-------------------------<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> <9 October 2002> In this issue: -------------- (1) <Devotional> "My final answer (Pt-2)" - Ravi Zacharias (2) <Doctrinal> "Fasting, what does the Bible teach?" (Pt-8) - C.E.Wigg (3) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-48)- A.W.Pink (1) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY> MY FINAL ANSWER (PART-2) Ravi Zacharias If you will allow me to play for a moment an Indian Regis Philbin, host, of course, of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?", may I ask you: how do you spell relief for loneliness? Is the answer A) Falling in love, B) Finding good friends, C) Self-sacrifice, or D) Worship? If you have joined us for our series on loneliness, I trust that you could provide the correct answer to my humorously-posed question. The answer is D) Worship. Yesterday, we considered worship in terms of gratitude, and today we will conclude with two further ways in which worship counters the ache of loneliness. We have learned that Appreciative love leads to worship that is alive with awe and wonder. It then goes beyond itself and gives to others. This is important, because the countering effect of worship on one's loneliness does not stop with the self; it in turn reaches out to others in their struggles. How is this accomplished? Put simply, God pours His love into our lives, and out of the overflow of that love or that deposit he makes in us, we have the means to love others-an account to draw from, if you will, to lavish on others. In a world of hate and suspicion, what a distinctive role the worshipper can play! This is the only way in which alienation is arrested and the nearness of Christ's love made real to so many who are hurting. Sadly, the hatred that is demonstrated in our world has been the inevitable outcome of a people who know no Appreciative Love toward the very author of life. Finally, worship not only flows out of gratitude to God and spreads the love of God in a hostile world, it also binds the worshipping life into a single focus, touching upon every sense of life itself. Many in our fragmented world feel the ache of loneliness because the "sword of Solomon" has done its work in their hearts, cutting them up. This inevitably brings alienation and a sense of desolation. In contrast, worship coalesces who we are, taking all of our aims, desires, and capacities, and tying them into one unified expression of praise to our Maker. In conclusion, Appreciative Love, or worship, flows out of gratitude to God, spreads the love of God to a hostile world, and binds the worshipping life into a single focus. It is the only answer to loneliness, and yes, that is my final answer. May it be yours as well. --- 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-8) NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES OF FASTING: Charles E. Wigg ELDERS AND CHRISTIAN LEADERS: In Acts 13:1-3, we learn that the leaders in the assembly at Antioch, were ministering to the Lord and fasting. We can only minister to the Lord through worship and praise, and this came first in the order of mention and of importance. I have observed that those who lay great emphasis on the practice of formal fasting, seem to know very little about true spiritual worship. It was as they were doing this, that the Holy Spirit instructed them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work of the Lord, to which they were called. It does not say that the whole assembly was ministering to the Lord and fasting, but the leadership. It is perfectly plain that if the elders and those who teach and lead in the local assembly, were to come together to minister to the Lord, and also to take their responsibility so seriously, that they were willing to deny themselves their normal food for a time, that we would see a much healthier state in the local assemblies, and that the Lord would raise up, and send out those whom He has called to serve Him in a full time capacity. Then in verse 3, before these two were sent out, these same elders fasted and prayed, then laid their hands on them, as an act of identification and fellowship, (not of official ordination,) and only then did they send them forth. Is it any wonder then, that their mission was attended with such blessing? How different things would be today, if there was the same devotion commitment, and self denying faithfulness amongst the elders and leaders of the assemblies of Christ. Such fasting will surely be honoured and blessed of God. PAUL: This great servant of God set a worthy example for us all to follow. His spiritual life began with fasting, Acts,9:9, so deeply convicted was he of his wicked life of blind religious zeal, that for three days after being arrested by the Lord Jesus, he neither ate nor drank. This was no formal fasting, but the result of the deepest distress. Then in the course of his ministry, he often went without food, sometimes voluntarily, sometimes because of the circumstances, no food was available, he tell us this in 2Cor.11:27. However none of this was for any formal purpose, or outward show. Let us be his imitators, as he was the imitator of Christ! THE APOSTLES: In 2Cor.6:5, though not mentioning them by name, Paul includes them with himself as God's fellow workmen, and along with many other sufferings, he tells that thy were in fastings often. The Greek word used for fasting is "Nestiea", and can mean a voluntary religious exercise, Private fasting, Public or national fasting, or simply fasting caused by want or poverty, that is because there is no food, such is nothing more than hunger. This was often experienced by the Apostles and the servants of God during the early days of the spreading of the Gospel. [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced with permission] _______________________________________________________________________ (3) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-48) THE IMMINENCY OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN (3/3) Arthur W. Pink .... The first parable need not here detain us, for, the Sowing of the Seed was done by Christ Himself while He was here in person on the earth. Concerning the parable of the Tares it is sufficient to say that within the lifetime of the apostles themselves, long before the end of the first century was reached, Satan had succeeded in covertly introducing his children among the people of God. It is true the parable teaches that the wheat and the tares were to grow together until the harvest and that the harvest would not be until the end of the age, but there is nothing in the parable which intimated that a protracted interval lay between the sowing and the harvest, nay, there was nothing in it which discouraged the belief that the crop might hasten rapidly and the harvest occur in the lifetime of the apostles themselves. The third parable foretold that the little mustard-seed was to become a great tree and, as we say, it was the growth of Christianity (previously corrupted) which was thus symbolized. But let it be carefully noted that nothing at all was said in the parable as to how great the "tree" was to become. Furthermore, we know that even in the days of the apostles Christianity had made marvellous progress and had spread through extensive regions. At the time our Lord uttered the parable His followers were but a mere handful and there is nothing to indicate that up to the hour of His ascension His flock was anything more than a "little" one. But contrast the conditions that we read of in the Book of Acts. Mark the three thousand which were converted on the day of Pentecost. Take note of such expressions as, "And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women" (Acts 5:14); "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake ** when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (8:5, 6, 12); "And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus, And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord"(11:20-24). Take into consideration the churches which were planted in Galatia, Corinth, Thessalonia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Babylon (1 Pet. 5:13), Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and then it will be seen that the predicted growth of the mustard-seed could present no obstacle to the disciples' continual expectancy of Christ's appearing. And, if it be further objected that our parable foretold the corruption as well as the growth of Christianity, the answer is that the apostolic Epistles record the fulfillment of this part of the parable too. Read such passages as Phil. 3:18, 19, where the apostle says, "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things;" (2 Thess. 2:7) and from such Scriptures we may discover how extensively the meal had been "leavened" in that early day. Thus the parables of the mustard-seed and the Leaven had been so far fulfilled in the lifetime of the apostles themselves that none could say the end of the age might not even then be near at hand. One other Scripture needs to be noted in this connection ere we turn to our next point. It has often been objected by post-millennialists that in view of our Lord's declaration "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. 24:14), that it was impossible for the apostles to be expecting Christ to return in their own lifetime. But this objection is disposed of by several passages recorded in the New Testament itself. In Acts 19:10 we read, "And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks." And again, in Col. 1:5, 6 we are told, "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel: which is come unto you, as it is in all the world" and in verse 23 of the same chapter "be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister." From these passages then it is abundantly clear that no such formidable hindrance as imagined by post-millennialists interposed between the apostles and the hope of the imminent return of the Redeemer. Scripture thus affords positive evidence that the Gospel had been so widely diffused by the apostles themselves that nothing further necessarily and inevitably intervened between them and the realization of their hope. Having thus, we trust, satisfactorily, disposed of the most plausible and forcible objection which can be brought against the pre-millennial and imminent Return of our Lord, let us now consider. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The above Scripture refers primarily to our Lord's Return to the earth, as is evident from the fact that He here styles Himself "The Son of Man;" yet, like all prophecy it has at least a double bearing and therefore may properly be applied to His secret Coming to the air. [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 _______________________________________________________