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Gleanings From The Word

Category: 2 Peter

  • Perseverance – A Christian Virtue

    Perseverance – A Christian Virtue

    Illustration from a children's book

    Some of you will know that I have been working on a children’s book  series, inspired by conversation and storytelling sessions with my grandchildren and their friends over the years. Since October or November 2024, when I wrote the first concept edition of “A Surprising Arrival” as a Christmas present for the grandchildren, I have been writing,  editing, rewriting, getting it professionally edited, and rewriting again. It’s an act of love, but it’s a journey.

    Yesterday, I took the terrifying step of submitting to a literary agent. Once I have an agent, they will handle finding a publisher. Very few publishing houses still accept non-agented submissions. Agent hunting will likely require many rejections as I try to connect with the one who is looking for exactly the right fit.

    So, why am I telling you this? There are two reasons. First, it fits with the theme of today’s Gleanings. The second is far more selfish: to ask you to visit the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551114373506 and follow it. The more followers, the more appealing to an agent. Thanks in advance.

    This writing has been a work of perseverance. With Gleanings, it’s write something in the morning and move on. When I was freelancing for newspapers and magazines, it was “do the assignment” and move on.

    This has been two years of working at it, often with extended periods of intensive activity and steep learning curves. Now, I’m just at step two, a step that will involve rejection. Then, assuming the agent finds me a publisher, I will have to rework things to their standards. There is no guarantee of success. Less than 1% of children’s books make it to publication (outside of self-publishing).

    In life, we often have to persevere, sometimes through trials and difficult times. Yet perseverance is highly regarded as a Christian virtue. Why? Because it changes us.

    Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

    Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5

    His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Peter 1:3-8

    Hold fast, my dear friends. The Lord has His hand on you, and He will not waste your suffering.

    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. Because it changes us.

    From Gleanings From The Word (Kevin Corbin, 2001– ), a Scripture-based devotional work.

    Some thoughts on the Christian life

    # Right Belief Must Become Right Living
  • In Bloom – In God’s perfect timing

    In Bloom – In God’s perfect timing

    magnolia blossoms

    The magnolia trees are in full bloom. Actually, they are nearing  the end of their blooming season.

    I typically think of magnolias as “tulip” trees because their blooms remind me of tulips, but I have learned that the tulip tree is another species altogether.

    Whatever they are called, they certainly make for fantastic floral displays in the spring. Here in the Lower Mainland, they are grown in large numbers, so you can drive down entire streets full of them. It is a beautiful sight.

    Magnolias are not winter-hardy trees. I don’t recall ever seeing one in Northern BC or the prairies. There are many varieties ranging from near dwarfs to massive specimens over 100 feet tall.

    The magnolia blooming season is short, lasting only a few weeks in the spring. Afterward, it fades into the realm of being “just another tree” on someone’s lawn. I hardly even give them a glance when driving by.

    We don’t pay attention, not thinking the tree must put in another full year of growing to put in net spring’s blooms.

    It can be that way in our relationship with God. We notice if He is working in some spectacular way, forgetting that He is at work in us every moment of every day. Many times, a great deal of work comes into play behind the scenes to make it happen.

    Many people I know consider their conversion experience to be some decision made instantaneously. They forget that God orchestrated things behind the scenes their entire lives until that moment. 

    He knew what you would have to go through and how many times you would need to hear the gospel before you would bend your knee. He put people in place to pray for you, sometimes for many years before you truly hear and respond.

    We can get frustrated, waiting for our friends and loved ones to have that magnolia bloom moment and accept Christ. We cannot give up on them. God knows His elect and will not abandon moving heaven and earth until they are all sealed with His Spirit.

    The Lord hears our prayers.

    But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9

    Hold steady. Continue to pray, to love others, and to share the gospel. God is faithful even when we feel we can endure no more. He is working behind the scenes, even when the results are not apparent to us yet.

    Hold fast and be encouraged. God is working on a more beautiful harvest than a street full of magnolias.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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

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    Beautiful Roses

    A lesson from the lilies