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.
Hearing vs. Listening
Throughout the pages of Scripture, there’s a word that gets repeated:
"hear," or a related word, "listen." In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "Shema" translates into English as "hear" or "listen" and is often used to emphasize the act of listening, understanding, and obeying.
Today’s culture places value on doing many things at once; we often try to listen while focusing on other tasks, which divides our focus. The sound of someone’s voice might come into our ears, but if we’re also scrolling social media, doing schoolwork, or making a meal, we might not fully understand their words.
But in the biblical context, "hearing" does not simply include sound reception; it also involves active obedience and an effort to understand.
In Mark 4:9, Jesus invites us to listen—to hear and obey, encouraging us to pay careful attention to His words: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Jesus isn't just asking us to audibly hear His words and carry on with our personal agenda; He's urging us to actively listen and obey, to live by His truth. Listening and obeying are what build our faith in Jesus Christ. Hearing the Word of God should lead to a transformed life marked by fruitfulness.
As you reflect on the idea of listening in Scripture, consider your heart and spiritual receptivity. Are you attentive to God's Word, allowing it to transform your life, or is your hearing divided, causing you to resist His call?
Prayers for Anxiety
The feeling of anxiety might be one of the most common human experiences. Every person, at some level, has felt anxious or worried. While it is a common human experience, that doesn’t mean that it’s the ideal human experience that God wants for us.
Anxiety can often occur in moments when we feel like we’re losing control of a situation, or maybe even when we feel helpless. We can feel anxious when we’re uncomfortable or nervous.
In each of these scenarios, God wants to provide an answer and a help for when we’re struggling. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul encourages the church community there to bring all of their worries and anxiety to God through prayer.
While we sometimes think we can fix our problems, we’re actually inadequate at it. God is the only one who truly knows exactly what we need.
In Scripture, God is called our Provider, our Healer, and our Sustainer. He is ready and willing to help us when we’re in need. Because of that, we have so much ...
