Kicking Against the Goads

Kicking Against the Goads

To those in high places upon the earth,  

To kings and rulers of noble birth—  

Why do you kick against the goads,  

Then stand in shock as God's plan unfolds?

God placed you there; He alone decides  

What comes to pass, despite your pride.  

When you resist His will, you fight the Most High,  

Blind to His purpose, deaf to His why.

God is the true ruler, granting limited permission.  

He moves through history, despite your ambition.  

If you exalt your ways above what He’s designed,  

You kick against the goads—every single time.

To all mankind, of every race and nation,  

A day will come of holy revelation.  

You’ll fall to your knees and confess with your tongue:  

Jesus is Lord—no matter where you're from.

You kick against the goads when you stand on your own,  

Rooted in morals that man has condoned.  

Built on opinions, ideologies, and trends,  

Ignoring the truth that never bends.

God is the same—yesterday, today, forever.  

You fight His will when you chase your own endeavor.  

When you step outside the path He’s drawn,  

You kick against the goads from dusk till dawn.

Paul the apostle thought he was right,  

Persecuting Christians with zealous might.  

But he was stopped by the Savior of all,  

Who asked, “Why do you kick against My call?”

God revealed the battle Paul could never win—  

He was fighting against Heaven, steeped in sin.  

God still does this when we go astray,  

Interrupting our plans in His sovereign way.

And to those who claim to follow Him,  

Yet stand with those who won’t turn from sin—  

Who support infanticide and gender confusion,  

You kick against the goads in moral delusion.

Stop fighting God, my friend—it won’t end in your favor.  

He reigns supreme; our fate rests in the Savior.  

Just as the scales fell from Paul’s eyes back then,  

May we all let God remove them and write His law within.

© 2025 Sandra C. Johnson

13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.

Acts 26:13-16

This poem was adapted into a song and can be viewed on my YouTube channel here:

https://youtu.be/x2IweblRYN4?si=7BmMrirK2p-fYxAc

So Over It

We are so over it. The politics of the left. 

The trasgender movement and climate change fanatics.

We are so over the lies that they tell. 

How vaccines help keep people well. 

There was a time when we could share their space 

Without condemnation and disgrace. 

But when I hear the narrative from the other side. 

I am so over their superiority and pride. 

I am so over the fake concern and love. 

Based on their own ideology and not from above. 

Judging us who stand on God's Word as the standard

Calling us derelicts based on their redefined banner. 

I am so over them demanding I uphold-- 

Their ideology and to do what I'm told. 

I am so over their shaming me. 

For my morals and values of which they disagree. 

I am so over their racist accusations. 

As they discriminate against Christians all over this nation. 

I am so over the world's doctrine and ideology

Based on their idols and hypocrisy. 

At the end of the day, as they scream and twist the headlines. 

I ignore their ranting and do what is right.

I need not to earn the approval of man

I stand strong for what I believe and do what I can. 

Their lies and anti God theology falls on dead ears 

Because I am so over what they think and no longer hear.

I am so over the world and its ways. 

Gods Highway is where I will travel all of my days. 

© 2025 Sandra C. Johnson

God Is in Everything

“Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”  

—Psalm 139:16

It’s such a calming thought to consider the sovereignty of God. A truth so deep and complex that words often fall short. Yet even a glimpse of His sovereignty can bless us profoundly.

I often contemplate on the brokenness of this world, and in that moment, God gently speaks to my heart:  

“Remember, I am in everything.”

“Everything?” I ask.

“Yes... everything. Nothing happens on earth without My permission.”

This truth echoes in Isaiah 45:5–7:  

“I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, that they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.”

That moment shifted my perspective. When we set aside our emotional reactions and begin to see through God’s eyes, everything changes. Our hearts soften. Our faith strengthens. We begin to love with His love.

Jesus could have focused on our sin—but instead, He laid down His life so we could live. What incredible love. And what a powerful witness we offer when we lay down our own lives—our pride, our need to be right—so others might see Jesus through us.

Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes we wonder if it’s worth it. But we may never know how much love someone sees through our example. No matter how we are treated, we follow Jesus’ example in Mark 14:60–61:  

“But He kept silent and answered nothing.”

I always seem to learn these lessons through my circumstances.

Yes... GOD IS IN EVERYTHING.  

That thought fills me with awe. He governs the universe, and even when we find ourselves in places we never imagined He’d allow, He is still there. May we learn from Jesus as we walk through life. May we trust that God is in the midst of it all, working every detail for good. And may we allow Him to lift us above ourselves, so we can see the bigger picture—His sovereign hand over all creation.

God Is in Everything  

God is in everything—near and far,  

You can't escape His presence, no matter who you are.  

You can't deny His hand in all you see:  

The joy and the sorrow, the lives of you and me.  

God is in everything—even those who seem unkind.  

They too were shaped by His image and design.  

He grants us all the freedom to choose self or Him,  

Yet still He reigns in the affairs of men.  

God is in everything—the powers that be,  

Every plan of man, all that the eye can see.  

He formed this vast universe, though we play unaware,  

Each part unfolding in His divine care.  

God is in everything—nothing escapes His sight.  

No nation rises without His guiding light.  

No success comes without His blessing as well.  

Look closely—His presence is easy to tell.  

God is in everything, even when we feel alone,  

When it seems He’s silent, distant, or unknown.  

When trouble upon trouble clouds our skies,  

Still, His nearness is there—so easy to recognize.  

He’s the gentle solace, the whispering wind,  

The still small voice that calls us as a friend.  

He’s the rod that corrects so we may grow,  

The humbling touch that helps us know.  

Oh, no matter how dark this world may become,  

God is still present, despite what man has done.  

His restoration is near—a new work will begin.  

He governs all things in the affairs of men.  

So fret not when burdens weigh you down.  

God is in the midst, ready to give you a crown.  

He weeps when you weep, and smiles when you seek Him—  

And grants peace through knowing He’s sovereign in the affairs of men.

© 1998 Sandra C. Johnson  

This poem was adapted into a song and can be viewed on my YouTube channel here:

The Resume of My Life

 The Resume of My Life

I prepared the resume of my life on earth,  

Listing all my accomplishments since birth.  

Submitted it to heaven, hoping they'd see—  

My noble acts of kindness and generosity.  

The angels gathered, eyes on every earthly acclaim,  

And asked, “Where in here has she called the Lord’s name?”  

They saw the degrees earned, the honors  declared,  

And the volunteer work that showed how I cared.  

But all of those good works were missing one vital thing:  

They were done in my strength—not in God's name.  

I had letters of praise from respected men,  

But they were hollow words, void within.  

It’s not about what we achieve,  

What matters is who we receive.  

If Jesus isn’t the foundation we lay,  

We’re just building on straw and on hay.  

God sees our hearts and our thoughts within—  

Those are the things that matter to Him.  

And when we’ve failed, He looks to see  

If we let Him restore what He called us to be.  

So throw out your resume, come before Him exposed,  

For all of those things in your heart He already knows.  

No matter how polished your resume looks before men,  

God sees what’s truly recorded within.  

He sees our hearts as they are—  

Every emotion of love, hate, and scar.  

Success in heaven isn’t based on promotion or pay,  

But in the God you trust in with each passing day. 

I prepared my resume, thought God would be impressed—  

But I found out He could care less.  

My resume was tossed, no longer on display,  

And my heart now stands in its place—until the final day.

© 2025 Sandra C. Johnson

Unqualified

Unqualified

Oh God, how can You use someone like me?  

I'm unqualified to be what You’ve called me to be.  

I live my life like everyone else on Earth—  

No special gifts, no measure of worth.  

But as I was praying, You whispered to my heart:  

“That’s exactly what I’ve sought from the start—  

Someone emptied of who they think they are,  

So I can shape them and take them far.”  

My Kingdom isn’t built on man’s ideals,  

But on hearts whose love is real—  

Those who’ve surrendered completely, without pride,  

The unqualified, whom the world casts aside.  

My rulers are humble, gentle from the start,  

Forgivers who carry Your compassion in their heart.  

They see the broken, the weary, the lost—  

And serve with grace, no matter the cost.  

It’s not the scholars or those with degrees,  

But the lowly who walk in love and peace.  

Those who know they could never attain  

A crown by merit—but by grace, they reign.  

So today, I confess: I am unqualified.  

Yet I rejoice, for I know I won’t be denied.  

In my weakness, Your strength is made known—  

I’m molded by Your hand, and never alone. 

© 2025 Sandra C. Johnson

 “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Cor 12:9

Not Yet

Not Yet

I asked God to lead me in His truth,

I have felt His call since I was a youth.

Preaching to the chickens at just 8 years old,

I felt the fire beneath my feet, making me bold.

But His answer was always the same–

“Not yet” He whispered, stirring up pain. 

I longed to serve, to usher in His Kingdom.

To sound the trumpet, proclaiming freedom. 

“Not yet” was all He ever said. 

As I walked the path that He had led.

I wondered, Lord, have you forgotten me? 

Just passing time, living life ordinarily. 

The fire burned—I thought I was ready to go,  

To rise from this job and let purpose flow.  

But every time I reached for greater heights,  

“Not yet,” echoed through my days and nights.

“Not yet”—a phrase we all come to know,  

It’s been spoken since long ago.  

The Israelites had dreams of how it would be,  

Led to the promised land across the Red Sea.  

They longed for a place of milk and honey,  

But God said “not yet,” confronting their gluttony.  

They wanted blessings, for they were His own,  

Unaware it meant facing sins they'd never known.  

“Not yet” means God still has work to do—  

Teaching us we’re weak without Him too.  

He calls us to die to self, to let go,  

So He can shine through us and let His love show.  

“Not yet”—I still hear it today,  

But I trust His plan and choose to obey.  

Though I dwell in what feels mundane,  

I’ll submit to Him and let His Spirit reign.  

Have you heard those words while seeking direction?  

Remember, “not yet” is not rejection.  

It’s God refining what you’re called to pursue,  

Until He completes His work in you. 

© 2025 Sandra C. Johnson

The Thorns

My biggest struggle throughout my life has been anxiety. It is something I would love to say is gone forever, but it always rears its ugly head again and again.  I think often about what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 

[7] Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! [8] Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. [9] And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. [10] Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

I am unsure of what this thorn was, but I believe he was afflicted physically, just as Jacob when wrestling with God in Gen 32:25. I have struggled with anxieties as maybe even David did, as I read several of His poems to that affect.  I used to feel guilty, like I have no faith to persevere.  God showed me something different, of which I wrote a poem about in the late 90s.  I have looked high and low for this poem and for some reason I cannot find it and when seeking God about it the answer I got was "begin again".  I don't know why but God wanted me to write a new one. Maybe there was something in my heart after years of struggling with these feelings that I've gained that I didn't have back in the 90s. So, below is a new rendition to that poem. 

 

The Thorns

God planted a seed in my heart a long time ago. 

And year after year, He has watched it grow,

But over time, His work became clear. 

As He tilled the ground and the soil year after year.

Sometimes the seed simply did not take. 

And we think it’s all just a mistake. 

As the wind blows it away for the birds to consume.

And it gets trampled by men and dies before noon.

That’s when we don’t see a change in man. 

So the master gardener again plants with His hand. 

But this seed falls into the rocks and grows tall. 

Yet it dies quickly and we simply fall. 

But God in His mercy never stops working on us. 

He plants again but this time, thorns grow up. 

They choke the seed growing inside. 

It fails to grow due to man’s pride. 

We all are His soil, whose ground He tills. 

As He bends and molds us to do His Holy will. 

He tills the path so the seed will grow. 

And removes rocks every few years or so. 

But the thorns, they stick and hurt when he takes them away. 

Because we are the ones holding them with each passing day. 

We fear letting go so we play tug of war.

But God wins and He pulls out the thorn. 

With our thorns we find comfort in staying stale.

And it’s those very thorns that won’t let us prevail. 

But once we let go and let Him do His work in our heart. 

We grow up and become what He planned from the start. 

And at last the soil is good and produces a crop. 

And those thorns we hung onto are soon forgot. 

God has planted many seeds in my life through the years. 

And watered and cultivated them despite my fears.

Because He desires for me to be the best version of Him. 

He will till and water again and again.

He will always be there to comfort me as He pulls out each thorn. 

Giving me a balm of His healing as I am reborn. 

© 2025 Sandra C. Johnson 

Luke 8:4-15 NASB1995

[4] When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: [5] “The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. [6] Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. [7] Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. [8] Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” [9] His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. [10] And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. [11]  “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. [12] Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. [13] Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. [14] The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. [15] But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.