Friday, May 9, 2014

The Thirst

Matthew 26:3-4
 
3Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.
 
If the only way a person can defeat  or win over another is by trickery, then is it really a win? What is trickery? Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines trickery as deception by tricks and stratagems. The NKJ Study Bible states that Jesus had met their challenges and repeatedly defeated and unmasked them. Many times Jesus exposed the hearts of the chief priests for they really were more concerned with having seats of honor rather than tending to the needs of others. How could they be considered great if the love of God did not emanate from them?  For the very laws and ways of life they were to uphold, they themselves did. One of the Ten Commandments they were to uphold was, "Thou shalt not kill."  In their secret meeting they revealed they had no reverence and love for God, His Word or His people which was exactly Jesus' point when He did speak about them.  They were also not to covet. No they didn't covet a wife but they coveted the growing popularity of Jesus that they were losing. The motivation of the high priests, scribes and elders was not the love of God and His people. It was love of themselves and the benefits of being recognized. So much so they used trickery in order to stay on top. But who conquered in the end? JESUS!
 
What does any of this mean to you? There is nothing wrong with recognition but when the thirst for recognition supersedes the needs of the people and doing that which God commands, then it is hollow just as the deeds themselves. Acts done without love mean nothing as stated in 1Corinthians 13. The motivation for doing anything ought to be love.
 
P.S. Wishing every mother and mother figure a Happy Mother's Day!

Thursday, May 8, 2014

A Petition for Action

Good Morning,
 
Today is not a normal message but a petition to you for your community action and involvement in two ways. Some of you in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) area may have recently seen the WUSA9 news broadcast stories on Safe Shores. For those of you who have not, Safe Shores is the D.C. Child Advocacy Center to help sexually abused children. I connected with Safe Shores through the D.C. Child & Family Services for my D.C. Community event last October. I have since become an ambassador for Safe Shores and will host a tour this month. As said in the broadcast and in my book, Shh Don't Tell, acts of child abuse are often committed against children by the very people they are supposed to trust. It can be family, friends of family, teachers, coaches, etc. Next to death itself, abuse is the worst violent crime a person can commit against a child.   What is abuse? Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines abuse as 1) a corrupt practice 2) misuse 3) coarse and insulting speech 4) mistreatment .
 
There are many forms of abuse committed against children. You may have even read about the more than 200 young girls kidnapped in Nigeria or about the children the same group slaughtered while they were in the school house. The young girl in D.C. still missing from the homeless shelter. Psalm 127:3 says that children are a heritage from the Lord. What does this mean to you? It means if you have children, you owe it to them and God who blessed you with them, to know how to protect them and what to look for should ANYONE attempt to harm them. If you do not have children but know children, it means you still owe it to them to know how to protect them and what to look for should ANYONE attempt to harm them. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I am petitioning you to help stop it from happening to other children and/or to help those already harmed. How? There are two ways! 1) Join me this month for the tour of Safe Shores in Washington, D.C. You can email me directly at getyourjoyinthemorning@gmail.com and I will give you the details and/or 2) purchase the book, Shh Don't Tell at www.getyourjoyinthemorning.com and read about the warning signs to look for, what to do in case abuse has occurred and my God, what NOT to do to a child that has been abused as it could increase their suffering.

God Bless You!
 
-Joy

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

The Word is Real

2Samuel 5:7
 
7Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is the City of David).
 
It is unfortunate that there are many who do not believe the Bible is real and only a book of well orchestrated stories. Do you know the Bible is considered a historical book? Did you know scientists use the Bible as a guide in their digs? On May 30, 2012 I shared an article where geologists were able to pinpoint a short window of the actual day Jesus was crucified. Scripture says the earth shook. The geologists were able to determine there was an actual earthquake. 
 
Another article has since been published. This time, an archaeologist has found the City of David.
 
 
In the second Book of Samuel, David orders the capture of the walled city by entering it through the water shaft. Shukron's excavation uncovered a narrow shaft where spring water flowed into a carved pool, thought to be where city inhabitants would gather to draw water. Excess water would have flowed out of the walled city through another section of the shaft Shukron said he discovered — where he believes the city was penetrated.
 
You can read the article in its entirety here: http://news.msn.com/world/israeli-says-he-has-found-king-davids-citadel
 

The Word of God is real! Why do you study anything in life? The purpose is to learn and see how you can make it applicable. Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth is what God gives us in the Bible. You and I are so blessed to be able to find a soothing and/or even a corrective word about anything you and I are currently going through in life from something God gave so long ago. The Word of God is living and breathing just as is Jesus because as John 1 says He is the Word made flesh dwelling among us.
 
 
From May 2012 below:
 
I came across an article on MSNBC from the Discovery Channel called "Quake reveals date of Jesus crucifixion, researchers believe" which talks about geologists who have now been able to prove Jesus time of death based on seismic activity.
Geologists say Jesus, as described in the New Testament, was most likely crucified on Friday, April 3, in the year 33.
The latest investigation, reported in International Geology Review, focused on earthquake activity at the Dead Sea, located 13 miles from Jerusalem. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 27, mentions that an earthquake coincided with the crucifixion:

To analyze earthquake activity in the region, geologist Jefferson Williams of Supersonic Geophysical and colleagues Markus Schwab and Achim Brauer of the German Research Center for Geosciences studied three cores from the beach of the Ein Gedi Spa adjacent to the Dead Sea. Varves, which are annual layers of deposition in the sediments, reveal that at least two major earthquakes affected the core: a widespread earthquake in 31 B.C. and a seismic event that happened sometime between the years 26 and 36. The latter period occurred during “the years when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea and when the earthquake of the Gospel of Matthew is historically constrained,” Williams said. "The day and date of the crucifixion (Good Friday) are known with a fair degree of precision," he said. But the year has been in question.
  • All four gospels and Tacitus in Annals (XV, 44) agree that the crucifixion occurred when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea from A.D. 26 to 36.
  • All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday.
  • All four gospels agree that Jesus died a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath (nightfall on a Friday).
  • The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan, right before the start of the Passover meal.
  • John’s gospel differs from the synoptics, apparently indicating that Jesus died before nightfall on the 15th day of Nisan.
When data about the Jewish calendar and astronomical calculations are factored in, a handful of possible dates result, with Friday, April 3, 33, being the best match, according to the researchers.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Accepting God's Will

Daniel 3:24
 
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
 
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were Jewish men who the king had appointed over his affairs in the province of Babylon. It was during the seventy years of captivity the Israelites endured. They were friends of the prophet Daniel.  The king made a gold image which he expected everyone to bow down to. However, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego would not. Their disobedience to the king was reported. The king believed that he was the supreme power of the land. Because of his belief, he threatened to throw the three men he once appointed into his fiery furnace and that no one would deliver them from his hand. The response of Shadrach and his friends was that God would deliver them from king Nebuchadnezzar. The more surprising statement was, "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
 
The willingness to accept God's will, even if it meant death would seem to be nonsense by the world's standards. In times of a crossroad, let's not lie, most would do whatever they had to do to save their life, their possessions, etc. But when doing so goes against God's will for you, then what? If you and I say that Jesus is Lord and He is the head of our life and God is Abba, our Father, then it means that God's will overrides anything you and I desire. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego did not wish to die as they believed God would deliver them. But even if He didn't, they would rather accept God's will for them rather than do what everyone else was doing and worship a false god. God delivered Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego for sure and Jesus was in the furnace with them, still protecting them. Jesus, the Son of God, showed up in the furnace with them to show the king who the true King was and still is. God showed up to show Nebuchadnezzar that he had no power but that ALL power belongs to God. Who is the Nebuchadnezzar in your life? What trial are you facing? Will you accept God's will no matter what?

Monday, May 5, 2014

Obsession

Ecclesiastes 5:15
 
15As he came from his mother's womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came; and he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand.
 
King Solomon, the wealthiest man in the Old Testament, received a very sobering revelation from God. No matter how many possessions acquired during a person's earthly life, when it is over, those things must be placed in the hands of someone else. There are some people who are so vain in their wealth that they request to be buried with their treasures. But as it has come to our attention in recent weeks, people are exhuming graves to take the wealth from rotting corpses. If you cannot take the riches and jewels with you, why be so obsessed? There is nothing wrong with having nice things. But obsession of possessions can only last for so long. The NKJ Study Bible gives the following translation, "Ultimately, death comes to us all, and we all face the grave empty-handed."  Jesus gave a parable in Luke 12 where a man "thought within himself, saying 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' The man had acquired so much in wealth that he had no place to put it but thought he could it enjoy it for many years. He planned to build a bigger and better place to store his excess. But alas, his life was snatched from him that night. There was no family to leave the overwhelming abundance to; no one to share it with. The reason God blesses you is so you can be blessing to others. A couple verses above in Chapter 5, King Solomon was given the revelation that riches kept for their owner to his hurt but those riches perish through misfortune. It can leave you. Chapter 6 speaks of a man God has blessed so much with riches and wealth but he can't even enjoy it. You can only use so much. The true treasure as mentioned in Psalm 127 and 128, having those you love to enjoy. Obsession of possessions is not necessary because you can't take any of it with you.