Minimize the Drama

Romans 12:9

9Let  love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

The apostle Paul addressed the church of Romans via letter regarding how to live life daily as Christians. A Christian or follower of Christ is to show brotherly love to all. But notice he said to be "without hypocrisy". There are many who claim to love the Lord but their relationships with others do not reflect as such. And there are those who just stand in the presence of Christ followers yet you see no evidence that they themselves are followers. Tension, discord and unfriendliness is a common problem whenever these type of people are involved. Pray for them to have a right relationship with Christ. Why? If they are always involved in discord, tension and unfriendliness then it is clear that their relationship with Christ is not in order either. The NKJ Study Bible reflects back to Matthew chapters 5-7 and says, "A genuine relationship with Christ will be evident in personal relationships with others."  To abhor means to loathe. True followers of Christ are to loathe the type of behavior that creates tension and discord. Honestly, sometimes it is difficult to separate the behavior from the person but we are still called to love. God loves us all even though He doesn't always like our behavior. Prayer with a right heart is a demonstration of love even when you prefer not to be in the presence of drama. When they get their relationship with Christ right, you will see a change in their interaction with you and others. Until that time comes, continue to cling to what is good and minimize the drama in your life.

You Can Be Free

Luke 13:12

12But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman you are loosed from your infirmity."

It was the Sabbath and a woman who had been bound with sickness by Satan for eighteen years had appeared while Jesus was teaching. She was bent over and could not stand upright. She did not ask for Jesus to heal her nor did anyone ask on her behalf as it is often seen in the scriptures. Jesus had compassion on her when He saw her and wanted to heal her.

Sickness is of Satan, the enemy of our souls. All sickness has it's origin in him. Remember he comes to kill, steal and destroy. Some people are bound by Satan and do not ask for help. Just as Jesus did with the woman, He can do with anyone He has compassion on. Have you ever seen someone who obviously needs help but won't ask for it? Some have settled for being  bound whether by physical sickness, circumstances, spiritual and/or emotional pain and never cry out. Do you know that Jesus can still see you? He wants you to cry out to Him and ask for help. But when Jesus has so much compassion though you don't cry out, He can step into your situation anyway. You don't have to live in any kind of bondage.  Jesus came so that EVERYONE can be free.

Today is Independence Day in the United States. As those of you who are celebrating today eat and be merry, ask yourself , are you settling for some type of bondage whether physical, circumstantial, spiritual or emotional when you can be free by and in the name of Jesus?

It Will Change the Way You Look

Ecclesiastes 8:1

1Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretations of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face shine. And the sternness of his face is changed.

King Solomon talked about wisdom because he prayed for it and God blessed him with it. When Solomon was handed the kingdom by his father David he was very young. Having charge of an entire kingdom was overwhelming. So he sought the one his father sought, God. When Solomon prayed he did not ask for riches. He simply asked for wisdom. And God responded with, that's all you want?! And God told Solomon indeed he would have wisdom but because he didn't ask for anything else he would also receive wealth. Solomon was so wise that people came from afar just to see for themselves how much wisdom Solomon possessed. What Solomon notes is that wisdom will make a person's face shine. Have you ever seen a glow in a person's face? Have you ever just thought it was because they eat right, get rest or are happy? Yes, these can all be contributing factors but more importantly, the more time one spends before God, the more wisdom will be obtained and the more their face will shine. Even Moses spent a lot of time in the presence of God and he had a glow. Wisdom is from God. Spend time with God. It will change the way you look.

P.S. To see highlight photos from the June 15th Pre-Release Book Signing and Reading of my new book, Shh Don't Tell visit the Get Your Joy In The Morning page on Facebook.

"We All Fall Down"

Matthew 12:25

25But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."

How much is accomplished when there is division? If no one can agree on the goal or "the win", then nothing gets done. If no one can agree on how to achieve the goal, then nothing gets done. Division is the way to ensure that everything and everyone fails. The apostle Paul used the analogy of a physical body in 1Corinthians 12 to show the importance of unity. Jesus used a house and a kingdom. The Pharisees saw Jesus cast out demons and accused him of operating by the power of Satan. But why would Satan want to cast out his own demons who are part of the kingdom of darkness? Jesus is the light and only wants to cast out the darkness. Jesus did not want to cast out the light. He is the light and everything that represents light, He wants to keep with Him.

There is a lot of division in various places. The question is, who is driving out what? If light is driving out darkness then everyone is on the right path. If darkness is driving out light, then there is a HUGE problem. If the people of God are divided against one another, who wins? If a house, church, etc, is not on one accord with God and the light of Jesus, it cannot survive. Jesus is the rock and the foundation upon which everything is to be built and how to remain standing. Jesus stands upon the will of the Father, our God. But if the will of God is not the main goal, then it all fails. Personal agenda instead of God's agenda is the reason for division. Personal agenda instead of God's agenda is the reason why a house, church, etc will fall. "Ashes, ashes we all fall down", as the nursery rhyme goes.

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

Where Can You Go?

Psalm 55:22

22Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.


When you are hurt, where do you go? When you are hurt by a friend, where can you go? David knew all to well about betrayal from a "friend". David walks through his prayer to God and as you read, the description gives way to an enemy. When he gets mid-way, he addresses not God, but the one who hurt him. He says,

"but it was you, a man my equal my companion and my acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in the throng."

Finding out that it was a friend who he not only took counsel in but shared activities with that betrayed him, makes the pain identifiable. Have you been in this position? Do you know what it feels like to be hurt by one you called friend? David went from addressing God to addressing the betrayer.  He is not blaming God for what has happened but gives sole responsibility to the one whom he called friend. And then he goes back to addressing God. He takes a detour only to recognize his pain and as a way of confronting his so-called "friend". But God!! He turns his attention back to where it belongs. God!!! God is the one who can counsel every broken heart no matter the situation! God is the one who gives you the ability to stand when one wants to knock you to your knees. And God is the one who will show the one who hurt you, the error of their ways in His time. Your focus is to be on the Lord. He has you and won't let you fall to them. Always trust God  even when you cannot trust in man. God does not lie nor will He leave you or forsake you.

Who is First?

Matthew 10:37

37He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Jesus spoke about not bringing peace but division.How can He be the peacemaker if He is bringing division right? Many are often confused by the words Jesus gave in Matthew 10:34-37. Christ did not object to family. Actually, He supported it.  Jesus wanted us to understand that no person whether male, female, adult or child is to hinder our relationship with Him. We are not to put anyone before God nor the Son of God. Anyone that we put before them has become an idol. And the first commandment says that we are to love God with all our heart and to have no other gods before Him.

It is natural to want to obey father and mother because they are the first human teachers as well as role models that stand in the gap of father and mother. But when you allow their role to come between you and Christ or their words to have more value than what God has asked of you, there is a problem. It is no different with son and daughter or husband/wife, etc. Abraham was an example. God promised him an heir, Isaac, who was born to him and Sarah in their old age. It would've have been natural for Abraham to worship his child so much so that he could ignore God but he did not. God tested him to see if he loved his son more than Him. He told Abraham he had to take Isaac to a mountain top and build an alter to sacrifice him. At the last minute, God sent an angel to stop Abraham and provided a proper sacrifice. He only wanted to see if Abraham loved the gift more than he loved the gift giver. And it was on that mountain that Abraham said Jehovah Jireh which is the God who provides (see. Genesis 22). Your spouse or significant other is not to hinder your relationship with Christ either. When you stop receiving the Word the of God, cease prayer, fail to continue to foster your relationship with Christ and ignore the Holy Spirit's prompting because you are enthralled with another, then you have allowed the gift God has placed in your life to become more important than He who brought you the gift. Anyone who loves you would want to see you continue to grow in Christ and not want you to fall away from Him. No one is to put above God. You can love, worship and serve God together and individually. The real glory in the marriage covenant, is when God is the pillar of your relationship that you both stand upon. Marriage is to reflect the relationship that Christ has with the church. Who is first in your life? The commands have not changed. They have just encompassed that we love one other but never more than we love the one who created us and the one who died so that you and I can live.

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

No Legitimate Complaint

Proverbs 16:7

7When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

God's way is always right!! Many of us have seen what happens when we move forward in anything in the beginning and others are  unhappy. Sometimes the problem is the inability to see change as a positive step or perhaps perceiving a fear of what will be lost.  But when our ways please God, it gives everyone a chance to see who God is. When God is in it, HE gets the glory.  Nothing bad can be said with legitimacy when you are doing something the way God has ordained you to do. Your "haters" can complain but it is only because of their own lack of movement. Yet, they cannot fault you for where you are. And those who just did not quite understand the way in which God desired for you will have their eyes opened and will come into understanding. No matter what, no one can really fault one who is doing what the Lord has said of them. In the end, whether you speak up or not, God will confirm what you are doing as right when He unleashes the blessings for you walking in the direction He desires for you.