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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #915 September 23, 2003 Going With The Crowd
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. Kathy returned home from her dad's funeral yesterday. She was tired but the visit was a blessing. Thanks to the many of you who sent notes of encouragement and condolences on her dad's passing. This weekend, one of our local mega-churches had a clothing and miscellaneous exchange. It's an opportunity for people of the community to get rid of unwanted clothing, books and household items and to be able to pick up the same. Like a garage sale where everything is free. This was the first year I've been to the exchange. I dropped off a couple of bags of stuff and then went inside the building. The doors to where the exchange would take place weren't open yet and there were several hundred people in line. I realized that I had come totally unprepared, many of them were family groups and they came with handfuls of empty green garbage bags. They were pumped and ready to tackle the task that was ahead of them. When the doors opened it was pandemonium. I saw three types of people. The first group looked perfectly normal standing in line, but when they got inside, they just opened their garbage bags and filled them with whatever was on the table as fast as they could. They didn't check sizes, or styles, they just took it all. Some of these groups even worked in relays with one person hauling the full bags out to their vehicle while another was being filled. They grabbed things from other people's bags, pushed and shoved through everyone else. The majority of the crowd seemed to be normally nice people caught up in crowd mentality. Pushing, shoving and being more aggressive than the might ordinarily be. Others were very polite, making room at the tables so that everyone could gain access. They were helpful and pleasant. I worked my way around to the book tables (where else)and began to look around. I picked up a small box and began to put my finds in the box. People just reached into the box while it was in my hands and took stuff. I was astounded. After checking out the books and the miscellaneous household items areas I decided to make my exit. Outside I saw that some of the "grabby" group had managed to fill pickup trucks with their goodies. One family had filled their truck, sent it on the way home and still had another pile big enough to fill another truck waiting under the watchful eye of a couple of family members. As I walked past their pile on my way to the car grandma gave me the evil eye and said, "This stuff is ours." I think she was ready to fight me for her treasures. She was pretty feisty looking it would have been a toss up to see who might come out the winner. While there were the few that took advantage of the "freebies", I know many were ministered to by the giveaway. I say several single moms getting new wardrobes for their children. There were a number of elderly people picking up small things for their homes. I suspect a great number of people were blessed by the outreach. I know I was blessed, it was great opportunity to get rid of some unwanted stuff and had the bonus of finding a few books for my library. That's the way it is with ministry sometimes. There are going to be those who take advantage of and use the ministry. There are going to be others who are genuinely grateful. The same is true of the church, there will be the real believers and the fake all mixed together. It isn't our job to sort them out. There is a time and place for church discipline and it must be wisely and appropriately exercised, but it's God's job to sort out the true believers from the false. Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. "The owner's servants came to him and said, `Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' " `An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull them up?' " `No,' he answered, `because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'" Matthew 13:24-30 NIV We often don't know if the person next to us is like the normal seeming people in the line who became like animals, or someone who is likely to be influenced by the crowd, or someone who will remain steadfast no matter what. That's not our job. We are to minister to others and love them. We'll let God judge their hearts. Until next time, may you display the love of Jesus even when dealing with the most difficult of people. Be blessed Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour you are abounding in grace. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 2 Corinthian 9:8-9 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 The world can be a pretty scary place. There's one place you can turn to for security, love, forgiveness, hope, peace and joy. That's a personal relationship with Jesus. You can find that peace and hope 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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