Today's Brazil: Where Jesus trumps decadence

Worldnetdaily.com ^ | 06/20/2006 | Jim Rutz

[SirLinksalot]

Today's Brazil: Where Jesus trumps decadence

JIM RUTZ

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

I have a friend named Cindy Jacobs, who is a truly stellar lady and also the most noted prophetess in America, if not the world.

Let me give you just one example of her exceptional gifting:

A few years ago, she spoke at an evangelistic rally in a stadium in Costa Rica, and as she was walking away from the platform, she happened to glance at a sickly-looking man in the audience who had plainly had a stroke.

A fleeting thought flashed through her head that she should turn back and tell him that he was going to be the next president of Costa Rica. But she immediately shrugged that off as a wild idea, a product of her own imagination.

A short moment later, however, the thought returned – even stronger – as from the Lord. Her response was an unspoken prayer: "God, there is no way I am going to prophesy that man is going to be president! He looks so sick that he could die at any moment." And she kept walking.

But just a few steps later, the thought became a clear voice in her spirit: "Cindy Jacobs, you turn around and go tell that man that it is My will for him to be the next president of this country!"

By that time, she was more afraid of dissing God than being ridiculed for a false prophecy, so she spun around and called out to him, "The Lord says that if you remain humble, you will be the next president of Costa Rica, and God will use you to expose corruption in this land."

The astonishing encounter was over. She was heartened to note a kindly look in the man's eyes, and her hosts told her the man's name, Abel Pacheco. Cindy filed the incident away in her mind as one of her thousands of dangling prophecies and returned home.

Two years later, her ceaseless travels brought her back to Costa Rica to speak at a conference. As the busy days were ending in the usual blur, her phone rang. It was a local friend saying, "The president of Costa Rica would like to meet with you."

Cindy replied, "Who is the president?"

The friend answered, "Abel Pacheco, the man you prophesied would be the next president!"

OK, now flash back to about 1991, and to Brazil. It is Carnival time, a season when most churches there go into damage-control mode because of the overwhelming onslaught of immorality and decadence. Cindy and her husband, Mike, are visiting in the capital, Brasilia, and Cindy is quite vexed at the rampant evil. Preaching to a crowd, she angrily bursts out with a prophecy that within three years, the March for Jesus – a minor annual event at the time – will grow to dwarf the Carnival and break its power! (I'm sure that Mike, a no-nonsense businessman, winced when he heard that one!)

Three years later, 850,000 Christians turn out to march in a pouring rain in Sao Paulo. Five mayors completely shut down the celebrations in their cities because of the immorality. The Carnival begins a sharp decline.

It was no flash in the pan. Last Thursday, 3 million marchers converged on the Agenda Palest (Brazil's Wall Street) to noisily celebrate Jesus. Do you detect a trend here?

Authorities complained about the racket, but frankly, I can't see where the marchers are doing much damage to the markets, which are up about 300 percent since September 2002. Brazil's leadership in South America continues, despite Venezuela President Hugo Chavez's efforts to become the godfather of the continent and President Evo Morales's decision to play Castro by nationalizing all the oil and gas in Bolivia.

As in China, the Brazilian economy has boomed pari passu along with the church. (China's church and economy are growing at 8 percent a year.) Since 1994, the Brazilian evangelical community has more than trebled – to 20 percent of the population. At current rates, it will reach 50 percent by 2020!

They have a new saying in Brazil: "There are three things you can easily find in any town in Brazil: a bradesco (bank), a guarana (soda) and an evangelical church."

And you ain't seen nothin' yet. All across Latin America (still nominally Catholic), you will find more Protestants than Catholics in church on Sunday morning!

By 2010, at current growth rates, Brazil would have 435,000 churches, surpassing the 350,000 in America, where we shut down 3,000 to 4,000 more each year.

The world is changing. U.S. Christians need to make a fast shift from the spectator church to the house church, where individuals get empowered for growth.

[TXnMA]

LOL!!! We must share kinfolk!!

Nicely put!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your reply, Antonius!

I cannot think of a single Christian confession which has not complained about being misunderstood, persecuted or abused. And I do not doubt the sincerity of such claims.

But I usually respond by pointing to the Sermon on the Mount, where Christ tells us we should rejoice and be exceedingly glad when we are falsely accused and persecuted for His sake. Our reward in heaven is great when this happens!

So be joyful and get back to the Master's vineyards! After all, the things which really matter are to love God absolutely and to love our fellow man unconditionally.

[Alamo-Girl]

LOLOLOL! Thank you so much for the encouragement!

[khnyny]

The situation in China is dire. Here is an excerpt from a speech given by Joseph M. C. Kung, President of The Cardinal Kung Foundation, presented to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, read the whole thing here:

http://www.cecc.gov/pages/roundtables/032502/kungRmks.php

Room SD 215 Dirksen Senate Building
1st/Constitution N.E.
Washington, D.C.
March 25, 2002

"Ladies and Gentlemen:

When I entered this country forty-seven years ago in 1955, China was a young communist country. At that time, the communists were throwing the bishops, priests and their faithful into jail and labor camp.

Forty-seven years later, China is still a communist country. China is still throwing the religious believers into jail and labor camp by thousands. Although China has changed by opening its door to the outside world, the persecution of religious believers has never stopped. This persecution has recently become so bad at a time when China is making significant economic progress, at a time when China has joined World Trade Organization, and at a time when China professes fighting terror, while it continues to create its own terror among its own religious believers.

Since late 1999, the government of China has destroyed 1,200 churches in one eastern province alone. An 82 year old priest, Father YE Gong-Feng was savagely tortured to unconsciousness and Father LIN Rengui was beaten so savagely that he vomited blood. Underground Catholic seminarian Wang Qing was tortured for three days, being suspended by his wrists, beaten, and forced fed with contaminated liquids that caused severe injury and illness. Catholic priest Hu Duo suffered broken legs in police beatings. Even a 12 year old girl could not escape the brutality. She told the interrogators that she had become a liturgy lector. As a result, she was beaten so savagely that she had to be hospitalized.

There is a tiny village called Dong Lu in Hebei. In that village, there is a shrine for the Blessed Mother. Each year, tens of thousands of pilgrims visited this shrine from all over China. However, in May 1996, 5,000 Chinese soldiers, supported by dozens of armed cars and helicopters, destroyed and leveled that shrine. The government confiscated the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and arrested many bishops and priests. Bishop Su Chimin, the underground bishop of this shrine, was arrested at least 5 times in the past and had already spent approximately 26 years in prison. He disappeared after he was last arrested in October, 1997. We do not even know if he is dead or alive. The auxiliary bishop of this shrine, Bishop An Shuxin, was last arrested in May, 1996. He has been in prison for the last 6 years. We do not even know where he is. The pastor of this shrine, Father Cui Xingang, was also arrested 6 years ago in May, 1996.

There are approximately 50 bishops in the underground Roman Catholic Church. Almost every one of them is either arrested, or under house arrest, or under strict surveillance, or in hiding, or on the run. For instance, Bishop Jia Zhiguo, Bishop of Zhengding in Hebei, was just arrested 5 days ago. We do not know where he is."

The accurate information regarding China, the Middle East, India and even parts of Africa is out there.

[Frwy]

good advice. Thanks

[khnyny]

[Fine!... I am not.. thankfully enmeshed in either..]

Obviously.

[oyez]

Wonderful!

I haven't many chances to be scary. I didn't know I had it in me. LOL.

Not long ago a well intending lad commented to me"Jesus will return, again."

I glanced back and said, "Yeah, I know and it about time he did." You should have seen the look on his face.

[betty boop]

And, one might expect, one side is more comfortable with lots of ceremonial "window dressing" than is the other... '-)

LOLOL TXnMA! Don't write off that "ceremonial window dressing." There's more to it than meets the eye: It goes to profound insights and understandings and generally tends to involve the whole person, body and soul.... The Church ministers to the whole person, and does not at all disdain a person's sensory and emotional experiences, especially as these confirm the individual spiritually in Christ.

So don't "laugh" at the incense!!! Or the stained glass, the chants, or the sculptures! All aim at the glory of God made present to the open, wondering, loving soul.

[hosepipe]

Interesting deducement, in the post above..
I on the other hand believe all denominations even your denomination was invented by the "DEVIL".... They are like masks..

Quite an invention too.. quite destructive.. Take the mask(s) off and all christians look and are the same.. If indeed they are christians at all..

[Alamo-Girl]

So very true. For one, it's the painting, the stained glass, the liturgy that moves him to worship God --- for another it is the singing of hymns and the fellowship of other believers --- for another, it's a sunrise or when a newborn grabs his finger.

[Aquinasfan]

As in China, the Brazilian economy has boomed pari passu along with the church.

I guess "the church" means the various Protestant denominations. Brazil has been Christian for the last, what, 500 years?

[Alamo-Girl]

Well whereas I don't agree that all denominations were inventions of the devil - though one might wonder about such as the "heaven's gate" suicide cult - I do agree, when our denominational masks are removed, we are all just simply Christian underneath.

[patriot_wes]

What does a prophetess do? Makes mostly true but undocumented predictions, or well-documented but mostly false predictions.

Luv it!

[betty boop]

For one, it's the painting, the stained glass, the liturgy that moves him to worship God --- for another it is the singing of hymns and the fellowship of other believers --- for another, it's a sunrise or when a newborn grabs his finger.

Yes, and all magnificent gifts of the Lord, all praise and thanks be to Him, Who draws us to Himself individually according to each of our own ways and predilections -- which He very well knows in every case.

Some people seem to be drawn to excellent engineering designs, others to poetry, others to horse breeding, whatever. Et cetera. The Truth of God is the very foundation of all these things. And He has a way of reaching every soul -- at least those that are not thoroughly dammed up to His "advances," in advance -- by the Grace of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord of Life speaks every language known to man, even those languages which man has not conceived yet. Who has ears to hear should listen to His Word.

And as you so truthfully say, the Lord's palette is made up of many colors: For what could be said, if all were blended into a single gray mass of gloppy pigment?

Thank you ever so much for writing, Alamo-Girl! May God ever bless you, my dearest sister in Christ.

[JockoManning]

Thanks for this. Very encouraging. I have read Cindy Jacobs' book, "Possessing the Gates of the Enemy" and she is quite an asset to the Body of Christ.

Thanks for the ping, Quix.

jm

[USMMA_83]

Never left buddy...never left....only he needs to be discovered again...where he always was...once there is that realization, then peace reigns. Though, I'm not a big fan of peace personally. Bad for the economy.

[Jason_b]

So...you know the rules...where are the pics of the hot Brazilian chicks?

[TXnMA]

I wasn't "laughing" at the incense or other liturgical "trappings". I was amused at how much true Christians are like multicolored wires in a complex cable. When one strips away the externals that appear to differentiate us -- like the colored insulation distinguishes and isolates one wire from another -- what is left is the solid metal core where the Power flows. And those cores are very much alike -- just as true believers are all alike when standing at the foot of the Cross.

I have had few religous experiences that exceed those I have had in fellowhip with fellow Christians who, organizationally or liturgically, differ from me.

I happen to feel led to worship and serve regularly with a large congregation of Baptists of a conservative (surprise!) bent. OTOH, for instance, I also look forward to joining my great aunt and her small Church of Christ congregation for their (quarterly, a capella, shaped-note, laypeople-led, all-evening) "singings".

And I treasure the fellowship of the many business trips I shared with a Catholic professional colleague -- at the time in our lives when we both were committing ourselves to lifetimes as Deacons (literally, "servants") and looking forward to ordination as such by our respective churches.

~~~~~~~~~

Hosepipe, I understand that those of a superficial bent can fixate on the differences between "denominations" and can sometimes magnify those differences into near hatred. Perhaps they need a "wire-stripping" experience...

[Alamo-Girl]

Beautiful said and very wise, my dearest sister in Christ!

[Alamo-Girl]

Wire-stripping! What an excellent metaphor! Thank you - and especially thank you for your testimony.