18 Dec

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

Everyone loves miracles…yours truly included!  I thank God for His miraculous wonder-working power (Heb. 2:4)!  However, please allow me to startle you just a bit.  Miracles are mercy for the ignorant!  Please don’t misunderstand me…if you need a miracle, receive a miracle and thank God for His mercy (Eph. 2:4)!  However, if we continue in our ignorance, our crisis will continue!  Problems repeat themselves when they are not prevented through wisdom.  Remember this…our ignorance is the devil’s advantage (II Cor. 2:11). The Bible tells us wisdom is the principal thing…therefore, get it (Prov. 4:7a).  If you have wisdom you have everything…if...

11 Dec

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The Bible tells us, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much” (Lk 16:10).  If I asked all of you how many of you desire a better future than you have today…every single one of you would raise a strong hand of agreement!  However, if you said “yes” to a better future, you must ask yourself this question:  “Am I willing to pay the price to prepare for it?”  You see, many times we desire the results of change without being...

04 Dec

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

Most people don’t lead their lives, they just accept them!  Now please don’t mistake me, I am not suggesting we take the reigns of our life back from God.  However, I am saying He has given us His Word, His love, His fruit, His armor, His power, His name, His spirit and His authority and said, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed shall live” (Deut. 30:19)! Whether unemployment continues to rise, home foreclosures continue to...

27 Nov

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results!  At some point, we must interject something into our existence in order to create a life. Jesus did not come to give us existence…He came to give us life and it more abundantly (John 10:10)! As of this writing, unemployment is very close to 10% and the economy continues to struggle.  However, the Bible tells us what God describes for His people in times of economic challenge!  “They shall not be ashamed in the evil time and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied”...

20 Nov

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

In II Kings 7 there is a fascinating story of four lepers in the midst of famine.  They were sitting outside the gate of the city talking and came to an interesting conclusion.  If we sit here we die.  If we go into the city we may die or we may live.  In essence, if we do nothing we certainly will die!  I believe in the middle of this economic downturn, this is a word from God to us!  We may not die physically, but our finances may die if we do nothing. The Bible tells us, “They shall not be...

13 Nov

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The Bible tells us, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue (the Greek word “arete” which means “moral excellence”), and to virtue knowledge;” (II Pet. 1:5).  Here the Word of God clearly tells us that after we are born again, the first thing we should begin to add to our faith is character!  Yet in our charismatic circles, many times that is the last thing we add to our faith.  We seem to put more of a premium on charisma than character! Why does the Holy Spirit tell us through this verse that character is the number...

06 Nov

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

Your destiny requires your focus!  The Bible tells us, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before.  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12-13).  Notice Paul, by the Holy Spirit, in essence said “this one thing I do…not these 40 things I dabble in!”  The number one reason most Christians fail is because of broken focus!  Focus is anything that consumes your time, energy, finances and attention. The...

30 Oct

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church, Prayer

  The Bible tells us in John 16:23-24: “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name; ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” What a promise!  It sounds too good to be true, but Jesus either meant what He said or the whole Bible is a throw-away!  I believe He meant what He said!  In essence, Jesus is giving you and me the power of attorney through His name! Over...

23 Oct

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church, Prayer

  Many times when God wanted to change the destiny of a man, he first had to change the identity of that man.  He would start by changing his name.  In the Old Covenant, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (which means “father of many nations”).  He changed Sarai (which means “contentious”) to Sarah (which means “princess”).  He changed Jacob (which means “deceive”) to Israel (which means “peace”).  He even changed Simon Barjona’s name to Peter (which means “rock”). At the time in which Jesus called Simon “rock”, he was anything but a stable rock!  Peter had invented “foot in mouth” disease! ...

16 Oct

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church, Prayer

  My son, Johnathan, just turned 10 years old.  We love him dearly and therefore we chose his name wisely.  My favorite New Testament character is John.  I have always desired to emulate his intimacy with the Lord.  One of my favorite Old Testament characters is Johnathan.  I have always desired to emulate his loyalty.  Intimacy and loyalty are the characteristics I wanted deeply embedded into the fiber of my son, Johnathan’s “chemistry”.  This is why we named him Johnathan!   The Bible tells us that a good name is rather to be chosen than silver or gold (Prov. 22:1).  There is something significant...