10th Sep

Put the ring on your finger!

“So…is everything ok?” I ask.

“Well, more or less” she replies.

Through her answer I can tell that she needs and wants to talk and let off some steam. I keep on asking, until she opens up…

“Look, I get the things I need but my life does not change. I come to the church and I pray for my family and my financial life and see results but there is still something missing….”

I just came from a blessed service in one of our branches and towards the end I was talking to a lady and I decided to write about what happened.

As she talked, I was paying attention while looking at my wedding ring on my finger and that’s when I found the words for her….

“Can you see this ring? Do you know what it means? She looks at me puzzled, she must have thought that I was crazy because it had nothing to do with the subject of our conversation however now I had caught all her attention.

My husband was on the altar giving advices and I pointed to him and said…

“When I married him I made a covenant to take care of him, be faithful, be his companion, make him happy and love him with all my heart” I then remove my ring from my finger and place it on hers. She looks at me confused…

“What is missing in your life is exactly this! Not a commitment with your husband but with God. Come to church to seek the One who blesses which is far more important than the blessings themselves” I say calmly.

Marry Him and make a covenant to take care that His Spirit may abound in you, be faithful, be a companion, make Him happy by doing His will and above all love Him with all your heart”.

Think with me, if by doing this for my husband he rewards me, imagine God?!!

I wanted to share this with you because the mistake most people make is exactly this.

Where is the covenant? Where is the ring on your finger?

Nanda Bezerra

9th Sep

What is the diference?

8th Sep

For All the single people

I hope that my testimony can serve as an example to other young women, who, like me, always get asked by people at church and at home why they are still single.

I first came to the Universal Church with my mother to fight for our family because we were going through some tough times at home. We were delivered, baptized and everything changed.
Time passed and when I turned 30, being single began bothering me, especially because everyone was asking me about it. I felt like an old maid. I’d pray and do my purposes, but nothing happened.

I started participating in the Therapy of Love services at church, but I thought God was taking too long, so I decided to give Him a "helping hand" (as if the Almighty needs any help). This thought kept popping into my head because I was anxious to get married and felt a strong need for affection.

So, I had the "brilliant" idea to post my profile in the “Cantinho do Coração” (a singles column in the Folha Universal newspaper). I received many invites but I chose one that, in my eyes, was the best. He was everything I always wanted, all he needed was a halo to be an angel; I was head over heals.

We started dating and I never really asked him about his past. Everything seemed to be going wonderfully. As time went by, he began showing signs that there was something wrong, but I refused to see it, I didn’t think it mattered. The Holy Spirit was warning me that this was a trap, but I didn’t want to hear it.

Three years later, I found out what I never would’ve imagined; he was married. I was floored, my world fell apart, I felt like a harlot; I ended it all, right there and then.

That’s when I finally understood what the Holy Spirit had been warning me all along. It was extremely difficult to turn my life around after all that, because I was very ashamed and disgusted with myself, but I managed.

I decided to lock up my heart and throw away the key; I wasn’t going to believe in anyone anymore. Whenever someone approached me, I would be rude to them because I was still very hurt. It took about six months for my heart to heal and only then did things change. The whole time, my other half had been right there next to me. Today, I am happily married.

However, this was only possible after I allowed the Holy Spirit to guide me. Although I’d known him for many years, I did things differently this time. I ran a fine-toothed comb through his life; I investigated his and his family’s background. I tested him every way possible and only after he passed all of those tests, we started dating. Now, we are married and happy.

I hope this can serve as an example for all of the single women. I’m not saying that the Folha Universal and the people who chose to post their profiles there are not of God. No, I’m not saying that at all.
The Folha Universal isn’t responsible for the veracity of the information that is announced in their column; the truth is that, anyone can publish their profile. What I’m saying is, that you should be careful not to fall for other people’s lies, like I did one day.

I hope this has served as an example.

Thanks!

Tiane - Rio de Janeiro

7th Sep

What kind of eyes do you have?

Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are. This is a popular and very true saying.

It is no different when it comes to our eyes. Because they are the lamp of the body, they have an enormous responsibility when it comes to our salvation.

How many "Christians" have ill feelings and thoughts towards others, on account of having bad eyes?

Often, hurtful and harmful comments have led people straight to hell because of their bad eyes.

If they weren’t extremely dangerous, Jesus wouldn’t have used the body's health to get His point across.

And there is more:

Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.” Luke 11:35-36

Many Christians have part of their body in the light and part in the dark. That’s why many aren’t living the life they should be. Their faith is constantly going up and down, while they’re chasing after promises and dreams.

Take a long hard look at your life, my dear reader.

Maybe this has been the root of your problem?

The eyes may be the cause of a measly life and/or a sick body.

Glasses and the best ophthalmologist aren’t enough to make your whole body be full of light, this can only happen when you put the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ into practice.

6th Sep

What do I need to change? Should I move? Or?

When someone finds themselves at a crossroads, or walking in endless circles, like the water that finds its way through the path of least resistance, their flesh will also opt for the path that is less stressful and requires less effort.

That's exactly what happened to Isaac, who almost lost his blessing when he decided to move to Egypt, because there, he’d have everything he wanted and in abundance.

However, we’ve had plenty of examples show us that places can’t change people; people are the ones who have the power to change or not that place, depending on what they carry within themselves (mind, intellect) and the actions they take when using their Faith.

So, God was determined to have Isaac stay there and invest in HIM, His power and His promise. If he did, he’d surely overcome that situation and that’s what happened because:
"Then Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him." Genesis 26:12

Why did HE clearly make it evident that it happened in the same year?

Certainly, Isaac planted something that would normally take more than a year to bear fruit, but because of the faith and trust that he manifested in God, by obeying His command and staying in Egypt, he made the impossible, possible and completely changed the story of his life.

We can learn from all this that people need to change their mindset and the direction they’re going, by listening to God’s Voice and not their heart.

May God bless you abundantly!
Bishop Guaracy Santos

5th Sep

Tither: John D. Rockerfeller

The first U.S. billionaire once said in an interview:

“Yes, I tithe, and I would like to tell you how it all came about. I had to begin work as a small boy to help support my mother. My first wages amounted to $1.50 per week. The first week after I went to work, I took the $1.50 home to my mother and as she held the money in her lap she explained to me that she would be happy if I would give a tenth of it to the Lord.
I did, and from that week until this day I have tithed every dollar God has entrusted to me. And I want to say, if I had not tithed the first dollar I made I would not have tithed the first million dollars I made. Tell your readers to train the children to tithe, and they will grow up to be faithful stewards of the Lord.”
--John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

He began tithing as a child and became one of the richest men in history by revolutionizing the oil industry. He came from a poor family and an absent father. But his mother taught him how to be faithful to the principle of sowing, which till this day, brings the Rockefeller family prosperity (when he died in 1973, his fortune was calculated to be about 760 billion dollars. Today, that would equal 12 times the wealth of Bill Gates).

To be faithful in little things is a test of character. Before you trust someone with a lot of something, you test and prove their character in the little things.

The same way God gave Rockefeller petroleum, He also wants to give His children wellsprings of riches. There are many treasures yet to be discovered, ideas worth millions, golden opportunities…

But, of course, God will only give that to the faithful and diligent.

Pr Juloio Da Silva

Two functions of roots

Two functions of roots

A good root system serves two purposes in the tree’s development: it functions as an anchor and the roots collect moisture, without which the tree could not thrive.

Strong roots function as an anchor and ensure that a tree remains standing regardless of the weather and other elements of nature. Rain or shine, lightning or tornado, a tree may even suffer some damage to its body, but its roots will ensure it remains standing and recovers.

The root of a problem plays a similar role. It doesn’t matter what happens to the visible parts of the problem, its “leaves and branches”. As long as the root remains, it will ensure the problem remains standing and recovers its original state in due course.

The other function of roots is to feed the tree. They provide uptake of nutrients and water for growth and cooling, and provide storage for food reserves.

The root of a problem also feeds the problem. It ensures the problem stays alive, even if for a while it remains dormant. A person may have a problem last for many years, and only see it manifest from time to time. But it only exists and thrives because the root is feeding it.

Whatever happens to a tree, its rise or decline, it’s directly linked to its root system.

No tree exists without roots. Neither does a problem.

The root Event Starts September 11th, 8Am,9:30am & 12noon,

Venue:Adabraka Former warehouse,Close to Adabraka Market,

Help Lines:0302 222 400, 020 048 7534, 024 366 8067

Pr Julio Da Silva

No problem is an orphan

No problem is an orphan

It wasn’t by chance that the Lord Jesus said: "A tree is known by its fruit." (Matt. 12:33) He knew exactly what he was talking about and where He was going with it.

For starters, we see that He used logic: If this, then that. In this case, if the fruit is good, then the tree is good too. If the fruit is bad, the tree also is bad. This is logical, intelligent, and undisputable. God calls us to such intelligence. He wants us to use logic to discover the root of our problems.

For twenty plus years in my work I have counseled people with all kinds of problems. Rarely does anyone come to us knowing what the root of their problem is. Usually, people want to solve the visible problem, the one that is causing them pain at that time. They do not realize that every problem has an origin, a root. They talk about wanting to get a job, improving communication in their relationship, breaking an addiction, and so on. Except that these are all just “leaves” and “branches” of trees that have much deeper roots.

No problem is an orphan.

That person is out of a job for one or more factors. Poor communication is happening because of bigger reasons that are affecting the relationship. Addiction is only a symptom, not the disease itself.

Just as no one is born without the action of a father and a mother, no problem arises from nothing.

Logic and intelligence. God wants us to fight against our problems using these weapons.

Want to learn how to use them?

The root Event Starts September 11th, 8:am, 9:30am & 12noon,

Venue:Adabraka Former warehouse, Close to Adabraka Market,

Help Lines:0302 222 400, 020 048 7534, 024 366 8067

Pr Julio Da Silva

3rd September

Problems that come and go

If I want to get rid of a tree, I must cut it at the root. The banana tree, for example, is a very robust and resilient tree, even if it appears weak. Amazingly, no fire or a tornado can kill it. Even if someone cuts it into a thousand pieces, it can still survive. The only way in which the banana tree can be prevented from growing again is by pulling it out completely from the root.

The same principle applies to life’s problems, especially the chronic ones. If they’re not resolved at root level, they eventually rise again and come back just as before.

Many people want to solve their problems but limit themselves to dealing with the leaves and branches. The result is the problems eventually come back — and sometimes they grow back even worse.

There are three main reasons why people usually do not deal with the root of their problems:

1. They don’t know how to find the root
2. They know the root, but they don’t know how to kill it
3. They know how to kill it, but are not willing to put in the effort required to do it, in other words, they want quick answers

Which case is yours?

We will explore this further in our next messages. Stay tuned.

The root Event Starts September 11th, 8:am,9:30am & 12noon,

Venue:Adabraka Former warehouse,Close to Adabraka Market,

Help Lines:0302 222 400, 020 048 7534, 024 366 8067

Pr Julio Da Silva

2nd September

The curse of “normal”

In yesterday’s post, I asserted: If a person’s life doesn’t develop naturally, it’s because there’s something wrong somewhere. It’s not normal for a human being to be miserable, frustrated, and unhappy. That’s not what we were made for.

It is NOT normal:

• To repeatedly fail in your relationships


• To work hard and never have money


• To be sick all the time


• To feel empty inside or depressed


• To be addicted


• To have no peace in your marriage or family


• To never accomplish anything

But a lot of people will tell you that the above is normal. “That’s life.” “That’s the way you are.” “Don’t fight it, embrace it.”

Regardless of what people say to convince you that these things are “normal”, deep inside yourself something tells you that that’s not the way your life should be. That’s the intelligent voice you should listen to.

Break free from the curse of “normal”. We will teach you how.

The root Event Starts September 11th,9:30am

Venue:Adabraka Former warehouse,Close to Adabraka Market,

Help Lines:0302 222 400, 020 048 7534, 024 366 8067

Pr Julio Da Silva