Author: Susan Cort Johnson

Most days I will be writing... articles, essays, blog posts, and devotions. Coming soon a book. If not writing I may be kayaking, hiking, or paddle boarding. I begin my day with the Word of God and prayer.

“By This We Know,” Evidence of Spiritual Growth

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in ChristLeave a comment

     Connecting numbers to reveal a picture is a technique used when teaching children. As they draw lines between one, two, three, and four a figure or object appears.

     The apostle John uses a similar technique in his first epistle with the help of a phrase to assist in the visualization of spiritual concepts. The phrase is “by this we know.”

     He explains how we can be sure we know Jesus, how we can recognize love, how we know we are in Christ, and how we can discern truth from error.

     Let’s delve into John’s examples so we will know that we know.

     –1 John 2:3/ by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

     Many say they know Jesus, yet cannot tell you what He taught. That is a sign they don’t spend much time reading the Bible, which is God speaking to us. We usually come to know people through meaningful conversations. We listen to what they say and watch what they do. All this information is readily available.

The phrase, “sit at Jesus’ feet” is familiar to most Christians. It is borrowed from the example Mary set when her sister Martha practiced hospitality by welcoming Jesus into her house. Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.” (Luke 10:39) She was getting to know Jesus. We too need to take time to sit at the feet of Jesus to come to know Him.

But John tells us there is more. If we are followers of Jesus, we will not only know the commandments, we will learn how to put them into practice. To abide in Christ is to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:6) We learn how to be Christ-like.

According to Bible teacher Jenn Wilkins, “To obey the law is to look like Jesus Christ.”1

–1 John 3:16/ By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

The epitome of selfless love is what Jesus did for us at the cross. Jesus set the standard when He willingly gave up His life to pay the penalty for our sins and give us the opportunity to become righteous and gain eternal life.

For those left speechless by a standard that seems impossible, John gives another example of love. If we have material goods and our brother or sister is in need yet we do not provide we can know love does not abide in us. John exhorts, “let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)

“John is saying that love is not a sentiment; it is that which expresses itself in action,” writes J. Vernon McGee in his commentary on the epistle.2

Agape love is sacrificial, generous, and tangible. It isn’t us, but God in us. All that we have is received from our heavenly Father. (1 Corinthians 4:7)

–1 John 3:24/ Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

     Abide is to “remain stable or fixed in a state” or “continue in a place” according to merriam-webster.com.

Keeping Christ’s commandments gives us stability. While obedience contributes to the abiding process, the apostle John teaches it is the presence of the Holy Spirit that confirms Christ abides in us. We receive the Spirit at the point of our salvation.

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13 ESV)

     He is our counselor when it comes to practicing Scripture. In the book of John, we read that Jesus told the disciples the Helper, the Holy Spirit, would be sent by the Father in the name of Jesus to teach them all things and bring to their remembrance everything Jesus taught. (John 14:26)

–1 John 4:6/ We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

     Jen Wilkins teaches in her Bible study “Abide” that discernment comes when we rightly divide God’s Word.3 To recognize error, we must learn the truth. Those who follow the ways of the world are not from God. Those in Christ seek guidance from the Bible.

     “Study the real thing, true teaching to identify false teaching,” states Wilkins.

–1 John 4:13/ By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

     Once again in this epistle John tells us we know we abide in Christ because He has given us the Holy Spirit.

     Priscilla Shirer describes this power in a Bible study she wrote titled “He Speaks to Me.”4 The Holy Spirit provides incomparable power, “dunamis” in Greek, to live a sanctified life. He also provides a power that enables us to practice the Word of God, act on it. Shirer states, “While dunamis power comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit the energien to use that power is a superhuman phenomenon.”

     Also available to the born-again Christian is the strength of God’s might. The Greek word for strength is kratos meaning “power that overcomes resistance or dominion.” Shirer writes, “Paul says that God has a ‘powerful ability to take dominion’ over anything.”

1 John 5:2-3/By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”

     Earlier the apostle John stated our obedience to the commandments Jesus gave reveals whether we truly know Him. Now he states that obedience is also evidence of love for God and His children.

     We want to please the ones we love and putting into practice all God commands pleases Him for we reflect Christ, and carry out the good works for which we were created. Also, when we do what God says we will always demonstrate His love to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

     John’s criteria for assessing our Christian walk will keep us on the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). We will be led by Jesus.

References:

1-Ten Words to Live By, Delighting in and Doing What God Commands by Jen Wilkin. Published by Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois.

2-First John (Thru the Bible Commentary Series) by J. Vernon McGee. Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, Tennessee.

3-Abide, A study of 1,2,3 John, by Jen Wilkin. Published by Lifeway Press, Brentwood, TN.

4-He Speaks to Me, Preparing to Hear from God by Priscilla Shirer. Published by Lifeway Press, Brentwood, TN.

Struggling in your Ministry? Refocus on Jesus

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in ChristLeave a comment

     “Take your eyes off yourself and put them on Jesus.”

     This advice came from my husband as I struggled to rise from my seat at the end of the service and walk to the front of the church to pray with people.

My pastor would instruct those who were asked to pray to come forward following his sermon. We would stand facing the congregation during a final worship song.

     Feeling very visible standing before a large congregation, I battled insecurity. Who would ask me to intercede on their behalf? What would the request be? Would I find the right words for the prayer?

I feared those who came for prayer would expect eloquent language. They would assume I could recall Scripture verses that pertained to any problem they brought forth and weave God’s Word into my prayers. Therefore, I walked down the aisle each week anxious, self-conscious, and fearful.

     My husband’s advice was good. But I did not know how to escape the self-issues. They were vying for my attention and that caused me to lose my focus and look away from Jesus.

     Scripture tells us to run with endurance the race that God sets before us by laying aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, keeping our eyes on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-2a)

     When Peter stepped out of the boat to walk on water, he knew how to accomplish such a feat. He asked that the Lord Jesus Christ command him to come across the water to Him.

Peter understood that the work of the ministry is completed in the authority of Jesus Christ not by our might or power. But he began to sink when the strength of the wind averted his attention. (Matthew 14:28-30)

Identify all that distracts

     Our distractions will sink us. Therefore, it is important to identify them. We gain clarity when we are vulnerable before God. We pour out our heart to Him, not to complain, but to gain insight.

     Ps 51:6-“Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,

and You teach me wisdom deep within.” HCSB

     What distractions were preventing me from going forward boldly to pray with members of the congregation following the church service?

I was preoccupied by the perceived opinions of other Christians who might think I was not “qualified” to pray with them. While most people were worshiping God during the final praise song, I was under the impression they might be looking at me. I was concerned about my appearance both inside and out.

The word for such feelings is self-centeredness. My husband had said as much, but I just hadn’t processed his statement.

     Self-issues can be a big distraction when we step forward to do the work of the ministry. There are a lot of “self” words that indicate self-centeredness such as self-absorbed, self-doubt, self-esteem, self-image, self-pity, and self-seeker.

Name what captures your attention

     It helps if we identify which self is grabbing the center of our attention. When I went forward to pray with people, self-doubt was at the forefront.

More recently I was derailed by self-pity. It developed when I volunteered to prepare the fellowship dinner at my church. Once a month one or two people prepare the meal with the church covering the cost of the food.

I announced I would fix “breakfast” for dinner. Selecting a recipe for bacon and egg burritos I practiced at home, then purchased ingredients for 20 to 25 people, which was the usual count for attendance. It was a chilly winter night, perfect for such an entrée, but only nine people showed up.

     At first, I took it very personally. I spent a lot of time and effort making sure the meal was good but very few people bothered to come. That shows what they think of me, I thought. Vows to never devote time and energy again to this ministry, imbedded in my mind.

Then the Holy Spirit revealed my downcast attitude as self-pity. It is essentially dwelling on perceived injustices or feeling sorry for yourself.

It was up to Jesus to draw the people He would have come and up to me to serve whomever he brought with a glad heart. I was to be gracious, loving, and thankful; a willing servant, ready to be used in whatever way Jesus saw fit.

Once the Holy Spirit pinpointed the reason for my attitude, I was able to turn from self-pity to Jesus and joyfully serve.

I find it necessary to pinpoint my issue, for only then can I get out from under its weight and walk freely, unincumbered by it. The key to the process is found in Luke 9:23.

“Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” HCSB

Author and Bible teacher Cynthia Heald labels the results of putting into practice this Scripture “freedom from self.” She wrote, “I’ve learned that focusing on myself keeps me from focusing on the Lord.”1

Early in her speaking ministry a conference committee shared negative comments they had received on her teaching. Depressed by the rejection she vowed to quit.

     She writes, “I needed to learn to accept others’ opinions and not be destroyed in the process. I needed to know that my speaking was not about me; it was about God and being faithful to his truth.”

     Heald found freedom when she realized she was being distracted by a need to be accepted by people, noticed, and applauded.

Trust in God, not in your ability

We can be sure when God calls us to a ministry He is there. Our success is never based on our ability, it comes from our reliance on Him.

When God told Moses He was sending him to Pharaoh to bring His people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt Moses replied, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?”

Did God list all the qualifications Moses had to accomplish such a task? No! He responded, “But I will be with you.”

     God in His faithfulness helps us identify all that averts our eyes… Moses and I had self-doubt, Heald wanted approval, Peter looked at looming problems. But all is self-focus. We rely on ourselves.

     Then God points us back to Him. He helps us refocus.

     As Peter sank, Jesus said, “Oh you of little faith.” Our ability to accomplish a calling is not based on faith in ourselves but faith that God will supply all we need.

     In fact, if we need faith Jesus will supply it. He is the source and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

©2024 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Image from Pixabay

References:

1-Living Wisely, Believing the Truths of Scripture by Cynthia Heald published by NavPress.

Unspeakable Situations

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Walk in the Spirit2 Comments

     I am in a walk-off-into-the-sunset mood. I have this issue I haven’t been able to resolve, and it is creating all sorts of emotions I wish I didn’t have but I do. And I am struggling.

     Hopefully, I look godly on the outside because God knows I am not so godly on the inside. I remember 2 Peter 1:3—”His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” NIV

     Yet, I am lacking. I have not really taken time to chase down what the apostle Peter meant by this statement and thus I am a needy person.

     The title to a book on the shelf next to my desk is “The Practice of Godliness” by Jerry Bridges. I read on the cover that over 600,000 copies have been sold. In book sales I know that is a lot, but in Christian tallies (about 210 million in the U.S.) that is only a few. Of course, you can buy a book and set it on a shelf. I wonder how many copies sold have been read?

     My plight is difficult to explain. I can slap several Scriptures on why I am not supposed to feel this way.

     What do you do when you cannot confide in anyone? When there is no one with which you can share your feelings freely without being misunderstood? Without receiving advice you already know but can’t process?

You talk to your one and only true confident, God.

1 Peter 5:6-7

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” ESV

I have been doing everything I can to make the situation better but it only gets worse. And as the situation plummets so does my attitude. But God can stop the freefall.

One of the Scriptures I have been skirting is Phil 2:14- “Do all things without grumbling or questioning.”

My grumbling and questioning have been pointed toward God. He has not chosen to solve my problem and I feel like the fighter going down on the mat for the count.

But then I come across something that lifts my spirit. Permission for healthy lament. Although the lament is in the context of community it seems to fit my situation. The sticky statement pulled from the text in the margin reads: “Being able to talk through what we’re going through is a key to our mental, physical and spiritual health.”1

Therefore, I am talking through my situation with God. Already my attitude is changing, He is lifting me up.

I know the problem needs a work of the Spirit. Peter explained it. It is Christ’s divine power that gives us everything we need. Power is “dunamis” in koine Greek, which is miraculous power usually by implication, a miracle itself.2

So, I am talking to the one who works miracles… God. Miracles not only in our situations but in our souls. I cast my anxieties on Him in my lament. He is changing my perspective, so the complaints are addressed. While the problem remains, my viewpoint is shifting.

What may be unspeakable to mere humans is always a conversation we can have with God.

Let’s Talk:

1-How has your attitude changed when you have taken your problem to God?

2-What miracles, minor or major, have occurred after your talk?

Resources:

1-The Surpassing Value of Knowing Christ, A Study of Philippians by Beth Moore and Melissa Moore. Published by Living Proof Ministries Houston, TX. Page 71.

2- Interlinear Transliterated Bible by Biblesoft, Inc.

The Holy Spirit, Our Teacher

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, UncategorizedLeave a comment

     I can hear my husband talking on the phone as I work at my computer in the study down the hall from the living room. He is making follow-up calls to contestants in a speech contest for high school students he has volunteered to oversee.

     This young woman is dropping out of the contest. She says she must babysit younger siblings that night. She says she was going to call and let him know. Perhaps she got “cold feet” as the deadline approached and is making excuses, I think. My husband’s response does not reflect this type of thinking.

     He asks what grade she is in and when he learns she is a junior he encourages her to enter next year. He commends her for helping her parents.

     I am overhearing a conversation that is uplifting this teen. It has certainly been beneficial to me as I witness graciousness, encouragement, kindness. Yes, agape love.

     The Holy Spirit reminds me of Ephesians 4:29 and reveals this is an example of the Scripture in action.

     “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph 4:29 NIV

     As I study scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to teach me, He gives me examples of the words and phrases I read in the Bible. Perhaps it is because my heart is teachable; perhaps it is because I ask; perhaps it is just who He is.

     Most likely it is all three. But because the Holy Spirit is our teacher, He never stops delivering lessons in ways we might understand. His desire is that we walk in obedience, reflecting the image of Christ.

Sometimes I am a slow learner. The lesson does not always come as I meditate on a passage. It is much later, during everyday life when the Spirit provides an illustration. At that point Scripture comes to mind and I know it is prompting what I am observing whether a conversation, an action, or attitude.

     Here’s another example of the illustrations the Holy Spirit provides so we can walk in God’s ways…

I went to visit a friend to ask how I might help during her cancer treatment. She is taking a low dose chemo pill I am not familiar with, so I wanted to know what lifestyle changes were necessary. I took notes on the pattern of the treatment, which is 21 days on the pill with one week off. Also, I noted possible side effects, her diet, and what she could do during the treatment process so I could be of help.

     As I left, we paused by the door and holding hands we prayed. I thanked the Lord for being a very present help in time of trouble, a phrase from Psalm 46 one of my favorites. As I said the words the Holy Spirit revealed that brothers and sisters in Christ offering to clean her house, buy the types of food she needs to eat to boost her immune system, and assisting in any way we could was one of the ways He was a very present help. When the prayer ended, I shared the insight the Spirit had given with my friend.

     God the Father draws us to Him, inviting us to be a member of the family. God the Son makes it possible for us to become a child of God and gives us the traits we need that reveal whose son or daughter we are. God the Spirit shows us how to develop the family traits, so our identity is unmistakable.

Let’s Talk:

1-If you have one, leave a short description of how the Holy Spirit has taught you so we might learn from one another.

©2024 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

To Love Others, Get to Know Them Well

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Agape LoveLeave a comment

     Most Christians have heard and even repeated the statement, “We were created for relationship, first with God then with each other.”

     In the image of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit we are built for community and fellowship, like the relationship they have.1

     I pursue a greater understanding of this relationship and find it while working on the Bible study I co-facilitate at my church. I highlight this section of “He’s Where the Joy Is” written by Tara-Leigh Cobble: “We will only find true happiness and joy as we connect with His identity and purpose—loving and glorifying God with a love that points us outside ourselves to Him and to others.”

She adds, “Jesus summarized all the commands of God as love God, love others (Matt. 22:37-40). It’s the very purpose for which we were created.”

Acts of love are often portrayed as handing someone in need money or giving them a helping hand. But “agape” love, which is an intelligent act of the will, is much more and we accomplish it when we know what’s best for someone because we know them. Agape love is accomplished in relationship.

One of the ways I have built relationships with sisters in Christ is by participating in women’s Bible study. This has become my habit. First in the church I attended 23 years ago and now in the church my husband pastors.

Developing close relationships with women of different ages and backgrounds has increased my ability to love them and others.

As we delve into Scripture and discuss its application during Bible study, we learn about each other’s struggles; we become familiar with the personality traits of each sister in Christ both those traits labeled good and those categorized as bad; strongholds and weaknesses are revealed; spiritual and natural gifts as well as God given strengths are uncovered.

It is with knowledge and understanding that we find the ability to forgive one another, encourage and exhort one another, and truly love one another.

Satan points fingers– look at what that person said, look at what that person did. And thus, he divides us. Satan is a destroyer of relationships which is the opposite of God’s plan.

He got Adam and Eve to damage their relationship with God and he gets us to damage our relationship with one another.

Sin separates. It separated us from God and continues to separate children of God. Acts or words perceived as unkind, feeling slighted or overlooked can cause us to become offended.

But interaction and deep discussion gives us greater insight into the motivation of others. Also, it can reveal how our biases, our upbringing, our experiences narrow our perception and hamper our ability to truly love others. We assume a lot about others based upon our past.

We can develop negative views of people who aren’t like us. For example, if we are quiet and reserved, we may view someone boisterous as obnoxious but they may think we are a snob. Love makes allowances for differences. It does not easily walk out of relationships, whether a church body, a friendship, or a family.

1 Cor 13:4-8– Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. ESV

This is Christ-like love and it is easy to be Christ-like when we are alone. However, we put it into practice when we interact with one another.

Never ending love occurs when we get to know someone, really know someone, and come to understand all their idiosyncrasies.

Let’s Talk:

1-Have you ever formed a negative opinion about someone that changed once you got to know him or her?

2-How do you build relationships with other Christians? Do you only mix with those who are like you?

References:

1-“He’s Where the Joy Is, Getting to Know the Captivating God of the Trinity” by Tara-Leigh Cobble. Published by Lifeway Press in Nashville, TN.

In Obedience We Become Our Best

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Walk in the SpiritLeave a comment

     I did a little research on the Internet to see why rebels are popular characters in novels and movies. One author wrote, “Everybody loves a bad boy.”

     We often elevate the “free spirit” or “mischievous” giving them accolades for being “unique” or more “imaginative.”

     Those who “color outside the lines” are esteemed. This idiom implies rules are not followed, thought processes are more creative, and behavior is unconventional.1

     Yet the Bible teaches it is in obedience that we become Christ-like, the image of God just as we were created.

     Jen Wilkin writes in her book “Ten Words to Live By,” “Lawfulness is Christlikeness. To obey the law is to look like Jesus Christ.” She adds that legalism is a form of lawlessness because it is external righteousness only, not true transformation.2

     Often, we equate obedience with legalism, but Jesus tells us, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” [John 14:15]

     John 15:9-10—“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”

     Abide in the original Greek is meno, which is to remain in or with someone. It is to remain united with Christ, one with Him in heart, mind, and will. To remain steadfast, persevering in Christ’s love.3  

     The apostle John writes: “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”

     Equating obedience with agape love, that intense, intelligent love that wills the best for another, causes me to seek guidance from my Helper, my Counselor, the Holy Spirit. Agape love is an act of the will but it can’t be accomplished by willpower. It is a work of the Spirit within us.

     When I follow Scripture, I do what is best for others and that brings glory to God for I reflect Him.

We want to bring Him glory because we love Him, and we do so by becoming the people He created in His image. And His Word tells us what those people look like.

They are people who make decisions with the best interest of others in mind.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phil 2:4

They are people who willingly give others a cup of sugar or money even though the borrower may not pay them back.

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Luke 6:35

     They are prepared to give the message of salvation through Jesus Christ not wanting anyone to perish.

     But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

     It is in obedience to God’s Word that we are just like our Father.

Let’s Talk:

1-How has the Holy Spirit helped you understand how to put Scripture into practice?

2-What lessons has the Holy Spirit taught you about walking in love?

References:

1-grammarist.com.

2-Ten Words to Live By, Delighting in and Doing What God Commands by Jen Wilkin. Published by Crossway in Wheaton, Ill.

3-The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament by Spiros Zodhiates Th.D.

Speaking Blessings Over People

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Agape Love3 Comments

     I think of blessings in a new way after reading an essay by Claudia Hinz about being a messenger for the blessing a person needs. It is all about trying to fulfill a homework assignment given by her rabbi. One evening on the Jewish Sabbath he tells the congregation to turn to the person next to them and practice.

     She writes, “Our blessings are stiff and rehearsed.

‘Keep practicing,” our rabbi says, “You don’t get good overnight.’”1

     Praying over someone is familiar to me, articulating a blessing not so much.

     I think of blessings I have read in the Bible.

     When Rebekah left with Abraham’s servant to become Isaac’s wife, her family blessed her with these words upon her departure:

     “Our sister, may you become

     The mother of thousands of ten thousands;

     And may your descendants possess

     the gates of those who hate them.” Genesis 24:60

     They were parting words. Isaac gave parting words as well near the end of his life when he blessed his son Jacob.

     To Jacob, he said: “May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” Genesis 27: 28-29

     Both are a statement of goodwill. They seek God’s favor. I can see how a spoken blessing would be stilted if we pattern it in the language of those living centuries before we were born. More appropriately, we may ask God to protect the crops of a farmer we know and bless him with a good harvest, which would be similar to the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain. Perhaps today, those in Christ are more likely to pray what might be considered an Old Testament blessing.

     Instead of stating “I want to bless you,” as Hinz was instructed to do by her rabbi, Christians are more likely to say, “May I pray for you?” and deliver what might be defined as a blessing within the prayer.

     However, we are instructed to speak a blessing in a couple sections of Scripture I can recall from memory.

     “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Luke 6:27-28 ESV

     Also, in Romans 12:14—“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” ESV

     The Greek word for bless in these verses is eulogeo, which is speaking good words. Our custom of giving a eulogy at a memorial service, speaking well about someone who has died, comes from this Greek word. I am reminded of Ephesians 4:29 where the apostle Paul exhorts us to speak “only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

     When people criticize us or say things that are unflattering, our natural inclination is to defend ourselves or berate the person who is verbally attacking us. But we are to intensely, intelligently will the best for others, which is agape love. Others may not speak in our best interest but we can do our best to consider what is best for them before words pass from our lips.

     In the Old and New Testaments to be blessed is to be granted special favor by God which results in joy and prosperity. However, in the New Testament the emphasis is on spiritual blessings rather than material.2

     Often, I think of blessing people in the material sense. This might be running an errand for someone who is homebound or buying groceries for a family struggling financially.

     But I may try giving a verbal blessing. In her essay, Hinz meets a man named Angel at the café counter of a grocery store when she stops for a coffee drink after buying groceries. It gives her opportunity to practice the homework assignment given by her rabbi. She says, “May you be an angel to everyone around you.” He answers, “I try.” Then she adds, “May you find yourself surrounded by angels.” And he responds, “Thank you.”

Let’s Talk:

1-If you have ever given a verbal blessing, please share what you said in the comments. How was it received?

References:

1-“Angel Practice” by Claudia Hinz, published in the Christian Science Monitor newspaper November 2020.

2-Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology accessed through biblestudytools.com.

Beware the High and Mighty Self

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ1 Comment

     As I began to lament the living conditions of a sister in Christ during the final years of her life my husband asked, “Wasn’t God working all things for her good?”

     Unable to care for herself and living on meager retirement funds, this sister was moved to a nursing home chosen by the State. Her family, dispersed and disconnected, never visited when she made her home in a little cabin built for hired hands on a cattle ranch, and did not visit the group home either. Members of her church family rarely made the drive following her move because it was eight-hours round trip.

     I imagined that minutes would tick by on the clock each monotonous day. There would be no pending visit she could anticipate.

     The verse my husband referred to when he asked about her good is: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:28-29 ESV 

     The move was part of my friends honing process. All that was not of God was being chipped away to reveal the work of art God envisioned when He created her to reveal the glory of His Son. Our God is sovereign and He has an intelligent, intense love for us that wills our best. The home was good for this sister in the Lord. She would be made more Christ-like during her stay.

     The Holy Spirit can confront our unbelief in many ways. This time He used my husband. It seems it is easy to be deceived by Satan and the powers of darkness. My mistake was to allow what I would label compassion, caring, and empathy to fill my heart and keep me from thinking clearly. In my mind, God’s idea of compassionate care did not match mine, and I became pompous putting myself above God. In my mind, her best would be living near friends who would drop by to shake up the routine of an otherwise normal day. I doubted God’s goodness, His agape love. BUT!

     “The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately sick;

who can understand it?

“I the Lord search the heart

and test the mind,

to give every man according to his ways,

according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESV

For a brief time, I thought I had the knowledge and understanding to assess God’s actions and motives. Fear of the Lord was illusive.

A more appropriate response to my friend’s end days would have been one of reverence and thankfulness to a sovereign God who knew exactly what was needed.

Jerry Bridges, author of “Trusting God,” writes: “If we trust Him to work in all our circumstances for our good, then we should give Him thanks in all those circumstances—not thanksgiving for the evil considered in itself, but for the good that He will bring out of that evil through His sovereign wisdom and love.”1

Bridges continues: “To derive the fullest comfort and encouragement from Romans 8:28, we must realize that God is at work in a pre-active, not reactive, fashion. That is, God does not just respond to an adversity in our lives to make the best of a bad situation. He knows before He initiates or permits the adversity exactly how He will use it for our good.”

How we perceive God is of utmost importance. We live in a fallen world. A world where health fails and the elderly sometimes live in nursing homes due to their frailty. However, a loving God is in the midst of the situation making sure it works out for their best.

Let’s Talk:

1-If you have been convicted of unbelief share the verse with which you struggled.

2-Bridges stated that before God initiates or permits adversity, He knows how He will use it for our good. How does this change your perspective of the adverse situations in your life?

References:

1-“Trusting God” by Jerry Bridges. Published by NavPress in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 

3 Ways to Keep Sin from Infesting Your Life

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in ChristLeave a comment

     I took down my Christmas tree Monday, December 11, a day most might be setting one up.

     An infestation of aphids made it impossible to keep our decorated Douglas Fir up through the holiday season. My husband and I cut it in the Lassen National Forest the day after Thanksgiving. It was on the back deck for nearly a week before we brought it inside to decorate and we saw no evidence of bugs. However, during a quick Internet search I learned aphids can rapidly reproduce in a warm home. Multiply they did!

     The aphids we unknowingly carried into the house caused quite a mess. When we realized the dark clumps along the tree trunk were bug colonies and not weathered bark, I began to strip the tree of ornaments. Once the tree was out in the snow, we vacuumed the rug and nearby furniture, then shampooed the carpet. We washed walls, threw the curtains in the washing machine, and even cleaned the windows. We had to be sure the house was thoroughly cleansed of aphids.

     It was at least four hours of intensive work that morning and more later in the afternoon putting ornaments away and pushing the furniture back in place. As I worked throughout the day, I began contemplating the similarity between the aphids getting transported into our house via a Christmas tree and sin entering our lives unaware.

     It is possible to be oblivious to sin until the Holy Spirit convicts us. But is it possible to become more aware and prevent the infestation before we have a mess to clean up? Following are a few precautions we might take.

**Acknowledge our tendency to sin.

     In an A-to-Z guide to Bible application I have on my bookshelf I read, “The first step toward avoiding sin is to acknowledge our tendency to sin. Only then will we be ready to say no.”1

     For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. Psalm 38:17 NASB

     Since we are sinners by nature we are always “on the verge of sin as if we were walking along the edge of a cliff and could fall at any moment.”

     It’s good to navigate our days as if we were walking through a minefield. Just as we would avoid stepping on a mine by changing direction, we can avoid stepping into sin the same way.

**Understand what it means to sin.

     We sin when we violate the law of God and thus rebel against Him.

     The apostle John wrote: “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4

     We go our own way even though we know God has the best for us and his commands are for our good.

     The first created being to rebel against God was Lucifer. Not content with his position among the angels he desired to be higher than God (Isaiah 14:12-15). Lucifer, now referred to as Satan, deceived Adam and Eve with the lie that they could become like God by eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 3)

     Now we all have the tendency to desire to live life our way rather than God’s way. Through Adam, we became sinners by nature.2

**Be watchful and strong in the Lord.

     According to James 4:17 to know what is right and not do it is sin. As we study God’s Word we learn what is right. When I am not sure how to implement a direction given by God, I ask the Holy Spirit to teach me.

     However, if I am truthful, sometimes I must fight the flesh to follow God. Jesus told His disciples to be on guard and in prayer so they would not enter into temptation.

     Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

     Adam and Eve entered into temptation. It’s not just the flesh that makes us vulnerable but Satanic forces. The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:10-18 to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. This is accomplished by putting on the armor of God to stand against the schemes of the devil. Paul names the armor as the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

     Next year, if I get a fresh tree from the forest, I will certainly be more watchful of bugs. But God has given me a spiritual lesson from a physical experience and for that I am grateful. In the future I hope to remain watchful, knowing how sinful ways can so easily become habitual if allowed to go unchecked. Like the infestation of aphids on my Christmas tree.

©2023 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Photo by Jill Wellington courtesy of Pixabay

Let’s Talk:

1-Describe a time when you avoided stepping into sin because you were watchful.

References:

1-The A to Z Guide to Bible Application. A Billy Graham Evangelistic Association special edition published with permission from Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois.

2-Question: “What is the definition of sin?” from Got Questions.org.   

What Were You Thinking?

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn forgivenessLeave a comment

     I thought I had forgiveness aced. No grudges, no bitterness taking root, no resentment, no harsh judgement festering in me. Those transgressions we encounter as we interact with a great spectrum of brothers and sisters in Christ never entrapped me, hardening my heart against them. Fully aware we all are working through the baggage we carry into the kingdom that must be unpacked before the discerning eye of the Holy Spirit, I was quick to forgive. Until the Holy Spirit exposed, I was not.

     Betrayed by someone I thought was my friend, I found myself struggling. Accusations were like knives thrust into my heart, wounding deeply.

     But this morning the Holy Spirit clearly pointed out my hypocrisy as I read 1 John 5:1. “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” There are no escape routes, no statements giving permission to “love those born of God unless we are wounded.” Therefore, I repent, and ask God’s forgiveness and His help in the way of forgiveness. I know I will need His grace in this weakness. I am finding it difficult to forgive.

      “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9a

     Although 1 John 5:1 was isolated in a manuscript, I looked it up in my Bible. In verse three, I learned the love of God is to keep His commandments which are not burdensome. In verse two, the author, who is the apostle John, explains “we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments.”

     Thus, we know obedience to the commandments in God’s Word will ensure our love of brothers and sisters in Christ. What does God command in the way of forgiveness?

     “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32

     “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Colossians 3:12-13

     It is best to uncover sin swiftly. Recently I pulled a prayer journal I assembled more than 20 years ago from my bookshelf. I haven’t used it in a while. There are five sections: praise, admit, requests, listening, and thanks. Under “admit” I am reminded to read Psalm 139:23-24 so the Holy Spirit can bring to mind things that cause unforgiveness, catching them when the seeds have just been planted so they can be removed before they germinate.

     “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” [Ps 139:23-24]

     I was thinking I was doing well with the art of forgiveness until I was convicted by the Holy Spirit. It’s wise to have our head examined, or should I say heart? Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to expose any error in our thought process!

©2023 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Photo from Pixabay

Let’s Talk:

1-If the Holy Spirit has brought any grievous way to mind lately, please share how He has led you in the way everlasting following the exposure.

2-If you have ever struggled with forgiveness, how did you overcome the struggle?