Author: Joshua Maynard

God IS love.
We are representatives of the Father.
Ambassadors of Christ.
Representatives of Love.
Let everything we do and say reflect this truth.
Let us not condemn ourselves when we fail to love, but give thanks to God and ask for more opportunities to show His love to others.
BY: Bishop Joshua Maynard
You are special.
You are one of a kind.
You have something to contribute that no one else does.
You may not love yourself.
You may not like yourself.
But God loves you no matter what you do.
As you start to believe God’s love for you, watch as it transforms your attitude.
BY: Bishop Joshua Maynard
The only doors that God closes are those where the Devil is waiting.
Every other door to what is pure and good for you is open wide!
Who dares to accuse God of keeping you from doors of prosperity, blessing and provision?
Who reasons with ignorant reasoning that God doesn’t think your ready or worthy enough for His best?
Who dares to speak over you that God has closed a door because you didn’t tithe enough or pray enough or go to church enough?
Who dares to speak over you that God has kept you from a better job because you have to love the Hell of a job you are in NOW, before you can be released into the job that He has for you NOW?
Who dares to accuse God of withholding the best from you?
If the people in your life that you call friends and family are telling you that God is withholding from you, don’t listen!
The devil is a liar!
If your pastor is telling you that God can’t bless you or won’t bless you because of something you’ve done, don’t listen to him!
The devil is a liar!
These people might be the most well-meaning Spirit-filled friends you know, but their words are killing your faith.
The Devil uses people you trust to tear down your faith!
Who are you going to choose to believe?
Matthew 16:22-23 KJV
[22] Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. [23] But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
BY: Bishop Joshua Maynard

Zacharias – A Lesson to learn from

Luke 1:10-13,15-20 KJV
[10] And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. [11] And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. [12] And when Zacharias saw him , he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. [13] But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. [15] For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. [16] And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. [17] And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. [18] And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. [19] And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. [20] And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Contrary to popular belief, the New Testament story of Jesus doesn’t begin with the angel and Mary.
Before Mary was visited by the angel; before the Savior’s birth in a stable, there was the story of Zacharias.
Zacharias was a priest, and on the day which Gabriel the angel appeared to him, it was allotted to Zacharias to keep the alter of incense in temple.
The angel Gabriel starts by saying to Zacharias that “his prayer has been heard.”
There seems to be no distinction here between the prayer being “heard” and being “answered”.
The prayer that God “hears”, is the prayer that God “answers”.
Zacharias was upright before God, but there were obviously those in the Old Testament whose prayers were not heard by God because of their sin.
Many Christians today, would not agree that God answers every prayer of the believer, but that is contrary to what the Bible teaches us.
After all, sometimes people die despite our prayers, and sometimes those that pray for a child are left barren.
Does this mean that God doesn’t hear their prayers, or see their tears?
No.
I believe that God hears every prayer, and that God always wants the best for us. I also believe in healing and miracles. When we don’t see a healing or a miracle, it doesn’t mean that God didn’t do His part.
God has given everything to us through Jesus.
We must believe, and when faith seems to fail, we should still bless the Lord.
God is not responsible for our issues.
Zacharias had prayed for a child, but in his old age, he did not believe that his prayer would be answered.
If Zacharias had simply said that he was too old, perhaps that could be understood as merely a lack of faith, but Zacharias wasn’t humble and proceded to not only refute the glad tidings from God but to also blame his wife for their inability to have children.
Does that sound familiar?
Zacharias was not unlike Adam in the garden of Eden, who fearfully blamed his wife when answering to God.
Gabriel knew that Zacharias had prayed for a child; something that could only be divinely known, and still Zacharias didn’t believe.
Zacharias is a priest who is extolled in the scriptures as walking blameless before God, following all the commandments and ordinances, and yet this priest did not believe an angel of the Lord.
You would expect a priest to believe whatever the angel said with a perfect faith, but we must remember that in those days, faith was hard to find in Israel.
Zacharias responds to this “answer” of his prayer with an attitude of unbelief and a demand for proof that it will happen.
Religious ordinances and rituals had replaced faith, love and mercy, and Zacharias must have been profoundly religious, following all the laws, traditions and rituals to the letter of the law, while completely missing the faith, love and mercy that God intended for him to have.
Today, many Christians go about doing “good works”, trying to meet every requirement, tradition and ritual that their religion demands, while completely missing the Gospel truth of God’s love, grace and power.
Scholars believe that Zacharias was punished by God for his unbelief and made mute to teach him humility.
I don’t believe that is true. I believe that God had a very specific reason for making Zacharias mute until John the Baptist had been born.
You see, God’s Word created the Heavens and the Earth. His Word being spoken by prophets over many many years is what brought about the birth of Christ. Christ was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, but God required that men would prophecy Christ into being! It was by our rejection of God’s Word that we fell from grace in the garden of Eden, and God required that it be our faith in speaking forth God’s Word to bring about the Savior of mankind.
Zacharias specifically was made mute so that he would be unable to utter any more words of unbelief. It may be hard to believe that mankind could play such a pivotal role in God’s plan, but this should come as no surprise! God has always accomplished His will through men.
Zacharias displayed such overwhelming unbelief in the middle of overwhelming truth that his unbelief surely would have cancelled and made of no effect the miracle that was about to become manifest.
Zacharias could have poisoned this miracle with his unbelief!
The alter of incense was in the Holy place, and only priests would have been allowed inside.
Despite the appearance of Gabriel (obviously not a priest) by the alter, and the nearly too-good-to-be-true news that Gabriel provided, Zacharias could only see in the flesh. His response was “From who/where does this knowledge come from?”
Here was a man that was completely dedicated to God, and the work of God, who completely missed God when God revealed Himself.
When we ask God for direction, God hears and God answers.
He never withholds His will for us when we ask.
Like Zacharias, we can find ourselves so out-of-tune with faith, love and mercy. We become self-absorbed and focused on our problems that we are unable to hear God’s directions, even when they appear so clearly in front of us.
Jesus found faith in Israel. He found it amongst the hurting; the sick; the outcasts; the unbelievers.
It was often among the religious; the zealots; even His own disciples that He could find no faith.
Let us remember that our words are powerful, and we can either speak life or death.
God wants to bless us and lead us all the time. Our words can either speak positively about God’s best for our lives or speak negativity and foolishness that can prevent us from receiving every good thing that God has for us.
I used to ask God to forgive me. I asked Him to forgive me out of guilt, fear and sorrow.
I also asked forgiveness because I had been taught that if you don’t ask, you aren’t forgiven, since you aren’t truly repentant.
I no longer pray and ask God to forgive me.
I have a revelation of God’s love for me and His forgiveness.
I also have a revelation of the finished work of Christ on my behalf.
I’m not trying to earn my salvation.
You can call me arrogant, irreverent, or any other label you like, but I’ll just call you “traditional”, “religiously oppressed” and “deceived”.
Asking forgiveness for our sins denies the finished work of the cross, and the fact that God already forgave us before we ever sinned.
Not only did He forgive us, but He chose to forget our sins and call us righteous in Christ Jesus.
One might argue that asking forgiveness shows humbleness before God and concern about the gravity of our transgressions, but those arguments are a lie.
If you are a believer on Christ, it is not humble to ask God to forgive you, it is unbelief.
You don’t need to have concern about the gravity of your transgressions, because you ARE FORGIVEN!
Instead of asking forgiveness, just thank God for already forgiving you and keep on moving forward.
BY: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Did you know that if you know to do good, and fail to do good that it is sin? (James 4:17)
Did you know that God is only good, and in Him there is no sin? (James 3:5)
Does God put sickness on people?
You might say, “No, but He allows sickness for a reason or to perfect our faith.”
Did God cause the storm that took all of those lives and destroyed so much property?
You might say, “Of course not, but He allowed Satan to bring the storm and used the storm to bring people to salvation for His glory.”
Did you know that when we say that God “allowed” something bad to happen or “allowed” evil to manifest itself that we are saying that God is committing sin by knowing to do good, and refusing to do it?
Think about it: If God knows to do good, and does it not, to Him it is also sin, and it is impossible for God to sin because in Him there is no sin!
So, before you start saying “God allowed” or “God used” evil for His purpose, you should be aware that you are ascribing sin to God.
God doesn’t allow evil!
Evil prospers because of man and Satan alone.
God warns; God blesses; God leads; God guides; God comforts; God heals; God saves.
God is good all the time!
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Jesus said, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” John 5:14
Jesus never said, “Sin no more, lest I take away your healing!”
Jesus never said, “Sin no more, lest I put a disease on you that is even worse!”
Jesus never said, “Sin no more, lest I revoke your salvation and cast you into Hell!”
Let’s be clear about what Jesus said and did and stop ascribing things to God that are better ascribed to ourselves or Satan.
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Jesus showed love, grace and forgiveness and revealed the character of His Father in Heaven.
He also made a whip, turned over tables and chased some people out of church.
Grace has to drive out religion before Truth can take hold.
And let’s face it, sometimes Truth can hurt at first, but helps in the long run.
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Jesus never preached Hell to the multitudes.
It was always something discussed privately with his disciples.
I believe that says something about Jesus’ ministry and especially about ministries today that use Hell as a scare tactic to “win souls”.
I don’t find any “winning” in that kind of ministry.
It is a ministry built on fear and not established in faith.
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Christ Jesus which came “out” of the grave was forever changed, transformed, transfigured from the Christ Jesus that entered “into” the grave three days prior.
We too, having been buried and raised with Christ, are forever changed, transformed and transfigured with Christ.
When Jesus walked among his brethren, they didn’t recognize Him at first.
When we walk in the newness of Christ among our brethren, they don’t always discern the change in our spirit.
Sometimes the sinful nature of the old man rears it’s ugly head.
Yet, we ARE changed, and the Holy Spirit bears witness within us that we belong to Christ.
Remind yourself that you ARE different and you ARE changed.
Say to yourself today,
“I am Christ’s, and He is mine.
I am a new creation, and the old has passed away.”
If your spirit doesn’t leap within you and catch on fire when you speak these words in faith, then your wood must be wet!
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Most Christian churches and organizations have mandatory leadership programs that one must pass through before being allowed into leadership.
Do you know what it took to become an Apostle of the early church: A casting of lots (like drawing a name from a hat, or rolling a dice) with the faith that God would lead who would become the next Apostle by guiding the choice. No programs, no certifications, not even a “Word from the Lord”, a vision, a dream or a confirmation. The Apostles “rolled the dice” so-to-speak and asked the Holy Spirit to guide their hand, to pick the next Apostle.
Today, most Christians would call that “divination” or witchcraft. Truly there is more paganism and witchcraft in Christianity today than people care to acknowledge.
I am convinced that most Christians would be better off “rolling the dice” a little by faith, than to stay still; to stay stagnant and not move or choose because they haven’t heard God’s still small voice give them direction.
God leads us when we step out.
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Holy living does not equal “gaining approval” with God.
Sinful living does not equal “losing approval” with God
The “God is pleased/displeased” game will kill you if you let it.
God is always pleased with His children because of Christ, not because we are good little children.
I love my son because he is my son, not based on what he does that is good.
My parental love supersedes my “pleasure or displeasure” with his actions based on the “law” knowledge of “right and wrong”.
God is not judging us under the “law” knowledge of “right and wrong”, “good or evil”.
My sins are covered, removed, and forgotten, even the ones I might commit today. God cannot remember them or impute them to me or He would be in violation of His own Word.
Just because I remember them, you remember them or even witness them doesn’t mean that I’ve lost approval, protection, fellowship or salvation with God.
My desire to live Holy is based on Christ’s love.
Study the Word: God doesn’t take back His gifts. Salvation is a gift.
I’ll never turn away from believing in my Savior or believe that my self-effort to not commit sins is good enough to earn me a spot in Heaven.
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
If I can be real, and not some “higher than thou” figure that looks down on those that don’t meet certain standards…
If I can be down-to-Earth, and not some preacher-idol on a pedestal…
If I can be approachable, and not a minister that runs from the flock, and their questions…
If I can be fallible, imperfect, rough around the edges, but always striving to sharpen myself and others…
If I can tear down traditional expectations and stereotypes of what it means to be a “minister”…
If I can show people that a real God loves me in all my imperfections and loves them in theirs…
If I can let people know that we don’t have to be perfect, agree on everything or meet some standard of what the religious call holiness…
Just maybe, I can reach someone with the truth of the Gospel and see them set free.
Just maybe, someone will give God another chance…
Just maybe, someone will start thinking for themselves…
We are not defined by what people think of us, but people ARE defined by what God thinks of them. They need to know that God loves them.
The eyes of legalism blind people to the freedom of the Gospel.
The facades of preachers upholding the unsustainable expectations of perfection produces the same result.
Get real.
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Jesus did not focus on sin. He always focused on the person.
If you are focused on sin, either in your life or in the lives of others, then you are not expressing the mind of Christ or the character of the Father.
I’m not condemning, just telling it how it is.
The only sin that God takes issue with, is to reject a relationship with Him through His Son. All the rest of the things that we call “sin” are merely speeding people along to their mortal death.
These “sins” are not keeping them from relationship with God, or a fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and Jesus isn’t running away from them.
For the born-again believer who struggles with sin, Jesus stays right there with you through it all, palm to his face, shaking His head, saying “Child, when will you learn who you are in Me and stop acting like a fool?”
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
Some extreme religions and cults demand the ultimate sacrifice of their followers in the name of their leader or god.
God has never and will never ask a Christian to die for Him or for anyone else.
God will never require your death because His life is living in you, and He has the most important part of you already in His possession.
The world and Satan would gladly kill you.
Some of you may disagree but study your Bibles. Disagree with God, not me.
By: Bishop Joshua Maynard
As soon as America started misinterpreting and adding to the Constitution of the United States, we set ourselves on a path of self-destruction.
We’ve had the Constitution for about 225 years.
Looking at America today, there has been a lot of damage done in that amount of time to our beliefs, culture and morality.
We’ve had the Bible for well over 1000 years.
How much misinterpretation and additions have been made to our beliefs about the Word of God in 1000 years?
How many Christians are on self-destructive paths thanks to over 1000 years of religious foolishness?
– Bishop Joshua Maynard
Friends, let this sink in and marinate in your spirit.
The Bible says that “the LOVE of money is a root of all evil.”
Keeping that in mind, what would be “the LOVE of the tithe”?
What would it mean that preachers everywhere are saying that if you don’t tithe, you are sinning against God?
What would it mean that preachers are saying that you will go to Hell for not paying your tithes, or that in a less-dramatic judgement, that God will not and cannot bless you or meet your needs if you don’t tithe?
Have you noticed that the phrase “God LOVES a cheerful giver” is always attached to tithing?
Why? Because pastors want you to associate tithing with God’s love towards you and the quality of your love towards Him. They want you to interpret scripture incorrectly to say that “God LOVES a cheerful TITHER” and that God therefore LOVES the TITHE as well.
In Truth, God’s LOVE for you has nothing to do with tithing or your giving. God LOVES you either way.
“The LOVE of money is a root of all evil.”
I would dare say that the LOVE of TITHING can also be a root of all evil.
– Bishop Joshua Maynard
I’ve seen posts about “100 days of Favor” and posts asking for the Favor of God.
I’ve seen posts of churches announcing “A wave of Favor” coming to those who attend during a certain time.
Friends, I walk in God’s Favor 365 days a year, every year.
I have always walked in His Favor, since the day I was born again. Even when I didn’t recognize it.
If I woke up one morning and wasn’t walking in Favor, it wasn’t because Favor left me.
If I woke up one morning and wasn’t walking in Favor, it wasn’t because I stepped out of Favor and into something else.
If I woke up one morning and wasn’t walking in Favor, it wasn’t because Favor was not given to me.
Favor is just as faithful to be with me as the God who gave it.
You see, Favor exists in the person of Christ Jesus living in me every moment of every day of every year.
If I woke up one morning and wasn’t walking in Favor, it was a deception of the Enemy, nothing more.
God won’t withhold His Favor from me.
Satan can’t take God’s Favor from me.
People can’t convince me to deny that His Favor is always with me.
Is what I see with these two eyes, my reality?
Does what I feel and sense in this body, have more substance than my faith?
Is what I am told by other people and the Enemy, truer than God’s Word?
 – Bishop Joshua Maynard
Many things are “of” sin. Many things are “of” faith.
However, people have twisted that scripture to say “Whatsoever is not of Sin is Faith.” and have made the scripture of no effect to them.
If people would focus on the things that are “of” faith as the scripture really directs, and not on the things that are “of” sin. Then the preceding scripture, Romans 14:22 “…Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” would be fulfilled in their life, and condemnation for their sins and mistakes would have no more power over them.
– Bishop Joshua Maynard
You can’t revive what has already been made alive.
If you need to experience revival, then you either need to be born again, or understand what being born again has done in you.
Revival is for the unsaved, who are spiritually dead in their sin.
Christians need to stop trying to revive themselves and realize that just as their salvation didn’t come in pieces, parts, waves, movements or phases, they have been revived once, and once is eternal.
– Bishop Joshua Maynard

Consider the scriptures

#16 – Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬

Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬

A man’s heart deviseth his way: But the LORD directeth his steps.

I’ve heard this scripture taught to mean that while we may have our own ideas, God’s ideas are more important, and our ideas are wrong.
A friend of mine said that he had heard it taught that while we may make our plan, God sovereignly takes over the plan from there and does what He wants with it.
Neither of those interpretations of this scripture are accurate.
“Deviseth” in the Hebrew means “to devise” or “to think”.
Psalm 37:4 says “Delight thyself also in the LORD; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
If we understand that scripture to mean that God puts His desires in our heart and that our desires and His desires become indistinguishable, then we can also see that when we purpose in our heart to move towards a goal, or we desire to do something, God will give us the steps or support our steps to reach that end. That doesn’t mean we get everything we desire in our heart, but it does mean that when you trust God to lead you and you need His guidance, you can trust your desires and His peace to lead you.
As he “directs” our steps, He establishes them.
Literally as if He is lifting us up and supporting each step we take.
When we trust in Him and we seek His direction, the peace of God can lead us in our decision making. When we decide, we trust Him to then support and establish the steps we take.
We can’t always sit still and expect the end to come to us. We usually have to take a “step of faith” and see God establish one step at a time. Each step may make the path clearer, even when we can’t see the end from where we are in the journey. As we look back on all of the steps, we have taken to get us to where we want to be, we can see God’s handiwork supporting and confirming that He established our path.

Consider the scriptures

#15 – 1 Peter 5:6–7

1 Peter 5:6–7

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Many quote verse 7 by itself. However, it is directly connected to verse 6. That doesn’t mean that it can’t stand alone, but let’s also acknowledge the original intent of the author in connecting it with verse 6.
This world runs on money and whether we would like to admit it or not, we all strive each day to obtain money to survive.
We also strive to obtain position. Whether that position is in politics, our community, our family or even a better position at work.
Our competitive nature strives against the Christian ideology that we should take the humble place.
I once applied for a job as a manager in my department. There had been other applicants for the job, including one or more of my coworkers. I gave my best answers to the interview questions and deep down I wanted the job. When I didn’t get the position and one of my coworkers was given the job as my new supervisor, I was happy for him. I wasn’t disappointed that I didn’t get the job, because I trusted God and knew that He had something better in store for me. After a little while, I had several increases in salary relatively close together and realized I was much happier letting someone else run the department than myself.
Humbling ourselves before God doesn’t mean that you don’t take opportunities to advance your career or that you stay quiet in the corner when you need to be bold and speak up.
There are times when you must step out and stand up for what you want in life or it will pass you by. Sometimes God brings those opportunities back around to you for a second chance and sometimes those opportunities may never come again. It takes prayer and discernment to know if we should act or wait.
Growing up, my parents tried to teach me humbleness. I was always told to let others go first and always let others get what they want first.
Looking back, I realize that the only time I took risks was when God granted me the strength to do so, but I also became an indecisive person.
I became more comfortable being a follower than a leader. Later in life, as I’ve worked to succeed in business, I find that I’m having to learn to be humble while also being confident and steadfast in my decisions.
“Casting” is a term fisherman know well.
You literally are “throwing” your fishing line or net into the water.
As the term is used in this scripture it can also mean to “throw something down to the ground.”
When we “cast all our care upon” Jesus, we are putting our anxious cares as far away from us as possible. We are not only letting them go, we are throwing them away with all of our strength.
This isn’t referring to only casual cares, but also cares that we are anxiously worried about.
We can become anxiously concerned about advancement, even in ministry.
When we humble ourselves before God, we acknowledge that He will advance us in due time as we put His will first in our lives.
We cast our cares on Him because He cares for us. God cares about us and doesn’t want us to be burdened with anxious thoughts that can do nothing to change outcomes of situations.
Are you casting your cares on Jesus or are you still trying to figure out your own solutions to situations that only God can solve?