Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

Oh how rich is God's Word!  When we really let it soak in, the encouragement and strength we receive is unfathomable!  Italicized here are some verses from Isaiah 58: 6-11, as told in the first person.   Backdrop:  the Jews had been fasting for the sake of fasting and had forgotten what the fast was really for: to draw closer to God, to break yokes of oppression, to satisfy deep spiritual needs - not to look "spiritual" or check it off our Christian to-do list.   The Lord then goes on to list what type of "fast"  does  loosen the yokes, does set the oppressed free, and does feed the poor. If I share with the poor and hungry and homeless. my light will break out like dawn!  My recovery will speedily go forth!  Righteousness will go before me!  And the glory of the Lord will be my rear guard!  Alleluia! So how do I share with the poor, hungry and homeless?  Of course not every Christian takes these verses literally, or there would be no poor, hungry, or homeless a

The Lord is teaching me so much lately. As I "step out to find out," as Joyce Meyer says, He is faithful to ultimately make clear His best way for me. As we make decisions that may "feel" right, sometimes we step out into those decisions and only realize afterwards that they were not God's best for us. So we just cross that thing off the list and move on! I don't see them as mistakes any more but as all a part of the process of following Jesus. None of us has 100% perfect radar when yielding to the Holy Spirit; none of us hears perfectly all the time. And that's ok. Jesus knows that we want His will and that we seek Him in order to know His will and do it. If we are in any sort of danger in a decision, He will most assuredly check our spirits and let us know. But sometimes, we need to learn what is not the best in order to move toward what is His best for us. Two steps ahead, one back is what I always say! That's a hard pill to swallow f

  My prayer for you is that you come to know, realize, and experience the love of God for you - personally, truly, and really.  You will be found.

Anyone can "build a better life" when things are going well. The trick is building one when surrounded by trials and woes. I think of people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Corrie ten Boom. They live on in fame because of this one thing: they held to Christ, their deep faith, while going through hell. Their surroundings were nothing near their "best life!" But their inner life was pure gold; it is what held them together, what brought them through to the end. Dietrich's end was a hanging. Corrie was eventually released from the prison camp but had lost most of her family. She went on to speak for the Lord of her testimony and write books for Him. I guess what I'm getting at is this: there are many living their "best lives" who will soon be forgotten after their gone. People are more inspired by overcomers than "success." People like rooting for the underdog, the downtrodden, and such. God was absolutely Sovereign over Corrie

  There is a saying that dreams have no expiration date.  I find that especially true in God's economy.  God has forever to work out His plans for our lives.  He knows that the works we do to "make this world a better place" are temporary.  After all, the world itself has an expiration date - and it will have nothing to do with "global warming" or "climate change" but only to do with the Sovereignty of God.  He alone declares "game over."  His dream for us is everlasting and goes far beyond this temporal life.   So keep dreaming but remember that the fulfillment of any earthly dream will never compare with the glory that awaits us and the fruition of all we could ever hope for, ask, or imagine. From 2 Peter chapter 3: 7 But the heaven we see now and the earth we live on now have been kept by His word. They will be kept until they are to be destroyed by fire. They will be kept until the day men stand before God and sinners will be destroyed. 8

  People seem to like this one.  

  I love these verses this song is based on.  Listen to my song, "God is Able," and be at peace.

  By the power and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ living inside of us!  By yielding to His Lordship!  By acknowledging Him as Lord!  By obeying Him always!  This is how we live a life worthy of His calling on us!

  Lyrics to the first verse and chorus to my song, I Believe: Far away from You such a long time Disconnected and confused Lost my direction Almost lost my mind Trying to make it without You     Thought I could find myself a better way     But there is no way without You          I believe that You love me          I believe that You care          I believe that You saved me          From this empty life that was going nowhere          I believe Trying to make your way without God?  Then this song is for you.  

  Are you ready?

  There is a huge price to pay when we truly follow Jesus all the way.  We will be misunderstood, mocked, ostracized, even persecuted.  There will be trials and tribulations.  So why bother?  Because He is worth it.  And what He offers - true peace, joy, comfort, redemption, being His daughter, faithfulness, wisdom, and oh, so much more - trumps anything this ol' world has to offer.   It pretty much boils down to having a longterm view of things.  Will we give up some worldly kudos for His present and eternal blessings?  Or will we strive to make sense of this life without a longterm, eternal view knowing deep down that it all flies by in a flash only to face Him in eternity anyway?  Oh, and being a "good person" won't fly in the end.  It is only by His precious blood shed for us that any of us can know His salvation. What we give up for His sake is nothing compared to the treasures we have in Him both now and forever.  And that is why I will follow Jesus always.  I&#

  I didn't set out to write a song.  I was reading Scripture and simply heard  it in my mind.  What a gift from God.  He gets all the glory!

  Worship the Lord!  He is worthy of all of your praise and adoration!  You don't have to wait to be in church.  Worship Him always.  For that is your lifeblood.

We are ever in God's Presence.  We cannot hide from Him no matter where we go or what we do.  To some, this is a tremendous comfort and grace.  To others, not so much.   Read through Psalm 139 for more encouragement on this subject.   My song reiterates the same sentiment as the Psalm - we are never lost to God's Presence.   

If you want to be encouraged regarding who you are in Christ, this song will help get your identity secured deep within you.  For we are rich beyond imagination as children of the Most High God!   Great song for kids to learn who they really are - to get their identity secured while they are young so that they are not tempted to think that "self-esteem" is what it's all about.  Who we are in Christ, who He has chosen us to be, is the greatest and actually only security and identity all of us ever need to know Whose we are and who we are - at any age!  Lay the foundation down for them, for all other ground is sinking sand. This song is part of my Scripture Song collection:   https://youtu.be/rFDvRVKZe8c

  Be healed and find peace as you listen.

When you belong to Christ, there is much waiting involved. We are officially part of a culture who doesn't have to wait for anything if they don't want to.  Everything is literally at our fingertips through an app. But has all this convenience done more harm than good? The very thing it is trying to do - "help" us - in the long run destroys us.  Oh sure.  Who doesn't like conveniences?   But without our knowing it, it is "training" us in impatience! But when you follow Jesus, it is a lifestyle of waiting, really. We wait on Him to enter His Presence.  We wait for Him to answer prayers that only He can answer, because if we take matters into our own hands, we eventually fail and reap flesh instead of spirit. We wait for His all-wise direction.  We wait for Him to reveal the next step.  We wait for His word in a situation.  And instead of acting on impulse willy nilly, we come to lean on His understanding instead of our own limited understanding. Does this