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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Joy and Faithfulness; December 25, 2022

Posted on December 26, 2022 by jgarrott

Luke 2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

There’s a little chorus, part of a longer cantata, that sets the first part of this verse to music, and I can’t read this without that running through my head. There are two things that stand out to me about this verse. The first is that the shepherds were overjoyed that everything was exactly as the angel had said, capping an overall miraculous experience. I can only imagine their level of joy, but I would think that anyone with even a little bit of spiritual sensitivity would react much the same way. The other thing, however, is that they returned, they went back to what they had been doing, as was their responsibility. Encounters with God are supposed to change us, but they seldom erase our other responsibilities. Everything God does has a purpose, and we need to be looking out for what that purpose is, to better participate in its fulfillment. Frankly, there is joy in doing and being what God intends. The shepherds doubtless remembered and talked about their encounter with the angels for the rest of their lives, and that was something God intended, to give other people faith and hope. However, God also intended that they be faithful shepherds of the flocks entrusted to them, to keep them from harm and deliver them to the temple as called for. God doesn’t want us to be “so heavenly minded we’re no earthly good,” as has been said. We are to rejoice, and we are to be faithful. If we do that, God will be pleased and glorified.

This certainly applies to me. As I was driving around this morning to bless the churches in our city, the Lord pointed out to me that if I really trusted Him fully, I wouldn’t get so tied in knots over the busyness of Christmas. Last night was a good case in point. It was a very busy event with a lot of people, and that’s not my forte. However, the Lord anointed me and carried me along, and things went very well indeed. We did have non-Christians present, one of whom I have no idea how he knew about the service, and both of them seemed very impressed and moved by what they saw and experienced here. One said he would be back this morning, and I need to trust God with that as well. I have learned the hard way that I can’t convince anyone of the truth of the Gospel in my own wisdom, but God can indeed, and wants to, use my words to get the job done. I’m not to be uptight about anything, but allow the Holy Spirit to carry me along and speak and act through me, so that God’s will may be done on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You indeed for all You did last night. Thank You also for carrying us through the family Christmas time we had in the morning. I pray that all of Your purposes for today may be fulfilled, that we may recognize Your schedule and follow it with joy, for the blessing of all involved and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Poverty; December 24, 2022

Posted on December 25, 2022 by jgarrott

Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

We seldom think about the poverty of the Holy Family, but it’s undeniable from the accounts. As Paul said, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Americans have very little empathy for that. What is considered “the poverty line” in the US today would have been unimaginable luxury for most of human history. Getting used to luxury can be very dangerous spiritually, as America certainly demonstrates today. Right now, “peak Christmas” is equal to “peak materialism” for many people, which is why the current economic situation produces such angst. Jesus had a good bit to say about this in His ministry, telling us to “store up treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:20) He didn’t ignore physical needs, but told us, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:32-33) On the spiritual level, which is what really counts, Joseph and Mary were far more “wealthy” than Herod in his castle. Actually, from our viewpoint, there was far less gap in their “creature comforts” than we would imagine, since Herod didn’t have hot and cold running water, or a whole list of other things we take completely for granted. As many studies have shown, gratitude is the key to happiness, and far too many people have forgotten how to be grateful.

Of course this applies to me as well. Over the course of my life I have had times when we weren’t sure how we could pay the rent, put gas in the car, and put food on the table. We even had a car repossessed! However, God met our genuine needs, and I am deeply grateful. At this point our bank account looks healthier than I think it has ever been, at precisely a point when I feel that is less important than I ever have! I would be happy for those I care about to have this same attitude, but lecturing or feeling “holier-than-thou” would certainly be counter-productive. As a teacher and a pastor I am in a position of influence, and I need to be careful that my influence points people to their Creator, to trust and rely on Him in grateful stewardship. I don’t have the wisdom to do that properly, but He will provide that too as I ask Him, (James 1:5) so I’m not to be anxious. As He has told me, I’m to rest, relax, and rejoice, whatever my bank account looks like!

Father, thank You for this reminder. I feel like a bit of a Grinch, being so anti-materialistic at Christmas. May my words and my actions build people up and not tear them down, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Names; December 23, 2022

Posted on December 24, 2022 by jgarrott

Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” –which means, “God with us.”

I don’t know that Jesus was ever addressed as Immanuel while He walked this earth, (though it’s not impossible) but He has certainly been referred to as that many times since then. His given name of Yeshua, specified by the angel in verse 21, was likewise meaningful: Yahweh is Salvation. Whereas it is true that “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” names have been expected to be descriptive in many cultures, even though they aren’t much so in current culture. God Himself is given various names in the Old Testament, and they are all meaningfully descriptive. The biggest issue for us is how we perceive and relate to the One we call Jesus. It is when we grasp that He is indeed God With Us, that Yahweh is indeed our salvation, that we open our hearts to acknowledge and obey Him as Lord. Every Christian has done that to some degree, but none of us have done it perfectly, because of our very human limitations. That’s why my father’s catch phrase, “Give all you know of yourself to all you know of Christ,” is important not just for the initial moment of commitment and salvation, but throughout our time on earth. Anyone who thinks they know themselves perfectly is mistaken, and Christ, being part of the infinite Godhead, is by definition beyond the power of our human brains to comprehend fully. Life by its definition includes growth, and as long as we are alive we are to keep growing in our self-knowledge and our knowledge of the One who gave Himself to be born as a human baby and then die to take the penalty for our sins.

Names have been something of an issue for me all my life. When I was an infant, someone hearing that my name was Jackson Max­field Garrott commented, “That’s a mighty big name for such a small baby.” My mother’s response? “He’ll grow.” Each of my names is meaningful in my family. My father’s father was Ernest Perry Jackson Garrott. Since they wanted to name me for him (having given one of my mother’s father’s names to my older brother) they asked him which of those names he liked best. I could easily have been Ernest, or Perry! I like to think he chose Jackson because it means “son of an apprentice/disciple.” My father was certainly a disciple of Jesus Christ! Maxfield was his mother’s maiden name, as well as his own middle name (and the one he used, going by Max). I like Jackson because it is clearly humble, not even claiming to be a disciple but simply the son of one. My highest dream is to hear the words spoken by the master in Jesus’s parable: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21) I have more to learn of myself, and much more to learn of Christ, and my prayer is that I keep learning.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do indeed learn more all the time, of myself and of my Lord. Thank You for Your grace to enable me to do that. May I do with that knowledge what You desire, to be an effective, useful servant indeed, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Interpreting and Applying the Bible; December 22, 2022

Posted on December 23, 2022 by jgarrott

Micah 5:4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely,
for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.

This passage as a whole is famous because it’s the one the “experts in the Law,” referenced when King Herod asked where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2:3-6) The shocking thing is that, knowing this accurate prophecy, those religious leaders didn’t seek out the Messiah themselves, when the Magi had come saying they had seen His star in the east. They had become political, interested in preserving their entrenched power, and were actually on Herod’s side in wanting to get any such “disturbing influence” out of the way. This verse describes a very different order of things than what those religious leaders were depending on. We tend to like things to stay as we are used to them, even when the new might be far better. The first line of the next verse brings out the difficulties of Bible translation, and thus interpretation of what it means. The NIV says, “And He will be their peace,” which sounds beautiful and meaningful as part of the description of the Messiah. However, the Japanese says, “Peace will come about in the following way.” That was downright jarring in contrast when I read it just now. I’m no Hebrew scholar, but I do know that Hebrew is written essentially in all consonants, with little “punctuation marks” to indicate the vowels, so minor differences can change the meaning drastically. I am moved by what the NIV says here, but I can see that the Japanese might well be what was originally written. This shows that any time we read the Bible we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit, because He knows what He caused to be written!

I grew up in a home that was steeped in the Bible. My father had gotten his Master’s degree in Biblical Hebrew and his Doctorate in Biblical Greek, and he taught both of those languages in Japanese. The Bible was deeply revered in our home, but there was full understanding that no translation had a monopoly on accuracy, so we needed to seek what the Author had intended for any passage. My personal struggle was very similar to that of the religious leaders who talked with Herod. It wasn’t that I had power and authority particularly, but that I was so familiar with the words that I failed to apply them. I have long maintained that James 1:22 was written expressly for me: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Knowing the words, and even being able to compare different translations the way I have just done, means nothing if I’m not applying what is said. I do need to seek the Lord as to the meaning of each passage, but even more, I need to seek Him for how I am to apply that in my life. Only then will it indeed be “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s very appropriate when I am “burned out on Christmas.” The words are still true, they are still glorious, and I need to let them fill and operate through me, so that I may be an effective conduit of Your grace and mercy to others. I ask for fresh anointing today and tomorrow as I tell the Christmas story to my school classes. I ask You to give them ears and hearts to hear, and I ask You to speak freely through me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Grasping; December 21, 2022

Posted on December 22, 2022 by jgarrott

Philippians 2:6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.

We grasp, or grasp at, many things, but Jesus, our ultimate Example, didn’t do that. The things mentioned in this passage are worthy of deep and repeated meditation, because we can imitate them only by the grace and power of God. Much is made of identity these days, in various ways. People say they “identify” as this that or the other, often rejecting objective facts and even biology. Jesus didn’t claim He was other than God, but He released his identity as God in order to become a human being like us and take the penalty for our sin. When He went that far for us, how can we hold back anything from Him? God provides us with many things at our creation, from physical life itself to various abilities and supplies, so to speak, to enable us to fulfill His purposes for us. However, all those things are from Him, and we are no more than stewards. As Paul famously said, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2) We aren’t to treat what God has provided lightly, much less throw it away, but we are to hold it all with open hands, allowing God to take anything from us at any time. That is emotionally very difficult! Grasping seems to be part of our nature, as is shown by the very moving pictures of preborn infants grasping a finger of the surgeon operating on them in utero. In that case it is very tender and sweet, but it can become problematic later on. It is said that monkeys can be caught by placing a desirable treat in a jar with a mouth just big enough to get an empty hand into it. A monkey will stick his hand in and grasp the treat, and then be tethered to the jar because they won’t let go of the treat in order to remove their hand, thereby losing at least their freedom and perhaps their life. We aren’t much better! We need to remember and believe that what God has prepared for us is ultimately so much better than anything on this earth, so that we will happily let go of anything temporal in order to better receive it.

I have known this as theory and objective fact for many years, but I keep getting lessons in it. I’ve never been athletic, but I have generally had good freedom of movement. From just three days ago my left knee has been acting up, making stairs painful. It’s giving me empathy for the pain my wife has been experiencing, both pre- and post-surgery! Likewise, it can be very frustrating to discover I can’t do something, mentally or otherwise, that I used to be able to do easily. I’m not to abandon such abilities, but neither am I to grasp them, making them part of my identity, which I am very prone to do. Everything I have has a purpose in God’s plan, and that is far more important than whatever I might think to do with it. I am not to grasp anything except my Lord, and thankfully, He has grasped me and won’t let go. (Philippians 3:12)

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for enabling me to put into words what You are walking me through. Help me indeed be the steward You want me to be, using all You have provided as You intend, fulfilling Your purposes on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Fear of the Lord; December 20, 2022

Posted on December 21, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 11:3-4 And he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

We aren’t used to a ruler being a supreme judge, but that’s the context here. Democracy in any form was unknown when Isaiah was writing, and monarchs were indeed absolute within their kingdoms. We have trouble thinking of even Jesus as absolute! However, the description given here should give us peace and even joy. Christ as King will indeed judge correctly, as only He knows the thoughts and intents of our heart. The first line of this, that He will delight in the fear of the Lord, shows how little we understand the fear of the Lord. We can’t imagine delighting in fearing anything! This isn’t a terror, but a deep respect and full obedience. Sadly, the description here is in sharp contrast to the vast majority of political leaders today. If they had any fear of the Lord they wouldn’t pull half of the stunts they do! What we see is indeed a swamp of creatures devouring each other and the people they supposedly serve, all for the sake of perceived personal gain. This doesn’t mean Christians are to abandon the political sphere, but rather that they are to apply this standard to all their political decisions. We do need to remember that no one is perfect but Jesus, least of all us, but we must never abandon this ideal. Anything less is to be held up to this standard – including our own actions and motivations.

Raised in the home that I was, I learned to love the Lord from a very early age. The fear of the Lord has developed more and more over the years. I wish I could say it has been perfected in me, but that is hardly true. I still respond to what I see and hear physically over what I perceive spiritually, showing my spiritual immaturity. It is easy to look at politicians, for example, and point fingers, but I’ve got to remember that my own thoughts and actions are my first responsibility. The thing is, being self-centered isn’t the way to do that. It is only as I focus on the Lord, rather than on myself, that I can fear, obey, and love Him properly. There are a number of things about the busyness of this season that I don’t like, but focusing on my feelings will only make me more miserable and cause me to respond poorly to the people around me. I keep coming back to what the Lord told me, years ago now: I need to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him. Only that will result in a life that is pleasing and honoring to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’ve got another week of frenetic schedule, but You will get me through it. I pray that I would be so centered on You that in my every interaction, those with whom I interact would be blessed and drawn to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment