The following is a list of this month's articles.

Guest Editorial - Listen and Obey God

At the Lord's Table - Let us Imitate Barzillai

How Can We End THE FUSSING?

Quiz - Barzillai and David

Preaching the Truth

"What is Your Name?" (Genesis 32:27)

It Rained and Rained!

Guest Editorial
Listen and Obey God

Let us listen to the Lord when He calls us.  Let’s look at Adam in Genesis 3:8. Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence (literally, faces) of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.  We tend to hide from the meetings when we sin against God.  This is exactly what Adam did when he disobeyed God.  Maybe we are, like Adam, “afraid” (v.10).  But this is not the right thing to do.  Instead, we should draw nearer to God for He knows our weaknesses and shortcomings and wants to help us overcome.  How does hiding help?  Adam’s game of hide and seek did not help him at all.  The angel of God had to play at searching for him, knowing of course where he was all the time.

Noah obeyed God
God called Noah to build a big boat.  People thought that it was stupid to do so, because there was no water on which to sail it.  Little did they know that God was providing a place of safety for His people.  Noah listened to God’s word and obeyed, despite what others said (Genesis 7:1-5, Hebrews 11:7).

In the West Indies most people do not get married.  People say it’s not a part of our culture.  But God says that married life is the way He wants us to live.  To some of us, it may seem like building Noah’s ark.  But God wants us to listen to Him, not the people around us who just accept our godless culture.

Abraham listened to God
In Genesis 12:1, God told Abraham to leave his homeland and go to a new place.  It is very hard for a person to pack up and journey not knowing either the route or the destination, especially if he has great wealth like Abraham did.  The Lord spoke and he listened with ears and heart and obeyed the voice of God.

Many of us as brothers and sisters, spiritual children of Abraham, don’t want to listen to what the Lord is telling us.  So often we want to have our own way.  The children of God must be submissive to God’s word and humble before His face, recognizing that He is merciful and gracious and seeks for us eternal blessings.

In ordinary daily life, do we listen to what others have to say, or only expect other people to listen to us?  We can learn a whole lot by just listening.  Sometimes I think it’s a lost art.

Moses listened
An angel of the Lord appeared to Moses (Exo. 3:2-6).  The circumstances were a bit frightening, for sure.  Many people I know would have just fled the scene, but Moses did not run away.  He drew near to listen to what the Lord wanted him to do.  Moses thought that he was not the right man for the job, and he told God so, but God still chose him to fulfil His purpose.

Sometimes when we run away and hide it is because we don’t want to face up to inconvenient responsibilities.  It is not what we think about ourselves in this life that’s important, but what God wants us to do.  We have been talking to lots of brothers and sisters about the great challenges facing the brotherhood right now, and so many say, “Fine,” and then hide and leave it to someone else.  We are to learn from Moses, and listen and obey God.

Joshua, Moses’ successor, walked in the footsteps of his master, Moses, in obeying the word of the Lord, and the Lord used him in wonderful ways.  All God said to Joshua, he obeyed, and did accordingly.  He was strong and courageous.

Samuel listened, Eli didn’t
The young lad Samuel was probably about twelve years old when the Lord spoke to him (I Sam. 3).  His mother Hannah had already done a good job in preparing him to listen to God’s guidance.

We can’t afford to spoil our children because it will make us sad in later years.  We must toughen them spiritually from childhood so they can bear the yoke of service in their youth (Lam. 3:27).  If Eli had listened to God with his heart he would have trained up his sons in a godly way.  Because of this negligence he lost both his sons in a terrible disaster.

Not too young to listen to God
David was just a young lad when God called him and he listened.  It was Samuel the prophet, the good listener in his own youth, who anointed him.  At first Samuel thought it strange that none of David’s older brothers were chosen.  Finally, David made his appearance and immediately Samuel knew that he was the one to anoint.

Man tends to look on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart (I Sam. 16:7).  Many people are called, but few are chosen to be anointed.  They do not listen to God’s word.  It goes in at one ear and out through the other.  Brothers and sisters, listen and obey.

Jesus calls us – listen to his voice
Jesus called his twelve disciples and immediately they obeyed him and followed him.  He said that his disciples, or his sheep, hear his voice and they follow him.  We too must listen to God’s word and hold fast to the end.

Melvin Gordon, May Pen, Jamaica

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I have never forgotten that lesson.

Meta Bogle 

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During May we had three weeks of continuous rain.  It rained and rained as if it would never stop.  Bodies of water could be seen far and wide, some lying still while others rushed wherever they pleased, carrying humans, animals and various entangled objects along in their paths.  As one distraught woman put it, “We know it’s not the Judgment because the Lord says He is not destroying the earth with water again.”

Water changed his plans!
Many Jamaicans, especially the older ones, stated that in all their lives they had never experienced such abundant rainfall, nor seen so much water lying on the ground in town or countryside.  A few months ago the Prime Minister of Jamaica committed his government to make the country’s roads pot-hole free (2002 is an election year!).  Millions of dollars were spent to fulfil this promise.  But the flood-rains have changed all this.  The data collected show that some rivers have changed their courses, new ones have appeared as if from nowhere, bridges recently built have been washed away, and roads now have more pot-holes than before they were fixed – some with more pot-hole than road.  In one parish a completely new lake one hundred and seventy feet deep has been formed as if by magic and the water continues to spring up from underground to sustain this amazing phenomenon.

Badly affected
The poultry rearing and farming industries have been greatly affected.  Acres upon acres of ground provisions and vegetables have been destroyed.  Many farmers lost animals.  They were just not strong enough to withstand the force and depth of the raging waters.

Fallible forecasts
The national meteorological centre was kept on its toes trying to make sure that the correct weather report was announced so that the necessary steps could be taken to minimise loss of life.  Overall, they did a good job.  Thankfully, loss of life was minimal.  Considering the overwhelming magnitude of the disaster, only eight fatalities were officially reported.  But the fallibility of man was much in evidence.  There were times when the forecast promised a let up in the deluge, but instead down came yet more rain, and there was severe flooding in some parts of the island even when the weather prophets said the rains were definitely finished!  These things do remind us of the well-known song that God has the whole world – and its future – in His hands.  As His children we can face each day courageously through His loving kindness toward us.  Since we know not what tomorrow will bring, we ought to say, if the Lord will we shall live, and do this, or that (James 4:14-15).

Emergency centers
At the height of the crisis, thousands of families had to abandon their homes, run for their lives, and seek higher ground to escape the raging waters.  Emergency shelters were set up at safe locations.  The Red Cross and other such organisations worked relentlessly trying to feed and care for those who suffered as a result of the heavy rains.  Once again we see the works of the mighty God we serve.  We know that He is able to protect His people and deliver them from harm and ill.

Thankfulness
We are grateful to the Lord that the brotherhood in Jamaica has not suffered any major loss.  Two sisters in May Pen had frightening experiences.  One had to seek accommodation at a neighbouring home and watched helplessly as the swirling water circled her house.  The other sister lost a door as the wind and rain battered her house and finally found entry.

Surely the word of God stands sure.  So in all things we give thanks.  God is our sustainer and provider.  In Isaiah 55:10 the word of God is compared to rain and snow from heaven.  When the mighty waters have subsided, they will bring new life to the earth, perhaps yielding bumper crops next year.  In the same way that water covers the ground and causes crops to increase, providing food for us, so the word of God will perform that which He desires.  Crops have been destroyed today, and this puts a high price on food items bought in the markets.  But we can be assured that our land will soon yield again.  And as God’s word goes forth with greater power in Jamaica, surely He will bless us with an abundant spiritual harvest, yielding thirty-fold, sixty-fold and an hundred-fold.

Gerzel Gordon

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