Man vs. Religion

Every religion (man-made failed attempts at redemption) offers an explanation, a set of rules, an excuse why people suffer.

Why don't they just help the poor guy?

Answer: They can't, even if they wanted to.

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Steps to making a decision

1. Look at your life. What are you frustrated about? What do you NOT want to continue to happen? No one can decide to change without first hating the situation they’re in.
2. Understand that your life is the result of your decisions. Your life at this moment is the result of hundreds or thousands of decisions that you made (or failed to make) since your youth.
3. Decide to do something right now to change your life. If the desire to change remains inside of you, and is not outwardly expressed through some sort of decision, it has no power whatsoever. It can’t help you. Change only happens when a decision is made.

Remember that faith is a decision, and a decision is faith. Before I decide anything, I have to believe (have faith) that it will work, and for my faith to work, I have to make a decision to act on it. The Day of Decision is actually the day of faith in action!

PS. When you don’t make your own decisions, someone will end up making them for you. That’s when you complain, saying: “Yea, but I didn’t have a choice.” But the truth is that you took so much time deciding that someone came along and decided for you.

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Problems require a reaction of equal magnitude

Ahab was the worst king that Israel had had up to that point. He did more evil than all that had preceded him. “Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.”

On the other hand, who did God raise up to confront the worst of all kings? Elijah, the prophet of fire. Elijah was the sharpest, boldest, most courageous prophet in the history of Israel. To fight the worst king, God raised up the greatest prophet.

This teaches us a very important lesson: My reaction to a problem has to match its intensity. Proverbs 24.10 says:

“If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”

Today we would say: “If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place.”

If I want to change my life, overcome something evil that has controlled me, or a warrior that’s imprisoned me, I have to be a greater man of war than he!

A pastor has to be more of a warrior than the evil forces that have held people back and blocked them from coming to the church. The wounded must be stronger than their wound, the poor bolder than their poverty, and so on.

If you stop and think about it, this is nothing new. It’s simply a question of common sense. And courage.

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The power of making one day special

“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord.” Romans 14.5,6

Obviously, this passage is explaining our power to decide what we want. If I think all days are equal, then for me they will be. And if I view a certain day as special and elevate it above all others, then for me that day will be special.

But it doesn’t stop there.

This passage says that whoever makes one day more special than another does it “to the Lord”. In other words, God sees and accepts the distinction that I make, and responds by making that day truly more special in my life.

This helps us better understand another passage: “What we bind on earth will be bound in heaven.” Heaven simply confirms what we have already determined on earth! All miracles begin on earth, not in heaven.

Whoever considers the Day of Decision a more special day than the rest, will make it a turning point that divides his life into before and after.

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Saving God movie

A movie about faith, life, and the choices we make.

Around the world, one people, one faith, one spirit

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One Day

The memories are so fresh, it’s like it happened yesterday. I was 12 years old and that Sunday seemed to be like so many others. As far back as I can remember, my entire family – parents, two brothers and one sister – would spend every Sunday at my grandfather’s house, on my mother’s side. He was very nice person and had converted the garage of his house into a grocery store, which was paradise for us kids. We could walk in and take whatever we wanted – candy, sodas, potato chips, ice cream… it was a blast.

For my mother it was an opportunity to catch up with her larger family. Innumerable aunts and uncles were only a small part of this large family that migrated from the northeast of Brazil to the big city when my mother was only a child.

When they played “Sueca”, a card game I never understood, my dad was the faithful partner of my grandfather, and they played for hours and hours…and hours. We always arrived home very late at night.

But that Sunday was not like the rest.

At the end of the day, when it was almost the time for us to leave, my parents got into an argument in front of everyone. I don’t remember the what or the why of the argument, but I do remember the embarrassment; the fear that the look on my father’s face instilled in me; how I wished that my mother would just shut her mouth to avoid making things worse; the desire to yell out: “WHY CAN’T YOU TWO JUST GET ALONG?” — these are impossible to forget.

That day, trouble entered our family.

After the fight, we got into the car and went home. For the entire trip, not a word was uttered, and that silence, especially on my father’s part, continued for almost one year – and then the bomb exploded. An affair, another woman, witchcraft, a living hell. I’ll spare you the details.

The point is that everything has a beginning. Nothing has always existed, except for God. The Bible speaks about the “time of trouble” (Psalm 41.1), the “day of adversity” (Proverbs 24.10) – in other words, there’s a particular day in which evil comes into a person’s life. From that day on, things go from bad to worse. It’s like a derailed train – there’s no going back.

Your health was good until the day a symptom appeared. Your marriage was happy until you had a disagreement that couldn’t be resolved. Your business was doing well until your sales went down and never came back up again.

But the interesting thing about the day of trouble is that it comes without invitation. It’s the nature of evil – it attacks when we least expect it.

But the day of salvation, the day of deliverance, the day of change has to be induced. Said another way, it doesn’t happen by accident. I hear a lot of people say “one day my life’s going to change”, “one day I’ll make it” – and yet these people leave this day to chance. They think that on some beautiful day, good fortune will smile on them. But no one’s life changes that way.

Change is the result of a DECISION. The day I make a good decision will be the day that my life begins to change. But it’s me who chooses this day, no one else.

You need to appoint your own Day of Decision.

On this day, trouble will be forced to leave your life and give room for the good that you choose.

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” (Deuteronomy 30.19)

What’s YOUR decision?

P.S. Was there a day when evil (or good) entered your life? How did it happen? If you managed to make a positive change, what was the key decision you made that provoked it? Please write it in the comments below and share your story — it could help someone.

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Finding a good church

I thought publishing this email would help a lot of people like Sharon. Here we go:

From: Sharon

Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2007 00:42:47 GMT

To: Bp Renato

Subject: Finding a good church

What happens when you are just tired of church?

I am a 33-year-old Christian woman, who has been a faithful member of church since the day I was born. As I grew older, I desired to really know God and his word more in-depth, because I felt I needed more than Sunday service and Wednesday worship. However, through finding great bible studies and taking a bible course, I have found that the more I gain knowledge in the Word, the more I am tired of the entertainment found in church. I feel like we are missing some real teaching in the church and instead pastors, bishops, reverends, etc. are just entertaining for the numbers, titles, and conformity. I rather attend a weekly bible study than Sunday service. This is weighing heavy on my heart, because I enjoy the fellowship in church and with church family, but I feel like I need more. And although I know I can have church anywhere, because the Lord is present with me always, I feel bad that I don't want to go to church! I am in prayer, but sometimes God speaks through people so I was hoping someone could shed some light on this troubling situation.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 02:42:15 +0000

Subject: Re: Finding a good church

From: Bp Renato

To: Sharon

Dear Sharon,

Thank you for your sincere words. Unfortunately, what you’re saying is not only true of your experience but of many other churchgoers too. It’s a sad reality that some churches have divorced from their Lord a long time ago. Now they’re reduced to traditions and the ways of men.

What to do? I don’t have a golden solution, but here’s what I have advised sincere Christians:

• YOU are the church. YOU must have your own, personal relationship with God and not depend on anyone else.
• Church fellowship is important for spiritual growth, but not every fellowship aids growth. You must search and choose carefully the church you will attend and be committed to.
• The key characteristic of church leadership is the character of the leader — his exemplary family, his God-fearing attitude, and his passion for the souls and well-being of his people. Miracles, eloquence, degrees are not as important.
• Ask other people who know that church from long-term personal experience attending it what they have to say about it. Weigh the answers intelligently.
• Pray that God guides you to a Spirit-led church.
• Know that however good a church may be, it will never be perfect. Keep your eyes on God only, and don’t be discouraged by Christians behaving badly. Do your part and don’t look at others.

I hope this helps Sharon, and I pray that God will guide you in your search.

Please feel free to get in touch at any time.

God bless you.

Bp Renato Cardoso

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Subject: RE: Finding a good church

Date: Monday, February 5, 2007 4:22 PM

From: Sharon

To: Bp Renato

Thank you for your kind words and quick response. I will take in your advise and keep it all in prayer. I hope to visit your church this Sunday.

Thank you and Blessing.

Sharon