Posted on 06/20/2006 8:09:37 PM PDT by 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.
<< Wow ... Great report. The growth of new Christians in China, Africa, Indonesia, and India is off the charts too. >>
Latest estimate of Chinese Christians??
More than two hundred million!
It's like watching a wreck.
You think?
Yup...pretty disgusting...
From what I understand from some evangelicals is there is going to be 1 last great harvest of souls (salvation in Jesus) before Jesus returns and judges the world (yes, that freakin' final end -- when all the shiite hits the fan).
look not further..."where two or more are gathered...there am I"
Just might become a fallback position if not Salvation of the Church...
Thanks for this uplifting post!
God doesn't doubt that you exist
Actually, several of my friends from/down there are Mormon! The Mormons have been very active in recruiting at least out of Sao Paulo for many years.
Still, the majority of those whom I know are Catholic. Mmmmm.... Catholic gurls...LOL!
This conclusion is quite a leap from the previous content of the article!
That said, it's very good to hear about the Lord's work in Brazil.
May His will be done in all things on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thanks for the ping, TXnMA!
Makes mostly true but undocumented predictions, or well-documented but mostly false predictions.
Seems like I've heard that somewhere before... (And, of course, I agree!)
A friend once pointed out to me that he could time twenty seconds exactly without using his watch -- and he did...repeatedly. He used the principle that the recital of the source of your 'prayer' (in English, at a 'normal' rate) takes exactly twenty seconds.
Give it a try. Even if your timing is a bit off -- you have done something worthwhile! '-)
Maybe a thread shoud be started about all the Catholic martyrs in South America. I'm not talking about 200 or 300 years ago, I'm talking within the last century. I know there are Protestant Christian martyrs too, but somehow, these stories really don't seem to make a splash in the MSM.
If you are anywhere near Peebles, I have a suggestion. :-)
I concur.. Thanks for the ping(BB).. Back to the basics, like it was in the beginning.. When "the Church" grew far faster than they could be murdered..
There has been a Large "church" in China since the nineteen Twentys/Thirtys.. because the church started at home and radiated from there(the church IS a family) to this day, also in Taiwan.. i.e. ref. Watchman Nee and many others).. When "organized denomination" comes in, the government has a target.. lacking one, the government can't tell the christians from anybody else..
Reagan was right ... "Government IS the problem".. and Jesus was right, "My Kingdom is Not of this world".. some might say "paradigm"..
ref.. #57
Thanks, PM.
I, too, have a suggestion.
"From what I understand from some evangelicals is there is going to be 1 last great harvest of souls (salvation in Jesus) before Jesus returns and judges the world"
That idea is preached alot but it's not from the Bible.
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