You have to look at your life and say, If what God says in the Bible is real, then I want to see it in my life! I can not accept to live a life that does not reflect God’s greatness. It’s not enough to say hallelujah and be active in a church. If God is great, then I must see His greatness manifested in my life.

But one mistake that many Christians make, is that they rely on their own strength or talents or social status or qualifications to succeed in life. Don’t get me wrong, you must invest in your talents and skills, and they will HELP get you to where you want to be. But they are not enough exclusively to guarantee success in your life.

Look at what God says:

Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Matthew 23:19

The gift represents your skills, abilities, money, job, marriage, etc. It’s everything that you consider yours. Alone, none of those things are guaranteed to last. But when I take my gift (something valuable to me) and I put it on the Altar (give it to God)… the Altar sanctifies it.

On the other hand, my gift by no means can make the Altar Holy. It is the Altar that makes my gift Holy. My gold, treasures, talents or whatever I have will NEVER be greater than the Altar, because the Altar represents God Himself.

That’s why all over the globe, at The Universal Church you will not see the Altar being treated as a stage. It is Holy ground. So remember this… whatever you place upon the Altar, the Altar will sanctify.

May the God of the Bible bless all of you!

Bishop Bira Fonseca