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 Road to Scripture
Every time we open God’s Word, we hold a treasure in our hands.
Scripture has led many generations of God's people—uncountable lives, times, and cultures have been influenced and transformed by God’s Word throughout history. God’s Word is a treasure—a treasure we have at our fingertips.
Sometimes, all the richness of God’s Word may come with a challenge. How can we comprehend the nuances, the context, all the many stories and teachings within God’s Word?
“Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” Acts 8:35
In Acts 8, Philip, a follower of Jesus, crossed paths with an important official from Ethiopia who was reading the book of Isaiah, but struggling to understand it. Philip kindly helped him understand that the passage he was reading (Isaiah 53:7-8) was referring to Jesus and the death He would die for the sins of all. Philip shared the Gospel with this man, showing him how the prophecies of the past pointed to the Messiah, Jesus, and all He would do to save and redeem humanity.
Philip showed him that from the books of the law to the prophets, every part of Scripture points to our Savior. The man didn’t understand what he was reading, and God used that as an opportunity to open his eyes to the Gospel.
When you read the Bible, ask yourself: do I understand what I am reading?
When this man opened himself to understanding Scripture, he encountered Jesus and His love. He believed in him with his whole heart, and his spirit was transformed forever.
The transformation he experienced can be yours as well. Remember that:
1. The Bible tells the story of redemption through Jesus and each book of the Bible points to Him in a beautiful way.
2. Jesus is alive and faithful to reveal himself to an open heart.
3. You aren’t alone on your Bible journey. Just like God sent Philip to teach the man from Ethiopia, he often puts people around us who we can learn from.
Today, take a moment to intentionally dive into Scripture. As you do so, seek Jesus in the text. Ask God what it says about His character. And ask yourself: how can this be applied to my life? How can it transform me?
At the end of today’s verse, the Bible says that the man from Ethiopia went on his way rejoicing. How can we not, when we realize how great God’s love is upon us?
Forgiveness Matters
One of the most profound Biblical examples of forgiveness is found in a story Jesus told about a king who wanted to settle his debts. One man owed the king a lot of money that he couldn’t repay, but the king had mercy on him and forgave the debt.
Afterward, the forgiven man encountered someone who owed him a small debt. But instead of showing mercy and forgiveness, he sends the man to prison until the debt is repaid. When the king hears about this, he is outraged at the hypocrisy, and has the forgiven man arrested.
If we’re being honest with ourselves, we probably fit into this story somewhere. How often have we chosen not to forgive someone while happily receiving the forgiveness that God offers us?
We’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all rebelled against God. And all wrongdoing is contrary to God’s ways. Some sins have bigger consequences—but every mistake causes us to fall short of God’s perfection.
Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily erase the hurt caused, ...
