Eduardo's Baptism

Congratulations, Eduardo! Not only for his birthday, but also for his baptism! A big party was held in Heaven, and the reason for this party was Eduardo. Glory be to God forever, for He is good.

Welcome Diana Naneki!

We had recently a Baby Shower for Diana, where we praised God a lot, for the blessing of this pregnancy of Eunice. In spite of all the hardships, God proved that He was in control of everything and was taking good care of this baby. The delivery day arrived on the 15th of September. Glory be to God!

Both mother and child are ok. This is a great victory, because the other children of Eunice both had allergies due to the delivery. But this time all went peacefully. God is really good!

I present you the lattest little member of the Lisbon Church of Christ. With only one week old, she was already attending the Wednesday group meeting, listening to praises and to God's Word.

May God bless her and protect her! What a blessing!

Teenagers' Camping, July-August 2009

The teenagers' camping was a blessing! We give thanks to God for standing by our side every day. There was lots of playful times, but there was also time to meditate about how can we make a difference in this world. Thank you so much to all the youngsters who participated, and also to every brother and sister who helped this camping come true.

Pre-Teens' Camping, July 2009

The first pre-teen christian camping finally happened! What a great moment! What a great blessing! These were unforgetable moments that will remain carved in our memories. But the most wonderful thing about this camping was that people came up to us praising these children, for how incredible they are and how much difference they made. Now the challenge for them will be to keep doing the difference from now on. May God bless them and protect them!

“AND THEY WILL BECOME ONE FLESH.” Gen 2:24

Another Great Party: Bruno and Ronicia, after giving themselves to Christ, gave themselves to each other in matrimony. Incredible days, all was beautiful and there is nothing more beautiful than the creation from our Creator, because through the matrimonial union we see once more the power of God. That is, through acts of great love, channelled by nature, the love of a family, and the happiness and friendship of everyone that fights to see someone else’s happiness.

“What God has united, men should not separate.”

Baptism of Bruno and Ronicia 29-05-2009

GLORY BE TO GOD

Another party was held in heaven, because of Bruno and Ronicia, a special couple who have just accepted Jesus in their lives. We give thanks to everyone who has been praying for them, and please keep praying because we need the help from the body of Christ to strengthen one another.

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)

SWEET VALENTINE

COUPLES' PARTY - SWEET VALENTINE

14th February, 6 p.m.

Theme: Living with Love

Address: Rua Filipe Folque, number 21 A/B, 1050 Lisbon - Picoas

Near the metro stations "Parque" (blue line) and "Picoas" (yellow line).

Contacts: +351 96 379 26 26 / +351 91 302 32 89

igrejadecristo_lisboa@hotmail.com

Please confirm your presence by the 12th February

Babysitting: 2 €

Sunday 18-01-09

… Facing the future

Biblical text: Hebrew 11:30-31 “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”

Complementary text – Hebrew 12:1-3

Thought of the day:

The conquest of Jericho by Joshua is not a simple subject. Does God take sides? Is it necessary that one part is destroyed so that the other part wins the land? Genesis 15 and 16 gives us a deeper point of view on this subject (in the days of Abraham, the measure of inequity of the Amorites was not yet full, but it was already full in the days of Joshua). God’s judgment over the Canaanites, comparable to the fall of Sodom, is a proof that God makes justice in this world claiming for justice. God does no want for the sinner to die, but instead He wants the sinner to repent and live (Isaiah 18:31-32).
Rahab’s example shows us that, even if we stand in a place that is being punished and judged by God, we can still repent and be saved. Jesus said it is easier for a prostitute to go to heaven than for a righteous man (Mathew 21:31-32). The same happened in this story. Rahab understood perfectly well that the arrival of the Israelites was a sign that God’s judgment was to be shed over that town. The other inhabitants of Jericho are described as being “disobedient”, showing that they didn’t understand the signs that it was the time for their salvation.
We may stumble on the “white lie” of Rahab (Joshua 2:4-6), but her clear confidence in God’s will made her win an honorable place among the “heroes of faith” referred to in the book of Hebrew.
This text in the Old Testament seems to contradict the love of God, so let us read John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” In the New Testament, God’s judgment is always behind God’s love: it is the love of Jesus Christ that protects us from the judgment (Romans 5:8-10). The story of Rahab, in its own historical context, is an eternal example of the reality of those who are in Christ. We must have the courage to abandon all the unrighteousness and all the sinful practices of this world and find salvation in Jesus Christ.

Worship and Thanksgiving:
- The holiness, the righteousness, the love and the mercy of God;

Intercession:
- For us to abandon unrighteousness and sin and return to God;
- For holiness, clear profession of our faith, defense of truth and of the plan of God;
- For the environment, globalization and the fears concerning the future; for the “tax collectors and sinners”.

Saturday 17-01-09

… Living consistently

Biblical text – Hebrew 11:24-28 “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.”

Complementary text – Romans 12:1-2

Thought of the day:

Yesterday we meditated on the blessing of parents who get involved in their children’s life. Today’s text is a classical example of the blessings that come out of that practice. We read about a man who was separated from his family when he was still a baby, and was raised away from his natural environment. Did he loose the track for his life? No, never! On the contrary, he recognized the thin contrast between a luxurious life among the pagans and the spiritual power of his roots.
We may think that a person, who becomes, by chance, part of the royal family, will hold on to every opportunity he may have. But in fact this man (of whom so many are envious) saw the hypocrisy of all that sparkle and enchantment. He would not find the true life there. Instead, he found the true life on the calling of his people: a people that were calling him to fellowship with God, since Abraham’s days.
To belong to this people, to have part on the promises received from God, it became Moses’ reason to live and the guiding for his entire path. A path that caused him to be cursed, to suffer a socio-economical fall and to share the same pains and oppression of his people, until the day they were released, by God’s will.
Moses did not allow himself to be tempted by the contingencies of his life. On the contrary, he found a path among his roots. For that reason, his life could now be shaped in the presence of God. And his reverence for God released him from fearing his people and from fearing those, the favor of which could not bring him life. He found his true home in those roots, where God poured out the power of life.

Worship and Thanksgiving:
- God’s plan and omnipresence;
- God’s love for the Jews;
- To thank God for the roots over which we can build our faith;

Intercession:
- For wisdom; for the ability to make good decisions;
- For courage, faith, holiness, calling…
- For those who lost orientation and for the end of ethical confusion.

Friday 16-01-09

Passing on the blessing

Biblical text – Hebrew 11:20-23 “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the King’s edict.”

Thought of the day:

Yesterday we meditated about the hope in faith and in eternal life as being the true source of hope. Contrary to what is commonly believed, the biblical hope is not “avoided worldwide”. In fact, the biblical hope releases us from the fear of death (Hebrew 2:14-15), for a full existence to be lived here and now. As paradoxical as it may seem, it is the precise security of eternal life that makes it possible for us to conform ourselves to this life, filling it with hope – beyond our own generation: He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26). It is this certainty of our Patriarch that should inspire each one of us. Therefore we, the Christians, should not complain about the “constant debasement of times” (historically it would be foolish, since many things have improved and continue improving). Can’t we see that the constant murmuring and complaint darkens the horizon of our children?
Our faith will give them realistic models: they will not expect that the contingencies of their future life will come out of the “progress” of society. On the contrary, they will look for their life style and their satisfaction in God. And this God will be the same for our children as he was for us!
Therefore, we should kindle and nurture a culture of blessings, by faith. Let us pray confidently for our children and for the next generations. Let us encourage them to trust in God: a God that can bless them in their path even more than he has blessed us in ours.

Worship and Thanksgiving:
We worship God for his faithfulness, his resources and his immutability;
God was present in every moment of History;
God blesses every generation;
God assures our security.

Intercession:
For the next generation: children and youngsters;
For role models in God’s likeness: mothers and fathers in the faith;
For courage to live and profess our faith;
For a culture of blessings.

Thursday 15-01-09

… Reaching for our limits

Biblical text: Hebrew 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.”

Complementary text: Hebrew 11:35-40.

Thought of the day:

Faith is the means through which we fellowship with God and cooperate in His plan. This means that a life of faith leads us to a life of blessings. In fact, some believers think of faith as a “more rewarding and profitable” way of living.
In today’s biblical text, we find Abraham being commanded by God to abandon his real life, by presenting his only son to be sacrificed. What was God expectating from this? We know that the God of the Bible would never want such cruelty, in contrast to the pagan practices against which He continuously and vehemently protested (Jeremiah 7:30-31). So why did God sent such a “temptation” to Abraham?
What seems incomprehensible for us today should be interpreted in the context of those days, when people sacrificed everything for their idols. We see here a sign of true commitment to God, the God of Love who leads us not to death but to life! The eyes of everyone around Abraham must have been wide open to the true character of God, a God willing of life and not of death. And to the world it was presented, according to the book of Hebrew, a sign of the resurrection that one day would take place through Jesus Christ.
This Hope in God includes a guarantee of His providence for the times when we are crossing the valleys of the shadow of death or other “dead end” situations, for the Bible says: “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Therefore, firmly based on this Hope, according to Hebrew 11:13-16, the Hope in the eternal glory of God, many will be able to bear even persecutions – with the certainty that with their faith and their trust in the true God, they will not loose their lives (their “better and more profitable” lives), but will find the true life: eternal life in the glory and love of God.

Worship and Thanksgiving:
God fulfils his promises;
God is pro-life;
God demands from some of us, but he never demands too much.

Intercession:
Faithfulness; commitment; obedience…
For the people who are under severe trials;
For the persecuted christians.

Wednesday 14-01-09

… The impossible will become possible

Biblical text – Hebrew 11:11-12 “By faith Abraham, even though he was past age – and Sarah herself was barren – was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as sand on the seashore.”

Complementary text: John 20:24-29

Thought of the day:

Everyone who has been touched by the thoughts of the previous days will thank this one. What happens when God comes into our lives and blesses us in “inexplicable” ways? As recorded in Genesis 18:10-15, Sarah smiled at what she thought was improbable: a 90 years old woman and a 100 years old man having a child. We see by this attitude of Sarah that even our role models in the faith were not mere “spiritual robots” that responded like machines every time God spoke to them. God allowed them to be “flesh and bone” people, capable of expressing their doubts, their emotions, their reservations when confronted with God’s will.
“God’s ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts higher than our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9), which is good news for us, since His thoughts do not conform to what we know from this life. In fact, God frequently changes our plans and gives us something incredibly good and new. And when that happens, no one “after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says ‘The old is better’” (Luke 5:39).
When we achieve what God has planned for us, we feel satisfied and accomplished; we rejoice in God and in what He has done, but oftentimes our first reaction is to smile, like Sarah did, or doubt, like Thomas (John 20:24-25). Nevertheless, God is patient with us and decides to persuade us (see Jeremiah 20:7).
We don’t have to be ashamed if we have “smiled” and we don’t have to pretend that we instantly understood and accepted God’s will, and have put it in practice right away. God reminded Sarah of her smile (Genesis 18:15) to help her overcome her initial lack of faith and her difficulty in understanding His will. That way, every time Sarah called her son’s name, she would remember that God has the power to transform attitudes of disbelief into attitudes of faith, and she would laugh of herself for having doubted. Have we been laughing of our own reactions, as well?

Worship and Thanksgiving
To contemplate in gratitude what God has done;
God does not reject those who doubt;
Our weaknesses are not an obstacle for God to accomplish His plans.

Intercession
That God may transform our attitudes of disbelief into attitudes of faith;
That we may be merciful with one another in order to understand each other better;
For the negative aspects of the world.

Tuesday, 13-01-09

Living with courage

Biblical text: Hebrew 11:7-8 “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Complementary text: Romans 3:21-28.


Thought of the Day:

Finally we arrive to the heroes of faith: Noah built an ark on land, Abraham left to an unknown land… The disciples asked the Lord: “Lord, increase our faith!” Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ request seems so idealistic when compared with the way we are living nowadays: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it will obey you” (Luke 17:5-6).
Before we give up and think that we do not have enough faith, we should meditate about this passage in the Old Testament and about Jesus answer. Noah and Abraham didn’t build their faith based on the great things they expected to accomplish. They lived day by day until God spoke to them personally, challenging them to do those things for which they became “famous”. What is interesting is to imagine what their reactions to God’s challenge might have been: did they think it was pure fantasy, and carried on with their daily routines, or did they convert God’s commandments into actions? By having obeyed God they became brilliant examples of faith: a faith that is capable of listening to God in such a deep way that God commanded them very specific tasks.
What should this mean to us? We should force ourselves to believe in “big things”, and we should listen to God so that we gain His trust and He will command us specific tasks (see Luke 17:7-10, for a parable about faith). It is important that we develop an obeying attitude in our lives, “both on the little things and on the big things” (Philippians 2:13-14). We have to be available so that, like Isaiah, we can say “I am here, send me”.

Worship and Thanksgiving
For God’s plan for the salvation of people;
God writes History along with us;

Intercession
Revival;
Evangelistic activities;
So that God will write History with every one of us;
To listen to God in the quiet, with determination, courage, self denial, commitment and obedience.

Monday 12-01-09

Can we please God?

Biblical text – Hebrew 11:4-6 “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experienced death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Complementary text: Romans 3:21-28.

Thought of the Day:

As we read Cain and Abel’s story in Genesis 4 we question ourselves: “Why did God accepted Abel’s offer and rejected Cain’s?” (Maybe a connection can be made between the animal sacrifice and the skins that God gave to these men so that they could stand before Him – something that the fig tree leaves could not do properly. See Genesis 3:7 and 21. Abel followed the “sacred tradition”, while Cain did things his own way.) Despite the meaning sacrifices had in those days, the book of Hebrews deepens this subject even more. It points out to the attitude of Abel: he acted by faith. In other words, even the “right” sacrifice becomes meaningless if the attitude of the heart is not the right one (Isaiah 1:11-17). We can’t impress God with what we do – but we can open our hearts to Him and start a relationship with Him. By having that attitude, Abel – long before Abraham (see Genesis 15:6) – was recognized for his righteousness and Enoch pleased God. If we, just like Enoch, want to “walk with God” (Genesis 5:21-24), we can only do it through faith, putting our lives in God’s hands. The greek translation of Enoch’s story uses the expression “to please God”. Enoch’s faith and trust pleased God so much that God took him away from this life (and we will enjoy the same hope. See Thessalonians 3:13-18). In our encounter with Jesus, we see something similar. Long before Paul explained the meaning of faith as the foundation of a life with God, the Lord recognized and praised the faith of those who reached out for Him (Mathew 8:10,11). He cared about the faithless environment where the disciples were living in (Mathew 8:26; 13:58).


Worship and Thanksgiving
The gift of justice through faith;

Intercession

The guarding of our faith;

Watching for our lives; Our lives should reflect our faith;

Unity among Christians;

Movements of prayer.

Sunday 11-01-09

… Acquiring Knowledge

Biblical text – Hebrew 11:1-3 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commanded for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made of what was visible.”

Thought of the Day:

Biblical characters experienced faith as a certainty that came out naturally, that didn’t depend on their effort – their faith was a conviction given by God himself. There were no evidences for their faith, and they didn’t feel the need for evidences. They experienced God’s testimony in a very personal manner (John 5:9-11). God wasn’t only the “object” of their faith, but also “the author and perfecter of their faith” (Hebrew 12:2). These men and women experienced God as being the one who roused and maintained faith in their lives; He was so real that it was inconceivable not to believe in Him. Therefore, in the New Testament, God does not reveals himself only through the Creation and our consciousness (Romans 1:19-21), but also through our personal encounter with Jesus Christ. We will be so amazed with His love that it will produce faith and trust in us (John1:9-12). This relationship with God gives us a new insight over all things, because we will understand that the world and its existence bring us closer to God. The communion with God sets us free form the slavery of material things, and we learn to use His creation for His service and for His glory (Genesis 2:15).

Worship and Thanksgiving
To worship our heavenly Father as the creator, the donor of talents and responsibilities; To worship our Lord Jesus Christ as the author and perfecter of our faith;

Intercession
To learn to accept the gifts of faith, and the certainty of salvation;
For the preservation of faith;
For the theological teaching and education; For a responsible attitude towards Creation.

UNIVERSAL WEEK OF PRAYER 2009

Follow daily the Universal Week of Prayer 2009

"... without faith it is impossible to please Him..."

Join us in this week of meditation, worship and intercession. Together we will be stronger, together we are winners in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Spring of Spiritual Blessings

Read: 1 Peter 5:5-6

«Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.» James 4:10

The grace of God is the spring of all spiritual blessings. The grace always gives plenty, in its measure and efficacy. What should we do, then, in order to stop fighting, leaving the vicious cycle and learning to walk in all that wealth and abundant grace?

Here is the key: the more you humble yourself before God, the more you will receive the fullness of His grace.

God “gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Not to the strong, but to the weak one. Not to the self-sufficient, but to the dependent one. Not to the proud, but to the poor in spirit. You humble yourself by recognizing the majesty of God, worshiping Him as the almighty God. The more you worship and praise the Lord, the more elevated thoughts you will have about Him. You may be able to do much, on your own, but that is still very little, compared to what you can accomplish when God is your guide and your strength.

Submission does not diminish your self-esteem or your value in God’s eyes. On the contrary, it puts you in a position where you can receive subsistence from the Spring of all good things, which is Jesus Christ. As a humble believer, you throw yourself in the arms of God’s grace, and abandon yourself in Him. Receive all your strength, peace, joy and safety from the sufficiency of God’s generous grace.

C. Stanley

The favor of God

Read: 1 Samuel 3:1-10

«Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.» Psalm 90:12

Do you think that God cares more about you than about anyone else? No, He doesn’t. But He doesn’t care less, either.

God cares about you the same way He cares about any one of His children: with complete fairness, impartiality, kindness and equality.

He forgives you completely. His love is shaped in the exact measure to fulfill your most agonizing emotional and spiritual needs. His Word speaks to you personally.

He calls you by your name, like He did with Samuel (1 Samuel 3). He is intimately acquainted with every one of your peculiarities (Psalm 139) and He has numbered your days on earth (Psalm 90:12).

Nevertheless, you should not remain still, delighting yourself on God’s attentions to you. God takes care of you, the work of His hands, so that you live a life that pours His kindness over other people, as well.

Certain of Christ’s unconditional and generous grace and favors to you, in every circumstance, you can wake up every day feeling joyful and knowing that He is working through you to fulfill His purpose.

God has some good works for you to accomplish today. No one else can execute them, but you.


C. Stanley

Finding out your true identity

Read: Ephesians 2:8-10

«I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.» Psalm 139:14

The alarm rings. Another day awaits us. The morning news refer the most recent meeting of the economical summit, announces the names appointed for the Nobel Peace Prize for this year, and brings a report about the national meeting of governors.

At the same time, the only financial conference you participate on is a monthly talk with your spouse to organize the checkbook. The only peace you’re interested in is that your teenage kids stop fighting. And the only important meeting you have attended was the only family reunion. Maybe you feel small and insignificant, in a world of six billion people, millions of important innovations and thousands of news reporting remarkable events, which make your contribution seem pointless.

Although God cares about financial stability, world peace and social justice, today He has an important thought in his mind: you. You are the work of his hands, his masterpiece. There is no one like you, and God cares about you with infinite care. He knows exactly how many threads of hair were left in your comb, this morning. He cares about your checkbook as much as he cares about world economy, and he cares about your home and its harmony as much as he cares about the harmony between the nations.

C. Stanley

Baptism of Nancy, 31-01-2009

See the pictures here!