The God of all creation. The One angels bow before, whose voice makes the earth tremble, who spoke galaxies into existence…
Came down HIMSELF.
The Eternal stepped into time. The Creator walked among His creation.
WOW.
“What is man that You are mindful of him?” — Psalm 8:4
It appears his mercies are new this morning. Reliable sources report they were new yesterday morning and are forecasted to be new tomorrow morning as well. Truly remarkable stuff going on here.
When God created us, he didn’t mean for us to start doing accounting, investment banking, adjusting EBITDA, GAAP and IFRS etc. But through our sins, these woes have befallen us.
Muitos observam que elementos presentes no cristianismo, como narrativas de dilúvio, figuras redentoras ou preceitos éticos, aparecem em diversas tradições religiosas antigas. No entanto, esquecem um detalhe fundamental que distingue o cristianismo de forma decisiva.
Ao contrário da maioria das religiões, o cristianismo é a única grande fé cuja narrativa central foi submetida a um escrutínio histórico rigoroso e sistemático, tanto no período anterior quanto posterior ao seu surgimento. Ele possui um lastro documental e arqueológico verificável, ancorado em nomes, datas, lugares e acontecimentos específicos do Império Romano dos séculos I e II d.C. Suas histórias, figuras e teologia não se dissolvem em um passado mítico impreciso, mas podem ser investigadas à luz de fontes históricas independentes, judaicas, romanas e cristãs primitivas, com um volume de evidências materiais muito superior ao de qualquer outra religião antiga.
Enquanto a maioria das tradições religiosas repousa sobre mitos atemporais ou fundadores semi-lendários, o cristianismo afirma e submete à verificação histórica um evento concreto: a morte e ressurreição de Jesus de Nazaré sob Pôncio Pilatos. Essa ancoragem histórica concreta constitui, na verdade, uma de suas maiores forças.
Nlate Schwegman, 25, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer after struggling with persistent coughing and severe back pain. Doctors gave him just a 3% chance of survival.
Instead of giving in to fear, he turned to God; immersing himself in Scripture, prayer, and worship, even through painful, sleepless nights.
One night, he says he felt a strange warmth move through his body. By morning, the pain was gone.
At his next scan, doctors reportedly found no trace of cancer and even noticed new bone growth where the disease had damaged him.
Hallelujah!
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
Romans 1:16 NKJV
I've told this story before, but it bears repeating:
Summer of 2024. I was considering turning to God.
Driving down the road, I stopped at a long traffic light, deep in thought about what we had discussed. I wondered, among many other things, why God didn't make Himself more apparent to us.
On the sidewalk next to me, a street preacher suddenly walked up and started preaching.
It was nothing groundbreaking. He said that Jesus loved us, that He wants us to believe and turn to Him, that the consequences of our decisions were eternal. Standard street preacher talking points.
He sounded like he had said what he was saying many, many times. Like he was doing it because he knew he was supposed to. It was hardly his most enthusiastic moment.
But here I was, wondering why Jesus didn't tell me things, and suddenly someone started telling me with a megaphone, a few feet from my car, that He loved me and wanted me to turn to Him.
I believe that God had answered me.
That street preacher may never know how much God used Him in that very moment. But he obviously knew he was supposed to be doing it, as he had done so many times before. And he has remained faithful to it.
When you share the Gospel, when you help someone in need, when you pray for someone, when you reflect God's love in the way you treat your spouse and children, when you demonstrate what it means to be a Christian, God is working through you.
You may never know how many people join His family, or remain in it, as a result of your actions. But rest assured, He's using you to build His Kingdom.
Keep going.