Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

I was wondering the other day…When the disciples learned that Jesus was going to be unjustly crucified, did they pray against it?  Did the disciples pray that Jesus would not be crucified?  Did they think that it could not possibly be the will of God because in their limited thinking, all they saw was that they were losing their Rabbi, their Master, their Friend - the Messiah. Why would God want their Messiah to be crucified?  That didn't make sense.  Even though Jesus told them over and over about His mission, His purpose - that He was to be sacrificed for the sins of the world, that He would die but be raised up again in three days - they still didn’t seem to fully accept or understand it. The disciples were privy to these glorious truths, told to them directly by Jesus Himself. Nonetheless, when Jesus actually fulfilled the Scriptures’ prophecy by His death, the disciples were heartbroken.  They were confused.  Perhaps they thought in terms of "good" and "bad"

So I told the Lord yesterday that I surrender my life to Him. I have done this before.  I don't recall the earth shaking, or any lightning bolts or fireworks when I surrendered before.  I don't remember anything changing outwardly much at all.   We are to live in daily surrender to the Lord.  This means giving up our will, plans, agendas for His. If we truly believe, "Your will be done," then how does this play out in daily life for us? Are you strong-willed?  This seems to be an admirable trait according to some.  People are wowed by the most idiotic things, aren't they?   Jesus is not wowed one iota by your strong will   Jesus not once exerted His own will when He walked this earth.  Do you respect Jesus for that?  Do you? Why exactly was Jesus so powerful in His earthly ministry?  Precisely because He was surrendered to His Heavenly Father.   Jesus had no agenda of His own.  Jesus was perfectly obedient to God and His ministry was the most powerful ever.  Power

  Hello, friends!  I am so excited to share my latest book with you.  Download it on Amazon today and be blessed!   Download here ❤ Elizabeth

This or better. I read this in a book years ago and it stuck with me.  Whenever I pray it over a situation or person or place, I am free inside. We cling too tightly to a desired outcome at times.  All I know is that controlling people - those who try to control everything and everyone in their midst - are miserable people.   They may even appear happy.  But deep down, they have no real peace.  How do I know this?  Because there can only be one God or god on the throne of our lives and hearts at any given time.  And if it is not the Lord, there will be turmoil and uncertainty. If we persist in trying to keep juggling stuff we have no business juggling, there is always a price to pay.  The price is stress, anxiety, worry, doubt, and fear. Is it really worth it?   Wouldn't you rather have that deep, abiding, nothing-can-touch-it peace of Christ ruling in your hearts instead? It seems like the answer should be obvious.  Everyone wants to know real peace, right?  If not, there is much

When Paul was Saul, he thought he was doing the Lord's work by killing Christians.  I know.  Doesn't seem possible, yet that's how it was. Job's friends thought they knew best when preaching at Job, yet they were thorns in his side at a time when he really needed some good friends.   So how do we know when we are truly doing God's will?  How do we know when we are working for Him and not the enemy?  Yes, I believe it is that black and white.   Jesus Himself said we are either for Him, or against Him. So all of you “grey area" thinkers, listen up!   There are two forces at work in and around us at all times. One is Almighty God (what most call "good" but they don't attach the Lord to it).  The other is Satan.  I really hate capitalizing his name, but that's how it is spelled.  When you are born again, you now have spiritual discernment.  Without the Holy Spirit, we can't really discern right from wrong, good from evil, to the extent that we

Some Christians are concerned that when they're not sure of God's will, if they do something anyway - even if it is a good thing - that they will be out of His will. God knows our hearts.  He is fully aware when we behave out of willfulness and when it is our desire to do His will and not our own. But discerning God's will can be tricky. There is His overall will for each of us, and that never changes:  that we know Him. Problem is, we've confused doing  with being  We want to know what to do  for God, when all along He is after our being  first and foremost. So what about when we are being who He calls us to be to our utmost and we're still vague, or even clueless, as to the doing part? We wait. We wait on God. Remember, He has all eternity and if we only surrender to it, so do we! That means that perhaps we will not get to do it all here and now.  In that sense, none of us ever finishes our work here.  Yes, we finish what He gives us to do on earth.  But wait!  Th

Whenever I look to be loved, more than I seek to love others, I suffer.   Whenever we look to get, we lose.  Whenever we look to give, we win. When we give love that is not returned, we win. When we love those who hate and mistreat us, we win. When we love others expecting nothing in return, we win, "But that's not fair!" you say.  I'm not talking about fairness.  I'm talking about life. When we are not loved by those who are "supposed" to love us, it hurts.  Deeply. You can try to reason away why they are so hateful, but it still hurts.  Remember, people have issues. Old Testament Joseph was abandoned and left for dead by his brothers. That wasn't love.  That was hate built on a foundation of jealousy and envy. Certainly that was not how it was "supposed" to be.  Yet it happened.  But God allowed it for Joseph's ultimate good. "You intended to harm me,  but God intended  it for good  to accomplish what is now being done, the savin

As Christian's, we want to know God's will for our lives.  We are eager to learn our purpose and place in this world, what He would have us do.  And there's nothing wrong with that. The trouble comes when we put our thirst for knowing God's will above our hunger for knowing God.  Do we only want to know what we are to do  for Him?  Or do we want to know  Him? These are not the same desires.  Wanting to know a person is quite different from wanting to get advice from him.   I have been guilty of this - wanting to know my purpose more than wanting to know God.  I want to be of use to Him, and that is a good thing.  But wanting to work for Him and wanting to cultivate a love relationship with Him are two very different animals.   It is enough to obey His revealed will.  Are we even doing that?  Love each other.  Forgive each other.  Keep no record of wrongs.  Give thanks always.  Rejoice always.  Pray always.  There you go!  These are all God's will for us as Christian