The Godhead; June 9, 2019

Posted on June 11, 2019 by jgarrott

Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

This morning I’ll be speaking on The Character of the Spirit and talking about how we can know what one part of the Trinity is like by looking at another part, but I didn’t include this verse at all in my notes. The Bible repeats truth very impressively! This echoes a statement of Jesus that I will be using in the message: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) If we want to know what the Father is like, we can look at Jesus. In the same way, if we want to know what the Holy Spirit is like, we can look at Jesus. When Jesus was telling the disciples about the Holy Spirit right after the Passover meal before He was crucified, He said He was “another Counselor to be with you forever.” (John 14:16) The “another” there specifically means, “another of the same kind.” In other words, the Holy Spirit is different from Jesus only in that He doesn’t have a physical body. We speak of “accepting Jesus into your heart,” but it is the Holy Spirit who takes up residence. We tend to compartmentalize God in many ways, and one of those ways is in being rigid about the Trinity. Jesus Himself told us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19) but there is complete unity in the Godhead, so obeying the Holy Spirit is obeying the Father, for example. All of this points out the absurdity of praying to anything less than the Godhead. It’s appropriate to pray to Father God, to Lord Jesus, or to the Holy Spirit, but when we have access to the Throne of Grace by the cross of Christ, (Hebrews 4:16) why would we seek help from anything less? I have many dear Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, but this is one area in which I can never agree with them. All saints who have died, including Mary the mother of Jesus’ physical body, are witnesses to the faithfulness of God, (Hebrews 12:1) but they are unworthy recipients of our prayers, when we have a direct line to the Throne.

It’s been over 60 years since I “received Jesus into my heart,” to use the common Evangelical phrase, but I am continuing to grow in releasing every part of myself to Him. My maternal grandfather, W. O. Carver, spoke of salvation as giving Jesus the key to our “front door,” but that we had locks on many of the rooms inside too, and spiritual growth was giving Jesus those keys as well. I can certainly identify with that illustration! I am regularly confronted with things, and even whole areas, I haven’t surrendered and yielded to Him. Today is Pentecost Sunday. As much as I want the Holy Spirit to be poured out on this church, this city, and this nation, I need to welcome Him into every nook and cranny of my own heart and life. I need to ask and allow Him to wash out of me everything that takes up space that belongs to Him. More than me “having the Holy Spirit,” as glorious as that is, I want Him to have me in entirety.

Father thank You for this reminder. I am so easily distracted from it, which is all the more evidence that is necessary. I do pray that You would have complete freedom, in me and in this church, not just today but every day and all the time. May we be Your temple indeed, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Gifts; June 8, 2019

Posted on June 11, 2019 by jgarrott

Philemon 1:6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

I think the NIV translators hit the ball out of the park on this one. Reading the Japanese I can see that the Greek foundation is there, but the Shinkaiyaku translators really missed the boat. For one thing, they render it as “the fellowship of your faith,” rather than referencing the evangelism that is so clear in the NIV. Whether that is cause or effect of the extreme Japanese hesitance toward personal evangelism isn’t something I can decide, but it certainly seems related. The thing is, many of the things that we have in Christ are discovered only as we share Him. As long as we are focused on ourselves, we’ll never see them. Paul’s prayer for Philemon is something we should all be praying for each other! We are so prone to forget that God’s gifts are never limited to the immediate recipient; they are always to be passed on in some form. Nowhere is that more true than in the charismatic gifts. We tend to seek those for ourselves, and Paul even tells us we should seek to prophesy, (1 Corinthians 14:1) but they are always for the benefit of others. I think a major reason the gift of tongues is so emphasized is that seems like it’s the most individual, and we want something for us, not just to bless others. Sadly, some people seek the gift of prophecy as a “merit badge” to puff them up, rather than as a means of communicating God’s heart to others. Going back to the “individual” gift of tongues, yes, it does build up the individual, (Jude 1:20) but it is getting ourselves in line with God so that His will may be expressed and accomplished through our prayers, whether we understand what we say or not. Going back to what Paul prayed for Philemon, God’s gifts indeed bless the immediate recipient, but the more we allow them to flow through us, the greater the blessing for everyone involved.

This is an understanding I have only grown in the longer I have walked with the Lord. One of my “catch phrases” is, “Being self-centered/selfish never leads to genuine happiness.” That applies to “every good thing we have in Christ,” which includes life itself. That all echoes Paul’s quote of Jesus that isn’t in the Gospels, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) God is a giving God, and we are most fulfilled when we participate in that, acting as channels of His blessing to others.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder the day before Pentecost Sunday. May I, may we, not seek the filling and work of Your Holy Spirit for our own benefit, but so that many may be brought into Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Persecution; June 7, 2019

Posted on June 9, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

In the West, the minute we taste persecution we tend to think, “I didn’t sign up for this.” Yes, we did, if our commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord was real. Jesus Himself was very blunt on this issue, in John 15:18 through 16:3 and elsewhere. It’s all a matter of allegiance. Those apart from Christ follow the devil, whether they realize it or not, and that’s what he wants and likes. However, the end of that way is destruction, because the devil comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. When we yield ourselves to Jesus Christ as Lord, we are no longer bound to the devil to do what he wants, and he hates that. Since he is “the god of this world,” (2 Corinthians 4:4) he motivates those who are under his control against us. That’s what persecution is all about. Americans tend to think of persecution as historical, but actually more believers were killed for their faith in the 20th Century than in the previous 19 combined, and the 21st Century is on a pace to exceed that by a wide margin. That is why we need to be very clear about our loyalties. If we are tied to the things of this world, we lose out on the eternal. John was so blunt as to say, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17) When you put it that way, what’s a little persecution?

I honestly don’t feel that I have suffered any active persecution, which makes me a little anxious about the level of my commitment! To be honest, I have remained silent instead of proclaiming Christ out of a fear of people’s disapproval more times than I care to think about. I subscribe to newsletters that inform me of active persecution that is taking place around the world, and as I pray for those people and situations I am very aware of how blessed I am to have freedom to follow and proclaim Christ. However, how well have I used that freedom? If I haven’t been strong enough to provoke persecution, have I indeed been faithful? I know I am not to seek conflict, but I must never draw back from it in some sort of effort to “save my hide.” Compared to the Kingdom of God, my “hide” certainly isn’t worth saving! I am to be faithful in the circumstances in which I find myself, and understand that it is only by the grace of God that I am not under intense persecution. I am not to be satisfied with that, however, but be earnest in praying for my brothers and sisters who are under the very persecution that I have escaped.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do at times feel guilty for how easy my life is. Help me indeed not love this life, but rather keep my life on Your altar, fully submitted and obedient to You, so that I may be Your child indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Christian Music; June 6, 2019

Posted on June 8, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 2:11-13 Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

It is fascinating that in what was probably his last letter, Paul quoted what appears to be the lyrics of a hymn. I would love to know the tune, but I’ll have to wait for heaven for that! Setting truth to music is an excellent way to help people remember it. There are others, of course, but my wife has written a rather catchy tune that can be sung in either English or Japanese for remembering the books of the New Testament. In Paul’s day there were still many illiterate people, so memory tricks were essential, as well as having literate people in each church to read Scriptures to the congregation. We don’t have the issue of literacy so much today, but it is still true that you can identify the theology of a church by what they sing. It is sadly true that much “Contemporary Christian” music is focused on self rather than on the Lord, but “traditional” hymns aren’t much better. With older hymns, the vocabulary and imagery can seem alien to young people who didn’t grow up in church, and for those who did grow up in church, the words become automatic and are sung without thinking. Music is extremely powerful in many ways, which is why the devil has worked so hard to steal it from believers, but it is the privilege of God’s children to take it back! Virtually any musical style can be used to glorify God, but it’s a harder stretch for some than for others. The important point is to keep the focus on the Lord and our relationship with Him, just as this hymn does. Some praise songs are totally focused on God, which is fine. Some songs, like this one, touch on the interaction we have with Him. Some songs simply encourage believers to look to God for what He has prepared for them. It is when we focus exclusively on “what’s in it for me” that we get into trouble.

One of the happiest memories of my childhood is of our gathering around the piano to sing through the hymnal, which we did fairly frequently. I really can’t imagine life without music, but I don’t listen to recorded music very often. Rather, I delight in the music that wells up from within me. I do enjoy listening to orchestral music, but I don’t want to do it all the time. The Lord has given me translations for many songs over the years, both from English to Japanese and Japanese to English, so everything we use in this church is available in both languages. It saddens me to run into translations by others that fail to preserve the meaning and focus of the original, or fail to match the words smoothly with the music. I don’t always do it perfectly myself, but those songs don’t get sung very often! I am not at all surprised that my wife, and others who have been to heaven and come back, report that everything in heaven – grass, rocks, trees, whatever – is singing to God. I certainly look forward to that myself! I want my life to be a song of praise to my Lord, for He is worthy of nothing less.

Father, thank You indeed for music, and for the privilege of making music to You. May my music indeed be “a sweet, sweet sound in Your ears,” as the song goes. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Character of the Spirit; June 5, 2019

Posted on June 8, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Even Jesus’ disciples sometimes misunderstood the character of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 9:56, in some manuscripts) Perhaps the clearest picture we can get of the Holy Spirit is Jesus Himself. After all, He’s the Spirit of Jesus! (Acts 16:7) Actually, that was a major reason for the Incarnation, so that human beings literally could see what God is like. That applies to the Father, (John 14:9) but it also applies to the Holy Spirit. WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) was quite a fad a few years back, but fad or not, it’s a useful yardstick. The more we know of Jesus, the better we understand the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. I remember hearing of “gentle Jesus, meek and mild” in Sunday School as a child, but that is a considerable distortion. The last thing Jesus was, was timid! He was tempted, certainly, (Hebrews 4:15) but He was not lustful. He knew that He and the Father were One, (John 10:30) but He was not proud. The three terms in this verse certainly did apply to Him: power, love, self-discipline. (Some translations say “sound mind,” but that applies too.) What it boils down to is that if we want to be like Jesus, and we should, we need to be filled more and more with His Spirit.

Well, I’ve been given my sermon for Pentecost! This message is very appropriate for Japan, because the average Japanese believer is quite afraid of testifying to their faith, because of society’s attitudes toward religion and social harmony. Religion is seen as an identity – “We Japanese are Buddhist” – than as a personal faith. On top of that, uniformity is highly prized, in defiance of the reality that every human being is unique. It is very common that when a group goes to a restaurant, when one person declares what they are going to order, everyone else says, “I’ll have the same,” when food preferences are proverbially different. (There’s a Latin proverb to that effect that is over 2000 years old.) Saying, “I personally believe in Jesus Christ and have a relationship with Him” is saying, “I’m different from you and it’s of vital importance to me.” It doesn’t matter that you’re also saying “I want you to be like me,” because that can come across as, “I want you to be weird too.” Right now I’m dealing with someone who is caught in an extreme form of timidity called hikikomori. (If you look it up, you’ll find articles and videos about it.) A person in that trap doesn’t want to come out of their room, even. The thing is, this individual is a genuine Christian. That makes his current behavior all the more a violation of the Spirit he has received. I am not to attack him personally, but remind him of the character of the Holy Spirit, just as Paul did for Timothy. The devil is not going to win this one!

Father, thank You for this powerful reminder. Help me apply it as You intend, not just as Sunday’s message but in personal interactions for as long as I am on this earth, for the deliverance of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Fathers and Pastors; June 4, 2019

Posted on June 7, 2019 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 3:5 If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?

To be honest, I don’t know why this chapter is in the readings on In Christ, but it’s certainly practical. I have always felt this parenthetical rhetorical question was a “zinger,” because I was a Missionary Kid myself and had lots of friends who were MKs and Preacher’s Kids. To a degree, I’ve thought it was unfair to judge someone on the basis of their children. Children are indeed separate entities from their parents, but it is very true that a local church is a family, and the pastor is the father figure. Physical fathers have more authority to “lay down the law” to their children than pastors do, (or at least should) but the parallels are clear. That’s not to say that it’s easy, in either case! As the verse ahead of this says, fathers, and pastors, should command respect. That’s not the same as demanding respect; we see too much of that. If a father is both loving and firm, modeling the behavior he expects of his children, then they will indeed respect him, and the same may be said of a pastor. The biggest problem comes with a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude. Every believing father, and certainly every pastor, wants those in their family to have an active, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus by the Holy Spirit, so that must be his own first priority. Just as children sometimes go astray, church members do too. That is the responsibility of the straying individual, but the father’s/pastor’s response is of vital importance. There are no perfect fathers aside from God, and there are no perfect pastors aside from Jesus, so we do need to exercise grace toward ourselves and each other, but a man’s family is indeed a good indicator of how good a pastor he will be.

My first child was not yet born when I came face-to-face with the whole idea of being a father, and I wept. I remember it well. I was working as a photo darkroom technician, and I had a radio playing. It was early 1970, and the song, Turn Around came on. The lyrics talk about how time passes so quickly, and before you know it your children are parents themselves. The song specifically talks about a daughter, and I had no idea at that point that the child in Cathy’s womb was a girl! However, as I said, I wept, knowing that I could not stop the flow of time and that I had to make the best use of each moment. When it came to being a pastor, it was more complicated. I accepted a pastorate in rural Virginia, knowing that in order to minister to pastors in Japan I needed to know what it was like to shepherd a small flock. What I didn’t know was that my flock in Japan has been a fraction of even that small congregation! I didn’t do a perfect job with that flock, nor did I do a perfect job with my two daughters, or the flock here in Omura. However, I seek to be faithful, asking and acting on God’s wisdom in each situation, so that I may be an instrument of His will being done, for the blessing of those under my care and for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You know how I resisted the idea of being a pastor again after we came to Omura, and how I have complained that I was gifted as a teacher but not as a pastor. Thank You for using me anyway. I pray that I would keep growing faithfully for as long as You keep me here, so that I may not get in the way of what You are doing, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Prayer; June 3, 2019

Posted on June 7, 2019 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 2:1-2 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

I find it interesting, and no accident, that God arranged for this to come up in today’s reading, while it is still Sunday, June 2nd, in the US, because of Franklin Graham and others calling for a day of prayer for President Trump. To me, it confirms that this was God’s idea, because those who are attacking the president certainly don’t seem to be interested in our living “peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” The spiritual battle is certainly intensifying. It’s certainly not that Donald Trump is perfect, far from it. There are no perfect people walking the planet, and Jesus was the only exception to that ever. However, as has been said, you can often judge a man by his enemies, and in my book, that emphatically lumps Trump in with the “good guys.” At the same time, the vitriol against him is exposing things that were probably there under the surface all along, but are now being made evident. Just yesterday a Japanese Christian made reference to Jesus’ statement that “There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” (Luke 8:17) He said that it’s happening right now in the US, and he expects it to happen in Japan in about five or six years. All of that certainly calls for believers to stay alert and pray. Some of us are called to be active in other ways as well, but all believers are called to pray. This is all part of the Lord’s Prayer, asking that God’s kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Any time we pray, for anything at all, we need to offer ourselves to God as His instrument for answering that prayer, whatever it is. Prayer is not passive! When we pray that the Body of Christ would stand up as a mighty army against evil, we need to be very aware that we are a part of that army. When we pray that God’s will be done, we need to be careful that we personally are doing God’s will, and nothing else. Prayer is aligning ourselves with God and His will, and as such it has more power than all the military and governments in the world. We need to exercise prayer under the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.

I was raised with prayer being as natural as breathing, but that doesn’t mean I’ve always been faithful in prayer. However, in recent years I have been growing in this area, though I still have far to go. I am often provoked by the information I receive, whether it is about politics, as already mentioned, or about the persecution of Christians around the world. At times I feel overwhelmed, but I’ve got to remember that indeed, nothing is impossible with God, (Luke 1:37) and give my will to God in prayer for His will to be done on this earth. I am not to consider any human being an enemy, but I am to recognize the enemy of our souls who controls them and stand firm against him, for their salvation as much as for mine. I am indeed to pray that those in government be controlled by God, whether they acknowledge Him or not. And as much as I might want a “quiet, peaceful life,” I am not to draw back from conflict, knowing that in Christ I am more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37)

Father, thank You for this Word, and for the timing of it. Thank You for all You are doing throughout the world. Help me recognize and fulfill my part in Your plan, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Walking in Grace; June 2, 2019

Posted on June 6, 2019 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

After focusing on how much he had needed God’s grace, and that it was indeed poured out on him, Paul can’t help but break out in praise. I really like a song that is this verse set to music, but the song inserts the word, “wise,” (the only wise God) actually diluting the meaning. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the only God, period. Most Americans aren’t used to living in a society that accepts many different deities, but in countries like India and Japan, the idea of there only being one true God is at times a major obstacle to evangelism. (That’s not to say that idolatry isn’t rampant in the US, because it is. People worship pleasure, technology, or any of a number of things other than the Creator.) Raised a devout Jew, Paul had no problems at all with monotheism, but he was immersed in a polytheistic culture. That can create intellectual and spiritual pride, thinking about all the “ignorant heathen” around you. However, a very necessary part of Paul’s preparation for ministry was humbling him to understand that he was as much in need of God’s grace and mercy as any of the “heathens” around him. He had misunderstood God’s law and used it to attack the Body of Christ, which made him guilty of treason in the Kingdom of God. Understanding that, is what made him declare that he was the chief of sinners. (verse 15) The more we understand our absolute need for the grace of God, and that it is indeed sufficient even for our sin, the more available we become to God for His use for His glory.

I am frequently reminded of how I wallowed in intellectual and spiritual pride, just as Paul did, and that I am no less in need of God’s grace than he was. When God showed me the state of my own heart – and it wasn’t everything even then – I was absolutely devastated. The irony is, I still get tripped up by pride all too often. I have alienated one of my sons in the Lord by having betrayed him in telling others something he wanted to keep secret. Forgiveness is essential and secrets in general aren’t a good idea, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that I spoke out of pride at being “someone who knows stuff,” and it hurt him deeply. At this point I can only trust God with him, praying that the Holy Spirit will enable him to see through the lies of the devil that are binding him and stealing joy and any of a number of other things from him. I am never to give up on him, but continue to speak and act in love, and genuine humility.

Father, thank You for this Word, and for all that You are doing. I do pray for my son, that he would call to mind the truth he knows and apply it to himself and his situation. I do ask for restoration of his relationship with me, but his relationship with You is far more important. Right now, because I am such a father-figure to him, he has conflated You with me, and doesn’t trust You, either. I ask You to bring others into his life who will speak Your truth to him so that he may receive it, for his liberation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Work; June 1, 2019

Posted on June 6, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

In some circles, this is about as politically incorrect a statement as could be made! We do need to recognize that this is not talking about those who are unable to work. In English it says, “will not work,” in Japanese it says, “don’t want to work.” The problem is, society has been delaying maturation more and more , especially since the end of WWII. Part of that has been from advances in education, with more and more people spending more and more years going to school, but the end result has been multiple generations of people who expect to live without having to work. Technology has greatly changed the definition of work, but the big issue remains people’s willingness and attitude. In America today, there are more positions open than there are people looking for work, but those positions often call for skills other than the simply academic. Mike Rowe has a very valid point in saying that a lot of people would be far better off if they went to a trade school rather than to a strictly academic institution. Whatever the cause, tragically huge numbers of people around the world simply aren’t interested in working for the benefit of others, and rather want society to support them. Various places are toying with the idea of a guaranteed annual income, and trials are even being done in some places. The biggest problem with that is the damage it does to self-respect and motivation. We all have a fundamental need for accomplishment, the sense that we are making a difference doing something worthwhile. Deficiencies in that area are a major cause of substance abuse and participation in gangs. We aren’t going to have a society of mature adults unless we start encouraging and expecting more maturity in our children as they grow.

Well, this is a soap box I could stay on for quite a while! I wasn’t the most mature person around when I got married at 20, but at least I connected the idea of income with value delivered. People today are amazed, even shocked, at the variety of jobs I have done, but I did whatever was available to provide for my young family. With that history, it isn’t easy to deal with able-bodied young people today who don’t want to do anything, for strictly emotional reasons. Mental health is a real issue and always has been, but I find myself wanting to just tell people to grow up! I do need to speak the truth in love, but I should not fail to speak the truth out of a misunderstanding of love. I need to speak and act in all humility, but seek and receive God’s wisdom for what is best for each individual, so that the lying traps of the enemy may be destroyed and people be set free to be and do all that God intended in the first place.

Father, this is a strong Word. You know whom I will see today. I pray that I would do nothing out of my own mind, but rather allow Your Spirit to speak and act through me, for the benefit of others and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Obeying the Gospel; May 31, 2019

Posted on June 1, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Thessalonians 1:8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

I think that at first glance this verse seems rather strange to most modern Christians. It certainly wasn’t underlined in my Bible. Why would someone be punished for not obeying the Gospel? We don’t usually think of “gospel” and “obedience” in the same sentence at all. However, since I’ve started reading The Insurgence, by Frank Viola, my eyes have been opened to the Biblical reality that what John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, and all the early apostles preached was the Gospel of the kingdom of God, which is to say, the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is indeed a Gospel of salvation by grace through faith, (Ephesians 2:8-9) but if Jesus is not your Lord, you have not entered in. That’s why John, and Jesus, preached, “Repent and believe the good news.” (Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:15) Of what are we to repent? Our disobedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Part of our problem is that we tend to put “obedience” into a legalistic framework, when the Gospel isn’t legalistic at all. However, when we separate “accepting Jesus as your Savior,” and “making Jesus your Lord,” we are introducing a dichotomy that is not found in the Bible. There is incredible freedom in Christ, (2 Corinthians 3:17) but it is freedom from sin, not freedom to “do your own thing.” Of course, the devil has twisted this so that some have preached blind obedience to human Church leaders, but that’s a complete travesty. However, reading through Acts and Paul’s letters, we find the theme of obedience to God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) again and again. (eg. Acts 16:7, 2 Corinthians 5:14) This all fits in with Jesus’ encounter with the centurion, recorded in Matthew 8 and Luke 7. As the centurion recognized, authority comes only as we are under authority. We are not going to have victory over the devil unless we are submitted, obedient, to God. (James 4:7) In church we sing songs like He is Lord, but as long as that is abstract, until He is your Lord, you haven’t entered into the kingdom of God.

Ouch! I have been very adept over the years at doing my own thing, all the while thinking I was a good Christian. I have preached on the Lordship of Christ many times, but have still made excuses not to obey Him in countless little things. Again, He is not a dictator, and I must not listen to that lie of the devil, but He is most certainly Lord, and there must be no question of that in my life. I need to be fully familiar with the Bible, knowing He will never tell me something that violates that, because the devil is a consummate liar who plays off of our pride all too effectively. I am to seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit at all times, neither quenching nor grieving Him, because He is my GPS (God Positioning System) and direct line to Headquarters. And in all of that I am to rest, relax, and rejoice, just as He has told me to do.

Father, thank You for how You have been working in me in recent weeks, and that You’re far from through with me yet. Thank You for having me use the phrase, “the good news of the kingdom,” in my faith declarations for about 40 years now. Thank You that I’m starting to understand more and more what that means! May I indeed be effective in communicating the Gospel of the Kingdom, so that many may be delivered from the dominion of darkness into Your kingdom indeed, (Colossians 1:13-14) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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