Imaculada

Yesterday we travelled up the Teixeira mountain to hold a church members meeting at our Imaculada church. The drive takes about one hour and a quarter. We had planned to visit the current pastor and the ex-pastor before the meeting, but the former was in hospital and the latter had gone to visit him. However we were able to visit a sister from the church who was on our 'to be visited list' before the meeting.

When we arrived at Imaculada we were served a lovely meal. Then the meeting went off very well and the Lord helped us to navigate some very difficult topics. We then laid hands on a new deacon, Renato, which was nice.

I was very glad that the USA was knocked out of the World Cup by Belgium 4 x 1 after the disgusting case of corruption involving Infantino (FIFA) and Trump. Outrageous! 

N.T. Wright

I watched an excellent podcast by N. T. Wright on "Does modern Israel play a role in End Times?" He is a very good theologian, writer and speaker. 

Please pray for Pastor João George from Imaculada who is in Patos general hospital with a post-op infection after surgery for a hernia. He already is also fighting cancer.

The death toll in Brazil's neighbouring Venezuela earthquakes has sadly now risen to 3,535. There are 16,700 injured and nearly 12,000 homeless.

Yesterday I had an hour-long online Google Meet meeting with Julio Reis of International A Rocha Christian Environmental organization. Julio was in Portugal and he is the international coordinator of the 'Friends of A Rocha' of which Green Pastures Nature Reserve is part. It was an excellent discussion about caring for creation as we shared with him about the work we are doing for the glory of God. 

I took people home again last night from the Care Centre Dentist and as usual saw a Burrowing Owl on the way. The interesting thing was that the owl just stayed put on the road (earth track) while I went by and didn't bat an eyelid!

Jeremiah 49 (résumé): Messages about Ammon, Edom, Kedar, Hazor & Elam

 Jeremiah 49 brings prophecies of a series of divine judgements on neighbouring nations and cities around Judah. Starting with Ammon we read: "I will sound the battle cry against the Ammonites and it will become a mound of ruins with its villages set on fire... put on sackcloth and mourn... for you trust in your riches... though eventually I will restore your fortunes"! Next comes Edom to whom God says: "Turn and flee and hide in deep caves... why should you go unpunished?... Bozrah will become a ruin and an object of horror, reproach and cursing... you will become like Sodom and Gomorrah... I will chase Edom from its land in an instant". Next comes Damascus: "It has become feeble... panic has gripped her... anguish and pain have ceased her... all her soldiers will be silenced on that day... I will set fire to the walls of Damascus". Next come the nomadic tribes of Kedar and Hazor which are targeted for Babylonic destruction. They thought they were invincible because of their isolation, but God shows that nobody and no place is out of range for him. "Their tents will be taken... with all their goods and camels... Nebuchadnezzar has devised a plan against you... I will scatter to the winds all those in distant places... Hazor will become a haunt of jackals". Finally there is Elam which is located in today's Iran. "I will break the bow of Elam... I will scatter them to the 4 winds... I will shatter Elam and bring disaster on them... yet eventually I will restore their fortunes".

Jeremiah 48 (résumé): A message about Moab

Jeremiah 48 is a prophecy concerning Moab who God is about to judge. Initially Moabite towns like Nebo, Heshbon and Kiriathaim "will be disgraced and shattered... the sword will pursue you... Moab will be broken... the destroyer (Babylon) will come... not a town will escape". God will judge Moab because "we have heard of her pride - her overwhelming pride and conceit, arrogance, haughtiness and insolence... I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses... the wealth they acquired is gone... there is widespread mourning... Moab has become an object of ridicule... I have broken Moab like a jar which no one wants... the cities will be captured... Moab will be destroyed as a nation because she defied the Lord... woe to you O Moab!... although I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come".

Morning Communion Service

We held our monthly communion service in Patos at 10 am yesterday morning as nobody would have come had we held it at 6:30 pm which is the usual time. I will leave you to guess why the change of times! 😉

I led the service and preached on the 'Psalm of Thanks' in 1 Chronicles 16:7-36. Sacha, Rogerio, Netinho, Ricardinho, Davi and Rogaciano led the worship and deaconesses Deborah Maria, Josinete and Márcia officiated with me the communion. It was a lovely service. Our co-pastor Rafael went again to our Imaculada church and that too was really blessed of God.

I watched Brazil being beaten 2 x 1 by Norway in the World Cup. Norway played very well and they have Haaland who scored both their goals. 

I later watched England's brilliant victory 3 x 2 over Mexico despite being reduced to 10 men. England played exceptionally well with 2 great goals by Bellingham and 1 from Kane. Now it's on the Norway next Saturday.

School Teens

At our Patos School we hold special sessions with teenagers who used to be pupils of the primary school and yesterday we had 37 present for a wonderful time together of fun and sharing the Gospel. Please pray for the salvation of these adolescents. 

Yesterday morning I received a last minute request to conduct the funeral of a lady who has a brother in our church. I had to do the evangelical part and then a priest did the catholic part. Over the years I've got used to these situations when families are divided.

Last night I preached the Gospel and conducted the communion service at the Green Pastures church. It was a lovely service. It was nice to give a lift home afterwards to a granddad and 2 grandchildren. I led the granddad to the Lord decades ago and now his grandchildren are in church too!

Please pray for Pastor Robério (Princesa Isabel) who will be travelling to the more northerly state of Ceará next weekend for ministry at our Filipe, Saboeiro church.

Teixeira

Yesterday we had a good meeting with our Pastor Maésio and his wife Fia from our church up in the mountains at Teixeira. We had a good discussion about the work there.

Liz and Gerlânia held parents meetings yesterday at our Patos school. Gerlânia is headteacher at the school.

I went to Green Pastures yesterday and enjoyed seeing the wildlife as always. Especially beautiful were the flocks of Eared Doves flying overhead. Whilst there I visited Heleno (79) and Creonice (80) who we have let move into one of our little Green Pastures houses. I have known Heleno for many years.