The Rejected Stone

“In God’s eyes he was like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. But in our eyes there was no attractiveness at all, nothing to make us want him.” – Isaiah 53:2

When I read this verse, I wondered how a stranger on the shores of a great lake could have been able to compel others to drop what they were doing to follow him. The disciples literally gave up their careers to follow a man who, even if they’d heard about him, they did not know. So, I figure that this stranger on the beach must have had some form of beauty. Clearly this verse must not be speaking to Jesus’ physical appearance but must be, symbolically, referring to something else, something spiritual because there is no way that He, as sinless and divine as He was, could not have been anything other than perfect in appearance.

Sadly though, it was and still is, that many cannot see the beauty in Jesus and the spiritual journey He has called each of us to walk. They see “no attractiveness at all, nothing to make [them] want Him” – the One who made atonement, once and for all, for sin. For them, Jesus is the Rejected Stone.

“The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.” – Psalm 118:22

They build their lives without even considering Jesus. He does not fit into their plans nor the material goals they have made. He does not conform to their lifestyle. He isn’t even gathered among their building blocks. What a pity. Even for some raised in Christian homes by Christian mothers and fathers, there’s no appeal and no desire for Jesus, and indeed no care for the spiritual journey. Instead, just like the guards who mocked and beat Jesus, those who have chosen to reject the Stone, mock Him and the people who have chosen to walk with Him.

To the ones who have chosen the Stone, Jesus gives His own glory and they become “partakers of the divine nature” (see 2 Peter 1:4) – not the very nature of God but one which is divine in origin and character, that same nature intended in the beginning when God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26). What a privilege and an honour and oh so humbling an experience.

“As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him-- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5-6 (NIV)

And, as you progress along the spiritual path, you too become as a living stone, aligned with the Living Stone which was laid before any other at the bottom, supporting the weight of the stones. Jesus is your sure foundation, but even believers can be stone rejecters. 

When God places any challenge before you that you refuse to take up, you have deliberately rejected a stone, since God-given challenges are stepping stones to higher levels in life. Rejecting these stones is to willfully reject the next level of your journey, it is to reject your own progress and your own blessings.

Beloved, if you are one who is rejecting Jesus as your Chief Cornerstone, He will become a Stone of Judgment in your life (see Matthew 21:44); continuing to build your house without Him as The cornerstone will eventually lead to ruin (see Luke 6:47-49). 

Today I implore you, as you gather the blocks to build your life here on earth, take a good look at this Stone, for this is the stone that will turn out to be the most important of all. 

Amen†

The Rejected Stone

Shelley Johnson March 10, 2017

Why are you Offended?

Someone makes a comment and immediately you take offense. You overhear a flippant remark and you get so angry steam is literally escaping from your ears. An associate expresses an opinion not in line with yours and you’re disappointed to tears. You say something that others don’t necessarily agree with and you see it as an affront. You ask a loved one a question, they answer you in a way that you think they ought not to and you automatically view it as a personal attack, now you’re angry and hurt. 

Why are you offended? Why do you think that you are constantly under siege? Why do you feel that everyone should be in agreement with you in every regard? Why do you measure and analyze everything that others say and do in the light of negative criticism?

God made us all different and that includes our opinions. Sometimes we’ll agree and a lot of times we won’t…and you know what, it’s okay. 

Offense occurs when you have a false sense of security, misplaced expectations, a need to be always commended for your actions, a desire to be seen as a good person, a feeling that your concerns have been violated, you’re seeking value from the opinions of others, continuously believe that even the most casual remark is a pot-shot at you, and that you are the target of another’s criticism. No matter what others say you’re easily slighted – the most innocent of comments said in, what you perceive as off-handed, send you into a tail spin of “it’s about me…boo-hoo”.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that people don’t deliberately set out to be offensive and to cause hurt but I am saying that you don’t have to claim it. You do not have to take responsibility for the opinions of others. You do not have to place infallible expectations on imperfect humans.

Solomon, by his God-given wisdom, said this, “Don't pay attention to everything people say—you may hear your servant insulting you, and you know yourself that you have insulted other people many times.” (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 GNT)

People, even you, say a lot of things, but you don’t have to take it to heart. Being offended is rooted in ‘self’. Self-centeredness causes you to believe that everything is about you, and as long as you think that way, you’ll always take offense, even at little things, even this Blog Post. This can only change when you take your eyes off of you. Your value, security and confidence must be rooted in Christ, not in yourself.

Jesus said this, when the woman with the alabaster jar was publicly criticized, “Leave her alone. Why are you attacking her?” (Mark 14:6 VOICE)

When your value, security, and confidence is rooted in Jesus, He will always defend you. Keep your mind fixed on Him and He will keep you in perfect peace (see Isaiah 26:3). Jesus actually shows you how to deal with offense in 1 Peter 2:23 which records that Jesus let God, the Just Judge, take care of the offender. 

You are not called to retaliate, to seek revenge, or even to answer back; instead you are to do this,

Cover offenses: for the sake of love, don’t sweat the small stuff

“…love covers all offenses” – Proverbs 10:12 (HCSB)

“Above everything else be sure that you have real deep love for each other, remembering how ‘love will cover a multitude of sins’.” – 1 Peter 4:8 (Phillips)

Overlook offenses: forgive the offender, focus on love and not on the offense

“A wise man restrains his anger and overlooks insults…” – Proverbs 19:11 (TLB)

“Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.” – 1 Corinthians 13:5 (TLB)

Love is the antidote to the poison of offense. Pray that God will so fill you with the love of Christ that your tendency to get offended will be eradicated.

Amen†

Why are you Offended?

Shelley Johnson March 9, 2017

The Call of Keilah

When David heard that the Philistines had attacked Keilah, ransacking the threshing floors and stealing the grain, he prayed and asked God for guidance.

David (to the Lord): Should I attack these Philistines?

Eternal One: Yes. Save Keilah, and defeat the Philistines.

David’s Men (objecting): We have a lot to fear even as we sit here in Judah. Think how much worse it will be if we go to fight the armies of the Philistines in Keilah.

So David asked the Eternal again just to make sure.

Eternal One: Yes, defend Keilah. I will grant you victory over the Philistines.

(1 Samuel 23:1-4 VOICE)

The people of Keilah were under attack by the Philistines. Upon hearing of their plight, David did not make a hasty decision to rush in, instead, he immediately sought God’s guidance, and God told him to go into hostile territory – a daring expedition that from man’s perspective would be an exercise in futility.

David, at that time, was still in exile, a refugee in Judah, so he was well aware that for him to answer this distress call was to place himself and his men in grave danger. Not surprisingly, his men objected, but David, who God Himself testified was, “a man after My own heart”, did not allow human reasoning – neither his men’s nor his own – to cause him to be disobedient to God.

Have you ever felt prompted to act in a way that seemed impractical even nonsensical to you and to others but you just know that it is the Lord’s leading? And, despite this knowing you allow the objections of those around you to bring doubt? Pray for God’s guidance. Do not allow reasoning to enter into the equation, always keep in mind what God said in Isaiah 55:8-9,

“My intentions are not always yours, and I do not go about things as you do. My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you, just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth.” (VOICE)

Exactly.

“Instead, God has deliberately chosen to use ideas the world considers foolish and of little worth in order to shame those people considered by the world as wise and great.” – 1 Corinthians 1:27 (TLB)

Have you received the call of Keilah – the call of obedience to God? What has God called you to do that makes absolutely no sense but deep down you know it’s what you ought to do?

When God tells you to act in a way that does not fall in line with sanity, do it anyway. Pray for His guidance. Hold firm to your conviction that God has spoken into your life. Hold on to the guarantee of God. Pay no attention to wagging tongues, simply choose to obey God. 

Amen†

The Call of Keilah

Shelley Johnson March 7, 2017

A Steady Hope

“The tree might give up hope altogether under the weight of the winter snow if it were not aware of the coming spring”

Do you realize that it is under the worst conditions that character is developed?

Paul put it this way:

“…we can be full of joy here and now even in our trials and troubles. Taken in the right spirit these very things will give us patient endurance; this in turn will develop a mature character, and a character of this sort produces a steady hope, a hope that will never disappoint us...” – Romans 5:3-5 (Phillips)

There is no other way for mature character to be formed but in the harshest environments. God puts you through these seasons of testing, some more severe than others, because He is producing in you that hope which Scripture describes as steady and “will never disappoint”. 

This steady hope cannot be grown otherwise; it springs from deep within you, out of a love God pours into your heart by His own Spirit living inside you. So that, even when you’re going through the winter storms of life, and God seems cold and distant, find comfort in knowing that He is indeed with you because His Holy Spirit resides in you. 

“No situation, no matter how wretched it seems, but has some sort of comfort attending it” – Goldsmith

Begin to see these challenging times as seasonal, and rest assured, as with all seasons, it shall soon pass, for Winter always gives way to Spring. And, after you have patiently endured, you will be a different person, with a different outlook and a different sense of purpose – that is character building; that is forging a steadfast hope.

Such steady hope is the perpetual fuel that propels you forward, though your winter may be long and extreme in nature. Such steady hope has the power to keep you focused on God, and the coming Spring despite the biting cold and frost.

My friend, your Winter experience is not in vain, it is a necessary phase of your spiritual journey, so savor the time of dank as preparation to burst forth anew, all the while remembering that winter makes the dawn of spring all the more beautiful.

“…the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers are springing up and the time of the singing of birds has come. Yes, spring is here.” – Song of Songs 2:11-12 (TLB)

Amen†

A Steady Hope

Shelley Johnson March 7, 2017

"If" and "Then", plus "Now"

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14-16 (NKJV)

These words, which God spoke to Solomon, could teach us all a very valuable lesson. When we read the Word we do not realize that God’s response to us, for the most part, is conditional. 

Throughout Scripture we come across those verses that tell us that if we do, God will act. For example, Jesus lets us know in John 15:7 that “if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon”(MSG) – that’s conditional. 

Here’s a hint: whenever you see the words “if” and “then”, you can be sure that it’s letting you know that, if you do this then God will do that. Such sentences or statements are contingent on the choices you make and express certainty of God’s response to your choices. 

So let us look at what God told Solomon and is telling us via 2 Chronicles 7:14-16…

Your Part:

Humble yourself – you have to get to a place of humility, like the woman with the issue of blood (see Luke 8:43-48) or the Prodigal son (see Luke 15:11-24), where you come to your senses from deep within you and you get low before the Lord, it is an act of desperation where you throw off any shame or inhibitions and come to Him just as you are…naked, exposed, bleeding, dirty.

Pray – pour out your heart before the Lord, sincere and genuine, a repentant cry (see Acts 3:19)

Seek God’s face – search for His face and not His hand; you’re not looking for what God can give you, His presents, but rather you’re looking for His presence – an intimate connection, revelation and knowledge of who God is; to encounter His manifest presence in your life.

Turn from your wicked ways – speaks of repentance, going in the opposite direction to the ways of the world (sin) towards the spiritual and godly; a turning away from self to God; from the evil intent devised in your heart (see Jeremiah 17:9)

God’s Part:

God will hear from heaven – His dwelling place, throne-room, realm of grace, the spiritual realm (see 1 Kings 8:30)

God will forgive your sin – 1 John 1:9 (NLT) "if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 

God will heal your land – He will bring restoration, and renewal, not just to your physical land but more importantly to what land symbolizes: your heart, your godly inheritance and everything concerning you.

Then there’s the extra...

Beloved, when you do your part, God doesn’t just do His part as promised, He always gives you a little something more – that’s where “Now” comes in.

The Plus Now:

God’s eyes will be opened – He is keeping watch over you

God’s ears will be attentive to your prayers – He’s always going to listen to your prayers especially

God places you on the list of the chosen and sanctification takes place

God will continuously be looking out for you, He’ll place His seal on you and His ceaseless love will be tangible in your life.

It is your willingness to obey that brings these rewards and, not only in heaven, but “now in this time” – “Now” rewards.

Look at what happened to Job when he finally understood what God was showing him and did what he needed to do, “God restored his fortune—and then doubled it!” (Job 42:10 MSG)

And, see what Jesus tells us will happen when we let go of certain things for God’s sake, “They’ll get it all back, but multiplied many times” (see Mark 10:29-30). 

So, do not be reluctant to do your part, even when it makes no sense, because everything God tells you to do is always for your best and born out of His great love for you. 

Know that if you fulfill your part, then you can be certain that God will fulfill His part and after that even more.

Amen†

"If" and "Then", plus "Now"

Shelley Johnson March 6, 2017

Love over Sacrifice

“…I want faithful love, not sacrifice. I want people to know God, not to bring burnt offerings.” – Hosea 6:6 (ERV)

Job did everything right. He did everything that was expected of a man of God. He faithfully observed all the required religious traditions and performed all the required rituals – he upheld the holy feasts, made sacrifices and burnt offerings but Job acted more out of craven fear, than faithful love. Job was terribly afraid of God, and he did not truly know God. 

You see, like Job, too many Christians become caught up in outward observances because they believe that’s what’s most important. They do all that’s expected of them as a good Christian, making sure to follow all the religious traditions, busying themselves with the various rules of the church, tirelessly working in different church groups and attending a plethora of church meetings, all the while having no genuine knowledge of God. So busy are they with church that they haven’t the time to establish a relationship with God. 

Anyone can make a sacrifice. Anyone can present a burnt offering. Anyone can make an outward show of being Christian. And to one’s fellowman you appear to be sincere and genuine in your walk with God, but do not forget that God sees what man cannot see, He sees your heart – what is deepest within you. He knows your true motives and your intentions. God is not fooled. 

God wants you to know Him. It is in knowing God that faithful love for Him is produced in you. And out of that faithful love comes reverential fear. Everything you do will then be done out of your faithful love of God. This is what God wants. He does not want a sacrifice born from trepidation, or from a man-made tradition. God wants you to sacrifice because of the deep love you have for Him. He wants love over sacrifice.

Amen†

Love over Sacrifice

Shelley Johnson March 2, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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