-------------------------<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: ben@...] [<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> archives/read online: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ezmlm.cgi] <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <3 January 2003> Contents: ---------- 1) <Devotional> "Crucified hope" - Ravi Zacharias 2) <Bible-Study> "Ruth the Moabitess" (Pt-4/10)-Charles Wigg 3) <Prophecy> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-116)- A.W.Pink 1) <DEVOTIONAL> "CRUCIFIED HOPE" Ravi Zacharias A young woman once described to me a time in her life where all hope seemed crucified around her. She had struggled for years with an eating disorder and after a painful intervention had come to a place where she could be honest with her problem. She described relief as the counsellors worked to expose her dark corners, the hope of recovery inching her timidly forward. But exposing the darkness and secrecy in this young bulimic's life was only half the battle. The day came when they told her she was free to go. Terrified of life "after-bulimia," she asked how they knew she was fully cured. The words they offered sent this young heart on a downward spiral into hopeless depression. They said she would never "fully" be cured. Their job was to expose the sickness and show her how to avoid the symptoms. She would never learn to eat entirely without fear. She would struggle with bulimia for the rest of her life. She had trusted these counsellors whose hands stripped her of every mask and falsehood present and whose words probed deeply into her past. And she trusted in the hope that they would give her a future, a life without bulimia. When she left therapy broken and angry, exposed and empty of hope, her heart sank. She speaks then of a day, while fumbling through the darkness of depression; she shook her fists at God as with nothing to lose. "If there is no such thing as true healing, if there is no such thing as transformation, then I have no reason to believe in You. If You are who you say you are, please…transform me." She remembers this day as the turning point in her life with bulimia and, joyously, the turning point in her life with Jesus Christ. You see, the Apostle Paul writes of the Hope that will not let us down. All around us promised hopes are crucified before our eyes. Money promising happiness. Pleasure promising fulfilment. Lotions promising youth. And the world wants us to believe that all hope is the same. The Apostle Peter explains the difference when he reasons, "Blessed is the living hope." Christ is the only hope that survives crucifixion. He is the Living Hope the Apostles speak of, a hope even crucifixion could not kill. When you knock the door will open; when you seek, you will find. Friends, His promise is hope. His message is life. Knowing Him will transform you fully. --- 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) <BIBLE-STUDY> "RUTH THE MOABITESS - RUTH'S COMMITTAL" (PART-4/10) Charles E. Wigg .... Naomi then tried to tempt Ruth to make the same decision as Orpah. She says to Ruth, "Your sister in law is gone back unto her people and her gods, return after your sister in law". What sad counsel this was, advising this poor Moabite to forget all the good things that she had seen in her mother in law, and the things that she had heard from her. She advises her to go back into total spiritual darkness. However her counsel only drew out form Ruth the most beautiful committal. Her mind was made up; nothing would make her go back. She was truly converted. The people of Moab were no longer her people, but the people of Naomi, the people of God were now her people. Jehovah was her God. Even though His word had said that she could never come into His congregation, yet she hoped in the mercy of God. Though Naomi was away from Jehovah, yet there was still something about her that Ruth could not find in the women of Moab. She bade Naomi to cease her pleading; it was only grieving her heart. She clung to her mother in law. She would never leave her. Such commitment is beautiful to see, sadly it is very rare today. Even within the marriage bond, the vows that couples take, in the presence of God and many witnesses, are regarded so lightly, and broken so easily. Not only did she commit herself to Naomi, but to Naomi's people, and Naomi's God. She had no authority in the light of God's holy law to do this. It plainly stated that such as she was never to come into Jehovah's congregation forever. Yet in spite of such a firm denial and the discouragement that it brought; she dared to hope in the mercy of God. God is always pleased when one hopes in His mercy. He delights in mercy, He is rich in mercy, and through His prophet He said, "I desired mercy and not sacrifice". Hosea 6:6 And "I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy". Exodus 33:19. As the hymn says, "This is thy grand prerogative, and none can in that honour share". The Publican that cried to God for mercy went down to his house justified. Luke 18:14. God was listening when Ruth made this lovely committal, and He determined to bless her. Not only did He show mercy to her, but poured His abundant grace upon her. It has been said, "Mercy sees that we do not get what we do deserve, but Grace sees that we do get what we do not deserve". THE RETURN JOURNEY. When Naomi saw that Ruth was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her. It must have seemed a long journey back, a journey that was marked by silence. Naomi had a great burden on her spirit, and perhaps many doubts were passing through her mind. Though it seems that she never spoke to Ruth, yet probably she was crying out to God in her heart all the while. Whenever any soul seeks to get right with God, and to go back to the place that they have left, the place that God had given them; then Satan will spare no effort to try to discourage them. He will fill the mind of such a person with grave doubts, and with great fears. Perhaps this accounts for Naomi's silence. Was she thinking, "What is going to happen to us? Perhaps the village people will not want us any more? It is more than ten years since we went away; perhaps someone else will be living in our house? Perhaps they will shun this lovely daughter in law of mine? Poor soul what a bitter thing for her to experience". Then the grief of the loss that she had sustained in Moab ate into her soul. When she went away she had a husband, and two sons, now she has no one, except this poor Moabitish maiden, and Jehovah left. What will it be like to live in that empty house? It would be full of memories of happier times. However what ever her thoughts and doubts may have been, she had no need to worry. When they arrived, the house was still there waiting for them. The place that she formerly had in the hearts of her village sisters was still there. When she entered the village, the women gathered around them. They were so glad that she had returned. What a welcome they gave to her and to Ruth. "Is this Naomi?" they asked, but the poor backslider replied, "Call me not Naomi, (my pleasantness), but call me Marah, (Bitterness). For the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. Then she recalled that things were not quite so bad as they had imagined when they went away. This is often so, wisdom is to wait and to be patient, and only after much prayer to act in leaving any thing or company. [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced by permission] _______________________________________________________________________ 3) <PROPHECY> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-116) THE MILLENNIUM IN RELATION TO THE WORLD" (PART 2 OF 2) Arthur W. Pink …. The character of Messiah's government is brought before us in Is. 11:3-5, "And He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins." During the Kingdom age--in contradistinction to the present dispensation of Grace wherein God endures with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction--wickedness shall be promptly dealt with and evil doers will meet with swift judgment: "Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with Me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve Me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within My house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in My sight. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked-doers from the city of the Lord" (Ps. 101:5-8). We turn now to some of the results of Christ's government. During the Millennium our Lord will rule as "The Prince of Peace." For the first time since the flood, the earth will be completely delivered from the horrors of war. Then it will be seen that "He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth" (Ps. 46:9). The Kingdom age will be a time of universal peace--"And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Is. 2:4). During the Millennium there shall also be universal blessing. An exceedingly sublime picture of the conditions that will then obtain is to be found in Is. 35:5-10, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land "springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness: the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." At the beginning of the Millennium there shall be a universal worship of Christ--"And it shall come to pass that everyone that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 14:16). What a glorious time the Millennium will be for our poor sin-cursed earth! Universal righteousness, universal peace, universal blessing, and universal worship! Surely we have reason to pray "Thy kingdom come." And now, [To be concluded] ---------------------------<BrethrenVoice>--------------------------- Subscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> Unsubscribe, eMail: <brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> FAQs/Faith Statement, eMail: <brethrenvoice-faq@...> <BrethrenVoice> Home: www.brethrenvoice.net <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 _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus