Derek Charles Johnson

(Originally posted 8-9-18)

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.  “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?…

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with…

“Stating it as plainly as possible, God chooses to touch the hearts and minds of individuals at exactly the right time for each person. You may be surprised to hear that when the time is right, you won’t insist upon…

“I’m delighted to report that authentic followers of Christ have answers. They have something unchangeable and eternal to believe in. Jesus is a rock, and unwavering firm foundation. The Bible has stood the test of time.” (The Jesus Dare pg…

I gotta admit, I’m pretty excited about the next few weeks and it’s been hard to keep things under wraps this long.  I’m not good at keeping secrets and ruining surprises!  A couple months ago, the opportunity came to partner…

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.  Matthew 28:6 

As I write this blog leading up to Easter, I am convicted to ask ourselves a question.  The question…

Patience.  Arrggh.  This one’s a toughie.  Get this:  in some versions of the Bible, the actual word for patience in the listing of the fruit of the Spirit is translated as long-suffering.  That to me is an accurate and…

If you’ve read much of the Bible, you know the concept of peace is often cited; certainly through the Gospels with Jesus but also in many other contexts.  It can be a very broad term in which a discussion can…

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, 
Down in my heart, 
Down in my heart to stay. 

You’ll have to forgive me as this old children’s melody (I’ve Got The Joy) seems to pop into my head as I consider…

I realize that in starting a series on the fruit of the Spirit, some of these topics can appear pretty broad and nebulous in scope.  Case in point, our first topic today:  love.  There will be times in this series…

The longer I do a weekly blog, the more I’m aware there’s so much out there I’d like to write about.  Ideas seem to foster more ideas.  But there’s only so much time and so many hours within a day…

Prayers Of The Bible:  Joshua’s Prayer in Joshua 10:12-14

12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of Israel: 

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon, 
and moon, over…

(Originally posted 5-3-18) 

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the strength and caliber of the servicemen and women within the United States Armed Forces. I know there are a lot of things within this country right…

Living Hope - Phil Wickham 

How great the chasm that lay between us 
How high the mountain I could not climb 
In desperation, I turned to heaven 
And spoke Your name into the night 

Then through the darkness,…

As often as I write this blog and share what’s on my heart, hoping it will resonate with someone, I know the process begins within me.  I write out of a need to deal with my own failings and short-comings…

Prayers Of The Bible:  Jonah’s Prayer in Jonah 2:1-9 

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said: 
“In my distress I called to the Lord, 
    and he answered me. 
From deep in…

Prayers Of The Bible:  Jesus’ Prayer In John 17 

With each passing day, around the country and throughout the entire world, it seems stories of Christians under persecution are on the uptick.  I try to be choosy with my…

An interesting exchange happened the other day with my youngest son, Jacob.  Jacob is 4 years old and it alway amazes me to observe his world, through his words and actions.  I was in our master bedroom and had just…