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.
Stay Alert
Have you ever let your guard down when you shouldn’t have?
Maybe you got lazy. Maybe you got distracted. Maybe you cared too much about someone else’s opinions. Maybe you got tired of standing your ground.
Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, would understand. He left everything to follow Jesus. He loved, trusted, and believed in Jesus. But when being associated with Jesus threatened His own security and reputation, Peter denied Him—three times.
Thankfully, Jesus forgave him, restored him, and even empowered him to preach at Pentecost—the day that 3,000 people were baptized and the early church began.
It was that Peter who wrote:
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT
If we’re going to resist the enemy, we must stay on both the offensive and defensive.
The Offensive: Stay alert. Stand firm. Be strong. Read God’s Word. Seek God-centered community. Fight for time and connection with God. Remind yourself that there are others fighting this battle with you.
The Defensive: If someone is twisting the truth, call it out. If you notice an injustice, do something to help. If your enemy the devil is wreaking havoc, have the courage to fight for good.
For the times that you’ve already let your guard down, don’t allow yourself to stay stuck in guilt or shame. We’ve all had moments where we’ve slipped. Ask for forgiveness and keep moving forward.
What did Jesus do after He was raised back to life? He found Peter. In fact, he cooked breakfast on the beach for Peter! He gave Peter another chance, and even established him as a leader.
So stay alert. And remember: God is also fighting you.
What Does Love Look Like?
If you were to ask ten random people to define what love is, you would most likely receive ten different definitions. We often define love by what we value or enjoy the most. But with so many different definitions of love that are often contradictory, Jesus’ followers should desire the truth.
A true definition of love doesn’t come from culture, our own values, or from within ourselves—it comes from God, because “God is love” (1 John 4:8). So, any right understanding of love must come from God. 1 Corinthians 13 is entirely devoted to defining what love is.
1 Corinthians 13:6 says love "does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." Evil is anything opposed to God or His ways. When we disobey God’s law, choose to do the wrong thing, or cause harm to someone else—that is evil.
Essentially, evil is when we fail to love God and love others.
For instance, if someone difficult does not know the love of Jesus, we shouldn’t delight in that. Love ...
