Do you suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ? - 4

* Luis Alberto Alves

God makes it very clear that as we suffer because of you, our name will be written and confirmed in the Book of Life. We will not lose salvation. We will have reserved the house in eternity, where we will walk on golden streets and praise the Lord for eternity.

Jesus Christ will be joyful because we refuse the rules of the world to obey Him. Even as we try to take our lives, we will be sure that Jesus will be our very present help in affliction and anguish. Nothing will bring us down.

It is this suffering that Peter highlights in his letter. That's when we choose to raise the gospel flag and uphold the fairness of God's Word in any situation. Even the one where most think they are right, as it is today.

Therefore, my brothers, be glad to suffer for the preaching of the Gospel. Do not be ashamed of Christ. Smile when someone calls you crazy or fanatic or grimace. Remember that Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross because of your life. Be proud to suffer for the Lord and your reward is to live in Heaven.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ? - 3

* Luis Alberto Alves

The servant of God is persecuted because he does not accept the rotten rules imposed by the world where Satan lies. You will always choose the right path, honesty as a standard of living, never the way the Enemy uses to seduce people.

He will preach against prostitution, vice, idolatry, crime, selfishness, arrogance and everything that Satan tries to impose as normal. It will hit head on against the concepts defended by evil. It is in this context that sufferings begin.

And the Christian feels all this in his skin, because this fire caused by evil will strike him. Sometimes you will experience humiliation, feeling lonely at home, in the neighborhood, at work, or even at school. Like a contagious patient.

Worse, many people will try to keep their distance from him because they will choose to stay with the slave to most mundane customs. It looks like it will row against the tide. At the holiday party at the company is one of the few to refuse the alcoholic drink in fear of Christ.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ? - 2

* Luis Alberto Alves

The rule of Jesus Christ is that you suffer persecution for pleasing him. Just like the son who upholds his parents' ideals in the neighborhood, that is, showing that his family is a standard of honesty, even if the dishonest mock him.

It is natural for unconverts not to accept Christian postures. They are blind to the things of heaven. They will never understand that a husband should be the husband of one wife, renouncing adultery and prostitution. Their rule is marital betrayal as a form of cleverness.

For the world, it is normal to adopt corruption as a lifestyle, where everyone takes advantage, disregarding the rules imposed by the court. Bobo is the one who strives for honesty, paying taxes, avoiding passing the red traffic light or threatening pedestrians by driving the car over the lane.

They will never understand what it is to suffer for the Gospel of Christ. They seek ease always. They are in the dark and refuse to look at the Light of the Lord. The wrong for these people is considered correct. Most do not intend to get out of this rot.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ? - 1

* Luis Alberto Alves

But what is suffering for the gospel of Christ? Another problem that few converts understand. As we enter God's Army, we automatically become Satan's mortal enemies. We left their claws in the arms of Jesus to have new life.

Darkness will use all sorts of schemes to cool the Christian who has decided to win souls for the Kingdom of God. They will first search the life of this servant of the Lord. The strategy is to know the weaknesses, exploit the loopholes and invest heavily there.

To avoid trouble, the Christian needs to be vigilant with everything he does. You cannot join the Devil's game. If you were involved in drugs, drinking, gambling, prostitution, adultery, lying, or crime, try to stay away from situations that lead you into this mud.

Escape from all apparent evil. Avoid the old friendships of this age where sin was ignored by you. Be filled with the Word of God. Pray and fast for the purpose of strengthening your faith. Be a new creature. Ask God for strength to transform your life.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ?

* Luis Alberto Alves

It is common for Christians to complain about persecution, especially at work, in the neighborhood or at school. Worse, many forget what Jesus Christ said through the mouth of the apostle Peter in his letter written in 1 Peter, chapter 4, verse 15: “If any of you suffer, other than as a murderer, thief, criminal, or as one who intrudes on other people's business. ”

Today we live a Gospel of the preaching of ease, where to accept Jesus, for certain Christian denominations, would be absence of struggles. Christ accepted, life turns into a bed of roses. We would enter the world full of facilities without any distress.

If you are on this team you can start changing your concept about legitimate Christianity. If there is no persecution in your life, something is wrong with you. Rest assured that you are out of step with the team of Jesus Christ.

The Lord made it very clear that the servant will be no greater than the master, "if they persecuted Him, they would persecute you also." Unfortunately much of the Christian mimimi does not accept this warning of Christ. Many abandon their faith and plunge back into the mud from which they were once taken.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you know how to fast? 4

* Luis Alberto Alves

Fasting is also a serious matter for church leaders, as Joel tells us in chapter 1, verses 13/16. But this stance is only adopted by servants who worship the Lord responsibly, not wolves interested only in sheep's wool, as is the case in many denominations around the world.

In this text, Joel calls the priests to repent so that they weep loudly, spend the night in mourning, for the grain offerings and the poured offerings have been suppressed from the temple of the Lord. And all who ministered the Word were called to this fast, including the authorities and the whole population.

There are situations that the Christian needs to meet in the church and there, fasting, together with other brothers, crying out to the Lord, humbling themselves, tearing their hearts in a God-pleasing purpose, not just for personal interests. This is one of the fasts that pleases the Lord, for it is not selfish.

As the brothers realized in these texts, fasting is serious. It cannot be adopted irresponsibly. Must be in context. It is important, even at work or school, that the Christian be in communion with the Lord. You should not scowl or announce to others that you are fasting. Just say that you are in a mystery with the Lord. You will be victorious!

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you know how to fast? 3

* Luis Alberto Alves

The fasting subject is long, it would take several pages of this blog to talk about something so ignored by many Christians, today concerned only with material achievements, leaving the spiritual in the background, when the right was to continue privileging what comes from Heaven, because it is for There one day we will return if we have a clean heart and hands.

A controversial theme among Christians is sin. Few people fast asking for forgiveness from the Lord for their sins. They seek to push under the rug the mistakes made, especially what they did away from the eyes of their family members. They imagine that God did not visualize the transgression performed.

Nehemiah, much used by God, was warned by the Lord that after the reconstruction of the walls of Jerusalem, the people needed to confess all the mistakes they made against the Lord. In Nehemiah chapter 9, verses 1/4, it is described that the people fasted, clothed in sackcloth, and threw dirt upon their heads in a clear sign of humiliation before God.

But before fasting they read the Word of the Lord for three hours and another three hours confessing their sins and then worshiping God. That is, when fasting is necessary to study the Word of Jesus Christ, to meditate on what is being done. It is not simply not eating and drinking anything. This is a fool's fast, and God will not receive.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you know how to fast? 2

* Luis Alberto Alves

Another purpose of fasting is for protection. Not only from our family members, but also from the general population. This is very clear when Ezra proclaims fasting for the return of the people who were returning from captivity. In Ezra chapter 8, verses 21-23, he proclaims fasting so that people would humble themselves before the Lord for the Jews' journey to be able to return safely from Babylon.

The interesting thing about this text is that Ezra is stressed that he felt ashamed to ask for the protection of soldiers to guard them on this trip back to Jerusalem. Ezra prayed, "The good hand of our God is upon all who seek, but his power and his anger are against all who forsake him." That is why we fast, we prayed for this blessing to our Lord, and he answered us.

But what is the reason why the people went into captivity in Babylon? There is no problem without cause. Even warned by God, the Jews rebelled against the Lord, adopting behavior that He reproved. As the popular saying goes, "They paid to see!" When we act this way, soon comes the result of this bad choice.

After the suffering of 70 years in Babylon, suffering various evils and forbidden to worship God, felt in the skin the effects of rebellion. But when the king let them return to Jerusalem, Ezra cried to the Lord by fasting, that the return would be safe and communion with God would be restored.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you know how to fast? 1

* Luis Alberto Alves

The Bible is full of texts where many people of God fast. In Jeremiah chapter 36, verse 9, Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah proclaims a fast for all the people of Jerusalem from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem. But why was this fast proclaimed?

Because of the people's rebellion, God had spoken to Jeremiah, warning that upon that population the Lord would send various evils, that they might turn from evil ways and the Lord forgive all their sins and their iniquities.

Because of this, this fast was proclaimed. In this example it is visible that fasting can be done for cause that include more complex issues. How many Christians today are fasting for our authorities? Many think only of their own interests. It is selfishness in the foreground when it should be the other way around.

In many countries spiritual problems hit the rulers with great intensity. And the Christian who could make a difference decides to omit, thinking only of their needs, as if they mattered more to God. Forget about being part of a nation.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor

Do you know how to fast?

* Luis Alberto Alves

It is routine in the mouth of many Christians to say that they can fast. Is it true what some say? Certain people, when they put in their heads that they want to conquer something from God, start to make daily fasts, as if acting in this way, the Lord was obliged to attend them to satisfy their vanities. But one thing is forgotten: Jesus meets our needs, never vanities!

The essence of fasting is to kill the desires of the flesh, to strengthen the Spirit, making us better able to face the battles that will arise in the spirit world. Few pay attention to the text of Matthew chapter 4 when Jesus Christ is led into the wilderness to suffer the temptations of Satan. The Lord had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.

When we go to war, just like the soldier, we need to get dressed. The Christian fights against the forces of darkness. They are not visible to our eyes. We just feel your aggression. To combat this type of enemy one must be spiritually strengthened, supported by God's Word, without any open breach. Avoiding any means the demons defeat us.

Is it easy to fast properly? Not! That's when most delicious foods appear before us. The Devil will create situations to keep us from this purpose. It will act emotionally so that the Christian will lose patience through discussion, intrigue, or even using sensuality for adultery or sinful desires to arise in the heart.

* Luis Alberto Alves is a pastor