When Saying "NO" Isn't enough

Scripture reading: Genesis 39

Focus verse: James 1:14-15 says  “ but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

Joseph walked with the Lord and the Lord caused him to have favor in the eyes of his master, Potiphar.  Although he was a slave, Joseph worked faithfully and desired to honor God with his life.  Potiphar's wife took notice of the handsome Joseph and asked him to go to bed and lie with her.  Joseph refused and explained his reason.  Day after day she wanted him and would not honor him.  He said "no" each time.  One day, she enticed him, took him by the coat and said for him to come lie with him.  Joseph ran.  Yes, he ran and left the coat in her hand.  He knew that he could not discuss it with her, because she would not listen.  Joseph honored God in his decision.  Sexual sin can also be very tempting.  That day, saying "no" was not enough. 

Sometimes you can explain the reasons why you choose to honor God with your decisions.  Sometimes, your gentleness will win someone over to Christ.  If a temptation continues to come at you from another person, especially someone who doesn't listen to reason, you must not have time with that person.  You might even have to RUN!

Is someone tempting you?  True love waits.
~Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

We Have This Ministry

We Have This Ministry
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4: 1-6

Focus verse:  2 Corinthians 4: 1-2a  "Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God."

Before you came to know Jesus as your Savior, you walked in shameful and deceptive ways.  It is only because of God's mercy that we can now have a ministry of Christ.  God revealed His Glory in the "face of Jesus Christ" and, having received Him, we are assigned to the ministry of teaching the truth of the Word of God.

We do not deserve to be the carriers of such a wonderful message.  We were blemished with sin, but it is through Jesus that we have been made whole, clean and pure before God.  The mercy that is shown to us should encourage us to continue in ministry to those who walk in darkness.  We do not lose heart as we teach the truth of His mercy.

God's spirit produces courage in the believer for an open display of God's truth.

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Someone's Watching You

Someone's Watching You

Scripture Reading:  Psalm 139

Focus Verse: Psalm 139:1  "O Lord You have examined my heart and know everything about me."

Recently governments around the world have been accused of keeping too much personal information on computers about its citizens.  People are saying this is an invasion of privacy.  We should not forget that God is keeping detailed information on each one of us.  He is keeping much more information about us than any government could keep.  God knows more about you than you know about yourself.

Hebrews 4:13 says,  "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight .  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."  It amazes me that God knows all my shortcoming, my weaknesses, my sins, and all the things I thought were hidden from everyone, yet He loves me.  God desires to forgive me and help me overcome them in order to live a life more like His Son, Jesus.

Those of us who have repented and follow Christ have reason to rejoice.  Jesus has removed all these things from us just as if we never did them.  2 Corinthians 5:19 says, "For God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them."  This is the wonderful message He has given us to tell others.  We have hope today because the One that is watching us is also the One forgiving us, as we place our trust in Him.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Fear God With a Fear that Keeps You Close

Bible Reading: Psalm 76

Memory verse: Psalm 111:10  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and they who live by it grow in understanding..."
 
Fear God.  Some people struggle with that, but knowing His power, I fear.   Fear is what brings us to understand that we need a Savior.

Romans 3:23 tells us that we have fallen short of God's standard with our sin.
Romans 6:23 says that God's price for our sin is death.
Jesus paid that price (Romans 5:8) with His death on the cross and resurrection.
John 3:16 tells us that God loved us enough to send His Son Jesus so that if you CHOOSE to believe and follow Him then your soul will not perish, but have eternal life after the earthly death.   What will you choose?

Those who never choose to follow Him, should fear for their eternal judgement. But knowing His love, I have joined Him, love Him, accepted Jesus as my Savior and will follow Him.   Fear... respect... adore... worship... reverence... honor... glory... fear.  Yes, fear. Not a fear that keeps me away, but a fear that keeps me CLOSE to Him in obedience and trust.   I have begun to appreciate the kindness of God, but the also the fact that He is Just and He will rebuke and discipline when we sin.  There comes an earthly consequence to sin even as there is still eternal life for the believer.  We will strive to please Him, and when we fail, we should quickly return to Him in repentance.  Do not give up or lose heart.

~Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

More verses to meditate on today:
Prov 8:13 (NIV) "To fear the Lord is to hate evil."
Prov 19:23 (NEB) "The fear of the Lord is life; he who is full of it will rest untouched by evil."
Prov 16:6 (NEB) ...the fear of the Lord makes men turn from evil.
Job 28:28 (NEB) ..."The fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to turn from evil is understanding."

The Perfect Authority

Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-5

Focus verse: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. "  Genesis 1:1

What do you think when you hear the word "Authority"?
There are police, Chiefs, Managers, Presidents, teachers, parents, and if you work, you might have a boss.  It is necessary that we have authority and follow it or else there would be chaos.  We don't always agree with them, we may not have voted for them, but we accept it.

When you are under someone's authority, you may feel like you struggle with your attitude toward their them.  You may even feel like rebelling.  But, how does it feel if you are the one in authority?  Suddenly, you want everyone to listen and follow you.  Which do you prefer?  We think that we have less freedom when we are under someone else's authority. 

Really?  That's what Eve thought in the Garden of Eden.  She was interested in getting out from under authority, but she had the best authority... God.  He was perfect, gave Adam and Eve everything they needed and allowed them to have such freedom in the Garden.  They were only forbidden to eat of the fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Lots of freedom.

Did Adam and Eve find more freedom or less freedom by disobeying their authority?  We all are under authority of someone, and the perfect authority is God.   We must choose to give ourselves over to God's authority if we want to be FREE.  Truly free.

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Confrontation and Restoration

Scripture Reading:  Matthew 18:15-35

Focus Verses:  Matthew 18:21-22  Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?  Seven times?  No, Jesus replied, seventy times seven.

There is a story that is told about a father and son.  The relationship was broken for quite some time.  So the father posted a sign in the town that read:  "Son------all is forgiven.  Meet me here at sunset".   At the appointed time seventy-five young men showed up.  Perhaps we don't realize how many broken relationships there are all around us.  Maybe you are thinking of a broken relationship in your life right now while reading this.  Life is too short to hold a grudge against someone.

Jesus said we should forgive 70x7.  That's 490 times.  Does that mean we don't forgive the 491st time?  No, I think the point Jesus is making that we should always forgive our brother or sister no matter how many times they have wronged us.

Is there a relationship in your life that needs repairing?  Maybe it's someone you have not talked to in years.  Obviously, you are trying to live the Christian life because you are reading this devotion.  What do you think would happen if you made the first step in repairing that relationship?  It just might change your life. Ask God to help you, He will.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Confession Builds Community

Confession builds Community

Scripture reading: Nehemiah 9:1-5 and James 5: 13-20

Focus verse: James 5:16 (HCS)  "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent [prayer] of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect."

When someone confesses to a sin, you see them humbled before you and God.  This brings the opportunity to build community when you pray for that person.

In the scripture reading, you see the Israelites of Nehemiah's time, and in James, the Christians, confessing their sins to each other.  This was a practice that helped build community.  When you read the Word of God and face your humanity, it humbles and brings confession.  All of us have sinned and fall short of God's best.  Community is built stronger when we realize that there is none righteous, but Jesus.  We recognize Jesus as the head of our community.

I remember at a campfire service, there were testimonies of the work of Christ in the lives of the people.  One young man stood and confessed to a hidden sin.  This humble act of confession sent shockwaves as two more young men stood to confess the same.  Many gathered around to pray for these men.

We don't need to confess every sin to everyone.  If you have sinned against someone, then a confession is necessary.  If you feel trapped in your sin, you need to confess to a strong believer for prayers and encouragement.  Prayerfully consider if there is sin that would be better brought into the light of confession.

by Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Studying the Bible Keeps Us Spiritually Strong

Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:9-24

Focus Verse: Psalm 119:9 "How can young people keep their lives pure?
    By obeying your commands."

God has given us an instruction manual for life.  It is called the Bible.  As Christians in this world we cannot overcome the enemy in our own strength.  "How can a man cleanse his ways?"  Not on his own.  On our own, we would struggle and fail.  We need help, and that help is available to us through the Bible.  Our focus verse ask a question.  How can we stay pure?  Verse 11 gives us the answer, by hiding God's Word in our hearts.  I wish I had memorized more scripture when I was young, because it is harder to do now that I am older.  In verse 24 he calls God's "testimonies" his counselor.  God will always show us and teach us as we read the Bible.

The study and application of God's Word will keep us from sin, even though we live in a sinful world.  When Jesus was tempted by the devil in Luke 4 we see Jesus quoting scripture with every temptation.  If you are a Christian and you don't have peace and joy in your life, you might have unrepentant sin and/or there may be a lack of Bible study and scripture memorization in your life. 

Some people view God's laws as a list of "DON'Ts", but these are really a shelter to protect us.  God gives us plenty of things we should "DO".   Take some time today to evaluate your spiritual strength.  Make a plan to increase the strength through God's Holy Word.


"Either God's Word will keep us from sin, or sin will keep us from God's word." ~Unknown

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Why Do Believers Suffer?

Scripture Reading: Job 1

Focus Verses: "Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."   John 9:1-3

When God created the first man and woman, and put them in the Garden of Eden, it was a perfect environment without troubles or sin.  Some day in the future, Jesus is going to take every believer to heaven where there will be no more sorrow or pain.  Heaven will be a perfect environment just like in the beginning.  But where are we now?  We are in this middle period of time when our human nature of sin and Satan, with his demons, are trying to take control of this earth.  This period of sin, trials, suffering, and tribulation is actually brought on by our own disobedience of God.

The Bible has a lot to say about suffering.  We read that God can work His will for our lives through our suffering.  When I think of suffering in the Bible the first name that comes to my mind is Job.  We see that even though everything was taken from Job he did not turn his back on God.  Job 1:22 "In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong."  James even says we should be joyful when we have trials.  James 1:2-4  "My brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. "  We know that when hard times come God is just getting us ready for eternity.  Suffering will either make us bitter or better.

Sometimes suffering is because of our own mistakes or choices.  Sometimes it is because of someone else's choice.  But other times, it is just because of the natural ways of this world.  The Bible tells us that we will have trouble. Jesus said,  "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

In our focus verses today Jesus said that suffering is allowed so that the power of God can be seen in our lives.  All of us will go through suffering at some point in our lives.  Some of us will go through more than others.  I don't have a good answer for why a child dies.  Or why do wars happen.  Or why does someone go through great financial loss.  But I do know that God loves His children and not a one of them are lost.  You have so much to look forward to if you are a child of God.  Pray that your suffering will make you better.  

Romans 8:18  "Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later."

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries