Good News; June 14, 2020

Posted on June 17, 2020 by jgarrott

Proverbs 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the bones.

This verse rings true right now precisely because the converse is true: bad news tears us down. Last night a TV show had a psychologist on who was talking about “corona depression,” giving 10 signs of it and saying that if three or more applied to you, you probably had it. Several applied to depression in general, but the one that matched this verse was “an obsession with news about the corona virus.” Ignorance is not bliss, but focusing on negatives, no matter how true they might be, is destructive. This is where faith really comes into play. A person of faith and a person without real faith will respond to the same situation entirely differently. That’s because the person of faith has accepted the ultimate Good News of forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life in Christ Jesus. That gives them the emotional and spiritual health to meet any situation. Just before He was arrested, scourged, and crucified, Jesus said something very important to His disciples: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He knew that the world was going to go completely dark for them as their humanistic dreams were torn apart, but He wanted them to have peace in spite of that, so He gave them the good news that He had already overcome the world. He was about to overcome death itself, but He knew they wouldn’t believe that until they saw it. When the world presses in on us, we too need to fix the eyes of our heart on the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Otherwise we allow the devil to steal our peace, kill our joy, and generally destroy our lives. (John 10:10) God wants us to be spiritually healthy, and for that we must focus on the Good News.

I tend to be something of a news junkie, but I have learned I must be careful as to my news sources, and above all to filter everything through the Holy Spirit. Cathy largely swore off of news after the two overloads of the 9/11 attack in the US and the 3/11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I have to relay some items to her that I feel she should be aware of, but I seek to be as positive as possible in doing that. Even I have to back off at times from the flood of information, because so much is sensationalized in a negative way. I’ve got to focus on good news in order to stay healthy! That said, events certainly seem to point to Revelation 12:12. The more the devil kicks up a fuss, the more I need to focus on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, knowing that whatever happens in the short term, the ultimate outcome will be glorious. That is the Good News I need to focus on in my own heart, and it is what I need to proclaim to those around me who are drowning in the sea of bad news.

Father, thank You for giving me this perspective. I see so few who have it! Help me be an agent of Your grace to them, letting Your truth flow through me in love so that they may be set free indeed from the many traps of the enemy, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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What God Wants; June 13, 2020

Posted on June 15, 2020 by jgarrott

Proverbs 15:8 The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

This verse doesn’t necessarily click for us today because we don’t practice sacrificing animals to God, but the modern equivalent would be making a large financial offering. Back then, wealth was measured mostly in agricultural products and what you could get for them. The point here is that if your heart isn’t right, you can’t buy your way into God’s good graces. Of course that directly contradicts the practice of selling indulgences that Martin Luther reacted against so strongly. As much as we might think we understand it logically, we have great difficulty grasping emotionally that God doesn’t need anything we could possibly give Him materially. What He wants is our heart, submitted and obedient to Him, so that He can fellowship with us as a father his children. He doesn’t love our things, He loves us. That’s why, as this verse says, if our heart is right before Him, a simple prayer is far more pleasing to Him than a huge offering would be if we were in rebellion against Him. We have such trouble understanding God’s love. We look at ourselves and think we are unlovely. The world judges us on the basis of appearance, possessions, and accomplishment, but God looks at us as His kids. We want our children to be successful and have plenty and we even like them to look good, but none of that changes the fact that they are our children, and we love them on the basis of that. When they love us in return and honor us as their parents, that is the best thing they could do for us. That is precisely how God feels about us.

I had the great blessing of being raised by parents whom it was easy to honor and love. As a pastor, I am sharply aware that many people have not been so blessed, and are often deeply wounded by the very parents who should have nurtured and disciplined them. As a spiritual parent I am called to be God’s agent in binding up such wounds. In a sense, sometimes I am the bandage He wants to apply to their life. Sometimes I do it right, and sometimes I don’t. I have wounded more people than I like to think about. I am to speak God’s truth in love, because all such wounds are essentially lies about the character of God. When we have absolute assurance of God and His love for us, nothing anyone can do can wound us very deeply. I am to speak God’s truth so that people will be able to navigate the maze of lies that surrounds them, but I must do it in His love or it will be no more than a noisy gong or clashing cymbals to them. (1 Corinthians 13:1) I am to seek to help people understand what God really wants of them, so that they may receive all that He has for them, from eternal life on down.

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Thank You for the lady who called and then came by yesterday, wanting to know what it took to be able to come to church. She is as ignorant of church as anyone I’ve ever met, but she is evidently hungry for what she senses she could find here. I pray that Your truth, Your love and grace, would transmit to her effectively, filling her heart and meeting her need, as a testimony to all who know her and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Parenting; June 12, 2020

Posted on June 15, 2020 by jgarrott

Proverbs 13:24 He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

This verse is heartily despised by many today, and we are seeing the results in society all around us. Physical abuse is of course not a viable option, but failure to discipline is emotional abuse. As has been amply demonstrated in the current pandemic, “experts” all too often make pronouncements for devious motives, and the results can be tragic. That applies in every one of the social sciences, that is, those that deal with human interaction. Economists are notoriously inaccurate! However, it is in psychology and psychiatry that some of the deepest damage is done. I had a friend 40 years ago who was a clinical psychologist, and he maintained that psychology could diagnose, but only God could heal. I’ve not seen anything to contradict that. Specifically in reference to this verse, Dr. Benjamin Spock was the great “parenting expert” when I was a child, and he was very down on “corporal punishment.” Sadly, and tellingly, before he died he published one last book confessing that he had been wrong, and lamenting the monster that he had unleashed. Research over the past several decades has shown that boundaries are essential for healthy child development, because without them a child becomes anxious. Over the course of a human life, the period in which we are least anxious is the period in which we have the least freedom of movement: in the womb. It is as we grow and mature that we become able to handle greater multiplicity of options, but parents often project their own preferences on their children and give them more “freedom” than they really want, whatever they are demanding. Parents who give in to their children all the time are quite literally spoiling them, as in spoiled food that is good only to be thrown out. Back when multi-generational homes were the norm, new parents didn’t panic because their own parents were there to guide. Today such homes are the exception, and new parents often feel totally unqualified. To be honest, they often are! No parents are perfect, but it is painfully obvious that a married father and mother provide the best foundation for future success for any child. Some have turned out very well without that, but they are the exception rather than the rule. Children need both nurture and discipline from both parents to have assurance that they are valued and loved.

I am aware that what I have just written will provoke a strong negative response in some people, but I am convinced of it from the Biblical record, from my personal experience, and from observing all sorts of families for the past 70+ years. When I am talking about parenting with couples before I perform their wedding, I tell them what I have observed in my older grandson. Since we live in Japan and they live in Washington State, I got to see him for the first time when he was 14 months old. My impression was that he was an amazingly happy child, hardly ever crying. About the third day of our visit, the reason for his good disposition became obvious. He and Cathy and I were playing in the living room, and he did something for which he had been scolded before. When his mother (our daughter) noticed that from the kitchen area, she called him down by name with a firm, “No.” She then asked Cathy to slap his offending hand. Hearing that, he extended his hand, and then slapped it himself! The reason he was such a happy child was that he had full assurance that he was loved, because he had appropriate boundaries. Now entering teenage, he is still remarkably assured and mature for his age. That gives me great comfort to feel I didn’t do too bad a job with my daughters!

Father, thank You for the privilege and the responsibility of parenting. I am a physical father, but I am a spiritual father to far more. I don’t have the same options with my spiritual children! Help me apply appropriate discipline in each case, not relying on my experience or my “wisdom” but listening to You in every case, so that each one may be raised as You intend, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Words; June 11, 2020

Posted on June 14, 2020 by jgarrott

Proverbs 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

The Bible has a lot to say about words and speech. Just pulling the references would take quite a while! This particular verse brings to mind Jesus’ strong admonition that “I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37) Here it says “reckless,” and Jesus said “careless,” but they are very similar. Too often we wound without really intending to, and Jesus said we are accountable for that. This verse also gives the flip side of that, with the possibility of healing words. Such words are truly a sign of wisdom. There are people with multiple academic degrees who wound others almost every time they open their mouth. They may be intelligent, but they aren’t wise! Conversely, there are people who make you feel better every time you talk to them. They are the wise ones, because you can’t really be that way without a respect and love for your hearers that comes from a proper appreciation for your mutual Creator. As it says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) If you speak healing words, people will want to be around you. If your words wound with any regularity, you will soon be very alone indeed. This is a very different thing from “political correctness.” It is not healing to speak nonsense. That is “virtue signaling,” rather than either love or wisdom.

This is a subject close to my heart, because I am a man of words. As verse 14 says, I make my living with words, in various capacities. That makes it all the more important that my words heal, and not wound needlessly. My father pointed out to me that sometimes healing requires a scalpel, but he cautioned me that in such cases my words must be clean indeed, and not contaminated with pride, envy, or especially not hatred. I have had experience with using words as weapons, and to be honest, it has felt good to my flesh to make a good strike, skewering my hearer. That is ultimately destructive to me, as well as to my hearer. God will call me to account for it! I am gifted with words, and I must be a good steward of that gift. My words should indeed bring healing, even when they occasionally “knock the scab off” of old wounds. If I rely on my own wisdom I will be wounding with considerable frequency, so I’ve got to rely on God’s wisdom instead. When I am fully submitted and committed to Him, His words flow through me, accomplishing that for which He sends them, (Isaiah 55:11) for His glory alone.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Sometimes my use of words seems unrelated to all of this, like when I was creating exams yesterday for my Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy classes, but even there my choice of words should not be to wound, but to build up and heal. I should be dealing in words that will benefit my students’ future patients. Those exams are done, but I pray that as the students take them, the result will be healing and further learning, for the benefit of the students and their future patients, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Light; June 10, 2020

Posted on June 14, 2020 by jgarrott

Proverbs 4:18-19 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.

Verse 18 is well known, and the Japanese translation I use has been set to music almost exactly to make a very nice little chorus, but verse 19 isn’t so well known. Since they are intended as a pair, the contrast is an important part of the message. If you’ve ever tried walking outdoors very early in the morning, you know that things are often hard to distinguish, and appearances can be deceptive. That is very much the way things are for the brand-new Christian. More mature believers are sometimes shocked at the choices of “baby” Christians. However, over time right choices become more obvious. Hebrews puts it this way: “Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14) It’s that “constant use” that makes our way brighter. In contrast, there is no inner illumination for someone who has consistently chosen evil. There are people in prison who literally can’t figure out how they got there. (This is not to put down those who are falsely imprisoned. That is a serious subject and I applaud such efforts as The Innocence Project.) For that matter there are many videos on the Internet for people to laugh at the stupidity of criminals. People who can’t figure out how to proceed in life need to start with an honest commitment to the One who created them. That won’t instantly solve all their difficulties, but it will at the very least open the door to the light, and they will be able to begin to distinguish good and evil, as it says in Hebrews.

In my own experience there is a corollary to this: if your back is to the light, the way ahead of you looks dark. I have had moments when I willfully turned away from God, and things indeed got pretty dark. In a way that’s part of the training mentioned in Hebrews, because doing it wrong teaches me not to do that again! It’s been about 64 years since I was baptized, and I’ve done my share of stumbling in that interval. However, God is totally faithful, and I have no reason whatsoever to complain. As a pastor I seek to help others recognize the light and turn toward it, rather than away. I’m more successful with some than with others. I am not to be discouraged, but remember that Jesus said to “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) I am not the source of the light, but by God’s grace I can reflect it to those who may see very little light at all.

Father, thank You for amazing grace. Thank You for the encounter yesterday that I was concerned about, but which turned out so well. Thank You that You indeed have perfect wisdom for every situation. Help me keep remembering that, and that such wisdom doesn’t originate in me. May I not distort Your light, nor mask or hide it. May I continue to look forward to the full day of standing before Your throne with all those You have enabled me to bring with me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Applying Wisdom; June 9, 2020

Posted on June 11, 2020 by jgarrott

Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

This chapter of Proverbs has so much extremely helpful stuff in it that I have loved for many years that I decided to write on the only two verses in today’s reading that are not underlined! The book starts with the assertion that these are “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,” (Proverbs 1:1) but Solomon himself doesn’t seem to have abided by some of the most important things in it, specifically verses five and six in this chapter. Likewise, he obviously didn’t transmit this wisdom effectively to his own sons, because his successor was so foolish that he promptly lost half the kingdom! All of that goes to verse one here, because Solomon himself, as well as his son, forgot these wise words and did not keep these commands in their hearts. It all comes back to what James said: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) Human beings seem to be experts at deceiving themselves by isolating truth as an intellectual concept and failing to apply it. That may be the key to the difference between “intelligence” and common sense. You can have a high IQ and still be essentially useless in society. We have all suffered the effects of the leadership of people who were “the smartest person in the room,” yet failed to honor God and apply His truth. Human decision-making always suffers from insufficient information, and both military tacticians and computer experts will tell you how dangerous that is. The only one with full information is God, so it certainly makes sense to listen to Him and do things His way. Anything less is hubris, and history is filled with sad examples of the results of such conceit.

I have long felt that James wrote the verse I quoted just for me! In line with that, I have long loved verses five and six of this chapter. I am quite a case history of the distinction between knowing something as information and having it in my heart to apply it. By the grace of God a good portion of His Word has made that migration, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement. Right now I am in the middle of a situation that intellectually, I have all the answers for. However, I have no answers for touching someone’s heart and opening it to God’s truth, evicting the buildup of the devil’s lies. It is only as I have and exercise that humility that God will be able to use me to bring about His good plan for the person in question. My need to depend on God and listen to Him certainly doesn’t stop there, but extends to every detail of my life. It is only as I receive and apply what He says to me that I will have the success that He and I desire, for His glory.

Father, thank You again for all that You are doing. Thank You for the many ways You are teaching me. Thank You for the lessons from this year’s vegetable garden. Thank You for the lessons that come through the people around me. Help me receive all that You teach me, not just as a “data bank” but as effective operational instructions, so that I may be and do all that You desire of me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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PTSD; June 8, 2020

Posted on June 10, 2020 by jgarrott

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

The Bible does not back off from the reality that not all wounds are physical. The Japanese for this verse says, “He heals those whose hearts have been hit and broken,” implying a wound rather than a disease. “Modern Medicine” was slow to recognize this, but we have come around to more understanding of PTSD. In and after WWI it was just called “shell shock,” but at least it was recognized as a “wound of war.” Many men, and in recent years, women warriors too, have come back from war profoundly changed. Military veterans are understandably sensitive on this issue, and some seek to make the term, PTSD, exclusive to themselves, but the fact remains that there are many kinds of trauma, and they can all have lingering effects long after the fact. Rape and other kinds of abuse certainly come to mind here. The thing is, God knows and cares, and in Him we can have healing. It is dangerous to ignore such wounds, but at the same time they are not to be used as an excuse for destructive behavior, which is an all-too-common situation. The devil loves to turn anything into an excuse to ignore God! Often the wounded individual needs help and support in recognizing how they are wounded, so that they can open their heart to receive the healing God offers. Just as this verse speaks of “binding up their wounds,” being wrapped in God’s love is enormously healing! Sometimes we need to be visible expressions of that love.

By God’s grace I was not sent to the actual battle during my time in the Army, but I knew many who went through a lot, and at least one childhood friend lost his physical life. I ran into some others for whom that might have been the more merciful outcome. Right now I am in contact with several who are still recovering from what they experienced, though it was many years ago. Quite removed from physical battlefields, as a pastor I deal with people with all sorts of invisible wounds. It is very dangerous for me to think I have the knowledge and wisdom to heal those wounds myself, but I do know the One who can and does heal. There is a person in this church who was in severe clinical depression, and now they are the most solid, joyful believer you could hope to meet. There are others for whom I pray the same sort of healing miracle! Again, I don’t have wisdom, so I need to be totally open to the Lord to allow His grace and love to flow through me. He can heal, I can’t. He can bind up wounds, and my attempts can leave things even worse. I am to recognize the opportunities God gives me to be His agent and make full use of them, so that the works of the devil may be defeated and people healed and delivered.

Father, thank You for this timely reminder. Guide me today in the contacts, the communication that needs to be done. May Your will indeed be done in each life and situation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Good Health; June 7, 2020

Posted on June 10, 2020 by jgarrott

Psalm 107:19-20 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.

I have seen and heard verse 20 quoted many times, but not so often with verse 19 and rarely if ever in the context of verse 17, that talks about the sins that triggered the illness in question. We do love to cherry-pick promises from the Bible, but we don’t like to pay attention to the context. It is true that since we live in a fallen world, not all disease is the direct consequence of sin, but far more is than we like to admit. And for that matter, there are sins that have a direct impact on our health, such as gluttony, that we don’t like to admit are sins as well! The official name for the rehab center where Cathy goes to help deal with her Parkinson’s Disease is, “Tomonaga Center for the Prevention of Lifestyle Diseases.” Cathy herself started going there before her formal Parkinson’s diagnosis because she had been told she was “borderline diabetic,” and needed to lose weight. In the eight years since, she has lost over 28 kg, and would be far more of an invalid had she not done so. The healing that is mentioned in this passage is predicated on repentance, that is, a willingness to change, and a reception of the Word that God sends in relation to the situation. Far too often we want health without a healthy lifestyle, the blessings of God while ignoring His precepts. It isn’t politically correct to talk about the far higher mortality rate for COVID-19 for those who have type-2 diabetes, or just general obesity, but that doesn’t change the statistics. That said, being a “health freak” doesn’t automatically make you pleasing to God! Many people who focus on physical health totally ignore their spiritual health, refusing to acknowledge that our physical bodies are decidedly temporal. Once again we are back to Jesus’ instructions to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) That applies in absolutely every area of our lives, and brings untold rewards.

Since my father died of heart disease at 64, I have tried to be careful to recognize risk factors and avoid them, so as to be a good steward of the body I’ve been given. I do walk regularly, and have recently started planking, which is something I hadn’t really registered as being an effective exercise until quite recently. I enjoy a very good level of health, particularly for my age, but that’s not really the big issue. I need to be focused in on obedience to God, on seeking His kingdom and His righteousness before and above everything else. I am to feed on God’s Word regularly, and not just in emergencies! And as a pastor I am to lead others to do the same. Consistent personal devotions are perhaps my highest goal for those in my care, since each one needs to learn to hear and listen and obey the soft voice of the Holy Spirit. If they will do that, they will enjoy not only good health but also more blessings in general than they can now imagine.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I always feel somewhat awkward writing about health, since Cathy has so many health issues that are not the result of disobedience to You. I do pray that Your health would be manifested in her body, on this side as well as the other side of her “graduation,” for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Benefits; June 6, 2020

Posted on June 8, 2020 by jgarrott

Psalm 103:2 Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

This Psalm is a glorious recitation of the “benefits” mentioned in this verse, and as such is one of David’s finest, and most important, Psalms. The first two verses and the last three are commands/exhortations to praise God, and the whole rest of the Psalm tells us why. It is not specific to any particular time or circumstances, and so is appropriate for anyone at any time. We have a sad tendency to forget all that God has done and continues to do for us, just as this verse warns against. We take things for granted, and like spoiled children, say to God, “What have You done for me lately.” For starters, He hasn’t wiped us out of existence in total disgust! We need to remember that, when we’re feeling like whining. As Jesus said, God does “cause his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and send rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45) In other words, there is general grace, and it is possible to live a fairly “normal” life without a relationship with your Creator. However, when you do have that relationship, how marvelous it is! Again, though, the risk is that we can let that relationship go stale, taking it for granted instead of pressing in for more of our Lord. That’s why the advice in this verse is so important.

I’ve certainly done my share of taking God and His benefits for granted! I’ve had the stupidity of thinking I deserved them, and that I owed Him nothing in return. I am very grateful to have learned, as the little chorus says, “All that I have, all that I am, all I will ever be cannot repay this love-debt I owe. I surrender to Thee.” The moment I am disappointed or upset about anything I need to stop and remember all that has not gone wrong, all the mountain of blessings God has provided for me. I would do well to recite this Psalm daily, as a reminder to my forgetful soul. The world is fallen, and as long as I’m in it I will encounter things that are not pleasing, but if my focus is on my marvelous, gracious, absolutely perfect Lord, I will be able to rejoice regardless of what is going on. (John 16:33)

Father, thank You for this reminder. The news is full of negative things, but that’s nothing new. Thank You for the truth of this Psalm, that is far more valid and accurate than anything on TV or the Internet. Help me walk in the gratitude and obedience that are the only appropriate response to who You are and all You do, so that those who see me may be drawn to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Focus; June 5, 2020

Posted on June 8, 2020 by jgarrott

Psalm 73:1-3 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

The author of this Psalm, Asaph, was obviously one of the “good guys,” but he had a revelation from God that in a sense, his very goodness had led him into a trap. Seeing the “bad guys” and how good they seemed to have it in life, he envied them, and that is a trap indeed. Thankfully, God enabled him to gain an eternal perspective, so that he realized how fleeting temporal riches are, and how blessed it is to have eternal security. (verse 26) Verses 25-26 have been set to music, making a chorus I have loved for a long time. This whole Psalm seems very timely, with the envy and greed being displayed in the riots and looting, and people ransacking stores and walking off with various material goods, often torching what they can’t steal. Everything about it is sad, from the destruction and loss for those who see their life’s investment going up in flames, to the very people who are trading character and integrity for material goods. On top of that we have the wealthy “glitterati” who, rather than helping those who are suffering real loss, are bailing out the looters. The temptation to absolute disgust and despair is very real. We need to have the same revelation Asaph received, and understand that the things of God are all that matter in the end.

I will confess to being burned out on negative news. Not getting American TV, the Internet is my major news source, but yesterday I found I wanted anything but reports of what was going on and people talking about it. It was refreshing to find a video report of another Space-X success, with the main booster from a satellite launch being successfully landed on a drone ship for the fifth time, marking the first time a rocket has been reused that much. I wanted good news! Thinking about it, however, I realize that there is never any lack of bad news, because the devil and those serving him don’t rest. It’s just a matter of where I choose to place my focus. I am not to ignore the evil in the world, because that would mean failing to stand against it, and conversely to open myself to being deceived and destroyed by it. However, my focus is to be on God, who is indeed “the strength of my heart and my portion forever,” as Asaph says in verse 26.

Father, thank You indeed for this very timely Word. I do pray for Your will to be done, not only in the US but also in Japan, and Nigeria, and Pakistan, and even North Korea. Thank You for telling me so clearly over 20 years ago that there are indeed many things that are not as You want them to be, implying that everything will be worked out in the end. Help me rest, relax, and rejoice in that assurance, submitting to You and resisting the devil, so that Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, even in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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