Gleanings From The Word

Tag: daily devotional

  • Halloween and Reformation Day

    Halloween and Reformation Day

    Today, October 31, marks at least three celebrations. The first  thought that comes to most people’s minds is probably Halloween.

    Halloween was originally a Christian celebration, known as All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Hallows’ Day or All Saints’ Day. To hallow something is to celebrate its holiness.

    All Hallows Day marked the beginning of AllHallowtide, a period on the liturgical calendar to remember those who died in Christ, especially the martyrs and saints.

    In popular culture, it has degenerated into a celebration of death, the macabre, and the occult. Western civilization is becoming increasingly pagan in all aspects, but that’s a topic for another day.

    This evening, you might celebrate All Hallows’ Eve or perhaps Halloween, depending on your beliefs and traditions. There is yet a third celebration.

    You might want to celebrate Reformation Day. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses (topics for debate) to the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg, an event that symbolized the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

    Reformation Day remained unrecognized by the Roman Catholic Church around 2016, in time to commemorate the then-upcoming 500th anniversary of the event.

    Christians debate whether or not we should celebrate Halloween and that’s a matter for individual conscience.

    As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Romans 14:1-9

    Whatever you choose to celebrate this evening, or even if you choose not to celebrate at all, may you do so in good conscience and without judging those who chose something different.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    The World Changed on Reformation Day
    Read the Word. Read the Word. Read the Word.
    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear

  • Who Is James?

    Who Is James?

    Icon of James the brother of Jesus

    Yesterday morning, I was reading in the Epistle of James. As  Kathy and I discussed what I had been reading, the question of “who was James?” arose.

    What does the Bible say?

    James is identified as one of Jesus’ brothers. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? (Matthew 13:55, see also Mark 6:3)

    Jesus’s brothers did not believe. After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jewswere seeking to kill him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him.  (John 6:1-5)

    Jesus appeared personally to James after His resurrection. “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” (1 Corinthians 15:7)

    He was a key player in the Jerusalem council when the issue of rules for gentile believers was debated. (Acts 15)

    Paul calls James an Apostle.  “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.” Galatians 1:18-19

    Paul also refers to him as a pillar in the early church. “…James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me; they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” Galatians 2:10

    James himself only identifies as a servant of Jesus. “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: (James 1:1)

    Church history tells us that James was the first leader of the church in Jerusalem, effectively its first pastor. That comes through in the pastoral concern for his flock that shows in his letter.

    Church history tells us that he was most likely stoned to death by the Jews in the early 60s AD, a fate shared by Stephen and other martyrs.

    For me, James is a marvelous example of the grace of Jesus. The Lord took a hardcore unbeliever and transformed him into a willing servant and leader. The Apostle Paul gets mentioned often for being a hardcore Christian hater who was converted, but let’s not forget that Paul was not the only one.

    I pray for all the hardcore disbelievers (of which I was one) to come to Christ and that their zeal for the enemy might be converted into zeal for the Lord.

    Praise the Lord that He can soften the hardest heart.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear
    Read the Word. Read the Word. Read the Word.
  • Spelunking – cave exploration – into the darkness

    Spelunking – cave exploration – into the darkness

    a cave mouth

    His nickname was Tiny, and he was anything but. I never knew his real name. We met during basic training for the Canadian military.

    On Tiny’s right leg was a wide, eight-inch-long scar. When I asked about it, my friend told me that he had a fascination with caves and shared his one-time spelunking experience with me. 

    A “spelunk” is a cave or grotto, and “Spelunkers” are cave explorers. Sometimes they call themselves cavers.

    Tiny and a friend, both aged fourteen or fifteen, decided to “check out” an old, abandoned mineshaft. It was not exactly a cave, but they knew where to find it and were unaware of any caves in the area. The shaft was bright as day for the first few feet. 

    The gradually lengthening shadows added to the excitement. Eventually, it was dark enough that the only light was from the narrow beam of their flashlight.

    They had not gone very far into the shaft when Tiny found himself falling. He fell and landed flat on his back. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he could not respond to his friend’s desperate cries of “Are you okay?” It took a few moments before Tiny was able to croak out, “I think so.”

    Tiny’s flashlight had broken in the fall, and they had no ropes or rescue equipment. At the moment, surrounded by the oppressive darkness, he had no idea of how far he had fallen. Getting out took many attempts at climbing various parts of the rock wall and numerous falls back into the darkness, while his friend encouraged him from above. During one of the falls, he sliced his leg open on a sharp rock.

    Eventually, Tiny was able to work his way out. He estimated that the fall was only fifteen or twenty feet, but it seemed like forever in the darkness. He has not been back in a “cave” since. He will carry the scar of the misadventure to his grave.

    Now, there is nothing wrong with the sport of spelunking, although I have no deep personal urge to go crawling about in the dark earth. My friend was fortunate; he could have been seriously injured or even killed, instead of a few bumps and bruises, a cut leg, and some wounded pride.

    Like the cave attracts the caver, sometimes the darkness appeals to us. It draws us closer. Even the shadows seem to add to the excitement and pleasure of “forbidden fruit”. Before long, though, we find ourselves deep in the darkness and at risk.

    Using their beautiful songs, the sirens in Greek mythology and Homer’s epic adventure stories lured unwary sailors to their death on the rocks. Satan does the same from the darkness. He wants to lure us to our destruction.

    The Psalmist understood the siren call of the wicked. He knew there was a great danger in the beckoning whispers from the dark abyss.

    Truly God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.

    But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.

    For I was envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

    For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.

    They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

    Therefore pride is their necklace;
    violence covers them as a garment.

    Their eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.

    They scoff and speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.

    They set their mouths against the heavens,
    and their tongue struts through the earth.

    Therefore his people turn back to them,
    and find no fault in them.

    And they say, “How can God know?
    Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 

    Behold, these are the wicked;
    always at ease, they increase in riches.

    All in vain have I kept my heart clean
    and washed my hands in innocence.

    For all the day long I have been stricken
    and rebuked every morning.

    If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
    I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

    But when I thought how to understand this,
    it seemed to me a wearisome task,

    until I went into the sanctuary of God;
    then I discerned their end.

    Truly you set them in slippery places;
    you make them fall to ruin.

    How they are destroyed in a moment,
    swept away utterly by terrors!

    Like a dream when one awakes,
    O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.

    When my soul was embittered,
    when I was pricked in heart,

    I was brutish and ignorant;
    I was like a beast toward you.

    Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you hold my right hand.

    You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me to glory.

    Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

    My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

    For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
    you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

    But for me it is good to be near God;
    I have made the Lord God my refuge,
    that I may tell of all your works.

    Psalm 73

    God sees it all and He knows it all. He knows when we have ventured into dark and forbidden places. He is there to stand by and rescue us, but we may carry scars from our misadventures for the rest of our lives. He warns us to stay out of dark places.

    Until next time, rejoice. We serve a God who truly cares about what we do.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear
    # Right Belief Must Become Right Living
  • Kittens and Birth – Theology of conversion

    Kittens and Birth – Theology of conversion

    litter of kittens

    Watching the litter of kittens being born made me ponder the miracle of birth. That led me to recall a conversation. During a discussion on theology, I was asked whether I believed that salvation, “conversion” to Christianity was a process or a sudden event. My answer was yes.

    “Now wait a minute,” my friend said. “I gave you an either-or choice. It cannot be both.”

    Technically, both positions are correct. You see, along the way, the Lord is preparing our hearts for conversion. That is done through people and circumstances in our lives that point us in His direction. It is that uncomfortable feeling that we need something more. It is the gradual realization that we cannot do it on our own. It is the prompting and calling of the Holy Spirit, beckoning us towards salvation.

    There comes a point when that process reaches a head, and we accept Jesus. Whatever your theology —Calvinist, Arminian, or something completely different —we agree that there comes a point when we cross the threshold , a conversion, a born again experience, and Christ becomes our Lord. 

    Theologians debate the ordo salutis. That’s a fancy Latin term meaning “order of salvation”. It refers to the sequence of events in salvation, outlining how God saves us. It includes stages such as election, calling, regeneration, faith, justification, sanctification, and glorification, though interpretations in differing schools of thought.

    I find such topics fascinating to think about. However, we look at the moment of conversion, whether you agree with my thoughts that the rebirth is both a process and a sudden thing, or not, the fact remains that we must be born again. Jesus made that clear when speaking with Nicodemus (John 3:1-8)

    Jesus is our only hope.

    Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ESV

    Have you been saved from your sins, been born again through Christ? If you have praise Him for His mercy. If you haven’t, run to Him in repentant faith.

    Until next time, may you be genuinely born again.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

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

    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear
    The Hitching Post – Thoughts on the Gospel
  • Stormy Seas – Calming the storm

    Stormy Seas – Calming the storm

    I caught the news the other day and read that BC Ferries had  canceled several sailings between Tsawwassen and Vancouver Island due to stormy weather. It happens now and then and is one of the expected perils of ferry travel.

    That took my mind to the gospels. There are several accounts of Jesus calming storms on the Sea of Galilee.

    On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41 ESV

    I can only imagine how the disciples felt when Jesus spoke and the storm ceased. How many times later did they talk about the event amongst themselves?

    It’s a powerful text. What is it about?

    I’ve heard two versions over the years, each claiming to answer that question.

    One says that it’s an astounding account of Jesus’ power, pointing to His control over the natural order and proving His divinity.

    The other says it is to tell us that Jesus can calm the storms in our lives.

    The first concerns the text itself; the second concerns a possible application of the text. The application is seldom, if ever, what the text is about.

    Let me give another example. In the account of David v Goliath (1 Samuel 17), we learn that young David kills Goliath using a sling and a stone. David demonstrates his faith in the Lord. The text is not about how God can slay the giants in our lives.

    When we read the Bible, we first need to look at what the text tells us. Then we move on to see what the text actually means (a process called exegesis). Exegesis is a scary ten-dollar word that basically means examining a text to determine what it really says. We do it all the time with the Bible, even without knowing the fancy word.

    Finally, we might look at how the text can be applied to our lives (the application).

    Moving directly to the application without understanding the text can lead to many incorrect understandings of what the Bible says and means.

    Let’s allow the text to speak for itself.

    Tribulation Produces Perseverance
    The Hitching Post – Thoughts on the Gospel
  • A rockhound looks at the church

    A rockhound looks at the church

    two pails of rocket

    I love rocks. Since I was a small child, I have gone  through many phases of collecting and working with stones and minerals. 

    I can’t imagine how many shiny stones my mother must have dug out of my pants pockets on laundry days. If I’m honest, it can still happen today.

    Rock collectors range from the casual to the obsessed, from the small child bringing a few shiny stones home in their pocket to those who travel the world to collect the perfect piece.

    A collector might collect pieces that catch their eye while out walking. Someone else might spend vast sums of money purchasing rare and unique specimens. One person might bring home common pieces, while another might collect only a particular type. Everyone’s tastes and circumstances are different.

    I have found that rock collectors are very willing to talk about what they collect and often share their collections. I have had great conversations with perfect strangers on beaches, gravel bars, or even in the landscaped sections of parking lots about rocks. The rock bug seems to bite early in life and never goes away for most people.

    A conundrum for rock collectors (or collectors of anything else, for that matter) is “what to do with them when you have brought them home?” How do you display them? How do you make room for more?

    Of course, there will never be enough room. There will always be more or bigger specimens to collect. The variety of stone is virtually inexhaustible. Many are found in only one location worldwide. Others are common, but they come in an infinite array of colors, shapes, and patterns.

    Unlike a rock collection, there is a collection that is guaranteed to be complete in time. That is the church. I don’t mean the outward manifestation of denominations and groups, or buildings, or even the gathering of believers. I am referring to everyone throughout time that God has ordained to be saved.

    True believers are a gift to Christ from the Father.

    “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.” John 17:6-10

    If we are a gift from the perfect Father to his precious Son, we will not be lost. Everyone, from everywhere and in any era included in the gift, will be saved.

    God won’t be displaying us in a basket. We will be transformed into everything he made us to be and will be in His presence for eternity to come.

    He elected His followers before the beginning of time to complete His work in them.

    For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:28-29

    Believers are chosen by a perfect God for a holy, eternal purpose. My piles of rocks might be pretty enough, but they will never compare with the wonder of the assembled, glorified church in the presence of their God.

    I can hardly wait to see it.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    Rocks and Minerals and Crystals… Oh My –
    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear
    A rockhound looks at the church
    Rocks and Minerals and Crystals… Oh My –
  • Are They/Them our real enemies

    Are They/Them our real enemies

    faceless crowd

    I watched the news with increasing irritation. “They” were at it  again. You know “them”, the ones who seem bent on destroying and nation and ridiculing everything we believe in.

    I could feel my blood pressure rising and I began to have decidedly un-Christian thoughts. I could feel a full blown rant coming on.

    Does that sound familiar? It happens to most of us at times. No matter what side of the political or religious spectrum you are on, there are always “those people” who seem to be out to undermine us.

    “They” make us angry. We stop seeing “them” as people and begin to classify them into inhuman groups.

    We forget that most of them are sincere in wanting the make the world a better place, even though we differ on what that looks like. We forget that God loves them too.

    It’s one of the reasons we are told to put on the Armor of God.

    Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:10-18a ESV

    The enemy is a master of division. He divides us into camps which makes it easier for us to hate rather than love.

    When we find ourselves with those feelings we need to remember that we are all created in God’s image and that He loves us so much He died for us, regardless of our position on issues.

    We need Him to transform our hearts.

    Lord teach us to Lord when it is so easy to hate. Teach us to put on the armor and live as you commanded.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    Love Your Enemies
    # Right Belief Must Become Right Living
  • Scrub Jays – Refugees from the fires

    Scrub Jays – Refugees from the fires

    California Scrub Jay

    Yesterday I was treated to the sight of a pair of California scrub jays at our little backyard feeder. They are a rare sight in these parts, although since the California wildfires of a few years ago, they are somewhat more common.

    While on our mini vacation, we spoke to a couple from Northern Alberta. A mountain sheep has been seen in their area. The sheep are typically found in the Jasper area, but were driven out by wildfires. Now they are attempting to make a home hundreds of miles from their home.

    The jays and the mountain sheep (and I’m sure many other species) refugees who fled a disaster, looking for a safe harbor. They are doing their best to make a way in an unfamiliar and, in many ways, hostile environment.

    There is a sense in which all Christians are refugees as well. We grow up in a fallen world that is hostile to the Christian worldview. When we do become believers, our citizenship becomes that of heaven, and instead of being enemies of God, we become enemies to the world.

    The once familiar is now strange. The former close friend now rejects and ridicules us. Things we once thought nothing of now cause us discomfort.

    Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11 ESV

    If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:19 ESV

    We might be strangers, sojourners, even refugees in this world, but our home is secure.

    In the interim, we have the Word to strengthen us. We have other believers to walk with. Most importantly, we have the Spirit within us to guide us and testify to our status as children of God and coheirs with Christ. The Spirit is our passport into the kingdom, both here and forever in glory.

    Hold fast, my friends. The wandering time may seem long and hard at times, but we have victory in Him.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    Issue 1889 – Safe in the arms of God.
    Tribulation Produces Perseverance
  • Old and New – The Old Will Pass Away

    Old and New – The Old Will Pass Away

    This morning’s image showcases a small section of a massive  sandstone cliff in Point Roberts, Washington. Point Roberts is a pene-exclave of the USA, meaning it is American soil, but you have to go through Canada to access it by land. It has some small but beautiful ocean-side parks.

    These sandstone cliffs have stood seemingly forever, yet they are slowly vanishing. If you look at the center of the pic, you can see a groove running downwards. The sand is almost constantly in motion, trickling back down to the sea as it slowly erodes away.

    The sound is like a soft, gentle rain. It will take innumerable human lifetimes for the cliffs to be gone, but in the fullness of time, they will stand no more.

    Even the most permanent-seeming of things in the created universe have an expiry date. The sun itself will eventually burn out if God hasn’t come back by then.

    The little blue planet, third from the sun, that we call Earth will pass away.

    Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Matthew 24:35 ESV

    For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. Isaiah 66:17 ESV

    But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 2 Peter 3:10 ESV

    And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” Hebrews 1:10-12 ESV

    The final end to the existing physical order is not something we need to fear. The same God who created it all with a word, who stands outside the physical realm, remains, and He promises His faithful a new home.

    Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:1-6 ESV

    As we await that day, we steward the physical realm to the best of our abilities, all the while recognizing that God created it for our use.

    The seas may dry up, the climate might change, the magnetic poles might swap end over end, and the mountains fall into the sea. Yet, we can hold fast because the God we worship remains the same, regardless of our earthly situation.

    God is in control and totally dependable. Praise His name.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    End Times Speculation- Why I’d Rather be Found Faithful
    Eschatology – Study of End Times
    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear
  • Waterfalls like streams of living water

    Waterfalls like streams of living water

    Cascade Falls, Mission BC

    I really enjoy waterfalls. They can be tiny, like one I know on  Stoney Creek (perhaps 18 inches), or tall like Helmcken Falls (467 feet) near Clearwater. They might be narrow enough to step over or very broad, like Dawson Falls (over 150 feet).

    Most of them carve out basins underneath the drop. The constant falling water erodes everything underneath, down into the bedrock in many cases. It’s almost as if the waterfall wants to keep the water for itself. 

    Waterfalls fail in that task. Eventually, the power of the river pushed out through and beyond the basin. The water won’t be thwarted in its goal to move downstream.

    I’m reminded of God’s marvelous grace when I think of waterfalls. He pours rivers of mercy, healing, blessing, joy, peace, and spiritual gifts into the lives of those who believe on Him.

    Like the basin, we try and keep it all to ourselves. We want the blessings to stay in our lives, yet we hesitate to share them with others, so we build floodgates of “me” and “mine” to hold the blessings in. 

    It is as if we’re afraid that if we share the blessings and grace, somehow God’s supply of those marvelous gifts might run dry. We get prideful about the gifts we have been given and think more highly of ourselves than we ought.

    Ironically, when we open the floodgates and let the grace and mercy flow into the lives of those around us, we’re doubly blessed. God not only continues to pour into our lives, but we also see the blessings of others respond to His life-giving and sustaining gift.

    For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. Isaiah 44:3-4 

    Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. John 7:38

    Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1

    Until next time, may you open wide and let the streams of God’s grace and mercy flow through you to bring life to others who are thirsting.

    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.