<BrethrenVoice> <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <14 August 2002> Contents: --------- (1) <Exhortatory> "Abounding Contradictions" - Ravi Zacharias (2) <Testimonial> "The story of Ujagar Singh" (Part-4) - C.E.Wigg (3) <Doctrinal> "The Scriptural principles of gathering" (LP)-A.P.Gibbs (4) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Part-3) - A.W.Pink (5) <Exhortatory> "What God hates" (LP) Connie Giordano (6) <Poem> "The Lamb of God" - J. Berridge (1) <Exhortatory><Slice-of-Infinity> ABOUNDING CONTRADICTIONS Ravi Zacharias G. K. Chesterton once said, "It is impossible to live without contradiction when you live without God." His reasoning so fitting for our times, I quote his explanation at length. He writes: "The moment you condemn something you have to assume there is some standard by which to condemn it. The modern day rebel has got no standard left because he's rejected everything. The new rebel is a skeptic and will not entirely trust anything. The fact that he doubts everything gets in the way when he wants to denounce anything. For all denunciation applies a moral doctrine of some kind, and the modern revolutionist doubts not only the institution he denounces but the doctrine by which he denounces it. [He] goes to a political meeting first where he complains that savages are treated as if they are beasts. Then he takes his hat and umbrella, goes to a scientific meeting where he proves that they practically are beasts. In short, the modern revolutionist, being an infinite skeptic, is always engaged in undermining his own mines." A colleague speaks of an old college friend who taught her something profound about contradiction. We will call him Chad. They first became acquainted in a communications class. Born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, Chad was an unlikely candidate for a career in public speaking-he is unable to speak. Or walk. He communicates through a computerized voice by typing with only his big toes. Overcoming more in his lifetime than most dare to hope, Chad has become a much in demand public speaker. His body a slow moving, twisted shell of uncontrollable muscle, his life is a picture of what he calls nothing short of wholeness. This glorious contradiction he attributes entirely to Jesus Christ. You see, the gospel is unique in its power to contradict our own contradictions, compelling us to drastically redefine what we mean by life. As Paul W. Hoon the author once noted, Jesus repeatedly contradicts us in the way we experience ourselves as alive, just as he encountered the disciples on Easter Sunday. They were the ones marked out for death. He, the "dead" was really the living. (Footnote 1: Paul W. Hoon, Integrity of Worship Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1971, p. 141.) Jesus Christ has placed the greatest of all reminders before us: "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." This, properly understood, offers truth and eternal life. --- Copyright (p)(c) 2000 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. _______________________________________________________________________ (2) <Testimonial> THE STORY OF UJAGAR SINGH OF KAPURI VILLAGE, HARYANA, INDIA (PART-3) Charles E. Wigg .... Part 4 In the small town of Chacharauli, some twelve kilometres away lived an evangelist. He was an Indian, but had come from the State of Orissa, which is like a foreign country to those who live in Haryana. He had to come to Bilaspur that day to take a Bible study, and to visit some of the few Christian believers who lived in that village, and vilages nearby. Ujagar Singh had never met Suresh Kumar, but he had heard about him, and they met for the first time that day in the bazaar. Ujagar Singh approached the evangelist, and gave the most respectful greeting that he knew. "Padre sahib, I have here a card, I am told that it has a message for me, but I do not know English, could you please read it to me, and also explain it to me"? Suresh took the card, he read it and smiled, "Yes I can read it, and I can also explain it to you, but it is too noisy and dirty here, let us go outside the village and sit under a tree in the shade , then I will read and explain it to you". They went outside the village, found a suitable tree, sat in its shade, then the evangelist read once again those beautiful words, "Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest", how sweet were those words to our sad and weary friend! The evangelist then told his inquirer that there is but one God, the Great Creator of all, and that God is both almighty, and absolutely holy, He hates sin, but at the same time loves lost and guilty men. Ujagar Singh knew that what was being told him was true, he began to think back over his life, especially the terrible sorrow of losing his wife, but he could see that even in that sad event God was seeking for him, He had shown His love to him in those who took and cared for his motherless child. The evangelist went on, and told that God is so holy that He cannot have sin in His presence, and that He had given man a law that was quite reasonable, and told men that the punishment for breaking that law, any part of it, was death, both physical and spiritual death, eternal separation from God, eternal punishment. However man wherever he was, constantly broke that law, and thus came under its curse. Man was a sinner by nature, and because of this became a sinner by practice, and though God tried man out under all circumstances, yet he proved a complete failure, and unable to meet God's just requirements. God loved man His creature, He wanted to bless him, and to have man in His presence, but God could not surrender the just claims of His holy law, because He is also a righteous God. If man was to be saved, then a sinless man must die in the place of the guilty, the just for the unjust. So at the right time, God Himself became man, the Lord Jesus was born at Bethlehem. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, thus had no earthly father, and because of this did not posses Adam's sinful nature. He grew up in circumstances of both poverty and hardship, lived a sinless life, and at the age of thirty three and a half years, He gave that sinless life on the cross of Calvary. While hanging on that cross, He bore the punishment due to you and to me. God punished Him for what you and I have done. The Lord Jesus paid the penalty which we have incurred, when we broke the law that He had given, He bore the curse of His own law, and He did it all because He loved us. He was buried, but after three days, rose from the dead on the morning of the first day of the week, and now invites all who are weary with carrying the burden of their sins, to come to Him, and offers to all who come a sweet rest that flows from knowing that their sins are all forgiven and washed away, and that they will never have to face an angry God to account for their sins, but to these, that Holy and righteous God is now their Heavenly Father. [to be continued...] ______________________________________________________________________ (3) <Doctrinal> SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES OF GATHERING or WHY I MEET AMONG THOSE KNOWN AS "BRETHREN" -(CONCLUSION) A.P. Gibbs .... CONCLUSION The foregoing eight reasons for my being associated with those known as "brethren" really represent the privileges of being so gathered, but privilege always carries with it a corresponding responsibility. Since these principles of gathering are scriptural, it develops upon each Christian to act as before the Lord in the light of them. I would suggest that each believer give his earnest and undivided attention to the four statements which follow. FIRST: That each genuine believer, who is sound in life and doctrine, and who realizes, from the Scriptures, the unscriptural character of denominationalism and all that it involves, will not rest until he or she is meeting with those who hold and practice these scriptural principles of gathering. Remember, it is not a case of "joining the brethren." If you are saved, the Spirit of God has already joined you to the body of Christ. It simply consists of intelligently and deliberately associating oneself with those who have seen and are acting upon the truth of the one body of which Christ is the Head, and every believer a member. The person who really apprehends this truth will never rest content until he has gladly gone forth from that which, in practice, denies Christ the place of preeminence in the assembly, and the Spirit of God the liberty to minister through whomsoever He will in the assembly. The scriptural assembly of believers, to whom you make known your decision, will gladly welcome you and extend to you the right hand of fellowship after a godly sort. SECOND: It will mean that he who has seen his privilege and has taken his place thus will surely desire to support the assembly by his presence at all its meetings whenever possible. He will earnestly cooperate with his fellow believers in the assembly and, by his wholehearted support financially, and his sacrificial efforts individually, will seek to encourage, strengthen and edify the company of believers with whom he meets. There is a noticeable lack of this on the part of some who apparently imagine that their responsibility to an assembly ends with their being present at the meeting for the breaking of bread on Lord's day. It needs to be emphasized that the prayer meeting, the Bible reading, the gospel meeting, and special meetings are just as much meetings of the assembly for the purposes named, as the feast of remembrance. How can an assembly hope to develop spiritually if the prayer meeting is neglected? How can it be edified if a mere handful attend the Bible reading? What will the unsaved think, if only a few of the believers gather to support, by their presence and prayers, the one who is to deliver the gospel message? Only an excuse that can stand the light of the judgment seat of Christ should be made for not attending these meetings; yet the most trivial excuses are often put forth by those whose lack of heart, or ignorance of these principles, causes them to absent themselves from these meetings. A Christian man whom I know, used to put it thus: "What kind of an assembly would this one be, if everybody in it was just like me?" Would there be a prayer meeting? a Bible reading? a gospel meeting? An assembly is formed by a number of believers, and the spiritual tone of the assembly is determined by the spirituality, or otherwise, of each individual composing that assembly. When a person avoids the prayer meeting, it is a sure sign he needs that meeting more than anything else. Many a discouraged believer has been tempted to stay home on a prayer meeting night because he was tired in mind and body; but when he went, he discovered how true was the promise: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." (Isa. 40:31). Perhaps the very word of comfort or rebuke that we so much need is waiting for us at the Bible reading, but we must be there to get it, or it will do us no good. If I would emphasize one thing above another to young believers in assemblies,it would be this: Be loyal to the assembly of which you form a part. Do not be a liability, be an asset. Do not go visiting around here and there on your own meeting night, or get so involved in Christian work outside the assembly that you have no time to be present at its regular meetings and fulfill your obligations to your own home assembly. Concentration is a splendid thing. I have known an assembly to die because those composing it assumed no responsibility to it, and devoted their energies in this work and that effort, in many cases under denominational auspices, which were opposed to the very scriptural principles they professed to hold. If the assembly with which you are connected is scriptural in its principles, back it up by all the means in your power, and concentrate your energies on edifying, or building up that which is according to the pattern revealed in the New Testament. It is a case of either concentration, or dissipation of energy. Do not develop into a "sermon taster," or become a "floater," or a "thrill hunter," following this or that man around, to the neglecting of your own responsibilities in your home assembly. The story is told of a man who saw a boy about to drown a dog. On being asked why he was going to drown the dog, the boy replied: "Well, it's like this. This dog follows everybody, and a dog that follows everybody is good to nobody!" The moral is obvious. THIRD: The Christian who seeks to gather according to these scriptural principles will need to have a big heart for all the children of God, by whatever name they may call themselves. He will have to continually challenge himself to distinguish between personalities and principles. He may not be able, in loyalty to the word of God, to have any fellowship with the system or sect with which this or that Christian is connected; but he ought to show that believer, as an individual, all the love and care that is his due as one of "the brethren." It is sadly possible for an individual or an assembly who professes to have seen these scriptural principles, to become very sectarian in heart. Let us remember that all who "belong to Christ" are dear to His heart, and are in the Church which is His body. As such they should be the objects of our love. Our Lord's words should be deeply pondered in the heart: "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, by your love one for another" (John 13:35). Any true Christian, who is morally clean as to his walk and sound in the fundamentals of God's word should be gladly welcomed to the Lord's supper, on no other condition than that he "belongs to Christ." To impose any other conditions of reception to an assembly is to form a sect with all its attendant evils. There is no such thing in Scripture as the sect of "The Brethren;" but there is such a thing in Scripture as brethren being assembled together on the common ground of the Headship of Christ and the unity of all believers as members of the body of Christ. Any assembly that knowingly refuses a believer, who is sound in life and doctrine, a place at the Lord's supper becomes, by that very act, a sect, however strenuously those composing it may deny the fact. Let us beware of sectarianism in any form! What mischief--and worse--has been wrought by a narrow, bigoted attitude adopted towards the Lord's people! If they belong to Christ, and are walking as becomes believers, count it the greatest privilege to welcome such, and so "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4: 3). All snobbery is detestable, but religious snobbery is the most nauseating of all. May the Lord give us to realize what a hateful thing it is to Him who "loved the church and gave Himself for it"! A well known teacher once wrote: "If you fail to provide an amount of fellowship for every known child of God, that moment you deserve to go out of existence." JND). FOURTH: The believer who meets on scriptural lines should so study his Bible that he will be able to help other Christians who are not similarly placed as to their church association. One has no need to apologize for his position amongst the so-called "brethren." Since it is of God, and according to His word, let us boldly affirm it, and seek to deliver our fellow believers from the evils of sectarianism, with its ordained clergy and all the confusion that goes with it. Plenty of good literature has been published on this subject by able teachers, so that there is no excuse for not knowing the certainty of the things we stand for. While careful to make no claims for perfection in our behavior whilst so meeting, let us, however, boldly maintain the scripturalness of the principles that we seek to hold and practice. A well-known teacher amongst the denominations once confided to me: "I'll come amongst you when you brethren cease your quarrels." At the time he said this, his own denomination was in the midst of a fearful row over the question as to who should govern its church policy, the modernists or the fundamentalists! Apparently this quarrel did not enter into his thoughts, or cause him to leave his denomination! As "brethren," we have differences of opinion but, thank God, they are not over fundamental truths that question the inspiration of God's word, or the Deity of Christ, etc. We do not have to dispute about the pastor's salary being raised or lowered, or whether a modernist preacher shall be allowed to speak on our platform or not, or how we shall get rid of an unsaved "minister." All our differences can be solved by submitting to Scripture and manifesting that love, forbearance and humility the word of God enjoins upon all the brethren. Let us then heed the injunction of Paul to Timothy: "The things that thou hast heard of me amongst many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also" (II Tim. 2: 2). May we so study and obey God's word, that we shall each be found in the place where our Lord would have us to be, gathering in His name alone with those whom it has pleased Him to call "His brethren"; owning the alone authority of His word; welcoming all true believers sound in doctrine and life; and allowing the Holy Spirit liberty to minister through whomsoever He will, to the glory of God and the edification of the assembly! [Concluded] _______________________________________________________________________ (4) <Prophetical> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" -(PART-3) Arthur W. Pink III. THE REDEEMER'S RETURN IS NECESSITATED BY THE RATIFICATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. .... While our Lord was here upon earth and on the eve of His crucifixion, He promised to send His disciples another Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth. He further promised the apostles that, when the Spirit came to them, He would guide them "into all truth." Therefore, it is to the Divinely inspired writings of these apostles we must turn if we would learn all that God has been pleased to reveal concerning our present inquiry. As we read the Epistles of the New Testament it is highly important for us to keep in mind the fact that we have in them not the suppositions and speculations of their human writers but reliable and authoritative information communicated by the Holy Spirit Himself, for "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Tim. 3:16). As we turn to the Epistles we find that each writer made some contribution to our present theme: Peter and Paul, James, John, and Jude all referred to the prospect and certainty of the Return of our Redeemer. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian saints, "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 1:4-8). To the Philippian saints he wrote, "For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself" (Phil. 3:20, 21). To the Colossians he wrote, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:4). To the Thessalonians he wrote, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?" (1 Thess. 2:19). To the Hebrews he wrote, "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (9:28). The apostle James wrote, "Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (5:7, 8). The apostle Peter wrote, "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:13). "And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (1 Pet. 5:4). The apostle John wrote, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (1 John 3:2, 3). And again, "For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh" (2 John 7, R. V.). The apostle Jude wrote, "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (vs. 21). Here then is an argument simple but conclusive. Each Epistle writer of the New Testament makes mention of the Redeemer's Return. These men were not hallucinated. They were not giving expression to impracticable ideals which would never be realized. Their writings were Divinely inspired. These holy men were "moved by the Holy Spirit" and recorded truth "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth" (1 Cor. 2:13). The very fact, then, that the Holy Spirit of God has, through the apostles, testified again and again, ratifying the declarations of Old Testament prophecy and affirmations of Christ Himself, necessitates and demands the personal Return of our Lord. [to be continued...] _______________________________________________________________________ (5) <Exhortatory> WHAT GOD HATES (LAST PART) Connie Giordano "God hates sin; He hates every sin; He can never be reconciled to it..." - Matthew Henry .... 4. Wicked Schemes and Plans ---------------------------- Proverbs 6:16-18 - "These six things doth the LORD hate...are an abomination unto Him...An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief." Genesis 6:5 - God destroyed the entire world of Noah's day for the "...wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." God hates evil, deceitful, and wicked schemes and plans that are designed and fabricated by men. Psalm 36 tells us about the wicked man who does not fear God, flatters himself in his own eyes, speaks lies, "deviseth mischief upon his bed, " and "abhorreth not evil." Proverbs 24:8 tells us that "He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person." Micah 2:1-2 - The Prophet Micah warned all those guilty of evil schemes - "Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress defraud) a man and his house, even a man and his heritage." Those whose hearts devise wicked imaginations have feet that are swift in running to mischief. Proverbs 1:16 tells us - "For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood." Isaiah 59 describes a people who are separated from God. Verse 7 says - "Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction violence) are in their paths." The Apostle Paul gave a similar description of the wicked in Romans 3:15-16 when he said - Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways." All of the newspapers as well as the News stations report daily of the plans and schemes of the wicked which are carried out against the innocent. And God hates it all! 5. Sowing Discord Among Brethren -------------------------------- Proverbs 6:16-19 - "These six things doth the LORD hate...are an abomination unto Him...he that soweth discord among brethren." Sowing discord is listed last of all but some commentators consider it to be the worst one of all. This basically combines all of the other six abominations into one. Through pride, lying, spreading false stories, imagining and designing mischief which is conjured up through the jealousy and envy of his or her heart - this person runs swiftly among the brethren to alienate affections and destroy (murder) the blessed unity that once existed in a beautiful relationship between brethren. God - Who is the God of Love and Peace and Who promises His Blessing on all those who dwell together in unity - hates him that sows discord. This person is an abomination unto Him. 6. A False Balance ------------------- Proverbs 11:1 - "A false balance is abomination to the LORD..." The fair and honest dealings with our neighbors are pleasing unto the Lord - "a just weight is His delight." On the other hand, any kind of dishonest manoeuvres in business, commerce, or trade are abominable to the Lord. A Christian should have nothing to do with them. The "false balance" mentioned in this particular verse refers to the balance that was deceitfully constructed so that one end of the beam was longer than the other. In ancient days, weights were made of stones rather than metal. There was much dishonesty in trade by using false weights and measures for another's gain. Deuteronomy 25:13-16 addressed this issue in saying - "Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small...But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have...For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God." The "great" weight was used in buying, and the "small" weight was used for selling. How convenient for the trader, but how abominable this was to God. Proverbs 16:11 informs us that "A just weight and balance are the LORD's..." Proverbs 20:10 adds - "Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD." So we see that no matter how many Jesus stickers or "fish" signs a business has plastered over their store windows, it is only those believers who are dealing truly and honestly with the public who are indeed Christians! Anyone dealing unjustly is an abomination unto God! 7. A Froward Heart ----------------------- Proverbs 11:20 - "They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD..." God loves those who are sincere, upright, and deal plainly. On the other hand, He hates all those who walk in a crooked or perverse way. They are false, hypocrites, and double-dealers who pretend to be good while covering up the bad. They walk contrary to God. Their lives are a total contradiction to His Will and Ways. Proverbs 8:13 tells us - "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil...and the froward mouth, do I hate." Proverbs 3:32 adds - "For the froward is abomination to the LORD..." We see that God hates this lifestyle and calls it an abomination. As Christians, we should never typify this man in his deceitful ways and mannerisms. We should always seek to be transparent before all. 8. The Service Of The Wicked ----------------------------- Proverbs 15:8 - "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD..." Proverbs 21:27 - "The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?" Proverbs 15:26 - "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD..." The "thoughts of the wicked" include all of their imaginations, plans, and intentions. Since thoughts are words to God, it would also include their conversation as well. All that the wicked man thinks about, talks about, plans, and does are all an abomination unto God. Yet, here we have reference to the fact that the wicked man tries to offer sacrifices to God. How can that be? Is he trying to appease a guilty conscience by doing what is right? Does God accept his offering? Absolutely not! We read repeatedly what God thought of the many sacrifices which His people offered to Him while still living in sin - Isaiah 1:11-15 - "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the LORD...Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto Me...when ye make many prayers, I will not hear..." Jeremiah 6:20 - "...your burnt offerings are not acceptable..." Amos 5:21-22 - "I hate, I despise your feast days...Though ye offer Me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them..." Nowadays, we have people who run to Church every Sunday not to be saved and to hear the Word of God but to appease a guilty conscience. They think that by going to church every Sunday that they are tipping their hat to the Lord and doing Him a great favor. Then there are others who pray, praise, and worship the Lord not in faith, love, and holiness but in sin, pretense, and hypocrisy. They go to church with no intention of ever changing. They expect God and every one else to accept them just the way they are. They obstinately refuse to obey Him and to walk holily before Him. They simply will not give Him their heart because they love sin and themselves too much. Proverbs 28:9 tells us - "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." So many claim that Revival is sweeping through the nations of the world at this time because many people are praying. However, before we jump to conclusions, we, as the Body of Christ, need to ask ourselves - Are all of these people living holy before the Lord? Are these same people walking in obedience to the Lord and His Holy Word? For God does not accept any kind of offering. Proverbs 15:8 says that "the prayer of the upright" is His delight. 9. Excusing Sinners and Condemning The Righteous Proverbs 17:15 - "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD." It is a great offense to God for anyone in high places as well as in low to acquit the guilty and condemn the righteous. God is a just God and hates injustice in any form. Also, God hates those who mock and ridicule the righteous for their holy standards and side with the wicked in their unholy practices. No matter what the cost or price, we must always takes sides with the right and condemn the wrong or we, too, will be counted as an abomination in God's sight. God is a God of Love, but He is also a God of Hate. We cannot claim to know Him unless we consider His whole character. How can we know Him? Through His Holy Word. In knowing Him, we are responsible to avoid and condemn all wickedness which He hates and to cling to and follow after that which He loves. This is the only way that we will be found pleasing in His sight. May God Bless His Word. Connie --- Copyright 2002 by Connie Giordano _______________________________________________________________________ (6) <Poem> THE LAMB OF GOD J. Berridge Isa. 53. 7; John 1. 29; Acts 8. 32 ----------------------------------- The sweet Lamb of God comes forth to be slain, And offers his blood to purge off our stain; With bitterest anguish and groans on the tree, The Saviour did languish for sinners like me. Look on him, my soul, and gaze on his smart; His cries may control the lusts of thy heart; His blood has set often the worst broken bones; His love too can soften hearts harder than stones. [Right worthy indeed he is of high fame, And saints have all need to trust in his name; Not feed on their graces, nor strut with a frame, But fall on their faces, and worship the Lamb.] Lo! here is a feast of delicate food, For prodigals dressed, yet costly and good. Our Father provided this Lamb for a treat; And if you are minded, you freely may eat. None other repast my spirit would have; Thy flesh let me taste, sweet Lamb, and yet crave; Thy blood ever flowing my pleasant cup be; Thy fleece on earth growing make clothing for me. Thus covered and fed at thy proper cost, Thy path I would tread which pleases my host. Thy patience inherit, thy lowliness prove, Catch all thy sweet Spirit, and burn with thy love. ___________________________<BrethrenVoice>___________________________ [which seeks to be guided solely by the New Testament Biblical pattern, facilitates free flow of Christian information. 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