-------------------------<BrethrenVoice>------------------------- [which seeks to be guided solely by the NT Biblical pattern, facilitates free flow of Christian info. To God be the glory!] [eMail Moderator: brethrenvoice-owner@...] [<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> Archives/Read online: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ezmlm.cgi] <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <2 October 2002> In this issue: ------------- (1) <Devotional> "All you need is love?" - Ravi Zacharias (2) <Doctrinal> "Fasting, what does the Bible teach?" (Pt-2) - C.E.Wigg (3) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-42)- A.W.Pink (1) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY> ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE? Ravi Zacharias Some of you may remember the 1960's, when four shaggy-haired lads sang, "All You Need Is Love." Every generation has had its crooners extolling love as the paramount pursuit of life and the cure for loneliness, hasn't it? From the one-liners on T-shirts worn by kids today crying out to be heard, to the sentimental movies of a by-gone era, tales of love litter the landscape. But let me ask you this: is love really the answer to loneliness? The answer may seem obvious because we hear from all sides, "Of course it is." But friend, I beg to differ! Listen to D.H. Lawrence, writing of his own pursuit of happiness, and hear what forces one to think long and hard before surrendering to his conclusion. Here's what he writes: We want to delude ourselves that of the problem of our emptiness, love is at the root. I want to say to you, it isn't. Love is only the branches. The root goes beyond love. A naked kind of isolation. An isolated me that does not meet and mingle and never can. It is true what I say. There is a beyond in me which goes further than love, beyond the scope of stars. Just as some stars are beyond the scope of our vision, so our own search goes beyond the scope of love. At least, I think that it is at the root, going beyond love itself. (Footnote 1: D. H. Lawrence. Source Unknown.) Is Lawrence right? There is a "beyond" in all of us that love does not satisfy. As grand a privilege as love is, I suspect that even in its best form we have made of it something it was never meant to be. Love has been exalted to emotional expectations that it could never deliver on a sustained basis. As the familiar proverb goes, "Love ceases to be a demon only when it ceases to be a god." In other words, love becomes an affliction when it is idolized as an end in itself. May I submit then that that "beyond" in us is the longing for God, who is the Author of love. Love is not the final answer to loneliness. Love is not the root. It is only the branches. When we turn to the Author of love to define the source of its root and the reach of its branches, love is understood rightly. Friend, listen to that "beyond" in your heart and call upon the One who can truly meet you there. --- 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) <DOCTRINAL> FASTING - AN EXAMINATION OF WHAT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES TEACH (PART-2) Charles E. Wigg ... THE SPIRIT OF FASTING: God explained through Isaiah, (chapter 58;6-7,) what He desired from His people, and that was not just an outward show, but a real searching examination of their lives. A thorough and fearless confession and forsaking of every sin, and practice that was contrary to His nature, and His word. The religious side of the fallen nature of Adam which is within each one of us, loves to have something in which to glory. Outward self-denial suits the flesh very nicely, as it makes the one who practices it feel very faithful and devoted, as if it is the manifestation of some superior spirituality. I have known young people who were very worldly in their ways and attitudes, and never practiced any form of separation from the world, but were guilty of many sinful habits, yet when asked to fast at a youth camp, gladly responded. I can only assume that it made them "feel good", to think that they were going without food for a time, to "please God", while all the time they were just pleasing their camp leaders, and themselves, It made them feel that they were being some kind of martyrs, but at the same time they were not willing to give up their worldly and sinful ways. Such fasting gives no pleasure to the heart of God. The fasting that pleases God, is not merely going without food for a time, but abstaining from eating because of an overwhelming sense of shame, and grief, because of our sins, that takes away our desire to eat. The people of Israel were practicing all kinds of injustice, business dishonesty, violence and wickedness, yet they were fasting, and pretending to seek the Lord and His will, as if they were a nation who had done righteousness, and had not broken God's laws, or forsaken His ordinances. Yet they were asking Him for just decisions, as if they delighted in His nearness. They were going through the outward rituals of fasting, pretending to humble themselves, and wondered why God did not notice their devotion and self-denial. However God has to rebuke them, telling them that even in this their motives were selfish, and even while they were "fasting", they were driving their employees all the harder. They "fasted" hoping that it might help them to win their arguments, and their fights. Fasting is good, but only when carried on from pure and right motives. There were so many other things in their lives which God wanted them to judge, to cease doing, to put away, to deny to themselves, before they thought of denying themselves food. He wanted them to be gentle, forgiving and gracious, not harsh, critical and judgmental of others. He wanted them to cease their greedy, selfish, grasping ways, their exploitation of others, their oppression of the poor, and instead to be generous, kind, and even willing to take the homeless poor into their houses. He wanted them to put Himself, His pleasure, obedience to His word, first in their lives, and promised spiritual blessing, fresh and fragrant, fruitful lives to them if they were willing to do as He asked. However they were not willing to do as He asked them, but preferred to continue their wickedness, but also to keep up their ritual fasting. There are so many like that even today, such think it is smart if they can cheat their employer, by being lazy, or charging time that they have not worked. They will drink, smoke, use bad language, think nothing of having illicit affairs with other persons than their life-partner. They will worship the god of sport, and abuse their bodies in doing so. As well they will be violent to others in playing sport, or in arguments. They think that if they go to church once on Sunday, then the rest of the "Lord's Day", in fact the rest of the week is their own, to do "their pleasure". Yet such will be proud of their fasting, will sometimes boast of it to others. Such "fasting", is a waste of time, and gives no pleasure to God. [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced with permission] _______________________________________________________________________ (3) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-42) PRE-MILLENNIALISM ESTABLISHED Arthur W. Pink .... 1. Christ does not "receive the Kingdom" until the time of His Second Advent We must quote once more a passage that has already engaged our attention in another connection, namely, the Parable of the Nobleman. Before quoting from it, however, we would first observe that this parable was uttered by our Lord in order to correct a mistaken notion that was being entertained by certain of His auditors: "And as they heard these things, He added and spake a parable, because He was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought the kingdom of God should immediately appear" (Luke 19:11). Here is further proof that the "Kingdom," referred to subsequently by our Lord was not a spiritual Kingdom instituted by Him just after His death and resurrection, but was a Kingdom which was not to "appear" for a considerable length of time, in fact not until He returned again to the earth. To quote once more from this parable-- "He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for Himself a Kingdom and to return. ** And it came to pass, that when He was returned having received the Kingdom, then He commanded these servants to be called unto Him, to whom He had given the money, that He might know how much every man had gained by trading" (Luke 19:12, 15). Thus we see that our Lord's receiving of the Kingdom and His return synchronize. The Kingdom to which was the subject of numerous Old Testament prophecies. It was the "Kingdom" mentioned by Daniel in 7:13, 14 of his prophecy--"And I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him(compare "received" in the above parable) dominion, and glory, and a kingdom,that all peoples, nations, and languages, should serve Him." As the context here shows, the time when the Son of Man is "given" this Kingdom is immediately following the destruction of t he Gentile powers which from the Book of Revelation, we know will occur just prior to the Millennium. If further proof be needed that Christ's "receiving of the Kingdom" takes place before and not after the Millennium it is furnished by 1 Cor. 15:24 where we are told that at the close of the Millennium--which is the time when He shall have "put down all rule and all authority and power"--He shall deliver "up the Kingdom to God, even the Father." If then Christ "delivers up" the Kingdom to the Father at the close of the Millennium then the conclusion is irresistible that He "receives" the Kingdom at the beginning of the Millennium. [To be concluded] _____________________<BrethrenVoice>_____________________ Subscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> Unsubscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> FAQs/Faith Statement, eMail: <brethrenvoice-faq@...> <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 "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jn 8:32 _______________________________________________________