Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

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You may have read in many sources (online, books, etc.) that your calling has to do with your gifts and talents.  Yes, the Lord can definitely sanctify and use our gifts and talents for His glory and purposes. But then why did God call the following people for the following tasks? Moses had a stutter, was a murderer, and was not very brave.  Yet God chose him as His mouthpiece and leader to His people.  He entrusted the Ten Commandments to Moses! Peter was ambitious, unreliable, and impetuous.  Jesus made Peter His rock on which He built His church. Isaiah was a man of unclean lips (he had a potty mouth).  God chose him to be His most important prophet to speak to Israel and foretell of Christ's identity as the Messiah! Noah struggled with getting drunk. God used him to literally save the world, and animal, population. Where in the world did we ever get the idea that God chooses "upstanding" citizens?!? It is just the opposite! God chooses the weak and foolish s...

  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!

A purpose is more than a goal or a 5-year plan.  There is a greater, overarching, life purpose that God has for each and every one of us that needs to take precedence if we are to find any meaning in life at all. To know God. But how? you may ask.  Bible study is definitely one way.  After all, it is God's book and revelation of Himself to us.  We see how He chose the Jews to be His own people in the Old Testament.  What did He choose them for?  To be His own.  That they might know Him. Then, we see God send His only begotten Son, Jesus, in the New Testament.  We see God's endless grace and mercy poured out toward us through Jesus.  Now, we too, along with the Jews, are called to know God.  As we come to know Christ, He grafts us into the true Vine - Himself.  We are now part of His family. He sets a course for our lives once we belong to Him.  It may look nothing like we'd imagined for ourselves in our own, limited minds....

My catchy tune for kids about their destiny in God.  Big kids will enjoy it, too!

Your calling as a Christian is not a job title, or some great work to do.   Your calling as a Christian is to love others. Now that seems obvious, no?  Even unbelievers may have heard that Christians are to love one another. But why, then, aren't there more of us?   I will never forget an incident when I spoke at a Women's Retreat.  I don't remember exactly what I said, but I mentioned something to the effect that if we were truly loving each other as Christ loves us, the churches would be packed to the gills!  The lost would be so drawn to us/Christ, they would be getting saved.  Our example of loving each other would win and woo them to Christ.  Because His love draws and attracts.   What happened next is what I will never forget.  Literally half of the women applauded and yelped for joy in agreement.  The other half sat there, arms crossed, stony-faced, looking not too pleased.  Visually, they were literally split ...