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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue 736 February 19, 2003 - Shooting Hoops Today Kathy and I are celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary. That really has nothing to do with this morning's Gleanings From The Word; I simply wanted to tell the world that I feel very blessed by God's grace (and my wife's patience). The other day, I was sitting by my desk trying to think my way through an issue. I had come to a roadblock as to how best to proceed and as I was thinking, I was shooting hoops with my garbage can and some crumpled up paper. Not much hope of a professional basketball career for me I'm afraid. I know that doesn't sound very "spiritual" but it was what I was doing. I had read my Bible and prayed on the subject and was spending my time thinking through what I had learned. Think of it as active meditation. As I tossed yet another crumpled up scrap of paper, I thought of some of the emails I'm blessed to receive from readers around the world. Some are positive and some are negative. Some readers share their joys and others share their pain. It seems that many people are going through a season in their life where they feel like my makeshift basketball. They have felt like their life was crumpled and torn and as if they had been discarded by those around them. Most people have had times in their lives where they have felt that way about something. They feel devalued, used and thrown away. These feelings can be caused by failing at something we've tried; giving something our all and finding that it isn't appreciated; rejection by family or friends; a past sin that haunts us and keeps being thrown in our face; or a myriad of other scenarios. None of us is immune to those feelings. Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. Proverbs 14:10 NIV Most of us have felt like the writer of Lamentations at one point or another in our lives. I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light; indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long. He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones. He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead. He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains. Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer. He has barred my way with blocks of stone; he has made my paths crooked. Like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding, he dragged me from the path and mangled me and left me without help. He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrows. He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver. I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long. He has filled me with bitter herbs and sated me with gall. He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust. I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. I say, "My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD." I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Lamentations 3:1-20 NIV Bitterness, anger and rejection can be very dangerous places for us to be as Christians. They are like a poison that can impact every area of our lives. Even our sense of identity in Christ and our spiritual growth can be hindered by the poisons of rejection, anger and bitterness. The question is what do we do with those feelings once they hit us? We have two choices. We can dwell in the bitterness and hurt or we can move on and put our trust in the Lord. In the midst of all His pain, the writer of Lamentations found peace in God. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:21-26 NIV There is hope and light in the darkness. There is freedom from the pain of rejection. There is healing from anger and bitterness. Will you let them go? Turn them over to God and be set free. He came for more than simply setting us free from our sin. He came to deliver us from our other bondage as well Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Psalm 146: 1-10 NIV He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 NIV Until next time, may you be delivered from the spirits of anger, rejection and bitterness. May you be free in the Lord. Be blessed Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you are part of a royal priesthood, a chosen person and a recipient of God's mercy. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 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. Are you struggling with anger, hurt, rejection and bitterness? Turn to the one place where you can receive true healing. Turn to a personal relationship with Jesus. If you want to know how that's possible simply email us and we'll send you some Bible verses that will explain it to you 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 Ministisries International - All Rights Reserved
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