Jackie's Journey "Evil's Evolution!"

If I asked you to define the word “EVIL”, what would you say?

Our world, as we know it, is turned upside  down!  The world I grew up in respected God, country and family.  We stood when the American Flag was raised, we started our classes saluting that flag and bowed our heads in prayer before we sat down to study. We respected our elders and stood when they entered the room and offered them our seat.  We were taught to love our siblings, to speak to people so they knew they had value.  We shook stranger’s hands and looked each other in the eye.  We expected truth, not lies.  Integrity was a behavior to be valued.

Right and wrong were easy to discern and making the right choice brought benefit and wrong choices came with instant consequence.  It was easy…the rules to a life of harmony were attainable.  Today, the lines are so blurred, our young people prickle and call it prude!  Having had little experience with living outside unkindness and inconsideration, the entitled young people are bogged down with “gimme mine” instead of “how can we make this work”.  What is wicked, sinful, malicious and immoral are all neglected terms with little or no relevance to life.

It has been coming for a long time and compromise of truth has found its foothold in our worldview.  It used to be we could see it plainly and we just “kept in our lane” and hoped for the best for those around us.  Our hope rested in the final “Word” …what did God think about this?”  The Word decided it…God said it…I believe it…That settles it!” Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!

I read this this week and it resonated with precise certainty. 

First we overlook EVIL;

 then we permit EVIL;

 then we legalize EVIL;

then we promote EVIL;

then we celebrate EVIL!

Our Warning: “Woe to you who call EVIL good and good EVIL”.  Isaiah 5: 30

 The sequence of our demise is so obvious.  What part each of us has played with our compromising life styles, remains to be seen, but the end result is undeniable.

The last stage of EVIL is… then we persecute those who still call it EVIL!

“He did EVIL because he did not set his heart on seeking God.”  II Chron. 12: 14

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Obstacle or Opportunity?"

We are ending the month of July 2023…half of this year…already GONE!  The world is facing a countdown on a the fast track, with multiple obstacles from which no one is exempt!   On a National, State and Local level we have been,  and  are being forced to face new challenges.  Some tests are big, but none bigger than God’s drive through these encounters to see our lives changed…

 As women of faith, we face the ultimate challenge of practicing, sharing, and comforting those around us who are struggling with how to handle it all.  Abraham’s life demonstrated that even the heathen around him recognized the difference between how he lived and those observing him. (Gen. 21:22)  Abimelech spoke to Abraham saying, “God is with you in all you do”!  God told Gideon, “There is a might in you so powerful it can save Israel and that might is MY PRESENCE!”

 The Isaiah 43: 1-5 verses confirm that when God’s presence abides on us, we can go through any fire, pass through any waters, through rivers that overflow us (Pucuro, in the Darien jungle!) and know His presence is all we need abiding in us.  We are responsible to choose to “practice His  presence”.  As we do this, God will guide our steps, open doors of ministry, move obstacles, lift cares, remove fears and abide in us!

 “Fear not for I am with you” is the promise and comfort

we all need to combat the steady barrage of lies and chaos.

 God’s abiding presence brings peace and triumph.  The manifestation of the Spirit-controlled  life…directed and trusting only God…is key to laying hold of the power of God.  It is NOT, God  plus whatever makes me comfortable or is  convenient, BUT only God, plus nothing.

God  attaches a condition to  having His presence in our lives.

Do you know what it is?

We know it is useless to attempt any endeavor apart from  Him… which can only be maintained in our lives, as  we  choose to confess sin and not allow  any unresolved relationship to hinder it!

“God works through holiness,  not a dirty cup!”

Roy Heisson  Calvary Road

 When the Israelites were in the wilderness, God manifested His presence to them in a cloud.  This cloud was a pledge.  They never had to figure out their direction or future because their confidence was in that visible cloud of God’s protection.  Today, the cloud of God’s presence hovers over our secret closet of communion with Him through His Word and prayer.

 Peace is the prize and it will lead us, empower us, and keep us in God’s rest in every area of our lives, regardless of the confusion and disorder around us. “The continual pursuit of God’s presence will direct us into a revelation of Christ’s glory.  God’s presence will go with us and He will give us rest.” (Exodus 33: 13)

 Our guide through this maze is waiting to give us peace and rest…

 Are you ready??

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Do You FaceTime with God?

As women, we love promises. The circumstances of life, with its hurdles and opportunities, gives us great comfort in promises.  We are all familiar with the promise that  comes with the portion of Scripture that tells us not to worry because of God’s detailed  provision for us.  “Seek (His Presence), first,  His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things (mentioned above vs. 27-32) will be given to us as well”!  Matthew 6:33  We love and embrace the promise and hang onto its content. He wants to supply for His family, like any good father.

But this promise comes with a huge condition! 

Do you know what  it is?

There is a concise definition, found in the Bible,  of what  it means to  neglect or  to not “seek” the Lord first.   “He didEVIL because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord”. (2 Chron. 12: 14)   It is called Evil!  We are robbing God and ourselves by not living in a state of seeking Him. To seek the Lord is a present progressive verb, meaning… ongoing, never-ending action.  We are to be seeking Him and connecting with Him daily…to His thoughts, His ways, His Will and then, consistently yielding to Him. (Romans 6:18)

 “Setting the heart” is fixing it on the Creator.  We are created to fulfill what we, with Him, are commissioned to do. Our designed purpose is to do the will of God on earth, even as it is being done in Heaven. Matthew 6:10  We are created for a life of good works that He has prepared before-hand for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Evil is doing our own thing.  We have two choices:  Seek Him and the wisdom from above or seek the wisdom from below…which is Satanic…that which is selfish, proud, envious and  everything EVIL.  (James 3:13-15)  We cannot separate selfishness from Satan or pride.

Romans 12: 1, 2  teaches us that sacrificing our will and desires

means surrendering to God’s will, bringing us into His will and our purpose.

In  Matthew 7:21,22, we find a group of people doing their version of God’s will, but doing it their own way.  He said, “depart from me, I never knew you.” They were doing, what appeared to be the same as the apostles, but it was in self-centered, self-oriented satanic power. 

Who discerned that?  The Lord Jesus.

What is His will in general for all believers?  (Matt 4:19) Fish for men. (Gal 5:16) Walk in the Spirit.  Seek Him in the Scriptures daily to get your specific daily calling.  It always involves service.  He came to serve, not to be served.  He lives in the believers to continue to do just that.  He is the same today, yesterday and forever.

Is your Heart set on seeking Him?

Let’s grab hold of God and ask Him for a passion to  pursue Him…

“IF you seek me with all your heart,

You  will find me.”

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Who is God to You?"

This was too good not to re-print…many of you saw it on Instagram, I’m sure.  It bottom lines the miscalculation of what people think about God and how important it is to boldly step out identifying the One True God…

·      The Atheist says: “There is no God”

·      The Agnostic says: “There might be a God”

·      The Humanist says: “Let’s remove God”

·      Pornography says: “Sex is God”

·      Greed says: “Money is God”

·      The Proud say: “Power is God”

·       Satan says: “Be your own god!”

 The witchdoctor in our village in the Darien jungle had a basketful of wooden false gods.  He was very powerful and yet, he laid down those idols to be burned the day he came to know the only true God, as his Savior.  We didn’t have to go to a foreign heathen land to find false gods. America is full of them. One day opinions will flee, knees will bow and tongues will confess who the REAL GOD is!

 “The worship of the false gods (listed above) in any form is Idolatry. “ That means anyone or anything that you love more than the one true God is officially your idol!  “Man  is certainly stark mad; he cannot make a worm and yet, he will make gods in his life by the dozens.” Michel de Montaigne  When we define an idol in our life, we have moved from submission to Almighty God to succumbing to the lie of another…Satan, the false god.

 “The intentional purpose of life is not to find your freedom, but your master”… P.T.Forsyth

 Which one of these is your master?

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Regrets?"

Many years ago, I read “Tortured for Christ” by Rev. Richard Wurmbrand.  It profoundly challenged me to purpose to follow Christ and cheerfully ‘count the cost’.  Over the years of service as a missionary, I was sometimes characterized, as ‘out of sync’ with the world, foolish (by the worlds standards), wasting my time in the jungles, robber of a “normal” upbringing for my two daughters, suffering needlessly with no running water or electricity (the world clamors for comfort and convenience), etc.…

 Yet, to this very day, I hold the awesome privilege of being a part of a very few who have lived without regret, counting the cost, determined to burn out serving and pleasing my God, first and foremost.  The life that comes from a vibrant, functioning God-consciousness in turbulent times is a tribute to the reality of the value of counting the cost, which could and usually does, include…suffering.

 “Suffering may help one to arrive at truth. ‘Tears, tears, bitter hulls but with such a sweet kernel,’ wrote the much-persecuted Romanian Christian poet, Traian Dorz.  Most people have an unjustified phobia against suffering. Unnecessary tragedy should be avoided, but we should also realize that there is much good in suffering. 

 Milton wrote his finest poetry after he became blind.  Beethoven composed his most beautiful music only after he became deaf.  The German philosopher Kant, who suffered from an incurable sickness wrote, ‘I have become master of its influence on my thoughts and actions by turning my attention away from this feeling altogether, just as if it did not at all concern me…’

 Solzhenitsyn wrote, ‘Blessed be thou, prison.’ The seven years in a Soviet prison made him the most powerful opponent of communism.  Richard Wurmbrand said about himself, ‘My 14 years in communist prisons were the most fruitful of my life.’ He knew of no great character formed apart from suffering. 

 A world without suffering would consist of weaklings.  What kind of love endures without painful sacrifice?  He who counts the sufferings involved will never be a daring hero.  Jesus made himself perfect through suffering. (Heb. 2:10) When Pope Alexander VI criticized by Savonarola for his unworthy life, offered him the position of cardinal in order to keep him silent, Savonarola answered, ‘May God keep me from being unfaithful to Him.  I do not desire any other red cape than the crown of a martyr colored with my own blood.’

 The highest state of a Christian is to be Christ-like.  Christ was called a ‘Man of Sorrows’ (Isa. 53: 3) and ‘the lamb slain from the foundation of the world’ (Rev. 13: 8) To be a Christian means to become a co-sufferer with Christ.  The more of His pain we are ready to share, the more truth we will receive.

 Someday we will sit with Jesus Christ and the Father on the heavenly throne from which universes are administered. (Rev. 3: 21) Our merciful God ‘will wipe away every tear’ from the eyes of His saints, and all will be able to rejoice whole-heartedly (Rev. 7:17; 21:4)” written by Rev. Richard Wurmbrand (1909-2001)

Do you have any regrets?

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Life Unraveling!"

           “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him…Job 13:15”                              

Our village was tucked away near the Colombian border and we lived in the silence of the Darien jungle and its peculiar sounds.   One late morning there was an unfamiliar roar in the distance.  A large helicopter appeared and began circling our village, dropping low, looking for a place to land.  Before we knew what was happening, dust flew and the door slid open.  Men dressed in full military uniforms with machine guns jumped out and stormed into our house. Guns drawn, pointed directly at us, they began shouting commands with accusations!

 My life started unraveling before my eyes!  I quickly grabbed little Kim and Christina came running, clutching my legs. I reached down to reassure her, as Ralph stepped in front of us, whispering to me, “Remember, Jackie, this touched God’s hand first”. 

 We were being accused of being spies for the United States and they demanded we turn over our only means of communication to the outside world…our two-way radio!

I was trembling, imagining every plausible scenario of how we could be easily disposed of in the river and no one would know for months!  The truth that came surging into my consciousness was Job 13:15, “…though he slay me, yet will I hope in HIM”. 

 Still standing between the enemy and us, Ralph appeared calm and was responding in Spanish with an absolute, “We are not spies from America.  We have permission from your government to bring medicine to help this isolated group of people.” 

  How had this happened?  What could we do?

 The next few moments stood still…their shouting gestures and my seeing no way of escape brought the verse in Job home to my heart.  I resolutely accepted His will, whatever that was going to be and instantly, peace prevailed.  What happened next was beyond belief!  To our utter astonishment, as abruptly as those militant soldiers arrived…they hastily, mid-sentence, without another word, turned and left!!  They did not ask for our passports or visas, nor did they take our rifles that were in plain view, hanging on the wall!  God had blinded their eyes and in an instant, redirected their path.

 In the aftermath of my processing through this current event, Ralph gave me a definition for “tribulation” that comes to mind every time I am faced with a trial and I just want it gone…no processing…just gone!  “Tribulation is God’s fastest road to maturity”.  Well… missionary life had definitely put me in the fast lane to grow up!  The more life I live, the more I realize how much growth I need!

 This is that definition in a “mathematical” formula that changed my life and the way I look at trials, inconveniences, suffering and contentment.  It goes like this:

 Trials + Acceptance of the trial with joy and thanksgiving = Growth/Maturity

 I can respond to trials by:

(1 ) Benefitting from them - the pressure of trials produces James 1: 2-4: .

          Faith

         Patience

          Perseverance

         Maturity

          Wisdom

        Lacking Nothing!

                                                  OR

(2) Reacting to them and locking down emotionally with:  Impatience, Fretfulness, Why me?, Depression, Complaining, Rebelliousness or bitterness…

 I choose to yield with gratefulness this morning

and to recognize any form of tribulation, as a means to create

a greater purpose for the benefit of others. 

  What is your response? 

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Living An Illusion?"

‘Take My yoke upon you and learn of me…!” Matt. 11:29

How would you describe your Christian walk?  Up and down, peaks and valleys?  Good days and bad days?   Would you characterize your spiritual life as vibrant and free or continually battling your self-life (your personal rights, depression, unresolved relationships, entitlement…)?   Are you living a “Christian illusion”?

 If you want to learn of me, put your head in the yoke!

What?!  No way!  Who does that?

       WHY, I’D HAVE TO GIVE UP MY FREEDOM AND SUBMIT

TO THE OTHER PERSON IN THE YOKE!    ARE YOU CRAZY???

  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and

                   I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn

                   from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you

                   will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and

                   my burden light”!    (Matt. 11:28-30)               

 The Church will instruct us

The Bible will inform us

Prayer will empower and direct us.

But only…The Yoke will teach us how to live

and respond “in the Spirit” to life situations on a continual basis.

 Ezekiel 37:1-6 is a lesson on a “valley of dry bones”.  What does that have to do with my spiritual walk, you ask?  Lots!  Spiritual deadness is a permeating and engulfing phenomenon in our culture, churches, homes and hearts.  It sort of swallows us up like a tsunami!  Biblical Christianity is defined by our consistent attitudes in life practice.

 We carry seeds of decay through disobedience and rebellion toward God (i.e. anger, jealousy, self-love…).  We have adopted patterns through wrong influences and teachings (friends, music, ungodly worldviews, Hollywood, social media...).  Maybe we have been a believer since we cannot remember BUT there are places where we really do NOT know our own need.  Our life has become an illusion of biblical Christianity.  There is a measure of self-confidence and pride built on our bones…

 God says, “I will make breath enter you and you will come to life”.  God works out of Death!   Death to self!  His desire is to breathe life into our dead bones, moment by moment.     No illusion here…

 An illusion is a lie; it is not real.  Disillusionment with our daily walk is a gift of God… a challenge to enter into the yoke with Him and His rest... learning from His gentle and humble heart.

 There are two yokes: 

    1) The yoke with Christ and righteous purposes

    2) The yoke with Satan and his kill, steal and destroy (life) purposes  (Jn.10:10)                  

We choose who is in the yoke with us with every choice we make!

My husband asked me if every choice I make is a spiritual one?  For the life of me, I could not think of a single one that is not!  Can you think of one that is not a deliberate choosing of one kingdom or the other? 

 By taking Christ’s yoke upon us, we yield our right to do as we please, and we learn the wishes and commands of Christ our leader.

 God is not nearly concerned with what we are going through as He is with our response to what we go through.  His chief concern is that our attitude becomes consistent with His Son.  The question is:  Who do you choose to be in the yoke with you today?   There are only two choices! 

 Choose wisely, young mothers, little ones are watching and stepping into the same yoke with you.

“ It was for freedom that Christ set us free:

therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again

to a yoke of slavery (law/sin).”   Galatians 5: 1

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Terror to Trust!"

“The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.”

Psa. 142:11

My introduction to our new life in the village Pucuro was a “Shocker”.   My youngest daughter’s   disappearance from my arms in those first moments after arriving on the riverbank caused my entire being to experience sheer terror… my first anxiety attack!

 However…skipping that one-day would have been the loss of a life-lesson that changed my life!

 Missionary Boot Camp training had been deliberate in preparing me for this crisis.  My mind was reminded of the reason why we had come and the promise I had claimed two years prior to the moment I was living now!  “…Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease without fear of harm.”  The verse worked so well when we lived in the states!  Proverbs 1:33 is written by the “wisest” man that ever lived and it had always given me courage to keep on.

 Have you ever claimed a promise from God and then panicked when put to the test?

 Two men from our mission had contacted these unreached tribal people two years before.  The Kunas had asked for someone to come and bring them the medicine and help they needed to keep their babies from dying at birth.  Some of the mothers were weakened by tuberculosis.  There were multiple infections and parasites of every kind…would someone answer that call?

 Well…we answered…and they had taken my baby!

 My heart sank as I scanned the agitated crowd in the dimness of the dark night.  Certainly, no electricity here!  Pitch black, drenched bodies, dark faces, barking dogs, slushy mud path and no baby.  My heart pounding and unaware of my personal discomfort or how I must sound, I stood dripping wet in a downpour, screeching in a foreign tongue…calling into the wind for my lost child.

 Completely overwhelmed by my loss I saw someone slip out of the darkness and run in my direction.  Stretching over people she placed my tiny girl back into my waiting arms.  I now had both babies against my breast and I breathed a sigh of incomprehensible relief, whispering a prayer of gratefulness to my God who keeps His promises! 

 “He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those who walk blameless for He guards the course of the just and He protects the way of His faithful ones.” Proverbs 2:7,8

 Paul Little in “How to Give Away Your Faith”, wrote, “The statement that God is in control is either true or it’s not true.  But if it is true and we accept God’s revelation of Himself, our faith enables us to enjoy and rest in the certainty of His providence (will),” regardless of the circumstance!  I stood up and turned to face my new reality and walked through the door of my brand-new jungle life!

 It was good it was too dark to know who had inadvertently brought such distress to my spirit that night…but bless her, that same person had been used to quickly bring me to the throne of Grace for a thorough evaluation of my personal commitment to His “calling”! 

 Gratefully, as a young mother, I was given the opportunity very early to place my heritage in the hands of an all-knowing God.  He had again asked me to “count the cost”.  I stopped wanting to “skip” life-lessons and began embracing them. I claimed those powerful promises in the Word that had always been applied to others and now…were all mine!

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Point of Decision!"

Taken just before leaving for our village…Christina (three years) and Kim (4 months)

 I was reminded recently of a lesson God gave me many years ago that “whoever listens to me(God speaking) will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:33  What a promise!  And I was listening and banking on it, as we loaded into in a long dug-out canoe bound for a small Indian village 8 hours upriver, buried in the deep Darien jungle.  It would take a day’s journey winding up the Tuira river and the heavens just opened up with a driving rain storm with the river rising by the hour! It was to be our introduction into our new life among the indigenous Kuna’s who lived at the headwaters of the Pucuro River near the Colombian border of Panama. 

The Tuira River

 Hang on to your hats…this was one day in my life I could have skipped! 

Ever had those days???

 Dusk was cascading over the torrential waters, enveloping our dugout into the dark silence of the unknown jungle.  Along the mangrove-lined shoreline we could hear twigs breaking and see shadows of what appeared to be dark, naked bodies racing us to the remote landing in the deep stillness.

 For eight hours we had traveled upriver unceasingly, pressing on against the rapidly rising flow of the Tuira River through lightning bolts, thunder and rain.  The river had risen 8 feet as we fought the current in our long journey up the contiguously inaccessible jungle waters.  Our goal to reach this isolated Indian village on the Colombian border in Panama was now within our reach!

 Underneath the makeshift tarp that protected us from the worst of the violent storm were two little girls.  One, almost three, was exceedingly excited and could not wait to get out of the wet boat and the other, just a few months old, was securely wrapped in my arms.  Our piragua was piled high with everything we would need for the next six months!

 The boat brusquely hit the bank and as I stood, dripping wet, hungry and tired, I came face to face with all the unknowns that had brought us to this sandy beach. Without warning, the warm little bundle in my arms was tersely yanked from me and quickly disappeared into the darkness of the night!!  I, immediately, grabbed my once excited and happy three-year-old by the hand.  She was now very confused.  Her contentment was exchanged for eyes full of fear!  I pulled her close to me and began calling for my baby…

 In that instant, the crowd pushed and shoved us up a short trail that led to our mud-floored, bark-walled house.  My insistent calls for my lost child were ignored and unanswered. 

 As I stepped over the threshold of our unfinished new home, the rats…at least I prayed they were rats!... scurried among the barrels that had been sent a month ahead of us and now stored our rice and dried beans in the very open tin-roofed room.  The sound of rain on that roof was deafening!

 My worst fear had come upon me…Job 3:25,26.  I screamed again into the crowd for my tiny daughter and again received no response.  I lifted my three-year-old into my arms and determinedly turned to walk back through the crowd down to the river’s edge!

Where had my baby gone?   Who had taken her?!

   Immediately, my panic turned to terror…

 The familiar promise in Proverbs 1:33 eluded me.  “…whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

 What was happening?  Why had God allowed this?

  I was instantly reminded that there are three Biblical Principles regarding trials:

 1.   Trials are common to all of us.  No one escapes unscathed. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to men.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  No excuses and no victims here! The real question is not why, but “Why not, Jackie, don’t you trust me?!  I will never leave you or forsake you…listen to ME, not your circumstances!”

 2. Trials are given with divine purpose and will pass.1 Peter 1:6 “In this you may greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”

 3. Trials are life-lessons NOT to be wasted!  James 1:4 “...perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

 C.S. Lewis wrote in “The Great Divorce”, “There are two kinds of people:  Those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your own way.’”

 I was standing at the point of decision! My options were limited…

What is your attitude toward the trials in life?  Which kind of person are you?

Join me next Monday for my decision…think about yours…

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights. 

Jackie's Journey "Crisis of Conscience!"

As a “Christian” nation, we face the unbelievable turmoil and chaos that stems from hearts that are cold and indifferent toward the things of God.  The sacrifice of the permanent on the altar of the immediate is rampant. Wrong choices are everywhere. In our homes, churches, universities, communities…

 “A seared conscience is one whose warning voice has been suppressed and perverted habitually, so that eventually instead of serving as a guide, it only confirms the person in his premeditatedly evil course.”  I Timothy 4: 2 Robert Little 

 The conscience is the ten commandments written on the hearts of man and is our moral law within. Romans 2:14-15 It is the capacity that is filled by the Holy Spirit and desires control at salvation.  “Though every believer has the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit does not have every believer,” A. W. Tozer “God put within each of us something that cries aloud against us, whenever we do what we know to be wrong.  It is the detective that watches the direction of our steps and decries every conscious transgression. 

Conscience is a vigilant eye before which each imagination, thought and act is held up for either censure or approval. There is no greater proof of the existence of a moral law and lawgiver in the universe than this little light of the soul.  It is God’s voice to the inner man.  Conscience is our wisest counselor and teacher, our most faithful and most patient friend.” Billy Graham

 “God commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit; and if we are not filled, it is because we are living beneath our privileges.  If you have been born of the Holy Spirit, you will not have to serve God…it will become the natural thing to do.” D.L. Moody “It is impossible for one to despair who remembers that his helper is omnipotent!” Jeremy Taylor

“A person’s conscience, like a warning sign on the highway,

tells us what we shouldn’t do…but it does not keep us from doing it.” Frank Clark

The choice is always ours!!

~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America.  Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California.  My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.