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.
Honoring the Poor
How different would our world, communities, and homes look if we committed to helping the hurting around us?
The writer of Proverbs, typically considered to be King Solomon, penned these words:
“If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!”
Proverbs 19:17 NLT
There are those who are financially or materialistically poor. Maybe they were born into a cycle of poverty, have hit hard times, or are physically or mentally sick. But there are also those—like Jesus mentioned in Matthew 5—who are poor in spirit.
Giving generously to those in need, caring for the vulnerable, and living an open-hearted life is the call of every believer.
Jesus echoed this theme in Matthew 25, explaining that good works like feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, showing hospitality to strangers, and visiting the sick or incarcerated will not go unnoticed. In fact, when we do such things, we're actually serving Jesus (Matthew 25:40).
How wonderful would it be to end poverty, stop hunger, and witness the day when the world is entirely at peace? Eventually, Jesus will make all that is wrong right, once and for all. But until then, we get to keep serving Him and loving others every chance we get.
No one can do everything, but we all can do something.
Genuine followers of Jesus will be compelled by His Spirit to love the people He’s created. And if that’s not enough, we can believe Him when He says that He rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
John put it this way:
“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?”
1 John 3:17 NLT
When we serve God’s people out of obedience, we're serving Him!
Day 20 of the reading of the gospel of Luke
Luke 20
“And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, and spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a ...
Believing Beyond Norms
Mary was a young girl immersed in the quiet rhythms of Nazareth when an angel announced that she would bear the Son of God (Luke 1:31). The typical response to hearing this might be fear, or shock, or awe. Instead, Mary responded with belief—a belief that what the angel was telling her was the truth. “May your word to me be fulfilled,” she said to the angel (Luke 1:38).
Witnessing this unwavering faith, Mary's older cousin Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy Spirit, acknowledged Mary's faith and blessed her: "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"
In these simple words, we hear a reminder to anchor our faith in the unwavering truth that God is faithful to fulfill His promises according to His Word. Elizabeth's statement, "Blessed is she who has believed," is more than an observation; it's a present affirmation. The emphasis isn’t just on the fulfillment of these promises, but on the blessing that comes from believing ...
“Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess: the third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years. And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel: Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister. And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, Amaziah his son, Azariah his...
