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.
Be Imitators
Children learn to function in real life by imitating those around them.
They learn to speak by listening to their family’s words and copying what they hear. They learn to interact with others by observing how their loved ones interact with others. They learn what’s culturally and socially appropriate by watching and imitating.
They learn how to eat, play, read, pray, cook, fish, braid, draw, garden, build, worship, invest, and navigate relationships by noticing and mimicking those around them.
And it doesn’t stop with children. People will often reflect those closest to them, as well as their environment.
Perhaps that’s why, while writing from the confines of a Roman prison, the apostle Paul gave the believers in Ephesus a heartfelt charge:
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.”
Ephesians 5:1 NLT
Paul knew that loving and reflecting God was foundational. What we observe will get repeated and, eventually, passed along. The fancy word for this concept is discipleship—where we learn from those we trust and teach others what we’ve learned.
Regardless of where we’re at in life, we’re all being discipled by something. That’s why we should carefully consider who we are listening to and following.
It is vital to build our lives on Truth.
It’s already in our God-given makeup to reflect God. But as humans, we still have to intentionally remember who and whose we are, which is the first step in becoming more like Christ.
Jesus Does The Impossible
Jesus’ statement in Matthew 19:26 is often taken out of context. Many people have taken this verse to mean that they can do anything they want in life because God can do the impossible. Often this can lead to selfish prayers and a small view of God.
In order to understand what Jesus is saying, we should read the preceding verses. In Matthew 19:16-22, a young man comes to Jesus asking for eternal life. Jesus tells him that he must give up all of his earthly possessions—something the young man is not willing to do. Because he failed the test, the young man failed to inherit eternal life.
Jesus says in Matthew 19:23 that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter heaven. The point is that loving Jesus requires everything we are. Our ultimate love cannot be split between Jesus and something else.
The disciples then ask, “Who can be saved?” Jesus responds in Matthew 19:26 that it is impossible for man to save himself—but it is possible with God. God can do the ...
