Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

God asks crazy things of us at times.   If there was a crowd on the scene when Abraham raised a knife to his son Issac, those onlookers would have thought Abraham... Crazy Evil Ungodly No longer worthy to be a leader We don’t always appear to be doing the right thing when we fully obey God, to be in our right mind. But look at the example we have in Abraham and his perfect obedience to God!  We learn about God's faithfulness.  We learn that God provides a solution always.  We learn that God is always trustworthy, even when He tells us to do unimaginable things. The lesson here?  So many! 1. It doesn't matter what "they" think 2. Obey God no matter what 3. Trust God no matter what 4. Just do it! 5. Do not hesitate in obeying God 6. Know God's character through obedience 7. God will always provide, make a way for us If you knew that you heard God telling you to sacrifice your son, would you do it?  I'm guessing no, you most likely would not. Yet God told Abraham

  My new Scripture Song based on Psalm 27:13.  Be blessed!  While you're there, don't forget to subscribe to my channel!  XO Elizabeth

  My latest Scripture song based on Psalm 28, "Blessed Be the Lord." Enjoy!

  My lastest Scripture song, based on Psalm 57:1, 2.  Enjoy!

Think about it.  David danced wildly for the Lord in broad daylight, in public.  He was crazy about God.  His devotion for God was off the charts.  We know this not just through His glorious, raw, real, and even vindictive Psalms, but because God Himself tells us so.  David was a man after God's own heart. David wanted God. Another example of David's antics - he actually pretended to be insane!   "'So he [David] pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.  Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane!'"  I Samuel 21:13-14 David was afraid for his life because King Achish was out to get him.  People do crazy things when they think their life is at stake. Some of David's Psalms are a bit mad, too.  Boy, did he want his enemies pulverized!  And he minced no words in letting God know how he felt and how he wanted God

  My Christmas song about the Magi finding Jesus.  Like the Wise Men, when we finally find what we have searched for, been looking for perhaps all our lives, we know it.  When we find Jesus, our hearts are content.  We are filled with worship and awe, and we want to bring our finest gifts to Him. Won't you worship Him this Season as He so deserves?  After all, He is what the Holiday is all about. Christ is born!  Alleluia!

  Worship the Lord!  He is worthy of all of your praise and adoration!  You don't have to wait to be in church.  Worship Him always.  For that is your lifeblood.

I had the privilege of singing with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir at their Music Conference.  It was glorious!  As we sang God’s praises, His glory, power, love, and peace filled the air.  His presence there was truly awesome!  I wanted to move there! But further down the road, the Lord showed me it wasn’t the choir I wanted, but Him. His Presence. The Lord led us back to hear the choir a few years later.  I thought for sure that this time, He was leading us to actually move to Brooklyn. He knew my heart and how I longed to worship Him with other like-minded worshipers. At the time, He had led us to a contemporary non-denominational church instead.  There, the worship was a mere show.  Plenty of noise, but God was nowhere to be found. I cried out “Why, Lord, why?  Why do you have us here?” But then He showed me something crucial. When we came back from our second visit to Brooklyn Tab and went to our Sunday morning “worship” service, He spoke to me right then and there, “You don’t need

So I interviewed for a music director position at a church a few years ago.  There were about seven people on the "committee" to decide my fate.   I sat at the piano and sang one of my worship songs as part of the "audition."  When the song ended. they applauded.  I was shocked.  I wasn't expecting their response.  I didn't want that response.  In my mind, they missed the point.   I wanted to lead them in worship of Jesus.  I did not want their applause.  I wanted their eyes on God, not on me or my talent. And that, folks, about sums up my lifelong desire to serve God in His church and how it never turns out the way I think it should. I've been told that God's anointing is strong on me when I sing.  I've been told this many times over for decades.  That simply means that His Presence fills the room when I sing to Him.  He comes in response to my heart of worship.  He picks and chooses whom He anoints.  I never asked for it. Now you'd think th

  Sing along and praise the Lord!!!

No other gods before Me.  That is what Jesus tells us to do - to put no one or nothing above or before Him in our lives, hearts, and minds.  Why does He want this of us?  It certainly isn't some ego trip on His part - He has no "need" of our allegiance, but He desires it not for His own satisfaction, but for our good.  For our best. He knows that nothing can or will ever, ever, ever fill us up in our souls like Him.  As we put Him first - worship Him, desire Him, seek Him - we are satisfied in our souls.  Why?  Because we were created for this.   Eden was perfect not only because there were no weeds.  Eden was perfect because Adam and Eve walked with God in uninterrupted communion.  Bliss indeed. Before sin entered the picture, Adam and Eve worshiped God freely.  Nothing came between their intimate relationship with God. That's what Jesus came for!  So that sort of closeness to God could be restored!  I can't imagine life without it!  We can experience a bit of he

I have come to realize that we can control many of the things distracting us away from our relationship with Christ, our center, our peace.  We can control how much time we spend on social media, watching TV, and so on.  These are the sorts of distractions we do not have to succumb to.   However, some distractions are beyond our control.   Other people's behavior can be a huge distraction, especially when they are intentionally messing with you. Some people are actually bothered by your peace and will do all they can to push your buttons, to try and upset you.   Now are they just playing harmless games with you?  Or is it much more serious than that? Years ago, the Lord moved me to tune in to a certain talk show.  I didn't usually watch this show, so I wasn't sure why He was leading me to watch it. What I saw I will never forget.   Miss America was the guest.  The host of the show asked her how she keeps her poise while walking the runway.  How did she not get distracted or

When we truly know that our struggle is not  against flesh and blood - people - but against principalities in the spiritual world, then we know how to properly battle. We are not fighting against people. I repeat, we do not fight against people. People are either captives of the devil (knowingly or not) or children of God. Now the trick is to discern who is who and what is really going on. When you feel strife in your spirit because of how someone is treating you, or how they are trying to get at you, that is never, no never, from the Lord. The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17) So where there is no righteousness, peace, or joy, as a child of God, you have no business there! You do NOT have to receive everything thrown at you! When you are committed to pleasing the Lord, obeying Him, walking in the Spirit, and serving Him, you will  come under attack from the devil!  Make no mistake about it.   If you are lukewarm, a "sort of" Ch