Editorial
Suffering A Character Builder

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice…that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding great joy (I Pet. 4:12-13).

Be courageous
Jesus informs us that we will have problems in the world. None of us can expect to be immune from pain and suffering (John 16:33). If we expect to glide through life free of problems then we are mistaken. There will be suffering and problems throughout this mortal life. Anyone who doesn’t want to bear the cross should not expect to wear the crown. Sometimes the problems will be enormous and sometimes they’ll be small, but all are significant in God’s character-building for us. Don’t feel neglected or frustrated when these trials come upon us. God is helping us to grow spiritually. He is preparing us for His everlasting Kingdom.

“Be not dismayed, God uses problems to draw us closer to Him. He is close to the broken-hearted; and saves those of a contrite spirit” (Psa. 34:18).

Knowing God through suffering
When everything is going smoothly, we may get too relaxed and cozy and not imitate Jesus or speak about him. In suffering we come to really know Jesus. The things we learn about God when we are in trouble cannot be learned any other time. Problems force us to look to God and depend on Him instead of ourselves. We realize how helpless and unworthy we are before Him, and then with humility in our heart and tears in our eyes, we fall prostrate before Him.

The feelings of Paul flash though our hearts. “We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves, but that was good, for then we put everything into the hand of God, who alone could save us” (II Cor. 1:9). Nothing happens to a child of God without God’s permission. Man’s evil deeds are to harm us but God intends to use it for good to strengthen our character. The sovereign Lord is in control.

Christlike character
If God is building a Christ-like character in us, and we become stubborn and outrageous, He might have to use a jackhammer. He will use whatever it takes.

In Romans 5:3-4, Paul reminds us that these troubles produce patience and patience produces character. Outward appearance is not as important as what happens in our heart. Over and over in the Bible, trials are compared to a metal refiner’s fire that burns away the impurities. According to I Peter 1:7, these trials come to make us pure. The purity of faith is worth more than gold. As a child of God the reflection of Jesus must always be seen in us. The silversmith knows that the silver is pure when he sees his reflection in it. Is the reflection of Jesus seen in our lives?

Our Heavenly Father wants us to be like Jesus so He takes us through similar experiences to Jesus. That includes loneliness, temptation, stress, criticism, rejection, and so on. Enjoy the hard times with Christ Jesus and surely we will enjoy the good times with him.

God’s plan for us
God told Jeremiah (Jer. 29:11) that He had plans to prosper him and not to harm him, plans to give him hope and a future. A similar prophecy was revealed to Joseph when he told his brethren that they intended to harm him, but God intended it for good (Gen. 50:20). Hezekiah knew that his life-threatening illness was for his own good (Isa. 38:17).

It is essential that we stay focused on God’s plan, not our pain or trouble. Jesus endured that pain on the cross because he knew the joy he would have afterwards. We cannot look on the world or else we’ll be distressed; but if we look on Jesus, we’ll find rest for our weary soul. A great secret of endurance is to remember that pain, however hard it may be, is temporary but the reward is eternal. God loves us and wants us to be in His kingdom.

Rejoice and give thanks
Is this possible? Can we rejoice and give thanks always? God doesn’t expect us to be thankful for evil, sin or suffering. He wants us to thank Him because we know He will use our problems to fulfill His purposes. No matter what’s happening, we are to rejoice in God’s love, care, wisdom, power and faithfulness. We have to be patient and wait upon the Lord for He will not forsake us nor leave us on our own. The process of character building will go on until endurance is fully developed and we find that we have become mature children of God (Jam. 1:3-4).

Depend upon the Lord our God
Character development always involves a choice and among the circumstances that provide such opportunity are suffering and pain. Some of our brethren and sisters who suffer, whatever the circumstance may be, are a great encouragement to us. They are ever so courageous and joyful. It’s always a pleasure to visit them. God teaches us real joy in the midst of sorrow, when we turn to Him. Happiness depends on external circumstances, but joy is based on your relationship to God. There are many times when things don’t go the way we planned; instead there is chaos, confusion, pain and suffering. God is using these to develop trust in Him and help us to build a good character. Do we worry over and become afraid of our adverse situations?

Remember, God never fails to keep His promises. He will see us through. How can we claim to be patient and enduring when we have never suffered in any way whatsoever?

Suffering and pain keep us dependent on God. Maybe we already observed that roots grow stronger when wind blows against a tree, so every time we stand up to our trials and suffering we become more like Jesus. We are not to give up. Grow up in the Lord. Are we enduring our problems in life as they help mold and build our character?

Paul did and so can we (II Cor. 4:17).
Love (of God) will banish pain and anguish
Comfort wounded hearts that languish;
Pour on them its golden wealth,
Bless them with eternal health.

Gerzel Gordon, Jamaica and New York

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Preaching in Antigua and Barbados

One evening I received a phone call from a sister asking me to help her follow-up contacts on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean. While I wasn’t able to go immediately, a window of opportunity did open up and I was able to go in the fall of the year. With flight booked, travel plans in place and a list of Bible contacts in hand (given by my sister), I proceeded, trusting in the Lord’s promise, “I will always be with you.”

I finally arrived on Antigua late at night. I breathed a sigh of relief as I boarded a taxi heading for my place of abode, assuming the driver would know where it was. He did not. We continued along hills, valleys, narrow roads and alleys inquiring from the local people who directed us to a beautiful white top of a hill know as “The Christadelphians.” There lived a beautiful Sis. Juliana with her lovely son, Aaron. They were still up awaiting my arrival and welcomed me with open arms.

Early the next day, I wasted no time in working the phones, getting in touch with the contacts I’d been given. Then came the second phase of personal contacts combined with knocking on doors giving out Bible Basics, etc., to those who would listen and engage me in discussion. I did this on my way to meet the contacts whom I hoped to talk with personally.

With leaflets in hand, my face became a familiar sight as I blended with the local people whose trust and confidence I seemed to have gained. There was much opportunity to discuss scripture in all kinds of situations – and I was eager to deepen my own understanding of the word.

However, there is a consistent problem in Antigua in that we have no brothers, only sisters, resident on the island. As a result, many local people draw their own conclusions and say we are a cult of some type. Brother, are you able to explain the scriptures and enjoy personal preaching? If you are, we need you in Antigua Sisters cannot do it alone; we need that Brother figure which will draw a special kind of attention.

A visit to Barbados
Having some time left, I decided to travel to Barbados where I had done some door-knocking in the past. I concentrated on an area around an ecclesial hall. The interest, eagerness and friendliness of the people were the same as the last time I was in Barbados. I was taken off guard by the interest and my leaflets ran out and leaving me to write my email address on pieces of paper.

Unlike Antigua, the people of Barbados are well aware of the Christadelphians. At every second house, I was invited to come in and discuss the truth. There were also some negative remarks such as, “Your church is not growing.” On my short visit, I met a lady while waiting for the bus, another on the bus and yet another at my hotel who either were in the truth or had long association with us but have since left, together with their families.

My stay on Antigua and Barbados was a source of encouragement, satisfaction and fulfillment. Yet I feel a sense of discouragement about the situation in Antigua as the efforts there of myself and many others are of little value without a brother there.

Value of personal contact
My own concept of preaching is the personal touch, making eye contact and observing the body language of people to discern their interest and find the ones who are truly interested. In the past, this is the way the gospel was preached in many ages and situations so it is our duty and responsibility to confront people with that same gospel message, hopefully causing them to stop in their tracks and listen.

Finally, brothers, if you can, please heed the call for help in Antigua where the opportunity is great. Preaching takes time and effort, but in the end we are helping to fulfill the will of the Lord for “this gospel shall be preached in all the world, and then shall the end be.”

Sheryl Thackoorie, Etobicoke, Ontario

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Thirty-fold

The parable of the sower, recorded three times in the gospels with minor variations was clearly intended by the Lord Jesus to be a key and unforgettable feature of his message.

Like so much of the teaching of Scripture, Jesus makes some details of the parable’s meaning perfectly clear and others deliberately vague and ambiguous. This must be so that we will think hard and exercise spiritual discernment to work out the story (I Cor. 2:13-14).

Who is “the sower”? God, Jesus, the believer preaching individually, a missionary organisation, the whole church – or all five acting as one?

The crop and the good soil
Who or what is “the evil one,” “the devil” and “Satan” who “snatches away” the word from some people’s hearts, “so that they may not believe and be saved”? Is it the present evil world, those opposed to Jesus Christ, or hardness of heart on the part of the hearer – or all three? See the context of the parable in Matthew 13:14-15 for a clue.

What is “the crop” yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown? Does it represent multiplication of spiritual qualities in the hearts of individual believers, or multiplication of converts – or both?

The most intriguing ambiguity is “the good soil.” Must a person have “a noble and good heart” before receiving the word, so enabling it to germinate? It would seem so. How does that fit in with the notion that no one is good and that we are all equally sinful before conversion? Jesus seems to equate an honest and good heart with an initial willingness to listen and give some serious attention to his message, rather than dismiss it out of hand.

The two “missionary” brothers who sowed the seed in my heart fifty years ago told me that sisters make the best preachers, and that seed is best sown by living a sanctified life each day in our homes, consistently dedicated to the truth. Jesus said, “All by itself the soil produces grain” (Mark 4:28). Or, as Paul expressed it, “God makes it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (I Cor. 3:6-7).

Producing
Let me show you about a very dear sister and myself. The truth came to each of us almost fifty years ago in different parts of the Caribbean -- one in a big city and the other in a remote village among fields of sugar cane. Year by year this has been the crop from the two of us:

Over those fifty years, as Jesus promised, there has been a crop, in fact a thirty-fold increase. In one case, most of the converts have been from the sister’s own extended family, in the other, most of the converts have been through personal witness. That’s not important. What is important is that God made two seeds grow into fifty brothers and sisters, all but three of whom are still alive and yielding spiritual fruit today.

“Priscilla”

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Reflection

What are we doing with those waking hours the Lord has given us? We cannot answer this question when life is over, that is quite obvious. Now is the time to answer this question. Can we honestly say that we use as many of them as possible in the service of our Lord? The service of the Lord is not just when we are attending meetings, but whenever we spend time in an unselfish way. Remember, God is not mocked and we cannot hide from Him.

Take a few minutes and reflect upon this question as a believer. See how you feel. Examine yourself. If you are happy the way it is, just let it remain for God to judge. But if you are not happy in the way you are serving Him, or with the number of hours you put into His service, then it is time for a change, a change designed to re-dedicate your life without making excuses.

No matter how many mistakes you make, you can go to your Father in prayer. You don’t have to feel ashamed, and you don’t have to make excuses, saying you are busy. We are all entitled to a moment of reflection because that is a great way to make any changes that are needed in our spiritual growth. Give up that selfish life style. Forget self for a while. Do you feel vulnerable, and so hold back on giving time to God? Put more emphasis on the spiritual rather than the physical. The beauty of it is, you don’t have to fear anything because the Lord is with you all the way. He will give you the strength and power you need (Luke 10:19). He said, “Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

“For this cause, since the day we heard it, we also do not cease to pray for you and to desire that He might fill you with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and understanding.”

Rosie Wright

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Doubles and the Pitch Lake

This is a tribute to Bro. Anderson Daniel whom I knew for a number of years and visited at his home in Marabella, Trinidad.

I chose the title of this article for two reasons, one being that, when I visited Trinidad in 1997, Bro. Anderson took me to see the famous Pitch Lake among other places of interest. It was in the same year we also had the opportunity to visit the Edoos in the southern end of the island and saw Sis. Neisha Edoo (for the last time before she fell asleep about six months ago). The second reason for the title, ‘Doubles’ is the name of a tasty snack comprised of curried chickpeas or ‘channa.’ It is eaten like a sandwich except in place of bread there is a smaller version of roti or pita bread, if you may. Bro. Anderson and I shared this delicacy while on one of our sightseeing trips in Gulf City.

Pitch Lake is an amazing sight and when in Trinidad be sure you go to see it. We actually walked on a part of it where it is solid and took photos. It is just a vast expanse of natural pitch or tar similar to what is used on our highways and roads. It measures 95 acres and is 350 feet deep at the center.

I cherish those days I spent visiting with the family and brothers and sisters of Marabella. Our brethren there and we, too, have lost a wonderful servant and brother in Bro. Anderson. I remember him for his soft-spoken attitude and kindness. He was also a very good camp leader and speaker. He will be missed in our community. His death made me realize how important it is to travel and spend time with brethren because we may not be given a further opportunity to learn and share with them.

To those who were close to him: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Keep the lamsptand burning in Marabella and “press on toward the mark of our high calling.”

Our dear brother has run his race and awaits the glorious crown of righteousness which we also want to achieve in the end. He has ‘put his hand to the plough,’ never turning back and we have seen the fruit of his labor. It was not in vain. May we use his life as an example of perseverance and what a true disciple of the Master should be and take comfort now and always in the wonderful hope of eternal life.

Tim Drepaul, Brooklyn, New York

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Meaningful Moments

One Sunday at my ecclesia a brother was reading one of the Bible portions. Part way through he stopped, turned towards the presiding brother and said quietly, "I can't read any more," and sat down for the rest of the memorial service. After it was over, he explained that he had suddenly gone blind. And he was blind for the rest of his life.

We lived high in the May Day Mountains of Jamaica, which has many caves and cockpits, but no surface water. Neither did the area have piped water. Our only water sources was a rainwater catchment. After a long drought our catchment was totally dry, and we were terribly worried. A Christadelphian neighbor next door who also had a dry tank did not seem distressed. She suggested that I join her the next day in a prayer. At 3 a.m. we were awakened by thunder and lighting. Next morning our catchments were full and overflowing, so I didn't give the prayer idea another thought. But my neighbor said, "Let's give the prayer now." I laughed at her. Then she said, "We must prayer. God has only done what He promised: 'Before they call, I will answer." That meaningful moment taught me a great lesson.

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