-------------------------<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> <29 January 2003> Contents: ------------ 1) <Devotion> "Morning Grace and the River Lythe" - Keith Cox 2) <Bible-Study> "The letters to the seven churches in Asia (Pt-4) - C.E.Wigg 3) <Prophecy> "Outline of Prophetic events" (Pt-9) - B.Anstey 4) <Poem> "Doubts Scattered; or, Spiritual Joys Restored" - C.M.I.Watts 1) <DEVOTIONAL><SLICE-OF-INFINITY> "MORNING GRACE AND THE RIVER LYTHE" Keith Cox What if we never forgot our past deeds? What if all our memories remained constantly present to us as a victory just won or a defeat just suffered lingers in the mind? On balance, I don't think that I would like this; for I am aware that my defeats are more numerous, more shameful, and more hurtful, than are my victories plenteous, pride-giving, and healing. Forgetfulness, then, for me, can be an agent of grace. What do I mean by this? An agent of grace is something or someone that irrespective of your earning it, gives you life. My mother always loved me. Before I could earn her love, and after I proved I wasn't worthy of it, my mother loved me. From the milk of her breast to the milk of her heart -my mother's love has been life-giving. She has been an agent of grace to me. From her I received unmerited life. Strangely, so also the morning can be an agent of grace in my life. I go to bed burdened by the dirt on my hands and the dirt in my heart, and when I awake, as the sun rises, so also my hope rises. Do you feel this too? Some creature of the night, I imagine, must have stolen me away to the River Lythe, the river of forgetfulness, and bathed me on its banks -not too much so that I lose my past, but just enough so that I can hope in the new day, hope in the future. Through the ages Christians built their churches facing East towards the rising sun. Beautifully, they believed that the rising of the sun pointed to an even greater event: the resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The light of Christ, they believed, could dispel the dark of night that the soul feels in the dark of night. I believe this too, for He has done it in my life. Indeed, He does it every morning when I look toward Him and His resurrection. Now, of course, forgetfulness is not redemption. But it can point to how our sins can be taken away from us. The promise of the morning is not that God will forget our sin, for He remembers the Cross where our sins earned their payment. The promise of the morning is that resurrection does occur; our past though it may be as dark as a moonless night can be transformed into a future as bright as the noonday. --- © 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-4) Charles E. Wigg .... We have a touching display of the love that the saints of that area had for Paul in the end of Acts chapter twenty, where it is recorded that they all "wept sore', fell on Paul's neck and kissed him. They were especially pained by his words that they would see his face no more. However as he prophesied, after his departure grievous wolves entered and did not spare the flock. Even Elders became selfish and sought a following, they drew away disciples after themselves, Acts 20:29-30. With sorrow he had to say in his last letter to Timothy that "All they in Asia have turned away from me", 2Tim.1:15. However there was one that remained loyal to his spiritual father, and that was Onesiphorus, verses 16-18. But now Paul had been murdered, and by means of the sword of Nero, gained a rapid entrance to glory, accompanied there by the very Lord Jesus whom he loved so deeply, and had served so faithfully. John was thought to be in his nineties, and was the last remaining of the twelve Apostles. The Roman authorities had exiled him to the Isle of Patmos. This was not because of any political activities, but because of the "word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ". Those Churches that Paul had established and taught the truth of God's word, continued on without him, and turned away from his teaching, (going into obvious decline), yet it seemed that the Apostle John had laboured amongst them, and sought to bring them back to the truth of Christ. It was probably while he was serving the Lord in Asia, that he was arrested by the Romans and exiled to Patmos. Now the Lord Jesus Himself, the One to whom those Churches belonged was speaking directly to them. He spoke words of warning, words of encouragement, and of comfort, and also words of rebuke. But all that He said, He said by the Holy Spirit. His words were what "The Spirit said to the Assemblies". Thus in a certain sense, though He drew attention to specific things, and the sad state existing in individual Churches, yet what He said applied to all, and still applies today. [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced by permission] _______________________________________________________________________ 3) <PROPHECY> "OUTLINE OF PROPHETIC EVENTS" (PART-9) B. Anstey .... THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK The middle of Daniel's seventieth week marks a very significant time in the scheme of prophetic events. It is from this point that much of the prophetic calculations are based. The last half of the week is referred to as 1260 days, or 42 weeks, or time, times, and the dividing of time. (Dan. 7:25, Rev. 11:3, 12:6, 14, 13:5) Additional extensions to this period are also calculated from the middle of the week. (Dan. 12:11-12) THE LITTLE HORN Needing agents to accomplish his end, Satan will bring forth a man out of the confused state of things he has created in the west. This man is "the little horn" (Dan. 7:8, 20, 24-25). He is also called "the [personal] Beast" (Rev. 13:1-8, 17:10-18, 19:20), and "the King of Babylon" (Isa.14:4*). This man will likely to be a Gentile, since the Beast comes out of the sea [Rev. 13:1, 17:15 - the restless state of the Gentile peoples], and up from among the ten horns which are the Gentile nations of western Europe. (Dan. 7:8, 20, 24-25) Satan will energize this man ["the little horn"] with extraordinary power. He will be totally given over to doing Satan's bidding. (Rev. 13:4) The "little horn" with the aid of Satanic power will quickly take over the revived Roman empire whose government has fallen into a state of anarchy. As a dictator, he will be its new leader. It appears that he will gain control of the empire through intimidation. After putting down three of the ten horns [the ten nations] the others will submit to him giving him their power. (Dan. 7:8, 20, 24-25, Rev. 17:13, 17) Satan will also control other subservient leaders ["stars"] in the empire. (Rev. 12:4) At the same time, the Beast [the ten nation confederacy] with the little horn at its head will throw off and destroy the whore [the false church], the religious system that has been controlling the empire for the first three and a half years. This is what is referred to in the book of Revelation as "Babylon is fallen." Political Babylon destroys the religious leadership of the empire. (Rev. 14:8, 17:16) Having thrown off the religious system, the empire will take on a new and different form being Satanically controlled by the little horn. The Beast will continue in this form for forty-two months [or the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation]. (Rev. 13:2-8) All the world will wonder at the Beast [the ten nation Western Confederacy] in its new form. (Rev. 13:3, 17:8) [To be concluded] --- [Reproduced by permission] _______________________________________________________________________ 4) <POEM> "DOUBTS SCATTERED; OR SPIRITUAL JOYS RESTORED - PS 40:3" C.M. I. WATTS Hence from my soul, sad thoughts, begone, And leave me to my joys; My tongue shall triumph in my God, And make a joyful noise. Darkness and doubts had veiled my mind, And drowned my head in tears, Till sovereign grace, with shining rays, Dispelled my gloomy fears. O what immortal joys I felt, And raptures all divine, When Jesus told me I was his, And my Beloved mine! In vain the tempter frights my soul, And breaks my peace in vain; One glimpse, dear Saviour, of thy face, Revives my joys again. ---------------------------<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