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we are the savour of death unto death (2 Corinthians 2.16) What a title! What a thought. On my fifty-eighth birthday (June 30, 2011) I’m reading in 2 Corinthians 2 and have lighted on the last paragraph which is verses 14 through 17. Here Paul presents a gripping picture rarely if ever seen in the last 200 years or so. In the “civilized world” that is. We peer in wonder at a victory celebration Roman Empire style. The conquered are being lead through the city streets in chains; usually this is a humiliating scene. However, here it seems to resemble a mutual celebration by both the conqueror and the conquered. The victims are rejoicing and the spectators are reflecting a mixed reaction. Some look terrified and others are jumping in ecstatic joy. What is going on? Jesus Christ has won. His death and resurrection were the coup de gras. The procession genders a mixed reaction from the multitude because many in it are already dead and they smell their not too distant future. Others are ...

And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years (Genesis 5.31) I touched on this passage awhile back but it came to mind again Sunday as my coworker Shawn preached on this text as related to Noah’s walk with God. Some debate whether the men listed in this chapter of Moses’ first book really lived hundreds of years. In our fast paced world with all of its perils who would want to live 777 years? Not me! I believe the Biblical record. I cannot imagine how a life nearly a millennia in length might have been but I believe that these people lived long.They were all pre-flood dwellers who were of a different constitution than you and me who begin to feel decrepit at 50. As I thought on these things two interesting facts came into view. Adam lived to affect many generations. Two of the men he affected possibly died in the flood, Methuselah and Lamech. They were Noah’s grandfather and father respectively. Genesis six tells us that Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD...

That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6.11) What are wiles? “Oh I know. It is that Christian camp in North Carolina, ‘Camp of the Wiles’!” Nope. “It is a long time. As in, ‘its been a wile since I last saw you’?” Nope. “It is the plural of wild?” Nope. “O.K. I give up. What is ‘wiles’?” The Free Dictionary gives the following definition: wile   (wl) n. 1. A stratagem or trick intended to deceive or ensnare. 2. A disarming or seductive manner, device, or procedure: the wiles of a skilled negotiator. 3. Trickery; cunning. tr.v. wiled, wil·ing, wiles 1. To influence or lead by means of wiles; entice. 2. To pass (time) agreeably: wile away a Sunday afternoon. The wild old Devil knows how to use his wiles to wreak havoc and wreck us. Other Bible versions have these synonyms for the word wiles : pitfalls, schemes, tricks, deceits or strategies . Thus the word is packed with evil potency. Continuing with my football memories and relating to the Devi...

Put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6.11) Football practice marked me for life for several reasons. It was hard, dreaded and long. It built strength, dedication and determination in a young man's life. You endured or you were a quitter. I remember beastly hot and dry days and fridge cold and wet days but whatever the weather we practiced. The coach was there barking his directives. We were in the trenches. In the beginning days of practice all was new for me. I remember ordering my first set of cleats from Egalston's department store. I remember getting my gear thanks to Oxford Area Community School's hefty sports budget. All of the pads were strange but when I put them on I felt like Superman! I could fly. I could take and give a hit. I could survive being jam-piled by twenty-five of my team mates. I was invincible! Well, not quite. We got our pads after several days of hot and hard muscle building practice. When the weak had been separated from the rest of us th...

Have you ever wondered why Clark Kent always took his glasses off before he turned into Superman? I hadn’t ever thought about it either until this last Saturday when I almost got sucker-punched. Wellington, one of my spunky Juniors, wanted to wrestle. He feigned a punch to my gut and I said, “Go ahead. I have abs of steel!” I think that my gym visits might be going to my head because my abs of steel are buried under a healthy layer of blubber. I have improved my six-pack but it is far from chiseled. It looks more like a quarter of a keg. Anyway, quick as a wink and with near lightening speed Wellington said, “Yeah but up here is made of glass!” as his poke went within a hair’s breadth of my glasses! I belly-laughed. His rapid reflexes and wit had caught me by surprise. And what he said was so true and funny. It was an excellent though brief lesson. I often prepare for an oncoming fray. I get ready, set and then “BLAM”! The proverbial punch comes from a totally different direction. ...

whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5.39) Our teen group is in the midst of a “Pro -Teen” type year. For those of you familiar with the Pro – Teen youth program you know that our teens are learning verses, reading their Bibles, helping in the church and adopting juniors. Adopting juniors? Yeah, as weird as it might sound our teens are “adopting” my Junior’s Sunday school class. The reason is … well, the reason is that my coworker Alexandre has a very creative mind and he came up with this great idea. The teens are to be mentors, disciple-makers and examples to my Juniors. The Juniors are in this competition for fun, prizes and a lot of learning. Why, just the other day Tais came to me relating her recent interest in reading the Bible. Her fascination is sparked by the contest. She gets points for doing it! The teens are reading through the New Testament this year. Most of them are in 1 Thessalonians. Of course the Juniors have just sta...

And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain (1 Corinthians 15.14) “Is there life after death?” I tossed this question to twin teen girls just yesterday. Surprisingly they had different answers. These twins are the most identical I have ever seen. They do everything together and even “feel” when the other is sick or in pain! However, they had dissimilar responses to my question. The banter between the two went something like this, “Some believe that there is and some don’t.” “How can we know?” “Well, somebody has to die and then communicate with us so that we’ll all know! You go first!” said Lara. “Not me! You go!!” said her sister Larissa with a giggle. The Corinthian believers apparently had a similar question about life after death because Paul responded with an amazing paragraph (1 Corinthians 15.12-19). It contains seven “ifs”. Note them: if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? if there be...

Last week in Bible Club (Company C) I shared the story of the wordless book. How many times have you shared it? It is simple but profound. God is PERFECT and He only allows perfection into His Heaven. Man on the other hand is a SINNER . Man cannot go to heaven without a miracle. Once a sinner always a sinner. No works, goodness or works will help us reach those pearly gates. So the question comes, “What must I do to be saved?” The question of the ages. The answer came when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came and shed His precious BLOOD . That blood was the sacrifice the God demanded for sin. It was the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God who took all of the sin of the world on himself and paid the price. What does all of this mean? It means that, “As many as receive (Jesus Christ as their Messiah) to them gave He the power to become the sons of God.” When we receive Jesus we earn a WHITE or pure heart. At the end of my short talk with the kids I asked everyone to keep their eyes o...

Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision (Act 18:9) Don’t you just love the book of Acts? Acts is like being in the Church’s birthing room. The Church’s formative years are fascinating to me as a missionary. The book is replete with interesting characters like Peter who goes from fisherman to fisher of men and Saul of Tarsus who transforms from raving maniac Christian killer to nearly being killed for being a Christian. The Gospel goes from seeming humble beginnings to nearly conquering the Roman Empire. Paul’s salvation is a pivotal part of the account. He was possessed. If you don’t believe me try tracing his journeys on Google Earth most of which he made on foot. He was seemingly always on the move. Just the other day, on a lark, I walked ten kilometers. I nearly died as a result. Paul walked and walked and walked some more. He was incessant because he was on a God given mission! Do you ever think of the him being afraid of anything? He seems more like Superman ...

Posted: May 31, 2011 |  We have been running our heads off for the last week with the Bob Jones soccer ministry team. Gil Fremont and seventeen young men (including missionary kid Nathan Patefield from Rio) have been with us in Sorocaba and have been using their skills to minister. They’ve played over 90 games in the last three weeks! One of our young men, Bruno Franco, organized a schedule that has had the team dropping into bed at night totally exhausted. They’ve been to several juvenile prisons and half-way houses to share the Gospel through soccer. They have seen nearly 50 decisions for Christ during there time with us.  Sunday was a special treat as they spent the day at Faith. In the morning Sunday school hour we saw two teens make professions of faith. Both Gustavo and Leidy have been a part of our church for awhile but were touched by the message on Sunday. That afternoon the team played the Habiteto team with around 300 spectators present. For some reason everyone was ...