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.
Let There Be Light
The word “light” appears hundreds of times in the Bible. It first appears just three verses into the first book, Genesis, during the Creation story:
“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”
Genesis 1:3-4 NIV
Later, when the prophet Isaiah foretold Jesus’ coming, he framed the Messiah as a “great light” that would dawn on those who were “walking in darkness” (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in John 8:12 when He declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Darkness cannot exist where there is light. Genesis 1 says that God “separated” the light from the darkness that covered a formless, empty earth. The two things cannot coexist. The same is true of sin and perfection. The world fell into darkness when sin entered it.
But the world wasn’t completely consumed by darkness–we were only separated from God. That’s why He sent Jesus, the Great Light, to guide us back to Him.
Just as a flame burns brightly, its fire also spreads. When He returned to Heaven, Jesus gave His Spirit to us, so that we might also be light to others! The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:8, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”
As a child of light, you can be a light in our dark world by the way you live, speak, and act. Today, ask yourself: how will I continue to walk in step with Jesus as my guiding light? What will I do to be a light in my world? Who will I share His light with?
How to Build Strong Character
Paul, the author of the letter to the Romans, frequently encouraged the believers in Rome amidst the persecution and adversity they were experiencing. The first half of Paul’s letter corrects some of their thinking, while the second half is focused on their character and actions.
In Romans 12, Paul is encouraging the believers to let love be the primary motivation for everything they do. When love is the foundation of who they are, then God can renew and transform every area of life. When they allow God to transform their character, that's when they're able to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.
Christians have a unique hope—we know that Jesus is victorious over evil and will one day return to make everything right. This means that we can have hope in the midst of suffering or difficult times.
Paul knew that affliction produces steadfast character within us. When we choose to endure through suffering, Jesus forms strength and ...
