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.
Be Prepared
Throughout His ministry, Jesus often used illustrations when giving instructions, compelling His listener to consider a deeper meaning. And when empowering His disciples, right before sending them out into the world, Jesus told them:
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16 ESV
What do a bunch of animals have to do with Jesus’ directions? Here are a few things to note:
First, Jesus didn’t romanticize the disciples’ mission. He didn’t entice them with comfort, luxury, or a false sense of security. Instead, He prepared them for what was ahead by warning them of pending danger—of “wolves” who would try to destroy them.
Second, Jesus compared His disciples to sheep. Not power-hungry and dominant animals like lions, tigers, or bears, but obedient and humble animals like sheep. And sheep need to stick close to the Shepherd—and to each other—for protection and progress.
Third, Jesus advised His disciples to be wise like snakes, yet innocent like doves. To use their brains while also keeping tender hearts. To not forsake their intuition while also keeping themselves pure. To leverage their wit while also remaining blameless.
And even though Jesus gave this particular message to the disciples that were with Him face to face, His words still apply to His followers today.
We live in a good-yet-fractured world. A world where evil is allowed to exist—for a temporary allotment of time. But, despite the wickedness we see on the news and in our own neighborhoods…
We have been sent into the world—to be wise and righteous, to be smart and tender, to be truth and grace.
So be prepared for resistance—because we have a real enemy.
But remember who you are—because you’re a child of God.
And don’t forget to use your brain and your heart—because God gave you both.
Remembering God
Have you ever been awestruck by a sunset? Or left speechless by the meticulous details of the living cell, the human eye, the mysterious ocean, or the vast universe? How often do you think about what God has made, or the ways that He has worked?
The psalmist Asaph, wrote:
“I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy, What god is great like our God?"
Psalm 77:12-13 ESV
One of the best things we can do is remember God—how He gives good gifts, writes the best stories, and is constantly making beauty from ashes. He created us, pursued us, and even gave His own life for us.
But remembering God takes intentionality.
Remembering God doesn't happen on accident, which is why we have to intentionally commit to reflecting on Him each day. Purposefully remembering God’s bigness helps us recognize our smallness. Deliberately recalling His goodness helps us understand our deep need for Him.
Pondering God’s work and meditating on ...
“And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, ...
The Mission of God
All of our lives are spent on something. Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building their career, or amassing possessions.
While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.
In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.
For Paul, God’s grace and salvation are so great that nothing on this earth is as important as God’s work.
Paul says that nothing in His life matters as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
Acts 20:24 NIV
The mission ...
