...

My dear friend Dana Congdon, suggested to me and some of my friends (I actually call them brothers and sisters...), that we read biographies from some well known christians...you know, people that've had a call to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ; As a matter of fact, you might actually know some of them...people like C.S Lewis, CT Studd, Charles Spurgeon...(no...they don't all start with the letter "C") and my favorite...Oswald Chambers. Now...why is Oswald Chambers my favorite?! Is it because, as a child...I would never forget the image of my father on his knees (in the morning) praying...with a copy of "My Utmost for HIS highest" next to him? Is it because Oswald Chambers had such a revelation...and was bold enough to simplify alot of the things I had doubts about..by the way, here in NY we call that an "stand up guy"? Is it even...because a week after Dana said that...I got "Mr. Chambers" biography as a gift from my sister...and since I don't believe in coincidence, you know....? Well...as you probably guessed, all of the above! So today, I finished talking to a friend and tried to go to sleep...hummnnn...sleep...let's just say that after 17 yrs, I am insomnia free (and that's a miracle!), however today...It's not that I couldn't sleep... but the fact was... the Lord wanted me to read something, and the graphic i quiclky made, yes..the one you see posted as a picture, was it! This sentence pierced my heart in such a way you have no Idea! Oswald Chambers said those words..."I don't care what God does, It's what God is that I care about"...to his wife, as he was fighting for his life in a hospital bed. Seriously...who am I to say anything else to the Lord, besides THANK YOU and HALLELUJAH! "Obvious Time" is officially in session! We live in a great country! We got friends, food in our table, peace, money, love, and most importantly...JESUS...yet we complain! Lord please...give us the faith, boldness and heart for you...to just like your servant, not care so much about what you'll do...after all you know, you have a pretty nice record of keeping your promises...but help us to focus on what YOU are. To finish...I'll quaote your other servant Martin Smith, from the group Delirious when he says..." Save me! Save me! From the kingdom of comfort where I am king....To this kingdom of heaven where YOU are king! God Bless, Lucas Penido.

COOLNESS IS A PERSON! (And it's not me)

Wow...haven't been here in a minute! Sometimes I pinch myself, "Lord, do I deserve it all?". Obviously, not. What would it be of me (us) if it wasn't for HIS grace? It's so funny that now, since all eyes are on me, I got to watch what I say...or how I say things; However, with my Abba Father, is different. Very different, I can just pour my heart out and say whatever is on my mind. You know, this my sound obvious to whoever that's reading this blog , but I've been through times in my life, that I felt my sins were soooo huge that I was very ashamed of what to tell my Lord, and that led to a long period of no direct communication.

I just found out this past week that I am what you would label, a "subjective" person. You know...like I mentioned above, it's pretty hard for me sometimes to believe that the Lord's work is done. Period. Like I said, sometimes I felt my sins were so above anything that was "forgivable". Oh...but that's another new area in my life! I AM FREE! Seriously, you know how that feels???? Well...now I do! (Try to follow my thoughts, cause I'm writing as I think)...Once you accept the Lord Jesus Christ, as your savior and you know he died that terrible death for you...than, it's done! When God looks at you, he sees the blood of HIS son, not your sins!!! I am trying to be as most straight foward as I can, for one reason only...I know that lots of people now, check this blog, because of my work and what I do....HOWEVER... I can't stress enough, that You might see me in magazines, and you might hear about me here and there, but honestly...THE BIGGEST TREASURE IN MY LIFE IS JESUS CHRIST. Yes! The "cool" guy you see on the magazines and hear about, LOVES JESUS! You think is corny? Well...I respect your opinion, but I'd love for you to try and see what that TRUE COOLNESS is peace! COOLNESS is knowing someone has done the work of taking all your sins away! COOLNESS is not the material things you have in this life, but the ETERNAL THINGS YOU'LL HAVE FOREVER! COOLNESS IS A PERSON...AND THAT PERSON IS JESUS CHRIST! Want to try coolness? Talk to HIM like you would talk to a friend, no need to calculate your words..after all, He already knows what's inside your heart! Try it...and then send me an email letting me know how it has affected your life! THE COOLEST GUY IN THE WORLD, aka JESUS CHRIST....LOVES YOU! God Bless, Lucas Penido.

THANK YOU LORD!

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; Ephesians 3:8

DOUBT

So...sometimes, well...actually, alot of times...I go through moments of doubt. All kinds of doubts...it all depends on what I'm going through.
Lately...they all have to do with work. No...thank God, is not a lack of work...but It's what to choose?!!!! See...if you're like me, and your faith in Jesus goes along with everything you do, then...sometimes, not being "syncronized" can really mess things up. Let me be a bit more specific...sometimes i get caught in my work, my daily activities, myself, whatever...and I am not in sync with the Spirit...so when a certain option, presents itself to me...or in my case, many options, present themselves to me...it's harder to make a choice. HOWEVER....the Lord raises people that i believe, through revelation...have a better understanding of certain issues. Like..in this case, Mr. Oswald Chambers. Last night, I decided to read something before i went to bed...but something i could meditate on...and so I read todays devotional. I highly suggest that you check it out...obviously, it deals with doubt (among other things)...and trust me, it made a few things clearer to me, and I hope that if you're going through the same thing, it can make things clearer to you as well. In Christ....Lucas Penido.

"The Secret of the Lord" by Oswald Chambers

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him . . . —Psalm 25:14

What is the sign of a friend? Is it that he tells you his secret sorrows? No, it is that he tells you his secret joys. Many people will confide their secret sorrows to you, but the final mark of intimacy is when they share their secret joys with you. Have we ever let God tell us any of His joys? Or are we continually telling God our secrets, leaving Him no time to talk to us? At the beginning of our Christian life we are full of requests to God. But then we find that God wants to get us into an intimate relationship with Himself— to get us in touch with His purposes. Are we so intimately united to Jesus Christ’s idea of prayer— "Your will be done" ( Matthew 6:10 )— that we catch the secrets of God? What makes God so dear to us is not so much His big blessings to us, but the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us— He knows every detail of each of our individual lives.
"Him shall He teach in the way He chooses" ( Psalm 25:12 ). At first, we want the awareness of being guided by God. But then as we grow spiritually, we live so fully aware of God that we do not even need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing another way will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified, God guides us by our everyday choices. And if we are about to choose what He does not want, He will give us a sense of doubt or restraint, which we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never try to reason it out, saying, "I wonder why I shouldn’t do this?" God instructs us in what we choose; that is, He actually guides our common sense. And when we yield to His teachings and guidance, we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually asking, "Now, Lord, what is Your will?"

Wow!

Saw this on youtube and had to post it...
May this always be my prayer.
"...What do I have If I don't have you Jesus???"

Impossible is nothing...HOW GREAT THOU ART

When I go trhough any problems or anything in general that seems "impossible", this song reminds me that...I believe in the same God that opened a sea for the Israelites to go across. There's a sneakers commercial that says..."Impossible is nothing", that should've been about my God; I don't know if it's your first time checking out this blog, I don't know if the billionth...but i got a question...Who's your trust on? Many of you get to this blog because of my other fashion site, so I got this to say to you... If you believe my opinion when you go get your next pair of sneakers, if you believe my opinion when I say "what's the next hottest item" then..there's no other opinion greater than the one I'll share with you right now...and that is, Believe in Jesus and experience for yourself...How great HE is; Impossible is nothing. God Bless, Lucas Penido.

Strength Of My Life

This is a great song by P.O.D based on Psalm 27. It's such a powerful song with a very strong powerful message and was recorded together with Matisyahu,, whose a jew. Actually..Matisyahu chose this Psalm and it was only going to be an interlude on the cd...but it came out so good that they decided to make a song out of it. Bottom line is...I was looking for a song to post here and chose this video, in which you can actually read the words to the song! I hope you enjoy it! God Bless, L.P

Every Soul...

This is a song that spoke deeply to my heart, titled "How Sweet The Name" by Delirious. It's so simple yet so powerful! Thank You Lord...for your unconditional love. My soul has a savior! God Bless, Lucas Penido. (*ps. Click here to download the song)

FEAR

I'm realizing now, that the number one thing that has kept me from growing in my spiritual life, without a doubt wasn't even sin. It was fear. Fear of consequences, fear in form of doubt (ex: "Am I worthy?"), fear of capability (to accomplish something), fear...fear..fear.

There's a song by Jars of Clay, which I'm listening to it right now; it's called "Much Affraid" and it pretty much talks about that. There's a verse in it that says..."...All of these things/ I've held up in vain, No reason nor rhyme/Just the scars that remain/Of all of these things/Im so much afraid/Scared out of my mind/By the demons Ive made..". If you have ever gone through fear, you know that the verse I just typed summarizes that feeling. However like brother Watchman Nee wrote in one of his books, the whole battle is "fought" in our minds and without a doubt, the enemy knows that fear is his ak-47! Let me be short today, but let me say something...I'm declaring out loud that I'm through with that! Yes, fear might come once in a while but I'm not going to let that hold me from stepping up and letting the Lord use me in whatever HE wants. Tell you why not...because I have much more to gain than to lose, even if I make mistakes...what I have to gain by stepping up is much bigger, much more. the Lord says in 2nd Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Enough said! Let me finish just by saying...you know what I love about the song I mentioned in the beggining? that at the end, after stating all his thoughts and fears...he says..."Sweet Jesus, YOU'll never let me go!" You might be reading this blog for the first or the billionth time...bottom line is...He'll never let you go if you come to him. Pray for me as I'll do the same for you, all you got to do is holla! God Bless, Lucas Penido.

I'm Luke Skywalker...

I made a few serious decisions in my life this week, one of them being that no matter what it takes...I'm going to prioritize my spiritual life. (By the way, I'm already going to apologise for all the mispelling, my settings are in portuguese due to "The Hype BR" and I really don't want spell check, instead I want to write what's on my heart). Sometimes I want to come in here and write. however, it's not everyday that something "supernatural" happens (or at least is noticed) and I just don't want to come in here and bla bla bla bla bla... Tell you what, today on my devotional...I read something that deeply touched me! I knew I was meant to read that! Why? Humn...Well, it just answers so much right now. (I'm actually re-reading it right now, and I think the whole chapter would fit) but the one verse that really stuck with me is something that should be obvious but maybe because it's in the Bible it makes so much more sense and it just goes straight to the heart..well, that verse was 1st Timothy 6:7..which says "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out". I mean...how many times have I said that among friends or in the middle of a conversation, etc...but do we truly believe that? ...and if so, do we act like we do? The Enemy is very subtle and when I think I've "mastered" on something...I realize, it's only by the the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ that I can truly do anything...especially as a young adult leaving in a world full of things that tell syou that "..You are only as important as what you have, who you are, etc..."

Forget that! I'm goning to tell you something straight up! Enough with the "glitter"! Hey, no disrespect to all my fans and people that read "The Hype Br" but my walk with my Lord needs to be my priority and if that means carrying my cross which could come in so many different ways...then, that's what I'm willing to do! I love what I do...but the Lord has been speaking so much to me lately on how my blessings have turned into a distraction and how they have opened a door/gap/whole..whatever you want to call..for the enemy to come in. Tell you what, listen/read closesly now: I'm all about Galatians 2:20...I'm crucified! I don't have the strenght to do alot but I got a father that does...and HE promised me all I gotta do is trust. I've been to both sides and I'm Luke Skywalker...I don't belong in the dark side. Fact! Pray for me as I'll do the same for you...may all i do, all my talent, whatever...be used for the glory of my Lord and only savior JESUS. God Bless, Lucas Penido. (To the sound of André Valadão...I've heard this song 44 times in the past 24 hours..it's called "I can't see you" and the chorus goes like "I Can't See you but I just know/ You are the "I AM"/Can't see you but I know Who you are...Alpha and Omega."

The Good vs The Best

Haven't posted in a "minute". Life's been so crazy this past couple of months with all the traveling, the store, the blog, the projects...etc...and It's really hard to focus and prioritize what really matters sometimes. All that really matters if I get down to it, or at least what should be #1 is my spiritual life. All the glitter, the work, the "this and that" is secondary...if not irrelevant! But once again...it's pretty hard not to let those things "pile up" and next thing you see, you're lost at sea again or at least...far from the target. Two brothers though, in different occasions shared something with me and for some reason...short, straight to the point sentences have way more impact in me than you know...a loooong "breaking down the points" talk. I guess the spirit testifies ...well..I'm sure the spirit testifies..and they said...something along these lines..."blessings usually turn out to be distractions, but His grace is greater"...hey, blessings do turn out to distraction????? That's me 100%! I feel like almost every blessing in my life has in a way or another taken more than sometimes they should...however, Our Lord's grace always comes to the rescue and keeps me grounded even if sometimes i gotta go through things I really didn't need to. However this other brother said something only 2 days ago that really stuck with me...he said "Don't let the good get in the way of the BEST"...hey, that's all I needed to hear. I pray that the Lord gives me the same strength he gave Joseph to escape Pharaoh's wife however...I need to seek as much as Joseph did. Nothing comes for free and there's no shortcuts in our walk with Christ. Anyways...it's 03:30 in the morning but I just felt like coming in here and saying.."Hello"! Keep me in your prayers as I will do the same...(just drop me an email saying your name or whatever so I know who to pray about)! God Bless, Lucas Penido.

OMIKASE STYLE

So...I was asked at an interview for this really cool blog this past week about my life as a Believer. The interviewer asked: "So...everybody knows you as the owner of one of the most famous fashion websites in Brazil...but I googled your name and found that you also have a blog that expresses your faith, who did you write that for?". So many people that read The Hype BR have also found this blog right here, however...it was the first time that I was going to talk about it in a public way. My answer was..."Pretty much, I don't like religion...religion messes things up...however, I love Jesus and Jesus loves everyone who seeks him. "Luke Believes" expresses this aspect of my life. I didn't create it or write it for anyone in particular...I write it for anyone who's wants to read it." Well...was my answer good or bad?! Who cares... that's in my opinion secondary...however, It was crazy being sort of put against the wall for the first time because of my faith...and that's when i was like..."Wow...hey, I really have a serious responsibility here." The Lord has blessed me soooooooo much this past year, especially also coming from a year (2006) that was probably the worst one in my life and then...HE gives me this huge oportunity to not only get back on my feet but to also tell others about what and in Who I believe in. It's truly amazing! Today...I went to a Bible Study and my friend Elby gave a really good analogy of the "Omikase Style" of eating . Omikase Style, which I have only done a couple of times...is when you allow the chef to serve you whatever he wants; Mainly because you trust him so much or you believe He's that good...that you know whatever he gives you will be great. That touched me deeply because that's how we should trust our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I personally struggled for years with that...trusting that what HE had prepared for me was THE BEST. I always felt like..."Hey, what if HE has something for me I don't really like, etc..." but I recently found that not only HE has the best...but also HE doesn't play with our feelings, He is not here to joke around...HE wants the best for us (Psalms 37: 5-6) and will prepare us somehow, emotionally, phisically, however...to go through what HE has instore for us . Yes...it could be a bit scary but I wouldn't want it any different. I always used to compare my spiritual life to a "Rollecoaster" now...I would compare it to a road with a few bumps along the way (John 16:33). The Lord has really come through as ALWAYS and when I realized all I had to do was trust????!!! It almost upsets me..haha..Why didn't I do it before?! Ok...such a cliché question but so true!. That being said...I must say that, trusting in the Lord might be a life long learning experience but honestly...Who else is also ready for that "Omikase style" spiritual cuisine? God Bless, Lucas Penido.

SEEN ANY FROGS LATELY?

I have been extremelly busy latelly and I thought I didn't want to "post just for posting"...so I was really waiting on something that spoke deeply to my heart and yesterday I received this email..it's a devotional written by Dana Congdon. Check it out and see if it also speaks to your heart:

Feb. 9 Exodus 7:14-9:35 Matt. 24:32-51Exodus 9:35

"So Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he did not let the children of Israel go,just as Jehovah had spoken through Moses."It is hard to believe that someone could be so hard hearted. Pharaoh now has defied Jehovah nine times and the cost is getting greater each time.

Is it possible that people today could be so hard?It seems that man learns to adjust to curses, wraths, plagues and judgments because there is just no rational reason for them except bad Karma, lousy luck or "that's life".

What does it take for God to get the heart's attention? When these plagues are matched up with the final events in Revelation we see men well into the great tribulation and still hardened of heart and full of rationalizations.

But then there are those who fear Jehovah. And just his slight displeasure causes pain. And their consciences have been sensitized by the Light of fellowship until they at times suffer from over-sensitivity.

Such dear ones are kept in the eye of the storm as when the crops and the cattle of Goshen were preserved through the plagues.And what would the difference be that marks the 'sensitive ones'? Mainly this, that they heard the Word before it happened and BELIEVED and were consequently readied and sheltered. Moses had spoken the whole thing step by step before each stage happened. The end times cause little fear to those who are prepared and provided for by believing the Word.

Seen any frogs lately?

-Danda Congdon