Exodus 13 (résumé): Consecration of the Firstborn

In a direct link with the Passover rescue of the Israelite firstborn God established an annual ritual of the consecration of the firstborn interwoven with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As they moved into Canaan they were to remember to consecrate to God all their firstborn, including that of their livestock, and when their children asked about the meaning of this they should tell them that it was to remember all God did for them bringing them out of Egypt. Then God led the Israelites via the desert road towards the Red Sea, avoiding possible war with the Philistines on the more direct route. Moses took the bones of Joseph to bury in Canaan and God went with his people guiding them with pillars of cloud (in the day) and of fire (at night).

Toilet/Shower unit

Another EAB/ACEV toilet/shower unit is starting to be built this week in the village of Barra de Oitis at the house of Lucinho and Leila. The building materials were delivered on Monday morning. Thank you for your prayers and support.

On Tuesday, November 19th at 1 pm, the thanksgiving service for the life of our great friend and brother in Christ Ken Rashleigh will be held at the Shirley Warren Action Church, 117 Warren Crescent, Southampton, SO16 6AY. Please attend and support our sister Marian. 

On Monday night Liz led the prayer meeting at which there were 7 present. Liz says it was a good meeting.

Last night I travelled to the town of Sao Mamede with the Patos men's fellowship and held another street service in front of the house of José and Maricó. Chief of the police Esau led the service, there were various participations and Pastor Rafael preached the Gospel. It was a lovely meeting.

I played my granddaughter Bia yesterday at table tennis and lost 11 x 5, 11 x 4. It was fun.

Exodus 12 (résumé): The Passover

This chapter lays out the rules for the celebration of the Passover and for the Feast of Unleavened Bread which were to be carried out in the spring, constituting the first month of the new ecclesiastical year in commemoration of Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God told Moses that each Hebrew family should slaughter a year old lamb or kid which was without defect, with small families being able to share. They should then paint the blood on the sides and tops of their front door frames and roast the lamb or kid, eating it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They should eat whilst wearing a cloak tucked inside their belt, wearing sandals and holding a staff. (ready to march to freedom!) That same night God would kill the Egyptian firstborn,  but where he saw the blood he would 'pass over' and leave them unaffected by the plague of death. God said that the Passover festival together with the Feast of Unleavened Bread should be commemorated every year to remember the great deliverance of God in all future generations. At midnight on the first Passover God struck down the Egyptian firstborn without exception and there was loud wailing throughout Egypt, but where there was blood on the doorposts the angel of death passed over. During the night Pharoah finally gave in and told Moses, Aaron and the Israelites to get out of Egypt, and all the Egyptians urged them to leave quickly! So the Israelites' 430 years in Egypt came to a close. They were 600,000 men plus women, children and livestock on their way to Canaan. So the Passover commemorates the setting free of the Israelites from slavery, no foreigner could eat of it and no uncircumcised men. God was finally bringing the Israelites out of Egypt!   

New Heavens & New Earth

Last night I led the main service of the week in Patos and I preached too on 'New Heavens and New Earth' from Isaiah 65:17 and Revelation 21:1. The service was disturbed a bit by the noise of football supporters celebrating the victory of their team 'Flamengo' (Philip's team) who won the Brazilian Cup against 'Atletico Mineiro' . The church was full with 8 non-Christian visitors.

I have had various discussions with different pastors today talking about different aspects of the work of God. Of special focus is our central Princesa Isabel church which is in great need of prayer.

School Meetings

Every Wednesday evening we have a small team which goes to our Pastor Frank Dyer School on the south side of Patos in the borough of Jatobá. They faithfully go there to hold an evangelistic service targeting children and teenagers from the school and their parents. Owing to the violence at night in Patos people are now very reticent to let their children out at night because the drug gangs have decreed a curfew! The shooting of the little 6-year-old girl also makes people jumpy. Please pray for peace in Patos and for God's blessings on our weekly meetings at our school.

Our brother Etinho from our little church at the picturesque village of Picotes has had a nasty accident tonight whilst loading a cow onto a truck. He has double exposed fractures of his shin bones on one leg (Tibia and Fibula). Please pray for Etinho. 

We are having a good but exhausting weekend. On Friday we travelled to chair a church business meeting at our Princesa Isabel church. We installed a 3-man team of pastors Robério, Nemias and Lindon Carlos to care for the church whilst it is without a fixed pastor. Then on Saturday morning we visited a family there prior to travelling to Juru where I preached at the 40th anniversary service held in the street in front of the church. We got back to Patos and to bed at 1.30 am this morning.

QPR lost again! Oh dear! We lost 2 x 0 away to Leeds and are now back at the bottom of the league.

Exodus 11 (résumé): The Plague on the Firstborn

God told Moses that he was about to bring the last plague upon Egypt which would finally secure the release of the Israelites. So God instructed the people to ask their Egyptian neighbours for gold and silver for their soon coming journey to freedom. Moses then went to Pharoah and told him that at midnight all the Egyptian firstborn would die, including the cattle, and that loud wailing would be heard everywhere. This would have the effect that the Egyptians would be glad to see the back of the Hebrews. However Pharoah stubbornly refused to set the people free. 

Baptisms

8 have been baptized at our Juru church where Esequias (Ezekiel) is the pastor. I will be preaching there this Saturday at the 40th anniversary service. Juru is 115 km south-west of Patos where we live. On the Friday we will be travelling to nearby Princesa Isabel (33 km further west) where I will chair a church business meeting to try and sort out some problems there. Please pray. 

QPR lost at home 4 x 1 to Middlesbrough on Tuesday night! How very sad! 😒We remain in 23rd place in the 24 team Championship. I think I will have to pop over to Loftus Road and play a few games for them! Do let me know if you think this a good idea. 😉