Opposition; December 2, 2020

Posted on December 6, 2020 by jgarrott

Ephesians 6:19-20 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Paul was literally chained at the time he wrote this, and it wasn’t long after that he was martyred. However, he didn’t request prayer in relation to his discomfort or his danger, but rather that he would have the courage and the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. That is an example we should all aspire to! Most of our prayer requests tend to be self-centered, all about I-my-me-mine. Paul, in contrast, is focused on “the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” exactly as Jesus told us to be. (Matthew 6:33) There are places in the world today where proclaiming the Gospel is as dangerous as it was for Paul, but those in more tolerant areas tend to forget and/or ignore that fact, if they ever knew it in the first place. America was founded on the idea of religious liberty, but the tide of opposition has certainly been rising. Thankfully, the Supreme Court recently slapped down one politician who was acting against the Church, and looks likely to do more such things, thanks to the recently created majority of justices who take the Constitution at its word. Even so, American Christians tend to be shocked when there is any official opposition to their religion, not to mention their faith, forgetting that people with genuine, Biblical faith have faced intense opposition for the past 2000 years. We need to get past the “best life now” mentality and focus on God being recognized as holy as His kingdom comes through His will being done, not just for us but by us. I’m reminded of John F. Kennedy’s famous words in his inaugural address: “Ask not what you country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Too many Christians are in it strictly for all the benefits, rather than because God is completely worthy of our total devotion and obedience. There are indeed countless benefits to faith in Christ, but if that is our focus, we put ourselves in the category of the shallow, rocky soil or the soil covered with weeds in Jesus’ famous parable. (Luke 8:5-15)

The majority of the opposition I have faced has been disinterest, or twisting my words and intentions. I can’t say I have ever been put into major inconvenience even, much less physical danger, because of my faith. At times I think my faith and obedience are weaker as a result. I subscribe to online newsletters that inform me of the struggles of my brothers and sisters around the world, but I hardly ever do more than pray. However, I do pray, and that’s a blessing. Recently I’ve been praying about the situation in the US, that the blessings of genuine liberty would not be lost, but the situation there doesn’t compare to places in India, Nigeria, and elsewhere, with people being beaten or hacked to death because of their proclamation of the Gospel. America is awash with Bible teaching, much of it very good, when such teaching is literally illegal in some places. Those who have access to the Word need to treasure it, hide it in their hearts, and live it out, and that certainly includes me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the freedom to believe that I have here in Japan. I pray that I would make full use of it, proclaiming the mystery of the Gospel as Paul did, since I am not chained. May I be fully useful to You in destroying the works of the devil and bringing many people into Your family, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Christian Living; December 1, 2020

Posted on December 6, 2020 by jgarrott

Ephesians 4:1-3 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

I have preached quite a few times on verse one, but I realize right now that the next two verses describe what it looks like to live a life worthy of your calling in Christ. This isn’t talking about achievements, about numbers of converts or anything of the sort. Rather, it is talking about our interactions with others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. The NIV isn’t wrong in saying “live a life,” but the Japanese follows the Greek more literally by saying “walk.” The image of walking is motion; you can’t walk sitting down. We aren’t called to be spiritual couch potatoes, we’re called to keep moving. Sometimes that will look more active and sometimes less, but there is progression; we aren’t sitting still. I like the fact that the Japanese connects verses 2 and 3 as one sentence, because the things mentioned can’t be done in isolation, but are together a picture of those who are called by God and living like it. Looking back over 2000 years of Church history, if everyone had followed this advice we would have not only a different Church, but even a different world than we have today. Humility, patience, unity and love have been sadly lacking all too often. As the Bible points out in many places, our real enemy isn’t anyone we can see with our physical eyes, and when we act like those people are our real enemies, we are losing the fight. Cartoonist Walt Kelly put some profound words into the mouth of his beloved character Pogo: “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” We see our own sins and weaknesses reflected in those around us and react against them, failing to “get the beam out of our own eye,” as Jesus put it. (Matthew 7:3-5) Cleaning up our own act requires the humility Paul mentions here, and that is all too often in short supply.

I’ve certainly had my struggles with pride, and I have lived very unworthy of my calling in Christ far more than I like to think about. It does seem that God has made progress in that area in me, but I’m certainly not to a place where I can ignore the issue. My wife tells me I can definitely be less than gentle when correcting others, sometimes over very insignificant things. My perfectionism has literally driven people out of this church, and that is certainly unworthy of the name of Christ. I am indeed to speak the truth, but if I fail to do so in love, the fact that it is true becomes unimportant. Genuine love desires the very best for the one loved, and sometimes that requires very firm correction, but there must be gentleness and respect, and the bond of peace in the Holy Spirit. I’m still learning!

Father, thank You for this Word this morning. Help me indeed live it out, walk it out, making progress with every step, so that as Christ is formed in me, many may be drawn to repentance and faith and fellowship with You and with one another, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Gifts; November 30, 2020

Posted on December 1, 2020 by jgarrott

Ephesians 3:2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you.

What follows this verse is something that was shocking to Jews and perhaps surprising to Gentiles, that, as it says in verse 6, Gentiles are heirs together with Jews of the promises of God. What jumped out at me about this verse, however, is that the work of communicating this gracious truth was given to Paul for the sake of his readers. This is something that has come to me again and again as I have read the Bible: God’s gifts, whether they be material or spiritual, are never just for the immediate recipient. Paul was given a revelation and the job of communicating it, not just for his own sake but for the sake of those who received his message. He too benefited greatly, receiving purpose and direction for his life, which many desire and can’t seem to find. However, he was not the end recipient. I am reminded of musical gifting. I know from experience that such gifts are of great pleasure and satisfaction to the immediate recipient, but if others never get to hear the music, the whole process is stunted. We often get very confused, even deceived, about this. We think, “This is mine, it was given to me,” and fail to receive the fuller blessing of sharing whatever it is with others. That’s particularly true of material blessings, but it can trip us up in any area. God loves us individually and immensely, but (or and) He desires to bless others through us. The more we allow His blessings to flow through us, the more of them we receive. The more we cling to them as ours, the less good they do us, not to mention anyone else.

This is something I have grown to understand, but I can’t really say when it started to get through to me. I have been blessed with a wide variety of gifts. Some of them I have exercised for the benefit of others, and they have grown. Some I have largely neglected, and they have withered. I have long delighted in my daily devotional times with the Lord, but I feel even they have gotten deeper since I started sharing the results with others through my blog. Even the good health and healing God has provided are to enable me to be active in ministry of all sorts. Going even further, the trials God allows me to experience aren’t just to grow and strengthen me, they are to equip and enable me to comfort and strengthen others as they go through similar circumstances. (2 Corinthians 1:4) God is both intensely personal and totally general. Since we can’t be that way naturally, we have trouble grasping that God is like that. Since I’ve been given that understanding, I need to share it!

Father, thank You indeed for this Word. I pray that I would indeed be effective in sharing it, not just through the blog but in many other ways as well, so that Your children may grow as instruments of Your grace, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Purpose; November 29, 2020

Posted on December 1, 2020 by jgarrott

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I couldn’t begin to count all the people I’ve dealt with who have worried over what their purpose was in life. Rick Warren famously wrote The Purpose Driven Life, and that has helped a lot of people. The most basic fact is that we were indeed created for a purpose, and when we have that awareness, all sorts of thing fall into place. One issue is that we often confuse purpose and goal, and once we achieve a major goal we feel we have no more purpose. That is often true for young people, who drive toward the goal of getting into a school of their choice and then graduating from it, but once they have done that they have no idea what to do. Paul clears that all up by pointing out that we didn’t create ourselves, and that our Maker didn’t bring us into the world on a casual whim; He had a purpose for each individual. Our most basic purpose is to be God’s children, living in fellowship with Him, but that can seem too general, too vague, for a lot of people. Paul says explicitly that God has work for us to do, and He already has our jobs laid out. One thing we need to remember is that those jobs aren’t necessarily “done and over,” something to be checked off. The NIV says “do good works,” but the Japanese says “walk in good works.” In other words, it is a continuing process. If we understand that, a lot of our tension about what we’re “getting done” should go away. As more than one philosopher has said, it isn’t the destination, it’s the journey. God indeed gives us specific tasks along the way, and getting them done can feel very good indeed, but any specific task is never the end of the story. We should always be looking forward to the next task in the process of becoming like our Lord Jesus. (Romans 8:29)

I don’t think I’ve ever been a “type A personality,” but it still makes a big difference to me to have a sense of purpose. With our younger daughter here for a visit, I’m very aware of the blessing children are to parents, whether either are aware of it or not. This daughter describes herself as “type A,” and feels driven to accomplish things. Coupled with an abundant skill set, that has made her very successful. Thankfully, she also recognizes that her most fundamental purpose is intimacy with God, and she makes that a high priority. She can make me feel lazy by comparison! At the same time, I am very aware that God has different “works” prepared for each person, and taking another person’s tasks on yourself (without God’s direction) is a terrible mistake. I am at an age where most people retire, but I am very aware that the fact I am still on this earth in this body means that God still has things for me to do. I’m to be active in my obedience, whatever that may mean, until He calls me home. That is purpose enough, and as He has told me, I’m to rest, relax, and rejoice in that awareness.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for what You enabled me to do yesterday, and for the first 8 hour night’s sleep in quite a while. I ask Your guidance and anointing for every moment of today, that I may recognize what You have for me to do and do it with joy, in Your strength for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spiritual Blessings; November 28, 2020

Posted on November 30, 2020 by jgarrott

Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Sometimes the Bible writers were forced to use very general terms, because if they were genuinely specific, they would have had to write and write and write. As John said, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:25) This verse is certainly an example of that. He goes on from here through verse 14 trying to express some of the blessings referred to, but it’s all so rich and interconnected that people have struggled with it ever since it was written. Paul tried, but even Peter said, “His letters contain some things that are hard to understand.” (2 Peter 3:16) Sometimes we just have to go with the general terms and let the Holy Spirit “fill in the blanks,” so to speak. The point here is that God holds nothing back from those who come to Him through Christ. As long as we are walking with Christ by the Holy Spirit we keep discovering more and more of the blessings Paul is talking about, but the full, ultimate revelation of them won’t come until we are before God’s throne, with nothing in the way between us and Him. We tend to be very focused on the physical, and so sometimes we complain bitterly when God is in the process of giving us a spiritual blessing! We recognize material blessings and are often envious of those with abundant finances, when James tells us, “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5) Solid faith is a greater treasure than a financial fortune, but we have great difficulty accepting that when our faith is still weak.

I have never been in a position of material wealth, but God has always met our needs. As a child, my parents’ missionary salary was hardly large, even though we seemed wealthy to our neighbors in immediately post-war Japan. As an adult I have never wallowed in cash, but one of my faith declarations is, “By the grace of God I have sufficient financial resources, because it is written, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) There are times when I am tempted by the material, but I think I genuinely desire the spiritual blessings Paul talks about here more than anything tangible. Actually, sometimes the presence of the Lord is so strong it just about is tangible! That is a treasure that no earthly fortune could buy.

Father, thank You for meeting all my physical needs, just as You have promised. (Matthew 6:33) Thank You even more for Your spiritual blessings that make everything else fade into insignificance. May I be an open channel for Your blessings to flow through me to others, meeting their needs of all sorts and drawing them to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Cross of Christ; November 27, 2020

Posted on November 30, 2020 by jgarrott

Galatians 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Our understanding of the cross of Christ is generally far too shallow. We tend to recoil at the horror of it (once we understand how it was actually done) and/or we think of it in strictly physical terms. However, the Bible makes it clear in many places that the physical connects to the spiritual, and vice versa. Even in the 1st Century there were those who said that the two were completely separate, so it didn’t matter what we did physically, but the whole Bible testifies against that idea. The horrors of Jesus’ physical crucifixion point to the magnitude of the spiritual realities that were accomplished in that act. Crucifixion was not an unusual method of torture and execution for the Romans. If Jesus had been merely a very good man, just a Bible teacher, His crucifixion would have been just one more on the long Roman tally. If Jesus had merely appeared to be physical, like some sort of persistent hologram, then He couldn’t really have died. The cross cannot be understood apart from grasping that Jesus was both fully God and fully Man, taking the penalty for the sins of mankind on Himself as the divine sacrificial Lamb. It is only with that understanding that what Paul wrote here is manifested in our lives. We weren’t physically nailed to that cross, but by faith we participate in the reality that Jesus was. Someone nailed to a cross doesn’t care about any of the things in the world that consume our attention. That’s why Paul wrote to the Romans, “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) That’s exactly what he’s talking about here.

I’ve certainly done my share of boasting over the years, about all sorts of things. I too need to meditate more on the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ, to grasp more fully what it means for me and for the world. As Jesus prayed just before His crucifixion, I am in the world but not of it anymore. (John 17:14-16) The devil and my flesh conspire to try to make me forget that, but it is established spiritual reality. I have seen many people transformed by God, and I see it going on even now. I need to let that transformation be completed even in me, so that nothing will hinder my fellowship with my Lord, nor hinder others seeing Him through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. We don’t often think of the cross as we enter the Advent season! Help me indeed remember why Jesus was born, and rejoice to communicate Your full Gospel to all who will receive it, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Freedom; November 26, 2020

Posted on November 29, 2020 by jgarrott

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

It struck me when I first started reading just now that this verse describes what many people in the US have recently done, voting for big government and socialistic policies. You would think that the lock-downs would be a clear signal, but the population has been groomed for this for the past 50 years or more. It’s much like how sexual predators groom children to make them think what is going to happen is OK or normal. Granted, there has been a lot of outright election fraud this time around, but even that couldn’t have succeeded without a lot of “useful idiots.” It is striking to me how many immigrants to the US from socialist countries are sounding the alarm right now. Barring a miracle (which is always possible) the next two years, at least, are going to be very trying times for any genuine lovers of liberty. However, the Church has survived Roman emperors and worse, and Jesus is certainly still Lord. If things continue on the current apparent course, the divide between darkness and light will become ever clearer, and commitment to Jesus Christ will really start to mean something. That could really be a good thing, though it will certainly disrupt business-as-usual for the vast majority of churches. The saddest part of this is thinking about all the people who will welcome it, at least initially. Jesus’ words are sadly true: “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

Living in Japan as I do, there is a distinct air of unreality to all of this. It is bizarre that Japan has had nowhere near the reaction to the corona virus that America has had, when America is the “Land of Liberty.” It makes the spiritual warfare factor all the more clear. The question remains of how I am to respond to all of this. In the first place, I am to keep praying, and not just for a miracle in the next two weeks. I am to pray that current events will be a sufficient wake-up call to God’s children, so that those who are genuinely His may commit themselves to Him fully and be the salt and light they should have been all along. I am to live my own life in the liberty of the Holy Spirit, (2 Corinthians 3:17) whatever society around me is doing. I am to speak the truth in love, regardless of the consequences, and remember that God can and does turn absolutely anything around for good, for those who are committed to Him. (Romans 8:28)

Father, I certainly didn’t expect to be political when I sat down, and I know many people who read this are going to be disappointed that I did so. However, I know that You care about everything, and I remember what You had Peter write: “For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17) May I keep my eyes on Jesus and be faithful, so that Your will may be done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Putting on Christ; November 25, 2020

Posted on November 29, 2020 by jgarrott

Galatians 3:26-27 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

There is so much meaning in these verses, and the two that follow, that it takes a lifetime to unpack it all. I hardly know where to start! All sorts of things flash through my mind. One of them is Tony Stark putting on the “Iron Man” suit and being transformed into a “super hero.” Lots of human mythology includes that image, and here we have the reality. I can almost see Jesus asking us, “Are you putting Me on?” Of course, in normal idiom that means, “Are you kidding me?” but this is far more literal than that. This all goes to explain how we can be sons of God. It has nothing to do with gender or race, as verse 29 makes very clear, but everything to do with faith. I well remember a man speaking to a Women’s Aglow conference (I attended with my wife, since I was a pastoral advisor) saying that they were all sons of God and he was a daughter of Zion, referencing Zechariah 2:10 and many other Scriptures. This also brings to mind the white robes mentioned throughout Revelation, and the many references throughout the Bible to being clothed with righteousness. (Isaiah 61:10, etc.) The devil wants us to focus on our sin, when God lifts us out of that by clothing us with Christ. We do not become Him, but we are given His attributes, that is, His righteousness and purity, which are totally out of reach apart from the sovereign grace of God.

All of this is of course inseparable from the Biblical concept of “in Christ,” which is what my father wrote his doctoral thesis on. I’ve got to remember that, as my father discovered, being in Christ is possible only to the degree that He is in me by His Holy Spirit. This passage in Galatians speaks of “putting on,” but our metaphors are inadequate for the incredible, glorious reality of being in Christ. I’ve got to consciously take in His Word to let it abide in me just as Jesus talked about in John 15:7, and even the Psalmist realized in Psalm 119:11. That done, I need to open up to let His Spirit flow through me, not trying to “bottle Him up” but allowing Him to flow as He chooses. If I will do that, then I will indeed be “clothed with Christ” and His character will be revealed in and through me. As Peter said so clearly, if I fail to let that happen it means that I have forgotten that my sins have been forgiven and cleansed, and I am no longer bound by them. (2 Peter 1:5-9)

Father, thank You for this powerful reminder. Help me indeed live in this reality, and not deceive myself by keeping it as just intellectual knowledge. (James 1:22) Thank You for reminding me that we are starting the Advent season, and for telling me to speak on Your promises. That’s a very huge topic! Help me hear You clearly as to what is to be shared each Sunday, so that all who hear may be drawn to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Zombie Christians; November 24, 2020

Posted on November 27, 2020 by jgarrott

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This is a justly famous verse. I’ve lost track of how many sermons I’ve heard on things like “220 Power” and the like. However, I dare say few if any of us live it out 100%. It is accomplished reality in Christ, but we still have to appropriate it in daily faithfulness. You could even say that we are “zombie sinners,” since our old self has indeed been crucified with Christ, but we allow it to control us at times. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, we are all too prone to “act like mere men.” (1 Corinthians 3:3) The trick to walking in victory is to realize what you are in Christ and then act like it. We tend to accept the truth of God as theory and then ignore it in practice. That is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. It is an exercise in self-deception, just as James said. (James 1:22) Another phrase that comes to mind is “dead man walking,” as they say of a condemned man going to the execution chamber. The thing is, our death is already accomplished in Christ, so we need to accept it in order to receive the fullness of eternal life that Christ has also provided for us. (Romans 6:23)

This is of course my daily challenge. I often say that James 1:22 was written specifically for me, since I have a lot of the Bible in my head, but need to live it out in concrete terms. I’m not sure how many years ago now that I was invited to participate in a round-table discussion for The Christian Shinbun (newspaper), in which I stated that when Japanese believers wake up to who they are in Christ, it will change not only the Church but the nation, and go on to change the whole world. I remain convinced of that, but I have still seen few “awake” believers. For that matter, too often I myself seem to walk around in a daze! It is only when I accept my death to the world that I am fully alive in Christ. I don’t want to be a zombie! As a pastor, I am charged with helping others realize their status in Christ, so that as a fully-alive army we may storm the gates of hell and set the captives free. (Matthew 16:18)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed live it out, with people and with You, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Differing Ministries; November 23, 2020

Posted on November 26, 2020 by jgarrott

Galatians 2:8 For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles

There is actually a very important principle in this verse. People can be equally called and commissioned by God and yet have very different ministries. It’s not at all unusual for people to miss this principle entirely, and it can make for a lot of friction in the Church. As Paul laid out so clearly in 1 Corinthians 12, we are together the Body of Christ, but every body is made up of different organs that have different functions, and they are all necessary. It is sadly common for people to feel rejected because not everyone participates in the particular ministry that consumes their attention. It is also common for people to look down on others for not being involved in the same things they are. Both of those are deceptions of the devil, again as Paul laid out in 1 Corinthians 12. Here we have Paul and Peter, certainly pillars of the early Church and vital to our faith even today, compared and contrasted. We would be far poorer if we lacked either of them in the history of the Church. Parenthetically, I have always thought it very interesting that God chose Peter, the Apostle to the Jews, to first share the Gospel with the Gentiles in the household of Cornelius. (Acts 10) I feel that went a long way in bringing about the acceptance of ministry to Gentiles, without making them convert to Judaism first, as is recorded in Acts 11, and again in Acts 15. Today we have a wide variety of major ministries, and an almost infinite variety of smaller, local ministries. All are important to God and worthy of our consideration and participation, but the fact of the matter is, we aren’t to participate in all of them. Some people try to do too much, and some even ruin their lives in the process. That is not at all an excuse for spiritual or physical laziness. Ephesians 2:10 is very clear that God has prepared work for each one of us, and we are to be diligent in recognizing His guidance and following it, without demanding that others do the same job.

My mother and my wife are among the many who broke off relationships over this issue. They knew they were called by God to missions, and those they were attracted to did not have that calling, so that took them out of the running. God in time rewarded their faithfulness by giving them partners who shared their calling, but the decision to wait for such a partner can be heart-wrenching. I wasn’t aware of that factor in my own case, but at this point I can certainly see that God knew what He was doing. Cathy and I have shared a remarkable, and delightful, spiritual unity in that area. At the same time, I have experienced pressure from many sides to join this, that, or the other group with a specific focus, when I felt no “burden from the Lord” in that direction. One that immediately comes to mind I got started in, which opened the door, and then the Lord enabled me to pass it off to someone else, who has done a very commendable job at it. I don’t want to refuse any task the Lord has for me, but I don’t want to let merely human or humanistic activities tie me up. I am very aware that God sometimes has tasks for us that are way out of our comfort zone. Moses was not an administrator at all, but God tasked him with leading the entire people of Israel out of Egypt. That said, He far more commonly assigns tasks that make use of the resources – abilities and supplies – He has already provided. I am to be active in seeking to recognize whatever he has for me to do and doing it with all my heart, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that our church Thanksgiving dinner went so well last night, and for getting me through the whole day. Thank You for Cathy and Ann recognizing that this is annually perhaps my highest-stress day of the year, since I am an introvert. Thank You that this time was easier to get through than many have been. I pray that the ministry that was done yesterday, verbally and otherwise, would remain in people’s hearts and bear the fruit that You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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