Climb Up on the Rock - What to do when you feel moody or depressed

Words from Jesus
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“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”1

If you feel overwhelmed, climb up on the Rock. You have Me, the Rock, and you can rest in My ability to keep you through anything that threatens to overwhelm you. When you feel the weakness of your cares and burdens, when you feel depression threaten to blacken your thoughts and hang a feeling of despair over you, you can climb up on the Rock and rest in My grace.

I am the answer to these sad moods and depression. Look to Me and ask Me to take these feelings away. Please don’t attempt to just live with the feelings, or to make decisions on the basis of these negative emotions. When the Enemy threatens to come in like a flood, raise a standard against him and fight against him.

Do whatever it takes to win the battle, whether it takes desperate prayer, more time in My Word, more rest, or asking for prayer from a friend or spouse. Seek Me and ask what you should do. But remember that these feelings can rob you of your victory and drive a wedge between you and My promises that will sustain you. Be encouraged that I will never allow you to be tempted with more than you can bear.

These times in your life may be confusing. There may be times when you are tossed to and fro and you feel uncertain, not knowing what the future holds and not knowing which way to go. It is only natural to feel fear in these moments.

You are like My disciples in the boat when the waves roared and the storm raged, and they cried out, “Master! Help us! We will perish!” They thought they would die because the storm was so great. You may feel that the turbulence of your emotions and the turbulence of your life are too much. But remember that I am the Lord of your vessel. I can calm the seas. I can keep you through any storm, no matter how long it lasts. Wait on Me. I will never leave you nor forsake you; I will be the help and the strength that you need in the midst of this turbulence.

Hold on to My Word, believe Me through the storm, know that I have never forsaken you and will never forsake you and I can cause all things to work together for good.

Look for the light at the end of the tunnel. Rest in Me and you will find the strength that you know not of.

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But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.—Psalm 94:222

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Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.—Psalm 91:1–43

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Don’t look at the waves. Walk out on the water. Peter looked into My eyes, and he had the faith to step out on the water. I put steps underneath his feet. As long as his eyes were on Me, he walked on the water.

I am able to do this with you. I can quell your emotions. I can stabilize your spirit. Reach out to Me. Let Me be your foundation. Trust in Me. Look to Me and stay calm and realize that I am the Prince of Peace. Remember that great peace have they which love Me. To claim your peace, keep your eyes on Me.

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:6–74

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Many are worried about the future these days—and it’s no wonder. The way things are going, many have reason to fear what will happen to them, their family, their city, their country, their world. Sometimes you might wish you could find a hideaway, nail the windows and doors closed, and keep the world out.

It doesn’t do any good to pretend the problems aren’t there, but you don’t have to be afraid, because I’m looking out for you. When fears overwhelm you, hide away in Me. When you find yourself in a dangerous situation, call on Me for help and then rest assured that I will be there to protect you. When you can’t watch over your loved ones, commit them to My care. When a national or international crisis erupts, I will provide a safe haven in My peace for you and yours.

And after this life, a better life awaits on the other side. Heaven is where all is made right.

So you see, although there’s plenty you could worry about, you don’t have to worry about a thing. I’m taking care of you!

Originally published in 1996 and 2003. Adapted and republished February 2014.
Read by Simon Peterson. Music by Daniel Sozzi.


1 Psalm 61:2 KJV.

2 NIV.

3 NIV.

4 NLT.

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Get smarter and happier

By Eric Barker, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, Feb. 24, 2014

What’s a scientifically validated way to get smarter, happier, healthier, and calmer? Stop reading this right now and go for a walk. It’s that simple. Here’s why.

1. Exercise powers the body—and the mind. They used to say you don’t grow new brain cells. They were wrong.

As an illustration of just how new this territory is, I’ll go back to the story of neurogenesis, the once-heretical theory that the brain grows new nerve cells throughout life. “Ten years ago people weren’t even convinced that it happened,” says neurologist Scott Small. It was at his Columbia University lab, in 2007, where they witnessed telltale signs of neurogenesis for the first time in live humans. “Five years ago people said, OK, it might happen, but is it really meaningful? Now there isn’t a week that goes by where there’s not another study that shows neurogenesis has some kind of effect on the brain.”

What really feeds those baby brain cells? Hitting the gym. A three-month exercise regimen increased bloodflow to the part of your brain focused on memory and learning by 30 percent.

In his study, Small put a group of volunteers on a three-month exercise regimen and then took pictures of their brains. By manipulating a standard MRI machine’s processing—essentially zooming in and cocking the shutter open—he captured images of the newly formed capillaries required for nascent neurons to survive. What he saw was that the capillary volume in the memory area of the hippocampus increased by 30 percent, a truly remarkable change.

2. The dumb jock is a myth. Being in good shape increases your ability to learn. After exercise people pick up new vocabulary words 20 percent faster.

“One of the prominent features of exercise, which is sometimes not appreciated in studies, is an improvement in the rate of learning, and I think that’s a really cool take-home message,” Cotman says. “Because it suggests that if you’re in good shape, you may be able to learn and function more efficiently.”

Indeed, in a 2007 study of humans, German researchers found that people learn vocabulary words 20 percent faster following exercise than they did before exercise, and that the rate of learning correlated directly with levels of BDNF.

Want to be more creative? Sweating for about a half hour on the treadmill notably increases cognitive flexibility.

A notable experiment in 2007 showed that cognitive flexibility improves after just one thirty-five-minute treadmill session at either 60 percent or 70 percent of maximum heart rate… Cognitive flexibility is an important executive function that reflects our ability to shift thinking and to produce a steady flow of creative thoughts and answers as opposed to a regurgitation of the usual responses.

Fine, you can see differences on an MRI and with nerdy tests. Does it make a difference in the real world? Yes.

3. Office workers who exercised at lunch were more productive, less stressed, and had more energy.

In 2004 researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University in England found that workers who used their company’s gym were more productive and felt better able to handle their workloads. Most of the 210 participants in the study took an aerobics class at lunchtime, for 45 minutes to an hour, but others lifted weights or practiced yoga for 30 minutes to an hour. They filled out questionnaires at the end of every workday about how well they interacted with colleagues, managed their time, and met deadlines. Some 65 percent fared better in all three categories on days they exercised. Overall, they felt better about their work and less stressed when they exercised. And they felt less fatigued in the afternoon, despite expending energy at lunchtime.

That super-productive co-worker who runs every day might not exercise because they have energy—they might have energy because they exercise. While it might not make you the smartest person in the world, among the many ways to increase intelligence, exercise stands out.

4. Sweating increases smiling. Can’t make it simpler than this: Research from Duke University shows exercise is as effective as antidepressants in treating depression.

In a landmark study affectionately called SMILE (Standard Medical Intervention and Long-term Exercise), James Blumenthal and his colleagues pitted exercise against the SSRI sertraline (Zoloft) in a sixteen-week trial… Blumenthal concluded that exercise was as effective as medication.

It also reduces anxiety.

One interesting study in 2005 measured the physical and mental effects of exercise in a group of Chilean high school students for nine months… The experimental group’s anxiety scores dropped 14 percent versus a statistically insignificant 3 percent for the control group (an improvement that could be explained by the placebo effect).

5. What if you’re not depressed or anxious? Stay sedentary and you’re 1.5x more likely to eventually become depressed.

Researchers tracked 8,023 people for twenty-six years, surveying them about a number of factors related to lifestyle habits and healthiness starting in 1965. They checked back in with the participants in 1974 and in 1983. Of all the people with no signs of depression at the beginning, those who became inactive over the next nine years were 1.5 times more likely to have depression by 1983 than their active counterparts.

Still not convinced? People who exercise are, across the board, mentally healthier: less depression, anger, stress, and distrust.

A massive Dutch study of 19,288 twins and their families published in 2006 showed that exercisers are less anxious, less depressed, less neurotic, and also more socially outgoing. A Finnish study of 3,403 people in 1999 showed that those who exercise at least two to three times a week experience significantly less depression, anger, stress, and “cynical distrust” than those who exercise less or not at all.

6. Okay, okay—How much do I need to do?

What’s optimal? Exercise six days a week, 45 minutes to an hour per day.

The best, however, based on everything I’ve read and seen, would be to do some form of aerobic activity six days a week, for forty-five minutes to an hour… In total, I’m talking about committing six hours a week to your brain. That works out to 5 percent of your waking hours.

What could be a better investment of your time? You might ask: If it’s obviously so great, why don’t we all do it? Because habits and social influences are much more powerful than we think. And, in general, we don’t do what makes us happy—we do what’s easy.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

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No easy bailout plan for struggling Ukraine

By David Mchugh and Juergen Baetz, AP, Feb 25, 2014 KIEV, Ukraine (AP)—Ukraine needs money, and fast—in weeks, not months. But bailing out the country of 46 million people will not be a matter of simply writing a big check. For one, Ukraine has already burned the main international financial rescuer, the International Monetary Fund, by failing to keep to the terms of earlier bailouts from 2008 and 2010. Now it needs help again, and its economic and financial problems are worse than before. The currency is sliding, raising concerns that companies that owe money in foreign currency could go bust. Banks are fragile. A rescue with outside lenders can’t be agreed until there’s a government. And Russia could make things worse by demanding on-time payment for natural gas supplies or withdrawing a recently granted break on the price. HOW MUCH? Analysts estimate the country will need between $20 billion and $25 billion for 2014 and 2015, perhaps $15 billion this year and $10 billion the next. The money would help the government pay salaries and pensions and maturing bonds. Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov says the treasury account used to pay bills is almost empty. The Institute of International Finance, a Washington-based association of banks and financial companies, warned that Ukraine’s finances “are on the verge of collapse.” “It’s crunch time for the economy,” said Lilit Gevorgyan, an analyst with IHS Global Insight in London. “All those issues they have swept under the rug are re-emerging.” EXISTING PROBLEMS. Ukraine is battling to keep its currency, the hryvnia, from collapsing, which would bring down banks and companies that owe money in foreign currencies. But the central bank is running out of money to do so. It spent some $2.8 billion of its reserves since the start of the start of the year and has about $16 billion left. Still the hryvnia has fallen a sharp 12 percent during that period. The government also spends way more than it takes in, largely because the state owned gas company Naftogaz charges customers as little as one-fifth the cost of gas imported from Russia. The IMF halted payouts under earlier bailouts because the government refused to halt that practice. The economy is estimated to be in a deepening recession, with industrial production, consumer spending and exports all dropping. BAILOUT CONDITIONS. Yet a bailout involving the IMF would involve painful cutbacks and reforms that could quickly douse any euphoria over the country’s political changes. To begin with, the IMF would probably insist on letting the currency fall steadily, by as much as 30 percent, according to the IIF. That would be painful upfront—some banks may need bailouts as their foreign debts balloon. And standards of living would suffer as imports soar in price. Eventually the currency drop would help exports and make Ukraine a cheaper place for foreigners to invest, particularly if they see that the government is committed to reforming the economy by cutting bureaucracy and fighting corruption. The government would also have to sharply raise the price of natural gas, which it is subsidizing heavily. The IIF estimates natural gas prices may have to be doubled, which would be a heavy blow to consumers and businesses at a time of hardship. CAVEATS. There remain several stumbling blocks. The IMF, for one, might be reluctant to sign on for a large loan, given Ukraine’s track record of not holding to agreements. Instead, it might prefer to give smaller loans of $3 billion to $5 billion at intervals, according IHS analyst Gevorgyan. One now, one after the presidential election, and so on, “to make sure they remain on the path of reform.” Also, Russia, Ukraine’s larger neighbor could intensify the country’s troubles by getting tough on its supplies of natural gas. Russia almost halved the price of its gas supplies to Ukraine in December as it sought to woo the country away from closer ties with the EU. That price cut is up for review every three months. Russia could also stop letting Ukraine delay monthly payments that are as large as $1.8 billion.

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New reality in Vatican: Surprise, it’s the pope!

By John L. Allen Jr., Boston Globe, February 24, 2014

ROME—Cardinals are traditionally called “princes of the church,” but Pope Francis insisted on Sunday they’re not part of a “royal court.” Interviews with several cardinals this week suggest the pope backs up those words with his personal example.

As he approaches the one-year anniversary of his election, it’s becoming steadily clearer that Francis is the most laid-back pontiff in recent memory, and perhaps of all time.

Examples abound.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York is a member of a Vatican council that oversees the Synod of Bishops, a summit of Catholic prelates from around the world. The council meets every so often in a building a few blocks from St. Peter’s Basilica, and the practice has been that it passes conclusions to a papal aide without getting face time with the boss.

In October, however, Francis decided to walk down the Via della Conciliazione, the broad Roman street leading away from the basilica, to join one of their meetings. It was an act akin to the President of the United States heading over to Congress to sit in on a meeting of a House committee—i.e., something almost inconceivable to anyone accustomed to the usual protocol.

Francis spent six hours over two days with the council. Aside from his presence, what struck members was the informality of his approach.

“He came over like it was just another day at the office, with his lunch box,” Dolan said. “We couldn’t believe it.”

Dolan said members of the council had been briefed that the pope was coming, but were told that he didn’t want anyone downstairs making a production out of his arrival. He came up by himself, with no aides or security personnel, carrying a briefcase.

“This is a man for whom warmth and informality is very natural,” Dolan said.

That lack of pretense was on display again this past week, when all the cardinals of the world took part in two days of meetings with Francis. In the past the pope arrived for such sessions only after all the cardinals were in place, who would snap to attention when the pope entered the room.

This time, however, Francis showed up early and chatted with cardinals as they arrived, so nobody stood up to greet his entrance.

That wasn’t the only innovation. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Houston, Texas, described a surprising run-in.

“We went down for the coffee break in the morning, and I’m in the crowd at the bar,” DiNardo told the Globe. “I turn around, and it’s the pope! He’s in line to get coffee himself, no flunkies surrounding him.”

“You’re both shocked and embarrassed, but this is how he wants things,” DiNardo said. “He’s told people this is what he wants.”

Dolan had a similar encounter the morning the meetings started.

“I turned around when I was checking my coat in, and there was the pope standing in line behind me to check his coat in,” he said. “I have to say, it was kind of stunning.”

Cardinal Gerald Lacroix of Quebec, Canada, said Francis flashes the same informal style at the Domus Santa Marta, the modest bed and breakfast on Vatican grounds where the pontiff has chosen to live.

“I’m staying at the Santa Marta with my parents this week, and one morning at breakfast the pope came in, waved at everybody in the dining room and then went to his table,” the 56-year-old Lacroix said, adding that his parents were thrilled just to be in the same room.

“Then Francis gets up and comes to greet them, at our table,” he said. “He was so relaxed it was unbelievable. Afterwards I almost couldn’t find my mom, because she was floating up on the ceiling!”

Lacroix, who’s never worked in the Vatican, said some members of the old guard must be dumbfounded.

“I’m sure it’s very scary for the people around here,” he said. “They must be saying, what in the world is going on?”

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Hiding Place - Steven Curtis Chapman

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Hiding Place

By Steve Hearts

In the tempestuous, stormy moments of our lives, we often focus so intently on finding a way of escape or rescue that we altogether forget about the most reliable and true source of shelter and refuge.

Last night sleep seemed to totally elude me. I had been facing a low moment of discouragement, doubt, and frustration. I was restless in both mind and body. It was all I could do to prevent my thoughts from going places they ought not to go.

It was raining fairly hard outside. Although in the physical, I was sheltered, warm, and dry inside the house, my spirit felt the exact opposite. The rain outside seemed to pour in unison with the ongoing trials and difficulties I’ve been facing for a while now. Inside, I felt exposed and unprotected from the cold winds, soaked to the bone and drenched by the rain that, it seemed, would never stop.

I was quickly losing my grip on hope and my faith was flickering low. I honestly told the Lord that I wanted with all my heart to hang on and be faithful to the end but that this would only be possible with His help. I asked Him to point out any important truth to which I may be currently blinded. Then I lay in silence for a moment.

The answer I received was rather unexpected. I was clearly told to listen to the song “Hiding Place ” by Steven Curtis Chapman.

I put on the song, not expecting much. After all, I knew it like the back of my hand. Yet, each word seemed to hit the spot like a cup of hot coffee on a cold, rainy day, or like the sensation one feels when coming in from the cold of winter to a warm place.

I’m not asking You to take away my troubles, Lord.
‘Cause it’s through the stormy weather I learn to trust You more.
But I thank You for the promise that I have come to know.
Your unfailing love surrounds me when I need it most.

You’re my hiding place,
Safe in Your embrace,
I’m protected from the storm that rages.
When the waters rise,
And we run to hide,
Lord, in You we find our hiding place.

As the song continued to play, the Lord spoke to me. “Are you taking shelter in My promises and My love for you? Or are you too busy looking and hoping for a way of escape from all this?”

I had clearly been doing the latter. I had been hoping and praying to be rescued from this situation, instead of using God’s Word and love for me as the shelter it was meant to be. No wonder I felt so exposed and vulnerable.

“It’s not that I can’t or won’t bring you out of this situation somehow,” He continued. “But meanwhile, let Me be the refuge and shelter I promised to be for you until the storm runs its course.”

With these words came flooding back a series of promises I had known for as long as I could remember:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.”1

“Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”2

“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”3

None of these promises speak of “rescue” from trouble, although God can and does rescue us according to His will. More important, He is our “refuge” as we go through trials and difficulties. Just as running into a building during a storm does not cause the storm to cease; rather, it provides shelter until the storm runs its course.

With this renewed perspective on storms, I can now fully trust and rest in Jesus to be my refuge and shelter for as long as the storm lasts, while the final outcome rests in His hands. Meanwhile, my hands will be lifted up to Him in praise because He is my hiding place.


1 Psalm 46:1–3.

2 Psalm 57:1.

3 Deuteronomy 33:27.

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Islam Muslims converting to Christianity, Nabeel's testmony

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Encontrando a Força de Deus no Seu Amor

Palavras de Jesus
De eternidade a eternidade

Pois o Senhor é bom e o seu amor leal é eterno; a sua fidelidade permanece por todas as gerações.—Salmo 100:5 NVI

Lembro-me de quando o formei, antes da fundação do mundo. Com grande desvelo e atenção especial ministrei a você. Escolhi a dedo cada talento, cada dom, cada característica, cada fibra do seu ser, até a combinação ficar exatamente certa - cada especificação perfeitamente sincronizada para realizar a Minha vontade e o Meu propósito em sua vida e na de todas as pessoas com as quais teria contato na grande jornada da sua vida.

Lembro-me do momento quando soprei em você o fôlego da vida! Estava ciente das alegrias que você traria, não só para Mim, mas para aqueles que cruzariam o seu caminho na estrada da vida.

Lembro-me da alegria que senti na primeira vez que o vi! Tanta, tanta alegria que contei cada fio de cabelo e marquei você para Mim. Desde o princípio Eu o escolhi, o santifiquei na verdade e derramei sobre a sua cabeça a Minha santa unção. Você estava destinado desde o princípio dos tempos, ordenado pelo grande "Eu sou" para desempenhar o papel e cumprir o propósito que era unicamente para você. Eu o tenho usado e abençoado, e ainda o usarei de forma grandiosa, se permanecer perto de Mim, seguindo-Me a cada passo.

Eu sabia que levaria tempo, até mesmo anos, para atingir as metas estabelecidas para você. Mas isso também tem sido parte do Meu plano infinito para moldá-lo, formá-lo, criá-lo e transformar o seu coração em ouro puro.

Foi com grande amor e ternura que cuidei, reguei e encaminhei você todos estes anos. Até mesmo as provações, as purificações e ocasiões em que a sua fé foi posta à prova fizeram parte do Meu propósito para purificá-lo. Porque Eu o amo de eternidade a eternidade, e muito Me agrado de você. Você ficou firme nas dificuldades, nas provações, batalhas e purificações! Aguentou cada prova e continuou Me amando e amando a Minha Palavra. Isso muito Me agrada.


Aguente Firme

Não desista! Fique firme! Segure-se em Mim. Eu te amo tanto! Segure-se em Mim e nas Minhas Palavras que dão coragem, força, fé, esperança, vida e poder quando não há nada disso. Eu tenho muito mais ainda para lhe dar, revelar e diferentes maneiras de agir na sua vida. Existe muita para você mais adiante! Não abra mão de tudo o que lhe tenho reservado só porque ainda não consegue ver. Tem mais. Isso não é o fim; é apenas uma curva na estrada. Sei que o caminho parece escuro, frio e sombrio, mas ao virar a esquina se deparará com a maravilhosa luz do sol e muita felicidade e realização.

Coloque a sua mão na Minha, como uma criancinha que confia totalmente no seu pai amoroso, portanto está disposta a enfrentar a feroz tormenta, agarrando-se desesperadamente à mão do pai, mesmo que para ela a situação seja avassaladora e amedrontante. Embora ela tenha medo, sua confiança no pai é maior do que o seu medo. Segurando sua mão ela consegue enfrentar a noite escura e tempestuosa, e passo a passo, o medo é substituído pela fé, pois ela vê o pai a guiando em segurança, e ela sai ilesa da tempestade.

Estenda a mão, segure a Minha mão. Eu não a deixarei. Não só estenda a mão e segure a Minha, mas jogue os seus braços e Me aperte, agarre-se a Mim de todo o coração. Eu colocarei os Meus braços à sua volta e você passará pela tempestade juntinho do Meu seio. Nada de modo algum lhe fará mal.[1]

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Como são gloriosas as coroas dos que passam por grandes dificuldades, enfrentando desespero, desalento e medo, e ainda assim seguem em frente. São como a viúva que deu a sua última moeda, e acham que não têm mais. [2] Mas não imaginam a grande e maravilhosa honra que vou lhes conceder por seu sacrifício, por estarem dispostos a ficar firmes e a confiar em Mim apesar das dificuldades.

E embora achem que Eu lhes falhei, ainda assim confiam em Mim. Que honra lhes concederei, pois grande é a sua fé! Eu conheço e sei da dor que essas viúvas sentem. Mas Eu lhes digo, grande é a sua recompensa no Céu! Grande é a honra que lhes concedo por seu amor por Mim, e grande é o Meu amor por elas.


Por que as Batalhas?

Essas provações são para mostrar que a fé que vocês têm é verdadeira. Pois até o ouro, que pode ser destruído, é provado pelo fogo. Da mesma maneira, a fé que vocês têm, que vale muito mais do que o ouro, precisa ser provada para que continue firme. E assim vocês receberão aprovação, glória e honra, no dia em que Jesus Cristo for revelado.—1 Pedro 1:7 NTLH

Você se pergunta qual a razão das batalhas e das provações? Fazer de você uma nova pessoa. Muitas coisas velhas já passaram e muitas se fizeram novas, porque você batalhou. Você batalhou pela vitória e agora está ficando mais forte. Batalhou e agora entende. Você chorou, e agora entende o que é chorar, sofrer, e sentir-se magoado.

Tenha fé no Meu amor. Tenha fé que essas provações serão para o seu bem.[3] Pois depois que tiverem cumprido o seu propósito você será como ouro fino, ouro puro. [4]Esteja agradecido por todas essas provas e tempos difíceis, porque o ajudam a dar valor à alegria e à beleza da salvação que Eu ofereço, à alegria e beleza do Meu Espírito. Agora você consegue dar valor e entender o que é ser feliz, o contraste entre tristeza e alegria, entre ódio e amor. Elas o ajudam a consolar outros com o consolo que encontrou em Mim.


Um refúgio

O nome do Senhor é uma torre forte; o justo corre para ela e está seguro.—Provérbios 18:10 RC

No temor do Senhor há firme confiança, e ele será um refúgio seguro para os Seus filhos. [5] Esse refúgio seguro é uma promessa para todos os Meus filhos, porém poucos se aventuram. Venha abrigar-se sob as Minhas asas, no lugar de refúgio junto a Mim, para que possa sentir o Meu amor, e a paz que excede todo o seu entendimento. [6]

Quando as tempestades caem ao seu redor e você é lançado, açoitado e carregado de uma para outra parte pelos ventos da tribulação, da adversidade e da dificuldade, Eu lhe digo que venha para o Meu refúgio até que passem essas calamidades. Descanse a cabeça no Meu ombro e veja que cuidarei de você.

Este é o refúgio que lhe prometi: consolo no Meu amor, paz que passa do Meu coração para o seu, que o preenche, envolve e transporta o seu espírito para o plano celestial onde você vê tudo com novos olhos. Você tem novos pensamentos e novos sentimentos que desconhecia.

Nesses momentos sossegados de comunhão Comigo, Eu posso mudar a sua perspectiva. Posso lhe dar novas ideias e novos pensamentos. Posso colocar pequenas sementes no seu coração e mente, os quais com o tempo e sendo bem regados com a Minha Palavra se tornarão árvores fortes que darão bastante fruto para ajudar a muitos, que serão uma fonte de consolo, de encorajamento e de restauração.

O pastor tem que primeiro se fortalecer para poder fortalecer o rebanho. Portanto, no seu tempo de comunhão Comigo, Eu o restaurarei. E quando voltar para a batalha verá que Eu agi e preparei o caminho para você, para você poder continuar trilhando esse caminho com consolo e paz de espírito, com a fé renovada.


À sombra das Suas asas

Como é precioso o teu amor, ó Deus! Os homens encontram refúgio à sombra das tuas asas. -- Salmo 36:7 NVI

Eu amo você do fundo do coração. E embora Eu saiba que enfrenta dor e sofrimento, dificuldades e angústia, pode encarar estas coisas com grande fé, confiando em Mim, na Minha Palavra e em tudo o que Eu permiti, pois não lhe falharei.

Confie em Mim para o futuro, ainda que tenha que passar pela angústia, dor, perda, mágoa e renúncia que todos enfrentam. Mas saiba que nunca o deixarei nem o desampararei. [7] Clame a Mim, busque a Mim e à Minha Palavra, e Me achará se Me buscar de todo o seu coração. [8] Se guardar o que tem, a coroa que coloquei sobre a sua cabeça, se suportar o seu peso, mesmo passando pelo Jordão, Eu o recompensarei com grande paz, grande amor, e grande compreensão. E lhe direi: "Bem está, servo bom e fiel. Entre no Meu gozo".[9]



Então quem pode nos separar do amor de Cristo? Serão os sofrimentos, as dificuldades, a perseguição, a fome, a pobreza, o perigo ou a morte? Como dizem as Escrituras Sagradas: “Por causa de ti estamos em perigo de morte o dia inteiro; somos tratados como ovelhas que vão para o matadouro.” Em todas essas situações temos a vitória completa por meio daquele que nos amou.

Pois eu tenho a certeza de que nada pode nos separar do amor de Deus: nem a morte, nem a vida; nem os anjos, nem outras autoridades ou poderes celestiais; nem o presente, nem o futuro; nem o mundo lá de cima, nem o mundo lá de baixo. Em todo o Universo não há nada que possa nos separar do amor de Deus, que é nosso por meio de Cristo Jesus, o nosso Senhor.—Romanos 8:35–39 NTLH

Publicado originalmente em 1997. Adaptado e republicado em maio de 2013.
Tradução Hebe Rondon Flandoli. Revisão Edson Campos.


[1] Lucas 10:19.

[2] Lucas 21:2–4.

[3] Romanos 8:28.

[4] 1 Pedro 1:7.

[5] Provérbios 14:26.

[6] Filipenses 4:7.

[7] Hebreus 13:5.

[8] Jeremias 29:13.

[9] Matthew 25:21.

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Inner Peace

A compilation

Audio length: 9:16
Download Audio (8.4MB)

God, teach me to be patient;
Teach me to go slow.
Teach me how to wait on You
When my way I do not know.
Teach me sweet forbearance
When things do not go right,
So I remain unruffled
When others grow uptight.
Teach me how to quiet
My racing, rising heart,
So I may hear the answer
You are trying to impart.
Teach me to let go, dear God,
And pray undisturbed until
My heart is filled with inner peace
And I learn to know Your will!
—Helen Steiner Rice

*

Jesus promises us peace—another working of the Holy Spirit. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”1

Just as Jesus calmed the stormy sea when His disciples thought their ship was sinking and they were about to drown,2 He can calm the storms of life and give you inner peace that passes all understanding.3

He did it for Paul and Silas, when they were persecuted by being beaten and thrown into prison. Instead of despairing, they sang praises to God—and were suddenly and miraculously set free!4

He did it for the early Christian martyrs, who joyfully sang and praised God victoriously as they were burned at the stake and fed to the lions—and many onlookers so envied the supernatural peace that the Christians possessed that they, too, became believers.

As you learn to trust in the Lord with all your heart,5 you’ll find that He can give you perfect peace—no matter what is going on around you!—Rafael Holding

*

(Prayer:) I praise You, my Lord, for giving me Your inner peace, such calm as I stay nestled here in Your arms. I praise You for this peace I feel, even when all else seems stormy. I praise You, my King, as I bow before You now in humble surrender.

*

Trust doesn’t just happen. As children we learn to trust our parents because we feel their love and benefit from their care and mature understanding of life. We trust friends who have stuck with us through thick and thin. We trust businesspeople whom we find to be honest and reliable. We trust people, in short, because of our experience with them.

It’s the same with God. The more we open our hearts to Him, the more we feel His love and concern. The more we study the Bible and Bible-based materials, the better we understand life and the more we appreciate God’s wisdom and goodness. The more we put God’s promises to the test, the more faith we have in them. The more we take our problems to Him, the more we learn to depend on Him to work them out. The better we get to know Him, the more we trust Him; and the more we trust Him, the more inner peace we have.—Keith Philips

*

When the world goes to pieces, the best place to be is in the charmed circle of God’s protection. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.”6

Even if there’s turmoil and confusion all around, you can have inner peace through the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.7 He never fails those who trust Him.—David Brandt Berg

*

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.—Isaiah 26:38

*

Many things can happen in life that are just too much for us, but they aren’t too much for the Lord. Ask Him to give you the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding”9 that comes when you tell Him your problems. It may take time to work out certain situations, but He will take away the feeling of stress they cause. So don’t try to face everyday irritations alone. Ask the Lord to help, and the first help He’ll send your way is His inner peace.—Nana Williams

*

If we have not quiet in our minds, outward comfort will do no more for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot.—John Bunyan

*

Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.—Author unknown

*

Dear restless heart, be still, for peace is God’s own smile,
His love can every wrong and sorrow reconcile;
Just love, and love, and love, and calmly wait awhile.
—Edith Willis Linn

*

Let My Spirit rest upon you and fill you with peace. Let My Spirit flow through your thoughts, mingle with your spirit, and give you strength.—Jesus, speaking in prophecy

*

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.—John Wooden

*

I am your Good Shepherd and will take care of each and every thing you need. I will be and am always with you. Never feel that I have left you alone, or that you battle this part of the race all by yourself. You are never alone, and never will be. I’m with you now and always.

Keep holding on to My promises, and know that these are what will bring you through victorious and with a faith that will shine more radiantly. Your faith in My care will give you an inner peace that will be a great stabilizing force. I will always be beside you and care for you in all the ways that I know you need Me to. I treasure you greatly, and you’ll know My love in even more fabulous ways than you’ve known till now. My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.—Jesus, speaking in prophecy

*

When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.—Peace Pilgrim

Published on Anchor February 2014. Read by Bryan Clark.
Music by Michael Dooley.


1 John 14:27 NKJV.

2 See Mark 4:35–41.

3 Philippians 4:6–7 NIV.

4 Acts 16:22–26.

5 Proverbs 3:5.

6 Psalm 91:1–7 NKJV.

7 Isaiah 9:6.

8 NKJV.

9 Philippians 4:7 NKJV.

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