Fullness of Joy Just For You!

In this day and time you have to know where your joy comes from.  You have to know that it does not just come from the child you love, the person you work with, the friends you hang out with, or the spouse you adore.  It comes from the One who is all around you, who covers you, and protects you. We were created to glorify Him.  We were designed to serve Him.  We were made to experience the fullness of joy that only He can give.  Because of this, I have made up my mind to stay right next to Him; to stay in His presence and trust Him as my source for everything.  For Jesus said in John 15:4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." This is what we have to remember so that we will have the joy and peace He wants to freely give us every day and be all that God has ordained us to be.  He is our source and He is our joy!  So, why not stay in His presence by believing in His Word despite what comes our way. For Jesus said "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:11.

This I pray and declare for you in Jesus name!
First Lady J

Why Did This Happen?

 In the midst of the recent tragedy of Walter Scott Sr. in North Charleston, SC, we find ourselves asking "Why?"  Why did Walter run?  Why did the officer shoot him down and murder him?  Why are their such injustices all across our country?  Why do we live in a world, in a country, in a city where our lives can be sometimes gripped with fear because we do not know what man is going to do? Questions like these can put us in a tailspin and cause us to be uncertain about life even when we go through our own personal situations and ask why did this happen.  However, when I sat down the other day and asked God for wisdom and to just give me peace in the midst of praying for the Scott family, our country, and so many others, He said "Just ask in my name and I will give it to you".  Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it, and is safe." Therefore, we have a place to rest!  We have the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that we can trust in and all we have to do is ask for peace and wisdom Jesus name and He will do it (John 14:13). We do not have to be overwhelmed or consumed! For even David said to the Philistine in I Samuel 17:45 "You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with shield: but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."  God is the One we can rest in forever!  He will give us the peace and the direction we ned to be used by Him so that we can help bring healing, hope, and reconciliation to a nation that needs Him.

This I Profess in Jesus Name!
First Lady J

Your Set Time of Favor Is Here!

As I sit back and reflect on such a powerful week we had at our 2015 Bishop's Conference at The Revelation Of Christ Church in Charleston, SC where Pastor Lance T. Johnson Sr. is our pastor, I  cannot help but think about how good God is and how much He loves us. We felt His glory in ways like we have never known and heard revelation through His word like never before. And it was then that I realized that when you truly want to hear from God and EXPECT God to speak to you and catapult you to the next level in your destiny, He will do it!  Bishop Long  shared the scripture of Psalm 102:13 which says "You shall arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, is come".  He spoke of how this is the time to walk through the "open door" in your walk with Christ, in your career, in your ministry, that God has mercifully granted to you, so that you can fulfill God's plan for your life and reach more souls for Christ.  So, I ask you today to seek God like you never have before! Take the challenge of walking through that "open door" in your relationship with God, to hear His voice through His word, so you can receive the direction you need to fulfill your destiny.  There is something God has placed on the inside of you, that as a believer, is stirring within you to be used for the upbuilding of His Kingdom.  So whatever gifts and talents He has blessed you with, use them for the Lord! Take the risk of trusting Him and following Him, and being obedient to what He has called you to do. He will advance you for YOUR SET TIME OF FAVOR IS HERE!

I profess this in Jesus name!
First Lady J

There is Nothing Like the Presence of God!

There is nothing like the presence of God! In His presence, pain will leave, your mind will be calmed, your heart will be comforted, your past will disappear.  It is a place that you cannot describe but literally feel like you are floating in thin air with not a weight in the world to carrry.  When you really surrender to the presence of God and allow Him to take over your heart, your mind, and your soul there is nothing you can't overcome.  Everything you have been carrying begins to fade away.  And it is because you realize His power. Psalm 97:5 says "The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth."  So, even the elements that He created are subjected to His authority.  There is nothing that He created that supercedes Him, not even the devil and any hell that has come your way.  So, walk in His presence, talk in His presence, and when you feel like you have gone astray, RUN to His presence.  He is always with you and will never leave but you have to SURRENDER your will to His.  You have to lay on your face, bow down, and say your will not mine Lord!  Do it in me!  Crucify my flesh!  Help me to experience the Savior that you are and rest in the grace of your unconditional love.  It is in His presence that there is fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11).  So, stay there. Stay in His presence, stay in His Word and worship Him daily.  He will give you everything you need, the peace of mind you so desire, the deliverance you are praying for, and even MORE...

In His Presence,  
First Lady J

Live Free & Experience the Wonders of God!

I sometimes struggle with how often to write, battling in my mind what should be said or what shouldn't.  It's how we feel in life sometimes.  We wonder whether to reveal how we really feel or hold back and conceal it.  However, I have just recently gotten to the point in life where I now realize that I need to be real with God every day and not be afraid to share what I am going through. I cannot hold back but share with others what it is to be free from even your own thoughts.  I need to be real with God and not be afraid to be me, no matter who I am around. Life is too short they say but the reality is that life is abundant and full of time to experience what God has for us in it.  So why hold back, fret or worry what others will think?  Why get caught up in our own fears and not live life the way God wants us to, free from sin and bondage.  Exodus 15:11 says "Who is like unto you, O LORD, among the gods? who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?". God is miraculous!  And He is doing wonders every day but we will miss it if we are bound by our own restraints.  So, enjoy life! Don't be afraid to be real about with Him, share with others as God leads, and live free of the ties that bind, especially in your mind.  That is the miracle that He has given us through Jesus Christ and we can live in that freedom every day. So, let's LIVE FREE and experience the wonders of God as we draw closer to Him!

Love,
First Lady J

BREAK OUT!

Have you ever just wanted to break out of something?  You feel overwhelmed, bogged down, overcome with emotion and you see no way out!  You feel uncomfortable, uneasy, and there is something on the inside of you that wants to cry out.  Well, today my son was making a fort and he decided to pile all of the pillows on top of himself like he was buried so he could not get out.  Immediately, my rescue mentality kicked in. My human survival instinct was like "Break out of there!"  And I realized at that moment, that I needed to break out of the mental rut that I was in.  I don't have to feel overwhelmed by circumstances and I don't have to be bogged down by my own emotions.  I can, through Christ, break out of this thing.  I John 2:4 says "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."  And I know that God has said that I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.  Therefore, I need to keep His commandments and stop living a lie. The truth is in me and I am going to break out!  I know who my God is and I do not have to believe the lie of the enemy that I am bound.  So, I speak life unto you as well right now in the name of Jesus!  Believe that God has given you the power to overcome any situation or circumstance you are in.  Do not let the enemy or even yourself hold you down or back any longer. Like my son eventually broke out of those pillows on top of him and roared with a smile, I challenge you today to break out of what you have been in and break forth into your destiny!

Hallelujah!
First Lady J

A Sweet Place of Grace

There is a place of grace that you have to stay in during even the most toughest of times.  It is a sweet place where God gives you the strength to hold on and keeps you so that you can see beyond your circumstances. It is during this time that you have to sacrifice your doubts and fears and realize the necessity of God's word to get you through it.  Romans 5:3-5 says "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  By whom also we  have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God".  The awesome thing about this place of grace is that it could be in the midst of the joy of your favorite worship song unto God or in the peace of being on your knees at 5:00 a.m. in the morning when everyone else is sleep. It could also be in the lifting of your hands when you have nothing else to say and most of all in the profession of God's word when you are telling the enemy to flee.  Whatever the time or the test just remember that God is doing something on the inside of you that will be a blessing for someone else. It is in this place of grace that God is increasing your faith and bringing you closer to Him!

In His Grace,
First Lady J