The Church; July 22, 2026

Posted on July 23, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
    for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
    her salvation like a blazing torch.

It is debatable whether this is the Lord speaking through Isaiah, or Isaiah speaking for himself. For a prophet of Isaiah’s stature, that becomes something of a moot point! What communicates is passion for the city of God, which Revelation makes clear is the Church. How passionate are we for the Church?  Individual churches come and go, and there is danger in focusing on physical buildings, however beautiful and/or useful they might be. Even so, local congregations are precious in God’s sight, and are parts of the over-all Body of Christ. That said, it is that total Body that we have trouble grasping. It is perhaps an unfortunate twist of language that catholic, which used to mean universal, is now applied almost exclusively to the part of the Church that answers to Rome. The study of Church history can be inspiring, but it can also be heartbreaking, as human organizations took over what God created as a living organism. Human beings are prone to all sorts of problems, including jealousy and a thirst for power, as well as spiritual blindness. Jesus ran into that full force in the Pharisees. There were wonderful Pharisees, such as Nicodemus, but as a whole, they saw Him as a threat to their power and authority, and they crucified Him. Frankly, that is happening in some church organizations today. One such organization just dis-accredited two seminaries, because those seminaries insisted on a Biblical standard of marriage and sexuality! There is much to be done to protect and defend the Church, but we must remember that our enemy is the devil, and not actually the people who are deceived by him. It is, frankly, beyond our ability to keep it all straight, but God can do it in and through us, if we will be submitted and obedient to Him.

Church History was my most painful subject in seminary, because of all the things that have been done in the name of Christ that were absolutely counter to His character and Spirit. It was a denominational seminary, and I have pastored denominational churches, but I felt, and continue to feel, that this church is not to carry the name of any denomination. In the 43 years we have been operating as a local church, multiple groups have invited us to join their organizations, but I have always declined. I get along well with those organizations, but I am firmly anchored in the position that anyone who acknowledges Jesus as the only divine Savior, who became a human being so that He could die for our sins and rise in triumph over death, is my brother of sister. There are people in this church now from denominational backgrounds, and they aren’t always comfortable with how we do things. I seek to learn from them, but my passion is for the Church as a whole, and not for any sub-group of it.

Father, thank You for Your grace that covers all our sins, including the pride that makes us think we’re always right! Help me walk in full humility, listening accurately and obediently to You. Thank You for the beautiful things You’ve been doing here recently. May I continue to be available for whatever You want to do through me, to build up the Body of Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Commission; July 21, 2026

Posted on July 22, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners.

This is such a long, compounded description of the commission of the Messiah that the English and the Japanese divide sentences in different places in the first three verses of this chapter. Each decision can be justified, but it becomes awkward when working with both languages at once. Jesus Himself divided it in what is the middle of a sentence in both English and Japanese, when He famously quoted this at the beginning of His public ministry. (Luke 4:18-19) All such considerations aside, this is indeed the commission of the Messiah, and by extension, of all those who serve as His agents, His representatives, in the world today. We need to ask ourselves how well we are doing all these things. It goes without saying that none of us are doing it perfectly. However, this should give clarity and focus to our lives, knowing that whatever our occupation, as the world sees it, we are to be doing these things by the power of God’s Spirit. Many people draw back from that, feeling themselves unworthy and inadequate. Actually, they are right; we are unworthy and inadequate, but that’s the whole point: it’s not us doing it, it’s God’s Spirit doing it in and through us. As came out in the message this past Sunday, we sometimes feel our weaknesses and failures are more powerful than God, but that’s an impossibility. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-30) In other words, it’s not about us, it’s about Him, and He is manifestly able to do anything at all.

There can be a delicate line here, and I’ve come down on the wrong side of it more times than I like to think about. I have been presumptive, sure that God could use me – which He could have, but had He done so, my pride would have been further inflated. I have always liked a line from a song by Don Francisco: “So if the Lord starts using you, don’t you pay it any mind. He could have used the dog next door, if He’d been so inclined.” The song is talking about Balaam, and the fact that God used a donkey to talk to him should teach us both that God can use anything, and that the quality of the vessel doesn’t dictate the quality of the contents. As Paul said, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) I’m to take care of this “clay jar” and keep it as clean as I can, but I must remember that it’s the contents that matter. Going back to Isaiah, I must remember that it’s the anointing that makes the difference, and seek to be as available and obedient to my Lord as possible, so that He may do all these things through me, for the benefit of many and for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that we were able to celebrate Communion with the family in the hospital yesterday. Thank You that You are bringing to reality the ladies’ prayer group today. Thank You for how You are growing and maturing this congregation. All of that is Your doing, and You have chosen to involve us in it. Thank You. May I be yielded and obedient to You all day every day, so that Your purposes may be accomplished in and through me, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Light and Darkness; July 20, 2026

Posted on July 21, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 60:2 See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.

Verse 1 of this chapter is particularly famous, and we have it on a banner in our sanctuary. However, this verse is also very significant, because it points up the distinction between God’s people and those who are not His people. This actually has nothing to do with national boundaries, even though some translations of this verse use the word, nations. When Isaiah was writing, borders were very fluid, and the term was applied to people-groups as much as to geography. This brings to mind the miracles of the Exodus, where only in the territory of the Jews was there light. (Exodus 10:21-23) I don’t think this verse is talking about physical darkness. In the context of spiritual darkness, it is obvious even today. As Jesus famously said, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (John 3:19-21) Jesus also promised, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) However, light is a choice. Jesus spoke of “coming into the light,” and John pointed out, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Light is a privilege, but it is also a choice, and the devil works overtime to try to make the darkness seem attractive. I could go on and on about this, because it is a common theme in the Bible, but the point for us is that we need to be aware of this issue and consistent in choosing the light of life in Christ.

I have had my moments of being tempted by darkness, and I haven’t been consistent in resisting. However, in the long run, I definitely prefer the light! Physically speaking, my eyes are quite sensitive to light, to the point that when I was working as a photo lab technician many years ago, I could read a newspaper under the darkroom safelights that didn’t expose photo paper. Even today, sunglasses are essential for me when the weather is bright. That said, I prefer interiors to be bright, and am appreciative of the advantages of LED lighting. I’ve never understood people who kept their houses half dark (as they seemed to me). That, however, is trivial, compared to the reality of spiritual light and darkness. I need to be active in my pursuit of the light of Christ, and not fall for the devil’s distractions. And there are plenty of those! I’m just finishing up a book on spiritual warfare, and it is a good reminder of the devil’s schemes. I’m not to fall for any of them, but rather keep things turned up to “full brightness,” not just for my sake but so that the light of Christ may shine on those around me as well, for their blessing and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the really good day yesterday, and for all You did in it. May I not be presumptive or feel entitled, but walk in the obedience of gratitude, today and every day, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Children; July 19, 2026

Posted on July 20, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 54:1 “Sing, barren woman,
    you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
    you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband,”
says the Lord.

This chapter is incredibly comforting. As a man, I can’t identify fully, but I have an inkling of what is involved. God is speaking of Israel as His bride, and this motif is repeated many times throughout the Bible, coming to a climax in Revelation. God does desire spiritual children in abundance, and He will have them. Israel, and then the Church, has not always been receptive, so things have not always gone as desired, but nothing is impossible for God. What is required of us, as the Bride of Christ, is humility and obedience. Pride and complaining don’t cut it! We need to recognize that everything God does for us is grace; none of it is actually earned by us. We need to learn to listen and obey, not to “get on God’s good side,” but as the only appropriate response to His grace toward us. Different local bodies are in different places in this process, and some have run away from God completely, but God is patiently calling us back to Himself for the fruitfulness for which we were created.

This passage really hit me this morning, not for myself but for one of the believers here. She was never able to have children, and now has had a hysterectomy, but in the process, she is now fully committed to the Lord. Before her surgery, the Lord had me tell her that He would give her many spiritual children, just as this chapter describes, though I didn’t reference this chapter as I was talking to her. I have the feeling she’s going to be hyped when she comes to church this morning, having read this! I have two biological children, and I’m not sure how many spiritual children. My biological children have given me grandchildren, but it is more important that my spiritual children have also gone on to reproduce, with several going into fulltime ministry. I guess I’ll get to see the size of my spiritual family when I get to heaven! That said, it’s all by the grace of God, and all the honor and glory go to Him. I want to have many more spiritual children, so I need to be increasingly sensitive and obedient to my Lord. Also, I need to be faithful as a father to the children I’ve been given, of every category, so that together we may walk in all that God has planned for us, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all the children You’ve given me. May all of Your plans for us all be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Time and Eternity; July 18, 2026

Posted on July 19, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 51:5 My righteousness draws near speedily,
    my salvation is on the way,
    and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
The islands will look to me
    and wait in hope for my arm.

The chapter as a whole stresses the impermanence of the material world, but in the middle of that, God’s salvation is manifested. We tend to put our whole attention on what we perceive with our five senses, but God is far greater than that, and the temporal is indeed temporary. Those who know God need to look to Him, their Creator, knowing they came from Him and will go to Him. In verse 1 God tells the Jews to “Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and the quarry from which you were dug,” specifically referencing Abraham and Sarah, but for those without Jewish heritage it’s even more direct than that, because God is the Source of everything. We need to walk in the awareness that God created everything, and everything depends on Him, and live accordingly. As this verse says, we are to wait in hope on Him, and anchor our expectations in Him. The world is a mess because of the sinfulness of mankind, but none of that can stand before God. We would have no hope at all, except that God provided a way of salvation, erasing our sins with the blood of His Son. We need to keep our focus on Him, as Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to do, so that we may walk in His salvation, both now and through eternity.

The closer I get to my “Use by” date, whenever that is, the more I am aware of, and grateful for, this reality. The man I visited in the hospital the day before yesterday probably has less time left here than I do, but now he has eternity to look forward to, instead of dread. I am daily aware of my inadequacies, and I too look forward to the day I will stand perfect before God’s throne. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy life here. God is more than gracious! However, the assorted stresses do pile up at times. I do need to be intentional in submitting and yielding it all to my Lord, and specifically my own weaknesses and failures. Things are happening constantly, and I get tired of trying to keep up. I need to remember that God never tires out, and I am in Him and He in me. I can’t do it all, but He can, and He can even use me in the process. It is a deep joy to realize that I have been useful to Him, as I was in the hospital the other day, and I want to stay available to Him for as long as He has use for me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the good fellowship I had with a brother yesterday afternoon, even though I failed to make two phone calls after that that I had intended to make. Guide me in the timing of those calls, and help me follow through with them. There are assorted things on the schedule for today, and You alone know their actual importance. Help me follow Your schedule in every detail, so that Your purposes may be accomplished as You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Way of a Disciple; July 17, 2026

Posted on July 18, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 50:4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
    to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

There are some who would say this passage is Messianic, but to me it is the magnificent testimony of Isaiah himself. Isaiah consistently responded to God the way Eli told the boy Samuel to do: “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10) I preached on that just recently. English translations generally render this verse with some variation of “being taught,” or “instructed,” but the Japanese says plainly, “disciple.” We tend to forget that a disciple is a learner, and think of that word as a status or title. A genuine disciple is constantly learning from their master. Isaiah could deliver his magnificent prophecies because he was constantly learning from God. As we read in Isaiah 6:10, his response to God was, “Here am I, Lord. Send me.” That is the attitude of a genuine disciple, a true servant of God. One reason some people try to say this passage is Messianic is that the insults Isaiah mentions, the spitting and pulling out the beard, were indeed done to Jesus, but Jesus Himself said that what was done to Him would be done to His disciples. (John 15:18-20) The way of a disciple of Jesus Christ is not easy, but the rewards are literally out of this world. We need to come to that awareness, that conviction, to be Jesus’ disciples indeed.

This is all part of why I admire Isaiah so much. I consider him a sterling example of how I am to live on this earth. He indeed wakens me morning by morning, and my day is not right if I don’t have a time of hearing Him and responding to Him first thing. Often, I will literally wake up with a song of praise or worship running through my mind and heart. Last night, every time I woke up in the night I prayed for the man I baptized in his hospital bed yesterday. It was a beautiful privilege, and he was touchingly glad to have me come. His wife and daughter are already Christians, and after saying through tears how glad he was that I had come, he said he wanted to be a Christian, and when I expressed the Gospel to him, he said, on his own, “I believe.” (He said it in English; he was an English teacher for many years.) I felt I was being obedient to God in offering to baptize him on the spot, and I did just that, drawing a cross on his forehead with wet fingers, since immersion was out of the question under the circumstances. Medically, recovery isn’t out of the question, but highly unlikely. However, I do have confidence that I will see him in heaven! I knew I had high anticipation of that hospital visit, and once I got there, I understood why. I haven’t had the persecution that Isaiah and Jesus experienced, but if I did, it would certainly be more than worth it. As Paul said, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Father, thank You for the privilege of ushering that man into Your family yesterday. Thank You for the witness of his wife and daughter that gave him the hunger that he had for it. Thank You for the assurance we can all have of his eternal destination. I do ask for his total healing, and thank You for it, whether that is manifested on this earth or not until heaven. May his wife and his daughter rest in the assurance of Your love and grace, and allow You to pour through them to him, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Individual Plans; July 16, 2026

Posted on July 17, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 49:1 Listen to me, you islands;
    hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the Lord called me;
    from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.

There are several things worthy of our attention and meditation in this verse. The first is of minor significance to most people, but of major interest to me, and that is the reference to islands. Several translations render that as “coastlands,” but the Japanese naturally uses “islands,” since this is an island nation. Isaiah’s repeated use of this terminology is one of the many reasons I like the book so much! Of much more significance to Americans is the statement that God’s purposes and calling are active even in the womb. This totally destroys any moral justification for abortion. Whereas this chapter is obviously talking about the Messiah, the principle is still valid that God’s plans for us don’t start when we start breathing air. Right now in America alone, over a million babies a year are aborted. We will never know what plans God had for them, what artists and musicians and doctors and inventors and good, loving people never got the chance to fulfill God’s plans for them. The incredible selfishness and short-sighted disregard for our Creator that are expressed in the act of deliberate abortion are staggering. We should rejoice that God actually cares about each one of us, that He doesn’t overlook anyone, even from the womb. This is one of the biggest demonstrations of God’s omnipotence and omniscience, because we can’t conceive of not only such knowledge, but active concern. We should be glad that God really is God! With that awareness, the logical course of action is to seek to discover and follow the plans He has for us, because only He knows the end from the beginning, and His plans are always good. (Jeremiah 29:11)

This is something I think about from time to time. I often say that I know God has a sense of humor, because He made me! Like everyone else, I have a unique combination of genetics and experiences that have molded me into what I am, and the verdict is still out as to what I will be eventually, on the earthly scale. I do know that my ultimate destination is eternity with my Lord, so I have great peace on that front, but I don’t want to miss anything God has planned along the way. Today I will be doing hospital visitation for the first time in several years, since hospitals put in severe rules about such things with the Covid pandemic. That frankly is exciting! The person in question isn’t someone I’ve met before, but his wife and daughter visited the church because of his hospitalization, and he has asked to meet me. I am honored, and I look forward to whatever God wants to do with this occasion. Before that, I’ll be seeing a man who has been on the brink of commitment to Christ for a while now, and today might be the day when he makes that step. That prospect is exciting indeed! Like everyone else, God planned for me from the moment of fertilization, or even before, and I want to fulfill every one of those plans, for His glory.

Father, thank You for Your plans, for me and for the whole world. May Your name be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign be established as Your will is done, right here and throughout the earth, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Plans for Us; July 15, 2026

Posted on July 16, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 48:18 If only you had paid attention to my commands,
    your peace would have been like a river,
    your well-being like the waves of the sea.

Here, God is speaking through Isaiah to His people, and they are not at all in the situation described. This is what God desires for His people, and is the reason for His commands, but all too often we stubbornly refuse to listen. This is reminiscent of passages like 2 Chronicles 7:14, Jeremiah 29:11, and many more that talk about God’s intentions for His people. We don’t receive these blessings because we stubbornly choose to go our own way, feeling that we know better than God! He does not delight to punish us, much less watch us go to eternal destruction, so He allows things in our lives that should remind us of our dependence on Him. Sometimes that works, but all too often it doesn’t. Like Einstein said, there were two things that were infinite, the universe and human stupidity, but he wasn’t so sure about the universe. If we will let go of our stupid, stubborn pride and turn to Him in grateful repentance, there is no end to the good that He will pour out on us. We just have to choose to be humble before Him.

As I have shared countless times now, pride has been a major stumbling block for me. I am eternally grateful that when I was 24, just for an instant the Lord showed me the condition of my soul, and I collapsed in repentance. I hate to think of where I would be right now had He not been so gracious. As it is, He has led me through trials, yes, but He has given me an assurance of His power and love that, by His grace, is unshakable. As Paul said, if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) I don’t know what the rest of my life will hold, though Jesus has assured me it will include trouble, (John 16:33) but I know the character of my Lord, and that gives me eternal security. On my own, in my own strength, I am hopeless, but in Christ I have an eternal hope that is worth more than everything in the universe.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You brought us through yesterday. The devil tried to interfere, but You gave us victory! Thank You that the MRI showed that, though Cathy almost certainly had a TIA (mini-stroke) the blood vessels in her brain are clear. I ask for peace for us both, even as this verse says, so that we may hear and obey You in every detail, for as long as You keep us here, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Purpose of Leaders; July 14, 2026

Posted on July 15, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 45:8 “You heavens above, rain down my righteousness;
    let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
    let salvation spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it;
    I, the Lord, have created it.”

Many people have drawn parallels between Cyrus the Persian, whom this chapter talks about, and Donald Trump, as someone who did not know God but did His work anyway. I frankly think there is a good bit of validity to that, and this verse expresses God’s purpose in choosing and using Cyrus as He did. Frankly, righteousness is an increasingly rare commodity in the US at this point, and I think God is using Donald Trump to make it an easier lifestyle to choose. It is entirely true that you can’t legislate morality, but laws and regulations do have a considerable impact on how society functions. The devil has worked overtime to promote immorality of all kinds – not that we’ve needed much encouragement. The current legal structure actively discourages intact families, and they are the foundation of society as God created it. It is too easy for a fatherless child to grow to physical maturity with no moral, emotional, or spiritual maturity. The legal structure is slowly changing, and believers need to be active in that change, both in prayer and in social action of various sorts. None of this is to say that all of President Trump’s decisions and actions – much less words – are God’s perfect will, but believers need to take Paul’s words to Timothy to heart: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) We finally have a president who seems to be pointed in the right direction, at any rate, and we need to do spiritual warfare on his behalf.

I certainly would not want to idolize Donald Trump, but I have seen him take numbers of actions that I welcome greatly. Likewise, America hasn’t always been right in its 250 year history, but it has been massively used by God for good in a number of ways, including being the greatest missionary-sending nation. The world is a complicated mess, and always has been, so I need to keep my eyes on our Father God, and His Son whom He sent as the perfect human being. I am to seek to be God’s agent on every level, in every detail of my personal life, in my interactions with the world around me, and in my prayers for things that are a distance from me. There is literally no limit to the things that need prayer! I am to be informed and engaged politically, since I am a citizen of a republic that was founded on Biblical principles, but my hope is not to be in politics or political leaders. The Bible talks a good bit about the stupidity of that! I am to pray consistently as Jesus taught us, that God’s rule and authority would be established as His will is done, as perfectly on this earth as it is in heaven. That won’t be fully realized until Christ’s return, so I’ve got plenty to pray about!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the leaders in every country who do seek Your will, and thank You that You can and do use leaders, like Cyrus, who don’t know You personally. I ask Your grace and mercy on this Your world, so that as many as will may repent and believe for their salvation, while there is still time. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Change; July 13, 2026

Posted on July 14, 2026 by jgarrott

Isaiah 42:9 “See, the former things have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce them to you.”

Sometimes God’s calling involves completely new things, or at least major changes. He doesn’t always give us advance notice, but he has done it a great deal, and we need to pay attention. We aren’t to be surprised at new things, and if we’re really familiar with the Bible, we won’t be. As I keep being reminded, God is outside of time, so He knows the end from the beginning of absolutely everything. One of the few things that is completely impossible for Him is surprise! That awareness should be a major comfort to us, as we live in a constantly changing world. For most of human history, change was very slow and incremental, but in the past century the pace has picked up exponentially, to the point that even young people have trouble keeping up with the latest technology. Just recently, China successfully caught a returning rocket booster. Not so long ago, that would have been a major accomplishment, but as it is, they’re just playing catch-up with SpaceX. Successful gene therapy treatments keep being announced, and the list of previously unimaginable changes keeps growing. For the believer, it is important to remember two things particularly: One, God doesn’t change, (Malachi 3:6) and two, we’ve already been told the end of the story, in the Revelation to John. Frankly, many things seem to be pointing toward that ending coming soon, even on the human scale, but believers in the 1st Century, even, had that same conviction. We need to live so that we will welcome Christ’s return even if it happens today, but plan, for ourselves and for our descendants, as though it is still a long way off. After all, we don’t know when our own personal appointment with our Lord will come. A major public figure in the US just died, after a very brief illness. I hope he was ready. After all, he was several years younger than I am! The Lord does let us know many things ahead of time (from our perspective, at least) but by no means everything, because we need to grow in faith and trust. We need to be at peace with not knowing everything, but rest assured that we know the One who holds everything in His hands.

One thing that indicates to me that I’ve been given the gift of faith is that I have very low anxiety about the future. Some people seem to think that’s irresponsible, but I know it’s not in my hands anyway. I am quite interested in technological advances, and have been a science fiction buff since middle school days, but I know that none of it can touch the capabilities my resurrection body will have, so why get uptight about it? Right now with the advances in computing technology, Artificial Intelligence is quite the buzzword. The huge danger there is in trusting machines, that have no moral judgement apart from whatever “rules” their programmers managed to include, rather than trusting the One who created everything. After all, the Bible wisely tells us not to trust human leaders, who at least have a conscience. (Psalm 118:9, 146:3) My interest in technology isn’t bad, but I must never let anything come ahead of knowledge of and trust in the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He alone genuinely knows the future!

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do pray for Senator Graham’s family, and for the many who are impacted by his passing. I pray that this would be a wakeup call for President Trump, particularly, so that he may more actively seek and depend on Your guidance, for however long he has left on this earth. May we all do that, so that Your will may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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