Venezuela

Brazil's northern neighbour Venezuela has seen hundreds of people killed in catastrophic earthquakes which are the worst there for over a hundred years. Patos has many Venezuelan refugees living here and begging on the streets prior to the earthquakes. Please pray.

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and lawyer and Bible College student Rayla brought the study on first Samuel 4. It was a good meeting.

We're going to inaugurate a new well at the Carneiro dos Medeiros Community today in the municipality of Princesa Isabel. We will hold a thanksgiving service and preach the Gospel. It will be about a 3-hour drive to get there and we value your prayers.

Jeremiah 34 (résumé): Warning to Zedekiah

Initially Jeremiah 34 relates a stern message from God to King Zedekiah of Judah telling him, as Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonians, that "I am about hand the city over to Babylon... and you will be captured and taken to Babylon... but he would die peacefully and not by the sword". Then came an incident with slave freedom as Zedekiah made a covenant to free the Hebrew slave as required by the law. However soon he and the officials changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed. This really annoyed God and in his anger he proclaimed "liberty" to the sword, famine and plague in revenge. God promises that the Babylonians would yet fight against Jerusalem, take it and burn it down!

Jeremiah 33 (résumé): Promise of restoration

 Jeremiah 33 contains a message of hope and restoration which he received from God when he was imprisoned whilst Jerusalem was under siege from the Babylonians. God says: "I will restore the fortunes of the land... I will bring health and healing to it... I will bring Israel and Judah back from captivity". God also promises: "I will make a righteous branch sprout from David's line... David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne... nor will the priests fail to have a man to stand before me... and such a covenant is as sure as day follows night... I will restore the fortunes of the descendants of Jacob and David".

World Cup (4)

 Of course I watched Brazil beat Scotland 3 x 0 and I was surprised at how easily Brazil won as I wasn't expecting that. I thought Brazil played very well. It certainly was the best game Brazil has played to date in this world cup. 

I have just got home from good physical exercise at Pilates with our daughters Deborah and Lynn.

Jeremiah 32 (résumé): Jeremiah buys a field

Jeremiah 32 tells of the prophet purchasing a field in the home town of Anathoth as directed by God, whilst he was imprisoned by King Zedekiah for having prophesied what he didn't like whilst Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonians. This purchase was a real estate object lesson about how God would one day restore prosperity to his people and "once more fields will be bought in this land... because I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord". The legal documents for the purchase were stored in an earthenware jar so as to survive the judgement period of God. Then comes a prayer by Jeremiah which expresses his bewilderment at the purchase of the field under God's guidance in such an unfavourable time. God replies to Jeremiah's prayer saying that his judgement was due to his people's sinful idolatry but he promises eventual redemption and restoration to the land.

Jeremiah 31 (résumé): A New Covenant

Jeremiah 31 is a famous chapter promising a new covenant and restoration for God's people. Initially God says: "I have loved you with an everlasting love... I will build you up again... you will go out and dance with the joyful". God then promises the return of the exiles including the lame, the blind and expectant mothers. Then it's mentioned about "Rachel weeping for her children" (Joseph and Benjamin) but says "there is hope for your future... your children will return to their own land". Then God says through Jeremiah: "I will make a new covenant with Israel and Judah... and I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts... and I will remember their sins no more... and Israel will never cease to be a nation". Then the chapter concludes promising the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

World Cup (3)

I watched England draw with Ghana 0 x 0 and it was a very boring game. England had 78.8% possession but couldn't transform that into goals. Ghana, whose manager is one of the most negative defence minded in the game, achieved their objective of a draw. Against Panama they nipped a 1 x 0 winner in the 95th minute so I'm thankful that didn't happen against us. Now onto Panama next Saturday.

Last night I completed chapter 30 of Jeremiah so that's 22 to go!