Connections Community Church

Connections Community Church One church located in the cities of Tampa, FL and Lake Wales, FL lead by our founder and Senior Pastor Dr. Jeffery Alex James Johnson.

03/16/2025

Lent Day 12

How do you handle betrayal? What if someone lies about you or talks badly about you to others and you get wind of it ? What’s your response?

When Judas betrayed Jesus what was His response?

Jesus simply says, “Do what you came for, friend.” He calls Judas “friend.” He didn’t use the word “friend” in a casual sense. That’s the love of God being personified right in front of us. The Bible says in Romans that, while we were still his enemies, God reconciled us to himself through the death of his Son. The Message Bible puts it like this, “when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son.”

Jesus calls us his friends, even while we continue to sin against him. Let’s see that as a call to worship him even the more for a love that we’ll never fully comprehend.

Pray This Prayer With Me, “Heavenly Father, Your Spirit guides me to repent, your love shows me that I can come broken before you and your Son redeems me through his death on the Cross. Help me to never ever take any of that for granted. Thank you for Grace and Mercy. In Jesus Name. Amen.”

Bishop Jeffery Alex James Johnson, Ph.D.

03/27/2024

Lent Day 44: Grace But Not Excuses

If any man be in Christ he’s a new creation. We all know that. But what does that really mean? God has made us a new creation in Christ post salvation m, but He doesn’t take away every negative desire where you’re never tempted to be impatient, critical, rude, angry, jealous, lust or to compromise again. Some people let the same personal enemies—their horrible attitudes, their addictions, the unforgiveness—hold us back for years.

Can we be real. Everybody struggles with some wrong desires, but don’t excuse them and allow them to stay. That’s why the apostle Paul says, “I die daily.” He was saying, “When that temptation rises up inside again, I put it straight back in the grave.”

This is where the abounding grace of God shows up. You have the grace to overcome. The temptation may not ever totally go away, the desire may be there, but God’s grace, His enabling power, will always be greater than what’s trying to stop you. His grace is greater than a critical attitude or an addiction. If you deal with the things that are holding you back, God will release the big things that belong to you.

Pray This Prayer With Me, “Father, thank You that You are working in me and Your grace is abounding in me. Thank You that I have the power to overcome and be disciplined to do the right thing. I believe that Your enabling power in me is greater than the forces against me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.

03/24/2024

Lent Day 41: A Message is Emerging From Your Mess

Can you imagine that at the age of sixteen, Ishmael found himself abandoned in the desert—confused, rejected, out of water and food. He was born and raised in the dysfunctional relationship between his mother and Abraham and Sarah. Unbeknownst to him he found himself paying the price for the foolishness and division in his dysfunctional family that he was not responsible for and could not control.

He was sent away from his home and about to die, this young man’s cry was heard by God, who not only saved him and his mother but promised to make a great nation out of Ishmael.

God was showing you and I that He knows how to bring greatness out of our mess. Can I tell you that you may have had a rough start, the odds have been against you, but God is watching over you. He knows what you didn’t get. He knows who wasn’t in your life. He knows your pain, the betrayal, and the hurt. Today please call on Him for He hears you. He has a plan to make more out of your life than you ever imagined. There is a message to everything you have experienced.

Pray this prayer with me, “Father, thank You that You are watching over me, and You know what I didn’t get and who wasn’t there for me. Thank You that You have a plan for how to deal with the past and make me into more than I’ve ever imagined. I believe that because You are my Father, I can still do great things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.,

03/20/2024

Lent Day 36: My Response is Simple

When God gives you a promise, He gives the “Yes,” saying He’s going to do it, but that is not enough. According to what he has promised you have to apply and add and an “Amen” to it, which means you’re saying, “I believe it. God, I’m in agreement with You.” When He says, “I will bring you to a faithful finish,” your response should just be three simple words: “Lord, I believe.”

Trust me, I know it’s not easy. But the more time you spend with God the easier it is to trust HIM!

When He promises, “I will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings you don’t have enough room to receive,” don’t say, “I can’t see how that is possible.” You don’t have to see how. Just agree and say, “Lord, I believe.” When He says, “I will restore the years that were stolen,” don’t go by what you see in front of you. Just add your amen: “Lord, I believe.”

You may think of a thousand reasons why a promise from God is not going to happen. I can give you one great reason why it will happen: The Creator of the universe has declared it. He doesn’t go back on His word. He’s not a man that he should lie!

Prayer this prayer with me today, “Father, thank You that Your promises come with Your yes that You are going to do it. Thank You that I can put my amen with Your yes and get in agreement with what You want to do in my life. I believe and declare that Your word is all I need to believe. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.

03/19/2024

Lent Day 35: God’s Love VS. The Love from Religion

The culture of systemic religion will tells you to “Clean yourself up, then God will love you. If you fail to do what’s right, if you don’t perform correctly, God won’t have anything to do with you. If you’re good enough, if you measure up, then God will help you.” My friend, that’s not real love; that’s conditional love. Who wants love with strings attaches? I surely don’t.

Real love is not about our performance, what you do or don’t do. Real love is about who God is, and what He’s already done. Nothing you can do will make Him love you more or any less.

When you know that God is love, and you rely on His love for you, you’ll go to Him in feverant prayer with confidence. You’ll pray bold prayers, you’ll ask Him for your dreams to become manifested truth, you’ll believe for your health to turn around instantly, you’ll expect new doors to open, and that God will allow you to move up to the next level—not because of who you are, but because of who our Father is. When you receive His love, you’ll quit trying to be good enough. You know He’ll go out of His way to be good to you.

Pray this prayer with me today, “Father,
thank You that You love me because You are love, that it’s not just what You do but it is who You are. Thank You that I don’t have to clean myself up to earn Your love or get You to love me more. I receive Your love and rely on You to show out in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.

03/18/2024

Lent Day 34: God Does His Best Work In The Dark!

I recall as a child that my mom and my step father both worked the night shift. Ironicalky, sometimes I found myself waking up in the morning to greet them when they came home. Have you ever heard of the phrase “the night shift.” It refers to people who work late hours into the morning. Psalms 121 declares that our God never sleeps or slumbers. He doesn’t just work the night shift; He does His best work in the dark and when you least likely expect it!

As you start a new week… you may be in a night season, and you may not see how things will work out. Don’t worry. God specializes in shifting things in the dark. The God who works best in the dark is shifting things in your favor. I declare that there will be a shift in your health, a shift in your finances, a shift with that addiction. You think you’re going to have it for years. It looks permanent. No, get ready, it’s turning right now.

Right now, God is working the night shift for you. When you wake up and see what He’s been up to, the first thing you’re going to say is, “Wow, God, I never dreamed You’d take me here!” “I never dreamed I’d be this healthy again!” Get ready because God has some “wows” in your future.

Pray This Prayer With Me, “Father, thank You that You are the God who rules over my night seasons. Thank You that no matter what comes my way, You are working the night shift for me. I believe that You are shifting things in my favor right now and that some wows are coming my way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.

03/16/2024

Lent Day 32: Are you GROWING where you are GOING?

The Word of God strongly implies that when you’re connected into a faith community, there is a blessing on your life that will cause you to soar, to blossom, and to flourish. You will reach levels that you couldn’t reach on your own. Our Christian life was never designed to be lived in a singular state. This is true because Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, I am there in the midst of them.” How about when twenty five, or when one hundred are gathered, or even one thousand? We each bring God with us into the house of God. In His presence is healing and the fullness of joy. Together, our faith is strength and multiplied.

Given so much trouble in the world today, more than ever we need to plant ourselves in the house of the Lord to draw strength and encouragement from one another. Our current culture is attempting to find every scape goat 🐐 of why Christians don’t have to go to church or belong to a community with an authentic covering.

This is a trick of the enemy. David says in Psalms 92:13, “I love Your sanctuary, the place where Your glory shines.” As you gather together, God’s glory and favor will shine down on you. You have to make it a priority to be there. You were not created to do life on your own. I would like you to encourage you to find a leader and a community that will pour into but you also pour, give, and support others in return.

Pray this prayer with me, “Father, thank You for the promise that when I am connected into a community of faith, I will flourish. Thank You that when we gather in Jesus’ Name, He is in our midst, and His glory shines upon us. I declare that I am making it my priority to plant myself in Your house. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.

03/15/2024

Lent Day 31: It’s Making You Stronger

Every single one of us have dreams that the Lord has put in our hearts, goals we want to accomplish, but humanely we become discouraged by the developing process. Somehow It’s taking longer than we thought, we’ve had setbacks, somebody did us wrong.

The key to over coming all of this is managing the right attitude. Please know that every struggle, every disappointment, and every delay is depositing something in you. It’s making you stronger, developing your character, equipping you for what God wants you to do.

God knows what’s in your future. He knows what it’s going to take to keep you there. You may not understand why you’re in a lonely season, a frustrated season, a stagnant season, but everything you go through is to grow you up IN THIS SEASON. God wouldn’t have allowed it if it wasn’t a part of the process. Without it, you couldn’t give birth to what He put in you.

Pray this prayer with me, “Father, thank You for the dreams You put in my heart. Thank You that You are equipping me and empowering me to accomplish all of Your promises. I believe that the preparation process that You are taking me through will take me to where You want me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.

03/13/2024

Lent Day 29: Overcoming Weariness

Don’t be fooled. Everything you see on social media isn’t real. Behind the lavish trips, the pretty smiles, and the amazing post are people who have masked their tiredness.

Weariness comes to all of us, and when you give in to weariness, you will begin to lose your passion, strength, and determination to fight the good fight. What causes your strength to be renewed is when you live with the expectancy that God is in control, when you have this hope that God is working everything out on your behalf.

Let’s be honest. At this very moment you may be facing a situation that is wearing you down, but God has given you the strength for this battle. Stop telling yourself it’s too much, and start taking hold of His strength. That cancer, that legal problem, your marriage, those financial woes are no match for our God. If you stay in faith, God will not only renew whatever strength you need, but you will begin to soar like an eagle.

Pray this prayer with me, “Father, thank You for Your promise that as I wait upon You, You will renew my strength and enable me to rise up with wings like an eagle. Help me to shake off my weariness and take hold of Your strength. I declare that You have armed me for the battle, and I will overcome every situation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D

03/11/2024

Lent Day 27: Watch Your Circle

Who are the people that you have in your life? Are you giving your time and energy to putting out someone else’s damming fires, trying to keep others happy, all the while you yet feeling guilty if you don’t meet their every demand and need? How draining and in intentionally toxic.

This will wear you out. You can’t reach your destiny with people who are constantly dragging you down. If you spend your time with people who ALWAYS have tea 🍵 to spill, people who are professional peace stealers, or just out right negative people, you’ll become just like them. It’s time to make a change. Today, I need you to put up boundaries and disconnect from anything that is chipping away at you!

You need to find people who feed you and not just need you. Especially in your inner circle of closest friends Your close friends need to be stable, wise, happy, responsible people who can and will push you forward. Like iron sharpening iron, you make each other better. If you don’t get the wrong people out of your life, you’ll never meet the right ones.

Pray this prayer with me, “Father, thank You for the people in my life who sharpen me, inspire me, and push me forward. Help me to know the friendships I need to distance myself from and the friendships and other relationships I need to develop. I want to walk with the right people. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.,

03/08/2024

Lent Day 24: Let God Handle Them

When Moses spoke to Pharaoh on behalf of God he was belittled and dismissed. It wasn’t until the final plague that Pharaoh recognized the favor on Moses’ life and the power of God that was behind him.

God knows how to change people. You don’t have to play up to them, or try to convince them to like you, or let them control and manipulate you in order to try to win their favor. No, walk in your anointing. Run your own race, always honoring God with excellence and integrity. God will turn the hearts of those who are against you and who disrespected you the most to ask for your blessing. It may take years, but they’re going to recognize the favor on your life.

Pray this prayer with me, “Father, thank You that You are going to use the difficult people in my life to show me Your favor and bring glory to Your Name. Thank You that I don’t have to play up to anyone to get them on my side. I believe that You are turning the hearts of those who are against me to be for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.

03/07/2024

Lent Day 23: It Could Be Worst

I never thought about it this until I started to reflect and meditate. Jonah had an assignment from God to go to Nineveh and preach. He choose not to and fled. Due to his disobedience God allowed a great fish to swallow him. The kicker is… he’s swallowed but STILL ALIVE. While in the belly of the fish he thanked God that he wasn’t dead. When God could have destroyed you He spared you!

It’s easy to complain about what’s not working out. “God, i hate where I work. The people aren’t treating me right. Get me out of here.” Complaining will only get you stuck. If you want God to turn it around, do as Jonah did and find some good things to thank Him for. Thank Him for the partial. Thank Him for where He’s brought you, thank Him for fighting your battles, thank Him for His favor on your life. If you keep celebrating partial victories, God is going to finish what He started.

Pray this prayer with me, “Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and love and mercy in my life. Thank You for the partial victories that You have given me, and I know that You are working to bring them to completion. I believe that as I celebrate the good, I will see every promise fulfilled. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Bishop JAJJ, Ph.D.

Address

Lake Wales, FL
33853

Telephone

+18134388473

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