Talents; March 6, 2021

Posted on March 8, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 25:21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!'”

The central place of the Bible in Western culture is illustrated by the current usage of the word, talent. In Biblical times it was actually a weight, as is illustrated by the many references in the Old Testament to talents of gold or silver. Because the term was used in weighing precious metals, it then became a unit of money. Scholars differ as to how much it was, but it was significant. The point of the parable is obviously that we are to make full use of what God supplies to us. A secondary point is that what He supplies is valuable! Many people have noticed that the actual quantity is not an issue in the outcome. The words of commendation to the man who doubled 5 talents are exactly the same as those to the man who doubled just two. However, the only servant who was condemned is the one who did nothing with what he was given. Many people today insist they are not “talented,” and so fail to exercise the gifts and abilities they have received. Looking at this parable, that seems to be a very dangerous course of action! It’s possible the man who received just one talent was in a snit, angry that the other men received more. The same thing happens today, with people jealous over what others have in various ways. Jealousy has never benefited anyone! The point is to stop looking at others, recognize what you yourself have, and be fully accountable for it. Jesus is clear that it’s not a matter of what you start with, but of what you do with it.

This whole parable of the talents could in a way be said to be central to my family. I come from two lines of gifted individuals in a wide variety of fields. How wide? Well, Alan Shepard, America’s first astronaut to make it into space, was a relative on my mother’s side, though I’m sure he had no idea I existed. For myself, “underachiever” was a term that was probably used of me many, many times. I was tied for the highest entrance examination scores the year I entered college, even though I had skipped my senior year in high school, but I failed Freshman Math and 1st Year German my first year. School had always been so easy for me, I didn’t know how to focus and study. I’ve had some painful lessons in that area! In the years since then there have been few signs of focused achievement. I have worked at various jobs, showing that I can make a living in a wide variety of fields, but I have been too easily distracted. I don’t know whether my longevity as a missionary is more from faithfulness or inertia! I do know that my greatest desire is to receive the accolade recorded in this verse, but I am not a good judge of myself, so I can only cast myself on the grace and mercy of my Lord. I am deeply grateful that His grace is sufficient.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for helping me realize that I literally would have had to live several lives to develop fully all the gifts You gave me. Guide me in what You want me to do each day, so that Your purposes for me may be accomplished, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Loving God; March 5, 2021

Posted on March 8, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 24:12-13 “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

The Japanese here goes with the more traditional, “the love of many,” but I like the NIV stress of saying “the love of most.” Also, the Japanese goes with “the increase of lawlessness,” rather than the more general, “wickedness.” We forget that God’s laws really cover everything about life. We also forget that in the Upper Room Discourse Jesus very specifically said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15) We are prone to say to Jesus, “I love you, but….” We want to pick and choose what we obey of what He says to us, but that is a cold love indeed. Looking at the world and saying, “I’m better than that,” is a false comparison, because the world is currently the devil’s territory. We need to let the Holy Spirit shine His light on us and show us where we have compromised, how we have let our love grow cold. The pressures are relentless, and we need to keep close watch over our hearts. The comfort is that we can have the assurance that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) That doesn’t remove our responsibility to cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit, but it should be a good defense against the blanket accusations of the devil.

Recently I got news of yet another person who was in a position of great trust in the Church being persistently unfaithful over a period of years. It boggles the mind at times, but I need to take it as a strong admonition not to let down my guard. I have a very crafty enemy who has no power in himself besides what I give him, but his lies can trip me up. I do consider loving God my highest priority, but as the little chorus says, “But how much I love Thee my actions will show.” When I let my flesh take priority, being lazy and the like, I am not loving God with all I am. I have another month of very relaxed scheduling, and I need to make the use God intends of each minute, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. I do have a lot of stuff I need to get done, but I have ignored or avoided it, from filing my US taxes to making appointments to various kinds of straightening and cleaning. My first priority for this morning is the sermon notes for Sunday, but there are a lot of other things waiting as well. Help me love You enough to be fully faithful, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Dinner Invitation; March 4, 2021

Posted on March 6, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 22:14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

This is a famous saying of Jesus, but generally quoted out of context. The deciding point in whether someone was chosen was very simply their acceptance of the invitation. It specifically says in verse 10 that “both good and bad” people came to the banquet. One detail that confuses a lot of people is the person who failed to wear appropriate clothing, who was treated much like those who had refused to come in the first place. (verses11-13) All of this becomes much more clear in the light of the rest of the New Testament. We are told of “the wedding supper of the Lamb,” (Revelation 19:9) and how God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)That agrees with this parable perfectly, but what about the wedding clothes? That is clarified by, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) And how do we clothe ourselves with Christ? By repentance and faith. It is very dangerous to be in the Church without repentance! Hell isn’t reserved for those who openly reject God, it is also for those who act like they’re Christians without letting God change their hearts. It doesn’t matter what we once were; what matters is whether we repent and believe the Good News. (Mark 1:15) So many people hang up on one side of that or the other! Either they think they aren’t worthy of the invitation, (spoiler alert: nobody is) or they think they can get by without letting God change their heart. Those who reject repentance accuse God of being discriminatory, when His invitation is open to absolutely everyone who will repent and believe.

This is of course my message, as I seek to communicate the Gospel in Japan. I have said for 40 years that I didn’t come to Omura to teach a religion, I came to introduce a Savior. (In Japanese that’s almost a pun.) There have been many barriers, not least of which is that Buddhism doesn’t teach salvation at all. I’ve had three different Buddhist priests, at different times and in different places, acknowledge that fact frankly. The ultimate in Buddhism is nothingness! No wonder the Japanese rate of suicide is so high! People haven’t been given the mental framework to think about God’s offer of salvation through the cross of Christ, so it seems like a very foreign religion indeed. However, Paul and the others in the 1st Century faced the same sort of barriers, so I have no reason to lose hope. I am to keep inviting people to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and at the same time make the dress code clear. The nice thing is, our wedding finery is already paid for! I just need to help people understand what it is, and accept it.

Father, thank You for this beautiful parable, and for explaining it through me this way. Help me be more and more effective in gathering Your guests, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Stewardship; March 3, 2021

Posted on March 6, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 21:43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”

Some people have used this verse to justify what is called “Replacement Theology,” which says that the Church has replaced Israel in God’s plans. However, as Paul said forcefully, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29) Jesus wasn’t speaking of the entire nation of Israel (or Judea at the time) but of the leaders, as they themselves recognized, which is recorded in verse 45. The point of this parable is that everything belongs to God, and we are accountable to Him for what we do with it. That applies to material things and even to the much more important matter of the whole kingdom of God, as Jesus says explicitly in this verse. We forget that to our peril. In most churches “stewardship” is treated as a matter of how much money you give, but it actually applies to absolutely everything. As Paul pointed out, “It is required that those who have been given a trust (stewards) must prove faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2) God gives us His kingdom, even, (Luke 12:32) but we are totally accountable to Him for it. That’s why the ultimate accolade is, “good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21) When we focus on the material, important as it is, we miss the greater part of what stewardship is all about. As again Paul pointed out, “To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7) Likewise, Peter said, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10) Every ability we have is on loan from God, and we should treat it that way. No ability on earth is eternal, except the ability to know God and love Him. Any older person can testify to that! Stewardship deals with everything we have right now, and recognizes that the Owner can call for it at any moment.

This of course applies to me, since it applies to every human being. Frankly, I’m not a very good judge of my own stewardship. I can’t say conclusively how well I’ve done as God desires of me in using the things He has supplied. I guess I’ll find out at the Final Audit we all go through! That said, I can certainly choose to focus on listening to my Lord, seeking to hear and obey His directions for everything. Experience, not to mention logic, has taught me that His way is always best! I am to be faithful, but not uptight about it. After all, I couldn’t do it right on my own in any case! As He so kindly told me personally, I’m to rest, relax, and rejoice, not drawing back from anything He directs and not holding back anything, afraid that He won’t supply everything I need. He has demonstrated His faithfulness to me in countless ways, big and small, and my response should certainly be faithfulness to Him.

Father, I have no words to express my gratitude for Your faithfulness, and it’s certainly rare that I’m at a loss for words! Help me be the steward You want me to be, so that all of Your purposes for all that You have supplied to and through me may be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Asking God; March 2, 2021

Posted on March 5, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

It strikes me that it’s not wrong to ask for clarification and explanation. Insecure people sometimes feel threatened by such things, but Jesus was and is hardly insecure! Whereas it is true that our limited human intellect and perspective generally can’t grasp the total picture, (Isaiah 55:8-9) God doesn’t want to keep us in the dark, unless knowing the short-term trials would keep us from reaching the long-term blessings. Sometimes God doesn’t supply the answers we are looking for. That can be because we aren’t really listening, and it can be because the answer He gives isn’t the answer we want. The first time I ever heard the Lord speak to me in what might as well have been an audible voice, I had been beseeching Him to speak to me, nonstop, until I paused for breath and He said clearly, “Well then, shut up.” It was quite a shock, and then I laughed! It’s not at all wrong to ask God for clarification and explanation, but our fundamental posture and attitude has to be one of commitment and obedience. We aren’t going to hear His directions very well if we aren’t willing to follow them. This particular example isn’t such a directive thing, but I’m sure it impacted the later ministry of the disciples who heard it. Even in the 1st Century there were “weeds” in the Church, and they needed to know how to deal with such people. When we rely on our own understanding and think we have to deal with everything ourselves, we both burn out and get into deep trouble. Proverbs has it spot-on: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) When we genuinely rely on God, we have nothing to worry about.

This is something that applies very directly to me. I’ve always been a glutton for knowledge, wanting to know the what and the why even from childhood. However, with that attitude I’ve tended to rely on what I knew (or thought I knew) rather than staying humble before God. I’ve long felt that Proverbs 3:5-6 and James 1:22 were put into the Bible expressly for me! My experience has certainly been that I’m never going to know everything, and that that’s OK. However, I’d better be prepared to act on what God has shown me, because strictly intellectual information is just fodder for self-deception. I’m not to hesitate to ask God anything, but I’m not to be hurt if the answer isn’t immediate, and my fundamental attitude has got to be one of joyful obedience.

Father, thank You for Your patience with me. Help me accurately express that patience to those around me, so that they won’t hesitate to approach me and especially to approach You. May we all know You as our loving Father, to be respected and obeyed, but who loves to wrap us in His arms and answer our questions. Thank You. Praise God!

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Sowing; March 1, 2021

Posted on March 5, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 13:23 “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

This is traditionally called “The Parable of the Sower,” and it is labeled as such in the Bible in front of me. However, it would seem to more accurately be called “The Parable of the Soil.” It’s the same sower in each case, and the same seed; what produces the difference is the quality of the soil. The justification for calling it “The Parable of the Sower” is that it is the sower who is desiring a crop; that’s why he’s sowing. If he didn’t want a crop, he wouldn’t be scattering seed. In the interval between speaking the parable and explaining it, (verses 10-17) Jesus makes it clear that his disciples are sowers, because they have been entrusted with “the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven,” (verse 11) and in verse 19 He makes it very clear that the seed is the message of the kingdom. One thing we need to be careful to remember is that if the seed isn’t sown, no crop can be expected at all. Those who know about the kingdom of God are responsible to share that knowledge. Whether it will be received or not isn’t their responsibility, but sharing is. The problem is, it doesn’t take many times of being rejected or embarrassed to make us give up sharing! That’s part of the Biblical admonition to “die to self.” When we are focused on how our actions will reflect on us, we won’t be bold in sharing. When we are more worried about whether someone will like us or think well of us than whether that person will go to heaven or hell, we won’t be bold in sharing. The sower should be focused on the magnificence of the seed with which he has been entrusted, and be excited to share it. As we have opportunity, helping prepare the soil is certainly a worthwhile activity. Doing a “data dump” on someone who isn’t ready for it doesn’t produce good results! We certainly need the Lord of the Harvest to give us wisdom in how to sow.

This of course applies to me, and it’s a very timely lesson. Given the time of year, I’ve been getting our garden ready to plant. For a few weeks, actually, I’ve been taking a bucket out and gathering the rocks I could see in the garden area, dumping them outside of it. Then I borrowed a neighbor’s tiller and went over the ground thoroughly. It was shocking how many more rocks I turned up, including some about as big as my head! This is the third year we’ve had that garden, and that was proof that my tilling the previous two years wasn’t deep enough. This year, after two passes with the tiller I scattered composted cow manure, and then went over it a third time. All of that sounds good, but in the end, there were small rocks all over everywhere! I had to go back with the bucket and gather a LOT more rocks! Yesterday one of the church members, who loves this sort of thing, went in and made rows and furrows in about half the area, and I will do the same for the rest. Then it’s planting time! All of this is hard work, but the anticipation of harvest is very motivating. I need to let that carry over more and more into my ministry, being willing to put in the effort to cultivate people, preparing them to receive the Word and supplying it to them in doses they can receive. I’m a bad one for doing data dumps! At the same time, I must remember that I’ve been given good seed, and rejoice to share it so that it may multiply many times over.

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Thank You for the many opportunities You give me to share Your Word, formally and informally. Keep me from drawing back at the work or the risks involved, but be a faithful servant, following Your directions on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Weeds in the Church; February 28, 2021

Posted on March 2, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 13:29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.'”

It’s very difficult to pull out one verse from this parable, because all seven verses are very much part of it. However, the point of the parable is very clear: bad people are going to get into the Church, but they will be dealt with in the end. This has been evident throughout the past 2000 years, and it’s certainly in operation today. It’s much easier to look back over Church history and point out examples of “weeds,” but it’s much more risky to do so today. Some seem glaringly obvious, as they promote teaching and practices that are clearly in opposition to Scripture. However, other “weeds” are legalistic, and seem from some angles to be righteous. The problem comes in what we are to do about them. No group is immune, so we need to be active in our own sensitivity and obedience to the Holy Spirit, not running around accusing, but making it clear by example what genuine “wheat” looks like, so others aren’t as likely to be deceived. I frankly don’t like to imagine what is going to happen to the “weeds” in the end, but that isn’t our responsibility. Those who do genuinely love God are to keep speaking the truth in love, remembering that God’s love forgives but doesn’t excuse, and sometimes is very firm. We tend to confuse love and “warm fuzzies,” thinking that admonition and correction aren’t loving, when quite the opposite is the case. We are to be clear-eyed and vigilant, and at the same time accepting of repentance and encouraging. Otherwise we run the risk of becoming “weedy” ourselves!

I have known a few “weeds” myself, and in my view, there are some that are glaringly obvious on the world stage today. However, I’ve got to remember that in Jesus’ parable the concern wasn’t with the weeds so much as with the genuine “wheat.” I am to be an instrument of restoration and healing for those who have been damaged by the “weeds,” pointing them to Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to do His full work as the Comforter. It has been quite a shock to find out some people were weeds years after I had interaction with them. I am to remember that prayer is the only safe “herbicide,” dealing with the weeds without damaging the wheat. I’m not to be a “weed inspector,” but rather focus on my Lord, hearing and obeying Him faithfully.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the people You have brought into this church, and those You have removed. Those who have left have certainly not all been weeds! I ask Your blessings on them as they serve You, across this nation and around the world. May I keep planting good seed, preparing soil and watering, so that Your harvest may come in Your time for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Harvest Workers; February 27, 2021

Posted on March 2, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

This could hardly be a more familiar passage. I don’t remember when I first learned it, but it was certainly in my childhood. Also, it was our Scripture for the Year just a few years ago. The question remains, however, how well I am following through with what it says. After talking with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus told his disciples to stop quoting what seems to have been a proverb of the day about the harvest being some time off, telling them that the fields were already ripe. (John 4:34) It is a perennial problem in most churches that the average believer isn’t sensitive to those around them to know when they are open to be led to faith in Christ. That could be said to be part of the gift of Evangelist, and this statement by Jesus is telling us to pray for more people to have that gift. The tricky thing about prayer, however, is that genuine prayer offers yourself to God as an instrument for the prayer to be answered. In other words, if you are praying for God to send evangelists, you need to be willing to be one yourself. A lot of people balk at that! Going further, in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) Jesus expressly said, “make disciples.” “Laborers for the harvest” doesn’t just include those cutting the grain, it also includes those bundling the sheaves, threshing the grain, and getting it into the storehouse. Nurturing and maturing new believers is as important as street corner evangelism, at least. Of course we can’t do any of this right on our own, so prayer of this sort must include asking for the guidance and anointing of the Holy Spirit. What we must not do is ignore the whole issue, being satisfied with our own salvation and letting everyone else go to hell.

Just knowing this Scripture without applying it is just fooling myself. (James 1:22) As a pastor I am certainly to “do the work of an evangelist,” just as Paul told Timothy. (2 Timothy 4:5) but I am also to “prepare God’s people for works of service,” (Ephesians 4:12) training them to be evangelists and disciplers. To this point I’ve not been very successful at that, and part of it is that I’m not a very good evangelist or discipler myself! The principle of Coaching that I’ve been learning for the past couple of years should really help with that, but I’ve got to put it into practice, and not just let it reside in my brain as theory. Frankly, I’ve been lazy, not putting in the effort to create and maintain the human interactions that are essential to all of this. When it came up in a conversation a few weeks ago my daughters were both quick to say that I am an introvert, but that is no excuse. I am to be a faithful servant of my Lord Jesus Christ, fully willing to do whatever He says, whether it is in my “comfort zone” or not.

Father, thank You for this strong admonition. Help me follow through, listening accurately to You and doing precisely what You desire, so that I may serve both as a harvest worker and a harvest trainer, raising up other harvest workers, to bring the Japanese people into Your kingdom, Your family, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Fear of Death; February 26, 2021

Posted on February 27, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 6:27 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?”

I was about to write on a different verse from today’s passage when this one hit me between the eyes. Nothing could be more timely! The current pandemic, that has run for over a year now, has indeed taken many people from this life. The question remains, however, how many more lives have been destroyed because of fear of the pandemic. Just yesterday I saw another recognition of the statistic that there has been an extremely low incidence of influenza over the past year in the US, when in normal years that claims tens of thousands of lives. It’s not at all that COVID-19 isn’t a real disease that can be fatal, especially for the elderly, but rather that fear of it has been turned into a political weapon, with untold “collateral damage.” We will all die sometime, but we don’t like to admit it. Hebrews tells us that Jesus came specifically to “free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:15) Someone who doesn’t have the assurance of salvation in Christ is naturally going to be afraid of death, but why do Christians join the panic? Diseases are just part of what Jesus was talking about when He said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) That doesn’t mean be careless, much less ignore basic hygiene, but it does mean, don’t be a slave to fear.

This is personal for me, because I had a friend die from COVID-19 after having been infected while ministering the Gospel at Mardi Gras in 2020. That was sad, but he was certainly ready to go. My own granddaughter and her husband have both had it, and have recovered beautifully. America has made a big deal of the total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 going over 500,000, but there is very little reporting of the fact that the rate of infections has gone down precipitously over the past six weeks. I find myself most disgusted over the politicization of the whole thing. Some horrible decisions were indeed made, and it looks like at least one governor is going to pay a heavy price for his, but there seems to be no hint of genuine contrition and apology. That is tragic indeed. Japan is just now rolling out vaccinations, but I don’t expect to get one myself. I’m not immune, but I refuse to be afraid! As the Bible expresses in many places in many ways, the only thing I am to fear is the judgment of God Himself, and He has provided His Son to take the penalty for my sins.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. I find myself “swimming upstream” fairly often these days, often against people who are close to me. Help me speak the truth in love, not condemning but allowing You to use my words to set people free, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Baptism; February 25, 2021

Posted on February 27, 2021 by jgarrott

Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

I have heard virtually countless sermons, teaching, and discussions on this verse since I was first exposed to the Charismatic Movement back in 1973. The thing of it is, as long as it is theoretical, we can’t really understand it. We have to experience it to really grasp it. It’s like my father told me (not long before he graduated from this earth), he had written his doctoral dissertation on “In Christ,” but he didn’t really grasp what it was until he had a powerful experience of the Holy Spirit. We can talk about this sort of thing all day, but we have to experience it to understand it, and then we may not have words to describe it! Ritual bathing was a familiar part of Jewish culture in those days, as well as in various others. It was particularly emphasized by the Essene sect that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls, and there is evidence that John the Baptist was essentially raised by the Essenes, since Luke tells us his parents were up in age when he was born. For that matter, one of the major archaeological discoveries in Israel in the past year was a ritual bath in the area that was probably the Garden of Gethsemane. In other words, what John was doing wasn’t anything strange in the culture of the day, but rather than using a dedicated facility, he did it in the Jordan River. What made it notable, causing many people to come to him, was the power of the Holy Spirit in him. Luke tells us that he was filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb. (Luke 1:15) He certainly didn’t mince words, and was the antithesis of politically correct. It was that power that drew people to him, so it was very significant that he said that the one to come after him was even more powerful. He said that the baptism he performed was “for repentance,” something to cause or help people to make that clear-cut decision to leave their old ways and walk in obedience to God. In nominally Christian cultures, baptism is for acceptance, an initiation into a group. If it is no more than that, there is little if any spiritual benefit. Water baptism must not be separated from repentance. However, John’s major point here is that the Messiah would do far more, baptizing in the Holy Spirit and fire. The Charismatic Movement has been big on baptism in the Holy Spirit, but there are a lot of different opinions about baptism in fire! This isn’t the place to discuss all of those, because as I said, all of this must be experiential to be real. Whether you were sprinkled or dipped, if the Holy Spirit wasn’t involved, in conviction, cleansing, and empowering, you just got wet.

I was baptized at age seven on the basis of my own clear decision. I still remember with considerable clarity going to my parents one night before going to bed, expressing my desire to be baptized. That was real and valid, but I don’t remember how much repentance was involved. At 24, when I was already a father, God showed me the state of my heart, and my repentance was so overwhelming that I requested, and received, water baptism a second time. However, it wasn’t until I was 26 that I experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit, not as emotion or “spiritual gifts,” but as God flowing through me to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it says in Acts 1:8. It was a couple of months later that I started receiving, and exercising, the gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. I think I have received more than one baptism in fire, but I can’t say I don’t need more! There are still things that could profitably be burned out of me. I can’t bring those on, but I am responsible for my response when God does bring them. I desire to be a tempered blade in His hand, to defeat the lies of the enemy and set people free.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me walk in total submission to all that You want to do in and through me, for the blessing of many and for Your glory alone. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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