Every country has two sides to it, there is the suburbs and then there is the inner city. The inner city has downtown and all the busy areas and streets that run through it. It has people buzzing back and forth, the traffic and the lights and attractions (or should I say distractions). The country side on the other hand is always quiet and peaceful, too quiet for most! You can go days without seeing other people around you, there is hardly any traffic and everyone knows everyone. That’s just how small towns can are. 

Did you know that Jacob in the bible had twelve sons and only one daughter? They all lived peacefully in the country side until one day Jacobs daughter decided to leave the country side and go into the city. And when she went into the city she got raped! As long as she was in the country side with her family and obeying the fathers direction, there was no tragedy in her life. But the moment she stepped away from that and chose to do her own thing is when tragedy struck. 

Next week Bishop Macedo and other Bishop’s will be praying all the way from the Upper Room in Jerusalem. And churches all around the world will be gathered in one spirit and in one place. As is written;

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Acts 1:4-5

Why did Jesus say not to depart from Jerusalem? Because Jerusalem is a quiet place. It’s the Holy city! There were other busy surrounding cities but Jesus gave instructions to stay in Jerusalem. When Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem, He meant to stay in spirit and not to get distracted with being a busy body and running after everything else. He wanted them to stay focused on what’s important. A city has way too many distractions, activities, night life, everything that distracts you and catches your eye and all your attention and focus. For this reason we are in the ‘Fast of Daniel” to get away from all the distractions that the city has to offer. We are isolating ourselves from the busy life and focusing on what’s important. This is the last week of this fast so let’s stay in the spirit. 

May the God of the Bible bless all of you!

Bishop Bira Fonseca