Grace Is Sufficient...

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence may abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 5:19-21 (KJV)

     Theologically, one definition of grace is the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God. I ask, “Is there anything better?”  In the Garden of Eden, through Adam, we all became born into sin. Many centuries later, God loved us so much, and had so much mercy and compassion for His creation, that He sent His son, Jesus, to be the propitiation, rather the conciliation of our sins. When he bore the cross, he also bore each and every one of our sins along with it. He knew aforetime, that through our flesh we would make errors in judgment, that we’d succumb to temptation, and at times, we’d fall. Consider when He told Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…” – Jeremiah 1:5a. We’re discussing an omnipotent, omniscient, rather an all-powerful, all- knowing God. We were warned that these trying times would come, and to count it all joy when we fall into various temptations. Naturally sounding like a strange thing to do, James goes on to let us know that the reason why is that the trying of our faith, will strengthen our patience. (James 1:2-3)

But that’s just the thing about the natural. The father wants us to operate in the supernatural, in the spirit. After all, we’re spiritual beings, having a natural experience. Therefore naturally, forgiveness comes into play, and being children of the Most High, we must learn to forgive with grace, just as the Father forgives us. So when we fall into sin, not willfully choosing to, when friends and family won’t forgive us, and when we feel that we’re too weak to stand, and have fallen short, remember  the words of Paul, “And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted. Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me; But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (AMP)... Count it all joy, God’s grace is sufficient for all.

One Flesh...

It was so cold this morning, that I remained under the covers for hours, and vowed not to get up unless necessary. But to the contrary, every thought that I had was of you...

How though I lay alone, cold as it were, I'd have gotten up for you. A cup of coffee, your breakfast in bed, if I could I'd bring the bathroom in, so you wouldn't have to move.

It sounds a bit silly, but it's true... It's called love, sacrifice, I'd deny myself to comfort, satisfy, provide for and please you.

Just to witness your smile, would place my heart on a high that only God could provide, when I'm beside you.

I imagine your unveiling, as we face each other claiming to the world, and before the Lord the love we share. Our spirits begin to mesh, equally yoked being one flesh, without a care, no despair, but an agape love, which is o' so rare.

This time alone, fasting & prayer, has rendered me disclosing ere' single portion of my heart to God, yet you're still there. Twas His will that we meet, however not indiscreet, but with our all in Him... A love so pure, so sweet... Marriage. - Erron R. Johnson

To Be Single - To Be Married: Singleness, Divorce & Remarriage...

Abstinence. Celibacy. Singleness. Marriage. The bottom-line... God doesn't like divorce... However, staying together "only" for the children's sake isn't a wise decision. If there are major incompatibilities, first and foremost being MAJOR spiritual differences that cannot be agreed upon, there will always be unrest, a lack of peace, resulting in great confusion & a marriage of misery. In this, you subject your children to an environment where there's an absence of true love, and only tolerance remains... It's very unhealthy, for a child to grow up in. The Lord will help you provide for your children, for they are most precious in His sight. After all, you obviously loved them enough to endure being miserable for their sakes, so why not embrace the peace that surpasses all understanding and provide for them before yourselves, while you're apart. Concerning remarriage to another... By rightly dividing the Word of Truth, and applying proper exegesis (critical explanation or interpretation of a text, esp. of scripture,) we find that being reconciled to the former husband/wife, and not reassuring until they're deceased, was part of Jewish law & resolution, not by commandment. Nevertheless, one should not be in a hurry to remarry, but focus on serving God wholeheartedly, and if He wills, He will place the desire and grant us the grace to do so WHEN HE FEELS WE'RE READY... To God be the glory... #RandomThoughts #Priorities #PleasingGod #Servanthood

"Now, getting down to the questions you asked in your letter to me. First, Is it a good thing to have sexual relations? Certainly - but only within a certain context. It’s good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder. The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality—the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. Marriage is not a place to “stand up for your rights.” Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out. Abstaining from sex is permissible for a period of time if you both agree to it, and if it’s for the purposes of prayer and fasting—but only for such times. Then come back together again. Satan has an ingenious way of tempting us when we least expect it. I’m not, understand, commanding these periods of abstinence—only providing my best counsel if you should choose them. Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me—a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others. I do, though, tell the unmarried and widows that singleness might well be the best thing for them, as it has been for me. But if they can’t manage their desires and emotions, they should by all means go ahead and get married. The difficulties of marriage are preferable by far to a sexually tortured life as a single. And if you are married, stay married. This is the Master’s command, not mine. If a wife should leave her husband, she must either remain single or else come back and make things right with him. And a husband has no right to get rid of his wife. For the rest of you who are in mixed marriages—Christian married to non-Christian—we have no explicit command from the Master. So this is what you must do. If you are a man with a wife who is not a believer but who still wants to live with you, hold on to her. If you are a woman with a husband who is not a believer but he wants to live with you, hold on to him. The unbelieving husband shares to an extent in the holiness of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is likewise touched by the holiness of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be left out; as it is, they also are included in the spiritual purposes of God. On the other hand, if the unbelieving spouse walks out, you’ve got to let him or her go. You don’t have to hold on desperately. God has called us to make the best of it, as peacefully as we can. You never know, wife: The way you handle this might bring your husband not only back to you but to God. You never know, husband: The way you handle this might bring your wife not only back to you but to God. And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life. Don’t think I’m being harder on you than on the others. I give this same counsel in all the churches...... The Master did not give explicit direction regarding virgins, but as one much experienced in the mercy of the Master and loyal to him all the way, you can trust my counsel. Because of the current pressures on us from all sides, I think it would probably be best to stay just as you are. Are you married? Stay married. Are you unmarried? Don’t get married. But there’s certainly no sin in getting married, whether you’re a virgin or not. All I am saying is that when you marry, you take on additional stress in an already stressful time, and I want to spare you if possible. I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple—in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out. I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you’re unmarried, you’re free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master. Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse, leading to so many more demands on your attention. The time and energy that married people spend on caring for and nurturing each other, the unmarried can spend in becoming whole and holy instruments of God. I’m trying to be helpful and make it as easy as possible for you, not make things harder. All I want is for you to be able to develop a way of life in which you can spend plenty of time together with the Master without a lot of distractions. If a man has a woman friend to whom he is loyal but never intended to marry, having decided to serve God as a “single,” and then changes his mind, deciding he should marry her, he should go ahead and marry. It’s no sin; it’s not even a “step down” from celibacy, as some say. On the other hand, if a man is comfortable in his decision for a single life in service to God and it’s entirely his own conviction and not imposed on him by others, he ought to stick with it. Marriage is spiritually and morally right and not inferior to singleness in any way, although as I indicated earlier, because of the times we live in, I do have pastoral reasons for encouraging singleness. A wife must stay with her husband as long as he lives. If he dies, she is free to marry anyone she chooses. She will, of course, want to marry a believer and have the blessing of the Master. By now you know that I think she’ll be better off staying single. The Master, in my opinion, thinks so, too." - I Corinthians 7:1-17, 25-40 (MSG)

 "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?" - 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV)

"Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP)

Equality

Today has been reserved as a one to celebrate the life and work of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who can most likely be assured as the most well-known, civil rights leader in history... His dream and vision was quite simple, that there be an end to racism and prejudice. Understanding, (as it's written in the U.S. Constitution,) "that ALL men are created equal... That men and women, should one day NOT be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."... It is to my belief that there are many cultures and nationalities, and there are few of those that have unfortunately been taught to believe that they're right in classifying themselves by a color. Yet in the matter of "race," there's only one here on the planet earth that God created... Human... It's long past time we awake from the dream, embrace, walk, and live in the vision. - Erron SavedbyGrace Johnson

"Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then do we deal faithlessly and treacherously each against his brother, profaning the covenant of [God with] our fathers?" - Malachi 2:10 (AMP)

Inward Adornment

“A woman must not put on men’s clothing, and a man must not wear women’s clothing. Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight of the Lord your God." - Deuteronomy 22:5 (NLT)

It's plainly, clearly written and naturally obvious that men shouldn't wear women's clothing & vice versa. For God's sake, there's not a man alive that "looks right" in dress, make-up, etc... However, some "spiritual leaders," pastors, preachers, etc. Have twisted even this scripture in the respect of saying that women CANNOT wear pants at all. this is biblically unsound and false doctrine, smh. Unfortunately, due to their lack of understanding, and failure to apply proper *exegesis* when studying the scripture, (ex·e·ge·sis - eksiˈjēsis noun 1. critical explanation or interpretation of a text, esp. of scripture.) "the task of biblical exegesis"... There's no basis for claiming that's what was inferred by this scripture, when in, or out of context, either at the time this was written, nor throughout the Bible, NOBODY WORE PANTS for they didn't exist. By all means, don't fall for the foolishness, and be led astray by those who claim to know, and truly know nothing. It is written, "Study to show YOURSELF approved. A workman needs not to be ashamed RIGHTFULLY dividing the word of truth." 2 - Tim. 2:15

"The same goes for the following scripture, "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." - 1 Peter 3:3-4 (KJV)... Used to claim that women should remain covered, not wear make up, etc. And they neglect the words which follow, picking portions of scripture to their liking to deceive & mislead the congregation... Cross-reference & compare this with the Hebrew meanings, as well as other scriptures, and the message is thus, "Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel — rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror." - 1 Peter 3:3-6 (NKJV)... To break it down a little more, "The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as “my dear husband.” You’ll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated." - 1 Peter 3:1-6 (MSG)... Women, it's perfectly fine to beautify yourselves outwardly, yet don't let it outweigh the inner adornment of your hearts with God. This means to avoid vanity, self-loathing & adorning yourselves with the intent or hopes of being seen by some man. God has called us to a life of freedom and liberty in Christ, not the rules, and traditions of the scribes and pharisees, whom Jesus himself called hypocrites... Come from among them.

"Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action), So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (AMP)

 - Erron R. Johnson

What Is It?

We like... They linger.
We love... They lust.
We succeed... They stick.
We fall... They flee.

We wonder why it seems so complicated, when we're as open as can be. They hear, but listen not. They only react to, "Please..."

When it's uttered from their lips, and claim it's their aim to do. Yet clueless they remain to what truly matters to you.

There's a yoke beneath the cloak, we find often concealed by lies. In moments of despair, we look to God, along they be revealed by prayer.

He speaks, "Come from among them." Yet we're unmoved, allegedly standing brave... When God says move, then we stand still, but run when He says, "Wait..."

The great debate will never cease, for religion science will always twist. Will we ever realize we must abandon the rules and traditions, for  FAITH, LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS...