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.
Loving Difficult People
Matthew 5-7 is often referred to as The Sermon on the Mount, which is a series of teachings that Jesus gives near the beginning of His ministry. Most of what Jesus talks about is not necessarily new teaching, but rather a reorientation of how the Jewish people understood the Old Testament laws.
It's easy to love people who are close to us. It’s also easy to love those who are similar to us, and even those who love us as well. But Jesus’ command isn’t just to love those who are easy to love. Jesus says we should also love our enemies.
He also says to pray for those who persecute us. This isn’t a prayer for them to stay away, but rather a prayer for their good. We should be praying for the salvation of those who intend us harm, asking that they would recognize their actions and turn to God.
This is how God treated us. When we were enemies of God, He still showed love to us. He gave us breath and life, and also sent Jesus to restore our relationship with Him.
Take a moment to consider some people in your life who are difficult to love. Begin by praying for them. Pray for their salvation if they’re not Christians, and pray for their wellbeing. Think of one or two ways you can show love to your enemies and share the hope of Jesus.
Finish Well
One of the most important parts of running a race is keeping your eyes on the finish line. If you happen to look at the other competitors, it can ruin your focus, causing you to slip up. Staying focused is crucial.
The writer of the letter of Hebrews uses this same idea when talking about our own spiritual lives. The writer encourages his readers to keep their eyes focused on Jesus while running the race of life.
When we keep our eyes on Jesus and our thoughts focused on Him, we are reminded of His great love and goodness. Keeping our eyes on Jesus helps us to not grow discouraged.
When we take our eyes off Jesus, we can lose focus on what really matters. We can become fixated on the priorities of the world around us rather than the mission of God. We can also lose our sense of value and worth if we lose sight of the love of God.
One of the reasons the author encourages his readers to focus their eyes on Jesus is because Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the ...
