Categoria: News

When everyone had crossed the Jordan God told Joshua to chose 12 tribal representatives to each get a stone from where the priests had stood in the river with the ark of the covenant, and these stones were later set up as a memorial of the miraculous crossing at Gilgal. It would also seem that Joshua himself also set up a 12-stone memorial right in the middle of the Jordan where the priests had stood (Blair), but this to me is not clear. These memorials were to be commemorations of the Jordan crossing for future generations. Then as soon as the priests finally left the river the waterflow returned to normal. Israel was well prepared with 40,000 men armed for battle. 

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Early in the morning the Israelites set off from Shittim and camped for 3 days right on the banks of the Jordan. Joshua told the people that their cue to cross the Jordan would be when they saw the priests carrying the ark of the covenant which they should follow at a distance of about 900 metres. Then Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves in preparation for the following day. 

So Joshua commanded the priests to go with the ark of the covenant into the river, and when they touched the water’s edge the river stopped flowing so that the Israelites could cross into Canaan on dry land whilst the priests stood in the middle of the river. The entire nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan opposite Jericho ready to drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.

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Early in the morning the Israelites set off from Shittim and camped for 3 days right on the banks of the Jordan. Joshua told the people that their cue to cross the Jordan would be when they saw the priests carrying the ark of the covenant which they should follow at a distance of about 900 metres. Then Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves in preparation for the following day. 

So Joshua commanded the priests to go with the ark of the covenant into the river, and when they touched the water’s edge the river stopped flowing so that the Israelites could cross into Canaan on dry land whilst the priests stood in the middle of the river. The entire nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan opposite Jericho ready to drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.

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Prior to entering Canaan Joshua sent in 2 spies to do reconnaissance on the land, especially focusing on Jericho. The men fulfilled their mission and stayed at the house of a prostitute named Rahab, but the spies were seen entering her house so the King of Jericho sought them there. Rahab however hid the spies on the roof and told the King’s search party that the spies had left Jericho at dusk, just before the gates closed, but that if they were quick they could still catch them!  

Then Rahab went up to the roof before the spies went to sleep for the night and told them of her faith in the Lord and that she knew that God would give the land to the Israelites. She told of how impressed everyone was by their deliverance via the Red Sea and how too they had defeated the kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan. She then interceded for herself and her family to receive protection when the invasion came and this the spies agreed to telling her to hang a red cord in her window as a means of identification when the Israelites took the city and the land. As her house was part of the city wall she was able to help the spies escape after their stay at her house using a rope from her window. The spies were able to safely return to Joshua with an encouraging report of how the Canaanites were in fear and trembling at the thought of the Israelite’s imminent attack. 

Rahab became a very important person in the history of God’s people. She was the mother of Boaz who married Ruth. She was the great-great grandmother of King David, and she was listed as one of the ancestors of Jesus in Matthew 1:5!

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Prior to entering Canaan Joshua sent in 2 spies to do reconnaissance on the land, especially focusing on Jericho. The men fulfilled their mission and stayed at the house of a prostitute named Rahab, but the spies were seen entering her house so the King of Jericho sought them there. Rahab however hid the spies on the roof and told the King’s search party that the spies had left Jericho at dusk, just before the gates closed, but that if they were quick they could still catch them!  

Then Rahab went up to the roof before the spies went to sleep for the night and told them of her faith in the Lord and that she knew that God would give the land to the Israelites. She told of how impressed everyone was by their deliverance via the Red Sea and how too they had defeated the kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan. She then interceded for herself and her family to receive protection when the invasion came and this the spies agreed to telling her to hang a red cord in her window as a means of identification when the Israelites took the city and the land. As her house was part of the city wall she was able to help the spies escape after their stay at her house using a rope from her window. The spies were able to safely return to Joshua with an encouraging report of how the Canaanites were in fear and trembling at the thought of the Israelite’s imminent attack. 

Rahab became a very important person in the history of God’s people. She was the mother of Boaz who married Ruth. She was the great-great grandmother of King David, and she was listed as one of the ancestors of Jesus in Matthew 1:5!

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We have completed the 5 books of the Pentateuch and we now move into the historical books starting with the book of Joshua. The main figure to date in the Biblical narrative, Moses, has just died and now God commissions Joshua to take his place as the leader of Israel. God tells Joshua to get ready to cross the River Jordan and possess the land of Canaan saying that the Israelite territory will spread from the River Euphrates in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and from the Negev Desert in the south up to the Lebanon mountains in the north. God promises to always be with Joshua as he had been with Moses, saying that he will make him invincible. God tells Joshua to always be courageous and strong. 

So Joshua called the officers and told them to prepare for action because 3 days hence they will all cross the Jordan to possess the Promised Land. He also reminded the Reubenites, the Gadites and half the tribe Manasseh that although they had opted for land east of the Jordan in the agreement made with Moses in Numbers 32, they had promised to fight alongside the rest of Israel to conquer Canaan. This the two and a half tribes promised to do.

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We have completed the 5 books of the Pentateuch and we now move into the historical books starting with the book of Joshua. The main figure to date in the Biblical narrative, Moses, has just died and now God commissions Joshua to take his place as the leader of Israel. God tells Joshua to get ready to cross the River Jordan and possess the land of Canaan saying that the Israelite territory will spread from the River Euphrates in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and from the Negev Desert in the south up to the Lebanon mountains in the north. God promises to always be with Joshua as he had been with Moses, saying that he will make him invincible. God tells Joshua to always be courageous and strong. 

So Joshua called the officers and told them to prepare for action because 3 days hence they will all cross the Jordan to possess the Promised Land. He also reminded the Reubenites, the Gadites and half the tribe Manasseh that although they had opted for land east of the Jordan in the agreement made with Moses in Numbers 32, they had promised to fight alongside the rest of Israel to conquer Canaan. This the two and a half tribes promised to do.

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Our grandson Lucas continued his history studies in Greece visiting the Acrocorinth which is a hill with the ruins of a castle which overlooks the ancient city of Corinth, to which the Apostle Paul sent his 2 epistles to the Corinthians in the years 51 and 57. How wonderful that Lucas has had this opportunity to walk in Paul’s footsteps this week. He has now flown home to England. 

Our 23-year-old grandson John David will graduate in João Pessoa as a medical doctor in June. At the moment he is doing 3 months practical training at a clinic in Patos prior to returning for training next month in surgical work, taking him to his graduation. Please pray for John David. 

I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study with my assistant pastor Rafael giving the study on the last 2 verses of Micah 2. Marina and Davi led the worship, Vasti sang a solo and Bible verses were read by Deborah Maria, Samana and Maria. 

Yesterday morning I gave a Biblical reflection to the ‘Young at Heart’ group from Romans 12:9-13 and it was a lovely time of fellowship together. They served up delicious savoury and sweet snacks cooked in the Care Centre’s ‘Mum’s Kitchen’ by the sisters Marcia and Josinete who run these mornings. ‘Mum’s Kitchen’ is the new kitchen we have at the Care Centre donated by Liz’s brother Sam, in Switzerland, in memory of their mother and missionary Ivy Dyer. Prior to my participation in the meeting a sister from the church called Thayse gave the ladies a lesson about skin care with the application of creams in everyone which they really enjoyed.

Last night I spent a lovely evening discussing theology with Murilo. He is a 22-year-old recently qualified lawyer and Bible College graduate who regularly preaches in Patos. The idea is for us to discuss matters that we don’t normally get to discuss.

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Our grandson Lucas continued his history studies in Greece visiting the Acrocorinth which is a hill with the ruins of a castle which overlooks the ancient city of Corinth, to which the Apostle Paul sent his 2 epistles to the Corinthians in the years 51 and 57. How wonderful that Lucas has had this opportunity to walk in Paul’s footsteps this week. He has now flown home to England. 

Our 23-year-old grandson John David will graduate in João Pessoa as a medical doctor in June. At the moment he is doing 3 months practical training at a clinic in Patos prior to returning for training next month in surgical work, taking him to his graduation. Please pray for John David. 

I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study with my assistant pastor Rafael giving the study on the last 2 verses of Micah 2. Marina and Davi led the worship, Vasti sang a solo and Bible verses were read by Deborah Maria, Samana and Maria. 

Yesterday morning I gave a Biblical reflection to the ‘Young at Heart’ group from Romans 12:9-13 and it was a lovely time of fellowship together. They served up delicious savoury and sweet snacks cooked in the Care Centre’s ‘Mum’s Kitchen’ by the sisters Marcia and Josinete who run these mornings. ‘Mum’s Kitchen’ is the new kitchen we have at the Care Centre donated by Liz’s brother Sam, in Switzerland, in memory of their mother and missionary Ivy Dyer. Prior to my participation in the meeting a sister from the church called Thayse gave the ladies a lesson about skin care with the application of creams in everyone which they really enjoyed.

Last night I spent a lovely evening discussing theology with Murilo. He is a 22-year-old recently qualified lawyer and Bible College graduate who regularly preaches in Patos. The idea is for us to discuss matters that we don’t normally get to discuss.

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 São Mamede is a town about half an hour’s drive north-east of Patos and every fortnight I go there with the Patos Men’s Fellowship to hold a Gospel street meeting. On Tuesday I preached there on Jesus healing both a leper and a paralytic from Mark 1:40 to 2:12. Chief of the Police Esau led the service and songs were sung by Giulia, Flávio, Paulo Silas and Josué. I prayed for José, in front of whose house we hold the meetings, who was operated on for skin cancer at the weekend, and I prayed for 4 more people for whom I received prayer requests. It was a lovely service.

Sadly QPR lost yet again on Tuesday 2 x 1 away to Middlesbrough. 😏

Last night Liz and I had a meeting with the leaders of the Pastor Frank Dyer School here in Patos which is our school which constantly wins first place from the Ministry of Education’s IDEB which is the Brazilian version of Ofsted. We discussed with the head-teacher Gerlânia the return of various workshops for adolescents as from next week including mathematics, chess, physical education and sand-football. We also discussed the creation of a play area for the children at the school for which the town council has promised the building materials and for which we have to pay for the labour. It was a very good meeting.

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 São Mamede is a town about half an hour’s drive north-east of Patos and every fortnight I go there with the Patos Men’s Fellowship to hold a Gospel street meeting. On Tuesday I preached there on Jesus healing both a leper and a paralytic from Mark 1:40 to 2:12. Chief of the Police Esau led the service and songs were sung by Giulia, Flávio, Paulo Silas and Josué. I prayed for José, in front of whose house we hold the meetings, who was operated on for skin cancer at the weekend, and I prayed for 4 more people for whom I received prayer requests. It was a lovely service.

Sadly QPR lost yet again on Tuesday 2 x 1 away to Middlesbrough. 😏

Last night Liz and I had a meeting with the leaders of the Pastor Frank Dyer School here in Patos which is our school which constantly wins first place from the Ministry of Education’s IDEB which is the Brazilian version of Ofsted. We discussed with the head-teacher Gerlânia the return of various workshops for adolescents as from next week including mathematics, chess, physical education and sand-football. We also discussed the creation of a play area for the children at the school for which the town council has promised the building materials and for which we have to pay for the labour. It was a very good meeting.

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Today my grandson Lucas has stood at the Areopagus in Athens, Greece, where the Apostle Paul preached about the “unknown God” in Acts 17:16-34. What a wonderful historical experience for this young man who is very keen on history. May he follow in Paul’s footsteps to be a preacher of the Gospel bringing people to a living knowledge of the “unknown God” who can be known through Jesus Christ!

Sadly QPR lost yet again on Saturday 1 x 0 away to West Brom. 😖

I saw a Burrowing Owl on my way to preach at Green Pastures and then I stupidly parked the car underneath a tree near the meeting hall. After the service the car was covered by bird droppings from the roosting birds in the tree! It rained 9 mm during the service but we pray for much more rain! It rained a further 12 mm on Sunday night.

I led the meeting on Sunday night and Pastor Rafael preached on Mathew 15:21-28 about the great faith of a Canaanite woman. The church was full and the service was blessed.

It is lovely to hear the Southern Wren singing outside my office window and to see beautifully coloured butterflies feeding on the flowers of the climbing plant we have in our garden.

Last night Liz went to the Monday night prayer meeting which had 11 present. There were also 3 of the youth praying in their own prayer meeting. 🙏

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Today my grandson Lucas has stood at the Areopagus in Athens, Greece, where the Apostle Paul preached about the “unknown God” in Acts 17:16-34. What a wonderful historical experience for this young man who is very keen on history. May he follow in Paul’s footsteps to be a preacher of the Gospel bringing people to a living knowledge of the “unknown God” who can be known through Jesus Christ!

Sadly QPR lost yet again on Saturday 1 x 0 away to West Brom. 😖

I saw a Burrowing Owl on my way to preach at Green Pastures and then I stupidly parked the car underneath a tree near the meeting hall. After the service the car was covered by bird droppings from the roosting birds in the tree! It rained 9 mm during the service but we pray for much more rain! It rained a further 12 mm on Sunday night.

I led the meeting on Sunday night and Pastor Rafael preached on Mathew 15:21-28 about the great faith of a Canaanite woman. The church was full and the service was blessed.

It is lovely to hear the Southern Wren singing outside my office window and to see beautifully coloured butterflies feeding on the flowers of the climbing plant we have in our garden.

Last night Liz went to the Monday night prayer meeting which had 11 present. There were also 3 of the youth praying in their own prayer meeting. 🙏

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Our 17-year-old grandson Lucas, who lives in the UK, is now in Greece on an educational visit in history with his Queen Mary’s College. He will be visiting the Temple of Poseidon, Theatre of Dionysus, Acropolis, Areopagus, Pnyx, Koile, Philopappus, Byzantine churches, Delphi, Olympia, Epidaurus, Acro Corinth etc. 

Over the carnival period from March 1st to 5th alternative camps were held by our churches, on top of the 45th one at Green Pastures, at Juru (10th), at Diamante (8th), at Manaira (2nd) and at Flores (10th). All places report really blessed camps with 10 young people making commitments to Christ at Juru and one being baptized at Flores. Praise God!

On Friday afternoon I prepared a message for the Green Pastures church: Jesus – the Lamb of God (John 1:29) / Jesus – the Son of God (João 1:34) / Jesus – the Teacher of God (João 1:38).

Last night I led the service and preached at the Green Pastures Church. It was a great service. The 4 people recently baptized at the carnival camp gave lovely testimonies and the praise and worship was led by sister Nega.

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Our 17-year-old grandson Lucas, who lives in the UK, is now in Greece on an educational visit in history with his Queen Mary’s College. He will be visiting the Temple of Poseidon, Theatre of Dionysus, Acropolis, Areopagus, Pnyx, Koile, Philopappus, Byzantine churches, Delphi, Olympia, Epidaurus, Acro Corinth etc. 

Over the carnival period from March 1st to 5th alternative camps were held by our churches, on top of the 45th one at Green Pastures, at Juru (10th), at Diamante (8th), at Manaira (2nd) and at Flores (10th). All places report really blessed camps with 10 young people making commitments to Christ at Juru and one being baptized at Flores. Praise God!

On Friday afternoon I prepared a message for the Green Pastures church: Jesus – the Lamb of God (John 1:29) / Jesus – the Son of God (João 1:34) / Jesus – the Teacher of God (João 1:38).

Last night I led the service and preached at the Green Pastures Church. It was a great service. The 4 people recently baptized at the carnival camp gave lovely testimonies and the praise and worship was led by sister Nega.

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Thanks to everyone who reads and comments on this blog. To comment please click on the ‘comments’ section at the bottom of this post. Then click on the little arrow, before clicking on ‘name’, and put your name. Then write your comment. The comment will only appear when I have given it the OK as this avoids people trying to sell things or post pornography via the blog as sometimes happens.

Please pray for rain for us. The situation here is serious as we are in the rainy season and it is not raining!

We are receiving very positive feedback from those who were at the Carnival Camp. Many are telling of life transforming encounters with God. Praise the Lord! 🙌 One person said that the camp had been “a watershed experience” in her life.

I have finished reading ‘Seven days that divide the world: the beginning according to Genesis and Science’ by John C. Lennox. I found the book very interesting and challenging. 

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study with Michelle and Davi leading the worship. Adriana, Romildo, Espedita and Gilmarco gave lovely words of testimony about the Carnival Camp and Pastor Rafael brought the study from Micah 2:6-11. It was a good meeting.  

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Thanks to everyone who reads and comments on this blog. To comment please click on the ‘comments’ section at the bottom of this post. Then click on the little arrow, before clicking on ‘name’, and put your name. Then write your comment. The comment will only appear when I have given it the OK as this avoids people trying to sell things or post pornography via the blog as sometimes happens.

Please pray for rain for us. The situation here is serious as we are in the rainy season and it is not raining!

We are receiving very positive feedback from those who were at the Carnival Camp. Many are telling of life transforming encounters with God. Praise the Lord! 🙌 One person said that the camp had been “a watershed experience” in her life.

I have finished reading ‘Seven days that divide the world: the beginning according to Genesis and Science’ by John C. Lennox. I found the book very interesting and challenging. 

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study with Michelle and Davi leading the worship. Adriana, Romildo, Espedita and Gilmarco gave lovely words of testimony about the Carnival Camp and Pastor Rafael brought the study from Micah 2:6-11. It was a good meeting.  

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Monday night’s service at the camp was excellent with pastor Wostenes preaching on unity in the church being a result of revival and renewal. He also preached on Tuesday morning on satisfaction and fulfillment in God. The final service of the camp had Missionary Gleydice preaching on evangelistic zeal being a symptom of revival and renewal.

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We are now at the half-way point in our 45th Carnival Camp at Green Pastures and it is going very well indeed. On Saturday evening we had our initial fellowship meal which was followed by an excellent message in the opening service by Pastor Lindon Carlos from Imaculada. He preached from Habakkuk 3 on the need for revival and renewal.

The Sunday services were equally blessed with lovely ministry from Missionary Betânia. In the morning she spoke on the theme of revival and renewal through a greater hunger for the word of God, and at night she spoke on prayer in revival.

On Sunday afternoon we baptized 4 from the Green Pastures church: Fred, Marileide, Julio and Joana. It was a joyful afternoon.

This morning we had Missionary Gleydice preaching on repentance as a gateway to revival and renewal and this was excellent too.

QPR lost at home 2 x 1 to Sheffield United.

I have heard lots of Striped Cuckoos at Green Pastures and many duets by the Caatinga Cacholotes. I also saw a Green-barred Woodpecker.

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To the north of Brazil is Venezuela which has long been in political and social upheaval under dictator President Maduro. Brazil officially has 94,726 Venezuelans immigrants who have fled their country in order to survive, but I suspect the number is far higher. In Patos, for example, you see them begging at different sets of traffic lights. They have very difficult lives. 

Brazilians are asking me what happens in the UK when someone dies. Well there is no wake to start with. Whereas in Brazil when someone dies there is a wake and then the burial normally takes place within about 24 hours, in the UK few view the body and the funeral takes place weeks later.

On Thursday night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and it was lovely to have 14-year-old Letícia playing the guitar for the first time for the praise. She did very well. Pastor Rafael gave the study on Micah 2:1-5.

Today sees the start of our 45th Carnival Camp at Green Pastures. The speaker in tonight’s opening service the speaker will be Pastor Lindon Carlos from Imaculada. Tomorrow the speaker both morning and night will be Betânia who was our missionary to Uruguay some years back. I will be leading the camp and the services. Liz will be coordinating the whole camp’s logistics of food, cleaning, canteen etc. Please pray!

We are in the rainy season and the average rainfall for the month of February at Green Pastures over the last 25 years has been 137 mm, whereas this February saw just 25 mm of rain! Please pray for rain as we now need a bumper month of March to make up for the very poor February.

Last month this blog was read 6,019 times. Thank you. That is 215 per day.

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To the north of Brazil is Venezuela which has long been in political and social upheaval under dictator President Maduro. Brazil officially has 94,726 Venezuelans immigrants who have fled their country in order to survive, but I suspect the number is far higher. In Patos, for example, you see them begging at different sets of traffic lights. They have very difficult lives. 

Brazilians are asking me what happens in the UK when someone dies. Well there is no wake to start with. Whereas in Brazil when someone dies there is a wake and then the burial normally takes place within about 24 hours, in the UK few view the body and the funeral takes place weeks later.

On Thursday night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and it was lovely to have 14-year-old Letícia playing the guitar for the first time for the praise. She did very well. Pastor Rafael gave the study on Micah 2:1-5.

Today sees the start of our 45th Carnival Camp at Green Pastures. The speaker in tonight’s opening service the speaker will be Pastor Lindon Carlos from Imaculada. Tomorrow the speaker both morning and night will be Betânia who was our missionary to Uruguay some years back. I will be leading the camp and the services. Liz will be coordinating the whole camp’s logistics of food, cleaning, canteen etc. Please pray!

We are in the rainy season and the average rainfall for the month of February at Green Pastures over the last 25 years has been 137 mm, whereas this February saw just 25 mm of rain! Please pray for rain as we now need a bumper month of March to make up for the very poor February.

Last month this blog was read 6,019 times. Thank you. That is 215 per day.

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To the north of Brazil is Venezuela which has long been in political and social upheaval under dictator President Maduro. Brazil officially has 94,726 Venezuelans immigrants who have fled their country in order to survive, but I suspect the number is far higher. In Patos, for example, you see them begging at different sets of traffic lights. They have very difficult lives. 

Brazilians are asking me what happens in the UK when someone dies. Well there is no wake to start with. Whereas in Brazil when someone dies there is a wake and then the burial normally takes place within about 24 hours, in the UK few view the body and the funeral takes place weeks later.

On Thursday night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and it was lovely to have 14-year-old Letícia playing the guitar for the first time for the praise. She did very well. Pastor Rafael gave the study on Micah 2:1-5.

Today sees the start of our 45th Carnival Camp at Green Pastures. The speaker in tonight’s opening service the speaker will be Pastor Lindon Carlos from Imaculada. Tomorrow the speaker both morning and night will be Betânia who was our missionary to Uruguay some years back. I will be leading the camp and the services. Liz will be coordinating the whole camp’s logistics of food, cleaning, canteen etc. Please pray!

We are in the rainy season and the average rainfall for the month of February at Green Pastures over the last 25 years has been 137 mm, whereas this February saw just 25 mm of rain! Please pray for rain as we now need a bumper month of March to make up for the very poor February.

Last month this blog was read 6,019 times. Thank you. That is 215 per day.

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Our little action schools are back in action for 2025 remembering that the school year here doesn’t run from September to July as in the UK, but follows the calendar year with 2 semesters (February to the end of June + August to December). On Tuesday afternoon I had a good meeting with our schools team coordinators. Our little school at Green Pastures has closed this year as the region has run out of little children!

On Tuesday night I spent 45 minutes at the wake of Geraldo Batista. A wake here is held with the deceased person lying in an open coffin and people come in, look at the person, and then give their condolences to the relatives. People at the wake drink tea and coffee. The wake was held at our church.

On Wednesday morning at 9 am I conducted Geraldo’s funeral service at the church followed by the committal at the central cemetery of São Miguel where we had to clamber over tombstones to get to the place where he was buried. Everything went off well.

It is amazing how adapted to urban conditions the Ruddy Ground-Dove is. I saw them in the centre of town near the cemetery and they are always around our house. They appear to be almost as plentiful in Patos as the House Sparrow. They have milk chocolate coloured brown wings and body with a grey head.

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Our little action schools are back in action for 2025 remembering that the school year here doesn’t run from September to July as in the UK, but follows the calendar year with 2 semesters (February to the end of June + August to December). On Tuesday afternoon I had a good meeting with our schools team coordinators. Our little school at Green Pastures has closed this year as the region has run out of little children!

On Tuesday night I spent 45 minutes at the wake of Geraldo Batista. A wake here is held with the deceased person lying in an open coffin and people come in, look at the person, and then give their condolences to the relatives. People at the wake drink tea and coffee. The wake was held at our church.

On Wednesday morning at 9 am I conducted Geraldo’s funeral service at the church followed by the committal at the central cemetery of São Miguel where we had to clamber over tombstones to get to the place where he was buried. Everything went off well.

It is amazing how adapted to urban conditions the Ruddy Ground-Dove is. I saw them in the centre of town near the cemetery and they are always around our house. They appear to be almost as plentiful in Patos as the House Sparrow. They have milk chocolate coloured brown wings and body with a grey head.

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In Brazil our main service of the week is on a Sunday night at 6:30 pm. In the morning we have Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 am. I led the Sunday night service and young lawyer and Bible College graduate Murilo preached on Matthew 16:13-20. It was an excellent sermon. The praise and worship was led by Sacha, Marina and Fabio on vocals, Rogério on keyboard, Rogaciano on guitar, Ricardinho on bass guitar and Netinho on drums. This group is very good indeed. It was a lovely service with a full church.

On my trip to Ipueira I saw 3 species of birds I hadn’t seen for some time. I saw Yellow-chinned Spinetails, a pair of Blue-black Grassquits, and a pair of White-throated Seedeaters.

Today a university professor, Dr. Flávia Moura, is starting research at Green Pastures into termites. Her work, together with her team, will not disrupt the camp preparation as they will be out in the bush doing their work. This reminds me to ask you to please pray for the Carnival Camp which starts this Saturday. 🙏

I am very pleased to have completed my résumé of the Pentateuch. To cover all the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy took exactly 5 months. That’s 187 chapters in 150 days which isn’t bad with everything else I have on. 

Linda is our cook at Green Pastures and her husband Geraldo has just died of cancer a few hours ago. Liz went and broke the news to her. So I will have a funeral to conduct between now and tomorrow. Please pray.

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In Brazil our main service of the week is on a Sunday night at 6:30 pm. In the morning we have Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 am. I led the Sunday night service and young lawyer and Bible College graduate Murilo preached on Matthew 16:13-20. It was an excellent sermon. The praise and worship was led by Sacha, Marina and Fabio on vocals, Rogério on keyboard, Rogaciano on guitar, Ricardinho on bass guitar and Netinho on drums. This group is very good indeed. It was a lovely service with a full church.

On my trip to Ipueira I saw 3 species of birds I hadn’t seen for some time. I saw Yellow-chinned Spinetails, a pair of Blue-black Grassquits, and a pair of White-throated Seedeaters.

Today a university professor, Dr. Flávia Moura, is starting research at Green Pastures into termites. Her work, together with her team, will not disrupt the camp preparation as they will be out in the bush doing their work. This reminds me to ask you to please pray for the Carnival Camp which starts this Saturday. 🙏

I am very pleased to have completed my résumé of the Pentateuch. To cover all the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy took exactly 5 months. That’s 187 chapters in 150 days which isn’t bad with everything else I have on. 

Linda is our cook at Green Pastures and her husband Geraldo has just died of cancer a few hours ago. Liz went and broke the news to her. So I will have a funeral to conduct between now and tomorrow. Please pray.

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So Moses climbed Mount Nebo, as the Lord had commanded, from where he saw the promised land which had been first promised to Abraham hundreds of years earlier. There at 120 years old Moses died and was buried in Moab, though exactly where nobody knew. When Moses died his eyes were not weak nor had his strength gone. The Israelites mourned Moses’ death for a month. It was then Joshua who took up the reins of leadership. He was “filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him”. The book ends remarking that no prophet greater than Moses had ever lived.

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So Moses climbed Mount Nebo, as the Lord had commanded, from where he saw the promised land which had been first promised to Abraham hundreds of years earlier. There at 120 years old Moses died and was buried in Moab, though exactly where nobody knew. When Moses died his eyes were not weak nor had his strength gone. The Israelites mourned Moses’ death for a month. It was then Joshua who took up the reins of leadership. He was “filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him”. The book ends remarking that no prophet greater than Moses had ever lived.

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Moses is about to die so he gives his parting blessings upon the tribes of Israel, although he misses out on Simeon. Moses starts by exalting the glory and majesty of God before blessing each tribe. He starts with a very brief blessing upon Reuben in just 11 words. Next comes Judah calling upon God to help them against all their foes in 27 words. Then comes Levi who has a longer blessing of a full 4 verses which includes a blessing on their skills and the work of their hands. Next Benjamin’s blessing has 27 words and focuses resting secure in God. Then come 4 long verses in the blessing upon Joseph with strong environmental comments about dew, deep waters, sun, moon, mountains, hills, earth and burning bush. Then come the briefest of blessings on Ephraim (7 words), Manasseh (6 words) and Zebulun (10 words). These are followed by the blessing on Issachar who “will feast on the abundance of the seas”. This is followed by a 2 verse blessing upon Gad who is likened to a lion and then a 13 word blessing on Dan who is likened to a lion’s cub. Next comes a full verse of blessing upon Naphtali who “is abounding in the favour of the Lord” and finally Asher saying that his strength will equal his days. Moses closes by pointing all to God “who rides on the heavens to help you” … saying “blessed are you oh Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?”

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Moses is about to die so he gives his parting blessings upon the tribes of Israel, although he misses out on Simeon. Moses starts by exalting the glory and majesty of God before blessing each tribe. He starts with a very brief blessing upon Reuben in just 11 words. Next comes Judah calling upon God to help them against all their foes in 27 words. Then comes Levi who has a longer blessing of a full 4 verses which includes a blessing on their skills and the work of their hands. Next Benjamin’s blessing has 27 words and focuses resting secure in God. Then come 4 long verses in the blessing upon Joseph with strong environmental comments about dew, deep waters, sun, moon, mountains, hills, earth and burning bush. Then come the briefest of blessings on Ephraim (7 words), Manasseh (6 words) and Zebulun (10 words). These are followed by the blessing on Issachar who “will feast on the abundance of the seas”. This is followed by a 2 verse blessing upon Gad who is likened to a lion and then a 13 word blessing on Dan who is likened to a lion’s cub. Next comes a full verse of blessing upon Naphtali who “is abounding in the favour of the Lord” and finally Asher saying that his strength will equal his days. Moses closes by pointing all to God “who rides on the heavens to help you” … saying “blessed are you oh Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?”

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This chapter contains an anthem-like poem which is the Song of Moses. It is a prophetic testimony lamenting Israel’s eventual unfaithfulness to God and his judgement upon them. The song commences by praising God for his justice, faithfulness and greatness. It describes how God cared for Israel making it a great nation like an eagle nurtures her young. Yet despite God’s wonderful care Israel would forget God and ignore his guidance, turning instead to pagan gods which greatly anger the Lord kindling a fire of wrath which would burn to Sheol. Therefore God said he would send curses on the Israelites: calamities, famine, pestilence, plague, wild beasts, venomous vipers, and violence. Then the song goes on to criticize Israel’s senseless attitudes in which they fail to think about the long term. Yet it says that the Lord will judge his people and have compassion on those who love him. And the song ends exalting the greatness of God which is utterly superior to all the gods! God puts to death and brings to life, he wounds and heals and nobody can free from his hand. Moses and Joshua spoke all these words to Israel exhorting them to take great heed to the message of the song. For these “are not just idle words – they are life”!

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This chapter contains an anthem-like poem which is the Song of Moses. It is a prophetic testimony lamenting Israel’s eventual unfaithfulness to God and his judgement upon them. The song commences by praising God for his justice, faithfulness and greatness. It describes how God cared for Israel making it a great nation like an eagle nurtures her young. Yet despite God’s wonderful care Israel would forget God and ignore his guidance, turning instead to pagan gods which greatly anger the Lord kindling a fire of wrath which would burn to Sheol. Therefore God said he would send curses on the Israelites: calamities, famine, pestilence, plague, wild beasts, venomous vipers, and violence. Then the song goes on to criticize Israel’s senseless attitudes in which they fail to think about the long term. Yet it says that the Lord will judge his people and have compassion on those who love him. And the song ends exalting the greatness of God which is utterly superior to all the gods! God puts to death and brings to life, he wounds and heals and nobody can free from his hand. Moses and Joshua spoke all these words to Israel exhorting them to take great heed to the message of the song. For these “are not just idle words – they are life”!

Continue Reading

This chapter contains an anthem-like poem which is the Song of Moses. It is a prophetic testimony lamenting Israel’s eventual unfaithfulness to God and his judgement upon them. The song commences by praising God for his justice, faithfulness and greatness. It describes how God cared for Israel making it a great nation like an eagle nurtures her young. Yet despite God’s wonderful care Israel would forget God and ignore his guidance, turning instead to pagan gods which greatly anger the Lord kindling a fire of wrath which would burn to Sheol. Therefore God said he would send curses on the Israelites: calamities, famine, pestilence, plague, wild beasts, venomous vipers, and violence. Then the song goes on to criticize Israel’s senseless attitudes in which they fail to think about the long term. Yet it says that the Lord will judge his people and have compassion on those who love him. And the song ends exalting the greatness of God which is utterly superior to all the gods! God puts to death and brings to life, he wounds and heals and nobody can free from his hand. Moses and Joshua spoke all these words to Israel exhorting them to take great heed to the message of the song. For these “are not just idle words – they are life”!

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Moses, at 120 years of age, knew he was reaching the end his life and he knew that he would not enter Canaan because God had said so. So Moses called Joshua to take his place telling him to be strong and courageous knowing that God would be with him. 

Then Moses wrote down the law and gave it to the priests saying that they should read it to the people every 7th year during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Then God told Moses to present himself with Joshua at the Tent of Meeting and there God told them that the people would soon prostitute themselves with pagan gods after entering Canaan, and this would make him very angry and would bring disasters and difficulties upon them. After this God told Moses to write down a song and teach it to the Israelites, and make them sing it, so as to be a testimony against them when they eventually rebel against God’s law. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous as Moses had said previously. Moses then again predicted rebellion by the people after he has died.

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Moses, at 120 years of age, knew he was reaching the end his life and he knew that he would not enter Canaan because God had said so. So Moses called Joshua to take his place telling him to be strong and courageous knowing that God would be with him. 

Then Moses wrote down the law and gave it to the priests saying that they should read it to the people every 7th year during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Then God told Moses to present himself with Joshua at the Tent of Meeting and there God told them that the people would soon prostitute themselves with pagan gods after entering Canaan, and this would make him very angry and would bring disasters and difficulties upon them. After this God told Moses to write down a song and teach it to the Israelites, and make them sing it, so as to be a testimony against them when they eventually rebel against God’s law. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous as Moses had said previously. Moses then again predicted rebellion by the people after he has died.

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Hornets (Maribondo) are large dangerous insects and widespread here. They are brown, have large wings, and legs and a sting hanging beneath them like a lowered plane undercarriage. They are about the size of an old 50 pence piece. (I don’t know if they still exist?!) I once was stung by 3 of them on my neck in an old disused farm house and it sure hurt! Hornets make nests out of earth on the walls of houses and one place they like to use is inside electrical sockets. As we prepare Green Pastures for the Carnival Camp next week we are having to clear out the electrical sockets so that they will work, because you can’t plug anything in if the socket is full of earth!

Yesterday morning at 8 am Liz went to Ana Karla’s birthday breakfast. Ana Karla is a member of the Patos church. It all went off beautifully.

I have just had an avocado pear smoothy. 😋

Sadly QPR lost 2 x 1 yesterday away to Portsmouth. 😔

Yesterday I travelled to Ipueira with Deacon Dedé, his wife Geralda, their daughter Maria Fernanda and Sister Madá. We had a nice time sharing the word of God, praising the Lord and praying. It was lovely to see a couple who I baptized many years ago still going on with God and firm in the faith.

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Hornets (Maribondo) are large dangerous insects and widespread here. They are brown, have large wings, and legs and a sting hanging beneath them like a lowered plane undercarriage. They are about the size of an old 50 pence piece. (I don’t know if they still exist?!) I once was stung by 3 of them on my neck in an old disused farm house and it sure hurt! Hornets make nests out of earth on the walls of houses and one place they like to use is inside electrical sockets. As we prepare Green Pastures for the Carnival Camp next week we are having to clear out the electrical sockets so that they will work, because you can’t plug anything in if the socket is full of earth!

Yesterday morning at 8 am Liz went to Ana Karla’s birthday breakfast. Ana Karla is a member of the Patos church. It all went off beautifully.

I have just had an avocado pear smoothy. 😋

Sadly QPR lost 2 x 1 yesterday away to Portsmouth. 😔

Yesterday I travelled to Ipueira with Deacon Dedé, his wife Geralda, their daughter Maria Fernanda and Sister Madá. We had a nice time sharing the word of God, praising the Lord and praying. It was lovely to see a couple who I baptized many years ago still going on with God and firm in the faith.

Continue Reading

Hornets (Maribondo) are large dangerous insects and widespread here. They are brown, have large wings, and legs and a sting hanging beneath them like a lowered plane undercarriage. They are about the size of an old 50 pence piece. (I don’t know if they still exist?!) I once was stung by 3 of them on my neck in an old disused farm house and it sure hurt! Hornets make nests out of earth on the walls of houses and one place they like to use is inside electrical sockets. As we prepare Green Pastures for the Carnival Camp next week we are having to clear out the electrical sockets so that they will work, because you can’t plug anything in if the socket is full of earth!

Yesterday morning at 8 am Liz went to Ana Karla’s birthday breakfast. Ana Karla is a member of the Patos church. It all went off beautifully.

I have just had an avocado pear smoothy. 😋

Sadly QPR lost 2 x 1 yesterday away to Portsmouth. 😔

Yesterday I travelled to Ipueira with Deacon Dedé, his wife Geralda, their daughter Maria Fernanda and Sister Madá. We had a nice time sharing the word of God, praising the Lord and praying. It was lovely to see a couple who I baptized many years ago still going on with God and firm in the faith.

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Moses now says that if after suffering curses because of disobedience, and being dispersed among the nations, Israel repents and comes back to the Lord, then God will restore their fortunes and gather them again from around the world. Repentant Israel will be made more prosperous and more numerous than ever, and God will turn the tables putting the curses on the enemy. Faithful Israel will experience prosperity again under the delight of the Lord as they keep God’s commands and love him with heart and soul. 

In the second part of this chapter Moses goes on to stress that the option Israel is facing is a matter of life and death. He emphasizes that obedience to God is within their reach because the word is near them; it is in their mouth and heart to be obeyed. Moses says the choice could not be more clear as it is a choice between life and prosperity and death and destruction! God’s command is to love him with everything, walk in his ways and obey his commands. Moses challenges Israel to always choose life so that they and their children may live!

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Moses now says that if after suffering curses because of disobedience, and being dispersed among the nations, Israel repents and comes back to the Lord, then God will restore their fortunes and gather them again from around the world. Repentant Israel will be made more prosperous and more numerous than ever, and God will turn the tables putting the curses on the enemy. Faithful Israel will experience prosperity again under the delight of the Lord as they keep God’s commands and love him with heart and soul. 

In the second part of this chapter Moses goes on to stress that the option Israel is facing is a matter of life and death. He emphasizes that obedience to God is within their reach because the word is near them; it is in their mouth and heart to be obeyed. Moses says the choice could not be more clear as it is a choice between life and prosperity and death and destruction! God’s command is to love him with everything, walk in his ways and obey his commands. Moses challenges Israel to always choose life so that they and their children may live!

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Moses now summons all the Israelites to gather in Moab to renew and reinforce their covenant with the Lord. He reminds them of all God had done for them giving them victory over Pharoah and guiding them through the desert when neither their clothes of shoes wore out during 40 years. He also recalled the victories over King Sihon and King Og. He then exhorts the people to follow the terms of the covenant and renew it before the Lord, confirming that the Lord alone is their God. He entreats them to never go after the gods of other nations. If they disobey then the curses from the Torah will fall upon them and the land will become desolate as happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. In this case other nations will realize that things have got so bad for Israel owing to their abandonment of the covenant. 

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Moses now shows how much God will bless the people if they fully obey the Lord, and on the other hand how much he will curse them if they are unfaithful. He says obedience will mean blessing everywhere, with human and animal fertility plus productive crops. He says that obedience means victory over enemies, blessings on the barns, abundant prosperity, and plentiful rain in the season. With obedience God will make Israel the head and not the tail – the top and not the bottom!

On the other hand disobedience would mean comprehensive cursing in the city or country, upon the womb, crops and livestock. It would mean being cursed at all times and in everything. Moses says that if the people forsake the Lord he will plague everyone with diseases plus scorching heat and drought! In this case Israel’s enemies will defeat them and their carcasses will be food for the vultures! Disobedience and unfaithfulness will result in ill health such as tumours, festering sores, and the incurable itch! The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confused minds. Without God everything will go wrong. You will be engaged to be married but another man will ravish the girl, you will build a house but not live in it, and you will plant a vineyard without enjoying its fruit. With unfaithfulness will come a decimation of the livestock and the sons and daughters will go abroad, and will be afflicted with boils from head to feet. Disobedience will lead to exilic and pagan experiences, and you will plant a lot but harvest little! The foreigner will rise up but unfaithful Israel will sink low. God will put an iron yoke on Israel and they will end up serving their enemies. Unfaithfulness will bring disaster for Israel’s livelihoods and livestock as a foreign nation will dominate Israel. This nation will besiege Israel leading even to cannibalism as a means of survival! Mothers will even eat their afterbirths! Just as the Lord had pleasure in prospering faithful Israel so he will be pleased to ruin and destroy them in their unfaithfulness. And God will scatter Israel amongst the nations and they will end up as worthless slaves.

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Moses now shows how much God will bless the people if they fully obey the Lord, and on the other hand how much he will curse them if they are unfaithful. He says obedience will mean blessing everywhere, with human and animal fertility plus productive crops. He says that obedience means victory over enemies, blessings on the barns, abundant prosperity, and plentiful rain in the season. With obedience God will make Israel the head and not the tail – the top and not the bottom!

On the other hand disobedience would mean comprehensive cursing in the city or country, upon the womb, crops and livestock. It would mean being cursed at all times and in everything. Moses says that if the people forsake the Lord he will plague everyone with diseases plus scorching heat and drought! In this case Israel’s enemies will defeat them and their carcasses will be food for the vultures! Disobedience and unfaithfulness will result in ill health such as tumours, festering sores, and the incurable itch! The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confused minds. Without God everything will go wrong. You will be engaged to be married but another man will ravish the girl, you will build a house but not live in it, and you will plant a vineyard without enjoying its fruit. With unfaithfulness will come a decimation of the livestock and the sons and daughters will go abroad, and will be afflicted with boils from head to feet. Disobedience will lead to exilic and pagan experiences, and you will plant a lot but harvest little! The foreigner will rise up but unfaithful Israel will sink low. God will put an iron yoke on Israel and they will end up serving their enemies. Unfaithfulness will bring disaster for Israel’s livelihoods and livestock as a foreign nation will dominate Israel. This nation will besiege Israel leading even to cannibalism as a means of survival! Mothers will even eat their afterbirths! Just as the Lord had pleasure in prospering faithful Israel so he will be pleased to ruin and destroy them in their unfaithfulness. And God will scatter Israel amongst the nations and they will end up as worthless slaves.

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