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.
A Heart That Follows God
When we plant apple seeds, we expect an apple tree to grow. It’s the seed and the roots that decide what kind of tree grows in the soil.
Similarly, when we belong to God we expect goodness and righteousness to grow in our lives. It is the fruit of our actions that tells us what kind of seeds we’ve planted.
One of the ways we can identify the work of God in our life is by watching what type of fruit we produce. A sign of a growing and godly life is a heart that desires to live and act in accordance with God’s Word. Only someone who has spent time with God will produce that type of action in their life.
John cautions us to be mindful of what type of fruit our lives produce. When we truly belong to God, and we spend time with Him, our lives will naturally produce goodness and right living.
The goal is not to be prideful about how many good deeds we do, but instead, to cultivate a heart that wants to selflessly do good to others in the name of Jesus. We may not be perfect, but our hearts should desire to follow God.
Take a moment to think about your thoughts and actions over the past week. Do they reflect a heart that has been in a close relationship with God? Think of some steps you can take to create regular rhythms of spending time with God.
A Way in the Wilderness
Have you noticed that sometimes life feels like a desert? In moments of pain and anxiety, it may seem like there’s no way out. All we see is an endless wasteland.
The people of Israel faced their worst “desert” when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and took its inhabitants captive. Far from home, they lived for decades under oppression. In moments of anguish and despair, they remembered the prophet’s words: “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (NIV).
In the ancient Near East, a king’s subjects would “prepare a way” by going ahead of him when he returned to his city. His return implied abundance and protection. The author uses this image to announce a way out of the desert; make a path for the King of Kings, trusting that he will arrive to lead everyone home.
The prophet’s confidence finds a basis in God’s history. God freed Israel from brutal slavery—with ...
