Devotional for friends // Devocional para as amigas

  Does it make sense to you? Image of God or a mockery? Genesis 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;     male and female he created them.” Exodus 19:5-6 “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” Exodus 20:7  “ You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name .” 1 Peter 2:9   “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Hebrews 8:10 "You shall be my people, and I will be your God" (+43x that God said these words.) Do those verses seem ...

  In moments of peace and tranquility, it is useful to remember times of stress and struggle by Thomas à Kempis Whenever you are enjoying some time of peace and rest, it is useful to call to mind those times when you have been busy, overworked, or stressed. Whenever you are enjoying the calmness of solitude and silence, it is useful to reflect on those occasions when you have been assaulted with noise and activity. Indeed, calling such things to mind is a sure and effective way of learning to love and value the peaceful tranquility of your times of solitude! If you reflect upon how easily you can become anxious or worried, or how little it takes to perturb your soul, you will also realize that the achievement of true inner peace is not something which human efforts can ever achieve on their own. Left to yourself, how often you have fallen prey to anxiety, even when there is little or no real need to worry! How often, even when you are surro...

  Here I am one more time thinking about Psalm 23.  While the pastor was preaching, my mind wandered a little bit for something that he said. I read this morning in my daily Bible reading. The pastor was preaching in Daniel, but he said something that is written in Colossians 3. He was the king in Babylon (that one who saw the handwriting on the wall), he was empty; there was nothing that could feel him inside. He was an idolater. Colossians says that covetousness is idolatry also. So, when I covet something, when I desire something that I don’t have, and most likely I don’t need it either, I am coveting. Also, I am giving in to the desires of the flesh, which I should have put to death as the apostle Paul instructed so many times. Bear with me, I will get to Psalm 23 in a minute. When we give in to the desires of the flesh, which are anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, fornication, passion, and so many other things, I am forge...