(January 2003 Edition)
At the Lord's Table - "The Lord will surely comfort Zion"
Last night, at Kingston’s weeknight Bible class, scheduled for 6 p.m. so we can reach home before possible curfews, we were engaged in a very lively discussion on the subject of demons when there was a sound somewhere outside. Instantly, eyes swivelled to the door, and there was an obvious apprehension on every face. Silence. What had happened was far away. A few minutes later, another sound much nearer, and there was the same reaction. Then the familiar figure of a brother appeared at the door, coming in straight from his work. The group visibly relaxed.
For months the police had a check point every Sunday morning just outside the hall -- in fact one constable occasionally dropped in to listen to the service -- until one day another police party arrived which overpowered and arrested the first one! The doors of our assembly hall are not locked during meetings, but John 20:19 (NIV) has often come to mind: “The disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews.” John must have well remembered that detail, for he had been right there and experienced that fear.
International terrorists
At the present time, international terrorists have taken over several major
cities in the Caribbean, in particular Georgetown in Guyana, and Kingston
and Spanish Town in Jamaica. Like Medellin and Cali in Colombia a decade
earlier, they have been virtually lost to civilised rule. The terrorists,
linked by sophisticated technology with Colombians, Irish, Muslimeen, the
Mafia, and who knows who else, have fire power far outmatching any
legitimate armed forces. Unlike the political warriors of twenty-five years
ago, these terrorists have no ideology but power, and no motive but greed.
In recent months their death-dealing violence has been totally
indiscriminate, machine gunning shoppers in the busiest streets of
Georgetown, and shooting up street vendors in downtown Kingston and the bus
station in Spanish Town. They also deliberately target young women and
babies everywhere they go. Since September 11, 2001, terrorists have killed
as many innocent people on the city streets of Guyana and Jamaica as died in
the twin towers.
Last night Jamaica’s Minister of National Security made a statement to the media. He promised to “take back our country from the terrorists, street by street, block by block, house by house, however long it takes.”
“Help the weak”
There are five ecclesias in these three Caribbean cities with more than one
hundred brothers and sisters constantly threatened by violence, and with all
aspects of ecclesial life affected in some way. I do not know how
Georgetown is coping with this fearful situation, but I can tell you about
Kingston. The assembly hall is deep in the city’s war zone. Conflict is
endemic on all sides. Out of the 36 members of the ecclesia, 23 have
overcome their fears and continue to worship in the assembly hall. Four are
shut-ins, unable to attend. Nine do not attend. Some of these have
confessed to fear. One or two are actually in hiding.
Some of these nine have not shared the Lord’s Supper for many months. But we beseech the strong not to despise the weak. Statements bandied around like, “They have no interest in the truth,” are arrogant and unacceptable to the Good Shepherd. It would be wonderful if they could be encouraged and perhaps assisted to form a separate ecclesia where they could meet without fear. Let us all remember the apostolic injunctions: We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves (Rom. 15:1). Encourage the timid; help the weak; be patient with everyone (I Thess. 5:14). These are not options; they are commandments.
Remember, our fearful ones are in good company. Adam, Sarah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Nehemiah, Job, Elihu, Jeremiah, Daniel, the Twelve, and Paul: the Word records of them all that they were afraid, filled with fear, sore afraid, greatly afraid, or terrified! Moreover, these faithful ones were not ashamed to admit their fear, for in many cases they confessed it openly. As believers in the truth, we do not overcome fear with bravado, but with faith in the living God.
In
the firing line
Of course, our Caribbean folk are not the only Christadelphians in the
firing line nowadays. Solo, the city with most Christadelphians in
Indonesia, is a hotbed of militant Islam, where the Bali bomb plot was
planned. Terror is never far away from our brothers and sisters in
Pakistan, Oman, Lebanon, Israel, Kenya, the Philippines -- even New York.
After the recent bombing in Mombasa, one international newspaper bore a huge
front-page headline, FEAR GRIPS THE WORLD.
Jeremiah and Lamentations in the Old Testament and Hebrews in the New are oracles for us all in these days of the ‘war on terror’. The experiences of Jeremiah, Baruch, Ebed-melech the faithful African slave and those who suffered the horrors of AD 70 in Israel are recorded in Scripture to inspire us in such a time as this. I recommend the book Cornelia’s Story. As one of its editors, I was mightily uplifted.
“Apprehensive of what is coming”
Perhaps in our microscopic examination of latter-day prophecies, we
overlooked to some extent the two most evident signs of them all: global
violence and fear. But the Lord Jesus made one thing very clear
about the times prior to his return in glory: On the earth, nations will
be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men
will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world
(Luke 21:25-26). One hundred and fifty three years ago, Bro. John
Thomas wrote these words:
“This ‘time of trouble’ [Dan. 12:1-2] is contemporary with the resurrection…It is the epoch of Israel’s deliverance, both of the Ishmael [Arab] and Isaac [Jewish] seeds; and of the casting down of the thrones of the beast [Dan. 7:9]. The convulsion which affects their overthrow is described by the apostle as ‘a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great’. Ascertain the calamities of former ages, and however terrible they may appear, this will exceed them all.”
Alan Eyre
At the Lord's Table
"The Lord will surely comfort Zion"
Exhortation on the occasion of a visit by Free Hill ecclesia to Imani,
home of Sis. Mary Eyre.
Bible Reading: Isaiah 51:1-7
It is so good this evening to see that the hand of the Lord has been gentle upon our dear sister today, despite the years of suffering. In all things, yes, in all things we give thanks to our Maker and divine Sustainer.
The prophet Isaiah speaks to us mightily through this oracle, as we prepare to share the sweet tokens of the Lord’s death and resurrection. Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts! He tells us, Do not fear or be terrified, and he gives us strength to cope with the causes of our fear and terror.
Look at the earth, says Isaiah, it is wearing out. Its inhabitants die like flies. The environment is ever more degraded and worn out, undermining the life support systems of us all. AIDS has now become the leading cause of death among children and the young in the Caribbean, with the pandemic spreading relentlessly. People who are ill have to accept that our health systems are hopelessly overwhelmed, and wait for hours for treatment of any kind. Dear sister, we know that you do not need to be reminded of that. Medications are so far beyond anybody’s pocket that bush medicines are now the only help. When I had a heart attack last year, it was only faith, prayer and bush medicine that assuaged the excruciating pain and healed me. It seems the Lord must have more work for me to do for Him in this island. Then there is the fact that the enemies of the true God roam the earth. But Isaiah encourages us: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.
Three wondrous truths
There are three wondrous fundamental truths in this prophecy, which form the
unshakeable basis for the prophet’s exhortation not to be terrified.
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The Lord will surely comfort Zion.
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God’s salvation will last forever.
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God’s righteousness will never fail.
Day after day on television we see horrific images of broken bodies and weeping women in the streets of Jerusalem. But take heart from the prophet’s words: salvation is on the way. We are the real Zionists, looking for a new Jerusalem, wherein dwells righteousness, the city of divine peace, for which we daily pray. We share the distress, though undeserving. The comfort will be for us too, and it will last forever and never fail. God promises everlasting salvation to all true Zionists. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
The rock and the quarry
The prophet urges us to look to the rock from which you were cut and to the
quarry from which you were hewn. The quarry of our faith is the word of
truth, the rock is the promise to Abraham, the father of the faithful. We
are among the many from all nations of whom the prophet speaks.
The emblems we now share speak eloquently of the rock from which we are cut and the means of our salvation. This evening, by His grace, the Lord will look with compassion on our ruined state and make our wastelands like the garden of the Lord.
Martin Shirley, Free Hill
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Who said, “I exceedingly fear and quake”? Why?
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What three men were afraid on the top of a mountain?
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Who was so terrified that “his knees smote one against the other”? Why?
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Who feared John the Baptist?
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Why did “great fear” come “upon all the church”?
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Of whom is it said, “Within [him] were fears”?
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Who said to God, “Be not a terror to me”?
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Who experienced “an horror of great darkness”?
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Who said, “I was afraid because I was naked”?
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Who, “when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid”? What was he doing at the time?
Get the Bitterness Out of Your Soul
Last month I mentioned that I watched a Bible video called Solomon. It made me read carefully the appropriate sections in the books of Kings and Chronicles, and then the Proverbs, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes. I realised that there is more by or about Solomon in the Bible than anyone else except Jesus, Paul, David, Moses, and maybe Jeremiah.
Reading his life, it was chillingly familiar. A wonderful beginning. He put God first. And His mercy, too. His treatment of Adonijah and Shimei was astonishingly magnanimous, even though they both stupidly abused his trust. But then the playboy life began and sapped his spiritual strength. Late in life he had to admit: how foolish for leaders to let women rule their emotions.
And then it was gold. Gold and more gold. Gold to spend, gold to show off, gold almost to the point where nothing else mattered. A lust for gold so utterly dominating that he took to using whips in a frenzy to get more gold.
The more I read – and watched in the video – the life of Solomon, this wonderfully wise young man, the more I realised how sad but true to life is his story. His is just a bigger than life size portrait of many of us.
The stark lesson is that knowledge of the truth is not a guarantee of a place in God’s Kingdom. It really is true: materialism, unsuitable partners, the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things entering in, do choke the word, and drown the very wisest of men in perdition. We don’t know if Solomon will be in the Kingdom, but we do know that the Queen of Sheba – Bilqis of tradition – certainly will be. Her quest for truth and wisdom was a marvellous example. Solomon had God’s blessing and everything going for him, and threw everything away through a life of indulgence. She heard of Yahweh and His truth in her far away land and neither time nor distance nor vast deserts were deterrents to her quest. Incidentally, have you ever noticed that three other Ethiopians mentioned in the Bible manifested a similar spirit?
You know, it was absolutely tragic: Solomon became a cynical man, lashing out at those who dared to oppose or even advise him, his mind a cauldron of frustrations and bitter emotions. The real tragedy – the Bible tells us this – is that even when he became a pathetic figure, he knew exactly what he was doing. His wisdom did not forsake him. When he penned the proverb Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished, did he recognise himself?
I don’t keep all the letters I receive. And I don’t read all those that my husband receives. But I have noticed this. There are many encouraging ones. They are usually short. The long ones are often full of bitterness. The very long ones are almost always tirades, full of self, thick with accusations and resentment. I look back on my younger days and realise that I myself have been guilty of writing a few like that. I ask God to forgive such lapses.
Remember Solomon. Get the bitterness and resentment out of your soul! If you don’t, it will eat your heart out. Instead, imitate the determination, faith and humility of the Queen of Sheba, so that she will rise in the judgement and commend you.
Mary Eyre
If you have food in the refrigerator,
clothes on your
back, a roof over your head, and a bed to sleep on,
you are richer than 75 percent of people in the world.
So thank the Lord.
If you have some money in the bank, in your
wallet,
and spare change in your pocket, you are among the
world’s wealthiest 8 percent.
So thank the Lord.
If you woke up this morning with more health
than
illness, you are more blessed than the million who
will not survive this week.
So thank the Lord.
If you have never experienced being shot at
by
terrorists, nor the loneliness of imprisonment, the
agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are
well ahead of 500 million people in the world.
So thank the Lord.
If you can read the Bible and worship the
true God
without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or
death, you are more blessed than three billion people
in the world - one half of all humanity.
So really thank the Lord for that blessing.
If you have someone to hold your hand, hug
you, or
even touch you on the shoulder, you are more blessed
than millions of people who never experience love any
time in their lives.
So thank the Lord.
And if you can read this message, thank God
again, for
you are more blessed than two billion people in the
world who cannot read at all.
So count your blessings, and thank the Lord.
Dacia Davis
There is a subscriber site on hotmail.com called Your Quick Inspiration for the Day. I find it a wonderful daily encouragement when life is just too busy and burdensome to sit down and do more serious reading. And I find these messages do help me when I am lonely and downcast. One message entitled Meanings inspired me especially. Let me share it with you.
Standing for
what you believe in, regardless of the odds against you,
And pressure that tears at your resistance,
Keeping a smile on your face, when inside you feel like dying,
for the sake of supporting others,
Means strength.
Doing more
than is expected, to make another’s life more bearable,
without uttering a single complaint,
Means compassion.
Stopping at
nothing, and doing what in your heart you know is right,
Means determination.
Helping a
friend in need, no matter the time or effort,
to the best of your ability,
Means loyalty.
Deanna Burton
Throughout history, the last will and testament of a dying person has been held to be a sacred trust. Men and women of firm, lifelong convictions have often utilised their wills as more than merely a means of transmitting their property to those who may be expected to outlive them. They have given simple expression to their faith. As people with definite, though perhaps unconventional, beliefs, we ought to give those beliefs clear expression in our last will and testament. In this way we, though dead, can yet speak (Heb. 11:4). In past centuries wills were public documents, widely read. For some reason today they tend to be private, almost secretive, documents. Why is this, we wonder? Here are three quotes from wills of long ago that still speak loudly of the faith of those who made them – our faith.
From the will of Henry Hoppaye. Died, Halifax, England 1548
I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that at the last day I shall arise
out of the earth and in my flesh shall see my Saviour. This my hope is laid
up in my bosom unto the last day, that I and all other faithful shall appear
before the majestic seat of God. My belief is that there is but one God and
one mediator betwixt God and man, which is Jesus Christ, so that I accept
none in heaven, neither in earth, to be my mediator betwixt God and me, but
he only. My merit is faith in Jesus Christ only, for a righteous man liveth
by faith. And touching the distribution of my goods….
From the will of Georg Schomann. Died, Pinczow, Poland 1591
I have tried to outline those things from which you can truly judge
concerning both our religion and our poverty...about the Most High God the
Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, man, only begotten son of God our Lord;
about baptism, the washing of repentance; about prayer; about the teaching
of the Word of God. May your understanding of God be that which we have
from the prophets of Israel and not after the fashion of the Lutherans the
Papists. It is truly a great work we do, to gather people into the ecclesia
of the Lord from far and near, from all sects of Christendom, from the
heathen and from the Jews; so that we may all have an understanding of the
Truth and live a life of purity. Truly my sons may divide my things, what
little there is to have. But God will be your portion, and your real income
will be far, far greater, if you cling to Him with all your hearts.
From the will of John Thomas. Died, West Hoboken, New Jersey, USA 1871
In committing me, myself – not a fraction or part of me – to my temporary
resting and sleeping in the ground…I will that a brother of Christ, of good
standing and repute among immersed believers of the gospel Paul preached…
read, as my living representative on the occasion, declaring to the
spectators the faith in which I died, and previously lived for many years,
and earnestly contended for,…an address written by myself…; then cover up,
and without sorrowing, leave me to a brief repose, until I hear the voice of
the archangel and the trump of God, when the earth will cast me out, and I
shall awake to sleep the sleep of death no more.
Editor
I, a lump of clay! The Lord, Creator, Potter!
God kneaded me and placed me on this wheel, the spinning planet earth.
I was content to be just me.
But now the Potter wants me, needs me, crushes me, rewets, rekneads my clay.
On the wheel, a new form grows.
Not
so, the way the Potter works.
He only whispers of functions that He has in mind for me.
This clay, when pushed in here, will move out there,
Searching, seeking, until I find the function this new form demands.
We are the clay, and You are the Potter. We are all the work of Your hand.
Esther Bender