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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #1,006 January 13, 2004 Coulees Areas of the landscape in the southern part of Alberta and northern Montana can be very misleading. It seems to be nothing but flat, arid land for miles, but it's not. Don't misunderstand me, not the entire southern part of the province or the northern part of the state look that way and even where it does, the land has a beauty all it's own. The ground stretches out flat, sometimes for many miles, but suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, deep coulees appear, often with rivers or streams down at the bottom. (If you're not familiar with the word coulee, think arroyo or canyon.) Along the coulee walls may be sage brush, cactus and rattlesnakes, but down by the water things are lush and green. Going from the top, down the coulee walls and to the river is like traversing three worlds. While the land is arid, and much of it must be irrigated for farming, it's not desert, although some of the coulee walls must surely be close. I've seen a couple of deserts first hand and they're a whole different ecosystem. Yet when I read parts of Scripture, I think of southern Alberta. You see, the Scriptures often speak of God transforming the desert, a metaphor the people of the middle east could relate to. He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; Psalm 107:33 NIV See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Isaiah 32:1-2 NIV till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. Isaiah 32:15 NIV When I read verses like these, I picture the lush greenery at the bottom of the coulees and the cool refreshing water and I get just a hint of what the Bible talks about. The world can be a hurting and dismal place at times. We often think of those circumstances as times in the desert. He promises it won't always be that way. He'll restore the life and vitality to our lives and the world around us. That's something to hold on tightly to in the desert days. Perhaps you're in that desert and it looks the same as far ahead as you can see. Remember the landscape of Southern Alberta and know that a refreshing stream may be nearer than you think. Until next time may streams of living water flow close to you always. Be blessed Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin OUR GOD IS Our God is the great I am. He isn't the I was or the I will be. He is always the I am. God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.' " Exodus 3:14 NIV YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus as Saviour you are sheltered. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1 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 Maybe you've been walking in the desert of life for a long time. You carry the scars of other people's words and cruelty, along with your own mistakes. The scars can be physical, emotional or spiritual but they add to the weight of walking the lonely desert. Perhaps you see no way out, it's desert as far as you can see in any direction. Don't give up, Jesus can bring you out of the desert and restore you. You don't have to wait until you have it all together, He'll take you where you are. All you need is to realize that you can't do it without Him and ask Him to come into your life. He's simply waiting for your invitation. 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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