A Crumbling State

Revelation 18:4
4Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
"Come out of her, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

At the fall of the once mighty empire Babylon, the Israelites were not to be present. The Lord freed them from captivity before he brought judgement to Babylon. But if they chose to stay, then they would have suffered the same fate.  John did not encourage the worship of emperors. So to deter he reinforced the prophecy given by the Old Testament prophets on what would happen if idol worship continued. Walking as the world does gets one result, death. The death can be physical and spiritual . If we continue to live like the world then we reap the consequences of the world. If we live as the Lord calls us to live, then we reap abundant life. We always have a choice but the choice we make determines our outcome. If we want better outcomes, make better choices. There are things and people we must let be. If not, we go down with them just as the prophecy states. The idols can be anything but we are never to make them more important than our Lord. He is jealous and by right. He created us for His pleasure and anything that takes away from it He has a right to crumble it. He crumbled the great Babylon which was once considered the most powerful. He can bring anything to a crumbling state.

P.S. Join me this Saturday, November 19th at John 3:16 Christian Bookstore in Lanham, Md from 1-4pm for their anniversary celebration as I will be signing books and hugging necks!! Photos will be taken by Lisa J. Monroe of Photographic Expressions. It's a great gift for friends and family!!

It's Official

1Chronicles11:3
3When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a compact with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

Man had finally recognized publicly what God had done with David long before. Though David had fought many battles and led armies of men, he was only recognized as "one day" becoming king. That day had finally come. For David, the burial of Saul and his family line was the final confirmation that it was time for him to walk in his appointed role. It was bittersweet because he loved them all in spite of the death threats. The elders of Israel had no choice at that point but to recognize who the Lord called David to be and anoint him in agreement. This action made it official. What has God promised you? Has there been a "changing of the guard" in some area of your life? Is there a confirmation that God has provided to you as to what you are walking into? Are there people in your life like David, that now recognize what God has already said about you?

P.S. A huge THANK YOU to www.churchbeatradio.com and the entire Church Beat Radio Family for their support of Get Your JOY In The Morning! DJ Ambermay gave away 2 copies of the book during the Top 10 Countdown! Tune into www.churchbeatradio.com for Worry Free Wednesday with DJ Moonbaby at 2pm ET!

Who's Watching Over You?

Acts 12:11
11Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."

The early church survived many persecutions from kings. Peter was to stand trial before his execution. But that night, the angel of the Lord came and walked Peter right past the guards and out of the prison. Peter honestly thought he was just seeing a vision but when he realized he was at the gate of the city, the angel was gone. Peter then came to acknowledge that the Lord sent an angel to rescue him from certain death. Do you know that God has assigned angels to each of His people? Yes, there are angels that watch over us and even fight on our behalf when we are near the enemy's snares. The Lord keeps watch over us and His assistants, the angels, tend to our needs as the Lord deems. How many times have you been in danger and when it seemed like you wouldn't get out, the Lord made a way? Like Peter, did it seem like the Lord walked you right past your enemies? The Lord and His angels always know our whereabouts. And when we are knee or even throat deep in sinking sand, He has the ability to pull us out. But remember, the angels watch over the Lord's people. Who's watching over you?

P.S. Please join me this Saturday, November 19th at John 3:16 Christian Bookstore in Lanham, Md from 1-4pm for their anniversary celebration as I will be signing books and hugging necks!! Photos will be taken by Lisa J. Monroe of Photographic Expressions. It's a great gift for friends and family!!

Good or Crafty

Proverbs 12:2
2A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but the Lord condemns a crafty man.

King Solomon noted a good man. Jesus even asked "why do you call me good"?  We hear this word used a lot but what is good? According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, good has many definitions but to name a few: sound, wholesome, kind, loyal, virtuous. One that seeks favor from the Lord is considered virtuous. In other words, one whose primary goal is to please the Lord is considered virtuous and wholesome. So just as there is a virtuous woman as referred to in Proverbs 31, so there is a virtuous man. One that seeks the Lord is looking for the best way to live and be guided. If the actions of a man are seen as favorable to God, not only will God bless them but it will be for all to see. But one who is crafty is deceitful and always scheming. One who is crafty is always looking for how they can "get over" or "have their way". The Lord detests such a characteristic. Quite frankly, so should we. If we do not, we are subject to be either a co-conspirator or the prey of such. To be condemned by God, the one who determines where our soul resides, the one who showers blessings, is like being locked away in prison. It's not only a physical prison but a prison for the mind and spirit. The prison is different for each depending on what one sowed but in essence craftiness or deceit is based on a serious degree of selfishness and greed that harms others. By the Lord condemning, he is allowing the crafty one to reap the consequences of their actions. Who would you rather be? Good or crafty?

P.S. Please join me this Saturday, November 19th at John 3:16 Christian Bookstore in Lanham, Md from 1-4pm for their anniversary celebration as I will be signing books and hugging necks!! Photos will be taken by Lisa J. Monroe of Photographic Expressions. It's a great gift for friends and family!!

Measure of Faith and Love

Matthew 8:13
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would."

The measure of faith goes a long way with Jesus. The centurion felt that nothing he obtained was good enough for Jesus. The centurion was a man of great stature who had servants, yet he felt nothing he owned was good enough for Jesus. But he came to Jesus in search of healing not for himself but for the one that had been devoted to him. And he believed that Jesus could do it with an utterance of a word. Jesus was so amazed at the man's level of faith that He decided to heal the servant. It was the measure of faith that brought restoration to one he loved. The centurion was humble though he was great in the sight of others. His concern was not in what he had, but help for one who spent their life serving him. The centurion went to Jesus with love for not only Jesus but with love for the one who served him. In other words, he interceded on his servant's behalf. And his measure of faith delivered the one he loved. How powerful is that? Not only was it a measure of faith but a measure of love. And that's what we need more of. What measure of faith and love are you willing to demonstrate? Do you know that with it, God can use you to increase the faith in another?

P.S. Remember to tune in on Saturday to my man V of the Artist to Artist Show on www.Qliveone.com at 8:30am CT, 2:30pm CT and 8:30pm CT and check out the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment! And check out my girl Stubbs of the Leapoffaithshow on www.leapoffaithshow.com Sunday 6am-10am ET and Monday-Wednesday, 6am-9am ET and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!

Reciprocal Love

Psalm 4:7
7You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.

King David was slandered a lot during his life, especially as king. David sought the Lord to hear his plea. He longed to be free from those who constantly spoke against him and blamed him for their troubles. David noted that though they were angry, to sin in anger and place blame where it didn't belong was detrimental. David may have been facing trouble but his heart was still fixed on the Lord. The heart is the place where emotions and thoughts dwell. David's joy was not focused on temporary circumstances, nor where they focused on the many material possessions he had. David's joy was of the Lord. In the center of controversy, David still had a guarantee that no one could take from him. And that was the reciprocal love relationship he had with the Lord. What circumstances are you in right now? Is it the wrath of someone else's tongue? Is it any other trouble? Make your request to the lover of your soul. The Lord will be your guide. Only He can replace any hurt or burden with love and joy. The more you love the Lord, the more He will love you.

P.S. Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 19th! I will be having a book signing event at John 3:16 Christian Bookstore in Lanham, Md to celebrate the store's anniversary! I will be signing books, taking pictures and hugging necks so join me! You should've received your invitation.

The Designated Role

1Samuel 22:2
22All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

David, the servant of Saul, fled his home once Jonathan sent word via messenger that indeed Saul meant to kill him. Saul wanted to kill him because he knew David was going to succeed him as king. But Saul refused to understand that David was destined as God's choice. David didn't ask for the role but God chose to bless him. David ran to Philistine country thinking he could find shelter there. But alas, even the Philistines knew that David would be king and wanted to take him out. David was considered a threat no matter where he went because of God's anointing covering him. His reputation as a warrior traveled beyond him. David had to pretend to be crazy in order to escape the Philistine king. David fled once again to a cave/fortress filled with other outlaws. And David still could not run from the role God had designated for him. David was recognized as a leader wherever he went. So David finally stopped fighting it and accepted the role given to him by God. Can you imagine fleeing someone because they know who God has called you to be? Can you imagine being David, fleeing from place to place only to find that everyone knows who you are? What then? Like David, face the music and accept the role God has laid before you. When David realized that he must accept his role, the men were willing to rally with him. God will do that to us. Once we're willing to accept what God has for us, we may find support in unlikely places. And David was strengthened. Even if we attempt to hide, when God wants others to know who we are, there's nowhere to run. The best option is to accept the designated role God has laid before us and quickly adapt.

P.S. Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 19th! I will be having a book signing event at John 3:16 Christian Bookstore in Lanham, Md to celebrate the store's anniversary! I will be signing books, taking pictures and hugging necks so join me! You should've received your invitation.