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The Sounds in the World
| Bro Misheck Hondoma (Magunje, Zimbabwe)
T
he sounds in the world indicate that the
time is nearly up: our Lord Jesus is nearer
to coming. Many things are happening, like
commotions, floods in many places, financial
crises, wars, threats against Israel, children
away from parents. Brothers and Sisters, are
we really aware of what the Bible says about
the rule of Jesus? Are we aware of what
Romans says in 7:7-25? Beware of sinning and
make sure that your Christian knowledge helps
to overcome temptations. So often we do
what we don’t like and leave the better way
of God.
So many worldly things in this life are very
difficult to cope with. Even basic things like
the cost of living affect not only our domestic
lives but are causing some eccle-
sias to break down. Whatever
happens, remember our salva-
tion. It is God who is the owner
of the earth, so we should
always respect His word (Exodus
19:4-6). We have the chance to
be given everlasting life: God
knows everything we think and
do. We need to respect His holi-
ness. We are told to be aware of the false
prophets who claim to be doing miracles, such
as healing blind people, but at the same time
they are teaching wrong doctrine and leading
people astray (Mark 7:6-9).
Our purpose is to live a good life in this age.
How can we get that life? By following in the
footsteps of Christ. Remember how God taught
the Israelites: “I shall bless you. I am your
God” (see Deuteronomy 28, especially 6-10).
But they went on to forget God in spite of all
the good things He did for them and ended up
punished. Now, others of us can find God. We
have benefitted from God’s grace and also
become His servants. He has taken darkness
from our face and eyes, and selected us out
from darkness to pass into the light. We shall
be in Christ until the end.
We will never know the time or the day of his
coming (1 Peter 2:9-10). Let us keep watch
and spread the word everywhere and for
everyone, doing and preaching the true gospel
of fellowship, and giving to widows and
orphans. We are examples of Jesus, to indi-
cate the light, not darkness or corrupters
(Romans 5:1-11).
Bro John Thomas was one of those disciples
who suffered hardships (as Paul had in the
extreme). He suffered a shipwreck and
devoted 15 years to Bible study to find much
faith in God’s word. Why? Because God had
saved his life when he was about to die. So
John Thomas took measures to publish the
salvation of God by spreading the gospel to
everyone around him. With the help of the
spirit of God, the gospel spread to the United
Kingdom and Bro Robert Roberts.
The word then spread world-
wide, saying ‘God is here, the
son of God is here’. Jesus said
‘Come all, the Father has every-
thing you need. Come and take,
bless you all’. So it is our duty
now in the same way to spread
the gospel, not benefitting
personally. Let our aim be to
serve the Lord so that our names stay written
in the book of life.
Spreading out from Chishumba ecclesia, it is
so good to see more ecclesias opening in
Mozambique. This mainly because of one
faithful brother who, in his turn, suffered
difficulties but is a good example for us all.
Like through Bre John Thomas and Robert
Roberts, we have come to a knowledge of the
true gospel. As Hebrews 5:11-14 says, a Chris-
tian develops by reading the Bible daily. We
can be encouraged by the signs of the times
but we need to pay attention to the Bible and
the examples of faith described in it.
Throughout scripture there are those who
turned away from God even in the early
church. But we should be of those who receive
understanding and be fruitful. We need to be
spiritually enlightened so that our ministry is
always good.
“But God commendeth
his love toward us,
in that, while we
were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8