The Benefits

Psalm 5:12

12For you, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

God's love is like no other. Those who desire to do His will He blesses beyond measure. When you desire to do God's will, you put on "His righteousness". None of us is righteous in our own right. It is only when we seek to do His will. And when you  do so, His favor rests on you. Like a king who grants a request of one who stands in His presence, so God grants favor to those who honor Him. What is favor? Favor as defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary is friendly regard shown to another, partiality, approval, gracious kindness, effort in one's behalf, a token of love, a special privilege. So favor of God is a gift and effort on your behalf and partiality as a friend. Now that is a a blessing!

The word also says that He will surround as with a shield. He is Jehovah Nissi, the God who protects. A shield is a piece of armor that protects. So when you walk in His will you not only receive favor but you receive protection from your enemies and the enemy of your soul. That ought to be enough right there to want to walk in His will. When you don't desire to do His will, you are exposed to unnecessary elements of life. You put yourself in harms way and likely those connected to you by God. There is so much to be said about favor and protection from God. The benefits with God outweigh any benefits you can ever receive by living without Him.

P.S. Remember to tune into the S.H.A.R.E. Broadcast LIVE Saturday, May 18th from 9:30am-10:30am ET on Baltimore's Spirit 1400AM WWIN or www.mybaltimorespirit.com as I sit down for an awesome time in the Lord with my friend, Brenda Leigh Wells! The dial in number is 410.481.1400.

Your Eyes Will Be Opened

Luke 24:31

31Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

The disciples were on their way to a village and during their journey they met a man. They enjoyed his company and during the visit they spoke of Jesus. The disciples were saddened because they were hoping Jesus was the redeemer of Israel and once He was condemned to death, their hopes had vanished. The disciples had no idea the man they met on their journey to the village was Jesus. Jesus did not look the same and their eyes were closed from seeing His true nature. The begged the man to stay a while. And while he ate and broke bread with them the word says, "their eyes were opened." The moment they recognized that the man in their presence was Jesus, He was gone.

He told the disciples before his crucifixion that He would come back. The disciples had no idea who they really had in their presence until that moment.

Sometimes we have no idea who Jesus has placed around us and that He is in the midst until He allows our eyes to be opened.  Here's an example. This is my birthday week and I had originally made plans to leave town. I am talking flight booked, hotel reserved and rental car booked. And I was all excited and then I kept feeling the Holy Spirit say that I had to postpone my trip. I was a little upset too as I was looking forward to it. And I said, "God please let there be a good reason for this postponing." The answer appeared the next day. I received a phone call from my dear friend Brenda Leigh Wells. In March we had just celebrated her birthday, CD release, book to come and the announcement came during her celebration that she would be the host of the S.H.A.R.E. Broadcast on Baltimore's Spirit 1400AM WWIN. She said, "Joy, God told me I have to have you on my show this Saturday, May 18th. Are you free from 9:30am-10:30am ET? I began to PRAISE GOD! I told her what I said to God and how He had said I had to postpone my trip. But my eyes were not opened until that moment as to why I had to delay the plans. So I bless God for He is faithful!

When Jesus is ready to reveal himself in the relationships He has ordained in your life and your situation, your eyes will be opened.

P.S. Join me this Saturday, May 18th on the S.H.A.R.E. Broadcast with my friend Brenda Leigh Wells on Baltimore's Spirit 1400AM WWIN from 9:30am-10:30am ET. You can also listen by logging onto www.mybaltimorespirit.com and the call in number is 410.481.1400.

Stay Focused on the Mission

Genesis 37:10

10So he told his father and his brothers and his father rebuked him and said to him "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?"

Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons because he was the off spring of the love of his life, Rachel. But as much as Jacob loved Joseph, even he could not see or understand the vision that God revealed to Joseph. Joseph was envied by his brothers already and then he revealed what was given unto him which made them envy him more. Envy and jealousy differ in that jealousy may be turned inward but envy is turned outward and can be the root of violence/harassment on the invoked party. In the story of Joseph the focus is usually on Joseph and his relationship with his brothers.

Jacob didn't get it either. The one person who should've likely received what was being said because the potential he saw in Joseph would eventually come to pass. But even Jacob missed the mark. The only one who understood was God who gave Joseph the vision. Jacob was an old man before he saw Joseph again. And when he did, the vision had come to pass.

There will be times when even those that should see and understand what you are doing won't until the mission you are on is complete. Do not be angry with them. Love them and let it and them go. Move on and let God do the revealing. God has to do a work in them first to get them to the place to even receive what He has destined for you. Bishop T.D. Jakes recently told a story in a Potter's Touch broadcast online that he had naysayers when God first told him to leave West Virginia and move to Texas to start a church. The naysayers he described were more comparable to Joseph's brothers. He said he knew what God told him and he didn't waste his time trying to justify what God told him nor did he try to explain it. He stayed focused on the mission.

Staying focused on the mission keeps you from getting caught up in someone's blind spot. Listening to them blurs the vision God gave you. If you are not careful, it will turn to dust.

P.S. Remember to check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Show Monday-Friday from 10am-12pm on www.lofnetwork.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!

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!