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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #1,066 March 24, 2004 Success My desk is piled high his morning with papers, folders and more. Last night we had a church plant visioning/planning meeting and it was late when we got home, so things were left where I dropped them. I suspect it will take a couple of hours to put things away properly, organize the new information, put together my notes from yesterday and do my follow up. That's okay the meeting was a real blessing. It was an eclectic group of people who shared several things in common. An interest in or passion for country/western or roots music. A passion for Jesus Christ. A desire to reach out to those in our community who don't know Jesus but fit into the huge demographic group of those who love country and western music, or people who might be loosely defined as cowboys (even if they've never been any where near a horse). There was a lot of denim in the room and a lot of beards. There was no pretense in the room, just passion for Jesus. They were just good people, honest "folk" who loved the Lord. Some had been Christians their entire lives, others had checkered pasts and came to know Him later. I kind of pictured them as being like the apostles who followed Jesus. You see the apostles weren't the religious elite of their day. They were just a bunch of guys who were obedient enough to follow where Jesus wanted them to go. They weren't perfect and definitely weren't the people a team of "experts" would pick to spread the message of Jesus into the world. That's the kind of people Jesus uses the most. Ordinary people who are willing to go where He sends them and do what He commands. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV Somewhere along the line the church has developed some very unbiblical ideas. We think everyone must be an "expert" to handle any ministry task. We measure the success of a church in terms of the number of people who attend, the size of the buildings or the diversity of the programs. There's even a disturbing tendency amongst pastors to climb the "corporate ladder" and move onto "bigger and better" churches every few years. Church is about none of those things. Of course it's nice to have a few "experts" to help, growing numbers, a nice building and some good programming. However, having said that, ehe real measure of a church is still people coming to know Jesus, growing in that relationship and then following God's calling in their lives. It's about ordinary people trusting and God and seeing extraordinary things happen through them by His power. It's about you reading your Bible, praying, giving, attending worship, serving and sharing Jesus. A church of 20 committed Christians can have a greater impact on the world than a congregation of 2,000 who simply go once a week out of a sense of obligation or to be entertained. Success in the Christian church is being obedient to God. If we keep that obedience fore front in our minds, and strive to follow, then we've been successful even if we fail by worldly standards. After all it's God who decides if our work is successful not the world. Until next time. Get out of your pew, pick up your Bible, get on your knees and ask God what He wants you to be doing and where He wants you to serve. Then DO IT. (and if that call extends to helping plant a cowboy church in the metropolitan Edmonton, Alberta Canada area email me) 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 I don't know all the details of the problems you face in life. I have no idea what you have been through or the mistakes you've made. I don't know what injustices have been done to you. I do know the source of the solution to those problems. God's Word and the testimony of million of changed lives including my own say it is in a personal relationship with Jesus. It's through His power that we can be forgiven, learn to forgive, to heal physically, emotionally and spiritually. It's through Him that we gain our gate pass to heaven. Becoming a Christian isn't a guarantee that you're going to become perfectly healthy and wealthy or live a life of ease. It will change you though in the most important part of your life ... your spirit. It's an easy step to take, but be warned, it is free to accept, but He will change you to be more like Him. Don't wait another day, invite Him into your life 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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