Obediência

Obediência

Romanos 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Mateus 11:28-30
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Romanos 2:4b
“Not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

John 10: 28
“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

Quando criança, I developed a strong sense of responsibility. I took on shame immediately for any wrong doing. My fear of authority figures caused me to become a people-pleaser. I was a very compliant child because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, especially my parents. I yearned for love and acceptance so much so that I would do anything to obtain it. I developed an unhealthy thinking pattern and a false belief system because of what I witnessed in my home and in church. I saw those in authority—attributing their behavior to God—act very harshly when someone disobeyed the rules. Please read my blog, Pensamento fedorento: Minha visão distorcida de Deus. Como resultado, I obeyed my elders out of fear of punishment and rejection, not out of love or reverence.

I demonstrated good moral behavior until I reached the age of 12 when “the good, quiet one” persona no longer sufficed. I began rebelling against everything I knew was right. Because of my fear of rejection, I put a great deal of energy into not getting caught. You can imagine how I lived with many secrets and hid behind a mask. I lived a lie. At home, I played the role of the “good, quiet one.” However, in public, I got drunk, used drugs and started having sex at the age of 16. All of this culminated in my abortion at the age of 21. With a firm grip on my soul, the evil one led me down a path of death and destruction. Blinded by pride and deception, I believed that I could live a life of freedom by pursuing my own desires and pleasures. Contudo, the opposite was true. My life belonged to the devil. He would eventually use me to do the unthinkable—murder my own child. I firmly believe that if we truly knew the love of God and understood it, we would not seek love outside of marriage. We would feel cherished, whole, secure and free. We wouldn’t need drugs, alcohol and other empty vices to fill the void in our hearts because we have such a strong connection to the true source of love—Jesus.

God wants us to obey Him out of love, not fear of punishment. It’s the goodness of God that leads to true repentance and a relationship with Jesus—a relationship without bondage but true freedom. Striving to be perfect by obeying unattainable rules does not draw us closer to Christ. He desires to show us His way of love, graça, forgiveness and peace. I pray that we can share this message of hope with others. For God so loved the world that He gave His most precious gift—His only Son—to die for us. If that is not a picture of sacrificial love, then I don’t know what is.

I have found that true joy comes from obeying God no matter how I feel because my emotions can be deceiving. Being faithful to follow God’s lead in my life brings a long-lasting peace. Women often say to me, “I am really struggling in my relationship with Christ.” What I have come to understand is that the key to a strong relationship with Him is obedience. If you desire a more fulfilling relationship with God, then obey the leading of the Holy Spirit even when you don’t see how God can intervene in your circumstances. Remember that God’s ways are not our ways. True peace comes from obeying God. When we do that, we are safe and secure under His protective umbrella. He shields us from the enemy’s fiery darts, and no one can snatch us out of His hand.

In this season, we are embarking on a very important study, “In the Wildflowers,” which deals with the evil of sexual abuse. The enemy has been hard at work to derail this study. Tormented by the enemy, one of my family members has begun lashing out and attacking me verbally. Someone also attempted to take out a $75,000 small business loan in my name through identity theft. Stay close to God, querido, because the enemy knows that many will be saved, curado, redeemed and set free. Obey God even when life becomes difficult and you struggle to understand His plan. Rest assured. You will be blessed.

Love you all,

Toni

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Minha identidade em cristo (Parte 1 & 2)

Minha identidade em cristo (Parte 1 & 2)

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Minha identidade em cristo (Parte 1)

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Portanto, se alguém está em Cristo, ele (ela) é uma nova criação. O velho já passou; contemplar, o novo chegou.”

Romanos 8:1 “Portanto, agora nenhuma condenação há para aqueles que estão em Cristo Jesus.”

John 15:15 “Já não os chamo de servos, pois o servo não sabe o que seu senhor está fazendo; mas eu chamei vocês de amigos, pois tudo o que ouvi de meu Pai eu vos revelei”.

Quando eu era uma garotinha, Lembro-me de ter uma sensação geral de felicidade e liberdade por ser criança. Mas à medida que fui crescendo e comecei a desenvolver a consciência da minha identidade dentro da minha unidade familiar e fui vítima de abuso verbal e físico, minha perspectiva sobre quem eu era começou a mudar.

Na minha mente, eu era feio, estúpido, e geral, uma garota patética que ninguém amava ou queria estar. Lembro-me de meu pai dizendo repetidamente, “Por que você não pode ser como seu irmão ou por que você não pode ser como sua irmã?”Ele estava se referindo aos irmãos mais velhos que seguiram em frente e se tornaram bem-sucedidos, em seus olhos. Por causa de sua frustração e raiva desenfreada, ele atacou e nos fez sentir indesejados enquanto nos rebaixava, abusando de nós verbalmente. Minha mãe era uma pessoa quieta, mulher submissa com múltiplos (total de 15) crianças para cuidar. Ela não estava envolvida em nossas vidas, exceto para cuidar de nossas necessidades físicas. E os irmãos que ainda estavam em casa, me tratou com grande desprezo e me batia regularmente. Na idade 11, Eu estava sendo molestado por dois dos meus irmãos mais velhos e aos 12, Perdi minha virgindade com um homem viciado em drogas que era 14 anos mais velho, que morava no bairro. Ele literalmente se aproveitou da minha necessidade desesperada de amor e carinho e me convenceu a cooperar com suas intenções egoístas.. Eu não contei a ninguém, pois pensei que eles iriam me culpar; Eu acreditei em meu jovem coração que a culpa era minha.

Eu me senti um fracasso, que quando eu era um jovem adolescente, Comecei a me medicar com vinho e cerveja, e em um ponto, Eu me senti tão sem esperança, Eu tentei tirar minha própria vida! Obviamente, Eu não tive sucesso, mas na hora, Eu acreditava que era um fracasso mesmo assim! Eu não apenas me sentia indigno de ser amado, mas também me sentia sujo e tinha um grande sentimento de vergonha que me cobria como uma nuvem espessa..

À medida que cresci na minha adolescência, Continuei a abusar do álcool, adicionando bebidas destiladas e foi apresentado a todos os tipos de drogas ilegais, que experimentei diariamente. Vivi uma vida destrutiva de abuso de substâncias e promiscuidade. E com a idade 24, Cometi o que pensei ser uma ofensa imperdoável ao fazer um aborto, essencialmente encerrando a vida do que viria a ser meu único filho biológico. Este evento me mergulhou ainda mais profundamente em uma sensação de auto-aversão e vazio que eu ainda não havia experimentado. Na época em que eu estava 25, meu senso de autoestima estava no abismo; Eu não tinha esperança nem propósito para o meu futuro.

Então aconteceu! O Senhor Jesus, que me perseguiu durante anos através do testemunho de outros seguidores de Cristo, abri meus olhos para Sua incrível aceitação, amor e misericórdia por mim. E posso me lembrar da sensação de esperança e amor que fluiu através de mim como um rio caudaloso! Foi incrível! Minha autoperspectiva mudou naquele dia. Ousei acreditar que poderia ser algo mais do que havia me estabelecido. E embarquei em uma missão para toda a vida para conhecer o Deus que estaria disposto a morrer por mim, um patético, pecaminoso, garota feia e estúpida. Demorou anos de leitura da Bíblia, apoio de outros crentes em Jesus e algum aconselhamento bíblico, para eu aceitar minha nova identidade enquanto abracei 2 Corinthians 5:17, o que nos diz, “Portanto, se alguém está em Cristo, ele (ela) é uma nova criação. O velho já passou; contemplar, o novo chegou.”

Hoje, depois de caminhar com o Senhor por mais 37 anos, tendo Seu incrível Espírito Santo vivendo em mim, Aceito a verdade de que sou a filha preciosa de Deus, amado e querido além dos meus sonhos mais loucos! Ele me deu dignidade, autoestima e uma esperança futura. Já não me condeno porque segundo Romanos 8:1, “Portanto, agora nenhuma condenação há para aqueles que estão em Cristo Jesus.” Não aceito mais a tentativa dos outros de me manipular ou me rebaixar. Compreendi que posso ter limites e permanecer no controle, pelo poder e orientação do Espírito Santo.

Bênçãos,

Lúcia

Ver Minha identidade em cristo (Parte 2) abaixo.

 

blog da Luci

Minha identidade em cristo (Parte 2)

 

QUESTÕES:

Qual é a sua identidade? Como é diferente de quando você conheceu e recebeu Jesus como seu Senhor?

Enquanto Jesus andava pela terra, ensinando e pregando sobre o Reino de Deus, Ele validou as mulheres e mostrou-lhes grande misericórdia e respeito. Ele foi contra a cultura em que viviam. Em contraste, a cultura deles os tratava como cidadãos de 3ª classe, com poucos direitos ou respeito. Ele aceitou, curado, amou e os ensinou. E Ele está disponível para fazer o mesmo por você e por mim hoje!

De acordo com Romanos 8:17, aqueles que se arrependeram de seus pecados e receberam Jesus como seu Senhor e Salvador, tornar-se Seus herdeiros (que é aquele que recebe a propriedade de uma propriedade e tudo o que há nela), mas neste caso, estamos recebendo o Reino de Deus em toda a sua incrível beleza e perfeição. Somos filhas preciosas e amadas do Rei e seremos por toda a eternidade!

Eu quero que você se imagine vestido com uma roupa luxuosa, manto branco esvoaçante, que é o símbolo da pureza e perfeição, e vamos ler o que diz em Isaías 61:1-3, que foi escrito 740-700 AC (antes de Jesus andar nesta terra).

“O espírito do Senhor Deus está sobre mim, porque o Senhor me ungiu para levar boas novas aos pobres; Ele me enviou para curar os corações quebrantados, proclamar liberdade aos cativos, e a abertura da prisão para aqueles que estão presos; proclamar o ano da graça do Senhor, e o dia da vingança do nosso Deus; para confortar todos os que choram; conceder aos que choram em Sião – dar-lhes um lindo cocar em vez de cinzas, o óleo da alegria em vez do luto, a vestimenta de louvor em vez de um espírito fraco; para que sejam chamados carvalhos de justiça, a plantação do Senhor, para que Ele seja glorificado.” ESV

Deus leva nossos trapos imundos, que é um símbolo de nossas vidas quebradas, e Ele os substitui por limpos, vestes brancas ou justiça, conforto, cura, alegria, paz e força!

Isaías 61:10 “Minha alma se alegrará muito no Senhor, minha alma exultará em meu Deus; pois Ele me vestiu com vestes de salvação, Ele me envolveu com um manto de justiça, como o noivo se adorna com uma guirlanda e como a noiva se adorna com as suas jóias.”

Bênçãos,

Lúcia

De volta a blogs da Luci

Da vergonha à vitória (Parte 3): Meus Adolescentes Miseráveis

Rhonda’s Story

In my mid-teens, my view of myself became more distorted. I wanted to be wanted and I wanted to be loved. I turned to relationships, alcohol and drugs, and this left me feeling even more empty than I did before. I became very boisterous, very opinionated and I projected a false sense of security to hide how I really felt.

When I was 16 anos, I was intimately involved with an 18-year-old. We dated for over a year. When I tried to break up with him, he threatened to kill himself. Out of guilt, I remained in the relationship for a little while longer until I could figure out a way to break it off. I told him again I didn’t want to see him anymore, and he pulled a shotgun out and put it to his mouth and said if I broke up with him, he would kill himself. I took off running down the stairs of his apartment and he proceeded to chase me down the main street of the small town where I lived. As I ran down the street, I saw people I knew and screamed for help! I thought he was going to shoot me in the back. In fear, they turned and fled. I ran into the restaurant where I worked. I was hysterical and my boss grabbed and took me to the back of the restaurant. I told him what happened and he called my house and my brother came and got me.

A few weeks later when I was biking home after work, the boyfriend that I tried to break up with, grabbed me off my bike and chocked me as he told me he loved me and couldn’t live without me. I somehow broke free, grabbed my bike and raced home as fast as I could. I told my parents, and at first they seemed upset, but then they just dismissed it. And the ex-boyfriend that had frightened me so badly would call my mom and she would tell me he was sorry and to give him another chance. But I didn’t want anything to do with him. A few weeks later, I came home from work one night and saw him sitting in the basement drinking a beer with my dad. I was shocked! My dad looked at me and said, “Tony’s going teach me to play guitar!”

 

Parte 4 Click Here.

 

Da vergonha à vitória (Parte 1): Minha infância quebrada

Rhonda’s Story

When I was a kid, I remember being happy, wanting to understand why everything was the way it was, full of curiosity and questions. I loved playing outside, I loved my brother and I loved animals. I loved Sunday fishing, car rides and visiting family. I had a vivid imagination that helped me to escape from the reality of my dysfunctional childhood.

My parents had been dating for a while, and then they eloped. My dad decided he wanted to see Sault Ste. Marie. My mom wanted to go, so they got married. They never made it there; they stopped short in North Bay and rented a place. Dad got a job and along came my brother. Mom’s pregnancy was difficult, and she was told not to have any more kids. My Dad refused to have one child, so two and a half years later with much resentment from my mother, I was born; she and I never bonded.

I remember being afraid of my mother when I was young as she was angry a lot. She told me she had me because my father made her and that she never wanted me. I felt like I was a burden, an inconvenience. I understand now that she was angry about her life and her inability to speak up for herself.

When I was about five, my mom was in the living room crying. I asked her what was the matter, and she looked at me and said my dad had slept with his boss’s sister, he may lose his job and she didn’t know if she was going to stay married to him. I remember being scared, not really understanding and thinking I did something wrong to cause this.

 

Parte 2 Click Here.

 

O Engano do Egoísmo

O Engano do Egoísmo

Genesis 3:6, Lucas 1:38, 2 Corinthians 12:9, and Hebrews 12:2

Selfishness is being consumed with thoughts regarding self and not being concerned about others and what the consequences of our actions would have on another person. Sin is pleasurable for a season, but it is very destructive to us and those who love and care for us.

Where did selfishness start? It started with Adam and Eve in the Garden, in Genesis chapter 3:6 nós lemos, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.” Eve’s desire to be like God knowing good and evil caused her to become self-absorbed and only thinking about what it could do for her and not what the sin would do to her relationship with God or her husband. She had no idea that her sin would plunge all of mankind into sin, desespero, and death. Perhaps if she would have thought for one second prior to taking the fruit, wait God told me not to do this, He loves me and has provided everything I need. Why would I go against Him? The devil caused her to doubt God’s love. Instead she felt she was entitled, it was her right to this, and God was holding back something good from her. But the truth was He loved her so much He was protecting her, because He knew the destruction that would be done as a result of her choice. Just like with us when we had our abortions. God gave us a way to escape, mas não, we had our minds made up and we were doing this! All the while His heart was breaking for us because he knew our very souls would be shattered into a million pieces and we would be devastated and, we would struggle with our choice for many years to come. God allows us to make our own choices just like He did with Eve. God wants us to choose to love Him and obey Him.

I had a conversation with a pro-choice woman, and as we were talking, she said how much she loves children and that they are a gift. And I thought, how can she love children and still be pro-choice? Then it dawned on me that she has bought into the feminist ideology. The lie feminism tells women is, this is your body and your right to have an abortion. They do not want to be accountable to God, they want to be in control. They want to decide what is right or wrong for them and they want to be like God, just like Eve did. The world tells them whatever feels good, do it, you deserve it. They have put their selfish desires for control and have made themselves into little “g” gods, having control over their own bodies and destiny. They do not see that abortion is terminating a life. Instead they see it as self-serving and self-preservation and they are courageous for doing so. And they become angry when anyone tries to take their control away. Because deep down, they know it’s a baby, but they would rather sacrifice their child’s life for their selfish desires.

There is another woman in the Bible, who had a choice to be selfish or to obey God. Her name was Mary, the mother of Jesus. When she found herself with child from the Holy Spirit as an unwed teenager, she risked her very life because she should have been stoned, which was the law; or she would have been divorced from her betrothed Joseph. But instead she was courageous and said to the Angel in Luke 1:38, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” I pray we will look to Mary as our example, a woman of courage who loved and obeyed God, especially when it was hard, or inconvenient, or difficult; she never wavered. She showed us that God’s grace is sufficient and we can be victorious, if we keep our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

Thinking back to your own abortion, how were you selfish?
In what ways are you now trusting God and wanting to obey Him?

 

Bênçãos,

Toni

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