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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #1,065 March 23, 2004 Dark Roots and Light Tops This morning's Gleanings From The Word has nothing to do with fading hair coloring or bad dye jobs, although I've seen many cases of dark roots and light tops. Who knows, there might be a Gleanings about that some day, I've had some thoughts long those lines. It was dark when Genni the wonder dog took our stroll around the lake last night. She was in a particularly good mood because she had seen a rabbit and in her mind chased it away, there by protecting me from any malicious intent it my have had. It didn't occur to her that the rabbit was already running across the lake away from us before she ever saw it. She's quite comical to watch after something like that happens, because she struts along very proud of herself looking like she feels like the head of a wolf pack. There wasn't much of a moon out, but we had enough light to see by. As Genni strutted along, we passed a stand of mixed brush and poplar trees. There were amazing to see in the light the moon was casting. The light didn't reach the tree bottoms so they were black looking. As I looked up the tree, they slowly grew lighter ... not quite black, dark gray, medium gray, light gray then as they topped the rest of the underlying bush, white in the moonlight. The top branches seemed to be spread out praising God in the moonlight. Had I been a few minutes earlier or later, the angle of the moon would have changed and I probably wouldn't have seen the transition in the trees. I was reminded of our life in Christ. We're born with a sin nature, in a sin filled world. Our roots are in darkness. As Holy Spirit begins to work in our lives, things become less black, although we're still children of darkness. We begin to seek the light and move towards it. Eventually we find the truth, accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are given a new birth and a new nature. We become children of God, transformed and capable of true praise and worship. We become children of God. Imagine that! The popular notion that all people are God's children is false. Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying, God loves all of His creation, but until the time we accept Christ we are not God's children. That's not my opinion that's what the Bible teaches. He [that is Jesus] was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:10-13 NIV How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure 1 John 3:1-3 NIV Remember that we have become children of God, but only by God's grace. It's not something we earned or deserved. Quite the opposite in fact. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV The fact that we're children of God, by no merit of our own should remove any feelings of superiority we might hold. It should instead drive us out into the world to share the good news that other people can be adopted into the family with all the blessings that entails. One of the best analogies I've ever heard (and I don't know who said it first) is that we're just beggars telling other beggars where to find a meal. The world is rooted in darkness, but like the trees it can stretch out in the light and praise God if it only accepts His gracious gift. Until next time, may the fact that you've been adopted into His family fill your heart to the point where you have no choice but to joyfully share the truth with others. May your hearts desire be to worship Him in all He desires of us including telling others. Hallelu Yah (Praise God) 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 Did you know that if you don't have Jesus you're not a child of God. In fact you are owned by the kingdom of darkness and under their control. You don't have to stay there however, you can be set free. You too can experience all the blessings that being a child of God has to offer. There is hope; peace; joy; forgiveness; eternal life with Him and so much more. It's all available to anyone who will ask for it. It starts by recognizing that you've messed up and that you can't fix it under your own power. From there you humbly ask Jesus to take charge of your life. Will you do that today? 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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