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.
Thanks for posting this.
We established a church there years ago.
Wow..great report. The growth of new Christians in China, Africa, Indonesia, and India is off the charts too.
What does a prophetess do?
John 14:14
Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
"I don't know much about the Bible, but I do remember a sermon that said "in the last days there would be a great movement of the holy spirit." or something like that.
perhaps this is a sign.."
I hope the Holy Spirit moves on Washington first.
I've been looking for an evangelical Church like I went to in my childhood. Have they gone underground or just folded all together. I want a Church that preaches to all of us sinners and presents Jesus as the only "cure". Every Church I've been in in the last 30, maybe 40 years, tickle the ears of their congregations. That is sinful.
Prophesies/Preaches
Remember, in Acts Chapter 2...."your sons and daughters shall prophesy..."
[I've been looking for an evangelical Church like I went to in my childhood. Have they gone underground or just folded all together. I want a Church that preaches to all of us sinners and presents Jesus as the only "cure". Every Church I've been in in the last 30, maybe 40 years, tickle the ears of their congregations. That is sinful.]
I don't mean to offend, but I'm Catholic, and believe me, the priests in my parish don't "tickle the ears of their congregations" (nice phrase, btw), they tell it like it is.
Ping, Ladies, to a post with a different viewpoint on the progress of Christianity...
2 years ago our church partnered with a church in Brazil and since that time they have sent us 2 missionaries to help spread the gospel here in the US. At one time, the US was the leader in sending out missionaries...now the legacy of all that is...missionaries are being sent back to us to help us get back on track. Our country appears to have forgotten God, but He has not forgotten us.
Oh I forgot to add that since they have been here we have seen our little church double in size.
Now that we have returned to the southwest, I find that main-stream Baptist churches (and pastors) here present the Gospel much as you (wistfully) described. Regretfully, I can't say the same for their northern-State counterparts -- at least not as consistently...
Yep, GOD has his work cut out for him.
you folks on this thread are a scary lot...
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