One Word

I was thinking why so many people don't see big changes in their lives.

Then God gave me one word.

Courage

You must have courage to apply the word of God, to sacrifice your life on the altar, to go after what you believe is your right etc...

As I posted yesterday God said to Joshua "Be strong and courageous".

Do you want your life to change?

You must have courage.

God's advice

"Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 
Joshua 1:6-9

Jacob's Fight

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”  James 4:7,8

The devil will not voluntarily run away from anyone. He wants to show who he is in the lives of human beings, that he came to kill, steal and destroy. He will do anything to avoid leaving a person’s marriage, health, love life, family, and finances. So what power does he sense in certain people, a power that’s stronger than his own, that makes him flee?

Without a doubt, it is sacrifice-based faith. Sacrifice resists the devil, always. If the devil insists on staying in someone’s life, it’s because he has not yet seen that devouring power in his life.

“Resist” conveys a sense of opposing an adversary, refusing to run away, standing firm, refusing to give in or yield, and only those who are tired of who they are, and what their lives are will do it. This determination causes them to place all their strength into their fight and sacrifice.

This is what Jacob did when he wrestled with God in the valley of Jabbok:

And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.  Genesis 32:28

Jacob struggled with men… meaning that he fought with himself because he no longer wanted to be who he had been. Jacob struggled with God… meaning that he basically said: “Lord, You have to bless me for the sacrifice I made of separating myself from everything — the goods and the people — and being alone with You.”

In Jacob’s fight with himself and God, who lost? It couldn’t have been God, He is invincible. It wasn’t Jacob because he overcame… but someone did suffer defeat. Without a doubt it was the devil.

The day that you find yourself alone on the altar with God, you will destroy the devil and he will flee from you. Everyone saw Jacob change, and in the same way, everyone will see you change.

The devil doesn’t flee from money, even when it appears to be a lot. He flees from sacrifice, even when it appears to be little. When he sees sacrifice, he sees God.

This is the Israel Challenge.

Bishop Romualdo

Purpose of Prayer and Fasting

Root Event for Women

I will wrestle with God - Song

Do you know Him?

God had revealed himself to Jacob as the God of Abraham and his father Isaac.

Jacob then made a vow with God saying that he would be his God if he provided him with his needs when he was running away from his brother.

But 20 years after when he was about to leave Laban he said "unless the God of my father had been with me i would have left empty handed".

Jacob was now rich but he was still referring to God as the God of his Father and not his God.

Why?

Because Jacob was still carrying the same name, he had riches, wives, children but inside was still the same Jacob the deceiver.

The same happens with many people who are in church today, they have received many blessings from God, healing, prosperity etc... But they still don't know God, for them He is the God of the Universal Church, pastor, friend, father or mother but not their God. They are still the same, lying, cheating, deceiving, full of grudges, fornicating etc...

Jacob was tired of being himself he wanted more than the blessing of God, he wanted the Blesser, he wanted to be the blessing himself, for this to happen he had to sacrifice and be alone with God.

The same must happen to you Jesus said: "What does it profit if a man gains the whole world and loses his soul and what can a man give in exchange for his soul".

 ^"Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Mt 7:22,23 NKJV

What about you, Do you know him? Are you sure of your salvation?

If not the Campaign of Israel is specially for you who want a new identity.

God Bless you,

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It is useless

It’s useless to want to be great and yet think small.

It is also useless to want to be great from one day to the next.

No one is born great, that’s a law of nature put in place by the Creator.

It’s useless to be God’s partner and yet depend on other people.

Being a partner with God and counting on the help of others is not living by faith.

Wanting is not receiving.

If wanting was receiving this world would be a bed of roses.

After all, who doesn’t want to be healthy, prosperous, and to have a happy family?

Between wanting and receiving is an enormous desert that has to be crossed.

This journey begins with one step: determination and a firmness of mind, thoughts that are in line with the thoughts of God.

With each step you will have to keep your mind fixed on the same counsel that God gave Joshua:

Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.  Joshua 1:7 (HCSB)

Head in this direction and don’t wait for other people to help you.

Trust that the One who made the promise is faithful and that He will fulfill it.

This is living by faith — this is depending on God.

Those who have a covenant with God cannot depend on others.

Either the Spirit of the Most High God is with you, or He’s not.

If you believe with all your strength, He will give you the certainty that He is your partner.

Do something, act on your faith, follow the inspiration that you’re given, do what you can and expect His response.

Relying on God as your partner and going straight ahead without waiting for the help of others is a basic principle of faith.

God made a promise to Abraham and his descendants.

Those who have faith are Abraham’s sons.  Galatians 3:7

Isaac was blessed and passed on his blessing to Jacob.

Jacob took possession of the blessing in a fraudulent way, became very rich, and yet did not become a blessing. He possessed the promise of the blessing, but was not happy. He possessed the promise but was not the blessing.

For the High and Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy says this: I live in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed.  Isaiah 57:15

Bishop Macedo www.bishopmacedo.com

A phrase to meditate on

"What happens to you isn't nearly as important as how you react to it."

Hating your own life

                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                    We spoke here about the value of Jacob's gift to his brother ( click this link ) and also how he was afraid when his brother was about to attack him that he divided two groups in case of an attack one could escape  ( click this link to read) but there is something i noticed that can really show what a sacrifice Jacob had to make to become a new man.

"And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. 

He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had." Genesis 32:22,23 NKJV

He had divided them in two groups, and sent gifts to his brother but he kept with him the group that was most important to him, the wives, two female servants and his eleven sons and some other things he had.

And this is one of the main reasons why many people are not blessed in a campaign, they are willing to let go of the gift and even to divide what they have but they are not willing to let go of the most important things, their all and to depend on God totally.

Eventually Jacob did and God appeared to him and changed his life.

What about you, what are you holding on to in these life?

The sacrifice says:

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" Luke 14:26 NKJV

Jacob's Gift

Jacob’s gift

Hi Bishop,

This morning I was wondering about how much Jacob's gift to his brother would be at the current prices, and I found someone who had made the calculations this last March. 

Here are the approximate modern day market prices of the animals that Jacob gave as a gift to his brother:

• 200 female goats @ $163 = $32,600

• 20 male goats @ $177 = $3,540

• 200 ewes @ $340 = $68,000

• 20 rams @ $541 = $10,820

• 30 female camels with their young @ $15,000 = $450,000

• 40 cows @ $700 = $28,000

• 10 bulls @ $1700 = $17,000

• 20 female donkeys @ $1500 = $30,000

• 10 male donkeys @ $1500 = $15,000

• Total: $654,960

I knew that Jacob was rich after leaving Laban, but I never realized how rich. If he was able to give a gift of over half a million dollars, which clearly was a huge sacrifice, to his brother, imagine how much more he had.

I think this gift is a crucial part of the story because he separated these animals and sent them off in the direction of his brother right before he wrestled with God — I don't think that's a coincidence. We could say this was not only a gift to his brother, but his sacrifice to God. 

Like you have been speaking about, the offering on the altar has no value when we have something against a brother in our hearts. By giving this gift he was cleaning his heart so that his sacrifice would be accepted by God.

The passage also says that this gift was "going ahead of him".... just like our sacrifices do.

“A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” (Proverbs 18:16)

Bishop David Higgnbotham

Jacob wrestling with God

For those who think you tried everything, try this.

When we meditate at the story of Hannah we see some very interesting points:

• She could not have children and her husband found another woman.

• The other woman who had children with her husband provoked her.

• Her husband loved her more than the other and would give her a double portion of offerings for her to give in the temple every year.

Inspite of her yearly prayers, fasting and offerings her name had not changed she was carrying the name of a barren woman that was her shame.

Until one day she had enough and went straight to God like Jacob she was alone, she did not go to the priest but direct to God and did something she was not doing before, she sacrificed.

"And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thine handmaid, and remember me and not forget Thine handmaid, but wilt give unto Thine handmaid a manchild, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” 1 Samuel 1:11

That was when the situation changed.

There are times that prayer, fasting and offerings alone will not bring the result you want, you need to be left alone, revolt against the situation and sacrifice then the result will come. 

Meditate on 1 Samuel chapter one.

Jesus, Peter and the Young rich ruler

And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.”  Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. MARK 10:20-22

Jesus was very direct with this man as to what he needed to do in order to achieve eternal life. He did not tell him you have to stop stealing or lying or cheating on his wife etc... In his case what he needed to do was sell all he had give it to the poor and follow Jesus.

This man's name is never mentioned in the bible, because those who don't sacrifice are forgotten, Jesus was calling this man to be one of his disciples be he turned down the offer and we don't hear anything about him anymore. "But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property."

on the other hand Peter when he was called he sacrificed everything and followed Jesus and not only was he remembered and became Jesus right hand man among the 12 and Jesus Himself changed his name "He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” John 1:42

 

Cephas means rock and Jesus took a simple fisher man called Simon with a failing fishing business and made him a great man of God called Peter all because right at the beginning he did not question or think to much about what Jesus was asking him to sacrifice he gave it all.

PETER'S life, name, and history changed forever.

The life, name and history of the rich young ruler never changed and he was forgotten even though from his youth he kept all the commandments.

He left as quickly as he came.

The same God that changed the life of Jacob is the same God that changed the life of Peter. He will be the same God to change the lives of all those who are willing to sacrifice what God asked from them in a heartbeat. 

Pr Samuel - Long Beach

How can you know if you are truly making a sacrifice?

Ask yourself these questions:

What is it that you cannot live without?

What are you afraid of losing ?

Jacob fought 20 years to conquer what he had but when his brother was coming to meet him he was greatly afraid and distressed and divided the people into two companies thinking if one is attacked at least one group could escape.  Genesis 32:7,8

He was afraid of losing what he had and his life.

But afterwards we see that even the ones who were with him he sent them over the brook and made them cross the ford of Jabbok symbolising his total surrender, letting go of everything and being left alone.

Sometimes we want to see the greatness of God but we don't want to let go of those things we have in other to conquer something better for example: car, house, family, money, title etc...

It is interesting to notice that the Angel only appeared when Jacob was left alone.

God can only show himself in our lives when we reach the point of not fearing losing what we have because He is the only one we cannot live without. When we are left alone, total surrender, total sacrifice then the transformation will happen.

What about you, are you ready to put on the altar what you could not live without in other to have something more valuable than that?

God Bless you

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No more delay

When Jacob saw the Angel he could not let go unless He blessed him.

And we are living in the days that we cannot wait anymore, God has to act, certain situations can't wait.

I share the same prayer Daniel did below. 

O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.” (Daniel 9:19 NKJV)

What about you, can you keep waiting or have you had enough?

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Why money is important when making a sacrifice?

The other meaning of SACRIFICE is renunciation of something precious; it is very common in the church to hear people say that they surrendered body, spirit and soul on the altar, but most of the times we don’t see Gods answer in their lives, Why? It’s simple, we have two legs which takes us where we want to go , when we walk we put all the strength of our body on our left leg while the right one moves forward, then we put all the strength of our body on our right leg while the left one moves forward right? 

Sacrifice is also like that, there is the leg called spiritual and the leg called material. Many people put all their strength in their spiritual leg, in fasting, prayer, they stay away from sin but they are afraid of acting their faith renouncing everything that pertains to their body, spirit and soul on the altar.

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:33)

To renounce on the altar means having the conscience that everything we have, house, car, money, children, husband, wife etc, are Not ours, they were lent to us, and God can ask these things from us and we are ready to put them on the altar, even if it costs us everything.

O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own (1 chronicles 29:16)

Maybe you ask why is money important in a sacrifice?

We have heard many times in the news mother giving up their babies for adoption alleging that they don’t have conditions to raise them, but have you ever heard of a mother giving up a million dollars to someone? Alleging that she can’t take care of those green bills? It is possible to leave without children, husband and family but not without money, because the human being needs is to survive. When what we had, what we have and what we will have is in the hands of God, it symbolizes what we were, what we are, and what we will be on the altar.

If you don’t want to depend on someone like a crutch, but only on yourself and God to reach where you want in whatever area of your life, then use your faith on the altar using both legs, the spiritual and material legs. 

In this way you will not walk, but you will run after your success.

Think About it

The Power of words

At least be useless

Posted: 10 days ago | In: Spiritual Intelligence

                                                           

I wasn’t the one who said it:

In the same way, you, when you have done all you were ordered to do, say: We are useless servants; we have only done what we were supposed to do. Luke 17.10

According to the Lord Jesus, the definition of useless is not someone who is idle or just sits around and does nothing all day. His take on it was that the useless person is the one who does only what he should have done — in other words, nothing extra, no more than what was expected of him.

Of course, the goal is to become a useful servant, someone who exceeds expectations. But we know such people are rare.

The problem is that there are too many people who need to improve a lot just to achieve “useless” status. That’s because they don’t do even what they are supposed to.

If you have no ambition to become a useful servant, then at least be useless. Less than that is to waste your existence.

Source: www.renatocardoso.com