One of Ten

photo courtesy O'Reilly Lewis

Leprosy, a dreadful disease that affects the skin is painful, highly contagious and quite noticeable due to its white, scaly appearance, loss of skin and the physical deformities it produces to the fingers, toes, ears and even the nose.

Moses’ law deemed lepers unclean.

If you have a dreaded skin disease, you must wear torn clothes, leave your hair uncombed, cover the lower part of your face, and call out, “Unclean, unclean!” – Leviticus 13:45 (GNT)

The laws related to leprosy were not based on sanitary conditions alone but were religious, since uncleanness was akin to sin, therefore as far as the Jews were concerned, leprosy was symbolic of sin.

Command the people of Israel to expel from the camp everyone with a dreaded skin disease or a bodily discharge and everyone who is unclean by contact with a corpse.   – Numbers 5:2 (GNT)

Notice that after King David was visited by the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12), he saw himself as spiritually unclean.

“You sinned in secret, but I will make this happen in broad daylight for all Israel to see.” “I have sinned against the Lord”, David said. (v 12 & 13)

The king could blame no-one but himself for his sinful failure and in sorrowful repentance, considering his own sin to be like leprosy, wrote Psalm 51 entreating God to Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean (v 7). In those days, hyssop was used in the ritual cleansing of healed lepers (see Leviticus 14:4).

Hyssop is symbolic of Jesus, who cleanses us from all sin (see 1 John 1:7). In Luke 17:11-19, we see that symbolism in effect when Jesus, traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee on His way to Jerusalem, enters a village and encounters ten lepers. Standing at a distance the lepers shouted, “Jesus! Master! Have pity on us!” (v 13).

Jesus saw their condition and said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” (v 14) and it was while they were on their way to the priests that the healing miracle occurred. This reminds me of the centurion in Matthew 8:8 (GNT) who told Jesus, Just give the order, and my servant will get well.

It’s interesting to note that immediately before we are told of the healing miracle of the centurion’s servant beginning at verse 5, verses 1-4 recount Jesus’ healing of a leper.

And behold, a leper came up to Him and, prostrating himself, worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You are able to cleanse me by curing me. And He reached out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed by being cured. And instantly his leprosy was cured and cleansed. – Matthew 8:2-3 (AMPC)

In Luke’s account of the ten lepers, Jesus did not even have to touch the ten, all He did was give the order and all ten lepers were healed.

When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself to the ground at Jesus' feet and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. – Luke 17:15-16 (GNT)

These two verses hold so much meaning. We are told that one leper returned to Jesus. Have you ever wondered why only one of ten healed lepers returned to thank Jesus? What is the significance of that?

One of ten, a tenth, is related to tithing. The word tithe means tenth. Tithing is an ancient practice that pre-dated the Law of Moses. In Genesis chapter 14, Abram gave Melchizedek, the High Priest, a tenth of the spoils, voluntarily and under no written obligation. Abram did this to show those around him that it was God and not man who had made him rich (Genesis 14:21-24).

In the same way, the leper, one of ten – a tenth – under no obligation, returned voluntarily to Jesus, showing that it was Jesus, God incarnate, who had healed him, not man, the priest.

This account of the one of ten lepers highlights the concept of the living tithe; it speaks of the giving of yourself to God, not prompted by law, or rules or tradition but by love for Him.

Did you notice how Luke purposely let us know that the man who came back was a Samaritan?

You see, to Jews, Samaritans were unclean, so, place your feet in Luke’s Jewish readers’ shoes; an already unclean Samaritan with leprosy represented what Paul referred to as the extreme malignity and immeasurable sinfulness of sin (Romans 7:13 AMPC). Luke is emphasizing Jesus’ complete and absolute power over sin.

I know that I skipped ahead, that’s because I wanted to leave the former leper’s gratitude for last.

Experiencing the genuine love of God drives us back to Him in sincere gratitude.

Just like anyone of us who has been delivered from physical circumstances, the one of ten, in recognizing God’s miracle as an awesome blessing, would have undoubtedly felt the pull of wanting to be in His presence again, making returning to express his gratefulness not difficult.

What do you think this Scripture is saying to you about your own response to God's blessings? Are you grateful? Are you habitually thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18 GNT)?

There is so much you can be grateful for, so why aren’t you expressing your heartfelt gratitude every moment of every day? Giving thanks is at the heart of Christian spirituality.

Luke 17:11-19 is a call to every person who professes their belief in Jesus Christ to true thanksgiving and undivided devotion to God.

 Beloved, we may not have the physical disease, but we, like king David, certainly have had spiritual leprosy, for we have suffered the effects of spiritual and moral brokenness, shame, condemnation and got ourselves entangled in things and with people we ought not have got involved.

Spiritual Leprosy today is no different than it was two thousand years ago, that’s why this story of the ten lepers can be applied to our own lives.

The truth is, we are all lepers, and all of us, you and me, need to honestly examine our hearts, our priorities, and our worship. The one of ten threw himself to the ground at Jesus' feet and thanked Him. The leper in Matthew chapter 8 came to Jesus and prostrating himself, worshiped Him.

Jesus is still healing all who come to Him suffering spiritual leprosy but unfortunately, still only one tenth will return to Him, to give God the glory for the life-changing experience through their healing encounter with Jesus.

You must be the one of ten, one tenth, 10%, the living tithe, who will be truly thankful that Jesus has set you free, the one of ten who would be filled with gratitude out of an overflow of love for Him and what He has done in your life to forever change the course of your future.

Be the one of ten who, apprehending that God Himself is your exceedingly great reward (Genesis 15:1), returns to Jesus to follow Him, trust Him, worship Him and become His true disciple, never to return to the harmful moral and sinful influences of spiritual leprosy.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “One of ten” © 2026 July 29, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Praise is your weapon!

 

Everybody needs a reminder about something or the other every now and then. We humans tend to forget, especially when the going gets tough. It’s said that when that happens then the tough get going but most times, all we do is wilt in the heat that challenging seasons emit.

But remember, followers of Christ have been given certain weapons and one very powerful weapon in our armory is one that David used constantly. That weapon is praise. Praise, used properly, is like dynamite and the Book of Psalms is filled with it and, nearing the end of the book, from psalms 145 to 150, the praise intensifies.

There are several groups of psalms referred to as Hallel, “to praise”, but considered the most significant group is the Egyptian Hallel, psalm 113 to psalm 118 because these six psalms were recited during the Passover and various other Jewish observances.

Great Hallel is a term that usually refers to Psalm 136; however, it can also be applied to psalms 120 through 136, which would include the psalm we are looking at today – Psalm 135, our weapon of choice.

Praise the Lord!

Praise his name, you servants of the Lord, who stand in the Lord's house, in the Temple of our God. Praise the Lord, because he is good; sing praises to his name, because he is kind. He chose Jacob for himself, the people of Israel for his own. I know that our Lord is great, greater than all the gods.

Lord, you will always be proclaimed as God; all generations will remember you. The Lord will defend his people; he will take pity on his servants. The gods of the nations are made of silver and gold; they are formed by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, and eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear; they are not even able to breathe. May all who made them and who trust in them become like the idols they have made!

(Psalm 135:1-5 & 13-18 GNT)

This psalm is adamant about praising God wherever, whenever and for whatsoever. It reminds us of who God is; that He is great, greater than all the gods. We habitually forget that truth and replace our great God with things and people and even the challenges we face.

We have a tendency to magnify and give especial prominence to all the stuff we have made into idols in our lives. Even the positions we hold, all the various titles –  doctor this and honourable that – are worthless in the proverbial big scheme of things.

Do not ignore the warnings about idols and false gods which get you nowhere; all they’re “good” for is to divert your path and distract you from what is required and necessary.

Praising God as a weapon is necessary and vital to combat all the various challenges of life. Don’t you know that praise affects the atmosphere? Praise creates movement, it causes situations to shift, makes mountains shrink into mole hills and removes barriers. Praise clears your path to the throne room of God and releases the blessings of heaven. The ancients understood the power of praise; that’s why David never stopped praising God (see Psalm 34:1).

Beloved, God has provided us with an arsenal of praise psalms and has graciously given us the keys to the weaponry storehouse so, you are free to use each one in every moment of your life. Praise is your weapon!

Praise God for constantly working all things together for your good.

Praise God for the many blessings, large and minute, that He gives you.

Praise God for the times of challenge, for you know that He can do all things, that nothing is impossible with God.

Praise God for keeping you from the distractions of the false gods of this world.

And just simply praise God at all times because He is good, because He is kind to you, because He chose you for His own.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Praise is your weapon!” © 2026 July 27, 2026

 

What about the daughters of Zelophehad?

 

Chapter twenty-six of the Book of Numbers lists all the male descendants twenty years old or older from the twelve tribes of Israel who were eligible to go to war.

After the plague had ended, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, “From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their families. List all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war.” – Numbers 26:1-2 (NLT)

From Rueben, 43,730.

From Simeon, 22,200.

From Gad, 40,500.

From Judah, 76,500.

From Issachar, 64,300.

From Zebulun, 60,500.

From Manasseh, 52,700.

From Ephraim, 32,500.

From Benjamin, 45,600.

From Dan, 64,400.

From Asher, 53,400.

From Naphtali, 45,400.

In reading through the list of clans and subclans (v 5-50), we come across an anomaly.

(One of Hepher’s descendants, Zelophehad, had no sons, but his daughters’ names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.) – Numbers 26:33 (NLT)

Out of the 52,700 descendants from the Tribe of Manasseh, Zelophehad’s five daughters were not included, as that number comprised only the men of Israel twenty years old and older, just as the Lord commanded Moses (v 4), so instead they are given honourable mention.

As women, to be mentioned at all was unusual for that era when women, because they were mostly considered of little to no value, remained unnamed. Additionally, the fact that they are each mentioned by name is an indication that they mattered in some way, that their story was noteworthy.

Long story short…

The girls’ father, Zelophehad, on the journey to the Promise Land had died in the wilderness without male descendants so, his daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah were faced with a serious legal dilemma.

You see, in those days only men were allowed to inherit land and according to God’s instruction, the Promise Land was to be divided between the tribes with the exception of the Tribe of Levi, the priests, since they did not receive an allotment.

Each member of the new generation of men listed on the census, was assigned a specific portion by name. Because only the men were counted on this census, Zelophehad’s daughters had nothing to get – neither land nor wealth. As per the laws at that time, only sons inherited the land and wealth of their fathers.

Recognizing the unfairness of this law, these five young sisters, in an effort to claim what should be rightfully theirs, confronted Moses, Eleazar the priest, the tribal leaders, and the entire community at the entrance of the Tabernacle (Numbers 27:2).

Moses presented their case to God.

So Moses brought their case before the Lord. And the Lord replied to Moses, “The claim of the daughters of Zelophehad is legitimate. You must give them a grant of land along with their father’s relatives. Assign them the property that would have been given to their father.” – Numbers 27:5-7 (NLT)

Together, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah challenged the laws of Israel (see v 1-4) and in doing so, ignited a fire that brought about a change that positively impacted all women in Israel.

These courageous sisters’ actions, set a legal precedent which allowed daughters to inherit their fathers’ property in the absence of sons. A new order of inheritance was implemented.

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

Beloved, be inspired by the daughters of Zelophehad, who, through their resilience, faith, boldness and sheer determination to see justice served, respectfully confronted injustice and inequality thereby forging a path of change, empowering the women of the day and leaving an indelible mark on the annals of history.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “What about the daughters of Zelophehad?” © 2026 July 25, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Financial Reality

 

Some time ago, in conversation with a pastor-friend of mine, she raised her concerns about her church’s dwindling finances. I was surprised since she had never divulged the private matters of the church to me before, so I knew that it must be weighing heavily on her mind and she obviously needed to vent.

This church boasts an enviable location in the heart of a bustling city centre. It’s not a large edifice but rather quaint and stands out as a lovely respite from the more modern concrete and glass structures that surround it.

She told me that the situation was bad and though she’d made several suggestions to her superiors of ways that the building might be used to raise desperately needed finances, their old-school-thinking prevented them from seeing her vision.

This stone church with its lovely flower garden, green lawn and meandering pathways, would be ideal for small garden parties.

This stone church with its high ceilings, grand pipe organ and wonderful acoustics, would be ideal as a venue for religious concerts.

This stone church with its beautiful stained-glass windows, ornate arches and gilded altar, would be ideal for wedding ceremonies.

Next door to this stone church was a well-appointed building which could be rented to host small gatherings – luncheons or meetings or conferences or a dance class.

The carpark, though small could be offered as monthly paid parking facility to employees of the offices nearby.

She had even suggested that they could use the kitchen to cook and sell lunches as workers around there were always in search of food during the lunchtime period.

This willing pastor was shut down at every turn, instead, her superiors’ solution was as it has always been, “Pastor, you must rely on the good nature of your flock; the weekly offering and monthly tithes will have to suffice.”

The money that was being received from the congregation just wasn’t enough to sustain the running of the church. That was the financial reality.

Despondent and on the verge of tears, she looked at me and whispered, “My beautiful church will die right before my eyes.”

My friend was not the first or only person I’ve heard express such a sentiment but saying that the church will die is only hastening said death. So, if you are one of those persons, stop declaring that over your church.

How was she to solve this dilemma? There must be ways to boost the church’s income without going against the stance of the leadership. She would have to seek ways of raising the church’s finances in a manner that her superiors felt truly honoured God.

Throughout her years at theological school and as an ordained pastor, she had never been offered to take even a single course on church finances.

Some church members fail to recognize the importance of church finances; they don’t understand that there’s a business aspect to the church. The financial reality of the church is foreign to them.

Even though she knew her church’s current financial reality, she too needed to gain a better understanding of financial stewardship in general and what God expects from the church and from her as its leader before she could move forward with finding ways to create wealth for her church.

It had become necessary for her to develop her own financial stewardship theology to successfully change the church’s dismal financial reality. She also knew that this was not for her benefit alone, she would have to share this knowledge with every member of her congregation so that they could apply this truth to their own lives.

My pastor-friend wasted no time, she began by poring over the bible, determined to learn everything the bible teaches on the topic. She looked at the concept of biblical stewardship in the Old Testament because she believed that it was the foundation for understanding financial stewardship.

Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things…“O Lord our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! –1 Chronicles 29:11, 16

She explored key passages on money in general, material blessings, tithing and how God responds to those who honour Him with their possessions.

Then she studied financial stewardship in the New Testament, searching out Jesus’ teachings on stewardship and reading all Paul’s epistles, paying close attention to how he dealt with the various churches in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica.

In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus teaches that where we store our money reveals where our hearts are and what we value in life. Paul’s message in Acts 30:25 is very instructive.

You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Beloved, financial stewardship is quite an exhaustive topic. This is just a nibble to get you started if you care to know more. Each one of us should be concerned about our financial reality, some seem to think that to do so is not godly but Jesus’ teachings on finances can be found in the Gospels.

Remember, money is not the root of evil, it is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil and some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows (see 1 Timothy 6:10).

We all need to gain a better understanding of financial stewardship and what God expects from us, so let us determine, like my pastor-friend to learn all that we can from God’s Word.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Financial Reality” © 2026 July 24, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love with genuine Affection

 

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. – Romans 12:9-13 (NLT)

These days everyone is so caught up with their jobs, their careers, their homes, and their ministries, that they don’t have time for themselves let alone others; not even their own parents or children are able to spend quality time with these workaholics. They are just too busy for proper interaction.

The Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 12 is focused on different types of relationships and in verses 9 to 13 he addresses specific issues involving the relationship between believers. He is particularly concerned about the genuineness of the love, care and compassion that is expressed.

In the not-too-distant past, in churches could be found believers who genuinely loved and cared and supported one another but now with all the busyness that has consumed us, genuine love remains a memory.

There was a time when we could take our problems to an elder in church who was willing and able to help in a meaningful way just as James 5:13-16 advises. But now the church itself is referring its members to professional services which may not be what the person really needs.

What has happened to the church and the authenticity of the Christian community life? Sad to say that what Paul was dealing with in his letter to the church in Rome is still an issue thousands of years later – believers exhibiting a façade of love to each other rather than love with genuine affection.

Paul’s solution to this pretence was not avoidance or shying away from the hypocrisy but to pray about it. Going to God in prayer and sacrificing the lack of love or the inability to love sincerely to Him, is the first step toward deliverance.

Ask God to implant, into your heart, the love that you need to show and to share and when you receive His love, you will have enough love to give back to Him and to others. This love, which is an element of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) can only be fulfilled through Spirit’s power.

You see, it’s not our endless religious activities or how well we follow the rules or keep up with the various traditions that truly matter, but our love of God and by extension, others.

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? – 1 John 4:20 (NLT)

God wants our lives and our hearts in intimate, joyful, relationship with Him. This is the only way that we will ever be able to sincerely love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honouring each other. The Christian life is not about pretence and performance, it’s not about the religious machinery and rituals done by rote, it’s living out of the ever-present availability and sufficiency of God’s grace (see 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Too many of us are “in” but not “all in”. Giving to others from your physical substance is just as spiritual a sacrifice. Pouring yourself out for God includes pouring yourself out for others and this is not just pouring yourself out for your church family but for your blood relatives – your father, your mother, your siblings and anyone else who is a member of your family. All whom you seem to not consider as needing your love, genuine affection and honour, especially your parents.

“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise – Ephesians 6:2 (NLT) [see also Exodus 20:12]

Beloved, Jesus is our example to follow. He valued people, loved all people, never avoided the less desirable, He showed kindness, affection and accepted people as they were.

The Apostle Paul urged the believers in Rome to live their lives in service to God and each other. In that same way, he is urging us to do likewise, but it's not enough just to serve; God wants you and me to serve in love with genuine affection.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Love with genuine Affection” © 2026 July 23, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quit pretending

 

These days there are so many ways for people to connect remotely that we seem to have forgotten how important it is for us to connect in person.

We have stopped getting together like we used to, instead we’d rather make a video call than go pay a visit. We’d rather connect via social media than meet up socially for a meal.

We’ve become so dependent on our devices that we have forgotten how to connect from a place of genuine expression. Instead, everyone seems to be performing for the approval of some digital audience.

Human beings were created to be in relationship. First, Adam with God and the animals but then God recognized that “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him.” (Genesis 2:18 AMP).

And God created Eve as “a helper” comparable for Adam. The original Hebrew phrase, “ezrah negdo” means “helper opposite him” and implies a fitting partner.

Everyone needs a fitting partner, not necessarily a marriage partner in the romantic understanding but someone in your life who is able to balance you, keep you in check from heading off course.

In Hebrews 10:24-25 (AMP) it is written,

and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.

The fact of the matter is that people need people; needing others is neither a sign of weakness nor a burden. We were not created to live in isolation but to connect and be in relationship with others.

We are meant to build communities where people don’t feel that they cannot present their authentic selves, where people aren’t constantly auditioning for approval, where performing isn’t the standard, where people can come as they are, presenting the real version of themselves.

So many of us, for one reason or another, are living a significant part of our lives pretending for acceptance at work, at home, in school, even in church. There are too many church-goers who feel that they can’t be their authentic selves in church, not because they necessarily want to hide but because they are made to feel that they have to, so they create a church persona believing that the real them isn’t safe to show – that as they truly are will never be accepted.

It’s unfortunate that the church, once a safe space, has become a place of judgment where condemnation is the status quo so that visitors to the sanctuary don’t feel that they’ve entered a sanctuary; instead of a friendly welcome, they’re greeted with suspicion. That sense of community just isn’t there anymore.

Apostle Paul warned against being unequally yoked with unbelievers in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 but nowadays it appears that the danger to the unity and community of the church is from those who call themselves believers.

Beloved, calling yourself a Christian but not following Christ is being a spot in the love feast (Jude 12) or a tare among the wheat (Matthew 13:40-43) so I urge you to check yourself even if you don’t feel that you are a danger to the community in that way.

Inner excavation is always necessary from time to time because we, as Christians, have become so accustomed to pretending that we unknowingly slip off the path. Understand that the inner work does not automatically produce the change; you have to purposely and repeatedly practice.

In order to live the life in all its authenticity, quit pretending.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Quit pretending” © 2026 July 23, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Spirituality of Reconciliation

 

Reconciliation is the restoring of harmony; it’s bringing into unity or agreement what has been alienated.

In a world rife with conflict, there is a great need for reconciliation and by “world” I don’t just mean the planet earth but all the smaller worlds that exist within it; our own little worlds in which we exist – homes, schools, offices, universities, churches, neighbourhoods, communities, societies and nations. Just as it is in the larger world around us, in these personal worlds of ours, there is always some kind of disagreement.

Sadly, this is nothing new, there has always been arguments caused by people’s differences and there has always been a need for reconciliation. Apostle Paul addressed it in his second letter to the congregation at Corinth, and in chapter five we read,

All these new things are from God who brought us back to himself through what Christ Jesus did. And God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into his favor and be reconciled to him. For God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men’s sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s ambassadors. God is using us to speak to you: we beg you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, receive the love he offers you—be reconciled to God. For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us!  – 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (TLB)

According to the apostle, there is need for reconciliation between God and human beings because of the alienation that exists between us and Him. Sin, to which God has a righteous aversion, is the source of this alienation. Thankfully God has provided the means of reconciliation, through Jesus Christ.

There is a spiritual element to reconciliation, not only between God and man but between us human beings too. You see, reconciliation, is an exchange from enmity to fellowship. It is an exercise of grace – God’s grace toward us and our grace toward each other.

Paul points out that God’s act of reconciliation is established in the finished redemptive work of Jesus and that is the basis of this restored relationship with mankind.

in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. – 2 Corinthians 5:19 (ESV)

This was entirely God’s doing. As the apostle asserts, even while we were enemies via sin, God reconciled us to Himself (see Romans 5:10). However, this changed relationship is possible only if the sinner changes status. God is not reconciled to the sinner, for it is the sinner who is reconciled to God because it is the person’s sinfulness that created the enmity.

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. – Colossians 1:21-22 (NLT)

But what about reconciliation between persons?

We can agree that reconciliation between human beings, requires sound decision making based in true wisdom and understanding but above all, grace. For this reconciliation to be successful, there needs to be spiritual orientation and not strategy alone. We must follow the example of God in extending grace to one another.  

Paul has made it clear that there is a spiritual element to reconciliation, and, as Christ’s ambassadors, reconciliation must become a way of living. In every sphere of our lives, we must find ways of working together to achieve harmony, especially in the church.

The church is certainly not immune to conflict and disagreement. Christians must be willing to collaborate with one another and with others, outside of church confines, in the spirituality of reconciliation in an effort to maintain civility.

Reconciliation from this spiritual perspective involves the difficult task of rebuilding shattered relationships and healing the wounds left by scarred memories. Grace is the key that opens hearts to change from a position of enmity to one of fellowship.

Conflict was meant to deepen relationships not fracture them but when things like pride, control, misunderstandings, unresolved disputes, hurt emotions, rejection and unmet expectations are left unattended to fester in our hearts, conflict that separates is inevitable.

Healing relationships in the spiritualty of reconciliation removes those barriers to fellowship.

Beloved, reconciliation can mean several different things depending on the circumstances, but we are looking at it from a purely spiritual perspective. God’s method of reconciliation, as outlined by the apostle should give us a better understanding of the spirituality of reconciliation.

We must carry the spirituality of reconciliation to a broken world because it reflects God’s heart and His character. God sought to reconcile man to Himself, who are we to not seek to reconcile with others.

With His blood, Jesus Christ paid a debt He did not owe to reconcile us to God

The spirituality of reconciliation sends a message that brokenness is not the end of the story. Our faith compels us to step into places of tension and discord, not with arrogance, but with humility, hope, and an openness to transformation.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The Spirituality of Reconciliation” © 2026 July 21, 2026

Just do it!

 

A minister from church once said to me, “I don’t know why people think ministers don’t need prayer.”

I was taken aback by that, not surprised by what she said but because it was only after she said that, it dawned on me that I had never prayed for my minister.

But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’ – Acts 13:22 (NLT)

We all know that God referred to David as a man after my own heart, the reason being that David did everything that God wanted him to do.

I’m pretty sure that for one reason or another, most of us will not do everything God wants us to do. Instead, we hem and haw, we hesitate, we procrastinate, argue with God, ask why, refuse to listen, we complain, hit the rock rather than speak to it, all in all, we find every excuse not to do whatever it is God wants us to do and we simply don’t do it. And then we wonder about why things aren’t working out as we hope.

When God wants you to do something…just do it!

You may feel inconvenienced, you may feel afraid, you may feel inadequate but despite your feelings…just do it!

After the minister told me about ministers needing prayer, I knew that it was something that God wanted me to do.

There are 150 psalms in the bible, David wrote 75, that’s half of the recorded psalms and of those 75, in quite a few, he tells us to bless the Lord.

How often do you bless the Lord? Do you bless Him more than you look for Him to bless you?

While Psalms 34, 103, 104 and 134, all begin with the exhortation to bless the Lord, Psalm 34 adds to the call to bless, telling us to never stop praising Him.

Psalm 34:1 (ESV)
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 103:1-2 (ESV)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits 

Psalm 104:1 (ESV)
Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty

Psalm 134:1-2 (ESV)
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!

So, if this man who is a man after God’s own heart, a man that will do everything God wants him to do, has told us again and again, to bless the Lord and continually praise Him, why aren’t we?

Why are you and I, who want to be blessed by the Lord in every way, not blessing and continually praising the Lord? Why don’t we just do it?

When we pray for those whom God has called into ministry, we bless the Lord.

When we embrace the opportunities that God places before us, we bless the Lord.

When we bless others, we bless the Lord.

When we thank God in all circumstances, we bless the Lord.

When we do whatever we do, as though we’re working for the Lord and not for humans, we bless the Lord.

When we praise God continually, adore and magnify Him, we bless the Lord.

When we believe, trust and obey God, we bless the Lord.

When we seek God and His Kingdom first, we bless the Lord.

When we do everything God wants us to do, we bless the Lord.

So beloved, just do it!

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Just do it!” © 2026 July 20, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who is really Wise and Understanding?

 

The Apostle James asked a question,

Are there any among you who are really wise and understanding? (James 3:13 ERV)

Who is really wise and understanding? Most people think they are wise, some think they’re understanding and a lot of persons believe themselves to be both.

In James’ day, the early Christians were undergoing trials as they faced many spiritual failures, so he wrote a letter which, among other things, encourages the use of wisdom amid trials and addresses the dangers of the tongue, quarrels and conflict.

In the first twelve verses of chapter three, James warns against the misuse of the tongue, then, in the remainder of the chapter, expounds the nature of true and false wisdom.

Are there any among you who are really wise and understanding? Then you should show your wisdom by living right. You should do what is good with humility. A wise person does not boast. If you are selfish and have bitter jealousy in your hearts, you have no reason to boast. Your boasting is a lie that hides the truth. That kind of “wisdom” does not come from God. That “wisdom” comes from the world. It is not spiritual. It is from the devil. Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there will be confusion and every kind of evil. But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest. People who work for peace in a peaceful way get the blessings that come from right living. – James 3:13-18 (ERV)

Even though James’ message appears to have been written for the benefit of Jewish Christians, at that time, it is still applicable to all believers.

We need to understand that God is the source of wisdom which He gives to those who reverentially and worshipfully fear the Lord (see Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 2:6-7). In Him, wisdom is the infinite, perfect understanding of all that is or might be, according to Paul in his letter to the church in Rome.

How great are God's riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways? – Romans 11:33 (GNT)

The wisdom of man can never have the power to change us, bring us closer to God or to live the life God wants us to live (see Jeremiah 10:23; 1 Corinthians 2).

James describes the wisdom that comes from God as pure, peaceful, gentle, easy to please, fair, honest and always ready to help and do good for others; this is true wisdom. On the contrary, wisdom that is boastful, selfish, hoards bitter jealousy in the heart, is not spiritual, it is of the world, and it is evil.

Godly wisdom is not born of rivalry, envy, or self-interest, but of a deep desire to heal and reconcile. Human wisdom is an eminently practical attitude that’s employed to achieve questionable outcomes.

As previously mentioned, this particular part of James’ wisdom narrative comes directly after his exhortation on taming the tongue as a lesson on treating with quarrels and conflict.

Usually, when we are faced with heated arguments, instinctively we seek to put up a defence, go to lengths to assert our point of view, argue vehemently and even retaliate. However, James offers a completely different perspective on how we ought to respond when we find ourselves in contentious situations: we must be humble, gentle, peaceful, fair, honest and willing to yield.

In other words, as children of God, we are to be the peacemakers (see Matthew 5:9). By getting the desired end by these effective means shows true wisdom and understanding. Recognizing that every conflict carries the potential for change and transformation, is true wisdom.

We are to work for peace, and we are to pursue wisdom and acquire understanding in the process. In Proverbs 4:7 (AMP) it is written,

The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]!
And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation].

We must be wise but certainly not in our own eyes. Becoming a peacemaker requires much patience and honest self-examination. It involves the work of transformation in us through the power of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22). It calls for us to listen attentively as we seek to understand rather than to be understood. Transformation is about shifting from seeing others as opponents to seeing them as partners in the pursuit of peace.

Beloved, true wisdom creates space for forgiveness, healing, restoration and right living. And living right with others in peace, promotes transformation, not just of yourself but in others.

Be willing to work for peace in a peaceful way, then you will reap a bounty of blessings that will redound to the benefit of all. In so doing, you can confidently answer “I am!” to the question “Who is really Wise and Understanding?”.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Who is really Wise and Understanding?” © 2026 July 17, 2026

 

 

The Sound of Faith

 

Acts 16:16-40 recounts a series of events that took place while Paul, accompanied by Silas, was on his second missionary journey to the city of Philippi, a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony (see v 11-12).

On the Sabbath, on his way to a place of prayer, Paul exorcised a spirit of divination from a female slave much to the displeasure of her owner who made a great deal of money from her fortune-telling.

The owner dragged the two missionaries into the marketplace before the authorities, brought them before the magistrate, accusing them of disturbing our city and… advocating customs that are not lawful for us, being Romans, to adopt or observe.

Paul and Silas were scourged, then they placed the two in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Philippi was a bustling city deeply rooted in paganism. Paul and Silas’ mission was no different from the first – spread the gospel of Jesus Christ – but the people of Philippi had hearts that were firmly held in the grip of pagan religions. This was a city littered with temples dedicated to gods and they had come to introduce these pagans to God.

They knew that hearts hardened by years of ritual and idolatry, would be difficult to penetrate but the seed of the gospel must be planted, no matter the condition of the soil. So, there was a challenge to overcome even before the challenge to be overcome presented itself.

Paul and Silas were up for that challenge, they’d already planted many seeds, ploughed the soil of many hearts and been through the crucible of faith-testing but they hadn’t bargained for this jail-cell diversion.

Securely imprisoned in the innermost cell of the prison, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God at midnight, and the prisoners were listening to them in silence, in the darkness. But faith refuses to be silent. Instead of despair, the two sang and the entire jail, in the dead of night, reverberated with the sound of faith.

Then suddenly…God’s specialty!

Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. – Acts 16:26 (NRSVUE)

There’s usually a pause before an earthquake strikes – an eerie stillness, like a preface to the shake which often goes unnoticed, but that does not occur where I live; an ominous rumble, like the sound of a heavily-loaded mack truck, is heard, with the noise getting louder and louder immediately before the earth shakes. It still frightens me.

That night, faith passed through the midnight hour, through prison walls and created an unforgettable sound. What sound does your faith make?

The sound of faith is the sound of freedom, not freedom from trials but the freedom of faith that prays and sings praises in the midst of trials.

Faith doesn’t need permission to make a joyful noise to the Lord (Psalm 100:1), and when it does it releases whatever has been held captive.

Faith, like an earthquake, makes a sound that disrupts the norm and rearranges lives by shaking things up.

Singing songs of praise bolsters faith; it is a weapon that shifts the atmosphere and in Acts 16, it shifted the very foundations of the prison.

The sound of faith must be loudest when conditions are at their worst.

With all the cell doors open, and chains fallen, the jailer, terrified of the punishment that would inevitably be his, was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped (v 27), but Paul urged him not to harm himself, assuring him that they hadn’t.

The jailer, completely overwhelmed by this experience, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas and asked them a question that would forever change his life…

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (v 30)

They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (v 31)

And, that very night, Paul and Silas shared the gospel of salvation with the jailer and his household; they all believed then he and his entire family were baptized without delay (v 33).

Beloved, silence is not your calling, you are meant to give faith a voice (read James 2:14-26). Like Paul and Silas, allow your voice to declare your faith, so that, the sound of faith becomes a weapon of warfare and a sign of belief.

Understand that faith is not something you need to search for because it is already inside you, given by God in the perfect measure (see Romans 12:3). Listen out for the sound of faith, feel it welling up from deep within you as you believe.

Midnight was not the end of Paul and Silas’ story and it’s certainly not the end of yours. What began as pain, suffering and imprisonment became a powerful display of God’s power when they remained united in faith.

An innermost cell with no means of escape, birthed belief, proving that even chains and prison walls cannot stop the spread of the gospel.

Hearts already hardened, cannot be won over by force but by gentle persuasion and a demonstration of genuine love for God through the sound of faith.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The Sound of Faith” © 2026 July 16, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Are you drunk?

As he looked at Hannah in the temple, the thought that crossed Eli’s mind was, “Are you drunk?”

As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently; though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli, thinking she was drunk, said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Sober up from your wine!” – 1 Samuel 1:12-14 (NABRE)

As my spiritual journey became more intense, my mother, not quite understanding what was happening to me, didn’t think that I was drunk, oh no, not at all did that ever cross her mind; she thought that I was staring mad. She called all my siblings to let them know that I had gone crazy, as I was displaying definite signs of mental illness.

Hannah wasn’t drunk and I was not going insane, what Eli and my mother were witnessing was the transformative power of God at work within us as we connected to His presence.

Apostle Paul put it this way,

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:18-20 (NLT)

When you make that connection, you can’t help but give Him praise and it’s really not up to you the manner in which that praise will manifest. What Eli mistook for Hannah being drunk with wine, was praise continually in her mouth (ref. Psalm 34:1) as she continuously whispered prayers to God.

Being spiritually drunk can have a similar effect as being naturally drunk; that’s what happened on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) when the Holy Spirit first appeared just as the prophet Joel had prophesied.

When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place

Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them

Their heads were spinning; they couldn’t make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: “What’s going on here?” Others joked, “They’re drunk on cheap wine.”

 That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency;

”These people aren’t drunk as some of you suspect.”  (MSG)

Are you drunk?

We are encouraged to drink spiritual wine to the full. This spiritual wine is the new life in Jesus that is to be consumed as we abide in Him.

In Mark 2:22 Jesus said, New wine needs fresh wineskins (MSG); that’s because old wineskins can’t contain new wine. Jesus used this analogy in His response to a question posed to him by a group of people.

“Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”   (v 18)

Now, Jesus, speaking of wineskins, in one sense was referring to the human body as a vessel but broader than that, the church as the Body of Christ; the new wine isn’t only the new life in Christ we are given as a New Covenant promise but is also the new wine of the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Jesus was accustomed to the ploys employed by the Pharisees and religious leaders in their constant attempts to entrap Him so, He always remained a step ahead of them with responses that highlighted their religious sanctimony.

They disapproved and scoffed at the new way of teaching that Jesus had introduced; it was unlike the old pharisaic approach to religion. While their way was designed to restrain, constrain and control the masses, Jesus was preaching freedom.

to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free – Luke 4:18 (NABRE) [also Isaiah 61:1]

The gospel of the Kingdom (new wine) could not fit into the Pharisees’ religious paradigm (old wineskin). This applies to us as individuals and expands to the broader congregation as the church.

The new wine of the gospel speaks of an authentic spiritual life; it’s not about public rituals and religious traditions handed down over generations. The new wine of the gospel cannot fit within the restraints of the old wineskin ways.

We have built structures of religious beliefs and traditions that confine us and prevent us from properly receiving the freedom that Christ brought to the world. These old mindsets are so ingrained in us that we are unable to accept new ideas. Subconsciously, we resist change and have a difficult time responding positively to anything that is outside of our comfort zones, yet we expect new results, while our behaviours remain mired in sameness.

The truth is, our wineskins must be changed if we are to experience the new wine – the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. – John 4:24 (ESV)

We seem to believe that after that original Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), there was nothing left to be done so, that is where we have unsaddled the horses and left them in the stables; the church was birthed but it is still going through its stages of growth. God is still doing new things, He isn’t done, there are prophecies to be fulfilled and unfulfilled promises remain promises still to come true.

But we wait for what God has promised: new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will be at home. – 2 Peter 3:13 (GNT)

Are you drunk?

Wineskins would become redundant without the wine they are meant to hold. Wineskins are the point of contact between the wine and the world. As wineskins, we are God’s agents here on earth. Though secondary to the wine itself, we are necessary and useful and play an essential part in the outpouring of the new wine of the gospel which is potent.

The gospel of Christ has always been a message of newness and renewal in every age, however some of us have not grasped that the format that was used in the church canon of the 1800’s must be revised to successfully fulfil the Great Commission in the twenty first century.

If the way we evangelize and carry out missions no longer works, then we need to stop trying to pour new wine into old wineskins as both the wine and the skins will be ruined.

Understand, the gospel does not change but it does produce change therefore the wineskins must change as time passes. The relationship between the wine and the wineskins is greatly compromised as more and more wineskins refuse to be replaced.

Pitifully, we aren’t even trying to place new wine into old wineskins, we are still using the old wine and the old wineskins, while the new wine sits unattended on the countertop waiting to be poured out into new wineskins that are yet to be acquired.

The old wineskins of outdated models, obsolete theologies, outmoded traditions, dilapidated institutional ideas and old habits cannot hold the new wine of the gospel. We need to recognize that if the way we've always done things isn't working, perhaps the focus is more on tradition and less on Jesus. The old traditions are not adequate to hold the gospel of Christ.

The wineskins of traditions, structures and patterns of doing things which have grown up around the gospel are secondary, manmade and subsidiary. The gospel is primary, God-ordained and central. Those things that were initially created by man to aid in the spreading of the gospel eventually become obstacles. It is not farfetched to suppose that one of the greatest stumbling blocks to the gospel may be us, the church itself.

Too many of us haven’t perceived the new thing.

See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? – Isaiah 43:19 (NABRE)

Are you drunk?

When the new wine of the divine gospel touches human hearts, new wineskins are the result. When faith grows, the old wineskins burst. Wineskins are bursting and yet the church refuses to acknowledge the truth of their worsening state.

The gospel is the new and living way (Hebrews 10:20) but the church is stuck in an old way of life.

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” – Matthew 15:1-2 (ESV)

Jesus was not obeying their traditions.

He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? – Matthew 15:3 (ESV)

Jesus shifted the focus from the manmade traditions to the commands of God.

God said, ‘You must respect your father and mother.’ And God also said, ‘Whoever says anything bad to their father or mother must be killed.’ But you teach that a person can say to their father or mother, ‘I have something I could use to help you. But I will not use it for you. I will give it to God.’  You are teaching them not to respect their father. So you are teaching that it is not important to do what God said. You think it is more important to follow those traditions you have. You are hypocrites! – Matthew 15:4-7 (ERV)

The gospel was new in the church founders’ day, and it is new in our day, and it will be new in the days to come. The gospel of Christ is still new, but too many have not grasped that (Isaiah 42:9).

In the same way that God put a new song in David’s mouth (Psalm 40:3), He has put a new song in the church, but many are still singing an old tune. The church was never meant to be static, stationary and stagnant, bound to traditions made by men of old that have no bearing on the way of life in changing times. The history of the church and of Christianity bears witness to this truth.

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” – Revelation 21:5 (GNT)

Are you drunk?

The church wants to conserve the old, but the power of the gospel cannot be constrained, it is designed to burst forth into the world, that is the nature of the divine.

There must be no restraints; the old wineskins are designed to bind the gospel, that is the nature of humanity.

Renewal is constantly happening in nature and it’s no different with the gospel; renewing, not in its structure but its impact.

The more we understand it, the greater its impact – the wine of the gospel affects our perspective, our thinking, our lives, our world anew again and again.

It was the power of God then and is the power of God now and will continue to be the power of God forever.

I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God's power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles. – Romans 1:16 (GNT)

The new wine will never stop bursting old wineskins. The new wine is meant to be poured out as we must be poured out, one vessel into another, giving of ourselves lest we get in the way of others reaching Jesus, lose our taste and become unfit for drinking like Moab (see Jeremiah 48:11-12).

Are you drunk?

Beloved, well-preserved wineskins are still old wineskins no matter how well preserved they may be; it’s definitely not about the fermentation of the new wine, for the wine is not the problem, it’s the wineskin that needs to be replaced.

Holding tight to traditions that no longer work simply because “That’s what we’ve always done” is foolhardy and leads to spiritual stagnation. We cannot continue putting an Old Testament spin onto the New Testament dynamic.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Are you drunk?” © 2026 July 15, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resolving Conflicts

 

Very often members of a congregation are called to engage in week-long prayer vigils or 3-day fasts or month-long nightly prayer sessions and just as often, Jesus’ words found in Matthew chapter 18 are used as a preamble and source of encouragement.

For where two or three have gathered together in [Jesus] name, [He is] there in their midst (ref. v 20)

What a powerful declaration!

And so, we gather in one accord, presumably, and we pray in church, and we pray together as one voice lifted up via zoom from home, and we pray together at an appointed time wherever we are at that time and we kneel and we stand and we prostrate ourselves and yet, nothing happens; the prayers aren’t answered and we find that the financial breakthrough that we’ve prayed for as a church for the last twenty years to construct the new church building has not materialised, the flood of new members hasn’t been more than a trickle, the former members have not returned in droves or at all, nothing answered and we wonder…

What’s that about?

And so, another prayer meeting is organized, and another fast, and another vigil and another lovely verse is used as a preface to the new prayer session. Same chapter, different verse.

if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. (v 19 NASB 1995)

We are on this earth, we are asking and we agree, presumably but it hasn’t been done – every prayer is left unanswered and we wonder...

Where are the results?

Now, this clearly shows the danger in pulling verses out of a much bigger biblical narrative. These are just two verses from an entire chapter of verses; a chapter comprising thirty-five verses and the verses above are numbered nineteen and twenty, not respectively. It’s a case of the proverbial taking of the cart before the horse, where verses one to eighteen have been completely ignored.

The NASB 1995 version of Matthew chapter eighteen, from which these two verses were extracted, has grouped verses in sections as follows,

1-6 is “Rank in the Kingdom”, where the disciples asked Jesus, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 

7-11 is “Stumbling Blocks”, where Jesus famously says,

“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.”

12-14 is “Ninety-Nine plus One”, where Jesus after relating the parable of the lost sheep says, “So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.”

15-20 is “Discipline and Prayer”, where Jesus, quoting scripture from Deuteronomy 17:6 says, “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed”

21-35 is “Forgiveness”, where Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” to which Jesus answered, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Reading this chapter in its entirety, you’d realize that Jesus is teaching His disciples about resolving conflict. The opening line of Matthew 18 is the catalyst of conflict among the devoted followers of Jesus and is, in many instances, the cause of conflict that exists in churches even today.

Everybody is obsessed with their rank or position or title within the church – Pastor and Bishop and Reverend and Elder and Deacon and Steward and Evangelist and Sister and Brother and so on and so on and if they’re not addressed in a certain manner, then they’d rather not be addressed at all because you’re insolent while all the while you’re simply innocent and perhaps just a little ignorant.

Apostle Paul, in his first epistle to the congregation at Corinth wrote,

But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. (1 Corinthians 8:9 ESV)

Even in Paul’s day just as it had been in Jesus’ and now in our own time, Christians become stumbling blocks to their fellow Christian brothers and sisters. Too often we stand in each other’s way, hindering someone else’s spiritual growth and development. We get so consumed with the what that we neglect the who and are oblivious as the weak “little ones” of the faith perish.

It is how we, by our words and actions, those things we say and do, whether intentionally or unintentionally, impede others’ spiritual progress. The seriousness of this issue must be taken into consideration, as it is not only addressed by Jesus in Matthew 18 and Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8, but Paul also deals with it in Romans 14 and Luke in Acts 15.

Jesus said that in the world, stumbling blocks were inevitable but added,

“…woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!” (v 7)

Then immediately thereafter Jesus relates a parable. Parables challenge people to look into the hidden aspects of their own lives. They are meant to afflict the comfortable, to indict, to inculcate a new perspective of conventional and personal values and to emphasize the point of view.

Jesus begins His short story with a question,

If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? (v 12)

The Greek word “plano”, which has been translated as “gone astray” carries the connotation of “deceive/deception”, therefore a better translation of this verse would be,

If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has been deceived, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is deceived?

Can you see now, how this connects to Jesus’ warning of being a stumbling block?

In this parable, blame cannot be assigned to the sheep that has gone astray, the one that is deceived, the fault lays with the man who is shepherding the sheep. He was not as attentive to his sheep as he ought to have been.

Notice that this parable speaks of the church’s responsibility to care, doctrinally, for its members, who may be deceived by those false prophets who Jesus had already warned us of in Matthew 7:15-16.  

Jesus continues His teaching by carefully outlining the process for resolving conflicts within the church community. Jesus is pointing to respect, reconciliation and restoration.

Unlike what we see happening in churches today, conflict resolution is to begin in private between the parties involved and is not to be a broadcasting of your complaints. The inclusion of other parties only becomes necessary if witnesses and wisdom are required and the involvement of the wider community, if multiple attempts at the first two stages of resolving the conflict have failed.

Nowadays, persons both inside and outside the church haven’t a clue about resolving conflicts with respect and compassion; it’s all out war and in this age of social media, conflict has become a spectator sport.

Sadly, the church is no longer the example to follow as Elder Bob is not talking to Elder Sue, half of Pastor Joe’s congregation is angry and upset with him, this minister refuses to work with that minister, the stewards are at loggerheads, the worship team can’t get along, this faction of priests want to have nothing to do with that faction, and Sister Amy will not sit in the same pew as Brother Lou.

All this does is cause division. What did Jesus say?

“Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.” (Matthew 12:25 NLT)

This includes the family of believers.

When reading Matthew 18:17, remember, Jesus ate with tax collectors, He did not shun them; having a meal together promotes fellowship. Sharing a meal with someone, especially in the way it was done in Jesus’ day was a very intimate affair; it encouraged closeness, broke down barriers, and formed a connection. It should have today, the same powerful effect of relationship building, it had then.

And don’t forget that it was Jesus who sent Paul out to the Gentiles (see Acts 13:47).

We seem to have forgotten that these were the people for whom Jesus came – the lost, the ones who were straying, the deceived (see Luke 19:10 & Matthew 15:24) – us and others like us, our fellow church members; yes, even the one you are avoiding.

It’s time for restoration and reconciliation in the church which can only come with genuine forgiveness. People need to be honest, accountable and responsible. The goal for every member of the community must be to heal broken relationships with each other and with God.

Understand that when Peter asked Jesus if he should forgive someone who sins against him up to seven times (Matthew 18:21), he understood the significance of the number seven, so that when Jesus replied up to seventy times seven, Peter was well aware that this wasn’t a random selection of multiples simply to signify great forgiveness.

You see, the number 490 represents a time of grace but that’s an explanation better left for another day. Until then, know that by His response to Peter, Jesus was revealing the heart of the New Covenant – the forgiveness of sins.

Beloved, Matthew chapter 18 is all about the proper way of resolving conflicts.

Jesus had a way of meeting people where they were, showing grace, connection, compassion and forgiveness above all and you and I, in emulating Him, must endeavour to do the same.

If we as a church community want to experience answers to all our prayer vigils, monthly prayer and fasts, our weekly prayer meetings and our daily prayer partnerships according to Matthew 18:19-20, then we can’t ignore the other parts of this chapter and certainly, we cannot afford to be escalating conflicts rather than resolving conflicts.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Resolving Conflicts” © 2026 July 13, 2026