When you’re dealing with difficulty

When you’re dealing with difficulty, stress, and discouragement, or know someone who is, follow these simple steps:
 

1. Praise the Lord with All Your Heart
The Bible says, “Though you have not seen Him, you love him …” (1 Peter 1:8). Praise His name even when you don’t feel like it. Your heart will be comforted and you can continue walking in love and loving other people.
 

2. Be Patient with God’s Timing
Others might get a miracle before you. Rejoice for them and then wait upon the Lord for His answer to your situation.
 

3. Stay Faithful in Believing
“… and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8). Faith is believing even when you don’t see it.
 

4. Be of Good Cheer
“Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33). If He has overcome the world so have you. So rejoice!

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Idle words

"I tell you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account on Judgement Day, For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned" (Matthew 12:36-37).

And ntão, this is not good. How many idle words spoken in my lifetime? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Maybe I talk too much.

An " idle word "in this context is a hasty word spoken or recklessly without thinking about whether or not it is pleasing to the Lord. It may have been spoken in the heat of anger, emotion or provocation, or under pressure or out of ignorance. The Scripture warns, "You know these things, my beloved brethren. Every man, therefore, be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God " (James 1:19-20).

So many words were so out of our mouths during life, and Jesus said that each will be considered at trial and be justified or condemned by them. But the gospel is not "good news" for nothing. It's the answer to our dilemma. That will get us out of this mess in which we find ourselves.

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Is it lawful to divorce?

As Jesus was sometimes a series of questions. One was whether the divorce was lawful. This question has great practical value, since we live in a country where a large percentage of marriages end in divorce.

Is it lawful to divorce? Jesus said no. 

"Therefore what God has joined together no man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6, Mark 10:9). 

Divorce is wrong because it separates what God has joined together. Divorce is wrong because it promised to be with my wife until death do us part, and if they violate this vow, I become a liar. Divorce is wrong because it takes my wife to commit adultery (Matthew 5:31-32). Divorce is wrong even though I did not marry again.

If I am divorced, can I remarry? Jesus said, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery" (Luke 16:18). Paul explained that the law of God binds a person to his partner to death. So if someone marries a person standing on the other, that one commits adultery (Romans 7:3-4). Divorcees who remarry commit adultery while the legal spouse living.

There is one exception to this teaching. Jesus said: "It is because of fornication" (Matthew 19:9). Whoever divorces because of fornication and marries again not commit adultery. If one is abandoned by the spouse for any reason, however, he commits adultery by marrying again. And who leaves their spouse for no other reason than illicit sexual intercourse is adultery to remarry.

The teaching of Jesus remains valid despite the human attempt to deviate from it.

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Prayer and work

N Chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah learned of the situation they found the people of Israel, so he wept and mourned greatly. Raised his prayer to God and cried out for mercy to those who loved him and keeping his commandments.

The people had been separated - some were in exile, others in the province. Nehemiah also made it clear that the error stemmed from the very people who had transgressed the word of God. In his prayer he says to God that in spite of sin, they still were his servants and the people who had been rescued with great power by his mighty hand.

Nehemiah used his influence with the king to get rebuilding Ataxerxes, together with the people, the walls of Jerusalem, which had been destroyed. By achieving the authorization cards and that he be allowed to come into Judah, because the good hand of God was with him, Nehemiah encourages people to rebuild the walls and the work begins.

With these passages we see the importance of unity and cooperation so that a proposal is carried out. The people of Israel suffered the consequences of their sins and that God is not delighted. Nehemiah, suffering for the people who lost the companionship of God, prayed and asked for mercy. When people join for rebuilding the city walls, we see their willingness to serve God.

Today, we have the same duty that Nehemiah, to keep standing our strength, which is the word of God. If the work of spreading the word and the spiritual growth of Christians are weakening, we, like Nehemiah, to pray to God, recognizing that the sin part of ourselves and we know the eternal promise. We must join forces with the congregation to not overshadow the work and remain abandoned, as was the case during the decades before the return of Nehemiah, the city walls of Jerusalem.

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Jesus is good

When Jesus said that only God is good, he denied being divine? 

Three accounts of the life of Jesus include the registration of a conversation between Jesus and a rich young man of position (Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, Luke 18:18-23).

When the young man called Jesus "Good Teacher," he replied, "Why call me good? There is none good but one, that is God " (Luke 18:19).

People who do not believe in the divinity of Jesus often use this episode to say that he was not considered divine. We reject this interpretation for several reasons. Consider these facts:

1. If Jesus had denied his divinity in this verse, he would have contradicted his own teaching and conduct elsewhere. Jesus claimed to be the "I Am" that existed before Abraham (John 8:58,24).

He accepted worship, knowing that only God deserves to be adored by all his creatures (Matthew 8:2, 4:10). In addition to the claims of Jesus, other New Testament writings show his divinity (John 1:1, Hebrews 1:6, etc.).

2. Jesus did not deny to be good. Other texts also say that the perfection of Jesus lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22) when they fulfilled their mission to show the goodness of God to the sinful world (John 3:16, 10:11, Romans 11 : 22).

3. Jesus' question was not used to deny the claim of the rich young man. Served to highlight that the authority that would require him soon after a difficult sacrifice. If this young man to reflect on the meaning of his words, the confession that Jesus is the Good God, he would have an excuse to reject the Lord's instructions.

The same God who revealed the commandments in the Old Testament that this man kept all his life ( "Do not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal" , etc..) now say:

"Sell all that thou hast, give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me "(Luke 18:22). The young man had to recognize what was at that time before the Good Lord.

4. On other occasions, Jesus spoke of similar things. He said: "The Lord your God, worship, and him only shalt thou worship" (Matthew 4:10), not to deny his divinity, but to deny the suggestion of the devil. He paid the temple tax, but did not deny the homeowner's Son (Matthew 17:24-27). He asked the apostles: "But you, ... But whom say ye that I am?

"(Matthew 16:15) not because of doubts about his divinity, but to call them the necessary commitment to support the things to come (Matthew 16:16, cf. 16:21 - 26).

Jesus is good. He is divine. He deserves our worship and obedience!

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Greater Is He that is in me than he that is in the world!

Our God is bigger than any problem, obstacle or challenge!

He's bigger than anything this life can throw at you!

Be strong in God! You are an overcomer! Be of good courage today because our God is greater than sin, sickness, and disease. God is greater than lack, want, or need.

God is greater than any challenge that comes into your life.

God is greater than any adversity that comes against you.

He is greater than your own doubts, insecurities, or uncertainties.

He is greater than anything this life can throw at you.

God has removed your sins from you as far as the east is from the west,
He remembers them no more.

He love you with an everlasting unconditional love.

You can't earn it and you don't deserve it but because of His great love He sent His Son who paid the price for you.

You belong to God and Satan has no power over you!

God has given you all things that pertain unto life and godliness and He has made you a partaker of His divine nature.

We break every assignment that the enemy had set against you and your family and we break every stronghold of the enemy over your life!

Be free in Jesus name. The enemy has lost this one! He is defeated and we enforce that victory in your life.

We lift you up in prayer and say, The Lord is your Maker. He will restore and it will be better than before.

Father God, we come before your throne room of grace with praise and thanksgiving and bless Your Holy Name.

We pray the prayer of agreement with all our friends in Christ, Father, as we worship You in spirit and in truth.

We thank You that You have told us to come boldly and humbly into the throne room with our requests.

We thank You that You have told us to ask, seek, and knock.

We thank You that Jesus said whoever prays in His Name will be heard by You.

We pray aloud for each prayer request, coming into total agreement with our friends in Christ , and we thank You that we have been heard and blessed by our time with You.

We walk in peace, love, and contentment, Father, as we continually praise You for answered prayer.

We always pray in His Name. Amen and Amen.

by June Wood

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Jesus, the way to forgiveness of sins

Sin is a more serious threat to our well-being than any physical danger, economic or social, that we face. However, we are all guilty of sin and helpless on our own to remove its stain. Sin is breaking the law of God and only God can forgive him. He provided for our forgiveness through Jesus.

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).

"Loading it in his own body on the cross, our sins" (1 Peter 2:24).

After His sacrifice for us, Jesus explained how those who are lost in sin can have remission of sins and be saved.

"Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead the third day and in his name be preached repentance and remission of sins to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46,47).

"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16).

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Jesus the Way to a Better Life

Jesus stated His purpose in coming to earth in the following words:

"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).

Jesus provides this better life by offering a solution to the problems that make life difficult, guilt, pity and fear. He does not promise wealth or luxury, but it comforts us with a message of a loving Father in Heaven who cares for their children and provide the things they truly need.

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?"... For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things, But seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be added " (Matthew 6:31-33).

The happiest people in the world are those who have most completely committed themselves to following Jesus as the path.

"In whom, not seeing right now, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8).

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Problems? Are you confused? Lost?

Problems? Are you confused? Lost?

"Man, born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" (Job 14:1).

These words, spoken thousands of years ago, express the sentiment of many who live today. Now, however, there is a way: Jesus Christ. He said of himself, "I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). For all that is truly good, both this life and the afterlife, Jesus Christ is the path.

Following Jesus as "the way" means more than just praising Him with our lips. He said:
"Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46).

"If you abide in My word, you are truly my disciples" (John 8:31).

The life and teaching of Jesus are found in the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John Other New Testament books are also the teaching of Jesus, as He revealed it by the Holy Spirit through men like Peter and Paul. Paul wrote:

"If someone is considered a prophet or spiritual, is to recognize the Lord's commandment I write unto you" (1 Corinthians 14:37).

Following Jesus as the way, therefore, requires a careful study of the New Testament and a determined effort to live as it directs.

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