The Cost of Discipleship; April 16, 2026

Posted on April 17, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 14:27 “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

This is a part of Jesus’ teaching that most Christians like to ignore! Particularly in places like the US, comfort is a very high priority, and people rebel at being asked to sacrifice for their faith. The verse ahead of this, about hating your own family, applies particularly in cultures where you are likely to be disowned for claiming Jesus. We aren’t to be haters, actually, but our devotion must be to Jesus, first and foremost. Sacrifices aren’t to be complained about, but to be grateful for, just as the apostles rejoiced that they were found “worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:41) Disgrace, or at least social disapproval, is very much a possibility, even in the US. If we value the approval of people over the approval of God, we are indeed not fit to be Jesus’ disciples.

My mother, who became a missionary in 1935, said that the only real sacrifice she felt she had made was proximity to family. That’s right in keeping with this passage, and marked her as a genuine disciple. Actually, she gave up a lot, including separation from my father, from the spring of 1941, when she and my oldest sister were sent to the US because of rising tensions, until he was repatriated on a prisoner exchange ship in 1942. I don’t feel that I have given up much of anything, since I get to live and serve in the land of my birth, Japan, and have been blessed with a magnificent wife and admirable children and grandchildren. At issue is the constant pressure to compromise, to take the easy way out instead of walking in full obedience all the time. Right now, I’m doing my devotions in a rather cramped economy seat on a full flight that left at 5 am, but that’s a very minor sacrifice compared to what my brothers and sisters in the Lord are going through in China, for example, not to mention Nigeria. I am not to take anything for granted, but operate in consistent gratitude, praise, and obedience, so that God may be glorified in and through me.

Father, thank You for enabling us to make this trip, and for all You’re allowing us to go through in the process. Help me learn the lessons You have for me and continue to grow as You intend, accomplishing Your purposes on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Common Sense; April 15, 2026

Posted on April 17, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 13:17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

It’s amazing how uncommon “common sense” actually is! We get caught in our accustomed thought patterns, conditioned by tradition and habit, and end up ignoring actual logic, without realizing it’s happening. Many of the things Jesus taught seem counter-intuitive, like loving your enemies, but many, like this instance, are simply logic beating out tradition. Things like this made the crowds love Him, but some of His teaching drove them away, like the majority of John chapter 8. The thing is, we are creatures of habit, and that certainly extends to our thought patterns. We need to let God renew and refresh our thought patterns, just as it says in Proverbs. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) The problem is, we often don’t recognize when we are failing to listen to and trust God. It’s not so hard to see and recognize that in those around us, but much more difficult to acknowledge in ourselves. We defend ourselves too hard! We need to start with the awareness that A, everything on this earth is temporary, and B, we don’t have all the answers, only God does. That is frankly not an easy mindset to maintain, but it is certainly the pathway to peace and real success.

I am faced with this constantly, in myself and in those around me. I made some mistakes in our planning for this trip, and they have cost me financially. I also forgot my camera at home, and for someone as involved in photography as I am, that was a huge blow. However, I realize that not having the camera will force me to focus more on the people around me, pun intended. Arriving at our first stop on this trip, I am confronted with multiple failures of technology. To say that is frustrating is an understatement, but again, it is forcing me to be aware of what is ultimately important, and it’s NOT technology or the Internet! I also see people I love hurting themselves and those around them with misplaced priorities, and that is painful to me as well. I need to walk in conscious forgiveness, of myself and of those around me, so that together we may grow into the children God desires, saying and doing His will for the benefit of everyone, and for His glory.

Father thank You for this reminder. It’s sad that I need it so often! Help me indeed be obedient to the Proverbs passage. I’ve liked it most of my life, but I’m still not consistent in carrying it out. Thank You for this lesson in genuine humility. May I indeed listen to You first, and not just as a last resort. May I be an open, effective channel of Your love, grace, and mercy, for the blessing of all and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Being Anxious; April 14, 2026

Posted on April 15, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 12:25-26 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

How extremely timely! My wife and I leave this morning for 22 days of our first trip to the US in 7 years, and the devil is doing his utmost to dump anxiety of various sorts on us. However, this isn’t unique to us; he loves to do it to everyone! That’s why media news reports focus on negatives as much as possible. They are in the eyeball business, and they know that negative items gather more viewers than positive ones. However, this is something believers need to stand against actively. The song from South Pacific, “Cockeyed Optimist,” comes to mind. One line from that seems to summarize news reporting: “I know the human race is falling on its face, and hasn’t very far to go.” That’s the attitude the devil wants us to have! It’s not at all that we are to be “cockeyed” in our optimism. After all, Jesus said very clearly, “In this world you will have trouble.” However, He immediately said, “But be of good courage, for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We are to be clear-eyed, not cockeyed, but optimistic nonetheless, because we know who is Lord, and He controls the final outcome. There will be bumps along the way, and those are seldom fun, but God will not allow anything in the lives of those committed to Him that He cannot and will not use for their benefit, however painful they might be in the moment. (Romans 8:28) We tend to quote Romans 8:28 without really believing it! This is what faith is all about. As Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” We like to see the good stuff God has for us, but when we trust Him for it even when we can’t see it, we grow in faith and are blessed indeed.

As I said, this is truly timely. Things have indeed fallen into place remarkably, even with the bumps, and we need to trust the Lord with every detail. It’s been many years now since He told me to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him. I’m still learning obedience in that area! This is very stressful, but at the very least it’s a huge change of pace for us both, and I think we need that. The church, likewise, needs the experience of carrying the load themselves, without Cathy and me running things. Many, many things have confirmed that our taking this trip is God’s plan, and since that’s the case, we need to kick back and delight in it! There are still many unknowns, and many things we will need to learn along the way, but we need to trust our heavenly Father, that He has it all planned out and that His plans are good indeed. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do ask for presence of mind as we tie up all the loose ends before we go out the door. Our memory isn’t very good, but Yours is perfect! Help us be Your blessing to everyone we encounter along the way, every step of the way, so that people may be drawn to You and Your name glorified. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Speaking God’s Words; April 13, 2026

Posted on April 14, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 12:11-12 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

This whole section should be very comforting and encouraging to every believer, and these verses are very important to that. We see them fulfilled in Acts repeatedly, as in when the apostles were hauled in front of the Sanhedrin, twice, and their eloquence and logic, from completely untrained men, astounded the rulers. Likewise, Paul was given the right words to say in his trials in Caesarea, evangelizing even King Agrippa. These verses aren’t an excuse for pastors not to prepare their messages, but they are a reminder, particularly to pastors, that we need to get our words from the Holy Spirit and not just cook them up on our own. I have heard beautifully crafted messages that had no taste of the Spirit in them, and I have heard simple, unvarnished messages that blew me away. Many people panic at being asked to say anything publicly, such as giving a testimony, but this should reassure them that God’s got it, so they don’t have to sweat it.

With my Teacher gifting, I don’t know that I’ve ever been at a loss for words when asked to stand up and say something. It can be hard to get me to shut up! However, I have learned the hard way that when my words are just my words, they are empty and unproductive. It is only when I hear and express what God is saying that my words have the powerful effect God intends for them. And that includes puns, and other funny words! God isn’t always terribly serious, and we shouldn’t be, either. I’m not to be flippant, and certainly not disrespectful, but I should never take myself too seriously. After all, as I have said for many years, my existence proves that God has a sense of humor! Whether they are light or deep, or even both at the same time, I want and need to speak God’s words, so that they may accomplish everything for which He sends them, (Isaiah 55:11) for His glory alone.

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of speaking Your words. Thank You for what You said through me yesterday, in the service, the business meeting, and in general conversation. It struck me in the business meeting that every time I started speaking, everyone got quiet and listened, to a degree that even shocked me a little bit. Thank You for having me tell everyone to “enjoy their 3-week vacation from me.” That made everyone smile, and I believe it was from You. Thank You that You have everything about the next three weeks planned out and under control. Help Cathy and me to rest, relax, and rejoice in You throughout it all, and particularly in the next 31 hours until we get on the first plane, saying and doing what You indicate and not yielding to anything less, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Equality; April 12, 2026

Posted on April 13, 2026 by jgarrott

Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

I don’t think I’d ever noticed it before, but here, rather than saying “men,” Luke says “souls.” (The Japanese says “people,” and the NIV skips it entirely. ) Once the Holy Spirit was poured out, gender differences became irrelevant. They still had to deal with all sorts of societal issues, but within the Body of Christ, everyone is on equal footing. There are many, both in the Church and out of it, who miss this important point. All sorts of external distinctions are focused on, but as Paul said, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) That is absolutely precedent-shattering, society-transforming truth, but we choke on it all too often. There are differences, certainly. No two humans are identical, even if twins can come close. However, those differences aren’t differences in value. We are so petty and insecure that we tend to find excuses to put other people down, so that we will be inflated in some way. How stupid! All of that is cleared up the more accurate our view is of God. When He is infinite, omnipotent, and omniscient, all human differences fade into total insignificance. I have always liked the Japanese proverbial expression “acorns comparing height.” That’s how stupid our ranking of one another is.

This is something I have tripped up on. I don’t think gender issues bothered me particularly, because my father fully respected my mother, and vice versa. However, I was born with assorted advantages, and I liked them! In my mind I tended to rank people intellectually and linguistically, since those were areas in which I was gifted. I grew up steeped in the Bible, and I put people down in my mind for their Biblical ignorance. Again, how stupid! My gifts are to be shared, and never in pride, but in gratitude. Right now I am confronted with my ignorance of many things American, being about to make my first visit in seven years. The temptation to panic is real! I am not superior in value to the people I will encounter, but neither are they superior to me, simply because of their cultural knowledge. I am to keep my focus on my Lord, and know that we are all of equal value in His sight.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for what You enabled us to do yesterday. Thank You that You will get us through the day today. I ask for Your anointing on both the service and the business meeting, that all that needs to be said will be, and that unnecessary, and particularly hurtful, things will be avoided. Help me be fully present each moment, not totally distracted by thinking about the upcoming trip. May I be an instrument of Your blessing, of Your will being done, each moment, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Speaking for God; April 10, 2026

Posted on April 12, 2026 by jgarrott

Acts 2:16-17 “No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

“‘In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.'”

When you think about it, this had to be the Holy Spirit simply using Peter as a mouthpiece, like the speaker on a telephone, because this was not a prepared message, and Peter was in no way a trained public speaker, much less a theologian. Just as when God had revealed to him that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, (Matthew 16:16) God brought Joel’s prophesy to his mind. I greatly doubt that he had memorized it ahead of time! Crafted messages aren’t bad, and we aren’t to be lazy or presumptive, but every believer, and not just pastors, needs to hold themselves available to God for Him to speak through, should He so choose. In the 1st Century Greek world, public speaking was an art form, and there were all sorts of rhetorical tricks that were used. Paul was quite possibly trained in such things, but he still wrote to the Corinthians, “When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.” (1 Corinthians 2:1) If we are trying to convince people to believe by our own efforts, we aren’t likely to be successful. We ourselves can save no one, not even ourselves, but God can use even such as we are to do the job. Remembering that, we need to offer ourselves to God in all humility for Him to speak and act through, for the salvation of others and for His glory.

This of course applies in spades to me, as a missionary pastor. I have heard more sermons than I could count, and I have probably delivered more than that. Some of those have been a waste of time, or worse, but some have been the Word of the Lord. As someone with Teacher gifting, I indeed love to open the Bible and explain things to people, but when I stand in the pulpit, for many years now I have simply shared what the Lord has spoken to me in my morning devotional times. In that sense, the messages are far closer to prophecy than teaching. I do create an outline from my devotional notes, but it is rare indeed when I stick exactly to those notes. I also need to be aware that God doesn’t limit speaking through me to when I am in the pulpit. My brother-in-law once said to me, “Did you realize you were prophesying?” I replied that I was aware I was speaking God’s truth, but hadn’t thought of it in terms of prophecy. On our upcoming trip, I don’t have any formal speaking engagements scheduled, but I am to be ready at all times to let God speak through me to anyone or everyone. At the same time, I am not to think of myself as “God’s Spokesman,” but rather try to stay out of His way for whatever He might want to do, or not do, through me, for His glory alone.

Father, thank You for this clear Word. Thank You for the message You’ve given me for tomorrow, and that You will be present in the business meeting to follow. May I speak exactly what You are saying and nothing else, so that Your Word may accomplish all that You intend, (Isaiah 55:10-11) for the blessing of my hearers and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Communication; April 10, 2026

Posted on April 11, 2026 by jgarrott

Acts 2:8 “Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?”

Many years ago I read, in a commentary that had belonged to my father’s father, a note he had written in the margin at a place that was talking about this incident, “Was this a miracle or speaking, or of hearing?” That is a valid question, but I’m not sure how much difference it makes. The point is that God was enabling communication, in a reverse of what He did at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. This of course enabled what Jesus said in Acts 1:8 about believers being witnesses by the power of the Holy Spirit, whichever direction it operated. This actually works when only one language is involved, too. Every pastor has experienced people thanking them for things they had said in a sermon that they were quite confident they never said! However, God had enabled people to hear what He was saying to them, even when it wasn’t what was being physically spoken. That doesn’t happen as often in written communication, but it’s possible, because nothing is impossible for God. The point is that God needs to act on both ends of communication for it to be fully effective. We often hear things for which we lack context, and end up having no idea what has been said. That’s certainly true when it comes to discussions of modern technology. We tend to nod and act like we understand, when actually, nothing is getting very far past our eardrums. We need to understand that we are dependent on God in all things at all times, and ask Him to enable us to communicated accurately and hear accurately. As James said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

Ministering in Japan, I’ve experienced communication miracles of all sorts, as well as abundant mis-communication! There are countless tales, some of them quite funny, of the verbal mistakes of new missionaries, but there are also stories of situations where logically, there should have been very little real communication, but somehow the Gospel got through magnificently. My wife has experienced quite a few of those. Several years ago she was in a prayer meeting with a group of Filipina girls, and was praying in tongues. The girls started getting very excited, because it seems that she was praying for them in Tagalog, which she doesn’t speak in the slightest! In recent years she has had communication difficulties in both English and Japanese because of having had surgery for a brain tumor, but time and time again I have seen her heart communicate what her words shouldn’t have been able to. Pentecost is operative in her life! I grew up with both English and Japanese, and I speak a few words in several other languages, but I need to remember that genuine communication always requires the help of the Holy Spirit, whatever words are involved.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the gift of words that You have given me, that my father recognized in writing 60 years ago. May my words, spoken or written, accurately express what You are saying, and may my hearers and readers likewise be enabled to receive what You are saying to them, whether I understand it or not. Thank You. Praise God!

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Witnesses; April 9, 2026

Posted on April 10, 2026 by jgarrott

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This verse has been ingrained in my memory for over 50 years, since I first was exposed to the Charismatic Movement. The Lord brought it to mind to confirm that He had actually baptized me in His Spirit, even though I had felt nothing at the time. However, I think there is still an amazing lack of understanding of this verse in the Church at large. I think we “spiritualize” it too much, thinking in terms of specific manifestations, such as those listed in 1 Corinthians 12, when actually, Jesus was talking about total lifestyle. I’m reminded of the thought-provoking question, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Being Christ’s witnesses is a whole-of-life thing, and not just what happens when you talk with someone – though that is included. If our lives aren’t congruent with the Gospel, our “witnessing” will have no impact, or even have negative impact, convincing our hearers that Christians are just hypocrites. That’s not at all to say that we have to be perfect before we open our mouths. No one is perfect on this earth, with the sole exception of Jesus Himself. We are to humbly acknowledge our weaknesses and failures, and at the same time point people to the One who saves us from them. Those who are genuinely submitted to the Holy Spirit will live that out consistently, despite their occasional lapses. After all, if there is hope for us, there is hope for those with whom we interact.

When I read this just now, it struck me that my wife and I are about to go to “the ends of the earth” from where we have lived for the past 45 years. Americans tend to think of this verse in terms of “foreign missions,” but it applies at any distance. If you aren’t Christ’s witness where you are, “Jerusalem,” there’s no point in your going further. We have certainly been planted in Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, and now, the Lord is giving us an opportunity to be His witnesses in the US. My wife and I both have the strong feeling that He wants to speak through us to various people we will encounter on this trip. It seems like people have been lining up to want to see us! We must remember that who they really want to see, whether they know it or not, is Christ in us, and so do our best to stay out of the way of that. The people contacting us are of course people we have known before, but we will also encounter many people for the first time. Whoever they are and whatever the reasons for our interaction, we are to be Christ’s witnesses to them, in word and action. We should leave everyone in better shape than when we meet them.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how everything is falling into place. Help us be sensitive to Your guidance in every detail, in packing and in everything else. Thank You for this training in resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You! Show us how to submit to You so that we may effectively resist the devil, and specifically, his attacks on our bodies and our emotions. May we walk in all that Christ paid for, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Evangelism; April 8, 2026

Posted on April 9, 2026 by jgarrott

John 20:30-31 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I can really understand John’s feelings here. He had written his Gospel precisely because so many things had been left out of the previous three, but even coming to the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry chronologically, he realizes that there was so much more that happened that he hadn’t written about. That said, he expresses his motivation in writing in the first place, and it is one that every believer even today should share. God’s love and grace, His salvation, are big enough for all mankind. Sharing them doesn’t diminish them in the least for the one doing the sharing, but rather accentuates their joy. A sadly small percentage of the believers on earth have ever led another person to become a believer, and that’s a huge waste in every way. An interesting thing about faith is that the more you share it, the stronger it gets. Everyone should want to grow in faith, so we should share the faith we have! We get intimidated at the idea of “soul winning,” feeling, possibly quite accurately, that we have no particular gifting in evangelism, but the point isn’t in statistical results, it’s in the obedience of sharing. Jesus said clearly, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) He didn’t say, “Overwhelm people with your exceptional apologetics and hermeneutics,” He just said, “Shine.” As has been said, this is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. We aren’t all called to write books or hold special meetings or any of the things we associate with evangelists, but we are called to share with others what God has done for us. When we do that, in honesty and humility, God will use our words and our attitude to speak to people’s hearts, and lead them too into His salvation.

This is extremely pertinent to me, for a number of reasons. In the first place, I’m a missionary, but I’m gifted as a teacher, not an evangelist. In the second place, I’m writing my autobiography, not to inflate myself but to testify how gracious God has been in spite of my countless failures. I find it’s slow going, because I’m attempting to do it chronologically, and I keep remembering things from a period of my life that I’ve already covered. Using a computer makes it easy to go back and add that, but as a result, I’m still in the period of my 20s, and I’m currently 77! Once I finally get to the present, however old I’ll be when that happens, I’m going to need a good editor, because I don’t want a book the size of War and Peace! That said, I indeed share John’s desire to express what God has done, so that others, reading it, may believe that He loves them, too, and so yield their lives to Him and receive eternal life in exchange.

Father, thank You indeed for Your overwhelming grace toward me, and for the privilege of sharing that with others. Too many people seem to think I’m exceptional, that You couldn’t love and use them in the same way as You do me. I ask Your Holy Spirit to touch their hearts and open their eyes to see Your heart for them personally, so that they may know the truth and be set free indeed, (John 8:32) for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Understanding the Bible; April 7, 2026

Posted on April 8, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

When we come right down to it, we’re all pretty dense. We need God’s help if we are going to understand what’s written in the Bible, even though the actual words were written by human beings just like us. We don’t need to be anxious about it, though, because we indeed have the help of the Author, the Holy Spirit. As Paul said, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) It is a fascinating linguistic note that in both Hebrew and Greek, the same word means spirit, breath, and wind. Otherwise, they are quite different languages. Thus, when Genesis talks about God giving breath to Adam, it could equally be translated that He gave him spirit. Likewise, when Acts 2 talks about the Holy Spirit being poured out, it could equally be translated that He gave breath to the believers. It follows that the song, Breath On Me, Breath of God, is extremely appropriate and Biblical. It is an interesting note to the crucifixion that, “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46) You could say He was quoting David, who said exactly the same thing in Psalm 31:5. It’s also interesting that in Japanese, one way to say a person died is to say, “His breath failed/ended.” Nothing about the Bible is an accident, so we need to seek the help of the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God, to get as much from it as possible.

I am deeply blessed that one of the earliest members of this church has recently been able to return to regular attendance. He is a doctor, and came to an English Bible class I taught, initially just for the English. After about a year, he came in one evening and said he wanted to be baptized. I was delighted, but I asked him why, and his response has stayed with me ever since. “This book was not written just by man, and if God caused it to be written, I had better believe it.” I wish everyone had that understanding! As a pastor/teacher, my job is to help people understand what God has already said, as well as speak out what He is saying right now. Trying to do that on my own is the height of stupidity/futility, because I need the help of the Holy Spirit myself to really grasp what He is saying to me. However, He does help me, and I am to be faithful to share what He shows me. I’m never to think I have the total picture, so I’m never to be proud in what I am doing, but I am to rejoice to be part of what God does to build up and equip His people, just as Paul wrote to Timothy.

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of participating in Your work. May I be totally submitted and committed to You, allowing Your Spirit, Your Breath, to flow through me however You choose. May I be fully useful to You in building up the Body of Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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