Dear Pastor,

Today, you are the light of the world. Today, you are the salt of the earth. Today, the Spirit of Christ is with you. Right now, the Spirit of Jesus Christ is in you.

This is not true because you like the idea of it. It is not true because if makes you feel good. It is true because God said it was true of all who accept His Son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

This week may bring with it circumstances rife with both difficulty and opportunity. You may experience some really amazing “highs” and some debilitating “lows” And through it all God is faithful. And remember this: God Almighty is for you!

And on top of all that, God desires to and is working towards blessing you (showing His love), encouraging you (revealing His power), shaping you (making you Holy) and making your heart and life unshakeable in Him.

When we are unshakeable it doesn’t mean that we don’t have wind and waves swirling around, it does mean though that we can sleep on a pillow in the middle of the boat (with Jesus!) while the storm just keeps blowing.

Remember this too: as you receive God’s declaration and ordination of you as the salt and the light, and furthermore as you allow God to make your soul unshakeable (even bringing peace to your thoughts and emotions!) God will empower you to help others to know about and receive this same gift.

God not only desires that His ministers live as overcomers, but also that each and every one of His children would be anchored in Jesus and live victorious Spirit-filled lives.

So this week, please, please, please, get on your knees (physically if at all possible) and ask the Lord to lift burdens you weren’t meant to carry, quiet the voices that are not of Him and empower you to live and preach the unshakeable life of peace and victory in Jesus!

Christ is with you, Christ is in you!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

As leaders in the church, you and I are privy to seeing a lot of brokenness, pain, and heartache.

As leaders of God’s church we are on the front lines when people are brought into the spiritual emergency room.

And just like in a physical emergency room, things can get messy. When people have been in car accidents, or been shot or face horrific illnesses, the pains that they experience, the blood that flows and the tears that are shed can many times be too much for people to bear. But as servant leaders of God’s people we are called to carry this load so that others may know the love of our great Savior!

Sometimes the sheer messiness of helping hurting people can seem like something we don’t want to have any part of, and yet when the persons we help are made whole, it is all worth it.

When the people who have been in darkness, extreme pain and suffering, loneliness and rejection are loved and made whole by the grace and power of God we are reminded why we are spiritual ER doctors. So please in the midst of some of the difficulties in the world these days, please remember that after the healing takes place among the hurting people, the resultant health will be a testimony to God and we will literally shout His praise when we see the miracle of His power!

Let us keep working, keep serving, keep loving and keep praying and watch and see what God does in the Spiritual Emergency Room called The Church of Jesus Christ. I believe thousands will be saved, healed and delivered and the pain and suffering we endure along the way will all be worth it!

Christ is for us, Christ is in us!

Mike J

Dear Pastor,

Who believes in you?

Who is constantly telling you that you will make it, you will overcome, you will prevail?

Who never stops believing in you despite your shortcomings and failures?

Who reminds you that all things are possible with God and that as His child, God is working everything in your life for God?

First, if you can’t think of someone who is that for you, I am so sorry. That must be lonely and difficult. Let’s work on getting you tied into someone who is your cheerleader and encourager. Send me a text (205-910-7050) or an email and let’s set up a time to talk on the phone or meet together in person. I will offer you the encouragement that I am able to and then we can pray and talk about how you can have a cheerleader in your life from now on.

Second, I want to remind you that the perfect and eternally faithful cheerleader is the Lord Jesus Christ. He never stops loving you and always lives to intercede for you. No matter what you do right or wrong, God loves you, rejoices in you, sings over you and cheers you on. Never forget that and don’t forget that He has given us the beautiful place of sweet communion in prayer and the Word in which He very tangibly cheers us on.

Lastly, stop and think about your spouse, your kids, your family and friends, and your flock. Who cheers them on? Who encourages them? Who do they know will always keep working that they may know all that is available to them and all that is possible for them? Make sure that you are that person to others and make sure that those in your care are encouraged and have a cheerleader in their life.

Please know that I am praying for you and that you are deeply and dearly loved

Christ is with us, Christ is in us

Mike J

We buy new stuff, set new goals and try new things. We try to turn over a “new page”, start a “new chapter in life” and try to become a “new me”. In all of this new stuff, we obviously have to let go of some of the old stuff. We need to quit certain things. So when is it okay to quit? And what should we quit?

I hope you and I have enough common sense that when we start something new it is actually something helpful. The truth is that is not always the case. Sometimes we start new things that hurt, distract or encumber. So here is something you and I need to fiercely hold to in all of life:

“Start new things according to what is true and helpful, quit things that are untrue and harmful”

It’s always okay to quit lying, cheating, and stealing. It’s always okay to quit lusting, envying and boasting. It is not only okay but necessary for you and me to quit sinning and pursuing selfish ambitions. God’s mercies are new every morning (all thanks and praise be to His holy name!). It is so wonderful to know that we can quit the harmful, sinful things of the past and that we can begin afresh and anew the helpful, life-giving things which God is calling us to.

I do however want to give you a warning.

You and I can’t ever quit pursuing God. We can’t quit learning about love. We can never stop pursuing holiness. There are a myriad of obstacles we will come up against and a thousand reasons to quit, but we simply can’t.

• After exactly how many failures should we quit trying to love like Jesus?
• After how many sins should we stop pursuing holiness?
• After how many mistakes should we give up on praying to God?
• After how many shortcomings should we stop walking with God towards Christlikeness and heaven?

You know immediately the answer to those questions: there is no number, no point at which we should quit those things! The enemy, the devil, would love to say you have done too much, gone too far, failed too much, come up too short, so you might as well quit. But you and I can’t and won’t!

Life is too short, eternity is too long and God’s love is too precious to ever quit running after what really matters.

Keep persevering. Keep calling out to God. Keep pressing into God’s loving embrace. Even with all our shortcomings, God loves us and invites us to take another step with Him!

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Hebrews 12:1b Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Dear Pastor,

Have you ever noticed that it’s the little things that seem to make your day?

You know, like the one single person who went out of their way to let you know that you messed up. Or the one little text that said “You are loved. I am proud of you”. Both of these are little things, and yet they both can have a big impact!

It seems that much of the time people are quick to repeat what they see and hear. In a world where Jesus reminded us that we would have trouble, it seems people are quick to repeat the little things of fear, doubt, worry, negativity, complaining, tearing-down, etc. And these little things stack up to a miserable life full of unbelief and defeat. Let us intend to live and speak and repeat the little things that are positive and full of love.

You and I have the power to redefine and reshape the world around us by a bunch of little things. If we are constantly saying and doing things with kindness, mercy, and grace, if we are regularly encouraging and building up, if we are consistently affirming and adding value to people, all of those little things can add up to a life and ministry of joy, peace, and victory!

This week, I encourage you to treasure the little acts of kindness and generosity that people express towards you. This week I encourage you to intentionally build a life of uncommon and unconditional love by sending a text, making a phone call, writing a letter, visiting someone, giving a gift, being an active listener, crying and laughing with people. Let these little things shape you and honor God even as you pour life into those around you.

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike J

Have you ever noticed how some days are just better than other days? Some days are easy, others are hard. Some days you hope will last forever while other days you and I hope will end as quickly as possible. There are a few simple things that you and I can do to make each day we live better:

1. Be thankful no matter the circumstance: remember daily to be grateful for the good gifts that God has given to you
2. Go out of your way to try and put a smile on someone’s face: we know that laughter is the best medicine, but a smile goes a long way too.
3. Practice unnecessary, unearned generosity: some people call these random acts of kindness, and they are a great way to warm your heart and multiply love in the world
4. Do all things to the glory of God: don’t work on anything except that you make up your mind to do it in such a way that God will be pleased and that other people will praise God for what you have done
5. Remember that you get what you pay for: we know this principle regarding money and material possessions, but there is truth also in what we spend our time on. If you want to have a great outcome for your efforts make sure to spend enough time to do it well.

I know you could add 100 other things to this list, but I would encourage you to remember that there are always things that you and I can do to make each day better. It will take intentionality and perseverance, but with God’s grace and wisdom and some good old-fashioned stick-to-it-iveness, I know today can be a good day for you!

Dear Pastor,

I want you to know that you are not alone. Indeed you and I preach and teach often that God is near. He is near to the brokenhearted, He does not leave us as orphans but comes to us, He does not leave us or forsake us*. You and I share these beautiful, powerful truths with people all the time, but perhaps it is time to stop and be reminded of them for our own sake.

Maybe we would do well to stop….breath in and out….and then gratefully reflect on these statements:

• God is for me
• God is with me
• As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, God is in me
• God rejoices over me with singing
• God is pleased with me
• God has found me of such great value that He gave His own Son to save me
• God is faithful to every promise He has made to me

Ministry is the hardest thing I have ever done in life (tied perhaps with being a father) but I am so glad to know that God who freely gave Himself for my sins also freely gives us all that we need (Romans 8:32). Remember that He who began the good work in you is faithful and will bring it on to completion! (Philippians 1:6)

I would also like to let you know that you are not alone because you are part of the family of faith. As such I would like to invite you to send me a personal text (205-910-7050) or email (mike.annajohnson@gmail.com). In your correspondence let me know your family members’ names and I will commit to praying for them. Also, just know that once you contact me I will send you occasional emails or texts to encourage you and lift you up. In a world where isolation and loneliness are the norm, I want to avail myself to you so that we can walk together and sharpen each other.

God is with us, God is in us!

Mike J

*Deuteronomy 31:6, John 14:18, Psalm 34:18