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<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY>
<11 January 2002>


Contents:
------------

1) <Devotional> "Blessed lameness" - M.J. Stanford
2) <Bible-Study> "Ruth the Moabitess" (Pt-9/10)-Charles Wigg
3) <Prophecy> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-121/123)- A.W.Pink


1) <DEVOTIONAL>
"BLESSED LAMENESS"
M.J. Stanford

"My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in
(your) weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Our greatest liability: self-confidence. Our greatest asset:
Christ-confidence. It usually takes years to discover one's misplaced
confidence. The flesh will fail us every time, and under all conditions.
The Lord Jesus never fails us under any conditions.

"When the Lord Jesus was on the Cross there were no mighty deeds to be
seen, yet Calvary did more for the world than all the great deeds in
Galilee. We think too much of the greatness, and too little of the
death-fellowship with our Lord. The 'mighty deeds' may mean the 'greater
works,' but death-fellowship means 'much fruit.' You might toil all your
life, and only do so much, even with the wonderful deeds; but if you are
willing to die with Him there will be effortless multiplication. There is
no limit to the fruit that comes out of death."  "An increasing number of
the Lord's people are seeking to enjoy the power of the Lord Jesus' life
by accepting the fact of their union in His death as expressed by Paul,
'That I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of His sufferings, becoming conformed unto His death'
(Philippians 3:10). We died with Him, but most of us are not being
conformed to His death and hence are not like Him in life." -L.L.L.

"There is no escape from the Cross, if believers would know the 'power of
His resurrection.' This crafty, defiant, defensive 'I' must be held in the
place of death by the Spirit if there is to be true fruitfulness. In the
measure that one dies to the old, in the same measure does one experience
life in the New.” Then shall the lame man leap as an hart. . . for in the
wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert" (Isaiah
35:6).

_______________________________________________________________________

2)  <BIBLE-STUDY>
"RUTH THE MOABITESS - LOOKING TO THE FUTURE" (PART-9/10)
Charles E. Wigg
....
Naomi appreciated so much what God had done for her, and the worth of her
daughter in law, but she was not selfish, she was concerned for the future
of this dear girl, her life was before her, and she would seek rest for
her. Thus she gave her some advice that she was never to regret. She
wanted her to understand the real nature of Boaz, the redeemer, the mighty
man of wealth. Boaz was their near kinsman, and he had the right of
redemption.

But Ruth had to make known to him the desires of her heart. She was to
prepare herself; she was advised to attend to her cleansing. We cannot
make too much emphasis on the importance of personal holiness. Heb 12: 14.
Without this no one can see the Lord. There is no hope of our entering
into the joy of an intimate relationship with Christ, if we want to play
with this filthy world. Holiness means that we are wholly His and wholly
for Him.

She was to anoint herself also. This represents the fragrance of the Holy
anointing oil of the Holy Spirit. Holiness is beautiful, and it is
fragrant also. She also was to put on her best clothes, and these speak of
the beauty of a Christ like character. These clothes were what she was to
be seen in. Several times in the New Testament we are told to "Put on the
Lord Jesus Christ".  Rom. 13:14, Gal. 3:28, Eph. 4:24, Col. 3:10.  Thus
suitably prepared she went down to the threshing floor, where the harvest
was being winnowed. This was an occasion of great joy and we are told of
such a time in the experience of Christ in Hebrews chapter twelve. verse
two. Ruth did not show herself, but kept hidden until the redeemer had
laid himself down and gone to sleep. Thus he rested in the joy of all that
he had accomplished. Then quietly she took her place at his feet. This is
the place for you and I to take, just as the poet has written:
                             Low at They feet Lord Jesus,
                             That is the place for me.
                             There have I learned deep lessons,
                             Truth that has set me free.
                             Free from myself Lord Jesus,
                             Free from the chains of sin.
                             Chains of bondage that bound me,
                             Never shall bind again!
At midnight, the man stirred and behold a woman lay at his feet. It was
then that Ruth revealed her hearts deepest desires. She wanted him to
redeem her. He was all that she desired. The expression of these desires
touched the heart of the redeemer. She had not sought for popularity. She
had not gone after riches or anything else, she wanted above all else to
be redeemed, and she knew that there was only one that could do that for
her.

What a beautiful picture this is of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. He alone
could pay the price of our redemption, and He was willing to do that even
though the cost was so great. But there was one that had a prior claim,
and Boaz wished to do everything righteously. He revealed his willingness
to do for Ruth all that she asked. He would grant her all that she
desired. He gave her this assurance and sent her away before one could
know another. This is to show that our intimate relationships with Christ
are very secret. They are not something to be trumpeted about to others.
So Ruth was sent home laden with tokens of the kindness of Boaz.

She returned to her mother in law, and shared the good news of their
impending redemption. She produced the barley that Boaz had given her, as
a token both of his kindness and his sincerity.

Naomi was ecstatic at hearing the news, and advised Ruth to wait patiently
for the outcome. She assured her that Boaz would not rest until he had
completed the matter.  [To be concluded]
---
[Reproduced by permission]
_______________________________________________________________________

3) <PROPHECY>
"THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-121 OF 123)
CONCLUSION (PART 3 OF 3)
Arthur W. Pink
....
Unless men had been strangely blinded, the analogy of the past ought to
have corrected the blind optimism of which we have just spoken. Every
previous dispensation has ended in human failure and Divine judgment! The
Edenic dispensation saw the fall of man and his expulsion from the garden
of Eden. At the close of the Noahic dispensation "God looked upon the
earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted his way
upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come
before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and,
behold, I will destroy them with the earth" (Gen. 6:12, 13). The
Patriarchal dispensation, when the sword of the magistrate was committed
into the hands of man, witnessed the revolt and overthrow of the Tower of
Babel and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire from heaven. The
Abrahamic dispensation ended with the people of God in the iron furnace of
Egypt and with the overthrow of Pharaoh and his hosts at the Red Sea. The
dispensation of the Wilderness wanderings terminated with the disobedience
and death of Moses. The dispensation of the Judges closed with "every man
doing that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). The
dispensation of the kings ended with God selling His apostate people into
the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. The dispensation of the Diving Incarnation
closed with the crucifixion of the Lord of Glory. Why then should this
dispensation prove an exception to the general rule? Why is it that men
are so loath to acknowledge that under man's pilotage everything drifts to
shipwreck? Why, except for the pride of the human heart! According to the
inspired declarations of Holy Writ, this dispensation, so far from closing
like a brilliant sunset in a sky from which every cloud shall have passed
away, will expire in a storm-burst of Divine fury, in which the brightest
hopes of the flesh will perish like cobwebs in a flame.

Unspeakably sad have been, and still are, the pernicious effects of the
post-millennial teaching. Instead of listening to the voice of Divine
truth many of the profest followers of the Lamb have heeded the siren
voices of the earth which have drawn them into entangling alliances with
the world, deceiving them as to their prospects here and persuading them
to substitute carnal policy for spiritual energy and time-serving
expediencies for self-denying faith. O that the children of God would hold
themselves aloof from the world's plans of social amelioration and
political aggrandisement, and take up their cross and follow their
despised and rejected Lord, remembering that "the friendship of the world
is enmity with God" (Jas. 4:4). Christ has not left His Church here to
"make the world a better world for the natural man to live in, nor to make
the natural man a better man to live in the world" (Haldeman). No; Christ
has left His Church here to preach a Gospel which shall result in the
formation of a new man, a "perfect man" made meet to live in the world to
come. So far as this world is concerned, nothing awaits it but Divine
judgment. Men may busy themselves with their own plans and think to evolve
a lasting good and peace out of the present confusion and strife, but
their hope of setting the world right is built upon the sand. Yet, as we
have seen there will shortly be manifested a pseudo Prince of Peace who
will inaugurate a false millennium and thus deceive the whole world. This
Impostor will gain the confidence of and obtain dominion over all
Christendom. History records how in a few short years a young lieutenant
rose out of comparative obscurity and had Europe at his feet, and in
Napoleon Bonaparte we have a foreshadowing of what is yet going to be when
God's time is ripe.

"But ye, brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you
as a thief" (1 Thess. 5:4). No; the things which are hidden from the wise
and prudent are revealed to babes in Christ. As the humble believer marks
with what readiness educated people accept the most absurd crudities
offered to them in the name of religion; as he observes on every side,
thrones and republics creaking and crumbling; as he gazes upon immorality
which has come in like a flood that is ever swelling and widening in its
course; as he beholds the increasing numbers of those who have a form of
godliness but deny its power; as he looks in vain for any deep sense of
sin, for courageous faith, for an unworldly walk, in the majority of those
who bear the name of Christ; as he takes knowledge of the despised Jew
coming into remembrance, and the nations of the earth taking more and more
notice of this strange people; as he hears men of the world, who pay no
heed to the Word of God, acknowledging that present conditions cannot
continue much longer, and predicting that a momentous crisis is at hand;
and, as he is painfully conscious that there is much to show that the Holy
Spirit has already begun to retire from the earth,--he lifts up his head,
knowing that his redemption is nigh at hand, yea, that the Redeemer
Himself is at the door.

At the door! What a prospect! To look at the present frailty, suffering,
and groaning of our vile bodies, and then to anticipate the moment when
they shall be fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body; to read the
histories and biographies of the apostles, of the early Christian martyrs,
of the spiritual giants of the Reformation, of the choicest saints of the
ages, and then to anticipate the time when we shall meet them, converse
with them, and gather together around our blessed Lord; to anticipate that
glad hour when everlasting joy shall be upon our heads and when sorrow and
sighing shall flee away; when the joy of meeting shall be spoiled by no
fear of separation, and the beauty of holiness shall be defiled by no
stain of sin--this is a hope which may well endure all trials and stay the
heart in these days of tragedy and anguish. Amidst the increasing darkness
and gathering storms of these last days, we do not stand bewildered and
dejected. But, with the blessed promise "Surely, I come quickly" ringing
in our ears, love responds, "Come out of Thy royal chambers, O Prince of
all the kings of the earth; put on the robes of Thy imperial majesty;
reach forth Thy hand and grasp the scepter of universal sovereignty, for
the voice of Thy Church calls for Thee, and all creation sighs to be
renewed."
      "The dawn of day is breaking,
      Behold! it streaks the sky,
      And hearts for Him are waking,
      Who soon shall fill each eye;
      Soon! Soon! in brightness beaming,
      "The day-star" shall appear,
      With glory round Him streaming,
      His joyful shout we'll hear.
      Our eyes are looking onward,
      To see the One we love;
      Our feet are pressing forward,
      To tread those courts above;
      Our hearts do leap with pleasure,
      As nearer comes the day
      When love, beyond all measure,
      Shall beckon us away.
      There "face to face" beholding
      The One who came to die,
      His glory all unfolding
      Before each raptured eye,
      With nothing there to hinder
      The hearts deep full employ,
      But all to call forth wonder,
      And ceaseless bursts of joy.
      There on His bosom resting,
      Oh! deep and full repose,
      No more a time of testing--
      No more to meet our foes;
      But there, in brightest glory,
      To gaze upon His face,
      And ever tell that story--
      "The glory of His grace." [To be concluded]

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