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.
The Lord is a Warrior
There are many different ways that we can think about God. He is presented in Scripture as a God of love and of mercy. He is also the Creator as well as our Rescuer. God is even spoken of as a Protector and a Warrior. Most importantly, God is the Protector of His people, those who trust in Him.
We don’t always consider God as a warrior, fighting on our behalf through the various trials and battles in life. Maybe you even remember a tough season where it seemed like God was absent or felt distant. Typically in seasons of difficulty, it is us who draws away from God, not God drawing away from us.
Scripture says that God is our strength and shield. But it also says that we should trust Him, which means we have to believe He is present and working in the background even when we don’t think He is. Psalm 28:7 says that as we trust in Him, He will help us in our need.
In addition to trusting in God during seasons of difficulty, the Psalmist encourages us to find joy in God, not only through trusting Him, but also through singing songs of praise and worship. Singing to God, especially in the midst of tough seasons, has the power to turn our hearts and minds toward God because singing to God is actually a way of building trust in God.
Songs remind us of who God is and what He has done for us in the past, so that we can trust Him in the present. All of this builds our trust, and produces joy in our lives.
Spend some time thinking through your current season of life. Are you trusting God to be your strength and shield, or are you trying to manage life’s difficulties on your own? What songs can you think of that can help build your faith and joy in this season? Every season of life provides a new opportunity to trust God as our Protector, and praise Him for all He has done for us.
Undeserved Mercies
When someone hurts you or, worse, hurts somebody that you love, revenge can seem appealing. After all…
They were mean.
They were selfish.
They talked behind your back.
They broke a vital promise.
They lied about you.
They criticized you.
They ignored you.
They did the unthinkable.
They walked away.
They deserve to be punished, right? To feel some of that same pain? They deserve a consequence that will not only help them learn, but will be just as severe as the inflicted wounds.
And yet—because God sees things differently, both His standards and tactics can be surprising. And that’s why the apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Thessaloniki, said:
“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 NLT
Paul’s words sound a lot like Jesus’ words—to love your neighbor as yourself; to do to others what you’d like them to do to you. (See: Matthew 22:38-40)
God’s ways ...
