Category: Music

Life Sucks…

~ John Johnson ~ Leave a comment

I’m sorry for the shock and awe of the title of this post. If you read my last post, “The Promise Is Still There” this will help provide some additional context for what you are about to read.

I found myself saying something recently that honestly caught me off guard.

“Life sucks.”

The words came out of my mouth, and almost immediately, I was appalled that I had said them. Not because I don’t understand difficult seasons. Not because life has been easy. But because the statement didn’t seem to reflect what I actually believe.

So I’ve spent some time reflecting on it.

The truth is, I don’t actually believe life sucks…

At least not entirely.

A few nights ago, I had a late-night phone call with one of my best friends, Aaron Nelson. I sent him the mash-up of Mister Rogers singing Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood set to the background music of House of the Rising Sun by the Animals. (Listen to it here) He replied with a chuckle and said, “You up for a phone call?” Aaron is one of the select few, if asking for a 10:41 PM phone call, I’d say yes to, so we talked about life, family, faith, struggles, and everything in between. Somewhere in that conversation, we both acknowledged something we’ve been sensing lately. A spiritual warfare that feels so thick right now that it is almost tangible. Not just the normal spiritual warfare, but something more.

It’s difficult to explain.

There seems to be a heaviness in the air. A gloom. A weariness that many people are carrying. What’s interesting is that Aaron and I aren’t the only ones talking about it. I’ve had similar conversations with friends from completely different circles—people who don’t interact with each other, people in different stages of life, people facing different challenges. Yet the theme keeps surfacing.

Something feels off.

People are tired.

Discouraged.

Frustrated.

And sometimes, if we’re being honest, we find ourselves saying things like, “Life sucks.”

I’ve always been the kind of person who follows that statement with another one:

“Life sucks… but God is good.”

That’s an important distinction, and that is why I was thrown off when I said Life sucks” because it was not preceded by a follow-up thought. It did not have the full truth with it.

Sometimes life does suck.

People get sick.

Relationships break.

Bills pile up.

Dreams fall apart.

Prayers seem unanswered.

The world around us feels increasingly broken.

And pretending those things aren’t real doesn’t make us more faithful.

Scripture certainly doesn’t teach us to ignore pain.

David didn’t.

Read through the Psalms and you’ll find a man who regularly poured out his frustration, confusion, fear, and sorrow before God. He asked hard questions. He cried out when life hurt. He lamented. He grieved.

Yet over and over again, David returned to the same conclusion: God was still faithful.

The Bible is full of people who acknowledged the reality of suffering while maintaining their trust in God.

Job did. (Job 13:15, Job 1:21)

Jeremiah did. (Lamentations 3:21-22, Lamentations 3:19)

Paul did. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

Even Jesus wept.

Faith isn’t pretending everything is fine.

Faith is trusting God when everything isn’t fine.

That’s why I’ve become comfortable with the phrase:

“Life sucks… but God is good.”

Because both statements can be true at the same time.

We live in a broken world.

Sin has left scars on creation.

People hurt people.

Bodies fail.

Death exists.

Evil is real.

And all of that can create seasons that simply… suck.

That’s not a lack of faith. That’s reality.

The good news is that our hope was never meant to be rooted in today’s circumstances.

As Christians, we’re actually promised that life will be difficult.

Jesus told His followers:

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

Notice, he didn’t say we might have trouble.

He said we will.

The Christian life isn’t a promise of comfort. It’s a promise of Christ’s presence through the discomfort.

Our ultimate promise isn’t for today.

It’s for eternity.

It’s the promise that one day every tear will be wiped away.

One day, suffering will end.

One day, broken things will be restored.

One day, the spiritual heaviness we feel now will be gone forever.

Until then, we keep walking.

We keep trusting.

We keep praying.

We keep hoping.

And when we find ourselves in seasons where life feels overwhelming, it’s okay to admit that things are hard.

It’s okay to say life sucks.

Just don’t stop there.

Remember the second half of the sentence.

Life sucks…

But God is good.

And that changes everything.

If you are reading this and finding a hard time completing the sentence with, “but God is good.” please note that you have a God who loves you, and that he has created his church to help bear each other’s burdens. If you call me a friend, just know I’m here for you, if you are facing a hard time, I know there are great people in local church bodies who would walk this season with you.

If this message resonates with you, please join me in reflecting on this prayer.

Father God,

Sometimes life feels heavy.

Sometimes the burdens we carry seem overwhelming, the struggles seem endless, and the darkness around us feels closer than we would like to admit. In those moments, it can be difficult to see Your hand at work or understand what You are doing.

Lord, we confess that there are days when life simply hurts. We live in a broken world, and we feel the effects of that brokenness in our hearts, our relationships, our communities, and our circumstances. Yet even when life is difficult, help us remember that You remain good.

Give us the faith to trust You when we cannot see the path ahead. Give us the courage to keep moving forward when we feel weary. Give us peace when anxiety tries to take hold and hope when discouragement creeps in.

When spiritual battles surround us, remind us that You are greater than anything we face. When the enemy whispers lies, help us hear Your truth. When darkness seems thick, help us remember that Your light has already overcome it.

Thank You for the promises found in Your Word. Thank You that our hope is not found in our circumstances, but in You. Thank You that one day You will make all things new, wipe away every tear, and restore what has been broken.

Until that day, help us to trust You faithfully, love others well, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Life may be hard, but You are good.

We rest in that truth today.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Jesus is not cool…

~ John Johnson ~ 1 Comment

Jesus is not cool…….

Yeah, going for the shock and awe, clickbait stuff from the get-go, but I will explain myself in a bit.

I have a cybersecurity blog shepherdsecurity.net and I often talk about deception in the digital world — phishing emails that look legitimate, spoofed domains that appear authentic, scams that feel familiar enough to trust. The most dangerous cyberattacks aren’t obvious. They don’t show up waving a red flag. They look real. They feel close.

I’m always thinking about how that same principle applies spiritually.

Jesus didn’t primarily warn us about obvious darkness. He warned us about deception.

In Matthew 24:24, Jesus says:

“For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect..”

That means the deception and evil sometimes doesn’t feel bad. It can make you feel safe, seen, heard, and belong. It may look right or loving, it may even use scripture.

That’s what makes it dangerous. Its deception

When Jesus becomes cool and trendy

It’s suddenly “cool” in many spaces to say the name of Jesus. His name shows up in interviews, award speeches, social media captions, and merchandise. And on one hand, I’m grateful because I love Jesus. I would much rather live in a culture where His name is spoken than silenced…but I believe culture is on the verge of making Jesus cool.

Cool does not equal King.
Cool does not equal Savior.
Cool does not equal Lord.
Cool does not equal God.

There’s a difference between invoking the name of Jesus and surrendering to the lordship of Jesus. There is a difference between agreeing that Jesus has some good teachings and living it out. There is a difference between acknowledging that we sin and actively trying to repent from it.

It reminds me of this awesome song that came out about 20 years ago. The band Downhere released the song The Real Jesus on an album called Wide-Eyed and Mystified. It was packed with Gospel-centered songs that were both musically rich and theologically grounded.

The song wrestles with this exact tension — the difference between a cultural, customized, comfortable version of Jesus and the real, biblical Christ. The kind of Jesus we might shape into our image versus the One who reshapes us into His.

There’s an edge to the lyrics. A boldness. The vocalist even carries a vocal intensity that reminds me of Freddie Mercury. But more than the style, it’s the substance that hits.

“Jesus on the radio, Jesus on a late-night show
Jesus in a dream, looking all serene
Jesus on a steeple, Jesus in the Gallup poll
Jesus has His very own brand of rock and roll

Watched Him on the silver screen
Bought the action figurine
But Jesus is the only name that makes you flinch

Oh, can anybody show me the real Jesus?
Oh, let Your love unveil the mystery of the real Jesus”

The song essentially asks:
Are we following the real Jesus — or a version we’ve made cool, safer, trendier, more palatable?

Elon Musk does an interview and speaks about agreeing with the teachings of Jesus. Government officials sprinkle in Bible language when they speak. Kid Rock performs an explicit halftime show (family friendly alternitive?) and pops off about Jesus at the end. Hollywood celebrities thank God on stage for an award…..

And many believers clap, cheer, and clamor because at least God’s name is being said.

But here’s the question we need to ask ourselves. Are they speaking of the real Jesus, or cool Jesus?

Satan is about deception. I believe we are seeing an atempt of removing the real Jesus. Replacing Jesus with cool Jesus.

A “cool Jesus” who encourages and inspires you, but will never confront you….
A “cool Jesus” who you can follow, but you don’t have to submit to….
A “cool Jesus” who loves everyone and casts no judgment…
A “cool Jesus” who is agreeable and never offends….
A “cool Jesus” on a pretty cross, not with a messy bloodshed….
A “cool Jesus” with a feel-good gospel and no repentance…..

That version of Jesus spreads easily. It offends no one. It trends well. It’s marketable. #cooljesus

Early followers of Jesus did get martyred merely because they liked Jesus’ teachings.
They were killed because they declared Jesus is Lord.

There’s a difference between admiration and allegiance.

Romans 10:9 says:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Jesus is Lord.

Not life coach….
Not influencer….
Not moral example….

….but Lord.

If the cross stops offending, if repentance disappears, if sin is never named, if surrender is optional — we should pause.

Because admiration is not repentance.
Agreement is not allegiance.

That means we don’t get swept up just because powerful or popular people say His name.

We need to ask these questions:

Do they preach the salvation done on the cross?
Do they call sin, sin or is it blessed?
Do they make God first?
Does their message require surrender and repentance?

Or are they presenting a safe, marketable, cool Jesus?

In the last-days, deception may not look anti-Christ at first.

It may look almost Christ like.

And almost is what deceives.

This isn’t about cynicism. It’s about discernment.

Be in prayer….
Be in the word…..
Live for the real Jesus — not the cool trending one.

Because the most dangerous lie isn’t the one that openly attacks Jesus.
It’s the one that uses His name while quietly removing His authority.

And in a world full of convincing counterfeits, we don’t just need a cool Jesus we admire.
We need the real Jesus.

Moon, Stars, & Firelight (Song Review and Reflection)

~ John Johnson ~ Leave a comment

I got to shout out to my boi, Aaron who is a singer and songwriter, and Worship Pastor at my church. Aaron and I have gone back many years now. When I was in dark times coming back to my faith and fighting for my marriage, Aaron was a staple of support for me. Aaron just put out a song on his Youtube channel, and it is good.

Continue reading “Moon, Stars, & Firelight (Song Review and Reflection)” →

“Let’s pee in the corner” …..and other misheard things in life.

~ John Johnson ~ 5 Comments

A while back my Lead Pastor, Worship Pastor and I were talking about misheard Lyrics. As friends, we busted up laughing. There are so many songs out there that it is easy to mishear some, and when you do it can be funny.

So I want to share with you my a list of 10 misheard lyrics that I think are super funny!

  1. Starship – We Built This City
    Misheard lyrics: We built this city, We built this city on sausage rolls
    Actual lyrics: “We built this city, we built this city on rock an’ roll”
  2. Queen – We Will Rock You
    Misheard lyrics: “Kicking your cat all over the place”
    Actual lyrics: “Kicking your can all over the place.”
  3. Cutting Crew – I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight
    Misheard lyrics: “I just died in your barn tonight, mustard no mayonnaise instead”
    Actual lyrics: “I just died in your arms tonight, It must have been something you said”
  4. Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart
    Misheard lyrics: “Nothing I can say, I’m totally blitzed by a fart”
    Actual lyrics: “Nothing I can say, A total eclipse of the heart”
  5. Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
    Misheard lyrics: “Working hard to get my meal. Everybody wants a grill”
    Actual lyrics: “Working hard to get my fill. Everybody wants a thrill”
  6. Bon Jovi – Living On A Prayer
    Misheard lyrics: “It doesn’t make a difference if we’re naked or not”
    Actual lyrics: “It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not”
  7. Elton John – Tiny Dancer
    Misheard lyrics: “Hold me closer, Tony Danza”
    Actual lyric: “Hold me closer, tiny dancer”
  8. OutKast – Hey Ya
    Misheard lyrics: “Shake it, shake it, shake it like a polar bear ninja”
    Actual lyrics: “Shake it, Shake it, Shake it like a Polaroid picture”
  9. Guns N Roses – Knocking on Heaven’s Door
    Misheard Lyrics: “Mama, put my gum on the ground, I can’t chew it anymore”
    Actual Lyrics: “Mama, put my guns in the ground, I can’t shoot them anymore”

And my number one is….

Continue reading ““Let’s pee in the corner” …..and other misheard things in life.” →

We Built This City on a Rock that Rolled

We Built This City on a Rock that Rolled
~ John Johnson ~ 14 Comments

This week is Holy Week, and this marks the cornerstone of the Christian Faith. The events that took place a couple thousand years ago, changed the faith of the Jewish culture and changed the world. This is a big deal! I will say one of the biggest events that I think a lot of people overlook is the tomb being empty.

I’ve been working on a youth lesson for Easter about the importance of the tomb being empty. Empty….is good….. is proof….is powerful….is permanent! I’m excited! I’ve had this other idea in my head for some time now, but I think it that might go over teenagers heads, but a few weeks back I caught myself singing along to We Build This City on Rock and Roll by Starship and thinking to myself that if you just change two words in the title you have your self a good Sermon title. So here we are with “We Built This City on a Rock That Rolled”

Continue reading “We Built This City on a Rock that Rolled” →