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.
Needy by Default
Jesus healed people who were sick and fed people who were hungry. Because of that, great crowds were following Him.
But He wanted them to know that who He was was greater than what He had to offer…
“Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'"
John 6:35 NIV
God could have hardwired us to need nothing, but instead, He made us dependent on things like food, water, oxygen, sleep, sunlight—and Him. He designed this world intentionally, with specific needs and certain limitations.
We are needy by default.
Just as food and water are essential for human life, everyday realities point us to spiritual truths…
We need Jesus even more than we need the essentials of life.
We can search for fulfillment in our work and relationships, as well as in money, fame, power, sex, achievement, and adventure. But it all results in emptiness. It’s all like chasing after the wind.
So let’s not just follow Jesus merely for what He has to offer, but for who He is. Let’s realize that this world will never satisfy, but we already have access to true nourishment.
We can come to Him to be filled because He is the bread of life.
Responding to God at All Times
Throughout our lives, we will all experience both suffering and joy. We'll have times of great grief and times of overflowing happiness. Sometimes, they’ll be separate seasons—but other times, these experiences come together.
In either case and in any situation, James expected Christians to come to God. If someone was suffering, prayer was the call to action. If someone was cheerful, people were to pause and praise God.
This might seem obvious, but when suffering clouds our thinking, we can sometimes forget to prioritize prayer. And when things are going well and we're feeling cheerful, it’s easy to just enjoy our season and not stop long enough to praise God for it. But every season of life is actually just an opportunity to put into practice what James wrote about…
When we are suffering, let us pray. When those around us are suffering, let us pray. When we are cheerful or happy, let us praise God. When others are happy, let us praise God with ...
