In Between Pain and Relief

My husband is the senior minister for a church. One of the lovely benefits of this position is the home we are blessed to live in that is right across the lawn of the church.
As I sit here tonight my heart is heavy. On the other side of me is a home that has a man that hurting deeply. His mother and sister were brutally murdered by his step father. The trial is coming up soon, and he is hurting.
I realize I live between a person who is hurting and needs compassion, and a building that represents to the world the ONE who can heal the hurt and bring hope.
Today I commit my home to being the bridge between the two.

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

I CAN Find My Way Home!

Don't be afraid. Don't be worried!
If we can just believe what Jesus has said.
There is a place that has been prepared for us.
Jesus would not lie. He could not lie about that!
How can we find it to that place?
Jesus has made the way.



John 14:1-7
14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (ESV)

Why do I let my heart become troubled? I need to rejoice in the fact that I believe in Jesus. He has never lied, never not kept a promise, and He is preparing a place right now for me! And for you! I read today something I had just glossed over before;

4 "And you know the way to where I am going"

Jesus says I need not worry about how to get to my final destination. I KNOW the way. It is through Him. He is The way. He has always been the way. He will always continue to be the way right up until that moment when He comes as my personal escort to lead me to the eternal home He has prepared. 


Today:

I will rejoice that I KNOW THE WAY!
I will be thankful I have seen God, because I have seen Jesus.
I will be aware of those who DON'T know the way, and point them to the ONE who can help them find their way home.

Chasing Their Hearts,

 Glenda Johnson

(The Picture today is from Gressier, Haiti taken in April 2011 by me!)

Pain, Tears, and Hope

Christmas time is a time for celebration, joy and merriment. As we walk through this jolly time of year, there are some for whom this is a painful time of year. For those who have lost loved ones, the holidays can be painful. For those who have lost a child, it can be an excruciating holiday. 
I walk this path with many people. You see, 13 years ago today, our baby went to be with Jesus. For many years, Christmas was a source of pain, and sadness. I am thankful that I serve a God that heals hearts, for he has truly healed mine. 
As I read the Christmas story one more time, I see mothers that lost children and were in pain. All because of one man. 
 

He coveted power above all else, including life.


Executed innocent children to protect his position.


Rage and hate filled his heart.


Ordered the Magi to help him, but they chose to listen to God.


During the tragedy, God never missed a tear, but knows that pain is sometimes part of the plan.

Matthew 2:7-18

⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

 ⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

 ¹³ When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

 ¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

 ¹⁶ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ¹⁷ Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

 ¹⁸ “A voice is heard in Ramah,
   weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
   and refusing to be comforted,
   because they are no more.”

There were some mothers in Bethlehem who suffered a great loss. Herod was so far from God, he did not care what pain he caused to those families.

There are still people today who take life without thinking of the consequences to others. Please know that God did not miss it when Herod did it, and God does not miss your pain today.

Psalm 56:8

⁸You have kept count of my tossings;
    put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book?

Hold on to Jesus. He came so that we can have hope in spite of the pain! That is why Jesus came to earth, why he was born in that manger. Why you and I can have hope!
Know that you are not alone, the Body of Christ desires to love and comfort you during this time.

If you have never had to walk through the pain of loss, maybe God is calling you to comfort someone who has, so be looking! Keep your eyes and your heart open.

Chasing After Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

Daily Devo- Isaiah 7: 1-17 "The Timeless Message"

 

Isaiah 7

 ¹ When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

 ² Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

 ³ Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. ⁴ Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. ⁵ Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, ⁶ “Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.” ⁷ Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

   “‘It will not take place,
   it will not happen,
⁸ for the head of Aram is Damascus,
   and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.
Within sixty-five years
   Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.
⁹ The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
   and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand firm in your faith,
   you will not stand at all.’”

 ¹⁰ Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹ “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”

 ¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.”

 ¹³ Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ¹⁵ He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, ¹⁶ for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. ¹⁷ The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.” 

I was led to this passage this morning, and was very surprised by what I found. I should not have been surprised , but I was. Let me share what I found.

Ahaz was a good king. He was having some trouble with some bad leaders. He was frightened, and struggling to know what to do. 

Ever been there? Trying to do right, and all you get is grief? People attack you, complain, just really wear you down, until you think you might just be unable to go on? Yeah, me too at times. That's where Ahaz is. 

God sees and knows what is going on with Ahaz. God sends Isaiah the prophet with a message for Ahaz. It is the message that surprised me.

This is the message:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 

Isaiah brought the message of Jesus! The coming of Jesus! Even approximately 500 years before His birth, Jesus was the message Ahaz needed to hear.

Now a little over 2000 years after His birth, Jesus is still the message we need to to hear! He will always be the message that brings perfect hope and peace all the time.

There is a song that really brings this thought home, it goes like this:

Lord, I lift your name on high Lord
I love to sing your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us

You came from heaven to earth
to show the way
From the earth to the cross
my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky Lord,
I lift your name on high

(Music and words by Rick Founds)

So remember, no matter what you are walking through, the message of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus has all the answers and reassurances you will ever need!

Chasing After Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

From: http://www.musicbabylon.com

Daily Devo- I Thessalonians 5:12-28 "God's To Do List For You"

I Thessalonians 5:12-28

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16

 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

25 Brothers, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (ESV)

 Lord as I look at this passage, I see one thing after another that You have commanded I do. Not suggestions. Not things to do if I like and agree with someone, but commands. 

 to respect those who labor among you

I need to show respect for the preachers, elders, pastors, teachers, etc., who are working around me, The command to respect has NO qualifiers on it.
are over you in the Lord and admonish you

This tells me that I will have someone in authority over me. I must accept that
esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

I need to love those who are laboring for my very soul.
Be at peace among yourselves.

Stop fighting and being selfish! God says to be at peace. And He doesn't say, "Only if you get YOUR way"
admonish the idle

The lazy need to be told there is work to be done. They need to be shown that being a Christian is not about sitting in the pew for an hour, but a life of service to God.
encourage the fainthearted

Those that are frightened we must encourage to hold on.
help the weak

Those who are weak in their faith need to be helped along so they can grow. Not tossed aside and ridiculed.
be patient with them all.

There are no qualifiers in this command. That word ALL, means in the Greek, ALL. It applies to all those God has just talked about. Tough command. We must be patient with people. Reason? God is, Thankfully, patient with us!
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil,

This one really needs no explanation. If someone hurts you, do not hurt them back. Easy to understand. VERY hard to do because the world screams something different. People that are supposed to be Christians will scream something different too at times. God has the right way.
always seek to do good to one another and to everyone

This is what we do to the people doing evil to us. We do good to them. This is what we do to people who do good to us. This is what we do to people that do not know Jesus. We do good to everyone so that people see the character of Jesus. No BUT......'s allowed!
Rejoice always

 Rejoice no matter what. Find something to rejoice in. God alone is enough to make you rejoice. Jesus alone is enough to rejoice in. Just rejoice. It is a great substitute for complaining and anger.
pray without ceasing

Prayer time in a quiet place is awesome. But you cannot stay in that closet forever. Pray with every step you take. While you drive. While you work. While you are having a conversation with others. FYI: Your eyes can be open while you pray!!!
give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Be thankful for where you are. The situation you are in is God's will for you at that moment. What can you learn? How can you grow? If He is telling you to move then move. He will lead the way. (Clarification: In no way am I saying that God is calling you to stay in a dangerous or abusive place! That is NEVER the will of God!) Be content.
Do not quench the Spirit.

Listen to the Spirit in your life. That is why he resides in you. To prompt you. To teach you. To lead you in the ways of the Lord. Do not keep trying to snuff Him out of your life! You need the Spirit!
test everything

By God's Word. All of God's Word. Do not just look for a verse out of context that agrees with your position. You want to be in agreement with God's position!
hold fast what is good

Hang on to the good. Hang on tight. It is not easy. It is easier to hold on to the evil because it feels better sometimes. Hold on to God's Word, The Spirit, God's Church! Great starting place. Hold on tight!
Abstain from every form of evil.

Do not do what is against God's Word. Ever. There is never a reason to do something different than God says to do. The evil in the world will destroy you. Just walk away! Actually, RUN!
the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,

God and only God will sanctify you. That means He has set you apart for a special purpose. Only God can do that. You must believe he has done that, and done it completely.
may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

We must keep ourselves blameless. Our spirit, our soul and our physical body. God wants us to give ourselves fully to Him, to submit and be blameless!
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

God is faithful. He will do what he says he will do. We must trust Him to do what he says he is going to do!
Brothers, pray for us.

Pray for the leaders. And each other. This is not optional. God commands it.
Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

The word ALL is used here AGAIN. Greet each other like you love each other and are all in the same family and on the same team.
I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

It is YOUR responsibility to tell others what God says! Even the hard parts. This is a strong statement, "I put you under oath" these are things God wants people to know!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you

I wish I could say I was going to do this list perfectly today and everyday. I know better. I will try. I will be led by the Spirit, but when the time comes when I do mess up, I will cling to this last item on the list. The grace of Jesus will be right there with me. It will pick me up, dust me off and set me back on the right path to continue to do these things. Grace. We cannot LIVE without it. We need to know this, because we are called to show the Grace of God everyday!

Thanks for bearing with me. But this To Do list of God's had to be shared. 

I am off now to begin, will you join me? I hope so, for it is then you will find yourself chasing after hearts!

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

Daily Devo- I Thessalonians 5:1-11 "What Are You Wearing Today?"

 

 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

5:1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (ESV)

Lord thank you for the reminder that You are coming back. This can either be frightening or comforting. I find great comfort in it, but also a sense of sadness for those who have chosen not to know You.
May a fire be fanned into flame in my heart today for those who do not know you. Please give me opportunities to point them to You.
 

I am dressing today with the breastplate of faith and love and putting on the helmet of the hope of salvation. 

Wearing these things I have protection and comfort and security no matter what comes my way. It also enables me to share the gospel with those who You put in my path today!
I'm dressed, and my heart is ready Lord.
Even so Lord Jesus come quickly!  

Today:
I will look for opportunities to share the gospel message with those God has put in my path.
I will encourage and build up other believers so they can do the same.

 

Chasing After Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

Why Is It So Easy To Believe The Lie?

I have been thinking a lot about the Garden of Eden. As a woman, I think about how blessed Eve was to have a perfect home. An abundance of the the very best food. The most perfect man on earth for a husband.  The confidence of knowing she was the most beautiful woman on earth! (Just ponder that in light of the messages young women hear daily today)

Interacting daily, face to face with God.  Not by prayer. Not by written word. Daily face to face with God.

Security is a woman's number one need. Eve had no lack of security. She had everything a woman could ever want in life.

So the question I have, and I know many others do too, WHY WAS IT SO EASY TO BELIEVE THE LIE?

The following comes from Genesis 3. The conversation went like this:

Satan: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?"
Eve: “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,  but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
Satan: “You will not certainly die, for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 

You know the end, Eve believed Satan, and disobeyed God.
She believed the lie!
Why? Why didn't she just call out and ask God? Why didn't she just ask her husband? Why oh why did she just believe the lie?

Now before I am so hard on Eve, are we not the same way today, at least some of the time?  Someone tells us something, and we believe it, without checking the facts, without asking the other person, we just simply believe what was said. Or we choose not to believe what is written in God's word. God tells us to trust Him, and we go on ahead and do what we want. That is believing the lie that we know more than God. Hmm sound familiar?

As I looked at this passage and tried to figure out why she so easily believed the lie, this is what I found;

Satan is behind every lie. He is called the Father of Lies.(John 8:44) So whether it was Eve or someone today, if a lie is being told, Satan is where the lie originates.

The lie may have some truth in it, but it is still a lie."‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’"  .
That was not what God said. He said they could eat from all the trees except one.
(Genesis 2: 16-17)
 He twisted the truth enough to get her interest.

A lie is almost always entertained in a situation you shouldn't be in to start with. With Eve, why was she hanging near that tree she knew was off limits, and without the support of her husband? For us, why are we asking this person, this question at this moment? Do we want to hear the juicy stuff? Have we forgotten, that is gossip?

We almost always answer a lie with a half truth. In other words, a lie. 
"and you must not touch it" was not what God said. (Genesis 2:16-17) God just said not to eat it. Now she has chosen to twist the truth. A slippery slope has begun a downhill journey for Eve.
Have you ever found yourself saying " Well you know, I always wondered about that. What you say makes sense. I saw............." after you have listened to something someone has said? Have you ever twisted even a little bit of the truth in an answer you give in reply? Beware, it is a warning flag!

So what made Eve believe the lie? What makes us believe the lie?

There is always something selfish for us in a lie we believe.  Maybe it is power. The power of being "in the know". 
Eve could be "just like God". The lie.
The truth, she was as close to God as she could ever be in her current state.

Sometimes it is power over someone else. If we can destroy them with a lie, we can feel better about the position we are in ourselves.
Satan knew he had already been in trouble with God. His lie to Eve brought her down to his level.

Maybe we believe the lie simply because the in doing so we justify the fulfillment of a desire we have, even if it is wrong.  We want it, believing the lie gives it to us, so it is easier to believe it.

It always is based in selfishness. Each time we choose to believe the lie, there is something selfish rearing its ugly head in our heart.

I can hear it now. "What if I am unsure if it is a lie or the truth?"

Put it to the test:
Does it go against God's word? Are you wanting something that God has said "No" or "wait" to? Walk away, you are being tempted by a lie.

Why is the person telling you what they are telling you? What are their motives? If it is about someone else, have they done the Biblical thing and gone to that person one on one? ( Matthew 18; 15-17) And no skipping steps or insisting on being part of an attacking mob. One on one. If they haven't, you walk away, a lie is coming.

Just because several people say something, does not make it true. Could it be that they have been misled?

If you do hear something, weigh it against what you know about that person. Does it match up? If it does not, walk away a lie is coming. If you think it might, then Galatians 6:1 applies.
 
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 


If the reason someone is telling you something is to destroy someone not restore them to God, walk away, a lie is coming.


Eve believed the lie, and it cost her one of her sons in death.  It cost her the security of the garden. It cost her the face to face relationship with God.
Eve was called the mother of all the living people. Her believing the lie hurt all who would come after her. I am looking forward to hearing what she has to say about it some day in heaven. One thing I am sure of, if Eve could be here today, she would scream at the top of her lungs

DON"T BELIEVE THE LIE!

If we will but look in God's word for answers, seek restoration for everyone, and put our selfish hearts aside for what is in the best interest for everyone, the father of lies won't get a foothold. 
We won't get caught believing the lie!

I want to chase after God's heart, I can only do that while walking in the truth!

Chasing After their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson 
 

Daily Devo- Luke 20:19-26 "Are You A Spy?'

Luke 20:19-26

19 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. 20 So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar's.” 25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent. (ESV)

Oh Lord once again there are evil men out to try to get You and trap You in Your words. Why did they not just learn? This time they sent spies, pretending to be sincere. I can see these men as they sit there. Looking as if they are hanging on every word the Savior is speaking, wanting to know the way to life. When on the inside, they are picking apart each word Jesus is speaking. Waiting for the one slip up so they can show in front of witnesses that Jesus needs to be arrested.

Jesus, thank you for being who You are. You knew their hearts and their motive. Your answer to their question about Caesar shut them up. They marveled at Your answer.
As I read this, I was brought into today's realm. What those men did then, I see done in a different way today.
When someone looks for a contradiction in God's Word, they are looking for a slip up by God. A reason to not have to believe what He has to say. To take away His authority.
Jesus is Savor of the World. No spy can take that away. No government leader can arrest it away. No one by defining truth by their own standards can take that away.

Lord I know there are still "spies" out there today. This time they are attacking Your Word and Your people. Thank You for being in control. Please help me to never be found to be in camp with those that are looking to malign Your Word and Your Church. The line can be crossed so easily, because our enemy is so sneaky.  

I want to be follower and servant of Jesus not a spy trying to destroy those around me.

Today:
I will remember God's Word has all authority and power.
I will not look to trip up the Word of God or His people, to do so can only come from selfish motives.
I will rejoice in the fact that the Jesus I read about in the Bible is the same One who is working in my life today!

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

What I Can Learn From "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens

The Christmas season is officially here. I know because yesterday I watched "a Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. I always kick off the season that way.  I watched a 1955 black and white version. It was fabulous. Then as if that wasn't enough, I watched "A Muppet's Christmas Carol" on television as well. I know, I know. Hugh difference in the story telling between the two, but the same story and lesson for both.

As I watched Scrooge, and his sour, selfish ways, I saw some people I know. That's when I knew I was in trouble. When I see negative things about others, but fail to have a lesson taught to me, my heart is not in a good place. So I did an inventory of myself, in light of the three Christmas Spirits and Scrooge. This is what I found.

When I look at Christmas' of my past, I see some years where Jesus was NOT the focus. I see a child who got everything she asked for, but was never taught it wasn't about her. I was not told Christmas was truly about the Lord of the Universe.
As I grew older and met Jesus, married and started a family, my Christmas' of the past changed. Even though I taught my children all about the Lord of the Universe, I fell into the materialistic trap of making the day 90% about the kids and 10% about Jesus.
My heart changed and was convicted until the day really became all about loving people and pointing them to Jesus.

When I look at the Christmas of the present, I see a very large crowd. It gets bigger each year. We will have six children, two spouses, six grandchildren and one mother-in-love, besides my husband and myself on Christmas Day. We will worship, we will share a meal, we will fellowship, we will give gifts to one another. I am also looking beyond my family for someone who needs a special blessing. You see this year we will do something we call "the Twelve days of Christmas" for someone. For twelve days leading up to Christmas Eve, we will show up each day sing that day of the song and presenting a small gift of some kind. I choose to do this to make sure I keep the focus of Christmas on Jesus and the special gift of His life He chose to give.  It is easy to get wrapped up in our own "present" and not choose to be a gift to others. I have today to make a difference. Scrooge reminded me of that loud and clear.

Christmas Future? I really have no idea what next Christmas will hold. Except that I pray, I have set an example to my family of what it really should be about, and they choose to focus on Jesus. I don't even have a guarantee that there will be another Christmas.

I will choose to live in the present, forget about the mistakes of the past, and only concern myself with the One who holds my future.

The nice thing is, just like with Scrooge, everyday we have an opportunity to change our minds and do what is right. After all, that is the true story and meaning of Christmas. Jesus came so we could have a changed life in Him. He gives hope, the ability to live a new life and the assurance of eternity spent with Him.

You see, Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the Spirit of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future.

I will keep Chasing Their Hearts, even with jingle bells on!


Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

Daily Devo- Luke 20:1-8 "You Can't Lie To God"

Luke 20:1-8

 20:1 One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up 2 and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” 3 He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, 4 was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” 5 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (ESV)

Lord, I believe who you are. I trust what You say. I look at these chief priests, scribes and elders, and I think, they are ridiculous because they are trying to trap Jesus. Jesus knows their hearts and their motives. He knows what they are up to. He also knows just what to do. They cannot answer the simple question He asked them. To do so would either get them in trouble with God, or the people. They really did not want to please God, but themselves, and they did not want the people riled up against them. So they lied. They lied to the the Son of God. To God himself. To the King of Kings. As I read this, I think, 'That's crazy!".

But Lord, are there times I think I can lie to You and get away with it? By doing things with a wrong motive, thinking You can only see the act , not my heart? By thinking evil of someone and sharing that thought with others, all in the name of God, with a selfish motive? Lord you know every thought of my heart. You alone know me from the inside out. There is no telling You a lie and getting away with it.

In this passage today, there are only two sets of people to emulate.
Either I am like the men who had an ulterior motive of greed and power when they approached Jesus, or I am becoming like Jesus, and I submit myself to Him fully and honestly.

One group will lead to death, the other, right to the heart of God, and to life.

Today:

I will remember that each decision I make, my Lord knows my reason for doing it.

I will choose to acknowledge that Jesus alone holds the answers of life and He alone is to be submitted to for life.

I will not try to please man with the words I speak today, but God alone, in humility, praise and love.

I will point people to the giver of life, with the motive being that they are reconciled to God.

I will Chase After the Heart of God!

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

Daliy Devo- Luke19:1-10 Do You Need To Climb Up or Down A Tree?

Luke 19:1-10

19:1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (ESV)

Lord as I read this read this account of Zacchaeus in Your word, I read it today not as a children's story to be told to a Sunday school class, but as an adult who needs to hear what You want  heard today.

I feel like Zacchaeus in a way. I'm climbing high up here to look into your word because I feel very small compared to it. This is what I see. I see a man who had heard about you. A small, hated man. I know he is small because your  word says he is. I know he is hated because he is a tax collector. We don't even like our present day IRS agents so I know he wasn't liked. But I see a man who desperately wanted to see YOU.

Jesus knew Zacchaeus was looking for him. And Jesus knew this man's heart well enough to invite himself over to dinner. The small, hated, sinner, is the one out of that entire crowd that Jesus wants to spend time with. Zacchaeus didn't hesitate. He JOYFULLY received Jesus. And he immediately repented of the wrong doing he had done. And Jesus' response? He immediately forgave him.

Why oh Lord did You not execute justice for all the wrong he had done to people? Why did You not just cause him to fall out of the tree and die? Why did You not publicly rebuke and humiliate him? That's what those grumblers in the crowd were waiting for. They were not happy that You chose to forgive and spend time with that sinner.

Why?

Verse 10, in Your words Lord, tells it all.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Help me to be like Zacchaeus. Seeking out You. Seeing You. Choosing to repent when You show me I have done wrong. Accepting Your forgiveness that is Your alone to give. And above all, let me never be a grumbler in the crowd when someone else does those as well. After all, You died and rose for this very thing.

Today:

I will climb whatever tree I need to,so I can see you. The tree of Your word.

I will climb down out of the tree I am in to joyfully receive You.

The tree of my sin.

The tree of my pride.

The tree of lies that You will not forgive.

I will climb, then I will chase after your heart!

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

Daily Devo-Luke 18:31-43 " From Confusion To Praises"

Luke 18:31-43

31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. (ESV)

Lord as read this part of your Word today I see many things. I see that even your disciples who were with you in your life did not understand all you said. They could not grasp the impending death and resurrection of their Lord. It has been laid out for me in your Word and their are times I still can't wrap my mind around the pain and suffering that You went through for me. I am ashamed to say, I sometimes forget that you conquered death as well. You said You would. You did. I need to keep that forefront in my mind as walk through this life. I have nothing to fear.
As Jesus and his guys continue on their way, they come upon a blind beggar man. The blind man asks what is going on, what all the commotion is about. He is told it is Jesus. This man does not hesitate. He cries out to Jesus. What I read next , Lord, is heart breaking. He is rebuked and told to shut up! Imagine that. He is crying out for the One who can heal him, and those around him, tell him to shut up. I learn two lessons in this today.
#1- never listen to those who are trying to silence you when you are reaching out for Jesus. No one can take away your voice and no one can keep Jesus from hearing it. You do not have to have the crowds approval to reach out for Jesus. It is a personal thing. It is between you and Him.
#2- I cannot even fathom what Jesus must have thought about those who tried to keep this man from him. I never want to be the one who tries to prevent someone from coming to Jesus. I need to either facilitate them reaching for their Lord or I need to get out of the way. Anything else is wrong.

The beautiful thing that I see is the result of this man's healing. It is not in the fact that he can now see. It is that he immediately followed Jesus and praised God. So did the crowd that was there. The same crowd that moments before wanted him to "shut up" is now singing the praises of God with him.

Lord let me remember who You are and what you have done. May my eyes and heart be opened so that I can see You and sing Your praises and help lead the earthly choir to do the same!

Today:
I will remember that Jesus has suffered a lot for me. He has conquered death. I have no reason to fear anything.
I will cry to Jesus regardless of what anyone around me might say.
I will not hinder anyone in coming to Christ.
I will sing the praises of Jesus as I follow Him. 

I will Chase After God's Heart!

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson

Daily Devo- Luke18:15-16 "A Childlike Faith"

Luke 18:15-16

15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Lord may I never keep a child from You. With either my actions or my deeds. Really that is actually the easy part of obeying this verse. How do I receive the Kingdom like a child is a little tougher. We spend our entire adulthood trying to teach children how to grow up and love you, God. How to "properly" worship you God. How to act like someone who is walking with you God. And yet, that is not at all what this verse says. I need to look around me and see how the children view You. How they worship You. How they serve you.
This is what I see:
Children love God, simply because He is God.
Children worship with reckless abandon. The jump, sing, dance, spin with joy, and all because they are excited about singing and praising God.
Children love to serve other people simply because they love Jesus and because they accept the fact that it makes God happy.
Children will tell others everything they know about God without worrying about what they don't know, or of they will say something wrong.

God is simply who He is He in a Child's eyes. 

The difference I observe between a child and an adult is I have yet to ever see a child try to replace God with themselves. Only adults do that.
Please forgive me Lord for the times I have neglected to see the beauty of a child's faith.

Today :

I will observe the faith of the children around me.
I will watch and I will learn.
I will drop my pride so that I can see God through a child's eyes.
I will chase after their heart, so I can see His heart! 

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

My Must Read of This Year- "Choosing To See" by Mary Beth Chapman

I am an avid reader. I read books voraciously with there never being a time that I am not reading at least two books, usually three at time. When I won the book "Choosing to See" by Mary Beth Chapman, by commenting on Ron Edmondson's Blog, http://www.ronedmondson.com, I was very thankful! After all, I was walking through a tough time, and maybe this book would be encouraging.

I assumed this book would be like all the rest, and I expected to read it while reading the other books I was working through at the same time. This book is different. At least it was for me.

I read through the "Forward", and put this book down until I finished the other one I was reading. I knew from just that much, I would need everything in me to be focused on what I reading as I read "Choosing To See".

This was a story that deserved singular attention.

I was not wrong. As I began the journey with Mary Beth Chapman, and that's what she does, she takes you on a journey, I was capitvated by her honesty, transparency and trust in God.

As a mother, there were times this was a very difficult book to read. "Difficult"  That seems to be a much too small, and much too inaccurate a word to describe the mother's walk who had to write this story, and must continue to live it out daily.

I found myself needing to put this book down and walk away just to compose myself enough to continue reading. The reason for this is Mary Beth Chapman takes you as close as you will ever get to living her story without being Mary Beth Chapman. I will never feel what she felt. To say I do would be an insult. Only SHE lived this particular story. This is HER life, HER grief, and HER walk. She just brings her readers as close to HER story as one can get, without being HER.

Mary Beth Chapman explains why. It is this explanation that truly changed the way I think about things.

"And so I have prayed that our journey through the shadows of loss might be of some help to those who have experienced similar pain...that our stewardship of this story would comfort many."  - Mary Beth Chapman, "Choosing to See"

It was the,"stewardship of this story" that changed my life. Stewardship. Of the God written story of her life. Mary Beth poignantly crafts this theme throughout her book.
.
I was now "SEEING" God has called me, and each one of His followers to steward the story He has given us. The one He is writing specifically for each of His children.

I can now "SEE" very clearly, this encompasses the messy parts of my life, thanks to Mary Beth Chapman.

Lest I leave you with the idea that this is a singular story of the death of a child, let me be clear. It is the story of hope, trust and the ever enduring faithfulness of God, stewarded beautifully by a woman of God who chooses to "SEE".

Chasing Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson


"Choosing To See" by Mary Beth Chapman w/ Ellen Vaughn
Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
http://www.revellbooks.com
Copyright 2010

Daily Devo: Luke 18:1-8 -"Answers and Faith"

Luke 18:1-8

18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (ESV)

 

Lord I bring up this prayer before you as a prayer for hope, walking in a very uncertain time, knowing that YOU will answer! I also know that You answer perfectly because You are my heavenly Father and You desire what is best for me. Verse 8 is a very unsettling verse. I pray You will find me faithful when You return. I also pray that I will be used as a tool for You so that others might be found having faith when You return. Let my prayer today not so much be for justice, but for hearts to turn to You so that You will find faith when You return. 

Today:

I will pray without ceasing.
I will have faith that God will hear and answer those prayers according to His good and perfect will!
I will remember that You gave me grace, not justice and that is what I pray for for those around me.
I will Chase after His Heart!

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson