Happy New Year!

To every reader and bystander whose eyes grace the screen,

It's by faith that one finds purpose and healing.

We wish you and your family a very wonderful New Year! May you grow in your faith and love of Christ in 2015 and may you understand the beautiful gifts God placed inside of you to use for His glory. And as the Word says, "your gifts will make room for you and place you among great men."

Get to Work

Genesis 41:44

44Pharoah also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."

How did Joseph get to be second in command only to Pharaoh over a vast and wealthy land? The answer. God gave Joseph a dream. The dream God gave Joseph was back in chapter 37. Joseph believed in his dream. He just didn't know how he was going to get there. God took Joseph through so many steps, including adversity, to shape and mold him to the leader God needed him to be in order to rule a land. Joseph had many practice runs of being "faithful over a few things." And then just as Jesus said in the parable of the Talents, "I will make you ruler over many things."  But how did Joseph get there? He kept his dream in the forefront of his mind, he worked hard, and with each opportunity God blessed him with he remained grateful and faithful.

How many of you did God give a dream to? Have you kept it in the forefront of your mind? Have you gone to work on it? When God has given you the opportunity to move forward with your dream, are you faithful? Sometimes God presents opportunities at "uncomfortable" or "inconvenient" times to see how you will respond. Have you taken seriously the dream and vision He entrusted you with? We are coming up on New Year's. So many people create resolutions of what they plan to do but often fail to follow through. How many times have you bypassed the dreams and visions God gave you? Why?

Do you know that each place where you spend money or each product you purchase started as someone else's dream and vision? Do you know that each time you spend money at Starbucks, hair/nail salons, clothes, stores, they are all someone else's dream and vision actualized. So you walk around with and wear someone else's vision yet you do not see the value in moving forward with the dreams and visions God gave you. Does it make any sense? Whether that dream God gave you is a business, service, book, etc, you only have a finite amount of time to get it actualized. You just don't know how long that is. Wouldn't it make more sense to sacrifice those Starbucks visits for a month or two to start working toward what God gave you? But you don't know how you say? If you ask God to open doors, show you where to go and who to talk to in order to move forward, He will do it. But when He presents it to you, do not grumble. If you are not willing to invest in you, why should anyone else?

I am holding a teleconference in January. It will be the last one for quite some time. Visit www.getyourjoyinthemorning.com for details. If what is being offered relates to what God has given you to do, then register. If not, and God has given you something else to do, stop devaluing your dream and vision and get to work.

It Is Still Christmas

Luke 2:11-12

 

11For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And there will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.

 

In Genesis 1 Jesus' presence with God is acknowledged. For His place was always alongside God, the Father, creator of Heaven and Earth. Jesus willingly left His place alongside God and left the wealth of Heaven described in Revelation 21 and what Jesus describes to the disciples in Matthew. Jesus came to earth through the womb of a woman and to one who was very poor. His birth was of the lowliest of circumstances. All so He could identify with the daily struggle of humanity yet redeem you and I. For someone to leave all they have for the sake of saving anyone who will receive them is a sacrifice that not even the most humble would take on. The love of God has no bounds. Jesus has no limit on the love He gives. And so this is why we celebrate His birth not just His death and resurrection. The greatest gift ever given is love. Love is expressed in many ways. The most visible forms of it is through caring, sacrifice and service. The life of Jesus is about love, sacrifice and service. Whatever you may be doing this Christmas day, love, sacrifice and service represent who Jesus is. If you will not love, sacrifice and serve in some way, then is it really Christmas? Gifts under a tree are empty if they are not given in love. Even if there is no tree and no gifts to give, it is still Christmas because Jesus was born for you and I. It is still Christmas as long as you demonstrate love.

 

Merry Christmas to you and your family from Get Your JOY In The Morning!

Refuge in an Unlikely Place

1Samuel 27:1

 

1And David said in his heart, "Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines, and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand."

 

David was not yet king but because his destiny was already determined by God, King Saul was furious. David was faithful in his service to King Saul, not wavering nor faltering in his loyalty. Yet, because God determined and established David's destiny, Saul was jealous and to the point of rage that he would lose his place to the young warrior, musician David. Saul thought that if he killed David, he could keep his throne. But throne was not his, it belonged to God who had the final say on who would lead His people. David's destiny was not what he planned but what God planned. And for it David had to flee continuously to keep from being killed. David was tired of running, especially knowing he did nothing wrong. But to seek refuge in the camp of a known enemy of Israel?! Do you remember David defeating Goliath? Did you know Goliath was a Philistine? David not only sought refuge in an unlikely place but he was there for one year and four months as the Word says. That is a long time. David figured that Saul would grow tired of looking for him in Israel. Saul knew where David was but he dared not to enter his enemy's camp just retrieve David to kill him. That would've been a suicide mission. God had already turned His hand from Saul. David was able to live in this unlikely place to the point that he went to war with other lands on behalf of the Philistine king. It was not until the princes of the land were overcome with jealousy that the king of Philistine had to send David on his way to keep the peace in his own land.

 

What can you learn from this? You may find yourself in an unlikely place seeking refuge. And God's hand can still be with you. God has already determined your destiny but like Saul, there may be people around you not happy about it. Their intent may be to harm you but God is your refuge, no matter where you are, even in an unlikely place. You may even find that God has extended favor upon you through one who by the world's standards should be against you. But God!

Even in Laughter

Proverbs 14:13

 

13Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief.

 

It is very naïve to think that one who laughs and smiles has no grief. Laughter may even be how someone handles the most uncomfortable or hurtful situations because they dare not cry or simply may be tired of shedding tears. Mirth is defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary as gladness accompanied with laughter.  We are in the holiday season where many gather in celebration. They put on a smile and laugh. But do you know their sorrow? Do you know their grief? Do you know their pain? Many have lost loved one and the holiday season is a reminder of the ones they lost. For some, their homes are not as happy as they used to be. And for others, it could be yet another grief. Do you really know the people with whom you gather? Do you really know the pains they have endured? Have you been there during their grief or do you only their laughter? Can you be trusted to share in their sorrow as well as their laughter? Jesus is one with whom you can trust both your sorrow and your laughter. He was born in the most unpleasant of circumstances during this season. And He died in the most unpleasant of circumstances, yet He lives. And He, as our Heavenly Father, has a great sense of humor. Laughter in spite of sorrow and grief shows signs of strength, resilience and perseverance not in oneself but in Christ to carry them through.

P.S. You can purchase books for the holiday season at www.getyourjoyinthemorning.com or wherever books are sold.

Partnering in Your Own Downfall

Proverbs 29:24

 

Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life, he swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

 

What's the problem with a thief? They can't be trusted. No matter how many promises are made, no matter how many guarantees they provide, the thief will ALWAYS look out for their own best interest. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines a thief as someone who steals, especially secretly. Thieves take what doesn't belong to them. Anyone who knows me knows I love mystery films and shows. One of my favorite mystery sleuths growing up was the fictional character, Charlie Chan. God brought to my remembrance an episode of Charlie Chan I saw a few months ago. There was a thief who was angry with Charlie Chan because he had been caught stealing a lot of money. He escaped during his trial and became a fugitive. He made his way to a man who owned a wax museum as a cover but really specialized in remaking/surgically changing faces of criminals so they could hide in broad daylight. This particular infamous fugitive made all kinds of promises to the doctor/wax museum owner. The doctor/wax museum owner conspired with the thief to murder Charlie Chan. Essentially the thief "turned" on the doctor at an opportune time.

 

What's the point? Just as King Solomon said, anyone who partners with a thief hates his own life. The thief doesn't care about you and the fact that you partner with the thief says you don't care about you either. The thief will never give you their motives, their strategies and their ultimate goal.  You are simply a pawn in their game and whatever happens to you is of no consequence to them. The thief will sell you down the river to the highest bidder. So again, why partner with a thief? You are not just a partner in crime but in your own downfall often left to take the fall. Have you heard the saying, "there is no honor among thieves?" It's true, there isn't.

Let it Be

Proverbs 20:3

 

It is honorable for a man to stop striving since any fool can start a quarrel.

 

As many family and friends are gathering this day to give thanks, celebrate and be filled with great food and even the tradition of football for those in the U.S., many personalities will mingle. In doing so, not all have the same ideas and views. Please remember that your desire to "be right" or have the "most correct view" at the dinner table ought not be so excessive and self-seeking. Your age, your lifestyle and experience need not be presented in an offensive way but rather be conscious of your words. Please remember that you must be respectful of everyone's opinion and feelings when expressed. Please remember that the word says that pride goes before the fall. You may prove to be correct in an idea but at the point that it causes strife and/or leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many in the room means being wrong in how you have stirred confusion and discord. The word says that God is not the author of confusion. Thanksgiving is to be a peaceful, happy and joyous time. Let it be so.

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!