GAJohnson.org | Hebrews Twelve Two

This is my last blog post

2009-06-18T16:39:05-07:00

As we continue to cut expenditures to navigate through this economic crises that has drastically impacted donations to LGF and many other non profit organizations, it has been decided to not continue with my blog at www.GAJohnson.org effective 6/20/2009. If you would like to get any thing off of my blog, you will need to do so today or Friday, 6/19/2009.

You can receive my daily email that I send out to encourage the reader, continue to listen to my messages and connect with me on facebook and on twitter which are free social networking sites.

Donations of any amount are always needed and will help us not have to make more difficult decisions in the days ahead.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

Trouble for Doing Good

2009-06-14T14:40:08-07:00

There are times when you will find yourself in trouble for doing good and the trouble may come from those who should be happy about the good you are doing.

There are some keys in overcoming trouble in the midst of doing good that can be made relevant to us from the following account.

(Acts 4:1-22 NIV) The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. [2] They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. [3] They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. [4] But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. [5] The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. [6] Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. [7] They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?" [8] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! [9] If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, [10] then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. [11] He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' [12] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." [13] When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. [14] But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. [15] So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. [16] "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. [17] But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name." [18] Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. [19] But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. [20] For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." [21] After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. [22] For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

In times when you find yourself in trouble for doing good, rely on the help of the Holy Spirit, allow Christ to be exalted in your words and actions and let the results of your good work stand for itself.

You will overcome trouble in the midst of doing good.

And you can click here and go through acts with me.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

Staying True to the Heavenly Vision

2009-06-10T10:50:13-07:00

He was imprisoned once again.

Not for doing anything wrong, but for doing good.

Religionists discriminated based on race and status, but he refused to do so.

Religionists tried to kill him.

But he never lost focus.

He continued on his mission and refused not to fulfill his purpose in life.

God was his help.

Christ was his focus.

He was a Christ follower.

He always talked about repentance and encouraged others to follow Christ and continue His point of need ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit.

He was a church planter, but not a building builder, a program inventor, nor an event coordinator.

He was educated in God’s Word, but his speech was not eloquent.

It was not entertaining.

It was to the point.

There was no joke, 3 point message, poem and a prayer, but there was always a fresh message from the heart of God birthed through prayer and rooted in the truth of God’s Word.

He preached a suffering Christ pointing people to the simplicity of the cross and the reality of the resurrection.

His words brought conviction, but were always mixed with grace.

He wrote two-thirds of the New Testament under the unction of the Holy Spirit.

He suffered much, but he was always obedient and stayed true to the heavenly vision.

In the imprisoned Apostle Paul’s own words:

Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles. (Acts 26:19-23 ESV)

Beloved, stay true to the heavenly vision.

Follow Christ and continue His point of need ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Religionists won’t care much for you.

But, God will be your help.

And, you will be successful in His eyes.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

Jesus is Praying for You

2009-06-08T19:00:00-07:00

I imagine that each of us have people praying for us that we don’t even realize. It may be parents, siblings, grandparents, a fellow worker, a friend, a neighbor or maybe someone we have never met.

Becky and I have prayer partners from all around the world that pray for us and our ministry. I thank God for every one of them.

Thank God for each one that prays for others. But, you know what? If each of us had no one on this earth praying for us, we have someone interceding for us at God’s right hand.

Jesus is praying for each of us.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross dying, He prayed a simple but yet powerful prayer for those who had sinned against Him. They had just brutally beaten Him and nailed Him to the cross, but in His dying moments He prayed “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

What a prayer. Amazing Grace. Mercy beyond measure.

I believe Jesus is praying that for us today. We mess up. We fall short in so many areas. We miss the mark. And I believe Jesus, now at the right hand of God, whispers in the Father’s ear “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Take a moment and thank Jesus for His prayers for you.

He died for you. He is living for you. He is loving you. And He is praying for you.

(Romans 8:34-39 NIV) Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [36] As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You will make it as you trust in Him.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

My Baby Graduated

2009-06-06T19:02:08-07:00

My baby girl, Kelsey Ann, graduated from High School Friday evening.

I am very proud of her.

She graduated valedictorian.

She was president of the National Honor Society.

She lettered in tennis the last two years.

She lettered in mock trial the last three years.

She is the recipient of University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship, the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship and the Sam Walton Community Scholarship.

Doesn't she look free?

My girls are beautiful.

She will always be my baby girl.

Here's the results of Becky and my genes. We have been blessed with great children and we are proud of them both.

And here is the whole crew.

It was a great night for the Johnson family!

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

Bible Teachings in Acts

2009-06-01T15:48:21-07:00

These are relevant verse by verse expository teaching of Scripture that will encourage and grow your faith.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

Silence and Intelligence

2009-05-26T08:04:05-07:00

Some people have something to say about everything. They defy the saying that “silence is golden.”

There are those who will always “one up” you. They always have the bigger fish story and usually begin with “that isn’t nothing, I…” .

There are those who will be glad to finish your sentences for you. After a while, they are doing all the talking, in which they find very much comfort in doing.

There are those who will be quick to correct your grammar. They oftentimes have less education, but at least they know the proper verb tense.

There are those who think they always have to add something to whatever subject is being talked about. Who are they trying to impress?

I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said “It’s better to be silent and look stupid than to speak and relieve all doubt”.

It is God’s Word that says “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise: when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” (Proverbs 17:28 ESV)

Silence is not only golden, it can be very intelligent.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

Planning Ahead

2009-05-22T09:05:39-07:00

Plan your day.

Plan your weekend.

Plan your week ahead.

Plan your month.

Plan your year.

Make plans.

God will establish your steps.

The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9 ESV)

Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride!

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

The One Thing You Owe

2009-05-20T10:17:04-07:00

There is one thing that you and I owe everyone.

We owe those of different race.

We owe the foreigner.

We owe the illegal immigrant.

We owe those of different sexual orientation.

We owe those who are pro life.

We owe those who are pro choice.

We owe the republican.

We owe the democrat.

We owe those of different faith.

We owe everyone one thing.

Love.

In loving everyone, we fulfill the law (Exodus 20) as Christ did.

(Romans 13:8-10 NIV) Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. [9] The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." [10] Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

It is Christ in us who loves all people through us empowering us to fulfill the law as He did.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship

Entertaining but Unscriptural Worship

2009-05-19T09:55:56-07:00

Most of that which is done in the modern church is not Scriptural.

Let’s look at worship.

There are worship bands, orchestras, worship teams, worship leaders, worship directors, worship pastors, choirs, worship services, worship experiences and worship times in church services.

All of this worship stuff takes place within the walls of a building and the confines of a service.

None of this is found in Scripture concerning worship within the church context, although much time and finances are spent on it in the modern church.

Now, I like good music, singing and entertainment as well as anyone, but I love Scripture and continue to be amazed at how much the modern church has drifted from its guidance which is easily identified by the allocation of resources in the modern church.

As an experiment, ask your pastor or church leader how much of the church budget goes to this type worship, how many volunteers are enlisted for it and how many volunteer hours per year are spent on it.

You may be surprised at how much is allocated to that which is not Scriptural but entertaining.

What is Scriptural concerning worship?

To give ourselves daily to God for His use in continuing the point of need ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ in the power and love of the Holy Spirit.

Let me give you just one Scripture on true worship.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1 ESV)

What would happen in our cities if those in the modern church where led to worship God on a daily basis in this fashion?

The book of Acts in the Bible gives us a glimpse of what it would look like.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder, Loving God Fellowship