Spiritual Perception; May 24, 2021

Posted on May 27, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Kings 6:16-17 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

This has always been a delightful story to me, even though it was doubtless terrifying to Elisha’s servant at the time. It’s no wonder it inspired one of the signature Star Wars scenes! (“These are not the droids you are looking for.”) However, this was not some fictional “Jedi mind trick,” but an action of God. Like the servant, and for that matter, like the Arameans, we are often blind to what is really going on, but God never is. If we lack spiritual perception, we need to recognize that fact and ask God to open our eyes. That’s frankly not a guarantee that He will show us what we want to know, because as came out yesterday, sometimes we’re better off not knowing some things! However, it does help with our peace of mind, at least, when we know what’s actually going on. There are times, of course, when what is actually going on isn’t nice at all for our flesh, and knowing can be rough in itself. A good example of that would be Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. That’s why we need to operate by faith and not sight, just like Paul said. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Way back when I was in seminary there was a little chorus that went, “We win, we win, hallelujah! We win! I read the back of the book, and we win!” That’s what this is all about. Even in Gethsemane Jesus knew that after His indescribable suffering He would work total victory, not only for Himself but for all who would believe in Him. When we really grasp that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all,” (2 Corinthians 4:17) we can have peace in just about any situation.

This is one more realization of faith that I have been growing into. As I comment from time to time, I’m someone who likes to know things. It’s not that I can’t handle surprises, but I’m an information junkie. I have never felt that ignorance was bliss! I have had to grow into the place that knowing that God knows everything is enough. I still have trouble with that at times! I need to keep moving in faith, even when I can’t see one step in front of me. I need to trust that God’s plans are always good, and He will never abandon me. I need to remember that those on my side are always more than those in opposition, provided I am on God’s side! That needs to be my focus: staying on God’s side. In that position I never have anything to worry about, ever.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your presence in the service yesterday, and especially for the two people who boldly declared their allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord. I pray that You would guide them in each step from this point, and even use me in the process! I pray that they would grow in seeing through the lies of the enemy that have bound them for so long, so that they may walk in the fullness of all that You have for them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Knowledge; May 23, 2021

Posted on May 26, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Kings 4:27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

God doesn’t always tell His servants everything! As much as we might like to know, sometimes it just doesn’t happen that way. There are lots of reasons for that, but they all boil down to God knowing better than we do. For one thing, we couldn’t handle omniscience, however much we think we might like it. Our brains simply aren’t capable of handling it, and we would be destroyed. For another thing, we need to grow in faith and trust, and knowing too much ahead of time works against that. Elisha had already experienced a good bit of training in faith and obedience, and this was one more step in that. The good thing is, he followed God’s lesson plan, and the boy was revived as a result. We need to be open to all that God wants to show and tell us, but we aren’t to pester Him about things we don’t need to know, or don’t need to know yet. In the encounter with the boy’s mother, God did make it clear to Elisha what was going on, and he responded appropriately. We need to trust God for when to show us things, but when He does show us, we need to respond promptly!

The spiritual gift of the Word of Knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8) has operated in me from time to time, but far more often in Cathy. We have seen it bring people to repentance, and we have also seen people flee from us, all too aware that nothing is hidden from God. By personality I’m someone who likes to know stuff, but I’ve had to learn both that I shouldn’t know everything, and that I shouldn’t tell everything I know! I don’t think my thirst for knowledge is a bad thing, but I’ve got to keep it in submission to the Lord, and I must not let it be a snare of pride to me. Actually, the longer I live, the more I know that I don’t know! That actually is a very good thing. There are several things I would really like to know right now, most especially, how to receive and maintain God’s healing and health for Cathy. That knowledge can be very difficult to wait for! I am to operate on what I have been shown, and in everything trust God and give Him thanks and praise. Knowledge and wisdom are certainly His territory, so above all I need to keep seeking Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for this gloriously clear day in the middle of rainy season. Thank You that this is Pentecost Sunday. I do pray that You would pour Your Spirit out on all Your children, and through us onto those around us so that they too may be born again into Your family, for a massive in-gathering and the establishment of Your rule and reign, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Hearing God; May 22, 2021

Posted on May 26, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

This is a pretty well-known story in Christian circles, but a lot of people misunderstand it. Elisha wasn’t asking for twice as much as Elijah had, he was asking for the portion of the heir, the firstborn, as was settled in the law of Moses. (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) As the next verse says, Elijah rightly recognized that God alone could determine his successor, and he made no promises. As it turned out, God did approve of Elisha, and used him mightily. One thing that stands out to me about the whole story is how not only were Elijah and Elisha hearing from God, two different groups of prophets (today we might call them seminary students) likewise heard Him say that He was going to take Elijah from the earth. God really does talk to His people, if we will listen. Some things we don’t need to know about, but some things we do, and God tells us if we are listening. We need to expect that, but at the same time not demand to know everything, Frankly, knowing everything could destroy us! We want fortune tellers, but God wants to share His heart with us. That whole issue came up strongly around the 2020 election. Many people, rightly I think, prophesied that Donald Trump would be the choice of the people, but there was enough fraud in a few key states to, officially at least, flip the election the other way. A very few people prophesied that. God allowed it all to expose the hearts of many, and that is certainly happening. As Paul pointed out, at this point we see in part and we prophesy in part. (1 Corinthians 13:9) We need to listen carefully to God, but not think we have the whole revelation.

I have been used in prophecy and I hear the Lord regularly in these morning times I have with Him, but that doesn’t mean I am a Prophet to the Body of Christ. The Bible is an open book to me, rather more than it seems to be to most people, but that doesn’t mean I grasp it all. God speaks to different people different ways, and to each of us in different ways at different times. Cathy gets dreams from the Lord fairly often, but I hardly ever do. At the same time, He sometimes speaks a clear Word to her from the Bible, and I occasionally have meaningful dreams. We aren’t to close off any avenue of hearing from Him, but rather draw in to be as close to Him as possible, not only hearing but obeying fully.

Father, thank You for this Word. Help us indeed tune our ears and our hearts to You more and more, hearing You both for information and for direction, so that we will be fully useful in You hands, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Human Weakness; May 21, 2021

Posted on May 25, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Kings 19:3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.

In a number of ways this part of Elijah’s story is as important as the triumph on Mt. Carmel. One of the marvels of the Bible is that it records its heroes as fully human. In some ways Elijah seems super-human, calling down fire from heaven and then running faster than a horse-drawn chariot. (1 Kings 18:46) However, here we have him in all his humanity, undone by the threats of Queen Jezebel. As the next verse makes clear, his emotional exhaustion brought depression to the point of being suicidal. We are like that, being on a pinnacle one moment and not long after, being in the depths. In recent years “bipolar” has been a popular psychiatric diagnosis, but we all have that tendency. For most people, I think it’s just being human. The answer for Elijah was proper nourishment and rest, and then purposeful activity. When we fail to take care of ourselves we open ourselves up to all sorts of attacks. Proper nutrition, rest, and exercise are essential parts of our stewardship of the bodies we have been given. However, if our focus is simply on being healthy we miss the point of it all, which is to know and serve our Creator. There can be a fine line between proper self-care and self-centeredness. Looking at the story of Elijah, we see that God had to get his attention so that he would listen to God rather than to all the turmoil around him. We certainly need that at times! Giving Elijah three very specific tasks, God then encourages him with news we all need at times: you aren’t the only one left, whatever it feels like. It’s not unusual to feel isolated, to feel like we are the only ones who seek God. Sometimes God needs to remind us, too, that’s not the case. With all the turmoil and rot that’s going on in the US at this point, not to mention around the world, taking our eyes off of Jesus can lead to depression very quickly! We too need to remember that we aren’t alone, and we have work to do.

This certainly applies to me. I have had times of being in a spiritual stupor, basically just existing, and I have had times of feeling I couldn’t trust anyone. Both of those were lies from the devil. I am to be active in my obedience, but not frantic in my activities. I am to remember that the fact that I’m on this earth means that my Lord has work for me to do, and I am to rejoice in being useful to Him. I am to be quiet enough in my heart to hear His “gentle whisper.” (verse 12) As I deal with these issues in myself, I am also called upon to help others who are struggling with depression and other issues. I am not to put them down but speak encouragement and life to them, helping them lift their eyes to the One who loved them enough to die for them. We are all weak, fallible human beings, but God’s grace is sufficient for us all! (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for yesterday and all it held. Thank You that we could get medical confirmation that Cathy’s current pain isn’t caused by blood clots. Thank You that she is definitely better this morning. I ask for wisdom, today and each day, to walk in such obedience to You that we stay in the flow of Your provision of health, peace, joy, and everything else, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Bold Prayer; May 20, 2021

Posted on May 23, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Kings 18:37 “Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Elijah’s motive was never his own fame or glory, but rather that the people would be returned to the worship of the Lord. I think just now is the first time it has occurred to me that the water poured on the sacrifice (verses 33-35) was part of the sacrifice, because after three and a half years of no rain, water was a precious commodity. In any case the contrasts between Elijah and the prophets of Baal were many and extreme, from number to activity to results. This prayer, contained in just two verses, has only one thing in common with what the prophets of Baal had prayed, and that is the request for an answer. (verse 26) They had prayed from ritual and tradition, but Elijah prayed from experience and relationship. It is interesting to note that the activities of the idolaters here are practiced in some religions even today, notably Islam and Hinduism, where people injure themselves as part of their worship. It is no more pleasing to the Creator today than it was back then! Even in some supposedly Christian groups there has been the practice of self-whipping, and it shows a sad lack of understanding of the nature of sin and the character of our heavenly Father. Like Elijah, we need to operate in the assurance of who God is and who we are in Christ, confessing and repenting of sin but not thinking our actions can add to the atonement that Jesus accomplished on the cross. We cannot earn salvation, even by suicide! We need to remember that God desires a relationship with us, as a Father to His children, and so press in to know Him better and offer ourselves to Him as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) in pure and obedient living. If we will do that, our prayers will have the kind of weight Elijah’s did, just as James pointed out. (James 5:16-18)

This is quite a challenge to me. Prayer comes easily to me, and I have seen some occasionally dramatic answers, but nothing on the scale of Elijah. I too would like a miracle to turn the hearts of the people to the living God, but so far that hasn’t happened. At one point I was expecting a resurrection to take place to confirm the Word through me, but I haven’t seen one yet. Thinking back, at the point that was big in my awareness, had it happened, I would probably have been destroyed by the fame that would have resulted, and genuine repentance and discipleship would probably have been rare. God always knows best! As it is, I am to walk in ever-increasing fellowship with my Lord, praying boldly under the direction of the Holy Spirit and offering myself as an instrument for God to accomplish that which He has me pray, for His glory alone.

Father, thank You for this powerful reminder. May my faith grow so that I may pray with full boldness, without trying to dictate to You how You are to save this nation. May Your name indeed be acknowledged as holy and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Bold Faith; May 19, 2021

Posted on May 23, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Kings 18:21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

This is one of the most famous, and dramatic, challenges in the whole Bible, and actually, in all of human history. It really isn’t so surprising that the people weren’t up to responding to it. What stands out to me is Elijah’s boldness, the absolute assurance of his faith. He had experienced enough of God that in this moment there was no room for doubt anywhere in him. God has an easy time using someone like that! It seems very obvious that he was hearing from God clearly at this point, and that was enough for him. This sort of thing has happened many times throughout history, with a wide variety of results. Sometimes the results have been glorious victory on the spot, as happened here, but sometimes they have been the martyrdom of the servant of God. I am reminded of the story of a missionary family that was kidnapped in China about a century ago by a local warlord and his thugs. They were in a “kangaroo court” of sorts, being accused of subverting people with false religion, and the adults were speechless. However, the 12-year-old daughter spoke up with great boldness, called a spade a spade, and declared that they would have to answer to God Almighty for what they were doing. The people were stunned, and for a moment it seemed that they might release the family, but then the warlord gave the order and they were all killed, including the girl. The reason we know the story is that at least one of the men present was never able to shake the memory of what he had seen and heard, and later became a Christian, choosing to follow the God the girl had proclaimed. Whether the immediate result is triumph or martyrdom should not be the issue for us. Like Elijah here and like that girl, we need to be totally dedicated and obedient, leaving the outcome to our Lord.

I’ve never been presented with a situation like this. The closest I’ve come was when an acquaintance came to the church drunk, saying he was looking for a particular person to kill him, but somehow he couldn’t find him. I wasn’t sure who he was talking about, but I thought it might be one of our members, who was a former gangster. I told him that if he really wanted to kill someone he could kill me, because I knew I was going to heaven. Obviously he didn’t do that, and it was enough of a shock to him that I was able to talk him down. I hadn’t planned on getting into that situation, obviously, but the Lord gave me the boldness I needed when I needed it, and I’m grateful. I don’t know what lies ahead for me, but I do know that my Lord is more than up to it, so whether I am or not is beside the point. I am to focus on daily faithfulness, and leave everything else up to Him.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. These are interesting days, on many levels. Help me indeed “not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,” (Philippians 4:6) submit everything to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Gratitude; May 18, 2021

Posted on May 22, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Kings 17:18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

People are interesting. Not so long before this, the woman had been expecting to die along with her son, either by starvation or suicide, (verse 12) but was rescued by God through Elijah. Now that her son has died, she forgets about that and blames his death on Elijah. We all tend to be like that. This woman at least references her sin, but still forgets that her very existence is by the grace of God. We do that all the time. We read books about “Why Bad Things Happen to Good People” and generally accuse God of being mean, even if not in so many words. That the woman was distraught at her son’s death is certainly understandable, but she completely forgot gratitude. In this particular instance God demonstrated His grace and power and responded to Elijah’s prayer, reviving the boy, but what about the situations where that doesn’t happen? Jesus was very clear that, living in a fallen world, we can’t expect everything to go smoothly all the time. In the same breath, he told us to take heart, because He has overcome the world. (John 16:33) As in so many things, the key is gratitude. If we take good things for granted, we fail to appreciate how good they are. It is always interesting to me to watch tourists and locals together, seeing how the tourists exclaim over beautiful and/or interesting things, and how the locals get tired of the tourists! We often have to leave home to appreciate our home! Too often, we don’t even appreciate people properly until they are taken from us, and when that happens, we are all too prone to blame God, as happened in this story. The key to greatest happiness is to ask God for eyes to see how good He has already been to us, not to demand this, that, or the other thing that we don’t currently have.

This is something I’m learning more and more the longer I live. I’ve already lived several years longer than my father did, and I’m about to pass my mother as well. That has given me gratitude for each day the Lord gives me to serve Him, even as I look forward eagerly to being with Him more directly for eternity. Around the time I passed my father’s age at death, 64, I was rather obsessed with it all, which was hardly easy on my wife. Likewise, she had a time not long ago when she thought she wouldn’t be here much longer. That wasn’t easy on me! However, even if either of us were to “graduate” today, we would still have 52 years of enormous blessings together to be grateful for. We have assorted challenges related to the advancing calendar, and the world around us is certainly a mess, so we really need to focus on our Lord who has already overcome the world, including our limited, physical bodies. His grace is indeed sufficient for us, just as He told Paul. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for yesterday and all it held. Thank You for keeping Cathy safe as she drove, despite her dizziness. Thank You that we had some medication specifically for that. Thank You for the progress she’s been able to make on the Japanese index for our songs. I do ask Your healing for the physical pain she’s in right now. She has entirely too much of that, in my opinion, but I don’t see everything, and I trust You. Thank You that we were able to make a hotel reservation to commemorate our anniversary coming up. I pray that there would be minimal distractions to our gratitude, as we rejoice over Your overwhelming goodness toward us. Thank You. Praise God!

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Listening to God; May 17, 2021

Posted on May 22, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Kings 17:2, 5 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah. So he did what the Lord had told him.

Elijah is remembered as one of the greatest prophets, even though he didn’t leave a book with his name, like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Here we have the secret to his greatness: he listened to God, and then he did what God said, whether it made any sense to him or not. In this particular situation, Elijah had just spoken what would have sounded like a threat to a very unscrupulous king, so he was literally in danger for his life. Escape was a logical move, but where? God’s answer was in one way logical, but in another way absurd. The Kerith Ravine was suitably out of the way and hidden, but the idea that he would have Uber Eats delivered by ravens made no sense at all. However, Elijah listened and obeyed. Frankly, that’s something we have trouble with. In the first place, our minds and hearts are so full of other stuff that we have trouble distinguishing God over the background noise. In the second place, even if we feel we have heard God, we “fact check” Him! Actually, in a way that’s not a bad thing, because there are indeed a lot of lying spirits out there trying to get us off track. I’m reminded of an experience one of our daughters had. A young man she was working with on a Christian project said to her, “God told me to ask you to marry me.” She replied, “That’s fine, but He didn’t tell me to say yes!” It is helpful to consult with mature believers to confirm that we have heard correctly, but ultimately it comes down to being familiar with the Bible, to recognize whether what we are sensing is in harmony with it, and being open to the Holy Spirit, to let Him get past our preconceptions.

This is something I have experienced many times, sometimes consciously and sometimes unconsciously. In seeking to teach others about prayer I emphasize that prayer isn’t a one-way street; we’ve got to be listening to what God says to us, either in reply to what we have said or completely unrelated to it. Sometimes God changes the subject in ways that catch us off guard! I’m never to presume that I always hear God correctly, nor that I am the only one who can hear God. Maybe my daughter learned that from me! I recognize that I am never “worthy” to hear God, but many years of experience, not to mention the Bible, have taught me that He is gracious beyond all measure, and He does talk to His children. I also recognize that how things turn out doesn’t determine whether I heard Him correctly in the first place. We were hearing God tell us to move toward building a senior-care facility next to the church, so we did that. However, many things combined so that didn’t materialize. In the process, however, various people’s hearts were exposed, and we learned more about God’s provision and His faithfulness. I honestly can’t say whether the facility would have been God’s best, but I do know that He was present in what did transpire, and I’m to be at peace with that. I am to keep listening and keep obeying, so that I may be fully useful to Him for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for the privilege of sometimes being a “raven” in supplying the needs of others. May I not try to dictate how You are to use me, but rather keep myself fully available and responsive, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Fame; May 16, 2021

Posted on May 19, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Kings 13:1 By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering.

This particular story is interesting to me particularly because of the total anonymity of this “man of God.” That he was not a manifestation of the pre-incarnate Christ (as the “commander of the army of the Lord” in Joshua 5:13-15 is sometimes said to be) nor even an angel, is shown by the fact that he was later deceived by the “old prophet” who appears later in the story. He was used mightily by God, yet the only thing we know about him is that he came from Judah and was boldly obedient to God, at total risk of his own life. We tend to evaluate people on the basis of what other people say about them, but God knows absolutely everyone, and some of His greatest servants are totally unknown to the world at large. There are people today who are literally famous for being famous, out of no special virtue, ability or achievement. That’s about as meaningless as it gets! Sadly, this Information Age we live in teaches people to strive for exactly that, and gaining a following on social media is a major goal for many. The thing is, none of us are here forever, so being known and approved by God, who is forever, is unquestionably the better goal. I don’t doubt that the particular individual in this story is secure for eternity because of his faith and obedience, and there are countless more who don’t even have this much mention in human records. Our goal should not be the acclaim of men, but the simple words of our Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

I can hardly say I am immune to the opinions of men, but I have been saved from seeking that as a major goal in my life. It is nice to be known, to be acknowledged, and misplaced priorities are always a temptation. This is particularly pointed at this moment because my father’s biography has just been published. It is a slim volume, doubly so because it is bilingual in Japanese and English. Part of me wants to promote that book all over the world, but I am very aware that my father himself wouldn’t care about that at all. The only benefit he would have seen in the book would be if it encourages others to seek God and be faithful to Him. I have had people encourage me to write my own life story, and that remains a possibility, as an expression of the gift for words that I have been given, but my concern likewise would be whether it would encourage people to follow God. (On top of that is the simple question of whether anyone at all would be interested in reading it!) What remains clear, however, is that self-promotion is not to be a goal. I’m sure the man of God in this story is deeply humbled to even be mentioned in the Bible, if he is at all aware of it. I am to strive consistently and tirelessly to draw close to my Lord and please Him, whatever that means in this world’s terms.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am fairly well known in some circles, in part simply for longevity as a Caucasian in Omura. I continue to pray that the many people who know me or know of me would be drawn to You because of me. So many seem to care nothing about you at all! May my life be a demonstration of Your existence, Your love, grace, and faithfulness, so that people will repent of their indifference and believe You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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National Repentance; May 15, 2021

Posted on May 18, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 7:19-20 “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.”

When we get to this part of the Bible, everyone likes to quote verse 14, reasonably enough. Around 40 years ago there was quite a movement, at least among Charismatic churches, led by Rock Church in Virginia Beach, seeking to draw America into a revival based on repentance. Obviously, it didn’t gain enough traction! (Though the election of Ronald Reagan might be taken as a consequence.) We are at a place where verse 14 could not be more appropriate and topical, but we’ve got to remember that this part is in there too. The past few months, with the extreme policies of the current administration, have shone light on all sorts of things that were already going on under the surface in the US, and what is being revealed is stomach-turning. The results on the world stage have been swift, with bad actors of all stripes being emboldened to the point that it’s hard to keep up with all the crises. Interestingly, just yesterday billwhittle.com put out a video talking about how we had gone back to the ’70s – and that is precisely the environment that prompted Rock Church to push verse 14! Those who care about God and morality need to stand up to all the junk and repent of their own part in it, because the inaction of the Christians has certainly been a contributing factor. Many, many nominal Christians have indeed turned away from the clear words of the Bible and gone after “other gods,” though we haven’t used that terminology. It is no coincidence that Karl Marx and Charles Darwin were contemporaries. Between them, their ideas have resulted in the physical deaths of hundreds of millions of people and in the spiritual destruction of even more. Their ideas have actively sought to remove God from His throne, and their replacement? Man himself. That is the worst kind of idolatry, because it appeals to our basest motives most thoroughly. America has had a unique place in world history, and the devil hates it, because it was founded on Biblical principles and has been the greatest missionary-sending nation. As James said so clearly, we have got to wake up, submit to God, and resist the devil. (James 4:7) Only then can we expect that he will flee from us.

When drawing up the Scripture list I deliberately put this in at this point for the sake of chronology, but I of course had no idea that yesterday I would see the video from billwhittle.com and interestingly, one from Fox News that talked about a school board meeting in Virginia where parents really are standing up and resisting the flood of filth. God’s timing is perfect, because He sees it all at once! The danger for me is in feeling holier-than-thou, getting proud that I see what’s going on. That would be the height of foolishness! Like Daniel, I’ve got to repent for the sake of the nation, understanding my own complicity on many levels. I am torn, because I care deeply about America yet I am sent to Japan, which I naturally also care deeply about. My political participation is limited in both countries, because of my physical distance from the US and my lack of legal citizenship in Japan, but nothing stands in the way of prayer! I am to live in personal righteousness and holiness and offer my prayers to God for Him to use them to accomplish His purposes.

Father, thank You for this powerful reminder. It’s got me rather worked up! Keep me from depending on feelings or emotions, but rather help me be faithful on every level regardless of what is going on around me, so that indeed Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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