Schedule | - 12:42 pm
Read Bishop Edir Macedo’s Message From the Event and Learn About the Stories of People Reached Through The Universal Church’s Work
At the very beginning, he invited people who were troubled in their souls and seeking a change to come to the Altar. He then spoke about the pains that affects the human being and emphasized that behind problems such as illnesses, family conflicts, and emotional suffering, there is a soul that feels and needs attention.
“There is something inside you that is valuable,” he said to everyone.
Meditating on Ezekiel 18:4, Bishop Macedo highlighted God’s words: all souls belong to Him. Based on this teaching, he explained that this present life is not the end and that the decision about where a person will spend eternity must be made while still alive.
“If you come to God saying, ‘Lord, I give You my soul,’ He will accept you and give you peace,” the bishop emphasized.
The reflection was also connected to the words of the Lord Jesus recorded in Matthew 16:26, concerning the value of the soul above all the achievements of this world. The bishop emphasized that a person may attain wealth, accomplishments, and other goals, but none of these compare with the value of a soul.
According to him, achievements are not able to permanently fill the emptiness within a person. For this reason, he emphasized that only a true encounter with the Lord Jesus can provide lasting and eternal joy.
During the message, the bishop also spoke about emotional suffering and said that it affects the soul. In this context, he reinforced that although all souls belong to God, the decision to surrender to Him must come from each person.
“Everything will pass, and all of us will pass away, but what have you prepared for your soul?” he asked.
After the message, the bishop once again invited those who recognized that they had not yet surrendered their lives to God to come forward to the Altar. He then cried out in prayer for them and led a moment of seeking the Holy Spirit.
At another point, Bishop Macedo spoke about the story of Abraham and highlighted how God can choose someone who, in human eyes, may not appear to have the ability to fulfill a particular mission.
He cited Genesis 26:4-5 and emphasized that Abraham was chosen because he kept the Word of God and obeyed His commandments.
“The same that happened with Abraham also happens to those who obey the Word of God,” he reinforced.
Also during Life in Color, Denise Mota and her daughter, Juliane Miranda (pictured below), shared a story marked by decades of emotional suffering and by an unexpected encounter inside a hospital.
Denise said that she lived with depression for 46 years. According to her, the suffering began during childhood and worsened over time. There was isolation, leaving her job, years spent practically confined to her home, and more than ten suicide attempts.
Juliane grew up closely witnessing her mother’s pain and decided to study psychology in the hope of helping her. However, she also developed depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Even though she understood the mechanisms behind emotional disorders, she said she was unable to overcome the emptiness she felt.
One of the most significant moments in their story happened after another suicide attempt by Denise. According to her account, she took approximately 150 tablets of prescription medication, left a farewell letter, and had to be taken to the hospital.
That day, Juliane was on duty. When she noticed a patient being brought into the emergency room, she discovered that it was her own mother.
The episode marked a turning point in both of their lives. At the hospital, they received an invitation from volunteers from The Universal Church. After being discharged, Denise decided to visit the Church and began seeking transformation for her life through faith.
Juliane also began this journey. According to mother and daughter, both received the Holy Spirit on the same day.
Today, Denise says that she has returned to work and now helps people who are facing similar suffering. Juliane also speaks about the change she experienced through faith.
Like Denise and Juliane, other people shared during the event how they faced periods of emotional suffering and found support through the community outreach work of The Universal Church for those battling depression.
Valéria Nunes, 49 (pictured below), a nutritionist, said that health problems and uncertainty about the future triggered anxiety, which progressed to panic disorder. After learning about the Church’s outreach work for those battling depression, she began receiving support and guidance and, according to her, was able to overcome that period. Today, she uses her own experience to help other people facing similar situations.
Ricardo Dantas, 51 (pictured below), an IT infrastructure analyst, said that he became depressed after suffering his second heart attack in 2021 and receiving a diagnosis indicating a risk of death. Afraid of leaving his family behind, he lost 44 pounds in two months, took leave from work, and even took out life insurance and arranged his funeral.
“I was in a depression I could not get out of, a darkness, something that would not let me see a way out,” he recalled.
After learning about The Universal Church and its outreach work for those facing periods of depression, Ricardo says that faith and the guidance he received helped him resume his life. Although he continues his cardiac treatment, he has returned to work, resumed the family businesses, and says that he now eats and sleeps better, without the same fear that once dominated him.
Life in Color will continue for two more Sundays at 10 AM. You can visit The Universal Church near you [find the address here] and receive spiritual support.
DISCLAIMER: The Universal Church advises not to dismiss medical treatment. The prayers, elements, and tools of faith are not a replacement for medical treatment but a complement/support to it. Please follow your doctor’s instructions along with using your faith in the Word of God.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of religious beliefs or background. Come as you are. For more information, please call 1-888-332-4141 or text 1-888-312-4141.
If you live in a city without one of our locations or cannot commute due to health reasons, we invite you to join our Virtual Church via Zoom and phone conference.
Contributors:
Sabrina Rodrigues (Translated and Adapted From Original)
