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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #454 March 26, 2002 Underlying Truth I think back the days before I became a Christian and was not open to the Christian way of thinking. I was a scoffer and a mocker. I didn’t want anything to do with "those" people. I can picture me in the crowd in front of Pontius Pilate screaming for him to crucify Jesus. I can hear me laughing and mocking as He carried His cross to Golgotha. I can see me watching with a mixture of horror and pleasure as they nailed Him to a cross and watching Him die. I think several things lay at the root of it all. I didn’t want to recognize and admit that I wasn’t a "nice" person. I wasn’t a sinner; after all I had never killed anyone or anything of that nature. Oh sure, I drank and swore, I had been known to be less than honest and more, but nothing really "bad". I spoke of Christians being hypocrites. I thought that faith was only for weak people. I justified my lack of belief on some of the horrible things men have done in the name of God. The truth is that underlying all my rationalization were two fears. A fear that if I admitted that God was there, I wouldn’t be in control of my life and might be accountable to someone else. A fear that if God knew who I really was, He wouldn’t accept me. It was easier to reject Him than to face the possibility that He might reject me. The world is full of people who don’t turn to God because they are afraid that He will reject them. Like me, for them the pain seems somehow easier to bear if they do they rejecting. Or like the members of the Sanhedrin, they are afraid that they will no longer be in control if He’s real, so they had to reject Him. Like me for a long time, they don’t really understand what Jesus was saying (if they ever even heard it) On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: `I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matthew 9:12-13 NIV He came to save all of the ugly, wretched sinners of the world. People like you and me. People like those who are afraid He will reject Him. Until next time, as we draw closer to the Easter weekend and prepare to celebrate the joy of His resurrection and our forgiveness, spend some extra time in prayer for those who are afraid that He will reject them. Pray that they will see He is waiting for them with open arms. Hallelu Yah Kevin Are you afraid that God will reject you because of your past or the circumstances you are in now? He will never reject anyone who comes to Him for forgiveness no matter what they have done. 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 If you pray this prayer let me know and I will direct you to some free non-denominational resources that will help you grow in that newfound relationship. To share your thoughts on this issue of Gleanings, or to share prayer concerns email us at corbin_writer@hotmail.com. or write us at : Gleanings From The Word 114 Oak Street Sherwood Park, AB Canada, T8A 0V8 At Gleanings, we have a dedicated team of prayer warriors and all prayer concerns are kept strictly confidential. 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 on our website
© 2001 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin All Rights Reserved SUBSCRIBE TO GLEANINGS FOR FREE
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