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.
Remembering God
Have you ever been awestruck by a sunset? Or left speechless by the meticulous details of the living cell, the human eye, the mysterious ocean, or the vast universe? How often do you think about what God has made, or the ways that He has worked?
The psalmist Asaph, wrote:
“I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy, What god is great like our God?"
Psalm 77:12-13 ESV
One of the best things we can do is remember God—how He gives good gifts, writes the best stories, and is constantly making beauty from ashes. He created us, pursued us, and even gave His own life for us.
But remembering God takes intentionality.
Remembering God doesn't happen on accident, which is why we have to intentionally commit to reflecting on Him each day. Purposefully remembering God’s bigness helps us recognize our smallness. Deliberately recalling His goodness helps us understand our deep need for Him.
Pondering God’s work and meditating on ...
“And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, ...
The Mission of God
All of our lives are spent on something. Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building their career, or amassing possessions.
While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.
In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.
For Paul, God’s grace and salvation are so great that nothing on this earth is as important as God’s work.
Paul says that nothing in His life matters as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
Acts 20:24 NIV
The mission ...
