Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

When there is tension within the Body of Christ, in the local church, it is usually because the wheat do not have anything in common with the tares. This has nothing to do with doctrine, but with the fact that there are very two different spirits abiding within the church: that of the Pharisee's (the tares), and that of Jesus (the wheat). When we are called to "love everyone," that does not mean that we are to set up camp with some of them! Jesus did not hang with the Pharisees when He walked this earth.  Jesus' love was not the mushy, gushy sort of love that we can confuse with real love. Jesus actually said that there was more hope for the whores and tax collectors than the religious leaders when it came to salvation! Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you."  Matthew 21:31 Not exactly a way to win friends and influence people. So don't even bother trying to "win"

Sometimes, driving down the accustomed road isn't possible.  Sometimes, we need to take a detour. I've decided to start reading the Word out loud every day.  Not sure why I haven't made a practice of this before.  What led me to this "detour" was when I recently looked up the original Hebrew word for meditate from Joshua 1:8.  I was stunned to learn that the original word for meditate actually means to growl, moan, utter, even howl!   Crazy right?! I mean when I envision meditating on God's Word, it is usually in thought, in quiet.  But that usually gets interrupted by other thoughts!   But if I read Scripture out loud - take a detour, an unexpected route from how I usually meditate - I just may end up getting where I want to go after all.  Where I want to "go" is into God's Presence.  I also want His blessings, the success that He promises to His chosen in Joshua 1:8 if they do not let His words depart from their lips. It is not a "name it

Are you too hard on yourself?  I know I am. I can demand more from myself than God does! God never, no never, demands perfection from us.  How could He when He knows that we could never reach it? That verse, "Be ye perfect as I am perfect" has been so grossly mistranslated and misinterpreted that it has led many into a tizzy or worse!  Perhaps it might have even caused some to give up on their faith altogether. After all, why bother with an unattainable goal? However! The Greek translation of perfect in this verse is mature.  Be mature.  In other words, grow up! That is something we can work on, pursue, and do by God's grace. But during this maturing process, we will fail.  A lot.  Maybe even more than we succeed. And you know what?  That's okay.  Really. Old habits surface bringing out the worst in us.  Our flesh takes over instead of us allowing the Spirit to control us.  We just can't seem to get it together at times.  And that's okay. Maybe no one ever gav