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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life
Issue# 516 June 9, 2002 Did you ever stop to wonder? My family and I attended a wonderful worship service last night. Afterwards as I was snuggled into bed, drifting off to sleep I started to think (not always a great thing to do when you’re trying to sleep). I wondered what my life would be like without a relationship with God. It wasn’t a pretty picture. I tried to remember back to my days before accepting Christ and some of the emptiness I felt, but didn’t recognize. I didn’t like the thought. I wondered what would happen if all the Sunday (or any other day) worship services were cancelled. I wondered what would happen if there were no more Christian TV or radio programs. I wondered what would happen if Bibles were virtually non-existent and other Christian reading material was impossible to get. I wondered what would happen if there were no more church buildings to go to and if assembling as Christians could get people killed. I wondered what would happen if I had to choose between renouncing my faith and prison, torture or death. I wondered what would happen if your family threw you out for accepting Christ. I realized that those scenarios are reality for much, perhaps even most of the Christian church even today. There is more persecution of Christians today than at any time in history. More Christians have been killed in the last 100 years than in the first 1900 after Christ’s death. Yet God carries them through. He gives them hope and a reason to believe. Their faith is stronger, more passionate, deeper and more real than the faith of most people I know, because it has to be. They know first hand what the Bible speaks of Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39 NIV Being a Christian in most of the world means a lot more hardship than little ridicule from family and friends. It means more persecution than being portrayed as bigoted fools on television and in the movies. It is a matter of life and death. I’m going to do something this morning I don’t normally do and suggest a couple of websites that I consider must reading. Learn what it costs to be a Christian for most of your brothers and sisters in Christ. There are others as well. I do not necessarily endorse their positions on every issue, but reading what they have to say is an eye opener. Until next time, rejoice in the freedom you have to worship. Rejoice in a God who is strong enough to carry people through circumstances I can’t even imagine. Be blessed. Hallelu Yah Kevin Are you looking for something so real it can carry you through anything life throws at you; a love so deep it is worth dying for? Check out a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Email me and I’ll share some Bible verses that explain why a personal relationship with Jesus is so important and a prayer that will make it possible Or simply begin the relationship by saying a prayer along the lines of: Dear God: I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. 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 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 prayer concerns and praise reports email us. If you enjoy 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 To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://hundred-acre-woods.com/magic-list/lists/ or email me at gleanings@gleaningsfromtheword.com
To share your thoughts on this issue of Gleanings, or to share prayer concerns email us or write us at Gleanings From The Word 114 Oak St Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 0V8 © 2002 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin Gleanings From The Word Ministries International All Rights Reserved
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