Simeon Saw the Light

Simeon Saw the Light

Bible Reading: Luke 2

Focus verse: " Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Luke 2:28-32 NLT

Simeon, a righteous and devout man, was waiting for the promised messiah.  He recognized the Christ child as soon as he held him!  The Holy Spirit revealed the truth to him and he praised God.  God reveals truth through the Holy Spirit. 

I would not have come to understand the Gospel if the Holy Spirit hadn't revealed it in my soul.  When I considered Jesus, I was aware of my great need for Him.  He is the light.  Just as Simeon declared, "Jesus is the Light to reveal God to the nations".  Praise God for providing His Son for us!

Pray for God to reveal more of Jesus to you every day as you read the Bible and pray with Him.

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Jesus Came to Die

Jesus Came To Die

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-20

Focus Verses: Luke 2:6-7   So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Certainly God sent Jesus to the earth for many reasons.  Jesus came to show us how we should live our lives.  He came to heal the sick of their physical problems.  But most importantly He came to heal us of our spiritual problem.  The only way He could heal us of our spiritual problem was to die.  At the birth of a new born baby we are not usually thinking about death.  We are thinking about the new life that has just come into the world. But God was thinking about death when He sent His Son to be born on earth.  You see there is no other way that our sin problem could be dealt with, except that a perfect person die to take the penalty that we deserve.  There was only one person that has lived a perfect life to pay that penalty, and His name is Jesus.  That was a very loving thing that God did for us.  We did not deserve such a gift that God has given us.  But He did this because He loved us so much.  God has offered you this great gift at this time of year we call Christmas.  But you cannot benefit from this gift unless you accept this gift from God.  If you haven't already, why not bow your head right now and accept God's gift by asking forgiveness of your sins and accept God's gift of salvation through Jesus.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Perseverance is Not a Sprint

Perseverance is Not a Sprint

Scripture Readings: Hebrews 12:1-3

Focus Verse: Luke 8:15  And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest good hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

There will be times in your life when you think, "I just can't go on." Maybe you are tired, have problems or poor health.  As you read the Bible you will see words like perseverance and endurance. The Bible compares this life to a race. The Christian life is like a long distance run, not a fast paced sprint. 

Perseverance will produce results.  Steady growth in God's word will give you understanding that you can apply to your life.  Life's struggles will make you stronger. Try not to view trials as obstacles, but as opportunities for spiritual growth. God will honor those who persevere. God will enable you to finish the race well.  Jesus will make our faith perfect.  Just don't quit. There is a reward waiting for you at the finish line.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Bobby's surgery update

Thanks for praying!  Dr. Postel, the surgeon, and Dr. Grewall said that the eye surgery went as expected.  There is a lot of damage to his retina and they were able to re-attach it to the eye wall.  He instilled oil to keep it in place and Bobby will need to keep his head in a downward position (looking at the floor direction) as much as possible for about a week. 

We are home and Bobby is resting.  Slight pain this evening and took some Tylenol.

Please pray for this recovery process to be smooth, for Bobby to have comfort and for God to knit his eye. 

Thanks so much for continuing to pray for us as we walk through this.
Bless you all,
Bobby & Page

PS. Enjoyed reading Romans 8 today.

Prayer request

Bobby’s surgery & a wreath witness: 

We gave a Frasier fir wreath to Bobby's eye doctor Grewall today.  We talked to him about evergreens and everlasting life possible through Jesus, the reason we celebrate Christmas. Being from India, all this is new to him. ;) 

Please pray for Bobby and the doctors as they operate Tuesday, Dec 2 between 7 and 9am.  Bobby's damaged retina has become totally detached and they are planning to reattach it in order to save his eye.  Please pray for God to heal his eye.  Pray for a successful surgery and for Bobby's comfort through and after the procedure.

We are so thankful that God's love and faithfulness never runs out (John 1:1-2) and for friends like you that pray intercession for us! 

Bobby & Page

Psalm 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,
    for you have seen my troubles,
    and you care about the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not handed me over to my enemies
    but have set me in a safe place.
9 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress.
    Tears blur my eyes.
    My body and soul are withering away.

Jesus is Enough

“My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior” 2 Samuel 22:3

Jesus said, "Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned: he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

"If Jesus is God in human flesh, revealing to us exactly what God is like...
If Jesus holds the highest position in the universe, and everything and everyone is subject to His authority...
If Jesus is greater that anyone or anything in the visible and invisible world...
If Jesus has a purpose that He is actively completing in the universe as well as in your own life...
Then HE IS ENOUGH!"  ~Anne Graham Lotz

No matter what life holds, no matter our trials of health, people that betray or disappoint, personal failure, or difficult finances, if we have JESUS, He is enough. 

Thank God for Jesus.

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries 

Faith in God's Love

Faith in God's Love

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:31-39

Focus Verse: 1 John 4:9  "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him."

The one true God who created everything is interested in you and me.  His love for us is something that is hard to understand at times.  When we are faced with problems it is easy for us to question God's love for us. We think God has forgotten us, or that He doesn't love us as much as He once did.  But that's where our faith comes in.  If God said He loves us in His word than it is true.

The apostle Paul said "nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God."  God has already proven His love for us through the death of His only Son.  If God did not love us, He surely would not have allowed His Son to die for us.

For those who are God's children, the problems we face are all allowed by God for a purpose.  He has a plan and a purpose for our lives, even though we may not understand what is happening at the time.  But God knows what He's doing.  God's love for us is not based on what we feel or what we are going through.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  We will leave this world one day with all it's problems and in heaven there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more problems, no more sorrow.  For us that know Christ as Savior and Lord, let look forward to that day when we will be with Him forever.

Quote: “The believing man does not claim to understand. He falls to his knees and whispers, "God." The man of earth kneels also, but not to worship. He kneels to examine, to search, to find the cause and the how of things.” ― A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries