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Tag: Bible reading

  • Aurora Borealis – The heavens declare

    Aurora Borealis – The heavens declare

    Northern LIghts - Aurora Borealis - reader supplied photo

    Anyone with social media knows that our sun is in a storm phase and has been lighting up the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) with incredible displays, even in places they are not even seen. Social media platforms have been lit up with photos from all over the Northern Hemisphere.

    We are currently in what NASA calls Solar Cycle 25, the 25th cycle since they started being recorded in February 1755. During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation, all creating conditions known as space weather. One of the results is the more intense Northern Lights.

    Having spent many years living in Northern Alberta, I have seen the lights in their majesty hundreds of times, but they never fail to impress.

    There is something about watching the waves of light change colors while moving and dancing that is both breathtaking and soothing. If you have never seen them and get the opportunity, I encourage you to take it.

    Last night, Kathy and I decided to take a run out into the countryside to catch a glimpse. We hit a couple of promising spots, but between the light pollution, clouds, and the mountains blocking the view, we struck out. Today’s photo is reader-supplied.

    It was disappointing, but we enjoyed the hunt and the nighttime countryside.

    When I see the Aurora’s dance, I can’t help but think of the God who created them. The Northern Lights can be explained naturally with a clear scientific explanation, but the God of the Bible created all the components and set the rules by which they operate.

    The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and nothing is hidden from its heat. Psalm 19:1-6 ESV

    Those verses are so often relevant that they might sometimes seem trite and cliche. Yet they are powerfully true.

    It takes an incredibly hard heart to look at the beauty surrounding us and not stop marveling. God’s artistry knows no limits and regularly surpasses our expectations.

    Take some time today and look at the world around us. Despite all the turmoil we see, there is beauty to be seen. Give God the glory.

    Be blessed

    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.

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  • Did You Know? – This might change how you do Bible reading

    Did You Know? – This might change how you do Bible reading

    The letter "J" in gold topped with a golden crown

    This morning, I want to discuss a bit of trivia that might impact the way you read your Bible. Did you know that the letter “J” is a medieval European invention? It was originally an alternative form of the letter “I” and was quite interchangeable for a long time.

    That is why names like Jens Jensen are often pronounced Yens Yensen. I know that Jens or Yens is undoubtedly not a biblical character, but it seems to serve as a good illustration of the point.

    So, what does this trivia have to do with the Bible? It means that since “j” had not even been invented in Bible times, every place you see the letter “J” in the Bible, you can count on it being the anglicized version of the word and replacing an “I” or a “Y.”

    For example, the city of Jerusalem is actually Yerushalayim.  Judah is actually Y’hudah. Jesus is Yeshua. Jehovah is YHWH, and the Jewish people did not put vowels in his name for fear of mispronouncing it. We might see it as Yahweh.

    Sometimes, we see crosses in church with the letters INRI above them. This is Latin and reads “Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm”. Latin uses “I” rather than “J” and “v” rather than “u”. The English translation is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

    The change from “I” or “Y” to “J” does not create a big problem because they are simply forms that we are used to seeing.

    Did you know that most (if not all) of the proper names we see in the Bible differ from their biblical forms. One substantial change is found in the name James. James is a thoroughly English name, and some sources claim that the change from the Hebrew name was to honor the English king of that name, who was sponsoring the Bible translation. 

    So, what was the actual name of the half-brother of Jesus who wrote the earliest book of the New Testament? He was Ya’akov, a name translated elsewhere in the Bible as Jacob.

    While we have changed the spellings of Bible names and place names, the underlying truth of the Bible remains unchanged. Since we are talking about changed names, I arbitrarily decided to work from the book of Ya’akov (James) this morning.

    Who was this Ya’akov, this James? The most prevalent theory amongst conservative scholars and the testimony of much of the early church is that he was the half-brother of Jesus, along with Jude (Y’hudah), author of the New Testament letter that bears His name. 

    He doubted that Jesus was the Messiah but became convinced when the resurrected Lord appeared to Him. He went on to become a pillar of the church in Jerusalem until his death in 62AD.

    James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. James 1:1

    Many translations do not quite do justice to the opening of this verse. It is better rendered as “James, a “bondservant” …” 

    The Greek word doulos or bondservant means one who voluntarily placed themselves in the service of another. James has willingly committed himself into the service of “God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

    The use of the phrase “of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” is often overlooked in a causal reading of James, but it is quite a powerful statement. James was not just a follower of his half-brother Jesus. 

    He brings God and the Lord Jesus Christ onto the same level. James’ brother is more than a mere man; he is the “Lord Jesus Christ,” the promised Messiah. James makes it clear that Jesus is the Messiah, and the Messiah is God.

    His words affirm Jesus’ divinity. That is pretty powerful stuff for the opening sentence of a letter.

    From our vantage point 2,000 years later, with all of Scripture and the Holy Spirit to guide us, we know this to be true. James was making this bold and public claim within 15 years of the death of His brother. Transformed from disbelief to bondservant, James understood who Jesus was and proclaimed Him boldly.

    Until next time, may you be as bold as James.

    Praise His name and trust in Him.

    Be blessed

    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.

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    All contents, “Gleanings From the Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2026 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, “Gleanings From the Word.” All rights reserved.

    All scripture from ESV (Engkish Standard Version)

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

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    Some thoughts on Bible reading