In over two decades of teaching, preaching, and pastoring, I have taught parishioners that any time you read a promise in the Bible, you need to start looking around for the conditions to obey in order to receive the promise. If you do your part in obeying the Scripture, God does His part, and the promise will be realized in you. It's a central theme throughout the Bible. The "Bible Promise" books that have been so popular over the years leave the conditions of the promises of God out, leaving people standing on the promises, but ignorant to the conditions to obey in order to receive them.
Now we have a book that explains how to read and understand Scripture finding the conditions that lead to fulfilled promises, and it is written by a friend and mentor of mine, Robert P. Holland, who has been pastoring since 1965. First a word concerning Pastor Holland, and then I will talk more about his book which I have completed reading and highly recommend for all those who are serious about understanding and receiving the promises of Holy Scripture.
Pastor Holland is one of my heroes of faith. I have known him for two decades and had opportunity to sit under his ministry for a short season prior to pastoring my first church in the early 1990s. Pastor Holland has a keen understanding of Scripture that is reflected in his life. He portrays the image of Christ more than any other person I have had the privilege of knowing. His ability to communicate and teach the Word is a gift given to us by God. Those who have had the privilege of sitting under his ministry have not experienced a famine of the Word under it, and have instead been given a bountiful feast that brings growth in the Lord.
I just finished reading his book, Some Understand 1 + 6 = 7, and highly recommend it. The book begins with an explanation of the title which is fundamental to the 44 chapters which follow. In each chapter, which Pastor Holland refers to as "Wisdom and Promise workshops", a Scripture promise and its conditions (Pastor Holland refers to as "Wisdom") are identified and proper exegesis, application and exhortation is given.
For those who will read the book, I believe that the Holy Spirit will bring attention to the areas of life where proper wisdom is not applied, and where promises are not being realized, allowing for proper application of Scripture to take place. I"m sure that every reader who has a desire to please God and live for Him will be able to properly apply wisdom and receive promises as they prayerfully read and glean from each chapter.
There have been some great books that I have read that I commit to reading again. With this book, I plan to incorporate it into my daily discipline of reading, studying, and meditating on Scripture, by reading a chapter each day for a while to come. In the days ahead, I will also be tweeting (@Gregory_Johnson) some quotes from the book and posting some quotes on my Facebook page (GregoryAJohnsonPage).
I encourage you to get a copy of the book today, read it, and let God speak into your life as you discover the wisdom and promises that God would have you receive. The book is available as a paperback and as an ebook on Amazon. Click here and get your copy today - Some Understand 1 + 6 = 7: Finding Wisdom and Receiving Promises.
People have always been fascinated by the notion of living longer as they have searched for that ever mystifying fountain of youth.
People are living longer now than at any other time in modern history.
Longer life is credited to the advances in medical science and health education involving diet, and exercise.
I'm all for living longer and healthier so that we do not cut our mission off prematurely, but I also look forward to the day when I won't have to remember to take my medicine, watch what I eat, and force myself to exercise when I don't want to exercise.
God offers us eternal life.
God's Word is our GPS that gives us direction to eternal life.
Check out this nugget:
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. ~ 1 John 2:17, NIV
We are raising funds for the Lupus Foundation of America. I expect more donations for the cause to come in the weeks ahead and after taking some time off and letting the tendinitis heal in my feet, I'll be hitting the pavement again for the cause of fighting lupus. It is a terrible disease that impacts many people. Many are suffering. We need a cure!
I was up at 3:45 AM to begin my pre race routine of eating, drinking and stretching. My pre race breakfast consisted of 2 peanut butter and blackberry jam sandwiches, 2 cups of coffee, 1 banana and a tall glass of milk.
I finished the 13.1 miles in 2:19:23 which is slower than my best time for a half marathon which is 2:02, but I'm pleased with the time since I was running injured with tendinitis in both feet.
It was 25 degrees when I started at 7PM and 35 when I finished. The Lord blessed us with sunny skies.
Splits:
mile 1 - 9:56 - I ran this first mile faster than I planned to get warm quick.
2 - 10:29 - Warmed up good and had a pretty good sweat going.
3 - 10:33 - Tendinitis pain started in left foot.
4 - 10:18
5 - 11:08
6 - 10:24
7 - 11:11 - Tendinitis pain in both feet now and extreme in left foot.
8 - 10:43
9 - 10:33
10 - 10:55
11 - 10:43
12 - 10:32
13 - 9:32 - My fastest mile as I didn't want to leave anything in the tank at the end.
I'm thankful to God and the support of my family and friends. I'm blessed to be surrounded with such precious people.
Keep pressing toward the finish line!
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:1-2 ESV)
I am running in honor of my sister, Ramona Runyon who has battled lupus for 26 years. In July of this year I started training to run the Marshall University Marathon on November 7, 2010 to raise funds for the American Lupus Foundation in her honor.
I have not ran a marathon since the fall of 2007 when I completed three marathons in 9 weeks in raising funds for the American Heart Association in honor of my dad, Elmer Johnson and in memory of my good friend Cat Cavazos. Needless to say, I have had my work cut out for me in getting back into running shape.
I have battled running in the heat and humidity of central Kentucky all summer and developed tendinitis in my foot just a couple of weeks ago. The tendinitis will keep me from running the full marathon, but not the half marathon! I’m going to get out there and press toward the finish line as my temporary pain is nothing compared to the pain that lupus victims go through day by day in their battle against this disease.
Please go to http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org/Lupus and read more about this disease and how you can join me in making a difference. Always remember that you can do things that I can not do. I can do things that you can not do. Together we can do great things!
What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the days gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will can tolerate.
I try to think of myself as an apple tree. Time is not linear, it moves in circles. Come spring, I will bloom again.
Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life
It is unfortunate that not everyone has equal and affordable access to heath care in our day. I believe that this grieves the heart of God because every person, regardless of location and finances, are God’s children. He loves each one and expects us to make available to each one, the same opportunities for healing and ease from suffering. Beloved, as we do, more people will realize the kingdom that Jesus is ruling over.
I thank God for hospitals that churches have founded such as St. Mary's in Huntington, West Virginia. Let’s make make these healing facilities available to all people in our day.
Dr. Tom Dannals in Huntington, West Virginia, is on a mission to do everything he can to bring better health to that city. West Virginia leads the nation in heart disease which is the number one killer in the United States.
Most heart disease is preventable and can even be reversed through proper diet and exercise. Dr. Dannals introduce the city to the Dr. Dean Ornish program of heart disease prevention and reversal. Dr. Dannals also founded HealthyHuntington.org along with founding and directing the annual Marshall University Marathon, half marathon and 5k held on the first Sunday of November every year. It’s a wonderful marathon with a stadium finish.
Through these processes, Dr. Dannals is using his life to bring healing to that city and is saving countless number of lives from the grip of heart disease. God is using Him. People are being touched at their point of need.
According to an article published by WebMD Medical News “Top 10 Causes of Death Worldwide” the top two causes of death is heart disease and stroke. Doctors tell us that the main causes of heart disease and stroke are genetics, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and stress. Genetics are out of our control, but we can eat healthier, exercise and guard our heart from the stresses of our journey. We need to look at what the Bible says about guarding our heart from the stresses of our journey and specifically look at something Jesus tells us concerning this.
In John chapter 13, Jesus is spending time with His followers in an upper room just prior to His crucifixion. Jesus predicts Judas’s betrayal and Peter’s denial and begins to prepare them for His death. You can detect the heaviness in the room as these followers begin to try to comprehend such news. They had left everything to follow Jesus – jobs, homes, families. They left everything to follow the person they thought was going to set up His Kingdom and rule on earth and deliver them from the Roman oppression that in itself was heart wrenching and depressing.
Jesus senses the heaviness, the depression, the anxiety, the worries, the stress and He ministers these words: (John 14:1-3 NIV) ""Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. {2} In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." In these words, Jesus gives us the cure for a troubled heart.
Do not let your heart be troubled.
We live in troubling times. There are wars being fought and genocide taking place. There are terrorists. There are famines. There are earthquakes. There are increasingly more severe and frequent natural disasters. It is like Jesus said it would be prior to His return (Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21).
Many things that are happening bring stress. When devastation occurs in our day it is because of a destructive, life destroying devil and not a loving, life giving God. Jesus said (John 10:10 NIV) "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
In the midst of all that is going on around us, we must not let our hearts be troubled. It’s a command given to us by Jesus. Jesus not only gives us this command in John 14:1, but He also gives us the methodology of keeping our hearts from being troubled.
We are to place all of our trust in Jesus.
Jesus said (John 14:1 NIV) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me." The only way we are going to keep our hearts from being troubled is to place our total trust in Jesus. We must constantly remind ourselves that He is the Good Shepherd and we are the sheep. Jesus said (John 10:11 NIV) "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
King David knew how to trust the Lord. David said (Psalms 23 NIV) "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. {2} He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, {3} he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. {4} Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. {5} You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. {6} Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
Beloved, to keep our hearts from being troubled on this journey that we are on, we must place our trust in the Lord. Jesus will see us through whatever comes our way as we fix our eyes on Him and follow Him.
We are to forget the past and look beyond the present.
Some people allow their heart to be troubled by living in the past. Others are so consumed with present trials that are overwhelming. We must put the past behind us and look beyond the present in order to protect our hearts from being troubled. Jesus said “(John 14:2-3 NIV) "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Beloved, no matter what you have gone through in the past and no matter what you are going through now, you have a bright future. Jesus is preparing your eternal home and He is coming back for you. That is the very next event on God’s agenda. All Bible prophecy up to that point has been fulfilled. Jesus is returning for the beloved. God’s Word says “(1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NIV) "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. {17} After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. {18} Therefore encourage each other with these words."
Beloved, be encouraged with these Words today! God is not against you. He is for you! Jesus is coming to rescue you! Keep following Jesus on this journey from earth to glory! Keep your eyes fixed on Him and keep your hearts from being troubled!
Sometimes we forget that our spiritual journey involves a downwardness. There are some who attribute this downwardness to direct attacks of Satan or lack of faith. In doing so, they bring much harm to those experiencing these downward periods.
We must always remember that Christ revealed the downward aspect of the journey when He left the realm of glory to come into our world and show us how to live and how to die. As Christ followers, we follow Him even in the downward periods of our life knowing that glory is ahead of us and the best is yet to come.
Thanks to my friend Milton W. Kliesch for this video clip of Parker Palmer talking about his spiritual journey that has included 3 bouts of clinical depression. He refers to a downwardness of the the journey in which he has learned much.
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