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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #501 May 25, 2002 Tension The circus acrobat slowly walked the tightrope, a long way above the safety net. Hours of practice had gone into his act, including the carefully calculated fall that had the crowd gasping. Unseen by the crowd was the time put in before the show, making sure the tension of the rope was exactly correct. To little tension and the rope would sway making the walk dangerous. Too much and there wouldn’t be enough give to perform the tricks. Without the tension, there was no way of getting across. To get the tension right required a delicate balance of opposing forces. Not only did the rope need to be exactly right, even the poles had to be supported from all directions to make sure the tension stayed correct. It takes quite a combination of art and science to get it all just right. Tension is a fact of life. Tension exists in the church. At one end of the spectrum are those who are so insistent upon their doctrine that they have no love. At the other end are those who are all love and no doctrine. Some have great doctrine and no room for Holy Spirit. Others have all Holy Spirit and terrible doctrine. It was the same in the time of Jesus and will probably still be that way when He comes again. As Christians, our walk needs to reflect that fine balance. If we know doctrine down pat but don’t show people the love of Christ, it won’t have an impact. If we have lots of love but can’t share the truths of Jesus we don’t have an impact. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:11-15 NIV We are to strive for maturity, a deeper understanding of God and His truths. We are to share it with love. The two can create tension, but it is a necessary tension. The next time some dead doctrinal zealot or loopy liberal gets in your face or on your case, remember that God loves them as well. Consider it an opportunity to walk the high wire, set in perfect tension with Christ as your safety net. Be blessed today. Hallelu Yah Kevin Do you know that God is alive, well and still speaking today? He still desires to have a personal relationship with people; to offer them love, guidance, forgiveness and acceptance. 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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