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 Presence of God
The writer of Psalm 27 is intentionally focusing on one of the most important aspects of our spiritual life. Throughout Scripture, we learn about the importance of the presence of God.
It is in the presence of God that we find strength and hope (Psalm 27:1). It’s also in God’s presence that our enemies lose their power over us (Psalm 27:2-3).
In Psalm 27:4 the writer of the Psalm expresses his desire to dwell within the house of the Lord, to gaze upon God’s beauty and be in His presence in the temple. In the Old Testament, the presence of God was primarily within the temple. But through spending time with God, the Psalmist found hope and restoration for his soul.
Thanks to Jesus, God’s presence is no longer confined to the temple. His presence is now available to us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within believers. We now have access to God’s presence at any time.
Just like the writer of the Psalm desired to dwell within God’s presence, we also should desire to be with God as much as possible. It is in God’s presence that we find hope, joy, beauty, and the restoration of our weary souls.
It is important that we spend time with God each and every day. We can do this through regularly reading Scripture and reflecting on what we read. We can also spend time in prayer, talking to God about what is happening in our life. Another way to spend time in God’s presence is to simply be aware that He is with you through your daily tasks each day.
Blessed are the Persecuted
It’s not always easy to stand for what’s right—especially when someone makes fun of you, gossips about you, lies about you, or even abuses you because of your decision.
But when sharing the eighth of the beatitudes—a series of promises Jesus made about God’s Kingdom—Jesus offered some hope:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:10 NIV
Leading up to this verse, Jesus had spoken unexpected blessings over an unlikely group: the poor in spirit, those who were mourning, the meek, those craving righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. Finally, He offered a blessing to the persecuted.
Jesus elaborated:
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew ...
