Zech 4:10 — By Σωσθένης Ὁἀδελφὸς – Sosthenes the Brother

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord

Will He find Faith on the Earth?

I am writing this on our way back from a few days vacation in the Baltic States of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. They were interesting places, having come a long way since they escaped from Soviet domination around 1990. Estonia is the most prosperous, very much like its neighbour Finland; Roman Catholic Lithuania is the nicest; Latvia has further to go to catch up with Western Europe. But what is sad is that I could not establish a spiritual link with anybody – taxi drivers, waitresses or even a family connection – I saw no peaceful faces. Yes, a lot of big churches, but where is there the knowledge of true salvation? In Lithuania we saw the Hill of Crosses – 400,000 of them in 2006. It was weird. Lithuania is RC but in 1840’s Russians tried to force them to go Orthodox . So this started as a protest movement . Now doubtless, it is a money earner for the church!

There must be many there who truly knew The Lord, but we didn’t meet any despite praying for it. May God work mightily in these three little countries.

Before then, however, we spent a happy long weekend with our dear Christian friends in Gothenburg, Sweden. On the Saturday we were on one of the islands, and on the boat we saw a group of young people from the self-styled Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Getting off the boat I waved towards them, and one young lady waved back cheerily. Later we were having a snack outside at a café, when the same young person came by ostensibly to buy some mineral water. As she came out our friend greeted her, and she chatted happily for several minutes. She was an English girl, married to a brother from Sweden. Our friend knew the family well, and they lived close by. He spoke of the Lord’s coming and our being together, to which she responded well. As she was going our friend said to her ‘May The Lord richly bless you’. Her reply: ‘May He bless you too’. That encounter was a highlight of our holiday.

God has His reserves everywhere. Just because we have had to judge a system as evil, that does not mean that it is void of true believers who have peace with God, especially those who never went through the turmoil of the 1960’s.

Scotland

There were many prayers about the Scottish referendum, so I am sure God’s hand was over the result. Personally I was a bit ‘pro-yes’, so I have to be humble! Scotland has had a major part in the testimony of our Lord. Men like John Knox, groups like the Covenanters come to mind. It has also been a land where party and personal feeling run deep: Rangers vs. Celtic, Campbells vs. McDonalds, Wee Frees vs. Wee-wee Frees etc. Sadly these divisions have affected God’s people. They will be together in glory.

Are ‘Brethren’ Special?

I came across an interesting piece from a letter written by JN Darby in 1875 (click here for my lightly edited version). By then he had become rather disillusioned with sectarian brethrenism, but still felt there was something special amongst so-called Plymouth Brethren. But what was special was what the brethren possessed from the Lord, not the brethren themselves. God could take what they had from them and give it to others.

It is blessed to gather with a few simple Christians, assembling themselves to the Lord’s name, outside the camp (He rejected here), having no name or organisation. Brethren with a small ‘B’. May that always be the case. It is indeed a day of small things

Bible Outline

I have nearly finished lightly editing JND’s Outline of the Books of the Bible, providing a concise overview of each book, briefer than the ‘Synopsis’. My plan is to put it into an e-book. For the original outline click here.

It will all be right in the end

A worldly expression, ‘Karma’ they say. But what does the Christian say?

‘I have strength for all things in him that gives me power!’ (Phil 4:13) All things? If the Bible says all things, then it means all things. I doesn’t say I can DO all things. Indeed, I feel very weak even for the simplest thing. But with Jesus all things are possible. Have I faith?

Your exercises

Forgive me, that’s a ‘brethren’ expression. What are your concerns about the group of Christians you gather with? We can share one another’s burdens. There may be something that you are linked with, that I would feel is not according to scripture – ordained ministry in any form, for example. There may be things that you would point out in my conduct that does not befit a Christian. That is how we help one another.

The Lord is coming soon. May He be with you

God’s blessings, your brother,

Sosthenes Hoadelphos

Adoss Newsletter No 9

June 2014

A Day of Small Things

By Σωσθένης Ὁἀδελφὸς – Sosthenes the Brother

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

Where is Heaven?

A brother said in our bible reading yesterday ‘Heaven is where Jesus is’. Paul said ‘And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:’ (Eph. 2:6). We tend to think of heaven as a long way away – beyond the millions of light-years of the observable universe. In one sense it is – to the unbeliever it is an infinite distance away. But for us it is so close.

Sinner, see thy God beside thee, 

In a servant’s form come near, 

Sitting, walking, talking with thee! 

Sinai’s mount no longer fear.

A.P. Cecil (1841-1889

Little Flock Hymn Book (1962, 1973) No 112

He came close to us. We can be close to Him.

Walking in the Light of the Assembly

Last month I wrote about this publication. Since then I have received quite a number of valuable suggestions from persons whose judgment I value. The result has been numerous changes. There will be more. Click here for the latest download version

Accordingly we are not going to print, for the foreseeable future at any rate. Please feel free to distribute it by e-mail

Whom do we promote?

I get some very encouraging mail. For example a sister in Pakistan has translated Walking in the Light of the Assembly into Urdu and is having it printed. I look forward to corresponding more with her, and others she might meet with.

I get some mail from people after money. I guess this is to be expected. I do acknowledge them, but tell them that a church does not need any building, supplies or funds to operate.

But I had one from a gentleman who claimed to be ‘Prime Minister of Jesus’ and one of the two witnesses in Rev 11! Who does he think he is? I sent him the verse:

Lord! let me wait for Thee alone:

My life be only this –

To serve Thee here on earth, unknown;

Then share Thy heavenly bliss.

J N Darby 1800-82

Our Visit to Scotland

We have just returned from Scotland where we were able to enjoy fellowship with a number in Glasgow and in two meetings on the Moray Firth We stayed in Gardenstown. It is sad that the general spirit of these places has changed, these villages largely populated by newcomers and the owners of second homes. When we were on holiday up there when I was a boy, there were 250 in the meeting in Gardenstown alone – now there are 2 or 3 tiny gatherings of souls not in fellowship with one another, or those we break bread with.

But we had an encouraging conversation with an Australian Free Prebyterian (Wee-wee-free) Minister who we met on a train.

And a Tragedy

Many readers will be sorrowing over the sad home-going of Bruce Pye, a young man killed in a bike accident last Saturday in New York. Two sisters from our gathering have gone to the funeral. It is easy to say ‘with Christ which is far better’ when we are talking about a demented person in their nineties. When it comes to a young man of 34, do we really believe it? I hear he gave a word that week on being ready to see Jesus. He was ready; are we?

God’s blessings