Greece Fire, Stop-and-Seize, Texas Gold – New World Next Week
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Will leaving the euro break Greece or make it?
Nick Miller, The Age, June 18, 2015
London: Less than a century ago, Europeans were literally walking across borders with suitcases full of money. Millions of Austro-Hungarian crowns were put in sacks and tied to horses or jammed into boxcars.
That is until they closed the borders and made it illegal.
Before the Grexit, there was the “Austrexit”.
For an insight into the exit of Greece from the euro–how it could happen, and the chaos that may ensue, economist Michael Spencer dials back almost 100 years, to the wreckage of World War I.
With the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire into Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, so too the currency union broke down. Citizens were told they had to bring their old crowns to the post office, to be stamped and thereby turned into new, local currency.
But when you create a new currency, Mr Spencer explains, you get “massive cross-border flows of the old currency”, as everyone tries to move their money to where it will be worth the most.
One estimate is that 6.5 billion crowns, equal to the entire estimated circulation in Hungary, were transferred out of Czechoslovakia and Austria (which faced unprecedented unemployment, huge debt payments and the problem of paying for a big civil service, leading to justified fears the new currency would quickly inflate).
In Czechoslovakia, as the currency separation began, borders were ordered closed and all postal communications abroad were suspended for two weeks. Heads of households were ordered to surrender all their crowns for stamping, and bank deposits were converted at a 1:1 rate. Half of the stamped currency was withheld by the government as a “forced loan”.
In Austria, the government put controls on the sale of securities and stocks to the other states to prevent an influx of notes from Czechoslovakia.
For the record Mr Spencer, chief economist for Deutsche Bank Asia Pacific, is not saying Grexit will happen. They are “still of the view that a deal will get done in the next few days”, making this all just hypothetical.
“The Greeks dislike austerity but they want to stay in the euro … If they put in place capital controls and people in Greece are trading IOUs or tax refund receipts or whatever people come up with … that’s a scenario in which we think the Greek government loses its popular support. [Greek Prime Minister Alexis] Tsipras will do what he needs to do to avoid that outcome.”
But nevertheless, Grexit is on the table, governments are making contingency plans and economists are imagining what it would look like.
In 1994, Mr Spencer co-wrote a paper on the fragmentation of the Austro-Hungarian crown. He still sees it as the “key historical example of a currency union breakup”.
Though things are different now. “Now of course you don’t need to walk across the border, you just log onto your bank account with your security code and transfer money out of the country,” Mr Spencer says. “There’s nothing to stop someone in Greece taking their entire [bank] deposit, transferring it to a bank in France, then living off the ATM.”
There will have to be strict controls on money to stop that happening–the Greek banking system has already lost 40 per cent of its deposits in three years. “It’s going to be absolutely chaotic for a few weeks and the rest of Europe will look on in [horror].”
And there is a lingering hangover.
“My reading of economic history is that when you’ve had these kinds of crises you don’t wake up the next morning saying ‘oh what a relief the currency’s been devalued’, you wake up thinking ‘I am poorer, prices of everything that I want to import have gone up by 40 per cent’. Consumption collapses, imports collapse.
“It’s entirely possible that a year later the economy is growing … but it could be years before Greeks feel that they are better off than they were before the devaluation.”
But other economists disagree.
In 2012, a team from Capital Economics led by Roger Bootle won a £250,000 ($508,000) prize for outlining the “smoothest process by which a member state could exit the Eurozone”.
The model is highly technical, and envisions a “substantial default” of government debt. It proposes top-secret preparations, followed by a public announcement just three days ahead of the new currency being introduced.
Immediately after the announcement, domestic banks and financial markets close to prevent capital flight. There would be no “stamping” of euros into drachmas–instead all wages, prices and bank deposits are immediately converted to the new currency, and “non-cash” means of payment are used until the new money is printed.
Mr Bootle says his plan is not only possible, it’s desirable.
“The main purpose of making such a change is to allow the exchange rate to fall. That should not be resisted by the Greek authorities, it’s part of the solution,” he says. He would expect the drachma to stabilise at more than half the value of the euro.
There is no escaping the need for capital controls and restrictions on the banks, to avoid “financial catastrophe”, Mr Bootle says.
However he doesn’t think the practical challenges of printing a new currency are particularly difficult. People can carry on using euros, or build up credit, or circulate IOUs. “It’s a comparatively minor problem, a short-term thing,” he says.
And the project as a whole is “eminently desirable”, he says.
After the disruption to transactions, and the banking system, and the shock for Greeks as import prices shoot up, the economy would respond and start to recover (helped by a massive upsurge in tourism and a boost to local agriculture and manufacturing).
“I don’t see any way, without this, that Greece can escape from the current mess,” Mr Bootle says. “When people say to me ‘oh wouldn’t an exit from the euro cause a few problems’, I want to know which planet they’re living on. There’s a question of what the alternatives are, and this does offer the prospect of a very real escape.
“It wouldn’t be a disaster, it would be a salvation. In a year’s time people will look back and say–why on Earth didn’t we do that sooner?”
London: Less than a century ago, Europeans were literally walking across borders with suitcases full of money. Millions of Austro-Hungarian crowns were put in sacks and tied to horses or jammed into boxcars.
That is until they closed the borders and made it illegal.
Before the Grexit, there was the “Austrexit”.
For an insight into the exit of Greece from the euro–how it could happen, and the chaos that may ensue, economist Michael Spencer dials back almost 100 years, to the wreckage of World War I.
With the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire into Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, so too the currency union broke down. Citizens were told they had to bring their old crowns to the post office, to be stamped and thereby turned into new, local currency.
But when you create a new currency, Mr Spencer explains, you get “massive cross-border flows of the old currency”, as everyone tries to move their money to where it will be worth the most.
One estimate is that 6.5 billion crowns, equal to the entire estimated circulation in Hungary, were transferred out of Czechoslovakia and Austria (which faced unprecedented unemployment, huge debt payments and the problem of paying for a big civil service, leading to justified fears the new currency would quickly inflate).
In Czechoslovakia, as the currency separation began, borders were ordered closed and all postal communications abroad were suspended for two weeks. Heads of households were ordered to surrender all their crowns for stamping, and bank deposits were converted at a 1:1 rate. Half of the stamped currency was withheld by the government as a “forced loan”.
In Austria, the government put controls on the sale of securities and stocks to the other states to prevent an influx of notes from Czechoslovakia.
For the record Mr Spencer, chief economist for Deutsche Bank Asia Pacific, is not saying Grexit will happen. They are “still of the view that a deal will get done in the next few days”, making this all just hypothetical.
“The Greeks dislike austerity but they want to stay in the euro … If they put in place capital controls and people in Greece are trading IOUs or tax refund receipts or whatever people come up with … that’s a scenario in which we think the Greek government loses its popular support. [Greek Prime Minister Alexis] Tsipras will do what he needs to do to avoid that outcome.”
But nevertheless, Grexit is on the table, governments are making contingency plans and economists are imagining what it would look like.
In 1994, Mr Spencer co-wrote a paper on the fragmentation of the Austro-Hungarian crown. He still sees it as the “key historical example of a currency union breakup”.
Though things are different now. “Now of course you don’t need to walk across the border, you just log onto your bank account with your security code and transfer money out of the country,” Mr Spencer says. “There’s nothing to stop someone in Greece taking their entire [bank] deposit, transferring it to a bank in France, then living off the ATM.”
There will have to be strict controls on money to stop that happening–the Greek banking system has already lost 40 per cent of its deposits in three years. “It’s going to be absolutely chaotic for a few weeks and the rest of Europe will look on in [horror].”
And there is a lingering hangover.
“My reading of economic history is that when you’ve had these kinds of crises you don’t wake up the next morning saying ‘oh what a relief the currency’s been devalued’, you wake up thinking ‘I am poorer, prices of everything that I want to import have gone up by 40 per cent’. Consumption collapses, imports collapse.
“It’s entirely possible that a year later the economy is growing … but it could be years before Greeks feel that they are better off than they were before the devaluation.”
But other economists disagree.
In 2012, a team from Capital Economics led by Roger Bootle won a £250,000 ($508,000) prize for outlining the “smoothest process by which a member state could exit the Eurozone”.
The model is highly technical, and envisions a “substantial default” of government debt. It proposes top-secret preparations, followed by a public announcement just three days ahead of the new currency being introduced.
Immediately after the announcement, domestic banks and financial markets close to prevent capital flight. There would be no “stamping” of euros into drachmas–instead all wages, prices and bank deposits are immediately converted to the new currency, and “non-cash” means of payment are used until the new money is printed.
Mr Bootle says his plan is not only possible, it’s desirable.
“The main purpose of making such a change is to allow the exchange rate to fall. That should not be resisted by the Greek authorities, it’s part of the solution,” he says. He would expect the drachma to stabilise at more than half the value of the euro.
There is no escaping the need for capital controls and restrictions on the banks, to avoid “financial catastrophe”, Mr Bootle says.
However he doesn’t think the practical challenges of printing a new currency are particularly difficult. People can carry on using euros, or build up credit, or circulate IOUs. “It’s a comparatively minor problem, a short-term thing,” he says.
And the project as a whole is “eminently desirable”, he says.
After the disruption to transactions, and the banking system, and the shock for Greeks as import prices shoot up, the economy would respond and start to recover (helped by a massive upsurge in tourism and a boost to local agriculture and manufacturing).
“I don’t see any way, without this, that Greece can escape from the current mess,” Mr Bootle says. “When people say to me ‘oh wouldn’t an exit from the euro cause a few problems’, I want to know which planet they’re living on. There’s a question of what the alternatives are, and this does offer the prospect of a very real escape.
“It wouldn’t be a disaster, it would be a salvation. In a year’s time people will look back and say–why on Earth didn’t we do that sooner?”
Friday, June 19, 2015
Eu Acredito
Compilação
[I Believe]
Link
Eu acredito no Pai de toda a humanidade que entrelaça a nossa vida, criada à Sua imagem e semelhança, no recôndito das nossas almas.
Eu acredito em Jesus Cristo, Aquele sem um pai terreno, que caminhou nas estradas poeirentas, com nossos nomes talhados na palma de Suas mãos, junto à s marcas dos pregos que as traspassaram... Aquele que agora Se assenta à direita do Pai e intercede incessantemente por nós. Eu acredito que a pedra que fechava o túmulo foi deslocada, o Corpo ressuscitou, e acredito nas primÃcias dos que partiram desta vida… e que nós, em breve, partilharemos da mesma sorte.
Eu acredito que a Cruz é a nossa única Esperança, nosso supremo Privilégio, nossa Salvação e único Alicerce. Eu acredito que a única maneira de não afundarmos nas ondas que surfamos nesta vida é nos agarrando aos pés do Senhor Jesus pendurado no madeiro, cujo sangue que dá vida ao escorrer nos lava e deixa mais brancos do que a neve. E é tudo pela Sua fabulosa graça, para que ninguém se glorie.
Eu acredito no EspÃrito Santo que se move, sussurra, e habita no nosso Ãntimo. Eu acredito em viver no EspÃrito, caminhar no EspÃrito, e dar frutos no EspÃrito... no EspÃrito que nos ajuda em nossas fraquezas com gemidos inexprimÃveis.
Eu acredito na infalibilidade da BÃblia, a Palavra de Deus—a Palavra certa, a Palavra pura, a única Palavra segura. Eu acredito que as palavras nesse livro foram inspiradas diretamente pelo trono dos céus, e que são a carta de amor que Deus nos escreveu para iluminar nossos passos cambaleantes na noite escura.
Eu acredito que existe mais do que apenas acreditar. Existe o viver aquilo em que acredito.—Ann Voskamp
Paixão por Deus
Nós amamos a Deus de coração, alma, mente e espÃrito. Buscamos um relacionamento Ãntimo e pessoal com Jesus, aprendendo a exibir Suas qualidades e vivendo o Seu amor.
Desejamos conhecer e entender a verdade da Palavra de Deus, a essência da natureza divina. Valorizamos os princÃpios fundamentais da Palavra escrita, ouvir a Deus e seguir Sua orientação. Colocamos nossa fé em ação e estendemos as mãos aos corações cansados e atribulados, aos menos favorecidos, oprimidos e carentes, como se o fizéssemos a Jesus.—Trecho dos valores fundamentais de AFI
Não importa o quê
Deus é soberano, não importa o quê. Não importa o que, Deus ainda conhece o meu nome, anjos atendem ao Seu chamado, e o coração dos poderosos ainda Se inclinam à s Suas determinações. Não importa o que, a morte de Jesus ainda salva almas, o EspÃrito de Deus ainda habita nos santos; o céu ainda está a poucos batimentos cardÃacos de distância, o túmulo continua sendo uma morada temporária. Deus continua fiel. Ele nunca é pego de surpresa. Ele usa tudo para a Sua glória, e para realizar o bem. Ele usa a tragédia para realizar a Sua vontade, e a Sua vontade é correta, santa e perfeita. A tristeza pode vir à noite, mas a alegria sempre vem pela manhã.
Em tempos de mudanças é preciso agarrar a mão de Deus, sempre firme e estável... Desejamos que todas as coisas permaneçam do mesmo jeito, mas isso não vai acontecer. Deus, porém, é o mesmo. No meio das dificuldades, recapitule e cite as caracterÃsticas imutáveis de Deus.—Max Lucado
Uma resposta pessoal
Deus é vida, vida rica e abundante. Ele também é amor. A Sua vontade é incluir a todos nós em Sua vida e amor.
Deus busca constantemente nos elevar da mesquinhez interior para o plano do Seu amor. Por isso Ele Se despojou da própria vida e abriu Seu coração para nós. É incrÃvel pensar que nós, seres humanos insignificantes, somos do Seu interesse! O amor incompreensÃvel que habita no coração de Deus O faz amar cada um de nós pessoalmente.
Deus deseja que conheçamos o Seu coração, aceitemos a Sua palavra, confirmemos a Sua vontade e a realizemos. Ele também quer que respondamos pessoalmente a Ele, O adorando no espÃrito livre da consagração que entende o essencial e o coloca em prática na sua vida.—Eberhard Arnold
Ele não é o objetivo
Algumas pessoas aceitam Jesus em suas vidas como um degrau para o perdão e irem para o céu. Elas buscam a salvação. Apesar da salvação em Jesus Cristo ser verdadeira e maravilhosa, não é o objetivo principal do Evangelho. Outras aceitam Cristo como um degrau para a intervenção divina e única solução para sua condição desesperadora. Mas Jesus não é um degrau para nada. Ele não é o objetivo.
A vantagem de aceitarmos Jesus em nossas vidas não é o perdão, ir para o céu, receber intervenção divina. A vantagem é o próprio Jesus. Ele não é um band-aid na hora da necessidade. Ele permeia todos os aspectos e fases de nossas vidas para Se tornar tudo o que precisamos. Deus não deve ser definido como um Deus que faz milagres como se essa fosse a Sua natureza, pois Ele é também um Deus que não realiza milagres. Muitas pessoas já fizeram petições fervorosas em perÃodos de enfermidades, tragédias e perdas, mas não receberam intervenção milagrosa. Não podemos culpar a Deus por todas as dificuldades que enfrentamos na vida, mas podemos vivenciar a paz e a força que Ele nos dá nesses perÃodos.
Paulo diz em Filipenses 3:10: “Quero conhecer a Cristo, ao poder da sua ressurreição e à participação em seus sofrimentos…” Cristo é o objetivo final da vida cristão, e deseja que venhamos a conhecê-lO e vivenciá-lO. Ele disse: “Esta é a vida eterna: que te conheçam, o único Deus verdadeiro, e a Jesus Cristo, a quem enviaste.”[1] A vida eterna não é algo que começa quando chegamos ao Céu. Ela tem inÃcio aqui na terra a partir do momento que aceitamos Jesus em nossas vidas. Quando O reconhecemos como Senhor e Salvador, passamos a conhecê-lO não a partir de suposições, mas com conhecimento de causa, e Ele Se torna a nossa vida.—Charles Price
Olhos na meta
É preciso olhar adiante, para a meta, como diz em Hebreus 11, o capÃtulo da fé. Por fé eles esperaram, olharam adiante. Não estavam satisfeitos em serem cidadãos do mundo, buscavam uma pátria criada por Deus, um paÃs celestial, uma cidade celestial.
Estavam dispostos a passar por todas as provas e tribulações e serem estrangeiros e peregrinos, pessoas sem um paÃs, porque sabiam que a sua pátria viria no futuro. E sabiam que valia a pena lutar, viver e morrer por ela.
Até mesmo os benefÃcios durante esse processo compensam. Que soldado ganha tão bem? Quem recebe cem vezes mais de tudo o que abre mão para poder estar no exército? O soldado de Deus receberá cem vezes mais tudo o que tiver deixado para trás.[2] O que mais poderia querer?
Cem vezes mais o salário anterior. Cem vezes mais saúde. Bênçãos e amor. Cem vezes mais de tudo o que tinha anteriormente. O que mais se poderia desejar? E além de tudo o Céu! Tudo isso e também o Céu!
Não vale a pena lutar por tudo isso? Você não acha que vale a pena lutar nem que seja apenas pelo amor do nosso Salvador, do nosso comandante chefe, só porque O ama?
Ele lutou, sangrou e morreu por você na cruz para salvá-lo. Ele venceu a batalha por você. Você deveria estar disposto a enfrentar as batalhas dEle só em gratidão por Ele o ter salvado. Deveria estar disposto a travar algumas pequenas batalhas com o Diabo em prol da causa de Cristo, do Seu reino e amor, e para tentar salvar outros.
Jesus Se dispôs a morrer por nós para nos salvar, e quer que estejamos dispostos a morrer para nós mesmos por amor a Ele para salvarmos outros. “Ninguém tem maior amor do que este, de dar alguém a sua vida pelos seus amigos.”[3] Não há como comprar nossos sofrimentos com as bênçãos que já temos, muito menos com a glória da qual ainda gozaremos.[4]—David Brandt Berg
Publicado no Âncora em maio de 2015.
[1] João 17:3 NVI.
[2] Mateus 19:29.
[3] João 15:13.
[4] Romanos 8:18.
[I Believe]
Link
Eu acredito no Pai de toda a humanidade que entrelaça a nossa vida, criada à Sua imagem e semelhança, no recôndito das nossas almas.
Eu acredito em Jesus Cristo, Aquele sem um pai terreno, que caminhou nas estradas poeirentas, com nossos nomes talhados na palma de Suas mãos, junto à s marcas dos pregos que as traspassaram... Aquele que agora Se assenta à direita do Pai e intercede incessantemente por nós. Eu acredito que a pedra que fechava o túmulo foi deslocada, o Corpo ressuscitou, e acredito nas primÃcias dos que partiram desta vida… e que nós, em breve, partilharemos da mesma sorte.
Eu acredito que a Cruz é a nossa única Esperança, nosso supremo Privilégio, nossa Salvação e único Alicerce. Eu acredito que a única maneira de não afundarmos nas ondas que surfamos nesta vida é nos agarrando aos pés do Senhor Jesus pendurado no madeiro, cujo sangue que dá vida ao escorrer nos lava e deixa mais brancos do que a neve. E é tudo pela Sua fabulosa graça, para que ninguém se glorie.
Eu acredito no EspÃrito Santo que se move, sussurra, e habita no nosso Ãntimo. Eu acredito em viver no EspÃrito, caminhar no EspÃrito, e dar frutos no EspÃrito... no EspÃrito que nos ajuda em nossas fraquezas com gemidos inexprimÃveis.
Eu acredito na infalibilidade da BÃblia, a Palavra de Deus—a Palavra certa, a Palavra pura, a única Palavra segura. Eu acredito que as palavras nesse livro foram inspiradas diretamente pelo trono dos céus, e que são a carta de amor que Deus nos escreveu para iluminar nossos passos cambaleantes na noite escura.
Eu acredito que existe mais do que apenas acreditar. Existe o viver aquilo em que acredito.—Ann Voskamp
Paixão por Deus
Nós amamos a Deus de coração, alma, mente e espÃrito. Buscamos um relacionamento Ãntimo e pessoal com Jesus, aprendendo a exibir Suas qualidades e vivendo o Seu amor.
Desejamos conhecer e entender a verdade da Palavra de Deus, a essência da natureza divina. Valorizamos os princÃpios fundamentais da Palavra escrita, ouvir a Deus e seguir Sua orientação. Colocamos nossa fé em ação e estendemos as mãos aos corações cansados e atribulados, aos menos favorecidos, oprimidos e carentes, como se o fizéssemos a Jesus.—Trecho dos valores fundamentais de AFI
Não importa o quê
Deus é soberano, não importa o quê. Não importa o que, Deus ainda conhece o meu nome, anjos atendem ao Seu chamado, e o coração dos poderosos ainda Se inclinam à s Suas determinações. Não importa o que, a morte de Jesus ainda salva almas, o EspÃrito de Deus ainda habita nos santos; o céu ainda está a poucos batimentos cardÃacos de distância, o túmulo continua sendo uma morada temporária. Deus continua fiel. Ele nunca é pego de surpresa. Ele usa tudo para a Sua glória, e para realizar o bem. Ele usa a tragédia para realizar a Sua vontade, e a Sua vontade é correta, santa e perfeita. A tristeza pode vir à noite, mas a alegria sempre vem pela manhã.
Em tempos de mudanças é preciso agarrar a mão de Deus, sempre firme e estável... Desejamos que todas as coisas permaneçam do mesmo jeito, mas isso não vai acontecer. Deus, porém, é o mesmo. No meio das dificuldades, recapitule e cite as caracterÃsticas imutáveis de Deus.—Max Lucado
Uma resposta pessoal
Deus é vida, vida rica e abundante. Ele também é amor. A Sua vontade é incluir a todos nós em Sua vida e amor.
Deus busca constantemente nos elevar da mesquinhez interior para o plano do Seu amor. Por isso Ele Se despojou da própria vida e abriu Seu coração para nós. É incrÃvel pensar que nós, seres humanos insignificantes, somos do Seu interesse! O amor incompreensÃvel que habita no coração de Deus O faz amar cada um de nós pessoalmente.
Deus deseja que conheçamos o Seu coração, aceitemos a Sua palavra, confirmemos a Sua vontade e a realizemos. Ele também quer que respondamos pessoalmente a Ele, O adorando no espÃrito livre da consagração que entende o essencial e o coloca em prática na sua vida.—Eberhard Arnold
Ele não é o objetivo
Algumas pessoas aceitam Jesus em suas vidas como um degrau para o perdão e irem para o céu. Elas buscam a salvação. Apesar da salvação em Jesus Cristo ser verdadeira e maravilhosa, não é o objetivo principal do Evangelho. Outras aceitam Cristo como um degrau para a intervenção divina e única solução para sua condição desesperadora. Mas Jesus não é um degrau para nada. Ele não é o objetivo.
A vantagem de aceitarmos Jesus em nossas vidas não é o perdão, ir para o céu, receber intervenção divina. A vantagem é o próprio Jesus. Ele não é um band-aid na hora da necessidade. Ele permeia todos os aspectos e fases de nossas vidas para Se tornar tudo o que precisamos. Deus não deve ser definido como um Deus que faz milagres como se essa fosse a Sua natureza, pois Ele é também um Deus que não realiza milagres. Muitas pessoas já fizeram petições fervorosas em perÃodos de enfermidades, tragédias e perdas, mas não receberam intervenção milagrosa. Não podemos culpar a Deus por todas as dificuldades que enfrentamos na vida, mas podemos vivenciar a paz e a força que Ele nos dá nesses perÃodos.
Paulo diz em Filipenses 3:10: “Quero conhecer a Cristo, ao poder da sua ressurreição e à participação em seus sofrimentos…” Cristo é o objetivo final da vida cristão, e deseja que venhamos a conhecê-lO e vivenciá-lO. Ele disse: “Esta é a vida eterna: que te conheçam, o único Deus verdadeiro, e a Jesus Cristo, a quem enviaste.”[1] A vida eterna não é algo que começa quando chegamos ao Céu. Ela tem inÃcio aqui na terra a partir do momento que aceitamos Jesus em nossas vidas. Quando O reconhecemos como Senhor e Salvador, passamos a conhecê-lO não a partir de suposições, mas com conhecimento de causa, e Ele Se torna a nossa vida.—Charles Price
Olhos na meta
É preciso olhar adiante, para a meta, como diz em Hebreus 11, o capÃtulo da fé. Por fé eles esperaram, olharam adiante. Não estavam satisfeitos em serem cidadãos do mundo, buscavam uma pátria criada por Deus, um paÃs celestial, uma cidade celestial.
Estavam dispostos a passar por todas as provas e tribulações e serem estrangeiros e peregrinos, pessoas sem um paÃs, porque sabiam que a sua pátria viria no futuro. E sabiam que valia a pena lutar, viver e morrer por ela.
Até mesmo os benefÃcios durante esse processo compensam. Que soldado ganha tão bem? Quem recebe cem vezes mais de tudo o que abre mão para poder estar no exército? O soldado de Deus receberá cem vezes mais tudo o que tiver deixado para trás.[2] O que mais poderia querer?
Cem vezes mais o salário anterior. Cem vezes mais saúde. Bênçãos e amor. Cem vezes mais de tudo o que tinha anteriormente. O que mais se poderia desejar? E além de tudo o Céu! Tudo isso e também o Céu!
Não vale a pena lutar por tudo isso? Você não acha que vale a pena lutar nem que seja apenas pelo amor do nosso Salvador, do nosso comandante chefe, só porque O ama?
Ele lutou, sangrou e morreu por você na cruz para salvá-lo. Ele venceu a batalha por você. Você deveria estar disposto a enfrentar as batalhas dEle só em gratidão por Ele o ter salvado. Deveria estar disposto a travar algumas pequenas batalhas com o Diabo em prol da causa de Cristo, do Seu reino e amor, e para tentar salvar outros.
Jesus Se dispôs a morrer por nós para nos salvar, e quer que estejamos dispostos a morrer para nós mesmos por amor a Ele para salvarmos outros. “Ninguém tem maior amor do que este, de dar alguém a sua vida pelos seus amigos.”[3] Não há como comprar nossos sofrimentos com as bênçãos que já temos, muito menos com a glória da qual ainda gozaremos.[4]—David Brandt Berg
Publicado no Âncora em maio de 2015.
[1] João 17:3 NVI.
[2] Mateus 19:29.
[3] João 15:13.
[4] Romanos 8:18.
Feeling Sidelined by God?
He Is the Coach You Can Trust
A compilation
Link
Audio length: 12:16
Download Audio (16.8MB)
Some years ago, when my son Jeremiah was seven, I coached his flag football team. One of his teammates was an adorable little guy named Max. Max is never going to be mistaken for the next “Mean Joe Green.” Max is the kind of young man who, if an ambulance went screaming by the practice field, would stop practice and say, “Let’s pray.”
During one of our games, Max wanted to play another position instead of the one I had assigned to him. He saw how his teammates were scoring touchdowns and making plays on the ball. So he wanted to do what they were doing. He persistently let me know that he was not satisfied with the position I had him playing. Max stopped trusting me. However, as his coach, and based on my NFL experience, I knew the position where Max would have the most success, especially given the ability he had.
But more importantly, I loved Max and wanted him to succeed.
At halftime, he shed some tears. He was mad at me. Through his tears, I told Max, “Trust me! I have you in the perfect position to make an interception! If you do your assignment with maximum effort like you’ve been coached, you will get an interception in this game to help us win. Trust me, Max; I love you!”
Later in the game, Max got an interception and returned it for a touchdown. His teammates lifted him up and celebrated his success. I ran from the other end of the field and lifted him up. Now I was crying.
Next time you look around and find yourself doubting if God loves you because of the circumstances you’re going through, just remember that your past, present, and future are held in the nail-pierced hands of Jesus; he knows the best position for you to be in. You can trust him, even when you don’t understand. God’s wisdom is his ability to orchestrate and choose the best means by which to accomplish the best end results.
Because God is all-knowing, he has the knowledge to make wise choices. Because God is all-loving, we know that his choices are in our best interest. And because he is all-powerful, God has the power to achieve his end results by the means he chooses. In the governing of his universe, God makes no mistakes. He is the coach you can trust.—Derwin L. Gray
Expect great things
Adversity comes in various ways. Injuries are an area most athletes have to deal with at one point or another. Many are lucky, and with God’s help play through an injury. However, it is hard to suffer an injury that requires rehabilitation or may take us out for the season. Satan brings thoughts of, Why me? Why give me this talent and take it away?Thoughts of quitting creep in. God does not want us in pain; it is a result of our sinful world. God wants us to make the best of an unfortunate situation. Although Job was not an athlete, remember that even though everything was taken away, his story ended with a blessing.
Sometimes our plans for athletic success do not go as planned; but God can use the bad for good. As a three-sport athlete in high school, I had scholarship offers until my career-ending injury, but God gave me other opportunities in sports I had never dreamed of and at elite levels I had only once hoped to achieve. He loves us and wants the best for us. Turn to Him and expect great things.—Jennifer Ruddell
His delays are not denials
God’s Word says, “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”1 I know by faith that once God's purpose has been accomplished through our times of affliction or adversity, and we have learned from it what He wants us to learn, we will receive what He's promised. Just when this will be, we don't know.
“God's delays are not denials,” and the Lord frequently allows our faith to be tested by having us continue to wait patiently for Him. Look how Daniel's prayers were answered from the first day that he prayed, but it took three weeks before he actually received that answer!2
We can hold on to His promises because we're certain that what He has promised, He will, in His perfect time, also perform. It's a test of our faith when we have to wait patiently for Him, but through it we learn many precious lessons of patience and compassion for others.—Maria Fontaine
In on the action
Sometimes, it’s just more comfortable to sit on the sidelines or be part of the crowd. But, to me, this goes against what we are called to be as God’s competitors. As true competitors we should want to be in on the action, and when we can’t, it burns on the inside. Whether we feel capable or not, if God (our coach) calls us up and gives us playing time, it is our job out of obedience to not sit on the sidelines but to go into the game.
If we have absolute faith in Him and know that He will show us the way, it is pleasing to Him. Plus, as it says in His Word, God has not created us to be fearful. If we believe that, we can know [that fear is] straight from the enemy. Second Timothy 1:7 tells us that God didn’t give us a timid spirit, but one of power, love, and self-discipline. If we’re called into the game, are we going to worry about our talents or are we going to be disciplined and run in because God has the faith in us to put us in? Through Jesus Christ we are given the keys to fully unlock all the confidence we need. As it says in Philippians 4:13, we can do all things through Him who gives us strength. So, get off the sidelines, focus on Him and sprint toward the action.—Scott Ditter
Surrendering to the moment
It is tough when you so desperately want to be a part of something; you sense your calling, you have finally discovered what you were created for. Doors begin to open, your anticipation builds, and your dreams soar. You are dancing on top of the mountain; you are so close to realizing your potential that you can breathe it in. And then… BAM! Something happens, often beyond your control, and before you can even say “Mary Poppins!” you find yourself at the bottom of the valley, sidelined. Watching. Hurting. Not even sure what happened.
It feels unfair.
Disappointment and discouragement quickly become your new best friends, hastily shoving aside exhilaration and excitement. The self-justification quickly rises… “Why do they get a turn and I don’t?” “Why are they more favored than me?” “Why would you make me wait, I am so ready for this!” Followed closely by the self-flagellation… “What did I do wrong?” “Am I not good enough?” “Why don’t you love me, God, like you do them?”… The internal storm rages. The battle begins for our dreams and expectations to be reinstated on our terms.
Then we realize.
There is nothing we can do except surrender to the moment. We cannot control the circumstances. We can try, but often that outcome is worse than if we had just waited. We don’t know why God sidelines us at times. Maybe one day in the future we will, but in the midst of the waiting, we rarely understand. All we can do is trust. Trust that He is good. He has not brought us this far to sit us on the sidelines, watching and waiting, for all eternity. That is not His plan, nor His heart. How can it be? Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few.3 We will not wait forever.—Charissa Steffens
Wait with patience
We spend a lot of time in our lives waiting, because change is a process. Many people want change, but they don’t want to go through the waiting process. But the truth is, waiting is a given—we are going to wait. The question is, are we going to wait the wrong or right way? If we wait the wrong way, we’ll be miserable; but if we decide to wait God’s way, we can become patient and enjoy the wait. It takes practice, but as we let God help us in each situation, we develop patience, which is one of the most important Christian virtues. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.4 It's developed only under trial, so we must not run from difficult situations. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.5
As we develop patience, the Bible says we finally feel completely satisfied—lacking nothing. Even our relationship with God involves progressive changes. … We learn to trust God by going through many experiences that require trust. By seeing God’s faithfulness over and over, we let go of trusting ourselves, and gradually we place our trust in Him. Looking at it like this, it is easy to see how timing plays an important part in learning to trust God. If He did everything we asked for immediately, we would never grow and develop. Timing and trust work side by side.—Joyce Meyer
Published on Anchor June 2015. Read by Debra Lee.
1 Hebrews 10:35–36 ESV.
2 See Daniel 10:12–14.
3 Matthew 9:37.
4 See Galatians 5:22.
5 James 1:4 AMP.
A compilation
Link
Audio length: 12:16
Download Audio (16.8MB)
Some years ago, when my son Jeremiah was seven, I coached his flag football team. One of his teammates was an adorable little guy named Max. Max is never going to be mistaken for the next “Mean Joe Green.” Max is the kind of young man who, if an ambulance went screaming by the practice field, would stop practice and say, “Let’s pray.”
During one of our games, Max wanted to play another position instead of the one I had assigned to him. He saw how his teammates were scoring touchdowns and making plays on the ball. So he wanted to do what they were doing. He persistently let me know that he was not satisfied with the position I had him playing. Max stopped trusting me. However, as his coach, and based on my NFL experience, I knew the position where Max would have the most success, especially given the ability he had.
But more importantly, I loved Max and wanted him to succeed.
At halftime, he shed some tears. He was mad at me. Through his tears, I told Max, “Trust me! I have you in the perfect position to make an interception! If you do your assignment with maximum effort like you’ve been coached, you will get an interception in this game to help us win. Trust me, Max; I love you!”
Later in the game, Max got an interception and returned it for a touchdown. His teammates lifted him up and celebrated his success. I ran from the other end of the field and lifted him up. Now I was crying.
Next time you look around and find yourself doubting if God loves you because of the circumstances you’re going through, just remember that your past, present, and future are held in the nail-pierced hands of Jesus; he knows the best position for you to be in. You can trust him, even when you don’t understand. God’s wisdom is his ability to orchestrate and choose the best means by which to accomplish the best end results.
Because God is all-knowing, he has the knowledge to make wise choices. Because God is all-loving, we know that his choices are in our best interest. And because he is all-powerful, God has the power to achieve his end results by the means he chooses. In the governing of his universe, God makes no mistakes. He is the coach you can trust.—Derwin L. Gray
Expect great things
Adversity comes in various ways. Injuries are an area most athletes have to deal with at one point or another. Many are lucky, and with God’s help play through an injury. However, it is hard to suffer an injury that requires rehabilitation or may take us out for the season. Satan brings thoughts of, Why me? Why give me this talent and take it away?Thoughts of quitting creep in. God does not want us in pain; it is a result of our sinful world. God wants us to make the best of an unfortunate situation. Although Job was not an athlete, remember that even though everything was taken away, his story ended with a blessing.
Sometimes our plans for athletic success do not go as planned; but God can use the bad for good. As a three-sport athlete in high school, I had scholarship offers until my career-ending injury, but God gave me other opportunities in sports I had never dreamed of and at elite levels I had only once hoped to achieve. He loves us and wants the best for us. Turn to Him and expect great things.—Jennifer Ruddell
His delays are not denials
God’s Word says, “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”1 I know by faith that once God's purpose has been accomplished through our times of affliction or adversity, and we have learned from it what He wants us to learn, we will receive what He's promised. Just when this will be, we don't know.
“God's delays are not denials,” and the Lord frequently allows our faith to be tested by having us continue to wait patiently for Him. Look how Daniel's prayers were answered from the first day that he prayed, but it took three weeks before he actually received that answer!2
We can hold on to His promises because we're certain that what He has promised, He will, in His perfect time, also perform. It's a test of our faith when we have to wait patiently for Him, but through it we learn many precious lessons of patience and compassion for others.—Maria Fontaine
In on the action
Sometimes, it’s just more comfortable to sit on the sidelines or be part of the crowd. But, to me, this goes against what we are called to be as God’s competitors. As true competitors we should want to be in on the action, and when we can’t, it burns on the inside. Whether we feel capable or not, if God (our coach) calls us up and gives us playing time, it is our job out of obedience to not sit on the sidelines but to go into the game.
If we have absolute faith in Him and know that He will show us the way, it is pleasing to Him. Plus, as it says in His Word, God has not created us to be fearful. If we believe that, we can know [that fear is] straight from the enemy. Second Timothy 1:7 tells us that God didn’t give us a timid spirit, but one of power, love, and self-discipline. If we’re called into the game, are we going to worry about our talents or are we going to be disciplined and run in because God has the faith in us to put us in? Through Jesus Christ we are given the keys to fully unlock all the confidence we need. As it says in Philippians 4:13, we can do all things through Him who gives us strength. So, get off the sidelines, focus on Him and sprint toward the action.—Scott Ditter
Surrendering to the moment
It is tough when you so desperately want to be a part of something; you sense your calling, you have finally discovered what you were created for. Doors begin to open, your anticipation builds, and your dreams soar. You are dancing on top of the mountain; you are so close to realizing your potential that you can breathe it in. And then… BAM! Something happens, often beyond your control, and before you can even say “Mary Poppins!” you find yourself at the bottom of the valley, sidelined. Watching. Hurting. Not even sure what happened.
It feels unfair.
Disappointment and discouragement quickly become your new best friends, hastily shoving aside exhilaration and excitement. The self-justification quickly rises… “Why do they get a turn and I don’t?” “Why are they more favored than me?” “Why would you make me wait, I am so ready for this!” Followed closely by the self-flagellation… “What did I do wrong?” “Am I not good enough?” “Why don’t you love me, God, like you do them?”… The internal storm rages. The battle begins for our dreams and expectations to be reinstated on our terms.
Then we realize.
There is nothing we can do except surrender to the moment. We cannot control the circumstances. We can try, but often that outcome is worse than if we had just waited. We don’t know why God sidelines us at times. Maybe one day in the future we will, but in the midst of the waiting, we rarely understand. All we can do is trust. Trust that He is good. He has not brought us this far to sit us on the sidelines, watching and waiting, for all eternity. That is not His plan, nor His heart. How can it be? Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few.3 We will not wait forever.—Charissa Steffens
Wait with patience
We spend a lot of time in our lives waiting, because change is a process. Many people want change, but they don’t want to go through the waiting process. But the truth is, waiting is a given—we are going to wait. The question is, are we going to wait the wrong or right way? If we wait the wrong way, we’ll be miserable; but if we decide to wait God’s way, we can become patient and enjoy the wait. It takes practice, but as we let God help us in each situation, we develop patience, which is one of the most important Christian virtues. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.4 It's developed only under trial, so we must not run from difficult situations. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.5
As we develop patience, the Bible says we finally feel completely satisfied—lacking nothing. Even our relationship with God involves progressive changes. … We learn to trust God by going through many experiences that require trust. By seeing God’s faithfulness over and over, we let go of trusting ourselves, and gradually we place our trust in Him. Looking at it like this, it is easy to see how timing plays an important part in learning to trust God. If He did everything we asked for immediately, we would never grow and develop. Timing and trust work side by side.—Joyce Meyer
Published on Anchor June 2015. Read by Debra Lee.
1 Hebrews 10:35–36 ESV.
2 See Daniel 10:12–14.
3 Matthew 9:37.
4 See Galatians 5:22.
5 James 1:4 AMP.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Aceitar, Adaptar, Avançar
Link
James Howard
Como a maioria, gosto de parar no final de cada ano para refletir e ouvir o Senhor. Isso me ajuda a recapitular e avaliar meu desempenho nos doze meses anteriores, além de me dar a chance de estabelecer novas metas e buscar a orientação do Senhor quanto a uma estratégia geral para o ano seguinte.
Este ano, comemorando sessenta e três anos de idade e quarenta e dois na FI, tenho orado e refletido sobre o meu estado de saúde. Nestes últimos quatro anos travei uma intensa batalha fÃsica e espiritual. E tenho buscado o Senhor por conselhos especÃficos para me ajudar a seguir adiante.
A maior parte da minha vida eu fui abençoado com boa saúde. Pratiquei esportes na época de escola, e durante o tempo que passei em AFI tentei o máximo possÃvel dar prioridade à saúde e ao bem-estar. Geralmente, me mantive em forma por meio de atividades fÃsicas como, por exemplo, corrida, caminhadas, esportes em equipe e jogos, um pouco de musculação, e outras coisas. Em termos de alimentação, no geral também sempre tive uma boa dieta. Exceto por alguns acidentes, problemas de saúde simples e uma fratura no tornozelo aos treze anos de idade, não tive grandes problemas fÃsicos.
Mas isso começou a mudar há uns quatro anos, após um deslocamento de retina no olho direito que exigiu duas cirurgias e diversos procedimentos para corrigir o problema. No final perdi a visão, apesar de conseguir ver uma luzinha de vez em quando. Durante esse perÃodo, também fiz uma cirurgia a laser em algumas áreas fragilizadas da retina no outro olho para prevenir possÃveis problemas.
Mais ou menos um ano após a primeira cirurgia no olho, comecei a ter problemas no tornozelo direito. Tive uma fratura na adolescência, e essa sempre foi a parte mais fraca no meu corpo e que à s vezes incomodava. Mas nunca me atrapalhou. Sempre consegui viver normalmente, praticar esportes e atividades ao ar livre. Mas desta vez a dor era constante. Parecia que o tornozelo tinha virado para dentro. Pelo fato de já estar tendo problemas de vista, tentei não pensar no tornozelo. Mas depois de um ano, mais ou menos, o tornozelo começou a encurvar para dentro ainda mais, me impedindo de correr. E até uma caminhada leve de pouco mais de um quilômetro se tornara difÃcil. Fiz raio X e fui ao ortopedista. Ele explicou que o tornozelo fraturado não havia curado cem por cento certo, e a região foi degenerando com o passar dos anos a ponto de eu não ter mais cartilagem nas juntas do tornozelo esquerdo, resultando em uma dolorosa artrite. O prognóstico não é nada bom. Para encurtar a história, neste exato momento os médicos não podem fazer nada para o meu tornozelo sarar e voltar ao normal.
Acredito e orei por cura, além de ter recebido muitas orações de outras pessoas. Apesar da perspectiva eu não desisti, pois sei que Deus tem Seu plano e pode usar nossos problemas de saúde para a Sua glória. Tenho passado bastante tempo lendo a Palavra e orando para fortalecer minha fé. O Senhor me ajudou e orientou, mas sentia que precisava de algo pessoal e prático este ano não só para seguir adiante, mas para me ajudar a progredir fÃsica e espiritualmente, pois à s vezes parecia que estava tentando nadar no meio de uma tempestade no mar à noite, açoitado por vagalhões e impossibilitado de chegar a qualquer lugar. É uma situação que afeta a mim e também aos outros. Possivelmente terei de deixar as pessoas que me são queridas, o campo e o trabalho por um longo perÃodo, e voltar para o meu paÃs natal, onde praticamente todas as despesas médicas poderão ser cobertas pelo Estado.
Atendendo à minha oração, o Senhor me deu um plano especÃfico de três etapas. Simples, direto e fácil de lembrar: ACEITAR, ADAPTAR e AVANÇAR.
ACEITAR não significa desistir e se resignar à minha sina. “Aquele que se resignar à sua sina verá que ela aceita a resignação”. Mas não é esse o caminho do Senhor para mim. Aceitar dentro da fé significa ter uma atitude positiva, acreditando e confiando no Senhor quanto à minha situação pessoal. Significa também acreditar que o Senhor vá cuidar e suprir para as pessoas no meu cÃrculo que são afetadas pela situação.
ADAPTAR é mais prático, mas também tem um aspecto espiritual. Apesar de estar limitado fisicamente, ainda posso fazer a maioria das coisas. Só preciso reconhecer as limitações e procurar novas maneiras de realizar minhas tarefas. Espiritualmente, preciso me manter desafiado, positivo e não ceder ao desânimo.
Por exemplo, erguer objetos pesados e fazer musculação com pesos causa muita pressão nos meus olhos, portanto é uma atividade proibida. Em vez de desistir e parar de fazer atividades fÃsicas, deixei de usar as barras de levantamento de peso e comecei a usar halteres de 2,5 Kg. Agora faço sequências mais repetitivas e com menos peso. Não posso caminhar muito rápido nem por muito tempo por causa do tornozelo, mas posso passar um bom tempo pedalando na bicicleta ergométrica. E agora preciso de ajuda para certas atividades na casa que antes eram automáticas mas envolvem pegar peso, abaixar ou ter de subir em algo.
Para AVANÇAR, preciso continuar em frente o melhor possÃvel e não deixar o Inimigo me puxar para baixo com desânimo e pensamentos negativos. “Fui golpeado na direita. Meu lado esquerdo atingido. Meu centro arrasado. Ordenei um ataque em todas as direções.”[1] Apesar de ser humilhante estar afligido assim fisicamente, o Senhor está trabalhando na minha vida por meio disso tudo.
Problemas de saúde podem nos ajudar a identificar melhor com as pessoas para quem testemunhamos ou com quem temos contato. Passei por isso há uns anos depois de uma das cirurgias nos olhos.
Um velho amigo, cristão, que mora em outra cidade, precisou de uma cirurgia de emergência para retirar o apêndice. Devido a complicações ficou internado alguns dias, então fui visitá-lo no hospital com meu filho adulto que é cego. Por diferentes motivos, foi um certo sacrifÃcio para nós. PodÃamos ter ligado explicando e esse amigo teria entendido. Mas senti que devia ir pessoalmente. Foi uma grande surpresa, e ele ficou tão feliz e animado quando chegamos! Mencionou que ninguém da igreja o havia visitado. E comentou que apesar de meu filho e eu termos sérios problemas de saúde e deficiências — que justificariam nossa ausência — fomos até o hospital, e isso foi muito importante para ele. “[Ele] nos consola em todas as nossas tribulações, para que, com a consolação que recebemos de Deus, possamos consolar os que estão passando por tribulações.”[2]
Portanto, no presente e no futuro, continuarei seguindo este plano simples que o Senhor me deu para ACEITAR, ADAPTAR e AVANÇAR passo a passo. E pela Sua graça estarei pronto para quaisquer outras mudanças que e Ele queira fazer em minha vida.
“E eu disse ao homem que guardava o portão do novo ano: ‘Dê-me uma luz para eu trilhar em segurança esse caminho desconhecido’. Ele respondeu: ‘Saia na escuridão e segure na mão de Deus. Ele será melhor do que uma luz e mais seguro do que um caminho conhecido’.”[3]
[1] AtribuÃdo ao general francês General Ferdinand Foch na II Guerra Mundial.
[2] 2 CorÃntios 1:4.
[3] Do livro “God Knows”, de Minnie Louise Haskins (1908).
James Howard
Como a maioria, gosto de parar no final de cada ano para refletir e ouvir o Senhor. Isso me ajuda a recapitular e avaliar meu desempenho nos doze meses anteriores, além de me dar a chance de estabelecer novas metas e buscar a orientação do Senhor quanto a uma estratégia geral para o ano seguinte.
Este ano, comemorando sessenta e três anos de idade e quarenta e dois na FI, tenho orado e refletido sobre o meu estado de saúde. Nestes últimos quatro anos travei uma intensa batalha fÃsica e espiritual. E tenho buscado o Senhor por conselhos especÃficos para me ajudar a seguir adiante.
A maior parte da minha vida eu fui abençoado com boa saúde. Pratiquei esportes na época de escola, e durante o tempo que passei em AFI tentei o máximo possÃvel dar prioridade à saúde e ao bem-estar. Geralmente, me mantive em forma por meio de atividades fÃsicas como, por exemplo, corrida, caminhadas, esportes em equipe e jogos, um pouco de musculação, e outras coisas. Em termos de alimentação, no geral também sempre tive uma boa dieta. Exceto por alguns acidentes, problemas de saúde simples e uma fratura no tornozelo aos treze anos de idade, não tive grandes problemas fÃsicos.
Mas isso começou a mudar há uns quatro anos, após um deslocamento de retina no olho direito que exigiu duas cirurgias e diversos procedimentos para corrigir o problema. No final perdi a visão, apesar de conseguir ver uma luzinha de vez em quando. Durante esse perÃodo, também fiz uma cirurgia a laser em algumas áreas fragilizadas da retina no outro olho para prevenir possÃveis problemas.
Mais ou menos um ano após a primeira cirurgia no olho, comecei a ter problemas no tornozelo direito. Tive uma fratura na adolescência, e essa sempre foi a parte mais fraca no meu corpo e que à s vezes incomodava. Mas nunca me atrapalhou. Sempre consegui viver normalmente, praticar esportes e atividades ao ar livre. Mas desta vez a dor era constante. Parecia que o tornozelo tinha virado para dentro. Pelo fato de já estar tendo problemas de vista, tentei não pensar no tornozelo. Mas depois de um ano, mais ou menos, o tornozelo começou a encurvar para dentro ainda mais, me impedindo de correr. E até uma caminhada leve de pouco mais de um quilômetro se tornara difÃcil. Fiz raio X e fui ao ortopedista. Ele explicou que o tornozelo fraturado não havia curado cem por cento certo, e a região foi degenerando com o passar dos anos a ponto de eu não ter mais cartilagem nas juntas do tornozelo esquerdo, resultando em uma dolorosa artrite. O prognóstico não é nada bom. Para encurtar a história, neste exato momento os médicos não podem fazer nada para o meu tornozelo sarar e voltar ao normal.
Acredito e orei por cura, além de ter recebido muitas orações de outras pessoas. Apesar da perspectiva eu não desisti, pois sei que Deus tem Seu plano e pode usar nossos problemas de saúde para a Sua glória. Tenho passado bastante tempo lendo a Palavra e orando para fortalecer minha fé. O Senhor me ajudou e orientou, mas sentia que precisava de algo pessoal e prático este ano não só para seguir adiante, mas para me ajudar a progredir fÃsica e espiritualmente, pois à s vezes parecia que estava tentando nadar no meio de uma tempestade no mar à noite, açoitado por vagalhões e impossibilitado de chegar a qualquer lugar. É uma situação que afeta a mim e também aos outros. Possivelmente terei de deixar as pessoas que me são queridas, o campo e o trabalho por um longo perÃodo, e voltar para o meu paÃs natal, onde praticamente todas as despesas médicas poderão ser cobertas pelo Estado.
Atendendo à minha oração, o Senhor me deu um plano especÃfico de três etapas. Simples, direto e fácil de lembrar: ACEITAR, ADAPTAR e AVANÇAR.
ACEITAR não significa desistir e se resignar à minha sina. “Aquele que se resignar à sua sina verá que ela aceita a resignação”. Mas não é esse o caminho do Senhor para mim. Aceitar dentro da fé significa ter uma atitude positiva, acreditando e confiando no Senhor quanto à minha situação pessoal. Significa também acreditar que o Senhor vá cuidar e suprir para as pessoas no meu cÃrculo que são afetadas pela situação.
ADAPTAR é mais prático, mas também tem um aspecto espiritual. Apesar de estar limitado fisicamente, ainda posso fazer a maioria das coisas. Só preciso reconhecer as limitações e procurar novas maneiras de realizar minhas tarefas. Espiritualmente, preciso me manter desafiado, positivo e não ceder ao desânimo.
Por exemplo, erguer objetos pesados e fazer musculação com pesos causa muita pressão nos meus olhos, portanto é uma atividade proibida. Em vez de desistir e parar de fazer atividades fÃsicas, deixei de usar as barras de levantamento de peso e comecei a usar halteres de 2,5 Kg. Agora faço sequências mais repetitivas e com menos peso. Não posso caminhar muito rápido nem por muito tempo por causa do tornozelo, mas posso passar um bom tempo pedalando na bicicleta ergométrica. E agora preciso de ajuda para certas atividades na casa que antes eram automáticas mas envolvem pegar peso, abaixar ou ter de subir em algo.
Para AVANÇAR, preciso continuar em frente o melhor possÃvel e não deixar o Inimigo me puxar para baixo com desânimo e pensamentos negativos. “Fui golpeado na direita. Meu lado esquerdo atingido. Meu centro arrasado. Ordenei um ataque em todas as direções.”[1] Apesar de ser humilhante estar afligido assim fisicamente, o Senhor está trabalhando na minha vida por meio disso tudo.
Problemas de saúde podem nos ajudar a identificar melhor com as pessoas para quem testemunhamos ou com quem temos contato. Passei por isso há uns anos depois de uma das cirurgias nos olhos.
Um velho amigo, cristão, que mora em outra cidade, precisou de uma cirurgia de emergência para retirar o apêndice. Devido a complicações ficou internado alguns dias, então fui visitá-lo no hospital com meu filho adulto que é cego. Por diferentes motivos, foi um certo sacrifÃcio para nós. PodÃamos ter ligado explicando e esse amigo teria entendido. Mas senti que devia ir pessoalmente. Foi uma grande surpresa, e ele ficou tão feliz e animado quando chegamos! Mencionou que ninguém da igreja o havia visitado. E comentou que apesar de meu filho e eu termos sérios problemas de saúde e deficiências — que justificariam nossa ausência — fomos até o hospital, e isso foi muito importante para ele. “[Ele] nos consola em todas as nossas tribulações, para que, com a consolação que recebemos de Deus, possamos consolar os que estão passando por tribulações.”[2]
Portanto, no presente e no futuro, continuarei seguindo este plano simples que o Senhor me deu para ACEITAR, ADAPTAR e AVANÇAR passo a passo. E pela Sua graça estarei pronto para quaisquer outras mudanças que e Ele queira fazer em minha vida.
“E eu disse ao homem que guardava o portão do novo ano: ‘Dê-me uma luz para eu trilhar em segurança esse caminho desconhecido’. Ele respondeu: ‘Saia na escuridão e segure na mão de Deus. Ele será melhor do que uma luz e mais seguro do que um caminho conhecido’.”[3]
[1] AtribuÃdo ao general francês General Ferdinand Foch na II Guerra Mundial.
[2] 2 CorÃntios 1:4.
[3] Do livro “God Knows”, de Minnie Louise Haskins (1908).
Faith: The Substance and the Evidence
A compilation
Link
Audio length: 7:44
Download Audio (10.6MB)
The Greek word for faith, pistis, is derived from the verb pisteuo, which means “to convince by argument.” Hebrews 11:1 explains that faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Some translations replace “conviction” with “evidence.” Faith, then, is being convinced that the things we can’t see (e.g., God, heaven, the resurrection, etc.) are real.
The word “faith” is so often misunderstood that I avoid using it in most conversations. I use a different word in its place: trust. This better characterizes the Bible’s use of faith, but is free of the misleading baggage. Biblical faith, then, is not blind, but functions the same way as trust. You don’t blindly trust people. They have to earn it. You put your trust in people you have good reason to trust.
Biblical faith is also not contrary to reason. It’s consistent with reason. You put your trust (faith) in what you have good reason to believe is true. [God] routinely reminds the Israelites why they can trust Him (put their faith in Him). God is the One who delivered them from slavery. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”1 This is repeated over and over and over.2 That’s why the Jews can trust—put their faith in—God.
Jesus also operated with this understanding of faith. John wrote 21 chapters about Jesus in his Gospel, and much of it records supernatural works. Why? He explains, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”3 In other words, you can trust Christ because His miraculous works are a testament to His claims and credibility.—Alan Shelemon
*
Some people have the idea that running on faith means running on nothing. Faith is not nothing! “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” It’s knowing God and that God is and that God is going to take care of you somehow, if you obey Him and do His will. Real faith knows and it happens: it never fails! God is still the God of the faithful and the believing.
With faith, believing is seeing. A little mustard seed of faith can move mountains, but how many mountains fail to be moved for lack of that tiny seed of faith? You must be willing to act by faith on what God has shown you, or it could never happen!
You know, the world’s motto is “Seeing is believing! If I see it, then I’ll believe it.” Well, that’s not God’s motto. The motto of God’s Word is “Believing is seeing!” If you’ll just believe and trust God’s Word and trust Him and obey Him, God will give you the answers. You will eventually see what you’re supposed to do and where you’re supposed to go and how to do it. I have found that so many times.
Great faith chooses God in spite of the other possibilities. “For without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to Him must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”4 “For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen!” In other words, you’ve really already got it!
Accepting faith through His Word is a work of God’s grace. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy … For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God.”5
God is still the God of the faithful and the believing, and He’s proven that it can still be done, that we can still believe and trust in Him by faith. God bless us with more faith!—David Brandt Berg
Faith equals trust
In today’s culture, the word “faith” comes with too much baggage. For many, faith is a blind, arbitrary leap in the dark that has no relationship to reason, evidence, or knowledge. So let me make a suggestion. Let’s use the word “trust” instead. “Trust” accurately communicates the biblical idea of faith. In addition, it helps us reunite true faith with reason, evidence, and knowledge. Why? Because we know people only put their trust in what they have good reason to believe is true.—Brett Kunkle
*
What, then, do I mean by “faith?” Again, there are two ways of understanding this term. On the one hand, one might mean the content of the (Christian) religion. In this sense, “faith” is used to designate the truth claims of the Christian worldview. We might in this sense contrast the tenets of the Christian faith with, for example, those of the Muslim faith. When we speak of faith in this sense we mean a body of doctrines. To say that faith is reasonable in this sense is to claim that these doctrines are rational for a person to hold.
On the other hand, “faith” may be taken to mean the act of believing. According to the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther, faith in this sense has three components. First, there is notitia, or understanding. That is, one must understand the truth claim being made. Second, there is assensus, or assent. One must accept intellectually that the claim is, in fact, true. One not only understands it; he assents to it or agrees with it. Finally, there is fiducia, or trust. Saving faith involves not merely intellectual assent to some doctrines but a wholehearted commitment or trust in God, about whom the claims are made. To say that Christian faith is reasonable in this sense is to say that believing in the God of the Bible is a rational thing for a person to do. To take the step of faith is a reasonable step for an intelligent and informed person.—William Lane Craig
*
Christians in all disciplines of inquiry and discovery have used their reasoning power to investigate the evidence. Christians are not irrational, and Christian faith is not blind. The rich intellectual history of Christianity calls each of us to have a reasonable, examined, evidential, case-making faith. This kind of faith honors God and withstands skeptical criticism and personal doubt.—J. Warner Wallace
Published on Anchor June 2015. Read by Debra Lee.
1 Exodus 20:2.
2 Exodus 13:3, 13:14, 33:1; Leviticus 25:38; Deuteronomy 5:6, 6:12, etc.
3 John 20:31.
4 Hebrews 11:6.
5 Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8–9.
Link
Audio length: 7:44
Download Audio (10.6MB)
The Greek word for faith, pistis, is derived from the verb pisteuo, which means “to convince by argument.” Hebrews 11:1 explains that faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Some translations replace “conviction” with “evidence.” Faith, then, is being convinced that the things we can’t see (e.g., God, heaven, the resurrection, etc.) are real.
The word “faith” is so often misunderstood that I avoid using it in most conversations. I use a different word in its place: trust. This better characterizes the Bible’s use of faith, but is free of the misleading baggage. Biblical faith, then, is not blind, but functions the same way as trust. You don’t blindly trust people. They have to earn it. You put your trust in people you have good reason to trust.
Biblical faith is also not contrary to reason. It’s consistent with reason. You put your trust (faith) in what you have good reason to believe is true. [God] routinely reminds the Israelites why they can trust Him (put their faith in Him). God is the One who delivered them from slavery. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”1 This is repeated over and over and over.2 That’s why the Jews can trust—put their faith in—God.
Jesus also operated with this understanding of faith. John wrote 21 chapters about Jesus in his Gospel, and much of it records supernatural works. Why? He explains, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”3 In other words, you can trust Christ because His miraculous works are a testament to His claims and credibility.—Alan Shelemon
*
Some people have the idea that running on faith means running on nothing. Faith is not nothing! “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” It’s knowing God and that God is and that God is going to take care of you somehow, if you obey Him and do His will. Real faith knows and it happens: it never fails! God is still the God of the faithful and the believing.
With faith, believing is seeing. A little mustard seed of faith can move mountains, but how many mountains fail to be moved for lack of that tiny seed of faith? You must be willing to act by faith on what God has shown you, or it could never happen!
You know, the world’s motto is “Seeing is believing! If I see it, then I’ll believe it.” Well, that’s not God’s motto. The motto of God’s Word is “Believing is seeing!” If you’ll just believe and trust God’s Word and trust Him and obey Him, God will give you the answers. You will eventually see what you’re supposed to do and where you’re supposed to go and how to do it. I have found that so many times.
Great faith chooses God in spite of the other possibilities. “For without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to Him must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”4 “For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen!” In other words, you’ve really already got it!
Accepting faith through His Word is a work of God’s grace. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy … For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God.”5
God is still the God of the faithful and the believing, and He’s proven that it can still be done, that we can still believe and trust in Him by faith. God bless us with more faith!—David Brandt Berg
Faith equals trust
In today’s culture, the word “faith” comes with too much baggage. For many, faith is a blind, arbitrary leap in the dark that has no relationship to reason, evidence, or knowledge. So let me make a suggestion. Let’s use the word “trust” instead. “Trust” accurately communicates the biblical idea of faith. In addition, it helps us reunite true faith with reason, evidence, and knowledge. Why? Because we know people only put their trust in what they have good reason to believe is true.—Brett Kunkle
*
What, then, do I mean by “faith?” Again, there are two ways of understanding this term. On the one hand, one might mean the content of the (Christian) religion. In this sense, “faith” is used to designate the truth claims of the Christian worldview. We might in this sense contrast the tenets of the Christian faith with, for example, those of the Muslim faith. When we speak of faith in this sense we mean a body of doctrines. To say that faith is reasonable in this sense is to claim that these doctrines are rational for a person to hold.
On the other hand, “faith” may be taken to mean the act of believing. According to the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther, faith in this sense has three components. First, there is notitia, or understanding. That is, one must understand the truth claim being made. Second, there is assensus, or assent. One must accept intellectually that the claim is, in fact, true. One not only understands it; he assents to it or agrees with it. Finally, there is fiducia, or trust. Saving faith involves not merely intellectual assent to some doctrines but a wholehearted commitment or trust in God, about whom the claims are made. To say that Christian faith is reasonable in this sense is to say that believing in the God of the Bible is a rational thing for a person to do. To take the step of faith is a reasonable step for an intelligent and informed person.—William Lane Craig
*
Christians in all disciplines of inquiry and discovery have used their reasoning power to investigate the evidence. Christians are not irrational, and Christian faith is not blind. The rich intellectual history of Christianity calls each of us to have a reasonable, examined, evidential, case-making faith. This kind of faith honors God and withstands skeptical criticism and personal doubt.—J. Warner Wallace
Published on Anchor June 2015. Read by Debra Lee.
1 Exodus 20:2.
2 Exodus 13:3, 13:14, 33:1; Leviticus 25:38; Deuteronomy 5:6, 6:12, etc.
3 John 20:31.
4 Hebrews 11:6.
5 Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8–9.
Russia warns will retaliate if US weapons stationed on its borders
Gabriela Baczynska, Reuters, June 16, 2015
Moscow: A plan by Washington to station tanks and heavy weapons in NATO states on Russia’s border would be the most aggressive US act since the Cold War, and Moscow would retaliate by beefing up its own forces, a Russian defence official said on Monday.
The United States is offering to store military equipment on allies’ territory in eastern Europe, a proposal aimed at reassuring governments worried that after the conflict in Ukraine, they could be the Kremlin’s next target.
Poland and the Baltic states, where officials say privately they have been frustrated the NATO alliance has not taken more decisive steps to deter Russia, welcomed the decision by Washington to take the lead.
But others in the region were more cautious, fearing their countries could be caught in the middle of a new arms race between Russia and the United States.
“If heavy military equipment, including tanks, artillery batteries and other equipment really does turn up in countries in eastern Europe and the Baltics, that will be the most aggressive step by the Pentagon and NATO since the Cold War,” Russian defence ministry official General Yuri Yakubov said.
“Russia will have no option but to build up its forces and resources on the Western strategic front,” Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.
He said the Russian response was likely to include speeding up the deployment of Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania, and beefing up Russian forces in ex-Soviet Belarus.
“Our hands are completely free to organise retaliatory steps to strengthen our Western frontiers,” General Yakubov said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said: “We hope that reason will prevail and the situation in Europe will be prevented from sliding into a new military confrontation which may have dangerous consequences.”
Moscow: A plan by Washington to station tanks and heavy weapons in NATO states on Russia’s border would be the most aggressive US act since the Cold War, and Moscow would retaliate by beefing up its own forces, a Russian defence official said on Monday.
The United States is offering to store military equipment on allies’ territory in eastern Europe, a proposal aimed at reassuring governments worried that after the conflict in Ukraine, they could be the Kremlin’s next target.
Poland and the Baltic states, where officials say privately they have been frustrated the NATO alliance has not taken more decisive steps to deter Russia, welcomed the decision by Washington to take the lead.
But others in the region were more cautious, fearing their countries could be caught in the middle of a new arms race between Russia and the United States.
“If heavy military equipment, including tanks, artillery batteries and other equipment really does turn up in countries in eastern Europe and the Baltics, that will be the most aggressive step by the Pentagon and NATO since the Cold War,” Russian defence ministry official General Yuri Yakubov said.
“Russia will have no option but to build up its forces and resources on the Western strategic front,” Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.
He said the Russian response was likely to include speeding up the deployment of Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania, and beefing up Russian forces in ex-Soviet Belarus.
“Our hands are completely free to organise retaliatory steps to strengthen our Western frontiers,” General Yakubov said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said: “We hope that reason will prevail and the situation in Europe will be prevented from sliding into a new military confrontation which may have dangerous consequences.”
