Expandindo nossas Perspectivas

Maria Fountaine

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Você alguma vez já pensou se as lutas, provações e situações impossíveis em que se encontra poderiam ser o resultado de algo que fez de errado? Se estiver doente talvez sinta que Deus o está castigando por não ter vivido à altura dos seus compromissos espirituais. Ou talvez considere que o fato de enfrentar tantos problemas seja sinal de uma fé fraca?

Considerar o que acontece em sua vida a partir dessa perspectiva é fruto da suposição de que Deus está chateado ou irritado com seus erros, falhas e pecados.

Tenho certeza de que Ele quer que aprendamos a agir diferente. Mas se você vê a mão de Deus na sua vida como um ato inspirado por raiva e julgamento, por favor, pare e pense se isso está de acordo com o amor e o exemplo de Jesus. Pense em tudo o que Ele lhe deu e fez por você. Ele não quer fazê-lo pagar por aquilo que Ele já pagou. Ele está no negócio de usar tudo o que acontece em sua vida para resultar em algo bom, bonito, e para realçar as qualidades que Ele embutiu em você.

Lembre-se que Jesus o amou antes de você O amar.[1] Ter como objetivo puni-lo por suas fraquezas, defeitos e pecados, parece contradizer tudo o que Ele tem feito por você. Por que então Ele teria vindo à Terra para morrer por você e ser o redentor de todos os seus pecados? Ele está ciente de todas nossas falhas e pecados. Sabia que cometeríamos erros e, em algumas ocasiões, até desprezaríamos o Seu conselho.

No entanto, Ele nos ama o suficiente para, mesmo conhecendo nossos defeitos, Se desdobrar para nos resgatar. Por que razão Ele nos causaria sofrimento por algo pelo qual já nos perdoou?

Na minha opinião, Jesus quer otimizar nossos pontos fortes e bênçãos. Ele é como nosso CEO no reino dos céus. Que tipo de CEO focaria mais causar consequências e julgar do que otimizar potencial? Qualquer bom CEO dará mais importância a capacitar os funcionários a darem o seu melhor. E acredito que seja essa a meta do nosso Senhor. Ele nos proporciona todas as oportunidades para fazermos o melhor para o Seu “Reino Celestial.com”.

Se as situações que vivemos não são retribuição e julgamento de Deus por não sermos perfeitos, então devem ter outra finalidade que se alinhe ao que Ele é e tudo o que Ele tem feito por nós.

A vida na terra traz dificuldades, momentos de solidão, desencorajamento, tristeza, sofrimento, frustração e falta de visão. Às vezes enfrentamos desesperança intensa, perturbação, ou nos cansamos de fazer o bem. Mas sempre temos liberdade para escolher recorrermos a Jesus ou não. E quando o fazemos, até as mais terríveis circunstâncias podem nos oferecer uma compreensão maior e nos levar a um relacionamento mais profundo e mais rico com o Senhor.

Não importa como os problemas se apresentem, Jesus pode usar contratempos e problemas para cumprir os Seus bons propósitos. Aqueles que O amam podem confiar que Ele, a Seu tempo, os fará resultar em um bem maior em nossas vidas.

Ele transforma o que seria um inferno sem Ele na bênção celestial de uma fé mais profunda, maior determinação, e um amor por Jesus que nos capacita a enfrentar o futuro e realizar a nossa vocação. Podemos enfrentar e superar qualquer coisa com Ele, porque o caminho pelo qual nos guia conduz a uma eternidade em Sua presença, na luz da Sua glória e amor, e nas grandes e maravilhosas recompensas que nos prometeu e mal podemos imaginar. (Veja 1 Pedro 4.)

Às vezes, algo que parece ruim, injusto ou desleal poderia ser a Sua maneira de nos advertir de problemas ainda maiores mais adiante. Reconhecer o potencial para um problema pode ajudar a evitar algo muito pior. Imagine o seu computador desligar para lhe avisar que o disco rígido está com um problema e você perder o seu trabalho. Se isso acontecesse, você diria que o computador ou os programas em execução fizeram isso em retaliação, não salvando os arquivos ou lhe causando um prejuízo? Ou você perceberia que deve ter algo positivo no que está acontecendo; ou seja, talvez o disco rígido esteja começando a falhar e você precisa comprar um novo antes de perder tudo que está armazenado nele.

As perdas doem, mas isso não significa que a intenção é punir ou lhe causar mal. A vantagem dos contratempos e reveses é nos ajudar de alguma forma. O novo disco rígido terá capacidade de armazenar muitos mais dados, executar de forma mais eficiente, e tornar suas tarefas mais fáceis no futuro.

É isso o que nossas lutas, às vezes debilitantes, podem fazer por nós. Podem nos ajudar a pensar no que é mais importante. Podem nos impelir a fazer mais do que imaginamos possível. Muitas vezes, sentindo o desespero das circunstâncias, a frustração com a situação, a impossibilidade de continuar na rotina, nos faz perceber a necessidade de uma comunicação mais profunda, sólida e permanente com Jesus.

E assim como Jesus manifestou o Seu amor por nós usando o sofrimento para nós ajudar, também o Seu amor pode ser usado para ajudar a outros. Cada um de nós é um trabalho em andamento, mas isso não significa que não possamos usar cada pequeno passo como uma ferramenta para ajudar os outros. Conforme progredimos rumo a vitórias espirituais, a nossa fé pode nos dar condições de oferecer muito em termos de conselhos, respostas, e esperança para os que estão enfrentando situações difíceis, problema com desencorajamento e perda de visão espiritual. À medida que aprendemos mais sobre a liberdade, alegria, misericórdia e compaixão que Jesus nos disponibiliza, entendemos a Sua natureza de forma mais clara e vemos como devemos imitá-lO em nossas próprias vidas, hoje e por toda a eternidade.





[1] 1 João 4:19.

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Making Godly Decisions, Part 1: Finding the Will of God

Link By P. Amsterdam

One of the traits of humankind, as beings created in the image of God, is free will, which includes both the ability to make decisions and the responsibility for the outcomes of our decisions. Learning to make decisions that will glorify God and fulfill His will for our lives can be very challenging at times, and can test and grow our faith, as we seek His will and wait on Him for answers and guidance.

Accepting Jesus as our Savior and receiving His free gift of salvation is the most important decision we ever face in our lives, as it determines our eternal standing in relationship to God and His kingdom. That decision should redirect the decisions we make for the rest of our lives, regarding how we will live, our relationships to others, and our relationship to God. That all-important decision defines our present and our future, as well as redefines our past by canceling out the charges that “stood against us and condemned us, nailing [them] to the cross.”[1]

The decision to accept Christ as our Savior was one that only we could make; it was a freewill choice to invite Jesus into our hearts and lives. However, salvation is not the end of the road, and once we’ve given our life to the Lord we are faced with numerous other decisions on a daily basis relating to the nurturing of our faith through studying His Word and living our lives according to His commands and guidance. Having entered into a relationship with God, we will want to involve Him in our decision-making processes; in fact, learning to make godly decisions is one of the main lessons we learn during our time on earth.

Decision-making for Christians is meant to be a relational process, involving ourselves and God, as we bring all our anxieties to Him, knowing that He cares for us.[2] Jesus has promised that He and His Father will make their home with everyone who loves Him and keeps His Word.[3] He has told us to “come and let us reason together,”[4] demonstrating His desire to carry on a conversation with us. He wants to be present and to participate in the conversation as we make decisions, and has promised that His Spirit in us will guide us into all truth.[5]

Throughout our lives as Christians, we are faced with course-altering decisions that affect our future, whether they relate to what career to pursue, whom to marry, how to raise our children, what country to live in, or how to commit to our faith and participate in God’s work. One of the most important steps for finding God’s will and making good decisions is acknowledging Him and committing our ways to Him.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. [6]

Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.[7]

Learning to make decisions that will honor God and align with His will and commands is often accompanied by times of soul searching, desperate prayer, and testing. Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish what God’s will is in a situation or what decision will produce the best outcomes. At such times, we can wish that a lightning bolt would light up the sky or that we’d be knocked to the ground like the apostle Paul to give us a precise, infallible sign. And yet, so often, the voice of God is so quiet that if we don’t calm our spirit and open our minds and listen, it can be missed.

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.[8]

How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. … Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”[9]

How do we play our part in the decision-making process, doing everything in our power to make right decisions, to hush our spirits to hear God’s voice, and to determine the best option in decisions that will alter the course of our lives in some way? Some years ago, we republished a list of seven ways to know God’s will, which I’ll include here, since it provides good practical counsel for where to look for guidance for godly decision-making:

1) The Word of God. The Word of God—the Bible—is the first place to look to find His will. The Lord will not tell us to do something that goes against the fundamental principles that He's given in His written Word.

2) The Voice of the Word. A passage of Scripture jumps out at you and speaks to you personally as if it had been written specifically for you.

3) Direct Revelation. The Lord speaks to you through direct revelation, whether through prophecy, a dream, or a vision to make His will clear.

4) Godly Counsel. Although nobody else can find God's will for you, it often helps to have the advice and counsel of others who have strong faith and experience in following the Lord. “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”[10]

5) Open and Closed Doors. Sometimes conditions and circumstances can be an indication of the Lord’s will. Which way does God seem to be leading? Which opportunities have opened up; which ones are no longer viable? In which direction does it seem that God is providing the way and the means?

6) Inner Conviction. Sometimes when you have a strong sense or inner conviction that something is the right decision or exactly what you are supposed to do, that’s an indication of the Lord’s will. You just know it’s the will of God, and you have the inner conviction that that’s what you are supposed to do.

7) Fleeces. From the story in the Bible about Gideon, this refers to when you ask the Lord to do something to manifest His will.[11] “If You do x, then I’ll know that y is Your will.” When Gideon wanted to know God’s will, he put the fleece from a shorn sheep outside on the ground, and said, “Lord, if the fleece is wet with dew and all of the ground is dry in the morning, then I will know that You are guiding me.”[12]

In most cases, when it comes to making important decisions that will affect your life or the lives of your loved ones, it’s wise to use a variety of these methods for finding God’s will to confirm that your leading in a situation is the right one. Once you’ve taken the first step of committing your ways to the Lord, acknowledging Him, and asking Him to guide you and to give you His wisdom, and then you use some of the methods above, you can have the confidence that you’re on the right path for determining His will and making wise decisions.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.[13]

We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.[14]

What is our role in the decision-making process? Scripture tells us on the one hand that “Apart from Me you can do nothing,”[15] and on the other hand, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”[16] The first verse indicates that we are incapable of achieving anything without God, and the second verse promises that we can do anything we set our minds to within God’s will, if we commit it to Christ. I think these two verses equally apply when it comes to decision-making. We are to commit ourselves and every aspect of our lives to God, knowing that without His help, we are incapable of producing anything of eternal worth,[17] and we are to operate with confidence, knowing that He can strengthen us to do all things. In each case, the first step is loving God with all our hearts, souls, and minds.

He created us in His image, as rational beings, capable of freewill decisions and of choosing to place Him at the center of our lives. This is one of the ways by which we love God with all our minds: by making conscious decisions to love God, to make Him the center of our lives and our desires, and by seeking to glorify Him in all our decisions and ways. As we love God in this way, rationally and decisively with our minds and with the commitment in our heart to follow wherever He leads, we are positioned to test and discern the will of God, as Paul explained in Romans:

Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[18]

The Greek word for “by testing you may discern,”dokimazō, often has the sense of finding out the worth of something by putting it to use or testing it in actual practice.[19] This verse indicates that often we may need to put something to the test to find out through experience whether it is the will of God. The decision before us may not be clear-cut enough to know with absolute certainty that it is the right path. Perhaps we need to decide whether to invest in a business venture, or whether to start a new form of mission work, or place our children in a certain school, or move to a new neighborhood. We have sought the Lord for wisdom and guidance. We have weighed the pros and cons. We have done a thorough analysis of the situation. We have asked counsel of those who are in a position to give sound advice. Yet we may find that we are not 100 percent sure of the decision, despite a looming deadline. In some such cases, you may feel that God is nudging you to take a step forward to make a preliminary decision, while making allowance for the testing and discerning stage, and the ability to alter course if the proposed direction doesn’t prove to be the will of God in your situation.

Sometimes the decisions that we will make also depend on decisions that others involved make. In such instances, your initial decision is just the first step. As you take the step of making a preliminary decision, the Lord will often either confirm it or new factors will emerge that will shed new light on the situation. At each new junction on the road to the final decision, you may need to relook at things and pray further before taking the next step. You may need to make course adjustments, as you discover that the coordinates of your original decisions, while pointing you in the right general direction, need to be fine-tuned as you zero in on your final destination. Decision-making is often a process involving many decisions, not just a single decision, and each decision lays the foundation for our next decisions.

Most of us would prefer to receive unambiguous direction from God. Yet it seems that often God wants us to do the work of wholeheartedly seeking His will, investigating, analyzing, assessing, and using every means at our disposal to make wise and godly decisions. As so often proves to be the case, God rarely seems to do things for us that we are capable of doing. I’ve often found that I make the best decisions when I work in conjunction with the Lord through doing the background work of analyzing the possibilities and the options, weighing the pros and cons of each one, while seeking His guidance and thoughts on the matter through prayer and hearing from Him.

Making decisions that bring honor and glory to God is one of the ways that we show God that we love Him with all our hearts, bodies, souls, and minds. While most of us struggle with the grave responsibility of making godly decisions, it is also an opportunity to glorify God through our choices. As we place Him at the center of our lives, acknowledging Him in all our ways, committing our life and times into His hands, we can trust that He will guide us and help us to discern His will and to make wise decisions.

Part 2 of “Making Godly Decisions” will address taking responsibility for our decisions and decision-making when God doesn’t give a definitive answer.

Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[1] Colossians 2:13–14 NIV.


[2] 1 Peter 5:7.


[3] John 14:23.


[4] Isaiah 1:18.


[5] John 16:13.


[6] Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV.


[7] Psalm 37:5 NASB.


[8] 1 Kings 19:11–12 NIV.


[9] Isaiah 30:19,21 NIV.


[10] Proverbs 15:22.


[11] Judges 6:36–40.


[12] Adapted from “Seven Ways to Know God’s Will,” by David Brandt Berg.


[13] James 1:5.


[14] Colossians 1:9–10.


[15] John 15:5.


[16] Philippians 4:13 NKJV.


[17] The ESV study notes for John 15:5 state: This does not mean “nothing at all,” for unbelievers of course carry on their ordinary activities of life apart from Christ. Rather, it means “nothing of eternal value,” or an inability to produce spiritual fruit.


[18] Romans 12:2 ESV.




[19] ESV study notes.

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The Spiritual Disciplines: Fasting

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The Spiritual Discipline of fasting is a tough one for a lot of people. Like many of us, I had fasted a few times, but it was many years, even decades, ago. I haven’t been so keen on fasting, but after studying about it last year, I decided to try it again, and I’m glad I did. During the past year I’ve generally fasted one day a week, and I did one three-day fast as well. I’m no expert, but I’m very happy I’m learning about it and experiencing it, as I’ve found it to be spiritually fulfilling.

The fasting covered in this article will be limited to the fasting of food as spoken of in the Bible. This principle of fasting can be applied to abstinence from things other than food—such as television and other entertainment, recreational Internet browsing, social media, alcohol consumption, or talking—for the purpose of focusing on spiritual matters. However, the focus of this article is abstaining from food.

Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, and in Christianity in general for many centuries, fasting was fairly common. The Bible records types of fasting which differ from one another based on the food or water intake.
Types of Fasting

A normal fast refers to a fast in which a person abstains from all food but not water. It is likely that when Jesus fasted for forty days just prior to the beginning of His ministry, He abstained from food but not water. Luke tells us: He ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, He was hungry.[1]Matthew wrote: And after fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.[2]In neither case does it mention Jesus being thirsty, but it does say that He ate nothing. Since the human body can normally function no more than three days without water, we assume that He drank water during this time.[3]

A partial fast refers to when some types of food are not eaten, similar to how Daniel and his three companions asked the chief official to “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.”[4] By this definition John the Baptist also adhered to a partial fast, as he limited what he ate. His food was locusts and wild honey.[5] Throughout Christian history, believers devoted themselves to partial fasts by eating much smaller amounts of food, or eating only simple foods.

There are instances of what are called absolute fasts during which neither food nor water is taken. Esther petitioned the Jews throughout Susa to hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.[6] Saul, who later was known as the apostle Paul, also observed an absolute fast after his encounter with the risen Christ.

For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.[7]

The Bible also speaks about two supernatural fasts. Author Donald Whitney explains:

There are two instances of these. When Moses wrote of his meeting with God on Mount Sinai, he said, “I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water” (Deuteronomy 9:9). 1 Kings 19:8 may be saying that Elijah did the same thing when he went to the site of Moses’ miraculous fast: “So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.” These required God’s supernatural intervention into the bodily processes and are not repeatable apart from the Lord’s specific calling and miraculous provision.[8]

While there are Christians today who have fasted for forty days, these would have been normal fasts, meaning that liquids were drunk, as opposed to thesupernatural fast of Moses and possibly Elijah.

Scripture also speaks of congregational fasts[9] in which believers fast together for a specific purpose, and national fasts[10] in which a whole country or people fast. In this article, we will focus on private fasts by individuals, the ones which Jesus referred to when He said:

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[11]

For the most part, those practicing the Spiritual Discipline of fasting today fast from food but not water (normal fast), and many of those do it alone without others knowing about it (private fast).

There is no explicit command in the New Testament that Christians must fast; it is not a specified requirement. Jesus did, however, refer to fasting in a way that showed an expectation that believers would do it. In the verse quoted earlier, Jesus says: When you fast, do not look gloomy, and, When you fast, do so in secret. He used similar language when speaking of prayer:

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. But when you pray … pray to your Father who is in secret. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do …”[12]

The same language was used when He spoke about giving:

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you … When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing …”[13]

Using the phrase “when you” assumes that you do it sometimes.

Richard Foster expressed it this way:

It is as if there is an almost unconscious assumption that giving, praying, and fasting are all part of Christian devotion. We have no more reason to exclude fasting from the teaching [of Jesus] than we do giving or praying … Having said this, however, we must realize that these words do not constitute a command. Jesus was giving instruction on the proper exercise of a common practice of His day. He did not speak a word about whether it was a right practice or if it should be continued. So although Jesus does not say, “If you fast,” neither does He say “You must fast.” His word is, very simply, “When you fast.”[14]

When Jesus was asked by the disciples of John the Baptist why Jesus’ disciples didn’t fast, while they and the Pharisees did, He responded by saying:

“Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”[15]

While Jesus was with them, it was a time of feasting, not fasting.[16] The time, however, was coming when He would be taken away, and then His disciples would fast. While we don’t read of His disciples fasting when He was with them, we do hear of the early church fasting after His ascension.[17]

It’s interesting to note that when Jesus spoke about giving to the needy in secret, about praying in secret, and about fasting in secret, a promise of reward was given.

When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[18] But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[19] But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[20]

While fasting isn’t a command in the New Testament, it is a Spiritual Discipline available to those who wish to use it in their desire to be like Jesus, to grow in godliness. As with all the Spiritual Disciplines, fasting isn’t a means to gain merit or earn favor with God. We don’t fast in order to impress Him or so that we will get our way in some matter we desire, nor to gain His acceptance. God’s love and acceptance have already been given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Donald Whitney gave examples of different situations within the Old Testament showing when and why it may be beneficial to fast, which I’ve summarized.
To Strengthen Prayer

As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.[21]

Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking Him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.[22]

So we fasted and implored our God for this, and He listened to our entreaty.[23]

Arthur Wallis wrote in his book God’s Chosen Fast:

Fasting is calculated to bring a note of urgency and importunity into our praying, and to give force to our pleading in the court of heaven. The man who prays with fasting is giving heaven notice that he is truly in earnest…. Not only so, but he is expressing his earnestness in a divinely appointed way. He is using a means that God has chosen to make his voice be heard on high.[24]
When Seeking God’s Guidance

Fasting can be helpful when seeking God’s will in decisions, when asking for His guidance. We see an example of the children of Israel seeking the Lord with fasting and prayer when seeking His will as to whether to continue fighting after suffering devastating losses two days in a row.

Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. And the people of Israel inquired of the LORD … saying, “Shall we go out once more to battle against our brothers, the people of Benjamin, or shall we cease?” And the LORD said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”[25]
In Times of Grief

There are a number of biblical examples of fasting and prayer as a response to grief over someone’s death.[26] Fasting can also be a response to grief and remorse over sin, as it can communicate our sorrow for sinning against the Lord. Fasting doesn’t bring forgiveness of sin, as forgiveness is a gift given to us through salvation. However, we are told to confess our sins to the Lord. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[27] Fasting doesn’t make us more worthy of forgiveness, but it can communicate the grief and confessions our words may not be able to.[28]
When Seeking Deliverance or Protection

Throughout the Old Testament there are examples of people fasting along with praying when in need of protection and deliverance. A number of these instances were congregational or national fasts, whereby those in danger fasted together, beseeching the Lord for protection.

Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.[29]

Then I [Ezra] proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and He listened to our entreaty.[30]

Another example includes Esther asking the Jews in Susa to fast and pray before she risked death by going to see the king unannounced.[31]

We also see an instance where King David fasted and prayed because people were speaking hatefully against him and making accusations. He apparently fasted for some time, as he says his body had become gaunt and he was weak through fasting.

O GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for Your name’s sake; because Your steadfast love is good, deliver me! For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me. My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat.[32]

When you are being gossiped about, falsely accused, spoken against, or persecuted for your faith, you can go to the Lord in prayer and fasting for protection and deliverance.
To Humble Yourself Before God

Fasting can be a physical expression of humility before the Lord. David said in Psalms: I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting.[33] We’re not able to make ourselves humble; however, fasting expresses to the Lord that we are dependent on Him and weak without Him. When you fast, you realize how quickly the lack of food affects you. We often feel strong and self-sufficient, so it can be quite humbling to realize how fragile we actually are.
To Overcome Temptation and Dedicate Yourself to the Lord

There may be times when we are struggling with temptation and we need extra strength to overcome it. Or perhaps we have some besetting sin that we can’t seem to overcome. We may be faced with making a decision that will bring benefits into our life, but might put us in a position where we can give less time to the Lord or will be put in temptation’s way. It’s at times like these that fasting can help us overcome temptation or renew our dedication to the Lord. At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus fasted, and during that time He overcame all the temptations He was faced with. Because He did, He received God’s power.[34]
To Express Love and Worship to God

Fasting can be done for the purpose of devotion to God, as an expression of our love for Him, thankfulness for all He’s done for us, and as an act of worship and praise. It can be done to show God that He is more important to you than eating, that you are willing to set aside the pleasure and even need for food for a time in order to focus on Him, that you are nourished by being in His presence.
When You Fast …

As mentioned earlier, there is no explicit command to fast; fasting is a private matter between you and the Lord. The act of fasting doesn’t gain you any extra merit; it isn’t meant to be a bargaining chip with God or a guarantee that He is going to answer your prayers. However, like the other Spiritual Disciplines, it puts you in a position to receive from God.

If you choose to fast, you should consider beginning by fasting one meal or maybe two. It may be best to not start by trying a fast for three or more days. One way to start is to begin by fasting lunch, and then the next time by fasting both lunch and dinner. This way you go into the fast having just eaten, and you end it with breakfast the next morning, which means you are fasting for about twenty-four hours. In time, you can move to beginning your fast after dinner and fasting breakfast, lunch, and dinner the next day, and breaking the fast with breakfast the following morning. This is a thirty-six-hour fast. For someone choosing to fast on a regular basis, this could work well. There are, of course, various options of how to fast, how to start, and how to build up to it, so if you choose to fast you can experiment to see which one works best for you.

Longer fasts of three, five, ten or more days require more knowledge regarding what to expect, how to keep hydrated, and how to break the fast without damaging your body. If you consider a longer fast, there are some websites listed at the end of this article that have important information which you should read and follow. If you are diabetic, have a health condition that is affected by your diet, are pregnant or nursing, ill, frail, or recovering from illness, or have any other health problem, you probably shouldn’t fast; and if you wish to, you should check with a doctor first. Also, check with a doctor before considering a fast if you are taking strong medicines. If you have any health concerns whatsoever, consult your doctor as to whether it’s safe for you to fast. Children shouldn’t fast meals, though they may want to give up eating desserts or sweets for a time.

It may not be possible for you to fast a number of consecutive meals due to your work, your health, or caring for your family. If that’s the case, another option would be to fast one meal, and perhaps use the time you’d normally spend eating that meal to pray or read, or maybe witness. Another possibility is that if you regularly eat out at work, or if you dine out fairly regularly, you could consider fasting one meal a week and donating the money saved to someone in need.

Fasting might seem to be a big step to take; it did to me. I can say, though, from my experience that I am glad I took the step, as I feel that I’ve benefited from practicing this Spiritual Discipline. I can’t necessarily say my fasting has resulted in a specific blessing or reward that has come to me because of fasting, but that’s not the reason to fast. I don’t fast because I want something from the Lord. I fast because I love Him and this is one way of expressing that love and that He comes first in my life. Any spiritual blessings or results are a side effect and completely in the Lord’s hands. When I fast, or practice any of the Spiritual Disciplines, I’m committing to live in accordance with God’s Word and nature. My desire is to do what I can to be more like Jesus, to have a close relationship with God, to endeavor to live my life in alignment with His will. I find that fulfilling and rewarding in itself. I’ll end with a quote from Donald Whitney which expresses what I have experienced since beginning to fast.

Like all the Spiritual Disciplines, fasting hoists the sail of the soul in hopes of experiencing the gracious wind of God’s Spirit. But fasting also adds a unique dimension to your spiritual life and helps you grow in Christlikeness.[35]

Websites that have information about the physical aspects of fasting and breaking a fast:

http://www.ihopkc.org/about/fasting-guidelines-and-information/

http://viralchrist.com/spiritual-growth/prayer/1163-the-most-important-part-of-fasting-is-how-to-break-it

Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[1] Luke 4:2.


[2] Matthew 4:2.


[3] Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1991), 161.


[4] Daniel 1:12.


[5] Matthew 3:4.


[6] Esther 4:16.


[7] Acts 9:9.


[8] Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines, 162.


[9] Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber (Joel 2:15–16).


[10] Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD (2 Chronicles 20:3–4). See also Nehemiah 9:1, Esther 4:16, and Jonah 3:5–8.


[11] Matthew 6:17–18.


[12] Matthew 6:5–7.


[13] Matthew 6:2–3.


[14] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: HarperOne, 1998), 52–53.


[15] Matthew 9:15.


[16] Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 53.


[17] While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:2–3).

When they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed (Acts 14:23).


[18] Matthew 6:3–4.


[19] Matthew 6:6.


[20] Matthew 6:17–18.


[21] Nehemiah 1:4.


[22] Daniel 9:3.


[23] Ezra 8:23.


[24] Arthur Wallis, God’s Chosen Fast (Fort Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1968), 42, as quoted in Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1991), 166.


[25] Judges 20:26–28.


[26] 1 Samuel 31:12–13; 2 Samuel 1:11–12; Judges 20:25–26.


[27] 1 John 1:9.


[28] Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines, 169.


[29] 2 Chronicles 20:2–4.


[30] Ezra 8:21–23.


[31] Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish (Esther 4:16).


[32] Psalm 109:21–22, 24.


[33] Psalm 35:13 NIV.


[34] Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines, 175.




[35] Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines, 180.

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Are There Contradictions in the Bible?

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A Prayer of Praise to God

Bible verses compiled and adapted by Maria Fontaine
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Audio length: 9:27
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We will sing to You, O Lord, for You are highly exalted. You are our strength and our song, and You have become our salvation. You are our God and we will praise You and exalt You.

Who is like You, O Lord? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed. In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling.

You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance—the place You made for Your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, that Your hands established. And You will reign forever and ever.

We sing to You, O Lord, for You are highly exalted. You are our rock, our fortress and our deliverer, in whom we take refuge, our shield and the horn of our salvation. You are our stronghold, our refuge and our savior.

We call to You, Lord, who are worthy of praise. We glory in Your holy name. Let the hearts of all those who seek You, Lord, rejoice. We look to You, Lord, and Your strength, we seek Your face always. We remember the wonders You have done, Your miracles. For You are great, and most worthy to be praised. Glory and honor are in Your presence; strength and joy in Your dwelling-place.

We give thanks to You, Lord, for You are good; Your love endures forever. Praise be to You, O Lord God, from everlasting to everlasting.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty, for everything that is in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and to give strength to all.

Now our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.

You are our praise, and You are our God, who performed for us those great and awesome wonders we saw with our own eyes. Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship You.

Surely You are our salvation; we will trust, and not be afraid. You, O Lord, are our strength and our song; You have also become our salvation. We will give thanks to You, Lord, and call on Your name. We will make known among the nations what You have done, and proclaim that Your name is exalted.

We will sing to You, Lord, for You have done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. We will shout aloud and sing for joy, for You are great. We will raise our voices and shout for joy and acclaim Your majesty.

O Lord, You are our God. We will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.

We will sing to You a new song, and Your praise from the ends of the earth. Praise be to Your name, God, for ever and ever; wisdom and power are Yours. We thank and praise You, O God of our fathers. You have given us wisdom and power.

We praise and exalt and glorify You, the King of heaven, because everything You do is right and all Your ways are just. We will sacrifice to You with a song of thanksgiving. We will make good what we have vowed.

Our souls glorify You, Lord. And our spirits rejoice in You, God our Savior. For You have been mindful of the humble state of Your servants. All generations will call us blessed. You who are mighty have done great things for us—holy is Your name. And Your mercy extends to those who fear You, from generation to generation.

You have performed mighty deeds with Your arm; You have scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. You have brought down rulers from their thrones, but You have lifted up the humble. You have filled the hungry with good things, but sent the rich away empty. Praise be to You, Lord God. You have come and redeemed Your people and raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of Your servant David.

We will declare Your name forever and sing Your praises. To You be the glory and dominion and power, now and forever. We give glory to You, and worship You, O God.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come! You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being. You were slain, and with Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve You, and we will reign on the earth.

Worthy are You, Lord, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise. To You be praise and honor and glory and power, O Lamb of God, for ever and ever!

Salvation belongs to You, our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. Praise and glory and wisdom, and thanks and honor and power and strength be to You, our God, for ever and ever. We give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages.

Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and bring glory to Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed. We will give thanks to You, Lord, because of Your righteousness, and will sing praise to Your name, O Lord most High.

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens. We will praise You with all our hearts; we will tell of all Your wonders. We will be glad and rejoice in You; we will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Sovereign Lord God, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. For from You, and through You, and to You are all things. To You be the glory for ever!

Now to our King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.1

Originally published May 1991. Adapted and republished August 2015. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Daniel Sozzi.



1 Exodus 15:1–2, 11, 13, 17–18, 21; 2 Samuel 22:2–4, 1 Chronicles 16:10, 25, 27, 34; 29:10–14; Deuteronomy 10:21; Nehemiah 9:5–6; Isaiah 12:2, 4–6; 24:14; 25:1; 42:10; Daniel 2:20, 23; 4:37; Jonah 2:9; Luke 1:46–53, 68–69; Hebrews 2:12; Jude 25; Revelation 14:7; 4:8, 11; 5:9–10, 12–13; 7:10, 12; 11:17; 15:3–4; Psalm 7:17; 8:1; 9:1–2; Acts 4:24; Romans 11:36; Philippians 4:20; 1 Timothy 1:17 (NIV, adapted).

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Esperança versus Fatalismo

Steve Hearts

Com a ajuda do Senhor, tenho lutado para recapturar atributos valiosos que me permiti perder. Noite passada, durante meu tempo de oração e comunhão com o Senhor, Ele chamou minha atenção para algo em particular que me havia sido roubado pouco a pouco: a habilidade de ter esperança.

Apesar de eu falhar em admitir isto até mesmo para mim, tenho lutado faz um tempo com uma falta significativa de alegria na vida, ou seja, felicidade no dia a dia. Não tenho tido muita coragem e cada vez fica mais difícil não cair no desespero e na depressão. Determinado a evitar tal sina, pedi ao Senhor para me dizer como me permiti chegar a este estado para começar. Não havia passado muito tempo em silêncio quando O ouvi dizer: “A resposta é simples, você perdeu a coragem e a esperança.”

Comecei a analisar minha vida com a intenção de descobrir como eu tinha perdido algo tão vital como a esperança. Lembro-me de uma série de decepções dolorosas que resultaram de situações que acabaram totalmente contrárias à maneira como eu havia “esperado” que fossem. Aquilo me assustou, e fez com que eu passasse a ter uma mentalidade extremamente resignada. Embora resignar-se seja algo bom até certo ponto, especialmente quando diz respeito a aceitar totalmente a vontade de Deus, minha resignação havia se tornado fatalismo. Quando alguma dificuldade, seja qual fosse, batia à minha porta, eu a aceitava automaticamente como sendo parte da “cruz” que eu devia carregar para o Senhor, sem orar ou esperar que as coisas melhorassem. Eu me dizia repetidas vezes, “Não fique muito esperançoso”. Não é por nada que os meus dias se tornaram maçantes e algo pelo qual eu tinha que passar.

Foi então que vários versículos que falam sobre esperança me vieram à lembrança.

“Bom é ter esperança, e aguardar em silêncio a salvação do Senhor.”[1]

“A esperança adiada desfalece o coração.”[2]

“Por que você está assim tão triste, ó minha alma? Por que está assim tão perturbada dentro de mim? Ponha a sua esperança em Deus! Pois ainda o louvarei; ele é o meu Salvador e o meu Deus.”[3]

Pensei no autor desta passagem, o Rei Davi à medida que essas palavras passavam pela minha cabeça. Ele foi inegavelmente um dos homens mais corajosos e valentes que já existiram. Contudo, ele também enfrentou momentos em que parecia não ter mais esperança, quando ficou tão abatido e sem coragem que precisou encarar a pergunta: “Onde está teu Deus?”[4] Ele, porém, se recusou a deixar sua alma ser enterrada nas profundezas do desespero ou resignar-se ao fatalismo, relembrando a si mesmo que devia “pôr a sua esperança em Deus!” No final ele sempre alcançou a vitória.

Os versículos citados acima são apenas alguns dos muitos sobre esperança. Por mais que estivesse familiarizado com eles, agora sentia como se os estivesse ouvindo pela primeira vez, porque seu significado ressoava claramente no meu íntimo. Entendi prontamente que ao lutar para ter uma atitude mais esperançosa e deixar o fatalismo de lado, minha vela voltaria a brilhar com ardor, e minha felicidade e alegria seriam restauradas.

“Mas, Senhor,” eu disse. “Como vou encontrar equilíbrio entre esperar demais e não esperar nada?”

Ele respondeu: “Não é uma questão de esperar demais, mas sim no que você está depositando esta esperança é que faz a diferença.”

Eu antes depositava minha esperança nos meus próprios programas, na maneira como eu queria que as coisas acontecessem, em vez de confiar no Senhor para os resultados da Sua perfeita vontade em cada situação. Eu calculava que se Ele não fizesse as coisas à minha maneira, tampouco daria um jeito nelas. Isto explica por que eu andava tão decepcionado e desiludido. Eu agora aprenderia a ter esperança e certeza de que Ele realmente ia resolver as situações com as quais me deparasse, apesar de provavelmente nem sempre fazer as coisas da maneira ou no tempo que eu esperava.

Lembro-me da história sobre Mark Twain, que, certo dia, saindo da igreja com um amigo, começou a chover torrencialmente. O amigo lhe perguntou: “Você acha que essa chuva vai parar?” Twain respondeu: “Até hoje sempre parou.” Twain transmitia assim ao seu amigo desconsolado a mensagem de esperança de que apesar da chuva não parar imediatamente como gostariam, ele sabia que eventualmente pararia, pois era o que sempre acontecia. Da mesma forma, isso para mim é um lembrete para não desfalecer diante de problemas e dificuldades que se arrastam por um tempo, mas confiar que eventualmente vão passar.

Estou renovado e determinado a colocar em prática esta nova mentalidade de viver com esperança em vez de ser fatalista. Continuo a me lembrar vez após vez das escrituras que o Senhor me trouxe à lembrança. Apesar de, a princípio, ser um desafio descartar o antigo modo de pensar e abraçar o novo, os resultados valem muito o esforço. Sinto a felicidade e a alegria voltando à minha vida e que as nuvens escuras sob minha cabeça estão se dissipando. Não me sinto mais fadado a uma vida sem esperança, de labuta e sofrimento. Em vez disso, sei que, apesar das dificuldades pelo caminho, posso ter coragem e me alegrar e ter esperança no Senhor.

Por fim, minha maior “esperança” ao escrever este artigo é que ele seja um encorajamento para aqueles que possam também ter perdido a esperança. Deus quer que confiemos na Sua soberania e que aceitemos a Sua vontade, mas Ele não nos chama para uma vida de fatalismo passivo. Pelo contrário, somos chamados a ter esperança eterna, alegria e expectativa nEle. Talvez nem sempre saibamos como os Seus desígnios se desdobrarão em nossas vidas, mas podemos ter esperança e confiar que Ele está verdadeiramente trabalhando, e que “Ele faz tudo muito bem.”[5]

Como diz o velho ditado, “Enquanto há vida, há esperança.”

[1] Lamentações 3:26.

[2] Provérbios 13:12.

[3] Salmo 42:11, NVI.

[4] Ver Salmo 42:3, 11.

[5] Ver Marcos 7:37, NVI.

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Violent Protest Follows Kiev Vote on Autonomy for East Ukraine

By Andrew E. Kramer, NY Times, Aug. 31, 2015

KIEV, Ukraine–The results of a fiercely contested parliamentary vote over autonomy for eastern Ukraine were counted on Monday, partly in blood: 265 in favor, three major parties opposed and one dead policeman.

About 120 other officers were also wounded in an attack during a protest that intensified after Parliament approved a measure on constitutional changes that could grant autonomy to parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

The authorities said a man later identified as a member of a nationalist party had thrown a grenade at the police lines.

The violence underscored the tensions over a vote that many here see as a concession to Russia in exchange for peace.

Monday’s vote in Parliament was just a first step. Changing the status of the rebel eastern regions involves both an amendment to the Constitution, which must receive final approval from a supermajority of 300 of Parliament’s 450 members, and a separate law passed by that chamber.

The measure is fiercely opposed by Ukrainian nationalists and many others.

Supporters of the change say granting special status to the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk would co-opt the rebels’ major selling point, blunting the drive for separatism.

Yet the war has angered Ukrainians to such an extent, opinion polls show, that members of Parliament are struggling to win support from voters for any concession.

Three parties from the majority coalition in Parliament supporting Mr. Poroshenko opposed the constitutional changes, making it unclear whether the president can ultimately win approval.

As Parliament approved the concessions, protesters outside the building scuffled with police, and shouted, “Shame! Shame!” The demonstrators grew more agitated. Some tore helmets from the riot police and threw them on the paving stones.

Several loud explosions were heard. The interior minister, Arsen Avakov, said that a military hand grenade had been thrown into the police line, at a confusing moment when the police were hurling tear-gas canisters in the other direction.

After the grenade explosion, the police carried a dozen or so bloodied and apparently gravely wounded colleagues to ambulances, with the mayor’s office later reporting that one officer had died.

It was the first death in politicized street violence in the capital since the 2014 revolution, which overthrew Viktor F. Yanukovych, the pro-Russian president, after months of protests.

Mr. Avakov said the police had detained a member of a right-wing paramilitary group, Sych, that is the militant arm of the Svoboda political party, one of the three parties that backed the Maidan street uprising against Mr. Yanukovych last year.

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Abra seu Coração para a Misericórdia e o Perdão

Compilação Link

A misericórdia de Deus não tem fim, é de eternidade em eternidade! O Seu amor, misericórdia, perdão e Salvação nunca acabam! Ele nunca deixa de nos amar, não importa o que façamos. Ele nunca nos rejeita ou retira o Seu amor. Ele sempre tem esperança em nós, não importa quanto tenhamos nos desencaminhado.[1]

Até mesmo apesar dos nossos pecados e defeitos, erros e delitos, sejam eles quais forem, o sangue de Jesus cobre todos os nossos pecados: passados, atuais e futuros. Se nós abandonamos o nosso pecado e nos virarmos para o Senhor, o nosso Deus é grandioso em perdoar.[2] A Bíblia diz: “Se confessarmos os nossos pecados, Ele é fiel e justo para nos perdoar os pecados.”[3] Não importa o que nós tenhamos feito! O único “pecado imperdoável” é falta de fé em Jesus, ou rejeitá-Lo como nosso Salvador.

Nós temos um Deus grande o bastante para perdoar não só nossos erros, mas também nossos pecados! Ele sempre perdoou, sempre perdoa e sempre perdoará, para sempre e eternamente! Como um ribeiro, como um rio, o fluxo do Seu amor e misericórdia é ininterrupto, aconteça o que acontecer!—D. Brandt Berg

*

Alguma vez já ouviu falar do encontro de Jesus com um rico funcionário público de Jericó?[4]

Zaqueu, o homem dessa história, era um personagem bastante infame, principalmente em contraste com as muitas figuras religiosas devotas que caminhavam nas ruas de Jericó, “a cidade dos sacerdotes.”

Ele era o chefe rico de uma grande repartição de coletores de impostos do governo, e para os Judeus, os coletores de impostos ou publicanos, como os chamavam, eram pertencentes a laia mais baixa de todas, a única comparação à altura deles eram as prostitutas vulgares. Muito conhecidos por serem trapaceiros, extorsionistas e ladrões dos pobres, estes homens eram também considerados como traidores dos seus irmãos, uma vez que, embora fossem judeus, trabalhavam para o muito odiado governo romano.

Ali estava um homem com autoridade do governo para explorar o povo com o máximo de tributo possível, e qualquer outra coisa que conseguisse arrancar do povo acima do imposto ia direto para o seu bolso.

Mas um dia aconteceu uma coisa que mudou completamente tudo isso para Zaqueu. Ele já tinha ouvido falar muito de Jesus e dos muitos milagres que Ele tinha feito, e mesmo assim, o fato ainda mais fascinante era que, como ele, Jesus também tinha uma má reputação, e era conhecido por ser amigo de publicanos e pecadores. Na verdade, um dos próprios discípulos de Jesus, Mateus, também tinha sido um coletor de impostos em Cafarnaum!

Durante algum tempo Zaqueu queria conhecer o “carpinteiro-que-virou-profeta”. “Será que Jesus seria meu amigo também?” Ele se perguntava. Seus únicos amigos eram seus familiares, e recentemente ele tinha começado a se sentir bastante insatisfeito. Começou a perceber que era preciso muito mais do que apenas riquezas para ter satisfação verdadeira e calor humano. Afinal de contas, ele tinha praticamente tudo que o dinheiro podia comprar, mas algo estava faltando. Ele não sabia exatamente o quê.

Certo dia, Jesus passou por Jericó. Ao ouvir que Ele estava na cidade, Zaqueu largou tudo, fechou o seu escritório, e correu para a rua para ver com os seus próprios olhos. Uma multidão imensa, com Jesus lá no meio, caminhava devagar pela estrada. Mas Zaqueu era tão baixinho que não conseguia ver nada.

De repente ele viu uma grande figueira brava no caminho onde a multidão estava prestes a passar. Imaginou que, se subisse na árvore, conseguiria ver Jesus quando Ele passasse. Correndo à frente da multidão, Zaqueu subiu depressa na árvore.

Quando Jesus finalmente chegou junto da árvore em que Zaqueu estava, Ele disse: “Zaqueu, desça depressa, porque hoje me convém ficar na sua casa!”

“O qu...que foi que Ele disse?” Zaqueu ficou chocado! “Ele me chamou pelo meu nome! Ele quer ficar na minha casa.” Ele respondeu: “Ora, será uma honra! Por favor,venha para a minha casa! O senhor é muitíssimo bem-vindo!” E Zaqueu com muita alegria recebeu Jesus em sua casa.

Assim que chegaram lá, a multidão que os seguia ficou do lado de fora murmurando indignada dizendo: “Como é que Jesus pode vir à nossa cidade justa, um centro de instrução religiosa, e, contudo escolher se hospedar com um salafrário desses?”

Então Jesus exclamou, alto o suficiente para a multidão resmungona do lado de fora ouvir: “Hoje veio a salvação a esta casa! Porque o Filho do Homem veio buscar e salvar o que se havia perdido!” Não importava que Zaqueu tivesse sido muito mau antes, o amor do Senhor era mais do que suficiente para perdoar.—Adaptado de um artigo no livroTesouros[5]

*

As pessoas em Jericó ficaram muito chateadas quando Jesus foi visitar Zaqueu. “Todo o povo viu isso e começou a se queixar: Ele se hospedou na casa de um ‘pecador’.”[6] Mas as atitudes dos outros nunca impediram que Jesus recebesse pecadores. Não importa o que as pessoas pensem de você, lembre-se que Jesus está sempre esperando pelo momento em que você se voltará para Ele. Ele é cheio de misericórdia e compaixão, e nunca recusa ninguém, não importa o seu passado. ... Jesus disse: “Pois o Filho do Homem veio buscar e salvar o que estava perdido.”[7] Em outra ocasião, Jesus disse que não veio para chamar os justos mas sim os pecadores ao arrependimento.[8] Jesus passou tanto tempo com pecadores durante seu ministério que até começaram falar dEle: “Aí está um comilão e beberrão, amigo de publicados e ‘pecadores’.”[9]

Os líderes religiosos, os escribas e fariseus, reclamaram do fato de Jesus ministrar aos pecadores. Ele então contou as parábolas sobre a misericórdia de Deus, a parábola do pastor em busca da ovelha perdida,[10] a parábola da mulher que varrendo a casa encontra uma moeda perdida,[11] e a parábola do filho pródigo que é acolhido pelo pai.[12] Jesus disse que há mais alegria no céu por um pecador arrependido do que por noventa e nove virtuosos que não precisam se arrepender.[13] … [Vamos nós também] falar da misericórdia de Deus, “O Senhor é justo em todos os seus caminhos e é bondoso em tudo o que faz. O Senhor está perto de todos os que o invocam; ... realiza os desejos daqueles que o temem; ouve-os gritar por socorro e os salva.”[14] É uma garantia da misericórdia de Deus: “O Senhor é misericordioso e compassivo.”[15]

Jesus está batendo à porta do seu coração. Você vai abrir a porta, como fez Zaqueu, e convidá-lO a entrar? Em um dos mais lindos versículos em Apocalipse capítulo 3 Jesus diz: “Eis que estou à porta e bato. Se alguém ouvir a minha voz e abrir a porta, entrarei e cearei com ele, e ele comigo.”[16] Abrir a porta é decisão sua. Jesus não vai arrombar. Se você abrir a porta do seu coração para Jesus, valerá a pena.

Depois que conhecer Jesus, você não será mais o mesmo. Vai querer abrir mão do seu pecado e viver uma nova vida de graça. … Se realmente conhecer Jesus, será uma pessoa diferente. Foi o que aconteceu a Zaqueu. Ele não conseguiu mais lesar as pessoas. E prometeu: “Senhor, darei metade dos meus bens aos pobres; e se de alguém extorqui alguma coisa, devolverei quatro vezes mais.”[17] Quando recebemos o perdão de Jesus somos transformados. Aceitando a misericórdia de Jesus seremos curados dos nossos pecados, renovados e transformados.—Fr. Tommy Lane[18]

Oh Jesus, Você é tão paciente e amoroso conosco! Você lidou conosco com grande amor. Somos como tição tirados do fogo e levantados do pó e do nada. Nós Lhe agradecemos pelo Seu amor, Senhor, por como Você nos amou. Você não nos falhou. Não desistiu de nós, apesar de parecermos um caso perdido.
“Por um breve instante eu a abandonei, mas com profunda compaixão eu a trarei de volta.”[19] “Com bondade eterna terei compaixão de você.” “Que o ímpio abandone seu caminho, e o homem mau, os seus pensamentos. Volte-se ele para o Senhor, que terá misericórdia dele; volte-se para o nosso Deus, pois ele perdoará de bom grado”[20]“Embora os seus pecados sejam vermelhos como escarlate, eles se tornarão brancos como a neve; embora sejam rubros como púrpura, como a lã se tornarão!”[21]

“Jesus pagou por tudo, tudo a Ele devo! O pecado deixou uma mancha vermelha, mas Ele a lavou e ficou branca como a neve!” A misericórdia de Deus não tem limites. Seu amor não tem fronteiras. Louvado seja Deus!—D. Brandt Berg

Publicado no Âncora em agosto de 2015.

[1] Salmo 103:3–14.

[2] Isaias 55:7.

[3] 1 João 1:9.

[4] Ver Lucas 19:1–10.

[5] Publicado por A Família Internacional em 1987.

[6] Lucas 19:7, NVI.

[7] Lucas 19:10, NVI.

[8] Lucas 5:32.

[9] Lucas 7:34, NVI.

[10] Lucas 15:3–7.

[11] Lucas 15:8–10.

[12] Lucas 15:11–32.

[13] Lucas 15:7.

[14] Extraído da New American Bible.

[15] Salmo 145:8, NVI.

[16] Apocalipse 3:20, NVI.

[17] Lucas 19:8, NVI.

[18] http://www.frtommylane.com/homilies/year_c/31.htm#confession.

[19] Isaias 54:7–8, NVI.

[20] Isaias 55:7, NVI.

[21] Isaias 1:18, NVI.

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God’s Help Through Life’s Storms

Words from Jesus
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“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day. These troubles and sufferings of ours are, after all, quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time of distress will result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever!”—2 Corinthians 4:16–171

No matter what hardships the world may throw at you, you have—in Me—everything you need to persevere. Despair is a deep pit, and sometimes you totter around its edges, precariously close to falling in. Your only hope at such times is to fix your eyes on Me. The more perplexed you are—bewildered by complex circumstances—the easier it is to lose your balance. To keep from falling, you must change your focus from your circumstances to My presence. This requires strenuous effort on your part, because you have not fully accepted the limitations of your mind. Your natural tendency is to keep thinking about a difficult situation ad nauseam—trying to figure it out. However, I am always nearby, eager to help you change your focus time after time.

Though you may be hard pressed on every side, you need not be crushed by difficulties. You are not alone in your battles, because I will never, ever abandon you. Even if you are struck down by a fatal blow, you will not be destroyed. I am the shepherd and guardian of your soul—the part of you that is indestructible. I give you eternal life, and you will never perish. No one can snatch you out of My hand!2
I want you to make it

“Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.”—Hebrews 12:13

Just keep hanging on, no matter how difficult it seems and no matter how little progress you feel you’re making. I see your heart and I know what you are experiencing, and I’ll help you each step of the way. As long as you’re holding on and fighting, you’re making progress in My eyes and I’m pleased with you.

I know this is a very trying time for you; it’s confusing, and you’re faced with some very import­ant decisions. You’re battling to know what you’re supposed to do. You feel so unprepared and worn out spiritually that you feel like you can’t possibly do it. But I’ve promised that I won’t allow you to face more than you can take. I won’t allow one speck more than you can handle. You can trust Me completely on this, because I know exactly what you’re going through right now, and I won’t fail to pull you through if you keep fighting and keep trusting.

I know it all seems overwhelming right now, but I promise that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and if you just keep going one step at a time, you’ll come to the end of the tunnel and into the light. Things will not always be this way. You won’t always feel discouraged or worried, wondering what to do, because I will pull you through this battle and you will rise above to victory, as long as you hold on to Me.

I want you to make it! I don’t want to see you hurt or unhappy, and I’ll help you make it. But you have to understand that at times it will hurt a little, and at times you’ll need to make sacrifices. I can’t protect you from every single bit of hurt in life; there’ll be some hurt, but I promise that as you come to Me for comfort, I’ll comfort you. My comfort will wash away the feelings of hurt.

Come to Me whenever you feel discouraged or down. Don’t wait for days, or even for half a day. Come to Me and let Me speak to you and comfort your heart and give you words of encouragement to help you to keep going.

I won’t fail you. I’m here for you, and I promise to love you, to comfort, to encourage, and to give you the anointing and power to carry on, no matter what you are facing, if you come to Me.
I go before you

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”—Deuteronomy 31:84

I Myself go before you—opening up the way. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Therefore, you need not be afraid or discouraged. I realize, though, that feelings often fail to submit to logic. So don’t be surprised when your emotions rebel against your will. David—who was both a mighty warrior and a gifted poet—expressed fearfulness, trembling, and even overwhelming horror in one of his psalms. Yet his trust in Me was genuine and deep. His life and His writing demonstrate that fear doesn’t “trump” trust: They can coexist. This is why David could proclaim, “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.”5

Trust is a relational word. It’s one of the prime ways you can draw near Me. When you are afraid, don’t blame yourself for having that very human emotion. Instead, acknowledge what you’re feeling; then affirm your trust in Me—out loud or in a whisper. This affirmation protects you from the lie that feeling fearful means you don’t trust Me. Even better, it brings you consciously into My presence, where you can find comfort and hope. The light of My presence illuminates the vast dimensions of My love for you—empowering you to grasp how wide and long and high and deep My love is.6
Don’t hesitate to ask for My help

“I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm—I will come to you. In just a little while I will be gone from the world, but I will still be present with you.”—John 14:18–197

Weakness is not something you are to be afraid of. When you’re tired, when you’re worn, when you’re feeling under the weather, don’t be ashamed or afraid to come and ask Me for help. Don’t try to get through, struggling the whole morning or the whole day—or longer than that—when you can come to Me and ask Me to help you. It saddens Me to see you become spent and discouraged because you try so hard to do something yourself when you don’t have it within you to do it alone, when you need extra help.

Come to Me whenever you need an extra boost, and I’ll carry you through. You won’t need to try to carry the burden; I’ll help you carry it. You won’t need to have to try to think everything through on your own; I’ll help you do that. The challenge won’t seem as big anymore as we tackle it together. With Me, you may still have to weather the storm, but at least you can rest assured that you have a good Pilot and your safety is guaranteed, even if it is a violent storm. I have promised that I will never leave you comfortless.

Published on Anchor August 2015. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.
Music by Michael Dooley.



1 TLB.


2 Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009).


3 TLB.


4 NLT.


5 Psalm 56:3.


6 Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009).


7 TLB.

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Tracing the nations back to Babel

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