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.
Why we can stop making decisions we regret
Think back to a decision you made that you now regret. We’ve all done things that weigh us down and make us wonder, “Why do I seem to do what I know is wrong?”
The apostle Paul knew what this felt like…
“I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”
Romans 7:19 NLT
The apostle Paul described this as a struggle between our old and our new natures.
Our old nature is marked by a desire to do whatever seems pleasing to us in the moment, regardless of the consequences. And while this might feel freeing at times, it ultimately leads to conflict, chaos, and destruction.
Before Jesus’ resurrection, the Hebrew people kept this old nature in check by closely following the laws God gave to Moses. These laws were meant to help people draw near to God. But they didn’t fix human nature—they revealed humanity’s brokenness.
The law separated from God by revealing how far people naturally were from God. But all of this changed when Jesus arrived.
His life, death, and resurrection fulfilled the requirements God laid out in His law. His sacrifice gave us access to a new nature created after God’s character, not based on our brokenness.
This nature is available to us through Jesus, because of Jesus. And when we receive this new nature, this is what happens…
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When God sees us, He sees Jesus in us. This allows us to pursue God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength without fear of losing His favor or love.
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Jesus gives us the strength to wrestle with our old natures and win. We can now overcome our tendency to make choices we regret by asking the Holy Spirit to help us make decisions that honor and reflect Jesus.
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Because of Jesus, we are no longer condemned. Even though we will still struggle between what’s right and wrong, we are no longer enslaved to sin, or sentenced to an eternity separated from God.
Today, allow Jesus to show you what He has saved you from, and then take a few minutes to thank Him for all that He has done for you.
A Refuge to Run To
We live in unpredictable times. The things we value, the people we care about, the lives we lead—all of it feels uncertain and unstable.
King David could relate. After years of faithful service to King Saul, the king plotted to murder David. Desperate, David fled to Gath—the home of the giant David killed in battle. After being recognized by the people of Gath, David was so overwhelmed by fear that he pretended to go insane. The king of Gath was repulsed by his “insanity” and so he threw David out of the city.
By this time, David had escaped death multiple times. He was surrounded by people who hated him, and he had every reason to be anxious and fearful. But in the midst of his uncertain circumstances, he creates a Psalm to praise God for His greatness.
I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
Psalm 34:1 NLT
Worshiping God put David’s problems into perspective. Situations could shift, but God wouldn’t. He was still powerful, ...
