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  • Issue 1601 – Cliffside – November 14, 2024

    Issue 1601 – Cliffside – November 14, 2024

    sandy cliffs at Lily Point Marine Park and Reserve, Point Roberts, Washington State
    Lily PointMarine Park and Reserve

    This beautiful sandy cliff is at Lily Point Marine Park and Reserve in Point Roberts, Washington. It’s a pretty spot, and it’s well worth visiting that area.

    The picture doesn’t show the ongoing degradation of the cliffside. The sand constantly slips towards the sea. At times, it’s tiny little streams, almost a grain at a time. Periodically, it’s in much larger chunks. We weren’t there during a storm, but I suspect storms remove even more cliff face.

    As Christians, we are in a process. When we become believers, we are justified. That means our sins are atoned for, and it is the entry point to the face. You cannot be a Christian without having been justified.

    Then comes the process of being made holy, more like Jesus, and set apart for Him. This is the process of Sanctification, which will last as long as we are on this earth.

    Lastly, we enter into the state of glory with God and become all He created us to be. That’s glorification.

    That process of sanctification can seem like a cliff face. Sometimes, God seems to chip away at our sin-filled, willful nature in tiny pieces. Other times, it feels like huge chunks are being removed.

    Our Lord loves us, and because of that, he disciplines us.

    Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:3-11

    Being disciplined is seldom fun, but I would rather be disciplined by the Father than separated from Him for all eternity.

    I am nowhere near what Jesus wants me to be, yet I am far further along the sanctification road than I once was. I’m grateful. What about you?

    Praise the Lord that He loves us enough to correct and teach us.

    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.

  • Issue 1600 – Trees – November 13, 2024

    decorated Christmas tree with presents underneath
    decorated Christmas tree

     You might think it’s early, but it’s that time of year again.  The television, radio, and print media are beginning to fill with advertisements for Christmas “stuff.” 

    Driving home from our Monday community group, I noticed that several homes in our neighborhood had their Christmas lights on and decorated Christmas trees inside. Yesterday, I picked up the mail and found fliers filled with pictures of artificial Christmas trees.

    The trees ranged in size from two feet to too tall for my house. They were artificial spruce, pine, and fir, as well as generic “evergreens.” They were also a variety of colors. I saw silver, white, blue, and green, but there may have been more.

    Some of the trees had lights already in place. Others were fully decorated with various themes, and many more were empty, waiting to be decorated when they got “home.”

    Now, no matter what you think of Christmas trees, and Christians are quite divided on the issue (although it’s non-essential, so we need to show grace to those with dissenting views), those advertisements got me thinking. Christmas trees have a certain beauty, but it’s all from the outside. All the decorations are attached superficially.

    It’s like the faith of many people. They wear their “religion” as an external badge, doing religious things and keeping laws from Scripture, laws from their particular faith tradition, and laws of their own making. They’re like the Pharisees of old: cold and lifeless on the inside but working very hard to look good to themselves and others on the outside.

    They have convinced themselves that their appearance or good deeds make them righteous. This is a sad sort of pride because neither self-righteousness (which is never right) nor works brings salvation.

    We’re called to be a much different type of tree—fruit trees. Our faith will show through, but we’re alive on the inside. We know our salvation and righteousness are only gifts from God. The beautiful fruit that shows is from the Holy Spirit.

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

    Have a look at your heart. Are you a fruit tree or a Christmas tree?

    Until next time, may the love of Jesus quicken your heart and the Holy Spirit bring a large harvest from your life and faith walk to fruition.

    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.