www.GAJohnson.org | Hebrews Twelve Two

don't let the devil steal from you

Don't let the Devil steal your intimate relationship with Jesus.  Becky, my wife, talked about this on Sunday at the www.LovingGodFellowship.org Salem campus. 

You can listen with the player below.  It's worth the listen.

You can listen to other relevant messages for our day by clicking here.

gaj

following christ - there's nothing like it!

Becky and I have had a great week of following Christ.

• Sunday - Talked about Grace, Mercy and Praise at the www.LovingGodFellowship.org Salem Campus.  Listen or download by clicking here.
• Monday - Ministered to over a 100 homeless people downtown in our city.  Oregon, California and Washington have the highest homeless rates in America.  They are considered among the lepers of our day.  We love ministering  to them at their point of need, touching them, singing and praying with them.  They love to sing Victory in Jesus and ask us to sing it with them every time we are with them.  Right before they were fed for the night, I talked to them about Jesus and encouraged them to keep their eyes fixed on Him.  Jesus was there among us.  He ministered to the lepers of his day.  And he knows what it feels like to be homeless.  The last three years of His life, he had no where to lay His head.
• Tuesday - Met with young Latino men in our city.  I shared with them Psalm 119:9-16 and how we can stay out of trouble by knowing and obeying God's Word.   We have been trying to instill within them a hunger for God's Word for months.  I was thrilled as one of them was able to quote from memory my two favorite verses:  (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)  "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  (1 Peter 2:21 NIV)  "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."
• Wednesday - Talked about how Jesus as our example, touched the socially undesirables of His day at their point of need, met their needs and refueled for more powerful point of need ministry at the www.LovingGodFellowship.org Salem Campus.  Listen or download by clicking here.

gaj

unChristian quote

There is nothing more powerful than the Christian life lived out in obedience; there is nothing worse than a flat, self-righteous form of faith that parades around in Christian clothes. ~ David Kinnaman, from the book, unChristian, p.83.

And I say "right on!"

I'm getting into this book and I'm feeling another LGF Book Review night coming on at the Loving God Fellowship Salem campus.  The last LGF Book Review night we had on The Shack was awesome.

What do you say on the above quote from unChristian?

gaj

janie cavazos - lgf minister of the month

On Sunday, Becky and I recognized Janie Cavazos as the LGF minister of the month at the Loving God Fellowship (LGF) Salem  Campus.

Janie is one of our team leaders that goes into the Cavazos Center for Latino Youth and Families to conduct a weekly Bible study on Tuesdays.  The Cavazos Center is named after Janie's husband and our brother, the late Cat Cavazos.  Cat started the Street Vision gang intervention program here in our city and now it is named after him and is run by Catholic Community Services.

In recognition of Janie being what LGF is all about and fulfilling the LGF Ministry Model, we presented Janie with a yellow LGF messanger bag.  Afterword, she told us that yellow was Cat's favorite color.  

Join us in congratulating Janie for ministry well done!

gaj

a vacation invitation from jesus

Summertime means vacation time.  Students get a vacation from school.  Employees take vacation from work.  Vacations indicate rest.  The only problem is that these vacations are temporary.  Students will go back to school and employees will go back to work.  Rest ends. 

Not with Jesus.  There's sweet rest with Jesus.

I'm going to be talking about this at the http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org Salem Campus Sunday morning at 10:30 AM.

gaj 

in jail

Becky and I were in jail tonight.  From 7:30 PM until 10 PM we followed Christ in point of need ministry at the Marion county jail.  We met with the women first and then the men.  We had a powerful time together in worship, prayer and God's Word.  I preached and encouraged them to get rid of all distractions, keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and follow Him.

Our county has more jails and prisons than any other county in America.  When laws were passed in Oregon, it was decided to build all prisons and mental hospitals here in the capitol of Salem, Oregon.  People move here from all over to be close to those they love that incarcerated.  Prison ministry is a vital part of the LGF missions portfolio as we are determined to make a difference in our day and follow Jesus in point of need ministry. 

What a mission field this is and we are right where God wants us!

gaj

jesus will come to your aid

As you follow Christ on your journey from earth to glory you will find yourself in times of crisis and in need of strength.  Jesus will come to your aid.  Jesus will give you sweet visitations and will minister to you at your point of need.

 

I'm going to be talking more on this at the www.LovingGodFellowship.org Salem Campus Sunday morning, 5/25/2008.

 

gaj

the shack

My friend, Jenni Clayville, turned me on to The Shack.  I bought the book and took it to read on a plane trip back east.  I could not put it down and I highly recommend it.

On May 30th, we are going to do what we call an LGF Book Review on it at the www.LovingGodFellowship.org Salem Campus. 

This is how it works:

• Everyone reads the book.
• We meet at LGFers Dale and Becky Wilson's house at 6:30 PM on May 30th.
• Everyone brings finger foods and their favorite 1 liter of soda.
• We fellowship and discuss the book together until 8:30 PM.

I love LGF Book Reviews!

gaj

Christ followers catch a big load

Jesus teaches His followers, blesses their obedience and gives them real purpose in life.

I'm going to be talking about this at the www.LovingGodFellowship.org Salem Campus tonight.

It's a one, two, three punch from 7 PM - 8 PM.  1) Awesome Worship. 2) Christ exalting teaching. 3) Powerful praying.  You won't want to miss it.  And always remember that a church that is alive is worth the drive even when gas is high! 

gaj

ministering to gangs

Tonight, Becky and I met with Latino young men in our city that need to leave the gangs.  I once again reminded them that following Jesus was a sign of strength and not weakness.  I also encouraged them to get rid of any distractions in their life that would keep them from following Jesus.  We looked at I Samuel 15 together and how Saul had all the right tools to be successful, but he allowed distractions to get in his way.  One of his big distractions was pride.  God detests pride and pride will always cause us to disobey God's Word and fall.  To succeed, we must humble ourselves and follow Jesus.  I continue to encourage them to memorize Hebrews 12:2 and 1 Peter 2:21.  Reuben was able to quote 75% of Hebrews 12:2 for us.  I love following Jesus in point of need ministry!

Please pray for these young men.  Also please pray for me and Becky as we continue to try to impact our city and our world with point of need ministry.  We are insurgents behind enemy lines and the devil is not happy with what we are doing.  He would rather that we just have church.  Following Jesus in point of need ministry makes the devil nervous.

We will continue to minister to the homeless, to those incarcerated, to the gangs, and to those coming out of incarceration in our city.  We will also continue to minister to the poor and suffering around the world.

We need prayer coverage.  Please help us through your prayers and click here to sign up as one of our prayer partners where you will be updated occasionally by email on our specific prayer needs.

We are always thankful for the help God brings us through praying people.

gaj