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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #1,062 March 19, 2004 Only Joking Genni the wonder dog and I took our usual stroll around the lake last night after supper. Not much was happening until we got to the playground. It was surprising busy. Surprising only because it was full of huge puddles left behind by the retreating snow. The biggest puddle was right beneath the exit to the slide. Three girls were playing around the slide and I was convinced it was only a matter of time before disaster struck. It wasn't long coming. I wasn't far past the slide, when I heard one of the girls get in and her two friends promise to catch her at the bottom. At the last minute they laughed and stepped out of the way, leaving their friend to land on her backside in a huge puddle of ice water. As she screamed in shock and betrayal, her friends said "We were just having fun. We were only joking with you." The wet girl continued to cry and scream at her friends. Her mom came running, offered sympathy to her daughter and at the same time began to tear a verbal strip off the friends. The mother of one of the friends appeared on the scene, gave her daughter a lecture than began to yell at the other mother for daring to "..talk to my daughter like that.." As I passed out of earshot, they were still all yelling, except for the wet girl who was crying. All because "we were only joking." Now before you think I'm some kind of a stick in the mud who has no sense of humor, any one ho knows me will testify that I do in fact have one and love a good laugh. I have no doubt that Jesus had a sense of humor and laughed a lot as well. What isn't appropriate is humor at the expense of someone else or humor that destroys. Our "jokes" can leave hidden emotional scars that can last a lifetime. Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" Proverbs 26:18-19 NIV But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:3-3 NIV Christians have a great deal to rejoice about, more than any other people in the world. Laughter should be a regular part of our gatherings and our lives, after all we have the love; grace; peace; joy and forgiveness of the Lord, and eternal life with Him to top it all off. So go ahead and laugh. Enjoy the good things in life. The question is, "Is what I'm laughing about really funny?". The things we laugh about tell a lot about our hearts. What shape is yours in? Until next time, may your life be filled with laughter, but none that comes at the expense of others or in the form of coarse or obscene joking. Be blessed Kevin 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 met some "Christians" who have a perpetually sour disposition and you don't want anything to do with them or their faith. I'm with you part way, I don't enjoy people who don't know how to laugh, but don't base your judgment of the faith on their sour faces. Knowing Jesus will bring you peace; hope; joy and so much more. Check Him out for yourself. Don't let your eternity rest on second hand observations or general impressions. God created you to be in intimate relationship with Him. Will you open your heart for that relationship to happen? You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your heart; admitting you need God's help; turning away from your sin and saying a prayer along the lines of the one below. There isn't any "magic" in the prayer, it's simply a way to open up to the gift that Jesus already bought for you with His very life. You can't earn it. You don't deserve it. He freely offers it to all who will accept it: 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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