“One positive thought in the morning can change Your whole day.”
(I do not know who made that statement originally.)
How is it possible to fill our minds with positive thoughts in the type of world in which we live? The answer is daily submitting to the Lordship of Christ and the control of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). When we do, we will be able to do what the Apostle Paul instructs the church at Philippi and us to do.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
Also, we will be able to guard our hearts/ minds!
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Proverbs 4:23
If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
A Lesson From A Pair Of Mildewed Shoes
08-30-20
A number of years ago I received a three-year assignment to Okinawa, Japan, as part of my Air Force experience. Hardly anybody I knew had much knowledge of that part of the world, so we really had no idea what to expect. We were in for a number of surprises!
We lived in a motel, basically, for a couple of weeks or so until we found a house to rent. This took place in February and March, part of the region’s rainy season, and rain it did in those days. The house was made of concrete, we were told, and one of the strangest things I’ve seen from that day to this was the rain coming down from the ceiling! Some may call it condensate or whatever but if it’s dripping on your bed, then it’s raining, friend. One morning we woke up to a puddle on the bed;s covers and joked about it being big enough for some goldfish!
But the worst part was the mold and mildew on our clothes and shoes. During those days, my wife had a pair of very nice J. C. Penney’s shoes that she wore to church and other dressy occasions. As I recall, they were made of patent leather, had a very glossy black sheen, and they were very pretty indeed, with one obvious exception:
They didn’t look very good at all in green. As in mold, or mildew. Take your pick.
All we know for sure is that we left her shoes in the closet. That’s all it took for the moisture to do its work and perfectly, practically, ruin a good pair of shoes. They were in such bad condition, that we sadly wound up tossing those shoes in the trash. And they weren’t cheap, either. Even so, I wasn’t about to ask her to place her feet in them.
Jesus didn’t necessarily have shoes in mind, or even islands in the South Pacific, when in the Sermon on the Mount He said to basically stop keeping your treasures, the things you hold dear and sacred, on earth because thieves can break into your house and steal anything. He also said that moths can corrupt or eat your clothes (most of the people wore woolen clothing in those days) and rust can spread like gangrene (Matthew 6:33-34).
What a lesson for us: keep a close eye on our own clothing and other possessions here, and remember what is important in the future. After all, the Bank of Heaven has never had a failure, has never been bought or sold, and its assets are guaranteed to last forever!
Sure, eventually we left Okinawa and returned to the USA. The lessons we learned there, though, have followed us for a long time. I hope we never forget them.
Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 22, 2020
Yes, the things of this world wear out, perish, become contaminated and can be stolen but when we trust the Lord Jesus with all the temporary things that we have, He will use them for His glory and will always supply all our needs!
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” - Matthew 6:33
If He is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
The Dangers of Loneliness!
08-29-20
Friendship is a lot like food. We need it to survive. What is more, we seem to have a basic drive for it. Psychologists find that human beings have fundamental need for inclusion in group life and for close relationships. We are truly social animals.
The upshot is, we function best when this social need is met. It is easier to stay motivated, to meet the varied challenges of life.
In fact, evidence has been growing that when our need for social relationships is not met, we fall apart mentally and even physically. There are effects on the brain and on the body. Some effects work subtly, through the exposure of multiple body systems to excess amounts of stress hormones. Yet the effects are distinct enough to be measured over time, so that unmet social needs take a serious toll on health, eroding our arteries, creating high blood pressure, and even undermining learning and memory.
A lack of close friends and a dearth of broader social contact generally bring the emotional discomfort or distress known as loneliness. It begins with an awareness of a deficiency of relationships. This cognitive awareness plays through our brain with an emotional soundtrack. It makes us sad. We might feel an emptiness. We may be filled with a longing for contact. We feel isolated, distanced from others, deprived. These feelings tear away at our emotional well-being.
Despite the negative effects of loneliness, it can hardly be considered abnormal. It is a most normal feeling. Everyone feels lonely sometimes—after a break-up with a friend or lover, when we move to a new place, when we are excluded from some social gathering.
Chronic loneliness is something else entirely. It is one of the surest markers in existence for maladjustment.
In children, it leads to all kinds of problems. Failure to be socially connected to peers is the real reason behind most school dropouts. It sets in motion a course on which children spin their way to outcast status and develop delinquency and other forms of antisocial behavior.
In adults, loneliness is a major precipitant of depression and alcoholism. And it increasingly appears to be the cause of a range of medical problems, some of which take decades to show up.
Loneliness, Cacioppo concludes, sets in motion a variety of "slowly unfolding pathophysiological processes." The net result is that the lonely experience higher levels of cumulative wear and tear.
In other words, we are built for social contact. There are serious—life-threatening—consequences when we don’t get enough. We can’t stay on track mentally. And we are compromised physically. Social skills are crucial for your health. - Psychology Today
Jesus sent His disciples out two by two and He commands us born-again believers to be part of a local Bible believing, teaching church for encouraging one another and serving him together.
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:25
If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW!
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” - 1 John 5:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
THE SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE!
08-27-20
"Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God" — William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions
"To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map." — William Carey, pioneer missionary to India
"Is not the commission of our Lord still binding upon us? Can we not do more than now we are doing?" — William Carey
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” - Jeremiah 33:3
The spirit of obedience involves expecting the Lord to do great things for His honor and glory, to go where He wants us to go, to do what He wants us to do, and to continuously carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Do you possess the spirit of obedience?
If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
FOLLOW ME!
08-26-20
“And He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” - Matthew 4:19
“"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply" — Hudson Taylor
"God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him" — Hudson Taylor
"The Great Commissionw is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed" — Hudson Taylor
"If I had 1,000 lives, I'd give them all for China" — Hudson Taylor
"God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him." — Hudson Taylor, missionary to China
Will you follow the Lord daily in all areas of your life as Hudson Taylor did so that you can produce superabundant fruit to the praise of His glory?
If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW!
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES!
08-25-20
David and Becky Guinn have been on my mind this past week. In 1997, the Lord blessed me to go with David on a mission trip to Ukraine. It was a life-changing experience for me. David and Becky deeply love the Lord. They have faithfully served the Lord for years in college ministry, mission work and evangelism. But in 2003, David's wife Becky went in the hospital for a heart valve replacement. There were drastic complications. Both of Becky's arms and both of her legs had to be amputated.
If anybody could be excused for giving up -- It would be David and Becky. But listen to part of what David wrote 10 months after the tragedy:
Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,
Ten months ago, today, Becky was admitted into the UAB Hospital in Birmingham for a routine surgery to replace a valve in her heart. One week later we were beseeching the Lord to spare her life.
The frightening chain of events throughout her stay at UAB ended there Feb 7th when we were able to bring her home. Though she was released from the shackles of death, ahead of her stretched a long road to recovery.
Keeping our shoulders set squarely toward the horizon, always expecting another miracle of God's grace and provision. We do, however, turn our heads from time to time to see the landscape behind us -- looking, remembering, re-living the path that we have traveled thus far.
We are amazed. We see the faces of those that have helped us along way. We feel the strength of the prayers that have carried us through the most difficult valleys. And we hear the echoes of voices coming from so many people who have encouraged us in times and situations when we simply did not know how or where to keep going.
When a person is asked, “How are you doing?” Some might respond, "Under the circumstances, I am doing okay". But it is our desire and our goal to live "above the circumstances". We don't want to let our circumstances become an excuse to accept feelings of depression to be normal, or to settle into a lifestyle of less than God intended for us to have. We are committed to keeping our focus on God and not circumstances.
Gratefully,
David Guinn and Family
*Becky Guinn later learned how to paint again using her artificial hands.
*Remember what David Guinn said: "It is our desire and our goal to live "above the circumstances." With godly goals in our lives, we can weather any storm, and we can help other people along the way. We need these goals when we're 18, and we need them when we're 80. God help us to set and keep His goals in our lives.
*Taken from the Action Ministries Prayer Gram - October 15, 2003
Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 16, 2008
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
We, who belong to the Lord Jesus, can overcome any difficulty by His strength!
If you are not one of His, come to Him NOW!
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:13
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
NO CHOICE!
08-24-20
Obedience doesn’t allow you to decide what you will and won’t obey. The Words of Christ are not suggestions or advice: they are commands! (Water Buffalo Theology)
Contributed by Stephan Brown
“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may [b]prosper wherever you go.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you[c] shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:7-9
Success, the favor of the Lord, His power and richest blessings are dependent upon complete obedience to Him and His Word. Plus, your obedience will prove your love for Him (John 14:15). You have no choice! The Lord commands and expects you obedience in all matters!
If you are not one of His, come to Him NOW!
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
08-23-20
For example, in late fall of 1777, General George Washington and his rag tag army of militiamen suffered 2 defeats at the hands of the British at Brandywine and Germantown. He and his 11,000 men retreated to Valley Forge, PA to establish winter headquarters. It was a dark time for the revolution. Many died of starvation or cold, never more than half of the force was in any shape to battle at one time. Many deserted the cause, because the stress and suffering was too great. But thousand others remained faithful. They stayed in there, despite frozen bodies, starvation, sickness and bone-biting coldness, because they had a goal and a purpose for being there - that was more important to them than personal comfort or even safety. In February they began a regrouping that prepared them for pursuing the British all the way across New Jersey in June of 1778.
Contributed by J. Martin
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
Galatians 6:9
If our goal is to glorify Christ in every area of our lives and to bring lost souls to Christ for salvation and the discipleship of fellow believers, no one or nothing will stop us!
If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to him NOW!
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
1 John 5:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
A SPONTANEOUS RESPONSE!
08-22-20
It was a state campground near Old Walker Mine in late September. My father and I pulled in about 11:30 at night and setting up camp what I remember most was the night sky. It was black, not dark but black. The stars were clearer, huge, close and more brilliant than I’d ever seen them or could have imagined them. Now I had seen stars before but somehow something was different about this night. I wasn’t spiritually awake enough to thank God for the beauty that night. But maybe you can recall having seen something so magnificent that it demanded a response of praise?
Contributed by Charles Wilkerson
“I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable. – Psalm 145:1-3
No doubt you have seen a magnificent display of our Lord’s greatness in creation that has captured your mind and heart and caused you to praise Him. However, every time we consider His great work of redemption to save our souls and all that He had to suffer to do so, we ought to burst forth with spontaneous praise to Him and praise Him before others! What an AWESOME Lord and Savior we have!
If you are not one of His, repent of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and receive Him as your Lord and Savior NOW!
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
The Most Important Compass!
08-21-20
Just before the outbreak of the First World War, a small ship named the Endurance set sail from Briton with a crew intent on being the first to cross the South Pole. The ship reached Antarctica, but became ice bound in the Weddle Sea. Soon they had to abandon their ship and the 28-man crew took to their lifeboats.
They were trapped on the ice for over a year. A desperate decision was made to take four men in a 20-foot lifeboat across the roughest sea in the world to a whaling station on South Georgia Island some 800 miles away. At the helm was a man named Worsely. All he had to guide them that 800 miles to South Georgia Island was a map, a watch, a sexton, and a compass, but it was all he needed if he used them well. A mistake as minor as being off by only one degree would have proved disastrous.
The four men in that boat endured seas that raged higher than a ten-story building. They were constantly cold and wet from the waves that constantly drenched the boat. They had only the most meager of rations. The journey did not take days, but two weeks. But Worsley, whose most sophisticated tool was a compass, managed to get that lifeboat the 800 miles to South Georgia Island and eventually the entire crew of the Endurance was saved. As a result, Worsley was a hero.
The whaling captains who sailed those waters considered him one of the wisest navigators in the world. Worsley was brilliant, but all of his brilliance would have been worthless if he not used the compass. Worsley was wise because he used the compass to guide him. Being wise is a matter of using the compass you’ve been given to get where you need to go. Fools choose not to use the compass.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path” - Psalm 119:105
There are many born-again believers who live like fools because they do not follow the compass of God’s Word for every area of their lives. Are you one of them?
If Jesus Christ, the Incarnated Word, is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
A Dream
08-20-20
I read about a man dreaming about the crucifixion of Jesus. He was telling in detail how that Jesus was beaten, and the people shouting crucify him. He saw the back of the soldier as he was driving the nails in the hands of Jesus. When the soldier turned, it was he.
Contributed by Melvin Shelton
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” - 1 Peter 2:24
Yes, we are the ones who crucified Christ because it is our sins that nailed Him to the cross. As born-again believers, we ought to hate sin and allow the Lord Jesus, who bore our penalty, died and rose again to save us from the penalty and power of sin, to make real His victory over sin in our daily living. He wants to give us His power to live victoriously! Daily submit to His Lordship and the control of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and you will enjoy His victory!
If you are not one of His and, therefore, are still living under the condemnation of sin and the judgment of God (John 3:18, 36), come to the Lord Jesus NOW! Repent of all your sin (Luke 13:3, 5) and trust Him and Him alone to be your Lord and Savior!
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. “ - 1 John 5:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
Fulfilling Your Purpose
08-19-20
Dr. Clarke, the ENT that I use, his father was a Veterinarian and wanted him to become a Physician. He did not want to go to school for that many years so he got a degree as a Chemical Engineer. After a few years, he discovered that the plan he chose was not offering him the things that he desired out of life, so he worked as a Chemical Engineer and went to medical school to get his education to become a physician.
He has been a doctor for many years now and enjoys what he is doing and has found fulfillment and purpose in life.
Donny Granberry
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. “
John 16:15
Every born-again child of God has been chosen by the Lord to be His and to love and serve Him. If one is outside of His will, that person will never be satisfied until they are fulfilling the Lord’s purpose for their life to bear fruit for His glory! Are you doing so? Are you submissive to His Lordship?
If you are not one of His, come to Him NOW!
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”
John 1:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
Following Garibaldi And Following Jesus
08-18-20
Garibaldi, the great Italian military hero from the 19th century, raised an incredibly committed volunteer army. His appeal for recruits was rather unique as he offered only these terms: "I offer neither pay, nor quarters, nor provisions; I offer hunger, thirst, forced marches, battles and death. Let him who loves his country with his heart and not with his lips only, follow me!"
Garibaldi is NOT the first make such an offer! The Son of God came to earth, to bring salvation and train up disciples to carry the Gospel of Salvation to the world. Jesus invites you to be His disciple, but His invitation is for YOU to join HIM! It is NOT a request by Him to join you where you are... Jesus lets us know up front that there is a disciplined commitment that is going to cost you everything. The road walking with Jesus IS not going to be easy. To paraphrase Garibaldi, "Let him who loves the Lord with his heart and not with his lips only, be Jesus' disciple!"
(From a sermon by Bobby Stults, Followship - The Essence of TRUE Fellowship, 11/6/2010)
“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
If you belong to the Lord Jesus and, therefore, are one of His disciples, you will passionately love Him, and serve Him regardless of the cost! Are you one of His disciples?
If you do not belong to Him, surrender your life to Him right now, trusting Him and Him alone to be your Lord and Saavior!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. “
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
FOLLOWERS, NOT FANS!
08-17-20
We are Christ followers. We are not, Christ fans. Fans sit on the sidelines followers get into are active on the field of play. It is time to get off the sideline. It is time to Seize the Day, Twenty-four Seven!
J Jeffrey Smead
“And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.” - Luke 5:11
Peter, Andrew, James and John left all to follow and serve the Lord Jesus.
Would people who know you classify you as a fan of Jesus or a follower? Are you sitting on the sidelines or you or you involved in the business of serving the Lord Jesus, who shed His blood for you and who has saved you by His grace? The Lord has given you natural talents and spiritual gifts to be used in bringing the gospel to those who are still in their sins and to disciple fellow believers. Are you wasting them or using them to produce superabundant fruit to the praise of His glory?
If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” - 1 John 5:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
FOLLOWING JESUS!
08-16-20
Mark Batterson said in his book: “All In” – “Most people in most churches think they are following Jesus, but I’m not so sure. They may think they are following Jesus, but the reality is this: they have invited Jesus to follow them.”
Too many times I want Jesus to follow me, to serve my purposes, to do my will. But, I want you to join me in saying: “God, I want you to revive my life. I want to follow you. Help me to get out of the way. Navigate my life into following your will.”
David Simpson
“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” - Matthew 4:19
Are you following Jesus and His will in your career or do you want Him to follow you and do what you want done?
Are you following Jesus in your marriage and family life?
Are you following Jesus in your finances?
Are you following Jesus in all your relationships and every area of your life?
If you do, He will make you useful for His glory and use you to reach lost people with the Gospel and disciple fellow believers!
If He is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
JOY IS….
08-15-20
Joy is not gush; joy is not jolliness. Joy is just perfect acquiescence in God's will because the soul delights itself in God Himself.
Sermon Central
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” - Psalm 16:11
If we will daily live out our lives in the presence of our Lord and intimate fellowship with Him, trusting Him, the truth and promises of His Word, we will experience the fullness of His joy in every situation!
Jesus said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” - John 15:11
Are you completely absorbed daily with the presence of the Lord, enjoying Him, and trusting Him with every detail of your life?
If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
THE BUCKET!
08-14-20
I heard someone give an illustration once about a wooden well bucket he came upon. He thought it was useless at first, because it had been sitting next to a barn in the sun, unused for a long time. He could see daylight between the wooden slats of the bucket. Certainly, this thing would never hold water again.
But an older man with him tied the bucket to the well rope and let it drop into the water below. In a couple of days they came back and turned the crank to draw the bucket back up. It was full of clear, cool well water and was not leaking a drop.
The water had re-hydrated the wooden slats until they fit together as originally designed, and the bucket was useful again.
Clark Tanner
“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” - Psalm 51:12
These words are part of David’s confession of sin regarding Uriah and Bathsheba. He longed to be forgiven, stored to fellowship with the Lord, and for the Lord to continue use Him again in His service, which the Lord did.
You may have failed the Lord and feel as though you are useless as a old leaky bucket. But the Lord wants to forgive, restore, and make you extremely fruitful for His glory, regardless of what you have done. 1 John 1:9 is written to us who belong to Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW!
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” - 1 John 5:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
FAITH IN THE WRONG PERSON OR THING!
08-13-20
Seems there was a talented young man in the Midwest. There were terrible fires in Yellowstone National Park burning thousands of acres. This young man was gifted with the camera and could capture the heart of crisis on film.
So a well known national magazine hired the young man to picture this disaster for their cover story. The young man packed his bags, his cameras and film and left on his assignment of the fires at Yellowstone National Park. The national magazine asked him to capture and show the heroic measures of the thousands of fire fighters.
When the young photographer arrived, he ran into a problem he had not anticipated for he realized that the smoke was so dark and thick, that it made it impossible to picture the scenes from the ground.
The young man called into the magazine office and sought permission to charter a small plane so he could take pictures from overhead.
The magazine made arrangements at the local airport and the call returned to him that a small plane would be waiting on the runway.
He jumped into his rented car and away he rushed to the airport.
There was a real young man sitting in a small single engine aircraft. As instructed, the plane’s engine was fueled, and warmed
for take off.
The young photographer had his cameras and film ready and threw all the gear into the back-seat of the plane. He closed the door and said, " READY FOR TAKE OFF!"
The young man proceeded down the runway. The plane was shaking and very rough. When in the air the Pilot asked, HOW WAS THAT?"
The Pilot SEEMED VERY NERVOUS as the little plane lifted higher and higher into the wind.
The young talented photographer had not experienced such a jerky flight, but he requested the Pilot to fly over the park. The photographer asked the Pilot to fly real low, near the fires.
"Why?" asked the Pilot. "Because I am on assignment, I am a photographer, and photographers need to be close to the action to take photographs."
The Pilot was very quiet for a few minutes, and he broke the silence saying, " I thought you were the flight instructor?"
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12
You better make your that you faith is in Christ and Him alone for salvation and, if you are one of His, you better make sure your complete trust is in Him for all areas of your life in order to have His richest blessings!
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
WHERE IS YOUR TRUST PLACED?
08-12-20
he story is told of the pioneer days in our country. A man was making his way west when he came to the Missouri River. It was winter and the ice covered the river from bank to bank. But how could the man be sure it would hold his weight? He knew people often drowned in that river when the ice broke. Yet he had to cross. He walked out a little way, then gripped with fear he crawled on his hands and knees. He looked back and saw how far the bank was now behind him and knew he would drown if the ice broke and the frigid water swallowed him up. To spread his weight even more, he lay out flat on his belly and slowly drew himself sliding across the river a few inches at time. All of a sudden from behind him he heard whistling. He whipped his head around and there saw a big man, a farmer, walking across the ice leading a team of horses drawing a heavy wooden sleigh full of hay. He was smiling and whistling and tipped his hat. The timid man stood and brushed off the ice crystals and managed a sheepish smile. That old farmer had crossed the ice many times and knew it could be trusted.
Fred Mueller
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6
Are you placing your faith in yourself, others or things? You know that the Lord can be trusted in all matters so do you display that trust in every situation and, therefore, are a great testimony to others? Are fellow believers encouraged to place their compete trust in the Lord because of your example?
Do unsaved people see the reality of Christ in your life because of your complete trust in Him and what He does for you?
If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW!
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:13
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
The Possibilities of Prayer
08-11-20
E. M. Bounds writes in "The Possibilities of Prayer" : "THE ministry of prayer has been the peculiar distinction of all of God’s saints. This has been the secret of their power. The energy and the soul of their work has been the closet. The need of help outside of man being so great, man’s natural inability to always judge kindly, justly, and truly, and to act the Golden Rule, so prayer is enjoined by Christ to enable man to act in all these things according to the Divine will. By prayer, the ability is secured to feel the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to do everything in harmony with the law of love." (Chapter 1, The Ministry of Prayer).
John Quigley
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Matthew 6:6
When we live in close fellowship with our Heavenly Father and Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we are enabled by them through the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what we are called to do for their glory but also according to their character. We desperately need the power and blessings of God upon our individual lives and in our churches!
If you do not belong to the Lord Jesus, come to Him NOW!
“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
1 John 5:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
ACCEPTING OR COMPLAINING
08-10-20
In 2002, Lisa Beamer was interviewed by a writer for Today’s Christian Woman. She was asked "What happened to you on 9-11?" Lisa gave some details of the early part of that day and then says, "As soon as I heard that (it had been her husband’s flight), I cried out 'No!' and crumpled to the floor. I spent the rest of the day in my bedroom, huddled on my bed. I felt as though I literally needed to hold every atom of my body together, otherwise I’d fall apart."
Later friends, family and church people came to be with her family. "I didn’t break down crying hysterically or scream; God already was giving me an incredible peace." God used family, friends and our church to provide for our family’s needs, such as laundry and meals.
Lisa was asked, "What is your biggest struggle now?" She answered, "It is living in grief and in hope, which are both realities for me. When anxiety creeps in, I tell myself I’m not going to let that happen, because it won’t do any good. I can say, 'Poor me,' and get swallowed up by pity. Or I can say, 'I’m blessed...'".
We learn from this account that Lisa had a choice to either accept or complain about the providential will of God for her life; she chose to accept it and so must you. His provision will be provided for your family, possibly just like Lisa’s, through family, friends, your church.
Paul Carlson
“Do all things without complaining and disputing,”
Philippians 2:14
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19
The best way to beat a complaining spirit and self pity is at the moment the thoughts arise, force yourself to remember all the Lord has done for you, including your salvation, that He cannot lie and will supply every need that you will ever have!
If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
Who Are You Imitating?
08-09-20
A little boy named Adam wanted to be like his friend Bobby. Adam loved the way Bobby walked and talked. Bobby, however, wanted to be like Charlie. Something about Charlie’s stride and accent intrigued him. Charlie, on the other hand, was impressed with Danny. Charlie wanted to look and sound like Danny. Danny, of all things, had a hero as well: Adam. He wanted to be just like Adam.
So Adam was imitating Bobby, who was imitating Charlie, who was imitating Danny, who was imitating Adam.
Turns out, all Adam had to do was be himself
Lucado, M. (2015). Glory days: living your promised land life now. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:1
When we imitate Christ, He enables us to be ourselves, to fulfill all His purposes for which He made us, and to be manifest our personality in Christlikeness. So it is vital for us to daily surrender to His Lordship and the control of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) so that we can truly be ourselves as the Lord desires.
If He is not your Lord and Savior, come to the Lord Jesus NOW!
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
COVERED UNDER HIS WINGS
08-08-20
It was a hot day in the dry old West. As the railroad train came roaring down the tracks, sparks were flying everywhere because of the hot temperatures. When the sparks flew, often they would begin a fire that would destroy ranches, homes and livestock.
One particular day, there was a fire that spread from a railroad train in West Texas and did major damage. As the old farmer who owned the property walked through the ashes of his home and ranch, he saw an old hen lying on the ground, burnt to death. Her wings were spread open. In his anger, he kicked the old hen. To his surprise...several baby chicks ran out from under her burnt wings. When the fire came, the hen draped herself over her little ones
Dr. Larry Petton
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”
Psalm 91:1-4
What images of our Lord’s protection we find in these verses! What peace they bring to our hearts and minds as we walk daily in fellowship with Him!
If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW!
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights!
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
THE TWO-HEADED LAMB
08-07-2020
Dr. H.A. Ironside once shared a story that was the clearest illustration of the Gospel I have ever heard. He said that he was visiting in South Texas and had the opportunity to visit a sheep ranch. While he was there, he spotted what he thought to be a two-headed lamb. He asked the foreman of the ranch, "Why in the world does that lamb have two heads?"
The foreman smiled and said, "You are a city slicker. Let me explain what we did. The other day we had two ewes who gave birth to lambs. One of the ewes died in childbirth and one of the lambs died, also. We took the living lamb and put it in the pen with the living ewe to see if she would nurse. She smelled of the lamb and walked away. It wasn’t her own."
"What did you do?" Ironside asked. "Well, we took the coat off of the dead lamb and wrapped it around the living one and put it back in the pen. When the mother smelled the blood of her very own lamb......she accepted the little lamb and began to nurse."
Dr. Ironside said, "Thank you for sharing with me the greatest picture of the Cross I have ever seen. For without Christ, I am hopeless for eternity. God will not accept me into Heaven on my own works. But, when I stand before Him covered in the blood of His own Son, Jesus........He accepts me and allows me to be part of His family!"
Jesus became what WE ARE....that we might have what HE IS! The Bible says in II Corinthians 5:21: " For He (God the Father) made Him “God the Son) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Let’s be faithful in sharing the greatest news in the entire world with those who are still in their sins so that they too can experience the miracle of salvation in Christ!
If you do not belong to Him, come to Him NOW!
“He who has the Son haslife; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
1 John 5:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
THE NEW NEVER GETS OLD!
08-06-2020
Saw a guy with his new car the other day, or at least it sure seemed new the way he admired it walking away backwards from it almost to the point of stumbling over the curb. You know one thing we like to do, is show off the new. I could relate with the man, he couldn’t stop looking at the shiny black convertible.
I know we’ve all been there and it’s something we like doing. Even years after the item we once had has come and gone we still talk with love and admiration about the relationship we have or had with that vehicle, or that guitar, or that special thing we once had.
And how Our relationship with Jesus should be the same way!
Telling and leading someone to the option of trading in their old life for the new and improved one God has prepared and has waiting for them to experience. Is one of the most exciting things a person can ever do or be part of the experience!
Charlie Roberts
“And he (maniac of Gadara) departed and began to proclaim in [a]Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.”
Mark 5:20
Are you faithfully sharing what the Lord has done for you in saving your soul and how He can and will do that for all who will come to Him? Are you sharing how they can have super-abundant life in Christ? (John 10L10b)
If He is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:13
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
THE CAPTURE OF A PAGAN CUSTOM!
08-04-2020
A custom of the natives in New Guinea is told. At certain times they have rituals, songs, and dances. They work themselves up into a frenzy and the ritual culminates in what are called “the murder songs,” in which they shout before God the names of the people they wish to kill. When the natives became Christian, they retained these customs and that ritual, However, in the murder songs, they no longer shouted the names of the people they hated, but the names of the sins they hated, and called on God to destroy them. A pagan custom had been captured for Christ. (Source Unknown)
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Whether it be the pagan of hateful thoughts or others that go against the Word and will of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we can capture them and bring them to the obedience of Christ (Philippians 4:13) to the praise of His glory!
If He is nor your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
HOPE OF A GOOD DAY!
08-03-2020
Max Lucado, preacher and writer, teaches that "every day deserves a chance." He feels so strongly about it, he wrote a book with the same title. Regardless of what is in our day, if we give it a chance, it can become a "good" day. Of course, coupled with this thought is the understanding that God infiltrates "our world" to make a difference, a difference for good.
(From Dale Pilgrim's Sermon "The Joy-Filled Shepherds")
“This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.” - Psalm 119:24
Yes, if we daily submit to the Lordship of Christ, the authority of His Word and the control of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22-23), He will infiltrate our world and enable us to make a difference for good and for His glory
If you do not belong to Him, come to the Lord Jesus NOW, while you can!
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
COMPASSION FOR THE DOWN AND OUT!
08-02-2020
“I heard (this story) from a friend who works with the down-and-out in Chicago:
A prostitute came to me in wretched straits, homeless, sick, unable to buy food for her two-year-old daughter. Through sobs and tears, she told me she had been renting out her daughter – two years old… She made more renting out her daughter for an hour than she could earn on her own in a night. She had to do it, she said, to support her own drug habit. I could hardly bear hearing her sordid story… I had no idea what to say to this woman.
At last I asked if she had ever thought of going to a church for help. I will never forget the look of pure, naïve shock that crossed her face. “Church!” she cried, “Why would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They’d just make me feel worse.”
What struck me about my friend’s story is that women much like the prostitute fled toward Jesus, not away from him. The worse a person felt about herself, the more likely she saw Jesus as a refuge. Has the church lost that gift? Evidently the down-and-out, who flocked to Jesus when he lived on earth, no longer feel welcome among his followers.”
(Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace?).
From a sermon by Chris Jordan, God’s Amazing Grace, 12/5/2009
“And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” - Matthew 9:10-13
Are you letting the Lord Jesus manifest His compassion in and through you?
If you are not one of His, come to Him NOW!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights
LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!
You’re a Winner!
08-01-20
Bill Broadhurst was a great runner and he entered a 10k race in Omahu, a race that Bill Rodgers would win in less than 30 minutes.
Bill Broadhurst had a handicap, he was paralyzed on his entire left side from an aneurism early in life. But he still loved to run and for him to be in the same race as his hero Bill Rodgers was the greatest thing he could imagine.
The banners had been taken down, the traffic had begun to flow on the roads, there was nothing left that would tell you that a race had been run.
Except one man Bill Broadhurst who was still running the race. 2 hours ago Bill Rodgers had finished the race and now Bill Broadhurst was nearing the place where the finish line was. A couple of kids on bikes road beside him and said "hey mister are you still running the race, it’s been over for hours, someone’s already finished first and won, why don’t you quit, the race is over!"
Broadhurst replied, "I can’t, I have to make it to my hero at the end of the line". And he kept on running.
As he approached the place where he knew the finish line would be, Bill Rodgers and about 30 people stepped out from an alley and they placed a banner up and strung a ribbon across the road. And Bill Broadhurst stumbled across the finish line. And there stood his hero , Bill Rodgers who took off the ribbon form his neck and placed it around the neck of Broadhurst, and he said, "you a winner...”
Steve Malone
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” - 2 Timothy 4:8
Don’t judge yourself by other believers’ natural talents or spiritual gifts! Be faithful with whatever the Lord has given you, loving Him and faithfully serving Him and a great reward day is coming!