Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

So the other day, I wrote about being crushed by the Lord, and how it is for our ultimate good.  Read that entry here:  Stop, Jesus! You're crushing me! But then today, I had another revelation about crushing.  And I need to write about it again because I want you to know about the different types of crushing and how to tell the difference between them. When the Lord crushes us, He is after something in us that He wants to expose in order to heal or get rid of.  It is a painful process, but ultimately, like removing a splinter from under our skin, it is for our good. However, when others try to crush us in order to lord themselves over us via power, manipulation, or control, that is bad.   Now that may seem an obvious statement.  And perhaps you can perceive when this is happening to you.  I cannot always tell the difference. When you see all as coming either from, through, or allowed by God's Sovereign hand, it's easy to write everything off as "teachable moments,&qu

The peace that passes understanding guards your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Peace.  Peace of mind.  Inner peace.  These are ours in Christ.  Not in and of ourselves, mind you.  I cannot manufacture that sort of peace.   There is a true, deep, and lasting peace that we can claim when Christ lives in us via the Holy Spirit.  It does not make sense in the natural.  At all. While anything but peace rages around us, around the world, in our homes, perhaps, and in our hearts, Christ stands there offering us His peace. How is this possible?!  Because He is the Prince of Peace.  He is peace itself. This means, for me (and for you, if you are in Christ), that when circumstances and people around me offer me nothing but turmoil, I can still possess the peace of Christ within me.   When I love a family remember - go out of my way to show love and kindness - and the love is not returned, and it hurts, I can still live in peace.   This is not escapism or denial.  This is the real deal. A