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 Life of Thanksgiving
How thankful are you when you talk to God? The world around us generally doesn’t encourage thankfulness. We’re taught to look after ourselves in order to get what we think we deserve.
And yet—Christians ought to be the most thankful people on earth because we have been given everything by God. James 1:17 reminds us that every good gift comes from Him. This implies that God is always acting in kindness toward us.
Not only has God given us life and breath, but He has also offered us the free gift of eternal life. God made a way for us to have a relationship with Him through the death and resurrection of Jesus. That alone is more than enough for us to live a life of gratitude toward God.
Because of what He's done for us, our hearts should be in a constant state of thanksgiving. And yet, we often find ourselves complaining because things don’t go the way we want. We grumble because we don’t have the things we think we deserve. And the more that we complain, the more our hearts grow critical and bitter.
Thankfully, Psalm 100 gives us the antidote for grumbling and complaining: thankfulness. Thanksgiving is a spiritual habit that we have to intentionally develop through continual practice. We can practice by taking time each day to talk with God, and to thank Him for all He has done. We can also practice thankfulness by telling others how grateful we are for them.
So the next time you find yourself complaining or grumbling, take a moment to think about the love and goodness of God in your life. Instead of complaining, express how thankful you are for who God is and what He has given you. Keep a list of things you’re grateful for and add to it throughout the week. Watch as your heart and mind begin to be transformed by the simple act of thanksgiving.
Justified by Faith
Paul, the writer of the letter to the church in Rome, covers the details of what is known as “the Gospel message”—a message that was handed down to them. It's packed with deep theological truths that are meant to shape the way Christians live.
One of the central components to the Gospel is that salvation comes through faith alone. That means we are saved by the power of God through believing and trusting in Jesus. Every Christian comes to God through faith—not through good deeds or by trying to earn salvation.
Paul says that we have peace with God by our faith in Jesus. Prior to that, we were considered ungodly and unrighteous—because we would live our lives in our own power, doing our own things. This led to separation from God.
However, by faith in Jesus, we are justified before Him. This means that through Jesus’ own right-living, we are made right before Him. Even though we still make mistakes, we can stand innocent before God because of Jesus.
It’s ...
