What Concerns God?

Scripture Reading: Mark 8:31-38

Focus Verse: Mark 8:33  "But when Jesus turned and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter.  Get behind me, Satan! He said.  You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."

What concerns God the most?  God is concerned that His will be done on earth just like in heaven.  God is concerned with how His Kingdom is being built, not the kingdoms of the earth.  The Kingdom of heaven begins in our hearts with love for others and obedience to God.

God is concerned that He keeps His promises to us.  For example, He answers our prayers.  Exodus 2:24-25 says,  "God heard their groaning and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.  So God looked at the Israelites and was concerned about them."

God is also concerned when you are going through hard times of suffering.  He wants you to come to Him during those times for help.  Sadly, many people walk away from God during times of suffering.  Exodus 3:7 says,  "The Lord said, I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.  I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their sufferings."  God is concerned about the things we are concerned with.   Today, let our prayer to God be, "Father, keep my concerns in line with Your concerns."

Bobby Johnson
Director, Interlocking Ministries

What About People Who Have Not Heard The Gospel?

 What About People Who Have Not Heard The Gospel?

Scripture Reading: Romans 1:18-23

Focus Verse: Romans 1:20 “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature.  So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

As we know from reading the Bible that God will hold us accountable for what we know of Him. Does this mean that someone who has not heard the Gospel will go to heaven?  No.  All of us were born with a soul. And until we know God there is an emptiness that exists within us until we know Him.  I believe that someone that is truly seeking God, God will reveal Himself to them.  God may send you to that person.

There is a story in Acts 10 of a man named Cornelius.  He was a religious man who prayed to God, but he did not know God’s plan of salvation.  God sent the apostle Peter to share the message of salvation to him, and he accepted salvation.

But sadly there are many who hear the Gospel message and do not respond by accepting salvation.  God will make Himself known to those who truly want to know Him.  But to those who want to reject God in their lives that is a choice they are allowed to make.  And one day they will have to pay for their own sins separated from God for all eternity in a place called hell.  If you have never trusted Christ for your salvation, do that today through repentance of your sins, and faith in what God has done for you through Jesus' death on the cross.  You have heard the message of the Gospel, now what will you do about it?

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Rejoicing In Our Troubles

Scripture Reading: James 1:2-18

Focus Verses: James 1:2-4   "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

James tells us that during difficult times we can actually rejoice because we can know that during these times we can grow stronger spiritually.  Jesus said in John 16:33 “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 

Some people think that when they come to Christ for salvation all their troubles will go away.  They think I’ll have no more sickness, no more financial problems, no more relationship problems, etc.  The truth is some people actually have more problems after they come to Christ, because Satan is not happy with their decision.  If we had a choice I’m sure we would all choose to not have problems.  Handling problems is not one of my strong points.  I like to see things running smoothly.  If it’s broken I want to fix it.

In this world, we have troubles and trials. God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. But we have a choice.  When difficulties come the circumstances will either make us better or bitter against God. The outcome is up to us.  Are we going to come out the other side of a trial stronger in our faith or resenting God for what He has allowed?  I heard a pastor say “a faith that can’t be tested, is a faith that can’t be trusted.”  Rejoicing in our troubles is a choice we can make because it gives us a chance to exercise faith and grow closer to Him.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Do You Want Jesus To Change You?

Do You Want Jesus To Change You?

Scripture Reading: John 5:1-15

Focus Verse: John 5:6  “When Jesus saw the lame man and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, would you like to get well?”

John tells us that there was a lame man who couldn’t walk for 38 years.  That’s a long time.  One day Jesus was passing by and asked the lame man “would you like to get well?”  The lame man did not answer Jesus' question.  Instead he began to give Jesus all the reasons that he could not be healed. Jesus didn’t even acknowledge the reasons, but told him to stand up and walk! The man immediately stood up and picked up his mat.  

That lame man had been there for such a long time feeling discouraged. I don’t think the man knew that it was Jesus who spoke to him.  He was so concerned with getting into the pool after the waters had been stirred.  He didn’t realize this visitor before him could heal him with one spoken word.  This man was focused on what he needed to do on his own to be healed. Let us be more focused on the changes that Jesus can make in our lives when we surrender to Him. 

After the Jewish leaders complained about Jesus healing on the Sabbath, Jesus spoke to the healed man about not sinning anymore. Jesus changes us and wants our lives to reflect these changes.  And do we want these changes to occur? Jesus doesn’t want to leave us where we are.  God desires to change us and grow us into the image of His Son Jesus. Ephesians 4:24 says, "And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

My Hope is in the Lord

My Hope is in the Lord

Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-11

Focus Verses:  Romans 5:3-5  "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.   And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

Psalm 38:15 says, “For in You, O Lord, I hope, You will hear, O Lord my God."  David also tells us in another Psalm, “In the Word of the Lord I do hope.”  The world will never give you lasting satisfaction.  You may find temporary happiness in the world, but in the end you will be left empty.

There is a generation living in the world today who were born between 1995 to 2015.  Many in this generation live with hopelessness.  We know this because it has been observed that the rate of suicide is higher in this generation than any other generation.  I think this is because they are looking for hope and happiness in the things of the world.  This is lost thinking.  

 

 Only Jesus can give you lasting hope, peace, and happiness.  Many of us are now coming out of one of the hardest years of our lives.  Covid-19 has ruined many people's hopes and dreams for this life.  That’s because they have placed all their hopes in this world, in their money, and in their possessions.  Everything in this world is only temporary and will not last.  Gladly, when your hope is in Jesus, we know as believers in Him, He will walk with us now and carry us safely into eternity one day.   I have heard that Christians are like tea bags.  When you add hot water then you know if the flavor is good or bad.  We say someone is in "hot water" when they are having troubles.  Therefore, when Christians go through adversity and trials you find out what their faith is made of.  As we face this world let us say, “my hope is in the Lord, and in Him I will put my trust."  He will never let us down, because He loves us that much.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

What Are You Known For?

Scripture Reading:  Matthew 6:19-34

Focus Verse: Matthew 6:33  “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else….”

Jesus said “Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness above everything else.  God’s Kingdom can never be taken away from those who have put their trust in Christ.  In the Bible reading today, Jesus tells us not to worry about money and possessions and that He will provide for our needs.

This past week we watched on TV as more than 12,000 homes burned to the ground here in the US in the state of California.  Wildfires spread by very high winds burned everything in its path, and many also lost their lives.  This was very sad to see. Yes, we need homes to live in.  Yes, we need money to buy things and provide for our families.  Yes, it's important to have an education, but let’s not put these temporary things above what Jesus has told us is the most important thing.

This is an important question to ask yourself.  What are you known for? We want to be known for the right things as children of God because of our relationship with Christ.   I go to Kenya often on missions and people know that I’m the director of Interlocking Ministries.  Most importantly I hope that people know I’m seeking God's Kingdom.  Whatever is important to God is what should be important to us.  

Does your life reflect the life of a child of God?  Many people are known for their accomplishments. While others are known for material possessions they have acquired.  Maybe it’s large amounts of money, or a large home that they are known for.  Maybe it’s a university education that some people are known for.  But what happens to these people if these things are taken away?  Let's remember that Jesus tells us not to worry about money and possessions and that He will be everything that we need because He cares for us.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Walking Step by Step

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4: 7-18

Focus Verses: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18   Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

In the new year, we don't know what our days will be like, but as followers of Christ, we know that God is with us.  As we walk through this Christian life we understand that we will go through difficult times.  Most times we would like to see what is ahead for us, especially when difficult times are coming.  Sometimes we even face storms in life when we are doing our best to be in a right relationship with the Lord.  You may have read the verse in Psalm 34:19 that says “many are the afflictions of the righteous”.  But sometimes we fail to read the rest of the verse that says “But the Lord delivers us from them all.” 

Today's scripture reading tells us to make a comparison between the temporary with the eternal.  The light afflictions we have here on earth compared to the glory of heaven,  and the seen to the unseen.  If we have the right perspective on life with God’s help we can endure any trial by taking it one step at a time.  The unseen of heaven one day we will see.  Then the trials of this world will just be a faded memory.  So take this journey with the Lord step by step and remember to look for the unseen eternal.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries