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I am the eternal Junior’s Sunday school teacher. Or at least that is the way it seems. After forty years of teaching Juniors you might think that I have it all down pat. I don’t. It is always a challenge. So In my recent quest to help my Juniors realize the importance of God’s Word I proposed that they memorize the names of the sixty-six books. It seems such a daunting task to a Junior. All of those STRANGE names like Deuteronomy, Habakkuk, Zephaniah and Hezekiah! That last one was a test to see if you were really paying attention. Sixty-six book are definitely a challenge whether or not you are a Junior. However, I have tossed a tad bit of an incentive into the mind busting equasion. “Say the books and get The Book!” If you have never said them from memory, reciting the books will get you a brand spanking new, great smelling, Bible. I love the smell of a new Bible. Even an imitation leather one. So the interest is picking up. Just two weeks ago Larissa was the first to break the bibli...

Not the real Noel In Portuguese Noel means Christmas! I had never met a man named Noel, until the other day that is. A couple of friends were visiting and wanted to see the falls of Foz do Iguaçu. In our site seeing we found ourselves at the bus station downtown. We were chatting about the day when a vendor came by selling homemade candy.  I usually don't like vendors so I politely told him that we didn't want to buy anything today. However, when I noticed the type of candy he was selling, I told my friend Paul about how good it was. At that point the vendor got really close to me and said, "I need to ask you a favor". I thought, "Oh, brother, here it comes! He's gonna ask for money! This scraggly beard Santa Claus type always does!"  What actually came out of Noel's five week white shadow was quite a weird but simple request. "I need the recipe for pancakes". I stood there for a split second before I understood what he had stammered ...

I  am severely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to your word! Psalm 119:107 Where do you turn for help? Maybe where you turn is indicative of where your confidence lies. Assuming that David wrote this the longest psalm, his brief statement in verse 107 was at first puzzling to me. Our teens are memorizing this text and it has been a good challenge. However, during the six months there have been several verses that arrested my attention. This was one. David cries out, I  am severely afflicted ! He is in severe trouble. There seems to be no escape. Where should he turn? The answer comes with his next breath, give me life, O LORD, according to your word! David's trust was not in his great wealth. It wasn’t in his position. It wasn’t in the fact that his army was powerful. His trust was in God and His Word. They were his first recourse. David didn't have as much of the Word as you and I have. At best he had the Law (Genesis to Deuteronomy), some of the Jewish history ...

Our Music Conference was a blessing though poorly attended by our sister churches here in Sorocaba. I am learning that good things are worth doing but are not always well received. Over the two days around 45 participated. The majority of these came from Bible Baptist Church in Jundiaí. These brothers and sisters were a real encouragement to us. We invited a music team from two churches in Curitiba. Pastor Ari, his wife Carol brought eleven other musicians to present and teach. We had classes in choir directing, voice, violin, cello, flute, children’s and adult choir. Our people really enjoyed being with professional musicians. It was fun to see our kids playing as a part of an orchestra. It sounded great too! Our little church is really struggling lately. Just last week Dawn and I met with one of our young moms. She wept as she related how that her husband had held a machete to her throat and threatened to cut her head off. Satan has attacked our youth with two of our most faithful ...

This week we had the privilege of having two missions teams at Faith. A team from Friendship Baptist Church in Raleigh North Carolina is here working on Victory Baptist Church. An Olympic type youth activity with this team attracted kids from all of the Sorocaba churches. Dani and Jacque both won medals in the competition. The Friendship team came to minister on Sunday morning. The group includes 33 teens, kids and adults. It is the largest team we have seen here in our 15 and a half years of ministry here. It was great for our people to hear testimonies and see talents used for God by common people. Question time after the service yielded some interesting answers. The time was a blessing. On Sunday evening we had three young ladies from our Bible College in Curitiba with us. Each gave testimony of God's leading in their lives and their desire to serve Him. They had come to visit our church to get an idea what God was doing in Habiteto. It was an encouragement fo...

We returned to Brazil on July 4th to fireworks and celebrations of Liberty! Well, not exactly. There were celebrations and fireworks but it was because Brazil was in the finals of  South America's so ccer championship .  The contest is called Libertadores.  Arriving on Wednesday morning we were tired and almost stayed home that evening. However, we decided to watch the game at  Cido and Zita's home. They are Faith’s newest converts. Brazil won the game against Argentina’s best and we had fun in the celebration with several of our church folks. On Friday I came down with my yearly attack of pneumonia. I was in bed until Tuesday and then on Thursday we left for a four day mission trip to Praia Grande . Our team of eleven traveled four hours to minister with pastor Felipe and his wife Wiarla. The church is 17 years old but has struggled with dwindling membership and a former pastor who still wants to control the congregation. Our small team was very encouraged by...

By the word of the Lord one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but the man refused. 1 Kings 20.35 What would you have done? It must have been a dramatic moment in both men's lives. The prophet's command seemed, strange and unreasonable and was refused. However, because of the refusal the man lost his life in an unusual way. A lion killed him. The key phrase in the verse is, "By the word of the Lord". The weird request was a direct command from God. It was an extreme disguise that confused and disturbed the prophets companion. However, when he decided not to obey he was disobeying God and paid with his life. What if God dealt with us like this today? Disobey or die. Or does He. Hummm. When I disobey God does a part of me die? I think so. I know that you have felt it. Or maybe not. If not you're in dangerous water. So to speak. You know what God wants you to do but you don't do it. Whether its something scar...