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 Goodness Prevail
In the beginning, life was good—both physically and spiritually. In fact, God created everything that existed and called it very good.
But that goodness was fractured when an enemy enticed God’s image-bearing people to question His goodness and doubt His trustworthiness. So, when Adam and Eve chose to disregard God’s instructions by eating from the only forbidden tree, their eyes were opened to two opposing forces: good and evil.
The battle between good and evil isn’t just an overarching theme in the Bible, but a theme that permeates every continent, every culture, and every nation. It’s a theme that’s laced throughout books and movies, and one that plays out in real life. And the reason it’s so pervasive is because there's a real battle taking place.
All these years, we’re still sharing this good-yet-fallen world. But, make no mistake, the Kingdom of Darkness is still warring against the Kingdom of Light.
The apostle Paul gave some advice on this topic to the believers in Rome, writing:
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21 NIV
In the same chapter, Paul explains practical ways to live this out: by rejecting evil, by clinging to good, by genuinely loving people, by blessing those who persecute you and refusing to take revenge on your enemies.
This could also look like forgiving someone who’s harmed you, showing kindness to a stranger, or standing up for the poor, marginalized, and weak. Conquering evil with good requires sacrifice and surrender. It often means saying “no” to our human desire for retribution and retaliation, and choosing instead to humbly serve broken people like Jesus humbly and sacrificially served us.
We do have an enemy—whose mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. To confuse, pervert, and divide. To deceive, distract, and dismantle.
But more importantly, we have a God—whose mission is to redeem, revive, and restore. He specializes in putting broken things back together. He is able to bring the dead back to life and make all things new.
So when you see evil wreaking havoc across the world, in the lives of the people around you, and even in your own heart, remember … God is bigger. God is greater. You aren’t in this battle alone. And because we already know the end of the story, we can fight from a place of victory!
Just as darkness can’t exist when it’s flooded with light, evil can’t prevail when it’s overpowered with good. So today, think of some ways you can fight evil by doing good to those around you.
“Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in...
“A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans: because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered: because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite. And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is The LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary. The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon...
