-------------------------<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/groups/brethrenvoice/ezmlm.cgi] <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <27 January 2003> Contents: ------------ 1) <Devotion> ""This is the day that the Lord has made" - Keith Cox 2) <Bible-Study> "The letters to the seven churches in Asia - C.E.Wigg 3) <Evangelism> "Witnessing ethics and helps" (Pt-2) - Harold Smith 4) <Prophecy> "Outline of Prophetic events-70th Week of Daniel" - B.Anstey 1) <DEVOTIONAL><SLICE-OF-INFINITY> "THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE" Keith Cox "This is the day that the Lord has made." Have you ever heard that one before? It is a strange saying if you think about it. I know what it means to make a table or a necklace, but what does it mean to make a day? Have you ever made time? We say that colloquially, but have you ever truly fashioned a minute, or created an hour? As humans, we use the time we are given. We don't make it. So what could this strange saying mean? Contemporary Cosmologists tell us that when the universe came into being that not just space and matter appeared, but so did time. I know this is a strange thought, that there was a point at which time began, but that is what the scientists tell us is true. Time, it appears, is not self-generating but depended on something to bring it into existence. I believe that this something is actually a someone, namely God. Before matter, before space, before time, God willed these things, and then spoke them into existence. If you don't buy that, you have to wrestle with the maxim ex nihilo, nihilo fit, out of nothing, nothing comes. If you do agree with me, then this helps explain our strange saying. God, the creator, created time. And if He created time then His making this day doesn't seem strange at all. Now I think it is safe to reason that if this is the day that the Lord has made then it is also true that this is the moment that the Lord has made. This moment is not just a time that will pass into the oblivion of the past, and it is not an ephemeral instant we can't grasp. This moment is the handiwork of God. Does that make you a bit nervous? It does me. Why? Because when I make something I do so for a reason or a purpose. And this leads me to wonder why God made this moment and then gave it to me. What does He want me to do with this moment, this hour, this day? I believe that Jesus told us; for I believe that He is the Son of God and so vouches for God's desires. With this moment God wants us to open ourselves to Him, know Him, and thus love Him. That is a lot for this moment. You might say it makes these seconds sacred. May all your seconds be so, for these are the seconds the Lord has made. --- © 2000 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries _______________________________________________________________________ 2) <BIBLE-STUDY> "THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA" - (PART-2) Charles E. Wigg .... We learn from the address to the Church at Sardis, that it is possible to be in fellowship in a Church where evil is practiced, yet not to be defiled by that evil. I say this because though there is not one thing in that Church that the Lord Jesus can commend, yet He says "Thou hast a few names in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy". Ch. 3:4. This overturns the false teaching held by some, that separation is an ecclesiastical position which one may take up. It is instead a state of heart, and in order to purify ones self from things of dishonour, one needs to purge out the evil that dwells in our own hearts. The fallacy of the doctrine referred to above is to be seen in the Monastic movement. This movement sprung from a sincere desire on the part of some, to live a holy life. They reasoned that if they could retire out of this world, and spend all their time in prayer, reading the scriptures, meditation, self-mortification etc, then they would surely be able to live a holy life. However it worked out entirely different from what they intended. They built monasteries and shut themselves up behind brick walls, but those very places (over a period of time) became cesspools of iniquity. They had retired out of the world, but had taken the iniquity with them; it was in their own hearts. We purify ourselves by judging, confessing, and forsaking the evil that is resident in our own hearts. 1 John. 1:8-10. But let us return to the question under consideration. We must remember that these letters were written and sent to actual Churches. It is believed that John had been visited in his exile; by elders from these Churches. When they returned to their places, they carried these letters with them. The letters have been a source of comfort to believers in Churches that have had to pass through tribulation and great suffering down through the ages. They also come as a warning to Churches today; where the very things that were condemned by the Lord Jesus are being practiced. We shall see this as we proceed. However we are justified in thinking that more than the actual state and practices of the Churches in Asia, was in the mind of our Lord. [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced by permission] _______________________________________________________________________ 3) <EVANGELISM> "WITNESSING ETHICS AND HELPS" (PART-2 OF 2) Harold Smith HYPOCRITES IN THE CHURCH 1. All hypocrites will perish. Job 8:13. 2. Christ is the pattern, not others. Mr. 23:10. 3. Give account for yourself only. Rom. 14:12, 4; 2:1-3. 4. Why turn down Christ because of others? Jer, 2:5. 5. God will judge all hypocrites. Col. 3:25. 6. If you know how to live, you are responsible. Lk. 12:47; Jas. 4:17, 7. Hypocrites in the world with you now, Job 13:16. I TRIED ONCE AND FAILED 1. Try the way that doesn't fail. 2 Cor. 9:8. 2. Did you seek with all your heart? Jer. 29:13. 3. Was your position right before God? Jn. 5:44. 4. Did you count on self or Christ? Rom. 4:5. 5. Did you surrender to God? Rom. 6:13. 6. Did you feed on His Word? 1 Pet. 2:2; Psa. 119:11. 7. Did you pray? Heb. 4:16. I AM TOO GREAT A SINNER 1. Though our sins be as scarlet. Isa. 1:18. 2. Jesus came to seek the LOST. Luke 19:10. 3. Jesus died for the UNGODLY. Rom, 5: 6-8. 4. Jesus came to save SINNERS. 1 Tim. 1:15, 5. Our sins are settled for. 2 Cor. 5:21. 6. God loves the sinner. I John 4:10. 7. Able to save to utmost. Heb. 7:25. IT WOULD COST ME TOO MUCH 1. What you have now is worthless. I John 2:17. 2. Loss for Christ is real GAIN. Phil. 3:7-9. 3. Can you afford NOT to be a Christian? Mk. 8:36-37. 4. Are you putting first values FIRST? Mt. 6:33. 5. What can you gain by rejecting? Mk. 8:35, 38. 6. Have good things now or in eternity? Luke 16:25-26. 7. What did it cost Christ to die for you? Phil. 2:7-8. MY FRIENDS WOULD PERSECUTE ME 1. Persecution is price of Godliness. 2 Tim. 3:12. 2. Better deny your friends than Him 2 Tim. 2:12. 3. Is this price anything to what you gain? Rom. 8:18. 4. Can you afford to be companion of fools? Prov. 13:20. 5. Is it fair to deny Christ for anybody? Mk 8: 38. 6. It is a privilege to suffer for Him. Acts 5:41; 1 Pet. 2:20-21. 7. Fear of man the devil's snare. Prov. 29:25; Mt. 15:14. I CAN BE SAVED ON MY OWN MERITS 1. Not justified by works but faith in Christ. Acts 13:38-39; Gal. 2:16. 2. Did Christ die in vain? Gal. 2:21; 3: 13.21, 3. Not saved by works lest we boast, Eph. 2:8-9. 4. No flesh can be saved by works. Gal. 3:11; Rom. 3:20, 28, 5. The only saving work is faith, Jn. 6:28-29; Rom. 4:5. 6. Our goodness is dirty rags to God. Isa. 64:6; Rom. 10:2-3. 7. Saved by grace or not at all. 2 Tim 1:9; Tit. 3:5-6. I DON'T BELIEVE THE BIBLE 1. Experience is the best test of the truth. Jn. 7:17; 1:46. 2. Natural mind can't understand the Bible. 1 Cor. 2:14. 3. God's secrets are only for those who trust Him. Psa. 25:14. 4. Mind is blinded by Satan. 2 Cor. 4:3,4. 5. Some people don't want to believe. Jn. 3:20,21. 6. If Gospel is foolish, it is a sign you perish. 1 Cor. 1: 19. 7. Doesn't pay to be wiser than God. 1 Cor. 3:19. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS 1. Christian's business is to declare the Gospel. Ezek. 33:9. 2. Christians are Christ's ambassadors. 2 Cor. 5:20. 3. Christians delegated by Christ. Jn. 17:18; 20:21. 4. The wise Christian seeks to win others. Prov: 11:30. PASSAGES CONTAINING PLAN OF SALVATION 1. Man's lost condition. Isa. 53:6. Rom. 3:23, 10, 12; 5:12; Psa. 51:5; Isa. 64:6; Luke 19:10; Jeremiah 17:9. 2. Christ's all-sufficient salvation. Jn. 20:31; 3:36, 16, 18, 1:12; 1:29; Isa. 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 3:13, 22; Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Tim. 2:5-6; 1 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Tit. 3:5-6; 1 Cor. 15:3, Note: The worker should memorize all of the salvation passages, as well as have them underlined in his Testament, and be able to turn quickly to them. [Concluded] _______________________________________________________________________ 4) <PROPHECY> "OUTLINE OF PROPHETIC EVENTS" (PART-7) B. Anstey .... THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL The mass of the Jews ("the many" - Dan. 9:27) will enter into a covenant with the revived Roman empire to provide, what they think will be, protection from the surrounding Arab nations and the rising political pressures in the Middle East. They will rely on Rome's military power [the Beast] instead of the Lord. (Dan. 9:27, Isa. 28:14-19, Isa. 8:9, 1 Thes. 5:3, Ps. 20:7) The godly remnant of Jews will be counselled [probably through the voice of prophets amongst them] to not have anything to do with the covenant, but to sanctify the Lord of Hosts in their hearts and lean upon Him alone. (Isa. 8:11-13, Ps. 20:7) The signing of this "covenant with death" and "agreement with hell" between the Jews and the Roman Beast, commences the "one week" of prophecy yet to be fulfilled in Daniel's Seventy Weeks. (Isa. 28:15) This "one week" is a period of seven years [a week of years]. There will then be a time of tribulation for seven years. This tribulation will come upon the whole world (Rev. 3:10), but especially upon the Jews. (Jer. 30:7) During this period God will deal with the nation of Israel to bring those who are real among them [having faith] into the blessings of the kingdom. He will use the tribulation sorrows to produce repentance in those Jews, which will prepare them to receive their Messiah [the Lord Jesus Christ] when He comes. THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS The first 3 1/2 years of this prophetic week is called "the beginning of sorrows." (Mt. 24:8) The Jews returning to their homeland will bring with them their wealth they have gathered through their commercial success. The land of Israel will be filled with gold, silver, and treasures. (Gen. 31:17-18,* Isa. 2:7-8, Ps. 73:3-12) The apostate Jews will have a temple in the land of Israel. They will offer sacrifices, observe feasts and Sabbaths in a traditional way only. (Mt. 24:15, 2 Thes. 2:4, Ps. 42:4, Dan. 9:27, 12:11, Isa. 1:10-15, Ps.1-42 - lst Book of Psalms) The apostate mass of Jews will pass through the motions of worship without any thought toward God. "He that sacrificeth a lamb will be as if he cut off a dog's neck." Their ways before the Lord will be an abomination. (Isa. 1:10-15, 66:3-4) [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced by permission] ---------------------------<BrethrenVoice>--------------------------- Subscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> Unsubscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> FAQs/Faith Statement, eMail: <brethrenvoice-faq@...> <BrethrenVoice> Home: www.brethrenvoice.com <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