Category: Revelation

  • The things we value most will be left behind – We gain everything

    row of rusty pickups

    The farmyard had many rusty old trucks. It seems likely the owner was a collector (or perhaps ‘accumulator’ would be a better term), as they had rows of them.

    There were a few cars, but I mainly noticed pickup trucks. There were a lot of them from the fifties and sixties. There was even the odd one from the 40s or earlier. 

    These trucks were, at one point, the pride and joy of their owners. They had that new vehicle smell that so many people find appealing. They were bright and shiny, freshly painted, and certainly wouldn’t have been cheap to buy.

    Over the years, the paint faded, the bodies got dinged and dented, and the new-car smell gave way to the smell of the owner’s lifestyle. Eventually, they broke down or wore out and were just left in the field to rust.

    Eventually, they will rust away into nothingness. The elements gradually eat away the steel until nothing remains.

    Now I understand the need for a vehicle, and I know that they usually reach a point where they are no longer worth repairing. Seeing so many of their rusted old bodies, though, made me think about the Lord’s coming. Our possessions will be left behind.

    He’s coming again for His people.

    “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 

    The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:63-64

    Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. Revelation 1:7

    All the “things” we value so highly, all the accomplishments we’re so proud of, all the “stuff” and accolades we’ve accumulated, will at that moment become even less valuable than those rusted old hulks sitting in the field. It will be left behind, exchanged for something far more valuable.

    Where are your priorities? Are the things that will be left behind when you die, or He comes again first in your life? Or have you accumulated treasures in heaven that won’t rust away and won’t be left behind when you go?

    Until next time, may your focus be on the things of His kingdom.

    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.

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

  • Beyond Counting

    Muskrats and the state of the church

    muskrat swimming

    Some years back, when I was pastoring “the cowboy church” in  Sherwood Park, Alberta, I was blessed to receive a wonderful birthday gift from my wife. It is a custom-crafted, saddle-bag-style briefcase marked with my brand.

    We had to drive to a community a couple of hours away to pick it up, and that involved driving through an area with numerous pothole lakes and plenty of rough farmland.

    Since my birthday was in November, the little lakes were mostly frozen. The ice wasn’t thick yet, but it was definitely there. If I recall correctly, we saw several mule deer and whitetails. We likely saw some late migrating flocks of ducks and geese, as that would have been typical for the season.

    What I do recall clearly are muskrats. Now, muskrats are not rats at all. They are semi-aquatic mammals more closely related to voles than rats. An adult muskrat weighs about four pounds (a little under 2 kg), about half the size of your average house cat.

    Typically, on that particular roadway, we would see a few muskrats on or in the lakes on the drive down and back. Sometimes we would even see four or five on the same tiny lake, which seemed like a lot.

    On the return trip, I was astounded to see the population on several lakes. There were muskrats, for sure, but in incredible numbers. We were driving, and I couldn’t stop to count them, but I am a pretty fair estimator over small areas. There were several hundred muskrats basking in the sun on each of the lakes.

    That’s more than I would see in a typical year, all in one place. I had read about places up north where the fur trappers could harvest them by the hundreds in a day, way back when the north was being opened, but to see them was breathtaking.

    So, what does all that have to do with the Christian faith walk? Maybe nothing directly, but it does bring to mind a few thoughts.

    Sometimes, we get to thinking that, like the few muskrats I normally see, we are among the few faithful Christians left in the world.

    Elijah, the prophet, felt sorry for himself and complained to the Lord about being the last faithful one in Israel (See 1 Kings 18-19). God let him know in no uncertain terms that he was wrong.

    We can get into Elijah’s mindset at times.

    We get tired and defensive when the world seems to be spiraling out of control. We can start to doubt and whine. We forget the incredible power and presence of God. We begin to repine (to feel discontent and complain … sorry, I heard that word in a hymn recently, so I had to look it up and find a place to use it)

    Now, it is true that only a remnant of humanity will be saved. More will choose the darkness over the light than those who will be faithful. Even the so-called “church” has people who are not believers. It is easy to become discouraged and isolated, particularly if your little corner of the kingdom struggles.

    When we feel that way, we need to stop and remember that we are in God’s presence, and we need to consider His long-range plans.

    These words from the closing book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, through the Apostle John, encourage me.

    After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 7:9-12 ESV

    There are multitudes of believers from all over the world. I also remember some encouraging words from the book of Hebrews.

    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 12:1-2 ESV

    When you start to doubt and feel discouraged, hold fast. God is still in control. We are united with all the saints (past and present), and victory is ours through Jesus.

    When you are tempted to repine, remember that, like the Lord showed Elijah, He has a much bigger picture than we can see in the moment, and stay the course.

    Until next time,  remember that while battles are still to be fought, the victory is ours.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

    Some suggested reading

    Why everyone knows, even if they deny it.

    Moose Lake Ballet

    The gospel – the best news ever