G.P.S...God's Positioning System

One of the hottest new forms of technology on the market today is the little gadget commonly referred to as a GPS. It stands for Global Positioning System. It is used in the scientific world, in space technology, and by ordinary folks like you and me. It helps people find where they want to go. It helps rescuers find lost people. It helps fishermen, hikers, mountain climbers, and pilots to find their way to their destination. 24 hours a day, a system of 24 satellites sends signals to the little device, triangulating the precise location of it. There are endless possibilities for use in the future. It is anticipated that it will even help the blind to find their way. It may be used to track endangered species of animals and perhaps even monitor the location of children and the elderly.
Long before scientists developed this unique tool for navigation, God gave us His own unique tool for spiritual navigation. We might call it a “God’s Positioning System”. It helps believers find their way through life with confidence. It helps them to know what God wants them to do each and every day. While many people sometimes struggle with knowing God’s will for their life, that struggle is unnecessary if they will just rely on God’s Positioning System.
The Word of God
While the skeptical world tends to make light of the validity of the Bible, in reality, it is the most accurate point of reference for the Christian. Historians and archeologists are amazed at the accuracy that has been passed down from generation to generation. Scribes painstakingly copied the sacred text, counting each individual letter, to make sure that nothing was omitted or added to the text. It was then counted a second time by a master scribe who compared his count to the first. In this way, copies of the Bible and Torah, have passed down to today virtually intact. God’s Positioning System, the Bible, can be counted on! Today, when we read the words in the Bible, we often fail to appreciate the gift we have been given. The Bible not only is an accurate historical record, but a vital tool for everyday living. It gives us spiritual insight and wisdom and reveals divine truths that help us find our way. When we read text books in our schools today, we often discover that history is being conveniently rewritten to push a particular point of view. We call these authors ‘revisionists’ as they try to eliminate from our history books the spiritual and Godly influences by the founding fathers of the United States. The Islamic world wants to ‘revise’ the history of the Jewish holocaust. Changing it in the books does not make the reality go away, but it does change what people tend to believe. That is why the accuracy of the Bible is so very important. The Bible is a unique collection of 66 books written by numerous authors all declaring the same truths over and over again. Minor discrepancies are often pointed to by the skeptics who forget that each story is told from a different perspective. Just as a car accident is seen differently from an adult or child or passenger or bystander perspective, so the Bible gives us different points of view. Each gospel, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, tells the story from a persons perspective, yet together we see a cohesive picture that is astounding.
The Bible can be counted on to guide our daily lives. It is a tangible GPS for every believer. It is a map for those who are lost. It is a voice to those who will listen, telling us what God wants us to know today. It requires no satellites to beam its message. It never fails to speak to those who long to hear its words of truth. It will give clear direction to a confused soul. After reading it for the past fifty years, I continue to discover new paths to walk and the picture of my final destination becomes clearer and clearer.
The Holy Spirit
The authorship of the Bible was not just men doing their ‘thing’. It was a divinely inspired creation. Men wrote on paper and papyrus what the Holy Spirit spoke into their hearts. In a GPS there is a lovely voice that speaks out the directions. “Turn right in 500 yards...in 100 yards...in 100 feet.” The Holy Spirit is like that too. God sent Him, not just to be with us but to be ‘in’ us… to tell us what we need to know… to reveal truth, to edify, encourage and teach. He taught the disciples as He recalled to their minds all the things Jesus had taught them as He walked with them for three years. He helped them piece it all together. “Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit” in Acts 4:8 was enabled to speak boldly about Jesus, and people were amazed that these “ignorant and unschooled men” could declare like seasoned orators. They realized these men had been with Jesus. In Acts 5:32 Peter declared: “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” He knew the source of power and truth.
Today, Christians have that same source of power and truth available to them. The Holy Spirit is our GPS. The Holy Spirit is God. He is part of the trinity. He does not change. He is here to help you today. He wants you to get into the Word of God so He can teach you what you need to know. He wants to reveal Jesus to you. He will make Him so real in your life, if you let Him. Believers tend to rely on everything but the Holy Spirit. They rely on what the pastor says or the Sunday school teacher, or their friends or co-workers. They even tend to rely on Hollywood movies and documentaries more than they do on the Holy Spirit.
The early church counted on the Holy Spirit to assist them in their task of telling the world. They valued the Spirit in choosing deacons, they chose “men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.” (Acts 6:3) Stephen the first martyr, was one of those chosen. Another was Philip who shared the message with an Ethiopian, baptized him and…. “ when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.” Philip found himself some 20 miles away after this incident. Strange things sometimes happen when the Spirit is given free reign. Our GPS knows things we do not know. He knows the road we must take. He knows what lays ahead in the future. He knows the best way to accomplish a task. He knows how to meet the need perfectly. He knows how to reveal the truth. ““But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” (John 15:26) We have that same ‘Helper’ today. He still comes to help us. He knows truth for He is Truth. When we are lacking in guidance, when we don’t know the will of God, when we face circumstances we don’t understand, He is there. When we share our faith with the lost, He gives us the words to say. When we need to hear from God, He is our GPS in the still of the night, speaking to our souls, giving us what we need to hear. He makes the words of the Bible jump from the pages into our hearts.
Its unfortunate today that many Christians try to find their own way… and they are like men lost in a blizzard...fading fast. Our independent streak keeps us from consulting our heavenly GPS. Pride tells us we can do it all by ourselves. Unfortunately frozen zombies never arrive at their proper destination. Pilots today have learned to land huge aircraft in a blind fog because they have learned to trust their navigational equipment. Are we so foolish to think we can fly through life without our Godly Positioning System working? When we trust in what we can do, we short-change ourselves. When we trust in what God has to offer, we learn that He always knows what is best. When we think we need more ‘stuff’ in our closets, He knows when to refocus our priorities. When we think we know how to figure it all out, somehow He always unravels our ‘ideas’ and shows us a better way. When we begin to rely on our own resources, He sometimes jerks the ‘resources’ from under us and then proceeds to ‘open the windows of heaven.’ When we put Him in charge of it all, life becomes a trail of miracles. Once you walk that trail, you will never want to go back to doing things ‘your’ way ever again.
The Goal
The GPS of God teaches us that we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, walk in the Spirit, yield to the Spirit, be taught by the Spirit, and pray in the Spirit. Yet how often do we ‘grieve’ the Holy Spirit. Every time we fail to trust Him, every time we turn away and fail to obey His voice, we grieve Him. It’s not always easy to go against what sometimes appears the proper thing to do, when the Spirit directs otherwise. But God’s way is always best. He sees the whole picture. We see just a little bit. Trust puts your hand in His and lets Him lead. It is like a father-child relationship. When Father guides us, when we hold His hand, He never lets us stumble or fall.
Do you know where you are going? Do you know how to get there? What are you counting on to find your way? Plug in your GPS to the Power Source, and let Him track your life. In an electronic GPS, it takes timing and distance to determine location. An atomic clock in the satellite determines the timing. Your distance from the satellite is the second factor. With God, His timing is always perfect and accurate. No matter how far you are from Him, there is no distance with God. He knows just how to triangulate your life. Just because you feel lost, does not mean you are. If He knows where you are, you are never lost. Even Jonah was not lost in the belly of the whale. The moment Jonah prayed, his GPS kicked in and God began to guide him.
Are you feeling a little lost? God knows where you are. He knows your future. He know your past. Nothing is hidden from Him. Let Him guide your life today and tomorrow. Let God be your GPS for life through the Word and the Holy Spirit. He will never let you down. You will arrive at your final destination safely.
J. Johnson

Return...!

One of the strongest messages of the Old Testament prophets was the declaration, the command of God through these men of God which stated, “Return to me” Last month we determined that God is not a God who changes. Unfortunately, we as frail sinful humans do, and we tend to stray further and further away from God. Israel had that same problem. God told Israel through Jeremiah “you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return to Me,'' says the Lord.”(3:1) God continues to call us back to Himself, not through the prophets as in the books of Jeremiah and Nehemiah and Malachi, but through the tug of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. He is pleading with the ‘church’, the bride of Christ, to come back…to return to our first love.
Return to your First Love
The church in Ephesus had strayed from the message that had first been preached to them… and in Revelations 2: 4,5 John related this message to the church: "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent.” Sometimes we get so caught up in our daily routines, our times of pleasure and our programs that we fail to notice we are slowly drifting further and further away from our moorings. Soon there is distance, and the intimacy is gone. Communication becomes shallow and even sarcastic. I have seen it in people, in churches, in ministries and in America. God is speaking a warning message to all: Remember where you have fallen from… and repent! In other words, we are to recognize that drifting has occurred, and we need to turn around, change, go back, return to our first love. Thinking about it is not enough. Reading about it is insufficient. Praying about it is not enough either. It calls for change—-action—-sacrifice—determination—dedication—commitment! These are words our society does not like. They fail the grade when it comes to making lasting commitments. A slight breeze just pushes them in whatever direction the wind is blowing. “Whatever is convenient—just do it…. Don’t ask me to make sacrifices.” We do not like to hear the truth. We put our feet into the pews where the pastor will make us feel good, tell us it’s all OK. Pastors balk at calling sin by it’s real name because sin offends. We gather folks around us who think just like everyone else. We don’t get into the Word and read the truth where the Holy Spirit might convict us of our wandering souls. Yet the Word has always laid the message out strong and clear for all to read. Return—or be removed…
How do we Return?
Remember when you first realized you were a sinner? You came to Jesus and He cleansed you from your sin and in that moment you fell deeply in love. You wanted to tell everyone! In your childish exuberance, you were not ashamed or embarrassed about the new love in your life. You were bold. You were excited—-and you were forgiven and free!
It’s springtime, and love is in the air once again. It’s amusing to watch young couples who have just fallen in love. You see them standing together, looking longingly into each others eyes, holding hands, touching, kissing, not caring who sees. He brings her flowers for no reason. She bakes him brownies and splashes on cologne. They can hardly wait to get off work, out of school, or for a moment when the two of them can get alone, just to talk, or even hear the sound of their first love—breathing on the phone. Remember? Perhaps it seems too long ago for you to remember when you first fell in love with Jesus. But if you want to return… you have to go back to doing those same things you did when you first fell in love. It means spending lots of time with your lover. It means intimacy without distractions. It means setting aside all other ‘stuff’ just to be with Him. Have you sent Him ‘flowers’ of praise lately? Are you really ‘in love’??? Make it your business to please the One you love! Make the time and take the time! But you may discover that the closer you get to the Holy Lover of your soul, the more unholy you feel. Sin has crept in, to hide in places you did not notice.
There is need for Repentance
When I turned 40, I noticed some changes in my life. My joints started to ache in places they had never ached before. My Bible seemed blurry when I tried to read it. I just could not read that tiny print on the vitamin bottles anymore. I found I needed reading glasses. But when I took those reading glasses off, I was no longer seeing some things that I used to see. The dust sometimes piled up, and the floors sometimes needed cleaning. But because I could not see the dust or the dirt, I never knew it was there. I learned that I needed to be diligent about doing some things, even if at first glance it appeared all was well. Our hearts are sometimes like that. Sin creeps in and sits there unnoticed. Soon, if left unattended, it invites more sludge to join in...until soon the ‘house’ is so filled with junk and dirt that we don’t know how to manage. It’s hard to admit we are wrong. We don’t like to say “I’m sorry. Forgive me” We don’t like the work it takes to clean up the mess we allowed. So we hide it in a closet or under a rug. We think no one will notice….’til our Love comes in the door… “repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent” To repent means to change our direction 180o, to return the way we came and not go back again to the old ways. We need to see through the ‘eyes’ of the Spirit—to see our hearts and lives as He sees them. When we do, we will see the accumulated filth and be appalled that we allowed that to happen in our lives.
An Extreme Makeover
A remodel job just won’t do. Our spiritual houses are falling down rotten. Termites and mold have invaded where we failed to maintain our spiritual standards. If our children are wandering from God, perhaps we need to look in the mirror of God’s Word and see the hypocrisy He sees in our hidden foundations. It’s time to do a knockdown demolition of all the stuff satan has slyly pulled into the ‘house.’ We may like the comfort of the old ‘house,’ or the memories that came with all the time spent there, but it will not compare to the fresh new construction that the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives. It will be beyond our expectations and imaginations. It will exceed our wildest dreams. You see He still loves us just the way He always did. He did not change. He has the very best waiting for us. If He could ship us out of town while He took over the old premises, He too would call in the heaven’s wrecking ball, the contractors and those who know how to change things. The Carpenter would start with a new foundation and build it up all over again to meet today’s needs. He wants to give us ‘new’ when we are satisfied with the ‘old.’ He wants to fill us to overflowing with new wine, new oil, new Life, new joy, and a new mind. He wants to make us a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor 5:17) The old just won’t do! I like the way The Message bible paraphrases Ephesians 4:24-32 Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.26-27 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.28Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.30 Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.31-32 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. So what now…? The choice is up to you. Will you return? Will you come back to the One who loves you? Will you be willing to yield everything into His hands? Will you give Him the key? Will you return? He is standing waiting for you to come. His arms are open wide and there is no sermon—no rejection—-no qualifications….just come. Come as you are. Come with the rags of your past, the problems of your present, and your hope for change. He will not disappoint you! You long for renewed intimacy. You long to feel His touch once again. You long to hear Him whisper in your ear. “I love you—and I forgive you.”
Return and Revive...
Genuine revival begins with one repentant heart that returns to the Lord. You can begin that revival! Just return! You may need to return to the call God placed on your hearts as a young person. It may mean you need to return to the closet of prayer or return to the ‘tent of meeting’ where you first saw God for who He really was. Revival means bringing back to life something that has died. As we return to the One who has Life… death and complacency will have to go. Pray from your heart….
"Lord, I return to you, I repent of my sin and complacency. I choose to love You again with my whole heart. Refresh that first love again. Thank you for filling me with Your Holy Spirit. I yield all that I am to you. Do what you want with my spiritual house. Amen” J. Johnson

I change not!

We live in a changing world. From the moment of our birth until the day we die, we see constant changes. While my father lived to see the transition from the horse and buggy to the car, my generation has seen a transition from the lowly radio to the full blown electronic computerized era. Nothing seems to stay the same for long. As soon as we think we are up to speed on the latest gadget, it is already out of date as new technology leaps on the scene.
We have noticed the changing church too. Just a few years ago, when a church was looking for staff members, they looked for a senior pastor and a youth pastor. Today, churches are seeking preaching pastors, executive pastors, media ministers, worship and drama pastors, video projection and graphic artist pastors, children’s specialists and next ‘gen’ pastors. The stress levels for pastors and their families have risen along with the expectations of churches and their leadership. Today, pastors are vacating their God-given calling in record numbers, falling victim to demands they just can’t keep up with. Others, under stress, fall into the enemy’s traps of sin and disqualify themselves for leadership.
There have been some powerful factors that have been continually changing the face of the church and Christianity at large. In a recent study on how to reach needy groups in our community, I was drawn to information that stated that the most powerful factor that is currently influencing change in our culture is: 1. movies 2. television 3. the internet 4. books 5. music 6. public policy and 7. family. Only a few years ago, the family was the most powerful influence in our culture. We wonder why the family unit is breaking down, why the church is accepting alternate lifestyles and immorality, why churches who follow traditional methods are loosing ground so fast. They have stiff competition! Notice that nowhere in the list do we find the church as an influencer of our culture. Today, Hollywood puts out a movie about a fiction book, and millions believe it as fact. Television documentaries about topics of faith produced by spiritual skeptics raise issues with which the church struggles. While the people in our churches deal with the changing world around them, the pastors often feel like they are loosing ground to the immoral culture pumping out its filth on the internet, in movies, on television and in magazines. Ministries that seem to be succeeding today have bought into the cultural media changes, and they show movie clips on Sunday morning to make a sermon point, use dramas and illustrated sermons to “preach” the message, give book reviews, and the music used to worship the Lord is very much like secular music in rhythm and glitz. The more the church accommodates itself to the demands of the culture, the worse it seems to get. Its like having children demanding dessert for breakfast. Once ministries begin to yield to worldly demands, it is hard pressed to know when and where to draw the line.
It is interesting to note that before Jesus made His glorious appearance in Bethlehem, 400 years earlier, Malachi, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit wrote… “ For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” (Malachi 3:6) While we daily face changes, take heart—-God does not change! He is a Rock of unchangeableness. Jesus is unchanging too. Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrew 13:8) So while we may not be able to count on people or pastors or music or churches to stay the same, our God is changeless!
His nature is unchanging.
God will always be a God of love, who is eternal, whose nature is truth, who is all powerful, ever present, and all knowing. His role and office is permanent. His love for mankind never wanes. We can find immense comfort in a God who remains the same while so much of His creation is in continual change and flux. There are no factors in the world around us that can ever change God. Science may make new discoveries. Governments may change. Wars may have a permanent affect on us and on our culture...but God still remains the same. New diseases may be discovered, new technologies may change the way we do things, but God is not moved! Our confidence can be placed in a changeless God who is not influenced by man’s skepticism, the atheist’s unbelief, or the dictators commands. When politicians change to try to win the popular vote, God is never striving to change in the hope of winning another vote. God never changes! He is not discouraged or depressed. He is never making plans to do things a new way. He sticks with the old. He is faithful to Himself. Because of His faithfulness, we can count on Him, no matter what we are going through. If you have a change of pastors… God remains the same. If your body gets sick… God is still the healer. If you feel alone...He is the One who sticks closer than a brother. If you are discouraged at the changes you see in your church, your family and your city… God has not changed!
He longs for your genuine worship!
While worship may have changed in your church—hymns giving way to choruses, and harmony giving way to rhythms—God still wants to hear you worship Him from your heart. You can do it on your own time. During your quiet time with God, worship Him from your heart. Sing Him a love song that expresses your praise to God. Don’t do it to show others how much you love God. Do it just to exalt God to His rightful place in your heart. He made you his temple. Invite Him into His house! Worship is the heart’s true expression of genuine love and exaltation.
He longs for your faithful obedience!
All God ever wanted from His creation was to be loved and obeyed. Yet man, from the Garden of Eden has struggled with this simple expectation. God warned Cain that ‘sin was crouching at his door’—-and sin is continually waiting for the unwary Christian who lets his guard down for just a moment, opens the door of disobedience just a crack, whose curiosity for sin drives him to unfaithfulness. Yet even in those moments, God remains the same, willing to forgive the repentant sinner and welcome him back into intimate fellowship once again.
He longs for your loving fellowship!
One of the things that has so dramatically changed our culture is it’s demands on our time. We are forced to schedule all our activities. We barely have time to go to church on Sunday mornings, let alone all the other programs at the church. We fill our calendars with movies, sports, conferences, school events, and are grateful when we find we have an evening at home to kick back and watch a little TV. We rarely take time to get to know our neighbors or play with our own family members. We rush here and there, trying to maintain a standard set by our culture. But God has another standard...one that does not change. He created us for His pleasure. He longs to have us choose to love Him… to take the time to place Him at the top of our priorities… to want to spend time with Him more than anything else… more than movies, more than television, more than the internet, more than music, public demands, and even more than your family. We can fill our lives with busy activities and fail to fulfill the divine plan God has to fellowship with us. We are here on earth for such a short time when we think of eternity. Yet we will be spending eternity with Him. Each of us will stand before this eternal changeless God in judgment. I can hear some folks now trying to excuse themselves…. “God, I meant to….” or “ I just did what everyone else was doing…” or “I was going to get around to it….” and then life was over. There is nothing more shaking than to go to a funeral and realize how brief life is. God gives us one life, one moment, one opportunity—-and then it is over.
When I stand before my Maker, I want to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter in…” It may mean I have to die to selfish desires. It may mean I have to say ‘no’ to society’s demands. It may mean I have to walk a lonely road where few are willing to go. It may mean I must choose that higher pathway as I set an example for others to follow behind me. It may mean I have to pray when others play. He is looking for us to love Him back the way he loves us—without any variation or changeableness. Theologians describe the changeless nature of God as being immutable, that is, having to variableness. James describes the immutable God as the Father of lights. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17) While all may be changing constantly around us, God remains the same. Because He never changes, His promises remain true throughout all time. He is forever the healer of our bodies, the healer of broken hearts, the One who sets the captive free, the One who forgives our sin, the One who is our King and High Priest, the One who is our friend and intercessor, our Provider, our Guide, our Peace, our Righteousness, our Lord, our Savior, our Rock, our Redeemer and our Judge. And when we stand before Him on that final day, we will give an accounting of what we have done in this life. He is the changeless Lord of Lords. If we fail to make Him the Lord of it all in our lives, then He is not really Lord at all. We just fool ourselves.
We often say we want to see revival. If that is really true, then we must recognize that God is not the one who needs to change….we do! If we take the stance that we cannot change, we become like the ones God spoke about in the Word who were described as ‘stiff-necked’ or with ‘hardened hearts’. The only hope for such is to get a ‘new heart.’ "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26) Is it time for a transplant? If we want to see changes come, let’s yield our lives into the hands of the changeless One, and let Him change us into His image and likeness. God does not change! But we must! Keep your eyes on the one changeless anchor in this changing world. He will never fail you for He remains the same from age to age, regardless of how much we change.
J. Johnson

Holiness...More than a Halo!

Like me you have probably seen pictures of angels or Bible characters or saints, all with a glowing halo over their head. Sometimes we get the idea that one day we will be like that...with our own little halo. But the Bible has so much to say about holiness and nothing to say about halos.
God is holy. We know that. But when He tells us in the Bible that we are to be holy just like Him, we struggle with it. Holiness does not seem to be easily achieved for some. We tell ourselves, “When I get to heaven, then I will be holy!” Then we do what we want, and find ourselves falling into temptations of all kinds and giving in to some of the very things we promised ourselves we would never do.
Today the church seems to struggle more and more with living up to Biblical standards. Pastors often refuse to preach the hard line message of a holy lifestyle lest they offend those dabbling in sin and never get to minister to them at all. Evangelical churches have come to soft-soap the gospel message, tolerating sin in the pew that previous generations would have thrown a fit over. Holiness churches were known for their high standards of living and behavior and dress. They started out with a desire to live as God would have them live….then they degenerated into rule making critical dogmatic Pharisees that turned off the next generation. They decided to make everyone else holy and their determination placed the focus in a wrong way. Let’s look at some basics of holiness.
1. Holiness comes from God
God is a holy God. He told the children of Israel in Leviticus 11: 44-45 For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves….... 45 For I am the LORD who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. It was God’s desire that we live up to His standard. That holiness begins when we choose to consecrate ourselves to God and His ways. We have to know what God’s standards are before we can live up to them. In the Old Testament, the entire book of Leviticus was dedicated to teaching the people how to live a holy life. Unfortunately, most of the activities that were supposed to produce holiness were outward acts rather than inward choices. God wants us to learn both. We are to behave outwardly in a holy behavior because of our influence on others. But we are so to be holy within so that our relationship to God will not be hindered. Holiness does not come from what we do, but from who God is in us. So living a holy life is more than just putting on a pious pose, more than wearing Christian T-shirts and more than going to church every Sunday. Holiness is choosing to live in a way that pleases God 24/7.
2. You must desire holiness
Being holy is not something you can do by yourself. It takes choosing God over the ‘normal’ choices the world offers. It means a dedication, a consecration, a separation that is intentional and birthed from the love you have for God. To desire holiness in your life means that you want God in control of everything! It is putting your hand in His and trusting He will lead your every step in a path that will bring you to Him. Jesus talked with His disciples as they walked the dusty roads of Israel, and he told them all about holiness. A rich young man came to Jesus and asked him how to have eternal life. He equated the gaining of eternal life to holiness, and had practiced all the keeping of the commandments of the law. But Jesus recognized the root of his problem. He told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21) For him, perfection demanded that he learn to love his neighbor as much as he loved himself and God. He was not ready to give it up and follow Jesus. That was too much for him and he went away sad. Then Jesus clearly told his audience... “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”( Matthew 22:37-39) Perfection comes when we live spiritually balanced lives, loving God and loving those around us. When we love God, we do not want to do what displeases Him. We will not want to choose to sin and grieve his heart. We will watch and discipline our mouths. We will be cautious about the places we go and the things we do. We will take the time to ask Him first if it pleases Him. It means matching our lifestyle with the Word of God. This means Christians should not be living in fornication or adultery. They should not be greedy with what God provides, but tithe and give generously to those in need. It means we would not want our name and ministry lifted up, but His name alone! It means we should not be in the habit of lying, cursing, stealing, cheating, or coveting. These are not God’s ways. It must be the deepest desire of your heart to live your life in a way that would be pleasing to God.
3. Holiness is not in appearances
Often the world around tends to look at the outward appearances. We want to fit in, yet be holy. Christian holiness is not achieved just by wearing religious garb. You could dress like a monk or a nun and still be a sinner. You could wear modest attire and still have sin in your heart. Others may judge your spiritual condition by what they see on the outside, but God looks on the heart. That does not mean that Christians can look just like the rest of the world wearing scanty attire. It means we have to consult the One in charge of our life, for how we dress should be pleasing to Him and measure up to Bible standards of moderation in all things. If our appearance causes someone to stumble into sin and lust, would it be pleasing to God?
4. Holiness is a reflection of a relationship

When Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden, they had a relationship of intimacy. There was absolute holiness. But the moment that they sinned, everything changed. No longer did Adam walk with God in the garden in the cool of the day. Sin drove a wedge between them. To restore that intimate relationship, Jesus had to come and die for the sin of all mankind. When He died, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, revealing the place of intimacy to the public eye once again.
When we tell folks that God loves them just the way they are, we are not telling them the whole truth. God does love them….that’s true. But he does not love the sin in their lives. Restoring that relationship comes at a cost. It may cost you some friendships. You may have to change your lifestyle, like the rich young man Jesus talked to. You may have to give up some things you love. You may be persecuted because of your devotion. Things of value come at a high price. Jesus knew that better than anyone. His holy perfection came to live in the sinful world, to take all the sin of mankind upon Himself, to die a death of a criminal, just to make a way for mankind to restore that first intimacy. It cost him everything to be obedient to His Father. He not only set the example for us to follow but He also is willing to help us. He gives us guidelines to follow. Our holiness is an act of worship. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2 NIV) Pleasing God and walking daily in His perfect will must be our daily goal.
When we choose deliberately to sin, we tell ourselves., “But God knows my weaknesses!” We forget that disobedience is not a weakness, it is a sin. When we make Christ the Lord of our lives, we have no more license to sin. We have a responsibility to the One in charge of our lives. Ephesians 5:1 & 3 tells us we are to “Be imitators of God ….there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.” If we think we can be careless in our devotion, we forget what the bible says… “Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14 Amplified) Without holiness, we cannot ever see God.
Holiness is more than a halo, more than legalism—it is living in loving obedience. A love relationship has responsibilities. Christians must be responsible for their choices and actions. God will help you to overcome temptations. He will help you choose wisely. He will help you guard the word of your mouth. But He can only help you if you let Him, if you invite Him to be part of the decision making process. You may be asking yourself just now, “How can anyone even begin to measure up to the perfection, justice, almightiness, righteousness, majesty, splendor, beauty, and excellence of the glorious God?” In yourself, it is impossible, but….’with God all things are possible.’ (Matthew 9:26) The key is staying close to Him…with God! Together you and God are a team effort. You walk in daily obedience with Him, and He will help you overcome and prepare a place for you in heaven. Holiness is not an impossible goal. Jesus was tempted in every way that man can be tempted yet He did not sin.
Perhaps you find yourself today living in sin. You have given in to the pull of the world around you, and you have yielded to temptations. You hate what you have done, yet feel helpless. Slaves to sin are helpless. They need a Redeemer to set them free. Christ is your Redeemer. He has provided a way for you to walk in holiness. It begins with a repentant heart. Genuine repentance means you are so sorry for your sin that you refuse to walk that way again. It is turning around and deliberately going the other way. It is deliberately choosing to obey God.
Why strive for holiness? Because God commands it. “Be Holy for I am holy!” Let’s lay aside all the excuses for sloppy Christianity and lazy devotion and let us choose to live our lives as imitators of Christ, the Holy Son of God.

by J. Johnson

Blessed and Highly Favored!

As the world around us spins down into more and more of a self-centered way of thinking about life, it becomes more and more of a struggle for the believer to keep a Biblical focus on eternity. Many are tempted to fall in line with the practices of those around them. Instead of holding a high standard, established for the believer in the Word of God, they lower themselves into sin and worldly standards. They loose sight of their purpose and significance in this world. Yet God has designed a special purpose for every one of His children, and you are no exception. Each person chooses how they respond to life’s challenges. While some see a glass of water as nearly empty...others see it as half full.
A story is told of a shoe salesman who was sent to the West Indies to a small island. When he arrived he noticed that all the natives were barefoot. Discouraged that no one wore shoes here, he came home with no sales. Another salesman was sent to the same place. He too noticed the barefoot natives. He sent an emergency telegraph home…: "Send lots of shoes...all sizes...as everyone here needs shoes!” Our perspective on life can determine our influence on others and how we impact the world for Christ.

God needs to change our perspective!

When we see life from His point of view, everything changes. When we see grumbling sinners, He sees lost children who need a Savior. When we see crime, violence and abuse….He sees victims of Satan’s curse. When we see life’s inconveniences, He sees life’s opportunities. We sometimes need an ‘eye transplant.’ We need to see the world around us with His eyes.
The world continues to spiral down into the valley of despair. The more they try to turn it all around with education, money, and programs to meet desperate needs, the bigger and more hopeless the problems seem to become. As we look at the political world, we see wars, destruction, corruption, and promises of hope with no real lasting solutions. When we look at the religious world, we see spiritual leaders grasping for ways to change the world. When we look at the material world, we see people trying to fill the emptiness inside with ’stuff’ on the outside...homes, cars, furniture, jewelry, and the best that money can buy. Yet we soon discover that all the ’stuff’ just gives us more to care for without satisfying the inner need for lasting happiness.

I have found the lasting solution to all of these dilemmas.

I discovered that all my hopes and dreams could find fulfillment and satisfaction when placed in eternal values...in Jesus Christ. He provides me with purpose and significance. He gives me faith and hope for life now and in eternity. He resets my values from ‘stuff’ to Himself. I learned to value Him more than ‘stuff’. In Him is every political solution, every educational answer, and a way out of every dilemma.

How do we get to that point of view?

The first step is to recognize the need for change. The Bible tells me that in myself there is nothing good found. That is because I am a sinner, in need of a solution to my problem—sin. Jesus came as the solution! The moment I realize I need more than I have, and that Jesus has what I need—this is the first step. Then I can call on Him to meet my need and be my solution. The world in sin is bound by a curse. That curse came in the Garden of Eden when mankind fell into Satan’s snare. From that day onward, man became needy. He continued to live, but the spirit within him died. By faith, all the Old Testament people looked forward to the day when Christ, the Messiah, would come and restore life to the spirit of man. Jesus fills the void within. Man struggles on his own to fill that void with carnal pleasures, material goods, entertainment, drugs and alcohol, but nothing satisfies. Nothing lasts. Earth’s solutions are just temporary. But Jesus provided a lasting solution that goes beyond life into eternity. He came to provide Life...eternal Life! The Life He gives fills the emptiness and overflows into joy and happiness and satisfaction and a new sense of values with an eternal purpose. While the world feels cursed and inferior, I feel blessed and highly favored. He lifts my vision beyond what I can see with the natural eye to see with eternal eyes. I no longer see the pain and suffering around me as a dilemma, but as an opportunity for God to display His glory and power. He is the God who loves to change lives, and circumstances, heal sick bodies, and deliver from bondages of depression and destructive habits. If you have been abused….He brings peace and forgiveness and healing. If you were the abuser, He changes the heart, the mind and the life. He forgives you even when you cannot forgive yourself. We may still suffer some of the results of the scars from the past. They serve to remind us not to go back and do that again! I may never have all the wealth of the world in my bank account….but I have the wealth of the One who created the world in my heart and for all eternity. I may not know all the answers to life’s questions, but I know the One who has all the answers, all the solutions, who has all knowledge, all power, all truth. He is no longer a distant acquaintance, but an intimate friend. When life comes crashing down around me, I know with confidence I can turn to Him and find comfort, peace, confidence and healing. He promised his followers that He would never leave them nor forsake them. Yes, I am blessed and highly favored.
Believer, next time someone asks you how you are doing… don’t just say the politically correct phrase…. “I’m fine thanks.” Tell them “I’m blessed and highly favored!”...and see what kind of response you get! Be ready to tell them why you are so blessed...and the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say at that moment. Tell them they can be blessed and highly favored too.

We need a new radical abandonment to Jesus Christ.

Believers need to become Spirit-dependent, Christ-centered, spiritually dynamic, mutually-ministering to each other and the world around them. You may sometimes feel like you are totally insignificant, but in the eyes of God, each tiny mustard seed in His kingdom has potential to grow and change the world around it.

What kind of blessings can we expect from God?

We can expect the kind of blessings that are lasting and eternal. There is no great blessing in filling up your bank book. But there is great blessing in filling heaven with souls won to Jesus. Jesus told Peter He would make him a fisher of men. He never promised him big earthly rewards. No... He told him that those who would be the greatest in heaven needed to be the servants of all. God’s viewpoint of blessing is so very different from man’s viewpoint. I want His blessings in my life. Do you? I cannot take my retirement funds with me to heaven, but I can take people. It’s funny how when it comes right down to what we really value in life… we hear it only at funerals. We don’t talk about what the person possessed, but about who they were and the impact that they had on our lives.

I am blessed and highly favored!

I know the One who has pulled my feet from the pit of sin, who has given me a hope and a future, who has provided me with significance and purpose. His name is Jesus. He is the Rock of my salvation, the Door of protection, the Shepherd who takes care of me, the Bread that feeds me when I am hungry, the Lamp for my feet and the Light on my pathway. He is the King who made me part of his family. He is the Priest who made a way for me to enter into the most holy place. He is the Way when there seems to be no way, and the Truth when all around me is confusion and chaos. He is Life when my body feels more dead than alive. He is the Cornerstone and chief Architect of my building. He is the Bright Morning Star that shines in the darkest night. He is the Lily of the Valley and the Rose of Sharon who fills this stagnant world with the aroma of His loveliness. He is the Living Water that satisfies. He is the Vine that helps me grow and produce good fruit. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending of all I am and ever hope to be. Yes, I am blessed and highly favored. There is nothing that He and I together cannot face.
But who is He to you? He can be all of those things and more in your life if you invite Him into your heart and let Him take control of it all. Then you too will be blessed and highly favored.
J. Johnson

Avoiding the enemies traps...

Every year we read, or hear in the news, about another pastor or spiritual leader falling into the trap of sin. We all tend to point our fingers and say, “I’d never do that!” Yet, thousands of believers every year fall into traps of sin, snares of temptation, pitfalls that hurt not only our Christian walk and integrity, but every believer and unbeliever we know. The thing we tend to struggle with on a daily basis is overcoming those traps, snares and pitfalls. As Christians give attention for even a moment to the seductive voice of the enemy, they fall into his traps that promise better things… more satisfaction… greater achievement… at the expense of ignoring the promises of God given in the Word of God. Paul warned young Timothy...:For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Tim 4:3-4) These myths are the traps of Satan. They fall into three basic categories: intellectual, emotional and sensual.
Intellectual traps:
Today we live in a very intellectual world. The systems in place pride themselves in the intellectual prowess of humans. They tend to argue against anything that would attack the premises of intellectual superiority and how education is supposed to cure all the ills of the human race. While educators promise utopian solutions, man continues in a downward spiral as jails grow overcrowded, drug abuse becomes rampant, and corporate greed causes financial giants to fall. Every strata of humanity continues to fail. They write God off as useless and irrelevant. Paul the apostle had a solution here too. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5 RSV) First of all, he attacks the ‘arguments’ of men and their reasonings., that is, their rationalizations by which they support and defend their spiritual errors. These ‘arguments’ are rooted in pride. Pride needs to be placed in subjection to Christ himself. It is a matter of choice. We must choose to bring our minds into spiritual submission to Christ. He is Truth. He is Life. He has the answers that human intellectuals demand. We can try to understand the ways of men with our flawed sinful minds, but in reality, only Christ can know what is in the minds of men. He made us after all.
Emotional traps:
We want to feel good. We love a ‘feel good’ gospel. We want the preacher to tell us that God loves us and His grace is far reaching. It’s true, but the other side is also true. His judgment is also far reaching. Our desire for emotional pleasure, happiness and satisfaction—when placed in carnal pursuits—will always lead us astray. Paul again warns young Timothy of the dangers of emotional excess in the last days. But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. (2 Tim 3:1-4 RSV) The key words that stand out here are “stress”, ‘lovers of self” “lovers of money” “proud” “arrogant” “abusive” “disobedient” “ungrateful” “haters” “reckless” “lovers of pleasure”….and every one expresses the emotional characteristics of our culture today. Paul again has a solution for this as he continues in v 5 ...holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people. (2 Tim 3:5 RSV) Notice that these evil people are playing a game of pretend. They are actors (hypocrites) with a ‘form’ of religion but without power. Paul advises that we stay away from such people. Their influence can drag us down to their level. Sadly, too many of our churches today are filled with these pretenders. How can we tell the difference? The fruit of the life of a truly sincere and Godly Christian will be evident. They will be people of prayer, constantly in the Word of God, not seeking selfish interest or gain. Pleasures that satisfy for a moment should not have the highest place in their life. When Paul advises us to “avoid such people” he does not mean that we are to ignore them. After all, they need Jesus. But we can choose our friends, and the church we attend carefully. Place your feet in a church that tells it like the Bible says it. A ‘feel good’ gospel is not an honest presentation of the whole picture. Find a church that preaches power over sin, power to live in victory, power over the devil and the power of the Word and the blood of Jesus. Without these elements in the church today, the church itself becomes powerless.
Sensual traps
Satan is a master of the counterfeit .(2 Cor. 11:4,13,15). He masquerades as an angel of light, deceiving even the people of God. Some find themselves giving an ear to his seductive lies, “Its OK for Christians to have sex outside of marriage, to enjoy the love God created.” When we see spiritual authorities fail, we tell ourselves, if they can do it...we can too. It’s a lie! Those sensual traps he sets up for us are sure to catch us if we do not know the Word and, like Jesus, throw it at the devil when he comes with his seductive lies. He sets us up when he sees that our desires to please ourselves are more dominant that our desire to please the Lord.
The world tries to deal with sensual traps using laws, peer pressure, rehabilitation, jail, psychology, and any type of coercion to try to influence us to good behavior. But the root of the problem is pride….pride that leads us to believe we are OK and above others. Pride causes us to look down on others, especially those who have fallen into open blatant sin. The moment we think we are above the sin, we risk becoming victims of it. When we neglect the basics— reading our Bibles, going faithfully to church, spending time in prayer—we are sliding backwards into sin.
If we become lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, we have a form of religion that has no power. When we major on entertainment without a balance of prayer and intercession, we are in trouble.
Jesus promised that we would suffer persecution and be killed for His sake. The real prosperity message of the Word is that our souls would prosper, and that our treasures are to be laid up where moth and rust do not destroy. Today, our self-centered Christianity asks “What’s in it for me? What do I get out of it?” We want our rights, our needs, our way. We don’t want persecution or suffering, yet these very things are what makes for strong Christians and vibrant churches. It caused Christianity to blossom in it’s early stages. Today it continues to build strong churches in countries such as China and Russia where Christianity suffers constant harassment. It is never persecution that destroys the church but material prosperity. Today, our churches tend to be more like retirement communities and country clubs, where believers can safely retreat from the world, instead of being soul-saving stations where the lost find help and gain spiritual strength. Satan loves it when we entertain ourselves instead of fulfilling Jesus mandate to “go into all the world and preach the gospel”. While some sit idle, others are willing to go and seek the lost, tear down spiritual stronghold and challenge Satan’s grasp on God’s creation.
Spiritual warfare should be a part of every believers life. First of all it demands that we recognize that Satan is real and is out to destroy our walk with God. Then it demands that we take action. That action means prayer. In our own strength we can do nothing to counter Satan’s attacks. But through prayer, we can counterattack the strategies of Satan. When we pray, all the resources of heaven are working on our behalf. We have other weapons too. They are powerful, and they accomplish something. They destroy Satan’s strongholds of evil, but we must use them. They must be part of our daily life. Paul lists them in Galatians and calls them the ‘armor of God’.
We have to choose to be over-comers. Avoiding Satan’s schemes is possible when we stay spiritually alert, in the Word, with a clear focus and our weapons ready. As a good soldier goes into battle, he goes fully equipped, physically fit, and with the mission clearly in mind. He does not allow distractions to deter him from his purpose. God wants each of us to be good soldiers. He is seeking those who will avoid the enemies traps, to do the work of God, to disciple new recruits. What will you be in this New Year? A victim or a victor? Trapped or triumphant? Paul encouraged the churches saying… “I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. (Philippians 4:12,13 The Message)
The One who makes us who we are is Jesus, our victorious Lord! He makes me a winner!

J. Johnson

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Your donations will help us share the message and encourage believers.

God bless you today!

A Wondrous Gift

She was just a child herself, yet a woman, but to all appearances, just a young girl. She was pregnant with her first child, not even married. It was an unforgivable condition to be in… engaged but pregnant. Mary must have been an unusual teenager. In her culture, she could have been stoned to death for what appeared to all to be sin. Yet, she willingly told the visiting angel sent from God “"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38) She made a choice...and the rest is history! One young girls choice has changed the destiny of the world.
The result of her choice was the provision of a wondrous gift, a new covenant….a new intimacy with God…a new relationship with the Almighty. It brought heaven down into this miserable and sinful world. A ray of light shined into the darkness that has beamed across continents into time changing lives for eternity. Mary’s choice allowed the Son of God to be born in the flesh, to be a tiny infant in a fragile world. Wrapped in swaddling grave clothes, He lay in a manger, a stone trough filled with hay, vulnerable to whatever life brought. Mary had no idea what the future would hold for her or for her newborn Son. The brief years of childhood would long be cherished in her heart as every mother does. But soon, the joys of childhood would turn to wonder as she watched her child become independent of her care as He remained at the temple astounding the religious minds of the day. We know very little of his childhood years, or his teenage life. We do know that very early He became focused on His purpose and destiny.
What if….
A tiny baby born to a mere girl, changed our world for eternity. When I think of the impact His life has had on this world, I wonder what our world would have been like if He had never come. What if life had just continued… the temple and the holy city in Roman hands… laws and rules… circumcision… sacrifices… old covenant ways complicated by religious laws added by the religious leaders, Sadducees and Pharisees. In just a few short years, the temple would have been destroyed by the Roman government. The impact of the Jewish world was in decline. Secular philosophies influenced by the Greek and Roman world were on the rise. We never would have known the freedom of a democracy based on the Christian teachings found in 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Women’s rights and freedoms would have not developed but for the teachings of Jesus Christ. The new moral standards set by Jesus who taught his followers to love each other and love their enemies, turned mankind from a vicious destructive way of life to one of tolerance, patience and peace.
Without Jesus, there never would have been a renaissance or reformation. Pilgrims would have never ventured to America for spiritual freedom. There would be no celebrations such as Valentines Day, Easter, Christmas, or even Halloween (originally Hallowed Evening). We would not know the meaning of the term “salvation.” Forgiveness of sin would not be possible for Non-Jewish people. Our cultures would have become a mix of Judaism, Greek mythology, Roman law, and who knows what culture would have developed in time. Islam would not exist as it is based on a mixture of Judaism and Christianity. Four billion Christians and Muslims would have a different religion. “Foxes’ Book of Martyrs” would have empty pages. There would be no “Pilgrims Progress.” Great works of art would not have been sculpted or painted. Science would not have developed as many of its greatest minds were Christians who prayed and asked God for wisdom (Pascal, Pasteur, Newton) Nations such as the United States would not have been founded on Christian ideals and principles. Cathedrals and churches would not dot the landscapes of every major city in the world. There would be no such thing as a pope, a pastor, a deacon, a bishop, or an apostle. We would not understand the meaning of such words as apocalypse, rapture, evangelical, or even justification. Denominations such as Roman Catholic, Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist and Pentecostal would not exist. Their influence on the world would never have happened.
I can hardly imagine what the United States and Canada would be like without Christ and Christianity. Sometimes we as believers wonder if we are making a difference in our world. Just as Jesus made a difference, so does every believer who stands for what he believes.
What now…
He did come.. He did change this world. He did make a difference, and because He did, we have an awesome responsibility to carry forward what He began. We have good news to tell those who have not heard. We have a message of hope for a world lost in hopelessness and despair. Because of Him, we can say with confidence, like Paul, “ for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” (1 Timothy 2:12). While millions around the world reach out to idols of wood and stone, spin cylinders of prayer, wave flags, burn incense and pray to icons and dead men and women, we have a certainty, a knowing, a confidence that our Savior who came as a baby, grew to be a man, and died, only to live again, that He hears today and answers our prayers, heals our bodies, prepares us for eternity and loves us all even if we sin.
Can we do anything less than share His love with others this Christmas? Can we for a moment lay aside our selfishness and greed, our materialism and humanism and choose intentionally to reach out to someone else who has no hope? Is Christ truly the center of your Christmas celebration? Do you see the needs of others around you? Have you gone out of your way to help someone as Christ would have done? This Christmas, determine to give to the ministry of your choice, as if you were giving it to Jesus Himself. He gave up the glory of heaven for us. Can we give up the glitz and grandeur of this world for Him? Somehow, I don’t think the two realms are comparable.
What a gift…!
We take our precious finances and select a gift for our loved ones, wrap it in tissue paper, decorated with pretty ribbons and foil, and then put it under the tree for Christmas morning. We think we have done something grand! Yet if the truth was known, too often we gripe and complain and recycle unwanted gifts and do just enough to get by the season, hoping no one will notice our stingy hearts. Meanwhile, God sent us the perfect gift, one size fits all, the kind that heals every broken heart, and fills every empty life to overflowing. He gives us Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, Hope….. And we leave His gift under the tree, still wrapped, still waiting to be received. We are not sure what to do with Him. If we open it, we might feel obligated… to change our habits, go to church, guard our tongues, to give our tithes, and go out of our way. If we pretend we did not get His gift… then perhaps we can go on doing things the same old way.
Christmas is about change. God sent His wondrous gift to change us, to give to us, to heal us, to love us...even though we feel unlovable. The gift never changes yet the gift changes us forever if we will just open the gift and receive Him. He is the perfect gift—the one that heals sick bodies, frees those in bondages of addiction, fills those who are lonely, lifts those who are depressed. “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come (Luke 4:18,19 NLT) Let’s take the wondrous gift, open it, and give it again to someone in need! His wondrous gift never stops giving!
J. Johnson

Overshadowed...

Overshadowed...
A tiny bird had accidentally flown into the window and now sat stunned on the ground. It did not move. The kids quickly ran outside and picked up the tiny bird, holding it gently in their hands. We had a dilemma on our hands. What do you do with a bird that is injured and in need of help? You call the zoo of course, and they quickly put us in touch with a local lady who cared for injured birds.
I will never forget that little helpless thing. It seemed to weigh as little as the air in which it flew. It was so fragile. Yet they are cared for by God, and He notices each time a sparrow falls to the ground. (Matthew 10:29)
God overshadows His creation. “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31) God sees you every moment of every day. He knows the deepest secrets of your heart, the longings, the burdens, the needs, the reason for your tears. He understands you better than you understand yourself. Like that little bird, you sometimes find yourself flitting here and there, and suddenly you end up stunned and wondering what happened. All the while, He knows, and is working on your behalf, even when you are unable to care for yourself.
God has always hovered over his creation from the beginning of time. “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Gen 1:2) God is not an absentee landlord who lets the tenants of earth fend for themselves. He cares and overshadows us. His presence, though unseen, is there. When the Jews built the ark of the covenant in the wilderness, God instructed them to build it with certain specifications. And when the shekinah glory of God descended upon the Holy of Holies, we are told that the wings of the cherubim overshadowed the mercy seat. It was to be a picture for man that God cares about us. Then to reinforce that picture in their minds even more, the glory of God came down upon the tabernacle, so much so that Moses could not enter into it. And that cloud remained, as a pillar of fire at night and a cloud by day, hovering over the people of God, as God watched over them and they became aware that God was continually with them.
When young Mary found favor in the eyes of God, the Word tells us that the angel announced to her that “the Holy Ghost would come upon her, and the power of the Highest would overshadow” her. (Luke 1:35) His presence was to be with her and protect her.
That same overshadowing presence of an Almighty God was also demonstrated to the disciples. Jesus was up on the mountain with Peter, James and John. There they experienced the overshadowing presence of God as they watched Jesus change before their eyes, and a cloud of glory descended upon them. “Behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!'' (Matthew 17:5).

Positioned for Overshadowing
I want to be in the position where God can overshadow me. Sometimes, like the wayward children of Israel, we wander off and try to do our own thing. When we do this, we walk away from the overshadowing presence of God. We remove ourselves from his protective hand. We must remain in the position where God places us. There He instructs us and guides us. When we are positioned where God wants us to be, God promises… “"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!” ( I Sam 12:16)
When we stand in the place that God has directed us to stand, we will see God do mighty things. If we wander off in our impatience, we may miss the very plan God has for us. Just as sheep tend to wander away from the shepherd, letting their nose guide them to that ‘sweeter’ blade of grass, only to find themselves hopelessly lost, and alone in the wilderness, so do we wander away from the Shepherd of our souls. He provides all we need, the table of food in the presence of our enemies, our cup, full of the good things of God, yet still we wander. Sheep are really quite dumb. They do not plan for emergencies. They just find themselves in one emergency after another. If they stayed close to the shepherd, within the sound of his voice, even in the valley of the shadow of death, there would be no reason to fear.
He is watching out for their good. He is overshadowing with his rod and staff.
God continually wants to put us in a position where He can bless us, and use us for His honor and glory. To be positioned by God is an honor. What position are you in today? Are you where God has placed you? Are you wandering off after things He has already provided you with? Don’t look at the circumstances around you! Look up! See the overshadowing presence of God! He is there, and will continue to be there for you. Trust Him. Keep your eyes on Him.
Maintaining your position
As we recognize our need for staying under the overshadowing presence of God, we also need to know how to maintain our position. It is our carnal senses that usually draw us away from the Overshadowing...what we hear with our ears… what we see with our eyes, what we feel with our hands, what we smell and what we taste. Just as the smell of food can pull us away from the place of prayer to the table, so can what we see with our eyes, draw us away from the Word of God. It takes a determination and discipline that many of us lack, to resist the tug of our carnal side. But this is a time when we need to get alone with God, spend time praying, fasting, seeking God, reading His Word, focusing on listening to His voice and touching the glory of His presence. Greatness in God does not come from apathetic mediocrity. It requires a dedicated tenacity….a spiritual hunger that drives you to feed on heavenly manna. It takes you to the prayer meeting instead of the potluck. It is not satisfied with a crumb here and a dribble there. It demands fresh bread from His table and new wine from His vineyards. When I look back at history and see the spiritual giants of the past, I always see a pattern in their lives of prayer, devotion, commitment and clear focus. Their faith was totally in God. They refused to compromise with the world around them. And they stood out from the rest because of their solitary devotion. Others called them crazy fanatics and lunatics. God called them his sons and daughters.
The Shekiah Glory Cloud
One of the ways the Lord overshadowed His people was in the shekinah glory cloud. It was the brightness and splendor of the supernatural presence emanating from God. We are told that the cloud rested over the tabernacle so that the priest could not enter in. God’s presence was so overwhelming that even the sanctified priests could not come close. Where is that glory cloud today? It is in the lives of believers who have made their hearts his tabernacle and who have chosen to walk in the Spirit, praying without ceasing, yielding to the Spirit of God. It amazes me that that same glory can dwell in these vessels of clay. Unfortunately, the average church-going ‘Christian’ has never experienced that presence in their daily walk with God. They chase the glory as they see it in others around them. They run to this meeting, that conference, wherever they hear the unusual is happening. They fail to realize that the thing they are chasing is supposed to be dwelling within them!
The glory will not dwell in the place of sin. We saw in Israel how as the people fell deeper and deeper into sin and idolatry, the glory cloud lifted, first from the holy place to over the tabernacle, then over the city, then it moved on… for no place was found in Israel that was prepared for the overshadowing presence of God.
Today, let us push past the chatter in the foyers of the church, the coffee bars, the stained glass, the plush carpets and move on into the altars and meet with God once again. We must repent of our sins. We must humble ourselves before His throne. We must pray and seek His face. We must turn from our wicked ways. Don’t be distracted by the voices of ‘prophets’, pastors or teachers, but tuned in to the voice of God and His Holy Spirit. God wants to speak to His people as He overshadows them once again.
J. Johnson

Decision for Destiny...

Some folks are very decisive, and others hesitate, think about it, live in a state of indecisiveness and eventually let someone else make the decision. I am concerned that Christians not live their spiritual lives this way. Joshua challenged the people of Israel, “Choose you this day whom you will serve…” All too often, we have left the choice up to our spiritual mentors, our pastors, our politicians, and those with the loudest voices. It’s time for individuals to make hard and fast choices.
I sense an uneasiness in the body of Christ right now. Perhaps you have felt it too. It feels like we are all on the edge of our seats, waiting for something momentous to happen. Those who take the lead right now, who choose with confidence, will have the advantage. For decades, we have allowed the world around us, to mold and shape our world. Christians stood idly by while prayer was removed from the schools, then abortion was legalized. It would be easy to get on a hobby horse at this time and pick on another ‘issue’ and challenge you to take your stand against government and politicians and educators. But there is an even more serious situation at hand.
The Church in Trouble
Today, the church itself, is sliding backwards, one person at a time, into ineffective whitewashed tombs. This was the state of the religious world when Jesus came. He charged them in Matthew 23:27-28 27. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. “ Today if the pastors don’t entertain us with illustrated sermons, if the worship teams don’t play the most modern beat, if the church buildings are not more comfortable than your sofa at home, then the ‘saints’ mosey on to some place that will make them feel comfortable. The church, the living body of Christ, is dying. It is beautiful on the outside, but inside there is death and corruption. Meanwhile, the lost world is spiraling down into an eternal hell with little or no concern on the part of the ‘Christian’. Grant it, there are a few beacons of light out there who are beaming brightly, but there are more and more who are caving in to the demands of lazy ‘saints’. They are more concerned with what they want than with what God wants. Humanism is the new god of the church. Their cry is: make me feel comfortable, make me feel happy….or we’ll go somewhere else. The church has become so self-centered it has forgotten it’s purpose for being.
What has happened to the church that repented in revivals of past days? What has happened to the church that would spend hours on its knees seeking God? Where are those ‘saints’ who are willing to sacrifice their own comforts for the sake of the lost world around them? Where are the revival services that lasted into the wee hours of the night, and extended into protracted meetings of three to 5 weeks or more? Where are the evangelists now? Sad to say, many evangelists have been forced from the itinerant lifestyle due to pastors and churches and boards that no longer have ‘time’ for Sunday night services, and don’t think their people will support protracted meetings.
Milk and Honey?
Too many have been feeding on milk diets. Milk is good. It is a wonderful food. It is an almost perfect food. But I was shocked to learn that when milk is ‘treated’ with homogenization and pasteurization, it destroys much of the goodness found in fresh raw milk. It kills natural enzymes and vitamins. For milk to do it’s best for us, it first of all must be fresh. Fresh raw milk was made by God to be consumed within the first 24 hours. Yet today, in our modern world, we keep milk , that has been treated to preserve it, for up to a week or more. We do the same spiritually. We soften the message to make it ‘seeker friendly’ so as not to offend the sinner. We don’t take the time to seek fresh ‘milk’ from the Word of God and so we push our ‘stale’ message for all to feed upon. The milk turns sour, and we wonder why the world rejects it.
The children of Israel were promised a land of “milk and honey”. This means that God was promising them a land where all their basic needs would be met with abundance. But He never meant they were to continually live on a diet of milk and honey. Honey is a great natural food. It is a sweetener that tastes wonderful. But a diet of pure honey would be awful. We need balance. Believers today have the best resources that the body of Christ has ever had! We have the written Word of God. We have wonderful study tools, concordances, handbooks, dictionaries, radio, TV and the computer. Yet how many pastors find themselves preaching a message borrowed from some other preacher. How many ’saints’ rely on the pastor to read the Word to them on Sunday. It’s the only time they open their Bibles. It is spoiled milk. The Holy Spirit wants to pour into each pastor’s heart fresh messages, not milk and honey messages but oil and wine messages. He wants to break fresh oil into each heart that will take the time to read the Word of God and pray.
Pour in the Oil and Wine
Oil and wine messages are those inspired by the Holy Spirit, tailor made just for your congregation, fresh from the wine vats and oil presses of heaven. The wonderful thing about wine is, that as the wine ages, it gets better and better while as milk ages, it become more and more spoiled. Wine is produced by crushing and breaking. Each cluster of fruit is placed in a vat for one purpose, that of crushing and breaking, to bring forth that which will result in healing, and strengthening. The oil is also produced by first crushing and then pressing. In the New Testament, oil was used for lamps, as a medicinal agent, for healing, for anointing at feasts, on festive occasions such as the consecration of kings and as an accompaniment of miraculous power or of the prayer of faith. Many folks are not aware that the name “Gethsemane” is derived from the Hebrew word, gat shmanim, meaning “oil press”. It was at Gethsemane that Jesus was in agony as he was ‘pressed’ under the weight of what He was about to endure for us all. His body became the ‘oil and wine’ and He sweat as it were, great drops of blood. Olives are pressed under great stone weights to bring out the oil. The first crushing prepares the fruit to bring forth the golden extra virgin oil, the finest in taste and flavor and purity. It is ‘fresh oil’. Second pressing brings out even more oil.
Our Choice...
God’s people need to place themselves at His feet once again and let his feet crush us and break us, and press us into the fresh oil and new wine to meet the needs of this complacent generation. They are weary of fakery, and want a genuine experience with God. They want to know He is really real. They need to see a demonstration of His power. The heavenly Vinedresser wants our altars restored to places of prayer and worship. He wants our sanctuaries to be a place where we hallow His presence. He wants our homes to be places of spiritual refuge for troubled families needing to meet the Master. We need to learn the ministry of pouring in the wine and the oil…just like the good Samaritan in Luke 10:34. He ministered to the wounded victim of brutal thieves who had beat him, robbed him and left him for dead beside the road. Today the enemy of our souls is doing the same thing. He is a brutal thief, who comes to kill, steal and destroy the lives of mankind. His purpose is to wreak havoc in the home and the church, creating division and disharmony. He steals their finances, their joy, their hope for the future, their health….and leaves them beaten and as good as dead.
But, God…!
God has an answer… a hope! It is Jesus, flowing through vessels of clay…vessels filled with the wine and oil of the Holy Spirit…. Ready to be poured out on a generation that so desperately needs Him. Let’s be the Samaritan that reaches out and touches the unlovely around us, sharing the healing balm of oil and wine.
Wine and oil are both symbols of the Holy Spirit. Wine speaks of joy and healing and refreshing and strengthening. Oil is soothing as an ointment. It speeds healing, and it seals out the corruption, preventing infection. Wine and oil were also traditionally both poured over the sacrifice as it was offered on the altar. As we yield our bodies, our lives as living sacrifices on the altar of God, He, the high Priest, will pour out the wine and the oil over our lives, and then we will be ready to be set aflame for Him.
I feel an urgency in my spirit to press on in the Spirit, a warrior for God. We may face trying days ahead. As your trials come, do not loose heart. Keep your focus. Be faithful. As warriors, we must be familiar with the weapons of our warfare, and ready for battle. We have the power of the blood, the power of His name and the word of our testimony. He will use these to overcome the enemy. We must be familiar with the testing our Commander will be putting us through to prepare us for battle and the costly anointing. This army will be a unique one, tried in the fires, walking in humility, listening intently to the Commanders every word. He demands of us holiness and humility. Absolute obedience is a must! There will be times when you are tempted to question the tests and the trials that come your way, but He is preparing you, strengthening you for that army. To develop muscle, there must be a healthy diet, strenuous exercise, and going a little further each time. It will result in pain. Some will give up and turn away. But we must press on. The enemy will always try to resist the work of God, but remember, resistance builds muscle and makes us stronger.
There will be times when you will be tempted to stand against the enemy in your own strength. You may tell him… ‘I’m a pastor, a minister, a prophet,a deacon or an evangelist. Leave me alone!” Your titles won’t impress the devil. There is one name He respects and fears, and that is the all powerful name of Jesus Christ. If you want to throw around names, tell satan, “ I am a born again, blood washed child of Jesus Christ!” He will be trembling at that name.
We have a vital choice to make… milk and honey or oil and wine! Our choice may determine the destiny of this generation. We have had enough compromise with the world. We have had enough milk. We must ready ourselves to move on to better things, to grow stronger, and take on the challenging tasks God has ahead for each of us. Choose wisely… and let the wine and oil flow over you today! J. Johnson

I Can't Take It Anymore!!!

Did you ever feel like you just can’t take it anymore? Sometimes it seems like the world is crashing in all around us. Everything seems to crumble in our hands: finances, family, relationships, health, and our future...and we wonder what’s next!
These are turning points in our lives. You are not alone! If you are at the end of your rope today, hang on, for there is Hope...and God has a plan!
Can you imagine the roller-coaster of emotions the families of the Virginia mine disaster experienced? First they learned of the disaster, that their husbands and fathers were trapped in the mine. Then after hours of despair, suddenly someone tossed a rope of hope saying that all but one had survived! The church bells rang! Families praised God...and then the bottom dropped out as they learned of the mistake… Only one had survived and all the rest were dead. Swings of emotions can be devastating. Pregnant moms who are rejoicing in the new life within them often experience this same swing when they suddenly learn of the death of the pre-born child. Sometimes it is the breadwinner of the family, who has spent a lifetime working hard at a job he thought was secure, only to learn that his job has been shipped overseas...the pension gone, with retirement just around the corner. Sometimes it is the stay at home mom, who faces dealing with toddlers, diapers, toys, sickness, meals, laundry, financial stress, only to learn her husband has been unfaithful. Or perhaps it is the pastor, overloaded with the pressures of ministry, spiritually drained and burned out, straining at being spiritually fresh while continually giving and giving to others.
It is not difficult in today’s world to find yourself stressed and wanting a way to escape the pressures that surround on every side. Whether you live in the city or in the country, pressures exist. Families have troubles, people get sick, jobs and finances stress believers and unbelievers to the maximum. Yet through the years, God has provided a steady source of hope and help to those who really want to “Get away from it all.” And the advice we are given goes contrary to what we would normally tend to do. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2,3 Joy? Does it really mean JOY? How can anyone be happy when they face trials and testing? God uses the ordinary experiences of life to make us more like Himself. We tend to look at the moment...right now. God looks at the whole picture… past, present and future. He sees what we are, and what He wants us to become. Then He allows things into our lives to bring us to the end of trusting in ourselves. We are forced by the circumstances to either trust God, or not trust Him—and end up doing it all by ourselves. We soon learn that our way never works out. So we by trial and error, learn to trust God. When we do, we learn to look at the trouble that comes two ways. We ask ourselves: “What Does God Want Me to Learn From This?” Is this difficulty God’s opportunity?
What Does God Want Me to Learn?
Some of are slow learners. Others learn by doing. Some learn by watching, and still others learn by listening. There are many ways to learn. Life is one long lesson in learning. Job, the Old Testament patriarch learned that God allowed difficulties into his life to show him and his friends, that God is God, regardless of the circumstance. He is a God who knows us inside and out, our deepest thoughts, and our unspoken longings. He also knows our weaknesses. He knows where we need to be made strong. Sometimes He uses us to teach others valuable lessons. He wants us to be like Job in many ways who said…”Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;” Job13:13
Job persevered! “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4 That is Job’s story… mature, complete and without lack. God blessed him twice as much after the test. Job was not happy while he went though it all, but he learned that God had a bigger picture than Job did. He saw the end from the beginning. By faith, God is asking us to be happy, joyful, knowing that as we trust God, He will bring good from whatever difficulty we go through. Real joy is like a river of life that flows from the throne of God, not polluted with bitterness or resentment or anger, but trusting that God is working even in impossible circumstances for our eternal good.
God’s Opportunity?
Our distress is God’s opportunity. I used to wonder why God allowed my mother to die when I was just 7 years old. But then as life progressed, I saw the hand of God in my life whenever I trusted Him and needed Him. He caused me to be totally dependent on God instead of on my parents. He kept me focused on eternal values. He brought people into my life to influence me that never would have been there otherwise. Sometimes we look at the problems we are facing and that is all we see. God looks at the whole picture. He has an eternal time clock. One day, as we stand before God, we will be amazed at how God had it all under control. We just could not see it. It’s like we are looking at the backside of a needle point picture. We see crisscrossed threads of all colors, dangling strings, and a mess. But God sees the front side….a beautiful picture He is creating of our lives, one stitch at a time. He creates it with careful purpose, knowing that each stitch is painful, but fruitful. Trusting God with the end result is His ultimate goal. There is a reward waiting those who are willing to persevere to the end. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 When Jesus gave the beatitudes to the disciples and followers, I am sure some must have turned away. He told them you are to be happy (blessed) if you are humble, sad, meek, hungry, merciful, holy and persecuted. It was a new way of thinking. We think happiness comes from having more things, more leisure time, more power or more laughter. But, the Bible teaches us differently. Psalm 126:5-6 tells us "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." It is part of the law of sowing and reaping. God designed it for man. Tears are sometimes necessary. They brings us from a place of frivolous carelessness down to a place of serious reality. Sometimes we do not face the real issues in life until we are sad. Then we can let God deal with the problem and watch Him work a miracle! It brings us to the place where we draw closer to Him than ever before. Then He turns things around for our good. James 4:8-10 says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." It is a process. It does not happen overnight. It begins when we choose to come closer to God—then He responds to our choice—drawing closer to us. The closer we get to Him, the more we realize how unholy we are, needing repentance. When God completes the work in our hearts and lives, joy comes. It is not a superficial joy, but one that lasts, for it is a work done deeply in our hearts. That is where we can be happy even though we are going through poverty, pain, persecution, humility or any other test. I sometimes wonder what it will be like to view life on earth from Heaven’s perspective. I am certain we will rejoice over choices made with eternity in view. But perhaps we will have some regrets as we see what we could have had when we made carnal choices with our momentary pain in view. The Message Bible puts it this way “So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.” James 1:16-18 So keep your focus! Don’t give up! Look up! He’s there…! He cares! Perhaps you are feeling blessed right now with all your needs met. Then thank Him! Instead, pray for others who are going through tests and trials of their own. But, if you are in the middle of the test, remember that His nail scarred hand rests on your shoulder as you go through it. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He knows your name. He knows your pain. Put your hand in His nail scarred hand! J. Johnson