Category: Growing in Christ

Do You Think That I Cannot?

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Knowing GodLeave a comment

Matthew 26:53: Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

               Do you think that I cannot? I want to say, “No, God, never!” but this is not true. I often dwell on problems trying to resolve them. This is tax season, so I am considering how to pay the accountant and cover any taxes that are due. Also, I have been counting weeks to calculate when it will be my turn to cover the days off for my mom’s caregiver. So far, I have penciled in the dates through October. It is stressful trying to keep appointments, special events, and ministry obligations from colliding with the allotted time. Plus, my mom wants personal hugs, and I live a four-hour drive away from her home.

These are only a few of the things that turn my thoughts from the present causing me to miss the main point of my pastor’s sermon or to slip from worship to worry during my devotional time. Sometimes I fail to savor the cappuccino I order at a coffee house or notice the moonrise or sunset. This is because I depend on my wisdom, my abilities, and my ingenuity to meet whatever needs I have, whether financial, relational, professional, or ministry related.

Drawing Our Sword

               We are often like the one who drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest as if Jesus needed to be defended (Matthew 26:51). Jesus revealed that this disciple lacked faith—his thinking was skewed. Jesus said that His Father would send more than twelve legions of angels, which is a minimum of 72,000.

Our efforts are no comparison to what God can do. Yet we often take a stab at the situation to bring a desired outcome, something we think is good. But God is fully aware of the situation and good is not necessarily His best.    

Wielding the sword could not stop the cross. It was meant to be. Jesus said, “But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so (Matthew 26:54)?”

In His Word

El Elyon, meaning God Most High, is a name that reveals His power, mercy, and sovereignty as beyond compare. “No matter how high your problems mount, God is higher still,” writes Ann Spangler, author of Praying the Names of God.

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me. (Psalm 57:1-2)”

Spangler writes to take refuge in God Most High requires four steps—praying, repenting, obeying, and believing. We stay close to God if these are done on a regular basis. If we habitually practice these steps, we will know the rest and peace that comes from living in the shadow of the God for whom nothing is impossible. 1

Walking It Out

               God had a plan and Jesus was committed to walking it out. Throughout Scripture He reveals plans for His people.

               He had a plan for the Israelites sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

               He has plans for all who are in Christ. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

               He has personal plans for me and you. “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:16

               And when tribulation comes that tempts us to take matters into our own hands, we take refuge in God Most High. First, we pray. Then we repent of any tendency toward self-sufficiency and obey His instructions, trusting Him. In doing so, we declare with confidence — yes, God can, and He will fulfill His purpose for us.  

© 2026 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

References:

1-Praying the Names of God by Ann Spanger. Published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004.

Letting Go of Childish Ways

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Agape Love, Growing in Christ, Holy SpiritLeave a comment

1 Corinthians 13:11—When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

          As children, my siblings and I would work through a pack of Valentine cards until we had written the names of each of our classmates on one. We would sift through the selection looking for the most generic messages for the kids who weren’t our close friends, not wanting them to get the “wrong idea.” If our mother had not insisted that we bring cards to the school party for everyone, we would have played favorites. Time and again our parents demanded that we show love and kindness to everyone from party invitations to playground games.     

          As an adult, we should no longer need our mother’s supervision. We are to put away such childish ways. Eventually my siblings and I began to be all-inclusive, kind, and loving on our own as we witnessed the fruit of such behavior. We learned it was best for others as well as ourselves.  This is true for a Christian as well. God gives direction in His word on appropriate behavior just as my mother directed her children. As we walk in His ways, reaping their fruitfulness, our behavior changes.  In maturity, we put away childish ways.

Embracing Maturity

          The Corinthians were not exhibiting spiritual maturity when Paul wrote the letter that includes the passage on giving up childish ways. There was division in the church, envy of others’ spiritual gifts, selfishness, impatience with one another in public meetings, and behavior that was disgracing the Lord.1 They needed to be taught mature behavior, which meant loving one another.

          According to Warren Wiersbe, author of Be Wise, a commentary on 1 Corinthians, love would make them long-suffering instead of impatient and remove the envy they experienced over other people’s spiritual gifts (13:4). Love would remove their pride and replace it with a desire to promote others.     

In His Word

          The apostle Paul wrote: “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature” (1 Corinthians 14:20). Tony Evans provided this insight on the verse in his Bible commentary: “We do not want to be experienced in wickedness. Otherwise, we want to be adult and mature in our thinking. Excitement about exercising exotic spiritual gifts that no one can understand is immature. A more mature stance is to exercise gifts for the good of others.” 2

          The author of Hebrews addresses maturity as well, accusing the readers of needing milk rather than solid food. He writes, “Everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:13-14).” 

Walking it Out

          Just as my mother taught her children how to be loving and kind to everyone with whom we interact, God teaches us (1 Thessalonians 4:9).   But agape love is not of the flesh; it is spiritual. To achieve it we therefore must walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-26)

An article on this topic in Got Questions states: “To walk in the Spirit means that we yield to His control, we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us.” 3

We remain mindful of the Spirit’s leading through ongoing prayer. In addition, we study and meditate on God’s Word to be aligned with His ways because the Spirit leads according to God’s revealed truth (2 Timothy 3:16). Also, by the Holy Spirit’s power we refuse to gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). 4

Those who are spiritually childish are not being sanctified by digging deep into Scripture and learning how to put it into practice. The Holy Spirit is our helper, but we make the effort to mature. 

© 2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Resources:

1-Be Wise, A New Testament Study of 1 Corinthians by Warren W Wiersbe. ChariotVictor Publishing.

2-The Tony Evans Bible Commentary by Tony Evans.

3-gotquestions.org/Spirit-walk.html

4-biblehub.com/q/what_does_walking_in_the_spirit_mean.htm

Blessed is She Who Believed

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Jesus, Know GodLeave a comment

Luke 1:42,45 ESV:  42- And she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” 45- “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”  

I am writing a Bible study on Blessings. Although we see this word throughout Scripture, it doesn’t seem like a topic with enough depth to support six-weeks of instruction. Yet as I began to dig deeper, I discovered how limited that assumption was. I have found there is a lot to explore.  

These two verses from Luke, describing a conversation between Elizabeth and Mary, are an example. The first use of blessed in these Scriptures is eulogeo in Koine Greek and means “to speak well of,” or “extol.” Elizabeth, when visited by her cousin Mary, exclaims that she would be “blessed” because people would speak highly of her. And to this day people do speak well of her, yet it wasn’t a stellar reputation that prompted the angel Gabriel to state, “You have found favor with God” when he brought Mary the news she would be the mother of Jesus.

The second use of blessed by Elizabeth is a result of Mary’s belief in God’s promise. She believed God would accomplish all He had promised. His word is truth. Blessed, in this instance, is makarios in Koine Greek, meaning fortunate or happy. It is the divine approval and joy that result from obedience.

Everlasting Joy

To walk with God is to walk according to His ways. And we are blessed when we do, not because God gives merit badges but because He gives unmerited favor, which is the definition of grace. Mary had a heart for God, but being given the honor of raising His Son was not a reward for good behavior suggesting the idea that if we are “good enough” we will be blessed.

“Makarios never rewards merit; it announces grace,” according to Biblehub.com.  Makarios is motivated by the “promise of divine approval and joy.”  Believers are blessed (makarios) by God’s grace.1

In God’s Word

Ephesians 2:8 tells us we are saved by grace through faith. Salvation is not our own doing. No one can earn such a blessing as a personal relationship with God. However, faith restores the relationship that was severed by sin.  The apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

Just as Mary was makarios because she believed God and put her faith into action, so are all who put their faith in the Son of God for salvation. During one of Jesus’ teachings, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” He answered, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:27-28).

Walking It Out

God’s Word tells us we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ who went to the cross as the perfect sacrifice required for the forgiveness of sins. But the hope of heaven is not the only blessing we receive in Christ. We are righteous, right with God. We are also blameless because our sins are forgiven. In 1 John 1:9 we read: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Mary was devoted to God and His ways. She was willing to do whatever God asked of her. Often, we wait for a “calling” thinking that is our big opportunity to surrender and obey. But every day we have opportunity to put God’s Word into practice.  That’s how Mary was living when the angel Gabriel came with the news she was chosen to be Jesus’ mother.

God’s ways are perfect and when we follow them, we find ourselves in proximity with Him. I think of walking in the footsteps of Jesus, our Shepherd, holding onto His robe in close pursuit. A desire to obey is evidence of belief and God gives us the grace we need to walk with Him. The result is makarios, not because of our goodness but the goodness of God. He reveals the best way to walk…with Him, according to His Word, by His grace.

© 2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Resources:

  1. Biblehub.com/Greek/3107.htm

By This We May Know

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Knowing GodLeave a comment

1 John 2:5b-6- By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

               There are many ways to measure knowledge. Before my driver’s license was renewed the State of California required me to take a written test on the rules of the road. By this, they knew I understood how to merge in a roundabout or when to dim my headlights at night as an oncoming car approached.

               A few months ago, I made an apple pie to take on a visit with my mom. When my brother saw the pie, he was astonished at how ‘professional’ it looked. “I thought you bought it,” he said. “I didn’t know you were such a good baker.”  The pie was evidence of my baking skills. By this, he knew I could bake desserts.

               The Apostle John tells us there is a way to know we abide in Christ.  We walk in the same way He walked.  This is why it is so important to take the time to get to know Jesus. There are many examples of the works Jesus did, but walking in the same way Jesus walked isn’t necessarily doing exactly what He did. It is doing it in the same way He does it, with love, grace, patience, compassion, and concern for others.

Reflecting Jesus’ Attributes

               We may not be able to list all the characteristics Jesus exhibited in his time on earth, but for some reason we know when someone imitates Jesus. While my husband and I were securing the eight-foot lights in the bed of our pickup truck for the drive home from the hardware store, another truck pulled into the parking space next to us quite close to the driver’s side door.  

               When the man exited his truck he hollered, “Am I parked too close? Can you get in?”

               It was a question of concern for another human being, an example of caring. My husband answered, “Thanks for asking, I’ll make it.”

               “God bless you!” he answered.

               “He has greatly,” said my husband.

               “Me too!” replied the man.

               As we drove away, I told my husband it was great to see Christians glorify Christ with their behavior. Graciousness is an attribute of Jesus.

In His Word

               In 1 John 2:3-6 the author offers a test for proving we know Jesus. We keep His commandments. To claim to know Jesus without obeying Him is a lie because the truth is not in us. Just as I studied for my driving test to learn the laws that make roadways safe, we study the Bible to learn all that Jesus commands-His instructions for walking as He did.

               Often they are contrary to our natural inclinations. If they weren’t He wouldn’t have to tell us. John provides insight into a basic characteristic that every Christian should exhibit if they are abiding in Christ… agape love. He tells us this love, the love of God, is perfected when we keep His word.

               I have this quote from Jen Wilkin’s book Ten Words pinned on the bulletin board in front of my desk. “To obey the law is to look like Jesus Christ. While legalism builds self-righteousness, lawfulness builds righteousness.”

Walking It Out

The commandments aren’t consistently walked out until our character is changed. When our godly response is automatic rather than prompted by careful thought, we know we have been transformed. The Holy Spirit is our helper, but it’s important to consciously practice what we learn until it becomes part of our nature.  

It is like learning to type. While we are memorizing the keyboard, we look for the letters as we slowly peck out the words. But once we have mastered typing, we don’t even think about the letters.

As we read our Bibles let’s look for the ways Jesus walked, the examples He set for patience, kindness, exhorting, guiding, and inviting people to Kingdom living.

© 2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Separated

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ2 Comments

Matthew 13:30 ESV- “Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” 

               I just finished a study on God’s kingdom as explained in the book of Matthew, with a women’s group at my church. In a lesson titled “Characteristics of the Kingdom,” author Christine Hoover discussed several parables.1 One was the parable of the wheat and the weeds.

               It begins: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.” Matt. 13:24-25 ESV

               When the weeds sprouted with the wheat the man’s servants asked if they should pull them up. The answer was “No” because some of the wheat might be uprooted as well. At harvest time, when both had matured, they would be separated.   

               Hoover wrote that the weeds, thought to be bearded darnel, was a close cousin to wheat and the plants were difficult to tell apart when immature. Only at maturity could the two be distinguished from one another. Also, the roots become entangled so the two are difficult to separate until harvested.

               After examining this parable Hoover posed the question— “What does this teach us about our role and responsibility in the kingdom of God?” I wrote: “Our responsibility is to distinguish ourselves from the weeds.”

Let’s Be Distinguishable

               Many in my Bible study group did not understand how this could be possible because the roots of the weeds and wheat were intertwined. But I look at Matthew 13:38 where Jesus explains to His disciples the field is the world and the good seeds producing wheat are the sons of the kingdom and the weeds are the sons of the wicked one. 

               I think of Jesus speaking to unbelieving Jews who desired to kill Him yet claimed God as their Father.  He responded that the devil was their father because they were like him. “Your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 ESV

               The apostle John also wrote that those who are disciples of Jesus will be known by their love for one another (John 13:35). The apostle Paul described that love in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 as patient and kind, free of envy, boasting, and arrogance. It is not rude, irritable or resentful and does not insist on having its own way. Also, it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.

               However, as we mature in Christ through the study of God’s Word and the help of the Holy Spirit to understand and walk in it (the sanctification process), we will look different.  

In His Word

               According to the Enduring Word online commentary,2 this parable is about corruption among the people of God. Those who attend church but are not transformed because they are not born again.  Many have learned to speak Christianize but are still in the enemy camp.

               David Guzik, the author of the commentary, writes: “The enemy’s purpose in sowing tares (weeds) among the wheat was to destroy the wheat. But the wise farmer would not allow the enemy to succeed. Instead, the farmer decided to sort it out at harvest time.”

Walking It Out

               Guzik’s interpretation of the parable makes the study of God’s Word even more urgent so we will be distinguishable from the weeds that look like Christians on the outside but are not a new creation because there has been no heart change.

               How do you recognize a true believer?

1-By a transformed life.

               False prophets come in sheep’s clothing, but cannot bear good fruit. We recognize them by their fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20)

2-They do what Christ commands.

               “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says, “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:3-4

3-Evidence of the Holy Spirit’s leadership.

               Children of God are led by the Spirit rather than the flesh. (Romans 8:14)

4-They put their faith into action.

               “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:17

               I personally don’t want to wait until the harvest to be identified as a Christian. I want to reflect Christ to the world and by doing so expand His kingdom.

Resources:

1-Seek First the Kingdom by Christine Hoover. Published by Lifeway Press Brentwood, Tennessee

2-Enduringword.com, an online commentary by David Guzik.

Just a Smidge

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Holy Spirit, PrayerLeave a comment

Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

     My uncle only allowed himself a smidge when eating sweets. He would slice off a sliver of triple-layer chocolate cake with thick frosting to satisfy his craving for sugar without overindulging.

     However, he never stopped at just “one smidge.” Tiny slice by tiny slice, over the span of an afternoon, the entire cake was demolished. This is the way of temptation. My uncle never intended to overindulge but he lacked the willpower to resist.

     Most of us have had one of those “I can’t believe I ate that” moments. My weakness is the small loaves of warm sourdough bread with butter the waitress places on the table at San Francisco seafood restaurants on Fisherman’s Wharf.

An entire cake or loaf of bread is no big deal, right?

A Smidge is Never Enough

     Self-indulgence is that crack that begins to fracture godly characteristics, such as self-control. Soon the flesh takes over and indulgence becomes our practice.

     The Apostle Paul used the metaphor of yeast in a lump of dough to show how sin, if not addressed, spreads. In 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 he wrote: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump…For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” In this passage, Paul was instructing the church, explaining that if Christians overlook sin in the body of Christ, it will quietly spread.

When we consistently fail to resist an extra slice of cake or piece of bread, we eventually damage ourselves physically. My uncle developed Type 2 diabetes. But from a spiritual aspect, we set ourselves up for future failure. These seemingly minor desires that gratify our flesh can lead us to greater infractions.

In His Word

     The instruction to watch and pray so as to not fall into temptation was given to Peter in the garden of Gethsemane shortly before Jesus was arrested. Jesus took His disciples to the garden after eating the Passover meal with them and initiating the Lord’s Supper. But before the chief priests and elders came to arrest Jesus, accompanied by crowds carrying swords and clubs, He stepped aside with Peter, James, and John to pray. He asked them to watch with Him, then He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

     After pouring His heart out to His Father, He returned to the three and found them sleeping. He asked, “Could you not watch with me one hour?”

     “Peter and his fellow disciples had promised to be faithful to death, and yet they went to sleep! They needed to pray for themselves, because danger was around the corner,” wrote Warren Wiersbe in Be Loyal, his commentary on the book of Matthew.1

     To watch and pray means to be both physically and spiritually awake. By watching, we do what we can in our power, and by praying we seek God’s power. We cannot stand when tempted without God’s help.2

     What are we to be watching for? Anything that entices us to stray from God’s will. Jesus dreaded the cup of judgment but endured because His sacrifice was the only way to pay the penalty for sin. Without it, you and I could not be forgiven of our sins and saved from judgment.

Walking It Out

     All that entices us is referred to as temptation, which is the lure from within or without to act contrary to God’s Word or character. We sin when we give in to temptation.

     Therefore, we are not only to be watchful but also pray. David Guzik wrote in his online commentary Enduring Word, “The spiritual battle is often won or lost before the crisis comes.”2

     Perhaps that is why Jesus directed His comments to Peter in these passages. Although two other disciples were present, it was Peter who would deny Jesus three times that very night. Yet he had boldly told Jesus, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” (Matthew 26:33)

     Those of us who are in Christ are like Peter. Our spirit is willing- “We will never fall away!” we exclaim. But just like Peter we soon discover our flesh is weak. Yes, our intentions are sincere but human nature is frail.

     Therefore, we must be watchful. What are we allowing to seep into our life that could fracture our resolve and lead to our downfall? Remember the metaphor of yeast in a lump of dough. A little sin can quickly spread corrupting the individual and even those around him or her.

     Just as my uncle could not stop at one smidge, neither can we. So let’s be watchful and pray, that we might recognize all that tempts us and be able to stand by the power of the Holy Spirit. In this way, we will not succumb to that smidge that leads to another and another.

©2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

References:

1 Be Loyal, by Warren W. Wiersbe. Victor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

2 Enduring Word commentary by David Guzik, enduringword.com.

Quieting my Soul

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Soul CareLeave a comment

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Psalm 131:1-2

     During the four-hour drive home from my elderly mother’s house, thoughts of sleepless nights swirled in my mind. A guard rail on her bed preventing her from getting up by herself is inevitable. Increasingly, she is falling during the night trying to use the portable potty. It is only a step away, bedside, but still, she frequently plops down onto the floor.

     I take turns with my sisters relieving the caregiver on her days off and dread the thought of sleeping next to a baby monitor, jumping out of bed to assist my mom each time she needs to use the portable potty. One sister told me it was part of caregiving. Am I selfish, unloving, uncompassionate…?

     Listening to a podcast while driving home, I realized I had driven miles without hearing the discussion, absorbed in my 96-year-old mother’s health issues. It’s not just imbalance, but confusion as the dementia progresses. I found her sitting on the floor next to her bed the morning I was leaving. She could not figure out how to get onto her knees and pull herself up off the floor, even with my coaching. Now the problem is consuming me.

Life Can Be Overwhelming

     Anxiety takes hold swiftly, rushing in like the waters of a flash flood, seemingly out of nowhere. Soon I am inundated with worry, arms sculling all my “what ifs” to keep my head up, yet gulping so many overwhelming issues I am being pulled under.

     When I trace my thoughts from the beginning, I realize they were just a drizzle moments ago, small scenarios of what might happen. But the droplets became a downpour and just as soil can no longer absorb the deluge of rain, dread engulfs my mind. Surely, nothing good will come of the situation I’m in. “Please Lord! No!” is my heart’s cry.

     In Psalm 131, David makes sure God Almighty rules and reigns over his life. Reading the word’s he wrote, I realize I have a choice. My mom’s care needs are too great for me. I tremble at the thought of dragging through low energy days during my time with mom because of sleep deprivation.

     The other morning, I had a taste of the soul David described while I read my Bible. My mom was still sleeping and a gentle rain was falling, drumming lightly on the roof in a rhymical lullaby. Sitting in a chair with a cup of coffee, the Bible in my lap, I watched the rain out the large, living room window as it soaked the fields of golden, fall grass and oak trees. I felt secure, loved by God. All was well with my soul. Thankfulness overflowed my heart.

In His Word

     According to David, we don’t have to be overwhelmed by life’s circumstances. We can calm and quiet our soul.

He begins with the position of his heart. His heart is not prideful, thinking he can find the solution to his problems. Nor is he looking for solutions on his own. In the New Living Translation of the Bible the verse reads: “Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty.” (Ps. 131:1, NLT)

     He does not obsess about matters that are beyond his ability to solve. Sometimes there is no solution. My mother has dementia that is progressively getting worse. It is a chronic illness characterized by a gradual decline in cognitive function which impacts daily living. There are books with tips on how to care for people with dementia, but there is a lot of trial and error as you walk the path with your loved one.

Verses in Proverbs give direction on how to walk such a path. They are familiar to most, directing us to trust God, not leaning on our understanding of the situation. Then ask God to direct us in the steps along the way, acknowledging Him in every situation. These steps will straighten our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

God always provides Scripture verses on how to act and react, the Holy Spirit bringing them to mind at the moment they are needed.

But until there is a situation in which I must react, I am not to imagine what the future might hold. Like a weaned child, I no longer fret.

Walking It Out

     Nursing children cry and fuss when hungry, desiring to be satisfied by their mothers. Once weaned, they can rest in her care. They know they can trust her to meet their needs.

     To stop fretting I remember that God’s grace is sufficient, for his power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) I can know He will give me sufficient grace for the situation with my mother.

     But there is action I can also take. In 1 Peter 5:7 I am told to cast my anxieties on God because he cares for me.

     God’s timing is always perfect therefore the Bible study I am working through, “Seek First the Kingdom” by Christine Hoover, included a teaching in session four that spoke to this issue. Expounding on Matthew 6:25-34, she said “Jesus teaches us to be attentively present in the day we are experiencing.” That means we rely on God, knowing He will meet our needs for this day as well as our needs in the future. She adds, “Anxiety is misplaced attentiveness.”1

     So, I am practicing living in the present. Asking God to meet my needs for this day. This practice, calms and quiets my soul.

©2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Reference:

1-“Seek First the Kingdom-God’s Invitation to Life and Joy in the Book of Matthew” by Christine Hoover. Lifeway Press, Brentwood, Tennessee.  

Storing Up Treasure in Heaven

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Knowing God, Soul CareLeave a comment

     “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20 ESV

     My sister is culling her belongings– purging closets, the garage, and storage bins of those “maybe I might need this in the future” items, the “I can’t let go of this memory” items, and the “maybe this is a collector’s item I can sell.”

     She does not want to burden her daughter and grandchildren with this task one day. Not everyone thinks this way. When my great-aunt died my mom and her cousin spent weeks cleaning her house so it could be sold. One spare bedroom was filled with old magazines–stack upon stack, year upon year.

     Our material belongings are earthly treasures. Often, things we value are difficult to let go, and we mourn their loss whether from natural elements or theft. These treasures might be a set of dishes we inherited or a big-screen TV we saved money to purchase. In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus warns us not to “store up” (gather, reserve) these treasures filling closets, garages, spare bedrooms, and rented space at storage units.

What Does “Storing Up?” Mean?

     To help His disciples understand this concept, Jesus told a parable about a rich man who built larger barns to store the abundant crops his land produced (Luke 12:16-21). With ample goods laid up for many years, he thought he could “relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God called him a fool, because that night he died. All he had worked for was given to someone else.

     Jesus said, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (Luke 12:21, NLT). This relationship is ours to keep forever, no one else can inherit it.

     It isn’t wrong to have “stuff.” For example, my husband and I have backpacks, a tent, and cooking gear for overnight trips into the backcountry. Also, we have kayaks nestled against the house for paddling on a nearby lake. We don’t have gear stockpiled, but just what we need for those breaks from work– those times of refreshing. Our hearts overflow with gratitude as we enjoy God’s provision.

In His Word

     While it isn’t difficult to envision physical treasures and the untidy rooms they can create when we accumulate too much, we need God’s Word to uncover the spiritual treasures we are to lay up. Descriptions are scattered throughout Scripture.

One is the opposite of laying up earthly treasures: generosity. In the apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he gave instructions for those who are rich in the present world: “Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others” (1 Timothy 6:18, NLT).

     Our attitude toward God is another heavenly treasure. Isaiah tells us the fear of the Lord is treasure. To those who revere Him, He richly provides salvation, wisdom, and knowledge (Isaiah 33:6). A right relationship with God enriches our earthly life as well as our eternal life. Do we bow down to God in obedience, learning His Word so we can practice it?

     We want to be heavenly minded, not earthly minded, remembering our soul goes to heaven not our house, clothes, jewelry, cars, boats, furniture, art collection, chef’s range, paddle board, or…

     Our faithfulness will be rewarded in heaven (Matthew 25:21).

Walking It Out

     What captures our attention and consumes our time defines our treasure. And wherever our treasure is, the desires of our heart will also be (Luke 12:34).

     In his gospel, Luke included the lesson Jesus taught His disciples on worry immediately after the parable of the rich fool who built new barns to store his abundant goods. It is the “don’t worry about what to eat or wear” lesson, also found in Matthew chapter 6.

     Instead, Jesus taught His disciples to seek the Kingdom of God above all else. When this task is our focus, God will give us everything we need.

     “To seek God’s kingdom is to seek to live in accordance with His standards and guidelines,” explains Tony Evans in his Bible commentary. God isn’t where we go when all else fails, writes Evans.1 We seek Him first when we need guidance in decision-making, counsel to handle a difficult situation, mental or physical healing, provision, an attitude adjustment, or refreshing when we are weary.

     Let’s be bountiful in good works and all the other actions in the Bible that will cause Jesus to say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” These acts of obedience cannot be taken from us. They are heavenly treasures.

©2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Resources:

1-The Tony Evens Bible Commentary published by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee.

Longing for the Lord’s Return

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Growing in Christ, Knowing God, Walk in the SpiritLeave a comment

2 Tim 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” ESV

     There’s a crown for believer’s who long for Christ’s return and live in anticipation of His kingdom. It’s the Crown of Righteousness, a reward given in heaven.

     If I am honest, the thought of Christ’s return is rarely foremost in my mind. I am wedded to this familiar life on earth, beginning with a cup of coffee at sunrise and ending with a few pages of a good book before the bedside lamp is turned off. Yes, “Come Lord Jesus!” (Rev.22:20), but first let me…

     Host one more deck dinner. I have a list of people I want to invite into my backyard garden to dine at tables set up on my deck. As the sun sets, strings of lights cast a glow on guests passing dishes prepared with agape love, and conversation flows.

     Also, there is a cardboard regatta on the calendar for next August. The first was this year at the Canyon Dam boat launch on Lake Almanor, and the contestants and their crews were inventive and fun. I want to participate rather than spectate.

     Then there are writing projects, such as my Bible study, which is a work in progress, and household improvement projects like the plans for painting the living room, as well as places to explore and adventures to experience.

     Could you create a list of things you would like to finish, accomplish, see happen before Christ returns?

What Are We Waiting For?

     Jesus has prepared a place in his kingdom for believers and will return for them.

     One place we find this promise is John 14:2-3: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” ESV

     According to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, there are over 300 references to Christ’s second coming in the New Testament.

     Another familiar verse is 1 Thess 4:15-18: “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” ESV

     This verse is a description of the rapture of the church, a time when Jesus comes for believers both living and dead. In the book of Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul introduced the concept of the rapture. It is the English term for the Latin verb rapere used in the Latin Vulgate translation of the New Testament. Rapere is the Latin word for the Greek word harpadzo, which means “caught up.”1

In His Word

Christians through the ages have expected Jesus to return. Although He hasn’t appeared yet, we don’t know the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36). In the book of 2 Timothy, Paul wrote that “on that day” he would receive the crown of righteousness along with all Christians who have loved Christ’s appearing. Some Bible versions read “longed for his appearing” (NIV) or “who eagerly look forward to his appearing”(NLT). 

Bible scholars state the crown referenced is figurative rather than anything that could be placed on someone’s head. They believe the Apostle Paul may have had the victor’s garland in mind for athletic events such as a footrace. This seems probable, since Paul mentioned three victories: fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and keeping the faith.

F.F. Bruce suggests in his Bible commentary that it might describe righteousness, once imputed, as becoming a reality. “A crown will be the lot of all whose lives have been controlled by the prospect of his appearing,” writes Bruce.

Walking It Out

     I think of the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25:14-30 when I read Bruce’s comment. In this parable, a man going on a journey entrusts his property to his servants, each according to their ability. Two of the servants invest what was given them, and the third buries it. The two who invested wisely were called faithful upon their master’s return and rewarded for their work.

Paul is like these faithful servants. God sent him out as a missionary, and he faithfully spread the gospel and discipled those who believed his message. There are plenty of instructions in Scripture that tell us how to be living as we wait for Christ’s return. In keeping with his discipleship duties, Paul left a list. You’ll find it at the end of his letter to the Thessalonians in verses 5:12-22.

     His advice is to honor our leaders in the Lord’s work. Show great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. No one is perfect; therefore, love, honor, and respect are given despite their flaws and mistakes.

     We are to live peacefully with each other. Instead of living in a critique mode, refrain from judging. Ask if the issue is that important on a scale of one to ten. The format of the church bulletin, the menu for a luncheon, or how a ministry is organized is often just a matter of opinion.

     Those who are idle should be warned. People are to be doing what Jesus has instructed when He returns. Erin Davis in a podcast episode of “The Deep Well” said to call people out of the pews and into the work of the church. Help them see their gifts and remind them Christianity is not a spectator sport.

     The body of Christ is to help one another be ready for Christ’s return, so we encourage those who are timid, lacking courage or confidence. We take tender care of the weak, whether the ailment is physical or spiritual. Patience is required for everyone.

     If we are wronged in some way, rather than trying to “pay back evil for evil,” we do good to each other and all people.

     Because we belong to Christ Jesus, we are always joyful, thankful in all circumstances, and consistent in prayer. After all, we are living in light of His return.

     We are to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us and through us and not scoff at prophecy, but test it. Hold on to what is good, but avoid every kind of evil.

     We can do all these things as we go about our activities of daily living, enjoying coffee in the morning and reading a good book before bedtime. We don’t drop out of life, but we live life differently, aware that our present reality is not forever. Jesus Christ will return.

©2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Resource:

1-The Rapture of the Church by Don Stewart published by Eternity Bound Publishing, San Clemente, California.

Great Love Does Not Retreat

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Agape Love, Growing in Christ, Holy Spirit, Knowing GodLeave a comment

     “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:12-13 ESV

     I found it difficult to understand how anyone might show the greater love mentioned by Jesus, “to lay down his life for his friends.” Then I read news blurbs about Dick Eastland, co-owner and director of Camp Mystic which was built on the banks of the Guadalupe River. He was swept away during the flash flood early Saturday morning, July 5, while rescuing girls at the Christian summer camp. The water along the riverbanks reportedly rose 26 feet within 45 minutes.

     When we see someone in earnest need of help, we rush in because we intensely will the best for them, and that is agape love. It may be a violent robbery at a subway station, a cry for help from a swimmer trapped in river currents as we sunbath on the beach, or witnessing an attack from a wild animal along a hiking trail in a national park. Whatever the scenario, agape love causes us to rush in.

Giving Not Getting

     Dick Eastland was practicing selflessness as rising water rushed through cabins at dawn. Most likely he was not thinking about what his efforts would personally cost him but rather the good of others. The young campers and counselors needed to be rescued, guided to high ground so they would not be swept away and he was committed to the task.

     To give out such love we need to be personally filled with it. It’s not natural, it comes from God. The Holy Spirit pours God’s agape love into our hearts. This love is “An intelligent, purposeful attitude of esteem and devotion; a selfless, purposeful, outgoing attitude that desires to do good to the one loved.”1

     God demonstrates this love. Jesus Christ redeemed us by paying the penalty for our sin on the cross. He laid down His life for each person who has been reconciled to God through His selfless act.

     In a day when many ask, “What’s in it for me?” those filled with agape love run into danger to rescue others unconcerned about the reward or cost. That was Eastland.

In His Word

Agape love is not based on how worthy the object of this love is, whether the recipient is deserving. God demonstrated this aspect of agape when Christ died for sinners, according to the apostle Paul (Romans 5:8). That means none of us are worthy whether we are considered outstanding citizens or not.

Sacrifice is also a hallmark of agape. God sacrificed His Son because He willed the best for humanity, a restored relationship with Him. Are we willing to sacrifice what’s best for us for the benefit of another?

In 1 Corinthians we find a comprehensive description of agape in chapter 13.

“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.” 1 Cor 13:4-7 ESV

We can define agape love as unconditional, sacrificial, patient, kind, enduring, protective, hopeful, and originating form God’s own nature.

Walking it Out

     It is good to know what agape love looks like by knowing Scripture, but it requires a work of the Spirit to live it.

     When 50,000 Jews, exiled in Babylon, were allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple the prophet Zechariah gave them a message from the Lord. The temple would not be built by human skills, resources, or determination but by the power of God.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 ESV

Because agape love is a selfless love it comes with surrender. We humble ourselves before the Lord and allow Him to do the work with no thought to our abilities, resources, or willpower.

Perhaps agape love happens when we rush in, fully committed to the task at hand. It’s not calculated or planned. We have no time to think about our abilities or the object of this love. Therefore, we rely completely on God.

©2025 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

1-Abide, A Study of 1,2,&3 John by Jen Wilkin published by Lifeway Press in Brentwood, TN.