Aletheia Teste

Se manter um blog cristão não chega a ser um ministério, tampouco deveria ser mero passatempo. Também não deve ser um fim em si mesmo, deve sim atender a um objetivo que seja nobre a ponto de ser perseguido, e vericado se está sendo alcançado. E nenhum objetivo poderia ser maior do que este: buscar a glória de Deus.

Nas palavras de Paulo, "outra coisa qualquer" inclui "manter um blog", apesar de ser uma coisa moderna. Em se tratando de um blog que se proponha divulgar o evangelho, a glória de Deus não deve ser mais um objetivo, mas o principal e ao qual todos os outros devem estar subordinados. Se Deus não for glorificado pelo que escrevemos ou publicamos, é vão e pecaminoso tudo o mais.

Mas como isso se daria na prática? A começar com o título do blog, que deve honrar a Deus e não o homem. Alguns títulos de blogs chamam atenção para as qualidades de seu editor, e não para a verdade do evangelho ou para as perfeições de Deus. Não significa, de maneira alguma, que um blog com o nome do seu autor seja errado. Há excelentes blogs com nomes pessoais (vide meus "Blogs Amigos"), que quando acessamos, logo nos esquecemos do autor, pois a verdade expressa nos remete para Deus e Seu Cristo. Mas alguns nomes de blog, infelizmente, dão a clara impressão de que o autor é o último e o principal dos 13 apóstolos.

Mas o que realmente caracteriza um blog que glorifica a Deus é o conteúdo de suas mensagens. Se o que a Bíblia diz sobrepõe-se ao que o blogueiro pensa, se o evangelho é proclamado mais que o erro criticado, se a salvação é dita como exclusivamente em Cristo, pela graça mediante a fé no Deus vivo e verdadeiro e a obediência cristã é requerida por gratidão e amor e não por medo, então Deus é glorificado pelo tal. Por outro lado, se o autor do blog ocupa-se em destacar qualidades humanas - algumas fantasiosas - e a salvação é apresentada como dependendo de forma determinante de algo presente no ou realizado pelo homem e se a segurança dessa salvação está no crente que pode cair e não em Deus que o segura ou levanta, então no mínimo a glória do Senhor é obscurecida.

Finalmente, a glória do Senhor em um blog transparece no que se espera com ele. Se o que se pretende é apenas popularidade (grande número de visitas) ou tirar alguma vantagem financeira, não se pode dizer que a glória de Deus está em primeiro lugar. Por outro lado, um blog que "espanta" visitantes pela verdade que diz, e continua a dizer a mesma verdade, está glorificando ao Senhor.

Este post não é para criticar os blogs nos quais a glória de Deus não é priorizada. O que me inspirou foram blogs nem tão famosos, nem tão bem visitados ou comentados, mas que não mudam para agradar, não pensam em entreter para reter, mas seguem firmes proclamando o evangelho da glória de Deus. Na verdade, invejo admiro tais blogs e glorifico a Deus pelos seus editores, procurando copiar seu exemplo.

Soli Deo Gloria

Christian blogging responsible: the glory of God

So whether you eat or drink, or may do something else, do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor 10:31

If a Christian does not keep a blog gets to be a ministry, nor should be a mere hobby. It should not be an end in itself but must serve a noble goal that is about to be chased, and Verica is being achieved. And no goal could be greater than this: to seek God's glory.

In Paul's words, "something else" includes "keeping a blog," despite being a modern thing. In the case of a blog that intends to spread the gospel, the glory of God should no longer be a goal, but the principal and to which all others must be subordinated. If God is not glorified by what we wrote or published, is vain and sinful all.

But how this would work in practice? Starting with the title of the blog, you should honor God and not man. Some titles of blogs call attention to the qualities of his publisher, and not for the truth of the gospel or the perfections of God. Does not mean in any way that a blog with the name of the author is wrong. There are excellent blogs with personal names (see my "Blog Friends"), when accessing it, just forget the author, because the truth expressed in reference to God and His Christ. But some blog names, unfortunately, gives the clear impression that the author is the last and principal of the 13 apostles.

But what really characterizes a blog that glorifies God is the content of their messages. If what the Bible says overlaps with what the blogger thinks, if the gospel is proclaimed that the error complained most, if salvation is said to be exclusively in Christ by grace through faith in the true and living God and Christian obedience is required by gratitude and love and not fear, then God is glorified by this. On the other hand, if the blog author is concerned to highlight human qualities - some fanciful - and salvation is presented as depending on something so crucial in this or done by man and the security of salvation is that the believer may fall and not God who holds or raises, then at least the Lord's glory is obscured.

Finally, the glory of the Lord in a blog transpires in what is expected with it. If the intention is just popularity (number of visits) or to take any financial advantage, we can not say that the glory of God is first. Moreover, a blog that "astounded" by visitors who actually says, and continues to tell the same truth is glorifying the Lord.

This post is not to criticize blogs for the glory of God is not prioritized. What inspired me were not so famous blogs, not so well visited and commented, but that does not change to please, do not think about entertaining to retain, but following strong proclaiming the gospel of the glory of God. In fact, I envy and admire these blogs glorify God by their publishers, trying to copy his example.

Em vez da verdadeira humildade, aprendemos certas palavras ou frases que, conforme pensamos, nos fazem parecer humildes: “Ah, pode acreditar, não me custa nada”, ou: “Qualquer um poderia ter feito isso”. Olhamos para baixo e encolhemos os ombros, ou talvez enrubescemos. Certamente, isto não é o que sentimos de verdade – por dentro nos congratulamos pelo quão humildes nos sentimos ou parecemos ser. Desejamos essa reputação, mas não sabemos como conseguir a humildade verdadeira. Como crianças que brincam usando as roupas de seus pais, apenas encenamos a humildade; porém, este tipo de atitude não é adequada a nós.

Joshua Harris,
no prefácio de: Humildade, a verdadeira grandeza

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Feigned humility

Instead of true humility, we learn that certain words or phrases as we think, make us humble opinion, "Oh, believe me, it costs me nothing," or "Anyone could have done that." We looked down and shrugged, or maybe blush. Certainly, this is not what we feel real - we welcome inside by how humble we feel or seem to be. We hope that reputation, but do not know how to achieve true humility. Like children playing by using the clothes of their fathers, staged only humility, but this kind of attitude is not appropriate for us.

C. J. Mahaney
Humility, true greatness

Deus tem dado dons aos homens de acordo com sua própria vontade e propósito. Aqueles que exercerem seus dons – sejam quais forem – honrarão a Cristo e levarão sua causa adiante. Dons comuns, exercidos por homens comuns, produzem resultados comuns. Todo o Corpo de Cristo depende desses resultados comuns. É através de resultados comuns que a Igreja avança de geração em geração.

Ocasionalmente, porém, Deus toma homens comuns e, através de seus esforços comuns, move de forma extraordinária para produzir resultados extraordinários. O dia de Pentecostes foi uma das ocasiões em que isso aconteceu. Aqueles que estavam reunidos no cenáculo foram pessoas como nós. Oraram como nós oramos. Esperaram em Deus como muitos cristãos hoje esperam em Deus. Contudo, Deus os visitou de forma estupenda, transformando seus débeis esforços num poderoso movimento que transtornou o mundo de sua época. A maravilha do Pentecostes não foi o caráter extraordinário dos homens que Deus usou nem os seus métodos, mas o Espírito Santo e os resultados que ele gerou.

Richard Owen Roberts
In: Revival

Ordinary men extraordinary Spirit

God has given gifts to men according to their own will and purpose. Those who exercise their gifts - whatever - will bring honor to Christ and his cause ahead. Common gifts exercised by ordinary men, they produce common results. The whole Body of Christ depend on these common results. It is through the common result that the Church moves from generation to generation.

Occasionally, however, God takes ordinary people and, through their joint efforts, moves dramatically to produce extraordinary results. The day of Pentecost was one of the occasions when this happened. Those who were gathered in the upper chamber were people like us. They prayed as we pray. They waited on God as many Christians hope in God today. However, God has visited so stupendous, transforming their feeble efforts into a powerful movement that overturned the world of his time. The wonder of Pentecost was not the extraordinary character of the men that God used, and its methods, but the Holy Spirit and the results he has generated.

God or mammon

Why, the world does not get you what God receives from the dedicated believer? As he seeks his blessings in God and rejoices in the hope of glory to come, you seek your blessings in prosperity and rejoices in the hope of prosperity here. While he seeks to comfort his soul with the vision of Christ, the angels and saints with whom he will live for eternity, you console with their wealth, being careful with their bills and bonds, with the vision of their money, their goods, their livestock, their homes and many of their possessions, and your mind entertains itself to think about their hopes, they will receive the favor of great men in the pleasure of having properties that guarantee a position of command and plenteous in great provision for your children after you are gone, the rise of your home, or in tribute to his inferiors you provide.

What about the future sins?

Many of God's people are edgy and upset about that. They understand how all the sins they committed before they received Christ as their Savior are forgiven, but often are not free of doubts with respect to the sins they commit after they were born again. Many assume that it is possible for them to sin in a way that put them beyond forgiveness that God gave them.

Assume that the blood of Christ is only with their past, and that as far as regards the present and the future, they have to care for themselves. But that figure would be a forgiveness that can be taken from me at any time? Certainly there can be no peace established when my acceptance with God and my trip to heaven is made dependent on my cling to Christ, or my obedience and fidelity.

Blessed be God that he grants forgiveness covers all sins - past, present and future. Friend believer, Christ has not carried the "their" sins in His own body on the tree? And their sins were not all come when he died? Certainly, because at that time you were not born, and had not committed any sin at all.

Very well then: Christ truly took your sins "future" as far as their past sins. What does the word of God teaches that the soul is unbelieving is taken place without forgiveness where that is on.

Christians are a forgiven people. The Holy Spirit says: "Blessed is the man whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Rom. 4.8). The believer is in Christ, sin and there will never be charged again. This is our place or position before God.

God speaks and acts

Certainly, there are also home, even in the midst of temptation. Now, God makes things always go uphill, downhill and, soon, again, up the hill. It is night, now it's day, and soon returns to night, and not always day. Day and night follow one another, so now is night and day and is now, right away, it is night again. That's how he governs his Christian church, as shown by the stories of the Old and New Testament. And that is called virtue, namely that the Lord is not a counselor and consoler of those who merely words and do nothing further. No, it also helps for everything to be overcome. When we are in the midst of temptation, he gives us his faithful counsel and strengthens us with his words, lest they faint from weakness, but we can stand. Now, when it is time and we have suffered enough, he puts on our side with his power and of overcoming the critical moment and come out victorious. We need both: the advice to sustain and comfort us in sorrow, or consolation amid the temptations and sufferings, not to succumb, but have hope and patience. That's how he directs all Christendom. That's how he governs. Who know that, do not know what it means to have Christ the King

Reformers and predestination

All of the sixteenth century reformers argued for strict doctrine of predestination. This is true even as Melanchthon, in his early period.

Luther accepted the doctrine of predestination, although the conviction that God wanted all men to be saved led to somewhat weaken the doctrine of predestination in recent years of its existence. She was gradually disappearing from the Lutheran theology, believes that now the totally or partially (disapproval) as conditional. Calvin held firmly the Augustinian doctrine of double predestination and absolute. Meanwhile, in his defense of the doctrine against Pighius, gave emphasis to the fact that the decree concerning the entrance of sin into the world was a permissive decree, and that the decree of reprobation must have been designed so that God was not the author of sin, nor responsible for this in any way.

Confessions Reformed (Calvinists) are remarkably cohesive in the incorporation of this doctrine, while not present it all with the same fullness and precision. As a result of the onslaught against the Arminian doctrine, the Canons of Dort contains a thorough exposition of it. In the churches of the Arminian type, the doctrine of predestination was supplanted by the doctrine of predestination parole.

Avivamento é uma ação sobrenatural que flui soberanamente da mão de Deus. É o próprio Vivificador agindo na vida íntima de sua igreja. Ninguém pode produzir avivamento ou fabricar seus resultados. Podemos orar por ele, chorar por ele, arrepender-nos dos nossos pecados e esperar pelo mover de Deus, mas não podemos fazer o avivamento acontecer.

Esforços humanos por meio de propaganda e estratégias promocionais, música eletrônica, listas de visita computadorizadas ou simples empenho e dedicação, em si mesmos, não produzirão avivamento. Tudo isso pode ser bom em seu devido contexto, mas não é suficiente para produzir uma visitação de Deus na igreja.

Avivamento genuíno é o mover extraordinário do Espírito Santo que traz profunda convicção de pecado e uma obra muito mais ampla de purificação espiritual em nossa vida. No avivamento, a glória de Deus é manifesta e sua presença é evidente. A igreja inteira fica incendiada!

Avivamento restaura o primeiro amor por Cristo. Repõe o foco exclusivamente nele, e só nele. Redireciona as energias para servir somente a ele. Reorganiza as prioridades para obedecer somente a ele. Avivamento genuíno traz de volta a glória de Deus que tantas vezes tem-se afastado de nós. Restaura a alegria do nosso relacionamento com Deus e uns com os outros.

Del Fehsenfeld Jr.
In: Ablaze With His Glory

Sovereignty and revival

Revival is a supernatural action that flows from the sovereign hand of God. The very act revives the inner life of his church. Nobody can produce or manufacture their revival results. We pray for him, crying for him, repent of our sins and wait for the move of God, but we can not make revival happen.

Human efforts through advertising and promotional strategies, electronic music, playlists or visit computed simple commitment and dedication, in themselves, will not produce revival. All this can be good in its proper context, but not enough to produce a visitation of God in the church.

Genuine revival is the extraordinary move of the Holy Spirit that brings deep conviction of sin and a much broader work of spiritual purification in our lives. In revival, God's glory is manifest and its presence is evident. The whole church is burned down!

Revival restores the first love for Christ. Resets the focus solely on him, and him alone. Redirect energies to serve him only. Reorganizes priorities to obey only him. Genuine revival brings back the glory of God that is so often away from us. Restore the joy of our relationship with God and with each other.

Gospel easy and spiritual abuse

The rapid population growth dictates Gospel in Brazil, which according to IBGE already accounts for 24% of Brazilians, far more religious than the slice has expanded in recent years, produces distortions of all kinds. Pastors unprepared, owners of a curriculum obscure, are lost to the need to preach messages to all ears and collaborate for the diversion route. Many of those who are arriving to swell the statistics are excited with the teachings of a gospel easy, learning to follow Jesus is to walk head high and always be a winner. After all, he beat to death! With that in mind, follows Christ to get rich, because we are all children of a King, the heirs of all sorts of privileges. Following him is way out of poverty is getting the job, promotion or even prevent cancer, paralysis, disaster. Nobody wants to decrease. Everyone wants to grow and, if possible, to live a Hollywood life.

(...)

One of the distortions, the target of this story is one that involves spiritual leadership. Biblical figure of protection and guidance, the pastor turned to many evangelicals an intermediary between God and men. So, is adopted, half naked which both criticizes the Catholic devotion to saints and the pope, one of their practices more opposed. Catholics, at least, elect to refer noble historical figures who have marked his time for proven acts of selflessness and service to others. Evangelicals, however, are enchanted by the idolatry of images cockroaches.

E Jesus, respondendo, disse-lhes: Tende fé em Deus"
Mc 11:22

Já tive oportunidade de falar que a fé não é algo inerente ao homem, mas que ela é sempre recebida de Deus. A graça não desperta uma fé latente no homem, pelo contrário, a fé acompanha o evangelho e vem ao homem. O texto de Ef 2:8 é prova de que a fé, como tudo o mais que faz parte da salvação, é dom de Deus. Neste breve artigo, quero chamar a atenção para um detalhe na passagem em epígrafe, que corrobora a verdade de que a fé procede de Deus.

As traduções em português são unânimes em verter εχετε πιστιν θεου (échete pístin Theoú) como "tende fé em Deus" (ACF, ARC, ARA, NVI, NTLH). A maioria das Bíblias em inglês igualmente traz "have faith in God" (KJV, NIV, NASB, etc). A NIV informa que alguns manuscritos trazem "if you have faith in God". Longe de mim pensar que todos tradutores e comissões de tradução fizeram um mau trabalho. Não pretendo corrigir nenhuma tradução, apenas apontar um detalhe que pode ter ficado obscurecido nelas.

Uma análise morfológica da frase "échete pístin Theoú" indica que o caso do substantivo pístin é acusativo e Theoú está no genitivo. O acusativo no grego corresponde ao nosso objetivo e serve principalmente para indicar o objeto direto do verbo. Já genitivo grego corresponde ao nosso caso possessivo e denota propriedade, posse, origem. Em português é indicado nas maioria dos casos com palavra "de". Logo, uma tradução mais formal traria "tende a fé que é/vem de Deus".

De fato, alguma traduções em inglês traduzem a expressão dessa forma. A Complete Jewish Bible traz "have de kind of trust that comes from God", as Young Literal Translation e a Douay-Rheims grafam "have faith of God" e a Bible in Basic English "have God's faith". Em Português, a Almeida Revista, Corrigida e Anotada indica que a tradução literal é "tende fé de Deus", tradução semelhante a da Bíblia Literal do Texto Tradicional.

Alguns comentaristas admitem este ponto. Scofield traz em nota "tende fé de Deus, isto é, a fé que Deus dá". Adam Clark reconhece que o original é "fé de Deus", mas defende que "échete píntin Theoú é um mero hebraísmo: tende a fé de Deus, isto é, tende uma fé forte ou tenham a fé mais forte", no que é apoiado por Barnes, que comenta que o grego traz "literalmente 'tende fé de Deus'. Isto significa tende uma fé forte".

É claro que não se pode fundamentar uma doutrina num versículo, menos ainda num detalhe sintático. Mas acredito que "tende fé de Deus" está alinhado com o ensino geral das Escrituras de que a fé é um dom de Deus.

Soli Deo Gloria

Have faith in God or have faith in God?

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. Mc 11:22

I already say that faith is not something inherent in man, but she is always received from God. Grace does not awaken a latent faith in man, on the contrary, faith comes with the gospel and come to man. The text of Ephesians 2:8 is proof that faith, like everything else that is part of salvation is God's gift. In this brief article, I draw attention to a detail in the above passage, which corroborates the truth that faith comes from God.

Translations in Portuguese are unanimous in shedding εχετε πιστιν θεου (échete pistine Theou) as "have faith in God" (ESV, KJV, NASB, NIV, NCV). Most of the Bibles in English also has "Have faith in God" (KJV, NIV, NASB, etc). The NIV states that some manuscripts have "if You Have faith in God." Far from me to think that all translators and translation committees have done a bad job. I do not intend to correct any translation, just point out a detail that may have been obscured them.

A morphological analysis of the phrase "échete pistine Theou" indicates that if the noun is accusative and pistine Theou is in the genitive. The accusative in Greek corresponds to our goal and serves mainly to indicate the direct object of the verb. Longer corresponds to our Greek genitive possessive case and denotes ownership, possession, origin. In Portuguese is indicated in most cases with the word "of". Therefore, a more formal translation would "tend to faith that is / comes from God."

In fact, some English translations translate the phrase that way. The Complete Jewish Bible brings "have the kind of trust That comes from God," the Young Literal Translation Douay-Rheims and spell "Have faith of God" and Bible in Basic Português "Have God's faith." In Portuguese, the King James, Corrected and Annotated states that the literal translation is "have faith in God," similar to translation of the Bible Literal Traditional Text.

Some commentators concede this point. Scofield brings in a note "have faith in God, that is, faith that God gives." Adam Clark acknowledges that the original is "faith in God," but argues that "échete píntin Theou is a mere Hebraism: have faith in God, that is, have a strong faith or no faith stronger," in which is supported by Barnes, who comments that the Greek has "literally" have faith in God. "This means having a strong faith."

Of course you can not base a doctrine on a verse, much less a syntactic detail. But I believe that "have faith in God" is aligned with the general teaching of Scripture that faith is a gift from God.

“Assim como a temeridade e a superficialidade se unem à ignorância e à obscuridade, dificilmente se encontra uma única pessoa que não tenha inventado para si mesma um ídolo ou espectro no lugar de Deus. Com toda a certeza, assim como as águas brotam de uma fonte vasta e completa, da mesma forma uma imensa multidão de deuses emerge da mente humana, enquanto cada um, vagueando por aí com excesso de licenciosidade, erroneamente inventa isto ou aquilo a respeito do próprio Deus”

João Calvino
In: Institutas da Religião Cristã

Idolaters compulsive

"Just as the shallowness and the temerity to join the ignorance and obscurity, is hardly a single person who did not invent for herself a place in the spectrum or idol of God. Surely, as the waters spring from a vast source and complete, just as a vast multitude of gods emerge from the human mind, while each one, wandering around with excessive licentiousness, erroneously invented this or that about God himself "

“O maior inimigo da fome de Deus não é o veneno e, sim, a torta de maçã. Não é o banquete dos ímpios que embota o nosso apetite pelo céu, é o incessante beliscar à mesa do mundo. Não é o vídeo obsceno, mas o gotejar de trivialidades no horário nobre que bebericamos todas as noites. Apesar de todo o mal que Satanás tem potencial para nos fazer, quando Deus descreve as coisas que poderão nos privar do banquete do seu amor, descobrimos que a lista contém um terreno, uma junta de bois e uma esposa (Lc 14.18-20). Os maiores adversários do nosso amor por Deus não são os inimigos dele – são suas dádivas a nós. E os desejos mais letais não são os apetites pelo veneno do mal, mas pelos simples prazeres terrenos. Pois quando substituem o apetite pelo próprio Deus, a idolatria é difícil de ser reconhecida e quase incurável".

John Piper

Loss of appetite

"The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison, and yes, apple pie. Not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, is the incessant nipping at the table of the world. The video is not obscene, but the trickle of trivia in prime time that sipped every night. Despite all the evil that Satan has the potential to make us, when God describes things that can deprive us of the banquet of his love, we find that the list contains a field, a team of oxen and a wife (Luke 14.18-20). The biggest opponents of our love for God are not his enemies - is their gift to us. And desires are not the most lethal poison appetites for evil, but the simple earthly pleasures. Because when they replace their appetite for God himself, the idolatry is difficult to be recognized and almost incurable"

O Espírito Santo é o autor de avivamento, tanto no sentido individual quanto no coletivo. É o ministério dele que produz no cristão a sensação de necessidade, que leva uma congregação ao arrependimento, que conduz uma comunidade inteira à transformação. Ele convence o mundo do pecado, da justiça e do juízo, porém muitos cristãos dependem somente de sua consciência ao invés de buscar uma consciência iluminada pela Palavra de Deus e vivificada pelo Espírito do Senhor.

A obra do Espírito, portanto, é mostrar ao pecador a extensão de suas falhas, apontar o padrão perfeito da justiça em Cristo e adverti-lo do inevitável juízo divino. Ele executa um trabalho semelhante no coração do cristão, convencendo-o de carnalidades e falhas, estimulando-o à entrega completa, à apropriação da justiça de Cristo para sua vida diária e advertindo-o do tribunal de Cristo, onde poderá receber um galardão ou sofrer perda.

É ao Espírito Santo que o cristão precisa recorrer se quiser que seu coração sedento encontre avivamento. Tal bênção depende de purificação, que depende, por sua vez, de confissão; a confissão só é possível quando há convicção e esta, por fim, só vem quando o próprio Espírito de Deus sonda e vasculha o coração.

J. Edwin Orr
My All, His All by

The Holy Spirit is the author of revival

The Holy Spirit is the author of revival in both the individual and the collective sense. It is his ministry that produces Christian in the sense of need, which leads a congregation to repentance that leads to processing an entire community. He convicts the world of sin, justice and the court, but many Christians depend only on their conscience instead of seeking a conscience enlightened by the Word of God and quickened by the Spirit of the Lord.

The work of the Spirit, therefore, is to show the sinner the extent of their flaws, pointing out the perfect standard of righteousness in Christ and warn him of the inevitable court divine. It performs similar work in the heart of the Christian, convinced him of carnality and failures, encouraging him to complete delivery, the appropriation of Christ's righteousness to their daily life and warning him of the court of Christ, where you can receive a reward or suffer loss.

It is the Holy Spirit that the Christian must turn if you want your heart to find thirsty revival. Such a blessing depends on purification, which depends, in turn, confession, the confession is only possible when there is conviction and this ultimately comes only when the Spirit of God and probe scans the heart.

Tempted because of the election

"Tell the dejected heart, Be strong, fear not." (v. 4)

If someone is too afraid that is not God's chosen one, or is tried because of his election, should give thanks for this fear and be glad that you fear, as you may know for sure that God can not lie, he who said: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit," that is, the spirit of desperation. "Heart broken and contrite not despise, O God" (Psalm 51.17). Who is afraid, so he knows from experience. Therefore, must embark resolutely on the truthfulness of God who makes the promise, must forget, forget even the threat of God, and then will be saved and elected.

Who does not have purified the spirit should not indulge in this kind of meditation, lest he fall into the abyss of terror and despair. But instead, it should purify their hearts by the contemplation of the wounds of Christ.

This wine is a very strong and more complete meal, perfect for heavy food, or theology in the real sense of the word, which the Apostle speaks in Corinthians 2.6: "We display wisdom among those tested." But I'm young child that needs milk. To follow my example who joined me in the small child. Sure enough there in the wounds of Christ.

Martin Luther
In: Sermon on Isaiah 35:10

Sou fã da Google e usuário de todos da maioria dos seus serviços. O Gmail é melhor que Hotmail e Yahoo! juntos, o Blogger bate fácil o Wordpress e ainda não surgiu uma ferramenta de busca para rivalizar com o Google (que aliás, está de cara nova). Sem falar do Picasa, Mapas, Docs, Livros, Acadêmico e mais uma infinidade de serviços. Por outro lado, para os alarmistas de plantão, se tem um candidato com potencial sério para anticristo, é a Google.

Quem acessou o serviço de busca ontem, deve ter observado o doodle que ilustra este artigo. Ele está aqui apenas por causa das tulipas, que são o símbolo da Holanda e do calvinismo, por causa do acróstico TULIP, referente aos cincos pontos. Infelizmente, foi o doodle mais próximo do calvinismo que vi, mesmo assim, não intencional, pois a homenagem é para as mães. Ah, para quem ainda não sacou, doodles ("rabiscos") são aquelas artes comemorativas e de personalidades, que substituem o logotipo na ferramenta de busca. São sempre criativas e divertidas, mas nem sempre justas.

Como gosto da Google e me divirto com os doodle feitos, fico decepcionado por nós cristãos sermos pouco lembrados por ela. Ainda mais quando vemos que alguns homenageados são famosos pelo anonimato. Justiça seja feita, alguns são pessoas conhecidas e caras em determinados países ou regiões, e a Google regionaliza boa parte dos doodles. Mas, quando se considera os publicados globalmente, não tem como explicar a falta de alguns nomes, considerando a presença de outros.

Parece-me que a Google valoriza as artes, pois artistas consagrados são os mais frenquentes, tais como pintores como Picasso, Michelângelo, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Magritte, Pollock, Escher e Chagall, escritores como Shakespeare, Neruda, Conan Doyle, Cervantes, Andersen, músicos tais como Mozart, Chopin, Vivaldi, Verdi, Pavarotti, Ray Charles e até Michel Jackson e cineastas como Hitchcock e Kurosawa, são temas comuns dos doodle Google. Cientistas e inventores como Einstein, Newton, Graham Bell, Darwin, Morse, Ørsted e grandes vultos, como Gandi e Martin Luther King também foram homenageados, este último o campeão de presença, com seis homenagens nos 11 anos de doodle.

Países também são homenageados, sendo que o Brasil foi lembrado várias vezes sempre pelo dia da Independência e pelo carnaval. Mas quando o Rio foi escolhido para a Olimpíada de 2016, o Google exibiu um doodle comemorativo. Tem algumas bobagens também, como homenagens ao Popeye, Pinóchio, Dilbert, Asterix e Tetris. Até o número Pi foi lembrado. Além disso, há aquelas personalidades que só mesmo fazendo uma busca no Google para saber de quem quem se trata: digite "quem" seguido de um dos seguintes nomes para conhecer Kawabata Yasunari, Hélène Boucher, Ľudovít Štúr's, Sabiha Gökçen, Mary Cassatt, Chen Jingrun, Nageeb Fahouz e Karen Blixen entre outros ilustres desconhecidos (por mim, pelos menos).

Mas a minha maior decepção mesmo foi no dia 10 de julho de 2009. Para quem não sabe, é o dia em que se comemorou os 500 anos de João Calvino. Esperava ver um doodle alusivo à data, e não é que tinha, mas homenageava Nikola Tesla, um cientista genial e excêntrico, inventor do rádio e autor de vários desenvolvimentos na área de eletromagnetismo. Portanto, merecida a homenagem, apesar de seu comportamento estranho dar orgiem à peseudociências, teorias sobre OVNIs e as primeiras formas de ocultismo da Nova Era. Já Calvino, pela sua vida e obra, pela qual influenciou nações, merecia muito mais que Tesla o doodle do seu dia.

Soli Deo Gloria

Google would be the Calvinist?

I'm a fan of Google and user of all the majority of its services. Gmail is better than Hotmail and Yahoo together, Blogger and Wordpress the easy beats yet emerged a search engine to rival Google (which incidentally, has a new look). Not to mention Picasa, Maps, Docs, Books, Academic, and an infinity of other services. Moreover, for the alarmists on duty, has a serious potential candidate for antichrist, is Google.

Who accessed the search service yesterday, should have noticed the doodle that illustrates this article. He is here only because of tulips, which are the symbol of Holland and of Calvinism, because of the acrostic TULIP, referring to the five points. Unfortunately, it was the closest doodle of Calvinism that I saw, yet unintentional, as the tribute is for the mothers. Ah, for those who have not yet understood, doodles (scribbles) are those arts commemorative and personalities, which replace the logo on the search engine. They are always creative and fun, but not always fair.

As I like Google and have fun with doodle made, I am disappointed that we Christians be little remembered by her. Even more honored when we see that some are famous for anonymity. To be fair, some people are known and expensive in certain countries or regions, regionalization and much of Google doodles. But when one considers the published globally, can not explain the lack of some names, considering the presence of others.

It seems to me that Google values the arts, because established artists are the most frenquentar such as painters like Picasso, Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Magritte, Pollock, Chagall Escher and writers like Shakespeare, Neruda, Conan Doyle, Cervantes Andersen, musicians such as Mozart, Chopin, Vivaldi, Verdi, Pavarotti, Ray Charles and even Michael Jackson and filmmakers such as Hitchcock and Kurosawa, are common themes of the Google doodle. Scientists and inventors like Einstein, Newton, Graham Bell, Darwin, Morse, Ørsted and great figures such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King were also honored, the latter the champion of presence, with six honors in the 11-year-doodle.

Countries are also honored, while Brazil was recalled several times when the Independence Day and the carnival. But when the river was chosen for the Olympics in 2016, Google displayed a commemorative doodle. He has some nonsense as well, as homage to Popeye, Pinocchio, Dilbert, Asterix and Tetris. Even the number Pi was remembered. Moreover, there are those personalities that just even doing a Google search to know who who he is: type "who" followed by one of the following names to hear Kawabata Yasunari, Hélène Boucher, Ľudovít Stur's, Sabiha Gokcen, Mary Cassatt, Chen Jingrun, Nageeb Fahouz and Karen Blixen and others unheard (by me at least).

But my biggest disappointment was that on July 10, 2009. For those unaware, is the day we celebrated the 500th anniversary of John Calvin. Expected to see a doodle elusive to date, and is not had, but named after Nikola Tesla, an eccentric and brilliant scientist, inventor of radio and author of several developments in the field of electromagnetism. Therefore, deserved the honor, despite his bizarre behavior to the peseudociências orgies, and theories on UFOs and the first forms of New Age occultism Already Calvin, for his life and work, which influenced the nation, deserved much more than the Tesla doodle of his day.

Aqui, talvez, surjam objeções, isto é, se a preservação dos crentes depende tanto de Deus, então será que precisam ser cuidadosos com o seu modo de viver, uma vez que sua segurança final está garantida? Foi exatamente assim que satanás tentou nosso Senhor. "Se tu és o Filho de Deus, lança-te daqui abaixo... aos seus anjos ele dará ordem a teu respeito" (Mat. 4:6). Nosso Senhor - que não tinha a menor dúvida a respeito do cuidado do Seu Pai para com Ele - rejeitou o argumento de satanás com repulsa, porque estava baseado num uso errado das Escrituras.

Abraham Booth
In: Deus guardará seguro os crentes até o fim

Safety and Care

Here, perhaps, objections arise, namely the preservation of believers depends both on God, then they will need to be careful with his way of living, since their ultimate safety is assured? That is exactly how Satan tempted our Lord. "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down ... he will give his angels charge concerning thee" (Matt. 4:6). Our Lord - that he had not the slightest doubt regarding the care of His Father to Him - rejected the argument of Satan with disgust, because it was based on a misuse of Scripture.

Abraham Booth
In: God keep you safe believers until the end

"Keeping faith and good conscience" 1Th 1:19

When it comes to the diversity of sins which continue within the saints in this life, we must not turn our eyes to the secret election, or providence, or predestination, it is also called. For the discussions that lead only to doubt, self-confidence or despair. If you are elected, so it is argued, any fall can harm you, and you always stay on the grace and can not perish. If you were not elected, his case is lost. These are terrible words, and it is unfair to make someone think so. The gospel, by contrast, shows us the word of God expressed in which he reveals his will and through which he wants to be known and acting. It is undisputed that the word of God punishes the sins and makes a distinction with sin and shows us the Savior Jesus Christ. This spoken word must be taken into account and through it we reach the conclusion that we are in grace or not.

Martin Luther

Self-sufficiency of God

The Almighty God, because it is powerful, no need of support. The portrait of a god nervous and obsequious, flattering men to win their favor we do not like at all, but if we examine the popular notion of God, we will come to precisely that conclusion.

Christianity in the twentieth century called God as "in need of our charity." Our beliefs about ourselves is so conceited that we think pretty easy and even enjoyable, believe that God needs us. But the truth is that in no way glorifies God because we exist, nor diminish if we left to be. Our existence is the result of totally free determination of God, and we should not our own merit or the divine necessity.

The most painful thought for our natural selfishness is probably recognize that God does not need our help. We represent the Father as a busy, eager, somewhat frustrated, running to and fro seeking whom the help realize his plan of benevolent peace and salvation to the world. But as well said Lady Julian: "I saw truly that God does everything in the least."

The God who works all things certainly do not need help or aid.

A. W. Tozer
In: Self-sufficiency of God