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 Best Story
Do you ever think about the things you take for granted?
Maybe it’s food, water, or the roof over your head. Maybe it’s the sunshine streaming through the trees, the oxygen flowing through your lungs, or the people you care about most. Or maybe it’s God’s Word.
Since you’re reading this on YouVersion, you have some kind of access to a phone or computer, which means you have access to Scripture. It might feel normal to have God’s Word at your fingertips. But, for many people around the world, it’s a luxury.
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 NIV
When the apostle Paul, the author of Romans, mentions “the Scriptures,” he’s specifically referring to what we now call the Old Testament: God’s inspired Word revealed to and delivered by human authors, and bound in a collection of 39 books.
The Bible is God’s chosen way of revealing the greatest story on earth.
It’s a real and true story. It’s a story in which hundreds of prophecies have been fulfilled, with numerous prophecies regarding the last days still to take place. It’s a story in which imperfect people are saved by holy God.
We can ignore the wisdom of the past and simply live for today—without putting any thought into where we came from or who we are or why we even exist. Or, we can heed the wisdom of the past, dig into complex questions, and recognize that we’re a part of a much bigger story.
When we connect with God through Scripture, we’re reminded of truth, given examples of those who’ve endured before us, and encouraged by the hope we have in Christ.
If you’re curious, if you’re longing for more, or even if you’re skeptical, there is power in reading His Word. Today, why not make studying it a priority and see what happens?
Sacrificial Love
Jesus, all powerful and completely perfect, chose to give up His life for us. He willingly went to the cross to be crucified, the most painful death imaginable, because He loved us so much.
And He invites us to do the same.
1 John 3:16 tells us, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."
How can we demonstrate this kind of sacrificial love in our own lives? How can we give our time, attention, or resources to help someone in need? Are we intentional to listen and be present for others, even when it's not easy or comfortable? Are we willing, if it comes down to it, to give up our lives for the sake of God and others?
This kind of love is challenging. It asks us to look beyond our own needs and to see the needs of others. It calls us to be selfless. The good news is, Jesus isn’t asking us to do anything for someone else that He wasn’t willing to do for us first. He knows ...
“And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no? But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cæsar's. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar's, and unto God the things which be God's. And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.”
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