Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

Jesus posed this question to Andrew and his brother Simon (Peter) when they first met Him.  I believe Jesus asks the same of us today. Jesus wants us to know where our hearts are.  Some sought Him out of curiosity.  Some sought Him for healing.   But Jesus wants us to seek Him so that we will follow Him.  Stay with Him no matter what.  This is what separated the disciples from the rest of the crowd.   Following Jesus is not about a list of rules or obligations to follow.  Jesus never said, "Follow the rules."  Jesus said, "Follow Me." What's the difference?   Focus. Are we looking at what we can do - looking at the rules and trying our best to keep them?  Or are we looking at Him, seeking His Presence, to be close to Him in fellowship, acknowledging our need of Him? Jesus leads us along the straight and narrow path.  Not many are on that path.  Jesus told us that the other way is a broad path, the one that most will walk on in their lives.  But He said that that

Did you know that there is an ultimate, true Reality?  There is also the reality of what we can see, touch, and feel. I have been asking the Lord a lot lately to please reveal more of His Reality to me.  This is because like you, I can get bogged down in the earthly, daily "reality" of life. The Lord tells us to hope in Himself.  When we hope in earthly things, accomplishments, places, people, and things, we miss the mark.  Did you know that that is the literal definition of the word sin?  To miss the mark, as in when we aim an arrow at the target and miss. How to straddle Reality and reality?  After all we are not in heaven quite yet.  We live in these earthen vessels for now with all of their issues and problems.  We do not waft on a cloud of perfect peace most days.  At least I don't. Instead, I welcome anxiety and confusion.  "Come on in!" I say.  But they do not have a place in the life and heart of a Christ-follower.   Christ has promised to give us His pe

Oh Lord. For all who are reading this right now, I pray that whatever or whomever is trying to steal their identity, that they would resist them all and come back to you.  I pray, Lord, that they realize that when they belong to You, that their core and truest identity, source of meaning and life, is found in You and their relationship with You. I pray for the one reading this, Lord, that he or she would feel Your Presence and love right now.  May he or she release all that weighs them down with a false sense of worth so that they may be found securely in You and Your love instead. Keep them in Your love, O Lord, and remind them every minute that their identity as Your child is all that truly matters. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

When you accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, you sign up for all sorts of things that you didn’t know you were signing up for. For me, much of the time I don’t like God’s plan. Just sayin’. Why not? Because. It’s. Hard. You can love the Lord with all your heart and still not be crazy about His plan at times.  Yes, of course I am familiar with Jeremiah 29:11.  But we all know that some days, some seasons, some years, some lives are just plain hard. Growing up is hard and that is exactly what we’re called to do as His children: become mature adults in every way. Where’s the fun in that, you may wonder. God asks hard things of us. There’s a popular saying these days: We do hard things. Good for you. But the sorts of hard things that Jesus calls us to are actually impossible in and of ourselves. Why? Because they are supernatural. How many of these can we actually do in our own strength? - stay in peace while being attacked verbally or spiritually or mentally  - forgive - really forg