Adoss Newsletter No 18

March 2015

A Day of Small Things

By Σωσθένης Ὁἀδελφὸς – Sosthenes the Brother

 

Philip Herbert (1933-2015)

 

ADOSS does not eulogise persons, but last week I attended the funeral of Philip Herbert in Newport, South Wales.

He was not a prominent person, but he had a real love for the Lord and an interest in fellow Christians and their welfare. At the burial service a brother likened him to Barzillai in 2 Sam 17:27-29 – when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness. – also Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man (2 Sam 19:32).

Barzillai was a practical man. He was content to live in a backwater. When he was offered a place in Jerusalem, he refused it. Some criticize him for this (he did not want his heavenly portion), but maybe he was content to remain where God had put him. He assessed a situation and determined priorities – beds! You can’t even face a meal if you are too tired. Basins – what is the purpose of food if you have nothing to put it in.

Phil was a practical man too. By birth he might have been nobility – the fact that he was not he accepted. He and his wife would do anything for anybody – in their Christian meeting, in other denominations, non-Christians too.

We need more Barzillais. We need more Phil Herberts.

God’s blessings

Sosthenes

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

 

Focus on Pakistan

We read a lot about problems that Christians face in Muslim countries: Pakistan is as bad as any.  There is a sad story about the couple who were burned alive.  We wonder what goes through peoples’ minds – we are reminded of Saul of Tarsus.  God can make those poor people think.

Then today’s shocking news: 141 killed in a school by the Taliban. Muslims killing Muslims.

My interest in Pakistan goes back to my young days. The sister of one of my friends was at Oxford University. Being a Christian she found herself outside some of the fraternities (or sororities). Another outsider was Benazir Bhutto, whose father was then prime minister. He was assassinated; then in 2007 Benazir herself lost her life too when campaigning for re-election to the same position. There was much corruption – and violence.

In our conurbation of 250,000 people we have only a few who follow Islam.  There are, I think, two mosques.  However it is important for us to remind ourselves of the sufferings of our brethren in Islamic countries – Satan behind the aggressors – ‘Whom resist, stedfast in faith, knowing that the selfsame sufferings are accomplished in your brotherhood which [is] in [the] world’ (1 Peter 5:9 Darby).

 

‘Walking in the Light of the Assembly’ in Urdu

A few months ago I was approached by a sister in Pakistan for help in publishing this booklet in Urdu. She provided me with a translation, and during the past month I sent her a number of copies in her native language. (Not an easy job as their books go ‘backwards’). Rabail had had a good job but lost it when she was converted. Recently she has been running an orphanage for which I put her in touch with the Barnabas Fund for financial support.

 

‘I hope that God accepts Me for what I’ve done’

A few years ago, the company I ran was going to be bought by a very devote Muslim businessman in Britain.  I got on well with him, and in general he was upright in business, and generous to a number of charitable causes.  At one break in a meeting he was talking about his work.  He said ‘I hope that God accepts me for what I’ve done’.  I immediately replied ‘Abdul*, I know that God has already accepted me because of what Jesus has done!”.

A few weeks later I was chatting with his son and daughter who ran their company.  They wanted me to be a guide to Ismail*.  We got talking about the differences between Christianity and Islam.  I asked ‘How good to you have to be to pass God’s test?  Is it like in an exam, 47%?’  Of course they had no answer.  That set me going with the gospel.  Ismail* was not really interested, but Faiza* was taking in every word.  I believe that secretly she had given her heart to the Lord Jesus.  But she sat there in her hijab, and didn’t admit to her faith.  I don’t blame her when you consider the possible consequences.    Thank God for His deliverance.

Not surprisingly, the next day I received an email from Abdul* terminating the relationship

* Not their real names.

 

Men and Animals

Billions are spent on proving that we are no better than animals. A probe was sent to a comet to determine if that was the source of life. Of course they came to the conclusion that it wasn’t. They could have saved all that money by reading Genesis 1.

But it is quite amazing to see how intelligent – even ‘religious’ – some animals are. A few days ago I saw a video about a herd of elephants. They knew where new sources of food were and where they would be safe from poachers. On their route they passed some bones of a long-deceased elephant – maybe an ancestor. They stopped and gathered round them very reverentially. They treated it like a shrine.

Are people any different? They speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves (Jude: 10).

But we know, don’t we, that man is special. Created in God’s image, man became a living soul. (Gen 1:27, 2:7)

 

Christmas

No ADOSS reader believes that Jesus was born on 25 December. So called Christmas has become a season of self indulgence and commercialism where God is left out entirely.

Some of our friends will have nothing to do with Christmas and if that is what they feel, then I respect them for it. Personally we see it as an opportunity to entertain elderly ones who would otherwise be on their one, and to provide something for the children.

So may I take this opportunity of wishing you, and your family, God’s richest blessings at this time – and if the Lord does not come for us, or if we are taken to be with Him – a happy and healthy 2015. 

God’s blessings, your brother,

Sosthenes Hoadelphos