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.
Entrusted and Empowered
Have you heard the good news? In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
God created us and called us good, but we were born into a fallen world. A beautiful-yet-broken world. A stunning-yet-sinful world. A world where many would rather choose their own way instead of following and submitting to God. A world where others try to earn their own salvation, but fall painfully short.
By the sheer grace of God, He has made a way for sinners through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the One who specializes in making all things new.
Paul goes on to say in his letter:
“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.”
2 Corinthians 5:18 NLT
To reconcile, by definition, means to “make peace” or to “restore a relationship.”
If you’ve known the love, grace, forgiveness, and redemption of God, who—through Christ—reconciled you back to Himself, then you have everything you need to help others receive the same gift.
God has empowered you with the ministry of reconciliation—of restoring others back to Him. This reconciliation can happen anywhere: in coffee shops, in corporate offices, in classrooms, and in kitchens. You can remind a child about the grace that’s available to them when they make a mistake. You can remind an adult that they cannot sin so much or so badly they cannot receive the mercy of God.
Wherever people need God, He stands ready to be used by you.
God has entrusted and empowered you to shine His light, show His love, and help others be restored back into His arms.
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 ...
