Devotional for friends // Devocional para as amigas

   Not all wilderness (wildlife) is dry. They might be as well as beautiful but still full of dangers. // Nem toda natureza selvagem (vida selvagem) é árida. Elas podem ser belas e ainda assim cheias de perigos. “Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that woe and well-being proceed? Why should a living man complain, a man from the punishment of his sins? Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD” Lamentation 4:38-40.   I am still in the Suffering topic. Although the Bible project has been talking about it, my daily Bible reading has also been focusing in the same topic. Maybe it is something that I should think about more carefully.   I used to blame my father for most of the bad things that happened to me during my childhood and my teens. Today, I don’t think he is blameless, but he is not responsible for everything. There are my own choices and God’s plans.   As the guys from the Bi...

  1 Pedro 4: 12 - 13 The Merits of Enduring Suffering in Union with Christ by Thomas a Kempis   How blessed and meritorious is the one who loves God just as ardently and faithfully in the midst of adversity as in the midst of prosperity and peace! Blessed indeed is the one who is just as happy to go hungry and thirsty in the company of Jesus as to enjoy a sumptuous  feast with Him! Such a faithful soul is ready not only to follow Christ to the glory of the mount of the transfiguration but also to follow Him to the grim of Calvary and to the torments and shame of the cross. Such faithful disciple of Jesus proclaims his Master to be great and glorious with all his heart in all these changing circumstances, whether they are good or bad. Hence it is that Jesus declares in the Gospel, “Blessed is the one who does not  fall away from me” (Matthew 11:16). He said this because He knew  very well that adversities and tribulation...

  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...

  The Word of the Lord is beautiful and true. In there, you find so many poems. This is the form the Bible authors chose to communicate the Word of the LORD, and it is profound. I’ve been listening to the Bible Project podcast for more than a year now. Lately, they are covering the theme of “The Wilderness”. Now, everywhere I read in the Scripture, I see something related to it. It is amazing. I am now in the book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 43. And guess what? It is wonderful. Just in the first few verses, you find that God is telling His people that it doesn’t matter what sort of hardship they are going through, He, the Creator, will deliver them. Actually, it is said like this: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior....

  Have you ever felt like you haven’t fully overcome some trauma? That all of a sudden, you feel that shame rising, and the only thing you can think of is “to hide”. Oh well, I hope not. I wish this were only my experience. But I know it is not. There are so many things that we suffer once or for a period of time over and over that make us uncomfortable and small. I have to tell you, this world is not for tender hearts. This world is tough, and the people are cruel, knowing and unknowing. People often think they are doing their best, they do what they think is good and the right thing to do. They think they are helping just because they wish they could be of some help. Even without knowing what exactly the problem is. Because of that, we often hurt people without knowing or even wanting to. And to make matters worse, we don’t understand and get ourselves hurt, too. We think the other is being way too sensitive. We instantly go into defensi...