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.
Peace That Stays
Everyone wants peace. In the world, in our homes, and in our hearts. In difficult times, we seek comfort. In heartbreaking moments, we want a peace that remains steady despite the circumstances.
The Bible teaches about this kind of peace. Philippians 4:7 describes the peace of God. No amount of self-talk or meditation can manufacture this kind of peace—it only can come from God Himself. Preacher and theologian Charles Spurgeon described this kind of peace as the perfect calm and happiness of God, who is always content.
This peace transcends all understanding. It's the idea that something goes beyond our normal way of thinking. That is a beautiful description of what God’s peace does. It exceeds our understanding and surpasses anything we could expect or imagine. It also guards and protects our hearts and minds.
How do we get this kind of peace? The surrounding verses in Philippians offer guidance. Philippians 4:6 tells us to take every anxious thought and turn it into a prayer. One way to visualize this is to clench your first as an image of it being filled with worry. Now, lift and open your hand, palms up, in prayer as a symbol of releasing your burdens to God.
Philippians 4:8 tells us to be intentional and think about what is true, lovely, and pure. Sometimes, that's easy. But in moments of chaos and uncertainty, it can be much more difficult. With God’s help, you can intentionally and purposefully choose to think about what is true.
God’s peace has roots in His unchanging character and it's not dependent on our circumstances. When anxiety rises, may we choose to trust in the One who offers a peace that surpasses our understanding.
Today, let’s bring our worries to Him in prayer and fix our thoughts on what is true, lovely, and pure. His peace will guard our hearts and minds. This is living according to what He promises.
Sacrificial Love
Jesus, all powerful and completely perfect, chose to give up His life for us. He willingly went to the cross to be crucified, the most painful death imaginable, because He loved us so much.
And He invites us to do the same.
1 John 3:16 tells us, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."
How can we demonstrate this kind of sacrificial love in our own lives? How can we give our time, attention, or resources to help someone in need? Are we intentional to listen and be present for others, even when it's not easy or comfortable? Are we willing, if it comes down to it, to give up our lives for the sake of God and others?
This kind of love is challenging. It asks us to look beyond our own needs and to see the needs of others. It calls us to be selfless. The good news is, Jesus isn’t asking us to do anything for someone else that He wasn’t willing to do for us first. He knows ...
“And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no? But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cæsar's. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar's, and unto God the things which be God's. And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.”
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