Friday, April 20, 2012

Feet on the mountains



"And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15 (NIV).

How beautiful are the feet. This text from Romans 10:15 is a widely known text. Here Paul makes reference to the prophet Isaiah, as we read:

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" " Isaiah 52:7 (NIV).

There is a slight difference, however, between the two texts, and this difference has caught my attention. Isaiah says: "on the mountains". So are beautiful the feet, but when they are stepping over the mountains, when they are printing their footprint, their mark.

The text from Isaiah suggests that the feet are beautiful when they are in the full exercise of proclaiming the good news. The mountains were here, in historical context, the places where the people were, since they could not return to Jerusalem. The text speaks of someone who decided to leave, and decided to go where those who were lost and isolated were located. Someone that not only remained in a place of peace, in the City of Peace, enjoying what the Lord conquered for him, but decided to leave and go to the place where those that need to hear about good news are.

Let this be our heart and our attitude. Let us that not only wait for the lost come to us, but let us be the light in an active way, and let us seek those who need the Gospel of Peace so they come back to the City of Peace.

In the peace of Jesus Christ!
Saulo.


Saturday, April 7, 2012

Just turn on the light




“[...] Don't discuss – shine! You cannot conquer the darkness by arguing with them. Just turn on the light. The gospel is power, power to give light. Preach it. Then you'll connected to the power lines and the light will come.
The electrical lines that lead to the Calvary, the Resurrection, the Throne, 'The Gospel of Christ, ... which is the power of God', as wrote Paul the apostle in Romans 1:16. He knew it. He experienced it. The world in the days of Paul couldn't be worst: cruel, corrupt and cynical. However the Gospel has transformed it. Today, the Gospel can do it again. [...]“
(BONNKE, Reinhard – Evangelismo por Fogo, 2003, Full Flame, página 90; translated from portuguese version.)

Stay in the peace of Jesus Christ!
Saulo.