Autor: eabrazil

 Ezekiel 11 points to God’s judgement on the corrupt leaders of Jerusalem. Ezekiel is shown 25 leaders who are misleading the people with over optimistic messages. Rather than being secure in Jerusalem they are in fact totally vulnerable says the Lord. God then makes it very clear that although the Jewish exiles are now far away in Babylon they are still his people. God says “I have been a sanctuary for them where they have gone”, and he makes clear that he will yet restore them to their land. Then he “will give them an undivided heart and a new spirit”. The chapter ends with the glory of the Lord departing from Jerusalem and it stopped at a mountain to the east, perhaps the Mount of Olives.

Last night all the family got together to eat pizza in our front room and watch England beat Norway 2 x 1 after extra time in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Both goals were scored by Bellingham but my congratulations go to Rodgers who made the superb shot which led to the winning goal. But Bellingham is an outstanding player. Now it’s on to the semi-final on Wednesday against Argentina. 

This afternoon we will be driving 3-hours to Campina Grande where I will be preaching tonight at our Catolé church where Pastor Wostenes is the senior pastor. Please pray. They have asked me to preach on “The River of the Water of Life”. (Revelation 22:1)

God then spoke to Ezekiel that “the end has come upon the four corners of the land… I will unleash my anger against you… an unhear-of disaster is coming… doom has come upon you… I will judge you according to your conduct… then you will know that it is I the Lord that strikes the blow… the time has come, the day has arrived… every hand will go limp and every knee will become as weak as water… their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the Lord’s wrath… prepare chains because the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of violence… calamity upon calamity will come… by their own standards I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the Lord”. 

 Now God instructs Ezekiel to condemn the mountains of Israel saying “I will destroy your high places. Your pagan altars will be demolished… and I will slay the people in front of their idols and scatter their bones round the altars… and you will know that I am the Lord”. However God promises to spare a remnant who will be scattered around the nations, and there they will remember God and repent of their sins. Then Ezekiel is told to act out intense grief “striking his hands… stamping his feet and crying out Alas because of all the detestable practices of Israel… and people will die through plague, sword and famine…. and they will know that I am God”.

Last night we went and preached at the 30th anniversary service of our Matureia church an hour’s drive up the mountain on Patos’s south side. Local Pastor Renilson led the service, the local praise and worship group led the singing and playing, and I preached on integrity from Proverbs 10:9. It was a beautiful service with the church nearly full on a Friday night. After the service we had a good chat to Pastor Renilson whilst we ate hotdogs and drank coke.

 Ezekiel says that God told him to stand so that he could speak to him and the Spirit came into him. God said he was sending him to the Israelites who were a rebellious nation, obstinate and stubborn. He was to tell God’s message straight without fear. For “you must speak my words to them whether they listen or not”. God then told Ezekiel to eat the scroll he was giving him symbolic of the internalization of the difficult message he had to deliver.

Lamentations 5 acknowledges hereditary sin as the Jews cry for God’s mercy and restoration. “Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we bear their punishment… our inheritance has been turned over to aliens… we are feverish from hunger… our women have been ravished… princes have been hung up by their hands… joy is gone from our hearts… retore us to yourself O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old… O Lord reign forever!”

 Pastor Iremar leads our Juá and Funcionários III churches and his father has died. Please pray for Pastor Iremar and family.

The Life Squad was in action at the Patos prison yesterday evangelizing the 400 plus inmates. Please pray for this ministry.

I have finished my synopsis of the big book of Jeremiah. It was quite a job with many massive chapters. This means I have written the résumés of 797 chapters of the Bible, which totals 24 books and 67% of the whole Bible – so two thirds of the Bible are done! Now it’s on to Lamentations. 

The book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, is a series of sad poems reflecting on the catastrophic siege of Jerusalem culminating in its destruction in 587 BC. Israel’s persistent sin had devastating consequences.

Lamentation 1 is an acrostic poem lamenting the fall of Jerusalem. “How like a widow is she… she who once was a queen is now a slave… bitterly she weeps… Judah has gone into exile… she is in bitter anguish… Jerusalem has sinned greatly… she herself groans… the enemy has triumphed… the enemy took her possessions… now they barter what they have for food… my sins have been bound into a yoke… no-one is near to comfort me… no-one to restore my spirit… The Lord is righteous yet I rebelled against his command… in my heart I am disturbed… my groans are many and my heart is faint”.

This final chapter of Jeremiah is an historical addendum covering the fall of Jerusalem, the Babylonian exile before concluding with a glimmer of hope. The chapter recalls events from 2 Kings 25. King Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon so the Babylonians sieged Jerusalem for 18 months causing mass starvation, and the city was burnt and destroyed. Zedekiah was blinded and taken captive to Babylon. Then the Babylonians looted the temple and stripped everything of value. Then the craftsmen and upper-class people were taken to Babylon leaving behind only the paupers. In all 4,600 people were taken into exile. Then the chapter ends on a nicer note with exiled King Jehoiachin being released by new King Evil-Merodach of Babylon after 37 years in jail and he was given a seat of honour above the other captive kings. “For the rest of his life he ate regularly at the king’s table… and he even received a regular allowance”!

Jeremiah 50 predicts God’s judgement on Babylon. It is true that God had used Babylon to punish nations including Judah, but their cruelty to Judah and their paganism made them liable to destruction by God opening the way to Judah’s restoration. “Babylon will be captured, Bel will be put to shame and Marduk (Babylonian gods) filled with terror… for I will bring against Babylon an alliance of nations from the north… Babylonia will be plundered… and will be totally desolate… I will punish the king of Babylon… as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah no-one will live there… God will completely destroy their pasture”. Jeremiah also prophesies that in those days “the people of Israel and Judah will go in tears to seek the Lord their God… they will ask the way to Zion… flee out of Babylon and no longer be as lost sheep… I will bring Israel back to his own pasture… and I will forgive the remnant I spare”. God’s judgement upon Babylon is decreed… “Pursue, kill and destroy them declares the Lord… I set a trap for you O Babylon… completely destroy her and leave her no remnant… woe to them! For their day has come… the time for them to be punished… summon archers against Babylon… let no-one escape… see I am against you O arrogant one!”

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! 

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”.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

 Jeremiah 47 is a short prophecy about God’s coming judgment upon the Philistines. It starts drawing attention that “the waters are rising (for the Philistines) in the north (Babylon)… they will become an overflowing torrent… the day has come to destroy all the Philistines… Gaza will shave her head in mourning… God has ordered attack on Ashkelon and the sea coast”.

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and Pastor Rafael gave the study. A good number were present with the praise and worship led by Rogaciano and Rogério. Vasti sang a solo and many brothers and sisters took part with ‘my Bible verse’. We also had a nice time of prayer together. It was a good meeting. 🙌🙏

If you are in or near Basingstoke do support my sister Jean’s musical concert tomorrow at Christ Church Chineham, RG24 8LT in aid of EAB. The kick-off is 3 pm. 🎵

Today is our son’s birthday! Happy birthday Philip! Have a great day! We love 💖you loads!

I really enjoyed the England x Congo match which England won 2 x 1 with 2 goals from Harry Kane, the second of which was extraordinary! This means that at the weekend England play Mexico in the last 16, and Brazil play Norway with Haaland! If England and Brazil win it means they will play each other in the quarter-finals! 😀

Yesterday the ‘Soup Run Team’, led by retired police sergeant João Batista, were in action in the poorest areas of Patos. First of all they cooked and prepared the food in the Care Centre’s ‘Mum’s Kitchen’, which Liz’s brother had made in memory of their Mother Missionary Ivy Dyer. Then the team distributed the food far and wide to the poor and hungry. It was a great success! 

Yesterday it was a joy to see Pastor Nezinho Abílio and his wife Sonia who had come to Patos from Vazante to see a surgeon who is going to operate him for stomach cancer. Please pray for him.

Jeremiah 46 is the first in a series of prophecies about foreign nations, starting with Egypt and its defeat by Babylon. Initially the text focuses on the defeat of Pharoah Neco king of Egypt at Carchemish by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and Jeremiah mocks the Egyptian soldiers defining the battle as a day of vengeance from the Lord. Jeremiah then predicts that Babylon would not stop at Carchemish but would invade Egypt and “The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame, handed over to the people of the north”. Egypt is compared to a hissing snake fleeing its enemies’ advances. Then the chapter ends with a message of comfort and encouragement for Israel with God saying: “I will surely save you out of a distant place… Jacob will again have peace and security… do not fear, O Jacob, for I am with you”.

We had a lovely Patos Men’s Fellowship meeting last night led by chief of the chiefs of Police Esaú. It was warm and blessed fellowship.

I will be preaching on Sunday on a ‘Psalm of Thanks’ from 1 Chronicles 16. For those of you who join us for our service via YouTube please note that it will be at 10 am (2 pm UK time) and not the usual 6:30 pm (10:30 pm UK time). I will leave you to guess why the switch of times! 😉

Last month this blog was read 76,172 times. May God bless you all.

We had a lovely Patos Men’s Fellowship meeting last night led by chief of the chiefs of Police Esaú. It was warm and blessed fellowship.

I will be preaching on Sunday on a ‘Psalm of Thanks’ from 1 Chronicles 16. For those of you who join us for our service via YouTube please note that it will be at 10 am (2 pm UK time) and not the usual 6:30 pm (10:30 pm UK time). I will leave you to guess why the switch of times! 😉

Last month this blog was read 76,172 times. May God bless you all.