Yesterday was a great day at our local assembly. Three of our  youth gave their testimonies and were baptized. It’s always uplifting when someone comes to faith or publicly acknowledges it through the obedient step of baptism. It’s a reminder that God is still at work in people’s lives.

There were some other God moments that I will not share either because without the whole backstory, they wouldn’t make sense, or I don’t have permission to share.

There is a stereotype out there that God is an angry, vengeful being, ever ready to stomp on people with a giant Monty-Pythonish foot from heaven. A thought that he is God who is without joy or compassion and delights in people’s hardships.

It is true that God does get angry when His laws are broken. When we sin, we rebel against Him and hurt others made in His image. Still, He offers the hope of forgiveness to the vilest of sinners and rankest of blasphemers. Dishing out punishment does not bring the Lord joy, but he cannot be righteous without justice and wrath.

When he looked down on our local assembly on Sunday, there were plenty of sinners to be wrathful against. Hopefully, most of those gathered were redeemed sinner, free from His wrath but subject to His discipline.

I have no doubt that despite our weaknesses, He was smiling. All of heaven rejoices when a sinner is saved or we walk in obedience.

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:1-7

As we rejoiced in our seats, the heavenly host and the Lord Himself rejoiced with us.

The formerly lost young people affirmed being found, and God was glorified. What a moment.

Praise God for His grace and mercy. Rejoice in the things that bring Him glory.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

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, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

I had never seen a whitetail buck that big. He was a large, well-muscled animal with an atypical rack, much larger than the buck in this photo.

Even though it was hunting season, he proudly strutted from the tree line across the field. He rattled his rack against a tree and snorted loudly several times before entering the clearing.

He was big and knew he was a prime catch for all the ladies. The buck seemed intent on making an entrance and impressing the couple of does I knew were in the area.

He knew I was there. I was upwind of him, and he stopped to catch the scents on the wind before he left the trees. He was more interested in the does than he was afraid of me.

Fortunately for him, I wasn’t hunting. I was only passing through on my way to go fishing. This time, his hormonal focus and pride didn’t cost him his life!

Pride is a dangerous thing. I’m not speaking of the sense of accomplishment from a job well done. I’m talking about self-focused, rebellious pride.

Pride is at the heart of all sin. It makes us want to be gods, covet, and rebel. Pride keeps many from accepting the good news of Jesus Christ. They’re too proud to think they must humble themselves and surrender to Him.

It’s pride that makes us think we can get by on self-righteousness. Jesus had some harsh words about self-righteousness and religious pride.

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14

Sometimes, we might want to say, “That’s not fair, Lord!”  After all, this Pharisee kept all the rules, and the tax collector was a traitor, a corrupt official, and a sinner.

Yet, the Pharisee was confident of His own righteousness and pride. He proudly stood front row, centre proclaiming to God how good he himself was. That never cuts it with God. He knows our hearts.

The tax collector was repentant and threw himself on God’s mercy. He stood off from the temple at a distance, too ashamed to even enter into it or to even look in God’s direction. He knew that on his own merit, there was no hope. God loves a penitent sinner.

Too often, although I know better, I have a lot of the pharisee in me. I think that somehow, my feeble efforts will impress God and forget that I am saved only by His grace. I know I am not alone in that.

What are you counting on for your salvation? Are you counting on external religion and self-righteousness? If so, you will be disappointed on Judgment Day. Or are you humbly depending on having submitted yourself to Christ? In that case, Jesus has secured your eternity with him.

Until next time, may you put aside the stumbling block of pride and walk in humility with Father.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

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

__________________________________________ 

Please like and share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.

Did you know that we have an email version? It offers the same great content but in a different format. This is ideal for when you don’t want to check your Facebook or share with friends who don’t use Facebook. 

Subscribe today 

___________________________________________ 

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, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).