Showing posts with label faithful and wise servant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faithful and wise servant. Show all posts

Friday 1 April 2011

A prophet to restore

Isaiah, of Jerusalem wanted to be a servant of God the Allmighty and ministered from the year King Uzziah died (740/39), through the reigns of Jotham (740/39), Ahaz (732/31-716/715) and Hezekiah (716/15-687/86).

There is no instance where the prophets regard themselves as the inspired founders of a new spiritual religion, but everywhere they regard themselves as the restorers and reformers of a religion already in being and known to their auditors. Isaiah wanted as a servant to God bring the world Gods Message. Isaiah calls the people to repentance, and are assures that blessing should follow repentance.
There shall come judgement of the wicked and a restoration of the righteous remnant. Those who want to listen shall be able to put their hopes in the Promises of God, who shall not leave them alone. The Good Tidings is about an ordinary man who shall give up his life, having done nothing wrong. He will be placed higher and shall be recognised as the Messiah who shall restore the kingdom to Israel in that day of the earth’s glory.

Do you want to read more about the first messenger, the greatest of the prophets of the Old Testament, and the other messenger, the first messenger of the New Covenant? Please do read our new articles:

Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation


Isaiah’s Book of the Messenger of Glad Tidings


Isaiah prophet and messenger of God



Wednesday 1 July 2009

Bijbelonderzoekers en Russelism

Gemakkelijk stelt men bijbelonderzoekers of Bijbelstudenten voor als JG of als Russelieten of navolgers van Russellism.
Bij “Russell-ism”, refereert men naar diegenen die na Charles Taze Russell zijn dood in 1916, zijn inzichten bleven of nog steeds volgen.
Zowel de JG als de Russellieten blijven aannemen dat in 1914 Jezus zijn Koninkrijk reeds opzette. Tegenwoordig geloven niet alle bijbelstudenten of zelfs volgelingen van Russell dat niet meer.
Verscheidene leiders trachten scheuringen te verkrijgen in de bijbelstudentenbeweging na Russll's dood. Zij wilden dat de leden hun keuze maakten of kamp kozen.
Men kan de vraag stellen: "Wat is de Waarheid?" als men voorop stelt dat men moet kiezen voor Dé Waarheid. Welke vereniging kan er zich op beroepen de waarheid in pacht te hebben of er trots op zijn om het meeste licht te hebben verkregen?

> * Russellism; Self-Inflicted Wound.doc (66 KB - downloaded 3 times.)
The "Russellism" Label > http://reslight.net/forum/index.php/topic,842.msg2037.html#msg2037

> There is a point in this  in that Russell was viewed as the "faithful and wise servant", "the Laodicean Messenger", etc., which doctrines were held to as a basis for supposed doctrinal "unity", but which doctrines themselves actually have led to divisions amongst the Bible Students. The viewpoints extended from Brother Russell's thoughts in the harvest also became a dividing point. And all of this does show the results of limiting belief to a certain set of thoughts revealed in the writings of one servant of the Lord to such an extent as to view those writings as though they were nearly or actually divinely-inspired scripture. And yet, like the holy scriptures, the meaning of much that Russell wrote is still debated to this day, often without thought that we should move beyond what Russell wrote, and simply consider what the scriptures state.

> How does one be "in the truth"? Is it by accepting the doctrine of this or that man, even to accepting the thoughts of this or that man as "doctrine" when such is not directly revealed in the Bible? (1 Corinthians 4:6) Jesus claimed to be "the truth" (John 14:16); that is, that the words he spoke were true words of the only true God. (Deuteronomy 18:18; John 14:10; 24) Thus, scripturally, to be  'in the truth', as it relates to the Christian, is to be  "in Christ". -- Romans 8:4; 12:5.

> here is also an understanding of prophecies that are due to be understood in our day, that were not previously understood. (Daniel 12:8-10) Part of our walking in the light would entail walking in agreement with such increased understanding. As we understand these prophecies, although the revealment of the "light" itself is in the prophecy, our understanding of the prophecies does constitute an increase of light for us individually, and even collectively, as the understanding becomes available to us, regardless of who is/are the agent(s) in showing the understanding. However, it is the thought of men's reasoning beyond what has been written (1 Corinthians 4:6) to assume that a Christian has to identify this or that man, or group of men, etc., so as to follow such a man or men in order to walk in the light of truth. Jesus did not say "You must find and identify that one faithful and wise servant whom I have appointed to give to you food, and if you do not so recognize that one faithful servant, you are not in the light." Yet this appears to be what many have thought and read into Jesus' words. < schrijft Ronald RD van Restoration Light

Wednesday 28 January 2009

A treasure which can give me everything I need

"For anything worth having one must pay the price;
and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice.
No paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real service."
- John Burroughs 1837-1921

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant,
whom the master has put in charge of the servants
in his household to give them their food at the proper time?
It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions."
Matthew 24:45-47

Dear God, do give me spiritual food and blessing.
Let me carry your Word as a precious treasure
which can give me everything I need.

Wednesday 26 November 2008

Why did Christ not reveal the exact time of his second coming?

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON

Why did Christ not reveal the exact time of his second coming? We may find the answer to this question in three places, the first of which, though not the most reliable, is simple logic. We are Christians, but at the same time we are human beings and it is our tendency to procrastinate when we feel that this can be done without great loss or damage. God is the Creator. He made us. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He knows that many of His followers would put off the needful preparation until the last minute if they knew exactly when Christ is coming. The danger inherent in this course of action is abundantly clear, for in our weak, human nature this would be too great a temptation for many of us.

  In his instruction, Christ made it very clear that one of the reasons his followers should watch and be alert is the fact that they do not know the hour when their Lord will come. To impress this on the minds of his disciples, Christ gave the illustration of the householder and the thief. “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would not have suffered his house to be broken up” (Matt. 24:43).

  In one respect, there is a great difference between the coming of the thief and the coming of Christ. The thief hopes that the householder will be unprepared. Our Lord desires us to be watching and ready for his appearing. “Therefore be ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes.” It is hardly possible to be alert and ready at all times for the appearance of a thief. It is possible however, to always be ready for the coming of the Saviour, and this is what Christ has commanded. It is his desire that his followers be ready at all times - not because they are fearful, not because they dread his appearing, not just because he has a reward for them, but because they love him and wish to be with him.

  We are not to know the definite time for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days or for the coming of Christ. The times and the seasons God has put in His own power. Why has He not given us this knowledge? because we would not make a right use of it if He did. A condition of things would result from this knowledge among us that would greatly retard the work of God in preparing a people to stand in the great day that is to come. We are not to be engrossed with speculations in regard to the times and the seasons which God has not revealed. Jesus has told his disciples to “watch,” but not for definite time. His followers are to be in the position of those who are listening for the orders of their Captain; they are to watch, wait, pray, and work, as they approach the time for the coming of the Lord; but no one will be able to predict just when that time will come; “for of that day and hour knoweth no man.” We will not be able to say that he will come in one, two, or five years, neither are we to put off his coming by stating that it may not be for many years.

  Now let us look at our third proposition, the reason why the Lord has not already come and why we are not already in his  kingdom.

  Christ spoke to his disciples of two servants. One he called a faithful and wise servant. The other was characterized as an evil servant. The faithful servant was following his master’s instructions. He was doing the work that had been committed to him. Of the other servant Christ said, “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delays his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 24:48-51).

  What is the sin of the evil servant? Certainly it was wrong for him to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken. But these were the results of his downfall, not the cause. The greatest sin of the evil servant was the disregard of his master’s desires and commands; the inclination to do what was pleasing to himself on the theory that the master would not return soon and that there would be time to change his course of action before he returned. Notice that the evil servant did not proclaim to his fellow servants that the coming of his lord was delayed. This he said in his heart. This was his philosophy and his motivation, but he kept it covered up as much as possible. The inference is strong that this servant was a hypocrite. He pretended to be that which he was not.

  It is easy to see the sins of the evil servant. Perhaps it is not so easy to apply the lesson in the 21st century. Let us ponder the words of the servant of the Lord as we consider the reasons why our Saviour has not already returned to this earth to take up his kingdom. Had the purpose of God been carried out by His people in giving to the world the message of mercy, Christ, because of this, may have possibly come to the earth by now, and the saints would have received their welcome into the city of God.

  Perhaps the most important question that any Christian can ask himself is this: Am I ready for the Lord to come? If your answer, or my answer, to that question is not an unqualified yes, then there is no time to lose. God wants us in His kingdom. This is why He was willing to send His Son to die on Calvary. Too many of us may be like the boy who wanted to live with Jesus - but not just yet! As the story has it, two farmer lads walking barefoot on the dusty road met the new minister. Thinking to give them some food for thought, the minister greeted them and then asked, “Do you boys want to go and live with Jesus?” One answered in the affirmative, but the other dug his toe in the soft sand and shook his head. “You really don’t want to go and live with Jesus?” the minister inquired with a tone of disbelief. “No, sir.” “Do you mean to tell me you want to die and not be raised to live forever with Jesus?” “Oh no!” said the lad “I didn’t know you were talking about when I die. I thought you were making up a load to go to him today.”

  We may smile at this simple story, but we should be sure that our own experience and attitude could not be described in a similar, though more sophisticated, manner.

  Perhaps the second most important question that the Christian can ask himself is this: What am I doing to hasten the coming of the Lord? Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the world would be sown with the seed of the gospel and God’s number would be made up. Watching, waiting, and working - this is what God expects of us in these last moments of earth’s history. We should be “looking eagerly for the coming of the Day of the Lord” (2 Peter 3:12).

 John Aldersly