Life in Christ; April 25, 2019

Posted on April 28, 2019 by jgarrott

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

This is a justly famous verse, so much so that I have heard American Christians use expressions like “220 power” to refer to it. However, even most of the people who quote it don’t really live it out. We hang onto “the life I live in the body” with fierce tenacity, prioritizing the flesh over the spiritual and essentially despising the grace and blessings of God. It’s not that we do it intentionally, it’s that we get distracted and deceived by the devil and the world. We generally don’t need much encouragement to go that direction! Our pilgrimage (a very appropriate word, actually) on this earth is a process of learning more and more to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,” (2 Corinthians 4:18) so that we may truly “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) That is what it is to abide in Christ, and let His words abide in us. (John 15:7) That is power indeed!

All of these Scriptures come easily to my mind, for which I am grateful, but that in itself is no guarantee that I’m living them out. My own pilgrimage has been one of allowing the Word to go from my head to my heart, and from there to my hands and feet, and not just to my mouth. I can talk the Christian life until your ears fall off, but that’s not the same thing as my living it out. I’m reminded of the very true saying: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” When I speak the truth in love, the love needs to be the dominant element, preparing the way for the truth to penetrate. That happens only as I am aware of God’s love for me and how hopeless I am without it, so that I will allow that love to flow through me to the other person. As soon as I focus on myself, that gets distorted. I’m just a cracked clay pot, (2 Corinthians 4:7) and I must never forget it! I should be overwhelmed that God would choose to use even such as I am to do His work for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the texts that came in in the middle of it, allowing me to express your love to someone who feels very isolated and alone. I indeed pray that they would discover the joy of taking their eyes off of themselves and fixing them on Jesus, allowing You to fill them with Your presence and use them for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Accurate Ministry; April 24, 2019

Posted on April 27, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, good-bye. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Several differences in translation caught my eye about this verse. In Japanese it says, “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Become perfect. Receive comfort. Be of one heart. Maintain peace. If you do that, the God of love and peace will be with you.” I’m particularly struck by the NIV saying, “good-by,” and the Japanese saying, “rejoice.” It really makes me wonder what Paul actually said. Sometimes, someone leaving (or shutting up) does make us happy! Also, “listen to my appeal” seems quite different from “be comforted.” Actually, whatever way you translate it, this verse fits in with the fact that Paul has said some pretty strong things in this letter, but it is all out of the love he feels toward the recipients. We get the mistaken idea that being loving keeps us from being firm, when that isn’t the case at all. We have the expression, “tough love,” but often we don’t get that right. Sometimes our “toughness” is just being self-centered, and sometimes our “love” is just taking the easy way out. We too need to aim for perfection, recognizing that we aren’t there yet, and strive to let the Holy Spirit be in control of our words and our actions. We need to remember that God is indeed “the God of love and peace,” but our perception of both of those things is often distorted.

My use of this chapter has been focused on the benediction in verse 14, which I quote or paraphrase very frequently. I’ve got to remember that the things mentioned there – the grace of Jesus, the love of the Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit – are my goals for each person I interact with. I need to remember that I can’t do any of that in my own strength and wisdom, and so walk in grateful humility. God does impart His wisdom to those who ask, (James 1:5) and His power does operate through His children, (1 Corinthians 15:10) but that’s all His doing and I cannot be presumptuous. I need to remember that verse 11 applies as much to me as it does to those to whom I minister.

Father, thank You for this reminder. When I am struck by the imperfection of others, help me remember my own! May I be an open channel of Your grace, love, and fellowship to all, so that together we may indeed be knit into the Body of Christ, bringing Your kingdom to this earth as we do Your will, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Power; April 23, 2019

Posted on April 27, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

This passage is well known, but I think very few people actually live it out. We are so in love with the idea of being strong, of being able to do things by ourselves. Paul wasn’t a believer at the time and didn’t hear it, but just before His crucifixion Jesus said plainly, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) We don’t like that! Paul had to be put through something of a wringer to get it through his head, and I don’t think we’re any better. We have such trouble grasping the infinite, perfect, power and wisdom of God. However, the better we do grasp it, the more we are able to allow that power and wisdom to flow through us, instead of getting in the way. We tend to set conditions, to try to bargain with God, but that is absurd on the face of it. We need to say, “OK God, You do Your will in and through me, and I’ll do my best to tag along and not get in the way.” That’s the attitude Paul was talking about when he said he would “boast of his weaknesses.” There have been many “broken vessels” throughout Church history who have been mightily used by God, but there have actually been many more who had to be broken because of their pride and never really recovered. That is tragic. We need to strive to grasp this truth before we bring tragedy on ourselves and those around us.

This hits very close to home because of how I have struggled with pride over the years. I am frequently reminded of how many years it took to really grasp that it’s not that God’s smarter than I am, it’s that God’s smart and I’m not. The suite of abilities He’s given me are his, not mine, and trying to use them on my own never ends well. As a pastor, I am currently dealing with someone who has run full tilt into their own weakness, and can’t seem to get over it. They still haven’t grasped that God wants to use their weakness as a channel of His power to bless many. My own wife is a marvel to many for all that she does, but right now she is actually looking forward to her second back surgery (that just got scheduled) in the hope that it will eliminate her current severe pain. I don’t think she was proud as such, but she has always been an “over-performer,” usually on behalf of others, and now she is having to let others do for her. It’s not something she takes to easily! In both of those cases I’ve got to remember that I’m not “Mr. Fix-it,” as I would like to be, but that God is capable of using even me if I will be yielded to Him. God’s grace is indeed sufficient for us all!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that we were able to get the surgery scheduled yesterday. I ask Your special grace for Cathy in the two weeks until it takes place. We have a busy schedule through the end of this month. I pray for wisdom and peace for us both, in dealing with her situation and in dealing with all the other situations around us as well, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spiritual Warfare; April 22, 2019

Posted on April 24, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Life is a battle, whether we recognize it or not. Satan is spoken of as “your enemy the devil,” (1 Peter 5:8) and Jesus said he “comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10) That certainly calls for us to be battle-ready! However, as Paul says here, the weapons God has provided for us are up to the job, if we will use them. The issue then becomes recognizing what our weapons are and learning to use them effectively. The most explicitly stated is the Bible, the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:17) We need to get it into our hearts and minds to allow the Holy Spirit to bring it up whenever and however necessary. There are various stories of people’s lives being saved by bullets being stopped by a Bible in their pocket, but that’s not what this is. This is getting the content of the Word into us so that it can come out again as called for. However, Scripture isn’t our only weapon. Even in that famous passage in Ephesians it speaks of “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” (Ephesians 6:18) Prayer, and specifically prayer guided by the Holy Spirit, is a weapon. That’s not limited to prayer in tongues; He can guide prayer in any language, but we need to allow Him to do so. I think most of us recognize those two weapons, but there are more that I think get overlooked, specifically, forgiveness and blessing. It is amazing what forgiving someone can accomplish! Often it is the key, and the only key, to demolishing demonic strongholds, just as Paul speaks of here. I couldn’t count the number of “works of the devil” I have seen torn down by forgiveness. However, to operate in forgiveness we have to recognize how much God has forgiven us. Pride totally “dulls the edge” of forgiveness. The other weapon is blessing. Proverbs says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:21-22) I have seen amazing things happen from words and acts of blessing. We will see unimagined victories if we will recognize and use all the weapons God has provided for us.

I am by nature a rather non-combative person. I was almost court martialed in basic training in the army when I wrote and gave a dramatic performance of a distinctly anti-war poem in a post-wide talent show. (This was in 1970.) However, I have had to learn that the fight comes to me, even though I’m not looking for a fight. For quite a few years one of my “theme verses” has been something Jesus said just before His crucifixion: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) That “trouble” can be pitched battle, but in Christ, I am always on the winning side. At the same time I know that I cannot take things for granted. The full quote of what Peter said that I mentioned earlier is, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9) The battle is no joke! As James said, resisting the devil requires first submitting to God. (James 4:7)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your presence in the battles that currently involve me. I am not alone! I ask for wisdom and anointing in the specific interactions I will have today, that all the weapons You provide may be used effectively, for the deliverance of Your children and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Meaning of Easter; April 21, 2019

Posted on April 23, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What a marvelous passage for Easter! Actually, the message of Easter is throughout the New Testament, because it is absolutely central to the Gospel, as I will be preaching this morning. This verse describes what happened spiritually at the cross. At the time, Jesus was the only one who was aware of what was going on, but He considered going through all that agony to be worthwhile to accomplish this. What love! Everything about God’s plan of salvation is amazing, when you think about it. We sing, Amazing Grace, but it was also amazing love and even amazing wisdom. God knew that nothing less would be sufficient to deal with the sin of mankind, so He was willing to do what was necessary. We don’t really grasp that very well. We don’t grasp how utterly sinful it is that we ignore our Creator and move out on our own. We were created for fellowship with Him, and yet we turn our backs on Him and fail to fulfill the purpose for which we were created. If a human inventor makes something that doesn’t do what he intended, he destroys it, or at least abandons it. God didn’t do that, but rather gave of Himself to redeem us, to restore us to the purpose for which He created us. That He would go so far to do that is really beyond human comprehension. The more we grasp it, the greater our praise, gratitude, and obedience. When we fall short in any of those areas – and we all do, all too often – it is a demonstration of our lack of appreciation for what went on at Calvary. Today we celebrate the full follow-through, that Jesus rose from the death He died in our place, showing that in Him we too have eternal life. If that doesn’t fill you with joy, nothing will! Going back to this verse, believers are positionally the righteousness of God, but that is still being worked out in this life, and will be completed when we stand before Him. We aren’t to despair at our failures, but know that the cross was sufficient for those too, repenting of those sins and receiving God’s full forgiveness and cleansing. (1 John 1:9)

I have as much need to meditate on the cross as anyone. Lee Grady just wrote a beautiful piece for Charisma about how Jesus was fulfilling Psalm 22 on the cross, and since He quoted the first verse of it, (Matthew 27:46) was probably thinking about it the whole time. I would do well to meditate on not just that Psalm but on all the implications of what Christ did for me personally, not just dismissing it as abstract theology. It is too easy for preachers to forget that the messages they preach are for them, too, and not just for their congregations! I too need to walk constantly in praise, gratitude, and obedience, because my Lord is worthy of nothing less.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the computer crashes that have caused me to write parts of it multiple times. That helps cement it in my heart and mind! May I indeed live it out, and communicate it effectively to others as well, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Freedom; April 20, 2019

Posted on April 23, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

I have heard this verse quoted many times, but our sinful human nature really tends to cloud understanding of it. In the first place, the lead statement is upsetting to rigid Trinitarians. We do experience God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but the Bible blurs the lines between them a good deal. We “invite Jesus into our hearts,” but He comes by His Holy Spirit. God created the universe, but He did it by His Word, that is, the Son, (John 1:1-3) and Jesus Himself said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) And how do you distinguish between God, who is Spirit, (John 4:24) and the Spirit of God? I do affirm the Trinity, because Jesus explicitly told us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19) but I think the theological concept of the Trinity sometimes becomes just another box into which we try to fit God. The other difficult thing about this verse is the whole idea of liberty/freedom. Few things are as precious in American history and culture, with the Founding Fathers saying things like “Give me liberty or give me death,” and “He who would trade liberty for security deserves neither.” However, that very easily devolves into a discarding of all rules and regulations, including those set by God for our good. Today marks the day when the world held its breath, between Jesus’ crucifixion and His resurrection. Jesus died to free us from sin and its penalty, death. It doesn’t take much perception to realize that most of the people around us are slaves in some way to sin. It’s much harder to recognize where we ourselves are in bondage to sin. The freedom of the Holy Spirit that Paul speaks of here is the freedom not to sin, to walk in the fullness of life that God has provided for us. (John 10:10) Spiritual growth is a process of liberation, as we successively get rid of all the things that have bound us. Charles Dickens gave us a picture of that in the character of Marley’s ghost, who was bound with chains made up of all the things he had valued over the things of God. A popular – and anointed – song about heaven is titled, I Can Only Imagine. We indeed can only imagine what total liberty is going to be like, be it is part of the inheritance of God’s children.

I am as headstrong as anyone else. My mother had an expression with which I can identify: “independent as a hog on ice.” That is rather comical to picture, but it shows the absurdity of rebellion against, and attempted independence from, God. I am finding that there is great peace and joy in knowing that I can do nothing apart from Christ, (John 15:5) but through His strength I can do everything He asks of me. (Philippians 4:13) I’m not there totally yet, but I deal with people constantly who are hardly there at all. I am not to put them down, but speak the truth in love to them so that they may indeed discover the liberty that is the Spirit.

Father, thank You for this powerful reminder. Help me walk it out in all I have to do today, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Credentials; April 19, 2019

Posted on April 21, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Japanese society is very focused on credentials. Sometimes it doesn’t seem to matter whether you are actually competent to do something, so long as you have the piece of paper that says you are. This fits in with the “letters of recommendation” Paul mentions just before this. In Japan, the school you graduated from can be crucial in getting a good job, regardless of whether you really learned anything at that school. In American higher education today, my impression is that much of it is worthless, despite the astronomical price tag, because the students end up knowing very little that is true about life and history and having very few critical thinking skills. Even in the Church we sometimes focus on academic credentials, or perhaps the size of the congregation. Either of those things can be totally unrelated to whether the person is sent and anointed by God. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to show us whom He has chosen and anointed, and not rely on human yardsticks in evaluating people.

I am thankful to have a seminary degree, precisely because I minister in Japan, but it has had very little impact on my ministry. I do recognize the benefits of training, but my impression is that for ministers of the Gospel, the more formalized it is, the less practical utility it has. That fits in with Paul’s statement here that “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” You can’t package the Holy Spirit in a curriculum! To me, knowledge of the Bible is primary, followed by knowledge of Church history to know the insights, rabbit trails, and outright heresies that have already occurred, but after that, mentoring and coaching in the process of ministry are most effective. There are times when I wish I had studied Greek and Hebrew, but my knowledge of Japanese teaches me that knowing a little of a language can be very misleading, and I have certainly seen lots of rabbit trails being followed in the name of “the original language.” I want the Holy Spirit to interpret His Word to me, so that I may put it into practice and in turn communicate it to others.

Father, this whole issue of credentials/competence/qualifications is one that has come up at various times over the years. Help me genuinely be humble, and yet have the assurance that Paul did, so that I will neither hide nor distort what You are saying to and through me, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Faith; April 18, 2019

Posted on April 21, 2019 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 1:24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.

Faith is not something in which we can command each other, but it is an area in which we should encourage one another. It indeed brings joy, because it is the shield with which we can extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy. (Ephesians 6:16) It is a gift from God, (Ephesians 2:9) but it is one we are responsible to exercise. That’s why Jesus frequently chided His disciples for their lack of faith. To be honest, sometimes we decide not to believe. I have seen people deliberately turn away from their faith, and it is tragic. When we discard faith, we really have no defense against the lies of the enemy. I have seen people decide they are “tired of being Christian” and walk away, but I remain convinced they have never really opened up to the presence and flow of the Holy Spirit. I say that, but Hebrews speaks explicitly of such a situation. (Hebrews 6:4-6) Having tasted of the Spirit myself, that is hard for me to imagine. The thing is, it’s often harder to exercise faith for ourselves that it is for someone else. That’s one of the big benefits of intercession, because we grow spiritually as we pray for others, when we have great difficulty praying accurately for ourselves. That’s what Paul was talking about here in working with the Corinthian believers. In Hebrews it points out that a major reason to meet together is to encourage one another in our faith. (Hebrews 10:25)

This is very timely, because right now I’m dealing with one person who is trying to withdraw from faith because things haven’t gone as they wanted, and I’m dealing with another person who is learning to pray for others instead of being totally wrapped up in what they see as their own problems. I really understand what Paul is saying in this verse! There are times when I would love to be able to command faith, but then it would cease to be genuine, even if I could do that. I can and must speak the truth in love and trust the Holy Spirit to work in each person’s heart – including my own. I myself must choose to stand firm, because as a shepherd I endure even more attacks than the flock. I know that in faith I will indeed stand firm, as this verse says, and will overcome the world. (1 John 5:4)

Father, thank You for this timely reminder. I have a really packed day today. Each of the elements would not be a problem individually, but their all coming together makes me anxious. Help me indeed choose to rest, relax, and rejoice in You throughout today, exercising the faith You have given me, so that I may encourage those around me and together we may indeed overcome the world, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Letting God be God; April 17, 2019

Posted on April 20, 2019 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

After a full chapter of talking about resurrection, Paul comes to this. The whole thing about resurrection for us is that it is a future reward, and it is one the devil would love for us to lose sight of. Knowing that God has such good stuff in store for us should help us get through anything. The thing is, we are easily distracted, and when we focus on the difficulties of the moment, we can get discouraged and depressed. This is something I have experienced many times over the years. Thankfully, God has always been faithful to bring me back into focus, to remember that “This world is not my home; I’m just a passing through,” as the Spiritual says it. From time to time the Lord allows me to see a glimpse of fruit from my labors that had not been evident to me, and that can be a real encouragement. Ministering in Japan, it can be easy to feel that nothing you do really accomplishes anything! However, that’s just a deception of the devil. We don’t see what is going on in the spiritual realm, and God never wastes anything. That’s what Romans 8:28 is all about. We need to let God be God and trust Him with the job, listening faithfully for whatever part He wants us to play.

This is very timely for me, because the spiritual warfare is pretty intense. I should take that as an indication that God is doing good and/or big things that the devil is trying to block! However, I know that the outcome is already decided, and it’s good. Right now we are being hit with health issues and people issues and busyness and schedule conflicts of all sorts, and discouragement and depression loom over us. I’ve got to remember what God told me personally: rest, relax, rejoice. It’s amazing how easy that is to say and how hard it is to do! I need to remember that from God’s viewpoint it’s all already done, and the result is good.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Cathy’s pain level is hard to ignore, and I shouldn’t try. All the other pressures aren’t to be dismissed, but I need Your help to keep looking to Jesus over and above it all. (Hebrews 12:2) May I be Your agent every moment of today, not striving in my own strength – which is no strength at all – but allowing Your Spirit to carry me along and flow through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Hope of Resurrection; April 16, 2019

Posted on April 20, 2019 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 15:17-19 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

Resurrection is absolutely essential to the Gospel. That’s why the devil has focused so much energy on denying it. At the same time, it is the one thing that seems most illogical to human intellect. If we are spirits, why do we need bodies anyway? However, God does everything for a reason, and His reasons are good. One of those reasons is faith itself. If we could figure everything out by human intellect, we wouldn’t need faith. However, God has ordained that we be saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Various things can make us believe, but Jesus said that those who have believed without seeing are blessed. (John 20:29) Jesus Himself rose from the dead as a demonstration of His victory over death, so that all who are in Him by faith may experience that same victory. That is exactly what Paul is talking about here. As came out in yesterday’s reading as well, a lack of faith in resurrection leaves us powerless and essentially hopeless. In situations of persecution, such as Paul was writing in, if there is no hope of resurrection, then believers are pathetic indeed. That is exactly the image the devil wants to portray of Christians, warning non-believers of the mess they’ll get into if they get caught in this Jesus business. However, as Paul told the Romans, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:35-37) As the song says, we serve a risen Savior, and we too shall be like Him.

To be honest, physical resurrection has been something I have struggled with myself. I have full confidence that heaven is glorious, but in my own mind I don’t see the need for the physical. However, God created the physical universe by His will, and that is good by definition. The Bible only gives hints here and there of what life will be like after resurrection, so again, I’ve got to trust God. How we will perceive the time frame of resurrection is again an open question. Those who have been to heaven and come back testify universally that the passage of time there is not the same as in our present physical world. The Bible, in common with many cultures, speaks at times of death as sleep, and we all experience sometimes waking up unaware of how much time has passed. I am not to be anxious about any of that, but trust God with every detail. I have demonstrated time and time again that I’m good neither at planning nor at follow through, but God has no such difficulty. I am to rest in the hope of resurrection, rejoicing that God’s plans are better than I could ever imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Things are happening at a rate that makes me want either to escape or withdraw, and neither is what You have planned. Help me trust You with every detail, every outcome, and be faithful to do each task You have for me, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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