I recently watched a home improvement reel online,  which made me remember a minor project I had done years ago. I had to adjust the striker plate hole on a door, a two-minute task.

I knew where my chisels were. Sure enough, right in the tool chest drawer, all except the one I needed. After twenty minutes of searching, I found where it had fallen off a shelf. Great! Problem solved.

Unfortunately, not so fast. The blade’s fall onto the concrete caused a big divot. It was large enough to have to be ground out and then resharpened, which took about an hour.

At last, I was ready to fix the door. It took about two minutes. Five years of procrastination, an hour and a half to find and prepare the tools, All that for a two-minute job.

There are many parallels to my faith walk. Although I had heard the gospel, I didn’t come to Christ until my thirties. Once I recognized the need, coming to him was relatively simple.

I was forgiven at that moment, but then the real work began. I needed to be reground and reshaped into his image, and that is an ongoing process.

I had a lot of lousy thinking to overcome. I had much to learn about Jesus … the Spirit … and the Father. I had to begin to read the Bible and listen to sermons. I had to start to put what I was learning into practice.

I had to learn to love and forgive others. I had to learn to trust in Jesus to do what He promised. I had to endure rejection from most of my extended family because of my newfound faith.

When I tried to put what I was learning into practice, I often found that my blade was still pretty dull and needed honing. Sometimes, I was too aggressive and zealous in my approach to people, and sometimes, I was too passive. Sometimes, I tried to change things under my own power, not His. My heart was often right, but I did or said the wrong thing.

Yet, He continued to work despite the foibles and follies. He never gave up on me. At times, I even saw victory. The process continues today.

Sometimes, big divots need to be removed, and it can hurt. Other times, it’s just a gentle feathering touch on the blade. Still, other times, we are amazed to see how God works through us despite our dullness.

The Bible uses different metaphors, but it emphasizes the need to remain close to Jesus and the ongoing shaping and refining.

We start the process by accepting Jesus and begin the lifelong journey of becoming like him.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9

I don’t know where you are in your faith walk. Maybe you are in the procrastination phase and putting off trusting Jesus. Please know that salvation is a time-limited offer. None of us knows the hour of our death or the hour of His return. When that happens, it is too late.

Maybe you are being pruned, refined, and sharpened. To some degree, we all remain there until we go to be with the Lord. It’s not always a pleasant process, but it is a worthwhile journey, and there are many times of great joy and gratitude that come with the grinding and shaping.

Eventually, all those who are His will be with Him for eternity, and the job will be completed. We will be all He has created us to be. We will be prepared for whatever blessings and tasks He has uniquely crafted us to do with/for Him in glory. That will be an indescribable joy.

Until next time, rejoice in the reshaping because what He has planned for us is beyond our greatest expectations.

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.

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

 I moved from inside the aircraft cabin to the little step under the wing with great fear. It was my first jump from a plane, and while I had great confidence in my parachute, I still had some small nagging doubts.

Then came the moment I had to let go. By then, my heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure they could hear it in the little Cessna I had just stepped out of. The jump went without major incident. The next time required a trip to the emergency room, but that’s a story for another day.

Fear has many negative connotations in today’s world, and there are undoubtedly many unhealthy fears. Yet fear itself can be a gift from God.

Physiologically, fear can start the body’s fight-or-flight reflex. This change in physiology can make us stronger and faster than we ever thought possible, all in a split second as the body automatically prepares to defend itself from danger. If you’ve ever been in a situation where that reflex was needed, you know it was a gift from God.

Because of the negative connotations fear has and the incomplete picture of God that people hold, there are passages in the Bible that they struggle with. These passages tell us to fear God. Some random examples:

Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.Deuteronomy 6:1-2 

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.Acts 9:31 

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 2 Corinthians 5:11 

Fear God? What’s up with that? Doesn’t God love us? Isn’t God our Father? I hear those kinds of questions often.

YES! FEAR GOD! If you don’t know Him, you must fear His wrath and the consequences of your sin. The thought of eternal damnation ought to scare you. If it doesn’t, you need to shake your head. This kind of fear can be a gift from God as well. It ought to drive you into His arms, crying out for mercy. If it does, you’ll have salvation, which will be wonderful.

Those of us who know Him should also fear Him, but it’s not the same. When you check out the dictionary, you’ll find that to fear also means to have deep and reverential awe of Him. Yes, He’s our Father, but He also created and controls everything in the universe. He brings life. That kind of awesome power deserves respect and awe.

When it comes to fear, rejoice. Fear of danger produces a healthy bodily response. God will drive out unhealthy fear. Fear of His wrath sends us to His mercy. Knowing Him creates a healthy fear. 

Ironically, fear is nothing to be afraid of.

Until next time, may you know the deep reverence and awe from knowing God the Father.

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.

___________________________________________ 

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