Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

If we are on our phones for any length of time these days, we cannot avoid seeing all of the sales and “great deals” being offered. ‘Tis the season! If you keep seeing the same ad over and over, even if it’s an item that you don’t need, you may weaken and give in and buy the thing!  There’s a lot to be said for the power of repetition. The same holds true when it comes to God’s Word. There is power in reading the Scriptures over and over. And the beauty of it is that, unlike a cyber ad, the Word is alive and has the power to change us.  It holds everything that we truly need, and not just at Christmas, but always. When we read and reread God's Word, we can see something new in that familiar Scripture passage by the power of the Holy Spirit revealing new meaning to us. Unlike that “must have” item for sale that will eventually become old and lose its luster, and our interest, the Word of God is eternal, never perishes or fades, and has lasting value to our souls. Won’t you treat you

Jesus walked on water. It really happened.  He is Lord over all science, "logic," nature, the whole kit and kaboodle.  He can do anything because He is God. Peter walked on water, too.   Now here's where it gets interesting!  Peter was a human being, just like you and me.  Peter was not God.  We are not God. Yet there he was!  Walking on the water toward Jesus!  How did he do it?  And the bigger question is, how do we do it?  Because if Peter was human and walked on water, and we are human - then we, too, can walk on water, right?   Was it a matter of faith?  Was it a matter of Jesus' calling on his life?   Peter was impulsive.  He seemed to act before he thought.  In this case, it served him well!  He wasn't thinking about anything other than running toward Jesus and that is how he walked on water!!! Where he goofed up is when he took his eyes off of Jesus, lost focus, and looked at the waves instead.   Now the waves were every bit as real as Jesus.  The waves ha