Revolving Around the Son

Recently there was news of the possibility of a new planet in our solar system.

Planet 9, when confirmed, will be very far away.

It will undoubtedly be quite different from the world on which we live.

Although each planet is unique, there is one thing that each of the planets have in common.

Each one revolves around the sun.

That is because the sun’s gravitational pull keeps them in orbit.

The sun also provides warmth which makes life on earth a reality.

If these influences from the sun stopped then the solar system would cease to exist.

In fact, it would no longer be a system at all.

The planets would simply fly off on their own directions into the cold, empty void of space.

This would prove disastrous for life on earth.

Without the sun’s influences, all life on earth would perish.

As we continue our journey through Lent, thoughts of this brought to mind other things.

Just as the planets revolve the sun, so our lives should revolve around the Son.

We rarely give thought to what the sun means to our world.

In a similar way, we can easily lose sight of what Jesus means to our lives and the lives of others.

The sun keeps the planets from wandering away.

The season of Lent reminds us what the Son did for us because we wandered away.

John 15:7-13 (NET) - No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends.

As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, may we be reminded of how much the love of Jesus really means to us.

It is the kind of love He demonstrated for all of humanity at the cross.

Given that, shouldn’t our lives revolve around the Son?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 26, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 4, 2016

I wanna be a rock star

 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31,32
Many teaching we get in these two verses. I will look in this: "If you hold to my teaching..."
To believe in Jesus is more than to  know about Him. It is more than to know what He is able to do. To trust in Him means  to abandon our beliefs, even when we "believe" they may be came from God.
Many times we were taught about God but few of us look at Bible carefully to know if we were taught right, we use to believe because we use to believe!
When Jesus calls us, He says come and trust in me like I'm, even (and I dare to say, frequently) this believe means to abandon our on view point about Him. How many time we use to question our on faith? We have our faith and we always think be right.
John 7:27 shows us people confused about if Jesus was or not The Messiah, and why? Because a common sense in the time, used to say that when The Messiah come, nobody would know where He would come from and Jesus, even showing great miracles, amazing teachings and uncountable signs, was knowing by everybody, His birth city, parents and family making Him not fulfill 'the common sense'.
what it means, Patricia, you can ask me?
It means, dearest reader,  if we day by day, do not seek God, and obey His word more than religion and common sense, we are going to lost the real Jesus, and what is more important, salvation! Some times, we see Jesus in people that we don't think be "someone of God" and this kind of thought block us to listen God. We use to listen and read "that preachers we like" and few time we dare to question them, we just listen! Jesus said: If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31,32. 
To hold His teaching many (many) times, will means be against common sense, religious traditions and culture.
We are near of a big american commemoration, Halloween. Some churches have bringing it into its temples cultivating witches, monsters and many kinds of bad stuff, just because 'it is our culture'. Brazil has many similar things, what people call folklore and I call blindness.
But, what matter is, that we have to be free and this freedom only come from obey Jesus and His word. To keep our salvation we have to stay living Matthew 5. Loving those who persecute us. Forgiving those who hurt us. Helping the needy.

I have  seen the church of 21 century. This is the most rich church of all time, and to our shame and sadness, the 21 century church is that has less impact and influence in the society. How is it possible? Maybe it is possible because people and leaders of this church, look for become similar to the world. Our clothes, life style, language, and habits in almost nothing differs of the world. We have the same desires, we have the same plans, we look for our own will, we look for be known by our greatness, our diploma in big universities. The 'dream' of big part of people that are called christian, is the same dream of those who aren't.
It is rare listen young from our churches say that to dream in become missionary, pastor our be known for forgive, love and live like Jesus. They want to be celebrity! If be pastor, they want be at TV, our to be a "gospel rock' star".  Resigns, altruism aren't words of our vocabulary!
Church, we have to wake up. We have to come back to Jesus life style. More of Him and less (too much less) of us.
To be a real christian, we need fast, turn away. We have to review our concepts before it guides us to too far that will be impossible to come back.
Come back church, come back!

Pati Nanni

Few things get bigger

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much...” (Luke 16:10, NIV)
Are we faithful in the little things that life faces us with? Or are we always waiting for that big opportunity to stand up for Jesus and bring others to salvation?
Well, what we very often tend to forget is that before God can use us greatly to be a blessing to many, we have to prove ourselves by being faithful in little things; things which are part of our everyday life and which may seem quite insignificant to us in the larger scheme of things. In Luke 19:11-7 Jesus tells his disciples the parable of the 10 servants who were given 1 mina each and asked to do business with it. In that parable we read, ‘Well done, good servant, because you were faithful in very little, have authority over 10 cities’ (Luke 19:17). In Luke 16:10 Jesus says another parable where he says ‘He who is faithful in what is least, is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least, is unjust also in much.’
Now, what does it mean to be faithful in little things? Do we realize that we are, each day of our lives, living through that test? Perhaps it is because we have not passed that yet that God cannot fully use us the way He would have liked or planned. Will we miss the perfect will of God in our lives, just because we were not faithful in the little things?
Here are some of the little things that all of us face in our lives.
1.Not being ashamed to let our friends know that we do believe (and follow) Christ, even if that may mean some temporary ridiculing. (Matt 10:32-33, Luke 12:8-9 – Whoever confesses me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God, but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God). This is one of the most difficult challenges I have faced. There are times in the past when I have not wanted to disclose the fact that I believe strongly in Jesus (for fear of being ridiculed by some unbelievers). I may not have denied Jesus, but I conveniently made sure that I did not put myself in a situation where my faith would be exposed.
2.Being faithful with all matters of money and belongings that don’t belong to us.
3.Not gossiping or talking in a derogatory manner about others behind their backs. Many times, even if we ourselves may not say much, when our friends do so, we may just stand around, laughing and enjoying with them. Is that because we don’t want to be seen as being ‘different’ from them? (Ref Ephesians 4:29, Titus 3:1)

4. Problems of ego, pride, selfish ambition, ‘Me first, others later’ attitude, anger and frustration when others take the credit that is due to us (at work perhaps).
5. Lying in matters small or big (another huge challenge many of us keep facing). (Colossians 3:9 – Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds)
6. Corrupt practices, cheating etc, which are considered okay and sometimes even as ‘smart’ by the world. Many times we may find ourselves going with the flow for fear of standing up for what we believe in and would end up doing something that is not right. Sometimes when people suggest to us corrupt or wrong ways of doing things, instead of telling them that our conscience would not permit us to do that, we may just keep quiet or nod our heads in agreement, although we may not actually follow their advice. This again is because we don’t want to be seen as ‘different’.
7.Being stingy or greedy for money or some other possessions.
Can people see a difference in the way we behave in our daily activities? If they don’t see a difference, that’s either because we are as much a part of this world system as they are or because we are too ashamed to let the world know that we aren’t. How then can we be called followers of Christ?
In Matthew 12:33 Jesus says that a tree is known by its fruit. Putting up a board reading ‘mango tree’ in front of a banana tree is not going to make it any less identifiable as a banana tree. Going to church every Sunday and going to prayer meetings is not what identifies us as Christians. It’s the way we live our everyday life that does. (Refer Galatians 5:16-26 for a concise instruction on Christian living)
In scripture, the prophet Elisha told a man named Naaman to go wash in the Jordan River and he would be cured of his leprosy. Naaman was the Captain of an army, a very influential man. He didn’t want to go wash in the dirty Jordan River. His attitude was, “That’s absurd. That’s little. That’s insignificant. That’s not going to make any difference.” His assistant said, “Naaman, if he would have asked you to do something hard, something big, you would do it. Why don’t you do this small thing?” Naaman finally went and washed in the Jordan, and he was totally healed.

I wonder how many of us would see our breakthrough, our healing, our promotion, or a dream come to pass if we would just do the small thing that God is asking us to do. People think, “Oh, it doesn’t really matter. I’ll do it one day.” But realize today, those little things mean a lot. They are keeping you from the fullness of your destiny. It may be something small, but your act of obedience will cause God to release the big thing that He has in store.
It means obey, believe and live in integrity... God bless

Preparing for Devotion

I'm often distressed at the disconnect between what God expects of me and what I deliver on an average day. "[W]hat doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?"  (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)  Christ Himself expanded on this expectation:  "[T]hou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."  (Mark 12:30-31)

That seems to be asking a lot, doesn't it?  With the multitude of our daily obligations to family and employers, with the myriad temptations and distractions today's world puts in our way, isn't an unswerving, all-consuming devotion to God pretty much unattainable for most people?  Wouldn't one have to withdraw to a mountain cave, or to a cell in a monastery, and spend the rest of one's life in constant prayer, meditation, and scripture study?

Some have felt called to such a life over the centuries, and through their writings and teachings have had an influence for good on the many who could not follow the ascetic path. But I don't think God requires such a life of most people. While we're not to be conformed to or "of" the world, we remain in it (Romans 12:2; John 15:19; John 17:13-16). Believers are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). There may be rare exceptions, but as a rule God wouldn't ask of us something we couldn't attain without abandoning our families and the work we need to do to support them, or disappearing from amongst our friends and neighbors to search for Him alone.

A life of devotion to God and fellow man can be, and is, lived every day by otherwise ordinary people, everywhere. It results from a combination of what we do and what we avoid.

One vital element is maintaining a constant, 24/7 connection with the Lord in prayer--both the kneel-down variety, when that can be done, but also the conversation with Him that you carry on in your head and heart while going about your daily business. Another element is daily reading in God's word: it needn't take hours or follow a rigorous study plan, but may consist of only a few verses--you can't hardly find any in the Bible that aren't bursting with inspiration and comfort. In addition, we must constantly and humbly repent of, and strive to avoid, sin: nothing else so thoroughly prevents a healthy, ongoing relationship with our Heavenly Father, nor so clouds our judgment with selfishness and despair. As far as possible rid you life of things (for example, unedifying television, movies, music, or literature; drugs or alcohol; other worldly infatuations)  that may tempt you to sin or distract you from God and others toward an immersion in Self. Finally, do your best to make a habit of thoughtfulness, generosity, and a readiness to help, however when or much it's needed--this will bring you closer to the model of the Good Samaritan.

Following this path keeps one's mind and heart clear, clean, and undistracted; keeps us ready, willing, and able to help others; and keeps us open to the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. By this means we're able to grow and thrive in faith, and in devotion to God and those around us, just as He commands--one day at a time.

Tom Fleming
Songs of Praises

Saving to Serve

The Thanksgiving holiday in the USA is behind us (except for its crass commercialization, unfortunately). One thing I found myself being thankful for this year was being able to share with others the bounty God has showered upon me. I haven't always taken that opportunity as I should have. When my wife and I were younger and had several children living at home, our income was less and day-to-day expenses greater, and we were carrying too much debt. So, I I felt anxious about every dollar and was too reluctant to part with even a few to help the needy and other good causes. I shouldn't have been that way; my faith in God's providence was lacking.

In any event, I'm blessed to still be here today, with my health and a good job, and my children are all on their own. We CAN and now DO more to help those less fortunate, though of course there's so much more we could and should be doing--personally, and not just by sending dollars someplace. With the Lord's help we've learned over the years to be reasonably frugal and to live within our means, so we now have an excess beyond minimum sustenance that can be used to do things like support children and families in Asia, supply our local homeless relief mission, and fund missionary efforts, as well as to help our children and a few friends through rough economic stretches. We've also managed to stockpile supplies of non-perishable food and water to help ourselves and our neighbors through an emergency.

It's so important not to get distracted by the dazzling images of opulence that modern society dangles before people's eyes, to entice us into a life of careless spending and debt that only makes a few others rich and ourselves helpless and dependent on assistance for our very survival. Not only does that open us to a corrupting level of control by those upon whom we're dependent, it prevents us from obtaining the blessings, to ourselves and others, that flow from helping the less fortunate. How can we properly care for our families and help the poor, as God expects us to do (1 John 3:17–19), if all our means have been frittered away on unnecessaries? Remember this admonition: "[L]et him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." (Ephesians 4:28)

Get into the habit of pausing before you buy anything, or subscribe to any service, that isn't indisputably essential to daily existence. Do I really NEED that big-screen TV or that new mobile device? Can our family have a nice vacation somewhere besides Disney World? Carefully consider--and pray--whether other, more important things might be done with the money you'd be spending, including saving it away for harder times, or to assist someone else. If you condition yourself to put your family and others in mind first, and the future before the present, you'll develop habits of prudent living that will enable you, your loved ones, and your neighbors, with God's help, to weather any storm and remain strong in God's service.

Tom Fleming
Songs of Praises

Value of life

  Very little things surprises me in this world, this is true, but I'm ecstatic when I see that man becomes when he is not in the ways of God, that I am. My God! Actually I have to agree with what the Bible says in 2 Peter 2:22 ... Return the dog to his vomit, and the sow that was washed back to wallowing in the mire, yes, they go back to the mud and vomit! Thus, there is not much to do but contemplate their shame horrified.

... and reserve for the day of Judgement the wicked, who are already being punished; 10 those who after the flesh, walking in lust of defilement, and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, not afraid to speak evil of dignities, 12 these, like irrational creatures by nature meant to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of you do not understand, perish in their corruption, 13 getting the wages of unrighteousness; men that take pleasure to revel in the day, and cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls, having a heart exercised in covetousness, children of cursing; 15 who, forsaking the right way, they turned away, ... 19 promising them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, the same is made a slave. 20 so if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, them became the last state worse than the first. 21 better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 befallen them so what does this saying true; Return the dog to his vomit and the sow that was washed back to wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:10-22

The spiritual blindness for which again leads to a wasted life, shameful and empty, as they have the knowledge that nothing in this world can supply them, will seek in filling the hours of the day things really silly.

Their desires entice them,  leaving them wrapped in shame and futility. His words exposed to the public (thanks facebook and internet for allowing us to see the inside of certain people because when they sit at your computer, feel free to open their hearts empty, exposing to the world that really the knowledge of God is far and an empty heart that is source of worthlessness and shame. They are embarrassed by them and not realize!) show that the human being is really nothing without God.

In John 9 Jesus encounters a man born blind, and after, say, different approach to healing, allows the end of the physical blindness of the boy, opening a new lease of life! "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth ... spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva, and smeared with mud eyes of the blind man said unto him, Go, wash yourself in the pool of Siloam. And he went and washed, and came seeing. "
Seeing!!!
New doors. Opportunities and new life, no longer dependent on people, from now learn to trust God and rely on his own efforts to win. When people are blind spiritual or mundane, they are dependent ... Dependent on others to be happy, dependent parties and circles of friends. Indulge in vices and create situations that make them more dependent on an infinite circle of emptiness in which they put all their attention, money, thoughts and emotions. They put their lives in a vicious circle empty void that is now all they are, or anything. And because they are blind, don’t see,  just think it's life.  
But dear readers, is not the worst blindness of people like this boy who was born blind, since he was not responsible for your condition, your healing comes, give glory to God for salvation and release. However, the worst blindness belongs to those who say 'I see'. 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41 Jesus answered them: If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see, your sin remains. Some people have become blinded by their choices. Have abandoned the doctrine of love, compassion, humility and forgiveness to follow the vanity of their hearts and the vain philosophies of the world.
For those who deliberately give up walking with God and choose to return to the mundane, there's not much else to say or add to them, since the Word of God is clear when he says: Hebrews 6 it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, and then fell away, to renew them again unto repentance, because, as they are crucifying again the Son of God, and exposed to public shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God, but if it bears thorns and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing; its goal is to be burned.
We still have time to choose the way in which we follow, or rather to stay on the path already chosen and let not the trifles of this world entice our understanding, for there is much more of God reserved for those who walk with perseverance. Recalling also that it is painful the way of God preach as many out there (1 John 5:3 His commandments are not burdensome)
But you, beloved, we expect better things, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love to his name shows, because they ministered to the saints, and still do minister. Hebrews 6:9,10
Wisdom
Honor
Respect
Peace
Worth and things as such, are not walking in the world nor in its rudiments. Values ​​like theses are added to the lives of people who believe and walk with God.
You are worth far to turn back. Be firm in the presence of God and not let the world put you useless in the same package. We were bought by the Blood of Jesus, are worth much more for sure.

 SAY NO  The Futility AND YES LIFE WITH GOD.

3 Enemy of God's People

I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither I turn again till they were consumed. I crossed them so that they could not rise; fallen under my feet. Psalms 18:37
No army wins the battle running away but facing the enemy! And the three enemies of the believer are: the world, the flesh and the devil! There are believers extremists who can see the devil in all things. Everything that goes wrong is the work of the evil one! They do not analyze their bad decisions, their guilt .... they are always to blame the devil. There are believers who are to blame in the flesh .... the flesh is weak! God knows my limitations .... I can not resist. And there are those who place the blame in the world, explain why it is very difficult today to be a Christian and things like that. The three ways of coping are wrong, because they fight with carnal weapons and not with spiritual weapons.
The first thing to do is to discern the enemy knowing that we are fighting against to use the correct weapon and win.
The world - And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! Matthew 21:9
But all the people cried to one, saying: Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas. Luke 23:18
The same crowd that said, Blessed Son of God says, crucify!
The world is screaming mass. The world means the rule for situations dictated, they say, "that if you do, in the other you have to do that," It made you feel bad for not feeling or reacting like everyone else? Sometimes they asked me not miss you, you do not suffer for not having this or that? And sometimes the answer NO I looked like I was insensitive or oblivious to others. No, I'm not, I just learned to deal with certain things that people do not face or deal
Well, have you stopped to think about the effect of mass information?
The mass says where to go, said the way they must go forcing everyone to do the same. The worst in all this? The mass itself and follow only the screaming I do want anyone who sends me. I am free, I'm fashionable, I'm original hahahahahah
We may not think much about it, sometimes you do not even think you're following the mass, but when certain information or launch campaigns that mobilize the mass media is the tendency of people to be moved, and then to mobilize the masses.
What was the news in recent days of mass? You follow? Posted about it?
Your answer determines whether or not you are influenced by the mass. Sometimes you never saw and was surrounded by 'good intentions campaigns' that are nothing more than tests to see and know how to manipulate the masses. The objectives are multiple: to sell, launch a product, find out which media add more power to influence and, of course: to prepare the world for the Antichrist.
He'll come after a good looking (can be 'join campaign that good' or 'everyone just talks about it' or 'how can you be out of this'), and finally things that you are not careful with your mind the truth, you become a follower and when you see, is part of the package.
Think if you are not part of mass campaigns that will not really change anything or posting just because everyone posts.
The mentality of mankind is being prepared to follow the mass. Caution, heed brother because the door is narrow!
The world makes you feel bad for being different, but I John 2: 15 - Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
We must learn to fight this subtle enemy that tries to get slick in our army as an ally!Galatians 1:10
The Devil: If the world is in contrast with the Father, the devil is in contrast to the Son.This enemy is, undoubtedly cunning and dangerous, and we are told to be sober and watch, "because the devil, your adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8) . The devil will sometimes try to use against us even if our senses: hearing ... trying to make us hear what does not exist or distorting reality, making noises to scare. The tactic of the noise is used in war since antiquity. Feelings: feelings are tools created by God to help us interact in this world. But the feelings are, from birth, bombarded by traumas, bad experiences, distortions of reality and the life history of each one. Knowing this, the devil has a powerful weapon in the hands, because when our feelings do not submit to the cross of Christ, to be treated and cured, the devil will use them against us to try to thwart the plans of God in our lives. The fears, insecurities and escapes from reality are very powerful weapons against the advance of God's plan in our lives. - Ephesians 6:12-18. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand firm, then, ...
The Flesh - Flesh For we must understand the principle of sin that is within every man's flesh is representation of the sinful nature, the original corruption, whereby we are all unwilling to things that are God by violating His law (Romans 3:9-18 , 23), these sinful impulses are identified by the evil deeds of men (Galatians 5:16-21) and can only be controlled by the entire dependence on the Spirit of God in his work that produces regenerative spiritual transformation in the believer (Galatians 5:22 - 25). This corruption of nature during this life, those that are regenerated, and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, as their impulses, are truly and properly sin. Galatians 5:17,18. Therefore, our struggle against the flesh must be constant.
One important thing to know about victory over the enemies is: Do not beat them unless we face. The escape has never been a weapon of God. The Bible is called the sword, or gun attack in advance. Many people lose great opportunities for fear ... Fear of being alone, fear of not having money, measures of rejection, fear of public speaking (according to research one of the greatest fears of humanity). Whatever your fear, if it is not going to stop you faced one time or another.
David said: chase my enemy, I advanced to defeat them before they come upon me and beat me. Task for the week face one of your fears. Jesus conquered to give us victory. Take courage because the cowards will not inherit the kingdom of God. To advance in this life we ​​have to take risks and step out of line of security and fear.
Fear always begins in the mind and makes us see nonexistent situations making the enemy seem larger than it really is.
God is greater than all and is always with us, so face it.