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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God’s Grace; April 6, 2026

Posted on April 7, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 24:34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”

One of the most moving songs about the resurrection is Don Francisco’s He Is Alive. In it, Don draws a clear word-picture of how Peter felt after he left the empty tomb, and how it must have been when Jesus appeared to him, as it says in this verse. Peter’s self-confidence had been completely shattered by his having denied he knew Jesus three times, so it was to him an unbelievable manifestation of grace that Jesus appeared to him and forgave him. The scene by Lake Galilee in John 21 was simply an addendum to that, confirming that Jesus not only forgave him, He had work for him to do, namely, taking care of Jesus’ flock. We all fail Jesus in various ways, generally not as dramatic as what Peter did, but just as real. We too need to grasp the reality of God’s grace and forgiveness, and so repent in truth. If there is no repentance, there is no reason for forgiveness, but if the repentance is there, the forgiveness is very real indeed.

I need to remember this as well as anyone. Outsiders looking at my life consider me some sort of paragon of goodness, but I know my heart, and those close to me know the wounds I have inflicted on them. I am totally dependent on God’s grace, and I must never forget it. I am to be a carrier of God’s grace to everyone I encounter. That will take many forms, and sometimes it may seem a little severe, but that’s how it is with God’s love. I myself am loved by God, and I am to allow Him to love others through me. As Hebrews 12 makes clear, genuine love involves discipline, so I am never to complain about what God puts me through, but rather trust that His plans for me are perfect, and rejoice in that assurance.

Father, thank You indeed for Your plans. Thank You for the blessed Resurrection Sunday we had yesterday, and for Your plans for today. Thank You that we will be getting back to Omura from our trip a month from today. May I not complain at the unexpected hiccups, like happened with my study computer this morning, but rather rest, relax, and rejoice in You and in Your schedule for me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Women; April 5, 2026

Posted on April 6, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 24:11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

It is hard for us to imagine how thoroughly women were looked down on in that society. In a court of law, a woman’s testimony was worth literally half that of a man’s. That was one of the many ways Jesus’ ministry was so shocking and rule-breaking. For a Biblical example, the women weren’t even counted in the stories of the miraculous mass feedings Jesus did. “The 5000” was just the number of men, and likewise the 4000 in the second instance. It is actually one of the proofs of Jesus’ resurrection that He chose to reveal Himself, and the fact that He had risen, to women first.  That was NOT what anyone would have done had they been concocting a hoax! As it says here, even the apostles didn’t believe the women at first, though Peter and John did go to check on the story. John reports that Mary Magdalene was the first person to actually see Jesus (John 20:14ff) and she was the least likely to be trusted of all the women, since she had been oppressed by seven demons! (Luke 8:2) Jesus didn’t put women above men, but He didn’t put them below, either, and that violated all sorts of norms. Paul is accused of being a misogynist, but he wrote, “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) Society in general thought that women were for the utility of men, since men couldn’t have babies by themselves, but authentic Christian faith recognizes that indeed the ground is level at the foot of the cross, as the saying goes. Today, we need to avoid the excesses of women who would denigrate men, but we certainly need to recognize the gifts and contributions of women, of fully equal value as that of men.

I have been vaguely aware of this issue all my life. My mother was in a very real sense demoted, when she married my father, from “missionary” to “missionary wife,” and that gave her a lot of trouble around the time I was a young child, to the point that she was on tranquilizers for a while. She had applied to the mission board before my father had, but somehow, she was considered secondary by the mission board once they got married. My father was the one in the spotlight, but I think my mother was the first to publish a book, Japanese Youth Face Life. I know that my father could not have been and done all he was and did had he not been married to her. I in turn have been incredibly blessed with my wife, who has been my partner in every way. Our gifting is very different, thankfully. That’s one of the big points of marriage! For example, the Lord gives her dreams and visions, which He seldom does for me. At this point our physical differences are accentuated because of her health issues, so I need to be physically strong for her, but I must never let the devil blind me to the contributions she makes to our marriage and our ministry.

Father, thank You for this reminder. In all the stress of preparing for our first visit to the US in seven years, our differing focus has already led to friction. Help me see her with Your eyes, and her me, so that we may be the unit that You designed us to be, effectively doing Your will for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Individual Differences; April 4, 2026

Posted on April 5, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 23:50-51 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.

John mentions that Nicodemus joined Joseph in dealing with Jesus’ body, (John 19:39-40) and together they illustrate that there are indeed good, righteous politicians, even if their opinions aren’t always followed. We tend to paint the Sanhedrin in particular with a very broad brush, but there were also people like Gamaliel (Acts 5:34 and following) who had their heads in the right place. It is very dangerous to generalize. That’s where a lot of racial discrimination comes in. Even Paul was touched by it, when he wrote that “One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: ‘Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.’” (Titus 1:12) One of the many miracles of creation is that God sees each one of us individually, with all of our virtually infinite differences. It’s also a miracle that He loves us anyway! We need to realize that our own differences aren’t disqualifying, and neither are those of anyone else. We need always to seek to see people with God’s eyes, to judge them by the content of their character rather than by any other characteristic, just as M. L. King said. The thing is, he had character flaws too, just as we all do. Every human being who has ever lived or will ever live is in need of God’s grace, so we should strive to be channels of that grace to them. The Bible says in various places with various words that the standards we apply to others will be applied to us. One of the scariest things Jesus said was, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15) And that was immediately after teaching what we call the Lord’s Prayer, that we quote so glibly! We need to rejoice in God’s truly amazing grace and extend it to those around us, as He has told us.

I am a generally forgiving person, but I still have a tendency to classify people, to pre-judge them, as it were. Occasionally race enters into it, but not often. Whatever the reason, that’s not good. I get upset over other people’s discriminatory attitudes, but I’m not free of such myself! It’s not a physical thing, but I still identify with what Paul said: “No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:27) I too am totally dependent on God’s grace!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You’re allowing me to go through in connection with our housing in Louisville, with reservations and cancellations and the like. My pride is certainly being ground down! Help me truly be an agent of Your grace and love to all I interact with, both here and on our trip, so that people may see You and be drawn to You through me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Salvation; April 3, 2026

Posted on April 4, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 23:42-43 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

There are so many sweet, deeply meaningful things recorded in the Bible! This one incident destroys all the performance-based theories of salvation. When it is physically possible, baptism is a very meaningful act of submission and obedience, but that wasn’t possible for this man. He didn’t follow any formal “confession of faith,” but his words certainly displayed his faith. That he would speak of “your kingdom” to a man who was literally nailed to a cross is an amazing demonstration of faith, and Jesus accepted it as such. We set up rigid systems and organizations, but God is interested in our hearts, and He sees them better than we do ourselves. This man, nameless to this day, had confessed his guilt, that he deserved death, and he spoke to Jesus with faith that had to be a gift from God, just as God had revealed to Peter that Jesus was indeed the Christ. (Matthew 16:16-17) When we set up test points to decide whether someone is saved, we are putting ourselves above God. We can’t save anyone, even ourselves, but God can save anyone He likes, and He chooses to do so by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This man didn’t fit any human standard, stripped naked and nailed to a cross for being a thief and murderer, but he believed, against all logic, that Jesus was who He said He was, and he asked for Jesus’ mercy. That was enough, and we must never forget it.

I have struggled with this issue from many angles all my life. I grew up knowing about Jesus, and I proclaimed my love for Him at five, committing myself to baptism at 7 and then drifting off into spiritual pride, occasionally having moments of communion with Him but generally feeling like I could go it alone. Was I living as a disciple? No. Was I saved? Yes. I was 24 when the Lord tapped me on the shoulder and, when I turned, showed me a mirror to see the state of my soul, just for an instant. I was devastated, and fell to the floor in abject repentance. The experience was so moving that I requested, and received, baptism a second time. Was that necessary? I don’t think so, but it didn’t hurt! Since then I have dealt with many people who had an “iffy” relationship with organized religion, but whom I cannot say were not saved. I can only speak the truth to people in love and then entrust them to my merciful Lord. There is a man I will see today that, were he to die suddenly, I would tend to think he was with Jesus, but he hasn’t yet made a formal “confession of faith.” I pray that day will come soon, and I look forward to “dunking” him, but his salvation is in God’s hands. I am by no means a savior, but I can be an instrument of God’s salvation, and that is my great desire.

Father, thank You for this reminder on Good Friday. I pray that I would stay open to You and Your Spirit throughout today, so that You may speak and act through me to draw others to Your salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Government; April 2, 2026

Posted on April 3, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 18:24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand.

Mob rule seldom has anything to do with justice. There are those in the US today who are expressly trying to use mob rule to get their way, and the results are horrific. That’s the tricky thing about democracy. You want the people to have a voice, but you don’t want mob rule. That’s why a republic, with elected representatives, is a far safer option. However, as America is demonstrating right now, that’s not an easy road to travel, either. The best answer is to listen fully to God, but mankind has a horrible track record there, too. The term for that is theocracy, but you only need to look at Iran over the past 47 years to see where that leads. Religious leaders claim to listen to God, but they are as human as the rest of us, and they quickly devolve into listening to their own opinions and appetites, rather than to God. In this particular instance, Pilate had many pressures on him, and he knew a riot wouldn’t be looked on well by his superiors in Rome, so he took what he saw as the easy way out, caving to the demands of the crowd in front of him. The irony is that the mob wasn’t actually representative of the majority opinion in Judea, they were just the loudest voices. That particular technique is being used full bore in the US today! Genuine statesmen need to be careful not to cave to volume, but seek to determine what is right and just, and have the courage to act accordingly.

I’ve never been in civil government, but as a pastor, I have had to make some momentous decisions. When I have been humble enough to really listen to God, He has been faithful to guide me. However, my pride has gotten in the way sometimes, and the voices around me have seemed irresistible at times. As it says in Proverbs 29:25, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” This is an immediate issue, because we have our annual church business meeting coming up on the 12th, one week after Easter, and I know that not everyone is on the same page about everything. Pilate isn’t an example I want to follow! I won’t have any decisions to make as momentous as the one he blew, but I am still accountable to God for my stewardship of this flock. There are physical and procedural preparations for the meeting, but the spiritual preparations are far more important. I’ve got to keep that in focus, particularly since my wife and I will be leaving for our US trip just two days after the business meeting. Distractions loom on every side! I’ve got to act so that God’s name is recognized and honored and His authority and rule are manifested as His will is done, because anything less is futile human vanity.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for yesterday, and all it held. I really went through the wringer! Thank You for Your solution to the housing issue. Thank You for the lesson in seeking Your guidance first, rather than automatically trusting the human voices around me. The advice that led to yesterday’s mess was given in good faith, but just because something seems reasonable doesn’t mean it is Your plan. Help me seek You first and listen to You accurately, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Jesus’ Attitude; April 1, 2026

Posted on April 2, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 22:61-62 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The events of Good Friday are recorded in an extremely matter-of-fact way, when they were earth-shaking. Words are actually inadequate to tell all that was going on. Of those events, Peter’s denial of Jesus is perhaps the one we can identify with most easily, because we’ve all been in situations where we lied, or at least remained silent, to save our own skin, or even our feelings. This event forever shattered Peter’s pride, because he had been put face-to-face with his own weakness. It strikes me as very meaningful that God arranged it so that Jesus looked at Peter, not speaking a word. You could not arrange a more dramatic confrontation, but this was no screen play. I would imagine that Jesus’ face showed both sorrow and love, but not condemnation, because He had known this would happen, and had told Peter so. It’s also significant that Luke uses “Lord” here to refer to Jesus. He was and is the Lord of the universe, but as Paul expressed it, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage (grasped); rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8) Jesus could have changed everything in an instant, but He operated in total submission to His Father, knowing that the Father’s plan was for the salvation of mankind. We can have that attitude only by faith in the One who displayed it for our sake. We too are Peter in this scene, and our tears need to be tears of genuine repentance, as his were.

I don’t recall using words to deny knowing Jesus, but my actions have indicated that attitude more than I like to think about. Anytime I place myself, mentally or emotionally, above someone, I am denying my Lord who so totally submitted Himself for my sake. Whatever else it includes, being like Jesus certainly includes humility. Jesus’ attitude didn’t deny who He was, but it voluntarily raised others up – including Peter, who denied knowing Him. Jesus’ gaze didn’t destroy Peter, it enabled him to repent to a degree that prepared him to be the spokesman at Pentecost, and for all the rest of his ministry. I need to focus on lifting people up, not putting them down. I have used words as weapons far too many times in my life. I need to express the love of God consistently, even when that involves looking at someone the way Jesus did at Peter.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for what You enabled me to do yesterday, and that the Cho family is safely back from Hong Kong. Thank You for Your plans for today. That our departure is now less than two weeks off feels like a lot of pressure, but You’ve already got everything planned out. Guide me in straightening out where we’ll be staying in Louisville, since my brother will be moved by the time we get there. I feel very inadequate in that, so I ask for clear guidance and presence of mind. May Cathy and I both rest, relax, and rejoice in You each step of the way, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Gift of the Holy Spirit; March 31, 2026

Posted on April 1, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 11:13 “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The verses ahead of this are a very interesting teaching on asking and receiving. I personally take comfort in verses 11 and 12, because in Greek, fish and snake are very similar words, and likewise, egg and scorpion. If Jesus could make puns, then it’s OK that I’m a punster! It’s also interesting that these are Greek puns, when most of the time Jesus was speaking Aramaic. It’s kind of like Japan today, where Japanese is certainly the main language, but English words are increasingly sprinkled through daily conversations. All that said, the climax of the teaching is this verse. Jesus has been talking about giving good things to those who ask, and the implication is that the Holy Spirit is the best thing God could give anyone. I’d have to concur! The problem is that many people seem to be afraid to ask, because they associate the Holy Spirit with things outside of their religious tradition, like speaking in tongues and such. Conversely, there are people who seek spiritual gifts without actually opening their heart to the One who gives those gifts. We need to trust God to give us good things, and we also need to seek Him before, above, and beyond anything He could give us.

This verse is intimately connected with my own spiritual walk. I had started hearing about the baptism in the Holy Spirit in Denver in 1973, and had read books like 9 O’clock in the Morning, The Holy Spirit and You, and They Speak with Other Tongues. This was all pretty new to me, but my Biblical background was such that I felt it was valid, so I started seeking it. The problem was, everyone said that if you were baptized in the Holy Spirit you would speak in tongues, and I was essentially seeking the gift of tongues, rather than the Holy Spirit Himself. I didn’t get that cleared up until after I brought my wife and daughters to Japan the first time, in 1974. It had been about a year since I started seeking, and as far as I could tell, nothing had happened. I talked with Alan Hiatt, a young Christians in Action missionary, about it, and he gave me some very sound advice. He first asked me how we receive anything from God, and of course, the answer was by grace through faith. He then asked if I believed God had promised His Spirit to me. I said yes, and quoted this very verse. He then said, “Ask God to baptize you in His Spirit, and then thank Him for doing that, whether you feel anything or not. (Emphasis added.) Don’t set conditions on what God is doing.” That night, sitting on my bed, I did exactly as he had said, and I indeed felt nothing. That was a Saturday night, and Monday morning I was sitting on a train next to a total stranger, struck up a conversation with him, and it suddenly hit me that I was telling him about Jesus. To my knowledge, I had never done that with a total stranger before in my life. With that realization, Acts 1:8 came to mind. “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.” I knew without the shadow of a doubt that God had been true to His word and baptized me in His Spirit, and I was overwhelmed with joy. Months later, the Lord started manifesting spiritual gifts through me, and I have experienced everything mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 at least once, but the point was driven home to me that I am not to focus on the gift, but rather the Giver. He is more than the sum of all His gifts!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for Your overwhelming grace toward me. I pray that all who read this account would likewise open themselves to You, for You to give them what they need how they need it, to equip them to be Your servants, Your children indeed, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Joy; March 30, 2026

Posted on March 31, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 10:20 “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

I don’t think at all that Jesus is forbidding us to rejoice over spiritual triumphs. He is rather telling us that our place in heaven is of far more value, far more worthy of joy, than anything we could experience on earth. Because we haven’t experienced the full joy of heaven, even those who have been there briefly in a near-death experience, we have trouble maintaining that perspective. Joys on earth are worth having, and aren’t to be discounted, but we always have something even better ahead of us. I like the tongue-in-cheek saying, “Serve God. The salary is good, and the retirement plan is out of this world!” The devil does all he can to distract us from this truth, enticing us with physical and emotional pleasures that lead to bondage and degradation and death. Modern science has given us insights into how he does that, with dopamine hits and endorphin highs of all sorts, but we need to remember that it’s ultimately a spiritual battle, and that in Christ, we are on the winning side. The devil tries to portray Christianity as a long-faced religion that’s no fun, and there have been some groups that have cooperated with that, sometimes in all sincerity. Conversely, today we have groups that are downright hedonistic, not restricting any physical pleasure. The answer to all of that is, as always, submitting to God and resisting the devil. (James 4:7) If we will do that, we will indeed have “inexpressible and glorious joy.” (1 Peter 1:8)

I will never forget an experience I had one time in a small prayer meeting. There were just four of us: an American Augustinian friar, a German Jesuit priest, a Japanese Pentecostal pastor, and me. We had been singing some worship songs (in Japanese) and praying together, and the joy of the Lord came upon me so strongly that I literally said in my heart, “Lord, if You have anything else for me to do here, You’d better back off a bit, because I think that one more drop of joy and my body would give up and I’d go straight to heaven.” I don’t always keep that experience in the forefront of my memory, but doing so would help me get through some of the rough spots I still traverse. I’m not to go “joy hunting,” as some people literally do, I think. Such a focus will never result in more than momentary pleasures. Rather, I am to commit myself more and more to obedience to and fellowship with my Lord. Everything else good flows from that, and it is good indeed. After all, Jesus said that the Father delights to give us His kingdom! (Luke 12:32)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for yesterday and all it held. Thank You for the assurance You’re giving me that this church will be just fine in our absence. Thank You for the opportunity I have today to interpret for the online conference. May I do so with full accuracy, not just on a linguistic level but on the spiritual level, so that every participant may receive all that You have for them in this conference, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Provision; March 29, 2026

Posted on March 30, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 9:3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.”

Here, Jesus is sending out the 12, and in the next chapter He sends out the 72. That said, these are pretty extreme instructions. The point was to teach them that their heavenly Father would indeed meet all their needs, just as He had taught in Matthew 6. We give intellectual assent to the concept, but we tend to have a lot of trouble with it emotionally. We’re back to the idea of Kingdom Economics, which we touched on with the story of the “Widow’s Mite.” We are indoctrinated with the idea that the world runs on money, even though cash is becoming increasingly rare, and such ephemeral things as cryptocurrencies seeming to take over. The point is, on the eternal scale, all of that is meaningless. God has made it very clear that our stewardship of finances is of great importance, because it displays our priorities, but the ultimate supply of everything is God, who Created it all by expressing His will. When God spoke the universe into being, money and physical supplies are no issue for Him. The better we grasp that, the more peace and boldness we will have.

This is very close to home, when my wife and I are leaving for a 3 week trip in just over two weeks. I don’t think God is telling us to do exactly as Jesus told the 12, because our task isn’t identical. However, we are indeed His agents, just as the 12 were, so we should be anxious for nothing. Last night I woke up at 2 and never went back to sleep, though my body rested. I’m getting some real training in trusting God! The financial aspects of the trip are taken care of, but there are many other factors in it that keep my brain running. Having been out of American society for seven years, many things threaten to be very unfamiliar, and at 77, I don’t like that! I need to trust that God will provide the instruction and guidance I need, when I need it, and I’m not to be anxious about it ahead of time. That’s much easier said than done, particularly when I’m used to be the one everyone turns to for information. This is one more lesson in the stupidity of pride! I am to trust God no less than the 12 did, keeping myself available to Him at all times, for Him to say and do through me whatever He likes, for the blessing of those around me and for His glory.

Father, thank You for this further reminder. I had a similar sleepless night not that long ago, for exactly the same reason. Help me actually learn the lessons You are so faithful to teach me, so that I may grow to be all that You desire and intend me to be, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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