Mensagem ao fraco

Mensagem ao fraco

A fé de uma criança

A fé de uma criança

The conflict

If there is no conflict, it is not a sacrifice. Conflict is what shows the weight of what God is asking us to place on the Altar. The devil becomes desperate when he sees what the Holy Spirit will realize in life of an obedient person that sacrifices.

Imagine what must have gone through Abraham’s head, during the three day walk in the desert, hearing the innocence in his son’s voice ask: …Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? Genesis 22.7

I believe that Satan used this moment to speak strong in Abraham’s mind, telling him that what God wanted him to do was madness and his loss would be irreparable, because no one else had this kind of testimony for doing something like this in the past. This was unheard of.

As a father, his senses screamed telling him not to sacrifice what he spent a lifetime waiting for, the guarantee of having descendants.

His conflict was great, but Abraham did not listen to the voices of doubt, fear and emotions. He answered, with the coldness of an obedient servant, without complaining or questioning his Lord:

My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering… Genesis 22.8

And obeyed.

This reminds me of Jesus, whose conflict was so great that His sweat became like drops of blood as the time approached for the greatest and most painful of all sacrifices in human history. Still, He reacted by focusing on the will of His Father and not His: …if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours. Luke 22.42

The question is: Is your sacrifice filled with inner conflict? When you look at what God asked you for, do you feel the pain of loss? Or are you going to the Altar as if you were going to a party? If so, this is still not your perfect sacrifice.

Think about this

Nine in one

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5.22-24

The first three fruits of the Spirit have the essence of God, which are:

1 – Love, represented by God the Father.

2 – Joy, represented by Jesus the Son.

3 – Peace, representing the Holy Spirit.

These three fruits are received automatically when the Holy Spirit is outpoured upon our lives. It is the immediate Mark or Seal of God upon those who believe in Him.

The Lord Jesus said we would be known by the love that is in us and we would have happiness, joy. He also said: My peace I give you. John 14.27

However, the other six – since six is ​​the number of man –, are understood to be linked to the temperament of man. It is also understood that they are at our disposal, but, we must cultivate them with patience. Sacrifice, true sacrifice. They require a great effort to be achieved.

4 – Longsuffering, is patiently enduring, knowing how to wait the necessary time for the realization of your faith and the faith of others as well.

And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Matthew 5.41

5 – Kindness, thinks with purity, this person’s presence creates a light and healthy environment, his countenance is happy.

Depart from evil and do good; and dwell forevermore. Psalm 37.27

6 – Goodness, takes pleasure in giving of himself to others, spares no effort. He shares everything he has, and is able to take from himself and give to others, which is a characteristic of the Trinity.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. Proverbs 31.26

7– Faithfulness, a person that keeps their word and is respectful, defined. When someone commits a mistake against him, he still remains unconditionally loyal.

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Luke 16.10

8 – Gentleness, a passive person, is not aggravated or intolerant and nervous. Comprehensive and knows how to put himself in the shoes of the person that’s experiencing problems. Can be a leader because of his humbleness.

If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Galatians 6.1

9 – Self-Control, has the ability to resist the desires of his flesh. He dominates his eyes, ears, hands, feet and mouth and does not opt to do evil. Thinks and chooses what’s best for himself and those who are experiencing problems, always using his intelligent faith.

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Proverbs 16.32

We count Nine, but they become One fruit. Just as the Trinity is One.

Even the mysteries of our Lord are beautiful and wonderful.

The fruit is given so that we can be more similar to our Heavenly Father.

He is perfect and wants us to be like Him.

And for this to happen, we just have to believe.

Thick skinned + flint face

Thick skinned + flint face
Young William Wilberforce became a member of Parliament and enjoyed the wining and dining life of a politician in the 1880’s. But in 1886, he had a profound encounter with God and wanted more than anything to please and serve Him in his position in government. His conversion and goal to abolish slavery in Britain made him the butt of jokes and angered many of his fellow parliamentarians. The opposition ganged up on him and found ways to block all twelve of his resolutions and rejected another eight bills as well.

He was a laughingstock and was forced to confront enemies on all sides. But his faith pushed him to do what was right before God above his own reputation. It was a battle of fourteen years before he saw any victory, but that victory changed history and triggered the eventual collapse of the slave trade in France, the US, and many countries, all because of his stubborn faith.

Following God means having a thick skin, a stubborn will, and a humble heart to just obey in the middle of ridicule and attack. When we're fighting for an answered prayer or a specific cause, we have no idea that the process of our daily fight may be undermining huge demonic principalities that impact much more than our individual lives. Our fight could affect the blessings and freedom of many others.

Most of the time what blocks us from asserting our faith or taking a stand, is our fear of humiliation and failure. We don't want to even try if we don't have a guarantee that we'll come out unscathed. Well, God never promises smooth sailing when it comes to receiving answered prayer—answers that He wants to give us! He wants us to go through the barrage of attacks and learn that though the intention of the devil is to humiliate us and intimidate us, we will not be humiliated and we will overcome as long as we stand fast in faith. Wilberforce is one of the only names remembered from that period of the English Parliament. He is still being honored today, and is now in heaven reaping the rewards of his faith.

Jesus is our greatest example of unjust attack and humiliation at the hands of the devil through the Roman soldiers and the Jewish religious court of that time. Just the fact that God the Son had to diminish Himself to be born as a human on this earth was humiliation enough, but He willingly took on the cross because He loved us so much. To all eyes witnessing those horrible last hours of His life, it looked as if He was going through the worst humiliation. But through that searing pain and profound loneliness of being abandoned by His Father, Jesus stubbornly held on to what He knew was the truth. During those hours He showed us who we are to be for Him at all times. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would “set His face like flint,”  He was unshakeable. What He did impacted more than a few countries, it changed all the world, past present and future, and still impacts us today.

The Lord God will help Me; therefore I have not been humiliated; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.  (Isaiah 50:7 HCSB)

Side note: Watch the movie, “Amazing Grace,” all about William Wilberforce’s fight and faith for more insp

No one returns from the altar disappointed - Day 22

O que Abraao mais queria

É bem provável que a resposta tenha vindo automática à sua mente: ”Um filho, é claro!”. Mas, na verdade, o querer de Abraão ia muito além disso, conforme suas atitudes podem comprovar. O desejo que ardia dentro do seu peito não era simplesmente o de receber – a bênção, o filho –, mas era o de dar, ser a própria bênção, gerar uma nação para a glória de Deus.

O que Abraão mais queria não era um filho. Se tudo o que ele quisesse fosse um filho, não o sacrificaria no Altar – afinal, ele já o tinha! Mas o que Abraão mais queria era agradar a Deus.

Realmente, houve certo momento em que tudo o que ele queria era um filho. A visão de Abraão estava focada nisso. Senhor Deus, que me haverás de dar, se continuo sem filhos? Gênesis 15.2. Imediatamente, Deus o levou para fora e lhe mostrou as estrelas do céu. Então, a visão de Abraão se abriu.

A partir daquele momento, ele compreendeu que o que estava em questão não eram seus próprios planos, mas os Planos de Deus. De repente, seu pedido que, até então, parecia tão grande, tornou-se insignificante diante do que Deus queria – afinal, o que é um filho comparado a uma nação? O herói da fé percebeu que um filho poderia atender à sua necessidade, mas não era suficiente para atender à necessidade do Plano de Deus. Logo, tudo o que ele passou a desejar mais foi agradar a Deus, atendendo às necessidades do Seu projeto por meio da nação que nasceria dele.

Quando percebemos que o que temos e queremos é pouco em relação ao que Deus tem e quer, não temos medo de sacrificar, de dar o que quer que seja. Mesmo sentindo a dor latejando em seu peito, Abraão entregou o filho no Altar, porque sua visão não estava mais em Isaque, mas nas estrelas do céu e na areia do mar. Seu sonho era o sonho de Deus, e Abraão sabia que Deus jamais o pediria para fazer algo que atrapalhasse Seu próprio sonho.

Quem sabe você esteja focado apenas em um filho – a solução de um problema, quer seja familiar, sentimental, financeiro ou na saúde – e não tem enxergado a grandeza daquilo que Deus planeja fazer através da sua vida. Talvez esse filho seja suficiente para você, mas não é para Deus. E o que você mais quer? Agradar a si mesmo ou a Deus? Agarrar-se àquilo que você já tem e deseja ou agarrar-se àquilo que Deus tem e deseja para você e para a humanidade?

Abraão não foi egoísta. Muito pelo contrário: não teve medo de abrir mão do seu sonho pelo sonho de Deus. E, no final das contas, sabe o que ele percebeu? Que ele não precisaria ficar sem o seu filho, ele só precisava não ter o seu coração nele. E, porque o coração de Abraão não estava em seu filho – mas em Deus –, o Altíssimo pôde conceder o seu desejo, e acrescentar realizações ainda maiores em sua vida.
Bispo Macedo