Category: Jesus

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” John 21:22

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Holy Spirit, Jesus, Knowing GodLeave a comment

               Would you drive the length of a football field with your eyes closed? Probably not. But if you take 5 seconds to send or read a text while driving 55 mph you are doing exactly that. Texting and talking on a cell phone are called distracted driving along with eating and drinking, talking to passengers, and trying to operate the radio, entertainment, or navigation system.

               Looking at the list, I can see distracted driving is common. It is easy to get caught up in the conversation when we drive with others in the car and we often place our coffee or a soft drink in the convenient cupholder manufacturers install.

               In John 21 Jesus warns us of another type of distraction…distracted service. This is where we take our eyes off our calling to examine the work of our brothers and sisters in Christ. After the resurrection, before Jesus ascended to heaven, He met a few of His disciples fishing on the Sea of Galilee. He served breakfast, then instructed Peter to feed His sheep and shared the type of death required of him to glorify God. When Peter asked about John’s fate, he was told it did not concern him.

What Is That To You?         

               It is easy to get caught up in things that do not concern us. Perhaps we try to fix relationships, listening to both sides to gain insight into the problem and determine what might be done. Or we monitor service in the church evaluating who is and is not fulfilling their calling. Essentially, we are wasting time figuring out solutions to problems out of our control and judging another servant without the knowledge needed for a fair assessment. Each time we expend energy on things that are not our business we are slacking on our duties.   

               We want to know how other disciples are faring as servants and worshipers of the living God. Are they doing well in the roles they have been given whether wife, mother, friend, sister, aunt, or niece?  Are they excelling in their jobs and professions and developing their talents whether as a financial wizard or fine artist? While it is right to care, we can’t supervise the walk of another Christian because we do not know the work of the Spirit in their life nor do we know the plans God has for them. It isn’t up to us to assess another Christian’s walk. We will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ individually (2 Corinthians 5:10). We only have control over our responses.

In His Word

               How do we take our eyes off Jesus and what He requests of us?

One: We can become judgmental, looking at another Christian’s walk, pointing out how they fall short of all Jesus commands thus failing in our sanctification process.

Matthew 7:3-5—”Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” ESV

Two: We can fail to acknowledge our sinful ways, and judging can be one of them.

James 4:17—”So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

Three: Comparison leads to wrong conclusions. We may begin to feel either superior or inferior. Both keep us from fulfilling our calling.

2 Corinthians 10:12—”Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”

Four: Comparison can cause us to strive, working hard to achieve another’s calling. We look fruitful but are not.

Ecclesiastes 4:4—”Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity[a] and a striving after wind.”

Walking It Out

Jesus told Peter what He wanted him to do. “Tend My sheep” (John 21:16). I personally long to hear such clear direction… tend, feed. But have I asked Jesus for my assignment? Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7

These are instructions for intensity, passion, and persistence in prayer, writes David Guzik in his online Bible commentary.

Step One: Make our requests known to God.

Step Two: Search after God, His Word, His will.

Step Three: Knock until the door is opened.1

The apostle Paul uses the analogy of the human body to explain how the body of Christ has many members working together to do the work of the ministry. Paul says the body is not one member but many with some assigned to be a foot, another a hand, others an ear or an eye. “God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased” (1 Cor. 12:18).

If we don’t know, we should ask Jesus for our assignment and then follow Him. Not looking at others called to be a foot or hand, but what kind of a foot or hand God has asked us to be. Once we know what God has called us to, we keep our eyes on Jesus to be our very best.  

© 2026 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Resources:

1-enduringword.com/bible-commentary/matthew-7/

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

Lessons Learned Seated at the Feet of Jesus

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn JesusLeave a comment

It is difficult to step away for the day, at least for me. To walk out the door leaving a pile of laundry, dishes in the sink, and a rug in need of a vacuum. Or leaving Sunday School lessons that must be copied before church the next day and distributed to teachers or unfinished manuscripts with deadlines.

Yet, I walked away Saturday, Sept. 9, to attend the Calvary Chapel Women’s Conference in Redding and listen to the teaching of Mindi Love, Women’s Ministry leader at Calvary Castle Rock, Colorado. There is something to be said about sitting at the feet of Jesus. That is what we do when we listen to in-depth teaching with undivided attention. Mindi taught verse-by-verse through the book of Colossians.

Here are a few of my take-aways:

1-Know God’s Word

Paul exhorted the Colossians to be on guard against false teachers. We need to know God’s Word so well we will detect even the slightest error. False teaching today includes the prosperity gospel, progressive Christianity, and the doctrine of self-love.1

2-Jesus is Preeminent

The word preeminent means first and foremost. It is important to examine our lives. Is Jesus first and foremost in your life? Truthfully, my first response is “yes!” But Mindi explained this means Jesus is our priority and the true meaning of this word is ONE. We don’t have a list ranking what is first, second, third. We don’t get our priorities straight, we simply “get our priority.”

3-Many Biblical Verses Reveal God’s Will

In Colossians 1:9-10 Paul prays for these Christians asking that they may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in order that they may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. From this verse we know that it is God’s will that we walk in a worthy manner, please God, are fruitful in every good work, and increase in our knowledge of God. 

It’s good to create lists of the “will” verses.

4-Don’t do it!

Mindi said, “Sometimes the most notable thing about our Christian walk is what we don’t do.” Why? Because if we begin to veer ever so slightly from God’s Word, we have begun the unworthy walk. Proverbs 8:8 states: “You’ll only hear true and right words from my mouth; not one syllable will be twisted or skewed.” (The Message Bible Version)

If we begin walking in the ways of the unrighteous, we soon may be standing with them and finally we sit down with them, entrenched in their ways. This is the lesson found in Psalm 1. What should we do instead? According to this Psalm we should delight in God’s Word, meditating on it day and night.

Mindi asked us, “What brings you pleasure? What do you long for?”

Meditate is to chew the cud, which brings out the sweet and nutritious aspects of God’s Word. Josh 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” ESV

I am a good notetaker. But it is difficult to capture every point you want to remember as someone is lecturing. Therefore, I will listen to the recordings of each session and soon my list of takeaways will expand. Set aside a few hours and join me at the feet of Jesus. The teaching will soon be posted.2

©2023 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Let’s Talk:

1-When do you sit at the feet of Jesus?

2-Share something you have learned by spending time in the Word of God?

Resources:

1-To learn more about the false teaching prevalent in our time visit these websites: biblestudytools.com, “5 Counterfeit Truths of Progressive Christianity” by Alisa Childers Aug. 16, 2023; gotquestions.org, “What does the Bible say about the prosperity gospel?” gotquestions.org, “What does the Bible say about self-love, loving self?”

2-Teachings from the Calvary Chapel Women’s Conferences can be found at lccredding.org. They are posted under ministries/women/women’s conference. The 2023 conference theme is: “Set your Mind on Things Above, not on things on the Earth.” Colossians 3:2”

The Joy of Jesus

On By Susan Cort JohnsonIn Jesus, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Jesus went to the cross for the joy set before Him. I know this joy.1 Because He lives, I live.

My greatest experience was the moment I walked into the presence of God. It happened in a split second, as if blinders were pulled from my eyes, allowing me to see Jesus. At that moment I understood who He was. I knew Him.

When I read that all things were created through Jesus and for Jesus2 I understand why I struggled in the ways of the world before I came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

I floundered like a swimmer in water over her head, caught in the current of a world in which I did not belong. This current pulled me into life choices that just did not seem to fit. Now, I no longer struggle to keep my head above water, because my feet are on solid ground.

Because Jesus went to the cross to redeem me from the clutches of this world, I belong. And He is restoring what was lost when Adam and Eve were stumbled by Satan into doubting God prompting them to go their own way. As a result, they experienced death. First spiritual death, and eventually physical death.

We are spiritually dead until we receive spiritual life through faith in Christ. (Eph. 2:1; Romans 3:23)

Life is different after the second birth, the birth of our spirit.3 Once we are reborn, instead of struggling to shape ourselves into the mold society requires, we begin to discover who we were created to be. There is no greater compliment than to be told you are reflecting the attributes of Jesus.

This “joy” is more than a feeling, it is a quality of life.4

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

There is joy as we mature in Christ. This is a shared joy among all believers. Paul wrote of it in his letter to the Thessalonians telling them that their unwavering faith was his joy.5

This maturity brings like mindedness. We have the same love; we are of one accord and of one mind. We do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than ourselves and look out for the interests of others. This mindset is ours in Christ Jesus.6 What joy this brings to the body of believers.

 Joy may also come out of suffering and sorrow for Christ’s sake, writes Terry Miethe in “The Compact Dictionary of Doctrinal Words.” He sights several Scriptures to back his conclusion.

The apostle Paul suffered to help the church mature, making the word of God fully known.7 The apostle Peter told believers they are blessed when insulted for the name of Christ, because the Spirit of glory and of God rested upon them.8 The author of Hebrews wrote that sometimes Christians are publicly exposed to reproach and affliction and sometimes they are partners with those so treated.9

Of most importance is the fact this inexplicable joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit.10 We are given this Spirit at our rebirth, and He makes it possible to experience “chara,” the koine Greek term translated into English as “joy.”

 C.S. Lewis describes this joy as “an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” He adds that the only thing in common this Spiritual joy has with happiness or pleasure is the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again.11 

 Lewis wrote that he found this joy to be a Person. And so, it is. In John chapter 15 Jesus tells us to abide in his love by keeping his commandments. He tells us this so his joy may be in us, and our joy may be full. We remain in his presence by walking in the light as he is in the light. Not going our own way but His. And this walk was made possible when He went to the cross, paying the penalty for our sins and thus redeeming us. And now restoring us for His glory.

     “He is risen!” “He has risen indeed!”

Happy Easter.

©2023 Susan Cort Johnson *All Rights Reserved

Let’s Talk:

1-How have you discovered “joy” in the Person, Jesus Christ?

2-What special ways do you have of commemorating the victory of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

References:

1-Hebrews 12:2

2-Col 1:16

3-John chapter 3

4-The Compact Dictionary of Doctrinal Words by Terry L. Miethe published by Bethany House Publishers Minneapolis, Minnesota.

5-1 Thess. 2:19-20

6-Phil 2:2-5

7-Col 1:24-25

8-1 Peter 4:13-14

9-Hebrews 10:33

10-Gal 5:22

11-Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis, as quoted in The Compact Dictionary of Doctrinal Words.