Moses was used to teach us how we should proceed in our daily lives and what we need to avoid in order to remain in the Lord's Covenant, which covers all areas of our lives. The Covenant was intended for those who were standing in that crowd before God and for those who were not yet present. So, we understand that the Covenant would embrace those who came after that generation and those who followed, including us today.

           By indulging in the practices of the ungodly, who did not love the Lord but false gods, the rebels allowed a root to produce all kinds of poisonous and bitter herbs, capable of leading man to commit atrocities. This is why there are cases of marital infidelity, homosexuality, drug addiction and all kinds of mistakes. Those who turn a blind eye to the warnings of the Most High become weak and susceptible to sin and suffer the consequences (Romans 1:21-32).

       The Lord warned His people of something very serious, which we must heed. He spoke to Cain when He saw him with a sad countenance. Why was he like that? Because his offer was rejected, but Abel's was accepted. Now, Abel was righteous and didn't give his offering so that Cain would be despised, but his offering was. God said to him: If you do well, will you not be acceptable? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it (Genesis 4.7).

        Cain's mistake was choosing anything to give to God. What you give to the Most High must be the best. Even if the cost is high, the right thing to do is to obey Him. Even in the act of giving, we must have the Lord's guidance, so that we act in the right way. Undoubtedly, what we offer to the Father, after receiving His guidance, will never generate a loss, but rather a seed capable of producing more than we sow (2 Corinthians 9:6-13).

         The Word declares that Cain acted in this way because he was of the evil one (1 John 3:12). There were things in the heart of Adam's firstborn that had to be taken away so that he wouldn't be the world's first murderer. Those who belong to God always try to do their best, and that's why they have the strength not to fall into Satan's web. For those who serve the Most High from the heart, divine assistance will not be lacking when temptation comes (Psalm 91). Cain had already rejected other opportunities to rid himself of evil!

         Moses reminded them that they had lived in Egypt, where the Lord was not known and the one who was revered was the chief of lies, with his magicians and sorcerers. Wherever this is the case, the devil is in charge and everything wrong happens. When you consecrate yourself to God, ask for forgiveness for not believing or forgetting to do good works and cooperating with each other (read Hebrews 13 and 16).

           We must do everything we can to please God, without lying to Him, when He instructs us to give offerings, to love the weak and to obey His commandments. If the Father tells us something, it will be a blessing for our lives. No one will grow if they don't cooperate with the Lord. May He help you to overcome!

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

Message

         After understanding that Moses was used to describe the Lord, calling him a merciful God (Deuteronomy 4.31), our attention should turn to the teachings of the Bible; after all, they were not placed for nothing, but to save us from the hands of the enemy. We do not need to suffer or live dominated by sins, but rather follow the path that will lead us to prosper in everything. In Christ, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 2:14).

        Moses gave us a suggestion to make sure of the nature and honorability of the Lord and His Spirit, saying: “For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard (Deuteronomy 4.32). Abiding by the suggestion of the man who freed Israel from Egypt will give us certainty about Who our Father is!

        Let scholars show you something similar to the operations of the God of Israel, the reasons he had for taking Jacob's sons out of Egypt and taking them on a journey that no one made for 40 years in the desert, without a disease appearing among them: Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? (Deuteronomy 4.33). Everything happened so that we could know what the Lord is capable of doing in our favor!

          The works carried out by the Most High among the Egyptians are worthy of reflection, because in them we see how much He did for humanity. This is what Moses said: Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? (Deuteronomy 4.34) God is awesome!

         Why did the Lord instruct Moses to report everything he saw and heard from Him? Let us remember: Israel was made up of poor people, slaves and without the education of the other nations, but none of them had such a perfect code of conduct as Jacob's sons had: To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him. (Deuteronomy 4.35). There could only be Someone intelligent behind it!

        The deliverer of the slaves in Egypt did not use a physical or mental weapon, but the faith that reaches man when he hears the Word of God and meditates on it. Moses guaranteed that the Omnipotent would not abandon them, and this was seen in the wars they fought, where His participation was notorious. A tiny country was not defeated by larger, more powerful nations. When they sinned, they soon repented, and God did not destroy them.

           The reason for such love was that the Most High would never forget the Covenant made with His patriarchs. He is the Lord who makes an alliance with those who want to be happy here and in eternity. The Scriptures say that we must keep the words of the Covenant and fulfill them, to prosper in everything we do. The recipe works for you!

           In Christ with love,

           R.R. Soares

            This beautiful Word was sent to Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of the priest Aaron, when he performed the act of justice that prevented the Lord from consuming Israel's camp in the desert. On that occasion, the Moabite women had invited the Israelites to sacrifice to their gods, and they began to play the harlot with them (Numbers 25.1,2). It was a day of infamy and shame for God's people, who had been sanctified for 40 years in the desert. Most of them had been born in the deserts of sanctification!

         The unimaginable happened before the eyes of Moses and Israel: Balaam had seen a way to get something from Balak by convincing five Midianite princes to use their wives to corrupt the men of Israel. The prophet peddler had said: For there is no sorcery against Jacob, but they instructed the Moabite women to seduce with their immoral practices those who were being prepared for war (Numbers 23.23).

          They invited God's people to take part in the rituals of their land, and the Israelites went and ate, bowing down to their idols. Those people feasted on sexual filth of the worst kind. The Lord's wrath came in full strength, and 24,000 men from all the tribes of Israel who had joined Baal-Peor, the lord of the mountain, were hanged. We must take care of the young people who have been born into the church, because they are pure, so that they never fall into the traps of the peddler!

             When God's wrath was burning down on those who allowed themselves to be seduced, an Israelite, whose name was Zimri, from the tribe of Simeon, took a Midianite woman into his tent. Everyone wept and begged him not to do it, but he remained stubborn. Phinehas then took a spear and went into the tent, where the couple were having a forbidden conversation, and pierced them with the weapon, doing an act of justice. This exemplifies that God does not allow such an aberration (Numbers 25:1-9,14,15).

            Phinehas' act caused the Lord not to consume the entire congregation. This shows us that eternal judgment will come upon humanity. Today, we don't do exactly what Phinehas did, because the Most High doesn't command us to kill sinners, but to lead them to salvation. Things got to where the Most High wanted them to be when the sin of the world was suffered by Jesus on the cross (John 3:16). Whoever hears the Gospel and believes in Him is saved.

           Phinehas showed the same zeal as God, deflecting divine wrath and preventing the Lord from consuming the children of Israel. The reward of this servant of God is in store. Moses, commanded by the Almighty, said that the Lord's covenant of peace was being given to him. It's always like that with Heaven: a small deed brings a great reward. The heavenly Father knows what He is doing, so never fail to heed His call!

          Let's remember that the brothers of the past were ordered by the Most High to carry out tasks as they were told. These works symbolize what Christians have to do today. They were in the Covenant of death, and we are in the Covenant of freedom, of life. The apostle Paul spoke about our position: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). We are new creatures!

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

            Invalidating the covenant that Jesus made for us in His blood is the height of folly for a soul. Recognizing the devil as the lord of your life is the tragic decision of someone who sometimes wants to contradict parents and friends. The person who does this can only suffer from some kind of disorder, because a soul that has come to know the Lord will never want to live away from Him. If you are about to do this, stop, because you have entered the path of eternal destruction!

           Take a look at what the Most High says in verse 16 of Leviticus 26, and you'll come to the conclusion that your idea of despising the Lord is a bad one: Then I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. Let's study a little of this true statement, so that we know the danger of rebellion!

          Your mind will be irrevocably altered by the terror that will command it. Decide to return to the Lord and confess your sin. In the New Covenant, which grants every good thing, there is no such thing as: walking down the street scared of what might happen to you; always screaming at your family, without peace at home; sleeping and having nightmares; being afraid to buy or sell something, to get a job or get married, living without faith and in despair all the time (John 14.27). Pray!

            Phthisis, a kind of tuberculosis, is a corruption of the flesh and has its twin sisters, who damage parts of your body, as well as the character and love intended for all fellow human beings, regardless of color, size or social position. It destroys marriage and the happiness of those who are too young to understand what they have instilled in their subconscious. Certainly, the devil acts on those who break the Covenant signed through Jesus' sacrifice, or haven't heard anything about it yet!

            The burning fever is also physical, but it can be understood as the unbridled desires condemned by Scripture. These lead the rebel to commit abominations at any cost, which he will later regret (Romans 1:26; 1 Thessalonians 4:5). Only those who turn back to the Lord repent of such monstrosities. Far from God, the lost are unrepentant and relentless in their evil deeds, which will leave their mark on many innocent people. Never become irrational!

            Outside the Covenant, one becomes available to the devil. He sets the demonic tone that consumes them, and their actions are indomitable, insatiable and unscrupulous. The tenderness they received as a baby from their mother is thrown away, because what interests them is profit and sordid pleasure; after all, whoever has come to inhabit her heart is wicked. Her soul will never have peace, but great torment. Judgment will come!

           Many people want to be kind, good and prosperous, and so they plant their seed, but amazingly, their enemies - the demons - devour it. He who departs from the Covenant will never be able to eat the best of this land, but the righteous will (Isaiah 1:19). You just have to want it!

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

            The Lord's care for His people is great, which is why He told them not to make an alliance with the inhabitants of that land, who set a bad example for children and young people. Worldliness repudiates holiness and goodness and doesn't even care how the poor manage to survive. The wicked are given to evil and do not rejoice in purity and respect. Their end is eternal torment, but we must save them (Jude 1:20-23). 

          The religion of these people is perverted. They act like opportunists, wearing expensive clothes to deceive the simple, but their purpose is to satisfy their lust, carnality and other demonic feelings. So, they take over the governments of countries by force in order to get rich and do what they like best without being bothered. They have never had a plan for the recovery and salvation of the lost; on the contrary, they celebrate with them and support them in their mistakes.

           Their gods are pure lies, fabricated to use the misfits in order to have the backing of benefactors. These individuals are not interested in the situation of those in need and give them crumbs, wanting to be recognized as kind. They don't realize that one day they will be sitting in the defendant’s bench on the Last Judgement. The One who will judge them will be the Lord, Who was rejected by His preaching and His works, examples left for those who convert!

           These people still disrespect everyone today and have one goal: to live the way the devil wants them to, so they harm many people. They refuse to know the Lord, who will judge and condemn them. The Word became flesh and was born: Christ, the Son of God. He came to dethrone the demons who had usurped the power given to man (John 1:1-14; Acts 10:38). They prefer the defeated, without measuring the consequences of their filthy act. We prefer to love Jesus, the Savior!

           Many sacrifice their lives to the gods of the earth, who have done nothing but harm to those who served them in previous generations. For this reason, one of the Lord's commandments to man is not to ally himself with those who repel what is good and clean, indulging in moral filthiness and refusing the virtue that comes from fearing God. Whoever makes a pact with the enemy lives outside the control of the Kingdom of Good.

           Another reason why the Lord forbade the Israelites to join the inhabitants of the land was the danger that they would prostitute themselves spiritually, serving false gods. Whoever bows down to the devil becomes a slave to the power of hell, which corrupts man at every level (Romans 6:16). Because of the poison of the evil one, God gave such a command to the sons of Jacob. Divine justice is better!

             Whoever joins Satan speaks and participates in evil deeds, because that is the nature of the enemy: corrupted, with no chance of reversing his situation. If you are a servant of the Most High, never exchange your position in Christ for that of one who is subjugated by evil. God is the Greatest!

         In Christ, with love

         R. R. Soares

            After teaching the Israelites what they could and couldn't do, the Lord gave the following promise: So, you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you (Exodus 23.25). Then the Most High called Moses up to the mountain, along with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel. There, He told them to bow down from afar and only Moses would come to him (Exodus 24:1,2). This meeting was going to be very special!

           Moses would come and go to tell them the words of the Lord and all the statutes. The people responded with one voice, saying that they would do everything they heard (Exodus 24:3). Prudently, that faithful servant wrote down God's declarations, building an altar at the foot of the mountain and 12 monuments, according to the tribes of their patriarch (v. 4). Now, here's the question: did they do everything as the Lord had commanded them? Well, at first they did, but as the days went by, they relaxed and abandoned their commitment!

             In my journey as a saved person, starting at the age of six, I have seen many fervent people grow cold in their faith and even stray from the Way. Why does this happen? Did they lose faith or were they simply not firm in the Lord? Both things can happen in the church, because people don't always act out of faith, but rather because of some embarrassing situation they've been involved in. Since the shame is so great, they prefer to "take some time off".

         Most assuredly, the devil is behind any deviation, any seed of bitterness, which, when it sprouts, will shatter even the rock you think you're standing on (Hebrews 12:15). The simple act of leaving the congregation shows that such a person has not understood their place in God's work. By mistakenly thinking that they are not welcome in the church, they go back to living as they did before (Hebrews 10:25). At first they are sad, but then they sink into error. Be vigilant!

           To remain steadfast in the faith, we must read the Bible and reflect on its teachings. Thus, we will learn from Jesus and know what His will is. If He Himself has said that He is meek and humble of heart (Matthew 11.29), there is still time to repent of our faults and be forgiven. Why let the devil separate us from the One we will need for all eternity? We are on our way to the moment when the Lord will separate the redeemed from the lost (Matthew 25:31). So, we must be saved!

             Christians need to be ready to do the Father's will, but the devil uses disgusting means that lead many away from the Truth and into the abyss. Those who know what God has prepared for their lives never let anyone put doubts in their hearts, but meditate on the Word continually and don't turn to the right or to the left (Psalm 1.2; 119.105). It's good to walk in the center of God's will. We will only lose if we give room to the liar's suggestions.

           Be convinced of what Jesus said: And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved (Mark 13:13). Let the world hate us, lie about us and think we're garbage! What can never happen is for the Lord to look down on us and say that we haven't hit the target. Be alert!

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

          Many of the Lord's promises are not for the present but for a few years or centuries from now. Look at what the Bible says about counting time for God: But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Peter 3.8). Refuse the lie of the devil, who says that everything will continue as it has been since creation. God may seem late, but He will come at the right time. Adjust yourself, and believe!

           God assured Moses that, by His mighty hand, He would bring the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt, making Pharaoh let them go, and this happened as promised. First, the Lord commanded His servant to go and speak to the Egyptian ruler (Exodus 6.1-11). When this happened, the king was so furious that he probably ordered an increase in the quota of bricks produced by Jacob's sons. God addressed Moses, saying: [...] I am the LORD. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you (Exodus 6.29). The Most High did this to reassure His envoy, because there was only One who had power: He, the Lord!

           The Lord's revelations to men began little by little, because they didn't yet have the capacity to understand them in their entirety. Today, we don't have them completely either. Paul received beautiful revelations, but because of the apostle's lack of structure, God let an “offspring” of the devil accompany him: And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure (2 Corinthians 12:7).

           God told Moses: I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty; but by My name, the LORD, I was not known to them (Exodus 6.3). This is the secret for us today: to know the Name of Jesus, through which evils must leave when our command is given with faith and authority (Luke 10.19). This Name allows us to enter the Father's presence, to take hold of His promises (Mark 16.17,18).

          The Lord also spoke about the Promised Land, Canaan, the land of the patriarchs' pilgrimage: I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers (Exodus 6.4). What more did Moses need in order to go to Pharaoh and be bold before him? Nothing! When God heard Israel's groaning, God used Moses to be like Him in that land. The Almighty cast the plagues, and the people left.

           Moses was still trying to convince the Hebrews that they would be delivered. Read the Lord's final declaration: Therefore say to the children of Israel, 'I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments' (Exodus 6:6). Now, they had nothing more to complain about, because it was clear that Moses had the anointing to get them out of that horrible, evil place!

            To conclude the understanding of Moses and the people, God said: I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land, concerning which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord (Exodus 6.7,8). Now you can take all the biblical statements and live them.

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

          Besides making a covenant with Abraham, saying that he would be a father, God revealed to him: Then He said to Abram, 'Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them and they will afflict them four hundred years' (Genesis 15.13). After that time, they would come out with great riches. However, the patriarch had complained that he had no son and that his heir would be the butler, Eliezer. Sarah, now 76, suggested to her husband that he bear a son with Hagar. And so, Ishmael was born, but he was not the one the Lord had planned! For a better understanding of these events, read the whole story in Genesis chapters 15 and 16.

           Abraham was a little upset, because it had been 13 years since the promise had been made to him, and the Lord hadn't fulfilled it. The Scriptures speak of the revelation given to him by the Most High: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him: I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless (Genesis 17.1). Two conditions had yet to be met!

           The patriarch should not have accepted Hagar as the mother of the child of promise, because the child had to come from Sarah. He wasn't blameless and therefore didn't walk in God's presence. Without a doubt, we need to seek the Lord in His Word, with prayers, fasting and praise. The Most High reaffirmed the covenant to him, saying: And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly (Genesis 17.2). It was in an encounter with God that Jacob, his grandson, managed to change himself and Esau (Genesis 32.22-32).

            When Abraham saw that the Lord had shown him why he hadn't been satisfied with his son, the patriarch agreed, falling down before God: Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked to him, saying (Genesis 17.3). The heavenly Father does not like to see his children in sin, but he knows that they are not yet blameless, so he employs his long-suffering - hopeful kindness - waiting for the right time to make amends.

           When Abraham stood before God, he was saying that he would do everything to walk in God's presence and be blameless. Then the Lord clarified the covenant between them: As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations (Genesis 17.4). This gladdened the patriarch's heart, for the covenant had been confirmed, and he could be sure that his son would soon arrive. God never has problems; we do!

          At that moment, Abraham saw that the blessing of being a father would last for many years, even though he was now less strong. After Sarah died, he married Keturah, which means “incense.” They had six sons, who were Arab chieftains (Genesis 25.1-7). They probably had daughters, but the Bible doesn't mention them. The gifts given by the Almighty will never be taken away, unless we let the evil one steal them.

         Look at what Abraham would lose if he hadn’t walked with God and wasn’t  blameless: acting as the owner of what was in the Covenant. The Lord also declared: And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you (Genesis 17.7). Enter God's covenant and be a blessing!

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

I've heard people say that, despite believing in the gospel, they would put off converting to Christ. When questioned about the fact that there might not be enough time for such a decision, they said that when the Lord comes, they would call on His name and be saved. They have not read that this will be impossible at the last moment. Numerous biblical passages address this issue, and that's what we're going to study now.

Frankly, it's incomprehensible how such individuals think. They use illogical arguments and disregard the Lord's advice. For example, God called Noah and sent him out to preach His righteousness, and our beloved brother and father—we are descended from him because of the Flood that killed the sinners of that time—obeyed Him. For 120 years, Noah preached the Word, but he didn't convert a single person. But he didn't bother with that, for he was following God's command!

Was Noah a bad preacher? No. In fact, the people of his time were wicked because they had become so corrupt. In those days, there was prosperity and temptation everywhere. The people preferred to indulge in sin, mocking the heavenly message, rather than heading towards the light (Genesis 6.5,11,12). Even today, there are those who allow themselves to be deceived, covering up their iniquity. The consequence of this is the same as in the days of the preacher of righteousness. Only Noah and his family were saved.

How many later repented and knocked on the door of the ark to save themselves? However, this last attempt was futile, since the boat was locked from the outside; not even Noah could open it (Genesis 7.11-16). The command was for him, his wife, his sons, and his daughters-in-law to enter, and so they did. He was a good preacher because he maintained the integrity of his family despite that corrupt generation.

Many are called, but only the chosen will enter the Kingdom of God (Matthew 22.14). Noah's sons, when they got married, must have had many guests at their party, but none of them were chosen to be saved either. After all, deep down in their hearts, they loved the world more than God. In the rejected group, who stopped obeying the Word, were Noah's and his wife's brothers, their in-laws, brothers-in-law, their daughters-in-law's brothers, cousins, and other relatives, as well as people who possibly attended their services!

Look, it's no use being nice to the preacher, returning the tithe, giving good offerings, and being kind to the people, because this is what the Lord said: Most assuredly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3.5). If you don't understand what it means “to be born again”, ask someone who is anointed by God and knows the Word. He will undoubtedly enlighten you. Never lose your way!

Read the verse in this message again and see that the Lord specified who Noah was to take into the ark with him: But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you (Genesis 6.18). God closed the boat to prevent those who refused to listen to his servant from going in (2 Peter 2.5).

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares

         King David said these words when he met with Jonathan, Saul's son. David saw such hatred in the king's eyes and understood that he was ready to take his life. That terrible feeling only grew. How could Saul have been so jealous of David, the young man who had removed the shame that the Philistines had brought upon Israel through the presumptuous and affronting Goliath (1 Samuel 17)? Many people today have acted like that! 

           In one of His teachings, the Lord explained what happens to those who are delivered from an unclean spirit, but are not filled with the presence of God: Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of this man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation (Matthew 12:45). Anyone who doesn't accept Heaven's decisions falls into the devil's hands.

           David spoke of his covenant with Jonathan mediated by the Most High. We need to covenant in a similar way, because those who are in covenant with the Lord will never betray their friend, their spouse or their business partner. Whoever ventures to break what has been agreed will pay dearly in life and, after death, will suffer eternal loss. As for the offended and ashamed, all they have to do is cry out to God to do something about the violator of the covenant.

           Someone who has decided to break the marriage covenant, if they don't repent or go to their spouse to confess everything, will suffer the consequences of that act (Matthew 5:25,26). The fact that an offense has expired does not exempt the person who committed it from acknowledging it. In the law of men, there is usually a expiration period for the right to punish, but not in God's law. No one who has made someone suffer will go unpunished (Galatians 6:7,8).

         he Word is clear in saying that there are ten groups who will inherit eternal torment: Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6: 9,10). Mercy! The God of the Covenant cannot be mocked (Galatians 6:7). Take care not to remain in sin!

           David was innocent, which is why he asked Jonathan to kill him right there if he had betrayed or harmed the king. David had never wished anything bad for the Lord's anointed, but out of pure jealousy and malice, Saul pursued him with deadly hatred. Why didn't the king repent? Why are there Christians suffering so much and not confessing to whom they have allied themselves? They need to make a decision, because God will act!

           They had entered into a covenant with the Lord and, of course, the wrong party would pay the price. Saul lost his life in the battle against the Philistines, and three of his sons died too. Jonathan himself died alongside his father (1 Samuel 31:1-4). They could have had a happy ending. What about you?

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

A certain man was doing well in Israel, and his story was told by the Lord Jesus in the form of a parable to teach us important lessons. The harvest from his land had been great, and he was very happy about it. But because his heart didn't understand what it was all about, he made a decision for which the master himself called him a fool. How many are doing well today, but then act in the wrong way? Lord, help us!

The man followed the steps for a good planting: he plowed the land and manured it properly, waited for the appropriate time to plant with rain, and everything went well. Jesus didn't mention that the farmer had prayed, but a combination of factors, or divine purpose, made his harvest beyond expectation. However, that man's decision showed that the fear of God was not in his heart. He made a mistake, and so do we: we don't walk with the Lord!

The farmer began to rejoice when he saw that the yield would be stupendous. Even though he knew the law of sowing and reaping, his understanding may not have foreseen such an outcome. Understand this: without God's help, we won't understand why we sometimes fail or are victorious, and we won't even pay attention to the fact that the Lord rules us in everything. Why don't we go to the Father and make the best decisions? Where did this man go wrong with what he imagined he would do?

This farmer had to hire several helpers in order not to lose the harvest. Every crop has a certain time to be harvested and stored; otherwise, part of it will be lost. One thing is certain: God wants to help us, but our presumptuous minds sometimes think it's unnecessary and think we can walk through life's uncertainties on our own. As a result, some kill themselves working too hard, others not so much, but if we have the Lord's guidance, we'll know His purpose and we'll get it right.

When they began reaping, the owner of the land realized that the result for that year would exceed that of other years. Excited, he didn't thank God or try to help the needy or the people who had helped him with messages and prayers. In times of trouble, people try to hear from God about the solution to their problems, but in times of prosperity, they forget about Him. Thus, they live lightly without remembering that they are mortal!

The farmer's selfish statement showed how empty his spirit was—he only thought of himself. In the same way that he didn't value who he should, today, many don't recognize the value of the person they married and don't enjoy healthy marital communion. For some, their half is someone who makes them happy and has borne them children, but they still lust after someone else. This happens in many homes. 

Does someone who acts this way with their spouse recognize the importance of life, or do they think it's irrelevant? Would such a person be able to change? The time of departure will come, and he who is in error will hear: Fool, this night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ (Luke 12.20). Poor life of the parable told by Jesus! Only foolishness came out of his mouth. Where will those who act with such ungratefulness spend eternity: Heaven or Hell?

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

Every war that Nebuchadnezzar's army waged was considered the sword of the LORD. The Hebrews believed that justice would be done by God against some nations involved in sin and idolatry (Jeremiah 21:7). And say to the land of Israel, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath, and cut off both righteous and wicked from you (Ezekiel 21.3). The prophet asked the sword to return to its sheath.

Jeremiah had warned Judah that Babylon would come against Jerusalem and the whole country because of their uncompromising spiritual life. As the kingdom of Judah was prosperous, it no longer saw any need to seek the Lord. Some worshipped Baal, which made Samaria the target of the Assyrians and Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, who, years before, had destroyed the northern kingdom and scattered the people to other kingdoms. Samaria never rose again (2 Kings 18:9-12)!

Jeremiah was waiting for the Most High to put His sword in its sheath, for the destruction would be great if the killing didn't stop. Even with a prophet warning them of the imminent danger, their king did nothing, not even heeding the Lord's message. As a result, the Jews were sent into Babylonian captivity. Here's the question: why didn't they heed the prophet's warning? Because they didn't believe that there would be eternal judgment, just as many people don't today!

The Hebrew people became a real nation when Moses stood up and presented himself before Pharaoh, with the power to rebuke the Egyptian nation, which at the time was significant and considered one of the largest in the world. God gave His servant the authority to place curses on Egypt. In other words, Moses was the sword of the LORD against that king. In the last plague, that sword killed the firstborn of every house (Exodus 12:29,30)!

The Most High had already warned that His sword would do the necessary judgment, and it did, to the point that Pharaoh asked the Hebrews to leave because, even in his own house, his firstborn son had died. Not one single person from the houses of the Israelites died. The Lord said: If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies and repay those who hate Me (Deuteronomy 32.41). He brings justice to all who cry out for it!

Often, for some, God is the cause of all the ills in a nation. However, there are secondary causes capable of making people think and believe that something was God's doing. In those lawless times, the Most High drew His sword wherever it was needed. The Lord's people understood that as long as the work was not finished, the sword would let people know that there is a God who cares for humanity. The Almighty is powerful and good!

For Ezekiel, once God entered the battle in order to resolve a serious matter, he would not stop until it was completed. The Almighty declared: That all flesh may know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return anymore (Ezekiel 21.5). Fearing God has always been good, no matter which regime rules. The heavenly Father is greater in all things!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares

         Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled several times in Israel's history, but he was certainly talking about the time when the tyrant of the spiritual world would be vanquished and the earth would be at peace. We are close to the day mentioned by the prophet. When Jesus returns, the powers that the wicked one is using will be worthless (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12). For many this is a dream, but for those who trust in the Savior, Who has promised to return, it is only a matter of time before this happens. Praise God!

          The tyrant was defeated, not just Sennacherib who tried to dominate Judah, wanting to make of them one of his vassals and imposing a high price on them to survive. This king boasted of his strength, but one angel came and defeated him. When he returned home and entered the temple of his god, he was killed by his sons (2 Chronicles 32:21). He lost because he was arrogant and mocked God. No one will fail to bow before Christ. It is written and it will happen!

         After Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar would come. The kingdom of Judah was overtaken by sin, so it couldn't resist this new threat. So, its inhabitants were taken into captivity, which would last 70 years, according to Jeremiah's prophecy (Jeremiah 25:11). The wage of sin is death, but there it was only a short time. That's why sin should never have our appreciation or attention. With faith in what Jesus did on our behalf at Calvary, we can and must be free (Colossences 2.13-15). Don't let the devil beat you; beat him!

          The greatest enemy the world will ever know and fall in love with will be the man of sin, whose purpose is to sit on God's throne and be acclaimed as lord. However, when the world is under his feet, Jesus will return and, with the breath of His mouth, will kill him (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). Believe and be included among the righteous, who will have the final feast when the Earth is quiet. Then we will joyfully cry out, speaking of Christ's victory!

           The real ruler is Satan, but this Jesus overcame when He descended into Hell in His death on Calvary and stripped the devil and his minions of all authority stolen from man. Now the Savior's success is ours! The forces of the kingdom of evil have been defeated. In view of this, the Lord's servants can rejoice, for they will never again serve evil spirits (Luke 10:19). Praise!

           We will still see a lot of evil among the nations, people plundered and submissive to darkness. However, of one thing we can be sure: when anyone comes to us to be set free from evil oppressions, we will set them free in the Name of Jesus. We are the servants who delight in serving the true Lord. Let the oppressed come! We will deliver them using the same weapon that Jesus used: the Word of God.

          It had been a hard day, but the Master did not tire, nor will He tire. Many brought to Him the sick and troubled, who were set free, as the Scriptures state: When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick (Matthew 8.16 ). The explanation is quite simple!

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

              The Lord used the wise Solomon to make an assessment of the madness that dominates this world, to the point where people “kill” themselves working to leave a good inheritance for their children, who, in many cases, won't even look after their parents in old age. The good thing is to grow in faith in order to give our best to the Creator, helping to rescue the lost and raising up workers capable of continuing the mission after we leave for the Kingdom of God's love. Pray and do your part!

          The only work we will never regret doing is evangelizing with the power and love of the Lord. We must consecrate ourselves to this: to be useful in the hands of the Most High, so that He may be glorified for having given us salvation and the guarantee that we will go to heaven at Jesus' return to Earth. There is no way that Christ will despise us, leaving us to fend for ourselves. He will come for us and take us into His Kingdom of glory and victory (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

           When I preach the Gospel somewhere in the world - be it in a country considered to be in the First World or in a poverty-stricken one - I am thrilled to see God working powerfully, because I know that it is not my doing. When I preach to people about the Wonderful Savior, I pass on everything I have learned. Sometimes people don't realize it, but I am moved by every healing they receive.

           Christians who have not yet had the pleasure and privilege of leading a person to Christ must cry out, so that they can be instruments in God's hands and thus justify the wonderful divine grace poured out on them. The first best thing is to know Jesus, the Word of God, and to give everyone the understanding capable of bringing faith to their hearts. The second is to pray as the Lord prayed and see people receiving blessings like those Jesus ministered to (John 14.12). Believe!

           Those who preach and pray so that no demons manifest themselves in their meetings don't know how much they are missing out on. If they carry on like this, they will never see the importance of delivering someone from unclean spirits, who have come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10.10a). God's anointed must never back down in the face of a demon who uses someone to threaten them, but rather remember the devil, who is a liar and the father of lies, ready to destroy those who are weak in faith (John 8:44; Luke 10:19).

            Don't give up your livelihood, because you and your family need it to survive. However, pray to the Most High to help you make decisions by faith and by His love, because that pleases Him. The Lord will never turn His back on those who trust in Him and resist the enemy. When they have a need, they need to make it known to God and in the Word they will certainly find the secret to overcoming their crises.

             The only work that isn't vanity but is rewarding is doing the work as Jesus did: taking the good news to everyone and, if they are sick, healing them; if they are paralyzed or lame, making them walk (Matthew 10:8). Never be ashamed to follow in Christ's footsteps. Just as the Father rewarded him, there will be a great reward waiting for you in heaven!

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares

           Ezekiel can be considered the prophet of the gospel because what he wrote speaks of the eternal redemption accomplished by Jesus in His death on Calvary, saying that God would cleanse His people from filthiness. Judah refused to listen to Jeremiah. He preached against the filth that made that kingdom infamous, and so the people of Jerusalem were taken to Babylon (Jeremiah 1.3). Ezekiel, on the other hand, preached to the captives, who were banished to cleanse themselves of their wickedness in that country prostituted by false gods.

            There are many people today in the same situation as Judah, who saw in the three deportations made by the Babylonian king how much it hurts not to heed what the Lord says in His Word. For Ezekiel, who ministered in Babylon to those deported by Nebuchadnezzar, the people could be made happy again by the work to be done one day. The prophet was referring to the cleansing of the Israelites' filthiness, when the Son of God would take their place and suffer the shame of their infamy.

           The Word sent by the Most High to the inhabitants of Judah had already cleansed them, but they despised this fact and didn't take advantage of the divine offer. The result: they continued in their filthiness. The Lord says that Jesus took our place, suffering our iniquities: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one, to his own way, and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). Now, whoever accepts Christ is free from dishonor!

           Many church members still haven't purified themselves, because they have stopped taking on the work that cost the Son of God His death. Those people of Judah who refused the work of purification done on their behalf would never again be cleansed of their filthiness, for the time of their captivity would be 70 years. And so, they would die in Babylon, before the remnant returned to rebuild the temple. Believe the Word!

           Now, those who do not cleanse themselves at the time of God's visitation, when they feel the desire to come to Him to receive forgiveness of their sins and sanctification by the Holy Spirit, will never reach the place of peace and freedom. However, those who have died in the captivity of sin will never be freed from this condition, even though Jesus paid the price of full salvation. Remember: those who died in captivity will not return either.

           At the return of the Son of God, when the last trumpet sounds, the saved will be at His right hand and will be invited to enter and possess the Kingdom prepared for them since the foundation of the world. Now, the unclean, like the Israelites who did not believe in the Lord, will be ordered to march into the lake of fire and brimstone, from where they will never come out. Everyone must cleanse themselves in the blood shed by Jesus Christ, or they will not be redeemed (Matthew 25.31-46).

        The Father expects each one of us to accept the work done in Jesus for the redemption of humanity. With that, His indignation continues on those who have not yet declared their surrender to Christ. No one can influence or help you in this decision. What will you do?

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares