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Thursday, December 13, 2012

My Beautiful and Blessed Family

"Sejam bondosos e compassivos uns para com os outros, perdoando-se mutuamente, assim como Deus os perdoou em Cristo." Efésios 4:32

 

 

 









 
Sweet Little Label Christmas
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Saturday, September 1, 2012

WANTED: Good Friends!

We need Friends... but good ones! 

I know that we feel that we can be friends with people that don't serve the Lord, but this is not what the Bible says; we should have all kinds of friends, how our light would shine otherwise? but the ones we associate more should be the ones that brings us close to God! We are not the same as those who do not believe. Good and bad do not belong together. Light and darkness cannot share together!

"Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil ? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

We are called to be the light of the world...

"But run away from the evil desires of youth. Try hard to live right and to have faith, love, and peace, together with those who trust in the Lord from pure hearts. Stay away from foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they grow into quarrels. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and patient. The Lord’s servant must gently teach those who disagree. Then maybe God will let them change their minds so they can accept the truth. And they may wake up and escape from the trap of the devil, who catches them to do what he wants." 2 Timothy 2.22-26

Making Friends starts with being one.

Some caractheristics of of a Good Friend:
- Trustworthy (reliable, honorable, honest)
- Loyal (willingness to stand up for your friend)
- Acceptance 
 
Remember when everyone else fails, Jesus is our most trusted friend!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Putting others first

We must put aside the love and concern we have for ourselves to make room for the love of another. God's love is all around us all the time. If we make room, he will surely come in.
Our ego doesn't want to be dependent on anyone; it wants to be dependent on us, so we appear to be someone special. But there is only One that is not dependent on anyone and that is God!
Humility causes us to begin to fit into God's kingdom and into the purpose He has for our lives which is fellowship with Himself.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:3, 4 NLT)

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NLT)

Friday, August 10, 2012

"You follow Me"

When a person is watching and worrying about someone else's relationship with God, chances are that person is not taking the time to enjoy her own relationship with God!

I tell you the truth, when you were younger, you tied your own belt and went where you wanted. But when you are old, you will put out your hands and someone else will tie you and take you where you don’t want to go.” (Jesus said this to show how Peter would die to give glory to God.) Then Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!”
Peter turned and saw that the follower Jesus loved was walking behind them. (This was the follower who had leaned against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who will turn against you?”) When Peter saw him behind them, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I want him to live until I come back, that is not your business. You follow me.” John 21:18-22

In this time of Facebook, that most of the time we only see the good side of somebody's life, is so easy to forget the goodness of the Lord in our lives, to get sidetracked... In the scriptures above God is reminding you to follow the path he has created for you - no matter what happens to other people. You are responsible only for yourself!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Don't limit God

"Call to me and I will... tell you... things you do not know." Jeremiah 33.3
Instead of asking God for the blessing you desire, give God the opportunity to bless you the way he wants to!
It is possible that God has a blessing for you that you could never imagine, but which, when granted, will make your life more beautiful and joyous than ever before.
In tough times we have the tendency to lower our expectations. As a result we end up setting for less than God wants.
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14
So have high expectations of God and respond in faith to whatever he tells you!
God is neither enhanced by your strengths nor inhibited by your struggles! There is more than he wants to do through you than what you have experienced so far.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Believing in God

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
“Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those
whose record the LORD has cleared of sin.” Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God. (Romans 4:1-25 NLT)
W O W !!!!!

Friday, April 20, 2012

It Is Well With My Soul

While listening to the audio about the moving story behind the writing of the old hymn “It Is Well" by Adventures in Odyssey download yours here I was deeply touched by the power of this amazing testimony! I wanted to worship God, but my heart was heavy as I prayed to the Lord to give me a heart that would trust Him through all my life's circumstances! I always contemplated how people in my life faced their major problems in their lives... how everybody have a tragedy sometime in their life... How would I behave? Would I have enough faith to say, truly say It Is Well With My Soul?!
In 2 Kings 4 we see the desperation of a mom facing the death of her only child, and maintaining that it was well! I pray that I will have a heart that will trust the Lord... because I know that the God who sustained them would also be with me!

Click here for the video that tells the story of this hymn

This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871 at the age of four, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sea vessel, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone . . .". Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died. Background History

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Horatio Spafford

Bad times are good ways to discover the sufficiency of God!

Friday, March 16, 2012

TO REDUCE STRESS...

 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you will have worried in vain.
Even if it does happen, you won't have to worry twice.'


1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, think of what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19 Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find some time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try to pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus.'
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but yourself not at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33 Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 ... Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.
GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.
'If God is for us, who can be against us?' (Romans 8:31)"

My Note:These reminders were soo special for me, that I decided to share it with you :) -  Found it around the internet)


"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7