19 Mar

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The Bible tells us, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” (Heb. 12:2).  Did you know that pictures of joy release the power of endurance!   As most of you know, approximately eighteen years ago now, I was fighting off some severe heart challenges and I could barely walk and talk.  During this trial as Mrs. Anne and I would drive various places, I would intently gaze at joggers and quietly but confidently tell Mrs. Anne, “That will be me someday!”  Also, I would put pictures...

12 Mar

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

News flash…our culture can be wrong!  Recently scientists have been studying the “science of love”.  They have found that when two people are in love certain substances (dopamine, noraphenine and pheromones) are released in the body when a couple falls in love.  Apparently this lasts for about six months to three years.  This explains why a young couple can stay up all night and talk and kiss for two hours without coming up for air! Seriously, I don’t know how much substance this data actually has but it looks like Hollywood has bought into this idea of love.  After all, it’s...

05 Mar

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The Bible tells us, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one IN CHRIST JESUS.”  This verse clearly tells us that in Christ, three barriers have been removed: Racial barriers Socio-economic barriers Gender barriers We live in such a racially charged world!  At some point, we must lovingly, honestly and most important, biblically discuss these sensitive matters in order to break down barriers in the Body of Christ! I remember when we were in Knoxville before we started Joy Church.  We had many Jamaican students who came to our full-time World...

26 Feb

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

Do you know you will always rise or compromise to the level of your association?!  The Bible tells us, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20).  Show me your three best friends and I’ll show you…you!  If I can spend 30 minutes with your three closest associations and never having met you, I’ll have a pretty good handle on you. You see, association is a vital key to your success or lack thereof.  Association should give you motivation for your destination!  There are four groups of people that will...

19 Feb

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The Bible tells us, “As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto those who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10).  In the kingdom of God, relationships are so vital yet they are so misunderstood.  If you want to determine the true value of any relationship…measure it’s contribution to your victory!  However, lest we become self-centered, the flip-side is also true.  If you want to determine the value of your relationship to others…measure your contribution to their victory! This revealing relationship “measuring stick” will tell you how truly valuable a relationship is or isn’t...

12 Feb

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The devil!  The devil!  The devil!  If you listen to a lot of believers and ministers, you would think that the devil is the primary purpose of Christianity.  Their thoughts, words, church services, and songs all revolve around the devil and some sort of “spiritual warfare”.  While there certainly is a “spiritual warfare” (see Ephesians 6:11-17), let’s take a look at a much more biblically balanced view point. "How art thou fallen down from heaven O Lucifer, son of the morning.  How are thou cast down to the ground which did weaken the nations?  For thou hast said in thine heart,...

05 Feb

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

We give the devil way too much credit!  Unfortunately most of that credit comes from born again believers.  We make statements like, “The devil made me do that” when in actuality the devil can’t make us do anything we don’t allow. I heard a story of two Christian teens who were both killed in a car wreck.  Many friends and family were saying, “The devil did this!”  Now please don’t mistake me, I want to put as much blame as possible on the devil!  I certainly don’t want it going to God!  I’m at least glad these people weren’t like so...

29 Jan

Posted at 08:13h in Joy Church

The Bible tells us, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”  Notice the two phrases “having spoiled principalities” and “made a show of them openly”.  In the original Greek, the first phrase literally denotes “to strip completely naked”.  The second phrase is speaking about what they used to do to defeat kings.  One king would conquer another and to prove victory, they would take the defeated king, strip him naked and parade him around the conquering city in a very humiliating fashion!  They would also cut off his thumbs...

22 Jan

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 4:20-23, “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”  Let’s focus in on verse 23, “Guard your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Have you ever been somewhere where you had to write a check and the amount you...

15 Jan

Posted at 08:00h in Joy Church

The Bible says in II Corinthians 4:2-3, “But have renounced (a strong Greek word which connotes disowned) the hidden things (secret or concealed) of dishonesty (hidden things of shame), not walking in craftiness (trickery or subtlety), nor handling the word of God deceitfully (comes from the Greek root that means decoy or bait); but by manifestation (means expression which connotes an outward shining forth) of the truth commending (Greek means to stand near) ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.  But if our gospel be hid (veiled), it is hid to them that are lost:”. Let me share...