I hear that it's hot in the UK with temperatures reaching almost 35 degrees! Meanwhile here it's the cooler time of the year with a maximum of 31 degrees.
I am progressing with my summary of the Book of Jeremiah and have now completed the first 13 chapters out of 52, so that's a quarter of the book done.
I took some people home from the Care Centre's dentist last night and saw 2 Pigmy Nightjars along the way plus 1 Burrowing Owl.
Jeremiah 14 tells of a catastrophic drought which came upon Judah as judgement from God. "Judah mourns... they go to the cisterns but find no water... the ground is cracked with the drought... and even the wild animals are affected". So Jeremiah intercedes regarding the situation but to no avail. God refuses to relent with his judgement and says that even if the people fast he will not attend their cries as he has had enough of their unfaithfulness! Then Jeremiah switches the blame onto false prophets for prophesying lies, but God agrees about false visions but does not relent from his wrath. In fact God says he will kill the prophets by "sword and famine". Jeremiah ends the chapter asking God if in fact he has rejected Judah completely? Jeremiah acknowledges Judah's wickedness but says: "Remember your covenant with us and do not break it!"
Jeremiah 13 contains a warning concerning God's coming judgement on his people owing to their idolatry and stubbornness. Initially God tells Jeremiah to buy a linen belt and wear it round his waist. God then told him to hide the belt in a crevice in the rocks. Some time later he dug it up and it was "ruined and completely useless". So God says this will happen to Judah. Then Jeremiah tells the people to fill every wineskin with wine as God is going to fill the people "with drunkenness" and smash them one against the other in destruction. Then Jeremiah calls upon the people to stop being arrogant: "give glory to the Lord before he brings darkness". However Jeremiah says he will weep at their inevitable lack of repentance as he says: "all Judah will be carried into exile". He then declares: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?" So Judah is so accustomed to sin, rebel and commit idolatry that change for the better is impossible! So "I will scatter you like chaff... because you have forgotten me I will expose your adulteries and prostitution... woe to you Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?"
Jeremiah 12 commences with a question: "Why does the way of the wicked prosper?" He goes on saying "they grow and bear fruit but God is on their lips but far from their hearts". God doesn't give a direct answer to the question, but challenges him to endure so that he will be able "to compete with horses". God then bemoans the state of Judah saying: "My inheritance has become to me like a lion in the forest. She roars at me so I hate her... they will turn my pleasant field into a desolate wasteland... because there is no-one who cares... so the sword of the Lord will devour everything... and they will sow wheat but reap thorns." But God finally promises eventual restoration if his people repent. "After I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to his own inheritance and country".
In Jeremiah 11 God speaks to his people through the prophet Jeremiah reminding them of the covenant they have broken: "Cursed is the man who does not obey the terms of this covenant... obey me!... but they didn't listen or pay attention... they have returned to the sins of their forefathers... so I will bring them a disaster they can't escape... for you have as many gods as you have towns!... the Lord Almighty has therefore decreed disaster for you". Then God revealed to Jeremiah a plot to assassinate him, so he prayed for God's vengeance upon them. So God answered saying the young men would die by the sword and their children would die by famine so that there would be no survivors of these schemers and would-be assassins!
Jeremiah 10 brings a stark contrast between the power and greatness of God and the weakness and frailty of idols. It should be noted that the tree being cut and decorated in verses 3 and 4 has nothing to do with Christmas trees as some argue, but is a condemnation of pagan idol fabrications! Jeremiah ridicules idolatry saying: "Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk"! He goes on to exalt the greatness and power of God standing in contrast to idols. The Lord is the true God... the living God... the eternal king! However these gods will perish... but God made the earth! He makes thunder and lightning, wind and rain... but images are a breathless fraud... but God is the maker of all things. Then Jeremiah foretells the impending Babylonian exile: "Gather up your belongings to leave the land... a great commotion from the land of the north... pour out your wrath on the nations... for they have devoured Jacob".
Our annual General Conference was blessed of the Lord. We had some delicate issues to handle, but the spirit of unity and love was maintained. We heard reports from our pastors in the states of Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco and Ceará as well as from Paraiba. We also received reports from our churches at Princesa Isabel, Tavares, Belém, Itaporanga and Imaculada where problems have arisen. 8 new ministers were given ministerial status (5 men pastors and 3 women missionaries). From Patos we have 1 new pastor, Pastor Murilo, and 1 new missionary our daughter Missionary Sacha. We had reports from new churches at Campina Grande Novo Cruzeiro and Campina Grande Cuités. We now have 37 pastors, 25 women missionaries, 2 men missionaries and 8 non-ordained leaders - making a total of 72 ministers for our 81 churches. Next year's general conference will be held at Conceição and the 10-Day evangelistic outreach will be held at Juru. Our churches grew by 1.1% over the past year. We continue running 15 little schools and will drill 2 wells, build 4 toilets, set up 2 chicken runs and 1 market garden, and distribute 15 to 20 goats or hair sheep this year. Our Bible College in Campina Grande continues as do 2 partner colleges. Radio programs continue at Imaculada and Flores. Our granddaughter Beatriz (Bia) is now responsible for our digital online communications via Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
The above is a summary of the decisions taken at the conference.
Last night's Sunday service was led by Missionary Sacha who also preached.
