One early morning
Abraham and Issac
Took a trip to a place
God had provided
Seeing from the distance
The place God had chosen
He placed the wood
On his son’s shoulders
Author: Jacinta da Cruz Rodgers
I have been committed to teaching the truth of the Word of God beginning with Trans World Radio on Bonaire, N.A and Swaziland, Africa (1969-1980), then through churches in the United States in both English and Portuguese and then through ministry in Israel (2005-2006). This ministry continues through local Bible studies and outreach to the world via the internet.
I have written a book about my life from that of an orphan in Brazil to missionary in 5 countries. You can find out more on the "Book" page of our blog site.
Under His Wings I Delight to Sit
God’s banner- the protecting and comforting covering over us is His love. Under His wings we find a place of refuge and strength as the storm passes by, with faith, believing that He is preparing us a place; and someday, not far away, He will come for us with the loud cry of summons, with the voice of the Archangel and with the blast of His trumpet. (John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 2:16). Under His wings, oh glorious feeling that is, being covered with His peace! The Lord has promised complete peace for those whose minds are set on Him with trust. In the midst of chaos and confusion, YAHSHUA’S promise is certain and comforting: Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God believe also in Me….I am going to prepare a place for you, come back to fetch you, so that where I am you will be also.(John 14:1-3). The beauty of God’s love through YAHSHUA’S words fills our hearts with peace. Under His presence we find comfort and refuge in times of storm. Only by being close to Him will we be the recipient of His protection. There is no better place to be than close to Him, as we read in Psalm 91:1: those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High, shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty.
Planting Seeds
(Galatians 6:7; Numbers 32:23)
. . . But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against God and know that your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23).
Life is a tool for planting seeds wherever we go, whatever we do, or say. In fact, we are marked by our past, through the seeds we plant and fruits we harvest- good or bad. It is like nail on a board; although the nail is removed, its mark remains. We plant seeds from the time we know between good and evil. Every seed we plant carries consequences affecting our future. Moses, the servant of God, warned Israel a few times about the consequences of their disobedience, saying: Behold, you have sinned against God and know that your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23). The seed of disobedience is a spirit of rebellion against God. Its consequences will follow us as long as we live, for it will bear fruits of all kinds that will affect our future, if not dealt with. Rebellion is defiance; it is a refusal to submit to established authority. A clear example of it is Satan leading the angels’ revolt against God, resulting in a consequential outcome for mankind, when our first parents fell prey to him. From that time on, mankind has been indirectly planting generational seeds. However, we do plant seeds marked by our choice of decision we make every day. Whatever we sow, that we will reap many times over. We can never plant a seed and gather only one fruit. It just does not work that way in nature; it does not happen in life, either. For this reason, the Apostle Paul instructed us not to be deceived, God will not be mocked, for whatever we sow, that we will harvest. The law of sowing and reaping in life it is certain as it is in nature.
At the Point of My Need
(Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:13)
And YAHSHUA went without food for forty days and forty nights, and later He was hungry (vs 2). At the point of YAHSHUA’S need, Satan appeared to Him with his suggestion, knowingly exactly Who YAHSHUA was. “If You are God’s Son, command these stones to be made bread” (vs. 3). Trying his sarcastic and doubtful way, “If you are the son of God” to entice YAHSHUA to fall into his trap. YAHSHUA knew Who He was and so did he. This was a temptation within a temptation. He used the old scheme when he first tempted man with doubt. To Eve he said, “Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1) He created the need for Eve and Adam to fall into the temptation of being like God.
YAHSHUA was and is the Bread of life that satisfied and continues to satisfy all who hungers after Him. In His humanity, He was hungry, but His Spirit could never have been weak in the sense that He was God. As He said bread alone does not maintain life, but every Word that derives from the mouth of God. Man’s needs are both in the physical as well as in the spiritual levels. Bread alone does not satisfy the need of the soul neither will it meet the spiritual need of men. Seek first the Kingdom of God, YAHSHUA commanded us, for the physical need to be met. It will be from the spiritual level that our physical needs will be met.
He Who Guards His Mouth
Mouth, Tongue = Words
(Proverbs 13:3; Psalm 19:14; I Peter 3:10)
“He who guards his mouth keeps his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” A loose tongue has the power to destroy a city. It is like fire out of control when no one can tame it. Solomon said these in the book of Proverbs: These six things the Lord hates; indeed, seven are an abomination to Him. (1) proud look (2) a lying tongue, (3) hands that shed blood, (4) a heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans (5) feet that are swift in running for evil (6) a false witness that breathes out lies and (7) he who sows discord among his brethren (Prov. 6: 16-19). Out of seven three has to do with the tongue – mouth, being the seventh the one God abominates. When the human heart is evil, evil will come out of the mouth. The mouth is the door from which the heart expresses itself. When rebuking the Pharisees of His time, YAHSHUA said, You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things. But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle word they speak. For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced (Matt. 12: 34-37). When we perceive evil coming out of someone’s mouth, we understand that his heart is full of it. Although one cannot see what is going on the heart of man, one can see it through the hearing of the ears.
It Was Good
Seasons of Life
Life in its beginning displays spring
When nature awakens from the cold
Of gray of winter months
A time when all creatures express life
Nature shows colors in their flowers
Little birds fluff their wing trying to fly
Rabbits leave their holes
The whole world is in celebration of colors
Stand Firm in The Faith to be Able To Stand
(Isaiah 7: 1-9)
“If you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7: 9b). The confederacy planned against Ahaz King of Judah could not succeed because the Lord emphatically had said that it would not happen; It was emphatic because He had it said it twice. Two, or three, even four against one is powerless when the Lord God is not on their side. No king is saved by the great size and power of his army; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength, a horse is devoid of value for victory; neither does he deliver any by his great power. Behold, the Lord’s eye is upon those who fear Him, who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving kindness (Ps. 33:16-18). The Lord assured King Ahaz of his deliverance with a warning: If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all (vs.9b). Faith was the factor for King Ahaz to succeed, and it is for us today. Faith, the Word of God says, Is the victory that overcomes the world. It is the victory that overcomes any challenge that comes to us. Standing in faith is having a shield covering to protect us against the enemy. Paul admonishes us to lift up the shield of saving faith, upon which we can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. When the plans from the evil one against us are without basis, they will not succeed, for we are secured in God’s shelter.
The Word of God said, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all!” It is faith that assures us the equilibrium we need to stand firmly in place. YAHSHUA assured Peter His prayer for him, when the devil asked Him permission to sift Peter, as wheat is sifted. He said, I prayed for you that your faith will not fail. These words from YAHSHUAconnect well with the words we read above. Faith is a very important factor in our daily lives for us to see the results we are looking for. When we approach our Lord, we must approach Him in faith, believing that He exists and there is nothing impossible for Him. Faith that moves mountains does not have to be big; YAHSHUA describes it as big as a mustard seed. Faith is very powerful when exercised by the believer in his prayer. The Bible says that the earnest prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available. Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months (James 5:16b-17). Faith is an active part of the armor of God, for it is the weapon that will quench the flammable darts of the enemy. Faith makes things move in direction to God and compels Him to act in our favor. Without faith, we cannot apply the full armor of God, which is essential for us to take the first step against the enemy. And without it, it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6).
The Lampstand For the Lord
You are the light of the world; a city situated on a hill cannot be hidden; no one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house; Let your light so shine, says the Lord, so that men may see your good works and glorify the heavenly Father; (Matt. 5:14-16).
YAHSHUA told the disciples, You are the light of the world. That means, live truthfully, speak truthfully, and act truthfully. In other words, live in such way that your light will point to God and men’s eyes will be opened to see God in you, and the glory will be given to Him, as a result. In our actions and words, the light in us must reflect the source, not our doings. The fact of the matter is in whatever we say and do there must be the reflection of the LIGHT of His Holy Spirit in us.
Faith in the Testing of Time
(Genesis 22; Job 1:8-9; I Peter 1: 7)
Blessed is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him (James 1:12).
“For when he has stood the test and been approved” there will be a crown waiting for him, the crown of life which has been promised by God Himself to those who love Him, shown in action of obedience and endurance. The crown of life is the crown that will be given to those who endure trials and martyrdom for their faith. “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
In his testing of faith, the Patriarch Abraham answered the Lord’s calling by saying, Here I am! This is such a gesture of submission it cannot be ignored. Abraham had a friend’s relationship with God. His walk of faith confirmed it, and the fact that God Himself so expressed in Genesis 18:19: For I have known him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him. Abraham did not know about the test of faith he was about to go through at God’s calling his name. “Here I am” he answered. The Lord then commanded him saying, Take your son, your only son, whom you loveand go to the region of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I will tell you ( Gen. 22:2).
Light from the Word 