Category: Salvation

Spiritual Multiplication

It is a joy to raise the blinds in the morning and peek out of the window, to see beautiful birds enjoying a black oil sunflower seed breakfast on one of our bird feeders. It is a wonderfully peaceful past time to watch the bird traffic in the yard. The bird activity is a direct result of us trying to be diligent to keep the feeders filled for our feathered friends.

The hindrance to having full bird feeders, is due to the exploding population of fox squirrels residing in our oak trees. These antagonists also love dining on sunflower seeds and through their concerted efforts, can empty a feeder in an afternoon.

Squirrels will also heist the seeds and hide them or bury them in various locations throughout the yard. Thankfully, the squirrels are forgetful and fortunately for us, some of those hidden seeds become sources of great surprise and truly delight us.

If the soil the seed is buried in for the squirrel’s epicurean delight at a later date, is rich and fertile, we may be blessed with a beautiful sunflower that sprouts and blooms in Spring.

It is impossible to look at this beautiful flower without recalling Matthew 13:23, where the Lord Jesus says, “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”

That one little sunflower seed, dropped into that fertile soil produces a lovely flower, filled with innumerable seeds, each of which is also filled with its own potential for beauty.

We, as God’s children, who have heard His truth, believed it and understood it, will in turn live a life that prayerfully, speaks to others of the the love and goodness of God. By His mercy and grace, we will see others come to trust Him because of our loving witness. Then, as with the sunflower, the multiplication begins.

May we tend to the garden soil of our lives and prepare it with the reading of His Word, with prayer and worship and fellowship and bear much fruit for the sake of the Kingdom.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)

Nelda – copyrighted 2024

OUR SAVIOR


 Thank you, Lord Jesus,
 For your unfailing love, 
 As you looked through
 The corridors of time,

 And saw Calvary’s Cross
 And the pain You’d endure,
 And the suffering 
 That should have been mine.

 Your love bound you securely 
 To God’s plan for mankind.
 Your pure Blood,
 Shed for one and for all.

 Your innocent eyes
 Beheld the horrors of that day.
 In your obedience,
 You answered God’s Call.

 Your life for our pardon,
 Your Blood for our sin,
 Your will to die,
 That our will could be free.

 You thought of us,
 As the joy set before You.
 You are the Justifier 
 Of those who would believe.

 Your resurrection from the dead,
 Stands out in Your Word,
 As the event that changed history, 
 For all time.

 You were born. You preached truth,
 You were killed.  You were raised.
 You live on,
 Our intercessor, Divine.  

 Nelda Johnson
 6/11/21
 If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, would you consider all He has done for mankind?  Would you believe that God raised Him from the dead and ask Him to save you?  You will never regret it, for all eternity.

For My Love

Angels can never taste the salt
From tears cascading down,
When life takes an unexpected path
And sorrow seems to abound.

Nor can angels ever feel elation,
As I do when you enter a room,
And cause light to fill my senses and soul,
Leaving no space to be conquered by gloom.

Angels can never feel this peace,
As I rest on your shoulder at night,
Feel your warmth, hear your voice, close my eyes to the day,
Watch my cares so silently take flight.

What a gift to be God’s and a gift to be yours,
As my days on this earth come and go.
Angels an never know this joy,
That comes from loving you so!

Nelda Johnson

THE STORY OF STORIES

The heavenly star shone brightly that night,
In a deep, obsidian sky.
While shepherds watched their grazing flocks
As fear soon filled and permeated their life.

Before them stood a holy angel of God
And the glory of the Lord shone all around.
“Fear not,” he said, to the trembling men,
“Good news with great joy, to all, will abound!

For today the Savior of the world is born!”
The great star brightly led the way.
The angel said, “He will be wrapped in cloths
And will be found lying in the manger’s hay.”

The heavens opened to an angel and choir
And glorious praises filled the night air so still.
Saying, “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth, to all men, good will!”

The lowliest of the lowly,
Sinners just like you and like me,
Said, “Let us go and find this baby,
With our hearts and with our eyes, let us see.”

They beheld purity and innocence, previously unknown.
Never before had there been such a One.
They departed to tell all the others of Jesus,
Of Christ, the Savior; God’s only dear Son.

Let us be like the shepherds, Lord.
Help us to faithfully go and to tell.
Help us to stay filled with joy and with wonder.
Keep us always saturated with holy zeal!

Nelda Johnson
Https://giftsfromaboveus.wordpress.com

Joy of Your Salvation

Let the joy of your salvation
Be the anthem of my soul;
The music of my lips,
Heartfelt worship of one made whole.

Let your fragrance, Lord, surround me,
As your Spirit directs my path.
Be the only One seen,
Like the naked tree, 
Made bare by winter’s cold blast.

Live large in me, my God and King,
Accomplish your plans through this yielded soul.
Let my dreams be birthed in your heart in heaven, 
My will entwined in your own.

Let all that weighs heavy on this heart and this soul,
Be subject to Your Divine Joy.
Let all heaviness be like chaff in the wind,
As your Holy Name I implore. 

I offer you thanks with all my heart,
For this coming new year you have so kindly given.
Thank you, Lord, for life yet to live, 
By your love may I solely be driven. 

Nelda Johnson                                Copyright 2020

Child’s Prayer

Father, feed me with the finest wheat 
And with honey from the rock, satisfy my soul.
Let the water of Your Word wash over me
And cleanse and make me whole.

You give food to those who fear You, Lord,
You remember Your covenant, forevermore.
Your faithfulness is to all generations, O God.
You show mercy to and satisfy the poor.

Help me to incline my ear
And let Your Words not depart from my sight.
Help me keep them in the midst of my heart, O Lord,
For in the midst of Your Words, I find life.

Your Word breaks the snare
Of the trapper, O Lord!
Like a bird, my soul is set free.
My help is in the name of the Lord, my God, 
For now and for all eternity.

Nelda Johnson  Copyright 2020

A Woman In A Far Away Town


She came to the well at midday,
When the women of town were at home,
No judgement, no stares, no whispers were there,
Just the Samaritan woman alone.

No friends to walk with her to Jacob’s well,
No kindness to come alongside,
Always alone to finish her chore,
Five husbands, yet still not a bride.

She had never wed the man in her home.
She lived with him outside the law.
With her head hung in shame, she stood at the well,
Bucket in hand, with water to draw.

Standing near her, she saw a man at the well.
A Jew who could not look or dare speak.
She sought to ignore Him and finish her work,
Until he asked, “Will you give me a drink?”

A Jew asked a favor? This surely can’t be,
Yet with kindness He continued to say,
“If only you knew the Gift of God,
Living water I could give you today.”

Jesus had compassion and revealed who He was.
Told of her history and present day sin.
Never shamed her or judged her in any harsh way,
Because of this, she led many to Him.

Oh, that we could look past the stains others wear
And the shame of bad choices in life,
And offer God’s grace and an encouraging word,
Not judgement and stares filled with strife.

Let’s put on compassion and walk in His love,
Let’s build up and never tear down.
Let’s remember His love He so freely shared
In that long ago, far away town.

Nelda Johnson - Inspired by John 4:4-29
Copyright 2020 

	


	



			
				


			

			
Reflections on Luke 6:46 Spoken In The Summer of Life
		
	
	

		

The Lord spoke to me through scripture, as my pastor’s wife, Shelia Artt, was teaching the ladies and I will forever be grateful to Him for that.





Reflections on Luke 6:46
Spoken in the Summer of Life





Why, O Lord, would you call out to one
Whose life was in such a dark mess?
Why would you reach out your hand to that one
In love and in mercy, to save and to bless?





How can youth be so deaf and blind,
To want its own dark way?”
To crave the pleasures of this world
And keep your love at bay?





This heart was so far from your sweet Way,
I scarce could even know
What it would cost to bridge the gap;
Your love for me, to show.





I’m thankful to you for not walking away,
For choosing my life, to pursue.
For asking me, “Why do you call me Lord,
And not do what I tell you to do?”





That Word was a lifeline extended to me
When I thought I needed no help.
A portal to see, for the first time in life
And no longer live only for self.





You blotted the stains and the spots on my life
With Your precious and innocent blood,
Called me child, gave me hope, filled my life
With the Light of Your living, powerful Word.





Your Spirit within helps me steady the course
When I falter, as humans will do.
Your pure voice of wisdom holds my foot to the path,
Shines the light, O sweet Spirit of Truth.





From the Summer of youth to life’s season of Fall,
Your faithfulness is as sure as the sun.
To keep my heart warm, to light life’s dark times,
To assure me, You alone are the One.





You are all that life is truly about,
All that matters to man at his end.
While we breathe let us live to honor Your name.
Use our lives to help other’s lives mend.





Nelda Johnson





Copyright 2020

	


	



			
				


			

			
Prayer For The Prodigal
		
	
	

		

My husband asked me to write down what I shared with him, about this poem. The Lord gave this poem to me while sitting in the swing on the front porch, praying. There was an urgency to run in the house for pen and paper and write down what the Holy Spirit was saying. He spoke quickly, so quickly I could barely keep up as I frantically wrote this poem down. I said all of this to say, please pray for the prodigals also. Keep on praying for them if you have been and if you haven’t, please begin. Now is the time, this is the hour. Pray they would respond to the Spirit’s call and return to the Father who loves them so:





Prayer for the Prodigals





Bring them home, O Lord,
Bring them home.
Those who have shunned your presence, bring them home.





Whether for a season of sin’s pleasures,
Or stubbornness of heart,
Grant them sorrow and sure turning.
Bring them home, O Lord,
Bring them home.





Cast your net, O Lord, wide and deep.
May your hand of conviction
Rest soundly on hearts,
May your tender cords draw sure and strong.
Bring them home, O Lord,
Bring them home.





May their lamps once again
Shine bright as before.
May their hearts be entwined with your own.
May their giftings be used
To glorify the King
Bring them home, O Lord,
Bring them home.





Use this pestilence
to turn on the light once again,
To shake foundations
And awaken to life.





To cause a yearning to return
To the Father’s house;
To safety, to hope,
To Your love and Your might.





Bring them home, O Lord,
Bring them home.





Nelda Johnson
Copyright 4/2020