I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
God is Good, All the Time
How often do you tell someone how thankful you are for them? It is often much easier to be critical or cynical of people and situations happening around us in the world today. Sometimes we can even feel entitled, like we deserve certain things that we don’t have.
Even though things don’t always go the way we expect them to in life, God’s Word teaches us that there is always something to be grateful for. God has given us everything good that we have—even the very breath that we take is a gift from God.
Most importantly, Jesus gave His life for us on the cross so that we might have eternal life with Him. The gift of faith and hope in Jesus should lead us toward gratitude and thankfulness toward God.
The writer of Psalm 107 encourages us to give thanks to God always, because there is never a time when God isn’t good towards us. Even in the midst of hard times and difficult seasons of life, God is still good. In fact, Romans 8:28 tells us that God is working behind the scenes to work everything for His good.
The Psalmist also tells us that we should be grateful and give thanks to God because His love endures forever. There will never be a time in your life that God doesn’t love you.
Even when we make mistakes, the love of God still continues.
In Romans 8:38-39, Paul says that there is nothing that can separate us from God’s love. God’s love and goodness endures forever.
We should seek to be the most grateful people on the planet, because the love of God will never end. So take some time today to tell God what you’re grateful for. It may be something simple like sunshine, nature, or a specific person. Creating a daily habit of giving thanks to God is an important step in our spiritual growth.
An Opportunity for Joy
James, the half-brother of Jesus, couldn’t believe that his flesh-and-blood sibling was the actual Son of God—until He rose from the dead. Then, he was convinced. It was that same James who wrote:
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
James 1:2-3 NLT
According to the first-century Jewish historian, Josephus, James was eventually martyred for his confident faith in Jesus—his brother and his Lord.
Here are five things to note from James’ mini-sermon:
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First, the text says “WHEN troubles of any kind come your way…” It’s not if but when troubles come our way. We live in a broken world that has not yet been fully restored, so we shouldn’t be surprised when issues and challenges arise.
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Second, the text says “when troubles of ANY kind come your way…” Not merely ...
