Top Ten Posts of 2014

by Gregory A. Johnson

I am humbled by the number of people who take time to read what I write. Finding that God often allows me to be transparent, writing from a life that has experienced pain, hardship, hurt, trials, and tribulations on my journey as I follow Christ, I pray for his Spirit to encourage and inspire each reader.

Please allow me to share with you the top ten posts read in 2014:

1. Surviving the Storms of Life

2. Lent is a Blessed Time of Year

3. Trust God Even if You Feel Forsaken

4. Jesus Christ Will Return

5. The Cross and the Empty Tomb

6. The End of the Age

7. Gender Equality

8. Will You Dare to Be a Daniel?

9. Females Preach the First Easter Message

10. There is Hope in a Prison of Despair

Nothing Is Impossible with God

by Gregory A. Johnson

We are trained throughout life to reason things out. We are taught human reasoning skills throughout our education, and the training continues into the workplace. Human reasoning or logic is not bad unless we apply it to God and His Word. Human reasoning is the opposite of faith. Faith is placing our total trust in God and His Word’s application to our life and impossible situations.

Faith comes and increases by the Word of God. The more of God’s Word that we believe and obey, the more faith grows in us. God speaks His Word to us through the Bible and often confirms it through prayer and through other people. The Word that God impresses on our heart through prayer or the Word spoken through others will never be in conflict with God’s written Word. The more of His written Word that we learn, understand, and obey, the more we are able to discern and identify the many voices that we hear today. Everything should line up with and be in agreement with God’s written Word. As we learn and obey God’s Word, faith grows in us.

Mary gave herself to God in total trust. Gabriel continues with his message from God for Mary:  "And the angel answered her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.'

"And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:35-38 ESV).

Even though Mary could not comprehend what was being told to her, she submitted herself to God’s Word. She could not figure out how it all was going to come about, but she allowed faith to rise above human reasoning; she trusted God and His Word. God fulfilled His Word and accomplished the impossible in Mary’s life. Through her, baby Jesus was birthed—God came into our world.

Beloved, this speaks to us today. God will do the impossible in us and through us as we allow faith to rise above human reasoning. No matter what the circumstances may be, as we place our total trust in God and His Word, He will work in our seemingly impossible situations. Absolutely nothing is impossible with God.

Will you stop trying to figure it all out and just place your total trust in God and His Word today? He desires to utilize your life for His glory. Your sphere of influence, friends, family, and all those around you will see you place your trust in God and His Word, and many will witness God doing impossible things in your life.

Excerpted from the book, The Characters of Christmas: God at Work in Our Lives by Gregory A. Johnson. Copyright © by Gregory A. Johnson. All rights reserved. 

Thanksgiving: A Time of Reflection

by Gregory A. Johnson


My favorite time of the year is Thanksgiving. I cannot think of much I don’t like about it.

I like turkey and all the trimmings. Pumpkin pie ranks in the upper echelon of pies I am most fond of, with a mound of whipped cream in the shape and enormity of snow-capped Mount Hood decorating the top of my slice.

I have precious memories of times I spent with Dad in the woods during this time of the year, allowing his love and respect for God’s creation to be deposited in my intellect, becoming a part of my heart and soul.

I can still smell the goodness of aromas I experienced as a child, coming from mom’s kitchen, as I waited anxiously to gorge on oyster dressing, fresh cranberries, and sweet potatoes, along with a fat turkey leg that was always reserved for me.

Yes, I love Thanksgiving. I always have. I always will.

Although Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and be thankful for everything that God has so graciously provided, enjoying it has no relation to the abundance of what we have or what we lack. I can remember many times during our years of pastoring small churches in impoverished parts of Appalachia, that Becky and I didn’t know where our next meal was coming from or how we were going to pay the bills, but I still had everything that I was thankful for: my wife, my children, family, friends, a roof over our heads, and most importantly, God.

God has always been faithful, both in the lean times and in the times of abundance. When my dreams were shattered, he was there to pick up the pieces. When I didn’t want to live, he was there to breathe his life and purpose back into my being, helping me pick myself up, and giving me hope in the prison of despair that held me captive. Tattered and torn, I would recover, time and time again, experiencing his resurrection power, receiving healing and life.

As I have matured in age and in my relationship with the Lord, I have grown fond of realizing thanksgiving more frequently than annually. More and more, it has become a part of daily life instead of an observed holiday.

God’s word says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV).

We live in a world where prayer time has been filled with a wish list, asking God for what we want instead of thanking him for what he has done, is doing, and will do, according to his word. When we are self-focused and only come to God with a wish list, our hearts and minds grow troubled with all the problems represented by what is on our list. When we are God-focused and come to him, giving thanks for what he has done and what he will do, our problems become small, and our faith is enlarged. Absorbing his peace, we are refreshed, renewed, and revived, with hearts and minds protected.

Beloved, I’m thankful for you. I’m thankful for God. I’m thankful that he is healing you, providing for you, protecting you, and saving you from this world.

I pray that you have a blessed Thanksgiving, both now and always.

Know that you are loved,
gaj

How to Stay Strong and Courageous in a World Full of Fear

by Gregory A. Johnson

There is much fear in the world today. There is no safe place to live. Terror, the fruit of terrorism, grows and ripens daily. There are wars and rumors of wars. Natural disasters are frequent, intense, and brutal. Drought, famine, and disease are widespread. Pandemic viruses know no boundaries. As we live as sojourners in a world that grows increasingly out of step with the Gospel, I encourage you to be strong and courageous.

In the first chapter of Joshua in God’s Word, God is getting ready to take Joshua, and the people of Israel, on a journey out of the wilderness that they were in for forty years, delivering them to the Promised Land. It won’t be easy. They will face a lot of obstacles on the journey, but God tells Joshua repeatedly to be strong and courageous.

Likewise, Christ’s followers are on a journey. On our journey, we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2). Jesus is taking us out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land; it is a journey from earth to glory. We will face a lot of obstacles along the way, but Jesus encourages us to be strong and courageous.

In the midst of all that is going on in the world and in our lives, how do we stay strong and courageous? Allow me to share the two ways that are revealed to us in the first chapter of Joshua.

A Picture of the Throne of God

by Gregory A. Johnson

Have you ever wondered what the throne of God will look like? God's word gives us a vivid picture of it. There is a sea of people so grand in number that they cannot be counted. Every nationality and every language is represented (Revelation 7:9, NIV).

The position of those around the throne is significant. God and Jesus are in the center, and a sea of people is surrounding them. Angels are surrounding the sea of people. The sea of people, all in white robes are in the inner circle, and the angels are in the outer circle. The angels were created to serve God, but they were never redeemed. There is no need to redeem them because they have not sinned. The inner circle is saved for the redeemed—the ones in white robes. They have been bought back from a life of sin. The purchase price was costly; it was through the blood of God’s own son.

Are We Living in the Last Days?

by Gregory A. Johnson


There is more of an infatuation with the end of days than in any other time that I can recall in my lifetime. Movies have been made, books written, and predictions made. Survivalists or doomsday preppers are building bomb shelters, stockpiling food, water, guns, and ammunition while buying up silver and gold. Are we living in the last days?

The last days began with Jesus coming into our world and was accelerated at the cross of Christ when these three powerful words, “it is finished,” were uttered from the parched lips of our tortured and dying Savior.

Throughout the years, many have predicted the return of Christ for his followers. These dates have come and gone, but the truth of Jesus’ return remains. Each time a prediction is made with the date passing, some are swayed into believing that it is nothing more than a myth, but it is not a myth; it is truth and will occur at God’s beckoning, which will not be in response to his creation’s predictions. God will not consult with anyone.

Gender Equality

by Gregory A. Johnson

In Jesus' day and the days of the early Pauline church, women were not recognized or treated much better than animals. There are still parts of this world where women are not allowed to get an education, vote, or even drive a car.

The apostle Paul taught that women were to be silent in the church and could not hold some leadership positions. In the early Pauline church, women would sit on one side of the church and men on the other. I love the apostle Paul, and I believe his writings are inspired of God. He is one of my heroes of the faith, but I must take my understanding of his teachings within the boundaries of the teachings and actions of Jesus. If I do that, I can properly interpret the Scriptures. If I don't do that, my theology will become unbalanced and the result will not look like the Kingdom according to Jesus.

Race Equality

by Gregory A. Johnson

Jesus made it clear that the Kingdom, which has been established in Him, is to include all people of all races, color, and creed, as indicated to us in His last words on earth prior to ascending back to the right hand of the Father.

The Gospel of Matthew concludes with Jesus informing His followers that the Kingdom is to be preached and taught in all nations: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Gospel of Mark concludes in the same manner: "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16).

God is Always Working in Your Life

by Gregory A. Johnson

I was contacted by a man who had lost his business, home, wife, and children during a seven-year span. As if that were not enough heartache, he now found himself unemployed and homeless. He told me that the devil wanted him to kill himself, but he knew that the devil was a liar. Instead of suicide, he made the choice to trust Jesus, having faith that Jesus would bring him through it all.

So many precious people are in similar situations. Hopelessness abounds in our day, and can strike any of us at any time; none of us know what tomorrow will bring.

Allow me to draw your attention to something that Christ-follower Stephen said right before he was violently murdered by a group of religionists who thought they were doing God a favor. Stephen told them: “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. At this time Moses was born”… (Acts 7:17-20 ESV).

Surviving the Storms of Life

by Gregory A. Johnson



Under dark skies with the wind blowing wildly, causing the waves to be hurricane-like in size and strength, they were all together in the boat. Their pulses raced with anxiety. 

Fear was on the verge of overpowering and overwhelming them as they frantically tried steering the vessel through the madness and the fierceness of the raging sea. They would row in one direction only to have to row in the other direction as the unrelenting, powerful winds were swirling all about them. 

The spray of the sea was stinging their eyes, and the waves were lapping up over the sides of the boat. The boat was taking on water, and the question of survival was racing through their minds. It was the storm of a lifetime, and they could not rely on any past experiences or self-ability to get them through it.

Jesus came to them in the darkest, most alarming hour of their storm, and he came in a surprising way—walking on top of the rough sea. As Jesus got close to the boat, the disciples were frightened. Jesus said to them, “‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going” (John 6:20-21 ESV).

The account of Jesus walking on the water in the Gospels reveal the actions of Jesus that will help us as we trust him during our storms of life (Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21).

• Jesus was not threatened or alarmed by the storm.

• Jesus was watching out for his followers even when they did not realize it.

• Jesus rose above the storm and became prominent in the midst of it.

• Jesus gave his followers comfort.

• Jesus brought his followers safely through the storm.

The Cross and the Empty Tomb

by Gregory A. Johnson

Not just during the Easter season, but each day, we are confronted with the cross of Christ and the empty tomb. What do they mean? Why are they so significant?

In the 1800's Ralph E. Hudson wrote the chorus to the sacred hymn, At the Cross: "At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day!"

• At the cross, we realize how much God loves us (Romans 5:8).  
• At the cross, we are justified and saved from God’s wrath (Romans 5:9).  
• At the cross, we are reconciled to God (Romans 5:10). 
• At the cross, we experience forgiveness of sins (Luke 23:34). 

Jesus Christ Will Return

by Gregory A. Johnson

I am thankful that we are one day closer to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Media has utilized the date-setting false prophets of our day to desensitize society to the reality of the return of Christ, but that does not negate its truth. I feel the Holy Spirit compelling me, more and more, to remind people that Christ is returning as he promised, and we are to always be ready.

So many in our day, both inside and outside the walls of the church building, base what is right from wrong on what feels good, what is socially acceptable, what media and Hollywood suggest, instead of on Scripture. They are not hearing much different coming from behind the pulpits, and they are not reading the Bible on their own. Many go to church and only hear about receiving God's blessings. This bless-me-and-all-that-I-do message mimics many of the books written today by popular television preachers.

Trust God Even if You Feel Forsaken

by Gregory A. Johnson

Have you ever felt forsaken, finding yourself isolated, desolated, and deserted? You surround your life with people, even church people, yet it’s as if everyone has left you—even God. You pray, but your prayers go unanswered. The heavens are like solid brass, bouncing your words back to you as you cry out for help in your desperation.

Please know that it is not wrong to have these feelings. You can have a heart for God, seeking to serve him with everything you have, and still, have these feelings. The Bible tells us that King David was a man after God's own heart. He delighted in the LORD, but there were times when he felt forsaken.