Working With Jesus; July 18, 2023

Posted on July 19, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 16:20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

The ending of the Gospel of Mark has various problems. It is universally agreed that the book as a whole is Peter’s recollections, recorded by Mark, but it would appear that he stopped very abruptly at 16:8, which leaves us without any encounters with Jesus Himself after His resurrection, but just the angel telling the women that Jesus had risen. It just occurred to me that it could be that Peter’s personal encounter with Jesus at this point was just too intense and personal for him to talk about. (1 Corinthians 15:5) However, that was just too abrupt for some early copyist, and verses 9-20 were added. That said, with the sole exception of drinking poison, (verse 18) everything mentioned is either in other Gospels or in Acts. Sadly, some groups have used the things mentioned to “prove” their faith, which is a direct violation of God’s command, as even Jesus quoted to the devil. (Luke 4:12) That most famously includes the “snake handlers” of eastern Kentucky, but it also includes some Pentecostal groups who hold that you aren’t really saved if you don’t have the gift of tongues. (verse 17) This is just another kind of legalism, which delights only the devil. All of that said, I believe this verse 20 is anointed by God and worth having all the other difficulties. I love that it says, “The Lord worked with them.” We aren’t on our own! Just as He said in the Great Commission, (Matthew 28:18-20) Jesus is with us always, to the end of the age. Paul, though he encountered Jesus only after the resurrection in non-physical ways, was very aware of this, and mentioned it in several of his letters. And since Jesus is as much alive today as He was when He told Thomas to touch him, (John 20:24-31) He is just as available to work with us as He was with Peter and John at the Beautiful Gate. (Acts 3) We have a real danger of reading the Bible and thinking, “That was back then.” This addendum to Mark was written perhaps a hundred or more years after the resurrection, but God was still confirming His Word through believers, and He does it even today.

When I was first introduced to the Charismatic Movement back in the ‘70s I heard this part of Mark quoted a lot. Coming from a line of Bible scholars, that bothered me a lot! There were plenty of other more direct sources that could have been quoted, but some people just seemed to like this part. That doesn’t mean that the things mentioned here are invalid. I’ve never knowingly drunk poison, but when I was a child I had a pet yama kagashi snake, which I have learned only in recent years is actually poisonous! (I thought mamushi were the only poisonous snakes in Japan, as did my parents, so we treated it like a garter snake.) It never bit me, and actually liked to be inside my shirt while I did my homework, enjoying my body warmth. That had nothing to do with faith! I have experienced supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit and seen people healed when I laid hands on them and prayed. I have experienced that Jesus does indeed work with us and confirm His Word, and I want to see that more and more, so that more and more people may repent and believe for their own salvation.

Father, Thank You for this reminder. Thank You that You don’t leave us as orphans. (John 14:18) May I so live that Holy Spirit always feels welcome, working fully in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Timing; July 17, 2023

Posted on July 18, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

This is a very famous verse, and in my experience one of the most quoted from the whole Gospel of Mark. I do like it very much, but I think the context is extremely important. The story of Jesus cursing the fig tree (the incident that precipitated this statement) is told in Matthew, as we read on July 5th. However, Matthew’s telling gives the impression the tree withered while they watched, whereas Mark gives the important detail that it wasn’t until the next day that they saw it had withered. That brings up the extremely important subject of timing. We are in the flow of time and experience it on a linear scale, but God is outside of time and is aware of everything at once. That’s why he told Moses His name was I AM. (Exodus 3:14) That fact needs to be in our awareness anytime we read the Bible. Peter nailed it when he wrote, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9) I touched on this on the 5th, because it’s absolutely inescapable when talking about God’s promises. However, it also applies to our own perception of ourselves. Paul dealt with the issue constantly, writing things like, “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) In the very next chapter he talks about his own struggles with sin, but it is with the awareness that it’s all a matter of perspective. After all, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) We might not be experiencing that as reality at the moment, but from God’s perspective it’s already accomplished. That’s why it’s important that Jesus said, “believe that you have received it.” We need to surrender our time perception to Him, to walk in all that He has already done for us.


This is an issue I deal with constantly, as actually every believer does, whether or not they are aware of it. God is absolutely faithful and true to His promises, but it doesn’t always look that way to my flesh. Physical/medical issues are a case in point. Right now I seem to be in the throes of a summer cold, which is no fun, but at the same time, “the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) That’s all the more acute for my wife, who has Parkinson’s Disease and a number of other medical issues. We know that we aren’t to be presumptuous, and that “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) Various Biblical figures had medical issues, and when Paul asked for healing from one, he was bluntly told, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) We are to rest in the assurance that in Christ everything is already accomplished, whatever our temporal perception might be, and rejoice in Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the cold that is really putting a point on it. I ask for wisdom in cooperating with Your healing, and faith to indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in the process, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Doing the Impossible; July 16, 2023

Posted on July 17, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

There are other passages that express this truth in one form or another, spoken by God to Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 32:27) and the angel Gabriel to Mary, (Luke 1:37) and here it is spoken by Jesus. You’d think we would get the message! However, we have a strong tendency to view everything in terms of what we can or could do. In a sense, we are remaking God in our image, instead of remembering that we are made in His. (Genesis 1:27) That can create all sorts of problems. Most basically, it really stunts our faith, because we know from a lifetime of experience that there are many things we can’t do. I think that’s why a childlike faith is so powerful. Little children are very aware of their own limitations, but they don’t know that their daddy is limited, and when that is appropriately transferred to Father God, it can be powerful indeed. The specific “impossibility” Jesus is speaking of here is salvation. In a sense it is the ultimate example, because we can’t even save ourselves, much less someone else. However, God has made it possible for anyone to be saved, if they will “repent and believe the good news,” as Jesus put it at the start of His ministry. (Mark 1:15) In this situation the disciples were amazed, because from their social framework and expectation, it was the wealthy who were able to “dot all the Is and cross all the Ts,” and they had a legalistic view of things. Jesus’ biggest fights were with the legalists! It’s also worth noting that it says Jesus loved the young man who triggered this discussion, (verse 21) but that didn’t keep Him from telling him something that essentially drove him away. Accurate, Godly love doesn’t draw back from the hard stuff, but always speak the truth no matter how unwelcome it might be. Jesus knew the miracle that needed to take place in that young man’s heart, and He also knew that it wasn’t too difficult a miracle for His Father. We aren’t to draw back from difficult situations or pretend they don’t exist, but we must remember that nothing is too difficult for our heavenly Father, to use the terminology He did with Jeremiah.

This is especially meaningful for me because the major purpose and goal of my life is the salvation of souls, and it seems to happen all too seldom around me. I could name any number of people with whom I’ve shared the Gospel who have made no overt move to accept it. “With man it is impossible, but nothing is impossible with God.” I’ve got to keep remembering that and never give up hope, speaking the truth in love and making the most of every opportunity I’m given, and leaving the results up to my Lord. His plans, His will, are good, and I am to walk in peace in that assurance.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all that You are doing in this church, in individuals and in our interaction as a whole. May we respond to You fully, exactly as You desire, so that we may be Your agents for Your name to be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign be established as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Spiritual Growth; July 15, 2023

Posted on July 16, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 9:23-24 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

I keep coming back to this story because I can identify with this father so easily, as I think every Christian can. We say we believe and we’re not being hypocritical, but at the same time it can feel like we are, because our faith can feel very shallow at times. The thing is, God knows our frailty and He loves us anyway. He wants our faith to grow, which is a major reason He doesn’t answer every prayer immediately. Dealing with delayed gratification is a major hallmark of maturity. However, He doesn’t reject us just because our faith stumbles, any more than parents reject their small children for being less than mature. (We can be tempted to do that at times, but objective self-examination shows that we’re less than perfectly mature ourselves.) I have liked some t-shirts I’ve seen, with messages like, “Be patient. God’s not finished with me yet,” and simply, “Under construction.” We won’t be “complete” until we’re before God’s throne in heaven, and we need to be at peace with that. Paul’s famous statement to the Philippians is all the more impactful when you consider that He wrote half the New Testament. “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14) We don’t believe perfectly, or do anything perfectly, but like this father, we can ask God for help to continue to grow.

The longer I live, and presumably the more mature I get, the more I realize just how spiritually immature I am. I jump to conclusions, I take things for granted, I am judgmental, forgetting my own past failures. I am impatient and demanding, hurting people needlessly with my words. That said, I think it’s fair to say I’m a long way from where I once was. Sometimes, particularly when I’m disgusted with myself, I need to look back and see from where God has brought me. There is no shame in saying with this father, “I do believe. Help me do better.” I do need to remember that repentance is an essential part of this. I’m not to take my failures lightly, but I must remember that God is far bigger and stronger than any sin or failure of mine, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me completely. (1 John 1:7)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your overwhelming grace! Help me be an agent, a channel, of that grace to all around me, so that they may join me as Your growing children, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Children; July 14, 2023

Posted on July 15, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 6:3 “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

We don’t often think about Jesus’ family when He was growing up. Four brothers are named here and there were multiple sisters, so there were at least seven children in the family and possibly more, depending on the number of girls. As the oldest of the brood, Jesus had plenty of training that would come in handy when dealing with His disciples! Family dynamics are a fascinating study, in turns encouraging, amusing, and tragic. How parents respond to their children, and vice versa, and how siblings respond to each other, has an enormous impact on how we turn out as human beings, and the level of peace, satisfaction, and joy we experience. Affluent societies tend toward fewer children, which can at times be really sad. Only children in particular lack a whole range of interactions that prepare us for life in general. There’s nothing like a house full of siblings to teach you that you aren’t the center of the universe! Numerous studies, not to mention personal observation, tell us that selfishness, being self-centered, never leads to true happiness. Certainly not all only children turn out that way, but they have a major handicap in that direction. An infant is naturally self-absorbed, as well as being curious about the world around them. Wise parents are careful to teach their children from the start to respect others and others’ belongings. If they fail to do so, the odds are high that the children will become selfish and demanding. That certainly isn’t a recipe for happiness! God knew what Jesus needed to prepare Him for ministry, so He gave Him a whole crew of younger brothers and sisters as a training ground. We need to be grateful for the families we have, and allow God to use them to train and grow us as we need, even when the friction level gets high. After all, as was noted all the way back in Proverbs, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

This is very timely for me, because one of my spiritual children and his wife just had their first child yesterday. I’ve been praying a lot for them! With over 40 years of school teaching behind me, I’ve seen a lot of young people, and some of them I could tell you a lot about their family without ever having been told it: siblings, financial level, and the like. My wife and I both grew up with three siblings each, but my father-in-law was one of seven, and my mother-in-law one of 11! We only have two daughters for medical reasons, much as my father only had one sister, likewise for medical reasons. I do a lot of pre-marital counseling as a condition for the weddings I perform, and I always bring this issue up. I don’t have all wisdom, certainly, but I try to steer them toward what I see as the Biblical pattern, since our heavenly Father desires genuine blessing and happiness for us.
After all, families are His idea!

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do pray for my spiritual son and his wife that they would raise their son, and any succeeding siblings, as You desire and intend, to know and love You and be the person You created him to be, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Faith vs. Witchcraft; July 13, 2023

Posted on July 14, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 5:36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

This is of course another of the stories that is recorded by multiple Gospel writers, but each one includes different details. These particular words of Jesus have encouraged countless people in the centuries since Jesus spoke them. Sometimes the “objective facts” don’t line up with spiritual reality. As Paul stated clearly, “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) That can be really difficult at times! A major issue is the matter of wishful thinking, which is not the same as faith. The Left encourages and engages in in that sort of thing all the time, telling people things like, “You can change your gender.” That isn’t faith, it’s attempted witchcraft, which is the supernatural manipulation of things. Witchcraft is very attractive to our flesh, because in principle it leaves us in control. Faith, in contrast, is submission to whatever God says, whether it agrees with our senses or not. We would like to “wave a wand” and change things the way we like, but that is putting man in a place that belongs only to God. That desire is precisely what got Lucifer thrown out of heaven! Some “word of faith” teachers get dangerously close to the line when it comes to witchcraft. God’s promises are indeed magnificent, but they are ultimately for His glory, and not to pamper us. We need to focus on being obedient children, knowing that our heavenly Father’s plans for us are always good, however difficult they might seem along the way.

I too have indulged in wishful thinking, and indeed have been temp­ted by witchcraft. As an avid reader, I have long enjoyed fantasy and science fiction, and at times my imagination has run wild in that direction. However, I have always come back to the reality that God is God and I’m not, and that’s a very good thing. I couldn’t begin to handle even the smallest fraction of all the factors involved, not to mention the unintended consequences, if I were able to make edicts on my own. I will never forget one time when I was lying in bed, not actively praying but just thinking, “There are so many things I wish were different.” To my great shock, the Lord spoke to me very clearly at that moment, “How do you think I feel?” I was flooded with the awareness that, though there are many things that don’t currently agree with His character, He hasn’t abandoned any of it, or us, and He has a plan to bring it all into resolution. Sometimes His plan is clear, and sometimes it is invisible to our natural senses. It is in those latter times that we need to take Jesus’ words here to heart.

Father, thank You for this reminder. There are indeed many things that “it would be nice” if they were different. Help me trust You fully and be at peace with Your timing, allowing You to grow me through all You take me through, so that I may be Your agent on more and more levels in more and more situations, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Listening; July 12, 2023

Posted on July 13, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 4:33-34 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

As in everything else, Jesus was wise in how he taught. The general population was not ready to receive truths that conflicted with their traditions, so He couched that truth in illustrations, metaphors, and parables. His disciples, on the other hand, were still largely ignorant of the things of the Kingdom but they were committed to Jesus, so He was able to say things more plainly to them. There are many examples of that plain teaching scattered through the Gospels. We too need to let Holy Spirit guide us as to what to say to whom, when and how. Educators are very aware of what are called “teachable moments,” when someone’s mind and heart are prepared to receive whatever you are wanting to give them. All sorts of things influence that. Every pastor experiences having an outside speaker come in and the congregation be very moved by what they hear, when actually it is something the pastor has been trying to get through to them for months! That’s why every genuine disciple of Jesus Christ needs to ask for hearing ears, a hearing heart, every time they listen to a message or even read the Bible. I think just about every Christian has experienced reading a passage they had read many times before, but suddenly the words reach out and grab them, imparting God’s truth into their heart. We aren’t to put ourselves down for not grasping that truth earlier, but rather be grateful that God has prepared our heart to receive it at that point. Jesus spoke several times about “ears to hear,” and John famously used that phrase in talking about what he had been shown on the island of Patmos. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22) We need to ask for hearing ears!

I have recently been touched by something my younger daughter said to me. We try to have an online chat with our daughters every Saturday morning, Japan time, and we use “starter questions” to keep the conversation meaningful. One such that came up a few weeks ago was, “What is something you have really learned from your parents?” She blew me out of the water by saying, “I’ve learned to listen. I always felt like I could say anything to you and you would really hear me.” I almost cried, because I’ve never felt like I was a very good listener – I talk too much! It is true, however, that I do seek to listen to God, whenever and however He speaks to me. One thing that impacted me in that area was the brief, 3-month time I had with my father after I brought my wife and children to Japan for the first time, back in 1974. We arrived March 1st, and my parents left for the US the middle of May, for the trip from which my father returned in a box. My father was a university chancellor, very busy, but every time I went into his study I felt like he had nothing to do but talk with me, his youngest child. I know what that meant to me, and I guess I have tried to emulate that, but until my daughter spoke up, I didn’t feel I had been very successful. Listening to people is important but of course listening to God is most important. We are commanded to love God and love our neighbor, and love listens.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how You have worked in me, often in spite of me! I pray that I would indeed listen more and more and better and better, to be transformed into what You desire me to be, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Demonstrating Power; July 11, 2023

Posted on July 12, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 2:12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

This dramatic, moving story is rightly recorded by multiple Gospel writers because it illustrates the distinctives of Jesus’ ministry. In the first place, Jesus’ teaching was very attractive to many people, but not all who came to hear had open hearts. It is amazing how we can prefer our man-made traditions to the pure Word of God! In the second place, it shows Jesus’ compassionate heart. Having someone lowered through a hole in the roof would be disruptive to say the very least, but Jesus’ focus was on the paralytic, and the faith of the men who brought him to Jesus. The third thing is Jesus’ demonstration of the reality that, as Paul said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” (1 Corinthians 2:4) Not too many preachers today can make that statement! You can’t refute the power of God with clever arguments. That’s why the resurrection of Lazarus, as recorded in John 11, was the event that pushed Jesus’ enemies to have Him crucified. They couldn’t deny the reality of what He was doing, so they tried to take Him out. Of course, they didn’t know that they were setting the stage for the biggest miracle of all, the atonement for the sins of mankind and victory over death itself. The devil has always insisted that all religions were of equal value, but that’s just another of his lies. It is only in Christ that we are rightly connected to the Creator of the universe, and His power operates in and through us. We can’t dictate to Him how His power is to be used, but when we are rightly submitted to Him, that power operates in and through us, for our blessing and His glory. We need to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, (Matthew 6:33) and expect Him to follow through.

I have only seen a few physical miracles, but I have seen some and know they are no big deal for God. I frankly don’t know why I don’t see more, but it may be related to what Jesus said to Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) However, I covet open demonstrations of God’s power to give the Japanese more impetus to repent and believe for their salvation. In the meantime, I am to be faithful and obedient, doing whatever my Lord tells me to do and leaving the result up to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the nurse’s response yesterday when she found out I was a pastor: “That explains you!” She went on to say that I had an aura of peace, and she was touched by it. May my life be a demonstration of Your reality indeed, however You choose for that to be, so that many may repent and believe for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Fishing for Men; July 10, 2023

Posted on July 11, 2023 by jgarrott

Mark 1:16-20 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

John gives us the background to this story, explaining in John 1:35-42 that this wasn’t Jesus’ first encounter with these men. They had probably been thinking about Jesus a lot since that first encounter. Jesus’ challenge to them recorded here gave them the courage to follow through on the impulse that had doubtless been building in them. It’s interesting to note from John’s record that with both pairs of brothers it was the younger who first believed. John and Andrew, though young, were already counted as disciples of John the Baptist, even though they continued their work as fishermen. Sometimes we forget that in those days boys were considered men once they had their bar mitzva, and were expected to enter a trade. The much shorter life expectancy tended to put everything into a rush. In any case, it was a major decision to leave an established occupation in order to follow an itinerant preacher. The metaphor Jesus used here is significant because of how it related to his hearers on multiple levels. In the first place is the obvious one: they were already professional fishermen. The Japanese expression here, though longer than the English, makes it a little clearer that Jesus wasn’t telling them to change their occupation exactly, but rather the purpose of their activity. The second level, to me, is that these men realized they had already been “netted” by their first encounter with Jesus. I think that gave them a glimpse of just what Jesus meant by “fishers of men.” I think that’s worth our deep consideration. How were we “caught” by Jesus? He wants us to do that for others as well. That’s why personal testimony is so important in evangelism. Just expressing theories and principles isn’t very convincing, but it’s hard to argue with personal experience.

I can’t duplicate for someone else my own experience of growing up in a genuinely Christian home, but I can share my interactions with my Lord since then. Just yesterday I had the opportunity to tell again the story of how I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, and months later received the gift of tongues. The confirmation for me that God had indeed been true to His Word and baptized me in His Spirit was when I realized that I was talking to a total stranger about Jesus, and Acts 1:8 came to mind. I have had many other personal encounters with God, and those are what I seek to share. As someone with Teacher gifting I tend to be heavy on the “theories and principles” side, but as I said, that’s not very convincing. I am never to draw back from sharing what God has done for me, whether I think that puts me in a good light or not. After all, Jesus has given me His Spirit to be His witness!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all the “body life” that went on here yesterday, with the Taiwan team here for the service, for the pot luck lunch afterward, and for the ministry that continued while I had to go upstairs to do premarital counseling. Thank You for all You are doing in and among us! I pray that all the believers would wake up to their privilege of being Your agents to draw others into Your family, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Faith; July 9, 2023

Posted on July 10, 2023 by jgarrott

Matthew 27:41-42 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.”

I’ve heard various stories of people saying, “If this happens, then I’ll believe.” Such statements, and such people, are never wise, because the Biblical pattern is faith first, then the miracle. Faith is both a gift and a choice. Because it is a gift, no one can boast about it, as Paul succinctly and famously stated. (Ephesians 2:8-9) However, it is also a choice; we have to choose to receive what God offers. He gives us all various opportunities to believe, but we can be remarkably hard headed at times. Some who choose not to believe call those who do believe “gullible,” but who has the better outcome? Just yesterday I was reading an article that stated that even atheists concede that the fellowship and community in a church is better than anywhere else. I didn’t do that survey, but it sounds right to me! The peace and joy of a life of faith can be had no other way, but we have to choose to accept it. And that’s just talking about the results of faith in this life! The Bible is clear that we will spend eternity with our Lord, whether it is Jesus Christ the Son of God, or the devil, who in pride rebelled, desiring the glory for himself, and is destined for eternity in torment. Faith that God loved us enough to send His Son to die for our sins indeed brings the eternal life that the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16, talks about. The men who were mocking Jesus obviously didn’t choose to accept that faith.

Growing up in a household of faith it was a very easy choice for me, but pride nearly derailed me. I learned the hard way that choosing faith isn’t an “into bliss and out of blister” proposition, as my grandfather used to put it. I have learned that faith is an ongoing choice, to be renewed at sometimes very frequent intervals. However, I have also learned that such renewals are effective, and very blessed. I am never to take my salvation for granted, “sinning so that grace may increase,” as Paul put it, (Romans 5:20- 6:2) At the same time, I am not to be anxious about “losing my salvation.” Repentance is both necessary and effective on a continual basis. The longer I walk with my Lord in this life, the more assurance and anticipation I have of walking with Him in the next. We don’t have to have “incredible faith” for faith to be incredible!

Father, thank You for this encouraging reminder. Thank You that I’m getting more and more used to the new lens in my right eye, and that I’ll be getting a new one for the left tomorrow. Thank You for all the things that are scheduled to go on today. I ask Your guidance and anointing for every detail, so that the team from Taiwan, our usual members, and especially those who don’t yet know You may be powerfully touched by Your Spirit, to be transformed more and more into the likeness of Your Son, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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