Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

Did you ever ask yourself what is behind all of the fear happening inside and around you? Covid.  Just say the word and fear raises up inside us.  But why is that?  No one wants to get sick, feel bad, or have fatigue - a really bad flu and worse.  No one wants to suffer or be in pain.  So there is the fear of getting sick and feeling awful. But the deeper fear underneath all of that is the "elephant in the room."  Death.  That is the mother of all fears that drives all the lesser fears. And why do people fear death?  It doesn't hurt.  When you're gone, you're gone! It's what happens next.  When you have not received or believed in Christ, you are spot on in your fear of death.  You should fear it!  Because it is not the end.  Oh it's the end of your physical life, to be sure.  But not your eternal one. That one is spent either in heaven or hell. There.  I had the guts to say it! Yes, both are eternal realities.  If you don't believe me, then you are no

What does it mean to be fearless?  Some think that it means that you boldly go forth not paying attention to any authority whatsoever, doing whatever you "feel" like with no regard for anyone else.  This is "doing your own thing."   This can look tempting.  But at its root is prideful rebellion and eventually leads to disgrace and downfall. Being fearless in Christ looks a whole lot different, to say the least. When we fear God - have a reverential awe of Him, His holiness, and see Him as Lord - then we fear (are afraid of) no one else. What can man do to me?  (Psalm 118:6) We go forth boldly knowing that the power of the universe resides inside us, is for us, wages war for us, when necessary (Exodus 14:14), and gives us all we need to obey Him and live for Him wholeheartedly in a world that hates and rejects Him (and therefore, hates and rejects us). We need this boldness in order to face the persecutions that we face as Christians.  Some of us face more than other