Plans; October 21, 2026

Posted on October 22, 2026 by jgarrott

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

This is something we all need to keep in mind. It’s not at all bad to plan and dream, but we need to do so in active submission to the Lord. As James reminds us, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” (James 4:15) It has wisely been said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” However, if those plans ignore God, they are worse than useless. Some people are gifted at planning, and some, frankly, are not. Either way, our first thought needs to be to seek God and what He desires, and then work to implement that. The US mid-term elections are now less than two weeks away. Many, many plans have been made for before and after that event, but it remains to be seen which will stand. More personally for each individual, we all have things we desire to happen, or that we intend to happen. Those desires and intentions aren’t bad in themselves, necessarily, but we are back to this verse, along with what James said. Much of our frustration with life comes from things not turning out as we had anticipated, but God being God, there are also countless unexpected blessings, if we have eyes and hearts to recognize them.

Yesterday was a very planned day, and a very full one. We were gone for most of the day, and were called in the middle of that by friends who had dropped by our home, not having let us know that they planned to do so. Those plans certainly came to nothing! I had expected to meet up with a close friend in the process of yesterday’s activities, but he was called away by news that his father was dying. I have never felt I was very good at planning, but yesterday was certainly a reminder that God has the final say in everything! I honestly have very little idea of what all God has planned for me for the rest of my time on this earth, but I know that His plans are good, and I am to focus on faithful obedience. I was asked again yesterday about my successor in this church. That’s a very valid question, and one I must not avoid, but it is one for which I don’t have a clear answer. It would be very convenient if the Lord came back today! I know that when I am gone, it won’t matter to me, but I am accountable for the flock, and that’s a big deal. The best candidate that I can see is totally intimidated by the idea of “stepping into my shoes,” in a number of ways. I need to assure them that their shoes are different, and they are all prepared by God. I’m back to praying the first half of the Lord’s Prayer, but that’s really not a bad place to be. I’m not to be anxious, but rather seek and trust the Lord at every step, so that He may be glorified as His plans are accomplished on His schedule.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You’d think I would have learned this lesson by now! Help me not draw back from planning, but rather recognize what You are saying and doing and go along with it, allowing You to use me however You will, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Envy; October 20, 2026

Posted on October 21, 2026 by jgarrott

Proverbs 14:30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.

Even as I was wondering why this section got included in readings on Hope, I was torn between righting on this verse or on verse 34, which is rightly famous. However, this verse touches on what is a major societal disease at this point, so here goes. Envy takes many forms. It is closely related to jealousy, and the difference could be said to be semantic, though most languages with which I’m familiar have two different words. The issue is comparison, and the desire for personal gain and/or superiority. The problem arises when we feel someone else has it better than we do. It is the driving force behind socialism/communism, whatever noble-sounding claims might be made. That is particularly evident in the US right now. Capitalism has given the US a standard of living that is unprecedented. Even homeless people in the US today live better than the vast majority of people throughout human history, and “lower middle class” people live lives of what would have been almost unimaginable luxury just a few centuries ago. We take all that for granted, and as a result, some people manipulate that for their own political gain. This isn’t limited to the US by any means. There’s a political poster here in Japan that I see almost every day that says, in English, “Tax the Rich.” Not surprisingly, it’s printed by the Japan Communist Party. There are many problems with all of that, but one of the most fundamental is that there is no happiness without gratitude, and that is the “peaceful heart” this verse talks about. As Dennis Prager has said many times, it’s very hard to find a happy Leftist! Paul put it this way: “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) That’s the opposite of envy! If we think we are entitled to being given the world on a silver tray, we will never be happy. Jesus was very blunt about it: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) That “trouble” often includes having less of something desirable than someone else might have, but envy will do you no good. If it is genuinely desirable, then applying yourself to work toward acquiring it can be of great benefit on many levels, but envy is destructive.

I don’t think I have a very envious personality, and I’m grateful. I feel I have been blessed incredibly, and though I have had my struggles with pride, I now realize it’s all God’s grace. There are lots of things, both material and immaterial, that might be nice to have, but at the same time, I realize that I have many things that others don’t have, so I’m in no position to complain. I think that realization is the “peaceful heart” this verse is talking about. I wouldn’t trade my marriage for all of Elon Musk’s wealth! In some ways I feel sorry for him, because he has fathered children with four different women, and can certainly support them financially, but he has no life partner, no actual family environment. That’s sad. I’m not to parade my blessings, but I am to seek to help others recognize theirs, so that they too may live in gratitude, opening their hearts to the One who provides it all for us, whether we deserve it or not.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You again for Your incredible grace toward me. May I respond appropriately to that grace, not just in gratitude but in full obedience, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wisdom; October 19, 2026

Posted on October 20, 2026 by jgarrott

Proverbs 13:14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning a person from the snares of death.

Verse 12 of this chapter is famous and loved, but this verse struck me just now. To me, this is a major reason to seek to be wise. As came out in yesterday’s message, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) However, nothing God gives us is exclusively for the direct recipient, and that applies to wisdom as well. As Paul pointed out, “Knowledge puffs up while love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1) God wants us to know things, but He wants us to use what we know to build each other up. That is wisdom! That is also what this verse is talking about. The problem is that most of us don’t respond well to unsolicited advice. Dumping truth on people actually isn’t very wise! The problem, as it so often is, is pride. That’s another reason Jesus said “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) Little children know that they don’t know, and they are at peace with that reality. That actually is very wise! We need to realize that God is the source of all truth, and that we are incapable of absorbing all of it, but at the same time allow the truth that we do have to flow through us to bless others. That is wisdom.

Having been blessed with a high IQ, I have always tended to be rather a know-it-all, and that has driven some people away. It is as I have learned to share only when my hearers are receptive that I have acquired more friends. The reason this verse resonated with me this morning is that I deeply desire the people around me to escape the snares of the devil, which are indeed the snares of death. I can’t force anyone to listen to me, much less actually accept the truth I speak to them, so I’ve got to depend on the Holy Spirit. At the same time, as Paul told Timothy, I’ve got to “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2) It is deeply satisfying to know that I have shared God’s truth faithfully, as happened in the service yesterday, but at the same time, I can’t control people’s reception of that truth. I am a teacher by gifting, and I have been paid to teach most of my life, but the reception of what I have taught has been all over the place. Likewise, just because I have taught something true doesn’t mean I’m applying it properly in my own life. Particularly in preaching, I have had to learn that I am the first target! I want my hearers to avoid the snares of the devil, but I’ve got to keep away from them myself. Sharing God’s truth is an incredible privilege, but it is also a huge responsibility. As James said, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) I like being a teacher, but I’m never to take it lightly!

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for what You spoke through me, and for the thoughtful feedback I got. I do pray that everything You speak through me would accomplish that for which You send it, (Isaiah 55:10-11) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Decisions; October 18, 2026

Posted on October 19, 2026 by jgarrott

Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

This chapter makes a lot of contrasts between good people and bad people, in a number of ways. The problem is, most people don’t think of themselves as “bad people.” They simply don’t think about God or seek to follow Him, whatever their external religion might be. As a result, they do whatever seems attractive or of profit to them, just as it describes in Judges 21:25. In contrast, a genuinely upright person, as this verse expresses it, applies God’s standard to himself, and therefore knows how they should live. We all have decisions to make, constantly, whether we recognize it or not, and we have to live with the consequences of those decisions. We have to choose what and how much to eat, for example. That’s a decision to which we attach little moral weight, but it is a matter of our stewardship of our bodies, and certainly resonates in our health. The decisions we make have increasingly moral overtones, all the way to the young woman who went to a “frat party” and then later accused the men involved, largely because she regretted the decisions she had made at the time. We might be quick to look down on her, but we could be equally on that same “slippery slope,” failing to apply God’s standards to our decisions. God’s rules aren’t to bind us, they are to keep us out of trouble. Many people say they want guidance, but they turn everywhere except to the One who not only knows what is right, He knows the future, and the consequences of every action we might take. We need to trust Him with our lives, deciding to be obedient, trusting that He is omniscient, omnipotent and loving. That is without question the very best path we can take.

Looking back over my life, I wasn’t actively seeking God for long stretches, and that awareness makes me acutely grateful for God’s grace. I had no hesitation when it came to marrying my wife, but the night I first asked her out, the first girl I thought of asking would have led to an absolutely disastrous result. As it was, I got a life partner who was and is uniquely suited to me, just as God said when He created Eve for Adam. (Genesis 2:18) There have been other decisions that seemed bigger at the time than they actually were, such as whether to take a specific job, and there were decisions that seemed small but had large consequences. I need to be at peace with the reality that I don’t know the future, or the consequences of all my decisions, so I need to keep my focus on the only One who does. It is an incalculable blessing that He not only knows, He loves me, and actively has my best interests in mind.

Father, thank You indeed for Your grace. There’s a lot going on today. Help me not be overwhelmed by all the demands for my attention, but rather rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Way of the Lord; October 17, 2026

Posted on October 18, 2026 by jgarrott

Proverbs 10:29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.

This statement seems odd at first glance. How can the way of the Lord be destruction? However, the way of the Lord is destructive to everything that doesn’t align with Him. Thus, it will destroy the unrighteousness of a person who doesn’t follow Him. So, if unrighteousness is that person’s identity – which it unfortunately is for all too many people – that person himself will be destroyed. However, as any disciple of Jesus Christ can testify, if our hearts are committed to following Christ, then the unrighteous things in our life, the sins, are destroyed, but we ourselves come through cleansed and strengthened. When we are honestly following God, then we indeed have a stronghold, a refuge from everything the world and the devil throw at us. It’s all a matter of perspective. When we are committed to Christ, then His dealing with our sins is welcome, even if painful in the moment. If we are committed to our sins, as many people are, then His dealing with them is destructive. Various philosophies call themselves “The Way of (whatever),” as in, “The way of Zen,” or “The Way of the Samurai.” For the Christian, as the hymn says, The Way of the Cross Leads Home. We are not to be tempted by “the Great White Way,” or any other way that ignores God, but rather seek Him at every turn, knowing that He is the ultimate destination, the only one worth our total commitment.

I have been tempted by various “ways” in my life: the way of indulgence, the way of pride, the way of isolation, and others. None of those have produced any lasting good in my life, and all have been to at least some degree destructive. It is only as I have sought and followed the Lord that I have made genuine, constructive progress. That’s why I intend to keep up that pursuit for as long as I live. The longer I live on this earth, the less I feel trapped by it, and the more I anticipate my eternal home. I do enjoy life, and I get immense satisfaction from being aware of God using me in various ways, but I am increasingly aware that this is just the warm-up, that the main event lies ahead. I’m not to get impatient, but rather be faithful at every task the Lord gives me. As I am sometimes reminded, His way isn’t necessarily easy street, but it certainly leads to the greatest reward. A major part of my purpose in still being here is in drawing others to follow Christ along with me. That takes many forms, and not all of them are obvious. I’m not to draw back from anywhere He leads me, and I’m not to go running off on any tangent, either. As the song says, “I don’t know about tomorrow; I just live from day to day.” That knowledge is enough, because as at that song goes on to say, “I know Who holds the future, and I know Who holds my hand.” At the moment, with recently diagnosed angina, and a major heart exam coming up on the 29th, things seem uncertain, but actually they are no more so than they have ever been. I am being given ministry opportunities I’ve not had before, and some of them involve traveling. I’m not to try to plot it all out, but rather follow my Lord wherever He leads, because that is unquestionably the best course.

Father, thank You for this reminder. We have a full day today, and a grand crush of people anticipated for tomorrow. Help me indeed be anxious for nothing, but rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Humility; October 16, 2026

Posted on October 17, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 147:7 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;
make music to our God on the harp.

It isn’t surprising that Psalms, the hymn book of Israel, contains many admonitions to sing, and this Psalm mentions many reasons to do so – some of which might seem odd to us today. Modern city-dwellers don’t praise God for weather events! Rather, we tend to grumble when things come out of the sky. That shows how divorced from nature we tend to be, and that isn’t healthy emotionally or spiritually. We aren’t to worship “Mother Earth,” as some people tend to do, but we are to recognize that the various cycles of nature are an indication of God’s very intentional concern for us. It has only been fairly recently that scientists have realized that there are countless variables that, if changed even slightly, would make life impossible on this planet. That we exist at all is miraculous, but we generally don’t recognize that fact. The current phenomenon of El Nino should be a reminder that we live on a planet that is constantly changing in various ways, and we have very little influence over it, whatever some people say. To me, this is part of fearing the Lord, as I’ll be speaking on Sunday. We need to be aware that we are totally dependent on God, in ways and to degrees that most people ignore and many try to deny. God is incredibly gracious toward us, even when natural disasters happen. What we tend to lack is the fundamental humility required to recognize that we don’t deserve any of God’s goodness toward us. When we have that humility, the gratitude that results will give us peace and joy that can be had no other way.

As I am constantly reminded, pride has been a snare to me all my life, so I have no high horse from which to look down or talk down to others. I too need to remember that my every step, my every breath, is a gift from my Creator. Physical, health issues are a valuable reminder of that. There is a Japanese proverb that says that only the sick understand health, and there’s a lot of truth to it. This summer Nagasaki has had very little rain, which has made people who usually only complain about rain understand that it’s something to be thankful for! I am as prone as anyone to take things for granted, and I need to be careful about that. The recent gathering in Osaka, with families with severely handicapped children, has given me a fresh appreciation for the fact that my children and grandchildren are generally quite healthy, whether they realize it or not. If everything went “perfectly” all the time, I’d be a totally useless, entitled bum! I’m reminded of the saying that after a certain age, if we get up in the morning and nothing hurts, we wonder if we’re still alive! I need to walk in consistent awareness, appreciation, and gratitude for God’s grace toward me and those around me, seeking to lead them to do the same, so that we may be the children God desires and deserves, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that the family from the US arrived safely yesterday, and for the good fellowship we had with them. I do ask Your clear guidance for them as they seek to know where You want them to serve You in this nation. Thank You for the other people who are on their way. I don’t know how we’ll get everyone in here Sunday morning, but You do, so I choose to trust You. Thank You that Your plans for us are good, acceptable, and perfect, whatever they might look like to us in the moment. May we overflow with gratitude and praise, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Praise Music; October 15, 2026

Posted on October 16, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 146:2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

It strikes me as very good and appropriate that this Psalm is unattributed, because being anonymous, it can be easily appropriated by any believer, and should be. It goes on from here to list various reasons why God is worthy of our praise, and we need to remember them as well, particularly when our immediate circumstances distract us from the goodness and grace of God. Verses 3 and 4 contrast God with human leaders, which is an excellent reminder, repeated many times in the Bible, and very appropriate with a major election coming up in the US in a couple of weeks. The thing is, the more we know of God, and especially, the more we know Him personally, the more our hearts will overflow with His praise. That’s why heaven is filled with praise and singing! There have been songs of praise to God for as long as the human race has had music, I think. I believe God gave us the gift of music to enable that, and as a vehicle for expressing things that are actually beyond words. There are many videos on the Internet of animals, both domestic and completely wild, being entranced by music, willingly approaching someone who is playing an instrument. For that matter, it has been shown repeatedly that playing Mozart, or something similar, in a dairy barn will cause the cows to be more peaceful and give more milk! All of creation exists to recognize God and respond to Him. The devil does all he can to hide that reality from us, because he wants the praise for himself, and failing that, wants to block it from going to God. Submitting to God and resisting the devil (James 4:7) certainly includes praising God!

As I have commented frequently, I was raised in a very musical family, and that was a huge blessing. I’m sure I was well exposed to music from my mother’s womb, and I have been involved in making music ever since. I remember one of our daughters asking Cathy and me from what age she and her sister had been musical, because her sons couldn’t yet carry a tune! That indeed cleared up quickly, and both sons sing well, and one on a professional level. Not everything that passes for music these days seems particularly musical to me, but that’s also a matter of taste. The point is the purpose, and if it is dedicated to God and offered to Him, I think it’s acceptable. However, even a good bit of church music is actually man-centered, and that’s unfortunate. I am saddened by “worship” music that is all about how I feel, rather than pointing me to the One who is the answer to everything. That said, this verse from Psalm 146 is very much my testimony, and I expect it to be so for eternity, since I will live forever with my Lord!

Father, thank You indeed for music, and for the privilege of singing praise to You. As I have said numbers of times, You are the Words and the Music is the theme song of my life! May the song of my life indeed be pleasing to You, drawing others to know You as well, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Humility; October 14, 2026

Posted on October 15, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 131:1 My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.

It is very human, and sometimes very admirable, to seek out the answers to deep questions, but sometimes we need to have the humility to respond as David does here, in quiet acceptance. In the next verse he compares the attitude to that of a young child, and that is probably related to what Jesus said about our needing to become like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3) We are to be grateful that God allows us to investigate and find out some things, but at the same time recognize and accept that we can never know it all, and the drive to do so is in a way a drive to displace God. Pride is the fundamental sin, because it places our choices above what God desires and directs. We need to accept that God is our Father not just in love and care, but also in knowledge and authority. A child who is taught by their father is blessed indeed. Humanly speaking, fathers generally desire that their children exceed them in many areas, but when it comes to Father God, that is out of the question. There are religions that teach that after death we become gods, creating our own worlds, but that is the height of hubris, and foolish in the extreme. Satan wanting to do that is what made him the devil! We aren’t to discount the intellect we have been given, or fail to make scientific inquiry into this universe we have been given, but we have got to recognize that we aren’t God, and trust Him to know and do all things right.

This is something I have struggled with, particularly since I was given a high IQ, but the better I have accepted it, the more actual understanding I have gained. I love to know things, to gather information, but as I have grown, I have discovered that some of the things I have known simply haven’t been true, just as Ronald Reagan said about the Democrats. There are indeed absolute truths, and I am not to let go of that, but my knowledge has got to be on the basis of letting God be God, and recognizing that there can be no other. As C. S. Lewis so rightly said, one thing we can be sure of is that when we get to heaven, we will all discover that we were wrong somewhere. It’s like Peter said about sharing the Gospel: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15-16) I am to know Whom I have believed, (2 Timothy 1:12) but not try to cram Him down anyone’s throat. God’s truth does not change, but our perceptions do.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me always speak Your truth in love, not in pride. May I rejoice to be Your child, and nothing more, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Fear of the Lord; October 13, 2026

Posted on October 14, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 130:3-4 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

This is actually a very important passage for understanding the Old Testament. We generally don’t have a very good grasp of what is meant when it says, “fear the Lord.” (This latest edition of the NIV tries to straighten that out, using “reverence,” which isn’t a bad idea.) This isn’t terror, exactly, but rather a deep respect, an awareness of power and authority that cannot be resisted. Today, sadly enough, terror is a very familiar term, but we don’t respect terrorists. Rather, we try to counter and/or eliminate them. God is very different, and this passage tells us a key to that. You wouldn’t be afraid of someone because they could or would forgive you. However, God’s forgiveness is given as a foundation for the fear of the Lord. Jesus put it in terms of love, saying that an immoral woman loved much because she had been forgiven much. (Luke 7:44-47) Sadly, we too often divorce love from respect, so we don’t understand all the implications. We all have much we need to learn about love, fear, and respect, not to mention knowing the Lord!

Once again, I feel I have an advantage over many people because of the home in which I was raised. I knew my parents loved each other, and I knew they respected each other. I certainly knew that they loved the Lord, and respected Him. My early love for the Lord, proclaimed when I was five, didn’t have enough respect/fear in it, and I fell into spiritual pride, but I had at least a magnificent example in my parents of a right attitude toward Him. When the Lord showed me the state of my heart, just for an instant, when I was 24, I collapsed to my knees, crying out, “My Lord and my God!” I was learning the fear of the Lord! He has been incredibly gracious toward me in the years since then and I have grown, though probably not as fast as I should have. I am currently intensely aware of His grace, as well as of His infinite power. That power without that grace would be terrifying indeed! I am to be an agent of His grace and a channel of His power, so that His will may be done in and through me for His glory. That is why I exist, and that is more than enough reason to live joyfully for Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for getting us home safely from Osaka yesterday. Thank You for the beautiful way You used us in the Cockayne Syndrome gathering, and for the way those families have indeed become family to us. Thank You for the things You spoke through me. I pray that Your words would linger in their hearts, prompting a hunger for the Christ they saw in Cathy and me. There are several I feel are moving in that direction. May they not draw back, but rejoice to receive Your grace and love, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meditation; October 12, 2026

Posted on October 13, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 119:148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,
    that I may meditate on your promises.

This could apply to insomnia, but it implies something much deeper. Rather than not being able to sleep, it speaks of meditating on what God has said. The Japanese term for “meditate” here is literally very colorful, because it is “dying my thoughts.” We should want our thoughts to be the color of what God has said! Too often we let other things crowd out what we remember of Scripture, or of things God has told us personally. The stronger you want the color of a fabric to be, the longer you leave it in the vat of dye. We greatly benefit from letting God control our thoughts, and one way to do that is to soak in what He has said. Most often, we read a scripture and then immediately go on to think about something else. What a waste! We need to let it sink into us, wiping out our misconceptions and giving us a clearer picture of who He is and who we are in Christ. We will never have a perfect picture of either of those while we are on this earth, but over time, that picture can become clearer and stronger, and we can help by choosing to meditate on what God has said to us. And that sentence contains part of the key to all this: we need to understand that God is speaking to us. Most of the time we don’t take Scripture personally, and that is a huge waste. Occasionally, the Lord will assure us that a particular passage doesn’t apply at the moment, but such times are actually rather rare. After all, God is outside of time, so everything is now to Him. Every time we read the Bible we need to be thinking about how it applies to us. That is what meditation is all about, and it is a blessed exercise indeed.

My biggest problem all my life, spiritually speaking, has been pride, so this isn’t a strange idea to me. Of course God is talking to me! However, that hasn’t meant that I have consistently applied Scripture to my daily life. I have been all too happy to assign Scripture to “the other guy,” and that has gotten me into real trouble at times. I need to receive the corrections of Scripture, as well as the encouragements, and thank God for them all. I am certainly as much in need of them as anyone else. It is only when I receive them that way that they become part of me, and the Holy Spirit is able to apply them to others through me. It’s delightful to communicate encouragement from the Lord to people, and not so much so when it’s correction, but both are necessary for every individual, including me. I need to choose to soak in what God says to me, so that it colors every part of who and what I am, and what I say and do.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the degree to which I do reflect my Lord. May I be that “color” more and more, so that those seeing me may see Christ and be drawn to Him, in repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment