Pleasing God

It doesn’t seem to come naturally to human beings...we all want to do what we want to do. We don’t like to consult first with others. We make excuses that ‘it’s the American way….!’ I remember the old TV commercial that said…”Mother...I’d rather do it myself.” We pride ourselves in our accomplishments and our self sufficiency. And all too often, we find ourselves trying to do things our way, only to end up in frustration and failure. We want to please God, but too often we want to please ourselves and others first.
The Apostle Paul struggled with this too. It is an age old problem. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (Romans 7:15) We all want to do it right! But we often fail….yielding to the carnal and sinful flesh. We want to be pleasing to God, but we continually struggle, day after day. It sometimes seems like everyone around us is doing just fine...but we falter. What is it that makes the difference?

1. Recognize that you sin. You are not alone in this. Sin is a problem common to the entire human race. We were born in sin. Sin is not unique to just you. It is a problem that each person must confront and deal with in the way God prescribes. Too often we don’t talk about sin. Pastors today in ‘sensitive’ churches, tend to paint a rosy picture of life, filled with people who just make ‘mistakes’. God calls it sin! Sin is a big problem that will hinder your spiritual life and prevent you from entering the presence of a holy God. Each man, woman, boy or girl must come to grips with the sin habit. Those who fail to deal with their sin will never enter His holy presence.

2. Overcomers are rewarded. God provides incentives. He rewards us with so much when we decide to please Him instead of ourselves. “What rewards?” you may ask. The Bible is filled with the rewards that await those who choose to please Him….heaven, (John 14:1-4) help (John 14:15-17) love (John 14:23) fruitfulness (John 15:5) joy (John 15:11) and all the promises of God.

3. Live your life as if God were standing by your side. There are Bible heroes who were noted as being men and women who pleased God . First of all we think of Enoch. He pleased God so much, that the Bible tells us ‘God took him’ (Hebrews 11:5). What was it about Enoch that pleased God? It was his faith...that resulted in actions...And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Heb 11:6) It takes faith to serve God diligently, believing in His existence so that it affects every waking moment of your life...causing you to seek Him daily.
King David, although he sinned, he was also a man who sought God. Whenever David sought God for the problems he faced, God blessed his kingdom. But the moment David started doing things on his own, (counting the troops), he trusted in his own ability instead of God’s ability. That’s when failure came. That’s when sin conquered. He learned from his failure and spoke wisely from that lesson….I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. 1 Chron 29:17. It is getting harder to find people of integrity… people who will do the right thing, even when no one is watching….people who go the extra mile, people who refuse to bow to the carnal culture around them. But those kind are God pleasers!
Solomon started out well., for in 1 Kings 3:9-10 we read Solomon’s request. 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.
If that were you, and God asked you what you wanted in life, how would you do? Most folks would ask for money or lands or tangible things...but Solomon wisely asked for the intangible...an understanding heart. That pleased God! While God rewarded him with wisdom and wealth, Solomon later failed because he forgot to continually seek God.

4. Love the Lord with all Your Heart. We know this is one of the two great commandments that Jesus spoke of. Yet to make it personal and do it daily is a daunting task. The Psalmist said…’the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.’ (Psalm 147:11) People have their hopes in so many things today. Some hope the stock market will rise. Others hope to find a kettle of gold at the end of the rainbow, via the lottery. Some hope for a great successful career. Others hope to meet that special someone who will solve all their problems in life and put stars in their eyes. Loving the Lord does not mean you can’t have nice things, or be successful. It does mean that you put Him first in everything. When we do, He promises that all the other things we long for will also be satisfied. He is the source of our fulfillment. He is the hope and joy and love of the believer. When we love Him the way He wants us to, everything else just falls into place. How many young couples have married, thinking that their partner will bring them happiness, only to discover shortly thereafter, that they married a sinful human being, just like themselves. They divorce, trying to find that perfect someone, only being disappointed again and again. That’s what happens when our hearts look to mankind to make us happy when God designed us with an emptiness that only He can fill. If you are struggling in your relationship today, start loving Him again, and then begin to treat your loved ones as if they were Jesus...loving them unconditionally, serving them with gladness of heart. A Christ-centered heart is a happy heart, and pleases God and man. In fact you do more than please God...you delight Him!

5. Make Humility the Norm. There is nothing more obnoxious than being around someone who is arrogant. It’s like living with a skunk. You can’t wait to make an exit. (Psalm 51:16-17) ‘You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.’ God is consistent...although He asked for sacrifices...He did not delight in them. What gets God excited is a broken and contrite humble heart….one willing to admit their sin, willing to come to God when the going gets tough...willing to listen and obey. Lots of folk go through the motions...do all the right things...give to the right causes… but they look for the glory...they want the attention. God looks for those who seek no glory and honor.
So are you pleasing God? It’s not an easy assignment. But the more you do it, the easier it gets. It comes real easy when you fall in love with Jesus all over again. Look at what He has done for you! Remember what He has saved you from!
I have always endeavored to please God with my life. It has been an interesting journey. Each day is a new experience in pleasing Him. As I daily get to know Him more, I discover new secrets of who He is. That’s the way it is when you are in love. Each day is a new adventure...seeking to know Him more...spending time in His presence...listening to His still small voice...and then walking throughout the day in obedience.—no matter what others think.
If you are reading this today and the heavens seem like brass...like nobody is listening….start by searching your heart. Repent of anything that has come between you and His awesome presence. Clean the slate. Start fresh. Then begin loving Him. Tell Him how much you love Him….instead of what you need. Open your heart to Him. Imagine yourself entering His throne room, as He beckons you to come closer. Bow in His presence and get real with Him. No more pretend. No more lies. Nothing between! You are His delight!
It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,”
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”;
But you will be called, “My delight is in her,”
And your land, “Married”;
For the LORD delights in you…
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your God will rejoice over you.Isaiah 62:4-5
Take some time today to be in His presence...and bring Him pleasure.
J. Johnson

Are You...Out of Control???

There is no doubt that our financial world is totally out of control. As the government tries to get a grasp on the situation, it is struggling to return a sense of confidence into the banking system and into the mind of borrowers and lenders. But while this problem hangs over our world like a big black cloud, there are other areas of our world that are ‘out of control’, and that lack of control influences our tomorrows. In the Old Testament, Moses was given the awesome task of taking the reins over a ‘nation’ that was to become the central core of both Judaism and Christianity. He had on his hands a group of people who had lived in the middle of a pagan culture for 400 years. Doing so had certainly influenced their culture, their traditions, their morals, and their faith. They had been under the ‘control’ of the rules imposed by the Pharaohs, but now, they had no rules at all. As a result, one of the first orders of business on God’s calendar was to impose upon them a list of rules for them to follow. We know them today as the ten commandments. Those rules brought a sense of order into the wilderness camp. Leadership could now determine what was right or wrong. Judgment could be made based on those rules. What was out of control could be controlled.
Today, many folks tend to ignore the rules or they make new ones to suit their own whims. That has resulted in the global financial crisis, the severe decline in Biblical morality, the decline in marital fidelity, the rise of humanism, materialism, and the moral corruption in churches of all denominations. The sad thing is, the more we humans try to ‘control’ our lives, the more we get ‘out of control.’ The more we think, “I can handle this…” the more we discover—we can’t. So what areas of your life are out of control? What are you doing to change things? There is a key that God wants every out of control person to discover, that will bring your out of control world back into a sense of order and peace.
God never meant for us to ‘handle it all.” "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.'' (Matt 11:28-30) He paints us a picture here of people who serve their master as a slave, under bondage to a ‘yoke’ which controls their lives, decisions, movements and freedoms. The picture is of two oxen, harnessed together by a heavy wooden bar, a yoke, together pulling a plow in a field. It is a heavy burdensome weight. Instead God has designed for us to willingly choose to take His ‘yoke’… a new relationship, one that does not cause us to be burdened, yet maintains a sense of control for us when we cannot control things ourselves. He promises us that His way is ‘easy’ and ‘light.’
Yet all around us, we see both inside the church and outside of it, people grasping for control. Much of the problem is based on man’s neglect of the basics. Paul warned the early church, “ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5) These kind of people are ‘out of control’! There was a time when we used this ‘list’ to describe folks outside the church doors, but today, unfortunately, it applies both inside and outside of the church. When our love for what we want precludes our desire to please God, the church is in trouble. What are some of the selfish choices you have made lately when it comes to God and church? Perhaps you have failed to give to God a portion of your income, because you needed that little extra for a vacation, or a new boat. You are a lover of money. Perhaps you decided to sleep in a little longer on Sundays, because you “deserve a break today…” and you now have fallen into a habit of missing church and Christian fellowship. You are a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God. Perhaps you decided you would not forgive that person who hurt you so badly, ‘because they deserve my anger.’ You are unforgiving. Perhaps you have fallen into immorality by choosing to move in with a friend of the opposite sex, ‘to save a little money.’ You are lacking self control and are unholy. Perhaps you are angry at the pastor because in counsel, he told you the Biblical truth, but you were unwilling to face it and deal with it. You are headstrong and proud. Perhaps you go to church, go through all the motions, perhaps even teach a class or serve on the board, but you never let on to anyone that you have a powerless faith. You have a form of godliness, but deny the power.

The Key to Real Control
There is an answer to all the problems we face. First of all, it is putting Christ first place in your life. He must be Lord...the one in charge! Most of our ‘out of control’ issues begin when we put ourselves in charge, when we fail to yield and try to do things our own way instead. When we do things our way, we put our lives within reach of satan’s grasp and control. We reject God’s controls. Rejecting God’s ways is our mistake. Faith means trusting God in all areas of our lives….even when life seems out of control. God allows difficulties, not to harm us, but to teach us. Have you asked yourself lately, “What am I supposed to learn from this God?”
Once we put God in control of it all, then we must seek Him daily for guidance in every situation. We do this by reading His love letter to us, the Bible, and by spending time in prayer, talking to God and listening for Him speaking to us. His words to us will never contradict the Bible. Then it takes obedience….following the guidance… staying between the lines. This is where many fail. Rebellion sets in. We are a stubborn lot. We must have our own way. It’s one thing to listen, and another altogether to obey. But if we are to wear His ‘yoke’ we must go His way, or remove ourselves from the yoke to do our own thing. Then we pay the price with an ‘out of control’ world, and our ‘yoke’ becomes in partnership with satan, who puts on us a heavy load as we become his slaves. Our only hope is living with the ‘yoke’ where the burden is easy...in partnership with Jesus Christ.
The next part of the key is our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Every believer experiences the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. For He is the One who convicted us of our sins in the first place. He continues to teach us and help us grow in God. He is an encourager, and we certainly do need lots of that! But there is even more for the believer. Order comes when the man or woman of God decides to yield control to the Holy Spirit. You have all of the Spirit….now He wants all of you. Yielding control means giving Him all! It means moment by moment giving Him the right to speak through us to others, the right to direct our footsteps. In turn, we reap a huge benefit. We are free from control—-for He is the One in control. The portfolio of a genuine Christian who has put the Holy Spirit in control of all areas of his life should reflect this list: “add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ( 2 Peter 1:5-8) The ‘self control’ referred to in this verse is really a God-control that you have chosen by your own will and it results in spiritual fruitfulness.
If it is your home or marriage that is out of control, put Christ and the Holy Spirit in charge. Yield to Him. Give Him your spouse, your wayward teen, your violent temper, your mouth that speaks ungodly words. Repent of your past then start by speaking His Words. Encourage those around you with the kind of things Jesus Himself would say. Listen to your mouth. Are the words you speak pleasing to God? Encouraging to others? Helpful and life changing? Jesus words to the sinners He encountered were never condemning. “"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17) “' And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.'' (John 8:11) Let’s learn from His example.
There is an increasing number of people who love to control others. In reality the only one you can control is you. Jesus addresses the control freaks of the world when he said…. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck in your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7: 3-5) If the world around you seems out of control, if you find yourself bitter, critical, demanding and unhappy, there is a chance you might be a controller. The key for you is to yield control of your own life to the One who made you. Stop trying to change others and let God do it. Only He can change others.
If your life is out of control, then put yourself in the controlling hands of God. There is no better place. When you are in His hands, you will be ‘out-of-control’ but in a good way. He will help you with your finances and spending habits, your drug abuse issues, your emotions, your greed, your selfishness, your relationships, your sexual issues, and most of all, your daily spiritual walk. Like the author of the book by Lisa Bevere, I am “out of control….and loving it!”
J. Johnson

We Need Living Water!

Have you ever had a drink of water from a deep well on a hot summer day? The water is usually cold and refreshing. It seems like you just can’t get enough! You want to pour it down your parched throat...dump it on your head… and keep on doing it until you are thoroughly satisfied. I grew up on a small farmette that had a well. I remember that water. I also remember other wells along the way. Some had fallen into disuse. When the water was to be used for drinking, it had to be tested. Sometimes it had to be shocked with chlorine to kill bacteria. Some wells produced insufficient water for the demand and had to be re-drilled at greater depth and with a larger pipe.

Living Water and the Feasts
In Jesus day, the Jewish people celebrated their final festival of the Jewish year, Succoth or Tabernacles, for seven days. A very important part of the celebration included water. It could not be just any water. It had to be ‘living’ water. Living water was not water that was standing in contaminated puddles. It was not salty or brackish. It was pure and clean water, springing from underground streams and rivers, flowing into lakes and ‘cisterns’ for safe use. Israel is an arid land. Rainfall for the year is very low. But when it rained, the people learned to gather that rainwater and make use of it throughout the year. They would store it in huge underground ‘cisterns’ often as large as a house. One of those large cisterns is located in the Garden of Gethsemane. Another is near the top of Masada. From those cisterns they would draw water for their needs. On Succoth, each day, a pitcher of water would be mixed with wine and poured out as a thanksgiving offering to the Lord who had provided His people with a bountiful harvest. That water used in this special festival had to be drawn from a well of living water. The high priest would make it a parade as he went to the pool of Siloam through the south gate also call the ‘Water gate’ of the city...filling his golden vessel brimming with clean, clear, cold water for use in the special offering. The procession would wave a bouquet of palm, willow, and myrtle branches, while they sang Psalms 113-118. While they sang, musicians would play their reed flutes and blast their rams horn trumpets. Upon their return to the altar, they would circle the altar seven times and then pour out the water into a double channel on the south side of the altar… water into the western half and wine into the eastern half.
It was a time of jubilation and happiness. This water spoke of several things. It reminded them that God was their source of rain and provision. It also spoke to them of the Holy Spirit. ``For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground:  I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.'' Isaiah 44:3 and also in Joel 2:28-29 “"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Ezekiel 47:1-12 also describes a healing river that will flow out from beneath the prophesied future temple where the Messiah would reign.
This water speaks to us spiritually as well. It speaks to us of life and health, of provision in drought, of the ever presence of the Lord in our midst...always there when we need Him. His holiness is reflected in the purity of the water. Are you spiritually thirsty today? Draw from His ever-flowing well of living water! It is cool and refreshing. It satisfies the soul. Remember the promise Jesus made to the Samaritan woman at the well…? He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

Restoring Priorities...
Many of our wells are stagnant… and in a sad condition. Instead of relying on the living water provided by God, we have all too often learned to rely on what we can do, our own human resources, our effort to try and fix the problem. When we are emotionally drained, we call the pastor or the psychologist...and when we are ill, our first call is to the doctor or pharmacist. When the church suffers loss, we go to the church growth seminars and read books by famous authors who shine with success. In all our seeking, we often neglect the true source of living water….the Lord Jesus Christ. Our first call should be here! We end up like Israel in Jeremiah’s day….“ For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 2:13) When we do things our own way, pushing our own agenda, we are digging broken cisterns...wells that can hold no water. Has America forsaken God and been so busy digging wells to satisfy it’s greed that it has forgotten who it is that sends the rain that fills those cisterns? Are we caught up in our pleasures and our worldly affairs, forgetting to honor the One who provides for us in times of drought? Where has the servant heart gone? Where is the one willing to go the extra mile, ready to give away the extra coat and the last cup of meal. As times get tougher and tougher, the children of God need to learn more and more to do things God’s way...giving in their time of need, generous with all He provides, trusting that He will provide even more. Certainly it takes faith—-but isn’t that what our God wants of us? The just shall live by faith—-not by what we hoard! Faith keeps the barrel of meal full during the famine. Faith leads the righteous to provision and safety. Faith moves us to obediently dipping in the river seven times to receive our healing. Faith means believing God! “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
I have stood by rivers of all kinds. Some were muddy and polluted. Some you could see clearly to the bottom. What kind of river would flow out of you? What is in your heart is what will flow out of you. Sometimes I wish I could record and play back, what I hear coming out of the mouths of believers. They say they are Christians, but what comes out of their mouth is muddy and polluted. I would not want to drink of the water that flows from within them. They spew out anger and hatred and prejudice and abuse. Many have come from homes that flowed with rivers of dysfunctional pollution. But when a person surrenders his polluted heart to the Lord, He makes it a new creation...a river of life. For some it takes time for the flow to change completely...but it must change!

Spiritual Health
Another beautiful benefit of living water is it’s healing quality. Do you need healing today? Be filled to over-flowing with the living water of the Holy Spirit. Many springs of water around the country are known for their healing qualities, filled with nutrients that benefit the physical. But the living water of God is far superior to any earthly spring. It is filled with the life-giving vitality that never dies. It is a continual flowing of vivacious exuberance of the very Spirit of God. That is why when Jesus spoke to the woman at the well about it, he described it as.. “whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14) So often we cling to this carnal life as if it were going to last forever. We want to forget that one day, we will all die. If we fail to prepare for our eternity, we are like the woman at the well, expecting ordinary water to satisfy, when in reality, we need His living water to cleanse us, and heal us on the inside and prepare us for our eternal home in heaven. We need the kind of thirst Jesus was talking about here...a spiritual thirst. When you are spiritually thirsty, you long for a spiritually satisfying drink of Him...the One who is the Living Water! Nothing else will end the thirst. And once you taste of Him, you will want nothing else.
While the churches crumble into dust from the dryness within, the answer to their problem is waiting for them to come to Him and ask for a draft of ‘living water’ of a well that never runs dry. While many search for happiness and fulfillment in keeping busy doing ‘Christian’ things, they fail to spend time drinking at the ‘Well’. They are too busy drawing water from wells that do not satisfy…! I thought it was interesting in John’s story of the Samaritan woman at the well, that when she discovered the living water...she left her water pot behind and ran to tell others about the man with the Living Water. Are we ready to turn our backs on doing things our way? Are we ready to come face to face with Christ, with sin in our lives? Are we thirsty for something that will satisfy? Are our vessels empty? If Jesus came to your ‘well’ where you try to fill your life with temporary happiness, would you acknowledge Him, talk to Him, and do as He advises? Would you drink for a moment...or a lifetime? Would you go and tell others? He is already there...waiting for you!
Remember this...It is not only important what you drink, but what flows out of you. Jesus promised that living water would flow out of the person who drank from the living water. What comes out of your ‘vessel?’ What are you giving to your family, your church, your co-workers, your neighbors? Is it Living Water? Are you having an impact on them? Living water changes everything around it! You should be like a tree planted by the water...in Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. We are speaking of spiritual prosperity and vitality that comes from living water!
Are you thirsty today? Longing for a drink? Come to the well that never runs dry! He is waiting there for you with Living Water!
J. Johnson

A Disciplined Disciple...

I remember as a child being disciplined by my parents. In those days, a spanking was common, and when I got out of line, I sometimes found myself receiving my just reward. It was painful, humiliating, and life altering. Back then, I did not like it. Now, I appreciate it. Wisdom comes with maturity and time.
Today, most folks still hate discipline, yet they want to be disciples. The two must go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. Discipline is the foundation of discipleship!
What is a disciple?
A disciple is one who chooses to follow another with a desire to learn from them. Jesus asked 12 men to follow him. Though one failed miserably, the remaining 11 turned the spiritual world upside down! Those men carried some distinctive qualities from which we should all learn, especially if we too want to be disciples.
A disciple must be a learner. He must be teachable. It is impossible for a ‘know-it-all’ to become a disciple. Pride fills the hearts and minds of those who think they have all the answers. A genuine disciple will be in continual search for truth, for answers to questions he does not understand. Each of us must search our own hearts to determine if we have a teachable spirit. How do we react when others try to point out something in the Word that we have taught differently? A disciple will go to the source of truth, the Holy Spirit...and seek an answer to doctrinal disagreements. A non-disciple will push it off, make excuses, pretend he understands what he does not. Many disciples today do not take the time to study. They do not read their Bibles until the pastor open his on Sunday morning...and then they read it with him from the overhead screen. That’s not study! In today’s busy world we often make excuses that we are too busy to study. Yet today we have the resources at our fingertips to make study easy and profitable like never in history. We have computers and their search engines and all the Bible resources on the internet. We can take the Word with us in our PDA’s or our MP3’s or our I-pods. We can play Bible tapes or CD’s on our car stereo systems or while working around the house. We can attend Bible studies and conferences, and hear the finest Bible study teachings. We can read stimulating books and articles that will cause us to dig deeper into the Word. There is no excuse for the Biblical ignorance that is rampant in our churches today. If you want to be a disciple—study!
A disciple is also a follower. He chooses to follow Christ in every area of his life. This requires great discipline. As Christ was a person of prayer, a disciple must also be a person of prayer. Prayer must be a ‘way of life’ for the man and woman of God. Disciples do not rely on the prayers of the one they follow. They learn to pray….as the disciples asked Jesus… “Teach us to pray…” Prayer is not reading the nice words someone else wrote. It is talking to God yourself, from your heart. It is learning to communicate with our ‘commander–in-chief’ as he speaks to us and we speak to him. It is a two way street.
As Christ was a man of priorities, we must also be a people of disciplined priorities. What matters most to you? What do you spend most of your time and/or money on? What you value most, you will invest in. I have met so many people in the church who allow themselves to be caught up in stuff that has robbed them of precious time, finances, relationships, and spiritual vitality. They had no time for God...except maybe an hour on Sunday morning. They never took the time to ask God what He wanted to do with their lives. A man with his own agenda cannot be a disciple. He is of a divided mind. He wants one thing but does another.  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:8
A disciple is also disciplined in his attitude. He must have a control over his emotions, especially those negative emotions that tend to get us into trouble….our tempers….our self-righteousness… our pride...our criticalness...our argumentativeness and cynicism. When we hold tightly to these, making excuses such as ‘That’s just the way I am” or blaming it on our cultural heritage such as “I have a temper because I’m Irish”...then we fail to become disciples and follow Jesus. Discipleship demands change. Just as Jesus asked His disciples to follow Him… he asks the same of us… and that means we must forsake what we were and change. Jesus disciples were fishermen and tax collectors and the moment he called them, they chose to become something different—a disciple! Not everyone could make the transition. The rich young ruler whose name we never got to know, was also asked to come and follow Jesus. But when it came down to the cost of discipleship...selling all he owned and giving it to the poor...it was more than he could take. He went away sad, not because he was rejected, but because he knew he could not meet the requirements—he could not change. He liked his wealth...but he could have been even wealthier in riches that would never fade away. His priorities were wrong.
A disciple must have disciplined morality. The older I get, the more disappointed I get in this younger generation of potential disciples. So few are willing to discipline this area of their lives. They think nothing of frequenting the movie theatre and watching fictional portrayals of sexual explicitness on the huge screens. As believers, would you be willing to walk into a stranger’s bedroom and watch them make love in front of you and your family? Yet that is exactly what we do when we allow the filth of the world to enter our eye-gate via electronic gadgets. It lowers the standards of morality in our personal lives. Each succeeding generation lowers it a little more and a little more until there is no difference in morality between the ‘disciple’ and the world. While some would never think of darkening the door of a casino, they routinely buy lottery tickets. While they would not think of entertaining a prostitute, they sneak a peek at porn on the internet. They lie to themselves saying “It’s never hurt anyone…” and when they get caught it destroys their marriage, their relationships, their ministries and they wonder why folks just don’t trust them anymore. They are undisciplined in their morality. They have failed to put safeguards in place to protect both themselves and their families. How many spiritual leaders have lost it all due to a moment of undisciplined morality. Some are abusive with their spouse or children. Some give in to allowing their thoughts to dwell in the gutters of life. Some act nice and spiritual at church, but at home it is a different story. That double standard will destroy your family and drive them away. It must grieve the heart of God to see His ‘children’ buying into Satan’s lies, living lives with double standards, pretending to be righteous when they are really hypocrites. Pastor, will you preach on the destructiveness of secret sin? Teach your people the truth about the consequences of undisciplined morality! Jesus was not afraid to do it! He called the religious leaders of His day ‘whitewashed graves”! He had a standard to uphold and if we are disciples of His, we do too!
Disciples are disciplined in their personal lives. Jesus taught his followers who believed in Him: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31,32 There were requirements to be a disciple and that meant staying true to his teachings...the words that came from His mouth. Those words were truth and led to freedom. Too often we think of discipleship as bondage. “I have to do this….” Disciples CHOOSE to do it because they recognize the fruit of their choices. If you want to be a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ, it means taking a long hard look at yourself….your daily habits….your personal choices….your long-range goals. A disciple never chooses what He wants, but what the Master wants. Women today still fall into the trap of women’s rights, wanting to take the lead and breaking through the glass ceiling on their way up the ladder of success. Freedom is not ‘women’s lib’! Freedom comes from letting the Master be in total charge of your life….your past, your present and your future. The Master knows the truth and the truths He controls can bring you the freedom you long for. Ultimate rest comes from putting someone else in charge of a matter. That’s the key to living a stress free life in your personal world. Up until now, if Jesus has been your co-pilot, you need to change seats. Put him in the ultimate control of everything. It may mean a time of seeking Him more, of repenting of things you have held on to for too long. The rich young ruler never learned this lesson. Who knows what kind of disciple he could have been? He past on an opportunity of a lifetime...and today no one knows his name.
Where are you today on your road to discipleship? Have you become a follower? A learner? Jesus taught that there was one mark of a true disciple. Have you discovered it?  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35 A mark of a true disciple is how they love other people….not just church folk...not just family….not just those of the same race...everyone! A disciple does not discriminate who is loveable and who is not. They are all His children. We are to love them all. That love must be carried out to the same extreme that Jesus did. It means that husbands are to love wives and wives are to love husbands. It means we are to love our children, our neighbor and our enemy. It means there is not one we should not love. It means we must love the unlovable. We are to love all those who are victims of Satan’s lies….the liar, the cheat, the abuser, the murderer, the homosexual, the adulterer, the politician, the sinner. We are to love them as Jesus loves them...not because of what they have done, but in spite of it. We are to disciple them and love them to Jesus. Is that not what Jesus did for us? He loved us in spite of our sin. He loved us while we were yet sinners. He loved you enough to die for you. That is the ultimate end of a real disciple. Jesus called us all to take up our crosses and follow Him. Are you a genuine disciple? Are you learning and following? Are you disciplined? An old Jewish saying says to follow a rabbi was to be covered in the dust of his feet. Let’s walk close, eat a little dust and be disciplined disciples of our Lord! J. Johnson

House For Sale?

You see the signs posted on every street….sometimes more than one… as our nation faces financial pressures like it has not known since the crash of 1929. Mortgage companies fold up their offices...Big box stores post their going out of business signs...and strip malls have vacancy signs in every window. It’s the ‘signs’ of the times!
Many of the youthful generation don’t have the base of knowledge that the seniors in our culture have, whose parents survived the breadlines of the ‘30’s, and some think it just a passing ‘phase’ that will soon pass and prosperous times will come again. Perhaps….and perhaps not… Only God knows the future. But while it is all a little scary for most of the population, not knowing if they will have a job tomorrow, or if they can continue living above their means as they have done for most of the last few decades...I am concerned for the spiritual state of the nation! Finances come and go. People eventually learn to deal with the way life is. For some it takes a little time as they learn to withdraw from opulence. For others, reality hits quick. But the spiritual state of what used to be called a ‘Christian’ nation is becoming more and more concerning.

The Church:
Let’s look first of all at the church… More and more, we can expect the state of the church here in America or Canada, to be like the state of the church in Europe. In France alone, only one fourth of one percent attend church regularly. In many European nations, churches stand dark and closed, or bought out by businesses or cults, or alternate world religions. The business of ‘faith’ has put the church up for sale. There is a new ‘dark ages’ looming on the spiritual horizon. Missionaries have been struggling to hold the line against the darkness. As costs skyrocket, faith takes a nosedive. When did it all begin? When skepticism, doubt, and atheism rose, and the Word of God lost it place of respect, not only in the educational circles, but in individual hearts.
The more tradition arises, so does apathy. With apathy, comes a lack of prayer and reading and study of the Word of God. It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine. As individuals allow new restrictive laws to hinder the freedom of worship and religion, soon, the general population accepts the status quo as ‘life’ and resists the effort it takes to change things. The church has posted it’s FOR SALE sign and when it’s gone….it’s gone! Recent news postings have informed the world that Christianity is not popular in some parts of the world. In Vietnam, a brand newly constructed church was destroyed on purpose by the local government officials and the Christian believers held back with cattle prods… In India, Christians are under severe attack for their faith. In Europe a recent survey reported: When the European Union asked citizens to rank values representing Europe, religion came last -- far behind "human rights," "democracy," "peace," "individual freedom" and other choices. Only 3% chose religion. A passive indifference has left Europe’s churches nearly empty. While atheism thrives, so does the Muslim faith and that frightens the few remaining Christians, especially as these non Christian groups become more dominant and assertive. In Germany, a wealthy furniture manufacturer is funding a "think tank of Enlightenment," a group of scientists and others committed to debunking religion...Around three-quarters of Europeans still describe themselves as Christians. But only a small minority go to church. In Western Europe, according to polls, fewer than 20% do. The pattern we see in Europe, we can expect here in America. Already, we have seen the massive decline in Sunday Schools. The role of the evangelist is already extinct in many denominations. Sunday night services have yielded to the priorities of our ‘entertainment generation’ who go to churches that please the media pallet. It appears that it’s an either/or taste...either the big mega church in entertainment mode, or the small home church movement. Traditional churches struggle to survive as never before. Tough finances are causing pastors to take secular jobs. Those once committed to a lifetime of serving God are taking a second look at their lives. Tithe paying members are holding their wallets tighter than ever. Those who attend the mega churches often don’t see the struggles of the smaller community church. Denominational officials are seeing a huge decline in pastors continuing in the profession they trained for, and instead learning new professions. Money has become the guideline for ministry. Certainly, there is a remnant out there of Godly men and women who are determined to weather the storm, by taking salary cuts, spending hours on their knees in prayer and raising a high spiritual standard for their church. But they are becoming more and more scarce. If you have such a pastor...take good care of him. Give him all the support you can, both spiritually and financially.
So what’s the problem? Where does one begin to point a finger? What do we begin to change now to stop the dyke from leaking? We live in an age of compromise. One of the dangerous attitudes the church has often adopted is the need for constant change….new ways of doing things to please the limited attention span of the media motivated generation...new songs, new choruses, new bands, new décor, new buildings, new business-like church organizational structures, new titles of church pastors...and worst of all, a passion exalting love and unity above purity of doctrine. In recent years, I have been increasingly alarmed at the pervasive views of fundamental and evangelical believers who seem to adopt whatever they see or hear on the radio or TV as if it were good Bible doctrine. Cults are on the rise. Those who do not know their Bibles are easily deceived. Pastors who fail to preach the clear doctrines of the Word, fail to feed their people the truth that will set them free and keep them that way. More and more of our younger generation are questioning the reality of ‘judgment’, the definition of ‘sin’, resulting in a ‘softness’ that is less offensive. There is weariness and impatience with those who do ’spiritual warfare’ because of it’s negative nature, opting for a ’positive’ faith that makes one ‘feel good.’ Yes, the church is for sale… but who is buying?

The Temple of God…You
We can point our fingers at the leadership of our churches, at denominations who slowly accepted such things as divorce, homosexuality and ‘prosperity’ rather than hold the old hard line of previous years. But in each of our lives, each one of us must give an accounting of our lives, what we have done for God, where we choose to stand and what we choose to believe. For many today, their lives of compromise have taken them down a path leading further and further from the Word of God. The Tyndales and the Wesleys and the Spurgeons of another generation would be shocked at the tolerance of most of today’s generation of ‘believers’ who no longer stand by the absolutes of the Bible.
Where do you stand believer? Is the Bible the absolute Word of God? Did He mean it when he called adultery and fornication “sin”? Have God’s standards changed? No, of course not. God does not change. We do! And we must change! We must have a restoration to Biblical values as never before! Faith in God and the freedoms our nation has preserved up to this point depends on it. It will take spiritual ‘guts’ to take a stand today like the spiritual giants of the past. Where is the church today who longs for a pastor with a heart after God rather than a heart after prestige, position and power. God give us people once again who will choose to serve God, no matter what their salary, no matter what their benefits, no matter how much flack they get from their peers. God longs for a people with clean hands and pure heart. Those that want to feast in His holy presence need that requirement. I learned recently that the Jewish people, before eating bread, will wash their hands in a special way, then say a special prayer of blessing before the meal of bread begins. Today, we need to be feasting on the ‘Bread of Life’, but we come to the table with dirty hands and soiled hearts. We ask God to bless us...rather than bless the bread. Then we reach out and grab all we can get. It must break the heart of God! Yes, too many have the For Sale signs up in their own front yards, selling out to the highest bidder… We listen to the voices around us, flattering our ‘new enlightenment’ which in reality is just a little more compromise. We let that flattery change us and adapt us to the culture around us. We become like chameleons, changing with our surroundings. But if we would stay in the Word, we would remain steadfast...marked by the absolutes that Jesus taught his disciples. If Jesus were to come back today to find a band of disciples He could use to change the world, would he find men and women of integrity? People of absolute values? People whose lives matched their walk?
We face a challenging year ahead of us. Some cities are already in a depression such as Detroit MI. where unemployment is 21% and the average house sells for $18,513. They face a bleak year. But even in the leanest of times, when we put our faith and trust in God, when we look to Him for our resources, when we believe He is able, He will come through. He is still the God of the supernatural. But we must be a people who will listen to and obey our supernatural God. We must want Him more than anything around us. We must be willing to sacrifice the things we think are important for what God thinks is important. We cannot take our houses and lands and bank accounts with us into eternity...but we can take people. And that’s what we are all called to do…”go and make disciples of all nations…”
If you have had your spiritual house up For Sale this past year, doubting the ability of God or the willingness of God to intervene on your behalf, it’s time to get back to the basics once again. Nothing is more important than time spent with God...in His Word, in his presence, at His feet. Miracles come to those who put their trust in God. Take down your For Sale sign and replace it with a sign that tells the world you are a building dedicated to God, ready for miracles, open for the impossible, believing for the supernatural. This is God’s opportunity to bring glory! Let your sign read: “Sold Out...for God!” Take some time to give yourself to ministry. Remember His promise…. “Give and it shall be given…. pressed down, shaken together and running over….” give of yourself, and let God meet all your needs. A loving God responds to generous hearts! I’m not For Sale! How about you? J. Johnson

Wedding Bells!

We want to wish all our friends and family around the world---a beautiful Christmas. In this picture you will see our family, celebrating the wedding of our Son Jarred, and his new wife and our new daughter-in-law, Jenny. They were married in Waupaca WI on November 15th, 2008. God bless you all!

Turn on the LIGHT!

We live in a dark world. You watch reports of the growing darkness every night on the evening news. We are no stranger to darkness. Yet in the midst of darkness, there shines a light that dispels darkness. In the beginning of creation, God created light. He called the light day and the darkness night. And though we still have both to remind us of the creative hand of God, we often forget about the power of the light. God first reminded the Children of Israel in their flight from Egypt that light has great power over the darkness…. They watched as God in the tenth plague, at the command of Moses, brought darkness down upon Egypt. It was not just a momentary storm or and eclipse...as it lasted for three days. It was a supernatural darkness so thick you could feel it. Then later after they fled from Pharaoh, God gave them “ by night...a pillar of fire to give them light” (Exodus 13:21) Just like the people of God who were coming out of the darkness of sin and bondage of Egypt, so today, we need the light of God, the pillar of fire in the darkness of the night around us to give us light.
That Light came after 4000 years of waiting for the promised One… the Light of the world. First it was just a flicker...a star shining in the eastern sky, noticed by some astronomers who recognized its significance. They were willing to travel great distances to find the One whose Light was about to shine in the darkness. The prophet Isaiah has spoken of this One, hundreds of years before it ever happened...The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Isaiah 60:19 and The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Isaiah 9:2 and I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. Isaiah 42:16
Then along came John the Baptist who declared to his followers about the ‘light’ that was coming..... 6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. (John 1:6-8)
The Purpose of Light
God made light to dispel the darkness. It would be impossible to see what we are doing down here on this earth without light. Without light, nothing would grow, and life would be so limited. Without the light in our physical lives, some often suffer from depression, and some from Season Affective Disorder or SAD. Without the Light in our spiritual lives, we walk in despair and darkness. We all have a choice about whether we walk in darkness or in light. In the natural, we can turn on a light switch and the darkness of a room leaves us. If we light just a single candle, the darkness is dispelled. Jesus told his followers, in John 8:12 "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life"
We must choose to follow the Light of the world. Those who think they can be their own light continue to walk in spiritual darkness. Jesus was not just the light for Israel, not just the light for Jews, not just the light for the time when He lived on the earth...but He is a Light of the whole world. His light shines wherever people give him an open door….wherever folks open their hearts to the Light of lights.
It amazes me that some folks love darkness when they can have light. I have been in homes where they have beautiful sunny windows covered by dark and depressing draperies. They never open the curtains and let the sun shine in. Some folks do that in their spiritual lives too. Fear paralyzes them and keeps them from trusting in the One who is Light, who brings light into the darkness and who overcomes the fear generated by the enemy.
There is coming a wonderful day for all who will trust the Savior and let Him shine the Light of Life into their lives. The world around us does not have much to offer when considering eternity. Folks often live with just a ‘hope’ that after they die, they will end up in a good place. We can do more than hope. We can know! We can anticipate a glorious future living in a city that needs no sun to light it… no moon at night...for there is no night there… and yet there is no darkness at all. There is One who will radiate the glory of God.
Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. It’s soon Christmas again...and though the world seems dark and bleak, though the economy is suffering and folks wonder how they can celebrate the season with joy, there is One who gives us a reason to rejoice! Life was not easy for Joseph and Mary when Jesus came into their lives. They were living under a repressive Roman regime, taxed beyond measure, and without much hope for a reprieve. Yet in the midst of the political turmoil of that age, Jesus came...the Light of Life! And in a stable in Bethlehem, a light shone through the darkness that few understood. Few were even sensitive to what was happening around them. Are we any different today? Do we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He speaks into our hearts? Are we obedient like the shepherds were? Do we follow His leading as the wise men did? Do we give to the Lord with their kind of generosity? Are we trusting as Mary and Joseph were? Do we recognize greatness in our midst as the prophetess Anna and the devout Simeon did when his parents brought Jesus to the temple after His birth? For many of us, we would have to be honest and say, “No”. Today we are a skeptical lot. We rarely trust others. We tend to believe the worst before we even know the truth. We hoard our resources instead of giving as Jesus did. We tend to do our own thing instead of walking in spiritual obedience. Thank God, Jesus is not like us!
Turn on the Light! We desperately need His Light! Yes, even today, His Light still shines. The darkness still goes. The path is made clear, the fear is dispelled! No darkness can remain in His presence! As you gather with your families around the story of His birth, make Him the focus of your day. It’s not the goodies on the table or under the tree that matter. It’s the Light that counts! Without Him, we would all be walking in darkness without hope, without a future…! Just as the Light shone brightly into the darkness of Bethlehem on that night so long ago, His light still shines brightly, not dimmed by the years, not overcome by darkness...shining to our churches, our homes, our businesses, our families and our own hearts—-if we let Him.
The Power of the Light
While the sun above us radiates both heat and light on our world, the Son also is an endless source of energy and power. From Him, all power is available to meet the needs of humans who will turn to Him for help. Divine energy flows from His limitless source and empowers believers to stand strong in the face of the enemy. Healing power flows down from the Son to enrich and bring vibrant health and strength to His children. The anointing flows through this power to meet the need. It is power to heal, to witness, to be bold, to pray, to worship, and to serve.
Does your world seem a little dark lately? Turn on the Light! Let the Son shine in! J. Johnson


From our house to yours, we wish each of you a blessed and Christ-filled Christmas season. Thank you for your faithfulness and prayers throughout the year. God Bless you all!

A Salt Covenant...

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matthew 5:13
Most people like salt. Men have a bad habit of adding it to their meals before they have even tasted the food. We use salt today mostly to enhance flavor. But long before today’s habits developed, salt was used much differently in the Bible. Salt was a valuable commodity. Nations would fight over access to salt. Salt was used as money. Soldiers would be paid part of their wages in salt and from it we get the word ‘salary.’ Salt was necessary to preserve life. In the hot middle eastern climates, salt was needed to be healthy. It was used to preserve or cure all kinds of foods—fish, meats, grains, cheese. It was used as a weapon against those who rebelled. The enemy would salt a field to prevent it from being used to produce crops, making it useless. (Judges 9:42) Salt was used as an export to barter for other needed items. Salt was commanded to be used in all the sacrifices. It was used to remove the blood from the meat. It was used in the grain offerings. It was part of everyday life in ancient times, but not like we use it today. The Bible gives us more insight into the importance of salt. It was a symbol of unchanging, incorruptible purity. The Bible tells us that there was a covenant that was called a ‘salt covenant.’ We have heard of ‘blood covenants’, but who has ever heard of a ‘salt covenant?’ Yet it is mentioned three times in scripture.
“And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt. Lev 2:13
“All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you.” Numbers 18:19
Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt? 2 Chron 13:5
So what is this ‘covenant of salt?’ Salt represents permanence. Take note in the verses above how it uses the word ‘forever’. In our world today… nothing seems to have that kind of eternal quality. We live in a throw away world. But God is eternal. He wants his special creation, to be a people of salt. It is not that we are to become salt, as Lot’s wife, but we are to be found in perfect balance. Salt, when used properly and productively is very useful. But when used all by itself, it is horrible. Just take a teaspoonful and you will know what I mean. It tastes good on raw vegetables, in pickles, on your favorite cut of meat, but all by itself, it is awful.
God wants each of us to be ‘salty’ Christians. We are to change the flavor of the world we touch. The words that come from our lips should be words that reflect the permanent change Christ has worked in our lives. Jesus Himself spoke of salt. "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other." Mark 9:50 How often have you said words you wished you could take back? How often have you also heard other Christians cursing and swearing and it made you wonder about their real relationship with God? When we pretend to be Christians, we are like that deceptive salt that has lost its saltiness. Our lips betray us.
You have lots of salt in you. It is in your tears, in your sweat, and throughout your body. A little salt is necessary for good health. But too much salt is bad for you. Doctors will take heart patients off salt. It tends to thicken their blood and increase blood pressure. Salt needs to be kept in a balance. It may be used to melt snow on our highways, but it is also used to make ice cream. Moderation is the key word here. If we are to be salty in our lives, it is with moderation. But there is some salt that does not taste like salt. It has lost it’s flavor. That is what Jesus talked about. Paul taught in Col. 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Here he ties grace and salt together. It speaks of our speech being tasteful and moderate, reflecting our love for the Lord. Just as salt can melt ice, so our words, when seasoned with salt can melt the hearts of those who listen to the gospel message. The Word of God flowing from our lips must be salty.
Salt can make a person thirsty. Theatres often salt their popcorn just enough so you will also want to buy a drink. We live in a spiritually dry world that is looking and longing for a drink that will satisfy them. Jesus offered that kind of drink to the woman at the well. His words were ‘salty.’ She longed for that living water.
But why a covenant? A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties. God made a covenant agreement with David, that his family would rule Israel forever. (2 Chron.13:5) That covenant was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus has dominion over Israel forever. There is an eternal consequence to a salt covenant. When God made a covenant with David… it was all up to God to fulfill his promise. Jesus came from the line of David through both Mary and Joseph. By his death, he became the salted sacrifice offered before God to cleanse the people from their sin, not for a moment, but for all time. It is eternally available to all who will accept His provision of cleansing and forgiveness. It does not just cover the sin, but it removes it. It is a binding contract that God made on your behalf….a better covenant and a better sacrifice that we read about in the book of Hebrews.
So what about the salt in your life? Are you living in this ‘covenant of salt?’ Does your life reflect the saltiness of His love and peace? Perhaps you are struggling with some of the habits of the world around you...gambling, drinking, smoking, sexual promiscuity, gossip, bitterness, greed and pride. This list could go on and on. You know what’s wrong in your heart. It is up to you to place your life on the altar of the Lord and let the High Priest of your soul prepare the sacrifice properly, cutting away the sin, and corruption, and pouring in the salt that will preserve your soul and make you presentable for his mercy seat. Salt will hurt on an open wound, but when mixed with water in moderation it can speed the healing and bring cleansing.
Sometimes folks get too much salt, and they do it without thinking—like men who over-salt their wife’s tasty cooking. Too many people today eat just about anything spiritually that is set in front of them, before tasting it to see if it is balanced. That’s how cults get a foothold. They hear a Bible teacher on the radio or TV or even on the internet and they swallow it without measuring it against the Word of God. It sounds good. It feels good. It looks good. But inside there is poison. The salt of cults is salt that has lost is flavor. Sometimes it masks the flavor of rotten food. It does not compare to the genuine salt of the Word. We must be on our guard and measure false doctrine against the genuineness of the Word.
Christians need to sweat more. Many have become lazy believers. You know that in your sweat is all the excess salt that your body no longer needs. It oozes out of your pores, drips down your face and soaks your clothing. When we live in a world where we sometimes get too much of the wrong kind of salt, we need to be working for God, sweating as we labor for the Lord and crying salty tears as we pray for the lost. Too long the church has sat back and demanded that it be entertained and coddled. It’s time to put on our work clothes and get busy serving the Master. When we press in and work hard, we sweat. The closer we get to the fire of the Holy Spirit, the more our lives should shed that unneeded salt. The fire of His presence and the fire on the altar will bring out the impurities we have inadvertently taken in.
Did you know that newborn babies were usually washed with salt in the Bible days? It removed impurities from the skin, cleansed them from contamination of the blood. It helped to keep them from deadly infections. One of my children came into contact with a dangerous staphylococcus infection as a newborn and it nearly killed him. It all happened because the hospital changed their policy of what was to be used to wash down newborn infants. Perhaps those Bible days practices were not so bad after all. It makes me think of new-born believers, who often come in contact with spiritually deadly and dangerous contaminants. They need their lives salted with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. They need to be daily bathed and cleansed from the worldly pollutants that would destroy them before they are strong enough to survive on their own.
Jesus told his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth…” Are we? Are we this vital commodity that causes life instead of death? Health instead of illness? Spiritual wealth instead of poverty? Do we represent purity in a corrupt world? Do we create spiritual thirst? Next time you say “Pass the salt please”… remember that you too are to be the salt of the earth! J. Johnson

Taming the Tiger

It’s fascinating to see a new tiger kitten—so small and cute and harmless. They sometimes appear on TV news shows and late night comedy shows. Guests can pick them up and cuddle them in their arms….but in just a few months, they can become deadly. Some have tried to take them home and make them pets, trying to tame the wild nature of an animal whose nature was designed to kill. Sometimes believers play the same kind of game with Satan and his temptations. They take home the ‘tiger’ of temptation and stroke it and feed it and play with it until it grows into a deadly killer.

Selfishness
There are all kinds of ‘tigers’ in our culture today. There is the ‘tiger’ of selfishness that often results in a broken marriage and shattered family, destroyed when the spouses focus on themselves and their needs, instead of on the needs of each other and the children. Humanism has taught a generation that ‘my’ needs come first. They tell themselves “What about me? I deserve something!” What they have failed to recognize is the Biblical principle taught in Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." When we are tempted to be selfish, we risk the gradual development of a wild tiger in our homes. To destroy this tiger once and for all there is only one sure remedy...giving! Giving is the exact opposite of selfishness.
But most folks don’t want to give when they have been trained to be takers. Takers spend lots of time developing the fine art of seeking out the best of everything around them, and filling their lives with things that make them feel good and give them comfort . They inadvertently teach their children to do the same. They model for them a ‘taker’ mentality. Christianity teaches a giving mentality, yet some believers continue to respond to their carnal nature and continue taking, thinking that they are doing what is right and proper. But Jesus in Luke 6 chose his 12 disciples and one of the first things He taught them was the principle of giving. The unselfish giving of Jesus originated in love. Jesus also taught them to love their enemies. "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6: 27-28
But how often do Christian couples today divorce on the terms of incompatibility, when they have refused to follow the teachings of Jesus… The apostle Paul taught that husbands are to love their wives and wives are to be submissive to their husbands, and Jesus taught that we are all to love our enemies. When the ‘enemy’ lives in our own household, we are to continue to love. Loving does not mean becoming a doormat to abusive physical behavior, substance abuse or any behavior that would endanger a life, but it does demand that we treat each other with respect and maturity. It means learning to discuss problems and work through them to a resolution.
The situation can change when each person involved begins to start giving. They must begin acting like Jesus. And they must start treating the “enemy” like you would treat Jesus. If Jesus lived in your house, how would you treat Him? Knowing what Jesus did for you...giving His life for your sin, motivates most believers to be willing to give Him whatever He wants….serving Him with absolute unconditional love, just as He loved us as gave Himself for us.
All sin begins in selfishness. It demands its own way. It seeks it’s needs met without considering the needs of others. But love is the opposite. Just read the familiar 1 Corinthians 13 passage: “4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.” Yet how often in a heated situation do Christians allow their emotions to be aroused to the point of rudeness, rage and rebellion. They begin to tally up a list of grievances—wrongs, unmet expectations, and the moment selfishness shows it’s ugly face, trust is destroyed again and again until the relationship crumbles into oblivion. I often wonder if just one person had begun to act like Jesus, had chosen to love when the other was unkind, or had chosen to be patient when the other lost patience, or chose to be humble when one became arrogant and pride filled—could it have changed the dynamics of the confrontation? The love chapter teaches us that genuine love looks beyond the sin and protects...reaching beyond what it sees to what it believes God will make through the power of love. He promises us that love NEVER fails.
Some have the worldly notion that love is an emotion one feels on the inside, and when they don’t ‘feel’ loved...that love is gone. But this is a lie from the enemy. Love is not a feeling! Love is a choice. It is not an adjective, but a verb. Love is something you do. Love is not that tingly feeling you have when you first meet a person of the opposite sex to whom you are attracted. Love chooses to love regardless of what it sees, hears, thinks or feels. That is how you can tame a savage tiger. With the love that God gives us, modeled by Jesus Himself, genuine love transforms the tiger into a kitten. How? Well, in Christ Jesus, when we yield ourselves to Him, He makes us new creations. He kills the old vile nature and makes it into something altogether different. It chooses to love, seeing the possibility of change in others who also need to become ‘new creations’.

Unforgiveness
“I’ll never forgive what they did to me!” How often have you heard that phrase? Somehow we think if we don’t forgive, it will punish our ‘victim’. But the reality is it hurts you far more than your victim. It places in you, that seed of bitterness that grows and sours your life. Forgiveness tames the ‘tiger’ in you and places the weight of responsibility on the perpetrator. When you choose to forgive, a load lifts, freeing you from a lifetime of hurt and pain. But where do we begin? It starts to change when we do what Jesus did.

Self Denial
Jesus practiced love and unselfishness to show us how to do it right. He began with self-denial. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me…. (Matt. 16:24) We begin doing this when we look at others with humility and see them as God’s very own blessing in our life. God placed them there to teach us something we lack. Humility is a must. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5) and Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ( Phil. 2:3) Humility is something only you can do. No one can do it for you. You must choose it, and know it will make you a better person.

Self Control
To bring healing and closure to any heated situation requires that believers learn to exercise self-control. Unfortunately they all too often spend time trying to control each other. Self-control begins when we recognize that the only one who has control of anything is God. We can never control other adults, only ourselves. As obedient children we must subject ourselves to Him, allowing His Spirit to control our uncontrolled lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control….24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal 5:22-24) So it is not getting our own way that matters, but yielding to His, killing our selfish desires. The person who exercises Godly self-control is one who brings every thought and action into conformity with the will of God. What is His will? His will is found in His Word. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)and that will includes refraining from fornication….  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; (1 Thess. 2:3,4) Self control will keep you from falling into sin’s traps made by the enemy. Every person who falls in sin, failed in the area of self-control.

Self Sacrifice
Jesus gave the ultimate self sacrifice. He died. He chose to lay down his life for those He loved—us. He expects us to do the same.  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Rom. 12:1) Self sacrifice means doing what your carnal flesh tells you not to do...to yield to God, to yield to the Holy Spirit, to listen to His voice and obey what He tells you to do. We are to place our lives on the altar of God and yield to His control….come what may. It means not getting ruffled when others criticize or fail to appreciate. It means patiently dealing with repeated annoyances and walking in humility when others rise in arrogance…. knowing that God is working a higher good. Paul recommended that husbands love their wives this way...as Christ loved the church.
Each of these ‘tigers’ requires you...yourself...to respond. Others cannot do it for you. You must choose as Jesus would choose. Spiritual maturity must rise up within us. You are called to a role others may never attain. Yield your life to Him and let Him help you tame your tiger….by transforming you.
J. Johnson
 

Choosing Godly Leadership...

Every time you turn on the media you hear one voice after another proclaiming the virtues of the leadership of choice. Sometimes the voice is talking about a politician, and sometimes it is talking about a new product for consumers to buy. Everyone loves success. The culture around us feeds on climbing up the ladder of success, improving leadership skills, learning to deal with difficulties, and in the process producing results that influence the bottom line. The market driven culture around us has made a religion of leadership principles. Today, much of the church has bought into those principles and we have a market driven church. But God’s guidelines for leadership are far different. In fact, those in business who have succeeded often borrowed their leadership guidelines from the Bible. Today however, the tables have turned and the church is trying to learn from the world. It has caused an upheaval in the church culture of the 21st Century.
While the world looks for strong personalities, God often looked for the weak. Moses, though trained in a royal household, had some major problems. He was a murderer. He stuttered, or had poor speaking ability. He ran from confrontation. He did not see himself as a leader. But God did. God was not looking for the most confident but the most humble. He was not looking for outward beauty, but inward spirituality. He was not looking for someone who could ‘sermonize’, but someone who would follow directions from above. God wanted a man of faith who knew the voice of God, and did what God said.
David was an unlikely candidate for King. Even Jesse, his father thought all of his brothers were more likely candidates, leaving David in the field tending the sheep. But God saw something special in the young lad, even as he was growing up, qualities that marked him in the eyes of God of a position of greatness. David was an obedient son. He knew how to follow directions. His listened to his father. He willingly did the most humble job...tending smelly sheep. He took on the tasks given to him and did them with excellence. He learned early how to lead as he led the sheep. He developed skills for each task, protecting the flock, and protecting Israel from giants who challenged his God. He was not tall and handsome as King Saul had been, for the Bible describes him through Goliaths eyes as “was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking.” And it tells us that Goliath “disdained him”. ( 1 Samuel 17:42)
These were all men who were on the same page with God. They believed God and did what He directed them to do, and they did it with excellence.
It is unfortunate today that too many ‘spiritual leaders’ take their cues from the world around them. That does not make them spiritual leaders. I like what Dr. Henry Blackaby says about a spiritual leader. “A person can hold a religious position and be a leader but that doesn't make him a spiritual leader. Position does not identify your leadership role…..God's goal is to reveal Himself, so if we're leading but not leading people on to God's agenda, leading them to a relationship to Him where they are releasing their lives to Him, then we're not spiritual leaders.” But of course to be able to do this, each person needs a genuine relationship with God first of all, for a leader can not lead others to a place where he himself has never been. It’s hard to lead a revival if you’ve never been revived. It’s hard to be led of the Spirit of God if you have not been filled to overflowing yourself. Too often, we tell ourselves and those who are following, we need a vision….after all the bible says “without a vision the people perish.” But in reality this passage is poorly translated. We think of a vision as our idea of what God wants. But it is never ‘our idea’ that God wants. The NIV puts it this way…”Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;” (Proverbs 29:18) or in other words, ‘when the people do not hear from God, they do whatever they want., or are uncontrolled.” That’s certainly not vision as we think of it, but spiritual anarchy, self-will, and rebellion. So we don’t need a vision, don’t need to ‘cast a vision’...but instead we need to get a new revelation of God. When we see God for who He is, that revelation changes us. It makes each believer a leader, a minister. The mission of a spiritual leader is to lead others to God. If your mission is leading others to follow you, or a denomination, or a set of rules, and not getting people to follow God and his agenda, you are leading in the wrong direction. What you want does not matter!

Jesus Leadership Example.
Jesus took 12 raw recruits and made them into dynamic spiritual leaders. He did not choose men who were studied in the religious schools of their day. They did not have the ‘paper work’ that marked them as successes. He used blue collar workers: fishermen, tax collectors, laborers, and ordinary folk. He did not look for the ones who came from the ‘good’ families….but the ones who were willing to listen and learn. They were teachable. They were humble. They were hungry for God. When He was done with them, they turned the Roman Empire and the Jewish religious world upside down.
Jesus was never into ‘success’. Instead, He was into obedience. He was not into greatness, but servanthood. “Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."( Mark 10:43-45)
Every week, churches are choosing new leadership for their pulpits. They have been trained by the world around them to look at the pedigree of the candidate. Does he have a Master’s degree? Has he written a book? Is he dynamic? Is he contemporary? Instead they should be looking at his spiritual life. Is he a man of prayer? Does he know the voice of God? Is he actively Holy Spirit filled? Is he humble? Is he a David or a Saul? Has he had a personal encounter with God that dramatically changed his life?
Every week, a pastor somewhere fails in his ministry. It devastates the church. It causes baby Christians to stumble. The world magnifies the failure for all to see. Sometimes the church does the same. What would Jesus do? How would He respond? He would have continued to follow his heavenly agenda, to lead men and women into a relationship with God. This calls for the church to become a hospital to our wounded world. While we are to not excuse or whitewash sin, we are to forgive it and learn from it.
The Political World
There is a vacuum of Godly leadership in the political realm. The mistakes of spiritual leaders of the past have not helped. But the nations must still choose a leader to guide it into the next few years. What is a Christian to do? Find the candidate that does not make you happy, but makes God happy. The candidate with godly principles in place in his life, will choose to guide the nation by Biblical principles. I would rather have a man who has a real relationship with God in charge than one who just says he does. How do we know the difference? How does he treat the most vulnerable in our society—the unborn? Is he humble, a servant, a man whose track record speaks of God’s agenda? If you choose a leader because he is handsome and well spoken, that is not part of God’s agenda. If you choose because it will mean you have to make fewer sacrifices, that’s not part of God’s agenda. God sent His only Son, to die for His agenda. Because He did, you have life! It takes a great deal of integrity to buck the crowd and listen to God and do the right thing even when it hurts. But that’s what spiritual leaders do. Spiritual leaders have one ear to heaven, and an eye on the needs around him. They have a sense of urgency to accomplish the task. They want to get on with it! Fear of man does not stand in their way. They fear God first. They want you to see God’s agenda as they do, whatever the cost. The moment we realize that God is Almighty God, and we are not….we begin to march to a different drumbeat...one that begins in heaven. Following God makes great spiritual leaders. Our culture has grown fond of the idea that we can be little ‘gods.’ But it only makes little men when they discover God is still in charge of it all.
Church, it’s time to lead God’s way. It’s time to get back into the Word, and back to the presence of God, and back to the simplicity of following God. It’s time for spiritual leaders to find their way back to the spiritual altars of God, back to the Living Water, back to the Bread of Life. It’s time to turn our ears to heaven and turn off the clamor of the world around us. It’s time to begin leading as Jesus led. Godly leadership always begins with God.
“Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage." (TMB) Matt 10:41-45
J. Johnson

Restore the Balance!

When I was little, my brother and I used to go to the park at the end of our street and play on a device called a ‘teeter-totter’ It was great fun when we were about the same size and weight. But as he grew, the fun disappeared as things got all out of balance. Because he was bigger, he could take advantage of me, sometimes holding me up in the air, sometimes causing me to land hard on the ground. The result was painful and unpleasant. Being out of balance tends to do that.
We live in a world out of balance. Those with power and strength tend to take advantage of those who are weaker. Those with money victimize the poor. Those in power use their positions for their best advantage. While Jesus taught just the opposite—-to be a servant to all. Where are the servants? Where is the balance?
Jesus operated in perfect balance. He knew his purpose and He kept His focus on fulfilling that purpose. Some might say he was ‘purpose driven.’ I tend to think He was ‘balance driven.’ He understood the need for teamwork and co-operation. That teamwork began at the top and flowed downward. The Godhead worked in perfect balanced precision. Each had a key part to play in the redemption of mankind from the curse of sin. Without that balanced precision, the plan of God would have failed miserably.
Belshazzer was weighed in God’s balances and found wanting, lacking...not measuring up to God’s standards. His life was out of balance. He enjoyed his party life, until something happened that he could not control, could not explain and could not change. While giving a huge drinking party for thousands of his rich friends, he decided to ‘thumb his nose’ at God, asking his servants to bring the holy vessels of gold and silver which were sacred, to be used in the temple. His purpose was for all his guests, both men and women, to drink from them, and to praise gods of his own making, the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. When they began to abuse these holy vessels which were dedicated to the Lord God Jehovah, God’s hand appeared, writing on the banquet hall wall. Belshazzar had stepped over a line. Judgment was about to fall.
Just as King Belshazzar was warned of impending doom upon his kingdom, so today God continues to warn mankind that judgment is coming. All whose lives are out of balance will face the ‘handwriting of God’ as their ‘kingdom’ comes crashing down.

Balance in the church
America has often been compared to Babylon. Although it was a nation founded on Biblical principles, guided by godly men and the local church, it has gradually deteriorated into a nation that no longer reveres God, and instead tolerates compromise, taking what was once sacred, and using it for pleasure, lust, perversion and self-satisfaction. While 90% of Americans say they believe in God, only 47% act like they do, by regularly going to church, and less than that read their Bibles, pray daily, teaching their values to their children. I fault the church for failing to hold the standard high. While not all churches have failed, the majority of churches in America refuse to take a stand against sin, against laws that undermine faith and values, and at the same time fail to model for their people, the God who works in power and might. We need the hand of God writing on the walls of our churches as they party and entertain each other. The church has become a theatre and restaurant instead of a place of spiritual transformation and miracles. It needs to discover that God is still God, that He has power, that He is a jealous God, and that He has power to judge the sinner.
I do not like to see people suffer. However, suffering has a way of restoring values and focus. When the church of God discovers that God sees them, that He cares about them, that He is grieved by their sin, they must repent. Only repentance can change the judgment that is coming. A balanced church teaches a balanced Biblical doctrine, based on a solid foundation of proper Biblical interpretation. A balanced church will be a servant church….not just serving each other, but serving the Lord. Each member of a balanced church will desire to find their place of ministry and do it—no complaining, no excuses, no bargaining. Jesus is lifted high in a balanced church.

Balance in the family
How does the family unit today fail to measure up to God’s standards? For the most part, today, a family consists of a single parent with multiple siblings from multiple fathers. Premarital sexuality, divorce and co-habitation have destroyed what used to be a family in America. Children come home from school to empty homes and wait for their work-a-holic parents to arrive and toss some fast-food supper on the table. It’s both amusing and sad to watch families struggling with trying to be parents in shows like ‘Super Nanny’. Where is God and faith and gentleness motivated by love in these homes? Many had worked so hard to provide a glorious ‘house’ but have no clue how to make it a real ‘home’. They have forgotten how to have fun together. They are so busy being busy.
Belshazzar was raised in a home that had been a godly one. He knew the story well of how his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had spent 7 years out of his mind until he finally came to his senses and repented to God. But he ignored the warnings. He ‘did his own thing.’ Are you and your family doing your own thing? Or are you setting a godly example for your children and grandchildren? Does it include faithful church attendance. How you choose to spend your time sends a message to those little ones watching you. Your example speaks louder than your words, even if you shout. What do you value most? Take a look at your monthly expenses and see where you spend most of your excess funds—that’s what you value most! How many fail to give generously to God, yet give generously to themselves. The mark of a family that has healthy priorities is one that gives joyfully to God so His work can go forward—-giving time, giving talents, giving material goods, and giving finances. Jesus was a giver. He gave His all. Teach your family to give generously to the Lord.

Personal Balance
It’s one thing to point a finger at the church, and at the family...and another to point it at yourself. Yet everything you do for God begins with a one-on-one relationship with God. Without God in your life, you are already out of balance. As each person in the body of Christ maintains a balance, the whole will also be balanced. God is the balancing point in the ‘teeter-totter’ of life. We each struggle with keeping a balance between the things of the ‘flesh’ and the things of the ‘spirit’. Paul warned the church in Galatia… “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” (NIV) Galatians 5:16,17 The spiritual is at war with the carnal sinful nature in man. But when we learn to identify the sinful, we can steer clear of it. He clearly identifies it: “It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on…..If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.” TMB Galatians 5:19-21 The Bible tells us not only what we need to avoid, but also what we need to be like. “But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” TNB (Galatians 5:22-23) When the Holy Spirit is in charge, guiding our daily walk, things are different. The Spirit filled, Spirit-led believer will be growing spiritually, will be spiritually discerning, and will be motivated to do the things that please the Lord. Too often today, Christians tend to tolerate sin in their lives. They loose their tempers, they lie, steal, cheat, and do it all because ‘everyone else is doing it.’ Too many Christians have chosen to live together without the commitment of marriage, have decided even if they did marry, that divorce was their choice to solve their marriage problems. When we fail to thrive spiritually, we fail to maintain a spiritual balance. Flesh dominates the spiritual. Choices become selfish. The world points its finger at the carnal Christian and says “You are no different that me.” We wonder why our friends and family do not want our ‘faith.’ It’s a flawed faith.
Let’s restore the balance—balance in the church, balance in our families and balance in our lives. We will meet many along the way whose lives are out of balance and who will need assistance in steadying their out of balance world. Let’s get back to the basics where balance begins...Jesus Christ!
J. Johnson