Gospel News — May-Aug 2013

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I have often found assurance and joy in the words of Isaiah: "I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine" (Isa. 43:1). Assurance and joy were what Mary of Magdala needed as she approached the tomb of Jesus in that early morning, only to discover the stone was rolled away and the tomb empty.

Each of us has a name. His call to us is a personal one – "I have called thee by thy name." He has rights over us, "thou art mine." For Jesus had already paid the price for us through his precious sacrifice

Do you know him as your personal, risen Saviour as Mary did? "He calls his own sheep by name, and they know his voice" (John 10:3-4). How about us?

Rely Upon The Lord

Bro. Francis Odiko

(Subri, Ghana.)

In most of our readings, we sometimes find a word or a situation which stands out, to encourage us in our efforts to glorify God. In Chronicles, the word `rely' comes to mind as we perceive the help granted to the people of God almost 3,000 years ago. In times of trouble, they were greatly strengthened as they relied upon the Lord.

`Rely' means to lean upon, rest upon, to stay, to support. Let us look at some of the examples of those who did rely upon the Lord.

Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, became king of Judah: "... in the eighteenth year of king Jereboam began Abijah to reign over Judah ... and there was war between Abijah and Jereboam. And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men. Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour" (2Chron.13:1-3). Abijah's army was outnumbered by a ratio of two to one. But he spoke against Jereboam, reminding him that he and the ten tribes had forsaken God.

"We keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him. And, behold, God himself is with us for our Captain, and his priests sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel (10 tribes), fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper ... But Jereboam caused an ambush to come about behind them, so they were before Judah and the ambush behind them. And when Judah looked back, behold the battle was before and behind; and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets ... it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah and God delivered them into their hand. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord of their fathers" (2Chron.13:11-18). Their fathers – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David and more – all relied upon the Lord God according to his word. Because Abijah and Judah leaned upon the Almighty, they conquered Jeroboam and Israel.

"Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah and the Lord struck him and he died. But Abijah waxed mighty and married fourteen wives and begat twenty and two sons and sixteen daughters" (2Chron.13:20-21). Abijah put his trust in the hand of the Lord and prospered the rest of his life.

One of Abijah's sons, Asa .... "reigned in his stead; in his days the land was quiet ten years. And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to keep the Law and the commandments" (2Chron. 14:1-2,4).

At the end of the ten years' peaceful reign of Asa, the Ethiopians came against him and Judah. "...Asa cried unto the Lord God and said, `Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with