<BrethrenVoice> <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <5 August 2002> Contents: --------- (1) <Slice-of-Infinity> "Questions & Answers (Part-1 of 4) - Ravi Zacharias (2) <Article> "Except the Lord..." - Connie Giordano (3) <Article> "The story of Anthony" (Part-3) - Charles E. Wigg (4) <Article> "Scriptural principles of gathering ..." (Part-2) - A.P.Gibbs (5) <Poem> "Apples of Gold" (Part-3) - Charles E. Wigg (1) <Slice-of-Infinity> QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (PART-1 OF 4) Ravi Zacharias Psychologists use the term "cognitive dissonance" to describe the bothered, sometimes pained, state of mind that occurs when new evidence conflicts with a current belief or outlook. The theory states that when dissonance occurs, the situation can be resolved by discarding the new evidence or discarding the belief. If I may be facetious for a moment and psychoanalyze a Biblical character, Job suffered from the most significant case of cognitive dissonance known to humanity. Job's understanding of a gracious and just God was shattered by new evidence. Grieving the loss of the God he loved, yet unable to discard his experience, the question of divine justice tortured his mind. "You destroy human hope" says Job. Yet he was unwilling to discard his belief. See, Job is the hopeful symbol of a steadfast mind amidst the ashes of our own questions. "Where was God on September 11?" "Why does a good God permit suffering?" The dung heap of life's most plaguing questions is resistant to decomposition. An associate recalls having to break the tragic news to her grandmother that their house was burning down. Fortunately, they were away for the weekend, and yet their home, built by their own hands-at that very moment burning down. Her grandmother's response was calmly uttered. "The Lord works in mysterious ways." My associate reveals that at the time she found this both inspiring and irritating. Such faith is a stirring testimony for cynical times. The post-modern worldview is not at all satisfied with such an answer to life's suffering. But neither is Job. He demands an explanation that moves beyond human awareness. He wants God in front of him, answering his questions. Can we really blame him? And in the end, Job gets the confrontation he demanded. And after sitting through the thunder of 62 questions himself, Job finds his tortured mind has finally grown silent. You see, from Job we learn something essential. Undoubtedly there will be a day when God will answer our plaguing questions, but perhaps not as we think. Instead, we shall probably see we were asking the wrong questions; that God Himself experienced the hell of innocent suffering. Listen carefully: His answer is not merely in words. His answer is in His person and His presence. --- Copyright (p)(c) 2001 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. A Slice of Infinity is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. _______________________________________________________________________ (2) <ARTICLE> EXCEPT THE LORD... Connie Giordano In a day and an hour when men are worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creator; exchanging the Truth of God for a lie; being without natural affection, irreconcilable, traitors, and without self-control; we need the Lord to build the house. "A ship with about a hundred passengers was wrecked on a South Seas island. Fortunately, all lives were saved, together with sufficient food for several months' existence and several sacks of seed for springtime sowing. But the men had hardly reached shore when someone discovered gold. The men began to dig and pan furiously for gold, heaping it up for themselves and forgetting all about the seed and the need to plant and harvest. When the fall winds began to blow and the cold of winter settled on them, they died of hunger and starvation. Oh, how many there are today who feverishly dig in the gold mines of this world, goaded wholly by greed and selfishness, forgetting all about God, His Word, His Church, and the needs of their soul, only to die the eternal death when the raw winds of life overtake them." - Encyclopaedia Of Sermon Illustrations Psalm 127:1-2 - "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth His beloved sleep." Matthew 16:25-26 - "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" "Except the LORD" - I suppose these are three of the most powerful words in the Christian's vocabulary. It certainly should be a common phrase that falls from our lips moment by moment. The word "except" can be replaced by "If the Lord..." or "Whether the Lord..." Therefore, when asked whether we will do something, our response should be - "except the LORD" wills it - "If the Lord wills" - "Whether or not the Lord wills." When asked whether we will go somewhere, our response should be - "except the LORD." When asked how we will handle life's twists and turns, our response should be - "except the LORD." When faced with adversity, our response should be - "except the LORD." Also, when faced with prosperity and good times, our response should always be - "except the LORD." We can never boast in ourselves. We can never declare independence from our God. Until the day we die and as long as we are in these bodies, our constant testimony should and must be - "except the LORD." Psalm 127:1-2 is a universal call to all of us to depend on the Lord in all of our human undertakings. We are called to a continual regard to divine Providence in all concerns of life. We are called upon to include God in all of our household affairs. Otherwise, our labor will be in vain. We will meet with emptiness, worthlessness, nothingness, and uselessness each time. It does not matter how much skill, strength, or industry we possess. What we establish, build, set up, or make will come to nought "except the Lord" be in it. Proverbs 21:30 tells us - "There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord." In other words, there is no "wisdom" - prudence, shrewdness, skill, or wit; "understanding" - intelligence, discretion, reason, or insight; "counsel"- advice, plan, purpose, or advice that can prevail against the Lord. There can be no success in our lives without God. Therefore we must never act in opposition to Him or independent of Him. How about you? Are you seeking to save your life? Are you seeking after the treasures of this world and forgetting all about God, His Word, His Church, and His Work? Are you trying to build your life, your marriage, your family, your ministry, and your business without God? If so, your labor is in vain. It will come to nought. Your plan and purpose cannot and will not prevail. May we make a concerted effort to start each new day with the Declaration of Faith - "except the LORD" - and the determination to depend on Him for everything. "Except the LORD..." Where would we be without Him? May God Bless His Word. Connie --- Copyright 2002 by Connie Giordano _______________________________________________________________________ (3) <Article> THE STORY OF ANTHONY (PART-3) Charles E. Wigg .... Anthony was born in Goa, to Roman Catholic parents. When he was still a baby, the Indians decided to take Goa back from the Portuguese. (At that time Goa was a Portuguese enclave). The war only lasted a couple of days, as the tiny Portuguese battalion was no match for the might of the Indian army. When this happened, Anthony's father decided that they would now be second class citizens, "Christians", while India was a Hindu nation. He thought it best for them to leave their native Goa, and become refugees, so they went to Ahmedabad, in Gujarat State, where they scrounged some materials, and built themselves a roadside shack. Anthony's father did not enjoy good health, and the trauma of their war experience brought on a heart condition, from which he died soon after. His death left Anthony's mother a young widow with a baby son but she refused to give up. By one means or another, she earned enough to support herself and her son for many years. When he was old enough, she put Anthony in school, until he was 9 or 10 years old, then she took him from school, and put him with a person so that he could learn a trade. The trade was making light fittings, chandeliers etc. and Anthony did quite well at it. He would work during the day, and attend school at night, during which time he studied to the tenth standard and passed his exams also. Then tragedy struck once more, and it came in the form of racial riots between the Hindus and the Muslims. Many people lost their lives, and large areas of slum dwellings were burnt down. One day Anthony returned home to find that their poor home and possessions were in ashes, and his dear mother had been burned alive. To use his own words, "When I saw this, I had no more hope in my life, and my mind cracked". For a short time he was placed in a mental institution, but as there was no one to bribe the officials, he was soon turned out to wander like a dog on the streets. (I have seen many such people in India). He had a little intelligence remaining, and said to himself, "I don't want to live I want to die. It is no use my working any more, then let me beg. If I can get 2 or 3 chapattis, (a round flat unleavened cake kind of thing), each day that is all I need". So he went to Ahmedabad railway station, where he begged each day. He would sleep on the bench seats on the platforms, but as he ate anything, and everything, he soon became ill with dysentery, and for weeks passed nothing but blood. He no longer had much strength, and he was literally dieing on the railway platform. Whilst lying there one day a young man came to him, and gave him an invitation to some Gospel-healing meetings that were being held in a park in another part of the city. There used to be a group of young people from different Western Countries, that formed themselves into an evangelistic team, and equipped with tents, and vehicles etc. would go from place to place holding Gospel meetings. They were a neo-Pentecostal group, and prayed for the sick as well as preaching the Gospel. Anthony asked some questions, such as what would he hear at the meetings etc. He was told that he would hear about Jesus Christ. To which he replied, "Jesus Christ!, what can you tell me about Him? I am a Roman Catholic, I have known about Him all my life, but He has never done anything for me!" The young man then asked him, that if he knew about Jesus Christ, why was he lying there dieing on the platform. He suggested that he should come, and that he may hear things that he had never heard before. After the young man departed, Anthony used what little mind that remained to think about the invitation. He reasoned that if he went, they may give him some food, perhaps they might pray for him. Though the only prayers that he had ever heard were the formal ones offered in the Roman Catholic Church, to Mary, Saints and others, and those prayers had never done anything for him. So with what little strength he had left he dragged himself slowly across the city to where the meetings were being held. [To be continued...] _______________________________________________________________________ (4) <Article> SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES OF GATHERING or WHY I MEET AMONG THOSE KNOWN AS BRETHREN (PART -2) A.P. Gibbs FIRST: BECAUSE THEY ACCEPT NO NAME BUT WHAT IS COMMON TO AND INCLUSIVE OF ALL BELIEVERS, AND THEREFORE REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE MAN-MADE AND MAN-NAMED SECTS AND PARTIES (Part 2) .... Many believers excuse their denominational affiliation by saying: "What's in a name? We're all out for the same thing. We'll all go to the same place!" These same believers would change their tune if someone forged their name to a check for a large amount and cashed it at their bank! What would be the reaction of these people if their wives suddenly decided to change their names and take another more suited to their poetic fancy? These husbands would rightly argue: "I gave you my name at our marriage, and you cannot change that name to suit yourself!" Why, then, should we alter the name that Christ has given to His own blood-bought people, and substitute for it another of our own making? Many have sought to liken the various denominations of Christendom to so many different regiments of an army, each separate from the other, but all united for the common purpose of defending the country' from invasion, or attacking the enemy, as the head of the army orders. Such an illustration surely cannot apply in this case, for denominationalism is not content with the marching orders of the Commander-in-chief, as found in His word; but has substituted for them their own rules and regulations, and has thus virtually denied His supreme authority for faith and practice. The exhibition of rival denominations, each under a different flag, each commanded by a general of its own choosing, and each striving for the pre-eminence, is not calculated to suggest the unity of an army under the absolute control of a commander-in-chief! Saturday night has often witnessed a large congregation of believers singing heartily the beautiful words: "We are not divided, all one body we; one in hope and doctrine, one in charity." The dawn of Sunday, however, witnesses a sad contradiction to this blessed truth as each believer wends his way to his own particular denominational church building. To many, the words of that hymn were but the expression of a lovely theory to be sung, rather than a blessed reality to be practiced and enjoyed! The great truth, emphasized by the Spirit of God through Paul, needs to be proclaimed far and wide: "Ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3: 28). The story is told of two Christians who met for the first time in a railroad coach. After some pleasant conversation about the things of God, one inquired: "To what denomination do you belong?" The other replied: "That's just my difficulty, and I wish you would help me. Supposing you had only the word of God to guide you, what denomination would you advise me to join?" His fellow Christian thought for a while and then said: "Why, if I had only the word of God as my authority, I couldn't advise you to join any!" "That is exactly my position," responded the other, " and I therefore meet with those who act upon what they find written in the word of God, and who seek to assemble in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, apart from all the confusion that denominationalism has wrought." This is the position that those known as "brethren" occupy. They refuse to accept any name that is not inclusive of every believer, and firmly repudiate these man-made divisions and names that are not common to all the people of God. It may be argued by some that these companies of so-called "brethren" are as much a sect as any other, but this is not true. The mere fact that a company of believers is called a sect does not make it so. Everything must be tested by the word of God. Naturally, those in a sect will seek to justify themselves by calling others, who do not see eye to eye with them, a sect also. Let us define the meaning of the word, "sect." A sect is a body of people who make church claims, yet in principle and practice violate the essential principles of the Church of God as described in the New Testament scriptures. In other words, a sect cannot stand the test of all Scripture. A sect usually adopts as its distinguishing features, some distinct form of ecclesiastical government, or some ordinance or ordinances, or some particular doctrine, or the peculiar teaching of some person. Its conditions of membership cannot bear the light of the New Testament. It often allows unsaved people to enter its fold, and excludes many Christians who do not see their way to subscribe to its particular creeds. It depends principally for its functioning on its own rules and regulations, or "book of discipline," and usually has a humanly ordained ministry and its own self-appointed oversight. Those known as "brethren" unhesitatingly repudiate such pretensions, and seek to gather in accordance with the pattern described in the New Testament. Naturally they are thus distinguished from denominations, but they are not a sect, for they have no gathering center but Christ; no name but what is common to and inclusive of all believers; no authority but the word of God, and no conditions of reception to the local assembly but those found in the Scriptures, namely: the person must be regenerated, be sound in the fundamental doctrines of Scripture, and be living a clean moral life before the world that commends the gospel. It has been well pointed out that in the early days of Christianity there were congregations of believers, but no "Congregationalists!" There were baptized believers, but no "Baptists!" There were presbyters in the assembly, but no "Presbyterians!" They had method in their meeting, but there were no "Methodists!" They had bishops in the church, but there were no "Episcopalians!" They trembled at the word, but there were no "Quakers!" They all shared in the blessings of Pentecost, but there were no "Pentecostalist!" The brethren had all been united to Christ, but there were no "United Brethren!" They met simply as Christians, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and were obedient to His precious word. [To be continued...] _______________________________________________________________________ (5) <Poem> APPLES OF GOLD Charles E. Wigg "Musings in the Holy Place" (Part-3) ... (21) The knob, a swelling, portends fruit, A further stage of growth we see, But then the almond, rich, and sweet, Has reach-ed blest maturity. (22) Each almond cup a reservoir, Of pure and beaten, olive oil, Which when poured in, the flame restores To cast its radiance over all. (23) A golden lamp crowns branch and stem, Each filled from cup, by hand of grace, With the pure oil that fuels them, To burn with brilliance in this place. (24) The wick immersed in holy oil, Soaks up the holy liquid still, Ignited by the holy flame, Sheds gentle radiance over all. (25) The wick sometimes, gets black and charred, Making the light uneven, dim, But our High Priest, with hands nail-scarred, And tools of gold the wick doth trim. (25) He gently crushes off the black Of burned out self, with golden tongs, He thus restores the brilliance back, To burn, and shine the whole night long. (26) Morning and night, he gently tends, Each lamp, with never failing care, That each may give its greatest light, To manifest the glories there. (27) The golden lamp stand typifies The church, as it is seen by God. "Light of the World", Jesus describes, The saints He purchased with His blood. (28) In Revelation, Christ is seen, Standing amidst the golden lamps Showing the evil, that had been, Rebuking with judicial hands, (29) 'Tis only in the holy place, We see God's pattern, clearly shown, Would that our churches, formed by grace, Might make God's glorious shining known. (30) God give us grace, to yield our lives, Unto the Holy artisan, That He with gentle hammer blows, May now fulfill God's blest design. _____________________<BrethrenVoice>_____________________ [which seeks to be guided solely by the New Testament Biblical pattern, facilitates free flow of Christian information. To God be the glory!] To subscribe, email: <brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> To unsubscribe, email: <brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> For "BrethrenVoice" FAQs, email: <brethrenvoice-faq@...> To send a message to the Moderator, email: <brethrenvoice@...> "BrethrenVoice" Home: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ eFellowship Home: http://groups.msn.com/BrethrenChristiansForum/ [Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith." (2 Cor 13:5)]