Denying the Reality of Jesus

Acts 4:17 (NKJV)

17But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name."

It was just after Pentecost and Peter and John had healed a man in the name of Jesus at the entrance of a temple. They were arrested by the Sadducees. The Sadducees were different from the Pharisees in that they did not believe in angels or demons. They also did not believe in a resurrection. According to the New King James Study Bible, the Sadducees did not approve of either the Pharisees or Jesus. While conferring with one another, the Sadducees admitted that Peter and John had indeed performed a miracle. Everyone knew the man they healed as one who was lame since birth and he was much older. But because they had to "stand" by their teachings and motto, they felt it prudent to threaten the men into keeping quiet. This miracle getting out would be proof of Jesus was exactly who He said He was. And that the disciples, now apostles, who went about displaying miracles and preaching in the name of Jesus were indeed justified in their actions.

Now how is this relevant to you? When Jesus is clearly displayed in your life and our Lord is displaying Himself for others to see, there may be some who are conferring in private that not only is Jesus real but that you are truly a child of the most High God and live your life accordingly. But to keep their own reputation, they will not publicly acknowledge you and may even attempt to swear you to secrecy or keep others from talking about you publicly though it is CLEAR that Jesus is in whatever it is you are doing and the Holy Spirit is at work. A prideful reputation is often what keeps those who need to confess the reality of Jesus from speaking. We know in Proverbs that God disdains a prideful heart that refuses to acknowledge Him. And Jesus said that if you publicly deny Him, when judgement comes, He will deny you. The Word says that "every knew must bow and every tongue must confess".  Denying publicly what Jesus has done in the life of one is the same as saying He is not real.

P.S. My new book, Shh Don't Tell is available for purchase at www.getyourjoyinthemorning.com. Nationwide release is July 30th!

A Non-Traditional Approach

Luke 9:30-31

30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.

Jesus had a mission to complete and just prior to the completion there was a conference. But why with Moses and Elijah? Moses was the Old Testament deliverer of God's people and Elijah was the representative of the prophets. Moses had a successor and his name was Joshua. Elijah had a successor and his name was Elisha which the NIV Study Bible brings up as another form of Joshua. But the NIV Study Bible brings up another revelation. Jesus' Hebrew name was Joshua. What does Jesus have in common with both of these men?Jesus is a deliverer like Moses for God's people but from sin. Elijah represented the prophets in the Old Testament and Jesus represents them in the New.  Jesus was unlike any other being the Son of God. The elders of man in present day were not Jesus' elders or those in authority. His elders had gone to be with God before Him. It was the non-traditional approach for a mission like none other.

When you have a mission to complete you ought to be conferring with those that have gone before you. God provided them for Jesus. He will provide them for you. Your mission may require a non-traditional approach and elders who have gone before you but God will still provide the guidance.

P.S. Tonight is the last night of the trivia on the Facebook Fan Page to win a free autographed copy of my new book, Shh Don't Tell!  Remember to play you must like the page. There have been two winners thus far and the next winner could be you!
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One in Spirit

1Samuel 20:4

4Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do for you."

Jonathan and David had a covenant friendship. It was a friendship based on love and mutual respect regardless of each others' status. Jonathan was so devout to the friendship that he even protected David from his own father, King Saul. That is true friendship and dedication. In chapter 18 it talks about how Jonathan and David became one in spirit. Becoming one in spirit with someone doesn't always have to be through sex as the apostle Paul talks about in1Corinthians chapter 6 and Ephesians 3. Becoming one in spirit with someone, also known as a soul tie, is based on respect and love and actually the commandment Jesus said to live by. He said, "love thy neighbor as thyself" also known as "do unto others as you want done to you." If you can love you, you can love others just as much as you love you. Jonathan understood that principle and so did David. Jonathan's father, King Saul, did not. Jonathan had to make a choice. He was positive his father was not the man David said he was. But when Jonathan found out otherwise, he remembered his friendship with David and choose to do right by David. That is dedication and proves that family ties don't always override.

Who is willing to make this type of dedication to you and you to them? Who can you really count on to be there for you even at the risk of a divide between them and what they thought was so dear? Do you have the right people in your life? Are you loved because of your position and status only? Or are you loved regardless based on mutual friendship and respect? There is a lot to learn from David and Jonathan.

Timely Visions

Habakkuk 2:2

2Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.

The prophet Habakkuk received an oracle from the Lord. An oracle is a vision. The Lord told him to write it down so that whoever reads it delivers what they have seen. In verse three the Lord says that the vision has an appointed time. So what is a vision? Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines vision as something seen otherwise than by ordinary sight or a vivid picture. And a visionary is one who sees visions or whose ideas and projects seem impractical. In our society, a visionary is not a bad thing. Usually, in the beginning, they are seen as off because their road is a little different than others. But in time, it is made clear.

Why are we on this topic? Time is something none of us controls. You can think you control your time but there are only 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week. You can not extend or decrease that. You can not even control when you open your eyes. You cannot control the amount of time you have here on this earth. The only thing you can control is what you do with your time. When God gave me a second chance to get it right, I decided I was going to take it. Just this past Saturday night, the www.getyourjoyinthemorning.com website launched. Some people were shocked because they thought it was just about a book and a daily message. Oh but God revealed a vision unto me. This is so much bigger than you think.

If you have received a vision of what you are supposed to do, it would be wise for you to carry it out. Remember time is something you do not control. But what you do with your time is the only thing you can.

P.S. Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show Mondays and Saturdays on www.Qliveone.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment! Another chance to win your free autographed copy of my new book, Shh Don't Tell is tonight!

God Always Has the Last Word

Isaiah 8:10

10Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

"For God is with us" is what the name Immanuel is translated to. Aram and Ephraim had become allies for the purpose of overtaking Judah. God gave a word to the prophet Isaiah that the enemies of Judah would fall. They would not fall before Judah suffered, however, the suffering of Judah was to be short-lived. The sign that the enemies of Judah were to fall was two-fold. The king of Assyria would overtake them. The other sign would be the birth of Christ. The king of Judah was of the lineage of David. The point God wanted to make through the prophet Isaiah was that no matter what strategy evil men plot, it is only God who has the last word. And the line of David would still sit on the throne, this time forever.

Has anyone ever aligned themselves with another to conspire against you? Have you ever watched your enemies attempt to become an army almost overnight? Understand that the reason for the enemies conspiring against you is because they do not wish for you to prosper. They are not prospering at the rate you are or even at all. Alone, they know they cannot win so they get help and think that it will be enough. But who in their right mind can go against anyone who has God with them and think they can win? How can an evil man or woman win against the one who knows what they are going to think before they think it? How can an evil man or woman win against the one who knows what they will do before they do it? That's like trying to outsmart a master of the game of chess. The master knows every move that can be made on a chessboard. The master has studied the eyes, hands and expressions of the opponent and just when they think they have the master outsmarted, he makes the final move. When God is with you, he will show you your enemies. Quite frankly, they often show themselves. And He tells you how to outsmart them. God always has the last word.

P.S. The first winner of the trivia game has been announced on the Get Your JOY In The Morning facebook fan page. You have two more chances to win this week. Like the page on facebook in order to play for your chance to win a free autographed copy of my new book, Shh Don't Tell.
Remember to check out my girl Stubbs of the Leap of Faith Show Monday-Friday from 10am-12pm on www.leapoffaithshow.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!

The Cause of the Discord

James 4:1

1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

The apostle James wrote a letter to the Christian world at large and under submitting yourselves to God he talks about the discord between man. Now what does the discord between man have to do with submitting to God you ask? Well if your relationship with God is off, so will your relationship with man. Hmm. It is normal for the flesh and the spirit to battle. Meaning that what the flesh wants is the opposite of what the spirit desires. But if you are in Christ, first and foremost, your first desire is to please the Lord. But if you are thinking from the world standards, your first desire is to please yourself. The apostle James is saying that the second mindset is what leads to the fighting amongst each other. Each person wanting their own way but the one in Christ will desire to do God's will. God's will is always the best way for all and incurs less problems. But man's way never sees the end result like God does and therefore has consequences and unnecessary problems. During a heated argument, most usually don't stop in the middle to say, "wait let's stop and pray to see what God wants." What the Apostle James says later in the scripture is that even when one does, it's with the wrong intent or motive and usually for the sake of still pleasing oneself. So how do you lessen the arguments you say? Ask God upfront what His will is and seek to do His will from the start. Now the one who doesn't desire to do so is the one who will be the cause of the discord.

P.S. The trivia game starts tonight to win your free autographed copy of my new book, "Shh Don't Tell". In order to play you must like the Get Your Joy (JOY ) In The Morning fan page on Facebook. There will be three trivia questions this week. Each trivia question will have one winner. The first person to inbox me with the correct answer on the fan page will win. In addition to the free autographed copy, the winner will be recognized on the fan page. May the best man or woman win!

Be Remembered FOREVER

Psalm 112:6

6Surely he will never be shaken, a righteous man will be remembered forever.

Psalm 112 is a eulogy for a godly man as noted in the NIV Study Bible. Have you ever thought about what will be said about you?  This is not an attempt to be morbid but one not often thought about until one is close to the end of their time. It would make more sense to think now and live that way now than to wait until it is all over and there is no time left. Have you ever thought about how your family, friends and colleagues would remember you? Will you be remembered for being a godly man or woman who treats people as Christ desired? Will you be remembered for having unshakable faith? Will you be remembered for helping and caring deeply for the needs of others? Will you be remembered for having raised awesome children who go forth in the land? Will you be remembered for long after you leave here as one who was always happy? Will you be remembered FOREVER with love?

P.S. I know you haven't received messages all week but I BLESS GOD for rest!!!