Perspective; January 29, 2022

Posted on January 31, 2022 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

I read verse one of this chapter and almost stopped right there and wrote on that, and had the same reaction again and again as I kept reading. This is so extremely rich! I finally chose to write on this verse largely because I quote it so often! This verse, along with John 16:33, which I also quote with great frequency, should give us the perspective to be able to handle anything life throws at us. The devil loves to get us to focus on the immediate difficulty, be it cancer or a paper cut. When he succeeds, we lose our joy and sometimes our hope, and he is always out to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) To maintain the joy and peace God has provided for us, (John 14:27; 16:22) we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2-3) All of that is exactly what Paul is talking about in this verse. Because we are in the flow of time, we are inherently prone to misplaced perspective. Adults are often amused at the antics of children when something minor happens, but I think God is the same way with us, because He sees the end from the beginning. He abides in the eternal glory that Paul mentions here, and He knows that He has called us into it as well. When we have that understanding, temporal issues cease to distress us, as Paul goes on to explain in the very next verse.

This is an understanding that I’m growing into. My wife and I have a regular Internet chat time with our two grown daughters, and we have been using a set of “conversation cards” to be sure that those times deepen our understanding of each other. Two of the four questions for today are, “What do you like best about your current age?” and, “What do you like least about your current age?” I knew my answers immediately when I saw the questions. What I like least is the physical deterioration that comes with age, even though it has been mercifully slow in my case. What I like best is my growing grasp of the eternal perspective Paul is talking about here. I do still get frustrated and upset at times, but I’m much more at peace with, “This too will pass.” That’s particularly valuable with the physical difficulties I just mentioned! I want to be fully present and useful to my Lord here and now, but I am increasingly looking forward to the eternal glory that awaits me. Yesterday we had news that my 82-year-old sister was taken to the emergency room with COVID. I pray God’s best for her, but I know that could either be more time here or going on to glory. That’s actually a dilemma for every believer, as Paul wrote to the Philippians. (Philippians 1:21-24) I am to rest, relax, and rejoice, just as God told me to do, so that His purposes for me may be fulfilled for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do pray for my sister, and for all who are concerned for her. May Your perfect will, and Yours alone, be done, not only in her case but in all the world, just as Jesus told us to pray, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Credentials; January 28, 2022

Posted on January 31, 2022 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant–not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

It’s rare for me to write on three verses together, but this is a very connected passage. Credentials are important in many societies, some more than others. Probably from the beginning of human society some people have claimed things about themselves that were not true; there have always been shysters of one sort and another. Paul is here saying that his credentials are from God. In verse two he has already said that the people to whom he has ministered are his letter of recommendation. People today often love to put assorted letters after their names to indicate their academic degrees and associations, but too often those mean very little in practical terms. I doubt that Albert Einstein put any letters after his name! Though it’s not what Paul was thinking of, that could be directly related to his statement that “the letter kills.” It generally takes hard work to earn advanced degrees, and I am rather proud that my father received his PhD at 23, but degrees aren’t what Jesus was talking about when He said, “by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:20) These days there are countless doctorates of various sorts, and they mean many different things The current First Lady has been mocked for insisting at times that she be referred to as “Doctor,” because her degree is in some sort of liberal art and certainly not medicine, which is what the average person thinks of with “doctors.” We are certainly to evaluate people carefully, not from a judgmental standpoint but so as not to be deceived. There are plenty of people with paper credentials who are either incompetent or downright dangerous to society. We are to seek the wisdom of God and the life of the Spirit, so that we too may be agents of life and not death.

I once had an amusing incident along these lines myself. I was doing some consulting work for a computer company in a neighboring town, and they offered to get me a subscription to the Journal of the IEEE, which is a professional journal dealing with electrical engineering, particularly relating to computing. I had to fill out an application form, since they don’t give those subscriptions to just anyone. When it asked for academic degrees, I honestly wrote that I earned an MRE in 1978, and they approved my subscription, probably thinking that the E referred to some sort of engineering. Actually, those initials indicate Master of Religious Education! I chuckle remembering that. I have considered getting a doctorate, but realized that it would have absolutely no impact on my actual work and ministry. My experience of seminary in the US was that it bore very little relationship to actual ministry in Japan. Knowledge isn’t bad, but it is no substitute for obedient submission to the Holy Spirit. Right now, interestingly, my white beard is taken as a form of credentials, since age is still respected in Japan, but that too is meaningless. I need to rely fully on God and not on myself, and certainly not on what people think of me.

Father, thank You for having Paul record this truth. Help me be Your agent at all times, not being trapped again by pride and conceit, so that Your name may be recognized as holy and Your rule and reign established as Your will is done, in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Comforting; January 27, 2022

Posted on January 30, 2022 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

I long ago lost count of how many times I’ve used this passage in talking to people about what they were going through. As Jesus said, in this world we will have trouble. (John 16:33) Since that is a given, this passage gives meaning to that. In a sense, we don’t suffer for ourselves alone, but in order to prepare us to help others in their suffering. It’s somewhat like military boot camp, where you are put through all sorts of stuff to prepare you for potential future situations, except that the preparation isn’t just for ourselves, but for those to whom we will minister. Some will protest that they didn’t “sign up” for that sort of thing. The fact of the matter is, none of us signed up for anything! We are all created beings, living in a world tainted by the sins of mankind. Blessings abound, but so do pitfalls and hardships. If we focus on the negatives we will be miserable, regardless of how many blessings we also experience. We see that all the time, with people in what would have been unimaginably luxurious surroundings just a few generations ago complaining loudly, while others smile and praise God in the middle of trials. The Finnish government official who is currently facing a 10 year prison sentence simply for quoting the Bible on sexuality comes to mind. In every picture I’ve seen of her she has a beautiful smile, and her lawyer said in a recent interview that that is entirely typical of her. She is obviously experiencing the comfort of the Holy Spirit in her trials, and her response transmits that comfort to every believer who sees her. God’s blessings are never for us alone, but are to flow through us to others as well.

As I said, I have expressed this truth to others countless times, but the question remains of how well I am walking in it myself. As I am learning through the study of Coaching, transmitting truth isn’t just a matter of lectures. Cold truth delivered from a pulpit isn’t likely to be very comforting! I’ve got to keep growing in coming alongside people and assuring them of my presence, my empathy, and my love. I’ve not been very good at that in the past! Ask me a question and you’re likely to get more facts spewed at you than you can absorb, but that is too often counterproductive. I’m to allow the Holy Spirit to flow through me in whatever way is needed at the time, speaking words of comfort or even being silent as called for, in addition to giving instruction and correction when appropriate. I have been hugely blessed, and I am to be an agent of blessing to others.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the ministry opportunity that is coming up today. Help me be emotionally and mentally prepared, transmitting comfort and encouragement as called for, so that the person may be strengthened and grow as You desire and intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Encouragement; January 26, 2022

Posted on January 30, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Over the space of a brief nine verses I was touched again and again, thinking I could easily write on what I had just read. However, this last verse in the chapter resonates most strongly. I think every dedicated disciple of Christ has moments when they wonder if it’s all worth it. The world is a mess, and sometimes it feels like we’re just spinning our wheels. Even Paul experienced that, in a time of explosive growth in the Church. For that matter, John the Baptist famously wondered about it when he was imprisoned shortly before his martyrdom, sending disciples to Jesus to ask if He was really who John had proclaimed Him to be. (Matthew 11:2-3) None of us can see the future with any certainty, apart from specific revelations from God, and none of us knows all the ripple effects of what we say and do. The famous hypothetical example of such ripple effects is the one of a butterfly flapping its wings in South America, eventually leading to a hurricane in the North Atlantic. That one may border on the absurd, but we really don’t know what actions will happen down the line. The nursing school where I teach has a small poster on the bulletin board in the front of the classroom that states, very simply, 1.01365 = 37.8  0.99365 = 0.03. In other words, a difference of one percent in effort, applied daily for a full year, has an absolutely huge effect on the eventual outcome. Compound interest applies to more than money! The nursing profession is certainly one that calls for daily faithfulness, punctuated by both joys and tragedies, but the same thing may be said of the life of any disciple of Jesus Christ. We actually can’t evaluate ourselves very accurately, as even Paul noted, (1 Corinthians 4:3) so we need to leave it in God’s hands. Our task is simply to do what is at hand to the best of the ability God has given us. If we will do that, God will reward us more than we can imagine.

I have certainly experienced this! Japan has long been called “the graveyard of missionaries,” and for good reason. Statistically, it is without rivals as the country with the lowest “return on investment” in terms of evangelism, whether it be time, money, effort, or any other metric. It isn’t a dangerous place to serve, except for the danger of discouragement! My own father once prostrated himself on the floor and cried out, “Lord, if I’m what’s standing in the way of revival in Japan, then take me out of the way!” I identify completely! I occasionally think that as well-liked as I seem to be in this city, maybe my funeral would be the trigger to draw people to receive Jesus as Lord for themselves. I do pray that my funeral will have that effect, but it’s certainly not something I can schedule! I have, however, written out an evangelistic message to be read at my funeral, inviting the attendees to join me (eventually) in the bliss I will be enjoying at that point. Meanwhile, I am to be faithful, meeting the appointments God sets up for me and being active in my obedience. The results are in His hands.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the good things that have been happening in this church recently. Help me be so focused on You that circumstances don’t shake me, either dragging me down or creating false expectations. May I apply myself fully to the tasks You give me, knowing that Your results will always be good. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Gift of Tongues; January 25, 2022

Posted on January 26, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 14:18-19 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

This is a direct amplification of verse 12: “Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.” Tongues are a gift for which Paul was thankful, but they build up the one speaking, rather than those listening. (Unless it is one of those rare occasions when the tongue in question is directly understood by others present, which we have experienced.) Our focus needs to be on being available to God for Him to use us in building others up, just as Paul said. So why would Paul have been grateful to “speak in tongues more than all of you?” Tongues are very useful when we want to pray, need to pray, but have no knowledge or presence of mind to pray in a language we know. Because they don’t use the mind directly, they enable praying while doing other things, such as driving a car, housework, or countless other things. As it says in verse 4 and several other places, speaking in tongues builds up the speaker, and sometimes we all need building up! We are to be grateful for any gifts God gives us, but our focus should be on using whatever gifts we have as God intends, building up the Body of Christ.

Numbers of groups teach that the gift of tongues will always accompany the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but as I have written before, that understanding almost kept me from receiving the baptism. It was when I let go of my preconceptions and thanked God for being true to His Word that I did receive, but I only realized I had done so a couple of days later, when it hit me that I was talking to a total stranger about Jesus, and Acts 1:8 came to mind. It was a matter of months later that I received the specific gift of tongues. I find myself very much in Paul’s position, speaking in tongues frequently but not in public. I would be thrilled if everyone in the church spoke in tongues, because some of them really need building up! I need wisdom in encouraging the believers to seek and receive spiritual gifts, and in recognizing and applying the gifts they have already received. That could easily be a series of messages, but more than preaching, the believers need coaching to help them recognize things rather than having them dictated to them. This church will not become properly Christ-centered until the believers realize they are as much a part of the Body of Christ as I am.

Father, thank You for all that you are doing in this church and in me. I really have been a major “lid” holding the church down, preaching at them instead of coming alongside and showing them things. I pray that in all things we would all grow as You intend, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Discipline; January 24, 2022

Posted on January 26, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 11:32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

I have probably done public reading of verses 23-26 of this chapter more than any other part of the Bible, because of regularly celebrating Communion. Somewhat less often I have read through verse 29. However, I’m not sure I’ve ever publicly read this verse in a service. It actually should be a very comforting verse for most believers. Frankly, we don’t like being disciplined, any more than children do. That’s actually a good thing, because the avoidance response is a good tool to help us stay on the path. However, as it says in Hebrews, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) God’s discipline is always for our good, as parental discipline should be (though sadly it isn’t always). If God let us get by with things, our natural human tendency would be to go further and further afield, resulting, as this verse says, in our being “condemned with the world.” Believe me, we don’t want that! The problem is that we often don’t connect the circumstances of our lives with God’s discipline. We attribute every bad thing to someone or something outside of ourselves, failing to judge ourselves, as it says in the verse before this. One of the biggest problems in modern society is the rejection of the very concept of personal responsibility. Even violent criminals are excused because “they had a rough childhood.” That kind of talk (it’s not really thinking) is a concerted effort on the part of the devil to destroy society, because he is always out to “steal, kill, and destroy.” (John 10:10) Not every rough thing in our life is our fault, by any means, but we always need to be humble before God to ask Him to show us how we are to respond. Often enough, repentance is the first thing called for, but if we fail to recognize that, things will just continue to get worse.

I’ve experienced the Lord’s discipline, and I’ve also gone through rough situations that were simply to train me to keep trusting God. I’ve ignored God enough that I’m not surprised when bad things happen, but that doesn’t mean I’m to “take them lying down,” so to speak. I’m quick to counsel humility before God when I’m talking with others, but I must never forget it myself! To be honest, one thing I’m looking forward to about heaven is that since I will be free from the presence of sin, I’ll also not have to endure any more of the Lord’s discipline! That said, fear of discipline should not be my prime motivation for staying on the “straight and narrow,” but rather my love for God, in response to His love for me. As a parent I know that it is painful when my children do things that hurt themselves, and my heavenly Father is the same way. I want to be pure, holy, and obedient so that I won’t hurt Him!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your discipline, and for how gentle You have been with me even in that. May I respond to everything in my life as You want me to, so that I may be transformed more and more into the likeness of Your Son, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Drinking; January 23, 2022

Posted on January 25, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

This verse is the perfect follow-up to verse 23: “‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is constructive.” God’s rules are always for our good, but the devil does all he can to convince us otherwise. Back in the Garden of Eden there was only one prohibition, and our ancestors blew it, with the enthusiastic encouragement of the devil. The particular issue here is actually witness to others, whether non-believers or immature Christians. These days, at least in most countries, we don’t have the issue of meat that has been sacrificed to idols, but the issue of alcohol, and for that matter, cannabis, is very current for many. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18) The guiding principle should be exactly as this verse states: Does this action on my part bring glory to God? If we ask ourselves that with frequent regularity we will be protected from all sorts of snares of the devil and will live lives of peace, joy, and satisfaction.

This particular issue hasn’t been so difficult for me. Going to a Baptist college, the idea of alcohol had an exciting ring of the forbidden to it. I never have liked the taste of beer, but bourbon Coke tasted pretty good to me. One day I decided to try getting drunk, which I had never experienced. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself in public, so I drank the first quarter of a bottle of Coke, filled it back up with bourbon, and then went to my dorm room and drank the whole bottle in about 15 minutes. I didn’t even feel a buzz. Either the Lord intervened directly, or He gave me a very efficient liver! Whatever the reason, I never felt any compulsion to drink. In the Army, I was one of only four people, I think it was, that didn’t smoke weed, but I discovered, courtesy of one of the mess hall cooks, that cannabis seed makes a very delicious seasoning for beef gravy. (He was later discharged for that sort of stunt.) Likewise, I certainly inhaled plenty of second hand pot smoke, because of all the guys around me. (Of course, that was 50 years ago, and what was grown on Oahu where I was stationed was much less potent than what is available today.) However, I was never particularly tempted to smoke it for myself. That has been a huge blessing to me. Now, people around me are amazed that I don’t drink or smoke at all, but I feel no urge to do so. I explain to them that, whereas I have a very efficient liver, many do not, and with my position in society, were I to drink, those watching me would consider it a license for them to do so also, and their results would probably be very different from mine. I don’t drink or smoke because I feel no need for it, and I want to be a wholesome influence on those around me.

Father, thank You for Your grace to me in this area, as in every other area of my life. I am so blessed! Help me indeed so live as to give You glory in all I do, drawing those around me to know and love you, for their salvation. Thank You. Praise God!

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Communion; January 22, 2022

Posted on January 24, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Cor 10:16-17 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

This is a passage that isn’t covered very often in very many churches! It actually is justification for calling the celebration in question “Communion,” rather than “The Lord’s Supper.” I don’t think it goes so far as to justify the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, which says that the bread and wine are literally transformed into the flesh and blood of Jesus, but it does argue against the currently common practice of having completely separate, sealed packets of a bit of bread and a little grape juice. I understand the hygienic reasons for avoiding the common loaf and particularly the common cup, but I think we miss something in the process. The bread and drink are symbols, yes, but we need to have a deeper grasp of that symbolism. In particular, I think we need to appropriate the unity mentioned here. There is only one Savior and Lord, yet we fracture His Body, the Church, using all sorts of excuses. Communion should be a powerful symbol of a unity that is then lived out in countless ways. Unity doesn’t mean uniformity, but it is the antithesis of division.

In this church we are blessed to be few enough in numbers that, though we use separate little cups for the grape juice, we use a common “loaf” of unleavened bread that Cathy bakes for each occasion. Since we celebrate Communion every 4th Sunday, we will be doing so tomorrow. I think I should bring this passage out as we do so. We decided years ago to stick with grape juice rather than wine, not just because of members who were minors but because we had a recovering alcoholic in the church, and knew that it would certainly be less than kind to him to use wine. Raised in a Southern Baptist framework, I was taught that The Lord’s Supper was strictly symbolic, as was baptism, but my view has shifted over the years. I feel there is spiritual significance and power in those physical actions, and we take them lightly to our great loss. I don’t want to deprive the believers here of any of the blessings God has for them by my theological interpretations. I actually celebrate Communion by myself every morning as the first step in my devotions, using left-over bread from the congregational celebration and, most often, iced tea. When I’m on a trip, I use whatever is available, and over the years that has included a wide variety of bread/crackers/etc. and drinks. Without exception, though, as I take the “bread” I thank Jesus for giving His body for me and renew the commitment of my body to Him, and as I take the first sip of the drink I ask for a fresh infilling/immersion in His blood. I feel that has been very valuable in keeping me faithful to Him, because the temptations and deceptions are unrelenting.

Father, thank You for sending Your Son. Lord Jesus, thank You for coming, and for giving Your body and blood for our salvation. Help me walk in, and communicate, that incredible truth, so that all the schemes of the devil may be defeated and Your rule and reign be established, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Wisdom; January 21, 2022

Posted on January 24, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Cor 1:20, 25 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

This is a fundamental truth we see displayed around us all the time. We see atheists, and even some “theologians,” with all sorts of letters after their names make pronouncements about God, to the point of absurdity. There is much that can be learned about the physical universe through research and study, and we can even learn things about God through observing the natural world, (Romans 1:20) but conceit is incredibly blinding. The moment we think we can be wise, or strong or any other good thing, without God, we become utterly stupid and weak. I have always liked a Japanese proverbial expression, “acorns comparing height,” when it comes to human pride. As Paul says later in this same letter, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1) Even if our facts are accurate, they need to be rooted in God and expressed in love, or they are “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1) Again, as God told Paul personally, “My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) It is when we acknowledge our own foolishness that God’s wisdom is manifested through us, and it is when we acknowledge our own weakness that God’s strength is manifested through us. Knowledge isn’t a bad thing, but it isn’t the final answer. Even if something is “true,” empirically speaking, God still has the final say. Recognizing that is the essence of “the fear of the Lord,” that Proverbs so wisely tells us is “the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

As I have written many times, intellectual conceit has been a major snare for me. This passage hits very close to home! I come from a line of scholars, with both my grandfathers having doctorates and my father getting his at the tender age of 23. For that matter, not only my mother but both of my grandmothers were college graduates, which in those days was rare for women. The mercy in that was that all of the people mentioned loved God and were committed to following Him. That’s where real wisdom comes in. I have many scholars among my relatives of the succeeding generations. Some have adhered to the wisdom of God and some have not, in some cases sadly so. I have learned the hard way that genuine success is not a function of IQ or academics but of a heart that is humble before God, seeking to know and obey Him. I desire for God’s wisdom and power to be manifested through me, but for that to happen I have to realize that mine are worthless compared to His, and submit myself to Him in full obedience.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the good, productive day yesterday. Thank You for the times of fellowship with You as I was driving. Thinking about it, I’m sure that was connected to the other good things that happened. You have given me a message on Fellowship with Christ for this coming Sunday. May I walk in that indeed, today and every day, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Fellowship with Christ; January 20, 2022

Posted on January 23, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Cor 1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

It has been pointed out by many people that the church in Corinth had many problems, but Paul started his letter thanking God for them. This verse tells us why he could have such confidence. There are three elements to it. Word order is very different in English and Japanese, but in both languages the verse starts with “God.” When our focus is on other things, which by definition are less than God, we are easily distracted. Those things might be temptations of various sorts, or they might be an awareness of our own gifts and abilities, or lack thereof. It’s not at all that we are to ignore everything else, but rather that God needs to be supreme in our heart and mind so that we see everything in relation to Him. In so doing, we need to have a clear and accurate image of God in our heart and mind. This verse brings up one of His characteristics that is often totally overlooked by those who don’t know Him personally, and that is His faithfulness. The NIV gives that extra punch by closing out the sentence with it, and the Japanese brings it out right at the beginning, but in either case it is vitally important. The thing is, God is faithful but we aren’t. Spiritual growth can be said to be growth in faithfulness. The less mature we are, the more likely we are to be sidetracked by all sorts of temptations, and the less likely we are to follow through with what God tells us to do. We can’t rely on our own faithfulness, but God’s is totally dependable. What this verse is saying is that this totally faithful God has called us into fellowship with His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We aren’t just called to “be good little boys and girls,” but to have fellowship, intimate communication and interaction with, the Son of God! If God feels far from you, you need to realize two things: God hasn’t moved, and you need to repent and grow. It is logically obvious that our greatest joy and satisfaction will come when we are fulfilling the purpose for which our Creator made us, and here we have it: fellowship with His Son. That can seem like an impossibly high goal, but it’s the one our Creator set for us, and remember, He is faithful! Of course, perfect fellowship will be experienced only when we are before His throne in heaven, but we can taste it here and now, and that should be our goal. (Psalm 42:1)

I have tasted fellowship with God enough times that you would think I’d be totally obsessed with it, but unfortunately that’s not the case. My flesh still gets in the way in various ways, which is why I look forward to being through with it! I am at times painfully aware of my own unfaithfulness, but I have experienced God’s faithfulness too many times to doubt it. I well remember one time I was in a small prayer meeting and the presence of the Lord, the sheer joy of it, was so intense that I felt one more drop would cause my physical body to give up, and I would go straight to heaven. I actually expressed in my spirit, “Lord, if You have more work for me to do here, You’d better let up a little.” Obviously He did that, and that was several years ago. Of the three other men in that prayer meeting, one has gone on to heaven, one I am in contact with fairly often by Facebook, and I recently reestablished contact with the third. God is faithful for them, too! As a pastor, I deeply desire that each of the believers discover the joy of fellowship with Jesus Christ, and that’s why I urge morning devotions all the time. We all need to set the tone of each day by consciously seeking to be in fellowship with our Lord.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness! Thank You for the incredible privilege of fellowship with Your Son. Thank You that He was born, lived, and died as a human being, in addition to being divine, so that He indeed understands what we are going through. I ask You to use me to bring more and more people into fellowship with Him by faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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