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Monday, April 14, 2014
Pensamentos Sobre as Realidades da Vida
http://anchor.tfionline.com/pt/post/pensamentos-sobre-realidades-da-vida/
De Maria Fontaine
Às vezes a nossa expectativa sobre viver para o Senhor é irrealista. Achamos que não deverÃamos ter problemas tão sérios, ou que eles deveriam desaparecer mais rápido, ou que não deverÃamos ter tantas lutas. Quando as coisas não estão transcorrendo tranquilamente, temos a tendência de nos condenar e censurar, ou achar que o Senhor não está atendendo porque não Se preocupa — ou porque fizemos algo errado.
Mas ajuda bastante termos uma abordagem diferente, lembrando que muitas vezes as batalhas e dificuldades fazem parte da vida. Assim é a vida. Todas as dificuldades, problemas e lutas fazem parte do nosso processo de aprendizagem, treinamento, crescimento, amadurecimento, fé, e de aprender a ter compaixão e saber suportar.
Muitas coisas na vida são uma luta, mas os desafios e obstáculos podem nos fortalecer se tivermos uma atitude positiva. Não aceite o sentimento de culpa do Inimigo, nem pensar que tem algum problema com vocês — ou com Deus –, porque a vida não é fácil nem tudo está dando perfeitamente certo!
Viver é difÃcil para todos os seres humanos. No entanto, é assim que aprendemos. Se nos concentrarmos em entender como o Senhor vê a nossa situação, e acreditarmos nas Suas promessas de vitória, Ele está sempre pronto para nos ajudar a passar por ela. Se recorrermos a Jesus, Ele nos garantirá que vale a pena travar as batalhas da vida, e as usará para nos fortalecer.
Quando está no meio de uma grande batalha, e o Inimigo faz o máximo possÃvel para confundi-lo ou anuviar o seu entendimento ou convencê-lo de que nunca vai ganhar a vitória então é melhor desistir ali mesmo, é quando precisa de muita fé para levantar a bandeira da vitória no espÃrito e declarar: “Eu já venci!” É exatamente o que precisa fazer para ganhar a vitória nas batalhas espirituais, e exatamente o que vai fazer você avançar espiritualmente e colocá-lo de novo em terras altas.
Não importa como você se sente, se não desistir, as maravilhosas palavras do Senhor e a sua verdade são fortes e poderosas o bastante para colocá-lo rumo à vitória. Basta apegar-se a elas, acreditar e agir de acordo. Eventualmente “verá aquilo em que acreditou”, e receberá a recompensa pela sua fé, a beleza das cinzas.
Seguem-se alguns pensamentos sobre as realidades da vida que espero lhe sejam úteis.
Fazer uma diferença custa
Todo grande santo, homem e mulher de Deus, e qualquer pessoa que fez a diferença no mundo, teve que se sacrificar imensamente no trabalho ou serviço ao Senhor.
Jesus disse:
“Se fossem estudar a vida dos homens e mulheres que nadaram contra a maré e fizeram grandes obras nas suas esferas de ação, veriam que levaram uma vida de sacrifÃcios. Não foi uma vida fácil. Eles faziam apenas o que era mais importante e preciso, usando bem o seu tempo de modo a pouparem forças e energia para o que era realmente importante. Eles eram dedicados a alcançarem suas metas, e passavam a maior parte do tempo pensando, experimentando, treinando, ensinando, motivando, agindo e fazendo o que fosse preciso para obterem êxito.
“Não se realiza nada grandioso de uma maneira simples, corriqueira e sem risco. Tudo que realmente vale alguma coisa na vida tem seu preço, e não é barato!”
Não está em mim
Nós não conseguimos. Cometemos erros. Somos apenas humanos. Mas quando depositamos nossa confiança nEle, então Ele pode cumprir o Seu plano para a nossa vida!
1 CorÃntios 1:28–31: “Mas Deus escolheu as coisas loucas deste mundo para confundir as sábias; e Deus escolheu as coisas fracas deste mundo para confundir as fortes. E Deus escolheu as coisas vis deste mundo, e as desprezÃveis, e as que não são para aniquilar as que são; para que nenhuma carne se glorie perante Ele.’”
Guerra espiritual
A verdade é que está sendo travada uma guerra espiritual, e participamos dela. O espiritual afeta o fÃsico, e vice-versa.
Ter fé é uma decisão consciente e de suma importância, mas só nós podemos tomá-la. Precisamos optar pelo caminho da fé, manter a visão celestial, ficar conectados à Palavra e lutarmos para manter os olhos espirituais abertos de modo a estarmos cientes do plano sobrenatural e mantermos a visão celestial. Isso nos ajudará a vermos as coisas com os olhos do Senhor e continuarmos fortes e inabaláveis nEle.
Todas as coisas mudam. Jesus nunca
Mesmo que tudo ao seu redor mude, Jesus não muda, e o Seu amor, desvelo e promessas são imutáveis.
David Brandt Berg: “Deus Se move. É um Deus em movimento. Nunca está parado. Está sempre indo, agindo, dizendo, efetuando mudanças em todas as esferas da Criação. Nunca está estático, exceto em relação a Si Próprio: ‘Eu Sou o Senhor e não mudo!’
Quanto ao resto, ‘Toda a montanha será abaixada; o que Ele exaltou será humilhado, e os lugares baixos serão exaltados. O que tem um coração contrito e humilhado será grandemente exaltado no tempo oportuno, até que o tempo não mais exista, e o reino do nosso Senhor tenha chegado, quando Aquele que governa com justiça julgará a terra e estabelecerá a paz eterna; e o Reino jamais cairá ou passará a outros.’ Permanecerá para sempre! E nós governaremos e reinaremos com Ele sobre a terra … ‘Porque as coisas visÃveis são passageiras!’ — existem apenas por um pouco de tempo, ‘ao passo que as invisÃveis são eternas.’”
Acontecem coisas difÃceis
Todo ser humano enfrenta dificuldades, coisas ruins, e provas na vida. Não é perfeito. Os erros das pessoas afetam você. A vantagem de viver para o Senhor não é que nada de ruim lhe acontecerá, mas sim que vai poder se beneficiar muito mais disso do que as pessoas que não conhecem o Senhor e não têm as respostas.
Cada pessoa passa por coisas difÃceis, até ruins, ou que não lhes deveriam ter acontecido, e que foram causadas pelos outros. Porém, é opção do indivÃduo permitir que essas coisas colaborem para o seu crescimento ou o deixem amargurado. O Senhor pode usar essas coisas para o bem na sua vida, se você Lhe permitir!
Temos que lembrar queos problemas acontecem pura e simplesmente porque estamos vivos. Quer você seja criança ou adulto, homem ou mulher, cristão ou ateu, haverão batalhas, tribulações e dificuldades, do contrário, não adquirirÃamos força de caráter.
A verdade nua e crua é que não são as circunstâncias que determinam o estado de alguém, mas a atitude dessa pessoa com relação a elas. Essa é a diferença.
Suas promessas infalÃveis
Peter Amsterdam: “O Senhor deu algumas promessas incrÃveis na Sua Palavra. O fato é que essas promessas são reais. Elas foram feitas pelo nosso Deus, que é honesto e nunca mente. Ele nos dá as Suas promessas porque quer nos ver animados contando com o futuro, e para sabermos que Ele está pensando no futuro e fazendo planos para o nosso bem, já tendo reservado coisas grandiosas para cada um de nós.
As promessas que fez em Sua Palavra são verdadeiras e concretas. No entanto, apesar de não serem falsas promessas, são condicionais. Elas dependem de cumprirmos a nossa parte do acordo. Mas se fizermos isso, é garantido que se cumpram — não forçosamente do jeito que queremos ou pensamos, mas no momento e na maneira de Deus.
Precisamos ter uma fé mais profunda para nos agarrarmos firmemente — nas nossas mentes e corações — à s promessas de Deus. Seria injusto limitarmos o que Deus quer fazer, por causa das limitações da nossa realidade, nos baseando no que já vimos e vivenciamos antes e no momento. O futuro é algo totalmente diferente, é outra história. Vamos dar a Deus uma chance de cumprir tudo o que disse que cumpriria! Nós Lhe damos essa chance e poder através de nossa obediência, fé e diligência em seguir aonde Ele nos guiar!”
Publicado originalmente em julho de 2009. Adaptado e republicado em abril de 2014. Tradução Denise Oliveira. Revisão H.R.Flandoli.
De Maria Fontaine
Às vezes a nossa expectativa sobre viver para o Senhor é irrealista. Achamos que não deverÃamos ter problemas tão sérios, ou que eles deveriam desaparecer mais rápido, ou que não deverÃamos ter tantas lutas. Quando as coisas não estão transcorrendo tranquilamente, temos a tendência de nos condenar e censurar, ou achar que o Senhor não está atendendo porque não Se preocupa — ou porque fizemos algo errado.
Mas ajuda bastante termos uma abordagem diferente, lembrando que muitas vezes as batalhas e dificuldades fazem parte da vida. Assim é a vida. Todas as dificuldades, problemas e lutas fazem parte do nosso processo de aprendizagem, treinamento, crescimento, amadurecimento, fé, e de aprender a ter compaixão e saber suportar.
Muitas coisas na vida são uma luta, mas os desafios e obstáculos podem nos fortalecer se tivermos uma atitude positiva. Não aceite o sentimento de culpa do Inimigo, nem pensar que tem algum problema com vocês — ou com Deus –, porque a vida não é fácil nem tudo está dando perfeitamente certo!
Viver é difÃcil para todos os seres humanos. No entanto, é assim que aprendemos. Se nos concentrarmos em entender como o Senhor vê a nossa situação, e acreditarmos nas Suas promessas de vitória, Ele está sempre pronto para nos ajudar a passar por ela. Se recorrermos a Jesus, Ele nos garantirá que vale a pena travar as batalhas da vida, e as usará para nos fortalecer.
Quando está no meio de uma grande batalha, e o Inimigo faz o máximo possÃvel para confundi-lo ou anuviar o seu entendimento ou convencê-lo de que nunca vai ganhar a vitória então é melhor desistir ali mesmo, é quando precisa de muita fé para levantar a bandeira da vitória no espÃrito e declarar: “Eu já venci!” É exatamente o que precisa fazer para ganhar a vitória nas batalhas espirituais, e exatamente o que vai fazer você avançar espiritualmente e colocá-lo de novo em terras altas.
Não importa como você se sente, se não desistir, as maravilhosas palavras do Senhor e a sua verdade são fortes e poderosas o bastante para colocá-lo rumo à vitória. Basta apegar-se a elas, acreditar e agir de acordo. Eventualmente “verá aquilo em que acreditou”, e receberá a recompensa pela sua fé, a beleza das cinzas.
Seguem-se alguns pensamentos sobre as realidades da vida que espero lhe sejam úteis.
Fazer uma diferença custa
Todo grande santo, homem e mulher de Deus, e qualquer pessoa que fez a diferença no mundo, teve que se sacrificar imensamente no trabalho ou serviço ao Senhor.
Jesus disse:
“Se fossem estudar a vida dos homens e mulheres que nadaram contra a maré e fizeram grandes obras nas suas esferas de ação, veriam que levaram uma vida de sacrifÃcios. Não foi uma vida fácil. Eles faziam apenas o que era mais importante e preciso, usando bem o seu tempo de modo a pouparem forças e energia para o que era realmente importante. Eles eram dedicados a alcançarem suas metas, e passavam a maior parte do tempo pensando, experimentando, treinando, ensinando, motivando, agindo e fazendo o que fosse preciso para obterem êxito.
“Não se realiza nada grandioso de uma maneira simples, corriqueira e sem risco. Tudo que realmente vale alguma coisa na vida tem seu preço, e não é barato!”
Não está em mim
Nós não conseguimos. Cometemos erros. Somos apenas humanos. Mas quando depositamos nossa confiança nEle, então Ele pode cumprir o Seu plano para a nossa vida!
1 CorÃntios 1:28–31: “Mas Deus escolheu as coisas loucas deste mundo para confundir as sábias; e Deus escolheu as coisas fracas deste mundo para confundir as fortes. E Deus escolheu as coisas vis deste mundo, e as desprezÃveis, e as que não são para aniquilar as que são; para que nenhuma carne se glorie perante Ele.’”
Guerra espiritual
A verdade é que está sendo travada uma guerra espiritual, e participamos dela. O espiritual afeta o fÃsico, e vice-versa.
Ter fé é uma decisão consciente e de suma importância, mas só nós podemos tomá-la. Precisamos optar pelo caminho da fé, manter a visão celestial, ficar conectados à Palavra e lutarmos para manter os olhos espirituais abertos de modo a estarmos cientes do plano sobrenatural e mantermos a visão celestial. Isso nos ajudará a vermos as coisas com os olhos do Senhor e continuarmos fortes e inabaláveis nEle.
Todas as coisas mudam. Jesus nunca
Mesmo que tudo ao seu redor mude, Jesus não muda, e o Seu amor, desvelo e promessas são imutáveis.
David Brandt Berg: “Deus Se move. É um Deus em movimento. Nunca está parado. Está sempre indo, agindo, dizendo, efetuando mudanças em todas as esferas da Criação. Nunca está estático, exceto em relação a Si Próprio: ‘Eu Sou o Senhor e não mudo!’
Quanto ao resto, ‘Toda a montanha será abaixada; o que Ele exaltou será humilhado, e os lugares baixos serão exaltados. O que tem um coração contrito e humilhado será grandemente exaltado no tempo oportuno, até que o tempo não mais exista, e o reino do nosso Senhor tenha chegado, quando Aquele que governa com justiça julgará a terra e estabelecerá a paz eterna; e o Reino jamais cairá ou passará a outros.’ Permanecerá para sempre! E nós governaremos e reinaremos com Ele sobre a terra … ‘Porque as coisas visÃveis são passageiras!’ — existem apenas por um pouco de tempo, ‘ao passo que as invisÃveis são eternas.’”
Acontecem coisas difÃceis
Todo ser humano enfrenta dificuldades, coisas ruins, e provas na vida. Não é perfeito. Os erros das pessoas afetam você. A vantagem de viver para o Senhor não é que nada de ruim lhe acontecerá, mas sim que vai poder se beneficiar muito mais disso do que as pessoas que não conhecem o Senhor e não têm as respostas.
Cada pessoa passa por coisas difÃceis, até ruins, ou que não lhes deveriam ter acontecido, e que foram causadas pelos outros. Porém, é opção do indivÃduo permitir que essas coisas colaborem para o seu crescimento ou o deixem amargurado. O Senhor pode usar essas coisas para o bem na sua vida, se você Lhe permitir!
Temos que lembrar queos problemas acontecem pura e simplesmente porque estamos vivos. Quer você seja criança ou adulto, homem ou mulher, cristão ou ateu, haverão batalhas, tribulações e dificuldades, do contrário, não adquirirÃamos força de caráter.
A verdade nua e crua é que não são as circunstâncias que determinam o estado de alguém, mas a atitude dessa pessoa com relação a elas. Essa é a diferença.
Suas promessas infalÃveis
Peter Amsterdam: “O Senhor deu algumas promessas incrÃveis na Sua Palavra. O fato é que essas promessas são reais. Elas foram feitas pelo nosso Deus, que é honesto e nunca mente. Ele nos dá as Suas promessas porque quer nos ver animados contando com o futuro, e para sabermos que Ele está pensando no futuro e fazendo planos para o nosso bem, já tendo reservado coisas grandiosas para cada um de nós.
As promessas que fez em Sua Palavra são verdadeiras e concretas. No entanto, apesar de não serem falsas promessas, são condicionais. Elas dependem de cumprirmos a nossa parte do acordo. Mas se fizermos isso, é garantido que se cumpram — não forçosamente do jeito que queremos ou pensamos, mas no momento e na maneira de Deus.
Precisamos ter uma fé mais profunda para nos agarrarmos firmemente — nas nossas mentes e corações — à s promessas de Deus. Seria injusto limitarmos o que Deus quer fazer, por causa das limitações da nossa realidade, nos baseando no que já vimos e vivenciamos antes e no momento. O futuro é algo totalmente diferente, é outra história. Vamos dar a Deus uma chance de cumprir tudo o que disse que cumpriria! Nós Lhe damos essa chance e poder através de nossa obediência, fé e diligência em seguir aonde Ele nos guiar!”
Publicado originalmente em julho de 2009. Adaptado e republicado em abril de 2014. Tradução Denise Oliveira. Revisão H.R.Flandoli.
The Resurrection: The Turning Point in History
http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/resurrection-turning-point-history/
A compilation
What mere human can choose his own birthplace? Or what mortal man can—or would—cause the officials of a foreign government to order his death by a terribly agonizing execution? How could anyone manipulate their bitter enemies to pay a specific price for their betrayal, mock and revile them as they are dying, much less cause a band of soldiers to gamble for their clothing and pierce their side after they’ve died, and cause a rich man to bury their body in his own personal tomb? Yet Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled not only these, but over 300 more specific predictions regarding His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Truly He was—and is—“unique” in every sense of the word!
Not one of the great recognized religious leaders—not Moses, not Buddha, not Confucius, not Mohammed—ever claimed to be God. True, some have been deified by their followers after they died, but none ever personally claimed to be deity.—That is, with the exception of Jesus Christ. In fact, He not only claimed to be the Son of God, God manifest in human flesh, but He convinced a great portion of the world that He in fact isGod’s Son.
There is no reason to doubt that after His death, something incredible happened which transformed His tiny band of dejected followers into a company of witnesses whom all the persecution of Imperial Rome could not stop. Downhearted and discouraged, their Lord cruelly crucified by His enemies, it looked to those disciples as if their hopes had died and their dreams had been shattered.
But three days after Jesus’ death, their faith was rekindled in such a dramatic manner that no force on earth was able to quench it! And that lowly handful of His original followers went on to tell the entire world the Good News.—That God not only sent His Son into the world to teach us His truth and show us His love, but also that Jesus suffered death for our sake, and then rose from the grave.—So that we who know and believe on Him never need to fear death again, for we are saved and on our way to heaven, thanks to Jesus.
The New Testament also tells us that Jesus personally appeared to over 500 eyewitnesses after His resurrection.1 This was the resounding message that His first disciples boldly proclaimed throughout the world: “God raised Him from the dead!”2—From “Who Is Jesus,” TFI
*
Early Christianity was a “resurrection” movement through and through. … To preach the Resurrection is to announce the fact that the world is a different place, and that we have to live in that “different-ness.” The Resurrection is not just God doing a wacky miracle at one time. We have to preach it in a way that says this was the turning point in world history.—N. T. Wright
*
Belief in the resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian faith. It is the Christian faith.—George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury
*
Think of it! God sent His own Son, the very Lord of heaven, the master of the universe, down to earth to become one of us. He was miraculously conceived in the womb of a humble and lowly virgin named Mary, and took on the form of human flesh just like ours. Therefore He was the Son of Man as well as the Son of God.
Jesus not only adapted Himself to our bodily form, but He also conformed to our human ways of life, customs, language, dress, and living so that He might understand us better and be able to communicate with us on the lowly level of our human understanding. He became a citizen of this world, a member of humanity, a man of flesh, so that He might reach us with His love, prove to us His compassion and concern, and help us understand His message.
He came down and lived like us, worked like us, had to sleep like us, eat like us, and do everything that we have to do. There were times when He was weary, tired, and footsore, when He was hungry and thirsty, sad and discouraged. He became one of us, and as the Bible says, “was tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.”3
Jesus spent His time going around everywhere doing good—feeding people who were hungry, healing those who were sick, cheering and comforting those who were sad and brokenhearted. He loved everybody, even the poorest of the poor, and those whom everybody else looked down on.
He never had any kind of religious buildings, denominations, or formal congregations. He simply went out and met people on the streets, by the seashore, in the marketplaces—wherever He could reach them—and shared His message of love with all who would listen to it. He befriended even the most despised and rejected members of society: tax collectors, drunks, prostitutes, and sinners.
His religion of love was so simple that He said, “You must become as a little child to receive it.”4
Jesus didn’t have to die on the cross. He said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.”5 He was the Son of God, and all the powers of the universe were at His disposal, at His command. He told His captors, “You could have no power over Me at all unless it was given to you from My Father. … I could lift My little finger and thousands of angels would immediately deliver Me from your hand.”6 He could have called on all the forces of heaven to slaughter His enemies, conquer Rome, and take over the world. But instead, He chose to lay down His life for you and me.
Why would the King of kings, the Lord of the universe, God in the flesh, allow himself to be captured, falsely accused, tried and condemned, whipped, stripped, and nailed to a cross like a common criminal? The answer is simple—because He loved you and me!
Three days after His lifeless body was buried, something happened that shocked His enemies and proved to all of His followers that He really was the Son of God: He rose from the dead, the victor over death and hell forever!
After His resurrection, He personally appeared to literally hundreds of His followers, encouraging, strengthening, and comforting them. He told them that He was going to return to be with His heavenly Father, but that He would always be with them in spirit, living in their hearts forever. He also gave His followers a wonderful promise, that one day, “I will come again.” The Son of Man shall “come in the clouds, with power and great majesty.”7—David Brandt Berg
*
Against the background of the modern predicament, the traditional Christian hope of the resurrection takes on an even greater brightness and significance. It tells man that he is no orphan after all, but the personal image of the Creator God of the universe; nor is his life doomed in death, for through the eschatological resurrection he may live in the presence of God forever.
This is a wonderful hope. But, of course, hope that is not founded in fact is not hope, but mere illusion. Why should the Christian hope of eschatological resurrection appear to modern man as anything more than mere wishful thinking? The answer lies in the Christian conviction that a man has been proleptically8 raised by God from the dead as the forerunner and exemplar of our own eschatological resurrection. That man was Jesus of Nazareth, and his historical resurrection from the dead constitutes the factual foundation upon which the Christian hope is based.—William Lane Craig
*
The entire plan for the future has its key in the resurrection.—Billy Graham
*
I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Everyone was beaten, tortured, stoned, and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world—and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.—Charles Colson
*
See, then, the power of His resurrection—it proves without a doubt the faith once delivered to the saints. Supported by infallible proofs, it becomes itself the infallible proof of the authority, power, and glory of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God … the power of our Lord’s resurrection is an evidencing power … a justifying power, a life-giving power, and a consoling power.—Charles H. Spurgeon
*
The blessings of the Gospel are substantial facts and not mere theological opinions. As the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead was a plain visible matter of fact, such is the evidencing power of the resurrection of Christ, that when every other argument fails your faith, you may find safe anchorage in this assured fact. The currents of doubt may bear you towards the rocks of mistrust. But when your anchor finds no other hold, it may grip the fact of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. This must be true. The witnesses are too many to have been deceived. And their patient deaths on account of their belief proved that they were not only honest men but good men who valued the Truth of God more than life. We know that Jesus rose from the dead—whatever else we are forced to question, we have no question on that score. We may be tossed about upon the sea in reference to other statements, but we step to shore again and find terra firma in this unquestionable, firmly established Truth—“The Lord is risen, indeed.”—Charles H. Spurgeon
*
There is more evidence that Jesus rose from the dead than there is that Julius Caesar ever lived or that Alexander the Great died at the age of thirty-three.—Billy Graham
*
Historical argument alone cannot force anyone to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. But historical argument is remarkably good at clearing away the undergrowth behind which skepticisms of various sorts have been hiding. The proposal that Jesus was bodily raised from the dead possesses unrivaled power to explain the historical data at the heart of early Christianity.—N. T. Wright
*
It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.—Paul addressing Governor Felix, Acts 24:21
Published on Anchor April 2014. Read by Simon Peterson.
1 1 Corinthians 15:6.
2 Acts 13:30.
3 Hebrews 4:15.
4 Matthew 18:3.
5 Matthew 28:18.
6 John 19:11; Matthew 26:53.
7 John 14:3; Luke 21:27.
8 Proleptic (adj.): foreshadowing, anticipatory.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Things That Are an Abomination to God
The following is a list of things which are an abomination to God as found in the Bible. I will not make much commentation, but let the Scriptures speak for themselves.
Leviticus 18:22, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." (Compare Leviticus 20:13) This is homosexuality.
1. Deuteronomy 18:10-12, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits,(This is what Reiki and other occult practices are actually doing.) or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD."
A. Passing through the fire is the literal sacrifice of children in a sacrificial fire.
B. Divination is one who claims secret knowledge, especially of the future. Sometimes it is translated witchcraft, and is used of false prophets. (Reiki claims to give you some secret knowledge that will give you healing powers and make your life better.)
C. An observer of times is one who pretends to foretell the future. Sometimes translated a soothsayer, or fortune-teller.
D. An enchanter is like someone who observes serpents (all have seen the flute player as he charms the snake).
E. A witch is one who uses witchcraft, a sorcerer.
F.A charmer is one who supposedly casts a spell.
G. A consulter with familiar spirits is one who consults an oracle for information.(Reiki calls it calling on your angel spirit helpers)
H. A wizard is a wise man, perhaps one who claims to be wiser than he is, and that he can do more than he really can.
I. A necromancer is one who claims to consult, or inquire with the dead.
2. Deuteronomy 25:16, "For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God." (In this context the Lord is speaking of weighing and measuring fairly and properly with weights and measures.)
3. Deuteronomy 27:15, "Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD." (Speaking of things to be worshiped, in other words, in today context it would mean the worship of material things instead of God).
4. Proverbs 6:16-19, "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look (pride), a lying tongue (a liar), and hands that shed innocent blood (abortionist/murderer), An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."
5. Proverbs 3:32, "For the froward (perverse, devious) is abomination to the LORD:"
6. Proverbs 15:9, "The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but He loveth him that followeth after righteousness."
7. Proverbs 16:5, "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD:"
8. Proverbs 17:15, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD."
9. Proverbs 24:9, "The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men." (This is speaking of mocking and scoffing at others.)
10. Proverbs 28:9, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."
11. Ezekiel 18:12,13, "Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? He shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him." (Could this be the International Bankers?)
12. Ezekiel 22:11, "And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee had humbled his sister, his father’s daughter."
13. Malachi 2:11, "Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god."
14. Luke 16:15, "And He said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteem among men is abomination in the sight of God."
15. Revelation 21:27, "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life."
16. Leviticus 18:19-26, immorality, adultery, sacrificing children to Moloch, homosexuality, bestiality, etc.
17. Deuteronomy 20:18, the worship and service to false gods.
18. II Kings 23:24, "Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations"
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Nothing Is Too Hard for Jesus
By Maria Fontaine
http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/nothing-too-hard-jesus/ (to read directly from site on-line and find other helpful reading material)
I wanted to talk about an inspiring, comforting, liberating topic: there is nothing too hard for Jesus. Once you fully realize and believe that, you can have such peace, such freedom, such security. I pray that this will be a milestone for many of you in developing and strengthening your faith, your assurance in Jesus, your trust that no matter what happens—now or in the future—He is strong enough and will help you through it. You don’t have to be perfect to have His help, or have a great track record, or be an outstanding prayer warrior. You only have to be dependent on Jesus and close to Him.
Rest on this knowledge. Think about it. Soak up Jesus’ promises. Revel in them and determine that you’re not going to let the Enemy convince you otherwise.
There is nothing too hard for Jesus. There is no storm of evil that can overwhelm His power. And when you’re with Him and in Him, there is nothing too hard for you either. It’s a beautiful, irrefutable, unshakable, irreversible truth.
God’s Word and His truth are more than powerful enough to meet any difficulty or battle we might face. Of course, there is often a “key” to victory that you have to discover—through asking Jesus, studying His Word, applying it and learning what works. Sometimes Jesus is waiting for you to take a certain step of faith. Sometimes He’s testing your faith and endurance. Sometimes He wants to strengthen you in a certain area, or bring you to a certain level of desperation, yieldedness, and humility.
One thing is certain: battles and difficult circumstances aren’t easy. They’re tough, painful, and often make you feel as if you’re at the end of your rope. But “think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings! That when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also, with exceeding joy!”1
Be encouraged that although you’re not perfect, and sometimes you might even bring difficulties on yourself, Jesus understands and He is faithful, and He will pull you through if you turn to Him. There is nothing too hard for Jesus! Try looking at every situation as an opportunity to grow in faith. That’s the point Jesus wants us to see. He wants us to see every test, every battle, every difficulty, as an opportunity to be strengthened in faith.
Jesus said:
I have the key to overcoming in all situations, circumstances, or predicaments. There’s nothing—and I mean nothing—that is greater than My power to overcome. It all begins with belief. Faith is both the starting point and the ending point. Faith is the all in all.
Faith is the password. Faith is the foundation of power and anointing and victory. “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even your faith.”2 That hasn’t changed with time. Faith is still the firepower, the spark that makes the connection and ignites the Spirit to intercede on your behalf.
Faith is mysterious. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.3 You know that faith comes from the Word, and it grows as you allow it to take root in your life. Learning the life of faith is a lifelong journey and adventure, and it’s something that will thrill you from now until eternity. Faith, belief, acceptance, action, and expectation, they’re all intertwined.
Seek to strengthen your faith. Accept, realize, and believe that there is victory for you. I can help you overcome the problems you face. You know you’re not perfect, and you may feel you just don’t deserve to overcome and find victory. You feel you aren’t good enough. And even though you generally believe that there is “victory in Jesus,” you don’t always apply that promise to yourself personally. You might think, “Yes, that’s right—for others, not for me.”
Perhaps you’ve never taken the time to really think about how you view the promises in My Word and what you feel you can personally expect in relation to those promises. Perhaps you’ve had more of an academic relationship with the promises in My Word; you’ve mentally accepted them, but still kept them at a distance. You’ve held them out, far away from your heart and personal situation, sized them up, admired them, and accepted them, but there’s something stopping you from believing them for yourself personally.
The promises in My Word are not just beautiful words. I ask that you be much more passionate in your approach to My promises. They are for you, personally, individually, eternally.
If you can believe that, then the next step is to grab those promises and clutch them close to your heart. Cherish them, embrace them. Can you see that this goes so much further than simply acknowledging them or mentally saying, “Oh, that’s good, that’s beautiful, that’s the truth of God”? Grab those promises off the table and clutch them to your chest, saying, “These are for me! They’re exactly what I personally need.”
If you can have this relationship with My promises, the way you look at difficulties, battles, spiritual problems or afflictions will be different because you will have more faith. My Word is full of promises, and all these promises have power to give you faith, if you can believe that they’re for you personally. So the challenge is to grow in personal applied faith. You can do that through a few simple steps.
First, believe that through your faith you can have victory in all situations.
Second, accept that the promises in My Word are for you, personally. I died for you, as if you were the only one, and I gave My promises for you, as if you were the only one. Taking these promises to heart will give you faith for whatever situation you personally face, because I have given promises to meet the need in any and all circumstances.
Third, have faith to apply My promises to the challenges you’re facing. Don’t make yourself an exception and explain away My power by thinking you’re not good enough, that you don’t deserve My power, victory or deliverance. Don’t look at your lacks instead of My power and awesome greatness.
Last of all, protect, nurture, and feed your faith. Know that faith is the starting place to miracles.
Originally published June 2007. Adapted and republished March 2014.
Read by Irene Quiti Vera.
1 1 Peter 4:12–13.
2 1 John 5:4.
3 Hebrews 11:1.
http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/nothing-too-hard-jesus/ (to read directly from site on-line and find other helpful reading material)
I wanted to talk about an inspiring, comforting, liberating topic: there is nothing too hard for Jesus. Once you fully realize and believe that, you can have such peace, such freedom, such security. I pray that this will be a milestone for many of you in developing and strengthening your faith, your assurance in Jesus, your trust that no matter what happens—now or in the future—He is strong enough and will help you through it. You don’t have to be perfect to have His help, or have a great track record, or be an outstanding prayer warrior. You only have to be dependent on Jesus and close to Him.
Rest on this knowledge. Think about it. Soak up Jesus’ promises. Revel in them and determine that you’re not going to let the Enemy convince you otherwise.
There is nothing too hard for Jesus. There is no storm of evil that can overwhelm His power. And when you’re with Him and in Him, there is nothing too hard for you either. It’s a beautiful, irrefutable, unshakable, irreversible truth.
God’s Word and His truth are more than powerful enough to meet any difficulty or battle we might face. Of course, there is often a “key” to victory that you have to discover—through asking Jesus, studying His Word, applying it and learning what works. Sometimes Jesus is waiting for you to take a certain step of faith. Sometimes He’s testing your faith and endurance. Sometimes He wants to strengthen you in a certain area, or bring you to a certain level of desperation, yieldedness, and humility.
One thing is certain: battles and difficult circumstances aren’t easy. They’re tough, painful, and often make you feel as if you’re at the end of your rope. But “think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings! That when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also, with exceeding joy!”1
Be encouraged that although you’re not perfect, and sometimes you might even bring difficulties on yourself, Jesus understands and He is faithful, and He will pull you through if you turn to Him. There is nothing too hard for Jesus! Try looking at every situation as an opportunity to grow in faith. That’s the point Jesus wants us to see. He wants us to see every test, every battle, every difficulty, as an opportunity to be strengthened in faith.
Jesus said:
I have the key to overcoming in all situations, circumstances, or predicaments. There’s nothing—and I mean nothing—that is greater than My power to overcome. It all begins with belief. Faith is both the starting point and the ending point. Faith is the all in all.
Faith is the password. Faith is the foundation of power and anointing and victory. “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even your faith.”2 That hasn’t changed with time. Faith is still the firepower, the spark that makes the connection and ignites the Spirit to intercede on your behalf.
Faith is mysterious. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.3 You know that faith comes from the Word, and it grows as you allow it to take root in your life. Learning the life of faith is a lifelong journey and adventure, and it’s something that will thrill you from now until eternity. Faith, belief, acceptance, action, and expectation, they’re all intertwined.
Seek to strengthen your faith. Accept, realize, and believe that there is victory for you. I can help you overcome the problems you face. You know you’re not perfect, and you may feel you just don’t deserve to overcome and find victory. You feel you aren’t good enough. And even though you generally believe that there is “victory in Jesus,” you don’t always apply that promise to yourself personally. You might think, “Yes, that’s right—for others, not for me.”
Perhaps you’ve never taken the time to really think about how you view the promises in My Word and what you feel you can personally expect in relation to those promises. Perhaps you’ve had more of an academic relationship with the promises in My Word; you’ve mentally accepted them, but still kept them at a distance. You’ve held them out, far away from your heart and personal situation, sized them up, admired them, and accepted them, but there’s something stopping you from believing them for yourself personally.
The promises in My Word are not just beautiful words. I ask that you be much more passionate in your approach to My promises. They are for you, personally, individually, eternally.
If you can believe that, then the next step is to grab those promises and clutch them close to your heart. Cherish them, embrace them. Can you see that this goes so much further than simply acknowledging them or mentally saying, “Oh, that’s good, that’s beautiful, that’s the truth of God”? Grab those promises off the table and clutch them to your chest, saying, “These are for me! They’re exactly what I personally need.”
If you can have this relationship with My promises, the way you look at difficulties, battles, spiritual problems or afflictions will be different because you will have more faith. My Word is full of promises, and all these promises have power to give you faith, if you can believe that they’re for you personally. So the challenge is to grow in personal applied faith. You can do that through a few simple steps.
First, believe that through your faith you can have victory in all situations.
Second, accept that the promises in My Word are for you, personally. I died for you, as if you were the only one, and I gave My promises for you, as if you were the only one. Taking these promises to heart will give you faith for whatever situation you personally face, because I have given promises to meet the need in any and all circumstances.
Third, have faith to apply My promises to the challenges you’re facing. Don’t make yourself an exception and explain away My power by thinking you’re not good enough, that you don’t deserve My power, victory or deliverance. Don’t look at your lacks instead of My power and awesome greatness.
Last of all, protect, nurture, and feed your faith. Know that faith is the starting place to miracles.
Originally published June 2007. Adapted and republished March 2014.
Read by Irene Quiti Vera.
1 1 Peter 4:12–13.
2 1 John 5:4.
3 Hebrews 11:1.
Faith in Times of Affliction
By Maria Fontaine
http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/faith-times-affliction/
Some time ago, Peter and I were discussing a number of different healing cases from around the world. We took various situations one by one and discussed how the Lord had worked in each situation. We marveled at how even though the affliction had been the same in several instances, the healing came about in different ways. The more we discussed it, the more I saw that we had been trying to fit everything nicely into some kind of box or formula.
We finally concluded that it doesn’t work that way, as we can see when we look at how the Lord works so differently in each individual’s life—not only in their healing, but in their circumstances, the lessons He teaches them, the tests they endure, and the blessings He gives them.
Trying to give precise, step-by-step counsel on how to get healed in every circumstance is just not possible, because the Lord doesn’t have a set pattern for everybody’s healing—everything from instantaneous, supernatural healing to ultimate healing through deliverance to heaven after a long time of illness. There is healing by faith in God alone, and also God’s healing using doctors and hospitals. Sometimes the Lord can use natural remedies, sometimes He uses doctor’s prescriptions and skills, and sometimes He heals without any natural help.
No two situations are exactly alike, and the Lord doesn’t work in any two people’s lives in exactly the same way. Each case is different and He handles each person’s healing in a different way. If we would look at it that way and understand that in every case the Lord works differently, we would have a greater comprehension of why in some cases the Lord heals us and in other cases He doesn’t—at least not right away. I believe that if we can grasp this point, it will help to keep us from feeling condemned when we aren’t immediately healed, and it will also help us to have more compassion for those who suffer long-term afflictions.
Each person is a complex physical and spiritual being. The Lord has bestowed on each of us different gifts and talents, different physical and spiritual attributes and deficiencies, different strengths and weaknesses, and no two of us are alike. The Lord, our Maker, knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows everything about us—our every thought, our every weakness, our every joy, our every need. He knows what to allow in our lives to teach us the lessons He wants us to learn. He knows what tests and trials will help us to become what He wants us to be.
Two people could have precisely the same affliction, they could both have prayer, and one could get healed immediately and the other could continue to be afflicted for years. Does this mean that one is stronger spiritually and closer to the Lord than the other? Not necessarily. The reasons the Lord allowed these two people to get the affliction in the first place may have been completely different. If His reasons for allowing the afflictions are different, then His reasons for healing or not healing are different as well.
Perhaps the person who doesn’t receive healing right away isn’t necessarily doing anything wrong, or not doing something right. Maybe the Lord just knows it’s not time yet, and that they have to endure the affliction longer in order to have it work in their life and accomplish the purpose that He wants to bring about—blessings which take patience. The afflictions of this life can be good things in disguise, which can bring about great spiritual blessings in our lives. Delay in healing is not a denial, but is part of the Lord’s plan for that person’s life.
The kind of faith I have is to trust my life and my health and my eyes to the Lord. I have faith that His ways are higher than my ways, and His thoughts than mine.1
It’s not really just a question of having faith for healing, but it’s whether or not you have faith to accept the Lord’s plan and design for your life and for whatever He brings your way. Those of you who’ve had long-term illnesses or injuries have just had to keep on going, even though you weren’t healed. If the affliction persisted month after month, you had to hold on and trust the Lord to either eventually heal you, or to give you the grace to bear the affliction and to teach you whatever it was He wanted you to learn through it. You’ve had to accept the Romans 8:28 in your situation, and yield to the fact that this was a cross that the Lord wanted you to bear for the time being. And in every case where you trusted the Lord and hung on and didn’t give up, I’m sure you eventually saw that it bore good fruit in your life through the lessons you learned.
Who has the most faith?—The person who is instantly healed of an affliction, or someone who has to bear that affliction and still carry on loving, serving, and trusting the Lord even though they don’t understand why they haven’t been healed? They both have faith, but the one who has had to suffer the affliction has had to have enduring faith and trust in the Lord day by day. These individuals have had to have faith, not necessarily specifically for healing, but faith that the Lord is going to take care of them and bring them through.
Faith is a gift of God, and in a case where He chooses not to heal us, maybe what He wants to do is give us the faith to endure it and to praise and thank Him and to be a good testimony to others in our affliction.
If He doesn’t choose to heal you, you shouldn’t feel condemned.2 Neither should you look down upon others or consider them weak in faith just because they don’t get a quick or immediate healing, or because they have to go to the hospital or take medication. Perhaps they are weak in faith for healing, because the Lord is not ready to heal them. But perhaps they’re very strong in faith that He’s going to help carry them through the difficult times, and they show their faith by asking for prayer, trying to be cheerful, not complaining, etc. Real faith is doing what the Lord tells you to do for your situation, and knowing that He knows best, whether you get healed or not.
Sometimes people don’t have the faith for their immediate healing because it’s not the Lord’s time. However, other times people don’t have the faith for their healing because they’re not reading the Bible and claiming His promises in His Word. Maybe they’re not being obedient to the Word. In any case, you’ve got to get in the Word before you can have faith in order to obtain healing—whether it’s immediate healing, healing that occurs a little way down the line, healing when He takes you home to be with Him, or healing when He comes back for all of us! You still need the Word to have faith. “Faith comes by hearing the word of God.”3
Situations differ, and each person’s situation is tailor-made! No other situation in the world is exactly the same as yours. The Lord uses our own unique situations to help us to learn the lessons He knows we need to learn, in the way most suited to our needs and personality.
During a time when I was extremely weak due to ongoing affliction, we asked the Lord what was the purpose of this in my life, and He gave the following beautiful prophecy. In His time, I was healed. Praise the Lord!
“This sickness is not unto death, but that the glory of God may be revealed. That which I have promised, I am able to perform, but it requires faith, trust, and patience. Such matters require faith—faith to trust Me even unto death, or even unto the door of death. For they that come before Me and seek My healing come in faith and must believe, and thus must trust.
“When you come to Me, you put yourself in My hands, and the way My hand chooses to move is not always the way that your mind thinks. You must have patience, and you must understand that the mind of God, the thoughts of God, and the ways of God are higher than yours.
“So trust Me. Pray. Come to Me in faith and know that I am able to touch and to heal. But know that besides being the Great Physician, I am the Good Shepherd. Put yourself in My hands. Let Me lead you and guide you.”
One thing that can make physical afflictions easier to bear is knowing that you can go to the Lord and receive His personal words of love and encouragement. It’s a marvelous comfort and relief to be able to hear from the Lord in prophecy. You don’t have to be in the dark about what the Lord is doing in your life, or be plagued by unanswered questions, or be under condemnation. You can pour out your heart to the Lord and you can receive the help from heaven that you need today.
He can show you why, in His love, He has allowed you to be afflicted and what to do about it—how to go about securing His healing. Faith comes by hearing the Word—not only the written Word, but also the words of specific encouragement, instruction, and guidance that your personal loving Shepherd can give you through prophecy.
So don’t neglect to take your heartaches, burdens, and questions to Him.4 He’s more than willing to answer! He wants to lift your load and lighten your burdens and make your afflictions easier to bear. He wants to help you to learn precious lessons through these tests and trials.
Afflictions are not easy to bear. They can be discouraging, disheartening, and painful. They can cause you to miss the sleep that you desperately need. At times they can make it almost impossible for you to do your ministry and fulfill your responsibilities. And the more tired you get and the sicker you feel, the more it wears and tears on your relations with others—your co-workers, spouse, or children.
When you’re afflicted, it can cause you to become discouraged or to doubt the Lord’s love. But if in your hour of darkness, pain, and testing you turn to the Lord and you seek Him, He can bring beauty for ashes.5
So please, don’t neglect to go to the Lord, to cast your burdens on Him and to let Him lift you up. Let Him carry you. Let Him speak to your heart and comfort you as the wonderful lover and husband that He is to you. He loves you and He will never suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but He will make a way to escape.6 And the way of escape He offers you may often come through His words of comfort and love and encouragement, which will lift you over and above the clouds and stormy weather, and bring you to the light of a brighter day.
If you’re experiencing an ongoing affliction, it can help to go to the Lord frequently and hear from Him in prophecy. And if you have questions about the words, promises, or explanations that He gives you, just ask Him about them. He never grows weary of your questions. He never grows tired of answering, because He loves you so.
Let Him bear your burdens, ease your pain, and lighten your load by letting Him speak to your heart through prophecy.
Originally published October 1997. Adapted and republished June 2013.
Read by Irene Quiti Vera.
1 Isaiah 55:8–9.
2 Romans 8:1.
3 Romans 10:17.
4 1 Peter 5:7.
5 Isaiah 61:3.
6 1 Corinthians 10:13.
http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/faith-times-affliction/
Some time ago, Peter and I were discussing a number of different healing cases from around the world. We took various situations one by one and discussed how the Lord had worked in each situation. We marveled at how even though the affliction had been the same in several instances, the healing came about in different ways. The more we discussed it, the more I saw that we had been trying to fit everything nicely into some kind of box or formula.
We finally concluded that it doesn’t work that way, as we can see when we look at how the Lord works so differently in each individual’s life—not only in their healing, but in their circumstances, the lessons He teaches them, the tests they endure, and the blessings He gives them.
Trying to give precise, step-by-step counsel on how to get healed in every circumstance is just not possible, because the Lord doesn’t have a set pattern for everybody’s healing—everything from instantaneous, supernatural healing to ultimate healing through deliverance to heaven after a long time of illness. There is healing by faith in God alone, and also God’s healing using doctors and hospitals. Sometimes the Lord can use natural remedies, sometimes He uses doctor’s prescriptions and skills, and sometimes He heals without any natural help.
No two situations are exactly alike, and the Lord doesn’t work in any two people’s lives in exactly the same way. Each case is different and He handles each person’s healing in a different way. If we would look at it that way and understand that in every case the Lord works differently, we would have a greater comprehension of why in some cases the Lord heals us and in other cases He doesn’t—at least not right away. I believe that if we can grasp this point, it will help to keep us from feeling condemned when we aren’t immediately healed, and it will also help us to have more compassion for those who suffer long-term afflictions.
Each person is a complex physical and spiritual being. The Lord has bestowed on each of us different gifts and talents, different physical and spiritual attributes and deficiencies, different strengths and weaknesses, and no two of us are alike. The Lord, our Maker, knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows everything about us—our every thought, our every weakness, our every joy, our every need. He knows what to allow in our lives to teach us the lessons He wants us to learn. He knows what tests and trials will help us to become what He wants us to be.
Two people could have precisely the same affliction, they could both have prayer, and one could get healed immediately and the other could continue to be afflicted for years. Does this mean that one is stronger spiritually and closer to the Lord than the other? Not necessarily. The reasons the Lord allowed these two people to get the affliction in the first place may have been completely different. If His reasons for allowing the afflictions are different, then His reasons for healing or not healing are different as well.
Perhaps the person who doesn’t receive healing right away isn’t necessarily doing anything wrong, or not doing something right. Maybe the Lord just knows it’s not time yet, and that they have to endure the affliction longer in order to have it work in their life and accomplish the purpose that He wants to bring about—blessings which take patience. The afflictions of this life can be good things in disguise, which can bring about great spiritual blessings in our lives. Delay in healing is not a denial, but is part of the Lord’s plan for that person’s life.
The kind of faith I have is to trust my life and my health and my eyes to the Lord. I have faith that His ways are higher than my ways, and His thoughts than mine.1
It’s not really just a question of having faith for healing, but it’s whether or not you have faith to accept the Lord’s plan and design for your life and for whatever He brings your way. Those of you who’ve had long-term illnesses or injuries have just had to keep on going, even though you weren’t healed. If the affliction persisted month after month, you had to hold on and trust the Lord to either eventually heal you, or to give you the grace to bear the affliction and to teach you whatever it was He wanted you to learn through it. You’ve had to accept the Romans 8:28 in your situation, and yield to the fact that this was a cross that the Lord wanted you to bear for the time being. And in every case where you trusted the Lord and hung on and didn’t give up, I’m sure you eventually saw that it bore good fruit in your life through the lessons you learned.
Who has the most faith?—The person who is instantly healed of an affliction, or someone who has to bear that affliction and still carry on loving, serving, and trusting the Lord even though they don’t understand why they haven’t been healed? They both have faith, but the one who has had to suffer the affliction has had to have enduring faith and trust in the Lord day by day. These individuals have had to have faith, not necessarily specifically for healing, but faith that the Lord is going to take care of them and bring them through.
Faith is a gift of God, and in a case where He chooses not to heal us, maybe what He wants to do is give us the faith to endure it and to praise and thank Him and to be a good testimony to others in our affliction.
If He doesn’t choose to heal you, you shouldn’t feel condemned.2 Neither should you look down upon others or consider them weak in faith just because they don’t get a quick or immediate healing, or because they have to go to the hospital or take medication. Perhaps they are weak in faith for healing, because the Lord is not ready to heal them. But perhaps they’re very strong in faith that He’s going to help carry them through the difficult times, and they show their faith by asking for prayer, trying to be cheerful, not complaining, etc. Real faith is doing what the Lord tells you to do for your situation, and knowing that He knows best, whether you get healed or not.
Sometimes people don’t have the faith for their immediate healing because it’s not the Lord’s time. However, other times people don’t have the faith for their healing because they’re not reading the Bible and claiming His promises in His Word. Maybe they’re not being obedient to the Word. In any case, you’ve got to get in the Word before you can have faith in order to obtain healing—whether it’s immediate healing, healing that occurs a little way down the line, healing when He takes you home to be with Him, or healing when He comes back for all of us! You still need the Word to have faith. “Faith comes by hearing the word of God.”3
Situations differ, and each person’s situation is tailor-made! No other situation in the world is exactly the same as yours. The Lord uses our own unique situations to help us to learn the lessons He knows we need to learn, in the way most suited to our needs and personality.
During a time when I was extremely weak due to ongoing affliction, we asked the Lord what was the purpose of this in my life, and He gave the following beautiful prophecy. In His time, I was healed. Praise the Lord!
“This sickness is not unto death, but that the glory of God may be revealed. That which I have promised, I am able to perform, but it requires faith, trust, and patience. Such matters require faith—faith to trust Me even unto death, or even unto the door of death. For they that come before Me and seek My healing come in faith and must believe, and thus must trust.
“When you come to Me, you put yourself in My hands, and the way My hand chooses to move is not always the way that your mind thinks. You must have patience, and you must understand that the mind of God, the thoughts of God, and the ways of God are higher than yours.
“So trust Me. Pray. Come to Me in faith and know that I am able to touch and to heal. But know that besides being the Great Physician, I am the Good Shepherd. Put yourself in My hands. Let Me lead you and guide you.”
One thing that can make physical afflictions easier to bear is knowing that you can go to the Lord and receive His personal words of love and encouragement. It’s a marvelous comfort and relief to be able to hear from the Lord in prophecy. You don’t have to be in the dark about what the Lord is doing in your life, or be plagued by unanswered questions, or be under condemnation. You can pour out your heart to the Lord and you can receive the help from heaven that you need today.
He can show you why, in His love, He has allowed you to be afflicted and what to do about it—how to go about securing His healing. Faith comes by hearing the Word—not only the written Word, but also the words of specific encouragement, instruction, and guidance that your personal loving Shepherd can give you through prophecy.
So don’t neglect to take your heartaches, burdens, and questions to Him.4 He’s more than willing to answer! He wants to lift your load and lighten your burdens and make your afflictions easier to bear. He wants to help you to learn precious lessons through these tests and trials.
Afflictions are not easy to bear. They can be discouraging, disheartening, and painful. They can cause you to miss the sleep that you desperately need. At times they can make it almost impossible for you to do your ministry and fulfill your responsibilities. And the more tired you get and the sicker you feel, the more it wears and tears on your relations with others—your co-workers, spouse, or children.
When you’re afflicted, it can cause you to become discouraged or to doubt the Lord’s love. But if in your hour of darkness, pain, and testing you turn to the Lord and you seek Him, He can bring beauty for ashes.5
So please, don’t neglect to go to the Lord, to cast your burdens on Him and to let Him lift you up. Let Him carry you. Let Him speak to your heart and comfort you as the wonderful lover and husband that He is to you. He loves you and He will never suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but He will make a way to escape.6 And the way of escape He offers you may often come through His words of comfort and love and encouragement, which will lift you over and above the clouds and stormy weather, and bring you to the light of a brighter day.
If you’re experiencing an ongoing affliction, it can help to go to the Lord frequently and hear from Him in prophecy. And if you have questions about the words, promises, or explanations that He gives you, just ask Him about them. He never grows weary of your questions. He never grows tired of answering, because He loves you so.
Let Him bear your burdens, ease your pain, and lighten your load by letting Him speak to your heart through prophecy.
Originally published October 1997. Adapted and republished June 2013.
Read by Irene Quiti Vera.
1 Isaiah 55:8–9.
2 Romans 8:1.
3 Romans 10:17.
4 1 Peter 5:7.
5 Isaiah 61:3.
6 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Salt of the Earth
A compilation
You are the salt of the earth.—Matthew 5:131
*
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.—Colossians 4:62
*
From the very early pages of Scripture, the portrayal of our world depicts a state of decay and countless living in darkness. To be “salt of the earth” is only significant in an environment of decay, and to be the “light of the world” is only significant in an environment of darkness. The Bible describes the process of decay as being in a state of perishing. Perishing is not a future state, though it has future implications. It is an ongoing present state. In 1 Corinthians 1:18, Paul says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.” And in 2 Corinthians 4:3, he says, “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.” This is present tense.
The alternative to perishing is everlasting life, so in our perishing world, God sprinkles salt. In biblical times, salt was heavily used as an antiseptic and preservative to prevent decay, particularly in the fishing industry. Fish had to be packed between layers of salt to keep them fresh, and this was the context in which salt was familiar to the disciples. In effect, Jesus was saying to His disciples, as salt of the world, you are the antiseptic and antidote to a decaying world.
In John 17:18, Jesus prayed, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” We are all born into the world, but as Christians, we are sent into it, not to be isolated, or to integrate into the world, blending with it, but to infiltrate the world with the light of Christ. … It is His light that shines in us and through us, setting us apart for His work in this world.
As the Spirit of Christ works in us, the process of perishing is replaced with the process of living a life that grows increasingly in righteousness and fruitfulness. When we live our lives as “salt of the earth” and “light of the world,” we will have influence; not that people are drawn to us, but that through us God is shining His light and gaining their attention.—Charles Price
*
At a meeting some young people were discussing the text, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” One suggestion after another was made as to the meaning of “salt” in this verse. “Salt imparts a desirable flavor,” said one. “Salt preserves from decay,” another suggested.
Then a Chinese Christian girl spoke out of an experience none of the others had. “Salt creates thirst,” she said, and there was a sudden hush in the room. Everyone was thinking: Have I made others thirsty for the Lord Jesus Christ?—Author Unknown
*
The goal of having an alive, deep, and meaningful relationship with Jesus, of manifesting a Christian example and following Jesus' teachings, of living and working in unity with others, has always been to be able to be “the salt of the earth,” part of “the light of the world, a city set on a hill,” that attracts others to the Lord, so that they too can come to know and love Him, and, if they're willing, to help others to do the same.3
Preserving the spiritual strength and qualities that make this possible is essential to our job of reaching the world. A close and vibrant relationship with Jesus is one of the keys to our Christian testimony and our personal happiness. So it's only natural that we would want to do all we can to ensure that we stay close to the Lord and maintain a strong relationship with Him.—Peter Amsterdam
*
It’s quite awesome when you think of the responsibility that the Lord has laid on us and the commission that He has entrusted us with—to be missionaries for Him, to be the carriers of His love to the world. He has chosen each of us to represent Him to others, to be a physical manifestation of His love for them through our words, our prayers, and our deeds. What a privilege!—Maria Fontaine
*
My missionaries learn to see the power of God working in their lives and in other people's lives. Their hearts are broken for the poor and the destitute and the hungry in spirit of this world, and through their brokenness, through the tenderness of their hearts, I pour forth My love. Their tenderness opens the channels of My love, and they receive My love in greater measure. My love flows through in mighty waves, through mighty channels to fill them and to overflow on others.
My missionaries are the salt of the earth, and I sprinkle them freely across the nations that they may bring out the flavor of My love in all places where they go. They are blessed, and I love their obedience and yieldedness. They are learning to forsake the ways of the world. They are learning to lay aside the traditions of man and his values and his goals, that they may embrace the true riches, the true values, the values of heaven and the richness of My Spirit.
This life is a preparation for the world to come. This time on earth is a test, and those who choose My ways will find great reward in the next world and for all eternity!—Jesus, speaking in prophecy
*
In our society, influence generally indicates power over others—power that inevitably reflects back on the one who is influencing. But for [Christians], influence has very little to do with their own glory. Their influence is characterized by their work on behalf of others. Indeed, their influence is not about making a name for themselves, but rather about lifting up those without names and faces who have no influence, and who most of the world will never know: homeless men and women, child-victims of the sex trafficking industry. ... Offering their lives in this way opens up the possibility of creating lastinginfluence in the lives of the world’s least influential.
When Jesus spoke about influence in his Sermon on the Mount, he likened it to salt. Salt is not a flashy spice like cayenne pepper or nutmeg. It rarely calls attention to itself as a predominant flavor. Salt is basic. And yet, salt is essential. Without it, food is bland and tasteless, for salt enlivens all the flavors. Without it, decay and degradation ensue, for salt preserves and produces longevity. Salt cleanses and heals. In recipes, salt serves all the other ingredients by coaxing out and enhancing their fullest expression and flavor. Jesus calls his followers to be influencers in the way that salt influences a meal: often in the background, and not a self-promoting or singular flavor. … Influence is like salt; it may be the behind-the-scenes player in the world of ingredients, often hardly noticed, yet powerfully effective in creating a full and lasting result.—Margaret Manning4
*
In the ancient world the influence of Christians acting as salt and light brought a stop to infanticide, ended slavery, liberated women, and created hospitals, orphanages, and schools. During the medieval era, Christianity kept classical culture alive through copying manuscripts, building libraries, and inventing colleges and universities. In the modern era, Christians led the way in the development of science, political and economic freedom, and provided what is arguably the greatest source of inspiration for art, literature, and music. What will Christians do in our day?
When we live like salt and light, with lives infused by Christ, it affects the world around us in disproportionate measure. … The key to making a difference is not a massive program but what some have called the “monastic option”—humble, deliberate acts of cultural preservation. This is precisely what a deepened soul with a developed mind, following God’s call and rooted in a church, accomplishes. Small, individual acts of living like and for Christ.—James Emery White
Published on Anchor April 2014. Read by Irene Quiti Vera.
Music by Daniel Sozzi.
1 NIV.
2 NIV.
3 Matthew 5:13–14.
4 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
You are the salt of the earth.—Matthew 5:131
*
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.—Colossians 4:62
*
From the very early pages of Scripture, the portrayal of our world depicts a state of decay and countless living in darkness. To be “salt of the earth” is only significant in an environment of decay, and to be the “light of the world” is only significant in an environment of darkness. The Bible describes the process of decay as being in a state of perishing. Perishing is not a future state, though it has future implications. It is an ongoing present state. In 1 Corinthians 1:18, Paul says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.” And in 2 Corinthians 4:3, he says, “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.” This is present tense.
The alternative to perishing is everlasting life, so in our perishing world, God sprinkles salt. In biblical times, salt was heavily used as an antiseptic and preservative to prevent decay, particularly in the fishing industry. Fish had to be packed between layers of salt to keep them fresh, and this was the context in which salt was familiar to the disciples. In effect, Jesus was saying to His disciples, as salt of the world, you are the antiseptic and antidote to a decaying world.
In John 17:18, Jesus prayed, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” We are all born into the world, but as Christians, we are sent into it, not to be isolated, or to integrate into the world, blending with it, but to infiltrate the world with the light of Christ. … It is His light that shines in us and through us, setting us apart for His work in this world.
As the Spirit of Christ works in us, the process of perishing is replaced with the process of living a life that grows increasingly in righteousness and fruitfulness. When we live our lives as “salt of the earth” and “light of the world,” we will have influence; not that people are drawn to us, but that through us God is shining His light and gaining their attention.—Charles Price
*
At a meeting some young people were discussing the text, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” One suggestion after another was made as to the meaning of “salt” in this verse. “Salt imparts a desirable flavor,” said one. “Salt preserves from decay,” another suggested.
Then a Chinese Christian girl spoke out of an experience none of the others had. “Salt creates thirst,” she said, and there was a sudden hush in the room. Everyone was thinking: Have I made others thirsty for the Lord Jesus Christ?—Author Unknown
*
The goal of having an alive, deep, and meaningful relationship with Jesus, of manifesting a Christian example and following Jesus' teachings, of living and working in unity with others, has always been to be able to be “the salt of the earth,” part of “the light of the world, a city set on a hill,” that attracts others to the Lord, so that they too can come to know and love Him, and, if they're willing, to help others to do the same.3
Preserving the spiritual strength and qualities that make this possible is essential to our job of reaching the world. A close and vibrant relationship with Jesus is one of the keys to our Christian testimony and our personal happiness. So it's only natural that we would want to do all we can to ensure that we stay close to the Lord and maintain a strong relationship with Him.—Peter Amsterdam
*
It’s quite awesome when you think of the responsibility that the Lord has laid on us and the commission that He has entrusted us with—to be missionaries for Him, to be the carriers of His love to the world. He has chosen each of us to represent Him to others, to be a physical manifestation of His love for them through our words, our prayers, and our deeds. What a privilege!—Maria Fontaine
*
My missionaries learn to see the power of God working in their lives and in other people's lives. Their hearts are broken for the poor and the destitute and the hungry in spirit of this world, and through their brokenness, through the tenderness of their hearts, I pour forth My love. Their tenderness opens the channels of My love, and they receive My love in greater measure. My love flows through in mighty waves, through mighty channels to fill them and to overflow on others.
My missionaries are the salt of the earth, and I sprinkle them freely across the nations that they may bring out the flavor of My love in all places where they go. They are blessed, and I love their obedience and yieldedness. They are learning to forsake the ways of the world. They are learning to lay aside the traditions of man and his values and his goals, that they may embrace the true riches, the true values, the values of heaven and the richness of My Spirit.
This life is a preparation for the world to come. This time on earth is a test, and those who choose My ways will find great reward in the next world and for all eternity!—Jesus, speaking in prophecy
*
In our society, influence generally indicates power over others—power that inevitably reflects back on the one who is influencing. But for [Christians], influence has very little to do with their own glory. Their influence is characterized by their work on behalf of others. Indeed, their influence is not about making a name for themselves, but rather about lifting up those without names and faces who have no influence, and who most of the world will never know: homeless men and women, child-victims of the sex trafficking industry. ... Offering their lives in this way opens up the possibility of creating lastinginfluence in the lives of the world’s least influential.
When Jesus spoke about influence in his Sermon on the Mount, he likened it to salt. Salt is not a flashy spice like cayenne pepper or nutmeg. It rarely calls attention to itself as a predominant flavor. Salt is basic. And yet, salt is essential. Without it, food is bland and tasteless, for salt enlivens all the flavors. Without it, decay and degradation ensue, for salt preserves and produces longevity. Salt cleanses and heals. In recipes, salt serves all the other ingredients by coaxing out and enhancing their fullest expression and flavor. Jesus calls his followers to be influencers in the way that salt influences a meal: often in the background, and not a self-promoting or singular flavor. … Influence is like salt; it may be the behind-the-scenes player in the world of ingredients, often hardly noticed, yet powerfully effective in creating a full and lasting result.—Margaret Manning4
*
In the ancient world the influence of Christians acting as salt and light brought a stop to infanticide, ended slavery, liberated women, and created hospitals, orphanages, and schools. During the medieval era, Christianity kept classical culture alive through copying manuscripts, building libraries, and inventing colleges and universities. In the modern era, Christians led the way in the development of science, political and economic freedom, and provided what is arguably the greatest source of inspiration for art, literature, and music. What will Christians do in our day?
When we live like salt and light, with lives infused by Christ, it affects the world around us in disproportionate measure. … The key to making a difference is not a massive program but what some have called the “monastic option”—humble, deliberate acts of cultural preservation. This is precisely what a deepened soul with a developed mind, following God’s call and rooted in a church, accomplishes. Small, individual acts of living like and for Christ.—James Emery White
Published on Anchor April 2014. Read by Irene Quiti Vera.
Music by Daniel Sozzi.
1 NIV.
2 NIV.
3 Matthew 5:13–14.
4 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
