-------------------------<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> <4 October 2002> In this issue: ------------- (1) <Devotional> "Appreciative love" (Pt-1) - Ravi Zacharias (2) <Doctrinal> "Fasting, what does the Bible teach?" (Pt-4) - C.E.Wigg (3) <Exhortational> "Do I resemble the living Son of God?" (Pt-1/2) - Connie (4) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-44)- A.W.Pink (1) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY> APPRECIATIVE LOVE (PART-1) Ravi Zacharias During one of my travels a few years ago, a colleague and I found ourselves at Cape Point in South Africa. We stood at the tip of the triangle at Land's End gazing at that vast open body of water which had tested the best of the early explorers and which reached as far as the eye could see. From one side surged the Atlantic Ocean and from the other, the Indian Ocean. As the two oceans met, swirling with an awesome force, we looked literally into the wild blue yonder. I will never forget that moment. The sight was breathtaking. As we watched the magnificence in silence, there was an overwhelming desire to respond in some way. But how do you do that? In his book, The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis makes a brilliant case for a love that longs to express gratitude, or what he calls Appreciative Love. Here is how he underscores what appreciative love is. Need-love cries to God from our poverty; Gift-love longs to serve, or even suffer for, God; Appreciative love says: "We give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory." Need-love says of a woman "I cannot live without her"; Gift-love longs to bring her happiness, comfort. But Appreciative love gazes and holds its breath and is silent, rejoices that such a wonder should exist even if not for him, will not be wholly dejected by losing her, would rather have it so than never to have seen her at all. {Footnote 1: C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1960), 192.} That is it, my friend. Appreciative love endures because it is rooted in the very source of our being, not merely in behaving. Gratitude is indispensable to the highest form of love, and I believe it is the cornerstone of the answer for loneliness. Appreciative love springs forth out of gratitude to God for the very cause of my being. It is a love that bends the heart and the will in worship, and it fills the loneliness or the "beyond" in our lives. I have often wondered if that is why atheism is so barren-it has nobody to thank. A thankless life loses gratitude and wonder. If you ever find yourself in a place like Cape Point, you certainly do not have to stop to hug a mountain, nor leave a gift at the bottom of a rock configuration. But you can pause and say thank you to the one who made it and love him with all of your heart. --- 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-4) Charles E. Wigg ... INDIVIDUAL FASTING ON BEHALF OF OTHERS: Then we have examples of individuals fasting, weeping, confessing, on behalf of others. Nehemiah, fasted when he heard of the sad state of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem, Neh.1:4. Once again the fasting was coupled with weeping, and praying, it was by no means a mere formality. Daniel, is yet another example, Dan. 9:3. He was a holy man, who by his blameless life, simple faith and trust in God, deep concern for the people of God, and his love and study of the word of God, had endeared himself to the heart of God. So much so that the angel told him several times that he was a man greatly beloved. Yet though so blameless, he took it upon himself to seek the Lord by prayers, supplications and fasting, so that he might shorten the sentence passed on Israel of seventy years deportation. It was not just a careless exercise, because he understood the will of God, by reading the word of God. He tells us that he confessed his own sins, as well as those of the people of Israel, and because his prayer was according to the will of God, it brought an immediate answer. This is the kind of fasting that pleases God, and brings answers to prayer. Hannah, is yet another example, (1Sam.chapter 1.) She was broken hearted because of her barrenness, and the terrible state of the nation. She fasted, wept and prayed that silent prayer, yielding herself to Him so that His will might be done. She promised that if God would give her a son, then she would give him back to God all his life. As a result of her prayer, Samuel was born, and God used him to bring Israel to national repentance.[To be concluded] --- [Reproduced with permission] _______________________________________________________________________ (3) <EXHORTATIONAL> "DO I RESEMBLE THE LIVING SON OF GOD?" (PART-1/2) Connie M Giordano From the foundation of the world, God designed that we would walk and live as Jesus did. With each new day, we are systematically conforming to the image of Jesus or the image of Satan. Which one? It all depends on which realm we find ourselves - the realm of the Spirit or the realm of the flesh. Let's use this message as a criterion or spiritual test to determine to what extent we resemble Jesus and how far we still have to go in reaching this goal. Romans 8:29 - "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." "Conformed to the image of His Son" - This is God's perfect plan. This is His design. This is His destiny for all of mankind who will be saved. The Lord Jesus is the pattern and sampler for all to imitate and follow. Day by day, through the influence of the Word of God and His immeasurable grace, the Holy Spirit strives to accomplish this great task in each one of us. This is His sole project. With every circumstance, every act of Providence, every relationship, every trial and season of affliction, every miracle, and every portion of grace poured out upon the sons and daughters of God - He works to this end - to conform us to the image of Jesus. Many journeys in our Christian walk do not make sense until we read Romans 8:29 and realize that in spite of our clouded understanding and bewilderment as to which direction God is taking us or why things are happening as such, He is busy at work in each one of us. He has one goal and aim in mind. Everything that transpires in our lives happens for one reason and one reason alone - to bring us into conformity to the image and likeness of God's Son - to make us more like Jesus. But how do we measure up in this plan of God? Are we as sanctified as we suppose and claim? What exactly is the image of Jesus and what does it entail? How does a person act who is conformed to this Glorious image? Let's examine some characteristics of the Lord Jesus as exemplified so beautifully and succinctly in the Holy Scriptures and see how we compare - 1. LOVELY - Song of Solomon 5:16 - "...yea, He is altogether lovely..." The Lord Jesus is truly and wholly lovely. That is why we long for Him. He is all that we could ever desire. 2. HOLY - Luke 1:35 - " And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Acts 4:27 - "...Thy holy child Jesus, Whom Thou hast anointed..." Revelation 3:7 - "...These things saith He that is holy..." Holiness dwells within the Living Son of God. It is His nature. From Him, all holiness is derived. 3. RIGHTEOUS AND JUST - Isaiah 53:11 - "...by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many..." Hebrews 1:9 - "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity..." Isaiah 11:5 - "And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins..." Zechariah 9:9 - "...behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just..." John 5:30 - "...My judgment is just, because I seek not Mine own will..." Acts 22:14 - "...The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know His will, and see that Just One..." The Lord Jesus is the Righteous Lord Who makes many righteous. He is perfectly holy, upright, and undefiled. He came to fulfill all righteousness; His sceptre is a sceptre of righteousness; He is righteous in all His ways. He hates and opposes all sin. In the Scriptures, this virtue is depicted as a girdle about His loins. As a band girds up the loose, flowing robes before action, even so does His righteousness cling to Him and is the motivation behind His just ways and acts. He is the Fountain of all righteousness, justice, and holiness. 4. GOOD - Matthew 19:16 - "And behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master..." When this individual came to the Lord Jesus, he honored Him by addressing Him as "Good Master." In a sense, what he was saying was that Jesus was the best of teachers - the most excellent of all. No would could express himself like He did. 5. FAITHFUL - 1 Thessalonians 5:24 - "Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it." Sanctification is a work of grace. God began this good work, and He will be sure to complete it. 6. TRUE - John 1:14 - "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 7:18 - "...but He that seeketh His glory that sent Him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him." Jesus is the Truth. In Him is no lie or falsehood. At all times, He declared the Truth with simplicity and great plainness of speech to those who had an ear to hear. Unlike the deceivers of His day and of our modern day, He did not seek His own glory. This very act verified Him as a true Teacher sent from God. He came to promote His Father's Glory and to provoke all men to love and obey Him. 7. GUILELESS - Isaiah 53:9 - "...because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth." 1 Peter 2:22 - "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth." Christ was always truthful. He never offended another in word or in deed through deceit, trickery, betrayal, hypocrisy, or insincerity. 8. SINLESS - John 8:46 - "Which of you convinceth Me of sin?..." 2 Corinthians 5:21 - "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin..." No one could ever convict Him of any sin or prove Him guilty of any wrongdoing. He was a total stranger to sin. His heart and mind was entirely pure. 9. SPOTLESS - 1 Peter 1:19 - "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." The Lamb of God was in no way tainted by the world. He was perfectly pure. 10. INNOCENT - Matthew 27:4 - "...I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood..." Judas, the betrayer, recognized that Jesus had done no wrong - He was innocent. 11. HARMLESS - Hebrews 7:26 - "For such an high priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners..." Never did this High Priest ever injure another's person, property, or name. 12. OBEDIENT - Psalm 40:8 - "I delight to do Thy will, O my God..." John 4:34 - "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work." John 15:10 - "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." Luke 2:49 - "And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought Me? wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" He made it His main business and great objective while on earth to do the will of His Father which was to make atonement for the sins of mankind. He did not veer to the right hand or to the left at any time. [To be concluded] --- © 2002 by Connie Giordano _______________________________________________________________________ (4) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-44) PRE-MILLENNIALISM ESTABLISHED Arthur W. Pink .... 3. The Restoration of Israel is only made possible by the Second Advent of Christ. Under this head we shall seek to prove briefly three things--that Israel as a nation will be restored, that Israel's restoration occurs at the Return of Christ, that Israel's restoration will result in great blessing to the whole world. That Israel as a nation will be actually and literally restored is declared again and again in the Word of God. We quote now but two prophecies from among scores of similar ones:--"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our righteousness. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the House of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land"(Jer. 23:5-8). Again; "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one King shall be King to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be My people, and I will be their God. And David My Servant shall be King over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and My Servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore" (Ezek. 37:21-28). That Israel's restoration synchronized with our Lord's Return to the earth may be seen from the following Scriptures:--"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him; and He will save us: This is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation" (Isaiah 25:9 and read on to the end of the following chapter). See further the whole of Isaiah 60 which follows the opening verse--"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon them." In Acts 3 we learned that Peter declared to Israel that if they would "Repent and be converted" that God would "send Jesus Christ unto them" and that following Christ's Return there would be the "Times of Restitution," even the Times of Refreshing which should "come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19-21). In Acts 15:16 we read, "After this, I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down." And in Rom. 11:25, 26 we are told, "Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." That Israel's restoration results in great blessing to the whole world may be seen from the following quotations--"And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men" (Micah 5:7). "Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit"(Is. 27:6). While in Romans 11 we are told that the restoration of Israel will bring even greater blessing to the world than did their casting away--"If the fall of them (Israel) be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness! If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead!"(Rom. 11:11, 15). [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 _______________________________________________________