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.
The Beginning of Our Journey
God has been working within history for thousands of years. His redemptive plan has culminated in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. All of God’s promises in the Old Testament find their fulfillment in Jesus.
The book of Acts, which details the life of the early church, contains many long speeches which cover the historical timeline of God’s redemptive activity. Acts 3 is one of those speeches, given by Peter to a group of Israelites. Peter’s speech not only includes historical details, but also a right response to all of this information.
The right response to hearing about what God has done throughout history is to repent and believe in Jesus. When we learn of all that God has done for us, it’s only fitting that we should turn our lives back to Him.
Repentance is when we recognize the truth and we turn towards it. Usually it involves turning away from our own way of life and turning towards God’s way. Repentance is the beginning of our faith journey.
When we repent, God forgives us. We no longer live according to our past mistakes and offenses. Rather, God gives us a new life that is forgiven of those things.
This is why Peter says that times of refreshing follow repentance. Repentance leads to rebirth. We are made into a new creation. We are empowered to walk in the newness of life with God. After beginning this journey with Jesus, we continue it by the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you haven’t started that journey, begin today by repenting of your sins and turning back to God. He is faithful to forgive you. Pray for Him to guide your life. Continue to read about God’s ways in Scripture so you can grow in your knowledge of Him.
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 ...
