A S P E C T S - a monthly devotional journal
For subscription information on receiving Aspects every month via
e-mail, or the laser-printed edition by mail, see NOTES, COPYRIGHT &
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION near the end of this file.
Aspects is written by David S. Lampel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Issue #50, January 1995 (Internet Edition)
C O M P A N I O N S H I P O F T H E S P I R I T
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In this issue:
Perspective 1 - Friends For Life
Perspective 2 - Wisdom From on High
Perspective 3 - The True Life
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Luke 2:22-32
When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses
had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present
him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every
firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), and to offer a
sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a
pair of doves or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in
Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was
waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon
him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would
not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit,
he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the
child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign
Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the
sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for
glory to your people Israel."
Joseph, Mary, and the young Jesus were in the temple to make the
required sacrifices--for the purification of Mary(1) and the presentation
and redemption of Jesus as a first son.(2) The child had already been
given the name Jesus, and had been circumcised on the eighth day,
according to Jewish law.
Somewhere in the cavernous confines of the great stone house of God a
stranger approached.
____________________________
What brought Simeon to this place and time? What powerful intention
moved him to be in attendance this day in the temple?
For all his life Simeon had been waiting--not without hope, but with keen
anticipation--for the promised Messiah. He didn't know what to expect,
but he continued to wait in faith.
And what made this man so special? Scripture doesn't refer to him as a
priest or rabbi; he may not have held any office. Was he a scholar, a
teacher, a particularly learned man? The Bible only says that Simeon was
"righteous and devout." Here was a man who not only believed in God, but
who lived his life according to God's precepts. Simeon obeyed God. And
he obeyed to such an extent that he trusted in every promise God had
made to His people. He believed God when He had said through Isaiah
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I
will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He
will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised
reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In
faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be
discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands
will put their hope." Isaiah 42:1-4
Simeon had invested his hope in the Lord. But there was something even
more powerful that brought him to the temple that day. Simeon had a
companion.
He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and *the Holy Spirit was
upon him.* It had been *revealed to him by the Holy Spirit* that he
would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. *Moved by the
Spirit,* he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the
child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Luke
2:25b-27 (emphasis added)
Here was a man who conducted His life by the power of the Spirit. How
else could he have been "righteous and devout"?
____________________________
It's been made so much easier for us today. When we open our heart to
Jesus, we automatically get the Holy Spirit at no extra charge. He is
simply part of the bargain of God's grace. He comes in, makes Himself at
home in our being; He reveals the deep wisdom of God's word to our
feeble, temporal minds; He takes our whimperings and groanings and forms
them into the pristine language of God.(3) He counsels, He comforts, and
He admonishes better than any conscience.
Yet in our Spiritual wealth we invest poorly. We move through our days
wasting time wondering, questioning, trying to guess God's will--when
living within is every answer in the person of the Spirit.
If most of us had found ourselves in the temple that day, we would have
glanced about, possibly have seen the young couple and their small
child. Maybe we would have studied the child and muttered a silent
prayer: "Is this the one? Could this one be the promised Messiah?" We
would have waited a few seconds for an answer, then, with a shrug, moved
on--still searching.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perspective 1: F R I E N D S F O R L I F E
--------------
Simeon didn't need to ask. The Spirit--his close and comfortable
companion--informed him, without his asking, of Christ's identity.
____________________________
In the days before the ascension of Christ,(4) the Holy Spirit came upon
the people of God individually, for a specific purpose. Whereas in the
New Testament era the indwelling of the Spirit is corporate in scope,
and permanent. . .
Ephes. 1:13-14
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were
marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a
deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those
who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
. . . before Christ's death and ascension it was specific and temporary.
So we cannot dismiss casually the fact that "the Holy Spirit was upon"
Simeon. God had control of his life. God had specifically empowered
Simeon by the outpouring of the Spirit.
____________________________
. . . the Holy Spirit was upon Him.
It's snowing today. It began snowing last night, continued through the
early morning, and is still coming down. The world, which was only
yesterday a dull, ugly brown, is now a beautiful winter wonderland. The
north side of every oak and hickory tree is pasted with white frosting,
the grass has been covered over, and the birds must now scratch through
small drifts for their seed.
One might say that the snow is upon the ground.
It's not with a light touch; the snow is not hovering gently a few
inches above the ground, dipping down only occasionally to brush the
blades of brown grass. Nor is the covering of snow a rigid plane,
knocking against only the taller weeds and bushes.
The snow is a blanket, folded and forming itself over and around every
contour of the ground. In most areas it has completely eliminated
everything else from sight. The world is white; it's all one can see.
____________________________
When we accept Christ, the Spirit rushes into us like the north wind(5)
that makes the snow blow parallel to the ground. He invades us, seeking
out and filling every nook and cranny, molding Himself--without
conforming--to fit our essential being.
He comes upon us, blanketing us with His comforting touch. We have no
say in the matter, no vote. He comes with Christ, and there's no turning
Him back.
We welcome His entrance. We count ourselves as privileged. But what
then?
"The Holy Spirit is a living Person and should be treated as a
person. We must never think of Him as a blind energy nor as an
impersonal force. He hears and sees and feels as any person
does. He speaks and hears us speak. We can please Him or grieve
Him or silence Him as we can any other person. He will respond
to our timid effort to know Him and will ever meet us over half
the way."(6)
Many think of the Holy Spirit as radiant energy, and thereby find it
impossible to establish a relationship. We do not have a relationship
with the electricity coursing through the walls of our house; we have
relationships with the people who live in the house.
The Spirit is a person living within the four walls of our corporeal
house. As He fits Himself into that house, making Himself comfortable,
we are to make ourselves comfortable with His ways. We are to mold our
lives to His shape and dimensions. We are to accept His presence as
something familiar.
Into the Word
-------------
Acts 9:17
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on
Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you
on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see
again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Isaiah 63:10-11 _______________________________
Luke 1:15 _______________________________
Luke 1:35 _______________________________
Luke 1:41 _______________________________
Luke 1:67 _______________________________
Luke 3:21-22 _______________________________
Acts 1:8 _______________________________
Acts 2:37-39 _______________________________
Acts 5:32 _______________________________
Acts 7:55 _______________________________
Acts 8:15-17 _______________________________
Acts 10:44-48 _______________________________
Acts 11:22-24 _______________________________
1 Cor. 6:19-20 _______________________________
2 Cor. 13:14 _______________________________
Ephes. 1:13-14 _______________________________
2 Tim. 1:14 _______________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Digging Deeper--Moving Higher
-----------------------------
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, vouchsafe(7) within our souls to rest;
Come with Thy grace and heav'nly aid, and fill the hearts which Thou has
made.
To Thee, the Comforter, we cry; to Thee, the Gift of God most high;
The Fount of life, the Fire of love, the soul's Anointing from above.
The sev'nfold gifts of grace are Thine, O Finger of the Hand Divine;
True Promise of the Father Thou, who dost the tongue with speech endow.
Thy light to every sense impart, and shed Thy love in every heart;
Thy own unfailing might supply to strengthen our infirmity.(8)
____________________________
"Spirituality is a slippery term but the phenomenon itself is
not new. Christian spirituality is nothing other than life in
Christ by the presence and power of the Spirit: being conformed
to the person of Christ, and being united in communion with God
and with others. Spirituality is not an aspect of Christian
life, it is the Christian life."(9)
____________________________
"The most important rule for us is to concentrate on keeping our
lives open to God. Let everything else including work, clothes,
and food be set aside. The busyness of things obscures our
concentration on God. We must maintain a position of beholding
Him, keeping our lives completely spiritual through and
through. Let other things come and go as they will; let other
people criticize us as they will; but never allow anything to
obscure the life that 'is hidden with Christ in God'
(Colossians 3:3). Never let a hurried lifestyle disturb the
relationship of abiding in Him. This is an easy thing to allow,
but we must guard against it. The most difficult lesson of the
Christian life is learning how to continue "beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord . . ."(10)
Making it Personal
------------------
Is the Holy Spirit in you?
Do you feel--or sense--the Spirit in you? If yes, what is it you feel? How
do you know this to be of the Spirit?If no, why do you think you can't
feel the Spirit?
To what extent does the Spirit control your thoughts and activity during
each day? What determines the amount of control exerted by the Spirit in
your life?
Galatians 5:22-23a
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Into the Word
-------------
Notice once again the role played by the Holy Spirit in this scene where
the baby Jesus is taken to the temple. Then consider the Spirit's role
in the birth of Jesus earlier in the gospel of Luke.
Luke 1:35
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be
born will be called the Son of God."
Consider: The Spirit was upon Simeon, coming with him into the temple,
as it were, to visit the Child He (the Spirit) begat with Mary. The
Child's true Father was in attendance for the dedication of Jesus to the
Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perspective 2: W I S D O M F R O M O N H I G H
--------------
1 Cor. 2:12-13
We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is
from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This
is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in
words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual
words.
In speaking of the gospels, the late and respected historian Will Durant
wrote:
"In summary, it is clear that there are many contradictions
between one gospel and another, many dubious statements of
history, many suspicious resemblances to the legends told of
pagan gods, many incidents apparently designed to prove the
fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, many passages possibly
aiming to establish a historical basis for some later doctrine
or ritual of the church. The evangelists shared with Cicero,
Sallust, and Tacitus the conception of history as a vehicle for
moral ideas. And presumably the conversations and speeches
reported in the Gospels were subject to the frailties of
illiterate memories, and the errors or emendations of
copyists."(11)
Later he discounts the miracles of Jesus by writing that they were
"probably in most cases the result of suggestion--the influence
of a strong and confident spirit upon impressionable souls. His
presence was itself a tonic; at his optimistic touch the weak
grew strong and the sick were made well. The fact that like
stories have been told of other characters in legend and
history does not prove that the miracles of Christ were myths.
With a few exceptions they are not beyond belief; similar
phenomena may be observed almost any day at Lourdes, and
doubtless occurred in Jesus' time at Epidaurus and other
centers of psychic healing in the ancient world; the apostles
too would work such cures."(12)
Finally, regarding the work and theology of the apostle Paul, Durant
writes:
"Moved by his own somber spirit and remorse, and his
transforming vision of Christ; influenced perhaps by Platonist
and Stoic denunciations of matter and the body as evil;
recalling, it may be, Jewish and pagan customs of sacrificing a
"scapegoat" for the sins of the people, Paul created a theology
of which none but the vaguest warrants can be found in the
words of Christ: that every man born of woman inherits the
guilt of Adam, and can be saved from eternal damnation only by
the atoning death of the Son of God."(13)
Durant's tone is balanced and not antagonistic. He does not ridicule,
but treats with respect the persons and writings of the New Testament.
The historian's analysis, however, is glaringly devoid of the Spirit--not
the spirit of man, but the Spirit of God. Here is someone who has read
Scripture, but for whom the word of God has not been revealed, or
translated, by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 1:18 NASB
For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
____________________________
Simeon knew that He would see the Christ before He died. It wasn't a
hunch, it wasn't a guess or even a wish. He knew. How? He had heard it
from the One having power over death and life--revealed by His Spirit.
The Holy Spirit reveals myriad things to us. To begin, He reveals the
word of God and is our connection to the mind of God.
But the Spirit also interprets for us our everyday events. He is the one
who translates tragedy into wisdom; He is the one who reveals the power
and tenderness of God in the fresh carpet of wildflowers on a spring
day, in the trees bowed under the North wind, in the energy of rolling
thunderheads; He is the one who opens the mysteries of God's heart in
our surroundings to instruct, counsel, and console.
1 Cor. 2:10b-11
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who
among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within
him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the
Spirit of God.
Into the Word
-------------
John 14:26
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I
have said to you.
Luke 10:21 _______________________________
Luke 12:11-12 _______________________________
John 1:33 _______________________________
John 14:26 _______________________________
Acts 1:1-2 _______________________________
Acts 1:8 _______________________________
Acts 13:2 _______________________________
Acts 15:28-29 _______________________________
Acts 20:28 _______________________________
Acts 21:11 _______________________________
Acts 28:25-27 _______________________________
1 Cor. 12:3 _______________________________
1 Thes. 1:4-6 _______________________________
Hebrews 2:4 _______________________________
Hebrews 9:8 _______________________________
Hebrews 10:15-17 _______________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Digging Deeper--Moving Higher
-----------------------------
Come, gracious Spirit, heav'nly Dove, with light and comfort from above;
Be Thou our Guardian, Thou our Guide; O'er every tho't and step preside.
The light of truth to us display, and make us know and choose Thy way;
Plant holy fear in every heart, that we from God may ne'er depart.
Lead us to holiness, the road which we must take to dwell with God;
Lead us to Christ, the living Way, nor let us from His presence stray.
Lead us to God, our final rest, to be with Him forever blest;
Lead us to heav'n, that we may share fullness of joy forever there.(14)
____________________________
"`He will guide you into all the truth.' Truth may be compared
to some cave or grotto, with wondrous stalactites reaching from
the roof, a cavern glittering with spar and abounding in
marvels. Before entering the cavern you enquire for a guide,
who comes with his lighted torch. He conducts you down to a
considerable depth, and you find yourself in the midst of the
cave. He leads you through different chambers. Here he points
you to a little stream rushing from amid the rocks. There he
points to some peculiar rock and tells you its name. Truth is a
grand series of caverns; it is our glory to have so great and
wise a conductor as the Holy Spirit. He is a light shining in
the midst of us to guide us. And by the light He shows us
wonderful things. He teaches us by suggestion, direction, and
illumination."(15)
____________________________
Heavenly Spirit, gentle Spirit, O descend on us, we pray;
Come, console us, and control us, Christ, most fair, to us portray.
Hear us pleading, interceding, Thou interpreter of love;
With Thy fire, us inspire,Holy flame from God above.(16)
Making it Personal
------------------
The Holy Spirit is not the only spirit who counsels us. Can you identify
competing spirits in your life?
How can you tell them apart? How can you know which spirit is giving you
counsel at any time?
What happens in your life when you take counsel with the wrong spirit?
____________________________
"The Spirit never loosens where the Word binds; the Spirit never
justifies where the Word condemns; the Spirit never approves
where the Word disapproves; the Spirit never blesses where the
Word curses."(17)
Into the Word
-------------
Read the story of Samson, found in the Book of Judges, Chapters 13
through 16. Note especially:
Judges 13:25
Judges 14:6
Judges 14:19
Judges 15:14
>From where did Samson get his powers?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perspective 3: T H E T R U E L I F E
--------------
Romans 8:13-16
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if
by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will
live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of
God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again
to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry,
"Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that
we are God's children.
Just what does it mean to live "by the Spirit", or to do something "in
the Spirit"?
Examples do not come easily, for we have devalued Spiritual living to
the point that any illustration sounds like a vignette out of the
Sixties, told to the accompaniment of finger cymbals and the wafting of
incense. Spiritual living has become in our day synonymous with
empty-headedness. To live by the Spirit denotes laziness, a lack of
common sense and gumption--or it denotes Eastern mysticism lived under a
crystal pyramid somewhere in the arid vastness of Arizona.
Quite to the contrary, the true Spirit-quickened life is one packed with
vitality, intelligence, and supernatural wisdom.
The world in which we live is uncomfortable with things of the Spirit,
because it is uncomfortable with the knowledge brought by the Spirit.
Jesus said to His disciples that
John 16:13-15
. . . when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into
all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he
hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory
to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All
that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit
will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
In our world, the truth is multiple choice. Anything that declares any
one truth--to the exclusion of all the rest--is either dismissed, at best,
or ridiculed. We live in a society in which all the sharp edges have
been rounded off. The Spirit has sharp edges, and that is why He is so
unpopular. That is why a life lived in Him is so inconvenient.
So the main mark of a life conducted "in the Spirit" is that it will be
conducted according to the truth of God's word. The Spirit wrote the
words, and it is the Spirit who dispenses their truth to the one in whom
He dwells.
____________________________
The Holy Spirit is a remarkable agent. He has no agenda of His own; He
speaks only the truth from the Father and Jesus Christ. Seeking no glory
for Himself, He always points us toward the Father and the Son. So a
life filled and motivated by the Spirit will always be a life that
points to God. This is how we are able to "test the spirits."(18) Any
spirit that does not point us to God the Father and His Christ will not
be the one, Holy Spirit.
Living a life that is moved by the Spirit of God is, essentially, a deep
and powerful joining of our spirit to His. Tozer writes that
"the highest love of God is not intellectual, it is spiritual.
God is spirit and only the spirit of man can know Him really.
In the deep spirit of a man the fire must glow or his love is
not the true love of God. The great of the kingdom have been
those who loved God more than others did."(19)
Living "by the Spirit" is not church activities; it is not showing up
for mid-week prayer meeting because you've nothing else to do; it is not
programs.
Spirit living is not doing--it is being. It is being who God wants you to
be--whether you want to be or not. It is seeking the counsel of God over
man.
Spirit living is obedience.
____________________________
"A spiritual kingdom lies all about us, enclosing us, embracing
us, altogether within reach of our inner selves, waiting for us
to recognize it. God Himself is here waiting our response to
His presence. This eternal world will come alive to us the
moment we begin to reckon upon its reality."(20)
Into the Word
-------------
Acts 4:31
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God
boldly.
Mark 13:11 _______________________________
Luke 4:1 _______________________________
Acts 2:4 _______________________________
Acts 4:8 _______________________________
Acts 9:31 _______________________________
Acts 10:37-38 _______________________________
Acts 13:4 _______________________________
Acts 16:6 _______________________________
Acts 20:22-23 _______________________________
Romans 15:13-16 _______________________________
2 Peter 1:21 _______________________________
Jude 1:20 _______________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Digging Deeper--Moving Higher
-----------------------------
O Breath of Life, come sweeping through us,
Revive Thy church with life and pow'r;
O Breath of Life, come, cleanse, renew us,
And fit Thy church to meet this hour.
O Wind of God, come bend us, break us,
Till humbly we confess our need;
Then in Thy tenderness remake us,
Revive, restore, for this we plead.
O Breath of Love, come breathe within us,
Renewing thought and will and heart;
Come, Love of Christ, afresh to win us,
Revive Thy church in every part.
O Heart of Christ, once broken for us,`
'Tis there we find our strength and rest;
Our broken contrite hearts now solace,
And let Thy waiting church be blest.
Revive us, Lord! Is zeal abating
While harvest fields are vast and white?
Revive us, Lord, the world is waiting,
Equip Thy church to spread the light. Amen.(21)
____________________________
"Here are three lessons from these great words [John 16:12-15]
which I leave with you. One is: Believe a great deal more
definitely in, and seek a great deal more consciously and
earnestly, and use a great deal more diligently and honestly,
that divine Spirit who is given to us all. Another lesson is:
Use the book that He uses--else you will not grow, and He will
have no means of contact with you.And the last is: Try the
spirits. If anything calling itself Christian teaching comes to
you and does not glorify Christ, it is self-condemned. For none
can exalt Him highly enough, and no teaching can present Him
too exclusively and urgently as the sole Salvation and Life of
the whole earth."(22)
Making it Personal
------------------
Spirit living is very personal; there is arrogance in one person
defining it for another. So how can we know? Where do we begin?One place
where we can begin is with an examination of our motives? Why do we do
what we do? Where do you seek and acquire the wisdom for your life
decisions?
Another place to check is our senses. Feelings can be tricky; we must be
cautious when categorizing the emotions flowing through us.
Nevertheless, when the Spirit of God is in control of a life, He will be
felt.As you move through your days, do you sense the presence of God? Is
there a relationship between your spirit and His? Do you feel Him
working?
Into the Word
-------------
Use Scripture to describe how one depends on and is motivated by the
Spirit. What are the inward and outward signs of a life controlled by
the Holy Spirit?
========================================================================
NOTES, COPYRIGHT & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Notes
-----
1 Leviticus 12:1-8.
2 Numbers 18:15.
3 Romans 8:26-27.
4 John 16:7.
5 Spirit = pneuma, pnyoo'-mah, Greek Stg 4151; from Greek 4154 (pneo); a
current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or
figurative a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implicaiton)
vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel,
d'mon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit :- ghost, life,
spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Compare Greek 5590 (psuche).
6 A.W. Tozer, The Divine Conquest (Christian Publications, 1978), p126f.
7 "Vouchsafe": to be gracious enough or condescend to give or grant.
8 Latin, 9th Century.
9 Michael Downey in America (April 2, 1994), as cited in Christianity
Today (July 18, 1994, p45).
10 Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest (Discovery House, 1992).
11 Will Durant, Caesar and Christ: A History of Roman Civilization and
of Christianity from their beginnings to A.D. 325 (Simon and Schuster,
1972), p557.
12 Ibid, p562f.
13 Ibid, p588.
14 Simon Browne (1680-1732).
15 Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon (Shaw, 1990), p.22.
16 Joel Blomquist; translated by Gerhard W. Palmgren.
17 Thomas Brooks.
18 1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets
have gone out into the world.
19 A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Christian Publications, 1982), p40.
20 Ibid, p52.
21 Bessie P. Head (1850-1936).
22 Alexander Maclaren, in his Expositions of Holy Scripture (Baker,
1984), Vol 11, p.119f.
Copyright Information
---------------------
All original material in Aspects is Copyright (C) 1995 David S.
Lampel. This data file is the sole property of David S. Lampel. It may
not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its
entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All
reproductions of this data file must contain the copyright notice (i.e.,
"Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel."). This data file may not be used
without the permission of David S. Lampel for resale or the enhancement
of any other product sold. This includes all of its content. Brief
quotations not to exceed more than 500 words may be used, with the
appropriate copyright notice, to enhance or supplement personal or
church devotions, newsletters, journals, or spoken messages. Unless
otherwise indicated, all Scripture is from the New International
Version. NIV quotations are from the Holy Bible: New International
Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.
Used by permission. NASB quotations are from the New American Standard
Bible (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The
Lockman Foundation.
Subscription Information
------------------------
Aspects is published monthly. There are two preferred methods of
receiving it on a regular basis:
1) You may subscribe to the laser-printed (hard copy)
edition, which is sent out via regular mail. This
edition is different from this file you are reading in
the following ways:
- a "typeset" look, with italics, larger titles and
headings, etc.
- Scripture text and quotations are more obviously set
apart
- lines printed for your notes after each question
- arrives pre-punched for a 3-ring binder
- generally looks better
2) You may subscribe to the e-mail edition, which
will be "mailed" to you directly each month. This
edition will be formatted just like this file you are
now reading--which still contains all the text of the
printed edition.
There is no charge for either option.
For a free subscription to Aspects, send a note to
"dlampel@dlampel.com"
Please specify the method by which you wish to receive Aspects.
Be sure to include your postal mailing address if you choose the
printed edition.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Aspects is distributed free-of-charge, without obligation, in
service to our Lord and to His glory. Reader opinions are always
welcome, as are insights into the published material. Send all
comments to the above address. We always appreciate hearing when
someone has been edified by this work.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on the "online" Format
----------------------------
Certain adaptations to the text are necessary for distribution
of this ASCII edition of Aspects. Endnote reference numbers are
enclosed in parentheses (); quotations are enclosed by quotation
marks " ", and are further set apart from original text by indentation
and the presence of a following endnote reference; Scripture references
are indented and cite the reference in the first line.
If you would prefer reading Aspects in its more native, printed
form, we would encourage you to subscribe to the edition that is
mailed out every month.
----------------------------------------------
file: /pub/resources/text/aspects: asp-050.txt