Can you see in HD?

The technologies changes a lot over the past 100 years; not so long ago our pictures used to be black and white, also the TV. According to Wikipedia: the first permanent color photo was taken in 1861 by physicist James Clerk Maxwell and the first modern color film, Kodachrome, hit the market in 1935. Nowadays is possible to take a picture or see images on TV with an unbelievable quality. When we convey this example of evolution of technology to our spiritual life, we are taken to a deep reflection of our spiritual history and how much we evolved along of the years.
To illustrate, let’s say you saw Jesus Christ as a child, playing alongside Jose; what exactly you would see? The son of a carpenter or the Messiah preparing for a mission that would forever change the future of humanity?

The Bible gave us the precise description of Him as a man: 

“2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath neither form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 surely he hath borne our grieves, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted”. (Isaiah 53:2-4)
Reading the book of Isaiah we get to the conclusion that he knew very well how Jesus would presented Himself between us. We can say that Isaiah was a man that could see ahead his time:

“5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.”
Nevertheless, we still can see people who cannot distinguish the directions in their lives. People who cannot make decisions because they do not know the difference between what is right or wrong, or even are still confuse about what is real blessing or course. For sure, lack of spiritual vision can take us away from God’s blessings, can impede us to see clearly the things the way they really are.
Do not get yourself overwhelmed wondering how would you update your vision because the Bible is like a GPS that indicates us the correct path to follow, exercize the habit of consult your Bible everytime you see yourself in the middle of a turmoil or even if you simply want a solution for an ethical problem.

God Bless you,

Pr Helio Morais

See Portuguese Version:

Você consegue enxergar em Alta Definição?

Remember Lot's wife

According to the Bible, the world was going so wrong around Lot. As we know nowadays, Sodom and Gomorrah is historically known as a city of very barbaric customs and merciless people. But in the middle of all those people, Lot was still a man of God, a man with a good heart. 

After a turbulent night, that he risked his own life and the life of his family to protect God’s angels that were hosted in his house, they told him to leave the city immediately, because God would destroy the city. 

Run for your lives and don’t look back! – It was the clear instruction given by the angels. 

Unfortunately, Lot’s wife could not move on with her family, as the bible told us, she looked back and became a pillar of salt. 

Lamentably, her destiny became an example for the ones who are tempted to staying in the past. 

Three hard Lessons for our understanding: 

1) The danger of procrastination 

Lot’s family was literally dragged out of the city. The bible shows clearly that Lot’s efforts to convince them, but probably they were still making comparisons and analyzing if it would be worth leaving the city. They were attached to the good aspects of living in Sodom and Gomorrah, despite risking their lives. 

2) The danger of disobeying the express command of God 

Her gesture meant much more than a quick look to see what was happening to the city. Actually, it meant that her heart was attached to the things she had left behind. She was carrying the values of the sinful city. 

3) The sadness of being a model of spiritual failure 

 I think there is nothing more unpleasant and sad than to be known as an example of a failure of this magnitude. Would you like to be the protagonist of a story of tragedy in real life?Lot's wife had left the city, but the city had not left her heart. 

Nevertheless, we still can see many people repeating the same mistake in a systematic way. They already left "the world", but they didn’t bring their hearts with them. They didn’t go to the changing process of personality or attitude. 

Remember, as King David said in Psalm 40:2 “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; 

he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” 

Be sure God’s will is the best for your life; do not risk anything looking at your past, even things you thought were good. 

As the pastor Welder said: "You have God's promises for your life, go ahead! Don’t give up or retreat. 

It is time to move on. 

God Bless you, 

Pr Helio Morais

See Portuguese Version:

Lembrai-vos da Mulher de Ló.

Prepared to face challenges

In the biblical text at Matthew 25: 1-13 “The parable of the ten bridesmaids” we can find an important lesson that shows us how to be prepared for challenges of all magnitudes in our lives. In this allegory we can learn the attitude of those ten women who were waiting for the same event: the arrival of the bridegroom for the wedding feast. 

According to the Bible there were 10 virgins bridesmaids and they all were carrying olive oil lamp. The Bible do not tell us that there was a specific time for the bridegroom show up, but it could be during the night, at any time, we assume that ; when it is already very dark; so they all need the lamp to illuminate their steps. 

Everything would be perfect, except about the delay of bridegroom. As he was delaying too much they all decided to sleep, but at midnight “They were roused by the shout” (Matthew 25:6) 

Nevertheless, there were a difference between the ten bridesmaids; five were wise and the other five were foolish. The five wise ones were prepared for some contretemps; they made a reservation of oil, while the other five were foolish and they did not have enough oil for the regular journey. 

When we read the parable we can skip some unnoticed spiritual precious lessons inside this allegory. Let’s take a close look: 

A) Unforeseen Situations 

How often could we be surprised by events beyond our control? 

Many things happen in our lifetimes that require us a complete change in the course of our decisions. Notwithstanding, keep one thing in mind: contingencies are part of our journey in this world, and sooner or later we will have to face them. 

2) You can overcome difficult times if you have a differential 

Problems can affect anyone and we cannot avoid them. Remember that Jesus never promised us a life free of problems. In the Book of John 16:33, Jesus told us: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on the earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 

3) Life is cruel with the unprepared 

Get ready for the bad days. Protect yourself before the storm; do not let the storm get you unaware. To have a Keep regular prayer life makes you ready to face the troubles when they come. 

The Bible teaches us in Proverbs 24:10 “If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small”. Do not deceive yourself; life is tough on the unexpected events. Not all situations will allow you to have another chance. Maybe you have only one chance. Be prepared to face challenges. 

God Bless You,

Pastor Helio Morais

English Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version

Preparados para enfrentar desafios

God is always watching

Sometimes we catch ourselves wondering about things that happen in our life. In such difficult moments does not matter if we are surrounded by a crowd, we are always feeling alone. Sometimes we wonder if God is really involved in our life and how much He cares about what is happening to us.

 When we raise questions like these, probably, is because of a bad old habit of looking for God only in times we need something.  Normally, what happen is that we are very busy in our own lives, our own dramas; full of ourselves, these attitudes keep us away from God in a systematic way. We create barriers and put God away without realizing it. Our sins and selfishness keep God away from us and for sure this is our biggest lost. 

Nevertheless, when   we feel alone, helpless, and sad; then, we try to find God around us. But where is He? Unfortunately, only in a moment of crisis we realize that we left Him behind very time long ago. If you are feeling this way, I have good news for you: God is always watching you. He never gave up on you. God is watching and waiting for some attitude from your part.

How about take a different attitude from now on? How about taking some time aside to invest in your relationship with God? So, approach Him, allow Him to assume a greater role in your life.  God is always ready to do new things in our lives. God is wide-eyed and attentive to every move we make and our decisions.  Learn how to rely on His help. I'm sure your life can go in another direction.

God bless you.

Pastor Helio Morais

English Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version

Deus está observando tudo.

Barriers against God’s Blessings

The title of this message sounds weird, but a lot of Christians are putting obstacles against God’s blessings, on a daily basis, but what they do not realize is the big negative impact in their lives. 

As you can check on Mathew 14:22-33: Jesus, after had given a speech to a very large crowd, commanded his disciples to cross to the other side of the river, because he wanted to have some time for his meditation and prayers. 

When it was around 03:00 a.m., the disciples were surprised by a big storm, they got scared despite they were very experienced fishermen; more stranger than it seemed to be an strong uncommon storm they were caught short by the appearance of what seemed to be a ghost walking on the water’s surface. 

There is a Brazilian saying: nothing is too bad that cannot be worsened. Nothing seemed to be scarier that a 03 men in a small boat, in the middle of a big storm; additionally they got a ghost in front of them. 

Nevertheless, we can learn 03 important lessons in this biblical text: 

1) Do not count with your own resources 

The disciples were in a small boat, vulnerable to the winds and storms. Think in another way; how about if they were a huge transatlantic equipped with meteorological radars and other things? Surely the storm would not be a big concern. 

Sometimes we do this, we wonder how our life would be if we have all the resources we need for everything we want to accomplish; that is not God’s way. He wants to bless you with what you have. He wants to bless you the way you are, with all your limitations and failures. God sometimes use adverse situations in order to lead us to a deeper understanding of His desire, but instead of take the opportunity to grow, we create barriers to God’s action in our lives. 

2) Do not forget Jesus is watching you 

Jesus asked them to cross; in such stressful and dangerous situation, do you think He would be responsible for whatever results that came from his order? 

If you obeyed God’s command and you found yourself in an unpleasant situation, hang on. Do not think that God would leave you alone in such difficult time. Do not mistake yourself because the solution of the problem can be something coming out from this complicated situation. 

3) Do not look at the circumstances 

Just to be sure you are on the safe side; Peter suggested that if Jesus was really the one walking on the water, so he could do the same. Next scene we can visualize is: Peter walking very confident on the surface of the water. Nevertheless, shortly after the first steps Peter stopped looking at Jesus, and started watching out for the winds, so he began to sink, but Jesus took him by His hands and put him back on his feet. 

Even so, if you are like Peter looking at the bad circumstances; you are just going to see the bad circumstances; who looks at the problems, only see the problems; who look at Jesus can see solutions. 

God bless you. 

Pastor Helio Morais

English Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version:

Criando barreiras para a ação de Deus na nossa vida

After the Storm Comes the Rainbow.

I still remember when I was a kid, that many times I was leaning out the window of my room just to watch the falling rain. I thought sometimes that the world was going to end in that very moment. Scary sounds of thunder; lightning crossing the sky from one end to another; heavy clouds that turn the day in night. However, I also remember my happiness, because just after that endless downpour, there was the sun shining against the horizon. I still remember the smell of wet soil. I still remember taking baths in the rain

The time has passed by and I had new experiences regarding the rain; for example, sometimes I travel by plane in bad weather day. Usually, in the airport area when the weather is bad; rain, clouds, lightning. Even so just few minutes after the plane takeoff, there it is: a beautiful sun shining above the clouds. We know, despite any circumstances, somewhere over the clouds the sun is shining.

When we transfer this experience to our spiritual life, the concept is the same. We can say for certain that after the storm comes the rainbow. In fact, the Bible teaches us in Psalm 30:5 that "Weeping may last through the night but joy comes with the morning.” 

Nevertheless, instead of storm, you feel you are in the middle of the ocean, with all the problems overwhelming you, like ocean waves; Jesus can take care of you, take you by His hand and bring you to the surface again and perhaps , like Peter, makes you walk above the water.

Moreover, if your case is the opposite, you found yourself in a desert; just know that the biggest projects and revelations of God took place in the desert. The desert is actually His school; great experiences, of the greatest men of God of the Bible and Jesus Himself, took place in the desert. The desert is the place where God leads us to test our faith and make us grow and mature spiritually.

And now, what is your situation: storm, seas, or desert? 

If you are living a storm time: do not be discouraged, keep your position, do not leave the place where God put you. After a storm comes a rainbow. 

If you are going through situations that have made your life a very hostile environment, that does not allow you to see the sunshine, remember: you can fly above the clouds where there will always be a beautiful sun shining waiting for you. Try to have intimate prayer moments with God. I'm sure God will hear your voice. 

Maybe even if you are surrounded by strong storms at sea: do not forget, trust in God because you will not die in the midst of these storms. God brings you, occasionally, to the surface to breathe. Keep in mind: You can walk on the water. 

On the other hand, if you're living your life in a desert, join the club; you're God’s school. Take the opportunity to learn the lessons that this experience can provide to you. I can tell by my own experience. 

Whatever the situation, God is always by our side to ensure that everything will be fine.

God bless you,

Pastor Helio Morais

Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version:

Depois da tempestade vem a bonança.

Just another Monday

I had such a good day at work, praised for performing a good job during the weekend. I reached the end of the day with a sense that I had completely fulfilled my duties. 

Late afternoon, backpack on my shoulders, time to go home, with 10 kilometers still in front of me; part running, part walking. Today, I set a record pace, but I will keep that a secret regarding my performance. 

In the middle of the way, I was surprised by a rainstorm. Such a good feeling! Who does not like to be showered on by the rain? Some people think that is a childish thing. I would say they have lost the sense of what fun is all about. 

What about sunshine after the rainstorm? That is exactly what happened. After the rain fell in a torrential way, I could see the sun shining strong above the clouds with its rays cutting through the dense rain clouds. 

Enchanted nature; what a wonderful sight! It is almost poetry. No wonder the Psalmist David declared: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19.1) 

I got home totally wet and extremely happy by contemplating God’s caprice when he built this world for us. I went straight to a warm and refreshing bath. The dinner smelled good and I could smell it ever since I arrived at the front door. 

I finished the day with a prayer service at the church where I have the great privilege to thank God for the many blessings of my day. And this is just the beginning. 

Now is time to count with His blessings.

Tomorrow will be Tuesday. Are you sure you have no reason to praise God?

God bless you,

Pastor Helio Morais

Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version:

Retrato de uma semana abençoada

At midnight they were roused by the shout.

What comes to your mind when we talk about the midnight hour? At midnight normally your day is finished and you are preparing yourself to rest or even you are resting already. The "midnight" is a reference’s time; time of transition between one day and another one. Additionally we can say that it is a time of silence, reflection, fewer activities, yet for others it is time to face the worst fears, doubt or guilty about their past. 

When Jesus said in His sermon “At midnight they were roused by the shout” (Matthew 25:6), He was actually trying to give His disciples an understanding on how His second coming would be. He gave then some figurative anticipation of the day and how they should make provisions for that day. 

When I was reading the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, God brought into my heart that, specifically, at this midnight hours there are two types of calling inserted in this story: 

1) God Cries Out for You. 

While we are busy taking care of our lives, usually, we do not have time to hear God’s voice. In other words, we do not have time for God. He is always trying, in a subtle way, to speak into our hearts, but we block it with our busy life, with our anxious heart. 

Nevertheless, at midnight (figuratively or not), the silence comes down like a heavy curtain, may the fears come and this time we are able to hear God’s voice. 

2) Our Soul cries out for God 

At the same time that God is calling for you, your soul also is calling for God. Some people would say that during this time they have a deep sense of “emptiness”. May this emptiness is the craving of your soul for God, simultaneously; God is calling to be in your heart. May He wants you to share with him, your plans, projects and dreams or anything else you want, because He is your friend in first place. 

I share the same word of King David when he said: “As the deer longs for the stream of water, so I long for you, O God”… “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again – My savior and my God”. Psalm 42: 1-11 

Make an invitation to God to be part of your life permanently, 24/7. Search for God in many hours of your day, not just at midnight when you are in the middle of some crisis in your life. 

Why not enlist the presence of God at all times? Do not fight alone; stand by the presence of the Almighty. Do not waste time fighting alone; surprise yourself with what God can do for you! 

Invite Him into your life, may you can be delighted surprised on how His guidance can lead you. 

God bless you,

Pastor Helio Morais

Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version:

Mas à meia-noite ouviu-se um clamor...

The Giant who did not become part of the history

Today, while ministering at church’s prayer meeting, we had a brief reflection on some important aspects of King David’s story. 

As most of you know, David fought against Goliath, a man who was considered superior in size and skills than David, for this reason David was discouraged to enter in the fight by some people around him; for them the fight seemed to be so unequal and dangerous. But David did not stop himself because of the negative talking or other person’s fear. His decision was personal and his reasons just concerned to God and himself.

Actually, nobody would bet anything on that skinny boy in front of a warrior so well prepared. Nevertheless, nowadays we understand, that this fight has completely changed the course of his life as well the history of the entire nation. He became the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel, and as we know, God fulfilled the promise and the blessing in his life when he told the Messiah would be from his offspring. That was the battle that established David as an example of a warrior who does not run away even in the worst circumstances.

Although, as you can check on II Samuel 21, David was almost defeated by another giant, his name was Ishbi-benobi … Who? You do not know? I am not surprised if you never heard about him. 

As we can read on II Samuel 21 - 15, the circumstances were different, David did not make a personal decision to fight against this other giant. He was tired from previous battles contra the Philistines and he was taken off guard but thanks to his fellows who helped him, this other giant could not killed him. 

Sometimes it can happen to us, our enemy is around us, watching us, to find the right moment to take advantage of our vulnerability and faults. There are moments, we are hopeless and helpless and, in these moments, any trap can put us in big trouble. In these moments, we can count on fellow believers who can help us to defeat the enemies that sometimes we cannot even see yet. Thankfully we have friends like that. Certainly, thanks to David’s friends people barely remember him.

In fact, Ishbi-benobi did not become part of his history because God always has a way out for the ones who love and trust Him. 

God bless you,

Pastor Helio Morais

Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version:

Um Gigante que não entrou para a história

Is your agenda compatible with God’s plan?

One of the most serious problems that people face nowadays is the lack of time. This problem is exacerbated because we have too much commitments, too many hours of work, too many hours in traffic jams, family problems etc. At the end of the day, as a result, we are tired and cannot find any time to take care of our spiritual life, going to church, or even praying. 

Nevertheless, we can learn from the Bible. In the book of Nehemiah, right there, I found a good example of someone who knew how to organize his priorities. 

By the time the book was written (430 BC), “Judah was one of several provinces within the larger satrapy (a large administrative unit) within the Persian Empire. Nehemiah was a cup-bearer to king Artaxerxes II - an important official position.” (Wikipedia). 

Despite Nehemiah was a very busy man, he was extremely upset when he found out that the walls of the Jerusalem was still in ruins. The Jerusalem’s wall was destroyed by the Babylonians (586 BC). By his own initiative, he proposed in his heart, rebuild the walls of the city. But, how to do it? He had no time and he could not leave his job. 

Nevertheless, he prayed to God and told Him of his concerns. Meanwhile, Nehemiah had the opportunity to tell the king all his concerns and plans, so he got an authorization to leave for a few days. 

All I can think about when I read Nehemiah story is my time in school (good times!) . The teacher taught me how to solve an equation; she used to say: find a balance in its components and consider the environment interference in it. 

However we cannot solve our life with a simple equation, we still have to consider all the external interferences that can disturb our precious time with God, in our daily life.

I understood, through the life of Nehemiah, that he became part of history as one of the greatest Old Testament heroes because he knew his priority and it was according to God’s heart. 

If you want to be blessed, if you want to live a life of happiness and joy; it’s simple. Try to find a balance. Make your schedule compatible with God’s plan for your life, by asking yourself constantly: Is this what God wants for me? 

I challenge you to do the same as he did. Set your priorities; take time to meditate in God’s will for your life. Find a balance between your activities and the precious moments of communion with God, and do not forget to make some time for your family, your beloved friends, and your brothers and sisters in Christ. 

In a few days you will notice the difference, for the better. Do not wait a lifetime to find out you had the wrong priorities. 

God bless you, 

Pastor Helio Morais

Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version:

Sua Agenda é compatível com o plano de Deus para sua vida?

The bad side of being proactive.

According to Wikipedia: “Proactivity is anticipating and taking charge of situations…” During the 30’s the expression was limited to the experimental psychology field, but nowadays is largely used. The companies use it to define a person who anticipates situations and outlines plans to prevent problems that may occur. People who work for technology companies or on IT positions know what I am talking about; they need to be very proactive. The competition of the company is lying on their shoulders. Companies are desperately seeking for people with this attitude.

Nevertheless, before you get totally convinced that being proactive is a good thing; I have to tell you that it is not a contemporary concept. According to the Bible (Samuel 13 1-14), King Saul got victorious against his enemies but something went wrong. Let’s see the other side of it:

Samuel Versus 5 “The Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude …” Saul’s soldiers slipped away in fear. As Samuel was delaying too much (more than the 7 days, as promised), he decided to make a burnt offering, in order to have his troop get together again.

“10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived; and Saul went out to meet him and salute him. 11 Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul replied, "When I saw that the people were slipping away from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines were mustering at Michmash, 13 Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which he commanded you. The Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, 14 but now your kingdom will not continue; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.” Saul showed with his attitude he was not that man.

The logical idea behind the word “proactive” is obvious: look for potential problems before they happen, think of a viable solution in advance, in order to avoid the problems. Here we go! Perfect world; all under control, all happy, and all enjoying the results ... Well, here is the trouble; as a friend of mine uses to say: "Be excessively proactive is a way to hell." A person, who is too proactive can make even bigger mistakes and impact negatively the organization they work for, also can make irreparable damage to their personal and professional life.

When it is about God’s kingdom or our spiritual life, you should even be more careful. Be sure you are qualified to have certain attitudes and positions. Learning how to put limit in your actions can avoid creating even bigger problems. A single decision can affect other peoples’ lives or even can put many lives in danger.

Saul made the decision to do something above his qualifications and lost his throne as a king of Israel.

God bless you.

Pr Helio Morais

Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version

O perigo de ser proativo.

My Father is the pilot!

Loyde John Ogilvie is an American pastor who met an interesting boy on trip. When she saw him, he was sitting, very quietly and calm, in the waiting room of the airport. She realized that the boy didn’t show anxiety during the boarding time, actually the opposite, he positioned himself in front of the line, to find his seat before the adults; he knew exactly what to do. She was so intrigued about his attitude. 

Soon after, on the plane, she set beside him, they talked a little bit. Then he decided entertaining himself coloring a book. 

 After some time, she got worry about him because the plan was going to a very turbulent storm. Consequently, she decided to check on the boy, if he was ok. She asked the boy if he was afraid. He looked up quickly while coloring his book and said: 

- No, ma’am, I am not afraid – then smiling, he completed – My Father is the pilot. 

There are situations in our lives that remind us of an airplane through a storm. We try very hard but even on the land we can’t feel safe. We feel that we are hanging in the air, with nothing to sustain us, someone we can rely on or even strength to cry for help. Although you feel insecure and in danger, keep it in mind: 

"OUR FATHER IS THE PILOT."

Text from the book "Silent Strength for My Life" (Loyde John Ogilvie)

Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

See Portuguese Version

Meu Pai é o Piloto!

The night is nearly over...

"The night is nearly over, the day is almost here ..." (Rom 13:12). Paul said these words to Roman’s believers, in the prime days of the church. When he said that he had in mind the second coming of Jesus Christ and he urged to alert the church to have an attitude changing. This week, while I was looking for my notes to prepare the message to minister in the church, I came across a sermon that I had prepared over 20 years ago; I used it just few times. When I read it, despite the sermon is over 20 years old, the message was more suitable for our reality then I could imagine. When Paul made the statement “The night is nearly over” it was because those nebulous time had come to an end. It makes sense when we look into our spiritual life and we realize that we are facing difficult situations. Paul went from one extreme to another when he said: "The night is nearly over and the day is almost here ...” Facing the night is not easy especially when it seems longer than we can endure. The night can be considered hard enough to anyone to resist, but before the day reach us, we still have to resist to the dawn. That is a hard transition period, a period of expectations. The night is coming to an end but still not a day. This transition period can be hard on us if we are not sure about how God works in our lives. Although during this period we can see the first rays of the sun, some people just give in and instead of moving on they just settle with some rays, they keep waiting until they can reach the “perfect day”. 

There are many people who give up of their dreams, they give up of happiness, give up on achieve their full potential, they don’t move on until they find the perfect situation. Are you are experiencing the night in your life right now? Has the brightness of the day completely gone away? Or are you dealing with the frightening dawn? 

If you are dealing with the night or early morning, I encourage you to go ahead and do not give up of your dreams, don’t give in! Don’t settle just with little bit of sunshine, move on towards the day. God wants you to experience His blessing completely. The night can be long but it will pass. The psalmist has already told us: "Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning" (Ps 30.5). God has promised us a life that we can enjoy his blessing to the fullness, so do not settle only with the first rays of the sun, march and advance spiritually in the direction of your perfect day. 

God bless you.

English version by Clarice Moraes Harding
Original by Pr Helio Morais 

 See Portuguese version:

 A noite já passou...

A Better Use for a Cruise Control

If you never tried driving a car with cruise control, you don’t know what you're missing. It is so comfortable and easy that probably you will get addicted to it at the first time. You simply activate it triggering a command, and then select the desired speed, and it’s done. After that, you just need to take care of the wheel and enjoy the view in front of you, with no worries about the speed. Whether uphill or downhill, the cruise control search for the previous selected speed. Nevertheless, at some point you have to take the control of your car, especially if you find some obstacle on your way.
Watch Out! Right Here, we can find some important lesson: this system is very suitable for long distance trips, but not for streets and roads with many obstacles, not even for sections where you need to vary the speed constantly. For these situations, you need to use the manual control in order to choose the appropriate speed, so you can accelerate when it’s needed; brake at the right time, paying attention on the variations of the route.
When we apply this knowledge to our spiritual life, we can say that it works in the same way. The cruise control can make us unaware of the obstacles; it can allow us to stay comfortable behind the wheels, as consequence, we can lose the timing for our decisions. The constant speed, whether it is slow or high, can make us postpone our intimacy with God. It can also make some of us spend our lives far away from God, apart from Him.
For a safe trip, get close to Jesus and use the Bible as your GPS. Let God help you to choose the best speed for every moment of your way. Learn how to speed up or slow down precisely, and finally trust God to control of your life. Use the cruise control only for long-term projects and for short-term ones, use the manual control.
Look out for the obstacles and don’t take the small decisions for granted because they also determine your destination.
Learn how to drive with God, this can make your through life smoother and guarantee you an eternal one in the end of your journey.

God bless you.

English version by Clarice Moraes Harding

Original by Pr Helio Morais 

See Portuguese version:

Aprendendo a usar o Piloto Automático

Turning your problems into Challenges

I still haven’t found anyone who likes problems, or someone who is having a good time going through a difficult situation. However, I have met people who were motivated by challenges. It makes sense if you think they look like the same, the only difference is the way you look at them.

Let's take a look in some lessons that will teach us how to face bad situations:

1) Don’t be afraid of new situations; they are just part of our everyday life

Just remember new situations can take you to different stage in life. We can’t live our life in eternal puberty. Problems actually challenge you to grow up, spiritually.

2) Find a lighthouse that can guide you to a safe ocean shore

It is impossible to get somewhere if you don't know where are you going to.

Jesus went to the mountainside to pray and it was late at night and boat was far from land. Well, He made a reasonable decision: walk on the water. The Bible says in Matthew 14.22-33:

"Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear."

It can happen when you put your attention in other things besides your goal.

"Jesus said to them: "Take courage! It is I. don’t be afraid. Lord, if it’s you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water.Come, he said."

It is important to look for a sensible and practical solution, even when we are still in the middle life’s storms. 

"Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

"Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" 

If you put your eyes on the problems, you are just going to see them, put your eyes in the solution. If look at the storm you are not going to see Jesus eyes encouraging to your next step.

3) Learn how to transform difficulties into achievements

Break down your problems into small steps and celebrate every achievement, yet celebrate every step of the way; even the small ones, because they are making you move forward towards your dreams. When we look at the problems we see only problems. But when we focus on the victory we have energy to face the challenges of each day.

Last, but the most important is to remember: if you think you are going to sink, God is still by your side;  his hands will be there to lift you up one more time, always. 

So, raise your eyes and see God in every situation, he is watching you every step of the way.

God bless you.

English version by Clarice Moraes Harding

Original by Pr Helio Morais 

See Portuguese version:

Como transformar problemas em desafios

How different are you?

Have you ever thought how different you are? There are so many ways of being different, but essentially there is a positive and a negative way. For instance, when someone tries to look better or attempting to stand out from others by saying something negative about someone else; this is not just a bad way, but in some cases can be also called slandering. Nevertheless, there is a way much more positive; some people stand out naturally, others stand out showing how different they are, in both cases, we can feel there is something special about them, yet some have special skills, while others are simply gifted.
My question is, are you making the difference in this world? To make a difference, we have to be different, do our best, try harder, and surprise people around us. Our desire can change things in a positive way and can bring God’s kingdom to this planet.
Unfortunately, some people in a different environment change who they are just to fit in. If you are in the same situation, try not to follow any stereotype or imitate someone else. Most of the time, being special just means being yourself and not being afraid of breaking paradigms in the place you are. You can adapt yourself without losing what is really essential inside you. 

Jesus said in Matthew 5:13-16:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? You are the light of the world; a city set on a hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

According to this context I can just think of Joseph of Egypt, he was for sure a man of God, who knew very well how to adapt himself to unexpected situations without losing himself in a different culture. All together, Joseph’s life could be classified as drama with a happy ending. He is a true example of determination, confidence, resilience, and faith in God, above all things. He knew that it didn’t matter the circumstances, yet God was taking care of him, and on the top of that, he knew his dreams were safe in God’s hands.
He managed keeping his traditions and faith, despite he was away from his homeland and the protection of his cultural heritage. Joseph overcome the pain of being misunderstood, neglected , or even rejected, but in his case being different had to do with the responsibility of carrying the precious heritage of God’s word in whatever places he was.
God made you different for a special reason. Allow God to use you the in way you are, with all your defects and virtues. God tells you to go and shine in a word overwhelmed by selfishness and personal interests.
Nevertheless, in the end of the day what really matter is being honest, loyal, and faithful to God.

God bless you.

English Version by Clarice Moraes Harding

Original by Pr Helio Morais

See Portuguese version:

O que significa ser diferente?