“I can’t become a person of God, no matter how much I try, it seems that there is no way for me and sometimes I feel like giving up,” a young lady recently said…

All creation – including the Creator – has what we call the point of balance. The human body, the aeroplane, the car… in other words, everything needs balance. And this is no different from the point of view of faith.

One of the most important requirements of a bishop is that he be sober, that is, he should be self-controlled or balanced (1 Timothy 3.2).

What about righteousness by faith?

There are many converts who get frustrated in their faith for being overly righteous in the way they see and judge things. Any small thing is already a reason for criticism and offence. Everything is taken to the extreme…

An example of this is the way they give their tithes. Many are so righteous when paying their tithes that they put exactly 10% of their income, including the pennies. Obviously, it’s not about tithe itself, but rather the excessiveness of a righteous man’s justice.

They turn the most innocent joke into a scandal. They forget that even though they don’t belong to this world, they still live in it. And, for this reason, they shouldn’t demand too much from others or even from themselves.

Unfortunately, many people end up abandoning faith because they can’t meet their own excessive demands – or the demands of a deceiving spirit in disguise… To have balance in relation to faith is to neither tolerate sin nor be excessively righteous.

Some people have faith to eat vegetables, whilst others have faith to eat meat… However, each one should have a well-defined faith.

Intelligent faith not only respects the faith of others but, above all, it is concerned about its own development.

“Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?” (Ecclesiastes 7.16)

One of the characteristics of a bishop is sobriety.

Every servant knows that the Work of God requires renunciation. In other words, they have to sacrifice their needs in order to attend other people’s needs. What most servants don’t know is that it’s not about sacrificing just some of their needs… And that’s precisely what makes the difference between the true servants of God from the false ones!

“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)

Who is willing to sacrifice his family and his life to follow and serve the Lord Jesus? Sometimes, sacrificing your own life, even though painful, is easier than sacrificing your family.

Many immigrants’ children have risked their lives fighting in wars in exchange for the permanent residency of their family in America. To upset father, mother, wife, children and siblings is to abnegate the strongest human connection: family ties.

Do you remember what God asked of Abraham? The sacrifice of Isaac? I tell you, the God of Abraham is still asking for “Isaacs” today…

Many times, people offer their life on the altar but they are not willing to sacrifice their “family idols”. That’s why it’s so difficult for them to be born of the Spirit.

There are many interpretations of Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Usually, people are more concerned in knowing what the thorn was rather than its purpose.

Three things draw our attention: the thorn, its origin and its reason.

- The thorn was a personal problem;

- The origin of that problem was the devil;

- The reason for that problem was so that Paul would not become proud because of the revelations he received.

What could he possibly benefit from that awful experience?

I believe that not only the revelations but also the blessings achieved happened for a more special reason: to glorify the Lord of Glory.

Paul ascended to the third heaven. He was caught up into paradise and heard things so astounding that he could not repeat.

This would obviously make Paul more prominent than the other apostles and more considered among the Christian people.

God knows that, no matter how much of a saint a man may be, he’s still human – therefore, subject to error and failure. The reason why God allows people such as Paul to be buffeted by personal problems is to avoid spiritual pride.

We cannot forget that Satan was an archangel, a leader among the angels in heaven. He fell because of pride…

If Paul lived in the present day, he would certainly have serious problems, for there are many pastors who prefer preaching more about him than about the Lord Jesus.

The Bible teaches us that, “A man who flatters (praises) his neighbor spreads a net for his feet” (Proverbs 29.5).

No matter how big the miracle you achieve or the amount of faith you possess, remember never to boast!

Instead, give all of the praise to the Lord of Glory!

Question:
Bishop Macedo, good evening! I’m a businessman; I’m 26 years old and single. I came from another church where I used to talk a lot to my pastor. I’d ask him many questions but, in order not to displease me, he always said everything was fine. I asked him if it was a sin to masturbate and he said that it was not a sin as long as I did it once in a blue moon.

Bishop, I’ve been attending the UCKG for 1 year and I would like to know if this is true. Is it a sin to masturbate? I’d like to thank you in advance because I know that you will tell me the truth.
- Paulo

Answer:
Paulo, the problem is that masturbation is more of an addiction. It’s not about the act per se, but the dirty thoughts that you have when you are masturbating – and that’s a sin! You should do some kind of physical activity or practise sports in order to minimise the pressure. Masturbation is not the root of the problem; it’s rather the lustful thoughts that make you have the desire to masturbate. Therefore, keep your mind clean and masturbation will not be a problem for you anymore.

What has made so many people give up on their faith?

What kind of spirit has influenced Christians to leave the church?

Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth (John 16.13).

Would the Holy Spirit be the one taking so many Christians out of the church? Would the Holy Spirit be the one causing division, arguments, slander and injustice inside His house?

If the Spirit of God guides us into all truth, and people are leaving the church, it means that they are being guided by a demon – otherwise, the church would be a lie!

Intelligent faith tells us that it is impossible for a Christian to be guided by the Spirit of God and by the spirit of the devil at the same time! Either he is guided by God or by the devil!

A person who is guided by God never loses heart, no matter what happens. Even when they face persecution or tribulation for the Lord’s sake, they never forsake their faith.

But if he is guided by evil, he gives up – like a seed that falls by the wayside, or in a stony place, or among thorns… Read Matthew 13.18-22.

The question is: what spirit has guided you, dear reader?

This is what we have the most inside the church, and that’s why there are so many scandals and bad testimonies among ‘Christians’. Deceiving spirits are the reason behind gossips, disagreements, rebellion, and hidden sins. They are always up to something – every day, everywhere. And those who are not born of God end up being used by them.

The urgent need for the new birth is more closely related to the spiritual nature than to anything else.

A person who is born of the Spirit is spirit, that is, he has God’s nature – and that’s the only way to face hell and overcome it. Besides, he is able to identify deceiving spirits, and knows how to neutralise them.

Satan tries to imitate the Work of God in all aspects.

Whilst the Holy Spirit chooses people to lead His Church to salvation, Satan raises charismatic leaders to guide those who are in the flesh, thus trying to confuse, if possible, even God’s elect.

That’s why the Lord Jesus said, “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?’” (Matthew 7.22)

How to know who is who?

The man of God is not known by his accomplishments, but by his spiritual character.

Only those who are spirit can discern spirits. Those who have a fleshly nature don’t have this capability.

Tribulation is extremely important to those who are born of the Holy Spirit, as well as to those who are in the process of being born of Him, because it helps them develop Christian faith. If it weren’t so, God would not allow His children to go through it.

But what’s tribulation?

Diseases, infirmities, financial and family problems have nothing to do with tribulations.

Tribulation has to do with problems related exclusively to Christian faith. Persecution, injustice, humiliation, gossip, betrayal and slander in the church are some of the things that affect our faith directly.

The Holy Spirit teaches us to glory not only in the hope of the glory of God, which is our salvation, but also in the price we have to pay in order to receive it! In other words, if we rejoice and glory in the assurance of the salvation of our soul, we should also rejoice and glory when going through tribulations (Romans 5.1,2).

Many times, Christians sow a seed that is not good and, later on, when they reap rotten fruits, they start complaining about their “heavy cross”. Bad marriages, promiscuity, lies, slander and a series of other works of the flesh cause conflict, sadness and pain. And they are not related to faith!

True tribulation always benefits those who are of faith. It’s God who allows it to happen, for their own good.

The Lord emphasised the glory of those who are persecuted because of their faith, saying:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”

Note that He said “persecuted for righteousness’ sake”, and not because of their sins or because they have been unjust!

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5.10-12).

The glory of tribulation is what produces perseverance, character and hope - which are indispensable for the upkeep of our salvation.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” (Psalm 19.1)

I will post more pictures next week.

May God abundantly bless you all.

If two in one is good (which is what happens in marriage), imagine three in one… The probability of being successful is all the greater! This is what happens when we are united with God.

In His prayer for His disciples, God the Son asked God the Father to make them perfect in one.

“I in them, and You in Me…” (John 17.23)

We have seen that, in the body of Christ, discipline is all about obedience, order and submission of its members; that is, there’s perfect harmony despite their differences.

After all, all those who are born of God have the same Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, although Jesus had healed and delivered many people and performed many miracles, few of them remained firm. Out of ten lepers, only one returned…

But when it comes to the universe of those who are born of the Spirit, everyone remains firm. And why?

Because those who are born of the Spirit are spirit; they have a different nature. They have lost their human and emotional nature – which is Adam’s nature – and received a spiritual, godly and rational nature.

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, those who are born of God lose the nature of the first Adam and take on the nature of the Second Adam – Jesus Christ.

In other words, they are born of the Holy Spirit like Jesus was. And, like Jesus, they also become children of God.

Only those who are spirit, that is, those who are born of the Spirit of God, are partakers of the Holy Trinity (2 Peter 1.4).

But even though the children of God are spirit, they live in a physical body, which makes them prone to making mistakes…

That’s why Jesus prayed for them to be made perfect in one.

Can someone who is undisciplined partake of God’s unity? Can there be dissensions and outbursts of wrath among brothers or servants who are in the body of Christ? Can there be hatred among those who are united with God?

Based on this, we gather that those who cause confusion and rivalries have nothing to do with God.

Get away from them!

In one way or another, many people who fall remain downcast and weak in their faith…

Returning to church is even more difficult because of the evil voices that whisper to their minds, saying:

- What will they say about you?
- Nobody else will believe you! Everyone will see you as a loser.
- You’d better read your Bible, pray, and follow Jesus at home, far away from the eyes of those who know you. In this way, no one will criticise or look at you with disdain.

This is exactly what evil wants. The more Christians isolate themselves from the church, the more vulnerable to attacks they become.

It all begins like this: one day you read the Bible, but the next day you forget to read it; one day you pray with great assurance, but the next day you don’t. And so, without realising, you start replacing the practice of faith with “more exciting” things and, when you least expect it, your faith is extinguished – like a cold charcoal block.

For example, when I was young, I fell in love with a girl from my church. She met the spiritual requirements to be my wife, so we became engaged and actually started building our house.

As time passed I found out that that relationship was not God’s will, and I broke up with her. I was heavily criticised by her parents, by my parents, and by the whole church, including bishops and pastors…

It hurt to see people casting a judgemental look at me… It was not easy!

However, I kept attending the church, despite of all the embarrassment; after all, it was my salvation at stake. I could not let my faith slack. No way!

In order to keep my faith burning I needed to stay near the fire – the church (see Proverbs 26.20), even if it meant having a red face because of so much embarrassment!

God allows us to go through humiliation because He doesn’t want us to be proud of our own faith.

If you are experiencing this, give thanks to God for the humiliation and go ahead, for those who humble themselves will be exalted (Matthew 23.12).