grasping for the material. 

Laban was focused on the gifts of gold and ran to the servant, while Rebekah was focused on the father and the son and ran to give her testimony.

They both had room for the servant but for vastly different reasons.

Too many sitting in congregations today are like Laban, inviting the Servant in only for the gold with no genuine commitment to the Father and the Son.

Rebekah’s heart was turned to the Son; the moment she agreed to a commitment, the Servant showered her with precious gifts of gold.

Laban’s heart was turned to himself; he acknowledged God but never made a genuine commitment yet sought the gold.

Same gift, two vastly different responses.

Beloved, you can be drawn to the Spirit without saying yes to God. How many are sitting in congregations seeking the gold but not saying “yes” to God? Examine your heart. Have you made a genuine commitment? Have you chosen God or gold?

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “God or Gold?” © 2026 August 27, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy looking at pictures. There was a time when people displayed their pictures around their homes – on coffee tables or hung on walls. I loved to pore through photo albums, but these days pictures are stored digitally and even though I still enjoy watching pictures, it does not quite give me that same feeling of nostalgia.

Moving right along…the bible causes us to form pictures in our minds. The Word is written in such a way that when we read these fascinating stories, we experience a picture forming process which allows us to see the characters and the places.

Reading Genesis chapter 24, you would notice that the entire chapter is completely devoted to Abraham’s servant who was sent to find a bride for Isaac, Abraham’s son of promise.

This chapter speaks of four main characters, Abraham, Isaac, the servant and Rebekah. Has a picture formed in your mind?

Abraham is a picture of the Father;

Isaac is a picture of the Son;

The servant is a picture of the Spirit;

And Rebekah is a picture of the Church.

In Genesis 22, we read where God tested Abraham – picture the scene.

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” (v 1-2 NIV)

After this incredible event, nothing more is said about Isaac, it’s as if he disappeared from the picture but then he reappears in chapter 24, when Abraham sends his servant to find him a bride.

What is this a picture of?

It’s a picture of the ascension of Jesus which occurred forty days after Jesus, the Son, was resurrected (see Acts 1:6-11).

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven (Acts 1:1-2 NLT)

Though we are left to picture, we aren’t often left to wonder, however, we are definitely left to dig deeper.

You see, after Isaac, the son, is seemingly left out of the picture, he is brought back into the narrative when Abraham, his father, sends his servant, Eliezer to go to my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac (Genesis 24:4 NRSVUE).

Similarly, after the Son disappears from view, His Spirit is sent to go and get a bride, the Church, for the Son, Jesus.

Beloved, it is no coincidence that the name of the servant, Eliezer, means “my God is my help”; for who is our Helper?

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name (John 14:26 ESV)

Picture this, when Eliezer encountered Rebekah, her response was “yes” – “yes” to giving him water at the well and “yes” to going with him to Abraham and to Isaac.

They called her and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” Rebekah said, “Yes, I will go.” (Genesis 24:58 ERV)

This is a picture of the bride, that is you, individually and you, collectively as the Church, saying yes to the Spirit to go to the Father and to the Son.

Eliezer asked Rebekah, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us…” (Genesis 24:23 ESV) and the Spirit asks each one of us the same question.

To whom do you belong; is there room in your house for them, the Father, the Son and the Spirit?

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Pictures” © 2026 August 27, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bride is at the Well

Have you noticed that three of the most prominent men in the Old Testament found their brides at a well? The brides of Isaac, Abraham’s son, Jacob, Isaac’s son and Abraham’s grandson and Moses, were all at a well when they were found or met directly.

Let’s take a look.

Abraham’s servant found Isaac a bride, Rebekah, at a well (read Genesis 24).

“Today I came to this well and said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, please make my trip successful. I will stand by this well and wait for a young woman to come to get water. Then I will say, “Please give me water from your jar to drink.” The right woman will answer in a special way. She will say, “Drink this water, and I will also get water for your camels.” That way I will know that she is the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’ (Genesis 24:42-44 ERV)

Then Genesis chapter 29 records Jacob meeting his bride Rachel at a well.

Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. As he looked, he saw a well in the field…Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. (Genesis 29:1 & 10 ESV)

And Moses, after he’d fled from Egypt to Midian, met his bride Zipporah, at a well.

Moses fled from Pharaoh’s presence and took refuge in the land of Midian, where he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water [from the well where Moses was resting] and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock…Moses was willing to remain with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah [to be his wife]. (Exodus 2:15, 16 & 21 AMP)

These three Old Testament accounts are deliberate in letting us know that the bride is at the well. This is no coincidence, clearly there’s a reason this detail is recorded and so, it must not be overlooked. Three brides for three prominent bridegrooms all encountered at a well.

In the New Testament we find an account of another bridegroom who meets a woman at a well but she is not a bride, for that matter we’re told that she’s had five husbands and the man she’s living with isn’t her husband (see John 4:18), and he is no ordinary groom, for He is the Bridegroom, Jesus.

Is there a connection between those bride encounters of the Old Testament and this of the New? Remember, the Bible accounts are not a haphazard, mishmash of random tales; the Old Testament always correlates with the New Testament.

Jesus doesn’t meet this unnamed woman at any well, He meets her at Jacob’s well. Also, this woman is a Samaritan, she’s not a Jew but of mixed heritage. You see, the Samaritans were a mixture of races between Jews and Gentiles and although they worshiped God, they also served idols.  So, they were not only of mixed ancestry but of mixed religion and even their politics was affected by this mixture as well (read 2 Kings 17).

Because of this, the Jews deemed everything about Samaritans as impure and were prejudiced against them; they were shunned and despised by the Jews – their customs, their religious practices and their food were considered unclean.

This is why the encounter between the Bridegroom and this Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well was remarkable.

Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water (John 4:6-7 NIV)

Jews passing through Samaria – So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar (John 4:5 NIV) – was simply not done.

Jews buying food in Sychar – His disciples had gone into the town to buy food (John 4:8 NIV) – was simply not done.

Jews conversing with Samaritans – Jews do not associate with Samaritans (John 4:9 NIV) – was simply not done.

Jews evangelizing in Samaria was simply not done – Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers (John 4:39-41 NIV).

John’s Bridegroom, unlike the other three bridegrooms, did not meet a pure Jewish bride, instead, the bride who is at the well was a mix of Jew and Gentile. Chapter seventeen of second Kings tells us that there were five peoples with whom the Israelites intermarried,

the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim (2 Kings 17:24 ESV)

This is an illustration of what the Christian church, the bride of Christ, was to become. It began as a congregation of Jewish believers but became a bringing together of a mixture of peoples as the bride.

 In Old Testament times, God’s people were solely the Jews but under the new covenant, Gentiles were grafted in (see Romans 11:11-31).

Notice that the five groups of people brought into Samaria by the king of Assyria, correlates to the Samaritan woman’s five husbands.

Jesus tells the woman to call her husband, she replies that she has no husband, then Jesus says to the woman,

“You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” (John 4:17-18 NIV)

He was in fact asking her to show Him who has her heart, but she was unable to since her heart was torn, as a Samaritan, her worship was divided (see v 20).

This entire story is focused on the issue of the heart in worship and spiritual confusion.

Jesus assures her that a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24 NIV)

Beloved, Jesus is the Bridegroom,  the bride (you) is at the well and Jesus wants to know who has your heart; He is, even now, proposing to you by saying the same thing Abraham’s servant said to Rebekah, “Please give me water from your jar to drink.” 

What is your response? Will you water the flocks? Will you give Him a drink?

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “The Bride is at the Well” © 2026 August 25, 2026

 

 

Sound Advice

 

photo courtesy Danae

The older generation of Israelites, after their exodus from Egypt, wandered through the wilderness without entering the Promised Land. Forty years, the lifetime of a generation, had passed so it was the new generation that lived to enter the land of promise. However, before they were allowed to enter, God presented them with laws to live by.

Don’t use weights that are too heavy or too light. Don’t keep measures in your house that are too large or too small. You must use weights and measures that are correct and accurate. Then you will live a long time in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The Lord your God hates people who cheat with false weights and measures. Yes, he hates all people who do wrong. – Deuteronomy 25:13-16 (ERV)

From this passage of Scripture, it’s clear that human nature hasn’t changed much in all these years.

You’ve been buying the same carton of milk for years at a certain price, then suddenly, you go to the supermarket, pick up the same milk but something seems off, the carton carries the same price, but the box is just a little bit smaller.

The manufacturer has adjusted the size of the carton, but the supermarket hasn’t adjusted the price, so you end up paying more for less.

Store owners are in the habit of having a sale when in fact, they’ve raised the prices of the items before the price “reduction”.

Sadly, changing the size, price, weight, and measurements of items, even food stuff, is a common practice that may be deemed immoral but it’s not illegal.

Humans are prone to being dishonest in financial and business dealings.

Years ago, I worked in real estate and one of my clients said to me. “You’ll never make it in this business, you’re too honest.”

I was not about to become dishonest in order to “make it” in real estate or any other business. I had no intention of benefitting from cheating, lying or short-changing anyone to earn a dollar. I was not going to treat others unfairly just to make a sale.

I have experienced firsthand the dishonesty by buyers, sellers and agents alike and I absolutely refused to follow suit. I refused to carry two kinds of weights or varying measures in my house.

As one translation says, “all who act dishonestly, are abhorrent to the Lord”; I don’t want to be in that category.

Beloved, even we, as Christians, can fall prey to our human instinct to gain an unfair advantage in financial dealings and other business transactions.

Don’t for a moment feel that what God told the younger generation of Israelites in Deuteronomy does not still apply to us today. We should take heed and allow this sound advice to govern our behaviour.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Sound Advice” © 2026 August 24, 2026

 

Five Final Songs of Ascent

The hillside must have echoed as the ancient Israelites, together in unity and in perfect harmony, sang fifteen songs of praise and thanksgiving to God, during their ascent to the holy city of Jerusalem.

And with one goal in mind, they sang; despite the weary of every strenuous stride, they sang with one goal in mind; despite the discomfort of every laboured breath, they sang with one goal in mind; despite the pain of every aching muscle, they sang with one goal in mind – to be in the presence of God in His Temple.

We too are ascending toward the eternal Temple to be in the presence of God!

Let’s briefly look at the five final Songs of Ascent…

Psalm 130, is a gut-wrenching cry of repentance: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord (v 1). Be confident in the redemptive power of God. Be confident that God listens. Be confident that God forgives and wipes the slate of your sin clean forever. Be confident that the pain of the past will not dominate your future. Be confident that no matter how great your sin, God’s grace is greater still!

 Psalm 131, is a deeply meditative reflection on humility: My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; (v 1). It demonstrates the trust, contentment, dependence and hope that you should have in God to provide, free from a position of prideful arrogance.

Psalm 132, is a song that recalls God’s promises, David’s dedication and the faithfulness of both: he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob; The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back (v 2, 11). Cling to God’s promises, knowing that He is faithful, and trusting that He will fulfil His word in your life.

Psalm 133, celebrates genuine unity between God’s people: Oh, how wonderful, how pleasing it is when God’s people all come together as one (v 1). True unity, camaraderie and harmony among God’s people results in the flow of great blessings, as a whole and as individuals. Genuine togetherness fuelled by love for God and each other, in the community of faith, is vital.

Psalm 134, the final song of the Songs of Ascent, is a song of praise to God: Lift your hands toward the Temple, and praise the Lord. (v 2). Having finally arrived at the Temple after a long and arduous uphill journey, the pilgrims, elated to be in His presence, worship God: Praise the Lord, all his servants who serve in the Temple at night. (v 1). As your journey continues, through the highs and the lows, remember to praise the Lord no matter what happens (ref. Psalm 34:1).

Beloved, your spiritual journey is a reflection of the walk of a pilgrim in the days of old. Every one of the songs in the Songs of Ascent collection, recounts what each pilgrim would have experienced along the way to the holy city high in the hills of Judea.

The journey was filled with challenges, trials, fears, triumphs, hopes and joys as they drew closer to God but no matter what, they persevered. So, let these same songs encourage and inspire you on your journey, just as they were.

Use these cherished Songs of Ascent as your prayers and your songs as you travel this spiritual road of faith, trusting God as the ancient Israelites did, to guide you and sustain you.

And, never forget that God is for you and with you always! He is not distant even when it feels that way, for He promises that He will never fail you, nor will He ever abandon you (ref. Hebrews 13:5).

Rest assured that God’s presence makes every step of your spiritual journey worthwhile.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Five Final Songs of Ascent” © 2026 August 21, 2026

 

 

 

Five More Songs of Ascent

 

As the people of God made the arduous climb to Jerusalem for worship, the songs they would sing in praise and thanksgiving to God, were a source of comfort and encouragement.  

These ancient songs spoke directly to the hearts of the people then, and still speak to our hearts today. With every step along this spiritual journey, these beautifully written psalms, through all the changing scenes of life, in trouble and in joy, the praises of my God shall still my heart and tongue employ (hymn lyrics by Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady).

Let’s briefly look at five more Songs of Ascent…

Psalm 125, assures that those who trust in God remain firmly secure in Him: Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever. (v 2). Stability, security, and victory are promised to those whose trust and faith are rooted in God.

 Psalm 126, celebrates God’s restoration: Restore our fortunes, Lord (v 4). God promises that as you walk in faith, He will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.

Psalm 127, lets us know that all our efforts are pointless without God: If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; (v 1). Depend on God’s provision and guidance in every area of your life, no matter what you’re building. God is the true Builder!

Psalm 128, highlights the benefits of living life in reverence to God: Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! (v 1). Living in reverential fear of God and obedience to Him, greatly impacts your life in unexpected and positive ways.

Psalm 129, assures that even in seasons of trial, God is with you: the Lord does what is right; he cut the ropes and set me free from those wicked people. (v 4) God empowers you to endure every challenge and promises that you will not be defeated.

Beloved, remember that God is for you and with you always! He is not distant even when it feels that way, for He promises that He will never fail you, nor will He ever abandon you (ref. Hebrews 13:5).

Know that God’s presence makes every step of your spiritual journey worthwhile.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Five More Songs of Ascent” © 2026 August 20, 2026

 

 

 

Five Songs of Ascent

 

Perched on a hilltop, Jerusalem was the centre of worship for those on pilgrimage. God’s people would travel from every part of the country to make the trek to the holy city, singing songs in praise and thanksgiving to God.

Amid painful trials and challenges, these songs encouraged the pilgrims of old to persevere and gave them renewed hope as they endured hardship.

These ancient songs that they sang through their struggles and wearisome uphill journey are called Songs of Ascent and fortunately for us, we have access to those same songs, a collection of fifteen Psalms, from 120 to 134, to encourage us, comfort us, renew our hope and fill us with joy.

Providing spiritual refreshing, these timeless songs still minister to God’s people as we cry out to Him.

Let’s briefly look at the first five Songs of Ascent…

Psalm 120, the first of this special group, is a cry for deliverance: Rescue me, O Lord (v 2). This is the song that begins and sets the tone for the journey.

 Psalm 121, familiar to most, focuses on God’s preservation: The Lord himself watches over you! (v 5). As you face what seems insurmountable, be assured that God is not only with you on your journey but is actively involved in it; His preservation, protection and care do not waver.

Psalm 122, is a heartfelt prayer for peace: Pray for peace (v 6). God’s presence brings peace in the midst of chaos.

Psalm 123, encourages us to keep our eyes fixed on God: keep looking to the Lord our God (v 2). Be patient and trust God’s timing; wait, He is never late.

Psalm 124, celebrates our partnership with God: What if the Lord had not been on our side? (v 1) Remember, God is for you and with you always!

Beloved, God is not distant even when it feels that way, for He promises that He will never fail you, nor will He ever abandon you (ref. Hebrews 13:5). Know that His presence makes every step of your spiritual journey worthwhile.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Five Songs of Ascent” © 2026 August 19, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Whose image and inscription is this?”

 

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. – Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

God created us human beings in His image and after His likeness; but how many of us reflect His image and express His nature? The truth is, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But even more than that, we humans have perpetually created God in our own image and our own likeness. We have made God a reflection of ourselves.

Jesus said to those sent to entrap Him, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” (Matthew 22:21 NLT) but we give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and we give to God what belongs to Caesar when we redefine His image and likeness.

At the Palace of Versailles in Versailles France, there is a long room with a mirror-covered wall from ceiling to floor on one side. It is an incredibly overwhelming sight that assaulted my eyes and scandalously impressive with all its gilded ornamentation, artistic renderings on the ceiling, marble columns, chandeliers and golden statues.

This one room is regarded as an architectural masterpiece, while the entire palace was once considered a symbol of absolute power.

The mirrors reflect the view of a well-watered, cared-for garden which can be seen through large arched windows that stand directly opposite the mirrored wall.

The palace, along with its well-watered, cared-for garden at Versailles are of human creation. God’s Word tells us that you will be like a well-watered garden (Isaiah 58:11), however, this promise carries certain stipulations which you can read for yourself in chapter 58. You and I, as well-watered gardens, are not of our own creation or invention, we are God-stamped, it is he who made us, and we are his (Psalm 100:3 NIV) – we belong to God.

Sadly, we have constructed our own hall with mirrors that reflect, not a well-watered garden but an image of God that has been distorted by our own misguided beliefs, biases, prejudices, excuses, ideas of justice, skewed religious morals and limitations.

We create a false image of God with a likeness that suits our fancy; a god that never takes us out of our comfort zones, a god who approves of all our preferences, a god who is perfectly aligned to us.

We, meaning Christians, have taken the infinite, transcendent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, the Alpha and the Omega Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty Creator of the universe and reduced Him to our human level of existence.

“Whose image and inscription is this?” 

In our arrogance, we who claim to be godly followers of the Word, do not know the God of the Bible. We have become religious narcissists who compromise rather than stand firm, choosing to conform rather than transform and in our failure to embrace the full reality of the God of Scripture, we offer to others an image of God who is inscribed with human characteristics.

 Beloved, we have become adept at anthropomorphism; humans crafting God after their own image and nature is not new, for Isaiah responding to a people who had replaced God with idols made in their own image said to them then and us today,

How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”?
Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”? (Isaiah 25:16 NLT)

We condemn these ancient people for creating idols of worship, yet in our modern day, when we engage in creating God in our image, we are doing exactly what they did by redefining God into a deity we seek to control and manage, a god who will conform to our way.

They did not have Jesus as we do, so even if we say that they were at a disadvantage, certainly in this day and age, we are not, a fact that Philip learned when he said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” To which Jesus responded, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:8-9 NIV).

When you take a hard look at Jesus, who do you see? You must honestly answer the question, “Whose image and inscription is this?”.

By our creating God in our own image and likeness, we find ourselves at the foot of Mt. Sinai, worshipping a god crafted by our own human hands.

It’s time for us to open our bibles and get to know the God of Scripture in all His glory.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Whose image and inscription is this?” © 2026 August 18, 2026

 

 

 

 

The function of yeast

Throughout the Word, yeast is mostly symbolic of corruption, evil and sin, however, Jesus portrays yeast in a different light in an effort to get His audience to understand what the Kingdom of God is like. Jesus asked them,

“How can I picture God’s kingdom for you? What kind of story can I use?” – Luke 13:18 (MSG)

First, Jesus uses the tiny mustard seed as an example but then, perhaps to drive home His point, Jesus goes on to give another example. He says,

“What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” – Luke 13:20-21 (MSG)

Let’s take a little bite of this parable, like a morsel of bread to chew on.

Luke was very careful in recording Jesus’ words. He was careful in letting us know that Jesus included specific elements in His parable – yeast, a woman preparing dough, and the exact measurement of flour.

The Greek word for yeast in the verse above is “zume” which is sourdough starter and not the packets of cultured yeast we buy in the supermarket.

Creating sourdough starter is a process that Jesus’ first century audience would have understood.

Even today, anyone who has ever made starter should know that all that’s required is flour, water, yeast and time for it to ferment. To initiate the fermentation process, the mixture, in a covered bowl, is put in a warm, dark, breezeless place, such as an oven.

The yeast, a living fungus that feeds on sugar and starch, is the active agent in breadmaking; the dough will never rise without the yeast.

In this translation, Jesus describes a woman mixing sourdough starter into flour to make dough, but the Greek term here translated “mixed” is “en krypto”, which comes from the root verb “to hide” or “to conceal”. So, the woman in the parable, hiding or concealing something rather than merely mixing places a whole different spin on how this parable is viewed, especially as Luke 8:17 (NIV) records Jesus saying,

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

Whatever this woman is hiding, will be revealed, for what is hidden will come to light and although her apparent secrecy may be seen as a “bad” thing, in reference to the Kingdom of God, it is bound to lead to something wonderful.

Sixty pounds of flour is a lot of flour. This woman must have had a bakery because five pounds of flour yields many loaves of bread and she used twelve times that amount.

That amount of dough would be far too much for this one woman to knead and its yield way more than she, alone, could ever consume, so this is definitely not a lesson in domesticity.

This conjures up an image of abundance, doesn’t it? But there is something else, it’s a picture of a small beginning yielding a tremendous result. Jesus tells us what the Kingdom of God is like, using the story of a woman who is about to make more bread than a single person could ever eat.

Is Jesus saying therefore that the Kingdom of God is not only more than enough for everyone to partake of but like the function of yeast, it remains hidden while it works its way through our lives? And even though its not outwardly visible as it quietly spreads, it gives rise to and yields changes in us that are much greater and more palatable than we ever could imagine?

Beloved, the Kingdom of God is present now and available to all, “whosoever will” (ref. Revelation 22:17). Shall you not eat? After all, Jesus Himself proclaimed, “I am the Bread of Life. No one coming to me will ever be hungry again.” (John 6:35 TLB).

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The function of yeast” © 2026 August 17, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your kingdom come...

 

Matthew 4:17 (NRSVUE)

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Matthew 5:3 (NRSVUE)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 6:10 (NABRE)

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Mark 10:24 (NABRE)

The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!”

Luke 17:21 (TLB)

You won’t be able to say, ‘It has begun here in this place or there in that part of the country.’ For the Kingdom of God is within you.

John 18:36 (TLB)

Then Jesus answered, “I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of the world.”

Romans 14:17 (NABRE)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Spirit;

1 Thessalonians 2:12 (ESV)

we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Beloved,

Your kingdom come...immediately leads you toward the divine rather than any inclination toward human action.

Your Kingdom come...establishes that the divine purpose, to be executed on earth is present now in heaven.

Your Kingdom come...draws us into intimate communion with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Your Kingdom come...is to experience the fullness of God in every area of your life.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Your Kingdom come...” © 2026 August 10, 2026

Crazy for God

 

As some of you may know because I have mentioned it before, when I got serious about my spiritual journey, my own mother thought I’d gone crazy. There were things that God led me to do that appeared illogical to any onlooker, but God is always confounding the wise and, on this journey, He will have you do some crazy things.

People have been crazy for God for a very long time, take Noah for instance; imagine building a gigantic boat for years, proclaiming that a flood is coming and it has never even rained. What’s a flood?

The Israelites marched around Jericho seven times – six times in complete silence, once every time and on the seventh time, seven times, making an incredibly loud commotion with trumpets blaring and the people shouting. What madness is that?

God tells Hosea, the prophet, to “Marry a prostitute and have children with that prostitute.” (Hosea 1:2 GW). Hello…isn’t that crazy?

And there are many more stories like that throughout the bible, where God has given people some insane instructions. You think they didn’t look like crazy people? But they carried out God’s instructions anyway.

Beloved, all this is to encourage you to act even when you think that what God has asked you to do or say is going to make you look or sound completely bonkers.

Know that persons may get offended, but the fact is, not everyone is going to get it and that’s okay; you need to do what you know you’re being led to do by God, even if it seems crazy and you’re labelled insane or un-Christian.

I would choose looking crazy for God, way above looking sane for man and you should too.

Remember, God and His purpose must always come first.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Crazy for God” © 2026 August 10, 2026

 

 

Forgotten Esoteric Knowledge

 

We haven’t yet realised how deep our communion with the Almighty is; every human being exists daily without knowing that we are breathing His name. God created us with certain structures built-in and then He breathed His life force into us.

It is through him that we are able to live, to do what we do, and to be who we are. As your own poets have said, ‘We all come from him.’ – Acts 17:27-28 (ERV)

Yes, we all come from God; everyone has come from God and is sustained by Him. And our existence on this earth is a journey; a journey that is not meant to be hum drum, especially for those who have been born again, that is, re-born from above.

for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. – 1 Peter 1:23 (NASB 1995)

Having been born again, the Spirit of God now resides inside you and now you have access, through God’s Spirit, to knowledge that was once hidden from you.

People who do not have God’s Spirit do not accept the things that come from his Spirit. They think these things are foolish. They cannot understand them, because they can only be understood with the Spirit’s help. – 1 Corinthians 2:14 (ERV)

God’s Word is not static and was never intended to be, it is alive, and understanding a verse today is not the same way you’ll understand it a year from now or even tomorrow.

Christianity is an on-going journey of endless discovery.

When Christians hear the word “esoteric” they often think that it could never be in reference to anything godly, so they tend to steer clear of the subject and in doing so they miss out on an entire aspect of the spiritual journey.

Esoteric knowledge isn’t reserved for occultism; in its simplest form, it’s wisdom that’s hidden. The word “esoteric” comes from the Greek, “esoterikos”, meaning “inner” or “further inside”. It carries the idea of concealment.

Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, said,

Look for wisdom like silver. Search for it like hidden treasure. (Proverbs 2:4 ERV)

Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV) says,

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Apostle Paul in his letter to the Colossians wrote,

I want them to know completely the secret truth that God has made known. That truth is Christ himself. In him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are kept safe. (Colossians 2:2-3 ERV)

Too many of us are good with just having a basic knowledge and understanding of God’s Word; we have no interest in searching for the wisdom contained therein like the treasure that it is.

God is yearning to reveal to us, the secret things that belong to Him, but we don’t seem to yearn to know completely the secret Truth that God has made accessible to those who are re-born – all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are in Jesus Christ.

The ancients understood this and were habitually looking deeper but, somewhere along the line this esoteric knowledge was lost or no longer passed down and most have forgotten; in our time, only a few seem to want more, the rest are prepared to remain limited in their present knowledge of Truth.

Jesus Himself said,

Everything that is hidden will become clear. Every secret thing will be made known, and everyone will see it. (Luke 8:17 ERV)

This, Jesus told His disciples after explaining to them the meaning of His parable about the seeds.

So think carefully about what you are hearing. The people who have some understanding will receive more. But those who do not have understanding will lose even what they think they have. (Luke 8:18 ERV)

Jesus warned that those who do not have understanding run the risk of losing what they think they have.

Beloved, none of us can afford to lose what we think we have; you and I should be longing to seek out the forgotten esoteric knowledge of God’s Word, so that everything that is hidden will become clear to us.

This, however, is not something to accomplish on our own, you and I must seek revelation from the Holy Spirit, Who reveals to us, the deep spiritual truths of God.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Forgotten Esoteric Knowledge” © 2026 August 10, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Unity of Three

 

It is interesting, to say the least, to see how the plurality of God is interwoven throughout His Word.

We see it from the very beginning when we read Genesis 1:26 (AMPC),

God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness

The Hebrew word here is “Elohim”, which is not only plural but an expression of all-encompassing power, showing that there is strength in unity.

Then in Deuteronomy 6:4 (AMPC), Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord [the only Lord], “Shma Yisrael Adonai Elohenu Adonai Ekhad”, “Elohenu” which means “our God” is derived from the word “Elohim”.

How can our one God be divided into three? But yet He is, revealing His tri-unity since Creation, and to man, in His many manifestations, as He interacted with His creation, even before the incarnation of Christ.

This mysteriously fascinating unity of three nature of God can be seen, particularly in the Old Testament but is most startling in Isaiah 48:12 & 16 (NASB),

Listen to Me, Jacob, Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.
Come near to Me, listen to this:
From the beginning I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit

God is speaking of Himself as the Messiah, being sent by the Lord God and His Spirit. What powerful proof of the existence of the three-in-one God.

There is perhaps no reasonable explanation of how or why God is One and Three simultaneously. The unity of Three may be a stumbling block to unbelievers and even some believers but it is an essential foundation block in the believers’ faith.

The unity of Three is strange and shrouded in mystery, for the Father cannot be seen but was revealed in the Son.

Jesus *said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (John 14:9 NASB)

The unity of Three is strange and shrouded in mystery, for like the Father, the Spirit cannot be seen, yet, is a very real Person and though always invisible, the effects of the Spirit are witnessed in people’s lives.

Suddenly a noise came from heaven. It sounded like a strong wind blowing. This noise filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something that looked like flames of fire. The flames were separated and stood over each person there. (Acts 2:2-3 ERV)

Beloved, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three Persons relating as One – the unity of Three.

And now, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

 

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The Unity of Three” © 2026 August 7, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus' Passionate Desire

Jesus prayed,

I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. (John 17:20, 21 ERV)

So, what’s going on with His followers nowadays? We say we believe in Jesus; we gather together as congregations; we look the part and act the part but…anyway.

It is written in 1 Corinthians 11:30-33 (MSG),

If you give no thought (or worse, don’t care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you’re running the risk of serious consequences. That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.

So, my friends, when you come together to the Lord’s Table, be reverent and courteous with one another. If you’re so hungry that you can’t wait to be served, go home and get a sandwich. But by no means risk turning this Meal into an eating and drinking binge or a family squabble. It is a spiritual meal—a love feast.

This translation gets the message across. Apostle Paul is clearly saying that those who partake of the sacrament of communion while refusing to see or pay attention to each other as being part of the Lord’s body are running the risk of serious consequences, which he details as listlessness, sickness and an early grave.

Not my words. Paul’s warning to the Corinthians then, is applicable to us today. We cannot continue to be ignorant of the dire spiritual effects our behaviour can cause.

Jesus Christ suffered, His body “broken” for all of us, yet we turn what is meant to be a time of fellowship throughout the Body of Christ, which is His Church, into a church-family squabble. Have we no regard for the sanctity of Christ’s sacrifice?

There is one loaf of bread, so we who are many are one body, because we all share in that one loaf. (1 Corinthians 10:17 ERV)

Jesus continued His prayer,

You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me. (John 17:21-23 ERV)

When potential converts enter your church, will they believe that the Father sent the Son? Will they believe that the Father loved them just as [He] loved [Jesus]? Will they see unity but sense division?

Oh, how wonderful, how pleasing it is when God’s people all come together as one!  (Psalm 133:1 ERV)

David, a man after God’s own heart, understood the unity of one.

Jesus continued with,

Father, I want these people you have given me to be with me in every place I am. I want them to see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made. (John 17:21-23 ERV)

Beloved, oneness was and still is, Jesus’ passionate desire. This passion can be seen in His prayer which is a picture of the oneness Jesus shares with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus had already emphasized that He and the Father are one (see John 10:30) and solidified that truth more so when He prayed for the unity of believers, not just with each other but with the Father, the Son and the Spirit, so that we may be made perfect in One.

The sad fact is, as a church, we can never be completely one in Them if we cannot even achieve oneness with each other.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Jesus’ Passionate Desire” © 2026 August 7, 2026