by Gregory A. Johnson
All the stuff we work so hard for will not last forever. It will wear out, break down, be used up—It won’t last forever. If someone gives you a nice present, you can enjoy it for a period of time, but it won’t last forever either.
Forever is a long time. Forever never ends.
Just like stuff, conditions and feelings will not last forever. If you are in pain, it will not last forever. If you are lonely, it will not last forever. Sorrow will not last forever. Sickness will not last forever. I could go on and on.
What will last forever?
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Saturday, November 5, 2016
How to Raise Children for God
by Gregory A. Johnson
Our children are both adults now. They have brought much joy and encouragement to Becky and me. It seems like it was yesterday that they were born—time sure does go fast. Both Austin Gregory and Kelsey Ann have matured to be good and hard-working young adults. I believe they both will have positive impacts upon society, being model citizens of God’s Kingdom.
The best advice I can give to parents today is to raise your children under the influence of the church. With all of its imperfections, the church is still the finest place to raise children. Becky and I raised our children in church. Not only did they grow up in the front row of the sanctuary, but we also included them in the ministry.
Austin was two years old when Kelsey was born, and I was preaching revivals and ministering as a fill-in pastor within the district in which I was credentialed. Many times I would be contacted by the district superintendent to preach at one church Sunday morning and then drive hundreds of miles across the state to preach at another church on Sunday evening. Becky and the children always went with me. Many times we left the house before sunrise to get to the Sunday morning church, drive all afternoon to get to the Sunday evening church, and drive home after the service, arriving after midnight. It was a challenge, but we went together as a family and ministered. Many of the churches were small and could not pay us anything. Many did not have nurseries. From behind the pulpit, I would see Becky in the front row with Austin by her side and Kelsey in her arms. We did this for a couple of years before pastoring our own church.
Kelsey was two and Austin was four years old when we pastored our first little church. On our first Sunday, we had six people in service—four of them were us!
From mission trips and city outreaches to shut-in and hospital visitations, we included our children in point-of-need ministry as they grew. We went to church together, and we ministered together, both inside and outside the walls of the church building and the confines of a church service. I recommend that for all Christian homes.
Let me give you a list of my recommendation to parents:
Our children are both adults now. They have brought much joy and encouragement to Becky and me. It seems like it was yesterday that they were born—time sure does go fast. Both Austin Gregory and Kelsey Ann have matured to be good and hard-working young adults. I believe they both will have positive impacts upon society, being model citizens of God’s Kingdom.
The best advice I can give to parents today is to raise your children under the influence of the church. With all of its imperfections, the church is still the finest place to raise children. Becky and I raised our children in church. Not only did they grow up in the front row of the sanctuary, but we also included them in the ministry.
Austin was two years old when Kelsey was born, and I was preaching revivals and ministering as a fill-in pastor within the district in which I was credentialed. Many times I would be contacted by the district superintendent to preach at one church Sunday morning and then drive hundreds of miles across the state to preach at another church on Sunday evening. Becky and the children always went with me. Many times we left the house before sunrise to get to the Sunday morning church, drive all afternoon to get to the Sunday evening church, and drive home after the service, arriving after midnight. It was a challenge, but we went together as a family and ministered. Many of the churches were small and could not pay us anything. Many did not have nurseries. From behind the pulpit, I would see Becky in the front row with Austin by her side and Kelsey in her arms. We did this for a couple of years before pastoring our own church.
Kelsey was two and Austin was four years old when we pastored our first little church. On our first Sunday, we had six people in service—four of them were us!
From mission trips and city outreaches to shut-in and hospital visitations, we included our children in point-of-need ministry as they grew. We went to church together, and we ministered together, both inside and outside the walls of the church building and the confines of a church service. I recommend that for all Christian homes.
Let me give you a list of my recommendation to parents:
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Saturday, October 15, 2016
How to Ignite and Fuel a Justice Revival in Our Day
by Gregory A. Johnson
We can read the book of Acts in the Bible and see that the early church was a powerful church. The message of Christ was proclaimed throughout the land with signs and wonders following the preaching of Christ. People were ministered to in the communities at their point of need. The ministry of Christ continued in the power of the Holy Spirit, resulting in a justice revival driven by faith. The Kingdom was enlarged.
The early church was a praying church. The Apostle Paul placed emphasis on prayer in his teachings to the church. His teachings on prayer encouraged early followers of Christ to:
We can read the book of Acts in the Bible and see that the early church was a powerful church. The message of Christ was proclaimed throughout the land with signs and wonders following the preaching of Christ. People were ministered to in the communities at their point of need. The ministry of Christ continued in the power of the Holy Spirit, resulting in a justice revival driven by faith. The Kingdom was enlarged.
The early church was a praying church. The Apostle Paul placed emphasis on prayer in his teachings to the church. His teachings on prayer encouraged early followers of Christ to:
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Sunday, September 11, 2016
The Value of Level Ground
We experience ups and downs throughout our life. The peaks are only fleeting moments. Oh, how I long for level ground. It’s on level ground where we can do our best work for the Lord. We need God to lead us to level ground on a daily basis.
I learned the value of level ground from running marathons. I have run marathons on both hilly and level terrain. Like most runners, I prefer level ground because running uphill expends a lot of energy, and running downhill is hard on the quads, especially in miles 20 through 26.2. It’s hard enough for me to make it on level ground!
Some of the hills we encounter in life are unavoidable, but many are caused by us. When we go our own way and do our own thing, ignoring God as the Lord of our life, we put ourselves on a hilly course.
I learned the value of level ground from running marathons. I have run marathons on both hilly and level terrain. Like most runners, I prefer level ground because running uphill expends a lot of energy, and running downhill is hard on the quads, especially in miles 20 through 26.2. It’s hard enough for me to make it on level ground!
Some of the hills we encounter in life are unavoidable, but many are caused by us. When we go our own way and do our own thing, ignoring God as the Lord of our life, we put ourselves on a hilly course.
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Monday, June 13, 2016
Taking Care of Widows
by Gregory A. Johnson
"Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, 'Do not weep.' Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise.' And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has arisen among us!' and 'God has visited his people!' And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country" (Luke 7:11-17).
In Jesus' day, there were neither life insurance benefits nor government provision for widows. Widows were to be taken care of and provided for by the children of the family, and Scripture specifically tells us here that this dead man was the only son of this widow. I imagine there were many who attended the funeral and were in this procession that said things like, "I feel so sorry for her." There is a big difference between feeling sorry for people and being able and willing to do something about their condition.
"Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, 'Do not weep.' Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise.' And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has arisen among us!' and 'God has visited his people!' And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country" (Luke 7:11-17).
In Jesus' day, there were neither life insurance benefits nor government provision for widows. Widows were to be taken care of and provided for by the children of the family, and Scripture specifically tells us here that this dead man was the only son of this widow. I imagine there were many who attended the funeral and were in this procession that said things like, "I feel so sorry for her." There is a big difference between feeling sorry for people and being able and willing to do something about their condition.
Labels:
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Saturday, May 14, 2016
Moved with Compassion
by Gregory A. Johnson
Dictionary.com defines compassion as "a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering."
As Jesus walked this earth, He revealed great compassion for both the individuals and the crowds of people around Him. At the very core of that compassion was His love for all people. Every person—those He taught, touched, healed, fed, delivered and set free—experienced the love of the kingdom.
Dictionary.com defines compassion as "a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering."
As Jesus walked this earth, He revealed great compassion for both the individuals and the crowds of people around Him. At the very core of that compassion was His love for all people. Every person—those He taught, touched, healed, fed, delivered and set free—experienced the love of the kingdom.
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Saturday, April 30, 2016
Something Worth Repeating
by Gregory A. Johnson
I love the Lord’s salvation. The Lord is great!
The Lord’s salvation is not a random act because we sinned. The Lord planned to save us before the foundation of the earth was even formed. In His foreknowledge, He knew that His creation would sin, but He created us anyway. Why? Because we are His inheritance, and He desires to spend eternity with us. The Lord is great!
While we were still sinners, God put His plan into action and sent Jesus to die for our sins. We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. He has given us the Holy Spirit to make us holy. The Lord is Great!
The Lord’s salvation is not a random act because we sinned. The Lord planned to save us before the foundation of the earth was even formed. In His foreknowledge, He knew that His creation would sin, but He created us anyway. Why? Because we are His inheritance, and He desires to spend eternity with us. The Lord is great!
While we were still sinners, God put His plan into action and sent Jesus to die for our sins. We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. He has given us the Holy Spirit to make us holy. The Lord is Great!
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Saturday, March 19, 2016
Why You Should Never Stop Asking
By Gregory A. Johnson
When my daughter was young, she kept asking me for the same thing over and over again—she wanted a cat. I kept putting her off, but she never gave up. Every year for Christmas, she would ask for a cat. As a ten-year-old, she must have thought that she would never get what she was asking her father for, but she never wavered. Believe me; she was persistent with her asking!
As I was leaving my office one evening, I noticed a sign across the street at the veterinarian’s office. It read, “Kittens for adoption.” It was the first time I had noticed a sign there. As I read the sign, immediately my daughter’s persistent request for a cat came to my mind. I decided I would surprise my daughter that evening with a little kitten. I walked over to the veterinarian’s office and adopted a little calico kitten for my daughter. I took Princess home that evening and gave her to my daughter. Kelsey Ann was so surprised and filled with joy.
When my daughter was young, she kept asking me for the same thing over and over again—she wanted a cat. I kept putting her off, but she never gave up. Every year for Christmas, she would ask for a cat. As a ten-year-old, she must have thought that she would never get what she was asking her father for, but she never wavered. Believe me; she was persistent with her asking!
As I was leaving my office one evening, I noticed a sign across the street at the veterinarian’s office. It read, “Kittens for adoption.” It was the first time I had noticed a sign there. As I read the sign, immediately my daughter’s persistent request for a cat came to my mind. I decided I would surprise my daughter that evening with a little kitten. I walked over to the veterinarian’s office and adopted a little calico kitten for my daughter. I took Princess home that evening and gave her to my daughter. Kelsey Ann was so surprised and filled with joy.
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Sunday, January 31, 2016
The Cure for Oppression and Trouble
by Gregory A. Johnson
At various times throughout our lives, we all find ourselves oppressed. Trouble abounds in our day. May we constantly run to the LORD, for He is our safety!
Beloved, run into the arms of our loving LORD. He will take care of you today and forever.
Scripture: “The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (Psalm 9:9, NLT).
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