Read the August-September ’23 issue of

The Community Buzz Magazine

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Why the Buzz?

There was a disquieting buzz in the air. “How can God claim to love us?” some were asking.1 Others were whining, “God no longer pays attention to our offerings or accepts them with pleasure from our hands.”2

The buzz got bolder. Some were even muttering, “What a burden the Lord’s table is – sacrifice upon sacrifice!”3 Others were actually asserting, “It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out His requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly, the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.”4 “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and He is pleased with them.”5

The buzz had now become intolerable. It was around 450 BCE and not a very pleasant time to be in Israel or what was left of it after centuries of war, internal strife, famine & pestilence.

Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honoured His name. “They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”6

How the Lord (like any doting father) loves to hear His children speak with each other! A plaque in many a Christian home reads, “Christ is … the silent listener to every conversation.”

How true this is! The Lord declares that those who feared the Lord in Israel honoured Him by talking to each other! That those of His children who talked served Him! Then, logically, when we don’t talk with each other, do we not dishonour Him? Do we not fail to serve Him?

So, brothers & sisters, ‘fellow children’ of the heavenly Father, let’s work up a godly buzz – face to face, cell phone to cell phone, on WhatsApp, on Facebook, via Instagram – by all means and at all times and in all places and under all circumstances!

This godly buzz is of paramount importance to the child of God securing his safety, sanity, sense of direction and focus, providing him with a reliable road map for life and a trustworthy compass. The godly buzz among those who fear the Lord interspersed with the still small voice of our heavenly Father drowns out the ungodly, the anti-godly & the pseudo godly buzz of the world interspersed with the Ancient Serpent’s hiss.

On 2nd August 1990, Iraq invaded & annexed Kuwait. The United Nations immediately and unanimously passed a resolution condemning this act and set a deadline for Iraq to leave Kuwait.  Two days after the expiry of the deadline, a United Nations-authorized coalition of forces led by the United States and made up of the militaries of 32 nations under the supreme command of General Norman Schwarzkopf attacked the Iraqi forces to persuade them to leave.

Their first act was to destroy the communication network of the Iraqis. This isolated each unit from the others. Reinforcements could not be called. Supplies could not be replenished. No one knew for sure what was happening.

Rumours, fake news, propaganda became the order of the day. Was the president dead? Had Iraq surrendered? Were they the only persons still fighting? Were they the only persons alive? There was chaos everywhere. The isolated units became easy targets for the coalition forces. The result was the most one-sided battle in human history, with the coalition forces suffering negligible losses (human or material) in comparison with the colossal Iraqi losses.

Communication is vital! Does not the enemy of our souls employ similar tactics? Elijah was led to believe that he was all alone! The Lord had to inform him that there were 7000 others like him in their devotion to the Lord.7 The Lord encouraged Paul, ‘… I have many people in this city.’8

So, Scripture commands, ‘Speak to one another …’9 Let’s read the whole passage. Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.10

The ‘Speak to one another …’ is set against the backdrop of ‘evil days’ like those of Israel in the days of Malachi. ‘Speaking’ is the wise thing to do! It is a consequence of being filled with the Spirit.

Spirit filled Christians will speak! Spirit filled buzz rises from a grateful heart, is joyous and is grounded on Scripture. It comforts.11 It encourages.12 It teaches and admonishes.13 It brings forgiveness & healing.14 It is not vulgar!15 Or slanderous!16 Or querulous!17 Or judgmental.18 It does not put anyone down. Instead, it builds up people!19

Even our children are to be shaped by the godly buzz that rises from a heart that is filled with a singular love for God and a total commitment to His ways.

He told them, Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.20

So, Redeemed Community of God, let’s buzz!

– Stanley Nelson, Sanpada

 

1Mal. 1:2; 2Mal. 2:13; 3Mal. 1:12-13; 4Mal. 3:13-15; 5Mal. 2:17; 6Mal. 3:16-18; 71 Ki. 19:18; 8Ac. 18:10; 9Ep. 5:19; 10Ep. 5:15-20; 112 Co. 1:3-4; 121 Th. 4:18; 13Col. 3:16; 14Jam. 5:14-16; 15Ep. 5:4; 16Col. 3:8; 17Ph. 2:14; 18Co.4:5; 191 Th. 5:11; 20De. 6:4-7

The Community Buzz and You!

The Community Buzz is a free bi-monthly magazine for the whole family produced by The Redeemed Community churches. The magazine may be printed and distributed free of cost for private circulation only. PDF copies or links to flip-magazine formats may be circulated freely.

The magazine seeks to provide the reader with good, clean content to help individuals to know their Creator and seek a living, dynamic relationship with Him. It also aims to build individuals in their faith, equip them for life and prepare them for eternity.

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