Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

Your calling as a Christian is not to do  something.  It is to belong fully to Christ. Out of that love connection, that abiding in Him, He will give you plenty to do!   But I believe that most Christians are acting out of a sense of obligation, duty, or even to look good before others. When God purifies our hearts, He purifies our motives.  How?  Because His motives are at work in and through and coming out of us.  Remember, none of us have anything at all of any good to offer Christ, or anyone else, in and of ourselves.  I realize this is a blow to your pride.  Oh well. Maybe the Scripture about wood, hay, and stubble doesn't matter to you.  You figure that you're "in" anyway with God, so just keep working works no matter if He is in them or not. But why settle for the Cracker Jack ring of tin when God has gold works for us to do? We must step out of the way.  This is a nice way of saying:  we must die.   Die to pride. Die to self-rightousness. Die to showing off be

How many of us truly wait on God simply just to get closer to Him?  Usually, our daily to-do lists and other distractions tug so strongly on us that we can't sit still for anyone for too long - even God.  And everything claiming to make our lives easier - technology - has only complicated them and made for the most distracted people ever! What or who has a hold on us?  This is an important question to ask ourselves if we really want to know God more deeply and experientially. Waiting on God brings so many rewards.  We feel His peace.  We experience His love.  We can truly listen to what He is speaking to our hearts.  There is no other relationship like it! And yet when my concerns and worries crowd in, I find myself seeking Him more for His answers, His provision, His deliverance than I do for Him . This can happen when a long-unanswered prayer has been gnawing at us.  Oh we let it go as best we can.  And we persevere in prayer about the matter.  But even this kind of prayer can ca

Mary has chosen the good part. Martha was busy preparing food, flustered and anxious because she was trying to do too much.  Perhaps her intentions were good - she wanted to make it all "just so" for Jesus, to feed him, to make sure she was being a proper hostess. But she missed out on the best part. Being with Jesus. Mary sat at Jesus' feet. Mary wanted to be  with Jesus.  Mary didn't seem too concerned about feeding or serving Jesus. Wow!  What a lesson in love and life! How many of us are more concerned with doing  for the Lord than just being with Him? How does that leave us feeling?  Anxious?  Frustrated?  Like we could never do enough?  Striving in our own strength? Jesus told Martha flat out, "Mary has chosen the good part."   It's like Jesus was saying, Thanks, Martha.  I appreciate you wanting to make a meal for me, but why don't you just sit and relax and be  with Me a while? Jesus loves relationships.  Jesus was really good at them.  Oh, m