Worry; June 25, 2023

Posted on June 26, 2023 by jgarrott

Matthew 6:27 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?”

Worry is poisonous. It multiplies the damage negative events have on us. Jesus told us very clearly that in this world we will have trouble, (John 16:33) but worrying about it ahead of time makes us suffer through it again and again. Often, the particular thing we’re worried about never happens at all! I’m reminded of the recent submarine disaster in the Atlantic. As Bill Whittle has pointed out, those five people died essentially instantaneously, doing something they enjoyed and were excited about. Their eternal destiny (which he didn’t touch on) was decided some time before they ever got into that vessel, and that’s what really matters. If we have a right relationship with our Creator on the basis of His Son Jesus Christ, we have literally nothing to worry about. As Jesus talks about after this verse, we do all have various needs while we are on this earth. We aren’t to be cavalier about them, taking things for granted, but the path of happiness and joy is to trust God with them. As Jesus famously says in verse 33, our focus is to be on God’s kingdom and His righteousness. If we don’t have such a focus, worry can easily steal our peace and joy and literally shorten our life. That’s a perfect example of unintended consequences. We are to be good stewards of what we have been given, and that includes our bodies and our health. However, obsessing over it all is counterproductive. We are to maintain our weight and our activity levels, but not just to make us feel good or live a long time. Rather, we are to be focused on doing the things that God has prepared for us to do, (Ephesians 2:10) resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in Him.

I am aware that some people seem to have anxious personalities, but I believe that can be healed. I’m grateful that I don’t seem to be one of those people. I would describe myself as fundamentally optimistic, but it’s been a long road getting here. John 16:33 has been something of a mantra for me for a long time. I am horrified and disgusted at many of the things I see in the world around me, and I know those things could come upon me, too, but experience has taught me that God is more than able to bring me through anything at all. Physical injury and disease aren’t fun, certainly, but they are temporary. If my focus is on God and my eternity with Him, then all these things are no more than hiccups along the way. There are indeed things that I would very much like to see happen. I am to work toward those goals, but being anxious about them won’t make them come about any faster! It’s been quite a few years now since the Lord told me to rest, relax, and rejoice. I don’t get any hint of worry in that!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your grace toward me on so many levels. May I be an available, effective channel of that grace to others, drawing them also into the trusting relationship with You that they need and You desire, for their glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Priesthood of the Believer; June 24, 2023

Posted on June 25, 2023 by jgarrott

Malachi 2:7 “”For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction–because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.”

This is a very sobering verse to anyone in pastoral ministry, but under the New Covenant it actually applies to every believer. As Peter famously wrote, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) John reiterated that in the introduction to his record of what God showed him about End Times: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father–to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6) This is the foundation of that famous doctrine of the Protestant Reformation, the Priesthood of the Believer. Most Protestant churches, even, only give that lip service, but the Biblical foundation is secure. There are indeed different gifts, different offices in the Church, but in the place where Paul famously lays out the “5-fold Ministry,” he makes it clear that those designated individuals are to enable the believers to do the “work of ministry.” “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13) So, all of that means that our starting verse applies to everyone who is in Christ Jesus. A lot of people run from that! We have a lot of trouble seeing ourselves as a “messenger of the Lord Almighty!” The flip side of that is those who do see themselves as that and get all puffed up, and that can be tragic.

Of course this applies to me any way you cut it, because I have been in pastoral ministry since 1978. It is particularly applicable since I have a gift for words, as has been noted from my youth, and it can be hard to get me to shut up! Part of that is my Teacher gifting. As Don and Katie Fortune noted, someone with that gifting tends to be like a walking encyclopedia; ask a question and you get more than you really wanted to know. I am very grateful that, given that gifting, I was raised by a man who held Absolute Honesty as one of his guiding principles. Otherwise, there’s no telling what I might be spouting off! With all of my words, spoken or written, I need to be very aware that I am indeed a messenger of the Lord Almighty, not because I am special but because He is. I am to speak only what He says, expressing His truth in His love, and never think that my personal opinion or desire takes precedence over His. If I will do that, then His Word will indeed pour through me to accomplish that for which He sends it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace toward me. Help me encourage others to believe that same grace is available to them, whatever form it might take. I pray that every believer in this church would indeed realize that they are Your messenger to the people around them, not because they are special but because the people around them need to hear from You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Pride and Humility; June 23, 2023

Posted on June 24, 2023 by jgarrott

Zephaniah 3:2 She obeys no one,
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the Lord,
she does not draw near to her God.

This chapter is most familiar to me from the fact that verse 17 has been set to music, but before we get to the good news we need to consider the factors that resulted in Jerusalem’s destruction. This verse could be summarized as, ignoring God. That is certainly the path the US has been running on for the past several decades. The overt push started with forbidding prayer in public schools, and it has progressed from there. The corruption started in institutions of “higher” learning, as communists from Europe, escaping WWII, came to America and were accepted into her universities as honored faculty, and it has spread from there. Elitism is one of the most obvious characteristics, which matches this verse perfectly. “Intelligencia” were taught that they were far superior to the “unwashed masses,” so naturally they would accept no correction. Those blinded by this movement forgot, and continue to forget, that pride was the root sin of Lucifer. Even the ancient Greeks recognized the grave danger of hubris, but those who have it are blind to it. The Bible is clear throughout that humility is essential, yet we are so prone to reject it. America has even labeled the open celebration of perversion as “Pride Month!” Again, this verse is perfectly descriptive. Thankfully the number of those waking up to this nonsense is increasing. Just yesterday I was reading an article about the bitter fruit of the “sexual revolution.” Those who have their eyes open need to be active in prayer that more and more people would wake up and reverse the things mentioned in this verse, in genuine repentance before a loving, gracious, and holy God.

As I have written many times, I have certainly struggled with pride. I was given many advantages in life, from a high IQ to a stable home and on and on, but I wound up thinking I somehow deserved it all, that I had somehow earned it, when in fact it was just dumped in my lap. Since my father was a “big cheese,” I got away with more than I should have simply by being his son. A different example of that is in the news a lot these days! I indeed thought that I was elite, that I was “better,” and it nearly ruined me. I had to learn obedience, to accept correction, to trust God and draw near to Him. I’m not there totally yet, but I am far closer than I once was. I have the comfort of knowing that Paul was in the same boat. (Philippians 3:12-14) I’ve got to remember to trust in the Lord and draw near to Him, in total gratitude that He would so love such a flawed child as I am.

Father, thank You for Your incredible, overwhelming love and grace. May I be ever more effective in communicating that love and grace to others, so that they too may repent and believe for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Listening to God; June 22, 2023

Posted on June 23, 2023 by jgarrott

Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

Verses two and three of this chapter have been given to my wife and me as from the Lord several times over the years and so are very dear to us, and the last line of verse four was one of the triggers for the Protestant Reformation, but this verse also speaks to me very strong­ly. Habakkuk was not alone in this, but one of his best character traits was that he expected the Lord to speak to him. Far too few people are that way today. In fact, not long ago when a Christian political candidate made reference to having heard something from the Lord, they were openly ridiculed by a TV commentator. The devil doesn’t want us to recognize that God is speaking to us; he wants us to focus entirely on the physical world. However, the physical world will pass, so the obvious course of wisdom is to be aware of the spiritual world and walk in submission to our eternal Creator and Savior. Some people are blessed with open conversations with God, but in my observation that is relatively rare. There is often a delay between what we say to God and our perceiving His response, and that is what Habakkuk is talking about here. However, like Habakkuk we need to have the conviction that He will respond, that we are not just praying into the wind. That involves first of all believing that He is real, and second, that He cares about us individually. As it says in Hebrews, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) I think most people have an innate awareness that there is something bigger and greater than they are, but for too many, even those who have gone through the motions of becoming a Christian, the idea that He rewards us individually, that He actually answers us, is beyond their grasp. The only one who rejoices at that is the devil.

I have no idea how old I was when I was first aware that the Lord had said something to me, but it must have been pretty young. I had the huge advantage of growing up in a home where God was as real and as present as anyone we could see physically. I knew my parents each spent time with Him individually every morning, but I wasn’t actually guided into such a practice myself. In college I thought, “I need to have regular morning devotions,” but that lasted exactly three days, if I recall correctly. (The Japanese actually have a proverb about resolutions failing after three days.) It wasn’t until after I was a married father, fresh out of the Army, that the Lord confronted me with my pride, no words needed, and I repented in tears, and from that point on I sought Him every morning. I could hardly be more grateful for His grace and mercy! I couldn’t begin to count all the ways He has spoken to me, sometimes even through my own mouth. He is amazing! As a pastor, it is my earnest desire that each of the believers realize that He is speaking to them, as well. They are used to the idea that “the holy man hears from God,” but they don’t consider themselves holy and so don’t bother to listen. They don’t know how unholy I can be at times! I need to communicate God’s grace and mercy to them in such a way that they will be hungry to hear from Him, and rejoice to be obedient to what He says.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You’ve had me speak on this topic several times. I ask for Your words to express it this time so that it will penetrate and stick, working Your will in each heart and life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Responding to Injustice; June 21, 2023

Posted on June 22, 2023 by jgarrott

Habakkuk 1:3-4 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.

It sounds to me like Habakkuk could have been living in 21st Century America! The current corruption of the American “justice system” is disturbing and disgusting to say the least. God’s answer for Judah at the point this was written was for it to be conquered by the Babylonians. We can only hope and pray that isn’t the sort of answer He has for America! The point, however, is that He does have an answer. As came out in yesterday’s reading, He does not leave the guilty unpunished. (Nahum 1:3) Habakkuk doesn’t indicate that he personally was the victim of the injustice he was seeing, but anyone with a tender heart would respond much as he did. With the Internet, we are far more aware of the injustice and other tragedies that are occurring around the world, so depression is practically the order of the day. This certainly calls for faith! We are not to ignore all the junk going on around us, but we are to trust that God is still God, and that He does have an answer even if we can’t see it.

Over 25 years ago I was lying in bed, not intentionally praying but simply mulling things over and thinking, “There are so many things I wish were different.” At that point the Lord spoke to me, totally unexpectedly and absolutely clearly: “How do you think I feel?” That gave me an instant awareness – the Buddhists would call it satori – that my problem was simply perspective. I was looking at things from “ground level,” on a moment-by-moment basis, while God sees everything, not just in geographic terms but also in time, from creation to the end of the universe. I will not gain God’s perspective while I am limited by this body, but I can choose to trust the One who does have that perspective, and is working in and through all the mess to draw people into a right relationship with Himself. I have found that daily living is daily trusting God, with myself and with all the circumstances I find myself in. Sometimes He chooses to use me as an extension of His rule and reign, just as Jesus taught us to pray. (Matthew 6:10) I am to rejoice when that happens, but never think that it is because of my own strength or wisdom. I am to keep myself available to Him in humble anticipation, trusting that His plans are indeed good (Jeremiah 29:11) and resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in Him, just as He has told me to do.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s a small thing, but thank You for the rain that will keep me from walking this morning as I had planned. Help me always hold my plans loosely, allowing You to do in and through me what You know is best, whatever it might look like to me in the moment. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Fear of the Lord; June 20, 2023

Posted on June 21, 2023 by jgarrott

Nahum 1:3, 7 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power;
the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.  
The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,

Contemporary Christianity places so much emphasis on the truth of verse seven that they tend to overlook the truth of verse three. We have forgotten what it is to fear the Lord. That has been partially the result of a deliberate, concerted effort by the devil to make us do that, but the responsibility still lies with us. The attack on the whole concept of fatherhood and parental discipline is very much part of that. Even the Japanese once had a proverb that said, “The three things to fear are typhoons, tigers, and your dad.” Not long ago I was listening to a roundtable discussion in which it was asked, “For those who never did drugs, why not?” The most common answer was, “Because my mom would kill me.” Proverbs is very clear on the matter: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.” (Proverbs 13:24) We have turned that on its head to say that any form of physical punishment is child abuse, and see where it’s gotten us. God is the perfect father, and as verse three says, He “will not leave the guilty unpunished.” If parents fail to apply appropriate discipline to their children, those children will probably not have the lifesaving fear of the Lord. The thing is, logic does not operate in a child’s mind, and the older they get, the more skilled they are in self-justification. That’s why a police presence is necessary for a civil society. That’s a far cry from a “police state,” where everything is dictated, but the current state of the US, after the “defund the police” movement of just a couple of years ago, along with the current spate of non-prosecuting public prosecutors, makes it very clear that the fear of punishment for wrongdoing is essential. God is indeed good, kind, merciful, and loving, but He also knows best how to “whup ass,” as the saying goes. We should be grateful, and rejoice to be able to submit to His kind and gracious rules that are for our benefit.

I will never forget one situation I was close to. A friend of ours was a Christian, but she had had a daughter out of wedlock. That daughter in turn likewise had a son without getting married, and no one in the family had much concept of appropriate discipline. Our friend and her daughter were both working, so our friend’s parents took care of their great-grandson through the day. The little boy loved Thomas the Tank Engine, and his great-grandparents’ house wasn’t far from an active railroad track. One day when he was about three, I think, he got out of the house and went down to the tracks. Someone spotted him and called the closest train station, and the trains were stopped until he could be corralled. My understanding is that he was disciplined, but obviously not enough. A few weeks later he got out again, and this time no one spotted him. He wasn’t actually on the tracks, but he was close enough that a train hit his head, and after a week in a coma, he died. When logic doesn’t get through, pain can sometimes do the job. That’s what that verse in Proverbs is all about. God’s justice is so absolute that the only way we can avoid the punishment due our sins is by faith in the Son of God, who took our punishment on Himself so that we could live. I didn’t do a perfect job of disciplining my children, as my parents didn’t with me, but the principle was there, and operative. I am very aware that I am totally dependent on the grace of God, and I desire to bring that awareness to as many people as possible.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me live by this truth, rejoicing both in Your mercy and Your justice, so that I may be an example to others of an appropriate fear of the Lord, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Faith; June 19, 2023

Posted on June 20, 2023 by jgarrott

Jonah 3:10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

This story is remarkable in a number of ways. In the first place, it is certainly notable that Jonah’s message was received as it was. It seems almost illogical that so much credence would be given to a solitary foreigner walking into the city. However, nothing is impossible for God, and He used this both to have mercy on the Assyrians and to teach Jonah another major lesson, after the one of his being swallowed by a “great fish.” (Jonah 1:17) The second thing that strikes me is that God accepts and honors repentance. The Assyrians were notorious for their ferocity, which is why Jonah didn’t want to go minister to them in the first place. However, the king’s decree (verses 7-9) indicates that their consciences weren’t totally defiled, and God had obviously prepared them to hear and receive Jonah’s call to repentance. The third thing that strikes me is how impossible it is to prove a negative. When disaster didn’t fall, I’m sure there were plenty of people who didn’t believe their actions had anything to do with things essentially continuing as usual. Cause and effect can seem tenuous at best. I’m reminded of the story of a man who was continually jabbing a pointed stick into the ground. When asked why he was doing it, he said, “It’s to keep the elephants away.” “There are no elephants within a hundred miles of here!” “See, it works.” That is a joke, but the same line of thinking could have been applied in Nineveh. It all calls for faith, because there are many, many limits to what we can see and know with our physical senses.

I have been somewhat ridiculed for my faith at times, most recently in a comment on my blog (which I chose not to “approve”). However, I can say with assurance that I have had moments of being far more sure that God was real than that I was real. The intensity isn’t constant, but the assurance has only grown over the years, and I am deeply grateful. Faith is a gift, (Ephesians 2:8-9) and I must not take it lightly. When God tells me something I am to pay attention and be obedient, however He chooses to speak to me. I’m not sure how I’d respond if a prophet wandered in the way Jonah did, but I would certainly submit his message to the Lord and ask for confirmation! We had a bit of a wakeup call yesterday when our Internet shut down, which also took out our “landline” telephone, since it’s an IP phone. Using my cell phone I eventually got through to submitting a complaint form to our provider, and the connection was back on before we went to bed. However, the experience showed me in stark terms how Internet addicted I am. My repentance needs to be real, that is, expressed in concrete activity. My focus needs to be on my Lord, before and above everything else. I’ve known that in my head for decades, but my flesh sometimes forgets. I’m to use the tools God provides, but only in full submission to Him.

Father, thank You for the story of Jonah. I’ve used him as an illustration of someone who was extremely hard-headed, but I could give him a run for his money! Help me receive Your lessons and act on them, to be the servant You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Fear of Death; June 18, 2023

Posted on June 19, 2023 by jgarrott

Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

In a way, this is the most remarkable thing about this story. By this point Daniel was probably what we would call elderly. He had served God faithfully all his life, and he had the calm assurance of his eternal destination. He quite possibly thought, “I’ve got to go sometime, so this is as good as any.” (I wouldn’t personally choose to go by way of being eaten by lions, but that would be better than some diseases I can think of.) In any case, he didn’t consider the threat of death to be sufficient to interfere with his relationship with God. Actually, there are people who face that choice all the time even today. I was just reading about the huge increase in the number of believers in Iran, for example, who share Christ with their friends and neighbors even though they know it can get them arrested or even killed. Daniel was remarkable, but hardly unique. The problem isn’t persecution, it’s those who bow to it, who place physical, earthly comfort ahead of eternal glory. That is particularly true in places like the US, where being a Christian has in the past been even socially advantageous, and at least expected. Today, standing up for Biblical values will get you branded as a litany of “…phobe,” and can easily cost you your job. Thinking about it, that’s pretty minor when compared to being thrown into a den of lions! Like Daniel and countless others like him, we need to “Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) As Paul reminds us, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

This conviction has only grown in my heart over the years. I have already lived more than 10 years longer than my father did, physically speaking, and my only hesitation about leaving is my wife, who would have a really hard time without me. I don’t feel like I have faced much opposition for my faith, and I am occasionally concerned that my faith is weak as a result. There are projects I would like to see to completion, but then my father was in the middle of a New Testament translation when he graduated. Nothing I have on earth is of any weight or significance compared to my Lord, and I get to spend eternity with Him! I see and hear things all the time that show how the vast majority of people are prisoners of their fear of death, and I have the liberty of the Holy Spirit. I am not to be proud, but grateful, and seek to bring as many as will repent and believe along with me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the girl who called yesterday asking the time of the service. I know nothing about her, but You know everything! I pray that You would continue to draw those You want to be part of the Body of Christ in this place, so that together we may do the work of ministry and draw many out of the darkness into Your light, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Commitment; June 17, 2023

Posted on June 18, 2023 by jgarrott

Daniel 3:17-18 “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

This story is one of the most famous in the whole Bible, and justly so. You couldn’t find a finer example of faith and commitment. We don’t know who the spokesman was for the three, but the fact that it doesn’t specify implies that they were fully agreed in their position. This position had two parts: first, faith that God was able to save them, miraculously if need be, and second, commitment that would accept martyrdom before submitting to idolatry. The second element really certified the first! This story is told to countless children in Sunday School, but I really think most of the adults telling it think of it as a myth, rather than historical fact. That is a huge loss. Various kinds of persecution are evident in America today, with Jack Philips, the Colorado baker, being a prime example. Even after the Supreme Court ruled that he couldn’t be forced to practice his craft in violation of his faith, his enemies trumped up another charge on which to attack him, and he has now been in this battle for years. His position continues to be, “I will not serve your idols of perversion, no matter what you do to me.” Sadly, many Christians have not been so strong and have compromised in countless ways. Believers need to realize that the devil is never after just “tolerance,” he insists on full submission. Just as in this story, it’s all about control. That has certainly been evident in the recent pandemic. Those following the devil don’t care who suffers or who dies, they just want control. That’s why God’s rules are so liberating: they free us from the control of evil.

The longer I live the more convinced of this I become. In the recent uproar over COVID I declined to panic. This church had “online only” services for only two weeks at the very beginning, after which point I told the people that Cathy and I were going to be doing it all anyway in order to put it online, so if they wanted to come they would be welcome – and they all showed up! I knew the science about masks being ineffective against viruses, so I have worn one only in indoor settings apart from the church where they were required. Currently I put one on only if I am entering a medical facility, where they are still very insistent. Cathy and I did finally get very minor infections in March of this year, but it was no big deal. Japan does tend to be a very controlled society. I don’t want to offend needlessly, but “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17) To this point I have not faced major opposition the way Jack Philips has, but I desire that my commitment be no less firm, even to the point of martyrdom.

Father, thank You for Your grace toward me. I pray for my brothers and sisters in places like Nigeria, North Korea, and many others, where standing for Christ can mean standing in front of executioners. May all of Your children be strengthened and comforted, and Your rule and reign be established everywhere, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Being Used by God; June 16, 2023

Posted on June 17, 2023 by jgarrott

Daniel 2:30 “As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

The stories in Daniel are both detailed and largely verifiable, because we have a lot of records of the Babylonian empire. Daniel’s statement here is worthy of some deep reflection. In the first place, he didn’t deny that he had greater wisdom than any of the king’s other advisors. Actually, it was evident that he did! However, his wisdom lay in the fact that he depended fully on God, and he gave God all the credit. He fit the various definitions of wisdom given in Psalms and Proverbs to a T. However, he recognized and declared that his wisdom wasn’t why God had showed him something he could not humanly have known. The purpose was to let Nebuchadnezzar know both what he had dreamed and what it meant, in such a way that he would put Daniel in a place of authority to do a lot of things God wanted to do through him. After all, there is no way for someone to know what another person has dreamed, when even that person can’t remember anything except that they had a big and powerful dream. This should be a reminder to us that first, nothing is impossible for God, and second, it doesn’t revolve around us, however much we might be involved in it. God had things He wanted to do through Daniel, and we only know a tiny fraction of them. We need to give God permission to do whatever He would like in and through us, and not even demand to know what it is or what the results will be. We don’t have to know everything, much less know it ahead of time; we only need to know the Lord, and be totally obedient to Him.

This is certainly applicable to me. Like everyone else, I tend to expect God to speak to me in ways that He has used with me before. I have mentioned from the pulpit repeatedly that God gives my wife dreams, but He doesn’t speak to me that way. Well, last night He gave me this coming Sunday’s message in a dream, complete with two Scriptures and various points. I’m grateful, but I too need to remember never to put God into any sort of box. In terms of wisdom, I was given a high IQ but have had to learn, sometimes painfully, that intelligence isn’t the same thing as wisdom. I need to learn from Daniel to depend on God for everything, as well as give Him all the credit. That might get me into trouble, just as it got Daniel thrown into the lions’ den, but He’s just as able to rescue me as He was Daniel, so my focus is to be on Him and nothing else. I am in a transition period in my life as I am preparing to retire from school teaching, and I have very little idea of what the Lord has planned for me after this. I am to trust Him with every detail, being fully responsive to Him, so that He may do in, to, and with me whatever He likes, for the sake of His kingdom and for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and thank You for the message You gave me in the night. I ask for continued guidance and anointing as I type the outline so that it will be Your message in every detail, accomplishing that for which You are sending it, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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