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.
Safe with Him
When life feels overwhelming or the world seems extra dark, there's an ultimate security that comes from trusting God.
King David, the author of Psalm 16, faced all kinds of physical, emotional, and spiritual stressors throughout his life. And yet, he had an overwhelming sense of peace and joy—knowing that His soul was safe in God's hands.
He wrote...
"No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave."
Psalm 16:9-10 NLT
Scripture tells us that—because of sin—our temporary bodies can bleed, our bones can break, and these physical shells can (and will) eventually wear out. But praise God, even death and the grave will not get the final say! Because Jesus has already paid the ultimate price (giving His own life) to redeem us, and because He refused to stay dead, He has cleared the way for us to have eternal life.
In the following verse and final declaration of Psalm 16, David went on to say...
"You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever."
Psalm 16:11 NLT
Jesus was and is the long-awaited Messiah, the Perfect One, God in the flesh—who lived the life we couldn't, died the death we should've, and even did the impossible by conquering the grave. When we accept the grace and love that He offers, not only will He never abandon us, but we'll also be empowered by His Spirit and given access to forever with Him!
So if you're looking for ultimate security, know that you can't be good enough, successful enough, or amazing enough to earn it for yourself. God alone is the keeper of your soul, and you can be confident in Him.
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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