Stafford Christadelphians

Goodbye 2020!

4 January 2021

The year 2020 was an exceptional year. Covid-19 was not the only natural disaster in 2020. The year began with a series of bush fires in Australia that forced thousands to flee and killed at least 29 people and more than a billion animals. Swarms of locusts descended on East Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, threatening food supplies for millions of people in the spring. This summer, California experienced its worst fire season in terms of area burned, as well as the largest single wildfire on record. With worsening floods in the UK, where will it all end and what is the outcome? What lessons can we learn?

This is not the only time in history when so called natural disasters have happened to the detriment of mankind, examples are the plagues of Egypt and the flood which happened at the time of Noah.

The Biblical record tells us that

the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in his heart.

Genesis 6:5-6

Therefore the flood happened because mankind was disobedient to God and moved in a direction which grieved Him immensely. Likewise the plagues of Egypt took place because of the way in which Pharaoh was treating God's people, Israel.

Later in the history of Israel God warned His people that if they were obedient to Him they would be blessed and if they were disobedient they would be cursed (Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28). We find that this came true in Israel's history because during the reigns of good kings such as David, Hezekiah and Josiah the land and people were blessed and the opposite happened during the reigns of the bad kings. In the end the people were taken into captivity because of disobedience to God.

Looking at our day we find that during the last 100 years there has been a gradual diminution of people's regard for God and the general picture currently is that God is, at best, ignored so it is not surprising that we find that catastrophes are happening to such a wide extent.

There is a fair comparison between our days and those of Noah just before the flood so we can expect a change in world order similar to that experienced by Noah. In fact:

... as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be ...

Matthew 24:37

so we can expect Jesus to return to take over world rulership at any time. Other international events indicate that Jesus' return is imminent so there is not much time left to deliberate.

So what is the way out from all this? God is looking for any who will turn to Him and become true believers, wanting to follow and obey Him. This is an individual matter and begins with belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The rewards available in taking this path are immense and without comparison with the difficulties we are presently experiencing and well worth the effort and commitment in being obedient to God. After all,

Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

See the video “Pandemic, vaccination, What next? - God has a plan” here.

If you would like to know more about how to avoid the present world debacle and enjoy being part of God's coming Kingdom you will find it useful to browse the remainder of this web site and we would be very pleased to answer any questions you may have via our Contact Us page.

Abraham Accords — Peace in Israel?

1 December 2020

Here is a development of interest to everybody. Since the State of Israel was founded in 1947/48 there has been continuous conflict with the Nations in the region. Sometimes this has led to war and casualties on all sides with the Great Powers potentially involved. The good news is that there is now in the air the prospect of discussion and some formal Agreements for peace between many of the Governments.

On August 13, 2020, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, announced the UAE's agreement to normalise relations with Israel saying that his country wanted to deal with the threats facing the two-state solution, specifically annexation of the Palestinian territories, and urging the Palestinians and Israelis to return to the negotiating table.

This is leading to potential Agreements involving at least five additional countries together with the USA and other countries and jointly becoming known as the “Abraham Accords”. According to US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “Israel and the United Arab Emirates will fully normalize their diplomatic relations. They will exchange embassies and ambassadors and begin cooperation across the board and on a broad range of areas including tourism, education, healthcare, trade and security.”

Israel said there were, “no changes” in their plans to hold parts of the West Bank. Mr Trump said: “we take a major stride toward a future in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity.” Further, that the Accords “will serve as the foundation for a comprehensive peace across the entire region”.

It is most appropriate that the “Accords” are named after Abraham, as he is the Father of the Jewish people. The Bible records that God made Promises to Abraham (two thousand years before Jesus Christ), which have not so far been fulfilled:

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3 [NKJV]

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:7 [NKJV]

These quotations are selected from scores in the whole Bible, which speak clearly of the coming Kingdom of “peace on earth and goodwill toward men” which God has Promised.

Coronavirus (COVID19)

We have created a new page for articles and comments on the current crisis. Some items that were previously on this News page have been moved there.

Extinction Rebellion

27 April 2019

The unfamiliar words “Extinction Rebellion” have led many Newspaper headlines during April. They describe the disrupting of traffic in various parts of the UK by climate change activists who believe that direct action is now justified. Present Government measures, it is argued, are insufficient to curb a catastrophic rise in atmospheric pollution such that by 2050 large parts of the world will be uninhabitable; urgent action is now needed.

Christadelphians know from their reading of the Bible that the world is indeed to go through challenging conditions:

men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Luke 21:26 NKJV

But equally the Creator’s Plan, described in Scripture, will win through in the end:

There will be an abundance of grain in the earth,
On the top of the mountains;
Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon;
And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

Psalm 72:16 NKJV

How is this to take place?

It is by the promised bodily return of God’s Son, the all powerful, immortal Jesus Christ to the Earth as World King:

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’

Acts 1:10,11 NKJV