Some thoughts re Discerning God’s Voice (all Bible refs from New King James version)
(Ramblings from my Journal, CQ)
So many voices, so many crying out “I am right, follow me, follow my teaching,” or pushing aside the greatness of God’s redemptive plan in Christ, exchanging it for a watered-down gospel – often so subtle, it is hard to recognise.
Heb 13:9
Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, …
Isa 30:21
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.
How do we know? How can we discern the voice of the Lord?
1) Stay close to Him – priority and quality time every day. Read the Word. Learn the Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to daily speak through the Word. Ps 25:12-14
Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.
Then PRAY!
Ps 25:4-5
Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.
Communicate with your Father. Love Him. Worship Him. Sing praise to Him. Read a psalm. Remind yourself of the wondrous salvation that Christ has bought for you, of His redemption and His forgiveness in your life. If the Holy Spirit highlights some sin in your life or a place of error, confess and get right and let His cleansing and joy fill you. Thank God for His mercies new every morning – thank Him specifically for all His goodness in your life.
2) Submit to God first, not men (or women!)
Gal 1:10-11
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
Godly submission, as described in the Bible is unto the Lord and, only with God FIRST in our lives, can we then humbly submit to the wise and loving pastoring in our churches. But NOT willy-nilly to any old teaching or doctrine. It HAS to be under Christ – He is the Head of all things and of the Church.
Col 1:18
And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the pre-eminence.
Only cults refuse to listen to their members and insist on absolute obedience. Our obedience is to Christ.
3) Be humble and receive one another in love. If you have doubts about a teaching or even something which seems, in our day of world communication thro’ the internet, to be gripping other Christians all around, it is important to remember that different things help different people. Some ideas or presentations may not help us, but they are helping some people. There are often differing perspectives. We can stand back and pray. Other things are possibly destructive, and if there are people in our care who ask us, then we can ask the Holy Spirit to give an answer through us.
Luke 21:14-15
"Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.”
4) Keep in fellowship. To keep ourselves in truth and to combat confusion it is important to have close friends and family in the Lord with whom we can share openly. We may have different ideas. That is healthy. It is the attitude of “I am right, and no one can argue with me” which is a precursor to being very wrong!! And pharasaical! Pray together, keep the Bible central and study together, honouring and praising Jesus Christ, and no one else.
Heb 10:23-25
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
5) Have a quiet heart, listening to the Holy Spirit – a “Mary heart” sitting at the feet of Jesus. He wants our hearts confident and secure in Him and in His words.
Isa 30:15
For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength."
A gentle quiet spirit will listen, hear and assimilate and the Holy Spirit has an opportunity to interpret to our heart what is going on. Dogmatism and opinionated thinking just shuts out the voice of the Holy Spirit.
6) God is holy! It is true and one of the wondrous joys of our salvation that God accepts us just as we are, and unconditionally loves us in Christ. BUT His holiness never changes. He is neither a God of compromise, nor a God of lukewarmness. His nature has no place for sin. He accepts us into His family so that we may be changed – “from glory to glory” and “from faith to faith”! Our Christian life has to be one of growth in holiness.
1 Pet 1:16 “…because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
God’s desire is that we may represent Him to this world. Watch out for anything that would make God conform to our image, rather than the other way round!
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Hallelujah!
Sharing my thoughts and what I have learned in my trip with God. I've started this journey a long time ago and it's as if it was only yesterday. I can't travel alone, that's why I'm sharing my thoughts. You can come and join me in this trip, It doesn't matter if you are near or far... because in Jesus we can be united . There's no distance between us because the Holy Spirit is in us. He will speak to you the same way he speaks to me. I hope you enjoy it... With love. Clarindo
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Deus é um Deus de Aliança
Deus é um Deus de Aliança
Desde o princípio, Deus tem feito aliança com os homens. A Aliança que Ele faz com o homem é uma aliança eterna.
Por quê? Porque Deus é eterno.
A sua aliança com Deus tem que ser motivada pelo seu coração.
Uma aliança tem que ser feita entre duas pessoas; não há como fazer uma aliança sozinho.
Deus fez uma aliança com Noé (Gênesis 9:9-17). Deus viu o coração de Noé e por isso fez uma aliança com ele. Noé creu no Senhor, pois era temente ao Senhor, e por causa disso, sua casa foi salva. Seus familiares foram abençoados por causa da atitude dele. Sua casa também será salva por sua aliança com Deus.
Se creres será salvo tu e a tua casa. Atos 16:31
Com Abraão não foi diferente, Deus fez uma aliança com ele baseada na fé que Ele teve. Gênesis 15:6, 18.
Como já disse, há necessidade de dois lados para haver uma aliança. Ambos terão funções a desempenharem para que a aliança permaneça e o objetivo seja alcançado.
Em Gênesis 17:3-8, vemos a parte de Deus e suas promessas.
Em Gênesis 17:9-14, vemos a parte do homem.
Vemos que a promessa do Senhor extende-se para os filhos de Abraão e isto é confirmado com as passagens da bíblia que leremos a seguir.
Deus permanece firme naquilo que prometeu e Ele deseja que tenhamos a mesma posição de quando firmamos nossa aliança com Ele.
O princípio da “obediência” deve ser guardado, preservado. Melhor é o obedecer que o sacrificar...
Em Gênesis 26:1-5, vemos Deus repetindo a mesma promessa para Izaque e posteriormente em Gênesis 28:13-15 para Jacó.
Quando temos uma aliança com o Senhor, Ele cumpre sua promessa, e mesmo que uma circunstância o desvie da rota, Ele mesmo, o conduzirá de volta a ela... Ele prometeu estar sempre conosco, nos guardar e levar-nos de volta a terra prometida.
Quando o Pr. Charrier recebeu a visão de Deus de abrir uma igreja em Hanwell, bairro de Londres, Inglaterra, o Senhor operou milagres financeiros para que ele e o pequeno grupo de pessoas que estavam reunindo com ele, para reformarem o prédio alugado, onde a igreja funcionava. 25 mil libras foram gastos na reforma e Deus operou maravilhas ali.
Algum tempo depois, o Pr. Charrier deixou aquele trabalho nas mãos de outro pastor que não tinha a mesma visão e este pastor devolveu o prédio ao seu dono, mudando com a igreja para outro bairro.
Alguns anos mais tarde, em Março de 2003, O Pr. Charrier recomeçou a igreja em sua casa e seis meses mais tarde, a igreja retornou para Hanwell. Pela graça de Deus e porque Ele é firme em sua aliança, voltamos para o mesmo local, agora comprado por uma das irmãs que havia sido ajudada no início da obra lá.
Hoje, estamos alugando um novo local, maior, e Deus certamente, fará cumprir seu propósito para aquele lugar.
O princípio da obediência deve ser mantido de geração a geração para que tudo vá bem. Deve se passado de pai para filho para que as promessas e bênçãos sejam transferidas para a outra geração.
Cada geração precisa cumprir o seu papel e abençoará não apenas a sua, mas também, a geração vindoura.
Leia Deuteronômio 6:1-9 e 7:12-15.
Idade não é desculpa... Ser novo na fé não é desculpa. Temos que cumprir a palavra de Deus em nossas vidas e obedecermos ao Senhor em todo o tempo.
Josias começou a reinar quando tinha oito anos de idade e “fez o que era bom” aos olhos do Senhor. 2 Reis 22:1-2.
Ele se comprometeu em cumprir a aliança de seus pais com Deus e quando estava com 16 anos ele decidiu buscar ao Senhor, ter sua própria experiência com o Senhor e quando viu como Israel tinha se desviado dos caminhos de Deus, chorou, se arrependeu por Israel e clamou ao Senhor.
Deus lhe respondeu e Ele mesmo, leu para Israel o livro do Senhor, fazendo o povo se comprometer em cumprir a parte deles, cumprir a palavra de Deus, destruindo os altares e postes ídolos de todo Israel. 2 Crônicas 34:30-32.
Precisamos rever nossos conceitos, a nossa aliança pessoal firmada com o Senhor e observarmos se estamos cumprindo o nosso lado, pois Deus, certamente é fiel e firme em cumprir o lado Dele.
Amém...
Que possamos voltar ao fogo do primeiro amor e nos tornarmos cada vez mais fiéis e obedientes ao amado de nossa alma. Ao Senhor Jesus.
Que Deus os abençoe...
A New Name
A NEW NAME
What name have you received from your parents? What does it mean?
Do you like your name?
David, Rebecca, Abraham, Mary – Good names, aren’t they?
What about Lucifer, Deceiver, Thief? Would you like to be called like that?
What name have your family received?
Bankrupted, destroyed, the losers or any other that came to your mind… now.
Let’s read Genesis 25:26 – Isaac gave a name to his second son – Jacob – it means deceiver – the one who grasps the other’s heel…
Year after year listening the same thing: Come here Deceiver, do this Deceiver… and etc.
Jacob was brought up as a deceiver and everybody knew him like that…
How have you been known? What’s the label that you have got?
Nobody is born to be a deceiver? A loser…
But you become what you believe… You get what you say… We have to take care of our mouth… what we say about other people and about ourselves.
Jacob believed that he was a deceiver and he started acting like that.
That was the highlights of his name. Everything he did was done by the deceiver… No way to change that…
Maybe you think that your life cannot be different.
His father didn’t like him – He was rejected – Verse 27
He started acting like the label he had – He started deceiving. Verse 29-34.
About Esau - When you don’t understand your rights before God you despise it – You give it for nothing… Verse 32 and 34
He gave up his right for a plate of meat… is his heart, the blessing that was on his right, meant nothing.
To deceive someone – To sin, you receive the help of everybody, even your mother. Genesis 27:8-10
The name will be used – Verse 20,21
You will insist on lying… Verse 24
Your family will confirm your status – Deceiver – Verse 36
But a deceiver doesn’t have peace – It seems that when you get your blessing, you have to give it up and flee away…
Life becomes harder and harder.
But let me tell you something: “ Even being a deceiver, the blessing that Our Heavenly Father gives us it’s ours… It belongs to us… He doesn’t change it
Genesis 28:1 and 4.
The devil will always tell you that the blessing God has given you, He will take it back… That it will not happen…
The great deceiver will steal your faith because it’s impossible to please God without faith.
God will always fulfil His promises in your life… You won’t have a half blessing. Genesis 28:15
Jesus is not a liar … He is the truth.
A deceiver will be also deceived. Genesis 29:18,21,25 and 31:7
How are you feeling today? Deceived by a situation? Lost…
God wants to fulfil his promises in your life….
For that you have to open your heart for him…
- You have to return to the position where you were called – You have to be in the place where God wants.
- You have to do things in God’s ways, not yours -Listen to God
Genesis 31:3
And if you obey Him, He will be with you. Genesis 32:1
Fight with God in prayers – He will bless you.
God doesn’t want to beat you but bless you
Genesis 32:23-30
- It’s a personal experience – Nobody can take your place and do it for you. Verse 23
- You have to persevere – verse 26
- You will have your name changed – verse 29
Don’t despise what you have got in Jesus…
How can you have your name changed now?
- Being born again, if you haven’t done it yet… John 3:1
- God really wants to change your life and give you a new name. John 3:16
- You have to invite Jesus to your life
- Renounce your old name, your old life, your old style of life…
- Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you by the truth.
- Preserve your new name… don’t eat again what you have vomited.
You cannot serve 2 gods.
Once, you have got your new name… keep going forward, not backward. Revelations 2:17 and 3:12
God bless you
The Forgiveness of God
The Forgiveness of God
“Come now, let’s reason together,” says the Lord.
“Though your sins are scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson; they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18
When God forgives someone, He isn’t like the common justice that we have… that is always telling what you have done wrong.
God offers you the strength to overcome the sin power. You are not only considered innocent but receive from God the power to live a sinless life.
When you are forgiven, your life is changed… from inside to outside…
Let’s follow the example of King David…
In Psalms 51 we read:
Vs. 1 “Have mercy on me O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.”
First, we have to recognise our sins and also that only God with His grace can forgive us.
Vs. 2 “Wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
That’s purification….. We must have a desire to be purified…. To have our life changed…. become pure.
We have also to recognise that our sins are against God… when we act according to our will, we disobey God… we sin against him
Vs. 4 “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.”
We have a sinful nature since we were born. Vs. 5
But God wants to implant the truth in our hearts…. and Jesus said: Know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
In vs. 10 we read: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
David wanted to be transformed, changed by God.
Some people think they must be changed first to be forgiven, but we must be forgiven to be changed.
You can’t change your life by yourself… You can’t leave your sinful life by yourself…
You have to be forgiven, cleaned….
God’s love is unlimited; it goes beyond your imagination…
Isaiah said: “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his path.” Isaiah 2:3
God will teach us the way, but He will not force us to walk on it.
We can come before God with all our weakness and be forgiven…
Let’s read Isaiah 55: 6-7.
Today is a day that we can have our lives transformed by the Lord and this transformation starts when we present our hearts to Him, asking to be forgiven… to be restored…. From inside to outside….
Let’s do it now…
Follow the Light
Follow the Light
- You were created to have to have communion with God; to have a friendship with Him. Genesis 1:26. At that was very good. Genesis 1:31
- The devil came to destroy this friendship and to destroy your life. John 10-10
- The devil has put you in a prison for life… eternal life.
He has put in you a course that lasts forever.
Romans 3:23 – “All have sin” – It includes you and me.
Romans 6:23 – The salary of sin is death
- But Jesus Christ came to redeem our lives – to set us free.
- Isaiah 61:1-3 – He came to set us free from:
1. Our sins – the curse that sends us to eternal death
2. addictions
3. afflictions
4. the handcuffs that make our will become prisoner of our sins.
- But you can be free through Jesus Christ
You will be free if you meet Jesus, the Son. He will set you free of your past. John 8:36
This process starts when you meet Him.
In Luke 3:37 we read that a sinner women came to the place where Jesus was.
She recognized His authority and that He was the Lord… how do we know it?
She came and bowed before Jesus… Lordship
She cried – repentance
She praised Him – anointed Him with perfume.
- Someone looked at her appearance but He looked at her future. Luke 7:48/50
- God sent Jesus not to condemn the world but to save it. John 3:16
The world is already condemned but you and me can be saved, have our lives and destiny changed.
- Go and leave your life of sins – don’t sin anymore. John 8:11-12
Jesus said:” I am the light of the world – Follow the light and you will not walk on darkness… amen
We are in a process of healing in our lives
Pray: Lord Jesus, I know You are the Light and You can guide through Your ways.
Help me following you… forever. Amen
How does God speak to us?
How does God speak to us?
In the beginning God used to speak to man face to face.
Every day, God came to
They had a good relationship … they were so friends that God gave man permission to name all animals.
After man sinned, man felt rejected by God, Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves from God.
Since then God has talked to man through different ways and he still talks to us today.
To Abraham, He sent angels to talk to him.
God appeared to Isaac and told to him not to go to
Jacob dreamed and saw the Lord. God spoke to him using the dream. And then, in chapter 32 of Genesis, he met an angel…
Joseph had dreams and he also could interpret dreams.
To Moses, He spoke using the bush in fire… Exodus 3: 2-3
To the Pharaoh, God used Moses.
God also used to talk to His people through visions and with his voice: I Samuel 3:1-10.
He used his prophets to speak to his servants, to his kings…
I could stay here for a long time telling you how God speaks to his people…
Let’s read Hebrews 1:1-4
He uses his holy word…the Bible.
Why does God speak to man?
Because He wants us to know His will.
Because He wants that every man becomes free of their sins and become a new person living according to God’s will.
“All scripture is given by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults and for teaching how to live right. “ II Timothy 3:16
The truth brings freedom:
“If you continue to obey my teaching, you are truly my followers. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31-32
How can God speak to us today? How does He reveal His will today?
1 – Through other believers - Some of the disciples were going to Emmaus, after the death of Jesus, but some women came to them and told them that Jesus was alive…Luke 24:22-23
2– Through the Scriptures – Then starting with what Moses and all the prophets had said about Him, Jesus began to explain everything that have been written about Himself in the Scriptures. (Luke 24:23)
3 – Through a burning heart – Listen, they said to each other, it felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us… Luke 24:37.
Sometimes we become confused about God’s will because we listen more to our fears than to God’s words… to our will, desires…
I can assure you that if we are attached to His words, we will never be in troubles… His word will protect us because they are the truth and eternal.
We also have to listen to our prophets today… and balance their words according to God’s words…
But we have to take care… God can use you and me to speak, but He respects the leadership’s principles...
Remember that when Aaron and Miriam talked against Moses they said, “Is Moses the only one the Lord speaks through? Doesn’t he also speak through us?
Miriam got a skin disease and Moses had to pray for her and for Aaron… Their journey was stopped for 7 days… Numbers 12:15
We can’t retain God’s word as Jonah tried to do… we can’t run away from Him…
Don’t be afraid … because the Holy Spirit is praying for us all the time …Romans 8:26-27.
Come close to the Lord … Try your best to know His words and He will always speak to you and through His word in you…
Praise the Lord oh my soul
Praise the Lord oh my soul
Psalm 103 " Praise the Lord, Oh my soul; all my inmost being (all that is in me), praise His holy name",
Our attitude towards the Lord must be of praising and worshipping Him.
Praise the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits – (all the things He has done)
As men (human kind) we have a tendency to forget things and focus only at the moment we are living now.
The Israelites forgot all the miracles God performed in their favour when they were living
What has the Lord done for you and me?
The devil tries to put in your mind thoughts of things like: He didn’t do this or that for you…. See, God doesn’t care about you… that’s why you are suffering at this moment… Your car stopped working; you have lost your job and etc…
But, let’s consider some of the things the Lord has done for you and me…
He’s the one: Who forgives all your sins – that sends you straight to hell… eternal condemnation
And Heals all diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit (grave), the bottom place…? Where were you before coming to Jesus?
And crowns you with love and compassion.
Who satisfies your desires with good things – He’s the father who gives to his child what he/she asks… so that your youth is renewed like eagles.
He’s the fountain of eternal youth ness.
The Lord works righteousness and justice for the oppressed – He’s the one who defends us and makes justice.
He made known his ways to Moses, He doesn’t want us to be lost, without a way, a vision; His vision.
The Lord knows everything about us and He’s always with us…. We cannot forget this, otherwise we will get lost…
We cannot forget what the Lord has done for us daily…
Are you rich? Do you want to be rich?
Start counting the things money can’t buy but you have it…. You are free…
You have the King of kings living in your heart and He will always be there…
When we remember this, we won’t fail … we won’t give our back to the Lord and return to our old style of life…
What’s the Life you have had and want for yourself…?
Read this Psalm and let God speak to you....
God bless you
The Covenant Box
The Covenant Box - The presence of the Lord
God gave Moses an order – to make a box and cover it with pure gold and also put inside it the 2 tablets with his commandments.
Exodus 25:10, 11, 22
There, in the presence of the Covenant box, he would come and talk to Moses and teach him everything He wanted them to follow
The Covenant Box means the presence of God.
This is the place where God comes to talk to you, to talk to you, to heal you and to perform His miracles.
They couldn’t come into His presence by anyway. They should obey some rules. Leviticus 16:2
First: They should bring an offering:
For their sins (Aaron and his family)
For the people.
Second: They should be clean. Have a bath and wear clean clothes.
They couldn’t enter to His presence dirty
What did The Covenant Box mean for
Victory - They won battles with its presence.
The presence of miracles… they crossed the
The Covenant Box was in front of them, carried by the priest and they were following in a distance (1Km far).
When they didn’t have the presence of the Lord everything was wrong, they lost wars, people died. I Samuel 4:2-3
The Covenant Box was taken away and
The Philistines took the Covenant Box to their god’s temple and many problems came to them…
God can’t inhabit a temple not built for Him. You can’t place God at any place you wish. They place prepared to God to live is in your heart
He blesses the place where his presence is…
Obede Edon’s house was blessed and all his family and business… everybody could see...
Every time
We can’t go well without God’s presence
We have to cultivate it in our lives. How can we do it today?
We can have the presence of god with us today.
John 1: 14: The word became human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory that he received as the Father’s only son.
What shall we do then, to have the presence of God in us?
First: Understand that without Jesus you are separated from God.
Romans 3: 23 – Sin separate man form God
Second: Ask Him to clean you... I John 1:9
Confess your sins to be cleaned
Third. Repent and turn away of your sins.
Fourth: Invite him to enter your life: Revelations 3:20
Fifth - If you do it he will come to you Acts 3:19-20
He said he wouldn’t leave us alone. John 14:18
He will guide us. John 14:26
He will keep his promises – John 14:23 - I John 4:15
Be blessed …
In Jesus
I am still not all I should be
I am still not all I should be
I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what was behind and straining. Philippians 3:13
“No… I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing … on… forgetting the past and looking forward…” the same passage in New language testament.
We all make mistake… (James 3:20). But what do we have to do with our mistakes? Keep them? … try to hide them?… kill the person who did them?…
Who is perfect? Nobody…
Paul said that he focusing on forgetting the past, but not only that… he was looking forward.
At that moment he wasn’t the person he should be, but he was looking forward to it…
The devil tries to focus in our past and in our wrong doings.
He wants us to get stuck in our past, full of sins, without motivation, not forgiven, going to hell, without the grace of God.
When we start thinking about our lives, our sins and our condition, we become upset, we want to hide ourselves… like Adam and Eve in the paradise.
That’s exactly the place the devil wants you and me to be… out of the presence of God… hiding from Him, running away of His presence…
Because in the presence of the Lord there is forgiveness, there is grace…
There is love…
In Isaiah 43:25 God says: “I, even, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
By His mercy and grace, God knows you, wants to forgive you and he wants to use you to reach other people…
In the beginning of this chapter we can read God saying: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summed you by name; you are mine. Verse 1
You are not here by chance, God has called you by your name… Do you have any doubt about that?
Maybe he didn’t use your name to not expose you… but you could feel it … you know God was talking to you…
God wants to forgive you… I John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and jus to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
God has good plans for you and me and He expresses it in Jeremiah 29: 11 -
“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
When God said this,
God is telling you that the best days are to come…
How do you know that God still has a plan for you?
Because you are still breathing!!!! There’s hope. You can be changed.
You don’t have expiring dates on you… His plans don’t have expiring dates either.
Even if you have missed His plans for entirely for years, that plan can still swing into operation the moment you turn your life over to Him and fall in line with His will.
What do we have to do, then? Consider our lives… repent ourselves, ask to be forgiven… receive the grace of God … and move on… Don’t beat yourself…
As Paul said, let’s leave our past behind and look forward for what God has for us…
Let’s put our lives under God’s will and submit to ourselves to Him…
He will be always with us and he will use us…
Why don’t we do it now?
Lord God, I know I have lived my life according to my will not yours and this has made me a slave of my sins. It only takes away of your presence and to astray.
I want you to forgive and take my life in your hands…
Help me do your will and fulfill your plans in my life…
Help me to keep on moving for you…
In the name of Jesus, amen
The dreamer's of God's given Dreams
The dreamers of God's given dreams
Everybody has a dream. What’s yours? If you could do or have anything, what would it be?
Why don’t people achieve their dreams? Great things?
They give up… They get off the track … They set or dream too small.
When we get a dream, we have to go for it…
A dream involves costs, risks, perseverance… If id doesn’t have them it’s not a dream, it’s reality…If it is something that you can reach easily, it’s not a dream…
Dreams change you even as they change the world around you.
Joseph had big dreams given by God…God given dreams and that affected not only his life but his family, his nation and even
Your dream may face resistance… After sharing his dreams to his brothers, Joseph faced a very big problem: His brothers wanted to kill him for his dreams. Genesis 37:19-20
Ludmila Ferber has one song that is about people trying to kill your dreams…
Who are you listening to? Maybe your family and friends want to kill your dreams. The closest people are the first ones to resist…
When people don’t have their own dreams are usually the first to criticize who have them.
Joseph had many problems before his dream came true… His family (Genesis 37:19-20), false accusation (Genesis 39:11-20, being forgotten (Genesis 40:23).
But God was always with him. Genesis 39:2, 21-22.
It took 16 years for Joseph’s dream be fulfilled, but he believed and persevered…
Don’t be afraid to dream too big. You don’t want to fail… nobody does…
Safe living leads to regret.
What’s the worst thing that could happen if you pursue your dream and don’t achieve it? You could end up where you are now… And what’s the best thing that could happen? You could find yourself in a new territory, enjoying new blessings, living the life God meant for you to live!
Do you have a dream to have many disciples? This is a dream given by God…
(Matthew 28:19)
Do you want to have success in life? Proverbs 16:2, John 10:10
Don’t allow anybody or any circumstance to kill your dream…
Don’t allow your past to make you give up your dreams because you have been forgotten… Hebrews 8:12, 10:17
How will you overcome all resistance and reach out your dream?
From a mustard seed you have o mustard forest…
With faith in your heart and trusting in your Dream giver.
With a close relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8
Big oaks grow from little acorns - When you discover your God-given dream and commit yourself to it, there’s no telling how far you will go or what kind of impact you will make…
God bless you.
The Wrong Boat
Don’t take the wrong boat
Yesterday; I watched a film that some guys bought a ticket to have a fantastic trip. Their travel agent lied to them and in the beginning everything was very nice… A very good and beautiful ship… good food … but when they realized what kind of trip was that…it was too late … They were in the middle of the sea. No way to leave that boat.
Yesterday, I also had an experience like that … I got the wrong bus home … fortunately, I realized very soon and could get off the bus and take the right one home.
In our lives, we can take the wrong way, wrong bus, train and sometimes we are able to notice we’ve got the wrong one… but sometimes … it’s too late.
Those boys were cheated by their travel agent … He just wanted to sell the tickets, get his money … He didn’t consider his costumer desire… what they would think and feel later and so on.
In real life there are many travel agents telling you something is good, some place is wonderful, not dangerous and when you get there, you have a great disappointment.
In Hebrews 13:14 we read: Here on earth we do not have a city that lasts for ever, but we are looking for the city that we will have in the future.
About spiritual life, many religions are selling tickets to paradise and people are buying them without knowing what is going to happen in the future… or to where they are going.
There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 16:25
Religion is men trying to reach God (This is something good) but not in the right way (This is bad).
There are things to be considered before traveling and while traveling … I want you to be aware about them… I want you to get the right destination…
The right way – Jesus said: I am the way, the truth and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. John 14:6 -
The right ticket. -God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) may not be lost, but have eternal life. John 3:16.
Jesus is the only One who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save people. We must be saved through Him. Acts 4:12
Knowing the way. When I got the wrong bus, I soon realized that I had taken the wrong one because I knew the right way…so we must know about the way we are going to
Psalm 119:105 Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.
Once found, keep on the way - We have to keep being changed by the Lord to do His will. Romans 12:2
Philippians 2:12-13: Keep on working to complete your salvation with fear and trembling, Because God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases Him.
We have to keep going on... we can’t stop. When you plant a seed on the ground you have to continue the work, watering, feeding the plant, cleaning the place and then, after a certain time, you eat the fruit of your work.
Share Fellowship. When we are together, we can help one another to keep on the right way
I John 1:6-7
Hebrews 10:19-25
And what should we do if we have lost the way or if we think that we are not on the right boat / way?
Consider your way – What is the situation now? Where are you? Hidden?
Repent of your sins – Confess that you have sinned. Ask Jesus to forgive you.
Ask Jesus to become your way, to give you salvation
Promise that you are going to follow Him
Give your heart to Him.
Let’s pray.
Dear Jesus
I know you are the only way to God.
I confess that I have walked through wrong ways. I have sinned against you.
I repent now and I ask you to forgive me.
Come and live in my heart.
Teach me to walk in your way.
Send your Holy Spirit to help me to keep going with you.
In your Holy name… Amen
Called to be free
We are called to be free
Freedom – Why did God give it to us?
We were called to be free – We were created at God’s image. Genesis 1:27
God gave freedom to man to eat everything but not the fruit knowledge of good and evil – Gen 2:16
God didn’t create any robot, God is not a robot.
When man sinned he became a slave of sin… John 8:34
Man is totally free to say yes or not to God.
The devil doesn’t treat man like that…
The ones who serve the devil are slaves and have no choice…
Slaves of addictions, money, sex, work and so on.
God didn’t create us to be slaves but to be free.
Free to serve Him.
Read Exodus 3:7
Moses had an Encounter with God and received a word of God: I will be with you.
But if you think your enemy will allow you to go free easily you are wrong.
He will ask you to stay; he will try to put some doubts in your mind.
When Moses and Aaron spoke to the Pharaoh he asked them: Who’s the Lord that I should obey Him and let
He also said to the people: go back to your work…
Don’t give ears to these crazy guys…
I will make your life harder…. Verse 9
And the people decided themselves to make a deal with the Pharaoh (verse 15)
He doesn’t want you to believe in your leaders…. They are too crazy.
He doesn’t want you to believe in your dreams… 17/18
He wants you to be discouraged because then you won’t give ears to God’s words, Exodus 6: 9
But God really wanted to have His people free. Verse 13.
You are free when you receive a word of the Lord.
Isaiah 61: 1 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed to preach good tidings to the poor, He has sent me to the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound”.
Jesus said to those who believed in Him,
“If abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:3132
He wants us free to serve and worship Him…
May your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ – I Thessalonians 5:23.
We can be free of:
Our sins: Romans 6:23
Demoniac Bondages – Acts 10:38
Ruin – Psalm 107:20
Affliction – Isaiah 63:9
How can you really be free?
- Desire: Matthew 11:28-30
- Identity the causes: give the names - Psalms 139:2
- Repentance and confession: Luke 13:3
- Faith – It’s impossible to please God without faith Hebrews 11:6
- Take hold of the truth – John 8: 36
- Pray and fast 17:21
The way to Success
The way to Success -
In Romans 8:37 is written that “we’re more than winners in Jesus Christ” and this is true, isn’t? So why do we keep failing and living like a loser?
· Nothing can separate us from God’s love – Romans 8:35
Our confidence must be in God – Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.
· We have to be confident in Jesus, not in ourselves
He said: Without Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5)
If we fail on the way to success, God will correct our path: Romans 8:28
If your trials are long and you feel weak do like David – I Sam 30:6
· Be rooted to the Lord – “Let your roots grow down into Him and draw out the nourishment from Him. See that you go on growing in the Lord...” Colossians 2:7
Ephesians 6:13
· Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed John 14:27 – Don’t lose your peace in the storm.
Jesus is in the boat with you and He will take you safely to other side (Mark 4:35) …Let’s go to the other side
· Keep running …don’t stop I Corinthians 9:24-28
· The victory is Jesus in your life.
… Christ in You, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
Spend time in His presence, be sensitive to His Spirit
· He will be you until the end.
“I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you – Genesis 28:15
Fear not … I am your shield Gen 15:1
The secret: JOSHUA 1:6-8
Satan is the father of lies, he will try to steal your blessing but you will trust in the truth, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD
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