Author: Dr. Michael Johnson

I told the Lord it’s impractical
At least so in my mind
They continue to offend me
Christ said forgive them every time

I told the Lord they abuse me
Without end so it seems
Christ responded as before
Forgive them everything

But Lord they’re unrelenting
Can’t you see what they have done
He said oh yes I am aware
Forgive them everyone

Forgetting unlike forgiving
Is from the mind not the Heart
And those who follow me
This power I do impart

The power to release in Full
The pain those memories bring
If you want to be healed made whole
Forgive everyone every time everything

All those who call My Name
Who claim the second birth
Know forgiveness is essential
It was what My life was worth

Matthew 18:21-22 KJV Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Matthew 6:12 KJV

What should I do with these riches?
The abundance under firm lock and key
I want you to help those who have nothing
I want you to set others free

What should I do with my health?
Each limb, each sense full faculty
I want you to strengthen the lame
I want you to set others free

What should I do with my time?
With each tick of the clock life does flee
I want you spend moments with the lonely
I want you to set others free

For nothing you have is yours
Every breath all you hold is from Me
I give them to you to help someone
I want you to set others free

Just as I declared in the temple
I send you to the world to show Me
Heal the sick, visit the lonely, the captive
I want you to set others free

Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

After the naked are clothed
After the hungry have meat
After you comfort the lonely
I want you to wash dirty feet

After the wounded have healed
After they no longer weep
Look for the weary, downtrodden
I want you to help them get sleep

After the confused get an answer
After the lost find a way
After those in darkness find light
Listen closely to what I now say

Your chores and duty don’t end
Just because you accomplished these tasks
You are My servant, I bought you
Mine are commands, I don’t ask

Because after this life is over
After you have drawn your last breath
My servants don’t seek rewards here
They come home with Me and do rest

Luke 17:7-10

Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’?

Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

I leaped into a deep, deep hole
The risk seemed worth the taking
There was a flashing shiny thing
It was worthless, I was mistaken

The walls were too slick to climb
They were made of cold dark clay
Once inside I realized
I’d never see the light of day

But some nice strangers passing by
Felt pity and asked my name
We don’t have gifts to throw down now
But we will send help just the same

A man in priestly apparel
Heard my voice from way down there
Leaned over the dark pit and quickly
Offered his most fervent prayer

Is there no way out I wondered?
Must I live in this hole, this well
I know it is my own fault
Who can deliver me from this hell?

Just as I asked the question
The words still on my tongue
I felt a Holy Presence say
Dear child, I Am the One

No matter how deep the hole
No matter what the cause
When everyone else forsakes you
I hear each time you call

I Am Comforter and Keeper
I know this dark hole’s chill
I Am Light and Resurrection
I Am Life and peace be still

When it seems there is no way out
When darkness only pervades
Cries of guilt, tears of anguish
Let the I Am invade

He knows that I am tempted
He knows that I do sin
He tells me that the way out
Is first to let Him in

The consequences I do bear
From the wrong that I decide
Jesus steps into the hole
And with me He does abide

Psalm 139:7-11 KJV

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee

My agenda is in danger
My cover is now blown
The baby in the manger
Is now all fully grown

He was easy to admire
To cuddle and to hold
But now I’ve no desire
This growed up man to hold

He asks a lot of questions
Like all little children do
He ignores my clear suggestions
As if He knows the answers too

As a baby I adored Him
At the end of the last year
But now I just ignore Him
So, one things seems real clear

He is fully grown and complete
He now commands and expects
That anyone who competes
He says He will reject

The Babe once in a manger
Is now all fully grown
To keep me from sin’s danger
He wants my life to own

Surrender to this King
Bow to Him not for a season
He alone salvation brings
Submission is the way to please Him

Matthew 11:28-29

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

ugly-jesus-sm

God is unfair. Why would God allow these events to unfold in Indonesia, Haiti, Yemen, Sudan, North Korea? Should we spell his name with a little ‘g’ and incorporate him, or her with all the other multiple millions of gods whom we must bargain with to get a good deal? Is our God unfair?

We measure fairness as if I am good, I get what is good. The Karma of this world is how we expect our Creator God to operate. The sense of entitlement for being nice, pure, holy, courteous. However, God is unfair. He does not look on our outward works, appearances or even our reputation. He does not reward us as we believe we deserve. I just need to remember how many evil thoughts, deeds, words or intents I have had in the decades and the last ten minutes of my life on earth and how undeserving of grace I have been. If my Father God had been fair, I would have long ago perished.

Dr. Martin Luther King stated: The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.

The moral arc is not measured in temporal, chronologic, calendar events or stop watches. Our God is too big to be kept on our timetable of what is right and wrong.

2 Peter 2:9 puts it this way: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God suffers or tolerates the evil in my life just as he tolerates the evil in people I deem as evil. He is unfair by my standard, but He does not answer to my standard. He is unfair, but not unjust.

We want justice for others, but mercy for ourselves. We want fairness, as long as we benefit. Otherwise, we ask God to put his hand on the scales of justice in our favor, pick our lucky number, protect us when we know we are in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people doing the wrong thing. Have mercy. Be fair to me. Give others justice, what they deserve. Give me grace. That is not the God that we serve. He is always unfair. He is never unjust. He owes Himself to be the righteous Judge because He answers only to Himself.

Genesis 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

I decided to wear my usual costumes for Halloween. Oh yes, I have quite a few of them.

1. The Holier Than Thou costume is one of my favorites. It allows me to distract others from my own failings as I speak ill of someone we mutually dislike.

2. The Well I Never costume is high on my list. It allows me to pretend that I never entertain evil thoughts and certainly don’t participate in evil deeds.

3. The I Am Not Accustomed to Such costume fits me well. It helps me appear to be on the high-end, above the modest class of people as I have more than they do.

4. The I have Plenty of Religion costume is always in style no matter what the season. I go to church and carry the Bible that I leave on the bed stand and never read the rest of the week.

I have not found any costumes better than these. I am sure that you have seen me in at least one, or maybe all of them at the same time. Maybe you could help me shop for other items of apparel and deception.

Luke 18:11-12
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Every day above the ground
Affirms the simple truth
God granted you see the flowers
Tomorrow, you feed the roots

Each breath, every heartbeat
Is grace, and here’s the proof
Today you eat the harvest
Tomorrow, you feed the roots

All of life is a circle
Every seedling, has a shoot
One day you and I
Will have a chance to feed the root

1 Peter 1:24-25 King James Version (KJV)
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

It takes a tough man to be tender
That does not mean he is weak
Suffer wrong to not offend her
‘Told you so’ is not in his speak

He knows that the real offender
The one who would cause her harm
Is the evil one, that great pretender
So, he shelters her under his arm

To protect and even defend her
When you would rather let things play out
While the foe of her soul, that contender
Knows what this game is about

Those flowers you refused to send her
That special word you withhold as a grudge
Those sweet things you did to add splendor
Now you sit on your seat, you won’t budge

You are playing the toughness of gender
As a male, big he man, macho thing
When your role is to make peace surrender
Doing so makes her queen and you king

Be tough as you can that is tender
Your strength under check and control
Things pulled apart, you’re the mender
With a firm soft hug, that’s the hold

Ephesians 5:25…29 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: