Eternal Perspective; January 4, 2023

Posted on January 5, 2023 by jgarrott

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

This is a marvelous verse, quoted by many and included by Chu Ko­saka in one of his songs. As familiar as it might be, it is still worthy of meditation. We tend to be hungry for authority, forgetting that with authority always comes responsibility and accountability for how we use that authority. Jesus is saying here that yes, His disciples do have a remarkable degree of authority, but our eternal destination is of far more importance. When we know, without the shadow of a doubt, that our names are recorded in heaven, listed among those who have full right to enter, then all the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (to quote Shakespeare) have very little real effect on us. We aren’t taken out of the world, as Jesus prayed about, (John 17:15-16) but are insulated to a remarkable degree against its attacks on all levels. Many people have talked about how we can’t control what happens to us, but we do have a lot of control over how we respond to it. The awareness that our names are recorded in heaven, and all that means, gives us an enormous advantage in our response. We can forgive others when we know we are truly forgiven! That in no way means that we are perfect in this life, just as Paul wrote mem­orably and repeatedly. However, it does mean that we can get past our failures as well as the actions of others toward us, knowing that our destination is absolutely glorious. Paul wasn’t present when Jesus said these words, but God revealed the contents of them to him in other ways, so that he wrote, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) That’s what “rejoicing that our names are written in heaven” is all about.

Just yesterday I was talking with a close friend and was surprised to be overcome with emotion as I talked about my ultimate goal in life. I don’t remember how the subject came up, but I shared that for many years now I have realized that my goal is to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Absolutely everything else pales in comparison. That such a prospect is even possible is a testimony to God’s amazing grace, because there’s absolutely no way I could earn such an accolade in my own strength. I’m not intrinsically faithful! I feel like I’ve been given a huge reservoir of resources, and I have actually done very little with them. As I wrote that, the Lord reminded me that He’ll be the Judge of that, thank you. He knows exactly what He’s provided to me, what is valuable and what is less so, and He knows what I’ve done with it all even better than I do. I am to walk with Him daily, getting my “to do list” from Him and not from the world, or even my own imagination. It’s been several years now since He told me to rest, relax, and rejoice, but I’m still learning how to do that! I need to trust that He will indeed bring to completion the good work that He has begun in me, just as Paul wrote to the Philippians. (Philippians 1:6)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your incredible patience and grace toward me. I absolutely know I don’t deserve it, but I know it’s real. Help me indeed do with everything You have entrusted to me, authority and everything else, exactly what You desire and intend, so that Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign established as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Truth; January 3, 2023

Posted on January 4, 2023 by jgarrott

Luke 8:10He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.'”

This is part of the mystery of God’s plan. I don’t think anyone can say definitively why some people have tender hearts toward God’s truth and with others it’s like water on a duck’s back. Paul uses the term, “predestined,” and there are places that seem to say some people are created for destruction. How does that fit with the image of our loving Heavenly Father? I don’t think we can ever resolve that completely. Bill Whittle says we don’t have the “mental horsepower” for it, which is true enough, but the issue is even deeper than that. God knows our hearts, so He knows who will absorb His truth and who won’t. I think it always comes back to personal responsibility. If we want to know more of God, then we need to be committed to accept what we learn and act on it, not just “put it on a shelf” as part of our “library.” It fits in with another famous saying of Jesus: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6) We need God’s wisdom and perception as we share His truths, because some people will react violently to them – as can actually be seen in society around us today. This is particularly important in persecution situations, but at the same time, we never know when God will use our words to convict someone of their own need for salvation, and turn them from a persecutor to a brother. That’s why Jesus told us repeatedly to pray for those who persecute us. At the same time, we need to rejoice that God has allowed us to know however much we do know, and seek always to go deeper with Him, absorbing and applying His truth for His glory.

This is something I have struggled with. As someone with Teacher gifting, I tend to feel that just putting the truth out there should be sufficient, but that directly contradicts what Jesus says here. I need to come alongside people and help them recognize the truth for themselves. That’s what Coaching is all about, and it can be very difficult for a Teacher. I am never to stop sharing God’s truth, but I am always to seek God’s wisdom and guidance as to when, where, how, and with whom I am to share it. And again, as I’ve already touched on, I need to be careful that I am applying that truth in my own life. It certainly does me no good if I just transmit and don’t absorb. The truth remains the truth, but there is no life in it for me if I don’t take it personally. As I have said many times, I think James 1:22 was written expressly for me, though it applies to every believer: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” I desire to be effective in the teaching for which I was gifted, but to do that I have to listen to the truth that comes through me and apply it in my own life.

Father, thank You for this reminder. May 2023 be a year of applying the abundant truth You have poured into and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Social Affirmation; January 2, 2023

Posted on January 3, 2023 by jgarrott

Luke 6:22-23 “Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.”

This sounds remarkably familiar, like it’s a description of how Leftists treat those who try to live by Biblical principles. Jesus does go on right after this to touch on physical abuse, but here the abuse is psychological and social. The amount of invective poured out on social media can be astounding, and it’s certainly no fun to be the target of such. However, Jesus is saying we should rejoice when that happens, because we’re in excellent company. That said, we will rejoice only if our focus is on heaven. If our focus is on the temporal, we will only become miserable, which is exactly what the devil and those controlled by him desire. The flip side of that is equally true, and actually for the same reasons. Jesus goes on from this to talk about the dangers of being satisfied with the temporal. If we change our values in order to gain social approval, we will eventually learn that we are of no value even to ourselves. Our values, and the actions and lifestyle that stem from them, need to be rooted in the One who is eternal, and not dictated by what someone might say about us on the Internet. Social confirmation is a powerful force, but a look at Nazi Germany should teach us the extreme dangers of allowing it to control us.

Thinking about it, it was probably a blessing that I was always a misfit growing up, as a Caucasian in Japan, a civilian in a US military dependents school, and, on visits to the US, someone who knew nothing about pop culture. That made it far less tempting to “go with the flow,” largely because I was so unsuccessful when I attempted it! As an adult, I feel I have been more in danger of verse 26, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you.” I feel that I am generally well liked and respected, and that sometimes makes me feel uneasy! The thing is, I don’t want people to like me, I want them to love Jesus. However, in the Upper Room Discourse just before His arrest Jesus talked about how the world would treat His disciples as they treated Him, and that says clearly I’m not to look for popularity contests. I am, however, to pray that people’s eyes would be opened to see their own need for salvation and God’s supply of that salvation through Christ Jesus. If someone takes the trouble to insult me, that at least shows they care, and that is better than indifference. I must always remember that I can save no one, but God can use even me to save anyone.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I pray that I would live out this new year, and the rest of my life, following You fully, regardless of what the people around me are saying or doing, so that Your will may be done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Salvation by Grace; January 1, 2023

Posted on January 2, 2023 by jgarrott

Ephesians 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

Verses 8 and 9 of this chapter are dearly loved and often quoted, and verse 10 is our verse for the new year, but I think it’s important that Paul makes it very clear that he was just as much in need of the grace of God as anyone else. That’s a struggle many people have: realizing they are fundamentally sinners. We don’t want to admit that we are worthy of the wrath of God! However, there is another truism that is very true and very important: “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.” None of us starts from a better or worse position than anyone else. Some people think they are too sinful to be saved. They have the best chance, because they recognize their sin and their need of salvation! It is actually the people who think they are OK who are in the most dangerous place. As Paul wrote to the Romans, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Paul had first-hand experience, because he had been a star pupil of Gamaliel, one of the greatest teachers in Jewish history, and had followed every detail of the Mosaic Law, yet he had actively persecuted those who believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, agreeing when they were put to death. He later described himself as a “chief sinner,” (1 Timothy 1:16) though he was used by God to write half of the New Testament. Even Billy Graham, one evangelist against whom there were never any valid accusations, rightly described himself as “a sinner saved by God’s grace.” Spiritual pride is one of the most subtle and yet most devastation of the devil’s traps. Like Paul and Billy Graham, we too need to acknowledge – to ourselves, to God, and to those around us – that we were born with a sinful nature and we are totally dependent on God’s grace.

I know this all too well, because spiritual pride almost destroyed me. Raised in a missionary family, baptized on my own volition at the age of seven, reading the Bible through for the first time by the time I was 10, I thought I was in great shape. I thought any church I walked into was blessed by my presence! I was 24 years old and a young father when the Lord tapped me on the shoulder and showed me, for a brief instant, a mirror that reflected the state of my soul. I collapsed in tears of repentance, because my soul was as filthy as that of any murderer. I no longer look down on anyone! As I seek to share the Gospel of the grace of God, I remember that I am as dependent on it as anyone else. However, God’s grace is sufficient for even the hardest sinner, if they will let go of their sin and turn to Him. That is the content of the Gospel, and I am to proclaim it boldly.

Father, thank You for this reminder on the first morning of a new year. Help me live it out every day of this year, drawing others closer to You by my every word and action, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Scripture Songs; December 31, 2022

Posted on January 1, 2023 by jgarrott

Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

We have trouble grasping the magnitude of what Jeremiah was going through when he wrote this. Only those who have been through the devastation of war and famine could have any real empathy with him. However, everyone has low moments, and in the general self-centeredness of depression it’s easy to feel like our problems are worse than those of anyone else. Because of that trick of human nature, this passage is important for everyone to remember. Only those who forget the truth that Jeremiah records here go so far as to commit suicide. The thing is, God never changes but we do. That’s why Jeremiah could write that God’s mercies are “new every morning:” our perception and reception of them is renewed. The song, I Go to the Rock, is very good in this area. Pulling from many different Scriptures it expresses what any believer can and should do when things seem to be falling apart. Written by Dottie Rambo, it is certainly worth learning, and singing to yourself as often as necessary! Actually, Scripture set to music is a wonderful blessing in just about any situation. This passage from Lamentations is beautifully set to music, and there are countless more. There is no better protection against the troubles we all experience (John 16:33) than filling our minds and hearts with the Word of God, and music is a marvelous tool for doing that.

I was incredibly blessed to be raised in a home of faith and music. Some of my best memories of growing up are of singing praise to God, particularly as a family, gathered around the piano or just riding in the car together. I have also had many times of personal deep fellowship with the Lord as I have sung by myself, or simply had lyrics run through my mind and heart. Handel’s Messiah is marvelous in this respect, since the lyrics are almost entirely Scripture. The King James translation can seem archaic, but the marvelous music drives the truth home in spite of that. I feel greatly blessed and honored to have translated many songs in both directions between English and Japanese, because I know from experience that music can make truth stick with us, when otherwise we are all too prone to forget it. However, I must be careful that I allow those lyrics to soak into me and not treat them as just performance, because then they would do me no good.

Father, thank You indeed for music, and for this past year. May the year to come be a demonstration of Your grace, power, and glory so that many will repent and believe for their salvation. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Understanding; December 30, 2022

Posted on December 31, 2022 by jgarrott

Luke 2:49-50 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

It’s my personal opinion that the first two chapters of Luke’s Gospel are one of the main reasons Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea for two years. (Acts 24:27) Luke needed time to do personal research for his Gospel while Mary and other first-person witnesses were still alive. I’m sure Mary never forgot this particular incident, even though it says she didn’t understand it at the time. And actually, that lack of understanding is what speaks to me right now. We often don’t understand the significance of events while they are happening, and only grasp them later – if at all. We shouldn’t feel bad about that, because, as here, many people in the Bible were the same way. Like Mary and Joseph, sometimes we are too close to events to understand their significance. They were frustrated and worn out from three days of searching for Jesus, and probably couldn’t have accepted anything He might have said, other than perhaps an abject apology. Not getting that, this went right over their heads. However, Mary never forgot the words themselves, and was able to recall them to Luke. I don’t know that Jesus Himself particularly remembered these words after He became an adult, because that too is a common human experience. God might speak something profound through us, and we ourselves aren’t paying any particular attention. I’m reminded of the famous quote from Jim Elliot: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” That quote became unforgettable when he was killed trying to communicate the Gospel to a South American tribe, but I’m not sure he himself remembered those words particularly. It all comes back to the fact that God is omniscient but we certainly aren’t. Very few people remember every detail of their own lives, and those who do seem to consider it as much a curse as a blessing. We need to submit everything, past, present, and future, to God and ask Him to show us what we need to hold onto, and what meaning it has for us in our walk with Him.

At this point in my life I’m very aware of the unreliability of human memory! That applies both to external information and personal experience. I’ve had someone thank me for something I had said to them some years before, that, they said, transformed their personal ministry, when I myself didn’t remember having ever met them before! I’m not to run around “seeking to be profound,” but I am to keep myself available to God for however He wants to use me, whether I’m aware of being used or not. I am to ask Him for understanding of whatever I need to understand, and not be anxious about the rest. I have already had many experiences that seemed less than pleasant at the time but later proved to have been real blessings, for me or for someone else. I need to be willing to spend two years in jail, like Paul, so that someone else, like Luke, can do what God has for them to do. That can get difficult! However, I’m continuing to grow in giving all I know of myself to all I know of Christ, and that should be enough for me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You know how much I like to know things, both temporal and spiritual. Help me keep learning, without demanding to understand more than I need to. Help me indeed trust You fully, as an example to others and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Ranking; December 29, 2022

Posted on December 30, 2022 by jgarrott

Matthew 2:15 And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Matthew is the most thoroughly Jewish of the Gospels. Recent linguistic analysis by computer indicates it was probably written originally in Aramaic, and then translated into Greek. Writing for Jews, Matthew was careful to note various fulfillments of prophecy. There was certainly plenty for him to use! I have long found it interesting that the various “minor prophets” had so many Messianic references. The specification of Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah, quoted by the teachers of the Law that Herod checked with, is from Micah, and this is from Hosea. Those prophets were “minor” only in the sense that their books were short! We evaluate people by various standards, and those standards rarely if ever agree perfectly with God’s evaluation. Just yesterday I referenced Paul’s statement that “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12) He also said, “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.” (1 Corinthians  4:3) I’m sure that when we get to heaven we will find many “unknowns” in places of great honor, and many “big names” hard to spot, if they indeed make it there at all. We need to let God be in total charge of “grading,” and simply focus on our own faithfulness and relationship with Him.

I certainly didn’t expect to go this direction when I started writing! However, God knows what we need, and He indeed guides us. As a school teacher I am very familiar with grading, and it’s not unusual for me to be surprised by students’ test scores. Sometimes students who seemed exceptional in class barely squeak by on the exam, and sometimes students I had hardly noticed get extremely good grades. I need to remember that it’s God who has created my exam, and He’s the One grading it, too! (This is very much on my mind because I have to create three exams within the next week.) My school teaching requires me to evaluate others, but my focus needs to be on the only true Judge, seeking to please Him and encouraging others to please Him as well.

Father, thank You for this reminder, particularly when I’m involved in testing others. Help me pass Your tests, doing Your will as You desire and intend, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Confirmations; December 28, 2022

Posted on December 29, 2022 by jgarrott

Matt 2:10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

In the Christmas story we often talk about the faith of Mary and of Joseph, but when you think about it, the Magi also had exemplary faith. There is no record that any of them had an angelic visitation, the way Mary and Joseph had, but their faith was more intellectual, based on trusted sources and observations. In any case it had to be strong, because it prompted them to make a major investment of time and resources. “From the east” is a pretty vague reference, but the presumption is that they were Persian, from the area of present-day Iran. Riding camels (again their presumed mode of transportation) it would have taken a matter of weeks to get to Jerusalem. The trip itself would have been expensive, and then there were the famous gifts they presented. All of that, on the basis of sketchy information at best, called for a lot of faith. The point is, even for such men of faith, having things confirmed by seeing the star brought great joy. Most of us have had such experiences, even if not on this scale. We think we’ve heard God and so we act, but when events, or perhaps words spoken by someone who would not have known about our situation, confirm that we had indeed heard Him and done the right thing, the relief and joy are indeed immense. Gideon is famous for asking for, and receiving, two somewhat miraculous confirmations, giving rise to the expression, “putting out a fleece.” (Judges 6:36-40) God likes and com­mends faith, but he doesn’t beat us up when our faith is weak. The important thing is to exercise the faith we already have, walking it out in practical terms. When we do that, we quickly discover that faith is very much like muscle: when exercised, it gets stronger! We are very prone to be negative about our own level of faith, looking at others and thinking how much stronger their faith is than ours, but such comparisons are not wise, just as Paul said. (2 Corinthians 10:12) Rather, we are to live out the faith we have, trusting God to give us more and to grow us as He knows we need.

I’ve certainly experienced this! I have had people comment on my faith, but what they don’t realize is how many times that faith has felt like it had the thickness of a hair. Like the Magi, I have trusted sourc­es: the Bible and people who have gone before me in obedience to Christ. However, push comes to shove when it comes down to specific actions. Just last night I experienced, and talked about, a system God has used to train me to listen to Him, and that is simply the matter of changing lanes while driving. I’ve found that if I’m sensitive to Him, He will give me a nudge to change lanes, or not. If I am listening, then my flow through traffic is much smoother. Last night there was the specific example of someone turning out of my lane, where my brain said I should change lanes so as not to be caught behind them, and I started to do that. However, I simultaneously realized that I had not gotten the impulse to change from God, and sure enough, the turning vehicle got a break in oncoming traffic just in time to get out of my way. That was an encouraging moment for me, and since I had just been talking about this sort of thing it was a teachable moment for those in the car with me. As I had already explained to those in the car with me, this is excellent “light training” in faith and obedience, because if I miss it, going a little slower isn’t a tragedy. However, it provides immediate feedback for obedience, and that is a blessing indeed. With some things the feedback takes much longer so the faith needs to be stronger, but God provides what I need when I need it, and He is totally faithful!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the gift of faith and for confirmations that strengthen our faith, even though we walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Help me exercise fully the faith You provide, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Response to Jesus; December 27, 2022

Posted on December 28, 2022 by jgarrott

Luke 2:34-35 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

This was hardly a comfortable prophecy for Mary to hear! That said, it was certainly accurate. The expression, “falling and rising” is interesting, because it seems to refer to the same people. In a sense we have to fall, recognizing and confessing our sin, before we can rise with the forgiveness and redemption of Christ. In any case, people’s response to Christ certainly reveals the thoughts of their hearts. As Jesus Himself said, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” (John 3:19-21) On top of all of that, there is the statement that Mary’s heart would be pierced with a sword. I imagine it felt like that to her when she saw the spear enter Jesus’ side, just below the ribs, and go up through his heart, releasing blood and water. (John 19:34) The thing is, God knew everything that was going to happen, since He is outside of time, and carried through with the plan of redemption anyway, because He knew the outcome would be glorious. We are still in the middle of it all, and sometimes it can feel like our own hearts are being pierced. We need to remember that the final outcome will be good indeed, and “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

I’ve never gone through anything that felt like a sword piercing my heart, but I can imagine circumstances that would probably feel like that. I have experienced plenty of lesser trials, and my response has not always been good. Frankly, even day-to-day irritations can make me pretty hard to get along with! That’s definitely not good, and it reveals that the thoughts of my heart are not always in line with my Lord. I am not to react negatively to opposition, but remember that even from infancy, and actually long before He was born, Jesus was prophesied to endure opposition, and if I am fully submitted to Him, I can share in His victory. The more I am like Him, living and acting as His agent, the more people’s responses to me will reveal the thoughts of their hearts. I am not to condemn them for that, but pray for them and keep speaking the truth in love, so that they may perhaps repent and believe for their own salvation, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that the highly stressful Christmas season is coming to a close, with one last class Christmas party this afternoon. I pray that the seeds that have been sown would indeed sprout and grow and bear fruit, drawing many to repentance and faith for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Being Used by God; December 26, 2022

Posted on December 27, 2022 by jgarrott

Luke 2:30-32 “For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”

In the message yesterday I talked about how probably even Simeon, quoted here, didn’t have a clear idea of the salvation that God had prepared through the infant he was holding. Even he was probably thinking in largely political terms, but that didn’t keep him from speaking this beautifully accurate prophecy. He sounds a lot like Isaiah! The thing is, the person speaking God’s words quite often doesn’t necessarily understand them himself, because God is more than capable of using us despite our inadequacies. I’m reminded of the very accurate statement by Caiaphas the high priest: “It is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” (John 11:50) Caiaphas was actively trying to have Jesus killed, and yet God spoke truth through him! For that matter, there’s the famous story of the donkey speaking to Balaam, recorded in Numbers 22. As Don Francisco so accurately sang, “So if the Lord starts using you, don’t you pay it any mind. He could have used the dog next door, if He’d been so inclined.” Being actively available to God is a very good thing, but we don’t have to understand what’s going on for Him to use us. Sometimes demanding understanding is a kind of pride, wanting to be in control, so to speak. We need to have the humility to listen to Him, even when He’s speaking through us!

I’ve had at least one experience of speaking prophecy that came true in a way that I certainly didn’t imagine when I spoke it, and I have had countless times of speaking things God was saying when I wasn’t even consciously aware of prophesying – much like Caiaphas, which isn’t very comfortable company! I was blessed with a high IQ, but the longer I live, the better I understand that I know and understand hardly anything. I’m reminded of the major theologian, Barth I think it was, who, when asked “the deepest thing he had learned about God” in all of his studies, replied, “Jesus loves me. This I know for the Bible tells me so.” I am to keep pressing in for more of God, and at the same time remember that “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) My being useful to God doesn’t depend on my knowing what’s going on!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You have done in recent days and weeks. Thank You that the major pressure I had been feeling has lifted. I pray that every word You have spoken through me, and that You will speak through me, will have the effect that You intend, whether it is within my understanding or not, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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