Will You Know?

 

Will You Know?

Marsha Deveaux Johnson http://hepzibah40.blogspot.com

 

In a recent worship session (December 25, 2021) with my husband and sister I began to hear Jesus in my spirit telling me of some of the events surrounding His birth and entrance to earth.  I was intrigued with His words about what was taking place in heaven and on earth.  I always paise God for revelation knowledge because it draws us closer to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

First of all, let me tell you that there are no human words that can adequately  convey a message from God when He speaks.  I will attempt to share His recount to me of events surrounding His coming to earth as a baby.  Only the Holy Spirit of God can imprint in your spirit the understanding of what I heard.  Listen to me with your spirit and heart to grasp “Love Himself” coming down to save the world.

In Heaven

There was for lack of a better word an “Uproar” in heaven.  All of heaven roared with the excitement of “God Himself” entering the earth realm.  He was coming to redeem His creation from the “fall” in the Garden of Eden by Adam’s disobedience.  To this day of my life, I had never pondered heaven’s view of the coming of Jesus to earth.  But when He spoke to me, I had the full impact in my spirit of the atmosphere in heaven when God came to earth. God, who sits in time and eternity had appointed a “fullness” of time (Galatians 4:4) moment for redemption.  The glorious eternal heaven was on high alert for what was culminating in time.  All of heaven breathed with eternal fulfillment when the “Savior” hit the earth realm. 

On Earth

On earth,  there was a different scene but with no less fanfare.  All of “creation” (with the exception of all mankind) knew that a Savior was being delivered here on earth.   God chose a precious few (humans) to alert of the coming of His then only begotten Son (Hebrews 1:1-5).  However,  all of the remainder of creation knew that the “One” who created them  had come and rejoiced. I was stirred as Jesus said to me, “every blade of grass welcomed Him,  every grain of sand welcomed Him, the oceans, created animals (both on land and in the sea) were profoundly impacted by the ‘One’ who created them coming to walk the earth”.  The trees raised and clapped their hands for the “King”.  The mountains and the hills sang forth His praises (Isaiah 55:12)!  Wow!  Wow! Wow!  The stars were aligned and alerted the wise men to seek for Him.  The shepherds in the field were alerted by angelic host to go and find the “Savior, King, Prince of Peace, Almighty God, Emmanuel…

When He comes again, will you know He is on His way and be ready?

 

When He comes again, will you know He is on His way and be ready?

 

I Found Out What Love Is

Marsha Deveaux Johnson

Living Joy Ministries, Inc.

 

Living Joy Ministries, Inc. is celebrating 30 years of ministry to the Body of Christ. Early one recent morning God took me down memory lane.  I was worshipping Him telling Him of my love and commitment to Him. He began to bring memories  of things that happened during the 30 years of ministry in meetings with Believers (Workshops, Conferences, Drug Rehab Centers).  God’s theme in this walk down memory lane was  “Love”.  I was inspired to write about what I found “Love” to be.

Love is reaching, touching, and fellowshipping with the people God places in your life.

Love is lying in bed in the dark of the night and hearing God’s voice speak so loudly  that I must get up and write to share His word with His people.

Love is stepping out on faith and doing and saying what God reveals to you even when no one else understands.

Love is hearing God whisper to you, “Buy her a sandwich.”  I did,  and later found that even though she lived in a place where she should have been provided for, she was hungry and needed food.

Love is filling and dressing up a gift bag with good things inside and a big beautiful bow.  Don’t  forget the bow because she can use it as a headband or save it to give to  her daughter when she comes to visit.

Love is giving a “Mother’s Day” gift bag to a man so he could pass it to his wife because he had nothing to give to her on that day.

Love is seeing God on the face of someone who had no hope until you came through the door.

Love is leaving the last roll on the plate because you know someone else wants it.

Love is having your “walking around money”  walking into the hands of others who need it.

Love is sitting in a van at twilight in a strange place with unsure circumstances and having the most powerful encounter with God because you were giving a couch to someone who had no furniture in their trailer.

Love is planning a meeting with no thought of anything other than “God told me to”.

Love is taking a day off from work to type and lay out on my kitchen table “Possessing Your Inheritance”, a book which teaches about body, soul, and spirit.

Love is heading for Columbus, GA for a weekend meeting and having the van break down.  We got there!  After having a rental SUV brought from Jacksonville, FL to Interstate 75.  Wow was that the best meeting ever!

Love is looking long enough and hard enough until you see the hand of God in every circumstance  of your life.

Love is interceding for the people God loves who no one else is praying for.

Love is showing up because your word has committed you to serve as Jesus did.

Love is bringing those who are in need into your own home for healing.

Love is binding up wounds that you did not cause, picking up trash that you did not throw down, and righting wrongs that you did not do.

Love is seeing a need and responding to it without being asked to do so.

The Jesus in you amounts to the love in you.  Show me Jesus and I will show you love.

No Jesus, No Love.

Much Jesus, Much Love.

All Jesus, All Love (Completely conformed to His Image)

 

About the other (selfish) stuff that people call “love”, it is not transitory.  That means you can’t take it with you into eternity.  Enough said.

 

Join us on October 31, 2021 from 6:00-8:00 PM for a

Zoom Celebration

Share history of your encounter with Living Joy Ministries, Inc.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7595471562?pwd=NkhJaGlSajBRMDBzNW1xQ212eXMrUT09

Meeting ID: 759 547 1562

Password: Living Joy

 

 

Three Kinds of Righteousness

Imputed, Imparted, and Self

Living Joy Ministries, Inc.

Marsha Deveaux Johnson

 

# 1:  Imputed Righteousness

When you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life a most wonderful thing happens.  You are instantly  translated  into the Kingdom of God. Your human spirit  (the part of you that is God conscious) is instantly changed and desires to follow the truth of God’s word.  Your soul (mind, will, emotions) is positioned to start receiving the truth of God’s word as you read and study it. Your body then has to start doing the Word of God for the new creation life of Christ (2^nd Corinthians 5:17). 

 

Simply because you received Jesus Christ as Savior and subsequent Lord of your life, He releases all the blessings that were purchased for you when He shed His blood on the cross.   You did nothing to earn these blessings, after  accepting Him you did nothing to merit these blessings.  You were simply entitled to these blessings/benefits because He freely gave, imputed, bestowed, graced, and lavished them upon you.  You became a son of the Most-High God (John 1:12, 1^st John 3:2).  You became the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus (2^nd Corinthians 5:21).  Listed below are the primary benefits of this imputed righteousness.

 

·         My past, present, & future sins are forgiven. (Romans 10:9-13)

·         I have the favor of God (Grace). (John 1:16)

·         I have been “imputed” or given righteousness by God through faith in Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:9)

·         I have been born a new creation In Christ Jesus. (2^nd Corinthians 5:17)

·         I am redeemed from the Curse. (Galatians Chapter 5)

·         My name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27)

·         I spend Eternity with God. (Revelation 21:27)

·         My spirit is now God-conscious & lives under the law of the “Spirit of Life in Jesus Christ”.  (Roman’s 8^th   Chapter)

 

#2:  Imparted Righteousness

After receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of your life another most wonderful thing begins to happen.  God’s Holy Spirit comes to lead you to the truth of God ‘s word, God’s power, and God’s plan for your life (John 16:13).  The Holy Spirit is the Guide, the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete called alongside of you to guide you into the God-life (Zoe).  Following the lead of the Holy Spirit brings you to embrace the following truths.

 

·         I am “imparted righteousness” daily as I make right choices and follow God’s word.

·         My soul (mind, will, & emotions) and body are being daily renewed by the practice of the word of God in my life. I am being freed daily from the law of “Sin & Death”. (Roman’s 8^th Chapter)

·         This “daily dying” and constant renewing of my soul and body is led by the Holy Spirit as I yield myself to His guidance.  This is the “Imparted Righteousness” which continually conforms me to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29, 1^st Corinthians 15:31).

 

# 3:  Self-Righteousness

Isaiah 64:6 “…for all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment.. “

 

The third kind of righteousness is sadly a place where some good intended Believers find themselves after  deviating from the imparted righteousness of the Holy Spirit.  A self-righteous person is a person who believes they have higher morals than others, that they are morally superior, and more righteous than others.  Some Believers in an attempt to secure commitment to righteousness for themselves and others,  enter into self-righteousness.  This is a most dangerous place. 

 

We must see what the Word of God says about self-righteousness.  It is in God’s word that we must find out what God thinks of self-righteousness and self-righteous people.

 

First of all, self-righteousness is based in what a person believes about themselves.  They inherently believe that they have spiritual authority in places where they do not have spiritual authority.  Believers have been given spiritual authority over principalities, powers, might, dominion, serpents, scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:18-20).  There is no spiritual authority given to Believers over man (Genesis 1:26).  

 

God Himself asks man to come to Him by choice (Revelation 22:17, John 7:37).  Our Father becomes Lord only over a life that has been surrendered to Him.  From the very beginning God knew man would disobey and bring sin into the world. God  allowed this to happen.   Adam’s disobedience brought the fall of man (Genesis Chapter 3).  This fall gave man a choice of who he would serve.  The death of the Son of God placed man in the position to choose to serve God rather than being bound to serve Him and having no choice.   Righteousness Himself (God) gives man a choice.  Self-righteousness demands submission and no choice.

 

Characteristics  of Self-righteousness

The Bible speaks of Spiritual Strongmen (Mark 3:27, Matthew 12:29) that  try to execute authority over man.  The two strongmen that govern self-righteousness are:

 

Spirit of Haughtiness:  A demonic spirit that causes a person or groups of people to display superior attitudes toward others, pride, arrogance, overbearing, and scorn for people they perceive inferior. 

Religious Spirit:   A type of demonic spirit that influences a person or groups of people to replace a genuine relationship with God with works, traditions, and teachings.

(2^nd Corinthians 11:13-14).

 

Characterization of Self-righteous People

Pride, close-mindedness, lacking love for others, hypocrite, know-it-all, make their righteousness known, make their good works known, harsh, can’t be wrong, superior to others, unforgiving, exacting, narrow-minded, lack of patience, value self above all, punitive, negative, and  put down other races (racism)

Proverbs 21:2 (Ways of a man right in his own eyes, God knows the heart)

Proverbs 1:7 (Fools despise wisdom and instruction from God)

Proverbs 10:14 (The wise store knowledge)

Matthew 7:1-5 (Judging others)

Ephesians 2:8-9 (No boasting of self)

Romans 3:10 (No self-righteousness)

Ecclesiastes 7:16 Self-righteous)

When Christians become self-righteous, they step into a role that God never intended for them.  God in the book of Genesis did not give man dominion over another man.  God was very specific in His deliberation of the authority He delegated to man.  It is specified in His word.  When Jesus died on the cross, His death and resurrection extended sonship to every human born into the world.  It was not a mandate to serve Him.  It was an invitation.  Today almost two thousand years afterwards it is still an invitation. 

 

Jesus takes away no one’s right to choose to serve Him.   One dying thief on the cross wanted to follow Him and was granted entry into His kingdom.  The other made no such commitment.  It is critical to understand that the demonic religious spirit takes away a man’s right to choose life or death.  God offers life to every man.  Every man will not choose to receive life nor should he be made to receive it.   A heart change sets a man in right order.  If murder is in a man’s heart, he will murder regardless.  If murder is not in his heart, he will not murder.

 

I have searched God’s word and am Pro/Life -Pro/Choice because I believe that hypocrisy rules when we take away a person’s right to decide for themselves.  God doesn’t take away a man’s free will to sin and neither should self-righteous hypocrites.  His word is clear and does not change.  The wages of sin are death and no one escapes ( Romans 6:23 ).  It is however God’s place to judge and punish (Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35) the people He created in His image and likeness.  I believe we should leave the fate of those who commit murder by abortion to the same fate of the liars, whoremongers, idolators, drunks, adulterers, murderers, witchcraft practitioners, homosexuality, haters, racists, fornicators, and all other works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-26).

 

It is our responsibility to reach all sinners in love regardless of their sin.  No sin is more acceptable in God’s eyes than another.  God says all unrighteousness is sin (1^st John 5:17).  It is the ultimate of hypocrisy to scream abortion is sin (it is) and remain silent when racism (also sin) is accepted in its entirety  by those who name the name of Christ.  Because we are not judgers of another man’s servant (Romans 14:4), it is incumbent upon all of us to reach out to make disciples of those who do not know Christ and those who know Him but not in His fullness. 

 

We labor to love and lead others to the One who changes hearts.  A heart change is the only thing that can set a man on the righteousness imparted path led by the Holy Spirit.  Laws will be broken, circumvented, ignored, and changed, but a man’s decision to be Holy Spirit led will  allow him to serve God and make right (Biblical) choices every day of his life.

 

When God instructed me to write this article, this is what He said to me:

“Speak truth to my people and those who receive it will live.  Those who do not receive it will die on the vine.”

 

Ask Father to speak His heart to you.

In Love,

Marsha Deveaux Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

Designated Space (Inside the Circle)

 

Designated Space

(Inside the Circle)

Marsha Deveaux Johnson, Living Joy Ministries, Inc.

http://hepzibah40.blogspot.com

@LivingJoyMinistries  (Facebook)

One day many years ago I found myself staring into a mirror as I listened to the voice of God the Father.   It was a Saturday evening after a weekend retreat sponsored by the ministry.   The God of the universe asked me would I  (His creation) be willing to be inside a circle of life with Him and Him alone.  I did not know how to answer Him.  We seldom know how to respond to our heavenly Father and that is why we must never lean to our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).  I did not answer Him on that evening because I did not know how. I did not know the depth of the request or how my life would be impacted. Sunday passed and I pondered His proposal to me. 

 

On Monday morning I got up to get ready for work and again in front of the bathroom mirror I started to proclaim to Abba (God the Father) that I would be willing to live for the rest of my life inside a circle with Him and Him alone.  I, in my ignorance of His Totality told Him I would place all people, places, and things outside this circle and close the circle myself.   Well Elohim, Creator of the universe stopped me from implementing and framing my version of His plan.  God, (The precious Holy Spirit) said to me, that He (Alone) would close this circle with family, friends, everything else on the outside of it. I would be alone with Him inside the circle.

 

From that time forward I began the process of living to please the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  I increasingly placed all others and things outside the circle.  Only God directed  my decisions as I learned to lean upon Him and Him alone.  I began to teach this awakening truth to others and freedom came to many as the years went by.  Years later God spoke to me and said, “When you were putting family, friends and everything outside of the circle, you were placing them in MY hands”. What a revelation! I did not know this at the time, I simply had to trust Him with my life and journey with Him.

 

To this day there is a “designated space (Inside the circle)” between me and everything that this world has to offer. I simply cannot bring into the circle anyone, any place, or anything.  If I find myself allowing the slightest imposition, I go back to the awesome wisdom of the Father in insisting that I isolate (inside the circle) myself with the One who created me.  This is the God-Life (Zoe).

 

Being inside the circle with God is your protective gear against the wiles of the Devil.  It is your protective gear against the manipulation of man.  It is also your protective gear against you destroying your own self with the desires of your flesh.

 

This designated space (inside the circle) allows the love of God to saturate you (John 3:16).  This designated space allows the peace of God to reign and rule in your heart (Colossians 3:15).  This designated space allows the wisdom and understanding of God to flourish in your spirit, soul, and body (Proverbs 4:7). 

 

Disappointed with someone?                         Place people outside the circle.

Visit to Paris, France just didn’t satisfy?     Place places outside the circle.

The new car is suddenly old?                         Place things outside of the circle

Institutions have let you down?                   Place them outside the circle.

 

The designated space (Inside the circle) is an area where you understand that you cannot get from a person, place, or thing what you are supposed to get from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

 

The most beautiful thing about living with God inside the circle (Designated space) is that nothing disturbs your peace.  It is also easier to love others when they do occupy the space where only God should fill.  You are then not constantly irritated with behaviors of others.  You simply pray and release them to Father.

 

Inside the circle (Designated space) with God brings you so close to His heart that fear cannot survive in you.  The designated space displaces hatred, jealously, and all  other ungodly things. These things cannot  survive in the space designated for you and God.   Satan gains advantage when anything other than you and God are in the circle. God signals to us to abide in this designated space by allowing irritants to surface that we may clear out the circle. We must allow God alone to occupy this space.  It is at this place (Designed Space, Inside the circle) that we realize the Oneness that Jesus has with God and we can have also.

 

Seek to abide in the designated space (inside the circle) with God alone.