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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #482 May 6, 2002 Misunderstandings Good morning, if you thought you missed Gleanings yesterday, you did. My family and I went of town early Saturday and didn’t get back until too late last night. I posted Saturday’s Gleanings about 4:00 am, but left town with a full email box. If you sent me a message and haven’t received a reply yet, bear with me. I’ve read through the bulk of them and it will just take a day or two to get them all answered. My first priority with email is getting the prayer requests to our prayer team, and then I start to answer all of them. Thanks for your patience. In the interim, please feel free to send prayer requests, praise reports or information requests. They are being dealt with; I’ll just be a little slower than normal in responding. My job as a writer and Bible teacher is to take the truths of the Bible and as much as possible (with Holy Spirit’s guidance) make them relate to everyday life in an easily understandable way. Sometimes, it doesn’t work quite that way. Even for a professional communicator misunderstandings will occur. When I got back last night, I got two emails from readers on the same day’s Gleanings. One reader felt I was teaching that you needed to do something other than accept Jesus to be saved. The other thought I was on the right track but I needed to teach the other requirements of salvation (as my reader perceived them). Both said they would no longer read Gleanings. Interestingly enough, on the drive home last night I listened to a message on that very subject from Atlanta based pastor and Bible teacher Charles Stanley (In Touch Ministries). On the way Saturday, I heard a message on similar themes from Pastor Steve Brown (Key Life Ministies). Since both tapes were grabbed from my "to be listened to" pile at random, I thought God must be trying to tell me something. My emails confirmed it. So, let me be clear on what I believe 1) Salvation comes strictly from God as a gift. None of us earn it and none of us deserve it. Once we’re saved, we’re saved. 2) Our Christian walk requires work. We will mess up and step back into sin at times. Getting it right takes effort, the help of Holy Spirit, lots of prayer and more. We are called to walk a Christian walk but our success (or lack thereof) doesn’t reflect on our salvation, we already have that when we accept Jesus. So by now I have probably offended people on both sides of the issue. I don’t mean to offend, but I have to call things as I believe the Bible teaches them. So what does all this have to do with you personally if you’re not really interested in the theological side of things? The simple fact is that as you go through life as a Christian you will have people who will misunderstand you. It may be the way you tried to say it or do it, or it may be the way they saw or heard it. Living a life for God won’t always make you popular and won’t always be understood. Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 NIV Sometimes what you do or say won’t be understood. Try your best to clarify the message, but always keep Christ as the focus. You can’t be all things to all people, but you can be right with God. Hallelu Yah Kevin Do you know this God who loves you no matter what you have done? The one who simply asks that you trust to be saved from hell? 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. 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 at corbin_writer@shaw.ca 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 corbin_writer@shaw.ca Archived issues of Gleanings From The Word can be found on our web site http://gleanings.jesusanswers.com To share your thoughts on this issue of Gleanings, or to share prayer concerns email us at corbin_writer@shaw.ca 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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