Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

God humbles us.  He brings us to the point where we realize our need for Him, our dependence upon Him, and how we cannot do anything apart from Him. Only God knows the heart of the person who may say aloud, "God gets all the glory!"  We can say the words and not really mean them, or we can never say them and simply go about doing everything we do to please Him.  That is what gives God the glory. God is glorious!  His glory fills the temple!  We cannot even imagine just how glorious He is! When Jesus performed miracles - acts which are impossible for humans to do in and of themselves - God received the glory.   But we do not have to do miracles in order for God to get the glory in our lives. I've seen it all too often.  The Christian leader whose "charisma" and "personality" get in the way of Christ being seen in them.  I see more of who they are than I see Jesus. But when I see or hear a Christian who is not constantly talking about him or herself, whe

God saves us in order to transform us into His image.  His main work is done in  us.  Without the inner transformation, outer works can still be done, but the same types of outer works can be done by non-Christians, too.   Visiting the sick in the hospital, taking meals to the homebound, even singing in the church choir can all be done without the Spirit of Christ in us. What is to make us different, as aliens in this world, is the heart work that God does in our hearts. The strongholds that Satan tries to establish are after our hearts.  If he can get to our emotions through sin, then Christ's life cannot live fully in our hearts.  Satan wants us to glorify and live by our emotions instead of relying on the power of God in us. When Jesus reigns in our hearts, we become more sensitive to Him, His Spirit, His will, His voice so that we can do His  works in the world, not just generic "good works." We forgive others quickly out of His life in us. We do not gossip because it

Sometimes, this is all we need to know. Dear Lord, please help me see that my problems are temporary.  Help me focus on You and Your glory - eternal things - so that I may gain a better perspective on life here and now.  I trust You, Lord, and leave all that concerns me in Your very capable hands.  Thank You in advance for how You are working things out for my good!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

If someone asked you if you want to be good, or better, or the best, you would probably answer, "The best."   Even my "best self" falls miserably short of the glory of God.  I want more than what my "best self" has to offer.  I want Christ to be glorified in me  And even as my "good girl" self, I am light years away from His goodness. " For I know that nothing good dwells  in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out."  Romans 7:18 When Paul writes "nothing good dwells in me," he doesn't mince words.  No good means no good. So if Paul, one of the most brilliant minds ever, not to mention one of the holiest people ever, says that nothing good is found in his flesh, surely the same holds true of us!  It is our pride that cannot admit that we are not really "good" people after all.   Mother Teresa, widely accepted as one of the best examples of a human b