March 25, 2017

 It is very interesting how many times we listen to this phrase: "Jesus is returning."

Considering everything we have seen, how many times have we heard people repeating this phrase

 as if they knew  its real meaning?  

 Then Paul says to be attentive and sober ... 

Whether we are asleep or not, we must be ready for Christ's return. 

And this expectation must be contagious... 

 Does our expectation for Christ's return touch people around us? 

 Is our holy expectation something visible? 

Does it inspire others? Do we tell people close to us what are we waiting for? 

Are we taking more people to wait with us for Christ's return? 

When people look at us, do our behavior shows our expectation?

 We  have already experienced the light of God, but have we kept ourselves in the light?

The sun is always in the universe. It shines all the time. It does not stop shining but the Earth rotates and so we have the alternation between day and night. But the sun is shining 24 hours.

On the same way, are we following Jesus and shining His light for others to see it full time?

 Our job is  to encourage people to wait for the Lord. How do we encourage them?

 Paul instructs us to take care of each other.This way we´ll live in peace!  

We must live well with our leaders and with those we lead. We need to be grateful. We ought to understand each other's limitations, forgive and support each other.

We must watch ourselves. So that we do not want evil

 even to someone who has done us something wrong.  

We have a list of things to do to live well: 

"Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22)

"25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters." (1 Thessalonians 5:25-27)

Pay attention to Paul´s Words on verse 27: “I charge you!” In other translations we can find instead of "charge" expressions like "command", "put you under oath", "order"... Sharing the gospel is not an option! It´s an obligation! Can we feel how important it is?

Let´s stand and take position. We are these expected sons of God!

Say to the Lord He can count on us!

A briefing of Ana´s message

March 18, 2017

Are we waiting for the coming of the Lord!

As Christians, we must live a life worthy of the name of Jesus Christ! We must be different!

Things are happening around the world against the Word of God. 

People lack the fear of the Lord.

If we want to rise up with the Lord, we must have a different life!

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed 

by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve

 what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

We cannot conform to the pattern of this world: the way people behave, speak, dress... In everything!

Bible says encourage each other! Encourage each other with these Words! 

How can we know if we are going to meet the Lord in the air?

Some say that we are going to have three surprises when in heaven:

1st: "-Oh! That person is here? Can´t believe!"

2nd: "-Oh! That person is not here? I cannot believe because she seemed to be so holy..."

3rd: "-Oh! I am here!"

How are we going to participate in this glorious day?

Living to please God!

God gives us instructions to please Him:

1st: Love the Lord Jesus and know Him.We ought to know Jesus more and more! In our daily routines!  Know the Lord Jesus as Provider, Prince of Peace, Healer, Friend...You will always have more to know about Jesus!

2nd: Be sanctified! Sanctification is not for old people... It´s for all of us! Keep in mind that the freedom we have in God is a freedom for us to say no to sin! The Holy Spirit that abides in you enables you to live a holy life.

3rd: Live as brothers. Experience brotherly love.

4th: Make your ambition to lead a quiet life. Be well content!

5th: Work with your hands! Don´t be lazy!

Let´s take care of our daily lives... God is speaking about today, not tomorrow or yesterday!

How are we caring about today?

Live a life to please God!

Free summary of Pr.Poliana Vasconcelos´s preaching

March 11, 2017

Paul really cared about people and how they were in faith.

It´s very important to encourage each other in faith!

We must care about people´s needs in general but to strengthen each other in faith is very important!

We are the ones to preach and share the gospel all over.

So, as brothers and sisters, as church of God, we must care about faith.

We must take care about each other! That´s why we are together, united in the services.

We must feel important individually but considering that we are part of a body that works fine if all other parts does it well.

Stop looking inward and try looking outward!

Love for real your brother! Love for real your sister! Say that you need them, and really mean it!

The Holy Spirit can enable us to love this way, to love as Jesus loved us.

Sometimes it´s difficult to express this love. We are different, with different personalities.

But an unfailing way of showing love is to pray for each other.

Stay united!

In the midst of the church we will grow in faith, in wisdom and will be sustained.

Inside the church we find people to rejoice with us and also to cry with us.

Let´s search for this love set on the love God has for us.

(Free briefing of Pr. Poliana Vasconcelos´preaching.)

March 4, 2017

• No matter if you were called to be a singer, a preacher, whatever... The command of going and making disciples is for every minister.
• Congratulations to you if you are suffering, if you are attacked, questioned, because of the gospel. So was Paul.
• Your motivation has to be like Paul´s. (Verse 4). Please God! Know God and have confidence enough in Him to face every situation. Forget the idea of pleasing men.
• Face challenges with joy! Be cheerful! Be like Jesus! Open your Bible in Hebrews 12: 2. What joy was proposed to Jesus? The victory over sin. Our salvation. Jesus was already victorious. Jesus did not need salvation. But you and I need and for our sake, because of the joy of us in eternity He endured all.
• The  certainty of salvation is powerful and powerful to produce joy in you. (1 Peter 1: 6-9)
• The world will try to deceice you. As Paul´s time there was a strong philosophical thought. The same competition of ideas we face these days.  Other Christians are trying to intellectualize the Word of God, or to soften the gospel. 
• Another problem we face is competition among Christians. People take possession of the Word of God - as if it was possible - and worse: to make money ...
• Paul did not change his speech to turn it "convenient," even when it brought persecution. And just because of his conduct, theThessalonians understood that Pauls´s words were truly from God (2:13). With the conviction that they were serving God according to the truth, the Thessalonians stood firm in the tribulation, as well as others from Judea, and other churches, the apostles, and the Lord Jesus Himself .
• Paul uses the example of a mother caring for her children to explain his care for that community. No mother receives payment for taking care of her family, no mother expects anything in return. A mother cares for nothing.  A mother is ready to give her life for her son's. And the evangelist, the pastor, do too. They can pay a high price for a sheep's life. (Verse 8)
• Ministers of God must be: kind as a mother, holy, fair, blameless and zealous (as a father - who exhorts, comforts and admonishes).
• On verse 18, Paul reminds us that behind each of the struggles, difficulties, every obstacle, there is only one enemy that is Satan.
• When Jesus returns, He will surely ask  us about our our answer to the calling of going and making disciples… 
• Paul says that his interest for the Thessalonians is: hope, joy, crown and glory. This is the reward . (Verse 19) All this together is going to be reason to  glory before Jesus on His return.
• How am I facing the calling to make disciples?
• Am I taking care of my ministry?

                                                                                                             From Ana´s preaching