Devotional for friends // Devocional para as amigas

  The book of the prophet Haggai tells something interesting that I hadn't noticed before. The main message here is: first, you repent, then work in God’s work. Otherwise, your work won’t be accepted by God.  What matters most to God? Our heart.  What does that mean? It means that He sees even deeper than we see what is going on within ourselves—our thoughts and intentions. We can’t bargain with God. He won’t fall for it. We cannot have both ways with God. In the book of the Prophet Haggai, God calls out to his people that they were more interested in their business than God’s. Later on, God called out on them again, saying, ‘Right, you guys are working in my business now, but your hearts are not in it; you must repent before doing my work'.  God cannot accept anything from us if we are harboring something God disagrees with.   It doesn’t matter if you see yourself as a good person because everything you do is lawful, yet your heart is full of greed, envy, ...

  Advent. I have learned that this season precedes Christmas. What is Christmas? It is the celebration of Jesus. Therefore, Advent is the waiting room for the arrival of Jesus, The Messiah.  And what does that mean? The Messiah? From Hebrew mashiaḥ, “anointed,” in Judaism, the expected king of the Davidic line who would deliver Israel from foreign bondage and restore the   glories of its golden age. However, the prophets prophesied that the Messiah would come like a servant, and he needed to die. It is written in Isaiah 52:13 – 53. “…because  he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”   So, who are the transgressors that Jesus had to die for? We are.  “out of the anguish of his soul, he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities....

  It is Advent time. I didn’t observe Advent until recently; it just wasn’t in my culture, although we celebrated Christmas.   It is interesting to spend time reading and thinking about the first coming of Jesus (Christmas for us) and wait for his second coming, like the hymn “Joy to the World the Lord is come”; most people (like myself) have never thought about this hymn as a hymn about the second coming; we always think this hymn is about the first coming. Sorry to disappoint you.   Christmas is about Jesus coming down from heaven. We learn that Jesus is the face of God. Jesus is the Prince of Peace.    Some people who don’t know the real reason for this celebration might wonder why it is such a big deal.   First of all, Christmas is not about trees or Santa Claus or even gifts. Christmas is about the birth of a Savior. Why do we need a Savior? Some might ask. Well, do you think you are a good person? But you are not. You must agree that it is easier to b...