Christ must be horrified at Christmas

* Luís Alberto Alves

Curious as there is a Christian worshiping Christmas tree and even speaking that Jesus Christ was born in the month of December. They ignore the second chapter of Matthew, where the birth of Jesus Christ is narrated in the rule of Herod and in the city of Bethlehem of Judea, without, however, specifying the day and month. Even so, they sign below that Jesus was born in December and that's the end point.

Sadder in this story are teachers of theology hitting the foot that the Lord was born even this month and we should celebrate his birth, entering all this wave of the Christmas spirit. If you look at the entire New Testament, in no book, letter or epistle you will see any reference to the birth of Jesus Christ. Why did no apostle write about this subject?

In Jeremiah, chapter 10, from verse 4, God condemns the setting up of a Christmas tree in the house, custom of the Babylonians. Even so, this class does not accept. If the Lord clearly says that this is abomination, why do they insist on this tremendous error?

I have no doubt that from the highest heavens, Jesus Christ must be displeasing with this kind of reverence for a tree. Some say that this gesture helps evangelization. Christ does not need a cane to reach someone's heart. Nor much less the use of a pagan feast to worship Him.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Modern church does not enter the Heavens

* Luís Alberto Alves

You count in your fingers, the Christian churches today that did not adhere to the fad of the world. He invested the Word of the Lord to satisfy whims and despised the counsel not to frequent the wheel of scoffers. The important thing is not to receive the stamp of grimace and outdated. That is, he is striding towards hell.

Numerous members comment that the lifestyle stipulated by Jesus Christ at the beginning of this age can no longer be applied today. The world has evolved and Christians need to follow the turning of this wheel to lose the trolley of history. For this bunch of crazy, the Lord is outdated. Rules of the beginning of Christianity have no validity now.

The clothes are scandalous, the makeup is nothing to do with the whores, the speech is suffering, loaded with profanity and dishonest. They are arrogant and arrogant, as well as selfish. They think of no one. Only in them. Praying for others is a utopia in the conception of life of this type of Christian, who is said to be in touch with the 21st century.

This is the modern church. Where everything is allowed. Even to sin successively. In this type of congregation, people do not marry, but become lovers until sexual attraction disappears. Borrowed money is never paid. Drug addiction is routine. So is dishonesty against the neighbor. Everything is good there, even going to hell after death.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

End of the year is empty church season

* Luís Alberto Alves

Every end and beginning of the year, the churches are empty. People take vacation from worship services. They leave prayers in the background and the concern is only to consume, even what they do not need. They're hallucinating. He walks the lost streets, like cockroaches after receiving a burst of poison.

Not even the most elaborate sermon is capable of making these people stay in worship. I would say that the pastor and the workers enter into solitude. The banks, with few members, symbolize the disengagement towards Jesus Christ.

Quickly forget the words of the Lord when he announced that our dwelling not here in this world, but in Heaven. But the blind of faith can not understand the depth of this message. For them the ideal is to buy in bulk.

They spend the end of the year eating a lot, just like the bear on the eve of hibernating. All to get into the sleep of not needing the support of God. For some this may be the last year of their lives or even this day, this week and they remain empty-handed, with nothing to present to God.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

The Devil acts in obsession and oppression

* Luís Alberto Alves

Few people can discern the areas where the Devil seeks to act in the Christian's life. He seeks to attack from the inside out, in the case of obsession or from the outside in, in oppression. In these two lands he beats strong in many Christians.

How many people can have good thoughts every day? For some, the short skirt on the desk is reason enough for the spirit of prostitution to dwell in the mind and to suggest the malignant affair of adultery. It is oppression, when we are attacked from the outside of our soul.

It may come disguised as rage, when in a traffic jam, we feel like throwing the car over who tried to hit our car or even speak a bad word against the boss who lives stepping on our callus. It is the routine of the Christian.

In obsession, the thoughts of end up own life, or else beat up who we love because of bullshit. Or even try to vomit the anger built up in the heart. The enemy of our souls sometimes has nothing of stroke in these seas: oppression and obsession.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Evil advances in the world

* Luís Alberto Alves

Evil is advancing rapidly in this world plunging into rot. What is the reason for this? Simple! The coming return of Jesus Christ. Do not expect my brother that the situation will improve. On the contrary, the tendency is to worsen in order to fulfill the word of the Lord.

In many areas degradation is visible. In personal relationships, ruin took over. Few really have love for one another. The business is to take advantage. No one cares about the pain of the bankrupt, the addict or even the beggar. It is the culture of selfishness.

The children of this century are already born thinking of themselves. They do not respect their parents and demand that their wishes be fulfilled, no matter how absurd they may be. They bring in the soul the virus of ruin. One of the marks of this millennium, revealing the authenticity of the Word of the Lord.

At this time, even the Christian church grew cold. With the exception, most only think of material goods. There is little talk of spirituality in the pulpits. The business is to praise the dark theology of prosperity. Christian saved, in the eyes of these people, is who has a lot of money.

* Luís Alberto Alves is pastor

The past must be forgotten by the Christian

* Luís Alberto Alves

Every year end is the same: many Christians are thinking of the past. Some even believe that before they knew the Gospel they were happy. Great lie of Satan. When you hear some secular music, then the enemy works hard in the mind.

We can never wish to go back to the days that never return. These are bad experiences that we should leave in the limbo where Jesus threw them. Resurrecting memories of sad moments, where we suffered too much, is an attempt on the Lord's will.

We need as servants of Jesus Christ to continue looking ahead. The best God has reserved for us all. Ignore the garbage from where we left for the Glory of the Almighty. Do not want at any time to look and say to yourself that there was happiness.

When it comes to relationship destroyed and from which you managed to get out alive and whole. Forget! Jesus reserved for him years of peace and happiness. Do not waste time saying "ah! If I had done this or that, I could have avoided this defeat. " Let the past take care of itself!

* Luís Alberto Alves is pastor

God helps you, but the decision to win is yours

* Luís Alberto Alves

God always helps us. But the decision to win the battle rests with each of us. Nothing falls from the heavens with a kissed hand. Several Christians are spoiled. They like to get blessings without sacrifice. They throw everything into the Lord's hands and fall asleep waiting for the request to be answered.

Usually these people have no life of prayer. In worship, you are the first to complain. Watch everything in silence. Not a Glory to God comes out of their mouths. These people's interest is for the blessings. They never thought of satisfying Jesus Christ. Pure selfishness.

As it is in the book of the prophet Isaiah, our God is of the impossible. He is able to make possible, what in our eyes is a task without any chance to materialize. In Jesus' dictionary, the word impossible is not present. However, these Christians are not aware of this rule.

It is in your hands my brothers the victory. It can also be defeat if you do not fight and strive to realize the dream that still exists only in the spiritual world. Close your mouth and come to God more intensely.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Have you fed your spirit?

* Luís Alberto Alves

At this time of year people are concerned only with material feeding. They go to the supermarkets and fill the shopping cart with various types of food. There are turkeys, fries, various types of meat, pastries, cakes, drinks and panettone. They spend the day eating, until the stomach gets very full. This is the rule of life for some. Mostly Christians.

Few, because of the lack of concern for Christ, realize the nourishment of the spirit. They forget to look for the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, to gain strength and continue to face this world where the evil one is allowed to reign and to continue in his project to ruin lives and try to bring the greatest number to hell.

We need to feed our spirits by praying, fasting, and remaining in the presence of God. If you look at the new testament in the book of Matthew, chapter 2, you will find that there is no date showing that Jesus was born in December. In order not to fall into the deceit of the Christmas spirit, which is also non-existent in the Bible, try to pray a lot.

It is never too much to contact God through prayers. Speak to Him, open your heart and reveal your anguish and leave your anxieties in your hands. The more you feed the spirit, the more you will be willing and able to continue walking with Jesus Christ. Enjoy. Man does not live by bread alone, but by the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Whoever is dirty, who gets dirtier

* Luís Alberto Alves

 The return of Jesus Christ is very close. How can I guarantee this? Just look at the world around us. How much dirt! People have lost their sense. Depravity is total. Homosexuality and lesbianism in most countries have become lifestyle, especially among teenagers.

Practicing crime is natural. The thieves of this century, when arrested by the police, naturally assume the crime without any remorse. Killing someone for them is normal, as if it were right to take someone's life. Disrespect is the rule in many sectors of society.

Corruption runs rampant in the upper echelons of politics, business, art, and even among evangelicals. Large numbers of false Christians aim only for self-interest and, of course, make lots of money. The commitment to pray was behind us.

Inbred by the Word of Grace, they plunge deep into the muddy sea of ​​sin. They just forgot that Jesus Christ said to the one who is dirty, to get dirtier. I do not know the day, month, and year, but I am sure that the Lord's return is imminent.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

When we take care of God's problems, He

* Luís Alberto Alves

Sometimes we become worried when we are immersed in the work of the Lord. We think our lives will be upside down. But God rejoices and cares for what torments us. Find solutions to problems, considered by us difficult.

Thus the wheel of life turns. Do it with love and affection. Never let selfishness enter the heart and accomplish the tasks anyway. If you are on the streets distributing food and clothing to the beggars, as I have done several times, let your professional side prevail. It is for the Lord that does.

Do not let thoughts of defeat in your head. Imagine you've let go of your troubles and Jesus Christ will leave you alone. This will never happen. On the contrary, the solution is in his hands. It is only to continue trusting and believing in the best of God.

The Lord knows the heart of every servant. Mainly two dedicated. Who do the work without any interest. Do not chase after rewards. Only seek to please the Father. They know that Jesus goes on opening doors, which our human wisdom does not do.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

If you are old, have the adrenaline of the young

* Luís Alberto Alves

I admire the huge dose of adrenaline in young people. When united to the power of the Lord, they find energies for activities that require great effort. In less than a month they can raise enough money to run a youth congress.

They produce truffles, make pancakes, and go out selling in the streets. The important thing is to get the resources to pay for the event, where the name of Jesus will end up being glorified. They stay up until dawn making decorations from the church.

The old men of the gospel, already in their 50s or 60s, need to be mirrored in the youth effort that denies the pleasures of the flesh to rejoice the Lord. Imagine someone who needs to go almost 20 miles to rehearse and arrive home late at night. All for the sake of the Lord!

That is why I argue that within a church it is necessary to blend young and old for sameness not to take account of the gospel. Thus we will have the energy to carry the Word of God to the ends of the earth. You can be sure, you have too young to go there.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Caution: Time can cool you down and keep you from God.

.* Luís Alberto Alves

Nothing like the time to bring about changes in the human being. It changes concepts, ideologies, character, besides destroying great loves, which at the beginning gave a sign of eternity. It can be used by the enemy to drive us away from the good ways of the Lord.

Time is in no hurry. Just as old, he walks slowly but steadily, without stopping or looking back. Ruma always ahead. It involves the person slowly. It does not let her realize that the cold of unbelief penetrates subtly into soul and spirit.

First it puts the tiredness, then the apathy, the discouragement, the laziness, the lack of perspective and finally the lack of love. Gradually he turns the living ember Christian into charcoal erased and annihilated in faith. It changes concepts about the Lord, constantly hammering his mantras.

If there is no vigilance, you my brother will thicken the team of evangelicals who have turned away from Jesus Christ without realizing it, only with argument of lack of time. He becomes concerned about the material, leaving in the last place the spiritual, the green card of access to the Heavens.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

We need to return to the heat of the early church of Acts 2

* Luís Alberto Alves

The evangelical church needs to return to the heat narrated in Acts, chapter 2, when the new converts divided the bread, sold the estates, and divided the money for the gospel to advance beyond the walls of Jerusalem. And today how are we?

As a church pastor I perceive the coldness in the hearts of most Christians of this 21st century. Few are involved in the affairs of the church. They also criticize who gets their hands on the work. The concern on the part of this flock is to sit and watch the service and alone.

When it comes to your ears that some brother is hungry, he turns his back and says loud and clear, "I have nothing to do with it." It is disconnected from the ideals of the early church, where Peter and the other apostles were greatly used by Jesus Christ.

We need to return to the warmth of this early church. Where people were content to be in the presence of the Lord. To pray, to fast, and to preach the Word to the lost. The greatest desire was to remain in the arms of the Father. We must leave the cold of hell away from us.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

It is in the pressure that we must remember the Lord

* Luís Alberto Alves

Can you withstand pressure? Whether at work, marriage, college or even in ministry? When all is well it is easy to believe in the power of Jesus Christ. But the bad day comes for all of us. It shakes our structures. Unfortunately, few Christians remain loyal to the Lord.

There are cases of people giving up walking. They throw everything aloft, claiming that God left them alone. They were Christians in the good times, especially of peace and happiness and in the opposite moment they jumped of the boat of the Lord, to return to the trash of ondem left.

Pressures will always exist. It is wrong to imagine that we will grow up in an atmosphere of extreme harmony and happiness. Utopia. We will only have total peace in Heaven. As long as we are fighting in this dark world, we will only have fierce fighting.

So my brothers, it's time for you to raise your head and keep moving toward the target. Do not let the darkness sow in your mind that was left alone. Jesus Christ will never abandon his son. You will always be on our side.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

In the tragic hour we remember the name of Jesus Christ

* Luís Alberto Alves

In our daily life, we rarely remember the name of Jesus Christ. Perhaps because of over-reliance on human wisdom. We set it aside. As insignificant, unimportant to us. Even Christians commit this terrible mistake.

This week that marked the end of November, the plane crash with the Chapecoense soccer team and crashed five minutes from the airport in Medellín, Colombia, reminds us that this attitude is not good and we need to rethink the way to consider.

In the fast and desperate dialogue between the pilot and the flight control tower, when the urgent landing request was requested, as the plane was running out of fuel, something caught. At the end of the speech he quotes the name of Jesus and the silence interrupts the conversation. The plane had already fallen.

Even the arrogant, when the moment of danger comes they pronounce the name of Christ in the hope of salvation from that terrible problem. But we must invoke him always, not just in need. When we do this we demonstrate how selfish we are.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Are you grateful for the blessings of God?

* Luís Alberto Alves

How many times does the Lord bless us and end up ungrateful? Place a wonderful person next to us, and with whom we come to live in a beautiful home. Do you know our answer? Contempt. We treated God's gift of God badly, ignoring the requests we made to obtain this blessing.

Jesus Christ will never send anything bad to a child of yours. Always reserve the best. But the man, from the height of his arrogance, with the passage of time begins to find defects in that gift of the Lord. Especially when it comes to love.

My brother: always be grateful for what Jesus did and is doing in your life. If you prayed to the Lord to give you a husband or wife, full of grace and wonders of the highest, never put defects. On the contrary, always give thanks, for Jesus never gives anything bad to anyone.

Close your mouth and praise, even in times of crisis, until you open your eyes. Never mention that the neighbor's gift he received from the darkness is better than yours. In this way, Jesus will continue to live in your heart.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Defeats are sometimes victories

* Luís Alberto Alves

For lack of vision, many Christians believe that in defeats, God is far from them. They can not visualize that in the loss of something, Jesus Christ continues to speak and show that something better is going in the direction of that evangelical brother.

How many people do not plunge into depression after the end of dating, engagement or marriage. The world is over for them. They are angry with God. They preferred to continue suffering in a sickly and possessive relationship, where love ceased to exist.

But the cauterized mind prevents one from seeing the best of the Lord. They fight with Jesus Christ and even get out of their way. Perhaps they have never read Isaiah 55, verses 8 through 10, where He makes it clear that their thoughts are higher than ours. That is, it promises something wonderful.

God is always in charge, He will never leave anyone alone. You know exactly what we need. From the money to the house purchases, to the necessary resource to pay off the debts. Nothing escapes your command, even when we are defeated.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Obedience is the basic rule of the Christian

* Luís Alberto Alves

Obeying has been the stone in the shoes of several members in today's evangelical churches. People, especially workers, ignore church leadership warnings. Pastor, in their view, exists only to preach the Word, should never advise them.

Rebellion is the fuel of this people. They only look at material goods, leaving the spiritual in limbo. At this time of year, few really want to continue doing the work. The business is to plunge headlong into the lentil dishes offered by the darkness.

To obey, in the evaluation of this generation, is something of a grimace. Everyone can do whatever they want. After all, in their opinion, Jesus Christ is love and will forgive them. They just forgot that the Lord is Justice and most of the time it is heavy.

When the member is old in ministry, it is worse to obey the church authorities. It calculates that bank time serves as a green card to enter Heaven. They fit the profile of the old Christian. For this type of brother, church time serves as a reference.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Our life before eternity is equal to dew drop

* Luís Alberto Alves

Today the football world is saddened by the tragedy that has occurred with the team from Santa Catarina Chapecoense. In the fall of the plane in Medellín, Colombia, he lost 19 players in one fell swoop, in addition to members of the technical commission and leaders. 22 journalists died in the accident.

In the latest videos displayed on the internet, athletes appear cheerful and relaxed. They would play the first match against Atletico Medellín for the South American Cup and decide the final in Brazil. Joy was the feeling of winning such a coveted title.

Jesus, through the apostle Matthew, warned that it will come on a feast day, just as it was in Noah's day, when many would marry. Perhaps, when they got on that plane, Chapecoense's team did not realize they would be saying goodbye to this life forever.

Sometimes we value our lives too much here on Earth, leaving the abode in eternity behind. Jesus Christ promised us in the Heavens many mansions. Our mistake is to continue looking at earthly things, leaving aside the heavenly, where we will be if we please the Lord.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Prayer: most powerful weapon of the Christian

* Luís Alberto Alves

The best weapon to defeat the forces of darkness is still prayer. The enemy is not afraid of shouting, abrupt gestures, ugly faces, upturned eyes or punches on the wall, not even empty words. What sets him to run is prayer.

Today we pray little. Many Christians worry only about making money and consuming, especially at this time of year. The care of speaking to Jesus Christ is put aside. Looks like they never bought clothes, shoes or food. That's the rule today.

You come to the church and few are ready to pray, to speak with God in intimacy. They only think of surfing the internet or even gossiping about the brother who dresses humbly because of the low salary. He does not really give himself to the Lord.
Then they complain that life is a tragedy, of not winning victories.

 The reason is simple: lack of communion with God. When you begin speaking to Jesus Christ through prayer, everything will be easier. It will open doors that have never been opened. Try it!

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

What space does the young man have today in the Christian world?

* Luís Alberto Alves

I notice in several evangelical churches that young audiences are restricted only to praise, preferably tuned in to the rhythm of techno, house and rock. It is as if their world revolves only around music. That they do not think let alone face daily struggles. Some pastors do not even allow some of them to bring the word into worship. They can only hear, but never talk.

They are at the height of adrenaline and seek to discharge this energy, but without finding space within the church. Soon they begin to associate the Gospel with something grimace, without perspective, because at this stage of life people seek novelties. They do not like routine, of stagnation. They look to the future always, they want to advance fast in the realization of their dreams.

It is wrong to leave this important public aside. It must be heard, because sometimes their suggestions are of great importance. Why today the devil focused fire is on this portion of the population to end the fear of God. Instead of countering this strategy of the enemy, some churches unconsciously aid Satan and his demons when they discriminate against the youth in the congregation.

We need to open our eyes more. Leave the sameness. Pray to Jesus Christ for our Master to give us strategies of struggle so that we can rid the young of the terrible future that evil lives to plan for them. Selfishness must be set aside. Otherwise, they will increase the statistics of drug addicts, murderers, thugs and perverts in our society.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Church needs to prepare more

* Luís Alberto Alves

In the middle of the 21st century, most evangelical churches are not prepared to face the new challenges of this generation. Many are still mindful of the start of counter reform. In others, it seems that time continues to stagnate. God asks the leaders to open their spiritual and material eyes, discovering resources of how to win more souls to the Lord.

It is good to read the Bible, but we can not leave the knowledge provided at this time in the background. Technology exists by God's permission. He shed knowledge about the minds and projects, which were dreams, today is reality. We need to take advantage, on the positive side, to increase the preaching of the gospel, driving out the stagnation of the Christian world.

Vanities should be left out. Sharing knowledge is important, especially with people who have recently arrived at the work. Teach the liturgy and how to work with certain situations that will appear in the course of the preaching of the Word. After all, nobody is born knowing anything. Unfortunately, teachers are missing to fill this gap.

When a church focuses on this requalification, the ministry grows and reaches different lives. They use technology for the Kingdom of God. Young people are involved in this issue and need to be better exploited. It is wrong to leave that portion of Christian members aside. They must be incorporated into the body of workers and depart from the forces of evil.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Some evangelical churches are sick

* Luís Alberto Alves

Can an evangelical church get sick? Yes! The process is slow, but over the years it contracts the disease of idolatry, deception, nepotism, arrogance, arrogance, and vanity. If she is not alerted, she will go to the ICU and die without regret.

Today, the number of Christians without churches grows in the world. They are people who respect Jesus Christ, but tired of the filth in these denominations chose to stay out without making any commitment. They watch preaching but prefer to stay away from contamination.

On the outside, everything is beautiful, but when you enter and you get to know the work routine, the rotten ones appear. People fighting for positions, as in the political world; Others striving to appear, always in evidence, especially in the ministries of praise.

Others, schooled in theology courses, are treading on the other brothers, who preferred to adopt the Bible as a reference, instead of choosing books written by authors of Christian reform. This is the short script that leads many churches to death, to the sorrow of the Lord.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

We must worry to go to Heaven

* Luís Alberto Alves

"I will give you joy in this world / and there in the other life and peace," is one of the stanzas of a well-known choir in the evangelical Pentecostal churches. It is beautiful Jesus Christ to give us joy in this terrible world, where the evil one tries in various ways to turn us away from the Lord.

Unfortunately, many brethren in Christ end up falling into the trap of Satan. He never joked or left for a second to be an enemy of God. The Christian, however, is hesitant, now stands firm on the rock, and now thinks of leaving the presence of the Lord.

There is a better proposition than to have life and peace in eternity. That is, forever. Living in a place where there will never be death, sadness, melancholy, hunger or all kinds of evil barriers that are around us, is what every Christian must always aim for.

Our concern is to fight to stay with Jesus Christ forever and ever. Forget the garbage offered by the Devil. Do not be deceived, he will always put before us his dirty proposals, but with cleaning varnish. Pay the price and stand firm in the Lord.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

The beauty is deceitful

* Luís Alberto Alves

Who has never looked at a very beautiful woman on the street? And at work? The secretary, all produced, and beautiful, who always seeks to come to the service wearing classic clothes, but that subtly enhances the physical beauty and aims to seduce everyone. Man, by nature, is attracted to the eyes. Fix them on the woman, and the enemy whistles in your ears that in the age of the world, it was not a sin to desire someone. The enemy will hammer day and night that there is nothing wrong with wanting such a beautiful woman.

The weak in spirit will not resist the invitation and for a few seconds, for this is the time spent by the male orgasm, throw salvation through the window and eternal abode in the Heavens to satisfy the desires sinful of the flesh. Some still find strength to return to the Father's arms, others remain in the mud where they slipped and from there they never rise again, making their way into hell, as Satan's plan was to offer this dish of lentils.

Beauty is fleeting, as it is written in Psalms. It does not last forever. Search the pictures of the big Hollywood movie stars in the '40s,' 50s, and 60s. At the time, they sparked unbridled passions. Today, in case of those still alive, they are women marked by wrinkles without any beauty, which in the past provoked follies. But how many think so? They invest deeply in vanity, ignoring the counsel of the servants of the Lord. And so the world turns to these people.

There is nothing uglier than a beautiful woman in her youth. Plastic operations no longer solve the problem. The skin is too sensitive to undergo cuts from the scalpels of surgeons of this specialty. But when we have the love of Jesus Christ in our hearts, we remain beautiful inside. For we are no longer attached to the ideology of beauty proposed by the world. We look only to the Lord and everything goes well. Therefore let my sister be a slave to beauty. She passes quickly.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Many prefer the crumbs of the Devil to the feast of Jesus Christ

* Luís Alberto Alves

I observe how ungodly people are slaves to the Devil. Passively accept the dishes of lentils offered by him. I realize, for example, on a prolonged holiday eve, for a few cans of beers, women produce to be present at bars and there to get someone's attention to pay their bills and then end up in some hotel room. All futile.

Others bet on sensuality, loaded makeup and extreme vanity, to arouse the lust wherever you go. That is, to provoke sexual desires in men or even women, because in today's rotten world, lesbianism is growing rapidly, in an affront to the Word of the Lord. They forget that next week they will return to the routine of work in the office or factory.

The Devil is clever. He picks up a dirty dish and throws some crumbs of sweet fruit inside it, placing on top a nice paper of doubtful quality and the deception is complete. The wicked drops like fish by biting the bait of the hook. He spends his pay money in rubbish and will get into trouble when he gets home, where his bills await him.

It is important to think of the Heavens. There, the streets are golden, without pain, hunger, sadness or anything negative was part of this dark world. It is the feast of the Lord, offered to his servants. At times, we Christians, realize how hard it is to keep our hearts in Jesus Christ. We look at the lentil dish and we are tempted. But the Holy Spirit reveals to us that the taste of the food served at the banquet outweighs any third-rate food offered by Satan and his demons.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Divine justice is not like ours

* Luís Alberto Alves

How many times, even after our conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ, our hearts are still filled with anger, anger, and desire for revenge against the people who have hurt us in the past of lost sheep in the world. Even if we are faithful to God, we are sometimes surprised by the desire to repay in the same currency the wickedness committed against us.

We erroneously interpret that the justice of God is similar to that which exists here on this corrupt planet. We think that Jesus Christ will cast fire from the heavens on the heads of the tormentors used by satan to afflict our lives. Fortunately God does not think the same man. He is different from us. His love is totally opposite to that practiced on earth.

Many Christians do not pray for their enemies. On the contrary, they ask in the prayers to God to rain of their wrath in the life of the Peninas that made fun of our disgrace. Some even ask death to come upon them quickly to show that Jesus Christ is righteous. However, this type of Christian is unaware of the intensity of the agape love of the Lord.

Therefore, my brother in Christ Jesus, think well before wishing death to those used by the darkness to finish with you. Pray that God will reach them and make them vessels of honor filled with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. No matter how badly done, just delivered into the Lord's hands. The wisdom of God is greater than yours, and the good work will be completed in that life for the glory of the Lord.

* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Commission approves IPTU exemption for religious temples rented in Brazil

* Luís Alberto Alves

Ordinary meeting for discussion and voting of the draftsman's opinion to amendments to the substitute and to the attached drafts.

A special committee of the House approved on Wednesday (9) the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) 200/16, which provides for exemption from the Tax on Urban Property and Territorial Property (IPTU) for temples of any religious cult, Who are only renters of the property.

The proposal is authored by Senator Marcelo Crivella (PRB-RJ), elected mayor of Rio de Janeiro, and has already been approved by the Senate. Now it will be sent to the House Plenary, where it will have to be submitted to two votes. In order to be approved, it will need the favorable votes of three fifths of the deputies in each round, that is, 308 votes.

The rapporteur of the proposal, Deputy Jorge Tadeu Mudalen (DEM-SP), recalled that, currently, the understanding of the Federal Supreme Court is that the tax immunity of temples in relation to IPTU is restricted to properties owned by religious entities.

"It is beyond the scope of immunity that the religious entity is a renter of property owned by a third party," he said, adding that such entities are charitable by definition. "If these entities have resources in abundance, it is desirable that they be used for social assistance or religious services," he said. The deputy also stated that taxation, although necessary for the maintenance of the State, is a restriction on the enjoyment of property and freedom of the citizen.
* Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor

Miracles still happen

*Luís Alberto Alves

Today the Christian is very skeptical. No wonder. There are several picks acting in evangelical circles. Some promise wonders to let her hair stand on end. After all it is necessary to distrust those waving with one hand and with the other takes the money of the sheep.

I myself do not believe in many pseudo miracles watch on the internet. After editing any trash seen jewelry. On Saturday (4) I watch a cult of a pastor well used by the Holy Spirit in the healing area. God knowing my unbelief let me near him at the time of prayer.

There I could see with my eyes, after the outpouring of oil oil on a boy with terrible pain in the kidneys, caused by stones. During the prayer the stones broke the skin of the boy and fell into the hands of another pastor, brother of a friend who is also a pastor.

There was no trick. God really worked in that life, and Jesus Christ worked miracles in that service, freeing prisoners, healing the sick and great outpouring of his Spirit. The secret of this anointing? He said it prayerfully. Something close to 12 hours in a chat with the Lord!

* Luís Alberto Alves is pastor

What kind of prayer you do?

*Luís Alberto Alves

There are several types of prayers. From the pure sincere interest, pushing God on the wall, as if he had an obligation to meet all our whims. But the church teaches time for some people that the wheel does not turn out the way you think.

When we pray, we need to worry about exalting grace of Jesus Christ in our lives. Lose the habit of opening prayer already asking. As if God were a bank to put money in our hands. It is important to exalt the supremacy of the Lord.

Never pray for the evil of thy neighbor. Even if that someone has done you terrible harm. Ask Jesus to turn it into an instrument of God, and blessing and not a curse in anyone's life. We should not pray with a heart full of bitterness and hatred.

If you find the style of prayer that pleases Jesus Christ, you will have great chance to win the blessings that both pursues. Perhaps more than 20 years. The Lord knows your needs. No need to threaten him. He will bless you in time.

* Luís Alberto Alves is pastor

Churches suffer workers unprepared for the fight

* Luís Alberto Alves

Often members do not realize how hard it is to keep a church running smoothly. They are important people in the gear of this work that Jesus Christ has placed in our hands to save souls that Satan tries at all costs drag to hell.

The problem starts when the workers go to regard this letter as a weight. Something bad. Few realize that Jesus came to this world to serve us and not for us to serve you. But most of the Christians misunderstand this attitude of our master.

They throw everything in the back of the pastor. In addition to spiritual, it must unfold to find solutions to something material. In certain denominations, the pastor needs to think twice before to warn the member. He can understand the conversation wrong and the solution turns strife.

Few servants interested in doing the work of God without seeking any benefit. Only for love, the caring for the souls threatened by darkness. A mercantilist gospel, most think only in blessings, how much money you can put into the account, leaving Jesus Christ aside.

* Luís Alberto Alves is pastor

What genre of music do you like to praise the Lord?

* Luís Alberto Alves

In the 21st century evangelical churches praise are in many styles. Not restricted to the Blues, as the names of the southern United States. Now has several songs in rhythm of Rock, Soul, Funk, RAP, MPB, Bossa Nova, Forro and Heavy Metal.

The Puritans were with nerves on edge. Since not admit praise out of the arrangements in Blues. They seem to have never had contact with the typical songs of Israel, whose pace is completely different from practiced here in the West.

Within the order and decency, Jesus Christ wishes only to be sincere praise, a worship that reaches the heavens. The letter needs to be well centered. You can not conflict with the Holy Scriptures. Otherwise it's something the world.

When something is grounded in the rock. The praise is beautiful, regardless of style. They are musical works that come from the heart, seeking only to please the Lord. Showing our complete dependence on the heavenly Father, who withdrew in the mud.

* Luís Alberto Alves is pastor