<BrethrenVoice>
<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY>
<4 September 2002>
Contents:
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(1) <Devotional> "Trust in Him at all times." - C.H. Spurgeon
(2) <Devotional> "Informing our feelings" - Ravi Zacharias
(3) <Doctrinal> "In the beginning it was not so!" (Pt-9) - C.E.Wigg
(4) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-19)- A.W.Pink
(5) <Apologetics) "Christian Apologetics" (Pt-7) -M. Copland
(1) <DEVOTIONAL>
"TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES" - PSALM 62:8
C.H. Spurgeon
Faith is as much the rule of temporal as of spiritual life; we ought to have
faith in God for our earthly affairs as well as for our heavenly business.
It is only as we learn to trust in God for the supply of all our daily need
that we shall live above the world. We are not to be idle, that would show
we did not trust in God, who worketh hitherto, but in the devil, who is the
father of idleness. We are not to be imprudent or rash; that were to trust
chance, and not the living God, who is a God of economy and order. Acting in
all prudence and uprightness, we are to rely simply and entirely upon the
Lord at all times.
Let me commend to you a life of trust in God in temporal things. Trusting in
God, you will not be compelled to mourn because you have used sinful means
to grow rich. Serve God with integrity, and if you achieve no success, at
least no sin will lie upon your conscience. Trusting God, you will not be
guilty of self-contradiction. He who trusts in craft, sails this way to-day,
and that way the next, like a vessel tossed about by the fickle wind; but he
that trusteth in the Lord is like a vessel propelled by steam, she cuts
through the waves, defies the wind, and makes one bright silvery
straightforward track to her destined haven. Be you a man with living
principles within; never bow to the varying customs of worldly wisdom. Walk
in your path of integrity with steadfast steps, and show that you are
invincibly strong in the strength which confidence in God alone can confer.
Thus you will be delivered from carking care, you will not be troubled with
evil tidings, your heart will be fixed, trusting in the Lord. How pleasant
to float along the stream of providence! There is no more blessed way of
living than a life of dependence upon a covenant-keeping God. We have no
care, for He careth for us; we have no troubles, because we cast our burdens
upon the Lord.
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(2) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY>
INFORMING OUR FEELINGS
Ravi Zacharias
We often say things like, "Don't jump into commitments," or, "Sleep on it
before you say anything," with the implication being that if thought is
brought to bear on our present feeling, we might say or do something
different. If our feelings regarding our physical well-being are important
to reckon with, how much more so when struggling with the nearness or
remoteness of God! Feelings on such a matter become life-defining. Again,
we must know what is real so that we base our feelings on what is true.
I was once on a radio program dealing with a completely different subject
when a woman called in to say, "I have tried everything but I do not feel
God." We have been considering this inner struggle for the past several
days, and I have drawn two conclusions. The first I shall deal with today;
the second we leave for tomorrow.
First, as we live we will be broken; we will have to be broken. And, please
hear me: We will either be broken by a lie or by the truth. Even Jesus
embodied and dramatically showed this certainty in one very significant
choice. When Jesus faced the Cross, He knew what lay before him, and He knew
that any path He chose would deeply wound him. He prayed, "My Father, if it
is possible, let this cup pass," then added, "yet not my will, but Yours be
done."
What did Jesus dread? Yes, the physical pain, but even more: the terrible
knowledge and feeling of being abandoned by God His Father in the depths of
His suffering. "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" Jesus cried out
on the Cross. Yet, by his choosing to die and endure that momentary
separation He was drawn completely into the bosom of the Father.
To put it differently, Jesus had a choice: to resist the Cross and leave the
world a broken place, or else be broken himself so that the world-you and I,
dear friend-might be drawn near and live. You see, in that death and
separation from His Father He was able to bring us who were far off into the
embrace of God. Jesus' choice, the Cross, lies at the heart of what God's
nearness and remoteness are all about. This is such a vital theme that I
hope to deal with it in following segments. I hope you will listen because
God seeks to put your life back together.
---
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.
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(3) <DOCTRINAL>
IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO! (PART-9)
Charles E. Wigg
....
PERSECUTION
It is interesting to notice, that the healing of the lame man, brought
fierce persecution upon the Disciples and the early Church. This was also
true in a pagan setting in chapter 14:19. However today we find that things
are different. The modern "healers" have discovered the science of mind
control and the way to sway the crowds by their deceit and trickery. In many
cases this leads to their gaining support from the crowds, who are so easily
deceived. It also moves the crowds to give large sums of money to the
deceivers. "In the beginning it was not so".
In this instance it is interesting to notice the words of Peter and John. To
the lame beggar they said, "Look on us", but to the crowds they said, "Why
marvel ye, or why look ye so earnestly on us". They resolutely refused to
take any credit for what had happened. Instead they gave the glory to God
and emphasised that it was through the mighty name of the Lord Jesus alone,
that the man was healed. How different to the charlatans of today, who love
to bask in the sunshine of the glory and fame that they secure to themselves
by their trickery. "In the beginning it was not so".
THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF PERSECUTION
While persecution is to be accepted as a part of the price to pay for
faithfully following Christ; yet it is interesting to note the sources from
which it came. But first let us remind ourselves of the words of our Blessed
Master, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me, before it hated
you", John 15:18 - 16:4. Peter warns us not to take as strange the fire of
persecution, 1 Pet. 4;12-19. Paul also warns us that those who will live
godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim.3;12. John also tells
us "Marvel not my brethren if the world hate you". 1 John, 3;13.
[To be concluded]
---
[Reproduced with permission of Charles E. Wigg]
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(4) <PROPHETICAL>
"THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-19)
III. THE BLESSEDNESS OF OUR HOPE
Arthur W. Pink
....
3. Because of its bearing upon the Church.
---------------------------------------------------
Concerning this point we shall here merely generalize, for this precious
aspect of our subject will come up for consideration again in a later
chapter. In a word, we may say that, the Hope of the Church lies in the
future and not in the present, is heavenly and not earthly. To His disciples
our Lord said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation" (John 16:30). This
is the present portion of the Church which is His body: this is all that the
believer is to expect from the world in which he is now living. We are not
to be surprised if the world "hates" us, because it first hated our Divine
Master. Said the apostle "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not
only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake." Yea, we are
assured that "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution." The Lord's path to the Throne was via the Cross, and we are
called to "follow His steps." The Hope of the Church then lies not in this
world, but above it; not in the present, but in the future.
At first sight it may appear strange, especially to unbelievers, that the
Christian should speak of his hope. In contrast to the wicked who have "no
peace," the saint has a satisfying portion. The believer has already drunk
of that "living water" of which those who drink shall "never thirst." The
believer is already in possession of "eternal life," but he has not yet
entered into the full and unhindered enjoyment of it--that is still before
him as the object of his hope. In one sense then, the Christian is
satisfied, in another sense he is not. The believer already knows One, yea,
is not indwelt by One who can satisfy him. He knows Christ, possesses
Christ, enjoys Christ; but, as yet, he has not seen Christ. It is by faith
(not feelings) that we know and enjoy Christ, but the more we know and enjoy
Him thus, the more we long to behold Him--"Whom having not seen, ye love; in
whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory; receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your souls" (1 Pet. 1:8, 9).
"Yes, my brethren, believing in Christ, whom we have not seen, we love Him;
we rejoice in Him with unspeakable joy; we receive the salvation of our
soul. But to see Christ--to have the salvation which He wrought out on the
cross applied to our bodies as well as to our soul--to have it perfected in
our experience even as it respects our soul--to have it consummated thus in
all who are follow-partakers with us of Christ--to be with Him, and with
them, in our Father's house--to behold His glory which the Father has given
Him--to appear with Him in glory when He appears--to reign with Him over a
ransomed and redeemed and happy creation--to fulfil our part in the
universal harmony of all in heaven and all in earth, when all shall bow the
knee to Jesus, when every tongue shall own Him Lord, and all voices shall
join to celebrate His praise,--this, and far more than this--far more than
heart can conceive or tongue explain, is what we wait for; and, above all,
we wait for Him whose return shall introduce us to all this perfect
blessedness--we wait for God's Son from heaven, whom He raised from the
dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. HE IS OUR HOPE.
We know Him now by faith as our Saviour, our Lord, our life, our peace, our
joy, our all. AND HE IS OUR HOPE. He is plainly said to be so in 1 Tim.
1:1--"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our
Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ OUR HOPE." And what He is thus in so many
plain words expressly declared to be in this passage, He is shown to be by
the uniform, unvarying testimony of Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation
("Plain Papers on Prophetic Subjects" by W. Trotter 1 ). Again, the
Redeemer's Return is a "Blessed Hope"--
[To be concluded]
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(5) <APOLOGETICS>
"CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS, AN INTRODUCTION - (PART-7)"
M. Copland
....
OUR DEPENDENCE UPON THE NEW TESTAMENT
INTRODUCTION
------------
1. We have seen the evidence from UNBIASED SOURCES that establishes
Jesus of Nazareth...
a. As a person of history
b. Who lived and died in the First Century A.D.
2. But we also pointed out that such sources tell us nothing about...
a. Who He was
b. What He did
...to earn such a reputation that, centuries later, His teachings and
life still has so much influence in our society
3. For the Christian, the only record which describes in any detail the
life and death of Jesus is the NEW TESTAMENT
a. But as a HISTORICAL DOCUMENT, is it reliable?
b. Can we trust it to be accurate in relating facts of history con-
cerning Jesus, His life, death and resurrection?
c. Can we even have confidence that what we have today in the form
of the New Testament is an accurate copy of that penned by the
original authors?
4. These are some of the questions we shall attempt to answer as we
begin to examine "THE HISTORICAL RELIABILITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT"
[But first, for CHRISTIANS to appreciate the importance of this
subject, it may help to demonstrate how dependent our faith is on the
reliability of the New Testament as a historical document...]
I. WHY DO WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD?
A. THE "ANSWERS" WE MOST LIKELY WOULD GIVE ARE...
1. "Because of the miracles He did"
2. "Because He fulfilled hundreds of the Messianic prophecies
found in the Old Testament"
3. "Because He rose from the dead"
B. BUT WHERE DOES ONE LEARN ABOUT THESE THINGS?
1. Where do we read about His miracles? THE NEW TESTAMENT!
2. Who says that He fulfilled the Messianic prophecies? THE
AUTHORS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT!
3. What evidence is there for the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
AGAIN, IT IS PRIMARILY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT!
[To be concluded]
---
© M. Copland 2002
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