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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #907 September 13, 2003 Is it Real?
An integral part of our ministry is our prayer team. We're looking for some additional members. If you think you might be interested in serving with us in this way, send an email with the subject "Prayer team" and we'll send you some additional information. In my office is a small piece of Copal that my father collected on beach in Nova Scotia this summer. Copal is a form of petrified tree resin similar to amber in appearance. It's a fascinating stone. It's a mostly translucent yellow/brown and might easily be mistaken for a piece of melted plastic or slag glass. In places you can still see the impressions where the tree bark was once attached. If you hold the stone up to the light you can see air bubbles trapped inside of it. The piece I have is a small one. If I make a circle with my thumb and finger next to it, it will just hold the piece. It's obviously been broken off a larger stone. The beach had gravel hauled in to make a road and the source of the copal was likely wherever the gravel came from originally. Copal is often used to counterfeit amber. It's similar in enough in appearance to fleece an unsuspecting buyer. Purchasing fossils isn't the only area in life where you have to be careful of counterfeits. We're all familiar with counterfeit money, even if we haven't knowingly held a bill. We've heard of or seen counterfeit Rolex watches. There are counterfeit churches. The look like a church, they talk like a church but they aren't a part of Christ's church. These churches that teach the Bible isn't true or that you don't need Jesus. These fake churches teach you must have works to be saved or that it's religion not a relationship with Jesus that saves. All forms of counterfeit are out there. There are spiritual counterfeits as well. There are counterfeit miracles, tongues, prophecies and more. Don't misunderstand, I believe in the gift of tongues, in prophecy, in healings, signs and wonders. Having said that, we need to be constantly vigilant to discern the real from the fake. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3 NIV We need to be wise and discerning. Scripture tells us that the enemy will lure many with counterfeit signs, wonders and miracles. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 2 Thessalonians 2:9 NIV Don't be content to be "wowed" by miracles or experiences. Learn what the Bile teaches, then measure them up with the word of God. Check them with Holy Spirit. Use your God given gifts of discernment. Until next time, may Holy Spirit instruct you how to tell the real thing from the counterfeit. Be blessed Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour you are one of God's chosen people. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV 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 Perhaps you've been deceived by some philosophy or ideology that teaches you don't need a personal relationship with Christ. Don't believe it, the Bible is very specific that it's the only way to true love, forgiveness, acceptance and salvation. It's a gift that's available for the taking today. You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your heart, admitting you need God's help, and saying a prayer along the lines of: 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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