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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #893 August 28, 2003 Technicalities I looked up the lakeshore and saw a young boy of four or five, walking out of the water. He was wet well beyond the knees and muddy nearly as far. His mother was not impressed. "What are you doing? Why were you in the water? Answer me! "I was.." "Don't interrupt! You'll all wet and filthy! What did I tell you?" Finally the boy had an opportunity to get a word in. "But mom, you said don't get my new shoes dirty. I didn't! they're over by the bench. I took them off so I wouldn't get them dirty. Just like you said mom." I smiled and laughed to myself as the mom sputtered some explanation about leaving the shoes on the shore not being what she had meant. We're so often like the little boy looking to get off on some technicality or another. We try for superficial holiness or partial obedience in our faith walk. We try and rationalize that "we're not as bad" as someone else or that "we can't help it". We'll hear a call from God to do something and come up with all kinds of excuses why we can't do it or why we must have been mistaken about hearing from God. The same behavior that made me laugh at the little boy and his mother, isn't nearly as funny when we do it to God. I believe God has a sense of humor and laughs, but never about sin. Christ showed a perfect example of someone meeting all the technicalities of the law, but not being right before God. To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14 NIV The Pharisee, like the little boy with the clean shoes probably thought he was fine. The truth is meeting all the superficial requirements, and hiding behind the technicalities doesn't cut it. Jesus wants something more. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17 NIV It's the heart He looks at. How's yours? Until next time, may you bring glory to God through a humble heart. Be blessed Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour you are forgiven and a recipient of God's grace. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace Ephesians 1:7 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 Being a Christian isn't all about rules and phony holiness. It's all about a changed heart and a personal relationship with God. If you've been turned away because of some of the "Christians" you have met, you are missing out on the best thing that could ever happen to you. Don't look to Christians, look to Christ, give your heart to Him and experience, love, peace, joy and forgiveness. 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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