Author: Dr. Michael Johnson

I have earned what I have
I don’t want to share it
You talk of mercy
I prefer merit

You speak of grace
Of helping the poor
I say work harder
If you want to have more

You mention favor
By birth and by breed
I say so what
I have more than I need

Why should you care
What I do with my stuff
Only I really know
When I have enough

I don’t care about mercy
Merit matters the most
I deserve what I have
Mercy offers no boast

‭Proverbs 11:28 KJV‬
He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: But the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

Dr. Martin Luther King observed that we have ‘A persistent schizophrenia leaves so many of us tragically divided against ourselves. On the one hand we proudly profess certain sublime and noble principles but on the other hand we sadly practice the very antithesis of these principles.’

I am sure that Dr. King was not speaking derisively, but confirming the extremely vitriolic nature of the discourse surrounding our politics and religion.

We encamp and build fortresses on what we genuinely believe as positions of moral certitude. We fight physically and verbally using words and actions that have nothing to do with proclaiming Christ. We are as Dr. King stated, schizophrenic.

Arguing with a schizophrenic is an endless expenditure of emotional energy. There is no intellectual or spiritual reward. It provides no relief for the misery and suffering in our world. Instead as Christians, we contribute to the pain by our refusal to accept the authority of Christ.

We try to coerce and convince others of things that only the Holy Spirit can convict. Without His conviction our conversations degenetate. We become the very darkness we decry. We become enemies of the cross as we beat people to submit to our understanding of love.

The world is operating under a strong delusion. We must not inhale the ether that causes this alternate reality. It only serves to advance the purposes of the enemy of our soul, the devil.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 the apostle Paul wrote:

The coming of the lawless will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.

They perish because they refused to love the truth and be saved.

For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

I would summarize it as Mark Twain purportedly said: ‘Never argue with a fool. People see it and can’t which is the fool’.

Don’t use the ways of the schizophrenic to convince them they are schizophrenic. You will be a part of their delusion and in the process lead them further into darkness.

There are only two kinds of people
To distinguish I tell you how
Those who wonder what if
And those who ask what now

What if has the luxury of time
Money and things it endows
Will I survive or recover
Are the questions of the what nows

I missed my bus for work
I won’t get paid what now
What if I don’t get my car washed
Can it go unnoticed somehow

What if my stocks lose value
What if I don’t get promotion
What now my job doesn’t need me
I can stay if I consent to demotion

Two kinds of people two questions
Two different ways of seeing ahead
One with enough stuff and options
The other filled with fear and dread

One watches madness and mayhem
Sees wars and rumors of wars
The other held captive by bars and wires
Dreading who knocks on their doors

Which are the questions you ask
What options do you possess
To put this in clearer perspective
Having choice means you have the best

What if your role is reversed
Your fortunes are overturned
What now would be your new position
Prayerfully you had time to learn

Pastor Tony Evans tells the story about two men who bragged about their understanding of the Bible.

“I bet I know more about the Bible than you do, said the first man”

His counterpart argued, “I bet you $20 that you don’t!”

To which the first man stated “I can prove that I’m a better scholar than you are with that $20 bet”

“Alright prove it came the reply”

“Sure thing answered, proudly.” I bet you don’t know the Lord’s prayer”

“Well of course I do.”

“Then recite it” came the quick response.

The man’s stuck on his chest and started. “Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep if I should die before I wake….”

His colleague quickly interrupted with a laugh and guffaw.

He took the $20 out of his pocket and handed it to his competitor. He kept laughing and stated you really surprised. I didn’t think you knew it!

For those of you who know anything about the Bible you should be aware and most probably are that that child’s prayer is not what is traditionally called the Lord’s prayer. That prayer is found in Matthew’s gospel chapter 6:9. In that prayer the Lord teaches his disciples how to pray to their heavenly father. The child’s prayer is not what any mature Christian would confused with the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples.

Yet we have many in our Christian community who are doing very much the same thing. They have conflated and confused the Bible with The United States constitution. They have confused with liberty and justice for all with Thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory forever,

They have confused patriotism with Christianity. They have equated being a good American with being a faithful follower of Jesus. In that deranged way of thinking they have allowed themselves and even encouraged others to believe that this nation is a God fearing Christian last best hope for mankind. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus recognized that men wanted Him to be king on earth instead of Lord of all creation. The Jewish leaders of his day felt that political power was the objective for the Messiah. What is believed to be American Christianity is genuinely a political monstrosity devoid of the genuine love of neighbor. This brand of Christianity confuses and conflates the righteousness holiness of Jesus with political correctness. No matter what side of a political issue on which one stands or believes, no one is righteous. No one deserves to enter heaven by their stance on political or moral issues.

There were two sinners crucified beside Jesus. One on the left and the other on the right. Neither deserved heaven. One did beg forgiveness and professed faith. The Bible accounts that that one man, that one sinner was granted eternal life that very day by the Savior who was crucified in the middle.

(Luke 23:43) And Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.”cross.

When we start to believe that we are worthy because we believe certain ways about certain people and certain events we delude ourselves. We do so because we want to believe that we somehow deserve better than those other people. That is not the gospel of Jesus. That is self-righteousness cloaked in political garb.

Our righteousness is not something to be displayed at rallies, conventions, or parades. Our righteousness doesn’t have to be proclaimed! If we have to tell people that we are holy and humble then we are neither. If we have to shout at people to tell them we are sinless we are destined for hell. The evidence of our redemption is how we treat one another and more specifically how we treat those with whom we have nothing in common and don’t even like. The evidence of our redemption is our kindness, grace and forgiving spirit. Nothing else matters. We cannot and must not even try to force people to believe as we believe. We cannot convince anyone of anything of which the Holy Spirit has not convicted them. To do so is to try to force people to do what only God can do.

We become the religious police seen in societies around the world. Those nations have no problem creating an amalgam of their constitution and their faith. Their constitution becomes their God which in essence is an idol. And we know how God feels about idols.

1Samuel 5:1-4 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod. When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.

God will destroy our constitution, our nation and anything that we hold and greater reverence then He Himself. Let us not get confused. This is not a gamble we should take no matter how big they pay out maybe on this earth.

The Bible clearly states that every knee must bow before Jesus and declare Him as Lord Romans 14:11. That even includes your most admired leaders. Don’t make them your idols.

Let your compass be compassion
Let sweet love overflow
Not just seasonal cute fashion
Not for pretense not for show

Fix your heart on grace and mercy
Let forgiveness rule your mind
Let the side of you the world sees
Be the face that’s sweet and kind

Have the kind of reputation
That lets others know you care
You see their needful situation
You generously give you share

Let your compass be compassion
Never miss a chance to give
Remember love is a word of action
The breath you take helps others live

John 13:35 KJV‬‬
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

‘Why do you stay so busy Michael? When do you plan to retire?’

I hadn’t seen her in years. We exchanged greetings and small talk, the usual compliments about aging well. It is clear that our vision isn’t clear.

Class reunions are a great source of strength reminding me how much I have grown. To me her questions were probing not presumptuous. She did care.

She continued. ‘Ever since I have known you, it seems you take on the needful and neglected. One thing is clear to me and should be obvious to you. These people you help and causes you serve will never go away. I think you should revisit that saying about giving a man a fish. These people just ask for tartar sauce. This is endless.’

I acknowledged and accepted her opinion. She spoke out of genuine concern. I knew I had not saved as much money, or invested as wisely as most of my colleagues and friends. I wasn’t sure how well my wife and I would fare if stricken with severe illness or disability. She was absolutely right. I had no answer.

I left the events filled with joy to see so many colleagues and names and faces I had never met or just forgotten. But the questions served as a wake up call. I asked myself ‘is she right?’ That night, I tried to sleep but the questions kept coming.

Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me.

‘Michael my child, don’t be prideful as if you got this far without Me. The very next breath is because your Creator allows it. You really only have one choice that guarantees your peace and comfort. You must pursue the peace and comfort of the poor and afflicted. When you serve them, you serve Christ. Now get some rest my dear child.’

It is impossible to explain why my wife and I do what we do. It is something we can’t help others understand because I am not sure even we understand. This much we do know for certain. As Jesus said; there will always be poor people, our work is endless.

It is impossible to end world hunger, murder, rape, wars and exploitation. That is not our calling. We are called to give freely what we have been given freely and not concern ourselves about not having enough for ourselves. Our health, intellectual abilities, our resources are temporarily in our grasp. We are called to remind people of their infinite value to the Creator who lives and cares for them
We do this by demonstrating His love. That is the sacrifice we render.

The Holy Spirit spoke again. ‘Michael, as if you had a choice. This earthly life is fading as fast as your eternal life is growing. My dear child, you are well invested. Rest. I know exactly what you need. Rest.

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Matthew 6:31‭-‬32 KJV

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:33‭-‬34 KJV

If we can just kill the right persons or people, we can finally have peace. That is the promise of military and political leaders. If we can just find where they are in real time and use the right weapon, we can win this conflict.

Though it sounds logical, clear, concise and even just, this strategy will never give the desired objective of personal peace and prosperity.

The only person who must die to win personal peace is myself. I must die to the idea of getting even, setting things right, seeing my agenda succeed. Any other plan is deceptive to me as a person and us as a nation, and will never be the defeating blow against our enemies. It will only enrage those who oppose me. It serves only to increase their resolve to continue the fight.

We must put a target on ourselves. We must die to our own agenda. Just as we see them as unworthy of life, so they deem us. An opponent is not an enemy. They may perceive themselves as such, but I am under no obligation to accept that designation. We can never kill the right person or people. There are always others standing in line to take their place.

The only righteous death is the death to our own agenda to get even.

Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

One of my favorite cartoon movies is entitled Despicable Me. It features an evil villan surrounded by hundreds of adorable and adoring little yellow admiring minions. These little guys will do anything and everything to please their master Dru. Everything, that is but change who they are. They are proud to be minions.

They know they are despicable but never see themselves as detestable. They are short, yellow and weird. But they are happy with how the cartoonist has drawn them.

This is really a stretch now. But I came to realize how often I have looked upon myself as detestable. Growing up, I would look in the mirror and wish I had straight hair, small nose, thin lips and lighter skin. I greatly disliked being the person God had made me. It was the time of cosmetic surgery to make the nose more European, chemicals and hot combs to strengthen my hair and cosmetics to lighten my skin. Standing close to lighter skin tones and especially white people made me feel detestable.

As I grew up the trend became to say I am Black and I am proud. I embraced who God had made me. I no longer sought to be recognized as who I wanted to be, but rather the person my Creator made me. I stopped shaking my fist at God and enjoyed my genetic makeup.

What is now called gender affirming surgery is really mutilation by doctors. Medical mutilation is affirming not who God has created. Instead, it is shaking a fist at God telling Him that He made a mistake. If you take enough medicines for the rest of your life and castrate and mutilate your body, you get to affirm who you want to be, not whom God made you. You actually become detestable. By the way, a man identifying as a woman can still get prostate cancer.

Yes Lord, you did give me an XX or an XY set of chromosomes, but I don’t want that. I feel the opposite of what you made me. Most parents are upset and disappointed when their child chooses to ignore the gifts they have provided. Imagine how your Creator feels.

My son Elijah said it is like taking a masterpiece of art and defacing it with a crayon. Then you tell the creator of that artwork to admit it is even better than the original. No artist would applaud my defacing his work. Our Father in heaven doesn’t either.

I become detestable when I shake my fist at God and use my body in ways that are not in conformity with how He created me. When I do so, I encourage others to rail against Him and defy the natural order.

My Father takes great delight in how He made me. With my physical, emotional and psychological limitations, He steps in and shows me how to be proud of who I am and to shun anyone or anything that tells me He made a mistake.

Dr. Dru understands, the minions are adorable. He doesn’t tell any one of them that he wishes they were smarter, taller or pinker. If the cartoon creator can get it…, why are we seeking medical mutilation?

We are made to be male and female. The rare disorder of this genetic makeup cannot be an excuse to be mutilated by medical professionals.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 1:27 KJV

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvellous are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.
Psalm 139:14 KJV

I had an awful dream. Actually, it was more like a nightmare. I was sitting around with a group of my male friends and we were bragging and lying. We bragged and lied about our lives before marriage. How much fun we had and how beautiful our girlfriends were. I was worst of all. I went on to explain how much I admired and appreciated the things I had seen others acquire during their lifetimes. The rich, famous and powerful people who lived in luxury have slim and near perfect bodies and beautiful smiles.

All of a sudden, I noticed they were all looking at me with faces filled with shock and pity. They know I have a beautiful wife and a wonderful loving family. Why had I degenerated to comparing my past romances and present lifestyle to those who were of no real consequence to me? Why had I dared to become so enamored with people and brag about things they had done, when God had blessed me with so much by His great grace and mercy. I felt ashamed. Fortunately, I awakened. It was just a bad dream, or as I said, a nightmare.

Then it came to me. How often do I do the same thing every day in casual conversation. No, I don’t mean this is about my failure to mention my wife, but about my failure to mention my relationship with my God. I imagine it must grieve the Holy Spirit greatly that I am so enamored with movie stars, good books, great restaurants, vacation spots and a host of other favorite things. I fail to acknowledge His presence in my life. Am I embarrassed? Do I feel that Christ does not deserve a mention? Is my salvation not worth discussing?

This is no longer a nightmare. This is a present-day reality. I don’t have to mention Jesus every other sentence, every paragraph or even in every social setting. But when I fail to acknowledge Him as a matter of habit, He becomes a distant memory. He no longer plays a pre-imminent role in my life. Jesus becomes just an ‘also-mentioned’, someone in the long line of characters or supporting roles in a movie or play.

Wake up Michael. The Bible says I must meditate on Him, even when I don’t mention Him. In other words, He should be at the forefront of my mind, even when His name is not on the tip of my tongue. That way, the Holy Spirit will guide where my thoughts go, what and how long my eyes gaze and what my mouth speaks.

Meditate on who Christ is. Ask the Holy Ghost to make Him the central focus of your thought life. When it is time, He will tell you to testify of Him and when He does, don’t fail to witness about what He has done and is doing in your life.

Be proud of your Christ. He will be proud of you.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16 KJV

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
Luke 9:26 KJV

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23‭-‬24 KJV

When they don’t seem to listen
When it seem they don’t hear
To get their attention
Feed them with fear

When it seems they’re complacent
Drunk with booze and beer
Get them excited and angry
Feed them with fear

They are confused with no leader
No one at helm to steer
Give the direction and meaning
Feed them with fear

Fear motivates emboldens
Makes it easy to cheer
Shout ‘They are coming to get us!’
Feed them with fear

Tell them we are the good ones
The tip of the spear
Those people don’t like us
Feed them with fear