God Will Take Care of You
When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up (Psalm 27:10 KJV).
David with all of his wrongs and guilt and foolish mistakes still sought the face and safety and security of his God and King. Here he is simply saying that even in the face of the worst rejection one can experience—your father and your mother forsaking you, “the Lord take you up.”
Although my father and my mother have forsaken me, yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child]. [Psalm 27:10 ABM.]
Most reports throughout the world will give you very vague statistics on abandoned children in different countries because there are so cases many world-wide. In Russia, for example, children were abandoned to the state at a rate of 100,000 per year, according to HRW.com (Human Rights Worldwide).Be sure you have a strong stomach if you go to this web site and read what they report about abused and abandoned children. When you try to cover the stats on runaways, refugees, child labor, child trafficking, street children and orphans it is almost impossible to come up with the right numbers. But sadly enough in the world today there are many little souls who are forsaken by their moms and dads.
What a touching promise God makes to us through His servant David, “When my own father and my mother reject me, the Lord, my Father will carry me along.” Whatever you are facing right now, no matter how big and ugly the problem; just remember you have a Father who will never, ever forsake you. What a powerful promise to deposit in your bank today! He will be with you always, even unto the end of the ages.
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
The “Un-Godlike” Way
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? (Psalm 8:4a KJV)
Intelligence can just go so far. Some things we can explore, research and finally find the clue to their origin, their make-up; the reason and purpose for existence. But God and man is still a mystery. The same creature God made He turned around and gave His only Son into the same mold, a human creature like you and me. This seems to be so illogical, so “Un-Godlike” that it is mystifying why God did it this way. Surely the Deity and Sovereign Being that He is no one would ever even imagine that God would make mankind and then allow His only Son to become a man and even die for mankind’s sin.
When you stand back and think about this from the most advanced human intelligence, it makes no sense at all. Most of us who have fathered a child, son or daughter, cannot possibly conceive allowing our child, especially if it is our only child, to die for some of the ugly, mean people we know. And yet Almighty Father did it this way! He loved all.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).
Just think about the people in your past who have betrayed you, lied to you, abused you, deserted you and belittled you—if you’re the Father you gave your Son, your only Son to die that they might have “abundant life.” Sounds crazy! But God in His infinite wisdom, His mighty mercy and His unconditional love gave His Boy for all humanity upon a Roman cross and horrible death. He allowed Jesus Christ to pay a priceless debt for you and me—and the world. The Galilean died for our sins. Why is He mindful of you?
For He has made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21 RKJV).
What grace upon grace that God poured out through that Child! It is because of that grace and only that grace you and I are free. Really free! Totally free! Changed forever! The Apostle Paul could say it no better than he did with these words:
But God, who is rich in His mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us. (Ephesians 2:4 KJV).
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
Stop!
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed (St. Mark 1:35 KJV).
Find the time. Seek special solitary. Be still before God. Stop! Learn from loneliness. Rise early before daybreak, before dawn and watch the rising of the sun.
Seclusion can be strength for you. Treat yourself with some slow motion. Allow a schedule for you to be through—completely through with any work, appointments or imposing tasks.
Change your pace. Learn from the Master. He, too, needed a “get-away” from his rigorous ministry of healing, preaching, teaching and working for his Father.
Rest your body. Calm your mind. Refresh your spirit. Allow your Father to restore your soul. No dilly dallying at all! Stop!
My long time friend and confidant, The Prophet, once looked me in the eyes at a time I was racing around trying to do God’s work. And he simply said in a very confident and soft voice, “Ron, even a thoroughbred needs rest, too.”
The Master spent precious, private, intimate moments with the Father. You, too, need and deserve this inspiration. Quarantine yourself with God. There is a time for parties, laughter, weddings, work, church, commotions, special occasions with those you love most—but there is always that urgent need to be sequestered with the Savior and him only. The Christ cloistered himself with the Father before many had even awakened. Remove your mind and heart from the world of noise, gadgets, beep beeps, TV’s, cell phones, DVD’s, and scary sirens. Take time to be holy. Take time for yourself. For God! Pick a place, a definite place to meet with your Father each day.
And I said, Oh that that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.(Psalm 55: 6, 7 KJV).
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
The Day Is Young
And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him. Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him (Acts 28:30, 31 KJV).
We do not accomplish much without confidence. In his incarcerated state, Paul preaches, teaches and witnesses the gospel to his students and seekers. Surely people came with a lot of suspicions, questions and issues. The so-called “Prison Epistles”: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians were written from his incarcerated state. What man hoped to confine, God through Paul conceived—His Word in Letters!
How you think, the confidence you bring to each day makes all the difference in this world. Look at this man’s attitude. He is captured. He is contained. He is inhibited. But the great gospel of grace, hope, love and mercy is unchained and unfettered. The people come to him and leave with the reality of redemption.
I asked a store clerk one morning recently how he was doing. And he said something I don’t think I will ever forget. He blurted out, “Right now I’m OK, but the day is young.” Many occurrences can change you in a single day. Many surprises can come about. Headaches. Heartaches. Good news. Bad news. All sorts of problems can arise. All sorts of happy moments can come your way. Much of your day is triggered by the choices you make. If you fill your mind with unconfident thoughts, negative ideas and apprehensive worries you can only expect a day of anxiety and an unsettling spirit.
The Apostle spoke and taught “with all confidence.” How you think becomes who you are. Face your day with God. Take a few moments at the beginning of your day and ask for His divine guidance. Lean upon His care. His Word. Prep your day with prayer. Remember, “The day is young.”
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him (Ephesians 3:12 KJV).
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
In A Fog
...What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she has lost one piece, does not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it(Luke 15:8 RKJV).
Just days ago I found a ring that had been lost for almost two years. It just happened to be my wedding band, too. That gnawing, aching feeling inside you is awful when you lose something of value and especially if it has a deep sentimental value.
This lady in Luke’s Gospel starts her search by looking everywhere in her house. She first lights a candle. She wants every room as bright as possible so she can see in every crack and corner; perhaps there she will find her silver coin. Nine coins will not do. Why? One is missing. The other nine are not any less significant—it’s just that when one went missing that coin became heavy upon her mind. What you lose of great worth, always occupies your mind with great worry. So she begins sweeping the rooms inside her house. Whatever it takes she knows she must be diligent in finding her coin as soon as possible.
Much of our lives are lived in a fog. We are always wrestling with lost items, lost jobs, lost fortunes, lost people, lost opportunities, lost marriages and lost aspirations. A middle age lady came to me recently who had lost her job she had had for several decades with the same company. She cried like a baby over the loss of her job; she had deep feelings of regrets, shame and a serious loss of self-worth.
I took out a hundred dollar bill and showed it to her. Then I wadded it up as tightly as I could. Then I unfolded it. I asked her if this bill had lost its value. She immediately said, “No.” Then I took this same bill and threw it on the floor and stomped on it. I turned to her again and asked the same question. She replied again with the same answer, “No, the hundred dollar bill still has not lost its value.” Finally I tore the bill apart several times. And I asked her, “Has this bill still lost any of its value?” She chuckled with the slightest bit of fright in her eyes, but said, “No, not really. Guess you could tape it back together again.”
I looked her squarely in the eyes and said, “In life you are going to be crinkled, crumpled, stomped on and torn apart at times, but it doesn’t mean that you have lost your value.”
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
LOST
By James Godden
In a terrible fog I once lost my way,
Where I had wandered I could not say;
I found a sign post just by a fence,
But I could not read it the fog was so dense.
Slowly but surely, frightened to roam,
I climbed up the post for my nearest way home;
Striking a match I turned cold and faint,
These were the words on it, “Mind the wet paint.”
Are you in a fog today? Do you feel like you have lost your way? Have you lost something more than a silver coin? Have you lost yourself? Do you feel sometime like you’ve climbed up a post in life to see your way home, only to discover you’re totally out of place? “Mind the wet paint!” Never lose value of who you are. Trust in the Lord, not in those little vicious, negative thoughts from the spirit of darkness—he wants to pour into your mind each day pessimistic ideas. You are a child of the King of kings and Lord of Lords. There is not another you in existence and never will be. Yes, you are a diamond, a jewel in this earth. And if you feel that you are in a thick, scary fog, remember the Lord is there with you. You are never lost from Him.
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
He Is Always There
Man that is born of woman is of a few days, and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down: he flees also as a shadow, and continues not (Job 14:1, 2 RKJV).
Nature’s way at times is almost overwhelming to our human minds. We see extraordinary occurrences that truly are mind-boggling and then we witness the simplest realities of nature like a small flower, a tiny bumble bee, a little stone in a stream; and a blade of grass or a cow chewing in a field. How extreme nature’s way can be! The mighty tornados like the one that took out Greenfield, Kansas, May 7, 2007 was the first F5 (highest category) to hit this country in eight years. The horrible tornado was 1.7 miles wide and twenty two miles long with winds up to 205 miles per hour according to the meteorologists with the National Weather Service who covered the storm’s pattern.
Oddly enough tornados can reach whirling winds of up to 300 M.P.H., and by contrast can have astonishingly gentle winds on the storm’s fringe. This is a phenomenon. In fact, September 4, 1981 a tornado struck the Italian port of Anacona and lifted a sleeping baby in its carriage 50 feet into the air. The child was gracefully sat down come 300 feet away. And the child didn’t even wake up.
Life is turbulent at times. Storms seem to be inevitable. Some become a huge crisis in our lives, and others are small hiccups we must encounter. Our lives according to Job are brief compared to eternity, and yet they are full of troubles. Troubles in the Hebrew language refer to the word quiver. Real, heartbreaking, disturbing trials causes even the strongest of men to quiver, tremble, shiver and shake in their dilemma.
You and I must remember that no matter how strong the winds are our God is stronger. No matter how dark, dismal and dreadful the black ugly, ominous clouds become in our path, God is supreme, God is sovereign and He can bring us through in the end. Never forget or doubt—He is always there.
And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans (Romans 8:28 TLBV).
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
bg letter # 1
Dear _______________,
I just wanted to share this letter with you from someone who is passing on an attribute that has touched my own life and the spirit in which I want to conduct my financial practice with my clientele.
Dear Dad,
As you know I speak all over the world. As a writer, speaker and author I enjoy my work teaching in schools, churches, colleges, corporations and even on cruise liners. Sometime ago I was arriving at a church to speak. The parking lot was really filling up in a hurry. Being a tad bit late I raced to the nearest and closest parking spot I could find. As I was swerving around the lot I came upon a parking space that must have been overlooked. As I swung out to pull my car into this space a lady came roaring through about the same time as I did. Well, dad, you can be proud of me, I allowed her to get this choice spot. I can’t say that I didn’t want it, too. But for whatever reason I became an instant gentleman—someone you have always taught me to be.
After I spoke to the congregation the minister arose and thanked me for coming. Then to my utter surprise he asked his wife to join us at the front. You guessed it dad! It was the very lady I allowed to go in front of me and park in that choice spot in the parking lot.
Later, as I arrived home dad, I shared this story with my wife. And she made a statement that I shall never forget. “Honey, you should always treat everybody like you did the preacher’s wife.”
Thanks dad for all those lessons you gave me growing up. My desire in life is to be the gentleman you taught me to be; and to always “treat everybody like I did the preacher’s wife.”
Sincerely,
John Doe, Your Financial Advisor
XYZ Company
Denver, CO
PS – Do what is right, it will gratify most people and astonish the rest.
Mark Twain
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
Out There
Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1a RKJV).
Troubled teens run away. For whatever reason they just run away and think greener pastures are out there. Today we see this in our own prosperous and affluent nation; the greatness of this nation does not matter, however. Kids still run away. Parents are often distraught. Confused! Troubled! And sometime parents are even in denial of what has happened when their child runs away from home.
This is why it is so important to begin early teaching, training and encouraging young people in the Lord. Actually youth are often demanding discipline and direction from parents; they just do not know how to ask for it. These wise words from our Heavenly Father through Solomon tell us the importance of remembering our Maker, our Father and our God in our youth.
Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth.
As we age we all realize how quickly that youthful period comes and goes in our lives; it is there and then it is gone—forever! But when you are in your early teens you think you will never become an adult. It seems to be light-years away, but it is not.
I read about a young man who ran away from his home. He embarked on a ship at the age of 16.His name was Samuel Colt. On the voyage he started whittling on a piece of wood. He made a gun; with a cylinder and cocking hammer. Later it would become synonymous with “revolver.” Now history looks back on the Colt 45; one of many patents that this young man created.
In almost every child’s mind there are ingenious ideas that could affect the whole world. No everyone becomes a Samuel Colt. But those ideas, that ingenuity and creativity are innate within young people. This is why it is so important that young people are brought up with religion—with God. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth.
Don’t let the excitement of being young cause you to forget about your Creator. (Ecclesiastes 12:1a LBV).
PS -800,000 children are reported missing in the US each year….another 500,000 go missing without being reported….unfortunately some of these kids are actually “throwaways,” children that parents or guardians did not want.They are just Out There!
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
WHO ARE YOU?
Then they said unto him, Who art thou? That we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you call yourself? (John 1:22 RKJV).
John was dynamic. He was what we call the forerunner of the Messiah. He was a rugged type individual with no fear about him; so much so that he told it like was even to his own demise. Matthew records the Baptist as:
John and his message were authorized by Isaiah’s prophecy:
Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. (Matthew 3:3-5 TMV).
He had the message of the day…in fact, of this era of time. He called himself “the voice...”
I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness... (John 1:23 KJV).
Who are you? Really, answer this question yourself. If you are in front of the press, with TV cameras in your face, millions of people watching the interview with all kinds of correspondents on hand, too; radio, TV, newspaper and magazine representatives in front of you, and you are asked the question, Who are you? What is your answer? Or, even in the quietness and privacy of your own heart this question comes to you, Who are you? Can you answer this question with confidence, and assurance? Do you know who you are?
I believe that it takes a lifetime to really understand the magnitude and even the real answer to this question for most of us. Because most people never fully understand who they are, why they here and most importantly where they are going. Who are you?
I was downtown Denver recently volunteering at the Denver Rescue Mission and I observed the many needy, lost, helpless souls who obviously have never answered this question, Who are you? What is even sadder I think, were those drug addicts all around this great Mission in the hot, blistering sun camped under cardboard, and make shift houses in the shadows of Denver’s beautiful skyline; and especially those colorful Rocky Mountains in the background. What a travesty to see with humanity! Who are you?
I’m sure that you find this hard to believe but there are approximately 94,000 people who are homeless in Los Angeles County each night. This is according to www.Help Another Soul.org. According to the National Center on Family Homelessness there are approximately 1.3 million children without homes among the thousands of homeless families in America. Somehow I find this hard to believe about a country of such wealth, greatness, technology and prosperity—but sadly enough this homelessness problem still exists. I saw it with my own eyes in Denver.
Who are you? What is your answer? I don’t think it is as easy to answer as we may think it is. Once we can answer this question, however, our lives are changed forever. John may have been from the country, the wilderness, and eating almost like a homeless person, but he knew unquestionably who he was. He knew why he was here. He knew where he was going. He knew his own personal mission and purpose for breathing the air upon this earth.
I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness…
Who are you?
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
Kawraw
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles (Psalm 34:6 KJV).
The Hebrew term qara, pronounced kaw-raw is a word expressing extreme urgency, like grabbing or accosting someone to get their attention. God is not that hard to reach. However, in our own emotional state we often kaw-raw (cry) out to God in our awful dilemmas.
This poor man speaks volumes. We are all poor in certain areas of our lives. We all have that Achilles Heel that reveals our weaknesses and frailty about us. No wonder the Psalmist says, “For he knows our frame (fleshly temple), he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14 RKJV).Poor here may mean many types inferiorities that we have. The confession is obvious; he is admitting that he is paltry and meager. It is only when you and I are willing to come to God in this fashion and spirit that God can do His divine transformation; His mighty supernatural work. Remember the Publican in the New Testament who simply admitted, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” No pretense! No excuses! He simply “told is like it was.” He was a sinner—a poor soul!
I attended college with Bobby Mankin. He was a red-headed evangelist from Houston who had had a Paul-like conversion. He had been in and out of prison, on drugs (even heroine), and somehow God totally and dramatically altered his whole life through Christ. Years ago I went to him on the campus with a personal problem late one night. To my surprise in that dimly lit room with a faint religious radio station on I shared my heartache with Bobby, but he had an even greater personal adversity he was coping with. I could tell his poor condition. He had been praying to God for release.
Whatever valley you are going through never forget that it is God who can make your poor condition in a rich conversion. He is the great Physician! His work is supernatural. He can change anyone or anything! The wonderful encouragement here and reassurance is that after this poor man cried out to God; God not only heard him but saved him out of all his troubles. Your thinking changes not just when you decide to change it, but when you allow God to touch your mind and heart.—there is a big difference! God restores souls! God redeems people. God heals. God saves. God transforms lives. God gets you out of your ditch! If God can’t do this, then who!
I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord (Psalm 40:1-3 RKJV).
You have the right and the privilege to run to God today; to cry out (accost) to Him for His divine attention. The Bible says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 RKJV).Do not feel like you’re bothering God. Kaw-raw to Him! He understands your hurts, your entanglements and your deep sorrow. Remember when this poor man cried out to God that God not only heard him, but saved him out of all his troubles. He will do the same for you.
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
