Author: Kevin Corbin

A bit of a personal reflection and update this morning. Not the finest photo of me, but it’s early morning. 

I got my MRI results back yesterday, and the news wasn’t great. I have cancer again in my left kidney, and possibly the right, although the masses in the right kidney are too small to be certain. 

On a more positive note, the doctor is referring me to the same doctor who did my surgery five years ago. He’s one of the best in the field and practices out of a teaching hospital. He is personal, professional, and very skilled.

It was as good as bad news can get. Now I wait to hear from the surgeon, and eventually the surgery, but that’s part of the process.

Am I happy about the results? Of course not. Am I angry at God that I have cancer again? No.

Could God heal me? Without a doubt. Will He? Only He knows.

Do I trust God’s hand in the process? Without a doubt. Have I had, and will I have, worried moments? Of course, but my trust outweighs my doubts.

The ways of God are not ours.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

That’s a comforting thought. If God’s power were somehow limited to my thoughts and approach, the world would be in great trouble.

Even if all people gathered together to use our abilities and gifts, we would still mess it up. We’re sinners, living in a broken world, and combined, we still don’t have God’s power.

Will all go well from this point? Hopefully, but even if it doesn’t, I trust God knows what He is doing. I know that whatever the outcome, short-term and long-term, He has my back.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 ESV

In the interim, I will testify that God is good and can be trusted no matter what we face.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#devotional #Gleanings #biblestudy #healing #trust #cancer #kidneycancer #Bible #Corbin

I’ve always had a soft spot for donkeys. It likely stems from a  giant stuffed donkey I had as a small child. Donkey-Burro was nearly as tall as I was and a constant companion.

Donkeys and I have an affinity. I have never met one that didn’t like me. If there is more than one person around, the burros seem drawn to me.

I remember one occasion in South Africa. The place we stayed had a donkey that I visited. Each time Kathy drew near, the donkey got between Kathy and me, moving her away so it could have my exclusive attention.

Donkeys (or asses, in some older translations) appear in several places in the Scriptures. They are shown as beasts of burden, the mouthpieces of God (Balaam’s donkey), symbols of wealth (see Job), and symbols of peace. It’s the latter I want to touch on this morning.

A donkey is used prophetically to symbolize the coming of the King of Peace.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

We know from the gospels that this prophecy was fulfilled.

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Matthew 21:1-7

The Jews were expecting a conquering, military messiah. That sort of king would ride in on a stallion, symbolizing wealth and military might.

Instead, Jesus rode in on the donkey, a humble beast. He shattered their expectations and showed that He would be a different sort of king. He was a King of Peace, changing things by winning hearts and souls, not crushing them under His feet.

There will be a return at the final judgment when all things are weighed and all of His enemies banished, a time when justice reigns perfectly and supremely, and a time where love conquers all.

The humble donkey brought the victor into Jerusalem that day. His ways are not our ways, and for that we can rejoice.

The next time you see a donkey, remember the humble King of Kings and praise His name.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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I stared off to the west at an unusually shaped cloud. It looked  just like a giant fish tail. It was as if a big fish was chasing the sun over the horizon.

I had read Jonah recently, and that story came immediately to mind. When we think of biblical characters we want to be like, Jonah never comes to mind. He does not fare well in the biblical account. He ran from God at the beginning of the story, finally obeys, and ends up pouting because God didn’t do what he wanted.

I thought about the places where our hearts were more like Jonah than like Christ—far more places than we like to admit. When I say our and we here, I include myself. Sometimes my heart is far more like Jonah than Jesus.

One of the wonderful things about being a Christian, though, is that we are works in process. We are not yet perfect. Nor do we have to be.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

That means we can lighten up on ourselves a bit. I am not advocating that we keep our worldly ways, far from it. I am simply suggesting that we lighten up a bit on unneeded guilt. We do need to repent of our sins. We do need to let the Holy Spirit transform us from the inside out. Many changes need to be made in all of us.

We simply need to accept that it is a process and we are not going to get there all at once. When we are confronted with sin in our lives, we need to take it to God. We need to work with Him to remove it. We do not need to carry the weight of it around our neck.

True humility is not walking around with the chains of bondage around our neck, clanking like Jacob Marley and moaning about what worms we are. It is about accepting that we are flawed and truly giving those things to Jesus to change. 

True humility is recognizing that while we are less than perfect, the one who dwells in us is perfect. It is not about being proud of how good we think we are. It is about recognizing that the goodness in us is a gift from Him.

Take note of your faults. Give them to Christ and move forward. You cannot change the past, but Christ can change your present and your future.

Until next time, give Him the room to work and change you.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#Biblestudy #devotional #Gleanings #Corbin #Jonah #humility #sanctification #BCAuthor #Abbotsford #AbbotsfordAuthor

Yesterday morning, I was blessed to have an MRI. I had been waiting three months and expected a wait of several more when a cancellation occurred. I jumped at the opportunity.

When you are lying in a small, enclosed metal pipe, with nothing to do but listen for commands through your headset, there is plenty of opportunity to think, or in my case, simply mind wander.

My thoughts briefly crossed a familiar passage of Scripture, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 KJV. It’s a verse I remember in the KJV, although I primarily read other translations.

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ESV

Jesus replied, “With all the earnestness I possess I tell you this: Unless you are born again, you can never get into the Kingdom of God. TLB

Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” NASB

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” NIV

Jesus makes the importance of being born again abundantly clear in the same conversation with Nicodemus.

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. John 3:7

Jesus leaves us no wiggle room and no loopholes. “Must” is a powerful little word that implies there are no options or alternatives. Jesus way is the only way. To see the kingdom, we must do it according to His rules.

If you are a Christian, you have been born again. There is, by Jesus’ definition, no other type of believer.

Being born again carries a lot of baggage in our culture and is often used in a pejorative way. To be a “born-again Christian” is often used to mean that someone is ignorant, bigoted, and socially unaware.

Now, I have met some professing Christians who fit that caricature, so I can’t deny they are out there. But it is a label that does not apply to most believers.

Are you born again? If not, you need a heart change, or you will not enter the kingdom. That’s not my rule; it’s Jesus’ requirement.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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It was a typical summer sight. The double-breasted cormorant  stood in the fading sun, drying his wings after fishing. They stand with their wings wide open, allowing the water to drip off and the sun to warm them. 

I chuckled to myself when I saw it, because while the pose has a very practical purpose, it seems quite pompous. With their wide spread wings, they look very proud, and they remind me of arrogant little generals strutting in their dress uniforms.

This morning, I want to talk about pride, and no, I do not mean a family group of lions. Seeing the cormorant made me think of the way God must shake His head at us when we get all puffed up in our pride. “I” have done this. “I” have done that. “I” have been here or there. “I” am a self-made mad (or woman). “I” make this amount of money. “I” live in that neighborhood.

Of course, none of us has done it on our own. While there may indeed have been great effort placed into obtaining whatever the pride is rooted in, there are always others involved and circumstances that we had no control over.

There is nothing wrong with a healthy sense of accomplishment, but when it descends into pride and arrogance, it can be deadly. God is not impressed with our pride. He knows the inner person, and He knows all the pieces that went into making that “I” accomplishment a reality, including His grace and provision.

The Bible cautions against pride. In fact, pride and wickedness often go hand in hand in the Scriptures. This is also true in our own lives. Oh, how we boast about the stupid and evil things we have done and the way we have managed to “get away” with things.

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.” Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless.Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.
Psalm 10:1-15 

God does lose patience with our pride and wickedness, though. Now, you might be thinking, “I have a little pride, but that is not the same thing as wickedness.”

Actually, pride is the very root of all sin and wickedness. It is the evil seed that causes rebellion and a desire to be in control of all things, even above God. It was pride that drove Adam and Eve to eat the fruit and caused the fall of all humankind.

The Apostle Paul understood the dangers of pride.

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.Galatians 6:14

Our boasting is to be in the Lord, not in ourselves. God is the one who deserves the glory. When we puff up with pride, we usurp Him of that which is rightfully his.

Until next time, may all your boasting be in Christ.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#Devotional #Gleanings #Corbin #Biblestudy #Bible #Christian #pride #cirds #cormorant

I have been doing some reading in Thomas Watson’s “Body of  Divinity”. Watson was a Puritan, and the “Divinity” is from his sermons on the Heidelberg Catechism, published after he died in 1776. It’s readily available free from many sources online, including https://digitalpuritan.net/

I’m not affiliated with them in any way and can’t endorse everything on their shelves, but they are a great source of free Puritan works. The Puritans get a bad rap in the world today, but they have much godly wisdom to impart.

Spurgeon said, “Thomas Watson’s Body of Practical Divinity is one of the most precious of the peerless works of the Puritans; and those best acquainted with it prize it most. Watson was one of the most concise, racy, illustrative, and suggestive of those eminent divines who made the Puritan age the Augustan period of evangelical literature. There is a happy union of sound doctrine, heart-searching experience, and practical wisdom throughout all his works, and his Body of Divinity is, beyond all the rest, useful to the student and the minister.”

Unlike some, I am a fan of catechisms and statements of faith. They should not in any way replace Scripture, and where they conflict, Scripture should always be trusted over them. They help articulate what the Scriptures teach. 

In his introduction, Watson says, “It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith. The best way for Christians to be settled is to be well-grounded”

I have to agree. It is, of course, possible for someone to be so theologically minded that they miss out on God’s love and grace in their lives. For the vast majority of Christians, this isn’t a risk at all.

The Bible is clear that we need to know what we believe, why we believe it, and why it matters.

Our doctrine matters because our faith is grounded in a very specific message.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Our destiny is based on truth.

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits[a] to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

We’re called to share the truth in a world of competing views and false teachers. We need to do our best to proclaim the truth and that requires understanding.

The gospel is a sacred trust. We don’t often think of the gospel in those terms, but it is true.

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Jude 1:3

Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:13-14

How well have you been guarding the truth entrusted to you? We can all use improvement.

Read the Word. Study the Word. Apply the Word.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

#Watson #Puritans #Divinity #Christian #Bible #BibleStudy #doctrine #theology #devotional #wisdom #catechism #statementoffaith

I read a quote from C.S. Lewis today that made me stop and think. “You do  not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.”

When I went to look a little deeper, I found that Lewis never said it, and the quote has been wrongly attributed to a number of writers. Still, it made me pause to think.

If we thought of things more in terms of our eternal souls, we might pay a little more attention to the things of the spirit world. I’m not suggesting we adopt the heretical teachings of the gnostics, who believed only the spirit matters and the body was evil.

God created us in his image with body, mind, and soul, and “…God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31)

Which came first, body, mind, or spirit? The Bible doesn’t say. I believe God created us as a package deal. 

Some theologians see it as a two-part being, i.e, spirit or soul and body. Others see us as three parts: mind, soul/spirit. Some see the spirit and soul as the same thing; others view them as two distinct components. In there, we have to figure out where emotions, reason, and more fit in.

I don’t know, and I think both primary sides can make an argument. I do know that we have both a spiritual side and a physical side to us. Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

The body will die but be resurrected, some to glory, others to eternal torment.

As wise stewards, it behooves us all to look after all of our being, mind, soul/spirit, emotions, and physical parts. They are all related components of who we are. All of our being is designed to bring glory to God.

Until next time, celebrate God’s gift of life and strive to serve him with all of yours.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

#Gleanings #devotional #Bible #biblestudy #Christian #Corbin #CSLewis #Theology #MindBody Spirit #Gemesis 1

The city of Toronto was in the news, and it made me think of a recent trip to that part of the world.

We flew at about 35,000 feet, high above the countryside, getting a wide view from the air. Toronto is a wonderful city (as far as cities go). It is Canada’s largest and arguably most modern city, but it looked tiny from our vantage point. The major highways looked smaller than a child’s toy, and the skyscrapers looked like little models.

I know how proud Toronto residents are of their “great accomplishments” (as are we all of those in our respective communities). Toronto, like most cities, has its problems, but there are incredible buildings, roadways, parks, hospitals, universities, and mass transit systems. The things they have done in many ways are truly marvelous to behold.

I could almost hear the words of King Solomon as we flew over their incredible city. 

I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Ecclesiastes 2:4-9 

From the heights of the aircraft, their accomplishments looked tiny and insignificant. I wonder how they must look from God’s vantage point.

Solomon eventually came to understand the futility of all the effort he expended to accomplish his mighty works.

And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 

Solomon marveled for many years at the wonder of his own self-proclaimed greatness. His father, David, had a much different perspective on what greatness was.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:3-9

Are you like Solomon, celebrating all you have accomplished or all that you have? Or are you like David, having achieved great things, but marveling at the wonder of God and recognizing how small his own accomplishments were standing next to what God has done?

If it isn’t done in God’s power, for God’s glory, no matter how marvelous and fantastic it might seem, it is truly meaningless in the overall scheme of eternity. Great things fade to nothingness when compared to the holy power of our righteous, all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent God.

The smallest gift of love, grace, and mercy will outweigh the most prominent office tower when He returns. A kind word, a generous gift, visiting a sick person or an inmate, feeding a hungry child, dressing a cold person warmly, correcting an injustice, righting a wrong, or saving a soul; these are the kinds of things that He will reward when He comes.

Until next time, may your efforts be focused on things that bring God glory.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

#devotional #gleanings #Corbin #bible #Biblestudy #ecclesiastes #Solomon #David #truth #Toronto #Paslm8 #vanity #Meaningless

I was sitting in my recliner about 2 AM and could hear the sound  of singing frogs. Not the Bugs Bunny sort of singing frogs, wearing top hats and singing “Hello My Baby,” but real frogs making a chorus with their voices.

Frogs are one of God’s great miracles. They can literally freeze solid for the winter and defrost alive in the spring. Scientists don’t understand how this defrost mechanism works but it is fascinating.

I love the sound (and taste, but that’s a story for another day) of frogs. Little bitty tree frogs calling out in their high voices peep — peep — peep. Larger frogs along the shoreline telling us how far out in the water they are knee-deep –knee-deep —knee-deep. 

Great bullfrogs croaking in deep hoarse voices, way down — way down — way down. Others in the midrange with their variable ribbit – rub it – ribbit – rub it.

Together, they make an orchestral sound unlike anything else in the world. The diversity of their voices combined makes for a unique serenade to the creator.

Like the diversity in the sounds of frogs, the diversity in the body of Christ is a wonderful thing to behold. It is, however, an area that is often misunderstood.

The Bible calls us to unity.

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  Ephesians 4:4-6

Even though there are areas where there is no room for disagreement, and we are called to unity, we must remember that unity and uniformity are not the same.

The Bible doesn’t call all parts of the body to be the same. There is room for a great diversity of practice in many areas. There are many areas where good and godly women can disagree in good conscience.

We need to be discerning because many so-called “Christian” churches are not. There are, however, many different parts of the true body, and we need to concentrate on essential things, put aside petty differences, and minister together to bring light to a dark and hurting world.

I don’t advocate ministering with groups where core beliefs must be compromised to work together. We must never compromise the essential truth of the Word. I suggest that we often place artificial barriers in the way of ministering together.

Until next time, remember that the church down the road isn’t your competition. They are your brothers and sisters in Christ, and since we’re going to spend eternity together, you might as well get used to each other and learn to love each other now.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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The reeds were being meticulously woven in and out around the center. At times, the weaver’s hand moved so quickly, it was almost impossible to follow.

Soon, before my eyes, a basket began to take shape out of what had been a pile of reeds only a few moments ago. Each weave of the basket contributed to its shape and strength.

Each basket was uniquely handwoven. Some were small and utilitarian. Others were large and ornate, made more for their beauty than for practical use. Some were woven from fine grasses, and others from coarse green branches.

Long before the shape became apparent to me, the weaver had a design in his mind’s eye. He knew the placement and shaping of each reed even before he began to weave.

Growing up, we used to joke about going off to college and taking mindless courses like Basket Weaving 101. Courses that would be good for easy credit.

In truth, the weaver’s art is anything but simple. Virtually anyone can learn to make a basket of some sort. I even made one a few years ago,  but a true weaver is an artist.

I wonder how often we’re guilty of thinking the same way about God as we used to with basket-weaving courses. We know what the best course of action is and how things should be run. At least we seem to think we do.

We tell God that we want His will to be done, then dictate our own will in our prayer life. I wonder sometimes why we don’t hear God speaking to us the words He said to Job.

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb,when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band,and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors,and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place,that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment.From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken. “Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home?You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great! Job 38:1-21

Fortunately, He is patient with us despite our arrogance.

We’re called to take all of our concerns to Him. We also need to learn to trust Him for the best answer to our situation.

Until next time, when you presume to take the place of the weaver and dictate your terms, remember His art is not as easy as it seems.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed, 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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Please like and share this post with your friends and those in your circle of influence. Feel free to comment.

Did you know that we have an email version? Subscribe today 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word. 

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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