Genuine Repentance; October 12. 2020

Posted on October 14, 2020 by jgarrott

 Joel 2:12-13″‘Even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”

We have trouble imagining the circumstances under which this was written, but East Africa has had a locust infestation even this year, though perhaps not as severe as the one referenced here. I read a headline just a couple of days ago asking, “What happened to America’s locusts?” In other words, America used to have such extreme outbreaks too, but hasn’t for a long time now. (I wonder what people think of that aspect of “climate change?”) The closest most Americans can come to imagining the situation is the extreme situation with the red-eyed cicadas a couple of years ago, but from what I read, they were more noisy than destructive, the way locusts are. All of that aside, the important point here is in the first line of verse two: “Rend your hearts and not your garments.” For many hundreds of years there had been a cultural custom of tearing your clothing as a sign of mourning, contrition, or deep sorrow. Joel is telling us that such external symbols are meaningless without a genuine change of heart. God isn’t interested in our “going through the motions” without actually repenting of what got us into the situation in the first place. In yesterday’s message in the service the Lord said through me that all too often we regret the consequences of our rebellion against Him without regretting the rebellion itself. That isn’t real repentance! God allows the consequences in order to get our attention, and indeed such consequences are a major reason why God gives us rules in the first place, but what we need to do is let go of our insistence on being in control, so that obeying God will be our first response instead of something we come to reluctantly.

Seeing all that is going on in America at the moment, I can’t help but feel America is having a “locust moment,” one that will be corrected only by genuine repentance. The situation is certainly complex on many levels, but God has it all sorted out and the answer to it all is turning to Him. I feel more involved than ever before in my life, yet I am physically on the other side of the world. I need to be careful of my own heart attitudes and pray for a spirit of repentance to come over the whole country. The event in Washington D.C. recently with Franklin Graham was certainly encouraging and a step in the right direction, but I can’t participate in such things physically. Since I can’t “rend my garments,” that is more encouragement to “rend my heart,” repenting of national sins like Daniel did (Daniel 9) and seeking to have my own heart right before the Lord.

Father, yesterday afternoon You had me point out that different parts of the Body of Christ have different functions and shouldn’t be comparing themselves to one another. Help me recognize Your tasks for me and do them with my whole heart, not insisting that others join me but encouraging them to seek Your plans for them, so that together we may do Your will in all its varied aspects, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wisdom; October 11, 2020

Posted on October 14, 2020 by jgarrott

Hosea 14:9 Who is wise? He will realize these things.
Who is discerning? He will understand them.
The ways of the Lord are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.

It strikes me that this could stand to be the last verse of the whole Bible, and not just of the prophecy of Hosea. It says that if you’re smart, you’re going to understand this stuff. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah all rightly connect wisdom with the fear of the Lord. It doesn’t matter what your IQ is, if you don’t acknowledge that you’re a created being with accountability toward your Creator, you don’t understand anything. There’s a slight difference in the Japanese from the NIV in the second half of this verse, and I find it very illuminating. Where the NIV says, “The ways of the Lord are right,” the Japanese says, “The ways of the Lord are flat/smooth.” Such a road should be easy to walk on, but Hosea tells us the rebellious stumble anyway. It doesn’t take a great deal of perception to realize that those who are in active rebellion against their Creator have willfully blinded themselves to how things really are. Their pride convinces them they don’t need God, when nothing could be further from the truth. Without God’s sustaining hand, our constituent atoms wouldn’t even hold together! One of the great mysteries of physics is just how the universe exists, and scientists use all sorts of vague terms like “strong force” and “weak force” and “dark matter” and “dark energy” to try to explain it. Numbers of such scientists have come away convinced that there must be a Creator, and the majority of those have found that of all the world’s religions, the only one that lines up with their discoveries is the Bible. Even so, countless people who start with rebellion instead of with honest inquiry end up claiming “science” as their excuse for atheism. It all points out the distinction between wisdom and intelligence. Computer scientists have made great strides toward what is called “artificial intelligence,” but that is not at all the same thing as wisdom.

This of course applies to me. I was blessed with a high IQ, but if I depend on that instead of my Creator, I am certainly not wise. If I find my way seems rocky and hard to follow, I need to check my relationship with my Lord. It is quite true that we live in a fallen world, and as a result we will inevitably have trouble. (John 16:33) However, if my heart is rightly fixed on my Creator and His Son, my Lord and Savior, then I will always know where to put my feet, where and how to walk. Intelligence is a blessing, but wisdom is far more important.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the privilege of sharing the things You speak to me. I ask Your anointing in this morning’s service, and then again this afternoon as I bring a greeting at an ordination/installation service at another church. It dawned on me this morning that I have literally achieved the status of a “graybeard,” and my words were sought for today. I pray that they would not just be mine but be Yours, to accomplish that for which You send them, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God’s Sovereignty; October 10, 2020

Posted on October 12, 2020 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 33:1-3 While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time: “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it–the Lord is his name:  ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'”

It really strikes me that this Word from the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was a prisoner. The whole rest of the chapter goes on to specify things that were indeed beyond human capacity to understand under the immediate circumstances. The lesson is, God is not limited by our circumstances! I am presuming that when the Lord told Jeremiah what we have here, he indeed called out to God to be shown whatever God wanted him to know. Any time God makes us a direct, immediate offer, we need to take Him up on it! Judah was in imminent danger of being totally conquered by the Babylonians, and that is indeed what happened, including the destruction of Jerusalem. That’s something to remember in the middle of the current political turmoil in the US. Judah was conquered by an external enemy because of her internal sins, and America is in danger of being taken over by internal enemies for the same reason. Whatever the outcome of the election, and all the political turmoil before and after, God is still God, and He’s not even inconvenienced. Those who know Him and are committed to obedience to Him need to remember that and pray for His grace and mercy, not in abject terror but in both humility and assurance that He is good. Governments do matter, and we do need to pray and work for the righteousness that exalts a nation, (Proverbs 14:34) but we are not to place our hope in government as such. That would be making the same mistake as those who are trying to get the government to take over every aspect of society, so long as they have authority in that government. No, our hope is in the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, and we must never forget it.

This of course applies to me. All sorts of things seem to threaten, and the devil wants to steal my peace and joy. I’m to resist him, not just in specific actions but also in the attitudes of my heart and mind. As many people have noted, the biggest battlefield is in our minds. I am to seek God for any actions He wants me to take, and I am to be available as His mouthpiece to say whatever He wants me to say, and in that I am to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him, whatever is going on politically, financially, health-wise, or anything else. I am reminded of the message my father was able to send my mother via the Red Cross after Pearl Harbor and before he was sent to the US on a prisoner exchange ship: “Profitably interned.” Like Jeremiah he was a prisoner, but also like Jeremiah he knew the Lord who was above everything, and he was ready to receive whatever God wanted to give him in his circumstances. I need to have no less faith, regardless of what goes on around me.

Father, thank You for this Word. I do care very deeply about the election, and all the rest of it, but help me care about You even more. May I be Your agent of grace, mercy, and righteousness to all around me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trusting God; October 9, 2020

Posted on October 12, 2020 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 31:9 They will come with weeping;
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water
on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,
and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

As I read this in the NIV I thought I would write on it because of the reference to prayer, and then I read the Japanese and discovered that it says, “I will comfort them as I lead them back.” Not knowing the Hebrew, I have no idea why the divergence. I have observed that there is a strong connection between praying and being comforted, but I have also seen people who pray and pray and refuse the comfort God offers. Sometimes we have trouble believing that God’s not mad at us and that His forgiveness is real, if we will repent. I have heard some people repent of exactly the same thing time and time again, though they haven’t repeated the sin. Sometimes that indicates a lack of faith, but sometimes it indicates that there is something else they should repent of that they don’t want to face. God is indeed more than gracious, as this whole chapter expresses, in harmony with the rest of the Bible. However, His Holy Spirit will shine light on the specific issues we would like to keep hidden, and that’s why many people run from Him, just as Jesus said. (John 3:19-20) If we really want the comfort that only He can provide, we need to bring our burdens to Him and then really let go of them. Too often we “bring our burdens to the cross” and then take them back again! As Isaiah famously said, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3) Trust is faith with its shoes on, faith that chooses to follow. When we really trust God, we receive the comfort we so desperately want sometimes.

This certainly applies to me. I have believed in Jesus for as long as I can remember, but that doesn’t mean I’ve always trusted Him enough to be fully obedient. I have learned that protestations of faith mean very little without obedience. I am reminded of the story of Charles Blondin, a famous tightrope walker of over a century ago. He crossed from Canada to America on a cable stretched across Niagara Falls, and then did it again pushing a wheelbarrow. He then asked the delighted crowd if they thought he could do it with a man in the wheelbarrow. There was an enthusiastic “YES” from the crowd, but then he asked for a volunteer! He eventually did it successfully with his manager riding in the wheelbarrow, but the point was that they “believed” he could do it, but didn’t trust he could do it when their own life was on the line. I’m faced with that choice myself, and I have found that He is indeed trustworthy. I know that the time will come when He will say, “That’s enough. Come on home,” and I look forward to it with great anticipation. Meanwhile, I need to do whatever He says whenever and however He says to do it, knowing that He is more than able to deal with whatever is involved – even if it feels like I’m in a wheelbarrow over Niagara!

Father, I certainly didn’t expect to write on this when I started! Thank You for speaking outside of my preconceptions. Help me hear You accurately and obey You fully, in complete trust, so that Your will may be done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Music; October 8, 2020

Posted on October 11, 2020 by jgarrott

Isaiah 33:17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty
and view a land that stretches afar.

It’s interesting to identify the Scriptural sources of songs we’ve known from childhood. This obviously forms the basis of We Shall See the King Someday, which is a chorus about the joys of heaven. It is slightly more tangentally related to Glory For Me, a hymn about heaven. Music has amazing power, both for us and over us. Recently one of my childhood friends posted a list of popular songs from the ’60s, and just seeing the titles immediately made the songs “play” in my head. That is essentially neutral in itself, but the content of the songs can influence us more than we realize. One song that I despise for the lyrics has amazing staying power in my brain because of the skillful music. I won’t honor it by quoting it or even giving the title, but we need to be careful what we invite into our minds and hearts. That points out the huge benefits of an environment of faith, especially for children. As it says in Proverbs, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) There are an enormous variety of musical styles, not to mention ethnic varieties, but we need to be very careful as to what lyrics we are taking in, as I’ve already said. There are some incredibly foul lyrics out there, and cultural norms as to what is acceptable for public consumption are degrading badly. However, when we take in encouraging lyrics, and especially Scriptural lyrics, we are strengthened and protected, better able to resist the devil and his lies, and that is desirable indeed.

I am frequently impressed with how incredibly blessed I was in my upbringing. We were both a household of faith and a very musical household. We all sang, and it was assumed that each person would play at least one musical instrument. I’m very grateful for that. I have met a person who literally did not know how to make their voice change tones to sing a melody! Some of the best memories of my childhood are of my family singing together, either just gathered around the piano “singing through the hymnal” or in a regular family worship service we shared with a Japanese family that was close to us in many ways. I am very aware of the power of music. It thrills me when music lifts me into the presence of the Lord, but it grieves me to see “worship leaders” manipulate congregations emotionally to make them think God is moving when He’s not. It likewise grieves me to see Christian singers, or even worship teams, simply performing, rather than worshiping God through music. Skill is valuable and to be worked for, but it is no substitute for a heart submitted to God. All that said, I must be careful that I myself worship in spirit and truth through music, and not just go through the motions.

Father, thank You for the blessing of music. May I always use it as You intend, strengthening myself and those around me in faith, drawing us all closer to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Repentance; October 7, 2020

Posted on October 11, 2020 by jgarrott

Isaiah 30:15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.”

This is at the same time a beautiful offer from our Creator and a tragic response that is true of so many. We so want to be in control of our own lives, our own salvation! Free will is real, but it is the freedom to trust God or not trust Him, to obey Him or rebel. Even when we say all the right things, often our hearts are in defiance, and God know our hearts. Where the NIV says “repentance” here, the Japanese says “returning,” as in coming back to God. There can be no coming back to God without acknowledging that we had gone away from Him, and that is repentance. It is amazing at times how stubbornly we resist repentance. The Japanese term for repentance as such is written as “regret and start over.” Our problem is that we regret the results of our rebellion, but we don’t regret the rebellion itself, and so we don’t discard the rebellion in order to start over. We want salvation (by our definition) and we want strength, but we resist getting quiet enough before the Lord to receive it. That is tragic indeed. However, as it says in verse 18, “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” We need the humility to acknowledge that we can’t go it alone, and receive what God so graciously offers to us.

I remember one time 46 years ago that the Lord gave me this verse as I was ministering to a dear missionary friend. He was going through a rough time, and God was saying to him that he wasn’t in rebellion, exactly, but he was trying to fix the situation in his own strength and wisdom, and that wasn’t going to work. This verse is important to everyone, no matter how dedicated to God they might be. I certainly have the tendency to want to fix things myself, in many areas. Sometimes that seems to work pretty well, but I’ve got to remember that when it does, it’s because God has done it through me. Hebrews puts it this way: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:9-11) Sometimes it can seem like hard work to let go and rest! God wants us to be yielded and available to Him, but I’ve got to remember that whether He uses me or not is His choice and not mine, other than the commitment to availability.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the nine days in the hospital I’ve had recently, forced to step out of what I saw as “my work,” but being used by You to share Your love and grace with men who would not have heard otherwise. Help me be quiet enough, trust You enough, to receive the strength You want to pour through me, for the sake of Your kingdom and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pride of Accomplishment; October 6, 2020

Posted on October 8, 2020 by jgarrott

Isaiah 26:12 Lord, you establish peace for us;
all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Isaiah was not only an anointed prophet, he was also an anointed poet. The first 13 verses of this chapter have so many deep truths, expressed in such impactful ways, that choosing a snippet on which to write is very difficult. Verse three is rightly famous, and is something I have quoted countless times. The current political turmoil in the US had me wanting to write on verse 10, and verse 13 seems very applicable to Japanese Christians. However, I settled on this verse because it is a truth we forget to our peril, yet it is forgotten all too often. Human beings are prone to pride of various sorts, and pride of accomplishment is certainly one of them. However, pride makes us blind to reality, and that is certainly dangerous. America in particular has been susceptible to this, because America has accomplished so much during its brief existence. There are now many younger nations, but America is still less than 300 years old, compared to well over 1000 years for Japan, for example. So long as America has acknowledged God it has been blessed, even with all its faults. However, prayer was taken out of the public schools, and everything has snowballed since then. Right now America faces an existential crisis, and only humility and repentance can restore it. All the good things America has done should be remembered, but in context, remembering and acknowledging the grace of God. It was when King Nebuchadnezzar became inflated with pride of accomplishment that God struck him with mental illness. (Daniel 4) In a number of ways America seems literally insane right now, and denying God is at the root of it. I could go through a list of the social ills of the nation, and every one is in some way people shaking their fists at God. “America First” is not a bad national policy, but “God first” is the essential personal policy. It is when individual Americans, from the top down to the lowest unknown, turn to God and seek Him that America will be healed. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

I didn’t expect to write on this, but it is certainly timely! America faces an absolutely pivotal election in less than a month, and voting is already going on. On top of that there is a Supreme Court vacancy, and incredible spiritual warfare related to both those things. And all of that is in the context of a global pandemic that has been absurdly politicized. Like many others, I feel overwhelmed at times, but that is an indication of my own failure to stay focused on the Creator of the universe. When He created everything, this is no problem for Him! I am to examine my own heart and repent as called for, and pray for others to do the same. I have had a lot of practice in dealing with pride! God has been incredibly gracious toward me in spite of my blind pride, and I need to pray that grace toward others, neither holding back nor feeling superior. If the believers of America approach the current situation with a holier-than-thou attitude, it is hopeless. It is as they humble themselves, just as God told Solomon, that God’s grace will be manifested, and I am certainly no exception to that.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. I do pray for America. As I was hearing an Australian commentator saying just yesterday, America has an outsized influence on the whole world. I do ask Your mercy, that many more may repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hearing God; October 5, 2020

Posted on October 7, 2020 by jgarrott

Proverbs 3:32 For the Lord detests a perverse man
but takes the upright into his confidence.

Some people say they want to hear from God, and others insist that claiming to hear from God is a sign of mental illness. I really think they would change their tune if they actually heard from Him! However, those I have heard express that attitude seem to me to fit into the first category mentioned here. There are many motives for wanting to hear from God. Some people desire it as a source of power, as a way of having control over others. That immediately puts them into the first category, and if they do hear, it’s most probably a lying, evil spirit rather than God. This verse says that the way to hear God is to be upright, that is, to be both honest and humble. The Japanese says that God is on close terms with such people, and the NIV says He tells them things. Those are both expressions of the same sort of relationship. If we aren’t seeking to please and obey God, then we don’t really want to hear from Him, because we don’t want Him to correct us. However, it’s when we recognize our own weaknesses and know that He is our only hope of salvation that we earnestly seek Him. As He told Jeremiah, it is when we have that attitude that He opens His heart to us. “’Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:12-14)

I will never forget the first time I heard the Lord in what might as well have been audible words. I was faced with some sort of major decision and I wanted to know God’s will on it. I was driving, and praying as I drove. “Lord, speak to me! I need to hear what You are thinking on this issue.” I had been praying like that nonstop for several minutes, when suddenly I heard Him say to me, “Well then, shut up.” I was utterly shocked, and I did shut up, and then I laughed. I realized that I had been so full of my supposed “need to know” that my heart was closed to hearing Him, so He had to use my ears. It was such a shock that I now have no idea what the issue was about which I was praying so earnestly, but I’ll never forget hearing God in that way, and the lesson of needing to be quiet before Him. I was greatly blessed to be raised by a father who not only was totally dedicated to God, he operated on the foundational principle of absolute honesty. To me, he was the very definition of an upright man. It is my desire and goal to be like him, delighting in God even as I am pleasing to Him, doing His will for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your patience in the many times I have been so caught up in what I saw as the problem that my heart wouldn’t get quiet enough to listen to You. Thank You for meeting with me morning by morning like this. You are indeed more than I could ever ask for. May I be the son You desire, in all gratitude and obedience. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faithfulness; October 4, 2020

Posted on October 7, 2020 by jgarrott

Psalm 145:13 The Lord is faithful to all His promises
and loving toward all He has made.

I was attracted to this part of the Psalm, but when I went to type in the Japanese it was missing! Then I looked at the footnotes and found that this section is found in one manuscript of the Masoretic Text, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Syriac, and the Septuagint, but not in most manuscripts of the Masoretic text. That is all the stranger because this is one of the many acrostic Psalms, with each verse starting with the succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and not having this part leaves a gap. I’m grateful that we have multiple sources by which to confirm the text, but it’s very sad to have evidence that much Scripture copying was essentially mindless, without thought and contemplation of what was being written. Coupled with the content here, that tells me that God is faithful but man is not, and that’s something we need to remember. People will disappoint us, in one way or another, always. We disappoint ourselves! It is genuinely refreshing when people do keep their promises and don’t disappoint us, but we need to remember our own weaknesses when that doesn’t happen. That’s why we need to be constant and consistent in our dependence on God. As Jesus said so very clearly, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) One of the great hymns of the faith is Great Is Thy Faithfulness. God’s faithfulness is in often stark contrast to human unfaithfulness, so we’ve got to stay fixed on the Rock of our salvation.

In teaching Medical English to Japanese, when I get to the word “confidence” I tell my students I don’t like the Japanese equivalent. That’s because it’s written with the characters for “self” and “belief.” In other words, believing in yourself. I tell them I don’t do that, because I’ll always disappoint myself. Instead I believe in God, and He gives me assurance to keep going in spite of my weaknesses. Pride has been a major pitfall for me all my life. God has gifted me in many areas, and I have been tempted to rely on the gift instead of on the Giver. That doesn’t work! However, dealing with my own unfaithfulness and unreliability has given me more empathy for those around me, making it easier for me to forgive them. After all, God has forgiven me much more! I am eternally grateful that I serve a totally faithful God.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the person who came by yesterday to ask forgiveness of Cathy and me for an incident now several years in the past. We had simply moved on, praying for her occasionally when we thought of her, but her life was largely wrecked by the attitudes that brought on the incident. I do pray that what was said and done here yesterday would enable her to listen to You instead of to the devil, and that she would be able to forgive herself, accepting Your forgiveness, so that she may be set free indeed, for her blessing and the blessing of all those around her, and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Family of God; October 3, 2020

Posted on October 6, 2020 by jgarrott

Psalms 119:63 I am a friend to all who fear you,
to all who follow your precepts.

It is remarkable the level of instant connection that is available between people who mutually fear/love God and seek to be obedient to Him. This is something that non-believers notice and are amazed at. However, it’s a natural outgrowth of the fact that we are all part of the same family, children of one Father. I have completely lost track of how many people have told me their church family is much closer to them than their physical family. As David said, “God sets the lonely in families.” (Psalm 68:6) It is sadly true that church membership isn’t a guarantee of spiritual kinship, because some people are just “paper Christians,” in it for any number of reasons other than genuine repentance and faith. A cloak of piety has been used in many scams, so we unfortunately need to be careful. However, that doesn’t change the fundamental reality of the fellowship we have in Christ. As Bill Gaither wrote, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God!”

I have experienced this literally all over the world. I remember some years ago attending a conference in Hong Kong and running into a couple of Russians. They got all excited that I could say yes, no, and thank you in Russian, but that was the extent of it, and their English wasn’t much better. However, we knew we were brothers in Christ, and that was wonderful. We currently have a missionary family from Taiwan attending our church twice a month. They’ve been here less than a year and are having a bit of a rough time with their language study, but we still have sweet fellowship with them. (Their 6th grade son is already doing very well in Japanese.) At the same time, there are American English teachers in town who avoid us like the plague because they are explicitly not Christian, and they don’t want anything to do with us, to the puzzlement of some Japanese. I don’t turn down any divine appointments, and when circumstances bring us into contact with such people I seek to let the love and grace of the Lord flow through me to them, but they are certainly not in the category of family. It comes down to needing to let the Holy Spirit show me who does and who doesn’t fear God and seek to follow Him. If I will be faithful, He will be more than faithful, and I will never lack for family.

Father, thank You indeed for the fellowship that is in Your family. I pray that I would be increasingly effective in drawing even more people in, so that they in turn may draw more, for a massive harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments