|
GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue # 795 April 30, 2003 Sentries PRAYER REQUESTS Did you know that at Gleanings, we have a dedicated team of prayer warriors and all prayer concerns are kept strictly confidential? If you are in need of prayer, simply drop us a note. Issue # 795 April 30, 2003 Sentries Genni the wonder dog and I went for our lakeside stroll just after supper last night. The path was busy, so Genni spent more time sniffing and visiting than walking. Sometimes we're able to walk at a brisk pace, but other times we just amble along. Last night our pace was slow. As we walked I looked I saw three or four cormorants fishing. I think they put a pretty fair sized hole in the local trout population. Then I looked over at the island and saw that there were another twenty or so cormorants lined up on the shore. I've never seen that many cormorants together at one time before. They looked like a line of soldiers, all dressed in black and ready to go out on sentry duty. Some had their wings spread out, drying them in the sun, but otherwise they stood there motionless. The birds with the spread wings looked almost like gargoyles in the distance. It was a strange sight. Thinking on the row of birds, my imagination began to wander. I pictured these strange black birds standing at attention and their gargoyle like friends as being on guard. The only place I could imagine guards that would look like that would be at the very gates of hell itself. Now the gates of hell aren't designed to keep people out. The place has a one way door; people can get in with no problem. The gates and my imaginary group of sentries are there to keep people from getting back out. Our culture takes the concept of hell very lightly. They either make fun of it, and comment on how much more fun it will be there with their partying friends than in heaven with stuffy saints playing the harp or they deny the existence of hell altogether. The reality is that hell exists. Jesus spoke of it a lot. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matthew 5:22 NIV If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Matthew 5:29-30 NIV Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 NIV "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Matthew 23:33 Hell is real and it's not going to be a party place. There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, `Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' "But Abraham replied, `Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' "He answered, `Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' "Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' " `No, father Abraham,' he said, `but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'" "He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31 NIV Fortunately, while there may not be a get out of hell free card. We have a saviour in whom we can place our trust. Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. Matthew 16:16-20 NIV Until next time, give some thought to the place called hell, then look around you at all the people whose eternal destiny is an eternity in that place. I pray that when you do so, it breaks you heart and inspires you to share the life giving truth of Jesus Christ at every opportunity. Be blessed. Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour you are secure "Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders." Deuteronomy 13:22 NIV Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your heart, admitting you need God's help, and saying a prayer along the lines of: Jesus: I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I have sinned. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you Lord. Amen If you pray this prayer for the first time let me know so I can rejoice with you. Did you know that at Gleanings, we have a dedicated team of prayer warriors and all prayer concerns are kept strictly confidential? Your comments, your questions and your joys are shared with the prayer team, to keep me accountable as the head of the ministry and to encourage them as they see God at work in your life. As with prayer all these things are kept confidential within the Gleanings team. To share your questions, comments, thoughts, prayer concerns and praise reports email us If you enjoyed this issue of Gleanings From The Word, email it, in its entirety, to a friend. For information on use of Gleanings in your church newsletter or other situations please visit the permissions page . You can write to us at Gleanings From The Word Ministries International 114 Oak St Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 0V8 © 2003 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin Gleanings From The Word Minististries International - All Rights Reserved
|