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.
Sharing the Love of God, Our Father
The prophet Malachi wrote to forewarn the people of God what would take place in the future. He told them of a time when God would send a messenger like Elijah, who would turn the people’s hearts back towards God.
The messenger Malachi referred to was John the Baptist. And John’s role was to point the people back to God in preparation for the coming of Jesus (Matthew 3:1-12). John preached a message of repentance, and baptized people in the Jordan river as a sign of turning back to God.
For those who trust in God and believed in Jesus as the coming Messiah, they experienced restoration and salvation. And this is part of Malachi’s message: those who trust in God will be saved from the coming judgment.
One of the signs of this restoration is the uniting of families. The family unit is central to God’s mission, as the relationships within the family represent God’s relationships with His church.
God desires the hearts of fathers to be restored to their children, and the children to their fathers.
While we know that no family is perfect—in fact, many families are broken—we all look forward to the day when God will completely restore our broken world to harmony and love again. Until then we strive to do our best to live in harmony and love with one another.
If you’re a father, consider how you can express God’s love through your relationships to your children. And as children, may we use the time we have left to love our parents as well. For all of us, may we consider how we can love those around us in a way that honors God and communicates His love.
Hope for the Poor in Spirit
Jesus began His famous Sermon on the Mount with an upside-down perspective and eight counter-cultural blessings—commonly known as the beatitudes.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:3 ESV
To be physically poor is to lack resources or material possessions. The word "poor" might trigger a mental image of someone who can’t pay their bills, can’t break free from the cycle of poverty, or can’t afford food, clothing, or shelter.
So what does it mean to be spiritually poor, and why does Jesus think that’s a good thing?
Those who realize their own spiritual poverty know that, without God, they are spiritually bankrupt. Those who are poor in spirit understand the desperation of their situation—that they can have nothing, do nothing, and be nothing without Him. Those who are poor in spirit recognize that it’s humility, not pride or self-reliance, that’s a ...
