Author: Kevin Corbin

Time has rolled, and we find ourselves in a new  year. In reality, nothing much, if anything, has changed, except we now date things with  2025 instead of 2024. 

With most banking done electronically, I seldom write cheques anymore. That means I have fewer opportunities to date things wrong. I confess that when naming this file, I initially typed in 2024 and had to change it.

When we awoke on New Year’s Day, we found the same problems and opportunities as when we went to bed. Fortunately, God remained the same.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,and the heavens are the work of your hands.They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,but you are the same, and your years have no end. Psalm 102:25-27

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. Malachi 3:6

Most Christians have some concept of an unchanging God, but I don’t think we stop to think of how important that is.

God knows and is sovereign over everything. He is perfect, loving, and merciful, but if He changed, that might not be so.

We are secure in our salvation and eventual eternal home. If He changed, we would no longer have that certainty.

God never lies and keeps His promises. A changed God might not.

A god who isn’t perfect and unchanging isn’t a god at all. They might be powerful beyond our understanding, but they wouldn’t be worth worshipping and couldn’t be trusted.

Amid the unchanging nature of life, it is good that we have someone unchangeable to hold fast to.

We know that if we belong to Christ, we are justified and in the process of being made holy. We are safe in His hands. and we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. 

God doesn’t change, so we can be secure in that truth. Even on days when we might not feel like those things are true, they remain anchored in Him, and we can stand.

Praise God for His unchanging nature and hold fast to Him.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2025 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Yes, I know that New Year’s Eve isn’t until  tomorrow, but Gleanings will take a break until Thursday, January 2^nd.

Only God knows the exact details of what the new year will bring. All of us will likely face some trials and experience some victories. There will be joys and sorrows. We might spend some time on the mountaintops and deep in the darkest valleys.

My goal today is to provide you with a small taste of who you are in Christ, no matter what comes.

If you belong to Jesus, you are secure.

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. John 10:28-30

You are sealed.

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, who is the guaranteeof our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory Ephesians 1:13-14

You are an overcomer

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4

You are a new creation.

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

You are being made complete.

I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

You are loved and adopted into the family of God.

Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. Ephesians 1:4-5

We may stumble and fall, but in Him, we are secure. Nothing can take us away from him.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

Times might get hard, and the world might turn its back on us. We might face struggles or persecution. Whatever comes, my dear friends, we will remain victorious in Christ.

As we celebrate the coming New Year, let’s remember the one who stepped out of glory to reconcile us to the Father. Through Him, we have the victory. That’s worth celebrating.

In 2025, may you come to truly understand who you are in Christ and give Him the praise and honor due His name.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Christmas is over unless you are a member of an Orthodox Church; in that case, it won’t come until January 7^th. There may still be turkey to eat and undecorating to happen, but for most of us, Christmas 2024 is in the past.

We’re in the nebulous period in between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s a time when people easily get confused about what day it is, and calendars get confused.

People are starting to gear up for their favorite New Year’s Eve activity. For some, it will be big parties; for others, it will be a quiet night at home. I used to enjoy the New Year’s Eve gatherings at “the cowboy church,” where we would gather for an evening of games and snacks and ring the New Year in with communion.

It’s also a time of reflection. Many will reflect on their resolutions from last year, some of which will be successful and some of which will fail. Most resolutions last only a few days. Other people will be thinking ahead to the changes they want to make for the New Year.

I don’t tend to make resolutions. If I were to make one, it would be more like Christ. That, of course, is an ongoing process guided by the Holy Spirit.

…and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

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

God alone saves us. God transforms us. He redeems and shapes us to spend eternity in His presence.

There are Christian disciplines that can help us be readily available for Him to mold us. There is prayer, fasting, Scripture reading, worship attendance, giving, service, and more.

I seldom miss a Sunday of worship, and thanks to technology, if I do, I can at least catch up on the sermon. It isn’t the same as attending in person, but it helps. My prayer life can always use work. Fasting is something I have done periodically but never regularly. Tithing is part of our lifestyle, and we both serve at the local church.

Now, let’s be clear: none of those things earns me extra merit with God. We are saved by grace and not by works. All of us are sinners saved by grace and works in process.

The other discipline I am reasonably consistent with is Bible reading. I don’t do it every day, but I try to read the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation at least once a year. That’s on top of whatever other reading I do.

I will be reading in the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible) this coming year. It’s a solid translation, not my favorite, but I’d have no issues recommending it to others.

By changing translations each time I read through, I gain fresh perspectives. It forces me to actually read what’s on the page, not what I am used to seeing.

I confess to cheating. I started yesterday as I had finished last year’s reading already. I try to be diligent in my reading, but I don’t give up if I miss a day or two. I pick up where I left off and continue.

There are plenty of Bible reading pans out there. I usually read front to back, but some do the New Testament and then the Old, others read chronologically, and still others have designated passages in both the Old and New for each day. It doesn’t matter which plan you choose; pick one and stick to it.

What are your plans for the coming year? Are you planning on reading the Scriptures in 2025? What plan do you use? Is there a time or place that you find helpful to read? What translation will you use this year? Have you done it before? Let me know, let’s all encourage one another.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

I have been thinking about Christmas a lot lately.  So, I’m sure, have been most people. Some can’t wait for the arrival, while others can’t wait for it to end.

I can see both perspectives. It is painful to endure if you see Christmas as being all about the hype and hoopla (and there is plenty of that) or the constant parade of advertisements pandering to every greedy cell in our bodies.

It is a fantastic season if you enjoy Christmas as a series of parties and family get-togethers. If not, you want it to be over.

If the season is about Advent leading up to Christmas and celebrating the birth of Emmanuel, God with us, it is a special season indeed.

For the believer, Christmas is about Christ. 

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” Luke 1:26-35

The critical moment in history, foretold by these words, is while we celebrate Christmas. It’s why we have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.

Warning … personal rant follows…

It saddens me to see how few churches even bother with a Christmas Day service anymore. Our community has approximately 60 local assemblies, and only two offer Christmas Day services (at least according to a quick online search). Perhaps there are more than the two, but whatever the actual number, it is a decided minority.

Pastors have explained that the service is not offered because of poor attendance and the staff being given the day off.

I oppose attending a  Christmas Day service as a legalistic requirement or empty ritual. I’m not condemning the churches that don’t offer Christmas Day; after all, it isn’t a faith essential to gather on December 25. Still, it does break my heart that even believers have relegated celebrating Christ’s birth to a secondary or even tertiary status.

Whether you attend a Christmas Day service or not, take some time during the day, amidst the festivities, to celebrate the reason for the season and praise the Lord.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

The word “church” is interesting in that it can have  various meanings depending on the context.

We can go “to church,” which is a common way of referring to gathering in a building for worship. Sometimes, the church means the building itself.

The church can refer to the people gathered together for worship and instruction. It is often a mixed bag of believers and non-believers. Some people don’t yet know Jesus but are seeking truth. Some people claim the name “Christian” for any number of reasons but don’t have a relationship with Christ.

This gathering is called the visible church. It’s what the world sees as the church.

Then, there are all true believers worldwide. They can differ in theology and practice, but the Holy Spirit seals them all. They can vary by denomination, affiliation, and confession. This is the invisible church, the true church.

In North America, at least, a Christian can be a member of the invisible church, part of a visible church, and meet in a church building.

Some advocate that Church gatherings be comprised only of true believers. This begs the question, “Who decides whether someone is a believer or not?” Only God knows our true hearts; you and I cannot know the state of someone else’s salvation.

We can get some hints from their conduct and the fruit of their lives. We can get clues from what they profess to believe.

When we get to glory, I think we will be surprised by the absence of some people we expected to see and the presence of some we didn’t. There won’t be any mistakes. Jesus knows his own.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He, who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:7-16

Our role isn’t to decide who is and isn’t a believer. We are called to love and minister to everyone and let God do the sorting.

Sheep and goats can be present on any given Sunday (or at special times like Christmas and Easter). Let’s welcome and love them all.

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

For Christmas, some years ago, a dear friend gave  me a reprint of a book from the mid-1890s. It is a recipe book of sorts, and it tells how to make everything from common household cleaners to medication to explosives. 

The recipes and information are fascinating, although I don’t think I’ll try most of them. Many of the processes are highly dangerous.

One of the things I learned how to make was called Prince Rupert’s Drops or Prince Rupert’s Tears. According to one source, “The drops are named after Prince Rupert of the Rhine, who brought them to England in 1660, although they were reportedly being produced in the Netherlands earlier in the 17th century and had probably been known to glassmakers for much longer.”

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. The tears are made by letting drops of molten glass fall into a tub of cold water. The glass hits the water and cools, creating beautiful tear-shaped drops. They are hard, clear, and have a small glass tail on them.

Amazingly, when you hold a drop and break off its tail, it explodes into fine powder, and the explosion can be felt in your hand. I suspect that a vacuum must be formed when the glass hits the water, and when air is let in, the drop can’t handle the pressure change.

At first, the recipe was simply one of those interesting but useless pieces of trivia that can catch my attention occasionally. The more I thought about it, the more I realized what an apt metaphor for life it was.

Our hearts can be as beautiful as Prince Rupert’s Tears and just as fragile.

We go through life with hearts that are hard and empty. An event will occur that shatters our hearts, and we’re left holding nothing but dust. The impact of the brokenness rocks our world. At that moment, many of us realize that we need a relationship with Jesus.

Fortunately, we serve the God who mends the brokenhearted. When we encounter them, we can share the reason for our hope and joy.

…in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect 1  Peter 3:15

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:3

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Until next time, if your heart is breaking, turn to the one who can heal it. If you know someone with a broken heart, tell them about Jesus.

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

I was recently talking about Christmas with an acquaintance.  He told me Christmas isn’t his thing; it’s just another excuse for a day off. They occasionally get together for a family function on Christmas, but his dysfunctional family makes it less than fun.

Some of his in-laws have a “religious background” but don’t really practice, and he “is not into all that anyway.” 

He and his wife don’t exchange gifts because they have everything they need. He told me that he “hates” shopping this time of year anyway because of the crowds and the hype.

He isn’t alone in feeling that way. Many people don’t enjoy Christmas. I don’t judge them, but my heart does break.

I agree that Christmas isn’t about the family get-togethers, the shopping, the decorations, the Christmas music and movies, or the gifts. Now, any or all of those things can add to the Christmas experience., but Christmas is a celebration of God’s story. 

There is plenty wrong with how we portray the Christmas story; for example, Jesus was most likely born in the spring, the angels didn’t sing, we don’t know how many magi there were, and more. Yet, the incarnation of our Lord is front and center, and that’s reason to celebrate.

The Christmas story is filled with miracles and fulfilled prophecies. That should catch our attention and point us to the wonder of it all.

Jesus is the Center. Immanuel, God with us is the reason for the season. He is cause for eternal celebration.

My favorite Christmas texts are not found in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 2:1-2

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

Those verses don’t mention Christmas, the virgin birth, angels, shepherds, miracles or prophecies, magi, King Herod, a star, a census, Bethlehem, or many other components of the Christmas narrative we expect.

Yet, they describe what Christ sacrificed to come  and redeem us. That redemption started, in a way, with His birth. he came for us.

The Lord gave up all things to step into time. He condescended to be born in the womb of one of His creations so that he could suffer and die for us.

That, my dear friends, is the reason for Christmas. Strip away all the other trappings, even the ones we enjoy, and the reason for the season stands bright.

A baby, born to die for you and me. A lord who humbled Himself to redeem us. God’s great gift of love and mercy. It’s when heaven came down to earth.

May you keep that forefront in your mind this season.

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Books, books, books. If you have been reading  Gleanings for any length of time, you will know that I have a passion for books. In particular, I have a weakness for good conservative evangelical books, particularly old ones. 

I have rescued many from destruction and appreciate their scholarly insights. Finding sufficient bookshelf space around our home has always been a challenge.

Since my retinal detachment and repair, I have been reading most of my books on my devices, where I can adjust the font size as needed. Still, I have gathered a growing collection of Large-print books.

Having said all of that, I must also warn you there can be a real danger to books as well. Many cults add the works of their leaders as required reading, equal to or elevated above the Bible as truth. These books often detail “THE” way to salvation. 

Be wary of these books. The Bible needs to be the foundation. Even with my passionate weakness for good theology books, the Bible always comes first.

The Bible is the source of all information needed for salvation. The information alone is not sufficient; the Holy Spirit must work in us to convict us, but no additions to what is claimed in Scripture are required,

Be very cautious of any church whose traditions or writings are equal to or elevated above Scripture. That should be a huge warning light to any believer.

The Bible contains all the principles needed to be our guide to living life. 

Other books may help clarify and offer great insights, but once again, we need to use Scripture as our foundation. Again, the Holy Spirit can be a great guide, but if it is the Holy Spirit (and not something else) speaking, He will never guide us in a direction contrary to the Word.

Be wary of any church whose rules and regulations for living place themselves above Scripture. This, too, is a danger sign.

The Scriptures are our operating manual for life. They are not in error and do not need a “best before” date. They are timeless, as God Himself is timeless.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21

What does it mean to be God-breathed? It means they contain the very life breath of God. God breathed life into Adam in the garden (see Genesis 2:7). The Bible is not only “inspired”; it is “exhaled” by the very lips of God Himself. No other book can honestly make that claim.

Good and godly people can and have written good and godly books. I think of people like Matthew Henry, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, G. Campbell Morgan, Adam Clark, some of the Puritans, and even many of today’s authors, as well as many more.

They have much to teach us, but their writings are not the very living breath of God. I love their writings dearly but always return to Scripture as the foundation.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

Until next time, may the living Word of God be your source.

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

I am a fan of good detective and police stories. I  enjoy a good who-dun-it television program. A good courtroom drama can be fun as well.

I prefer the ones produced by British networks over those done in North America. Typically, the stories are better told, and there is more emphasis on the story than glitz and glamour.

I am not alone, as these types of stories sell millions of books and comprise some of the most-watched programs on television. There are even specialty television and streaming channels dedicated to this type of programming.

It has been disappointing of late that the newer programs in this genre have tended to rely on far too much gratuitous nudity, sex, profanity, and graphic violence to keep their share of ratings. Usually, the stories can be well-told without all the debris being thrown into the mix.

One of the Old Testament’s twelve so-called “Minor Prophets” tells a fascinating courtroom story. The prophets are not called Minor Prophets because of the importance of their words; the term refers to the volume of their writings. These books are shorter than the so-called Major Prophets like Daniel and Isaiah.

Our story is set in heaven.

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. Zechariah 3:1-7

The high priest Joshua stood in front of the Lord. Satan was busy accusing him. Satan does not have to lie to accuse any of us. We give him plenty of ammunition, all of our own. 

Joshua was guilty of sin; we can tell that from his “filthy clothes.” Yet the Lord was more interested in restoring him than condemning him.

The narrative continues with even better news.

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.” Zechariah 3:8-10

The Branch to come is, of course, Jesus. He came and sacrificed so that all sin could be atoned for in a single day. I also find great encouragement in verse ten. Being able to sit under the fig tree with a neighbor is a sign of prosperity and peace, but the ability to invite that neighbor is a privilege.

Those who have found redemption in Christ are given a wondrous opportunity. We can invite our neighbors to join us in that peace and joy. We can tell them the good news about Christ. We have been found guilty, but the penalty has been paid on our behalf. We can help that happen for others by letting them know about Him.

Until next time, rejoice. If you know Jesus, you will come through the ultimate courtroom drama unscathed and blessed.

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

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Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

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© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Yesterday, Kathy and I took a stroll at Campbell  Valley Park in Langley. Although it was cool, cloudy, and drizzly, the walk was a refreshing blessing. We met a few people on the trail, but weekdays are always less busy than nice weekends.

Water levels were up quite a bit from the last time we visited, but not nearly to peak levels. As always, a few mallards were hanging around, primarily drakes. For whatever reason, the drakes outnumber the hens here by about 5 to 1 or more.

We enjoyed the company of a few squirrels, dozens of chickadees, some spotted towhees, and various sparrow and sparrow-type birds. The chickadees followed us, stopping when we did and often coming within a foot or less of us.

Chickadees are one of my favorite birds. They are cute and very friendly. Their song is lighthearted, and they always seem happy little birds. A chickadee always brings a smile to my face.

I always find my mind clearer after spending time in the woods. The woods calm my heart and spirit and allow me to focus. Often, when walking in the woods, hunting, or fishing, I feel God’s presence the most clearly.

That’s one reason many people end up worshipping nature. Their experience fools them into thinking that nature is God, a dangerous mistake.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Romans 1:18-25

God created everything around us for two reasons. Firstly, it testifies to His worthiness and power, giving Him glory. Secondly, it acts as an undeniable signpost that points humanity towards Him.

The world around us, the world of “nature,” is a gift to us and also a responsibility. God calls us to be stewards of it all. It’s made for our use, but careful use. Too often, we have exploited our home for short-sighted gain.

The natural world surrounds us. Enjoy it. Steward it well. Give glory to God.

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.