Does your faith need strengthening? Are you confused and wondering if Jesus Christ is really "The Way, the Truth, and the Life?" "Fight for Your Faith" is a blog filled with interesting and thought provoking articles to help you find the answers you are seeking. Jesus said, "Seek and ye shall find." In Jeremiah we read, "Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall seek for Me with all your heart." These articles and videos will help you in your search for the Truth.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Grande Paz

Palavras de Jesus
Link

“Ao cair da tarde daquele primeiro dia da semana, estando os discípulos reunidos a portas trancadas, por medo dos judeus, Jesus entrou, pôs-se no meio deles e disse: "Paz seja com vocês!"”—João 20:19[1]

A Minha paz é abrangente e incondicional. Se perder tudo, mas ganhar a Minha paz, você é rico.

Que isso lhe sirva de forte consolo, principalmente em relação a situações que fogem ao seu controle. Quando você se sente à mercê das circunstâncias, precisa exatamente da Minha paz, mesmo sentindo-se incapaz de recebê-la. Isso talvez aconteça porque você se apega a outras coisas, aos que lhe são queridos, às suas posses, e reputação.

O Meu desejo é ajudá-lo a dar preeminência à Minha paz, acima de tudo no mundo, reconhecê-la como um dom sobrenatural recebido por Meus seguidores pouco antes da Minha morte. A pessoa que sabe que em breve morrerá quer deixar algo de valor para os que ama. Por isso, no Meu “testamento”, Eu deixei a paz para os Meus discípulos e todos que Me seguem. Eu sabia que seria um dom difícil de receber, principalmente durante as adversidades. Por isso, depois da Minha ressurreição, as primeiras palavras proferidas para os Meus discípulos foram: “Deixo-lhes a paz!” Eles precisavam dessa certeza para reforçar o que lhes ensinei antes de partir. E você também precisa se lembrar da natureza divina dessa dádiva, pois a paz que lhe dou não é do mundo, mas sim a paz que sobrepassa todo o entendimento!

Apegar-se a outras coisas torna difícil para você aceitar esta preciosa dádiva. É como não querer largar uma pequena moeda quando estou lhe oferecendo provisão ilimitada e ouro puro. Para receber essa dádiva, você primeiro deve abrir as mãos e o coração para Mim. Ao fazer isso, você coloca todas as suas preocupações aos Meus cuidados. A nossa intimidade se fortalece conforme recebe a gloriosa paz que lhe dou, todas![2]


Paz na Minha presença

“Os que amam a tua lei desfrutam da paz, e nada há que os faça tropeçar.”—Salmo 119:165[3]

Eu serei seu fiel provedor, enquanto você busca diligentemente a Minha face e Me reconhece. Continuarei cuidando de você e o protegendo de danos e do mal. Suprirei e o socorrerei quando estiver em perigo. Eu o consolarei na tribulação e lhe darei paz em situações conflituosas. Eu lhe darei alegria no lugar de tristeza.

O céu e a terra passarão, mas as Minhas palavras não hão de passar. Eu nunca deixarei de cumprir Minhas promessas. Mas você precisa fazer a sua parte, pois se Me buscar de todo o coração você Me encontrará. Se buscar a Minha paz e vier à Minha presença em sossego e confiança, receberá a paz. Aliviarei seus temores, preocupações e ansiedades se entregá-los a Mim em humildade, pedindo a Minha ajuda e paz.

Meu amor e coração estão abertos a você e prontos para lhe dar soluções, consolo, amor e forças. Então clame a Mim e lhe responderei com a Minha paz e forças. Eu o guiarei, protegerei, orientarei e encherei o seu coração com a Minha paz que sobrepassa todo entendimento.


Paz vencedora

“Aí sim, a sua luz irromperá como a alvorada, e prontamente surgirá a sua cura; a sua retidão irá adiante de você, e a glória do Senhor estará na sua retaguarda.”—Isaías 58:8[4]

Se aprender a confiar em Mim de verdade, de todo o coração, você jamais perderá a paz que lhe dou. Toda situação pode contribuir para o bem se você a usar para aprender a confiar em Mim. É dessa maneira que destrói as obras do maligno e consegue ter mais graça para passar pelas adversidades que poderiam prejudicá-lo. José foi um ótimo exemplo de como reverter uma situação quando declarou aos irmãos: “Vocês planejaram o mal contra mim, mas Deus o tornou em bem.”[5]

Não tema o que este dia ou qualquer outra dia possa trazer. Concentre-se em confiar em Mim e fazer o que precisa ser feito. Relaxe na Minha soberania, lembrando-se que vou diante de você e estou com você cada dia. Não tema o mal, pois posso fazer toda situação contribuir para o seu bem.[6]


Aquiete-se, acalme-se

“Levantou-se um forte vendaval, e as ondas se lançavam sobre o barco, de forma que este foi se enchendo de água. Jesus estava na popa, dormindo com a cabeça sobre um travesseiro. Os discípulos o acordaram e clamaram: ‘Mestre, não te importas que morramos?’ Ele se levantou, repreendeu o vento e disse ao mar: ‘Aquiete-se! Acalme-se!’ O vento se aquietou, e fez-se completa bonança. Então perguntou aos seus discípulos: ‘Por que vocês estão com tanto medo? Ainda não têm fé?’ Eles estavam apavorados e perguntavam uns aos outros: ‘Quem é este que até o vento e o mar lhe obedecem?’”—Marcos 4:37–40[7]

Se confiar na Minha Palavra por fé, encontrará paz e descanso para o seu espírito. Deixe o fardo de preocupações, temores e ansiedades e busque-Me com fé.

Quando eu estava dormindo no barco açoitado pelo vento e pela tempestade, Meus discípulos não sabiam o que fazer, tiveram medo do vento e das ondas, preocupados com a embarcação. Por isso Me acordaram, porque sabiam que Eu tinha a solução. Eu disse então: “Aquiete-se, acalme-se”, e houve paz. Eles Me buscaram admitindo que não sabiam o que fazer, e Eu lhes dei paz.

Venha a Mim com a fé de uma criança que sabe que o pai não a desencaminhará, mas a guiará a toda verdade. Venha a Mim, abra o coração e a mente e lhe darei paz, a paz resultante de fé, confiança e de se submeter à vontade de Deus.

Publicado no Âncora em janeiro de 2016.


[1] NVI.

[2] Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Thomas Nelson, 2009).

[3] NVI.

[4] NVI.

[5] Gênesis 50:20.

[6] Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (Thomas Nelson, 2010).

[7] ESV.

Great Peace

Words from Jesus
Link

Audio length: 9:38
Download Audio (8.8MB)

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’”—John 20:191

My peace is such an all-encompassing gift that it is independent of circumstances. Though you lose everything else, if you gain My peace, you are rich indeed.

Let that be a deep comfort to you, especially amid the many aspects of your life over which you have no control. When you are feeling at the mercy of your circumstances, My all-encompassing peace is exactly what you need, even though you sometimes feel unable to receive it. Perhaps that is because you cling to other things—your loved ones, your possessions, your reputation.

My desire is to help you treasure My peace above everything in the world—recognizing it as a supernatural gift, bequeathed to My followers shortly before My death. A man who knows he will soon die wants to leave something precious with those he loves. Therefore I “willed” My peace to My disciples and all who follow Me. I knew this was a difficult gift to receive, especially in the midst of adversity. So, after My resurrection, the first words I spoke to My disciples were “Peace be with you!” They needed this reassurance, to reinforce what I taught them before I died. You also need to be reminded of the divine nature of this gift, for it is not the world’s peace I give you; it is peace that transcends all understanding!

Clinging to other things makes it hard for you to receive this precious gift. That is like wrapping your fingers tightly around a small copper coin, while I am offering you unlimited supplies of pure gold. To receive My proffered gift, you must first open your hands and your heart to Me. By doing so, you release your concerns into My care and keeping. As you receive My glorious peace, you gain deeper intimacy with Me—the richest blessing of all!2
Peace in My presence

“Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.”—Psalm 119:1653

As you diligently seek My face in prayer and as you acknowledge Me and bring your requests before Me, I will be a faithful provider. I will continue to care for you, to protect you from harm and evil. I will supply for you, I will succor you in danger. I will comfort you in tribulation. I will give peace in time of turmoil. I will bring joy in place of sorrow.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Word shall not pass away. I will never fail to keep My promises to you. But you must do your part and seek Me, for if you seek Me, you will find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. If you seek My peace and come into My presence in stillness and quietness, My peace will fall upon you. I will relieve your fears and worries and anxieties as you come to Me and lay them at My feet in humility, and request My help and My peace.

My love and My heart are open to you and ready to pour out My answers, comfort, love and strength. So call unto Me and I will answer you. As you call, I give you My peace and strength. I will lead, protect, and guide; I will fill your heart with My peace that surpasses all understanding.
Peace that overcomes

“Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.”—Isaiah 58:84

If you learn to trust Me—really trust Me—with your whole being, then nothing can separate you from My peace. Everything you endure can be put to good use by allowing it to train you in trusting Me. This is how you foil the works of evil, growing in grace through the very adversity that was meant to harm you. Joseph was a prime example of this divine reversal, declaring to his brothers: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”5

Do not fear what this day, or any day, may bring your way. Concentrate on trusting Me and on doing what needs to be done. Relax in My sovereignty, remembering that I go before you, as well as with you into each day. Fear no evil, for I can bring good out of every situation you will ever encounter.6
Peace, be still

“And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’”—Mark 4:37–407

As you trust in My Word by faith, you will find peace and rest for your spirit. So lay down the burden of your worries, fears, and anxieties, and come to Me in faith.

When I lay in the boat sleeping, and the waves and the wind and the storm battered it about, My disciples didn’t know what to do, and they were afraid of the wind and the waves and concerned about their vessel. So they woke Me, as they knew that the answer lay in My power. I said, “Peace, be still,” and there was peace. They came to Me, admitting that they didn’t know what to do, and I gave them peace.

So come to Me with the faith of a child who knows that his father will not lead him astray, but will guide him into all truth. Come to Me with an open heart and an open mind, and let Me give you My peace—the peace that comes from faith, trust, and from yielding your will to the will of God.

Published on Anchor January 2016. Read by Simon Peterson.
Music by Michael Dooley.



1 NIV.


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


3 NIV.


4 NIV.


5 Genesis 50:20.


6 Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (Thomas Nelson, 2010).


7 ESV.

More Like Jesus

P.Amsterdam

One of my all-time favorite songs is “I Want to Be More Like Jesus.” Whenever I hear or sing it, I’m reminded of a key aspect of living my faith. It serves as a short prayer that encompasses an important part of our faith journey as Christians—the development of Christ-likeness in our lives.

Take these things that hinder me
Take my pride and vanity
Help me understand You
Teach me how to love You
Take my self and hypocrisy
Let me live in simplicity
Help me burn my bridges
Put Your Word within me
Take my heartache and emptiness
Deliver me from all worldliness
Take the chains that bind me
Put Your arms around me

Chorus:

I wanna be more, I wanna be more like Jesus
I wanna be more, I need to be more like You

(Lyrics by Mylon Lefevre, adapted by Sam Halbert)

Aren’t those beautiful words? I think we all want to be more like Jesus—to have more of His goodness and godliness in our lives, and less of the weights and sins that hinder us. While Christians are forgiven for our sins because we have accepted Jesus’ sacrifice, this doesn’t cause us to automatically stop sinning, experiencing the effects of sin in our lives, and affecting others through our sins. Our salvation, the reconciliation with God we receive through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, is not only meant to affect our life in the hereafter; it’s also meant to transform the life we live today, every day.

It is within this daily transformation, this becoming more Christlike, that we begin to experience to an extent the life God originally meant for humanity to live before sin entered the world. Through this transformation, we develop the relationship with our Creator we were meant to have, and we experience more joy, peace, happiness, and fulfillment because we live with a deeper understanding of God and a fuller relationship with Him.

Our overall focus as Christians is on living life as the people of God, the new creations that Scripture says we are. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.1 In this series we will look at the ways and means of living and growing in Christlikeness by reviewing the example of Jesus’ life and what He and His early followers taught about living as new creatures in Christ.

This series, More Like Jesus, will consist of several articles that each touch on an element of Christlikeness and Christian character.

In order to better understand the concept of being more like Jesus, it helps to look at some aspects of the Old Testament, the Gospels, and the Epistles. Connecting reference points throughout Scripture can help bring deeper understanding of the importance of imitating Christ.

The Old Testament2

One of the main story lines conveyed throughout the Old Testament is the understanding that God’s relationship with humanity is one of covenant.3

Scripture tells us that the Creator of all things entered into a covenant with humanity whom He created. Scripture expresses it this way:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said,“Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.4

Later, God renewed His universal covenant with humanity when He said to Noah:

“Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”5

God then entered a specific covenant with Abraham, telling him that through him He would bring forth a great nation, and that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed.

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”6

“Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.”7

Centuries later, God delivered Abraham’s descendants from slavery and oppression in Egypt, and because of this they became His covenant people.8 As partakers of their covenant with God, there were things that the Hebrew people had to do to keep their side of the covenant agreement. The general narrative of the rest of the Old Testament is that God was continually faithful to the covenant in spite of Israel’s consistent failure to keep it.

Because Israel was in covenant with a holy God, they were meant to be holy as well. They were called to be a “holy assembly.”9 Holiness involved obedience to God—obedience given out of love and gratitude.

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.10 “When your son asks you in time to come,‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?’ then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes.’” 11

Righteousness for the Jewish people involved obedience, and that obedience meant separating themselves from what was deemed defiled, not worshiping other gods, and being consecrated for God’s own use. Besides centering their lives on living according to God’s mandates, it also meant living as a community of faith.

Author Stanley Grenz wrote:

Being God’s holy people did not end with the God-ward direction of life, however. Being in covenant with God demanded that Israel be a holy community, a people who knew that covenant status must translate into proper conduct toward others. Holy living extended to all dimensions of human interaction, including aspects as diverse as family life and commerce. And holiness demanded concern for the less fortunate; it placed limits on vengeance;12 it even required proper care for animals.13…Holiness did not focus primarily on blind obedience to an externally imposed set of laws as ends in themselves. Instead it involved taking seriously the responsibility implicated in receiving the gift of divine grace.14

Being God’s covenant partner meant living in a way that was patterned after God and His dealings with Israel. Through His words to them, God revealed His character to Israel. They learned that He was faithful, holy, just, and merciful. He described Himself as “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.”15 The prophet Micah said: He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?16

Because God revealed His character to the covenant people, they were meant to imitate Him. They were to be holy, just, merciful, loving, and forgiving.

The Gospels

The Hebrew people looked forward to the time when God would act on their behalf as was spoken of in Scripture. God met this expectation by sending Jesus, and through His life, death, and resurrection, brought about a new covenant.

[Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”17

This new covenant was foretold in the book of Jeremiah:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people…. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”18

In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees held that to be righteous and holy required strict adherence to the Law given by God, and that the people of God were those who rigidly followed the Law. They focused on adhering to the letter of the Law, without giving proper attention to the principles of love, mercy, forgiveness, etc. which stood behind the Law. They believed God was pleased because they obeyed the rules of Jewish piety and followed the Law to the letter. Jesus disagreed with them. He proclaimed that the people of God were not those who appeared to be righteous due to their strict law-keeping, but rather those who were penitent, who knew they were sinners, regretted their transgressions, and humbly asked God for mercy and forgiveness. God accepts such people, and rejects the proud who claim they have no need of forgiveness. He made the point that we can’t merit God’s favor by what we do; we can’t make ourselves righteous in God’s sight. Instead, our righteousness comes from God, freely bestowed through unconditional grace.

While the Pharisees of His day felt that outward acts of obedience to the Law were the key to righteousness, Jesus focused inwardly, on the condition of the heart. He was concerned about character, motivation, and the heart. He knew that the “interior” problem needed to be remedied, that inward piety and proper motivation—not simply outward conformity to the Law—was the mark of true obedience and love for God. The key to remedying the “interior” problem, to becoming righteous, was salvation through Jesus’ sacrificial death. Righteousness is God’s gracious gift, given to us through the sacrifice of His Son. But this gracious gift isn’t the end of the story; it’s only the beginning. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, believers become the people of God, partakers of the new covenant. In gratitude for what God has done for us through Jesus, there is the expectation that we will reflect God into our world, that we will live in a manner that brings Him glory. It is here where living Jesus’ teachings comes into play.

Like the Hebrew people of the Old Testament, we know the revealed character of God. However, added to that, we have the life of Jesus—God Incarnate—as a further example of God’s love, mercy, and goodness. Jesus revealed further truth about God through His teachings and example. He preached the kingdom of God, He taught us to understand God as our Father, and He lived His life as a pure reflection of His Father.

Within the Gospels, we find that Jesus pointed to His own example as the pattern for godly living. For example, He challenged His disciples to love each other according to the pattern of His love for them. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.19 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.20 He exemplified submission to His Father’s will, which eventually took Him to the cross. My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.21

Jesus dramatized the life He desired for His disciples through symbolic acts, as seen on the occasion when He washed their feet. Jesus took water and a towel, and washed the feet of each disciple, a task that a servant would normally do when guests entered a dwelling.22 When He was done, He announced the symbolic nature of His act:

Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.23

When His disciples were disputing which one was to be regarded as the greatest, Jesus said to them:

The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.24

Jesus wasn’t merely conveying a message about doing the specific things He had done; it was deeper than that. He wasn’t advocating mere imitation of His actions, but rather stating that His disciples are to have the kind of devotion which connects them to Him at the deepest level of their person. Being devoted to Jesus leads to increasing conformity to Him. After washing the feet of His disciples, He didn’t admonish them to simply love as they had seen Him love. Instead, He said: Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.25 They were to love as He had loved them. Each of them had personally experienced His love directly, and with that love, they were to love others.

The motivation to be more like Jesus doesn’t come from admiration for a historical character whom we want to emulate. It is the outflow of gratitude and love to the one whose love we have personally experienced.

Stanley Grenz explains:

We do not look to him only as the main character in a story from a bygone era on whose life we can reflect and thereby draw instruction. Rather he has loved us and has sacrificed his life for us. To this personal experience of Jesus’ great love, we find ourselves compelled to respond with gratitude and love. Hence, rather than merely patterning our lives after his, we enter into relationship with him. In this relationship we desire to live as Christ would have us live, that is, to have Christ formed in us.26

Jesus’ death on the cross radically changed our lives, saved our souls, and made it possible for us to be in relationship with God, with whom we will spend eternity. Gratitude and love for Jesus laying down His life so that we could become members of God’s family is the underlying motive for wanting to be like Jesus.

In part two of this “Introduction and Background,” we will cover this concept as expressed in the Epistles.

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 2 Corinthians 5:17.
2 The remainder of this article is a summary of chapter three of Stanley J. Grenz’s book, The Moral Quest (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1997).
3 A covenant is generally understood to be a solemn agreement that is binding on all parties. God entered into covenants with humanity, individuals, and the Hebrew people. The covenants He made at creation, and later with Noah, were universal covenants made with all humanity. The covenant He entered with Abraham was personal, yet it required Abraham to do specific things; and if he did them, he, his descendants specifically, and humanity in general would be blessed. The covenant God made with the Israelites was what’s known as a suzerainty covenant, which was common in the ancient Near East at the time of the Exodus. A suzerainty covenant or treaty was put in place when a greater king entered an agreement with a lesser king (or vassal). Such a document named the parties and listed the suzerain’s fiats—commands specifying how the vassal king and his people must behave, including exclusive allegiance to the suzerain, and laws the suzerain wanted the vassal to obey. This is followed by the blessings which will come for obedience and punishment for disobedience. All of these aspects are present in the covenant God made with the Israelites. He gave His name, “I am the Lord your God”; told what He had done—“who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Then He gave the commandments, some of which had sanctions imbedded in them. The first commandment demanded exclusive covenant loyalty, and the others showed what forms that loyalty was to take.
4 Genesis 1:27–30.
5 Genesis 9:9–11.
6 Genesis 12:1–3.
7 Genesis 17:4–5.
8 I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people (Leviticus 26:12).
9 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you (Exodus 12:16).
10 Deuteronomy 6:5.
11 Deuteronomy 6:20–22.
12 Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight (Deuteronomy 25:3).
13 Deuteronomy 22:1–4.
14 Grenz, The Moral Quest, 99.
15 Exodus 34:6–7.
16 Micah 6:8.
17 Luke 22:19–20.
18 Jeremiah 31:31–33, 34.
19 John 13:34.
20 John 15:12.
21 Matthew 26:39.
22 John 13:1–11.
23 John 13:12–15.
24 Luke 22:25–27.
25 John 13:34.
26 Grenz, The Moral Quest, 116.

Friday, January 8, 2016

How Do Sunni and Shia Islam Differ?

By John Harney, NY Times, Jan. 3, 2016

Saudi Arabia’s execution of the Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr could escalate tensions in the Muslim world even further. In the Shiite theocracy Iran, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Sunday that Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by a Sunni monarchy, would face “divine vengeance” for the killing of the outspoken cleric, which was part of a mass execution of 47 men. Sheikh Nimr had advocated for greater political rights for Shiites in Saudi Arabia and surrounding countries. Saudi Arabia had accused him of inciting violence against the state.

Here is a primer on the basic differences between Sunni and Shia Islam.

What caused the split? A schism emerged after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, and disputes arose over who should shepherd the new and rapidly growing faith.

Some believed that a new leader should be chosen by consensus; others thought that only the prophet’s descendants should become caliph. The title passed to a trusted aide, Abu Bakr, though some thought it should have gone to Ali, the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law. Ali eventually did become caliph after Abu Bakr’s two successors were assassinated.

After Ali also was assassinated, with a poison-laced sword at the mosque in Kufa, in what is now Iraq, his sons Hasan and then Hussein claimed the title. But Hussein and many of his relatives were massacred in Karbala, Iraq, in 680. His martyrdom became a central tenet to those who believed that Ali should have succeeded the prophet. (It is mourned every year during the month of Muharram.) The followers became known as Shiites, a contraction of the phrase Shiat Ali, or followers of Ali.

The Sunnis, however, regard the first three caliphs before Ali as rightly guided and themselves as the true adherents to the Sunnah, or the prophet’s tradition. Sunni rulers embarked on sweeping conquests that extended the caliphate into North Africa and Europe. The last caliphate ended with the fall of the Ottoman Empire after World War I.

How do their beliefs differ? The Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam encompass a wide spectrum of doctrine, opinion and schools of thought. The branches are in agreement on many aspects of Islam, but there are considerable disagreements within each. Both branches include worshipers who run the gamut from secular to fundamentalist. Shiites consider Ali and the leaders who came after him as imams. Most believe in a line of 12 imams, the last of whom, a boy, is believed to have vanished in the ninth century in Iraq after his father was murdered. Shiites known as Twelvers anticipate his return as the Mahdi, or Messiah. Because of the different paths the two sects took, Sunnis emphasize God’s power in the material world, sometimes including the public and political realm, while Shiites value in martyrdom and sacrifice.

Which sect is larger, and where is each concentrated? More than 85 percent of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims are Sunni. They live across the Arab world, as well as in countries like Turkey, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia. Iran, Iraq and Bahrain are largely Shiite. The Saudi royal family, which practices an austere and conservative strand of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism, controls Islam’s holiest shrines, Mecca and Medina. Karbala, Kufa and Najaf in Iraq are revered shrines for the Shiites.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, the dominant Sunni and Shiite powers in the Middle East, often take opposing sides in regional conflicts. In Yemen, Shiite rebels from the north, the Houthis, overthrew a Sunni-dominated government, leading to an invasion by a Saudi-led coalition. In Syria, which has a Sunni majority, the Alawite Shiite sect of President Bashar al-Assad, which has long dominated the government, clings to power amid a bloody civil war. And in Iraq, bitter resentments between the Shiite-led government and Sunni communities have contributed to victories by the Islamic State.

Another Year to Love Him

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By M. Fontaine:

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“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”—Ephesians 3:201

The end of one year and the beginning of the next is a good time to look back on the accomplishments and victories, as well as the mistakes of the old year, and to look forward with determination to do our best to make the new year an even better and more fruitful one! It’s encouraging to see all the challenges He helped you to overcome, the spiritual growth that you’ve experienced, and all the progress that you have made during this last year. He is pleased with every step you make to love and praise Him more, to allow Him to guide you, and to share His love with others.

As you commit the new year to Him, He can help you to consolidate last year’s gains, as you continue to acknowledge Him in all your ways and ask Him to guide your steps.2He promises to direct your path, because you have placed your faith in Him. He is going to guide you and open the doors He has prepared just for you, as you commit your future and hopes to Him and trust in Him with all your heart.3

Every year can be a year of growth in the Spirit, growth in outreach, and growth in drawing closer to Jesus, if we commit it all into His safekeeping. His Word encourages you to weather any storms you may be facing, to hang on to hope no matter how big the waves may seem, or how powerful or how swift. If you’ll hang on to Him, He’ll hold you up and prosper you, and take you safely to the destination that He has planned for you. Remember, “The future is as bright as the promises of God!” and all you have to do to please the Lord is to do your best.

We all need to have a vision of what the Lord wants for us, something that will motivate us to keep going even when the going gets tough. Besides the direction the Lord has given you personally through His still‚ small voice speaking to your heart, He also speaks to each of us through His printed Word. Just think: He has given us His “exceeding great and precious promises,” through which we can actually partake of His divine nature!4

If you’re struggling about anything in your life, remember that it’s well worth it to hold on and to keep fighting the good fight of faith. If you keep the faith and hold tight to His promises to you, even at those times when it may seem as if all is lost, you will eventually see the fulfillment of the blessings that He has promised. He loves you, and will work every single challenge and difficulty to your good in some way, in this life or the next.

Think daily on all the gifts of love that He gives you, because He loves you—just you! He loved you enough to give His life for you. He still loves you enough to give His life for you. We just have to receive His gifts—His life, hope, joy‚ fulfillment, love, compassion, anointing, strength‚ help, and all His gifts and blessings, and His wonderful‚ life-giving words. Priceless treasures above all that we can ask or think!

He loves you above life itself, for He gave His life for you. His arms are around you. He watches over you every moment. He knows your every thought, your every desire, and He always answers in the way that He knows is best and will accomplish His will in your life. How richly blessed we are! How very much we have to be thankful for!

How can we respond to the depth of such love except to say thank You to the one who makes our lives possible, with all their blessings in the form of changes, challenges, and opportunities to serve Him and others, and the supply of all our needs according to His riches in glory.5 All praise and honor and glory to the one who, in His unfathomable greatness, rules the world in wisdom and righteousness, yet in His marvelous love cares for each of us as if we were the only one in this universe, speaking to us, listening to us, touching us with His compassion, tenderness, and mercy.

He daily loads us with His abundant blessings so that we have so much we can’t contain it all!6 We should be motivated to do all we can to share God’s love and truth with others so they can also partake of His never-ending riches in glory. And the more we share it, the more He’ll pour it on. The more we praise Him for what He has already given us, the more room we make to receive His wonderful gifts.

So let’s make a New Year’s resolution to keep giving His Word and truth to others, to keep loving others into His kingdom, and to keep praising Him for His excellent works and lovingkindness! You’ll continue to be amazed at all the wonderful things and miracles the Lord will do, as you commit your ways to Him every step of the way and every day of the year.

Another year to love Him
Whom I have loved so long;
Another year to praise Him
In glad triumphant song.
Whate’er the future holdeth
Of sorrow, toil, or pain
His precious Love endureth
Forevermore the same.

Another year with Jesus!
I thank Thee, Lord, today
For Thy unfailing presence
Along life’s rugged way.
Guide me, O blest Redeemer,
Teach me to do Thy will,
And Thine own perfect purpose
In me each day fulfill.
—Avis Christiansen

Originally published December 1995. Adapted and republished December 2015.
Read by Debra Lee.



1 NLT.


2 Proverbs 3:6.


3 Proverbs 3:5.


4 2 Peter 1:4.


5 Philippians 4:19.


6 Psalm 68:19.

Mais um Ano para Amar o Senhor

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M. Fontaine:

“Ora, àquele que é poderoso para fazer tudo muito mais abundantemente além daquilo que pedimos ou pensamos, segundo o poder que em nós opera.”—Efésios 3:20[1]

O final de um ano e o início do seguinte é uma boa ocasião para fazer uma retrospectiva das realizações e vitórias, bem como para os erros do ano anterior, e olhar adiante determinado a fazer o melhor possível para que o novo ano seja muito melhor e mais frutífero! É animador ver todos os desafios que o Senhor nos ajudou a superar, o crescimento espiritual resultante, e todo o progresso feito neste último ano. Ele está satisfeito com cada passo que demos para amá-lO e O louvarmos mais, para Ele poder nos guiar e nós compartilharmos o Seu amor com outros.

Conforme assumirmos novos compromissos com Ele para o novo ano, Ele nos ajudará a consolidar as conquistas do ano anterior — se continuarmos O reconhecendo em todos os nossos caminhos, para que Ele guie nossos passos.[2] Ele promete nos direcionar porque nEle depositamos a nossa fé. Ele vai nos guiar e abrir as portas que preparou conforme Lhe entregarmos nosso futuro e esperanças, confiando nEle de todo o coração.[3]

Cada ano pode ser de crescimento no Espírito e no trabalho de evangelização, se aproximando mais de Jesus. Basta entregarmos tudo nas Suas bem-aventuradas mãos. A Sua Palavra nos inspira a enfrentar qualquer tempestade com esperança, independentemente do tamanho das vagas, da sua força ou velocidade. Se nos apegarmos a Ele, Ele nos sustentará e prosperará. Ele nos levará em segurança ao destino que nos preparou. Lembre-se que “o futuro é tão promissor quanto as promessas de Deus!”, e para agradar ao Senhor basta fazermos o melhor que pudermos.

Todos nós precisamos ter a visão daquilo que o Senhor quer para nós, algo que vai nos motivar a seguir em frente mesmo quando as coisas ficarem difíceis. Além da orientação que o Senhor lhe deu pessoalmente, por meio da Sua voz mansa e delicada que fala ao seu coração, Ele tem também dado muito por meio da Sua Palavra impressa. Pense só, Ele nos tem dado “grandíssimas e preciosas promessas”, pelas quais podemos partilhar da natureza divina![4]

Se estiver tendo alguma batalha, lembre-se que vale a pena perseverar no bom combate da fé. Se guardar a fé, agarrando-se às Suas promessas, mesmo quando tudo parece perdido, eventualmente testemunhará o cumprimento das bênçãos que Ele prometeu. Ele o ama e fará cada desafio e dificuldade contribuir para o seu bem de alguma forma, nesta vida ou na próxima.

Pense todos os dias em todos os dons de amor que Ele lhe deu porque o ama do jeitinho que você é! Ele o amou tanto que deu Sua vida por você. E ainda o ama o suficiente para lhe dar a Sua vida. Só precisamos aceitar as dádivas que Ele nos deu, a Sua vida, esperança, alegria, satisfação, amor, compaixão, unção, forças, ajuda, e todos os dons e bênçãos, além das Suas maravilhosas palavras que nos dão vida. São tesouros de valor inestimável, muito além do que podemos pedir ou pensar!

Ele o ama mais do que tudo na vida, por isso lhe entregou Sua vida. Ele coloca os braços nos seus ombros e observa todos os seus movimentos. Conhece seus pensamentos e desejos, e sempre atende da maneira que sabe ser melhor e que realizará a Sua vontade em sua vida. Somos ricamente abençoados, e temos muito pelo que agradecer!

Como corresponder a um amor tão profundo exceto agradecendo a Jesus por tornar nossas vidas possíveis com todas as bênçãos em termos de mudanças, desafios e oportunidades de servir a Ele e a outros, e a provisão de todas as nossas necessidades de acordo com Suas riquezas em glória.[5] Todo o louvor, honra e glória Àquele que, na Sua grandeza governa o mundo com sabedoria e justiça, no entanto, com o Seu maravilhoso amor cuida de cada um de nós como se fôssemos únicos neste universo, falando conosco, nos ouvindo, tendo compaixão de nós, ternura e misericórdia.

Bendito o Senhor que cada dia nos carrega de benefícios, de tal maneira que mal podemos contê-los![6] Deveríamos nos sentir motivados a fazer todo o possível para compartilharmos o amor e a verdade de Deus com outros para eles também poderem partilhar das Suas infinitas riquezas em glória. E quanto mais o fizermos, mais Ele derramará. Quanto mais O louvarmos pelo que já nos deu, mais espaço criamos para receber Suas maravilhosas dádivas.

Então, vamos fazer a resolução de Ano Novo de continuar compartilhando a Sua Palavra e verdade com outros, continuar trazendo as pessoas para o Seu reino com amor, e O louvando por Suas excelentes obras e benignidade! Ficaremos continuamente impressionados com as maravilhas e milagres que o Senhor realizará conforme Lhe entregarmos nossos caminhos a cada passo e todos os dias deste novo ano.

Mais um ano para amar
Aquele que há muito eu sigo;
Mais um ano para agradecer
Em louvor triunfante.

Venha o que vier no futuro
Dores, pesares, sofrimento,
O Seu precioso amor perdura
Ele é o mesmo de sempre.

Mais um ano com Jesus!
Senhor, eu agradeço neste dia
Tua presença constante
Nos caminhos penosos da vida.

Guie-me, bendito Redentor,
Ensine-me a fazer Tua vontade,
E cumprir o Teu desígnio
Cada dia da minha vida.

—Avis Christiansen

Publicado originalmente em dezembro de 1995. Adaptado e republicado em dezembro de 2015.


[1] NVI.

[2] Provérbios 3:6.

[3] Provérbios 3:5.

[4] 2 Pedro 1:4.

[5] Filipenses 4:19.

[6] Salmo 68:19.

O Credo do Vencedor

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Compilação

Achei que seria bom se o Senhor nos desse um “credo do vencedor” para o nosso trabalho de buscar e salvar os perdidos, o qual cada um poderia ter com um credo pessoal que nos daria inspiração, ânimo e encorajamento nos momentos difíceis. Então aqui está. Espero que nos inspire não só rumo às metas, mas também a viver isso.

Sou um vencedor, porque penso como um vencedor, treino como um vencedor e tenho a atitude de um campeão. Oro como um vencedor, conto com milagres como um vencedor, e tomo medidas para receber as respostas como um vencedor.

Sou um vencedor porque almejo o máximo. Determino metas que vão exigir que eu me expanda, e conto com a ajuda de Jesus para alcançá-las. Progrido no sentido de realizar o impossível com fé e perseverança e nunca descanso até alcançar a vontade suprema de Deus.

Sou um vencedor porque louvo Jesus e abraço qualquer desafio e dificuldade, ciente de que vai ajudar a fortalecer a minha determinação e convicção, além de aumentar a minha fé. Dependo totalmente de Deus para conseguir resistir a tudo que me impediria de ser um vencedor.

Sou um vencedor porque submissão a Jesus é a minha meta, discipulado a minha visão, seguir o Seu exemplo a minha paixão, e Ele é meu companheiro constante.

Sou um vencedor porque estou determinado a seguir o caminho que Jesus mostrou, ciente de que é o melhor caminho, em vez de tentar atalhos ou desvios que poderiam resultar em reveses ou derrota.

Sou um vencedor porque confio em Cristo. Ele dá-me fé para confiar plenamente em Suas Palavras, que são a única autoridade confiável, e para vê-lO nas outras pessoas e respeitar o Seu Espírito nelas.

Sou um vencedor porque aprendi a aceitar críticas como oportunidades de crescimento e aprendizado, para sondar o meu coração, aprimorar minhas habilidades e o meu discipulado.

Sou um vencedor porque estudo há anos e edifiquei a fé necessária para tentar realizar as coisas difíceis e superar obstáculos aparentemente impossíveis. Aprendi a considerá-los degraus que me colocarão em um patamar mais alto.

Sou um vencedor porque sou feito à imagem e semelhança do meu Criador, que me imbuiu de um desejo ardente, de talento e fé para tentar o impossível e superar o aparentemente impossível, para ver a derrota como algo temporário e uma oportunidade de lutar melhor essa mesma batalha na próxima oportunidade e ganhar uma vitória ainda maior.

Sou um vencedor porque a corrida e os prêmios valem a pena, e Jesus vale mais que tudo no fim das contas; pois a alegria do Senhor me dá a perspectiva correta do passado, poder para o presente, e propósito para o futuro.

Sou um vencedor porque sou a noiva de Jesus, compromissada e apaixonadíssima por Ele. O futuro será mais maravilhoso do que eu poderia imaginar.—Maria Fontaine

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A maioria das pessoas que vence condições aparentemente impossíveis são as que simplesmente não desistem.—Robert H. Schuller

*

Nunca desista. O mais fácil é chutar o balde. Estabeleça uma meta e não desista até alcançá-la. E quando chegar lá, estabeleça uma outra meta, e persevere até alcançá-la. Nunca desista.—Bear Bryant


Correr a corrida

“Vitória não é apenas cruzar a linha de chegada, mas lutar, enfrentar oposição até alcançar a meta.” Isso se aplica tanto à vida espiritual do cristão como no mundo dos esportes, com uma importante diferença: na luta spiritual a vitória é daqueles que se apoiam na força e nas habilidades do Senhor, não nas suas próprias condições.

Não podemos ser apenas espectadores. Precisamos entrar em forma e ficar em forma espiritualmente. Para sermos campeões, precisamos treinar como campeões. Traduzindo em termos modernos, o apóstolo Paulo quis dizer o seguinte: “Participe da corrida para vencer. E você vai precisar [deixar de lado] qualquer coisa que o impeça de fazer o melhor possível. … Corro diretamente para a meta, com um propósito a cada passo. Eu luto para vencer. Não estou brincando e nem dando socos no ar.”[1]—Keith Phillips

*

No demais, irmãos meus, fortalecei-vos no Senhor e na força do seu poder. Revesti-vos de toda a armadura de Deus, para que possais estar firmes contra as astutas ciladas do diabo.—Efésios 6:10–11

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Às vezes a luta é ferrenha, mas vencemos! O bem vence, porque Deus é do bem, e Ele não perde! As forças de Deus jamais serão derrotadas ou Seu plano frustrado!

Nós estamos no ataque! Satanás tenta nos deter, mas não consegue! “Eles não podem parar a nossa chuva!” “Nenhuma arma forjada contra ti prosperará!”[2]

Maior é Jesus em nós do que aquele que está no mundo![3] Enquanto formos fieis à nossa vocação, seguiremos adiante ganhando, prosperando divulgando e multiplicando até Jesus voltar!—D. Brandt Berg

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E não nos cansemos de fazer o bem, pois no tempo próprio colheremos, se não desanimarmos.—Gálatas 6:9[4]

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[A vida] se assemelha um pouco a lutar contra um gorila. Você não pode desistir por causa do cansaço. Tem que parar quando o gorila se cansar.—Robert Strauss

Publicado no Âncora em dezembro de 2015.


[1] 1 Coríntios 9:24–26 NVI.

[2] Isaías 54:17.

[3] 1 João 4:4.

[4] NVI.

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