E-mail newsletter #1

Welcome!! This is what I feel the Lord telling me to do. A weekly e-mail containing at least one poem and devotional. I pray that I am able to keep up with it. I pray that Christ reveals to me things and gives me the words to say so that I will show Christ through my words. Not only that.. but to also uplift, encourage, and strengthen anyone who would happen to read what I write.

This is my first one, so please don't expect super quality. I'm a untalented vessel, but the Lord can use even the least talented to reach others.. please pray that Christ helps me. That is the only way that this will ever come to anything at all... or even continue..

First of all I want to tell you that this was not a good choice for a first one, in my opinion. But it is what I believe the Lord was telling me to write. His purpose I cannot fathom... "Lord please work through me.. somehow" (at the end are some poems that don't deal with the message...)

the message:

           The message I feel led to write is neither an easy one. Nor is there ever much discussion on the subject, and I'm sure many people do not even consider what I'm going to say worth saying. But it has been on my heart for some time and I feel the Lord leading me to write it out now.
           The subject of my devotional today is joking. Yes, joking.
           The joking I am refering to is not pranks nor is it serious remarks, it is simple jokes. You know, the type of comment you always say, "I was just joking." Where you comment about them or something they're wearing and then laugh. Knowing (or thinking) they realize that you are just joking. That is the type of joking I am refering to.
           Now I realize that many call and think of these as "harmless" jokes. In fact I'm sure many have an excuse for doing so. I'm also sure you have never really thought about joking as offensive to anyone, and just for fun with your friend. But what you have failed to realize is that joking can hurt people and can also cause people to stumble. It can also give the people around you the wrong reflection of who we are suppose to be as Christians.
           Recently I found myself hanging with some people who were not Christian. While in the group I noticed how the insults and the jokes flew. They weren't serious jokes where they were litterally tearing each other down. They were jokes. They were comments about people and things they wore.
           This caused me to realize all the more how we are supposed to, as the scriptures say, "be not conformed to the world, but transformed through the renewing of your mind."
           Joking is one of the habits which a lot of Christians have kept from before they were saved. Rarely does anyone even think about it before they do it. They just do it. They don't realize that they're letting the physical man control and not the spiritual man. Neither do they realize the damage that a simple joke can cause to another person.
           As a Christian we need to leave behind the old man and put on the new man that Christ wants us to be. One of the things we must do in order to do that is to put away joking and pick up words that will encourage, strengthen, and prepare.

some scriptures:

"Like a madman who throws firebrands,
arrows, and death,
Is the man who decieves his neighbor,
And says, 'I was only joking!' "
Proverbs 26:18

           I know, this scripture does not necessarily mean the type of joking I am refering to. Since, after all, we are not "decieving" our friends. But, what are we doing to our friends by joking? Are we arming them to be prepared to fight the devil? Are we, like the scriptures say, "sharpening them?" I think the idle jokes are just as bad as the jokes in which we "decieve" others... if not worse.

"nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk,
or coarse joking, but rather thanksgiving."
Ephesians 5:4

           Exactly what is coarse joking? It is harsh joking. But what exactly is "harsh" joking? I think it is any joking that does not somehow encourage or strengthen someone.

a poem:

           I specifically wrote this poem for this devotional. It is about me, and I wrote it while remembering some of the times that I have been insulted and hurt by someone's jokes. It is not really that long...

a joke

not an insult. a joke.
I keep having to tell myself.
he didn't really mean it...
it wasn't anything you did...

but my heart won't believe it,
won't believe a thing I say.
it still stings, it still rages...
and I'm still in pain.

Copyright 1998 Jonathan Johnston

how I fit into all this:

           Why is this so heavy upon my heart? Well, mainly because I am often insulted worst of all in the christian groups that I hang around in sometimes. They just joke.. but the joke often hurts me worse than the insults. I never have had the courage to speak up until now.

some other poems:

           Here are a few other poems that I have written that I am displaying in hopes that it will help or encourage someone. God has given me the gift of writing (I am still improving and developing the talent He gave me) and I want to use what He has given to help other people. (I promise that next time more care will be given to poetry selection)

YOU in me

through my mistakes...
through my frailties...
use me somehow...

for I know I can do nothing...
unless YOU are in it...
for I know I can say nothing...
unless it is about YOU..
for I know I can write nothing..
unless YOU are in it...
for I know I can reach no one...
unless I tell them of YOU...

so, God, through myself...
use what You can to do what You will...
I am Yours...

© Copyright 1997 Jonathan Johnston


I don't want to fall away again

God help me to get in You.
allow Your love to cover my loneliness.
allow Your peace to destroy my insecurity.
allow Your strength to take away my weakness.
oh, Lord, envelope me....
envelope my thoughts and lead me Your way.
I don’t want to fall away again.

Lord, help me to know You.
allow Your word to teach me Your ways.
allow Your wisdom to guide me righteously.
allow Your truth to reach through my lies.
oh, Lord, envelope me....
envelope my thoughts and lead me Your way.
I don’t want to fall away again.

God, help me overcome myself.
transform my stubborness into openess for You.
transform my impatience into patience.
transform my hypocrasy into a life of truth.
oh, Lord, strengthen me....
strengthen me to become what You want of me.
I don’t want to fall away again.

Lord, help me with my problems.
transfrom my bitterness into love for everyone.
transform my hesitation into boldness for You.
transform my laziness into a willingness to work.
oh, Lord, strengthen me....
strengthen me to become what You want of me.
I don’t want to fall away again.

© Copyright1997 Jonathan Johnston


my God reigns in me

once again, I'm here.. but not for long
because I have to disappear into the night,
for I can hear, I can hear the calling song
telling me not to give up in the fight....

the enemy is drawing too close
and he's too scared to come into the light,
so I, dressed in God's illuminating clothes
am going off to meet in him in the night.

and when I get to his domain
he'll be sorry he ever messed with me.
because I'll cause him great pain,
his threat will no longer be.

he is defeated and under my shoe
because the power of God runs through my viens.
he can't defeat me, no matter what he'll do
because MY GOD REIGNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

© Copyright 1997 Jonathan Johnston


           the following poem is a poem that I may repost in here several times. It is one of my favorite poems that I have ever written. If you pay attention to it then you will really realize how much it says and how true what is says is. Jesus' shoulders ARE a place to take our burdens, fears, and doubts.

Jesus' shoulders

When you feel sad
and want to burst out in tears
come, cry on these shoulders

When you feel tired
from the trials of life
come, rest on these shoulders

When you feel sick
and there is no cure
come, find healing on these shoulders

When you feel thirsty
from the desert of life
come, find water on these shoulders

When you feel lonely
and seem to have no friend
come, find friendship on these shoulders

© Copyright 1995 Jonathan Johnston

           That's all there is for this issue. I hope you enjoyed it. If you didn't and want off the list please let me know and I will take you off the list... continue to pray that Christ would have His will with this and that what I write would be what He wants me to...


all things contained in this were written by Jonathan Johnston.
jon97@innocent.com
http://www.oocities.org/SoHo/Lofts/4997/


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