BH Bulletin - Monday 19 July 2021

Thought for the Day by Matt Jones
​(Associate Minister for Music)

'Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.’ James 1:27
 
Religion! We don’t particularly like to reference that word a lot. We end up thinking about the negative connotations and tend to associate it with other world faith groups. But James likes it. In fact he says there is a religion that God accepts, something that he thinks is ‘pure and faultless’. Well I’m on board with that! And then we look at the verse and we think, just those two things? Seems a bit narrow. Is that all that God is looking for in religion?
 
‘Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne’ says Ethan the Ezrahite in Psalm 87:14. And I think he is on to something. See the two things that are referenced as ‘good religion’ are examples of something greater:
 
…to look after orphans and widows in their distress… - SOCIAL JUSTICE  —> JUSTICE
…and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world…’ - PURITY —> RIGHTEOUSNESS
 
Both are important. It is quite easy for Christians today to camp in one of these and not the other. But God desires that we do both; live a holy and sinless life before Him, whilst being His hands and feet to a broken world.
 
Father, help me to live the religious life you intended; one where I am living a pure, holy life before your eyes, whilst caring and loving without measure for the lost and the broken.
​Matt

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A message from Nelson Salviano in Brazil

Dear Phil and BH friends!
Greetings from Brazil!
How are you? We pray asking God to continue to bless and keep you and your family in his powerful hands.

We are all fine, by the grace and mercy of our wonderful God. After been retired, Marcia has been able to take good care of the ESCALE secretariat. Camila and Mairon are working hard, she at the Hospital and he in home office. As for André, he decided to stay in Ohio over summer holidays and work with a telecommunication company called “Verizon”.
 
COVID is still doing a big damage in Brazil. There are still many people dying, unemployed, homeless and literally going hungry. Please pray especially for Camila as she works as a full-time nurse at a big hospital in Belo. We thank God that ESCALE has been able to perform full activities never mind the pandemic. Yesterday we held a six-hour training section for 11 grassroots Pastors in Belo. From 19-26th July we will be travelling to Itaobim (270 miles away) to help Pastor Aparecido and Elza. I am taking with me 3 former ESCALE students: Pastor Levi, Pastor Gil and Samuel, a young leader. We are planning to rent a car and buy more than 20 baskets of basic food to give to poor people. We will visit people at their homes both in Itaobim and in Itinga, as well as some other surrounding villages and rural areas. Apart from evangelism and train grassroots Pastors, we shall also help Pastor Aparecido build his church's building. 

Please do see below the ESCALE 2021 Mid-Year Report. 
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We do love you and ask the Lord to pour His blessings upon your life and fill your heart with His joy. 

In His wonderful and precious name,
​
Nelson & Marcia
For ESCALE Ministry Brazil.

2021-07-16_escale_ministries_2021_mid_year_report.docx
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