-------------------------<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> <7 October 2002> In this issue: ---------------- (1) <Exhortational> "For me to live is Christ" - Connie Giordano (2) <Doctrinal> "Fasting, what does the Bible teach?" (Pt-6) - C.E.Wigg (3) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-46)- A.W.Pink (1) <EXHORTATIONAL> FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST Connie Giordano We are either Christians who are saving, finding, or loving our lives or ones who are losing and hating them in order to obtain a better life in the world to come. Which is it? Our answer will determine where we will ultimately spend eternity - Heaven or Hell. Matthew 10:39 - "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it." Mark 8:35 - "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." Luke 9:24 - "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it." John 12:25 - "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." There is so much emphasis in our world today on living for the moment. All the worldly influences surrounding us urge us to live for self, enjoyment, pleasure, and honors. We are encouraged to fulfill all lusts, indulge our appetites, and make provision for our flesh in every conceivable way. From childhood we are directed to be apprehensive and meticulously concerned with an inordinate love for this temporal life. Before we know it, we are obsessed with a drive to seek comfort and security as a top priority. The Scriptures call it "finding," "saving," or "loving" our lives. Oftentimes, this goes on in a person's life at the expense of conscience. Christ - His will, dictates, and ways - are denied and disowned. The Cross is cast aside for sin and its momentary pleasure. Unfortunately, this same preservation of life is carried on over into the Christian's life. Self is the last idol to go. Oftentimes, the case is that many come to the Lord Jesus at salvation, deceiving themselves into believing that they have surrendered all to Him, only to find out that they are still driven by the same worldly pursuits and pleasures. This ought not to be! As Christians, we are to have a holy contempt for this temporal life and its pleasures. We are to consider it as vain and insufficient to satisfy our souls. We are to lay down our lives for the Lord and others - even as Jesus laid down His life for us. Our life is to be a life of Cross-carrying and self-denial through and through. Or we must sincerely admit that we have not yet surrendered all to Jesus as we claim. At this point in our walk with the Lord, we all need to stop and reflect on our true purpose for living. We need to seriously ask ourselves - Why am I here? Who am I living for? What is my main goal and objective in life as a Born-Again believer? What answers do the Scriptures give to my many questions? What serious changes must come into my life before I leave this world, enter eternity, and come face-to-face with the Living God - the Lord Jesus Christ? Galatians 2:20 says - "I am crucified with Christ..." "I am crucified" - That means that we are dead. Dead to what? Dead to the law as the means of acquiring salvation. Dead to sin and its enticements. Dead to the world and its ambitions, pomp, pride, and passions. O Saint of God! Are you "crucified with Christ"? Have you died to your will and ways, your plans and purposes? Have you died to this world and its evil influences? Are you carrying your cross today? Are you dying daily as the Apostle Paul mentioned in one of his Epistles? In what ways are you dying to Self and your will? What part of God's Will is going against the grain of your flesh at this time? Are you willingly laying down your life in imitation of your Savior, or are you fighting the Cross life of Self-denial? Galatians 2:20 - "Christ liveth in me..." Is this the One who supports, activates, and energizes you each day? Is it His grace that is giving you life, energy, and zeal in performing His will? Is He directing your every step? Does He have control of your money? Does He determine when you go, what you do, how you do it, how long you stay where you are at, and with whom you associate? 2 Corinthians 5:14 - "For the love of Christ constraineth us..." The love of Christ which was demonstrated on Calvary's Cross becomes the driving force in every Christian's life. It urges, excites, and presses each saint to acts of duty, self-denial, and extraordinary zeal. Are you motivated for action and duty in the Kingdom of God by the Love of Jesus? Does this overwhelming Sacrificial Love as demonstrated on the Cross cause you to "lose" your life for Jesus and others? What are you doing for the Savior this day? How are you showing Him that you are so grateful for His incomprehensible Love? 2 Corinthians 5:15 - "And that He died for all..." Think about it! The Lord Jesus died in our place. He died instead of or for our sakes. We were the ones dead in sins, deserving of punishment and death. But He was our Blessed Substitute. Bless His Holy Name! Hence, we are eternally indebted to Him. By His Precious Blood, He redeemed our souls from Satan's slave market. We are no longer our own. We belong to Him. We are His property to do with as He pleases. Consequently, we should never strive to "find," "save," or "love" our lives any longer. They simply do not belong to us any more. We no longer should live to gain wealth, obtain a reputation, or enjoy the pleasures of this life. From the moment of salvation, we are to live to promote His Glory and Honor. Are we? 2 Corinthians 5:15 - "...that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him Which died for them, and rose again." "They which live should...live unto...Him Which died for them, and rose again." - We are no longer to seek our own ease and pleasure. We are not to promote our own interests. We are to dedicate and consecrate our entire beings to the service of Him Who died for us. Our person, time, talents, skills, monies, and strength are not to be regarded as our own. Philippians 1:21 - "For to me to live is Christ..." As Christ's servants and property, we live solely and absolutely for Him and His Glory. We have no other motives and purposes for living. Sad to say - so many believers are not advancing the cause of Christ today. They are practicing no self-denial. They are living for gain, pleasure, fashion, and reputation. They are seeking to promote their own interests rather than the interests of the Lord Jesus. Many are more absorbed in promoting the concerns and matters of their own church, denomination, or group than they are in promoting the cause of Christ. Others are out to build up their own family which merely results in being an extension of Self. They have no time for others. They are too busy serving themselves. The Scriptures inform us that as Christians, we are- "Crucified with Christ," "Christ liveth in me," "The Love of Christ constraineth us," Christ "died for all...that they which live should live...unto Him which died for them." We should never be found endeavouring to "find," "save," and "love" our lives. On the contrary, we should seek to "lose" and "hate" our lives in this world. Our aim each waking day should be - "For to me to live is Christ..." Then will we be able to say - "...and to die is gain." Thence we will "keep" our lives for all eternity. May God Bless His Word. Connie --- © Connie Giordano 2002 _______________________________________________________________________ (2) <DOCTRINAL> FASTING - AN EXAMINATION OF WHAT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES TEACH (PART-6) Charles E. Wigg HIS CONDEMNATION OF HYPOCRISY: Though the Lord Jesus never commanded us to fast, neither is it commanded in the Old Testament, yet He spoke in the strongest condemnation of those who practiced fasting as a religious show. Their gloomy face, their neglect of their outward appearance, so that they may appear to be undergoing great suffering, so that they might attract the attention, the sympathy, the admiration of men, was clearly very repulsive to Him. He tells us the story of the Pharisee who prayed to himself, Luke, 18:10-14. That Pharisee gave God such a lecture about what he considered were his own good points, or works, and amongst them boasted that he fasted twice in the week. However he only exalted himself, and failed to gain the power and approval with God that he thought he deserved, neither was he justified, but the despised tax gatherer was. All this is meant to be a warning to us, may we have grace to heed the warning. I fear that the Pharisee has many modern counterparts today. Especially during the time of Lent, when misguided nominal Christians, deny themselves of so many things, which is not commanded in the scriptures, and are so proud of their self denial, though they continue in their sins, and reject the salvation that our Lord Jesus bought for all who trust in Him, with His precious blood. WHY DO PEOPLE FAST?: The idea in the minds of many is that fasting gives them power with God, or even power over God. This is often based on the words of the Lord Jesus in Matt. 17: 21, "But this kind does not go out, but by prayer and fasting". The desire for the deliverance of those who are enslaved by sin, or Satan's power, or his demons, is a noble and right desire, but the mere lust for power, even power over Satan's mighty demons, comes only from the pride of man. the desire for fame, the flesh. The desire for power in prayer likewise, is a worthy desire, so long as it is God's glory alone that we seek. The desire to have power over God, emanates from the flesh. The false teaching of some, that we can command God to do what we want,, through the so-called authority of prayer, is based on human presumption. I have heard people telling God that He must do this or that. Our Heavenly Father is Lord of heaven and earth, He will not take orders or advice from us. Such people also claim that it is quite wrong when we pray to ask, if it be thy will, claiming that this is the language of unbelief, it is nothing of the kind, but the humble acceptance of the fact that we do not always know what the will of God is in every situation. It is the realization that God who knows the end from the beginning, knows what is best in every situation. The Lord Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced with permission] _______________________________________________________________________ (3) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-46) THE IMMINENCY OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN (1/3) Arthur W. Pink .... "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry" (Heb. 10:37). In the previous chapter we sought to do nothing more than prove that our Redeemer would return before the Millennium, the date of His return, either the approximate or the precise date, we did not touch upon. Nowhere in the Bible is the actual time of the Second Advent made known, instead, it is presented as an event which may occur at any hour; or, in other words, the Fact of the Saviour's appearing is invariably set forth in the language of Imminency. When we say that the Redeemer's Return is an imminent event, we do not mean it will occur immediately, but that He may come back in our own lifetime, that He may come back this year; yet, we cannot say that He will do so. The Fact of the Second Advent is certain because expressly revealed in Holy Writ; the Date of the Second Advent is uncertain because it has not been made known by God. Here then we have a truth, which is simple to grasp, yet one which is of fundamental importance and great practical value. The majority of the errors and heresies which have gathered around this subject are directly traceable to the ignoring of this elementary consideration. For example: if the Lord's people had given due heed to the fact that Scripture presents the Second Coming of Christ as something which may happen at any hour, then the post-millennial teaching that our Lord will not come back again for more than a thousand years, would never have obtained the hearing and acceptance which it has received. Furthermore; if the wondrous truth that our Redeemer might return today once took firm hold on our hearts, it would revolutionize our lives and provide us with a spiritual dynamic which is incalculable in its reach and incomparable in its value. Without expatiating any further upon the general bearings of this aspect of our theme, let us not proceed to show that-- 1. Our Lord Himself spoke of His Return in the language of Imminency. In the Olivet discourse, where the Master replied to the inquires of His disciples concerning the Sign of His Coming and of the End of the Age, He said--"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over His household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That He shall make him ruler over all His goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 24:42-51). 1 An analysis of the above passage reveals the following important truths. First; the "hour" of our Lord's Return is unknown to His people. Second; because we know not the exact time of His appearing, we must be in an attitude of constant expectation and watchfulness. Third; the Lord will return unexpectedly, even in such an hour as His own people "think not." Fourth; the faithful and wise servant is he who shall give meat in due season to those of the Lord's household during the time of Christ's absence, and the one who is found so occupied at the time of His appearing shall be richly rewarded. Fifth; the one who shall say in his heart "My Lord delayeth His coming" is an "evil servant," and such an one shall receive a portion of shame and suffering at our Lord's Return. The Parable of the Ten Virgins intimates that the Lord Jesus desired His people to maintain an attitude of constant readiness for the appearing of the Bridegroom. At the beginning of the parable He pictures all of the "virgins" taking their lamps and going forth to "meet" Him. The interpretation of this part of the parable is very simple. In the early days after our Lord's departure from the earth, His followers detached themselves from all worldly interests and set their affections on Christ--His return being their one hope and great desire. But while the Bridegroom tarried the expectation of His appearing disappeared, and spiritual sloth and sleep was the inevitable consequence, and this condition prevailed until the midnight cry arose--"Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." The effect of this cry is seen in the arousing of both the wise and the foolish virgins. The need of preparation and watchfulness is disclosed in the doom that overtook those who had no oil in their vessels. The practical application of the whole parable was made by the Lord Himself--"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh." (Matt. 25:13). [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 _______________________________________________________