Categoria: News

Chapter 5 starts with the lover king going into his bride’s garden and eating honeycomb and drinking wine and milk! The bride then hears her love knocking on her door. His hair was damp from the night air and he asked whether he needed to put his robe back on? He put his hand through the latch opening and her heart pounded! When she finally opened the door for her lover he had gone. She couldn’t find him anywhere! Her lover, she said, is radiant and ruddy with black wavy hair. His eyes are like doves, his lips are like lilies, his arms are like rods of gold, his body like ivory, his legs like marble and his mouth is sweetness itself. He is altogether lovely!

 “How beautiful you are, my darling”, exclaims the king. “Your eyes behind the veil are like doves… your hair is like a flock of goats… your teeth are like a flock of sheep… your lips are like a scarlet ribbon… your neck is like the tower of David… your breasts are like two fawns… you are totally beautiful without a flaw… come with me my bride because you have stolen my heart… how delightful is your love my bride and much more pleasing than wine… your lips are as sweet as honey my bride and milk and honey are under your tongue.. you are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water.” To this the Shunammite called upon the wind to come and spread the fragrance of her love saying “Let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.”

Chapter 3 is the Shunammite speaking non-stop as she looks for her king but can’t find him. “I will search for the one my heart loves”. She searched and eventually found him and so she held him and would not let him go. Then she again envisages the King coming from the desert perfumed with myrrh and incense and escorted by 60 warriors with a gold and silver carriage on a purple seat. He is wearing his crown and she calls on the daughters of Zion to come and see him.

The romantic dialogue continues with the Shunammite declaring that she is a rose of Sharon and a lily of the valleys, to which the king replies that his darling is a lily among thorns. She responds comparing him to an apple tree with sweet fruit, and that he has taken her to the banquet hall and his banner over me is love! Refresh me with apples, she sighs, because she is faint with love. They embrace. My lover, she says, is like a your stag who called to arise because the winter is past and the rains have gone. Flowers appear for the season of singing has come and the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. The King responds asking for his dove to show her lovely face from her hiding place in the clefts of the rock. She reacts saying her lover is hers and she is his until day break. 

The Song of Songs involves a strong poetic loving and sensual dialogue between a young bride or Shulammite (6:13) and her lover King Solomon or a shepherd-king. The bride starts asking to be kissed because her lover’s love is better than wine. His name is like perfume, she says, and she asks him to hurry to take her way! She remarks how sun-tanned she is and she hopes to meet her lover grazing his sheep. The lover replies calling the Shulammite the most beautiful of women and his darling and he promises her ear-rings of gold. My love, she replies, is myrrh resting between her breasts. The king remarks on her beautiful eyes and she responds about how handsome he is and how verdant their bed is.

The Song of Songs involves a strong poetic loving and sensual dialogue between a young bride or Shulammite (6:13) and her lover King Solomon or a shepherd-king. The bride starts asking to be kissed because her lover’s love is better than wine. His name is like perfume, she says, and she asks him to hurry to take her way! She remarks how sun-tanned she is and she hopes to meet her lover grazing his sheep. The lover replies calling the Shulammite the most beautiful of women and his darling and he promises her ear-rings of gold. My love, she replies, is myrrh resting between her breasts. The king remarks on her beautiful eyes and she responds about how handsome he is and how verdant their bed is.

Solomon begins the final chapter of Ecclesiastes saying the famous words: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come… before the sun, moon and stars grow dark… when the house keepers tremble… when the grinders cease…when the doors close… when men are afraid of heights… when the almond tree blossoms… and the grasshopper drags itself… then man goes to his eternal home.” “Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” Thus the author concludes his writings saying that people should fear God and keep his commandments. Then finally everything will be judged by God.

Solomon begins the final chapter of Ecclesiastes saying the famous words: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come… before the sun, moon and stars grow dark… when the house keepers tremble… when the grinders cease…when the doors close… when men are afraid of heights… when the almond tree blossoms… and the grasshopper drags itself… then man goes to his eternal home.” “Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” Thus the author concludes his writings saying that people should fear God and keep his commandments. Then finally everything will be judged by God.

In this chapter 11 Solomon starts talking about casting your bread upon the waters to eventually find it again. This is apparently a reference to investment without immediate returns and maybe (“give portions to seven, yes to eight”) of a charitable nature. Then the author warns against hesitation and procrastination awaiting ideal conditions which paralyze action. “Sow your seed in the morning” as you never know what will succeed. He then encourages the enjoyment of life despite its meaningless and especially encourages happiness in youth. “Follow the ways of your heart,” he says, although all will be judged of God and be meaningless.

I led the service last night and young lawyer Murilo preached on Jeremiah 18: “You are the potter, I am the clay”. We also had a special focus on autism in the middle of the service with our daughter Sacha interviewing Eva Jeminne who is the mother of 7-year-old Ester who is autistic and lovely. It was a wonderful interview raising awareness and empathy for families with autism. So all in all it was a very good service.

I led the service last night and young lawyer Murilo preached on Jeremiah 18: “You are the potter, I am the clay”. We also had a special focus on autism in the middle of the service with our daughter Sacha interviewing Eva Jeminne who is the mother of 7-year-old Ester who is autistic and lovely. It was a wonderful interview raising awareness and empathy for families with autism. So all in all it was a very good service.

Please pray for Sister Pergentina of our Teixeira church up in the mountains. She is the 90-year-old mother of the pastor’s wife there and she has circulation problems in a leg which may mean she has to have her leg amputated. She is in the Patos General Hospital. 

The EAB musical concert last night at Cadnam Methodist Church went very well. Marian Rashleigh sent us live photos of the proceedings taken from the balcony which was very good. Philip tells us it was a very good concert.

A special evangelistic event was held yesterday for the teenagers who we still help and work with at our Patos school and 23 of them made commitments to Christ. Please pray that these teens might put down roots in the Lord and become part of the church as practicing Christians.

It rained 5 mm at Green Pastures last night, taking the total rainfall this year up to 602.6 mm, so past the 600 mark for the first time.

Please pray for Sister Pergentina of our Teixeira church up in the mountains. She is the 90-year-old mother of the pastor’s wife there and she has circulation problems in a leg which may mean she has to have her leg amputated. She is in the Patos General Hospital. 

The EAB musical concert last night at Cadnam Methodist Church went very well. Marian Rashleigh sent us live photos of the proceedings taken from the balcony which was very good. Philip tells us it was a very good concert.

A special evangelistic event was held yesterday for the teenagers who we still help and work with at our Patos school and 23 of them made commitments to Christ. Please pray that these teens might put down roots in the Lord and become part of the church as practicing Christians.

It rained 5 mm at Green Pastures last night, taking the total rainfall this year up to 602.6 mm, so past the 600 mark for the first time.

Ecclesiastes 10 gives a list of sayings emphasizing the good of wisdom and the negativity of folly. He starts with: as dead flies give perfume a bad smell so folly outweighs wisdom and honour… fools lack sense… I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves… if a snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer… words from a wise man are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips… the fool multiplies words… blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth… if a man is lazy the rafters sag… a feast is made for laughter and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything! 

Now the author re-states that all men share the common destiny of death – whether they be righteous of wicked, good or bad, or clean or unclean. The same destiny overtakes all. But whilst you’re alive you have hope because “even a live dog is better off than a dead lion”! The total absence of the concept of life after death brings Solomon to encourage eat, drink wine and be merry! He says: “Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life. I have come to the conclusion, says Solomon, that “the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or wealth to the brilliant… but time and chance happen to them all”! No-one knows when his time will come. So Solomon’s confused words come to the close of the chapter saying wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man’s wisdom is despised…. but wisdom is better than weapons of war.

The author now advocates obedience and respect for the king (it doesn’t sound like King Solomon speaking!)… obedience to the king… not speaking out of turn… no-one has power over the day of his death… or power over the wind… no-one knows the future…I saw the wicked buried who used to receive praise in the city… when the sentence for a crime is delayed hearts of men scheme… I know it will go better with God-fearing men. He then goes on to say that something else meaningless is when righteous men get what the wicked deserve. I commend that we eat, drink and be merry as there is nothing better for us to do. It is simply not possible to understand the ways of God.

Ecclesiastes 7 starts saying that a good name is better than a good perfume, but the day of your death is better than the day you were born! It is better to mourn than to feast.. sorrow is better than laughter… for all is meaningless… patience is better than pride… don’t be quickly provoked in your spirit… don’t keep talking about the good old days… who can straighten what God has made crooked?… I have seen the righteous man perishing in his righteousness and a wicked man living long in his wickedness so don’t go to extremes of righteousness or wickedness because “the man who fears God will avoid all extremes”. No-one never sins… don’t pay attention to everything people say… the man who pleases God will not be ensnared by a dangerous woman… true wisdom is rare and often unattainable.

 Solomon exhorts reverence in God’s house in Ecclesiastes 5: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of the Lord listening to God rather than speaking”. He also exhorts caution with vows making sure you fulfill your vows. He says that much dreaming and many words are meaningless. “Therefore stand in awe before God”. Then Solomon goes on to discuss love for money saying: “Whoever loves money never has money enough”! Rich people are never satisfied and it all adds up to a meaningless life. He says that a labourer sleeps well whereas a rich man has plenty of insomnia. For hoarded wealth harms its owner! “Naked a man is born and as he comes he departs!” Thus he says that the important thing in life is to find satisfaction in your work which is a gift of God.

This year our projects’ goal is to drill and equip 2 wells, set up 1 market garden, distribute 15 goats, build 4 toilet/shower units, construct 2 chicken runs and continue running 16 small schools. Then there is the on-going dental surgery, food hampers for the hungry, daily bread for the poor, sport in action for kids and teens, and work with the deaf and seniors. All this work goes hand in hand with evangelism, church planting, leadership training and Bible teaching. Please support the wide variety of EAB/ACEV ministries and pray for us and all our pastors and workers!

At Green Pastures I saw a Savanna Hawk and a flock of Cattle Egrets around a neighbour’s cattle. 

Liz has been very busy sorting out the Waterboard that switched off our water supply at church by mistake. She finally got them to fix the problem yesterday a week later! Bless her heart. 

Last night I had a meeting with our youth leaders to plan for the annual youth camp at Green Pastures in June. It was an excellent meeting.

Sadly QPR lost away to Millwall 2 x 0 today.

Initially in Ecclesiastes 4 Solomon spoke of the oppression he saw “under the sun”. He said “I saw the tears of the oppressed without a comforter” and he felt that the dead were happier than the living, but better still would be to never have existed! He then goes on to discuss man’s toil which “springs from envy of his neighbour” and which is “meaningless and chasing the wind”. He proceeds to focus on those without friends. All the lonely people – where do they all come from? Thus he defines friendlessness as “a miserable business”. He say that “two are better than one so that if one falls the other can help him up”. He then concludes the chapter saying that a poor wise youth is better than an old foolish king. But, he ends saying, all is meaningless just chasing after the wind!

94-year-old ex Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso has advanced Alzheimer’s and his children are now administering his finances. He was president from 1995 to 2003 and was a good president.

This morning we have had Great Kiskadees and Sayaca Tanagers flying around the garden at home. 

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and Rayla gave the study on 1 Samuel 2. It was a good service.

94-year-old ex Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso has advanced Alzheimer’s and his children are now administering his finances. He was president from 1995 to 2003 and was a good president.

This morning we have had Great Kiskadees and Sayaca Tanagers flying around the garden at home. 

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and Rayla gave the study on 1 Samuel 2. It was a good service.

A big new hospital is being built in Patos on the eastern side of town with a capacity for 245 to 300 beds. I would imagine that it will be completed within about a year.

I went for a spin to Green Pastures and saw lots of birds: Southern Lapwing, Crested Caracara, Red-cowled Cardinal, Dark-billed Cuckoo, Blue-Black Grassquit, Campo Troupial and Caatinga Cacholote. The reproduction of the Red-cowled Cardinals is full steam ahead with them making their second round of nests! 3 further young deer have also been observed near the lake.

Liz went to the Patos Women’s Fellowship weekly meeting last night and enjoyed it. 

A big new hospital is being built in Patos on the eastern side of town with a capacity for 245 to 300 beds. I would imagine that it will be completed within about a year.

I went for a spin to Green Pastures and saw lots of birds: Southern Lapwing, Crested Caracara, Red-cowled Cardinal, Dark-billed Cuckoo, Blue-Black Grassquit, Campo Troupial and Caatinga Cacholote. The reproduction of the Red-cowled Cardinals is full steam ahead with them making their second round of nests! 3 further young deer have also been observed near the lake.

Liz went to the Patos Women’s Fellowship weekly meeting last night and enjoyed it. 

I have completed writing the résumés of the 20th book of the Bible which is the book of Proverbs. This means I have finished 55% of the chapters of the Bible. I now press on with Ecclesiastes which is not a very inspiring book! It reminds me of Bob Dylan singing “Blowing in the Wind”!

It was great to receive news from Marian Rashleigh yesterday of a new EAB Action School sponsor and of a new EAB Action Child sponsor. This is very encouraging as we desperately need more sponsors for our 16 little schools and 850 children. Thank you to all who support this so important aspect of EAB’s work, and thanks to Marian for coordinating this work so well. 

Last night I took part in the Patos Men’s Fellowship meeting where we enjoyed a nice time of fellowship which was very good.

Yesterday it rained another 15 mm at Green Pastures taking the year’s total rainfall to 597.6 mm.

I have completed writing the résumés of the 20th book of the Bible which is the book of Proverbs. This means I have finished 55% of the chapters of the Bible. I now press on with Ecclesiastes which is not a very inspiring book! It reminds me of Bob Dylan singing “Blowing in the Wind”!

It was great to receive news from Marian Rashleigh yesterday of a new EAB Action School sponsor and of a new EAB Action Child sponsor. This is very encouraging as we desperately need more sponsors for our 16 little schools and 850 children. Thank you to all who support this so important aspect of EAB’s work, and thanks to Marian for coordinating this work so well. 

Last night I took part in the Patos Men’s Fellowship meeting where we enjoyed a nice time of fellowship which was very good.

Yesterday it rained another 15 mm at Green Pastures taking the year’s total rainfall to 597.6 mm.

I have completed writing the résumés of the 20th book of the Bible which is the book of Proverbs. This means I have finished 55% of the chapters of the Bible. I now press on with Ecclesiastes which is not a very inspiring book! It reminds me of Bob Dylan singing “Blowing in the Wind”!

It was great to receive news from Marian Rashleigh yesterday of a new EAB Action School sponsor and of a new EAB Action Child sponsor. This is very encouraging as we desperately need more sponsors for our 16 little schools and 850 children. Thank you to all who support this so important aspect of EAB’s work, and thanks to Marian for coordinating this work so well. 

Last night I took part in the Patos Men’s Fellowship meeting where we enjoyed a nice time of fellowship which was very good.

Yesterday it rained another 15 mm at Green Pastures taking the year’s total rainfall to 597.6 mm.

Proverbs 3 presents the natural phases of life showing that God “has made everything beautiful in its time”. There is a time for birth and death, a time to plant and harvest, a time to cry and laugh, a time to mourn and dance, a time to love and a time to hate etc. Solomon goes on to say that there is nothing better for men to do than be happy and do good. For God, he says, will bring to judgement the righteous and the wicked. For God tests everyone. Man has no advantage over the animals and ends up in death in the same way. So Solomon’s conclusion is that the best you can do is enjoy work as beyond this is unknown.

Yesterday our 18-year-old granddaughter Alice passed her driving test at the first attempt. Alice is a university student in psychology and is doing very well and enjoying her course. She has already done two extra courses linked to autism. Well done Alice!

We brought more people into the Care Centre yesterday to be attended by our dentist. These are people who are poor and can’t get in for lack of public transport. 

Yesterday our 18-year-old granddaughter Alice passed her driving test at the first attempt. Alice is a university student in psychology and is doing very well and enjoying her course. She has already done two extra courses linked to autism. Well done Alice!

We brought more people into the Care Centre yesterday to be attended by our dentist. These are people who are poor and can’t get in for lack of public transport. 

 Solomon embarked on an experiment to test what makes life worthwhile and first of all he said “I will test pleasure to find out what is good” but it turned out to be meaningless. Then he tried great projects to see if this gave meaning to life and he planted vineyards, made reservoirs etc. but it all ended up leaving him with an empty feeling “chasing after the wind”. Then the author turned to comparing following wisdom and folly to see which worked out best and neither gave meaning to life because both the wise man and the fool will both die and get forgotten. Hence despair took over as nothing gave meaning to living – and the chapter closes defining everything as meaningless “chasing after the wind”.

The book of Ecclesiastes is another wisdom book as was Proverbs, and it too is attributed to Solomon as was Proverbs. The author thinks through human life and considers that human endeavour and the seeking of pleasure to be “chasing the wind” in that nothing lasts, with the inevitability of death being the great party pooper. 

Chapter 1 explodes initially with: “Meaningless… utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless… what does man get out of all his work?… the earth and all its forces just carries on… what has been will be again… there is nothing new under the sun… I, says Solomon, have studied this and can see that everything under the sun is meaningless just chasing after the wind… and so wisdom, madness and folly all add up to the same thing as with wisdom comes much sorrow”.

The book of Ecclesiastes is another wisdom book as was Proverbs, and it too is attributed to Solomon as was Proverbs. The author thinks through human life and considers that human endeavour and the seeking of pleasure to be “chasing the wind” in that nothing lasts, with the inevitability of death being the great party pooper. 

Chapter 1 explodes initially with: “Meaningless… utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless… what does man get out of all his work?… the earth and all its forces just carries on… what has been will be again… there is nothing new under the sun… I, says Solomon, have studied this and can see that everything under the sun is meaningless just chasing after the wind… and so wisdom, madness and folly all add up to the same thing as with wisdom comes much sorrow”.