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.
God over the seemingly impossible
It might feel unlikely that God will show up in your impossible situation: your diagnosis, your infertility, your broken relationship, your disobedient kid, your inconsistent character, your anxiety, your financial struggles, your grief.
Thankfully, God is not limited or bound by the natural world.
Growing up in a Jewish family, Mary would have known about the prophesied Messiah; the long-awaited Savior of the world. But she probably never imagined that those age-old predictions would be fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of her son—who was somehow fully God, yet also fully man.
But as the angel Gabriel explained to Mary:
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37 ESV
Not only did God plan these events long ago, He also declared them ahead of time through Old Testament prophets and writers.
Jesus’ life: This God-man would come from the lineage of David (Isaiah 9:7), and be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). He’d make the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the mute sing (Isaiah 35:5-6). He’d proclaim good news to the poor, comfort the brokenhearted, and set the captive free (Isaiah 61:1).
Jesus’ death: Though innocent (Isaiah 53:9), he’d be betrayed by a close friend (Psalm 41:9) for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12). He’d be despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3), beaten and spit on (Isaiah 50:6), pierced in both the hands and feet (Psalm 22:16), and ultimately killed (Daniel 9:26).
Jesus’ resurrection: He would be raised to life again (Psalm 16:10-11) and establish a never-ending covenant with God’s people (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Because He’d be willing to bear the sins of many and intercede for rebels (Isaiah 53:12), many would be counted as righteous (Isaiah 53:11) and He’d be a light to all nations (Isaiah 11:10).
Everything about Jesus seemed impossible, but God is able to do beyond what we could imagine. So remember the God you serve, and be encouraged: God is surprised by nothing. He already knows the end from the beginning. His purposes can’t be derailed. His character will never change.
Nothing is impossible for Him.
Undeserved Mercies
When someone hurts you or, worse, hurts somebody that you love, revenge can seem appealing. After all…
They were mean.
They were selfish.
They talked behind your back.
They broke a vital promise.
They lied about you.
They criticized you.
They ignored you.
They did the unthinkable.
They walked away.
They deserve to be punished, right? To feel some of that same pain? They deserve a consequence that will not only help them learn, but will be just as severe as the inflicted wounds.
And yet—because God sees things differently, both His standards and tactics can be surprising. And that’s why the apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Thessaloniki, said:
“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 NLT
Paul’s words sound a lot like Jesus’ words—to love your neighbor as yourself; to do to others what you’d like them to do to you. (See: Matthew 22:38-40)
God’s ways ...
