Categoria: News

Last night we held a special service for the deaf with a church full including 16 deaf people. I led the service and deaf pastor Luiz Carlos preached on ‘Obedience to God’, based on John 14:23-28, with interpreter Daysa transmitting the message to the non-deaf. Before the message the deaf presented a short drama, and afterwards the deaf choir did a song. It was a lovely service. 

If anyone is able to help us build the new church at Ipueira we need 6 windows at £100 each and we need 4 doors at £300 each. Please send your donations to the EAB treasurer. Last week we put the roof on the church. We plan to inaugurate the church before the end of the year. Please pray!

 Hosea 5 condemns the Jews for insistent idolatry and warns that judgement is approaching. He initially condemns the priests: “Hear this, you priests… judgement is against you… Ephraim turned to prostitution and Israel is corrupt… a spirit of prostitution is in their hearts… Israel’s arrogance testifies against them… they are unfaithful to the Lord… Ephraim will be laid waste… I will pour out my wrath on Judah… I will tear them to pieces… in their misery they will earnestly seek me”.

Hosea 3 shows how God’s redeeming love is greater than our unfaithfulness and God tells Hosea to go and love his wife again even though she is an adulteress and “is loved by another”. Gomer is now apparently enslaved to her lover but God tells Hosea to go and buy her back – go and redeem her. So he went and redeemed her paying 170 grams of silver plus 330 litres of barley and they returned to living as faithful husband and wife once again. The chapter closes referring to Israel’s exile followed by their return when they will “seek the Lord and David their king… and they will have blessings in the last days”.

Yesterday I completed my summary of the Book of Daniel and thus concluded all the Major Prophets, 862 chapters of the Bible, and 72.5% of the Bible. Now its on to the Book of Hosea and all the other Minor Prophets.

Maintaining the adulterous woman imagery Hosea 2 likens Israel to an unfaithful wife betraying the Lord with Baal and other pagan objects of worship. God rather retorts: “I will block her path with thornbushes… so that she cannot find her way… she has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her everything… I will stop all her celebrations, festivals and feasts… I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals… and me she forgot”. Despite all Israel’s unfaithfulness however God still loved her “and will speak tenderly to her… I will give her back her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope… there she will sing as in her youth… in that she will call me my husband… not my master… I will remove the Baals from your lips… and I will betroth you to me forever… and you will acknowledge the Lord… and I will show my love… and I will say to Israel you are my people and they will say to me you are my God!”

Daniel 9 starts with Daniel’s prayer of repentance and then goes into a very significant prophecy of the seventy weeks. It was during the first year’s reign of King Darius that Daniel was studying the writings of Jeremiah and realized that the 70 years exile was nearing its end so he seeks God in intense prayer and fasting. He remembers God’s keeping of his covenant and confesses “we have sinned… we haven’t listened to the prophets… we are covered with shame and have sinned against you… all Israel has transgressed your law… that’s why you judged us… the Lord brought the disaster upon us rightly… please turn away your anger and wrath from us… give ear O God and hear… forgive!” Then comes the second part of the chapter with the arrival of the angel Gabriel who tells Daniel that “seventy sevens (weeks) are decreed for people and city to finish transgression, end sin, atone, bring everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy to anoint the most holy”. The prophecy divides the 70 weeks as follows: 7 weeks (49 years) when Jerusalem will be rebuilt albeit in times of trouble + 62 weeks (434 years) building up to the coming of “the Anointed One, the ruler (the Messiah)” + 1 final week (7 years) when “he will confirm a covenant and put an end to sacrifice and offering… and he will be cut off (on the cross)”.

We are thrilled to learn that Pastor Phil Watkins (Bristol Ivy Church) was released from hospital yesterday after a 2-month stay where he received a successful stem cell infusion for his Leukaemia from his compatible donor son Nathanael. Well done Nathanael! Well done Phil! Well done Shirley! Praise the Lord! (We were at Bristol Ivy Church last October 12th before all this erupted)

I have just eaten mashed cassava roots with salted meat cooked by our daughter-in-law Gylmara. Absolutely delicious. 😋

Daniel 7 tells about a dream which Daniel had during the reign of king Belshazzar. Daniel dreamt of “four great beasts, each different from the other, came up out of the sea”. The first was like a lion but had the wings of an eagle, and this beast is often understood to represent Babylon. “I watched until its wings were torn off” thought to be a reference to God humiliating Babylon. The second beast was a bear with 3 ribs in its mouth suggesting conquest. This is thought to represent Medo-Persia. Next came a leopard with 4 wings and 4 heads which “was given authority to rule”. This is usually interpreted as Greece under Alexander the Great and the kingdom’s division into 4 after his death. Finally came a frightening strange beast with 10 horns and iron teeth often associated with Rome. Now the dream switches its focus from earth to heaven where we see “the Ancient of Days (God)” sitting on his throne as the heavenly court was convened, the books were opened and the 4th beast was judged, slain, destroyed and “thrown into the blazing fire”! Then “there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven… he was given authority, glory and power… and all nations worshiped him… and he has an everlasting dominion that will not pass away or ever be destroyed”. The son of man here is clearly Jesus Christ. The 4 beasts clearly represent earthly kingdoms “but the saints of the most high will receive and possess the kingdom forever”. God’s kingdom is eternal. Evil will last for a time, but God will ultimately judge it. 

King Darius was organizing the kingdom and appointed 120 satraps (regional governors) with 3 administrators coordinating them, and the plan was to appoint Daniel as coordinator of all. Daniel’s popularity and success brought jealousy and some sought to damage his image, but they didn’t succeed because Daniel was so upright and honest. So they approved an irrevocable law making it illegal to worship any god  other than Darius for 30 days. Being the spiritual man that he was Daniel ignored the law and continued with his normal daily prayers, and when he was caught they threw him into the Lion’s den as punishment. But God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths and he was untouched. Then they got the jealous trouble makers and threw them to be devoured by the lions! So Darius decreed that Daniel’s God was the living God who endures forever… his dominion will never end… and he performs signs and wonders!”

 I have just had my bi-monthly hair cut. I hope you like it? 👨

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and Pastor Murilo gave an excellent study on the 3rd Epistle of John. 

Having completed my synopsis of the Book of Ezekiel I have now covered 71.5% of the chapters of the Bible. I am now in the final book of the major prophets and have done one third of the 12 chapters of Daniel. Then it will be on to the 12 minor prophets to complete the Old Testament which is just over 78% of the Bible.

 Last night I led a wonderful service at Green Pastures with a team of 16 mainly young people from the Basingstoke Hub Community church which has been with us for a 2-week stay. The group sang, presented a drama sketch, preached a message based on the sketch and another of the group gave a word of testimony. It was a lovely blessed service.

Philip has also taken the group on 2 nature trails around the nature reserve.

We are thrilled and praising the Lord for a wonderful divine healing that we have seen. Liz and I were asked to pray for a child with the laying on of hands and God has healed the child from a quite complicated problem. All glory be to God! 🙌

I have completed my synopsis of the Book of Ezekiel and am now into the final major prophet Daniel. 

Ezekiel 45 continues in the vein of Israel’s eventual restoration now focusing on the land, worship and leadership. Initially God says that when the land is allotted a portion must be separated as holy serving for the sanctuary, area for the priests and levites, land for the city and for the prince (leader). Then God rebukes Israel’s past sinful oppression of the people telling them to “give up violence and oppression and do what is just and right… stop dispossessing my people… use accurate scales”! True worship must be accompanied by righteous living. Then the people are told to provide offerings for which the prince (leader) is responsible to give in the required feasts and festivals. Then the Passover and Feast of Tabernacles are reconfirmed to Israel.

Last night our son Philip, his wife Gylmara and their son Luis arrived at our home in Patos. It was a joyful reunion! 😃They will be with us for a little over a month returning to the UK on August 26th. 

Last night I went to my excellent doctor Dr. Felícia Crispim and I was very pleased to get a glowing report with all my blood tests fine for the first half of 2026. All praise be to the Lord! 🙌

Gylmara brought me Ginger Nut biscuits and Liquorice Allsorts from England! 😋

Last night our son Philip, his wife Gylmara and their son Luis arrived at our home in Patos. It was a joyful reunion! 😃They will be with us for a little over a month returning to the UK on August 26th. 

Last night I went to my excellent doctor Dr. Felícia Crispim and I was very pleased to get a glowing report with all my blood tests fine for the first half of 2026. All praise be to the Lord! 🙌

Gylmara brought me Ginger Nut biscuits and Liquorice Allsorts from England! 😋

 Ezekiel 43 is the climax to Ezekiel’s temple vision when the glory returns: “I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east… and the glory of the Lord entered the temple… and filled it… this is the place of my throne… the house of Israel will never again defile my holy name… and all the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy”. Then God gives detailed measurements for the altar and a 7-day consecration ceremony is prescribed with sacrifices by the priests. When all this is completed God says: “Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord”.

Ezekiel 42 continues the vision of the restored temple covering the rooms for the priests and the temple’s overall dimensions. Ezekiel was shown rooms on the north and south sides which were where the priests “will eat the most holy offerings… store the grain, sin and guilt offerings… and change their garments”. Then the general temple complex measurements were taken. “It had a wall all around it to separate the holy from the profane”.

Ezekiel 41 continues the vision of the restored temple, and Ezekiel sees the inner sanctuary which is carefully measured emphasizing God’s perfection and holiness. Ezekiel’s guide measures the Most Holy Place, then he sees 3 levels of side rooms surrounding the temple. Then further measurements of the temple are taken emphasizing that the Lord is a God of holy meticulous order. The walls were decorated with “carved cherubim and palm trees” and each cherubim had 2 faces of a man and of a lion. There was also a wooden altar “before the Lord”.

Liz finished a massive job of administrative work late last night linked to the mission. She has been dealing with this for many days. These mundane things have to be done.

Yesterday was our wonderful deaconess Sister Beatriz’s 91st birthday. She is a blessed woman of prayer who always prays for me and encourages me. She is faithful in coming to church and is 100% lucid and cheerful. She has 14 children, 20 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. Her husband Pedro went to be with the Lord 5 years ago.

I have now completed my synopses of 36 chapters of Ezekiel which is three-quarters of the book. Once completed the only major prophet left will be the 12 chapters of Daniel, prior to the 12 minor prophets, so the end of the Old Testament is in sight! 🙌

Ezekiel 37 is one of the most positive hopeful chapters of the book pointing to spiritual and national renewal of the Jews through 2 prophetic visions. First of all comes the vision of the valley of dry bones which clearly represents the desperate situation of Israel in exile. God tells Ezekiel to prophesy life to the dry bones and “the bones came together… then tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them… but they just lacked breath… so Ezekiel prophesied again… and they came to life and stood up”. These bones restored represent Israel restored, revived and with new life. For God says: “I will put my spirit in you and you will live”. Then comes the second vision of the chapter with the vision of 2 sticks representing Judah and Israel united in one kingdom. “I will make them one nation… there will be one king over all… they will no longer defile themselves with idols… I will save them from their sinful backsliding… David will be king over them… and they will have one shepherd.. and follow my law… David will be their prince forever… and I will make an everlasting covenant with them… and my sanctuary is among them forever”.

This chapter is a prophecy against Mount Seir representing Edom. “I will stretch out my hand against you and make you a desolate waste… because you harboured an ancient hostility against Israel… since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you… I will fill the mountains with the slain… I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy of them… for you boasted against me and spoke against me without restraint… so I will make you desolate'”.

I led the main service of the week in Patos yesterday and Missionary Sacha preached on “God’s compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is God’s faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). It was a lovely service and an excellent sermon.

Pastors Rafael and Murilo went to Imaculada yesterday where Rafael preached.

I watched the World Cup final with the first half very boring with Spain better including 65% possession. I didn’t watch the interval’s Americanism with Madonna and Shakira. I hope FIFA will never hold the World Cup in the USA again. The second half and extra time were equally boring and Argentina were a disgrace from beginning to end. Well done Spain! 🏆But it was a terrible final thanks to Argentina’s negativism and dirt. 

Last night I led and preached at the Green Pastures church with the local farming folk. I preached on John 9:1-12. It was a lovely service. I saw 2 Pigmy Nightjars on the way and 2 Tree-Frogs there.

I have now completed the résumés of 30 chapters of Ezekiel so that leaves 18 chapters to go. 

I see that England beat France by the unlikely margin of 6 x 4 to take 3rd spot in the World Cup. I didn’t watch the game but Brazilian pundits say it was a really good game. Well done England!