Separation
| Bro Moses Dhlakama (Chipinge, Zimbabwe)
W
hen God called on Abram to leave the
city of Ur of the Chaldees and told him
to go to a land which God would show him,
Abram obeyed the call. But Abraham’s
nephew did not take the call of separation.
After a quarrel with Abraham, Lot decided he
would not stay in isolation but went back into
civilisation and become an important man.
Note the record of the downward path in
Genesis 13:
vs 10 ~ he lifted up his eyes
vs 10 ~ he beheld
(i.e. he examined carefully)
vs 11 ~ he chose the plain of Jordan
vs 11 ~ he separated himself from Abraham
(to whom the promises had been made)
vs 12 ~ he pitched his tent
(ie he decided to stay)
Genesis 19:1 ~ he sat at the gate
(ie he became a ruler in the land following
the affairs of man and not the things of God.
Lot lived in Sodom which has given its name
to the most abominable of all the sins of
men. Lot turned away from such sins and,
later in life, turned back to God thus
becoming ‘righteous’ in the eyes of God.
Nevertheless, his unwise early choice of
returning to live amongst unbelievers is a
lesson to all of us. The wickedness of Sodom
and its final destruction was taken by the
Lord as an example of the wickedness which
would characterise the world in the days
when his second coming can be expected
(Luke 17:28-30).
I
want to thank the ‘Christadelphian Advance-
ment Trust’ for sending us copies of “Teach
Me Thy Way”. We received them with glee. It
was nice to have them as they are our
preaching weapon. As preaching co-ordinator,
the copies did not remain with me for long as
they were in great demand. I am grateful that
most of the surrounding community loves our
gospel literature. Because of its true teaching,
I am convinced that even though they do not
accept it and give in, the fact is that they
actually have it. For it is not amazing to note
that this kind of time will come, as it was
prophesied: “The time is coming when people
will not endure sound teaching but, having
itching ears, they will accumulate for them-
selves teachers to suit their own passions”
(2Timothy 4:3). But that will not stop us
preaching to them, as Jesus commissioned his
disciples before his ascension, “He said to
them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the
gospel to the whole creation’” (Mark 16:15).
Our mission is to turn those who are astray
from the gospel truth into that truth, even
though Paul tells us: “They turn away from
listening to the truth and wander off into
myths” (2Timothy 4:4). We want the whole
creation listening to the truth, not to wander
off into myths.
This work of God is carried out in many ways:
public gatherings, door-to-door campaigns, in
the street and other public places, market
places and Bible studies with interested
friends. To accomplish our mission we must
always be “sober-minded, endure suffering,
do the whole work of an evangelist and fulfil
the ministry” (2Timothy 4:5). So, brothers and
sisters, we have a lot of work to do which was
commissioned to us all.
Preaching in Public Places
| Bro Fannuel Mawodzeka (Mushumbi Pools, Zimbabwe)
Across: 1. Calvary 7. Reach 9. Race 10. Chat 11. This 12. Hosah 16. Tots 18. Esther 20. io
21. Me 22. Brutish 25. Israelite 27. Ante 29. Ham 30. Hr 31. Men
Down: 1. Carchemish 2. Locust 3. Ar 4. Re 5. Yacht 6. Chastise 8. Chio 13. Oses
14. Ahban 15. Hereth 17. Soh 19. Ruler 23. Ti 24. Item 26. Ram 28. In
Answers to Crossword on page 10