Rest; December 7, 2018

Posted on December 10, 2018 by jgarrott

Hebrews 4:9-11 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.

The fact that this passage ties our minds in knots shows that we don’t really understand rest. Modern society provides most of us with more leisure time than our ancestors could have dreamed of, yet we suffer from from chronic lack of sleep or insomnia (which aren’t the same thing) and burn out from all sorts of stress-related disorders. A big part of that is that we have forgotten what Sabbath is all about. In our always-on technology-driven culture, we don’t know how to set things aside and focus on God, to open ourselves up to Him, and that is what Sabbath is all about. Smart phones have certainly accelerated that trend, with people checking their phones even in the middle of the night, not to mention frequently throughout the day. That’s no way to rest! Yes, it does take real effort to buck that trend and receive the rest God has for us. Any addiction can take a lot of work to kick. However, the payback is enormous. We get so caught up in the drive to do stuff that we even become envious of the dead, which is where the famous Rest In Peace comment comes from. We need to learn how to RIP while we’re still alive! The only way to do that is to refocus our priorities on the One who created us, accepting His schedule for us with joy and not resentment, trusting that His plans for us are the absolute best there could be. Entering God’s rest requires faith, first and foremost, but He has that available for us if we will choose to accept it.

It’s been quite a few years now since the Lord told me to rest, relax, rejoice. I could track it down in my sermon notes, since I spoke on it at the time, but the exact date is unimportant. He has reminded me of it countless times since then, and I’m still learning! Right now He has me in a training period I hadn’t imagined, resting from speaking and singing because of a polyp on a vocal cord. This is some of the hardest resting I’ve ever done! The desire to speak and the desire to sing well up within me, and giving that to God without being vocal is a real struggle. He is teaching me that my words and my music are just that, my words and music, and I’ve got to cut that out to let Him pour His words and music through me, in His time. Just when that time will be is His business, and I’ve got to trust Him with that. This morning I have a nursing school class, and I’ve got to trust Him to enable me to use the microphone effectively so that I don’t do any further damage. I am to be there for the sake of my students, and not for my own pride. Next week we have a review lesson and the following week is a Christmas party, before a second review lesson and then the examination in January. I need to do all those things for the students, and not for me, so I’ve got to trust God with it all. That’s what Sabbath is all about!

Father, thank You for continuing to correct and train me. Help me not “kick against the goads,” (Acts 26:14) but rather accept and act on the things You teach me, so that I may rest, relax, and rejoice in my Lord Jesus Christ indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Temptation; December 6, 2018

Posted on December 10, 2018 by jgarrott

Hebrews 2:18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

We sometimes have trouble imagining what it was like for Jesus to live as a human being. We kind of get the idea that He laid aside His omnipotence and His omniscience, because we see glimpses of that in His earthly ministry with miracles and words of knowledge. (Actually, we don’t grasp that, because everything He did on this earth He did in the power of the Holy Spirit, and not in His innate power as the Son – and that same Holy Spirit is available to us.) We have more trouble grasping that as perfectly holy God, who could not be tempted by evil to any degree, (James 1:13) He became fully human and so subjected Himself to the same temptations we face. He never sinned, (Hebrews 4:15) but the temptations were real, and the very fact that they were tempting to Him was doubtless worse than physical suffering would have been. His time in the desert at the start of His ministry is famous, (Luke 4:1-13) but we sometimes fail to realize that the temptations listed there are simply representative types; we face the same things. He was tempted to place His physical needs and desires ahead of obedience to His Father. He was tempted to take the “easy way out,” worshiping the devil in exchange for the world. He was tempted to try to force God to do stuff His way, instead of walking in humble submission. That last was put to the ultimate test in the garden of Gethsemane, but He still passed. (Matthew 26:39) The point in this verse is that Jesus understands temptation, and He doesn’t put us down for feeling it. We’ve got to remember that temptation itself isn’t sin, it’s yielding to temptation that is sinful.

I’ve been tempted as much as anyone, and my response hasn’t always been good by any means. Sometimes I have even delighted in temptations, because they stimulate my flesh. That response is certainly sinful, because it means I’m putting my flesh ahead of God. The point for me in my ministry is to recognize the devil’s schemes and help others to do so as well, so that we may be better equipped to submit to God and resist the devil. (James 4:7) I’m never to put anyone down for being tempted, even when it’s something that doesn’t tempt me, but rather seek to walk alongside them to keep them pointed toward Jesus. Jesus alone was able to conquer every temptation, so I am not to condemn people – myself included – for stumbling, but rather help them repent and accept God’s full forgiveness. (1 John 1:9)

Father, thank You for this reminder. As I get older the temptations are sometimes more subtle, but they are still there. Help me walk in the purity and obedience You desire, helping others to do likewise, so that the devil’s schemes may be defeated and You alone glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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Angels; December 5, 2018

Posted on December 7, 2018 by jgarrott

Hebrews 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

This whole first chapter of Hebrews focuses on the differences between Christ and angels, because obviously some people in the 1st Century were getting pulled into some form of angel worship, so it is ironic in the extreme that this particular verse is dearly loved by those who are obsessed with angels today. It’s not at all that angels in general are bad, and the TV show of a few years back, Touched by an Angel, probably encouraged a lot of people in their faith. It was certainly a refreshing break from some of the other rot on TV! However, our only object of worship is to be the Godhead, and nothing less. I’m sure the reason we are encouraged by the world to focus on angels is that Satan and his demons started out as angels, and are adept at presenting themselves to people today as though they had not fallen, but were still pure and holy. (Revelation 12:9, 2 Corinthians 11:14) The point, as this verse says, is that genuine angels are sent by God to serve us, but our focus is not to be on the angels, but on God who sends them. We often forget that every time genuine angels reveal themselves to people in the Bible, the first reaction of the people is fear. Angels are a far cry from the little cupids we see in paintings! Interestingly, there’s a current cartoon that catches that pretty well. It’s called Rose is Rose, and a recurring character is an angel that only the little boy can see. Most of the time he appears as a little character about the size of the boy, but when the boy tries to take him lightly, he reveals himself as a towering figure with a shield and sword. God’s angels can indeed be mighty on our behalf, but our focus isn’t to be on them, but on the One who sends them, who is mightier than everything else put together.

I’ve never seen an angel, but my wife has been given that privilege several times. That’s why I can say that the Rose is Rose depiction of a towering warrior is pretty accurate. Thinking back, I’ve given my guardian angel plenty of work to do! (Matthew 18:10) I am frequently reminded that I have no power or ability to protect myself, so I am very grateful for God’s provision, but I’m not to take it for granted. I am to be totally fearless in obeying my Lord, but I’m not to do stupid things that would require Him to act. That’s why Jesus replied to the devil quoting Scripture at Him the way He did. (Luke 4:9-12) I am to be aware of the spirit realm, but never to the exclusion of the physical, and especially never to get so distracted by it that I lose sight of God. My angelic allies are real and my demonic enemies are real, but God is over it all, and I am called to be His child.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s not a subject I think about very often. Help me be gratefully obedient to You for all Your provision, spiritual and physical, so that You may receive all the glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Faith, Knowledge, and Activity; December 4, 2018

Posted on December 7, 2018 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.

There are some arguable points about exactly what is subject and what is object in this sentence, grammatically speaking, but one point is very clear: faith is intimately connected with both knowledge and activity. You can’t have faith without knowing something about Christ, and as James pointed out, it’s hard to claim you have faith without demonstrating it through your activities. (James 2:14-26) It’s very dangerous to try to substitute activities for faith. That’s one of the things that triggered the Protestant Reformation, as Luther saw the Catholic Church telling people they could essentially buy their way into heaven. He reacted so strongly that he called James a “book of straw,” but if the pendulum swings too far, you have people who claim to be Christians but whose lives are indistinguishable from complete pagans. Sadly, such people are very abundant. Whatever the Greek says, the NIV translation picks up on something I have observed time and time again: the best way to grow your faith is to share it. We won’t really know all the good things God has prepared for us in Christ until we walk them out in obedience, and our faith is certainly strengthened when it is confirmed in experience.

This has certainly been my experience, but I still have trouble applying it in pastoral ministry. My major motivational gifting is Teacher, and one characteristic of that is the tendency to feel that transmitting information is – or should be – enough. I can get very frustrated when I speak God’s truth to people week after week and they don’t change! The thing is, they aren’t going to change until they start putting that truth into action, because only then will they really grasp it and make it their own. We don’t really understand truth until we apply it and allow it to change us. That’s why it’s so helpful that I’ve been introduced to the concept of coaching, rather than simply teaching. I have a lot of room to grow in walking alongside people to help them apply the truth that I share with them. I really think the reason so many people have such shallow faith is that they’ve never really tried to express their faith to someone else, to share it with them. When we put our faith into our own words and actions, then it really becomes ours, and grows by leaps and bounds.

Father, thank You for continuing to grow me as Your servant. Thank You for this time right now when I’m not supposed to be speaking at all (when I usually talk so much). Help me indeed express my faith and Your love through my actions, as I distribute Bibles this morning with the Gideons and in every other thing I do as well, so that I may be transformed more and more into the likeness of Your son, (Romans 8:29) for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Grace; December 3, 2018

Posted on December 6, 2018 by jgarrott

Titus 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.

Wow. Talk about a description of modern society! It’s important to note that Paul isn’t giving this description from a superior position, but rather as someone who has been there. That’s why he could write so beautifully and convincingly of the grace of God, as he does right after this: he knew he needed that grace as much as anyone. That’s a vitally important thing about grace: we have to know we need it in order to receive it. That actually is the sticking point for many people about becoming Christians: they don’t want to admit they are sinners. One advantage of prison ministry is that the prisoners don’t have to be told they are sinners, since the courts have already told them that. Interestingly, even in prison some people try to insist they aren’t as bad as the next guy. The problem with that is that any sin disqualifies us from fellowship with an absolutely pure and holy God. God had to send His Son as our Savior precisely because we were hopeless otherwise. It’s when we really grasp and accept that fact that we open up to receive the abundance of grace that God has provided for us, just as Paul writes in the following verses. Evangelism that just tries to entice with all the good stuff God has for us isn’t going to generate genuine disciples, however many people might be added to church rolls. However, trying to scare people into heaven doesn’t work very well either. We need to be up front about what people (including us) deserve, and then talk about what God has made available through faith in Christ. That way it is Good News indeed.

I am constantly being called back to this definition of the Gospel, precisely because evangelism is so difficult in Japan. It is a horrible mistake to try to take the convicting work of the Holy Spirit on myself, (John 16:8-11) but I must always speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) giving the Holy Spirit the ammunition He needs. I am not to decide on my own who is ready to make a commitment, but I must be sensitive to the Spirit to make the most of every opportunity. (Ephesians 5:16) I am to be a good example in all I say and do, but not project a holier-than-thou attitude at all. Like Paul, I’ve got to remember that I need the grace of God at least as much as anyone else.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the lady who attended the service again yesterday, and for the various indications that You are working on her. Thank You for all You are doing in the man who has already said he wants to be baptized in the spring. Thank You for all the people You are drawing to Yourself that we don’t yet know about. Help us be effective harvest workers, inviting and drawing others into the grace that we ourselves have received, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Pastoral Ministry; December 2, 2018

Posted on December 6, 2018 by jgarrott

Titus 2:1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.

Along with the two longer letters to Timothy, this is a letter about how to be a shepherd of Jesus’ flock. In the first chapter Paul writes about some types of people who can make real problems in a church, but here he goes on to tell Titus how he should be in contrast to those others. (The NIV leaves off the leading “However” in this verse.) The NIV says “teach” here, but the Japanese goes with the more general, “speak.” It does little good to try to teach good stuff if our normal conversation doesn’t fall in line. Some people today try to be “relevant” by coarsening their speech to fit those around them. Paul was clear on that point in writing to the Ephesians, (Ephesians 5:4) and Jesus famously said, “I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37) Here, Paul goes on to give specific examples of sound (healthy) speaking/teaching. If every young seminary student were genuinely to take this chapter to heart, the Church worldwide would be much healthier! We are far too prone to go with the latest fad or with humanistic thinking, when God calls us to a much higher standard.

Having graduated from seminary 44 years ago, I can see times when I was following these instructions pretty well and times when I could definitely have done better. For a while I wasn’t a terribly willing pastor. I delighted to teach, but pastoral ministry didn’t turn me on. I have had to learn that we can’t just stick with what turns us on! Mike Rowe, of “Dirty Jobs” fame, tells young people, “Don’t just ‘follow your passion,’ buckle down and learn the skills to do a good job at whatever you do.” That’s good advice that would have benefited me 40+ years ago! There are still things that I would just as soon not do, but if there isn’t someone else to do them and they need to be done, I have no excuse. My life is to be an example, and the most important example I can set is of loving obedience to my Lord.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your incredible patience with me over the years. Thank You for the training You’re giving me right now of not speaking, of not being the one visibly in the lead. It’s hard to be quiet! Yesterday I experienced the emotional pain of not being able to participate in singing Christmas songs, and I’m not looking forward to this morning for that very reason. I pray that You would grow me in how to worship without sound, so that when I am again able to use my voice my worship may be fuller, more complete, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Rescue; December 1, 2018

Posted on December 2, 2018 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This is at the very end of the last letter Paul wrote before he was martyred. The section from verse 1 through verse 8 is justly famous and loved, because it’s his instructions to his spiritual son Timothy as well as a clear recognition that his time on earth is up. However, I had never underlined this verse, and it too is a potent statement of faith. When Paul is aware that he will likely be martyred soon, at first glance this seems a little like wishful thinking: “rescue me from every evil attack.” (The Japanese says, “work of evil.”) That impression is cleared up when we realize that “rescue” isn’t necessarily physical. Paul had previously told the Philippians, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) He fully expected that his body would be killed, but he knew that wouldn’t be the end of him, because he would be brought safely to the Lord’s heavenly kingdom. Paul was as human as we are, and I don’t doubt that he had some apprehension about the transition from earth to heaven, but he’d already had a visit, and he knew he wanted to go back. (2 Corinthians 12:2-4, perhaps when he was stoned at Lystra. [Acts 14:19]) Many people have realized that things like healing and rescue don’t always come in this life, but faith assures us that they are as certain as eternal judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) In America, even people who have no real faith will sometimes say things about the dead like, “They are in a better place.” They don’t know what they are talking about! If the person who died was in Christ, then they are indeed in glory with Him. However, if they followed the devil by default through refusing to commit to Jesus as Lord, then they are in “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41) That should be sobering indeed.

This is something I have been aware of for many years, and it is why I stopped mourning the death of known Christians. Everyone leaves this life at some point, and those left behind definitely miss them, sometimes bitterly. However, the important thing isn’t death itself, but the destination. Once we leave this life we are indeed rescued from all the works of evil that currently distress us. That includes physical, emotional, and spiritual attacks. I certainly don’t recommend suicide; that is a self-centered act that refuses to trust God. I also know that God can and does heal and otherwise rescue people in this life, as a demonstration of who He is in order to draw people to Him in repentance and faith. However, temporal miracles, even, are no comparison to eternity. Even Lazarus died again! I don’t demand that God rescue or heal in this life, but I seek to lead as many as possible into the faith that will guarantee that they are brought safely into heaven when the time comes.

Father, I lost two friends last month. One was rescued from his cancer and is now rejoicing before You. The other declined to let go of the “8 million gods” of his ancestors, and I could only release him to your mercy. Such things are very painful. Help me be increasingly useful to You in leading people into repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Living for Jesus; November 30, 2018

Posted on December 2, 2018 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.

We don’t know who authored the “saying” Paul quotes here, but it is indeed powerfully thought-provoking. Everything in it can be backed up with multiple Scriptures, which is how we can be sure it is trustworthy, just as Paul says. It is for the most part deeply comforting, but it contains a strong word of warning that echos something Jesus Himself said: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38) Even more specifically, He said, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) That should certainly give us pause. We are never to take our commitment to Christ lightly. However, the very last sentence in this “saying” is perhaps the most comforting, because it recognizes our human frailty. Any time we speak of denying Christ, Peter comes to mind, since he so famously and publicly denied he even knew Jesus, but he repented in truth and was fully restored, becoming the leader of the Church as it was formed at Pentecost and later going on to Rome, where he was martyred. He would be the “poster child” of this “saying,” since he illustrated it with his life. We are to be steadfast in our commitment, our obedience, our endurance, but when we slip up, we are to throw ourselves on Christ’s mercy, because He cannot disown Himself.

I don’t think I’ve ever disowned Christ overtly, but my actions at times have not indicated that I belonged to Him. I’m as grateful for the last part of this as anyone! I would be surprised, but not necessarily upset, if I were martyred, but endurance is a daily issue. In that, I have to die to sin and self (Romans 6:1-10) on a daily basis, again just as Jesus said. (Luke 9:23) The hymn, Living for Jesus, expresses it pretty well. As I wrote yesterday, I’ve just started a 2-week period of minimal talking. After writing that, I proceeded to prove for the rest of the day that I’m not very good at that! This isn’t the sort of thing I’ve thought about before in terms of endurance, but it is indeed going to be a test of mine. Because I have a 90-minute nursing school class this morning (with microphone) the rest of the day will really need to be quiet. This is particularly hard to hold to because there’s no pain associated with talking. However, for the sake of my talking and singing in the future, I’ve got to endure.

Father, this is an entirely new challenge for me. Thank You. I wouldn’t have chosen it, but then, that’s not my business. I have intended to submit my speech to You in the past, but had not thought of that in terms of not speaking at all. This isn’t something I can do on my own, so I ask You to enable me to do it, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Knowing Christ; November 29, 2018

Posted on November 30, 2018 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 1:12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Genuinely knowing Christ will get you through anything. Paul went through a lot from the point God knocked him off his horse all the way until he was finally martyred, but by his own testimony, it was worth it. (Philippians 3:10-11, 2 Corinthians 4:17) Our problem today is that too many people aren’t convinced it’s worth it. We are too prone to take what we see as the “easy way out,” forgetting Jesus’ warning about the broad and narrow ways. (Matthew 7:13-14) We want the one cookie now instead of the two cookies later, as is demonstrated in the famous psychological experiment with little children. (They are left in a room by themselves with a cookie in front of them, told that if they wait to eat it until the adult returns, they will get two cookies. Few children pass the test!) Satan knows this well, and so does all he can to tempt us with immediate gratification. Anything will do, even essentially good things, so long as we are distracted from listening to and obeying God. We really don’t know what temptations Paul faced along the way, other than the over-all temptation to give it up and stop doing stuff that got him attacked all the time. However, we do know his response, and that is recorded here. I have always loved the hymn that uses the last part of this verse verbatim as its chorus. As that hymn declares, there’s a lot we don’t know, but if we know our Savior, all the other stuff doesn’t really matter.

I encounter this in various ways all the time. I am somewhat amused that, after having been warned repeatedly about the need for patient endurance, I’ve just been hit with doctor’s orders not to talk for a couple of weeks. I have a polyp on one of my vocal cords, and by God’s grace a member of the national team studying exactly that problem is the head of the ENT Department at the National Medical Center in town. That team has found through extensive research that for small polyps, surgery can often be avoided with an intensive rest schedule, and I just started a 2-week trial of that. When my whole life revolves around talking and singing, that is a challenge indeed! Whispering actually puts more stress on the vocal cords than normal speech, so I’m to talk in a low voice only when necessary. I have a class at the nursing school tomorrow, and am on strict orders to use a microphone. Since I teach vocal projection to speech therapists, that is a blow indeed! Last night it was decided that this coming Sunday Cathy will speak in English and one of our members will interpret into Japanese. And in it all, I can’t sing! My pride is demolished and my faith tested, and those are both very good things. Thankfully, I indeed know whom I have believed, and He’s the same Lord Paul knew and followed. I realize very well that this isn’t even worthy to be called suffering, compared to what others – even including my wife – go through, so I am to rejoice at God’s grace in allowing me this experience, knowing that it will turn out not just for my blessing but for His glory.

Father, thank You indeed for Your grace toward me. I ask for wisdom to do what I should, and nothing else. You know what a talker I am. You even had to tell me to shut up one time! I pray that as we go have lunch with another missionary couple today that I would be able to control myself, and that I would indeed grow in learning to listen, as I am sure is one of Your purposes in this. May I be shaped more and more into the useful tool that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Positive Goals; November 28, 2018

Posted on November 30, 2018 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

The section ahead of this that talks about greed is very famous, but Paul very rightly changes gears in addressing Timothy directly. It is much easier to do a positive thing than not do a negative thing. Instead of just trying to avoid bad stuff, Timothy, and by extension we, are told to pursue good stuff. (The Japanese says, “earnestly seek.”) Pursuing something is a lot more fun than fleeing from something! Frankly, some of the things in this list seem more enjoyable to pursue than others. It is sobering how often “patient endurance” shows up as a desirable trait throughout the New Testament. Americans are only just now beginning to taste what religious persecution is like, but the history of the Church is rife with it, and at no time more than today, if we look at the worldwide picture. Paul was writing to Timothy about the “nuts and bolts” of leading a local church, but it was in the context of opposition. The very next sentence is, “Fight the good fight of the faith.” Sometimes our opposition takes physical form, but whether or not it does, we always have an enemy who seeks to destroy us, the devil, and we are to be proactive toward him. As James said we are to “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Resisting includes making full use of the armor God provides, (Ephesians 6:10-18) which of course requires full submission to God, just as James said. It is in that understanding and posture that we are to pursue the things Paul mentions here. Then we will truly be people of God.

Once again I’m preaching to myself. I too have character traits I need to avoid, but if I focus on avoidance, I don’t go anywhere. I need to be forward-looking, striving to move ahead, just as Paul wrote to the Philippians. (Philippians 3:13-14) I need to recognize that these are the things I need to be displaying in my life, and evaluate myself accordingly. Likewise, as I minister to others I need to point them in this direction as well. All of this could be summed up as “Christ-likeness.” I need to remember, as well as teach, that this is God’s plan for us, (Romans 8:29) and if we will trust and obey Him, He will bring it about. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s very important to focus on the positive, particularly when the enemy assaults our minds with negative thoughts and scenarios. Thank you that the spot on my vocal cord was discovered, and that I’ll be having more thorough testing on it today. I pray that every decision in relation to that would be as You intend, to cooperate with Your health for me. I pray that my every word, attitude, and action would point people to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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