Devotional for friends // Devocional para as amigas

  I recently finished listening to a BibleProject  podcast about the Ten Commandments. Tim Mackie explained that a more direct translation from the Hebrew would be “the Ten Words.” Isn’t that beautiful? These were not merely rules handed down from a distant God. They were words of life—words spoken by God to form His people, to teach them how to live in harmony with Him and with one another. Each word carries deep meaning. And when we continue reading, we see more than a short list of commands. We see examples, case studies, and real-life situations that help us understand what God had in mind when He spoke to Moses. He was not simply giving Israel a legal code. He was revealing the way of life. The purpose of God’s law is not death, but life. It is not meant to crush a community, but to protect it from disorder, violence, and destruction. Good laws help preserve harmony. When we obey them, we are not only protecting ourselves; we are al...

  In case you can't read, but can listen. Click here.  Reflection Em caso de não poder ler, mas pode escutar. Clique aqui.  Reflexao Buying Peace with Holy Things Recently, I found myself thinking about something in the history of Israel and Judah that I had never fully considered before. Many times, in the Bible, kings took gold, silver, and consecrated things from the temple and used them to buy peace with their enemies. At first, it can look like a simple political decision: they had a problem, they used what they had, and they found temporary relief. But when I thought more deeply about it, I realized how serious it was. What Belongs to God To consecrate something means to dedicate it to God. It is set apart for Him. When a person consecrates their life to the Lord, they are saying, “My life belongs to You.” In truth, our lives already belong to Him, but consecration is a surrender—a vow of devotion and trust. So when the king...

  The Moabites and Ammonites, with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? (…) Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”   Then the Spirit of the LORD  came on Jahaziel (a Levite). He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem ! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of th...

  Ecclesiastes 9 3This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil, and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. 4 Anyone who is among the living has hope[b]—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! 5 For the living know that they will die,     but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward,     and even their name is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate     and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part     in anything that happens under the sun. 7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days...