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.

[12th_Monkey]

Your welcome and thanks for letting me know that was a worthy post. It made my day to know that what I posted meant something to someone else.

[khnyny]

I can understand your knee-jerk skepticism, and I can't speak for this lady, but prophets have and will continue to exist. Doubting their existence, doesn't make it any less true.

The Holy Spirit works through people to accomplish God's will. Padre Pio (a famous stigmatist priest of Italy) heard Karol Wojtyla's confession and told him that he would be the Pope one day. Karol Wojtyla, of course, took the name Pope John Paul II in 1979. Padre Pio had the unique ability of looking at someone and knowing their sins. There is lots of "documentation" as the Church can be just as "skeptical" in reviewing these types of things.

[hosepipe]

[ I suspect that many of these folks who become nominal evangelicals will eventually find their way back to Catholicism with a renewed fervor--particularly after hearing one or two sermons which vilify Our Lady. ]

I've heard a few of those, actually more than a few.. Most don't vilify "Our Lady" but vilify the deification of her.. even to worship.. of the Queen of Heaven.. Which anybody with a smattering of knowledge of pagan religions knows that Most ALL pagan religions worship/rever a "Queen of Heaven".. Foreign to the "bible".. but very common to pagans..

[Antoninus]

I've heard a few of those, actually more than a few.. Most don't vilify "Our Lady" but vilify the deification of her.. even to worship.. of the Queen of Heaven.. Which anybody with a smattering of knowledge of pagan religions knows that Most ALL pagan religions worship/rever a "Queen of Heaven".. Foreign to the "bible".. but very common to pagans..

So then they lie and misrepresent Catholic teaching? I'm shocked. Do they tell them that St. Juan Diego didn't actually see Our Lady of Guadalupe--that it was all a big hoax? I'm sure that will go over really big.

Catholics have never taught that Mary is a goddess. Never. The Council of Ephesus (AD 431) proclaimed her "Theotokos"--Mother of God. She is known as the Hodegetria--She who shows the way--always deferring to Christ, her Son. Always saying, "Do whatever he tells you."



Catholics don't worship the Blessed Virgin. We do, however, pray to her and ask her to intercede for us with her Son, as we do with all of the Saints.

[hosepipe]

[ Catholics don't worship the Blessed Virgin. We do, however, pray to her and ask her to intercede for us with her Son, as we do with all of the Saints. ]

I know..

Its a small jump from paying to!.. and worship as an "idol"..
You must have missed that... You seem to be woefully ignorant of "protestant" dogma on the subject and fully enmeshed in Roman Catholic dogma.. Fine!... I am not.. thankfully enmeshed in either..

[martin_fierro]

I was gonna Pingäo you!

Sure doesn't sound like the Brasil I remember!

In Uruguay they called the Mormons "Las Tetas" because:

• They were always dressed in white; and
• they always travelled in pairs.

[Antoninus]

Its a small jump from paying to!.. and worship as an "idol"..

Uh, no it's not. I may ask my very holy deceased grandmother to pray for me too, but I'm not "worshiping" her as an idol. Heck, when I ask a fellow Christian to pray for me, does that mean I'm worshiping them too?

You seem to be woefully ignorant of "protestant" dogma on the subject and fully enmeshed in Roman Catholic dogma.

No, I just believe what the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and all of the Early Church Fathers taught about the subject--not what some Protie-come-lately has to say.

[CAWats]

When our church heard that children were being murdered by off duty policemen hired by shopkkeepers who didn't want them hanging around the front of the stores, we built a home for the children. Now, some of the kids that grew up there are preaching the gospel. http://www.victoryoutreach.org/

[TheGunny]

Extremely heretical!

[Alamo-Girl]

Fascinating sidebar on the Lord's Prayer! Thank y'all for the pings.

IMHO, we Christians ought to meditate on it every day - word by word and thought by thought.

For instance, the reason or meaning of life - His name, His kingdom, His will. And Christ is the bread of life, our daily bread etc...

[Onelifetogive]

we built a home for the children. Now, some of the kids that grew up there are preaching the gospel.

There is no greater feeling in the world than helping someone who multiplies your help and passes it on to others.....

[Alamo-Girl]

I strongly agree with the "home church" basics - that is the strength of the Church - people gathering together informally in small groups, sharing their love of Christ.

And it doesn't matter whether the gathering is at a dinner table, among friends in someone's home, on the tailgate of a pickup at sunrise, by email on the internet or just a devotional thread on Free Republic.

[agrarianlady]

the priests in my parish don't "tickle the ears of their congregations" (nice phrase, btw),

I caught the reference immediately. Here it is:

2 Timothy 4:3

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

[oyez]

you folks on this thread are a scary lot...

Thank you and may God bless you.

[hosepipe]

[ No, I just believe what the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and all of the Early Church Fathers taught about the subject--not what some Protie-come-lately has to say. ]

Hmmmm... As Jesus said, "The sheep MUST be separated from the goats".. That is a good thing..

[Alamo-Girl]

My family is 100% Christian. Half of them are Roman Catholic. Even so, there is more Spiritual agreement than disagreement among them. If I were to characterize the difference it would be that one side is comfortable with a hierarchy of spiritual authority in the body of Christ - the other sees Christ alone as the Spiritual authority (or "head") of the body.

[TXnMA]

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

[USMMA_83]

He's within me...I know he blesses me.

[Antoninus]

My family is 100% Christian. Half of them are Roman Catholic. Even so, there is more Spiritual agreement than disagreement among them. If I were to characterize the difference it would be that one side is comfortable with a hierarchy of spiritual authority in the body of Christ - the other sees Christ alone as the Spiritual authority (or "head") of the body.

Don't get me wrong. I love my evangelical brothers and sisters, even if I don't agree with them on certain points. I respect the great work that they do spreading the Word of Christ and studying Sacred Scripture.

I disagree fundamentally, however, with those who treat Catholics like they're not Christians. And I will resist those who misrepresent Catholic teaching to those who are ignorant in order to lead them away.

There are billions of people in China, India, the Middle East, and around the world who will die having never heard the name of Jesus. Those evangelicals who witness to nominal Catholics in Latin America are taking the easy path in the hopes of rapid mass conversions. The greatest missionaries of Jesus Christ today are doing the difficult and unbelievably dangerous work in places like Sudan, China, Indonesia, and India. And they're most often Catholics.

[Alamo-Girl]

LOLOL! In my family, whereas one side emphasizes the liturgy, they are deeply reverant - the other side is more rowdy, but they speak up about Christ everywhere they go.

The differences are, to me, beautiful like a work of a master Artist - lots of colors, contrasts. If the Artist mixed all the colors into one on His palette, what could He say?