Job 15 (summary): Eliphaz returns

Now Job's 'friend' or 'comforter' Eliphaz returns to goad him. Eliphaz says that Job's words are empty and that he is a bag of wind! He says Job's words are useless and without value, and that Job's own words condemn him and testify against himself. He asks Job who he thinks he is because he is not the owner of wisdom and the wisdom of the aged back Eliphaz and friends' point of view. He asks how Job can speak to God the way he does? "What is man that he could be pure"? asks Eliphaz. If God doesn't even trust the angels how much less would he trust man? Eliphaz says that distress and anguish come to man because "he shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the almighty". Man might be fat but he will end up living in ruins and his wealth will not endure". Eliphaz tells Job to stop trying to deceive himself because "the company of the godless will be barren".

Job 14 (summary): Job bemoans the fragility of Life

Job now continues by decrying the brevity and frailty of human life being just a "few days", "full of trouble", "like a fleeting shadow" that does not endure. Job says man's days are determined by God and his months are numbered. He compares human life to that of a tree saying that a tree can sprout from the stump after being felled, whereas with a man "he breathes his last and is no more". Thus man is worse off than a tree. Job wishes God would hide him in the grave until his anger had passed! Job imagines that God could seal his offences in a bag and cover his sin. For Job declares to have lost hope, just feeling pain as he mourns. 

Hair cut

I had my hair cut for 2026 yesterday morning at 7:30 am! It was this early because my hairdresser cuts my hair at our home before going to his shop. I can't stand my hair long so I hope you like it? 👨

Our final service of the year will be tonight at 7:30 pm and will be a thanksgiving service for 2025 with multiple short words from folk interspersed with singing items. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Please pray for our 10-day evangelistic outreach at Soledade from January 9th to 18th which will have a team of 130 mainly young people drawn from our churches. 43 come from our Campina Grande region, 41 from the Imaculada region, 29 from the Patos region, 10 from our Itaporanga region and 7 from our João Pessoa region. Part of this team will be Amy Gough coming from Southampton, England. May the Lord give us much fruit.

Francisco saw 3 Jaguarundi Wild Cats at Green Pastures yesterday. Wildlife is attracted by our watering troughs and they are easy to see because there are no leaves on the trees at all with the catastrophic drought.

Job 13 (summary): Job continues

Here Job continues to stand up to his friends who are no more the owner of truth than he is. Job calls his friends "worthless physicians" and tells them that they should not put words into God's mouth. For his friends' maxims are ashes and their defences are clay. Job insists that he wants to speak to God. For his faith in God is steadfast and he says "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him". And Job insists that once he can present his case to God he will be vindicated. Job asks God what he has done wrong and what sins he has committed? He also suggests that his friends would be wiser to keep quiet!

John Simpson

I have just read an excellent article on the BBC website written by John Simpson who is one of their most experienced and competent journalists. The article is entitled "I've reported on 40 wars but I've never seen a year like 2025". The article is in my view accurate, frightening and well worth reading.

QPR lost their last game of the year 2 x 1 away to West Brom, so end 2025 in 9th place in the 24 team Championship.

Liz went to the prayer meeting last night and practiced to sing with the ladies in our New Year's Eve service tomorrow. I continued to prepare a sermon on King Hezekiah. 

2 more have been baptized. This time at our church at Juru where Pastor Esequias is the pastor.

Last Sunday

I led the last Sunday service of the year last night and our daughter Sacha preached on "Hitherto has the Lord helped us" from 1 Samuel 7. It was a good service.

An awful road accident in the north-eastern state of Bahia, where we have a church, left 11 dead. The head-on collision was caused by irresponsible overtaking and there were 8 people in one of the cars!

I have just eaten some delicious red mombins. 😋

3 were baptized at our Água Grande church and 2 were baptized at our Juazeirinho church yesterday. Then 2 made decisions for Christ at the Sítio Mumbassa in the municipality of Flores in the state of Pernambuco. All glory be to God! We are ending the year well!

School Christmas Service

Last night I led the Pastor Frank Dyer School Christmas service together with the inauguration of the new school playground. Liz (Frank's daughter) opened in prayer, we had a Christmas choreography and a short Christmas play. I then preached the Biblical Christmas gospel before we gave certificates to the mothers who had done our cookery course, and then we gave presents to the children. It was a lovely service after which we served a snack to one and all. There were about 350 people present.

I have finished reading the 9th book in the Blitz Detective series called 'The Soho Murder' by Mike Hollow. It was another most relaxing and enjoyable read and I now look forward to the sequel. I send my congratulations to Detective Inspector John Jago for cracking another nut!