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.
A Great Light
Have you ever known a deep darkness? Most of us have—at one point or another. But there's a great light that changes the way we see.
Peppered throughout the Old Testament are prophecies regarding future events. And recorded in the book of Isaiah is a glimpse into a future hope…
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.”
Isaiah 9:2 NLT
In the verse preceding this one, the text explains that sometime in the future, these “people who walk in darkness,” from "Galilee of the Gentiles," will be flooded with light. (The word "Gentiles" is a term for non-Jews, representing an eclectic mix of other nations.)
Israel was God’s chosen nation through which the Savior of the world would be born. But even Abraham, who’s considered the father of the Jewish people, was told by God that all families and nations of the earth would also be blessed through his descendants (see Genesis 12:2-3; 22:18).
This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. But when He showed up on the scene, He was rejected by His own people—mostly because He didn’t show up in the way they’d imagined. He was, however, surprisingly accepted by many once-faithless Gentiles.
God shares more about this in Isaiah 49:6, when speaking about the prophesied Savior:
“You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:6 NLT
And in the New Testament, Matthew cited Isaiah 9:1-2 when writing about Jesus’ ministry near the Sea of Galilee, where many Gentiles lived. He understood it to be the fulfillment of God’s words through the prophet Isaiah.
It’s a beautiful reminder that no matter who you are, where you live, what you look like, your history or heritage, or how deep the darkness around you can feel, a great light has come. It pierces the darkness, eradicates shadows, and brings life to all that it touches.
That great light is Jesus, and He alone is our hope. We were once in darkness, but now we have light.
Jesus Does The Impossible
Jesus’ statement in Matthew 19:26 is often taken out of context. Many people have taken this verse to mean that they can do anything they want in life because God can do the impossible. Often this can lead to selfish prayers and a small view of God.
In order to understand what Jesus is saying, we should read the preceding verses. In Matthew 19:16-22, a young man comes to Jesus asking for eternal life. Jesus tells him that he must give up all of his earthly possessions—something the young man is not willing to do. Because he failed the test, the young man failed to inherit eternal life.
Jesus says in Matthew 19:23 that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter heaven. The point is that loving Jesus requires everything we are. Our ultimate love cannot be split between Jesus and something else.
The disciples then ask, “Who can be saved?” Jesus responds in Matthew 19:26 that it is impossible for man to save himself—but it is possible with God. God can do the ...
