Time to Grow Up

1Corinthians 13:11

 

11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

 

What does it mean to think as a child? A child does not take into account the consequences of their actions. A child often does not consider the feelings of others. A child usually does not move with deductive reasoning. A child is often self-seeking, thinking only about what they want from moment to moment. I have been in reflective mode for the last few days because today is my 40th birthday but also because it quickly went from a completely joyous time to a bitter sweet time with just a few words of news. What I can say is it caused me to reflect greatly. The ages between 35-50 are considered the middle ages where one may encounter a "mid-life" crisis as the NKJV Study Bible talked about in an article. However, the biggest crisis, is when an adult fails to learn from mistakes. The biggest crisis is when an adult reasons as a child and does not take into account the consequences of their actions or consider the feelings of others. How so? If an adult is making the same choices that lead to mistakes made five or ten years ago, then something is missing. If an adult is in the same situation as before repeatedly, what needs to change? Yes, some cases are inevitable. But some are missing a key point. It's called putting away childish things as the Word says. It's time to grow up. Bishop T.D. Jakes did a re-enactment of baby birds having to grow up in one of his sermons. The baby birds stand with their mouths open wide waiting for the mother bird to drop the food. But eventually the mother bird disappears to make the baby children get to a place where they have to seek for themselves. When that doesn't work, she pushes them out of the nest and forces them to fly. She forces them to grow up

 

Where are you making the same choices that lead to the same mistakes? Where have you been thinking as a child? Have you considered that maybe a trial you are in is because God is ready for you to put away childish things? Are you ready to put away childish things? The Word says, "when I became a man." Are you man/woman yet? Isn't it time to grow up?

G + E= R

Genesis 2:15

 

15Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

 

The NKJV Study Bible translates this verse as "Labor was instituted before the Fall, not as the result of the curse. The Study Bible goes on to say that "tend" carries the idea of service. The Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines tend as 1) to apply oneself, 2) to take care of, 3) to manage the operations of. Adam was given the command by God to manage the operations of the garden of Eden or to apply himself, take care of. That's work. Psalm 104:28 says What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good. To "gather" is an action verb meaning to pick, collect. God is still the source just as He was in the garden of Eden but there is a component that man/woman must provide called work. The apostle Paul warned against idleness in 2 Thessalonians 3 saying if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. The word says in Deuteronomy 8 that God gives the power to get wealth. Again, there is an action verb "get" which means to fetch, obtain, gain.

 

We are in a society that heavily advocates getting more for less or obtaining more with less effort. The fact is that effort or work must still be applied in some form. God provides but still commands you and I to put forth some type of effort. Not because He can't do it without us because honestly, He can. It's more about understanding the value. If you never have to work for or at anything, how will you grow? How will you acquire new skills? How will you learn? A parent teaches a child how to go from crawling to walking. But it still requires the child to take some steps. A child can only be physically carried for so long. What happens when a parent gets tired of holding a child that can walk? They put them down and force them to walk.  It's the same with you and I. Having to work or put forth effort is a method of teaching. If you do not desire to learn, you will stand still. If you do not desire to put forth effort, then you will not be able reap anything. Galatians 5 talks about the law of reaping and sowing. What you put in is what you will get out of it. If you do not desire to put forth effort to work at whatever it is, do not expect the best of the best. God (G) + Effort (E) = Results (R).

Special Event: White House Prayer 2015 Book Fair

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

 

I pray that all is well with you. I know many of you are praying about the Charm City- Baltimore. On a positive note, I hope that in the atmosphere that we remember the White House National Day of Prayer is this Saturday, May 2nd. An additional portion has been added to it: A Book Fair. Many Christian authors will be on the White House Ellipse this Saturday. I will be one of them. I hope to see you face to face, to hug, smile, laugh and most importantly to pray together. I hope you will join me.

 

Blessings,

 

-Joy

 

 

You Still Have Some Growing

Matthew 19:20

 

20The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

 

The scripture where Jesus counsels the rich young ruler has been talked about many times; often from the stand point of money and possessions. But God revealed something else to me over the last few days about this scripture. The rich young ruler approached Jesus with a certain arrogance. How you ask? Great question. First he assumed that eternal life was earned just as the NKJV Study Bible notes. When Jesus said to, "keep the commandments," it was because he knew that the young ruler was basing his question from the perspective of the law of Moses given by God. Unfortunately, in the kingdom of God there are many who view God from the legalistic perspective and forget the one concept Jesus came to show and teach. Jesus simply comes from the perspective of love. The young man responded to Jesus that he kept the laws from his youth. Again, there are many who operate from the law and not from love. That was the point Jesus wanted to make. First of all, your salvation and gift of eternal life are gifts. You cannot do anything more to earn a gift. A gift is freely given. Second, no matter how many of the commandments you think  you might have "kept" from whenever you first acknowledged God in your life, you will have failed somewhere because the word says we all "fall short of the glory of God." You can grow up in church all your life and still miss who Jesus is. Jesus is about love. He is not selfish, self-seeking, greedy, envious, etc. He is simply the epitome of love. But most of all, Jesus wanted to show the young man, from the place of love and truth, that he, though he knew the law still lacked in some areas, even within the commandments that he couldn't even see from his own blind spot. No matter how perfect you think you may be, Jesus through love, will show you how imperfect you and I really are but that His love for you and I does not fail. Jesus keeps it "100" as the young people say. But even in His realness with you, He still loves you. You cannot earn eternal life. It is a gift. No matter how long you have walked with Jesus, you still have some growing to do. You have not arrived. The apostle Paul said that you are to work out your salvation. The NKJV Study Bible provides the translation as, "working out faith in daily lives." Faith is a process. Growth is a process and neither ends until the day you take your last breath.

 

 

P.S. I hope you will join me on Saturday, May 2nd from 10am-6pm on The White House Ellipse during the White House Prayer and Book Fair. It's open to the public. I would love to have some face time with you. Check out the www.getyourjoyinthemorning.com website for upcoming events.

Happy Anniversary

Psalm 30:5

 

5For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for life;

Weeping may endure for a night,

But joy comes in the morning.

 

March 30, 2009 was the day I FINALLY obeyed God's prompting to write out a message for what would be at the time 124 people. Exactly nine months later, God would have me birth a manuscript. And February 2011 the book was released. Who knew but God that many more readers, radio segments on Church Beat Radio, the Artist to Artist Show and the Leap of Faith Show and Network would come? Who knew but God that someone would invite me to their baptism saying the messages played a role in them accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior? Who knew but God that others would be inspired to write? Who knew but God that He would have me directly assist in the birthing of the dreams of being published for five others within a two year period? Who but God knew there would be speaking engagements, one on one prayers? Who knew but God a second book would come and a company? From one seed, GOD has done so much!

 

In all that He has allowed me to do for others, I know that He gets all the glory, honor and praise. God did it! I just happened to be in the vicinity. (Laugh) The title of the devotionals, book and company are all based from Psalm 30:5 because truly He has brought me through so much, many tears and it is by His favor, and His favor alone that any of what you read and see has and is done.  Some of you wonder why you don't get a message each day anymore. The messages were always meant to get you to the point where you would open the Word of God and study His word for yourself. Some have relied on the message as their sole exposure to God's word. But growth has to take place. I love you but God loves you more.

 

 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

For Love

Matthew 27: 24-25

 

24When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this Just Person. You see to it." 25And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and our children."

 

Holy week is not far away at all. And there have been some battles and close calls during these 40 days for those who hold Jesus near. Some of the toughest battles come just before dawn. For believers in Christ, our dawn occurs Resurrection Sunday, the day that Jesus arose. But before that day, there were many battles. The toughest were in the final weeks. Many assume that Jesus had no choice in going to His death. But there is always a choice.  The choice is to obey or not obey. It was for love, that Jesus obeyed. It was for love though He was hated intensely that He quietly accepted a punishment and took someone else's place in death.

 

Pilate was in the middle of the feast of the governor as the word says and the custom was to release a prisoner. Pilate offered up Jesus the Christ and Barabbas as choices. The word says that Barabbas was a notorious prisoner. The crowd chose to release Barabbas. Pilate couldn't understand it. He knew Jesus had done no wrong. And he thought for sure that up against a notorious prisoner, Jesus would've been easily seen as the clear choice for release. But as the NKJV Study Bible translation says, "Pilate underestimated their hatred."  When Pilate saw he could not reason with the crowd, he didn't use his authority to override them though he could. He was not popular with them as the NKJV Study Bible translation indicates. So instead, he washed his hands and proclaimed his innocence putting the blood on the hands of those who shouted for Jesus' crucifixion. They happily accepted and also put the blood on their own children. Both parties took a very bold stance. Nonetheless, Jesus did it for love. Yes, his blood was on their hands. But He still covered their sins by shedding His own blood. For love, Jesus took the place of a man who was worthy of death. You and I are no better than Barabbas. For love, Jesus took the place of you and I on that cross. He committed no crime, no sin. Yet each of you and I, have. The people who desire to see you and I destroyed in every day life, are no different than that crowd. But for Love, Jesus shed His blood for everyone. A big battle before the dawn won at a great price. For love, His blood was shed but the victory is everlasting. If only everyone would see it.

The Longest Day

Joshua 10:11

 

11So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies.

 

God allowed something so spectacular to happen in the sky so the people of Israel could maintain view of their enemies, the Amorites, to destroy them after Joshua petitioned Him. My assistant pastor always says, "God is the keeper of time." Yes it is the New Testament as well that God truly does keep time. Remember the word says that with the Lord one day is as thousand years and a thousand years as one day.  He can hold time still. He held an entire day still. Have you ever experienced what seemed like the "longest day?"  And you believe that it couldn't possible be any longer than any other day because there are only 24 hours in a day. Clocks are moving forward this weekend so we can experience more sunlight. But God!! God did it for the people of Israel without the use of a clock. He simply held the sun its position. So yes, God can hold a day and it can seem like the longest day. God holds time when you talk to someone you enjoy talking to. You think you've only been on the phone for a short time but then you look at the clock and realize that several hours went by during the course of your conversation. It just happened to me recently.  In film, directors/editors hold time by digitally slowing down a segment of film reel/video so as to emphasize the impact of a particular scene. Musicians and music engineers hold time in a song by slowing down the words played back to give it a certain effect. God does it in real time because He created the earth and everything in it as the Word says. The next time you experience the "longest day" or a phone conversation that seems like only minutes but is actually hours, remember, something significant is happening. God is doing something spectacular. You just need to ask God what you need to pay attention to, learn or remember from it.