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.
Keep it Up
Do you remember the last time you were completely exhausted? Maybe you spent tons of time and energy working on a difficult project. Maybe you felt depleted after helping everyone else around you—physically or emotionally. Maybe hard situations and complex circumstances made you feel like giving up.
All of us grow tired at some point.
Paul, the writer of Galatians, knew that the people he was writing to would also become tired of the work they were doing. During Paul’s time, there was a lot of persecution and hurting people, and Paul was writing to encourage them in the work they were doing.
Inside Paul’s encouragement to the Galatians is this truth:
Even godly people will tire of doing good things.
That’s why Paul encourages everyone to continue to push forward in doing good. We should continue to help people. We should continue to share the hope of Jesus with others. We should continue to live as God would want us to—especially when things get hard.
God knows that we’ll eventually grow weary. And when we grow tired and frustrated, we’ll probably begin to question why we’re doing any of this to begin with. (Maybe you’ve already asked yourself this.)
But Galatians 6:9 encourages us to persevere in doing good things. Similar to how a farmer must work diligently to plant his crops and wait months before the actual harvest, Paul says there will be a harvest for those who do not give up.
Just like the Christians in Galatia, we also need to persevere in living godly lives and helping those around us. If we do not give up, Scripture says there will be a reward for us. We may receive that reward during our time on earth, or in heaven—but regardless of when we receive it, we should persevere in doing good.
That means that your work matters! There is value to how you live and love others. So, keep it up. Keep doing good.
Spend some time today considering the good that you have done and can continue to do for others. Who can you help? Who can you share the hope of Jesus with? How can you continue to persevere in living a godly life?
If you’ve grown weary or defeated, make a commitment today to never give up. Choose to persevere through whatever season of life you’re in, knowing that there will be a harvest for those who finish well.
Day 24 of the reading of the gospel of Luke
Merry Christmas Eve
Luke 24
“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, ...
The Fulfillment of Promises Made Long Ago
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.”
To modern ears, this verse is a familiar, warm, and comforting centerpiece of the Christmas story. But to those who first heard these words from the angel on the night Jesus was born, every word was electric, buzzing with fulfilled expectations.
A Savior.
Born in Bethlehem, the town of David.
The Messiah.
The Lord.
For centuries, Israel had lived with a promise. The prophet Isaiah had declared, “To us a child is born, to us a son is given… and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Jeremiah had spoken of a righteous branch from David’s line, a King who would reign wisely and bring justice (Jeremiah 23:5). Micah, too, had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, David’s town (Micah 5:2).
So when the angel announced this birth to shepherds under the night sky, it wasn’t just...
