Come Ye Apart

'Come ye yourselves into a desert place, and rest a while.'
Mark 6:30-32

Come Ye Apart

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From "Essentials of Revival," by Diane S. Dew Copyright © 1974, 1997

INDEX OF
BIBLE STUDY
TOPICS

Adultery
Affliction
Angels
Backsliding
Covetousness
Creationism
Deity of Jesus
Deliverance
Depression
Drunkenness
Environmentalism
Euthanasia
Evolution
Fasting
Fornication
The Godhead
Gratitude
Guidance
Hell
The Holy Spirit
Humanity of Jesus
Intercession
Loneliness
Marriage
Ministry of Music
Miracles
Obedience
Occultism
Old Age
Poverty & Hunger
Prayer
The Resurrection
Revelation
Satan, Demons
Sex
Signs & Wonders
Spiritual Warfare
Temptation
The "Trinity"
Unanswered
Prayer: Why?
The Weather
The Written Word

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Following are some of the additional topics (100 total!)
available by mail:

Abortion
The After-Life
Baptism
Blood Atonement
Chastening
Children
Death
Discernment
Divine Healing
Dreams
Faith
Family
Forgiveness
Fear
Fruit of the Spirit
Gambling
Gifts of the Spirit
Gossip
Healing
Holiness
Homosexuality
Inspiration
of Scripture
Jealousy/Envy
Joy
Knowing God
Laying on of Hands
Love
Lying
Patience
Peace
Pleasing God
Pornography
Prophecy
Repentance
Salvation
Second Coming
Seeking God
Sickness & Disease
Spiritual Growth
Suicide
The Teaching Ministry
Thanksgiving
The Tongue
Visions
The Will of God
Words of our Mouth
Worship

One day "the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught." All Jesus said to them, apparently not very impressed, was: "'Come ye yourselves into a desert place, and rest a while' -- for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately." (Mark 6:30-32)
   In this day of instant-everything, it is a real challenge to come aside from the pleasures and influences of a 20th-century society to spend time alone with the Rock of Ages, Creator of it all.
Even within Christendom, many ministers have wearied themselves in their "coming and going." Instead of coming "apart into a desert place" to be with Him, they busy themselves with the externals of religion. God is so gracious, he allows us first to taste of the fruits of our own efforts, bitter as they are. Then, when we find ourselves coming apart, because we have failed ourselves to "come apart," He receives us again with open arms, back to our Restingplace. There He remained, steadfast and always the same: right where we left Him.
The Lord may remove us far from the business (busy-ness) of our ministry to man, that He might reveal to us a higher realm of ministry. People sought out Jesus (Mk 6:33) because He spent time alone with the Father (Mk 6:46). Truly anointed ministry is not the result of personal effort or education, but merely an overflow of one's relationship and meeting with God (Mk 6:34). When Moses came down from the mount, there was no question as to where he had been or with whom he had spoken; the words he had received were the very words of God. (Exo 19)
Jesus' ministry was a reflection of the relationship He had with the Father. He did "nothing of Himself" (Jn 5:19) but spoke and did only those things which He heard and saw the Father say and do. (Jn 14:10) That is why He could say, when asked to "show us the Father," that "he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." (Jn 14:9) He was not the Father but was such a perfect image and reflection of His Father's character and nature in all that He said and did, that to see Jesus was to behold the Father Himself.
  It has been said that we become like those with whom we spend time. People took note of the early disciples, "that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13) His presence was evident and working in their lives. Really spending time alone with God will change us: "... beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, (we) are changed into the same image..." (2 Corin 3:18)
   When we enter the Presence of One so holy that He cannot behold sin (Hab 1:13), we see ourselves as we truly are. When Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord upon His throne, the angels crying "Holy, holy, holy," he at once became aware of his own unworthiness: "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isa 6:5) However, God did not leave him in a state of despair or self-consciousness but changed his heart and life to such a degree that Isaiah became personally concerned and involved with the purposes of God in the earth. "Then said I, 'Here am I; send me.' And He said, 'Go, and tell ...'" (vv 6-8)
   Many today have settled for religion without a relationship. The external aspects of Christianity (prayer, bible-reading, and Christian witness) have lost their vitality and have become a drudgery to them -- while inwardly, still struggling and striving to fulfill their self-imposed laws and regulations, they long for the spiritual rest and freedom they once knew in Christ. One of the strongest paradoxes of Christianity is that we must "labor (strive) ... to enter that rest" (Heb 4:11). Many have found themselves aimlessly trapped in a merry-go-round of religious ritualism: constantly doing and going, but getting nowhere.
Let us go on," the writer of Hebrews exhorts us. Change costs. We cannot cling to past experiences and at the same time reach out for more of Him. We must forsake all (even our preconceived ideas of His best for our lives) and come to Him empty-handed and with willing hearts. Only then can He impart to us the fullness of His grace and mercy. Only then can He change us into what He wants us to be.

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