-------------------------<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> <14 October 2002> In this issue: -------------- (1) <Ehortational> "The right man on our side!" - Connie Giordano (2) <Doctrinal> "Shall we meet our loved ones again?" (Pt-3) - D.L.Moody (3) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-52)- A.W.Pink (1) <EXHORTATIONAL> THE RIGHT MAN ON OUR SIDE Connie Giordano "A man came to Charles Finney, the well-known evangelist, and said, 'I don't believe in the existence of the devil.' 'Don't you?' asked Finney. 'Well, you resist him for a while, and you will believe in it.' That's what the second commandment of James is: 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.'(James 4:7b). A godly life is characterized by its conflicts with sin. The place most frequented by Satan is where holiness dwells." - Illustrations Of Bible Truths "Animal trainers say that the secret of handling lions, tigers, and leopards is to keep them constantly afraid of you. The instant they get over their fear, they will attack. They are treacherous beasts and often gather courage for an attack when the trainer's eyes are turned away from them. One never knows when they will spring at their keeper if they have a chance to do it from behind. Our fight with the forces of evil is like that. Satan is always seeking to attack us from the rear or in ambush. He goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, but he is a great coward when faced with courage. 'Resist the devil and he will flee from you' is as true today as it was when the Apostle James first made the declaration(James 4:7)." - Illustrations Of Bible Truths James 4:7 - "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." The Apostle James admonished us to "resist the devil." The word "resist" means to stand against, oppose, or to set oneself against. Therefore, whether the devil comes against us with allurements, flattering promises, fascinations of the world, temptation, or threats, we are to "resist" and oppose him. He secures his triumph against us through deception and craftiness. But we are to make our way against him by courage as the above illustration so aptly pointed out. When he sees that courage and direct resistance, he most assuredly will flee. There are people today - even God's people - who are either obsessed with the idea of a devil or totally ignore that he exists. Read what the Encyclopedia Of Sermon Illustrations says in its section called "Overly Preoccupied With The Devil" - "A front page headline flippantly asked,' Are more worshippers going to the devil?' Nearly every major magazine and newspaper in the land has one or more features on devil worship and black magic. TIME magazine did a cover story on the 'Occult Revival'(June 19, 1972), and a subheading on the cover gave this ominous warning: 'Satan returns.' People are unpredictable, aren't they? Either they overdo Satan, or they underdo him - and either is bad. C. S. Lewis hit the nail on the head in his preface to THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS: 'There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight." (End Of Quote) The Bible most assuredly tells us that there is a devil. 1 Peter 5:8 - He is our arch enemy, seeking whom he may devour. We are in no way to take a passive stance against him, but we are to "be sober, be vigilant...", keeping a watchful eye out for his tactics and snares sent out against us. Ephesians 4:27 - We are told in the Scriptures to "Neither give place to the devil.." Ephesians 6:11 - We are to "stand against the wiles of the devil." 1 Peter 5:9 - We are to "resist steadfast in the faith". Ephesians 6:12 - "principalities...powers... rulers of the darkness of this world...spiritual wickedness in high places." But, how exactly do we "resist the devil"? It has already been stated in this message that what causes the devil to flee from us is courage and direct resistance. But where do we get this courage or boldness to stand strong against this vicious enemy of our souls? The answer lies in the first part of James 4:7 - "Submit yourselves therefore to God..." Contrary to what most people believe, there will be no Victory over the devil unless this first command that the Apostle James lists here is obeyed. We can say "I rebuke you, Satan" a thousand times over and over again, but he will go nowhere. The Power, Strength, Boldness to resist him comes from our direct relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Proverbs 28:1 says - "...The righteous are bold as a lion." Our boldness to resist the devil comes not through our own righteousness but through the righteousness of the Lord Jesus that is imparted to us at salvation. It also comes through a life that continues in right standing with the Lord. Sin weakens us and gives place to the devil rather than aiding in resisting him. Righteous Living makes us bold as a lion. October 31st is a day that everyone remembers as Halloween, the devil's holiday. But how many know that on this very day in the year 1517, Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk and a professor of theology, posted on the doors of the Cathedral of Wittenberg, Germany, his 95 theses against the teachings of the Roman Church. With this event, the Protestant Reformation was born. This monk is well-known for these 95 theses, but that is not all that is attributed to his name. He is also the famous writer and composer of the renowned hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," based on the Psalm of David which says - Psalm 46:1-2 - "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." James 4:7 - With the Apostle James' words - "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" - in mind, read the words of this classic hymn that Martin Luther penned - "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe - His craft and pow'r are great, and armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He - Lord Sabaoth His name, from age to age the same - And He must win the battle. And tho this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph thru us. The prince of darkness grim - we tremble not for Him; His rage we can endure; for lo! his doom is sure - One little word shall fell him." Think about what Martin Luther was saying here through this hymn. The devil seeks to work us woe. His craft and power are undoubtedly great. He is armed with cruel hate against every child of God, threatening to undo us. He is indeed the prince of darkness whose doom is sure. The Word of God can stop him and bring him down in a second. Yet this is certainly not the gist of Luther's hymn. In the midst of this ferocious enemy sent to undo God's people stands a Mighty Fortress - Lord Sabaoth is HE! Glory to God! Hallelujah! Praise the Holy and Wonderful Name of JESUS!!! He is a bulwark never failing. Amid the flood of mortal ills, He is our helper. He is the right Man on our side. He is Christ Jesus - the same yesterday, and today, and forever. He must win the battle through us by His Triumphant Truth. Notice Luther's line in this hymn which corresponds to James' word - "Did we in our own strength confide our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing..." "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." We cannot resist the devil, fight him, or oppose him in our own Strength. Our Strength against him lies in our submission to God. Otherwise our striving is actually losing. We must have the Right Man on our side. In other words, we must be in right standing with the Lord Jesus - we must be walking in accordance with His Word at all times - if we plan on seeing Victory over the devil in our lives. Amos 3:3 says - "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" We cannot walk hand in hand with God unless we are walking in holiness and righteousness and in agreement with His Word. This walk of agreement with God causes us to be able to "resist the devil" and causes him, in turn, to flee. When we are walking in Submission to God's Will, we have the right Man on our side - Christ Jesus, it is He - and He becomes a Mighty Fortress for us against all of our enemies. This Unfailing Bulwark wins the battle each time. So many are obsessed with the devil and his powers. Others are totally oblivious to the very existence of the devil. There is a devil who is armed with cruel hate against us this day. However, the Holy Ghost would not have us to be preoccupied with the devil, but would have us concentrate on the Mighty Fortress Who is our God. When others are caught up with the evil forces in the world and their doings, may we as the Church of the Lord Jesus rise up in song as Martin Luther did in the days of old and sing of The Mighty Fortress Who is our God. May we by our obedience also demonstrate to this world and its evil powers that we are in Submission to God's Will and Ways, and resultantly, have Power over all the power of the enemy. May God Bless His Word - Connie --- Copyright 2002 by Connie Giordano _______________________________________________________________________ (2) <DOCTRINAL> SHALL WE MEET OUR LOVED ONES AGAIN? (PART-3) A STUDY OF 1 CORINTHIANS 15 D.L. Moody THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT We only catch glimpses of the doctrine of the resurrection now and then in the Old Testament, but the saints of those days evidently believed in it. Nearly two thousand years before Christ, Abraham rehearsed His sacrifice when on Mt. Moriah he obeyed God's call to offer up Isaac. Referring to this, Paul writes: "Accounting that God was able to raise [Isaac] up, even from the dead: from whence also he received him in a figure." Five hundred years later we find God saying unto His servant Moses, "I kill, and I make alive." Isaiah wrote, "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces." Again, "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they rise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Ezekiel's vivid description of the resurrection of dry bones, setting forth in prophecy the restoration of Israel, is another evidence. When David lost his child, he said he could not call the little one back to him, but that he would go and be with the child. At other times he wrote, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." And, "God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me." The Patriarch Job comforted himself with the same glorious hope in the hour of his deep sorrow. He who had asked, "What is my strength that I should hope? and what is mine end that I should prolong my life?" said, "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another:" Job must have firmly believed that his body was to be raised to life again, hereafter, but not on earth, for he said again, "There is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stalk thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water. it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep." In Hosea the Lord declares: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; l will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction." In the last chapter of Daniel we have another glimpse of the same truth: "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." And his book closes with these words: "Go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." And typically, too, resurrection was set forth in the Old Testament. By the firstfruits offered the day after the passover-sabbath as a pledge of the whole harvest, the children of Israel were taught in type of the Messiah who should be "the firstfruits of them that slept." Someone has said that the very first employment of Israel in Canaan was preparing the type of the Saviour's resurrection, and their first religious act was holding up that type of a risen Saviour. [To be concluded] _______________________________________________________________________ (3) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-52) THE IMMINENCY OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN Arthur W. Pink .... 3. Why was the fact of our Lord's Return presented in the language of Imminency and the exact date withheld? (2/2) The Return of our Lord is presented as a motive to brotherly love- "And the Lord made you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (1 Thess. 3:12, 13). In view of the fact that our Lord may return at any hour, how awful are divisions between the Lord's own people. Soon shall each of us appear before the Bema of Christ where every wrong will be righted and every misunderstanding cleared up. The Lord is at hand, therefore let us sink our petty differences, forgive one another even as God hath for Christ's sake forgiven us, and increase and abound in love one toward another. The perennial hope of Christ's second advent is used as a call to a godly walk- "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-13). How clear it is from these words that the Blessed Hope is intended to check the spirit of self-pleasing and self-seeking in the believer and to promote holiness in the daily life. As says the apostle John, "He that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself even as He is pure" (1 John 3:3). The return of our Lord is designed to comfort bereaved hearts--"For I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (go before) them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words"(1 Thess. 4:13-18). Those to whom the apostle was writing were sorrowing over the loss of loved ones. But observe, he does not seek to solace by telling them that shortly they would die and join the departed in heaven. No; he held up before them the prospect of a returning Saviour who would bring back the sleeping saints with Him. The promise of the Redeemer's return is calculated to develop the grace of patience--"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (Jas. 5:7, 8). These words were addressed to saints who were poor in this world's goods and who were groaning beneath the oppression of unrighteous employers. How timely is this word of exhortation to many a twentieth-century saint! How many of God's poor are now crying unto the Lord for deliverance from pecuniary difficulties, from tyranny and injustice! These cries have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts, and just as He intervened of old on behalf of Israel in Egypt, so will He speedily come and remove His people from their present cruel task-masters. In the meantime, the word is, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord." The hope of our Lord's return is the antidote for worry- "Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand, In nothing be anxious"(Phil. 4:5, 6, R.V.). Brethren in Christ, why be so fearful about meeting next year's liabilities? Why be anxiously scheming and fretting about the future? Why be worrying about the morrow? Tomorrow you may be in heaven. Before tomorrow dawns the assembling Shout may be given. At any hour thy Saviour may come.The Lord is at hand and His appearing will mean the end of all your trials and troubles. Look not then at your dangers and difficulties, but for your Redeemer. In nothing be anxious. The prospect of a speedily returning Saviour is employed to stimulate sobriety and vigilance- "Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light"(Rom. 13:11, 12). As we have shown in a previous chapter the "salvation" here spoken of is that mentioned in Heb. 9:28 ("unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation") which salvation is brought to us at Christ's second advent. Note, particularly, that this salvation is not presented as a distant hope, to be realized at some remote period, but is set forth as that which is nigh at hand. Ere closing this chapter one other question claims our attention--[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 _______________________________________________________