-------------------------<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 November 2002> Contents: ---------- 1) <Devotional> "Stumbling on the Unknown" - Ravi Zacharias 2) <Bible-Study> "The prayer of Jabez" (Pt-1/2) - Charles Wigg 3) <Prophecy> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-73)- A.W.Pink 4) <From-the-Gleaner> "A special prayer request" - Ben 1) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY> "STUMBLING ON THE UNKNOWN" Ravi Zacharias The re-releasing of the movie E.T. on its 20th anniversary brushed the dust off that magical alien story. But the storyline never really retired in the first place. A quick overview of Hollywood shows consistent fascination with the possibilities of life in outer space. Now the movie Signs carries on that mysterious quest. Scientist Carl Sagan hosted the first television program dedicated to the great unknowns of space. The show was an instant hit, viewed by half a billion people. Of the show's success, Sagan remarked: "I was positive from my own experience that an enormous global interest exists in space and in many kindred scientific topics—the origin of life, the Earth, and the Cosmos, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, our connection with the universe." (Footnote 1: Carl Sagan, Cosmos (New York: Ballantine, 1985), pp. xvii.) Indeed Sagan names things globally sought after. We find throughout each generation this hunger for the unknown. The mysteries of our universe can fascinate us, compel us, and give us hope. They can also become a stumbling block on the road to truth. You see, in the mind of a skeptic, no matter how many of his or her peripheral questions are answered, the fundamental ones still elude. The great unknown becomes the fixation—the meaning and not the means to find truth. The great unknown, however great, cannot fill the holes in our heads and hearts until it is known. The Apostle Paul spoke to the Athenian thinkers many years ago words quite fitting for present times. As his eyes scanned that culture, he saw their fascination with knowing—so strong they even ventured to know what was unknown to them, placing a sign over one of their alters for the "Unknown God." And this is what Paul says to them: "What you worship as unknown, I proclaim to you as known." (Footnote 2: Acts 17:23) The universe is indeed vast and fascinating. And there is something to our yearning to know we are not alone. Perhaps Ted from the movie Contact sums up our curiosities well. If we were alone in this vast universe, he says, it would all be an awful lot of wasted space. Friends, what we worship in this world as unknown, Christ gives us the chance to know. It is His life, death, and resurrection that proclaims to you that "The God who made the world and everything in it is Lord of heaven and earth…" (Footnote 3: Acts 17:24) He is worth knowing, and through Him we understand both outer space and inner space. That, indeed, is the answer we desperately need. --- Copyright (p)(c) 2002 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. _______________________________________________________________________ 2) <BIBLE-STUDY> "THE PRAYER OF JABEZ" (PART-1/2) Charles E. Wigg 1 Chron. 4:9-10. The prayer of Jabez is almost unique in the Bible; he seems to have been a man of very godly desires. His birth involved great agony and sorrow; thus his mother gave him the name of Jabez, which means sorrow, or affliction. It seems that the circumstances of his birth, and his upbringing at the hands of his godly mother, gave him a true appreciation of the things of real worth. Thank God for such mothers, and the influence that they have had on the lives of their offspring. We must realize that in the understanding of the meaning, significance and application of the Old Testament Scriptures, we must always examine them in the light of the New Testament. Some men have done much damage; who either through ignorance or malice have ignored this principle. They have for the sake of personal profit, or material gain, tried to pervert this lovely prayer. It has been used by such people to support their 'Prosperity Doctrine', which is really error. Jabez' request was to the God of Israel, when it seems that he did not belong to the nation of Israel. From 1Cron. 2:55 it seems that he had a city or village named after him. It is obvious that he was not seeking for wealth or luxury, as he and those over whom he exercised some influence and leadership were Kenites, descendants of Moses' father in law. These people never built houses, but lived in tents. Neither did they conduct any business, sowed no seed, and planted no vineyards. They did not wear themselves out with such pursuits, but instead lived daily in the enjoyment of an inheritance that was not theirs. Because of their faithful obedience to their father's command, God promised that they would never lack a man to stand before Him forever. Being Kenites, they had no right to any inheritance amongst the people of Israel. Any portion that they were given was purely because of the goodness of God. You will recall how that Moses pleaded with his brother in law, (some think that it was his father in law), to accompany the Children of Israel on their journey to the Promised Land, promising to treat him and his very well. However Hobab declined, and returned to his own land. (See Numbers 10:29-32.) Later he must have had a change of heart, and he and some of his relatives migrated to the Land of Canaan. [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced with permission (The study on Elisha will [DV}be continued later)]_____________________________________________________________________ 3) <PROPHECY> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-73) THE CHURCH-WARD RESULTS OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN Arthur W. Pink .... The Transformation of each believer into the Image of our glorified Saviour 1/2 In the beginning, man was made in the image and likeness of God, but sin came in and as the consequence that image has been defaced and that likeness marred. Has then the purpose of Jehovah been thwarted? Not so: "The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever" (Ps. 33:11). Therefore it is written, "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). The time when this purpose and promise of God will be realized is at the Return of His Son. It is then that God's elect will be completely "conformed to the image of His Son." It is then that they shall "be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." It is then that "this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality." But to particularize. In Rom. 7:24 the question is asked, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Part of the answer to this interrogation is recorded in Rom. 8:11--"But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." This Scripture has been the occasion of considerable controversy of late and some wild fancies have been indulged concerning it, yet is its meaning quite simple. The "quickening of our mortal bodies" does not refer to resurrection, nor to "healing," but to that "change" which shall take place in the physical beings of those believers on earth at the Redeemer's return. Here, as everywhere, the apostle has the "blessed hope" before his heart and he would interpose nothing between (not even death and resurrection) the present moment and the realization of that hope. The "quickening of our mortal bodies," the "changing" of them in a moment, is described in Phil. 3:20, 21 _"For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." These present corruptible bodies of ours shall be transformed into bodies like unto that glorious body now worn by our Lord. That is, like His body as it appeared on the mount of transfiguration--dazzling in its splendor; like unto His body as it appeared unto Saul as he journeyed to Damascus--scintillating with a brilliancy which surpassed the shining of the midday sun. What a glorious transformation that will be! Each saint will be given a body of glory fitted to and for the scene to which he shall go, as his present body is fitted to this earth. Scientists tell us that the little sparkling diamond which we admire so much, was once a piece of carbon, a fragment of charcoal which has undergone a marvelous transformation, converting the little piece of black charcoal into the resplendent jewel. This, perhaps, is Nature's type of the glorious transformation that awaits us, when the Saviour shall take our present mortal body and fashion it like unto His glorious body. [To be concluded] _____________________________________________________________________ 4) <FROM-THE-GLEANER> A SPECIAL REQUEST FOR PRAYER Ben God has opened up a way for me to participate in a 4-week seminar beginning 8 November 2002 on "Advancing Leadership Skills [for Evangelsim]" conducted by Haggai Institute at their Mid-Pacific Training Center at Maui, Hawaii (USA). I travelled almost 36 hours and reached here at Maui safely last night (Wednesday, 6 Nov). I request you, my beloved brethren, to please pray for me that with the skills that I am going to acquire here, God would use me more effectively for His glory. Every effort is being made to send out the <GLEANINGS> regularly as before, but due to the limited facilities for such activities here, I would expect some disruption/delay. I request you to kindly bear with me for any such event and keep upholding me and this ministry in your prayer. Thank you and may God richly bless you. -----------------------------<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 _________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail