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.
The Good Life
Everyone on earth is searching for a good and meaningful life. We all want our lives to matter—to be filled with purpose and fulfillment. But we often search for fulfillment and meaning through things that cannot fulfill us.
Many people try to find purpose in fame and admiration from other people. Others try to find fulfillment through material possessions. Still others pursue a good life through working hard and building security through wealth.
Unfortunately, none of those methods will bring true happiness or fulfillment in life. There will come a time when fame and fortune fades, when material possessions lose their charm, and when our security is no longer there.
Jesus says this is the way the enemy works. The thief tries to steal our attention away from what truly matters by distracting us with earthly things that we think will satisfy. But this way only ends in death and destruction. Jesus says there's another way to find the good life...
In John 10, Jesus compares Himself to a good shepherd who cares for and feeds the sheep in His pasture. Jesus says that He is the gate for the sheep to enter into the courtyard. While speaking in metaphors, Jesus is saying that anyone who wants to gain true access to salvation must come through Him.
Jesus also says that it is through Him that we will find true life. It is only through trusting in Jesus and following Him that we can experience life to the fullest. Fulfillment and meaning come through following Jesus as our Shepherd, rather than following the world around us.
Take some time to think about the way you’re searching for fulfillment and meaning in your life. Are you finding it through material possessions, relationships, or success? Or are you following Jesus and trusting in Him to produce meaning and purpose in your life?
Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and He wants to lead you into a fulfilled, abundant life. So continue to trust in Him and follow Him, because abundant life can only be found in Jesus.
Undeserved Mercies
When someone hurts you or, worse, hurts somebody that you love, revenge can seem appealing. After all…
They were mean.
They were selfish.
They talked behind your back.
They broke a vital promise.
They lied about you.
They criticized you.
They ignored you.
They did the unthinkable.
They walked away.
They deserve to be punished, right? To feel some of that same pain? They deserve a consequence that will not only help them learn, but will be just as severe as the inflicted wounds.
And yet—because God sees things differently, both His standards and tactics can be surprising. And that’s why the apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Thessaloniki, said:
“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 NLT
Paul’s words sound a lot like Jesus’ words—to love your neighbor as yourself; to do to others what you’d like them to do to you. (See: Matthew 22:38-40)
God’s ways ...
