Doug's Desk

Scoffers, fleeing to the hills and rocks!

2010-08-17T16:05:00.000-04:00

I have just finished studying 2 Peter 3:1-9 and have spent some time on the subject of "scoffers". Verses 3b-4 say:

that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” [The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 2 Pe 3:3–4.]

A scoffer is one who "mocks" or "makes fun of" the Word of God or His messengers. We all have seen them; they are the ones who like to ridicule you about your faith. Since they do not want to be accountable to a Holy and living God who is both loving and just, they want to ignore anything that has to do with His existence.

The question posed in Peter's letter is interesting. The question is one of continuing normality. For example, a scoffer says since nothing has changed over the past generation then that proves there is no God. We must be careful with this logic. Our measurement of time is not God's measurement of time. We measure time by the Earth's revolution on its axis and its orbit around the sun. God, who created the universe, created both the Sun and the Earth. He put the Earth on its axis and into its orbit. If God created the Universe and we know that our time reference is related only to our solar system then we must admit that God is outside of the time element as we know it.

Peter sees this the same way. In verse 8 he says: But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [NKJV, 2 Pe 3:8]

Therefore, we must be careful setting time markers for God's movement. Peter reminds us to focus on the prophets (of the Old Testament) and the apostles (in the New Testament). By doing so, we will see how God is working through mankind and His plan for eternity. Why haven't we seen the second coming yet? Because God is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." [NKJV, 2 Pe 3:9]

As for the scoffers, I think Charles Spurgeon said it best in his 1857 sermon "Secret Sins" when he said:

When Christ comes a second time, there will be a marvelous change in the way men talk. Me thinks I see him; there he sits upon his throne. Now, Caiaphas, come and condemn him now! Judas! Come and kiss him now! What do you stick at man? Are you afraid of him? Now, Barabbas, go! See whether they prefer you to Christ now. Swearer, now is your time; you have been a bold man; curse him to his face now. Drunkard, stagger up to him now! Infidel, tell him to his face that there is no Christ now that the world is lit with lightning and the earth is shaken with thunder. Tell God there is no God now; now laugh at the Bible, now scoff at the minister. Why, men, what is the matter with you? Why can’t you do it? Ah! There you are: you have fled to the hills and to the rocks. ‘Rocks hide us! Mountains fall on us! Hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne.’ ‘Ah! Where are now your boasts, your vaunting, and your glories? Alas! Alas! For you in that dread day of wonders!’

Hope you have a wonderful day!
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

Temporal vs. Eternal

2010-08-06T10:53:00.000-04:00

Col 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

How many times do we plan for the here and now? It is interesting to ask Christians the goals they are working toward. For example, some may say they want to be the president or CEO of a major international corporation. Some may want a house on the beach or a European sports car. Most people at least plan for a retirement where they can enjoy peace and security until they die. These things are great aspirations, however, it leads me to ask a question.

Do we sacrifice our faith to obtain those goals?

Please don't misunderstand my comments here. I am NOT saying that being the CEO of a company, having a nice house, having a nice car, or planning for retirement is wrong. What I am saying is we need to be checking our focus. Does that position at your job stand before God's will for your life? Does the desire to own that expensive sports car consume your thoughts and control your actions? Is your focus on the temporal?

Colossians tells us that we need to set our minds on things above rather than things here. Paul was not telling us to have a disdain of material things. We know that God created all and His work is good. However, when we let our (fleshly) desires take over it turns bad.

Paul is saying that what we gain here is only temporary and has no eternal benefit, however what we do for God is eternal. We forget that if we are fortunate we will walk this planet for 70+ years and then we will arrive into the eternal realm. When we finish our lives here we will not take anything with us. Nothing physical can go beyond the grave. So, in the time you have here are you building your treasures for rust and decay? Or, Christian, are you building your treasures for eternity? Think about the following: while on earth people invest large amounts of time and money into a retirement plan so when that time comes they can reap the rewards of their investments. Christian, we should be spending the 70+ years investing for eternity.

It is all about the temporal vs. the eternal. What are we doing that really matters?

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Destin and Qualified Community Responders

2010-07-31T17:35:00.001-04:00

The oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico caused a lot of people to change their plans about vacationing along the shorelines of the Gulf. Part of my plans were to spend a week here with family and enjoy the beautiful water and sands of Destin Florida. The thoughts of vacationing on oily beaches and not being allowed into the water plagued my mind for weeks before our scheduled trip but that did not stop us from going.

We were surprised with what we found when we arrived. There was no oil and the waters were perfect. We also noticed a reduction in the amount of people vacationing here this summer. As a matter of fact, this week we have yet to wait longer than 15 minutes for dinner (and that only happened 1 time). What a pleasant surprise.

What I did notice was people daily combing the beaches for oil. These guys are Qualified Community Responders and are paid by BP.

Look at them closely. They are wearing rubber boots, rubber gloves, long pants, and carrying what looks to be butterfly nets. They are walking up and down the beach everyday sifting through seaweed looking for oil deposits. What is interesting is where they are walking. These two are looking for oil 5 yards from the highest point water normally gets during high tide. Do you think they will find anything there? I don't. First of all I don't think there is anything to find in Destin. I applaud BP for training and hiring unemployed people at 18 dollars an hour to do this job (supervisors are getting 32 an hour) but it seems to be a blind task here in Destin.

These guys will tell you they are finding it in the seaweed but I have yet to locate any. Their response to this would be that I am not trained to see it. In any case, for what seems to be little to no oil there are a lot of people working at 18 dollars an hour to clean it up. I counted 14 this past Monday.

So if you come to Destin look for the little tents with people in yellow boots sitting underneath. There should be a four wheeler close by.

Every now and then a couple will make a trek through the beautiful white sands looking for tar-balls. They are the Qualified Community Responders.

Come to Destin where the beaches are white and the water is clear. I have enjoyed an awesome vacation with my family at the most beautiful beach in the country.

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Location:Hwy 98 E,Destin,United States

Hopeless people, suicidal pigs, and angry farmers.

2010-07-30T08:13:00.000-04:00

I just recently challenged my Facebook friends to look at Matthew 8:28-34 and to find application in those verses. I thought I would share it on my blog as well. Before reading the rest of this article read those verses and see what you can find.

Glad you are back! Let's look at a couple of things. To the Jewish mindset farmers should not be raising animals that are unclean to eat. Therefore, the loss of a herd of pigs was not a great loss to a Jewish audience. Remember, Matthew's account was written with a Jewish flavor because that was his background. From the view of the farmers, however, this was a great loss.

There are different reactions by different audiences. The Jews focused on the pig farmers and felt there was no great loss because they were doing something they were not supposed to be doing in the first place. The application here is to make sure to be focused on what is important to God rather than our personal desires. Sometimes we can't see those (the individuals) who need to be freed from sin because we are more concerned with their actions (the sin itself).

The farmers, on the other hand, suffered a great loss (their livelihood) for the liberation of two men. Obviously, they were angry and reported this to their families and friends who in turn asked Jesus to leave the area. The application here is to be careful what you deem to be important in your lives. We must be careful to follow Jesus no matter what the cost. Are we willing to give up everything to follow Jesus or are we more concerned about our "stuff"?

Finally, in this passage we see that Jesus can free us from the realm and control of the unseen. Satanic control and influence are real and we must be sure of whose side we are on. Have you been freed from the chains and bondage of sin and death? This is not something you can do on your own, but rather is is only through the power of Jesus Himself.

It is a great passage to study. Hopeless people, suicidal pigs, and angry farmers. Jesus certainly "stirs things up"!

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

The Lamp of the Body

2010-07-26T08:27:00.001-04:00

In my devotion time this morning two verses stood out above all the rest. The verses were the following:

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23 NKJV)

Jesus makes reference to a major problem of the Pharisees. They believed that wealth was an outward sign of God's blessing and they wanted to make sure that everyone saw how "blessed" they were. Therefore, they became consumed with financial gain. We see that almost everything the Pharisees did was for "appearance". Jesus had just finished talking about the wrong motive of giving, fasting, and praying. Practicing these with the goal of being seen would produce no Spiritual benefit. Therefore, we must keep check on our motives for our actions.

The use of our eyes will reveal what is most important to us. If our goal every waking moment is to watch ESPN then we will have the tv on and set to that channel every day. If our love is horror movies then we will rent them or go to the theater to watch them. Whatever our heart's desire, our eyes will consume.

Jesus said that if our eye was good our whole body would be full of light. If Christ is in your heart and Lord of your life then your eyes will be focused toward Him and His ways. You will be reading His Word and seeking His Will. The result will be a life that illuminates Christ.

What are your eyes are focused on? Is it Christ or something else?

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Restricted Worship

2010-07-07T08:57:00.001-04:00

Each year after going to camp I realize that there is a missing element in our lives when we are in the routines of our everyday world. When we go to camp we are removed from the "routine" schedule. We do not have cellphones to text our friends. We do not have TV to consume our evenings. We do not have iPods or MP3 players. We do not have any of the things that we depend on every day. The purpose of this is so we can completely focus on our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

In that "zone" we are more likely to be serious about connecting with Jesus. We spend time studying the Word. We spend more time in prayer. We spend more time listening and meditating on the sermons we hear. This brings an interesting result into our lives. We experience true worship.

In our churches today and in our everyday lives I don't believe we see much true worship. When we are sitting in the pews we may sing some songs and throw some cash in the offerings but we never experience the Spirit of God. In our daily lives our quiet times are so cut and dry we never hear from or are touched by the Spirit. Unfortunately we spend more time in front of our TV's and listening to our iPods than we do in the Word. What is the result? Restricted Worship.

I posted a video last week of part of a worship time at camp. The audio is a little distorted (it was the best I could do with a cell phone) but you will see the concept of public worship without reservation. The majority of vocals is from the students. What really hit home was the question from a student that asked why we don't worship like this in our churches. My answer is probably because we are not prepared to worship. There are too many distractions and we are too concerned what others might think or say.

If our distractions hinder our worship then are our distractions becoming our god? How do you worship? Is it unrestricted and daily?

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Global Youth Camp - HBC

2010-07-03T00:21:00.000-04:00

Love, the top building block above faith

2010-06-18T08:52:00.000-04:00

2 Peter 1:7b says " and to brotherly kindness love".

Peter has given us a list of characteristics to work on within our journey of sanctification. Love is the last one that he brought to the table. Does this mean that it is the least significant? Absolutely not!

It may appear that Peter is geing a little repetitive with the love virtue, because he just mentioned brotherly kindness (or brotherly love). What is the difference here? The previous characteristic, brotherly love, is a love that we show within the walls of the church. It is a love that we exhibit to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Today's characteristic is one that is shown outside of the church walls.

Jesus was very specific about showing love to this world that is around us. He told us to love our enemies. He told us to love those who persecute us. He told us to love our neighbor. As Christians do we love our enemies and neighbors? Better yet, do we even know the names of our neighbors?

Love is the final virtue for a very special purpose. Love is the fruit of faith. When your faith is strong and growing, you will find it easy to love. So as we are going and as we are growing let us express the love of Christ in all we do. The Southern Baptists recently had a slogan that said "Love Out Loud". Let me follow that by saying "crank it up"!

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Brotherly kindness, a building block above faith

2010-06-17T07:59:00.000-04:00

2 Peter 1:7a says "to godliness brotherly kindness".

Brotherly kindness comes from the Greek word philadelphia and carries the meaning to show love to your brothers and sisters in Christ. This showing of love should come from the heart and not be just meaningless actions. There is a lot to say in the Bible about how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Matthew 22:37-39 says "Jesus said to him, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"

It is interesting that we can plug all 10 Old Testament Commandments into these two that Jesus gave us. Note that we first must love God with all of our being and then we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Sometimes I wonder how much the Christian loves himself when I see how they treat their friends with disrespect.

Romans 12:10 says "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another". In other words we need to be showing our brothers love in all that we do. We need to have a genuine concern for our brother caring for their needs and well being.

One of the most compelling verses in the New Testament about loving our brother is found in 1 John 4:20 which says "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?"

These words speak volumes concerning our love for our brother. What are your actions saying about the condition of your heart?

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Godliness, a building block above faith.

2010-06-14T07:14:00.000-04:00

The last part of 2 Peter 1:6 says: "to perseverance godliness". This is our next building block to add to the foundation of faith. Yesterday we saw that perseverance meant to remain under God's direction in any situation we encounter. It is interesting that Peter now adds the element of godliness to the mix.

Godliness essentially means to live "godly lives". In light of the fact that we are to persevere within all circumstances, we are also to live our lives in a godly manner. If we mess up and make bad decisions or unwise choices we could ruin our reputation and destroy our witness. Therefore, it is critical that we strive to live godly lives in the face of a corrupt and dark world. It is too easy to "give in" or "give up" when times are tough, which is exactly what satan wants.

Maybe you have already messed up, given up, and allowed the enemy to shut you up. This doesn't mean that it is over. It means that you need to allow God to pick you up, dust you off, and get you back on track. Make a concious effort to live a life that is honoring to the Father. Be in His Word and under Biblically sound teaching and preaching. Think about the incredible opportunities which are before us. (Matthew 9:37)

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Perseverence, a building block above faith

2010-06-13T14:35:00.000-04:00

Within verse 6 of 2nd Peter chapter 1 we see the next building block to add to faith after self-control. It says: "to self-control perseverance".

This is another element that we need to add to the mix in our Spiritual growth. Keep in mind that Peter is getting ready to talk in detail about false prophets and false teachers. The word used for perseverance is "hypomenen". This word essentially means to "stay under". It gives us the impression that we need to hold fast in the face of adversity and to stay steady no matter what challenges us. We do not need to give up in these troubled times.

As we approach the last days, there will be more and more false teachings. There will be more opportunities for deception and evil. We must be sure to remain in His Word and remain steadfast in our faith. As we are to be self-controlled, we are to persevere. As we are to live a life above reproach, we are to persevere. As we learn more about our Savior and apply His truths to our lives, we are to persevere.

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

Self-Control, a building block above faith

2010-06-12T08:33:00.003-04:00

2 Peter 1:6a says "to knowledge, self-control..."

As we continue look at the list of characteristics that Peter emphasizes that must be added to the foundation of faith, we quickly realize that the process of sanctification is becoming evident. The life of the Christian must always be growing and maturing and this involves self-control.

Do we have issues with self-control in today's society? Absolutely! We find it difficult to keep ourselves from getting seconds or thirds at the dinner table. We have difficulty putting down the remote control when we know that we would be better off spending the time in the study of God's Word. We find it difficult not to say what is on our mind when someone rubs us the wrong way. In general, we struggle with self-control.

In the Hellenistic world of Peter's day the idea of self-control is related to athletics. When an athlete would begin to prepare for competition, he would become very disciplined and exercise great self-control. He would obstain from certain foods and drink. He would carve out long periods of his day preparing and training for the events that were before him. He would make sure his actions before the days of competition would not disqualify him from competiton or tarnish his reputation (too bad today's athletes don't do this). Self-control was serious for the one who was preparing for competition.

The apostle Paul compared the Christian life to a race. In 1 Corinthians 9:25 he said: And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

Our journey of spiritual growth requires self-control. Like the athlete who carves out great amounts of time each day for training, we also need to focus our day on the Lord. Like the athlete who obstains from certain food and drink, we too need to be careful what we take into our minds and hearts. Like the athlete who watches his actions, we too need to be careful what we do and where we go as not to destroy our witness or fall to temptation. The careful thought and control of our actions is part of maturing in the faith.

In your life what will it take to be self-controlled?

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Knowledge, a building block above faith

2010-06-11T08:10:00.002-04:00

2 Peter 1:5 says "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge"

You might think this one is obvious in meaning. However, I think there may be a little more to it than surface value. For example, the original term in the Greek for the word knowlege could mean understanding the moral compass of others, having insight in all circumstances, and the ability to use our minds in whatever we do.

It would be easy to take this verse and say that we need to be always learning. However, learning without application is pretty useless. I could learn all I wanted to about a person's human nature but if I do not use that knowledge to help me relate to others or to forsee an event that I need to help them avoid, then it is only knowledge.

What is interesting is the fact that knowledge can strengthen our faith. It has also been said that knowledge is rooted in trust. The more you know about God, the stronger your faith will become. The more you understand the nature of God the more you will trust Him.

This should be a driving force for our quiet time or daily devotion time. We should desire to be in His Word learning more about Him. As we learn more about Him then our trust will naturally grow. Therefore, as the Scripture says, to our faith we need to add virtue (outstanding moral character). On top of virtue we need to add knowledge (having insight in all circumstances). Are you growing in your faith?

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

Virtue, a building block above faith.

2010-06-10T07:51:00.002-04:00

2 Peter 1:5a says the following: But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue...

The Christian life is full of challenges and as I continue to learn more and more about my faith I am coming to the conclusion that I must continually grow in my faith. I cannot sit still and do nothing. The question that comes to mind is "how can I grow in my faith"? 2 Peter chapter 1 gives us an idea of things we need to be adding to our faith in our daily walk with the Lord.

First, it says we must add virtue to our faith. What is virtue, and how do I add it to my faith? The word used for virtue comes from the Greek word that can also be translated "excellence of character" or "goodness". It is interesting that immediately on the top of our faith we need to add a characteristic that reflects the nature of God. We know that God is good and as be strive to become more like Christ, our nature should be good as well. We should strive for moral excellence.

That means we need to seek to remove anything from or lives that would not reflect the nature of God. This is no easy task because it requires knowing Him and understanding His ways. We have to be in His Word daily and be seeking Him through prayer.

Spend a few minutes thinking about adding moral excellence to your list of characteristics. Can it be said of you that virtue is a characteristic that you hold? I hope and pray that is true for your life.

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
www.dougjohnson.net

What is your motivation?

2010-05-27T18:15:00.003-04:00

Have you ever been in a hurry to get home and realized that you were on empty and had to stop and get gas? That is what happened tonight. I had just picked up my daughter from practice and we made one quick
stop and I still had to fuel the car. I stopped at one of the local convenient stores and put my debit card into the pump and the message on the screen read "see cashier". That will make your day.

The wind is picking up and the sky seems to be threatening rain and I want to get home. I don't need to see the cashier, I need to get gas. However, to be able to get gas I will have to see the cashier. As I make my way into the store I notice that there are multiple lines in front of the cashiers. So, I decide on the like that looks the shortest and the fastest. I picked the best line. This lady was moving the people through quickly. I get to the number two position and when the person who is in front of me finishes I am thinking "my turn". At that very moment a lady from the other line cuts over in front of me. I am thinking "why did you just do that"? I am sure the look on my face was one of shock and unbelief. I do remember my mouth being open when she turns around and gives me one of those "what are you going to do about it" looks. To make matters worse, when she finishes she backs up two steps and allows a person who was behind her in the other line to get in front of my line. Now I opened my mouth. I asked "excuse me" to which she replied "I have been here longer than you have". My response was: "you were in the 'other' line".

While she is telling me how much time she has been in line the cashier rings up the new person at the front of the line (Why did the cashier do that?). To add icing to the cake, once the new customer finished her transaction, the original line cutter begins a conversation about the weather with the cashier. Give me a break! How many more interruptions can there be? I just want to get some gas and go home.

My question here is "what problems did I actually encounter"?

A technology problem.
A impatient person.
A rude person.
A cashier who doesn't care about forcing fairness.

This combination with my impatience could have led to a really bad scene. I kept thinking about the whole scenario throughout the process. This is a picture of western culture today. People are self-centered, rude, have no concern for their neighbor, and unwilling to make a stand for what is right. However, I do believe we need to address the issue when presented but we need to watch how we present our objections in the process. This could have been handled in three different ways:

I could have cleared the twinkies off the shelves while yelling at the top of my lungs what I felt about each individual and their part in the process. (Ask me about my Lowes experience)
I could have done nothing.. (It is called passiveness. Not always the best option)
I could have expressed concern over what had happened in a non-threatening manner to everyone involved. (Is this what you would do?)

There are a few things that come to my mind when I encounter these types of interactions with others. They are:

Man has been created in God's image. (If we hate someone, do we not hate the image of God?)
Ephesians 4:29 says: Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (Too often when we feel wronged, this is not they way we want to react.)
James 3:13-18 says: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (Wisdom only comes from the father in heaven. Therefore, our reactions need to be driven by Him as well.)

These notes show an example of motivation. What motivates you to do the things you do? If you are defending your faith - make a stand at whatever cost. If you are defending someone or something for their safety or betterment - make a stand at whatever cost. However, if our motivation is self-centered and self-focused then there is very little we can do to make things better in that situation. It is wise to make your concerns known, but understand that if someone has done something wrong they will usually stop at nothing to save face. That night, to me, wasn't a hill worth dying on.

Check your motivation then count the cost.

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

The Crowd Gathered

2010-05-01T18:05:00.001-04:00

Have you ever witnessed a fight? Or, for that matter have you ever been in a fight? I honestly believe that pride and stubbornness are the two contributing factors to getting one's teeth knocked out. Let me explain. When two people have a disagreement on something and refuse to walk away from the issue then it can escalate into something more. The following points seem to be consistent during this escalation time period:

One of the two parties will begin to raise their voice. (This seems to happen especially if one party believes they are at a disadvantage.)
When the volume of the conversation begins to rise people begin to gather. (This is usually a key element to allow pride to force either side NOT to back down. When you are in the middle of an argument and there are a bunch of people standing around, you will do about anything to save face.)
If the disagreement continues into this stage, then one party may become physical by shoving the other.
If no-one steps in, then it is on!

Does this sound familiar? It seems like this is usually the way it goes.

As I am writing this on my phone, something similar just happened. (What timing!) I was watching a basketball game when a player was ejected from the game. Someone on the player's team just challenged the official's supervisor about the actions of the referee. Neither side was giving in and the gentleman who initiated the challenge began to raise his voice. The supervisor, noticing the attention of the crowd, asked the man to move out into the hallway to continue the discussion. He was able to get the guy out of the spotlight and therefore reducing the opportunity for a bad conflict.

I just stopped on a passage in Scripture where one may see a glimpse of the beginning stages of conflict. The passage is found in Mark 9:14 and it says:

And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. [NKJV]

Imagine the scene in this passage. A father was looking for Jesus to heal his son from demon possession. Not finding Jesus he did find His disciples. He asked them to see if they could heal his son. If you recall the power granted to the disciples in chapter 6 you would remember that they were given power to heal and to cast out demons. However, in this situation they were not able to do so.

The scribes were obviously present when this happened and upon their failure they took the opportunity to challenge the disciple's authority. The Scripture also tells us that there was a crowd with them. It is starting to sound like trouble is on the horizon.

What causes people to welcome conflict? The answer is pride. In the situation with the disciples they began to take their power for granted. They began to rely on themselves rather than God for the miracles which resulted in failure. This failure probably led them to attempt to "save face" in the midst of the dispute. This could be a possible explanation for the gathering of the crowd.

The same thing happens today. When we rely on our own actions and turn our backs on God we set ourselves up for failure. Once in the middle of failure, pride takes over pushing us to save face. The result could make the newspapers.

Don't get me wrong, we must always stand for truth. However, if we are making a stand for God without selfish ambitions then the battle is Gods and not ours. The result is entirely different.

In Christ,
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

Slow Down!

2010-04-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

O had one of those "ah-ha" moments today while I was watching a video that a guy by the name of Mark Barnes created illustrating how he uses Logos 4 to help him prepare sermons. I was interested in understanding how others use the software for Bible Study since it is complex and very powerful. What really caught my attention was the fact that he still uses a paper method of breaking down the important areas of the text. I am not sure I will go back to a paper method even after watching his video; however, I did find it intriguing.

What really struck me as interesting was the fact that using the paper method slowed him down. I use the software so I can use a greater amount of resources in a shorter amount of time. Why would anyone want to slow their technique down? The answer to that question is very important. He said it is like getting an airplane ticket from the east coast of the states to the west coast of the states. How long would it take to get from point A to point B? Not too many hours if you are fortunate. Now compare that amount of time with the time it would take to drive the same distance. Driving would take a person days!

Everyone wants to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible; however, we must ask if speed is always the best. What does a person lose by taking the plane? The answer is the details of the countryside. These details would include the towns, the sights, and the people. If you drive you will gain a lot more information about the route of travel.

Let's apply this principle to Bible study. Do you have a plan to read through the Bible in a year? If so, good for you. However, does this method create any problems for understanding Scripture? I would have to answer that question with a yes. Too often we get caught up in reading the text and not studying the text. Studying the text takes time. Sometimes I get into a few verses and spend a couple of hours trying to understand them.

If you are on a reading plan be sure to take time to go through it. Using a plan is not about "checking off" the Bible reading from your day planner. It is about getting you into a habit of studying God's Word. When Scripture becomes alive before you then it means so much more. Therefore, slow down and see the big picture.

Studying,
Doug Johnson
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

The Response of the Crowd

2010-04-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

Have you ever felt like making a stand for Jesus but were worried about what others might think? Have you ever been convicted of your sins and felt Jesus calling you to repent and follow Him but you were afraid that you would lose friends?

Mark 10:46-48 says:

As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” [The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 10:46–48.]

I want to focus for a few moments on verse 48 which says "that many warned him to be quiet". In other words, they were saying "we don’t want to hear from you". You don’t know what you are doing. Who are you to be demanding the attention? People were rejecting Bartimaeus's cry to the Savior. I am sure this picture is like the thoughts that go through our own minds. The exciting thing we see from Bartimaeus is is the fact that when the crowd rebuked him, he cried out all the more. "Son of David" have mercy on me!"

That day, Jesus stopped and commanded Bartimaeus to be called. What is so awesome about this account is that the crowd's response changes. They no longer say, be quiet, but rather, be of good cheer, Jesus is calling you. Get up and come to Jesus. Isn't it amazing?

When we stand against the crowd for Christ, Christ will get the last word. Not only that, once you cry out to Jesus, nothing or no-one can stop Him from responding. We know that Jesus will respond but the question becomes "are you willing to take a stand for Him no matter the circumstances?" Think about the following:

Matthew 10:32-33 says: Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. [Ibid., Matt 10:32-33]

What do you believe to be the greatest decision?

In Christ,
Doug Johnson
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

The Choices of Mary and Judas

2010-04-16T08:00:00.001-04:00

Matthew 26:6-13 says the following:

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” [The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 26:6–13.]

This passage deals with a couple of people. The first person is Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, as recorded in John 12:3-4. The second person is not really seen in this Gospel account, however, in the Gospel of John we see that it is Judas who makes the objection. Therefore, we have two different people contrasting what should be done with the expensive oil. Mary seized the opportunity to serve Jesus by anointing His feet with this costly perfume. Judas Iscariot, however, chose to criticize this woman for her act. Judas, being the disciples' treasurer, is more concerned about the cost of the oil rather than Christ Himself. Who do you think made the better choice?

Most of us would probably answer Mary. Why is that? Because what she did was a sacrificial act for the Lord. Judas, however, could care less about the anointing of Jesus' body, but rather desired to have the money that was equivalent to the oil's value. Sometimes we make the decision of Judas when it comes to service. Sometimes we choose to focus on the material rather than Christ. We may have a motive that seems "spiritual" but we miss the Will of Christ. We know that Judas missed Christ altogether.

Let me challenge you today to focus on Christ before anything else. It may mean the difference between obedience and disobedience.

In Christ,
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

Choices

2010-04-14T08:00:00.002-04:00

We are all faced with choices. Every day you are bombarded with choices. Some choices are simple and some are complex. For example, do you find yourself asking the following questions?

What will I wear today?
What will I eat today?
What will I watch on TV today?
Will I go to the movies tonight?

Some choices are a little more complex than others. For example:

Do I take this new job opportunity that is before me?
Will I choose to make a stand for what I believe today?

We have all had opportunities and made choices that we have liked and disliked. Sometimes we regret the decisions that we made while other times we have been excited about those choices.

Matthew 26:1-5 says the following:

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.” [The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 26:1–5.]

In this passage, the Jewish Leadership, chose to reject the message of Jesus and began to plot how to kill Him. The leadership had come face to face with the Messiah but refused to believe that it was Him. The result of that unbelief would be to their downfall. I must ask the question why would those who were religious leaders not see that this was who they were looking for? Was it because they were more focused on the position rather than the person? Was it because they were corrupt and this created a problem for them? Would it have been an embarrassment to them to realize they had missed the mark and led others to do the same?

These questions can apply to us today. Have you had an encounter with Jesus? Was it a life changing encounter? In other words, did you surrender when you realized that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and without Him there was no hope? It is a choice that you have to make. You will not be given forever to make that choice and doing nothing with that choice essentially is to deny.

In Christ,
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

Will You Compromise II

2010-04-12T20:58:00.001-04:00

Back on January 23rd I posted a blog article that was entitled "Will you Compromise". As I finish studying Daniel chapter 6 this subject continues to be on my mind.

Remember, Daniel is in captivity. Daniel, because of his obedience to God has been spared. Daniel, because of his refusal to compromise has been granted God’s blessing. Sometimes I believe that we don’t experience the great blessings God has for us because we are too quick to compromise. We compromise when we throw our friends out in front of the bus. We compromise when we start using profanity, or looking at Internet pornography. We compromise when we jump into bed with our boyfriend or girlfriend. We compromise when we neglect studying God’s Word everyday. We compromise and therefore we do not experience God’s blessings.

Daniel is faced with an extreme trial. The men who wanted Daniel removed took the information from their decpetive plan to the king and presented it before him. Not only that, they reminded him that the law could not be broken. The law of the Medes and Persians cannot be changed..

The king was upset but followed through with what the law demanded and threw Daniel into the den of lions. This really bothered the king. The Scripture records that he did not eat or sleep that night. He was greatly troubled. Early the next morning the Scripture records that the king went to the lions den and called out for Daniel who replied:

Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you. [The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).]

You see God saved Daniel. The lions did not even touch him. Why? Because he was found innocent before God. The Bible promises that whosoever believes upon Jesus will be saved. He did not know if he was going to be saved from the physical, but he had nothing to worry about.

We see something else in this verse. It says: I have done no wrong before you. Have you compromised your faith? If so, what is it going to take to change? A person living an unfaithful life is a person who is powerless before the enemy.

I am afraid we are living in a country that has compromised her beliefs.

In Christ,
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

The Faith of Daniel

2010-04-09T08:00:00.002-04:00

I am still studying Daniel chapter 6 and just focused on verse 4 which says the following:

So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. [The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Da 6:4.]

The princes and other governors were jealous. They did not like the fact that Daniel was in the position he was in and they probably did not like the fact he was a Judean. They wanted to destroy his reputation and knock him out of his seat of authority. Imagine the jealousy! But you know something? They could find no fault against Daniel.

The Scripture said: they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.

People have a difficult time finding fault in someone who is morally upright, especially against someone who is living for the Lord. As a matter of fact, these princes had to attack Daniel’s faith in God to attempt to get him removed; however, there was not even fault in Daniel’s faith. We have all seen an ugly political campaign but just imagine if a candidate was living a faithful life like David. What would the campaign look like? It would be completely different than many we see today.

Let me ask you a question. What does your faith look like? Do you have the faith of Daniel, where others cannot even point out that you have a lacking faith? Or, is your faith lacking? Would people have a difficult time knowing that you are a Christian?

Our desire should be to glorify God by our love and obedience to His will. When we are fully dedicated and devoted to Him our actions will be morally upright to a point that it would be difficult to find fault. Let me challenge you not to just live right but live for God. Be in His Word daily.

In Christ,
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

CBN - Sexually Indulgent Now, Marriage Ruined Later?

2010-04-08T15:30:00.001-04:00

CBN had a great report recently that presents scientific research showing how sexual permissiveness can do great damage to future sexual happiness. Take a look at the video. (If you are viewing this entry on an RSS feed or another source outside of my blog, you may have to go to my blog to see it. http://www.dougjohnson.net/)

The statistics of STD's and teen suicide are disturbing.

Thanks,
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

Why Did Daniel Stand Out?

2010-04-07T08:00:00.002-04:00

I am continuing to study a bit in the book of Daniel. In chapter 6 Darius restructures the governing authority of the kingdom. He appoints 120 princes, also known as satraps, to rule the kingdom. Above these princes, he sets up three governors, and one of those is Daniel. The text also tells us that the king gave thought of setting Daniel in control of the whole realm. I have to ask a question. Why did he do this? Why did Daniel stand out above the rest? I think the answer falls into two categories: what he did not do, and what he did do.

Here is what Daniel didn’t do:

He did not fight to get to the top.
He did not pull the spotlight on all of his great achievements.
He did not try to undercut the achievements of others.
He did not have jealousy in his heart for anyone else on the candidate list.

Here is what Daniel did do:

He set his priorities in order.
God first
Others second
(Where is the list of stuff?)

Daniel had character.

Definition of character: the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions
You’ve heard: It is who you are when no-one is looking!

Think about the following questions:

Q: Do you change who you are when around certain people?
Q: Would you be ashamed for others to know your secrets?
Q: If we made a movie of your true character, would you mind having it played on prime time TV?

I have to admit we live in a world that is self-centered. People do all kinds of crazy things to "get to the top". But one thing is sure, to have a respectable and desirable character, you have to do it God's way. It is what Daniel did.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. [The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 6:33.]

In Christ,
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/

They Try to Explain it Away

2010-04-05T22:15:00.004-04:00

With the resurrection of Jesus Christ fresh on our minds it is amazing how many cable channel documentaries try to explain it away. Obviously, the resurrection creates a problem for an unbelieving world. A former professor of mine referenced the following YouTube video on his blog and I wanted to share it with you. It shows how ridiculous the theory is that states Jesus did not die after His crucifixion and two days later he was walking 7 miles to Emmaus.

(Note: the images at the end of the video illustrate what an unbelieving world calls goofy; however Christians see those events as factual. If you cannot see the video because you are viewing this through an RSS feed or another source please go to my blog to see it.)

Jesus did die on the cross for the sins of the world but He did not stay in the grave. He arose on the third day conquering sin and the grave. He became the sacrifice for our sins and whosoever believes in Him will be saved. My challenge to the Christian is to prepare to stand in defense of your faith. The time is here.

In Christ,
Doug
http://www.dougjohnson.net/