E-mail newsletter #2

Ok, ok... I realize it. I failed at getting this out weekly. In fact it's probably been over a month since I last sent one of these out. I truly realize my error and am very sorry.. Christ gave me a mission and I'm afraid I've failed. The only thing I can do now is to leave the past behind and begin to send one out to the best of my ability from now on... again.. I'm sorry.

Alright. now that that has been said. Let's start off with a prayer...

"Lord, I pray right now that You would bless each reader and would somehow use my feeble efforts to reach them and to strengthen them in You and Your word. I pray that my words would not be my words, which do nothing, but would be Your words... Lord use me to do Your work and help me to keep on track with Your will. Lord I pray for every reader.. encourage them and prepare them for the warfare they must face every day. Help them to reflect Your light to the dying world around them... IN JESUS NAME.. AMEN"


           Prayer is important. In fact, I think that we as the body of Christ have failed DRAMATICALLY in realizing just how important it is. And this can cause problems...
           I lived in Korea for about 3 years (some of yall have lived there to..) and it is there that you truly realized how mediocre and uncommitted a lot of american christians are. Koreans pray almost unceasingly.. they have a lot of what are called "Prayer Mountains" where people go and do nothing but pray for days. Sometimes they even fast while doing so... NOW that is commitment to prayer. I believe that one major reason that the north has not attacked is the continual prayers of the south.
           I believe that if we, as americans, are truly hungry for revival in america then prayer MUST become more in our lives and we must commit more time to prayer in the spirit for revival. Nothing comes without a fight and one of our greatest weapons is prayer.

No, that wasn't the devotional. That was a spur of the moment statement that Christ gave to me as I started clicking the keyboard to put down this week's devotional. :-)

The Fear Of The Lord

           This is one common mistake I've found in Churchs today. A misunderstanding of exactly what it means to fear the Lord...
           Fearing the Lord does not mean that we literally fear the Lord. In that we fear what He will do to us if we mess up or if we do something wrong. That is not the type of fear that Christ wants us to have towards Him. He is love. We do not need to operate in fear that if we don't do it right that He will punish us.
           The fear that the scripture refers to is the type of fear that a husband has for His wife. A fear that he has somehow done so much wrong that he has somehow violated her love for him. This is the type of fear that we should operate in. We should want to change because we don't want to violate His precious love anymore. It should hurt us when we do something that displeases Him. This should be our reasons for changing and not a fear that He will punish us if we do not get it right.

Well, evidently this one wasn't enough because before I was through half of this one the Lord inspired another devotional. So here is the one inspired (and finished before the first one..)

Music

           Now here is an area I have many thoughts and many things to say. Plus I can get very emotionally involved in this area because I strongly feel a certain way and am very emotional in my defence of this position. It's not good for me to get angry... but.. :-) .. sometimes I do.
           First let me say what my position is. I believe that a person should only listen to Christian music. Just at saying that there are a lot replys that could be flying my way. Most people are shocked and outraged that I could be so strict. Others agree with me, but disagree sharply on what my definition of Christian music is.
           I believe Christian music is any music that ultimately points to Christ as the answers to life's problems. I don't have a style requirement, nor a vocal requirement... only a lyrical requirement. Some people have a problem with that because they're still in the "rock n roll is wrong" type of thinking. There is even one guy who's page says that any music that has drums is bad!! (http://www.av1611.com/crock.html) (his reasons for this are because the KJV doesn't mention drums in the list of instruments to praise Christ with and because drums were used in satanic rituals) I think that that is going too far. That not only rules out every album me and my parents have.. BUT THE MUSIC WE SING IN CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is going to far. I do realize that there are a lot of "christian" bands out there and that there were even some that do a lot of wrong. But that is no reason to label all of them as bad. (I do not see how someone can label a band that sings "I am only a man who seeks to understand what your will is for me. Lord I'm ready show me" as a satanic and misleading band...)
           Ok. now for those who think it is alright to listen to secular music... :-) .. one question. If something is not wrong is it right?? My answer to that question is no. If you're answer to that question does not agree .. you need to read the Word. "You are either for Me or against Me" "He who does not sow scatters" (paraphrases) Just because something is not wrong (contains no cuss words or doesn't talk about sex or violence.. "clean" music) doesn't mean it's right and healthy for you. IF MUSIC DOES NOT LEAD YOU TO CHRIST AS THE ANSWER.. THE MUSIC IS UNHEALTHY... because it is tearing you away from Him. That does not mean that every song has to about Christ because there are other relationships, problems, and issues to deal with. But if the band and album don't lead you to Christ as the answer, then it is unhealthy music and should be avoided.
           Don't worry about style. No matter your music tastes you can probably find some Christian bands to satisfy you. I listen to METAL. Not sissy stuff, but the real stuff. You know, the stuff that sounds like Pantera, Metallica (old stuff), and Slayer... So if I can find music to suit my tastes, I'm sure you can.. :-) ..

Well, as I was writing that I didn't have any poetry for either of the devotionals the Lord told me, "WRITE ONE." So I wrote one for the first one. But it isn't one of my better. But I was obedient.. hopefully I'll become better at letting Him speak through my poetry...

the fear of the Lord

when I saw Him reach toward me
my heart cringed in fear...
  I knew I had done Him wrong
and knew His punishment would be severe.
"oh God!!" I cried on my knees,
  "forgive me..."
but somehow I knew my cries were worthless
  I feared God and
I feared His punishment for my sin...

but to my suprise...
His hand reached down to pick me up,
  dust me off and set me on the path again.
He forgave me and didn't punish!!!

but in my frustration
  in my cages of questions...
I turned to Him and
  asked Him why He
  didn't punish me...

His reply was simple
  and it stung.
"I punished my son
  in your place."

"why then should
  I live in fear of you?"
my heart begging for
  an answer...
but instead I turned away.
and I walked away.

His answer came later
  through the lips of a man...
"the fear of the Lord
  is not fear of His punishment,
but fear that you have
  done so much
that you've violated His love.."

and I understood.
my heart wept in sorrow
  as my unrepentant heart
fell into His arms again...

Copyright 1998 Jonathan Johnston

Well, I guess it's time for more poetry. Again, I really didn't spend a LONG time in choosing which poems to put in here. But, hopefully they aren't too bad...

Well, this first poem is a poem I wrote near the beginning of my writing. It was not the first, but it was written within the first year or two that I had been writing. I wrote it at a youth camp.

Satan's defeat

I run on towards the prize
with the shoes of Jesus on my feet
and on to crush the devil's head
for Jesus' victory and Satan's defeat

I fight on in the Lord's army with
the bible in my hand and in my mind
to pierce the demons in their hearts
and to kill everyone of their kind

I swing my sword to destroy
the demons and their master
with the righteous call of God
that helps me bring Satan disaster

I make the demons humiliated of their weapons
with my God given faith and shield
Satan may make many fall and bow
but to those disastrous lies, I won't yield

I continue to live for my Lord and Savior
with the armor of Christ on my back
crushing and beating Satan every day
in the place where he has his greatest lack

I say no to Satan's tricks to lead me
back deep into the sin of my past
because in God's forever and enduring love
I do and forever will stand fast.

© Copyright 1993 Jonathan Johnston

This next one is one I wrote while I was visiting the phillipines. One of the women there took this poem and used part of it as a chorus for a song that she wrote...

a poem from God

come be my son, come be my friend
I want to show you my love.
I want you to realize I've been there,
that I've been through what you're going through.
I love you more than you could know.
I love you so much that I'd rather die
than see you go through everlasting destruction.
come be my son, come be my friend

come be my son, come be my friend
I want to hug you, take away your pain.
I want you to realize that I'm stronger
than anything that threatens you.
I love you more than you could know.
I love you so much that I'd rather die
than see you cry tears of pain.
come be my son, come be my friend

© Copyright 1997 Jonathan Johnston

This next one was written at a youth event we had at the youth center in Osan Air Base, South Korea (for those who would not know if I simply said Osan). The Lord revealed to me some things at it, especially the fact that I thought I was doing His will while neglecting what His will was.

the hindrances

God please take away the hindrances
from in front of my eyes...
move them so that I may be able
to see your face and know your will for me...
help me God to follow you and to keep your commandments.
Lord let me be your lamp.
let your light shine through me and my poetry.

there once was a time,
it seems so long ago, when I truly wanted your will.
but now it seems I've wandered into satan's trap.
I've allowed him to be the dust and dirt that weakened
my bond with you... therefore blocking your light.
satan had me caught up in what I thought
was your will for me....
but now I see the dangerous cage that he had me in.
I'm ready to do your will.
here I am, do what you will with me.

© Copyright 1997 Jonathan Johnston

This next one was actually inspired by a poem I read that was written by someone I met in chat. The subject had nothing to do with the subject of this one.. rather it was the rhyme scheme that I loved. So I wrote some poetry with that rhyme scheme. But, of course, this is the only decent one of the whole bunch.

hope in His arms

heartache bangs, acid rains
drenching the heart with pain.
fear frustrates, hope disintigrates -
the shattering of a window pane.
emotions race, tear drenched face
staring to the other side of the universe.
bitter pill, bitter chill.
as time slips by it gets worse.

hearts melt, insults delt
even if only from within.
open - close, so many foes.
hopelessness becomes a kin.
tears cried, joys died
from the acid of dissapointment.
lifes torched, minds scorched
some kind of dreaded apointment.

peace here, without fear
in the arms of Jesus Christ.
hope restored, fear floored
His gift to us more than sufficed.
tears He'll wipe, peace will ripe
creating hope and joy inside of You.
hate melt, winds of peace felt
He is here no matter what you go through.

© Copyright 1997 Jonathan Johnston

This next poem is one I wrote after some things happened in my life. I didn't plan on using it, but was looking through my poetry and when I came upon this one.. the Lord told me to use it. So I did...

guide my eyes Lord

guide my eyes Lord.
make them see only the things
  that you will me to see...
make them not see those things
  that would bring me down,
  back into the filth of myself.
guide my eyes Lord.
open them up to You
  so I may see you...
open them up to Your word
  so I may grow in You
  and be the light for You.
guide my eyes Lord.

© Copyright 1998 Jonathan Johnston

Well, that's it for this issue. I'll see you next issue.. :-) .. Thanks for reading...

(BTW.. for you that know me from Korea.. I cut my hair (finally) .. it's really short (like as short as my dad's.. *shock*) .. and I got an earring.. :-) .. so I look different.. :-) )


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