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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #881 August 11, 2003 Green Water I noticed last night that the lake water is getting very green. It tends to do so this time of year, but it seems far more so than normal. I think it's due to a number of factors. We've had lot of rain and a lot of hot days (at least what passes for hot in this part of the world +30 to +33). The rain washed large quantities of fertilizer into the lake (the county had fertilized the grass in the park area). This combination has led to unprecedented plant growth in the lake. The weeds are to the surface, and more, and the algae is in full bloom. The problem will come in the spring. You see when winter comes, all that plant life will die back and sink to the bottom of the lake. There it will decompose like it does every year. Decomposition uses oxygen in the lake water. Since the lake is small and shallow, there is only a limited supply of oxygen. That means the fish will be short of oxygen and I predict a higher than usual level of winter kill. Some things don't require a lot of skill to predict. All you have to do is look at the obvious and extrapolate the results. Some things take a lot more skill. Highly trained scientists and experts in all fields regularly make predictions bout anticipated results to their work or future events. Many times they're right. Many times they're wrong despite their expertise. There is an area that other than as an intellectual exercise it's pointless to try to predict. That's the day of the second coming. We live in end times and have done so ever since Christ ascended back into heaven. We know that He is coming back. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14:1-4 NIV He also told us that we wouldn't know when that return would be. "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Mark 13:32-34 NIV Many places in the Bible tell us He is coming back "soon". "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:12-13 NIV He also shared a few signs that the end times were close. As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:3-14 NIV We needn't waste time predicting the day of His return. He said He was coming and that in the interim things would be hard. We simply need to be faithful to what He's called us to do in the "waiting room" and trust. Will He return today? Tomorrow? Next week? Next year? Ten years from now? A hundred years from now? Longer still? I don't know and neither does anyone else. It really doesn't matter if we spend that time being faithful instead of worrying. When the time is right, He'll be back. Until then all the speculating in the world won't hurry things along. Until next time, may you live each day in a way that will cause Him to say "Well done, good and faithful servant" when He does return or when you do go to be with Him. Be blessed Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour you are a citizen of heaven. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:17-21 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 are so precious to God that heaven will not be complete without you. HELP FOR THE HURTING Life ends and Jesus is coming back. Those two things are a fact of life. Either one may happen much sooner than you think. Are you ready? If you died today do you know whether your destination will be heaven or hell? The only way to ensure it's heaven is through personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 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
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