É preciso coragem para ser curado

É preciso coragem para ser curado

John 8:1-11, Romanos 3:23, John 13:34-35, and Joshua 1:9

Why do only a few women come forward for abortion recovery healing? The statistics tell us 4 out of 10 women sitting in our churches have had at least one abortion between the ages of 18-45? What is keeping them silent? Dentro 2015, Care Net and Lifeway Research conducted a study on abortion in the church. Their research found that fear of condemnation and judgment, were the most cited reasons why women remained silent regarding their unexpected pregnancy or abortion. That is so wrong, and I repent of that sin right now. senhor, if I have not been loving or supportive of another in my past, I pray you forgive me.

I saw this type of judgement on the faces of other believers when I shared my abortion and announced my calling to this ministry. The look of, “How could you!” was very obvious. I immediately thought of the verse in John 8, “You who are without sin cast the first stone.” I know my sin of abortion is very grievous, but in God’s eyes all sin is destructive and we are to show grace towards others just as God through Christ showed us grace and mercy. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romanos 3:23)

When I think about the judgment of others, especially those in the church, I think of the story in the Bible about the woman who was caught in adultery and brought before Jesus. Dentro John 8:1-11, we read that religious leaders brought this woman before Jesus and told Him to condemn her because she was caught in the very act. Where was the man she was committing adultery with? He was nowhere to be found, was she alone caught in the act? The religious leaders threw her at Jesus’ feet for Him to condemn her publicly. I love Jesus’ words here, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Then slowly, from the oldest to the youngest, they walked away feeling convicted in their own hearts. Then Jesus says to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go e sin no more.”

The church is supposed to be the very place people can go to receive help, love, compassion, and care, not condemnation, judgment, and a cold shoulder. We, the Church, are called to minister to all people. God is not a respecter of persons (preferring one over another), therefore, we shouldn’t be either. God commands us to love one another. Dentro John 13: 34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

I thank God for each and every one of you who are reading this blog. I know how much courage it takes to step out of the darkness and face the fear of judgment and condemnation in order to be healed by Jesus. I am reminded of God’s words to Joshua when he took over leading the children of Israel for Moses. Dentro Joshua 1: 9, God said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the senhor your God is with you wherever you go.”

God is with you dear one. Would you trust Him today to lead you into a deeper relationship with Him so He can heal you? He is waiting for you to step out of the darkness into His glorious, healing light. You will not regret this decision.

Bênçãos,

Toni

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Obrigado Senhor, para o dom do perdão

Obrigado Senhor, para o dom do perdão

Forgiveness

Titus 1:2, Salmo 103:12, John 3:16

For almost a year after my salvation in February 1994, I struggled to believe that God would forgive my sin of abortion. The enemy lied to me and whispered in my ear, “God is not going to forgive you for this horrible thing you did. You are not worthy to be loved by anyone, especially God. Na verdade, you deserve to be abused for what you did.” These lies tormented me and I felt compelled to somehow make penance for my sins. Coming from a works-based religion, I thought perhaps I could do something to earn forgiveness from God. Was there something else I needed to do? Was there some sacrifice I could make to earn His forgiveness? Was I a person of value in His eyes, that He would forgive and redeem me?

One day I heard preaching on the radio and the pastor said, “If I don’t believe God can forgive sin, then I am calling God a liar”. I knew God wasn’t a liar (Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began). então, slowly I started to believe in my heart that I was forgiven. Contudo, it took almost a decade for that truth to finally take root in my heart, and I knew I was truly forgiven by God.

Forgiveness cannot be earned; it is a gift. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, I now have access to the Father. But first, I had to humble myself before Him, confess my sins and repent. I had to turn away from my old life and turn toward God.

Salvation truly is a miracle. I was plucked out of the world, adopted and placed into the family of God. This was only possible through the shed blood of Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, when He died on the cross for my sins and the sins of the whole world. All my sins were nailed to that cross when Jesus took my place. He was my substitute; He took my sins upon Himself so that I could be made righteous before God.

When God looks upon me, all He sees is Christ’s righteousness (Salmo 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us). God does not remember my sins anymore. I have been forgiven, redeemed, and adopted by God through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. It is the most beautiful gesture that anyone has ever done for me. I am so grateful to God for having mercy upon me and saving me.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Have you asked God to forgive your sins?

Have you received the gift of salvation?

Have you asked God to forgive your past abortion?

Se não, please do not wait one more second. Come to God and confess your sins. He is patently waiting for you. Cry out to God today and receive the gift of forgiveness.

Please let us know if you have turned from your sins and turned to God so we can celebrate with you and disciple you on your spiritual journey.

Deus te abençoê.

— Toni

 

Further reading on this subject:

Por que o perdão é tão importante para o nosso bem-estar?

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Por que o perdão é tão importante para o nosso bem-estar

Por que o perdão é tão importante para o nosso bem-estar

Mateus 6:14-15, Hebrews 12:14-15, Provérbios 16:24 e 17:22

God commands us to forgive others. In Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus says, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Unforgiveness toward another person is a sin and separates us from God. If God can forgive me of all the evil I have done, how can I not forgive others? When we are in sin, we give the enemy a foothold. To prevent the enemy from gaining this access to our lives and tormenting us, we must confess our sins. If I hold onto unforgiveness, I become resentful, and then eventually bitter. Hebrews 12:14-15 says, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled…”

Unforgiveness left unchecked will defile all my relationships including and especially, my relationship with God. By releasing an individual into God’s hands for the offense they have committed against me or my family, I am handing them over to God for Him to deal with them. I then pray for that individual, continually asking the Lord to help me see the good in them and to help me forgive them. Forgiveness is a process. Keep asking God to help you forgive others.

In my family of origin, forgiveness was not demonstrated. Em vez de, we would just cut people off. For many years I didn’t see my cousins from my father’s side of the family because of some dispute. I picked up on that as a child and learned it as normal behavior. There is no grace and no forgiveness, only harsh words, actions and broken families. My family doesn’t apologize for things. They simply avoid bringing these things up for discussion, leaving the issues unresolved. Over time, I am supposed to forget about the offence because people will never apologize. Contudo, I am a believer and am held to a higher standard; I am commanded to forgive others. I must obey God. He knows what is best for me. Holding onto unforgiveness destroys my peace; it controls me and torments me. On the other hand, when I forgive someone, they no longer have power over me and I am set free.

The Bible says that our words should be life affirming and encouraging to the hearer. Provérbios 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” In Proverbs 17:22 nós lemos, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” We represent God to a world sitting in darkness and torment. The world does not know what the truth is; it is deceived by the evil one.

The people I need to forgive who were involved in my abortion decision:

  • The nurses and doctor for performing my abortion
  • Law makers for making abortion legal
  • My boyfriend for not fighting for our baby
  • Myself for thinking it was ok to tell my boyfriend we didn’t need birth control

Who do you need to forgive?

Forgiveness leads to freedom. It sets me free from holding others responsible for the wrongs they have done. By releasing them to God, they no longer have power over me. I choose to let go and to forgive them. This is not always easy, but it is critically important for my peace with God and others.

— Toni

Further reading on this topic:

Forgiveness

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O Senhor irá equipá-lo para a sua chamada

O Senhor irá equipá-lo para a sua chamada

1st Samuel 17:28, 1st Corinthians 15:58, e Filipenses 1:3-6

In 1st Samuel 17, prior to fighting Goliath, David has an encounter with his older brother Eliab. Eliab accuses David of being in sin and being prideful. In 1st Samuel 17:28 nós lemos, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”

Many around David, even his own family, tried to discourage him from fighting the giant because of their fears and their lack of trust and confidence in the Lord. The enemy was also at work in this situation, trying to prevent David from obeying the calling God had placed on his life.

Opposition to your calling will sometimes come from your own family and closest friends. It happened to me when I started on my abortion healing journey, back in January 2006. It was Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, and I was sitting in my Sunday School class. The Holy Spirit said to me, “I want you to help other women feel forgiven for their past abortions.” People closest to me said, “You shouldn’t do it because you are not suited for it; you should be working with children instead,” or “It’s too hard for you, and you will not be able to handle all the sorrow and pain associated with abortion.”

então, I did nothing for a few weeks. Shortly thereafter, my Pastor preached on obedience. When I heard this sermon, there was no denying the pull God had on my heart. I had to do this. I went back to that person who had doubted my calling and abilities and said, “You don’t understand, God is calling me to do this and I must obey Him.”

How can we apply this to our lives? Primeiro, we must be prepared for many around us, even our own family members, to disagree with our calling. They may cause you to doubt whether you have truly heard from God or not. Many will try to prevent you from fulfilling your God-given calling on your life. They will say, “Are you sure that’s what God is leading you to do?” The enemy will throw everything at you to trip you up, so you do not fulfill your God-given destiny. Your destiny or calling is not something you choose. God is the one who calls you, and He is the one who will equip you for it. In 1st Corinthians 15:58, it says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not vain in the Lord.”

You are courageous women of God and I want you to be encouraged. God will equip you for the battle you will face in your ministry. God will prepare you for every good work. Keep your eyes on Jesus and He will lead you, protect you, provide for you, and guide you, all the days of your life.

I would like to pray this prayer over you:

Filipenses 1:3-6

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

Follow the Lord’s leading, querido; He can be trusted. He will always lead you to walk on the path of truth, life, and peace.

Reach out today if you need prayer or a word of encouragement. — Toni

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Idolatria e Codependência

Idolatria e Codependência

Idolatria e Codependência
Ferramentas de recuperação/recuperação de aborto
Êxodo 20:3-5uma

Êxodo 20:3-5a “Não terás outros deuses diante de mim. “Não farás para ti imagem esculpida, semelhança alguma do que há em cima nos céus, ou que está na terra abaixo, ou que está na água sob a terra; não te curvarás a eles nem servirás (adoração) eles. para mim, o Senhor teu Deus, sou um Deus ciumento…”

Idolatria é o ato de colocar algo ou alguém antes de Deus em nossos corações ou mentes. Os ídolos são obsessões que nos consomem. Um ídolo pode ser um trabalho, dinheiro, um esporte ou hobby, um relacionamento, ou um problema físico; qualquer coisa que colocamos diante de Deus.

No passado, coloquei meu marido, minhas crianças, tênis, e outras pessoas diante de Deus. Na verdade, Fiquei tão consumido com o que os outros pensavam de mim, Eu me tornei quem eles queriam que eu fosse como resultado, Eu não sabia quem eu realmente era. Meu medo de rejeição e abandono emparelhado com minha necessidade de amor e aceitação, me fez um prazer para as pessoas. Eu não tinha limites, então aceitei comportamentos inaceitáveis ​​dos outros. Eu nunca poderia dizer não porque não queria decepcioná-los. Eu permiti que as pessoas me manipulassem, me controle, e me trata muito mal. No fundo eu senti que merecia, especialmente depois do meu aborto. Eu me odiava e achava que não tinha valor para ninguém... nem mesmo para Deus. então, Eu permiti que outros abusassem de mim.

Para me proteger, Eu estava obcecado em controlar tudo e todos. Eu não confiava em ninguém e acreditava que todos iriam me machucar... até o próprio Deus. Não ter controle era um pensamento assustador para mim, então eu estava com medo de colocá-lo em primeiro lugar. Dentro 2010, Entrei para um programa de recuperação para filhos adultos de alcoólatras (ACOA). Enquanto lá, Percebi que tinha que entregar o controle a Deus e admitir que minha vida havia se tornado incontrolável. Foi quando comecei a aprender a confiar em Deus. Aprendi a liberar indivíduos e situações em Suas mãos capazes, me libertando de carregar esses fardos e me sentindo pessoalmente responsável por muitas coisas. Aprendi que Deus quer ser o primeiro na minha vida. Lendo Sua Palavra, diário, e meditar nas Escrituras logo pela manhã tornou-se um hábito diário para mim. Eu ansiava pelo meu tempo especial com Ele e somente com Ele, todo dia

De acordo com a Mental Health America, a definição de codependência é uma condição emocional e comportamental que afeta a capacidade de um indivíduo ter uma vida saudável, relacionamento mutuamente satisfatório. Também é conhecido como “vício em relacionamento” porque as pessoas com codependência geralmente formam ou mantêm relacionamentos unilaterais, emocionalmente destrutivo e/ou abusivo (https://www.mhanational.org/co-dependency). Em recuperação, Aprendi sobre a condição de codependência e como eu estava tão envolvido com a vida de outras pessoas que não conseguia me desligar delas. A vida deles afetou demais a minha. Eu tive que dar um passo para trás e permitir que eles tomassem suas próprias decisões, aprender com seus erros, e sofrer as consequências de suas próprias ações. Eu não precisava mais pular para consertar, resgatar, ou salvar outros. Aprendi que não sou Deus, nem posso controlar outra pessoa. Cresci acreditando que tinha o poder de deixar as pessoas felizes ou tristes com minhas palavras e ações; isso foi uma mentira do diabo. Eu nunca tive tanto controle. Assim que percebi isso, Eu me entreguei a Deus e dei a Ele todas as pessoas e situações da minha vida que eu tentava controlar.. Finalmente, pela primeira vez, Eu era responsável apenas por mim.

Doze anos depois, Agora vejo como Deus dirigiu meu caminho. Ele me levou a obter a ajuda que eu precisava para que eu pudesse ser liberto para viver a vida abundante que Jesus veio me dar. Ele pegou minhas cinzas e meus pecados e os usou para o meu bem e para a glória dele. Sou muito grato por Sua fidelidade e amor ao longo dos anos. Eu não estaria onde estou hoje se não fosse por Jesus me conduzindo e guiando.

Perguntas & Considerações finais:

ÍDOLOS, n. eu. tijolo ídolo. Gr. ídolo, e adorar ou servir.

  1. A adoração de ídolos, imagens, ou qualquer coisa feita por mãos, ou o que não é Deus. A idolatria é de dois tipos; a adoração de imagens, estátuas, As fotos, etc. feito por mãos; e a adoração dos corpos celestes, o sol, Lua e estrelas, ou de demônios, anjos, homens e animais.
  2. Apego excessivo ou veneração (grande respeito ou reverência) para qualquer coisa, ou o que beira a adoração.

(Definições de Dicionário Americano Webster da Língua Inglesa, 1828.)

  1. Você tem ídolos em sua vida??
  2. Você teve problemas de codependência em seu passado? Como você os superou?
  3. Você confia em Deus e está colocando-O em primeiro lugar?? Se não, Do que você tem medo?

Oro para que este tópico tenha lhe dado consciência sobre algumas áreas em sua vida que Deus quer que você mude.. Deus o abençoe enquanto você busca Sua sabedoria e orientação.

Você é amado,

— Toni

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