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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #913 September 20, 2003 Wounded Spirits One of the more common emails I receive goes something like this "God gave me a wonderful opportunity to do something special and I didn't take it. Now I'm afraid He doesn't love me any more." A variant is "I fell back into terrible sin and I'm afraid God won't ever forgive me again." These are ordinary people in great pain. If you saw them you probably wouldn't know they feel like they're dying on the inside. They might be sitting next to you on a Sunday morning, they might be ministering in your church or they might even be part of your family. Often they just slowly and quietly slip away from the church in their self imposed shame. When we're physically injured, we usually get medical help of some form to heal our bodies. When we've been injured spiritually we often run from the source of healing. Satan lies to us and tells us we can't ever be forgiven. We've been hurt in the past by sharing with someone in the church when we shared our pain. Maybe our church doesn't condone sharing. Like a bad physical wound that doesn't receive attention, a wound to the spirit that doesn't receive tending just keeps on bleeding. Infection sets in and makes the wound even messier. The pain festers, our spirit weakens and we fall further and further away from the one who can heal us. Our healing comes from the Lord. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 NIV I'm going to go out on a limb here and probably offend some people because there are different interpretations for this verse. If you disagree with me on this, I'm sorry, but that's life sometimes. This verse isn't a promise that God will heal all our physical ailments in this lifetime. Yes, He can do that and often does, but it isn't a guarantee. It means that for our sin He brings healing. He heals our wounded and battered spirit. That's the mot important healing there is, to be made right again with God. That's an eternal healing not simply a transitory physical healing. God heals and God forgives. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NIV He makes us new again. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV If you're one of those people who is wounded in the spirit and wondering if you can ever go back, YES, YES, GOD STILL LOVES YOU. HE'S WAITING WITH OPEN ARMS. RUN INTO THEM. Until next time, if you're wounded in the spirit run to our great healing God. Be blessed Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour you secure. "Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders." Deuteronomy 33:12 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 You've messed up big time in your life. You won't turn to God because you "just know" He can't forgive you. I've got great news, He wants nothing more than to forgive you and restore you. His unconditional love, forgiveness, peace, joy, hope and healing are there for the asking. 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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