Acceptance; June 6, 2018


Mark 6:4-6 Jesus said to them, “Only in his home town, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

This is a prime example of familiarity breeding contempt, to the great loss of those being contemptuous. Because Jesus had grown up there, they pigeon-holed him as “that carpenter.” Knowing His family, they thought they knew everything about Him. Probably the most painful thing was that His own siblings didn’t accept Him as anything other than their big brother. That said, though, it is striking to me that this records that “He couldn’t do any miracles except heal a few people.” Today we call healing even one person a miracle! Even so, this was a painful experience for Jesus. Fresh out of raising a girl from the dead and having someone be healed by just touching His clothing, He wanted these people He grew up with, whom He really cared about, to share in the Father’s grace through Him. That they refused that grace was a painful shock to Him.

I can certainly identify with Jesus here. I have been used in prophecy, deliverance, and healing many times in various places, but not right here in my own church. I genuinely care about the people of this city, and particularly of this church, but they don’t see past my humanity to expect anything from God through me. I am certainly human, and focusing on Christ to let more of Him show through is a daily exercise, but I do know that I’m not a “mere human,” as Paul talked about to the Corinthians. (1 Corinthians 3:4) I know that “nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature, (Romans 7:18) but I also know that Christ lives in me and that is glorious indeed. (Colossians 1:27) In a sense I am caught between two conflicting desires. From childhood I have had a hunger to be accepted as “one of the group,” particularly growing up as a Caucasian in Japan while being a Missionary Kid at a military dependents school. I felt like I didn’t fit anywhere! However, that hunger runs counter to people expecting anything special from me. Thinking about it, Paul experienced wide variations in how he was received, with people around Ephesus being healed simply by touching things he had used, (Acts 19:12) but other people finding him very unimpressive. (2 Corinthians 10:10) I am not to try to demand that people receive me a particular way (it wouldn’t work, anyway) but rather find my identity in Christ and allow Him to use me however He desires, for His glory alone.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The wound of rejection has been very slow to heal, because it keeps getting reopened! As the song says, help me indeed place my trust, and find my identity, in Christ alone. Thank You that You have accepted me and continue to accept me, even though You know all my faults better than anyone. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Abiding in Faith; June 5, 2018


Mark 5:36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

The Gospel of Mark is widely agreed to be Peter’s recollection of events, essentially dictated to Mark. It was the earliest of the Gospels, and was used as a source by both Matthew and Luke. As such, various little details have a ring of authenticity, including the fact that Jesus spoke to the little girl in Aramaic, rather than in either Hebrew or Greek. In this verse, I like how the Japanese translates it better than any English translation I can recall. The Japanese says, “Overhearing what they were saying, Jesus….” What the men said was addressed to Jairus. Jesus didn’t ignore it, but precisely because He heard it, He told Jairus to believe. This verse is the basis for the song, Only Believe, which we’ve sung here many times. Here too, the Japanese has a slight difference in nuance, saying, “be believing.” Faith isn’t a momentary thing, but rather a state of mind, of being. In our weakness we tend to believe one moment and doubt the next, so Jesus is saying to reject our doubting fears and abide in faith. Just as Jairus was rewarded for his faith, so too our faith will be rewarded, even if we don’t see that reward with our physical eyes. Hebrews 11 gives many examples of people who walked in faith, but then wraps up with what many would consider a rather disturbing statement: “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40) Like Jairus, sometimes we do see results, and even spectacular ones, but our faith must not be predicated on such results. Rather, we need to trust that in God’s hands, the ultimate outcome will be more glorious than we could imagine, and rest in peace in that assurance.

The past year and more has been fairly intense training in faith. Things haven’t turned out so far as I had rather intensely desired, but I am receiving more and more peace that things are going to be very good indeed. Many of the mechanisms by which God is going to work His perfect plan are still a total mystery to me, but that should hardly be surprising. My place is to trust and obey, listening actively for what the Lord is saying to me day by day and being quick to follow through with whatever He indicates He wants me to do. My mind still tends to dwell on things like finances, but I have told many people over the years, finances are never an issue for God, since He created everything in the first place. I am not to focus on the means, but rather on the task at hand, to do it faithfully. We are receiving good advice and guidance in the process of creating an album of music to help people who are suicidal. There will be expenses involved, but that’s not at all what we are to focus on. We are total newbies at this, but God is indeed guiding step by step, and we’ve just got to tag along, not being passive but actively doing what He shows us. The same may be said for every element of our lives!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help us indeed exercise the faith You’ve already given us so that it may grow strong and robust, accomplishing all that You desire for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Faith; June 4, 2018


Mark 5:27-29 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

Here we have the record of the faith that Jesus praised in verse 34. Like the Roman Centurion (Matthew 8:5-10) she was convinced of Jesus’ power and authority, and she acted on that conviction. Too often we say we believe, but then don’t act like we believe. I’m reminded of a story that happened in the American West. It was a farming area, and they were in deep trouble from a prolonged drought. A meeting was called at a local church to pray for rain, and many farmers and their families gathered. However, only one little girl took her umbrella! When the drought did indeed break, the pastor rightly said that it was because of the faith of that little girl. Sometimes faith seems to fly in the face of common sense. God doesn’t want us to throw our minds out the window, but He does want us to realize that He is above and greater than “the natural order” that we perceive around us. That’s what miracles are all about. We can’t dictate to God how He’s going to do anything, but we can trust that since He loves us enough to send His Son to die for us, (John 3:16) and nothing is too difficult for Him, (Jeremiah 32:27) He’s got something really good in mind for us. It’s amazing sometimes how much trouble we have grasping that simple, basic truth. This woman had not been passive but had done all she knew to deal with her situation, but when that didn’t do the job, she realized that Jesus could do it, and the rest is history, recorded for our instruction.

I teach others about faith and encourage them to trust God, but I don’t always act in faith myself. I’m grateful to say that my faith has indeed grown over the years, as God has shown Himself faithful more times and in more ways than I could count. However, I’m not completely free from anxiety. Future events aren’t so hard for me to entrust to God, but when things happen like a Microsoft update completely messing up my computer system, I am still prone to “lose it,” at least for a little while. Life would be easier, both for me and for Cathy, if I didn’t do that! I am quick to notice what seems like paranoia in others, but my own level of trust isn’t what it could be. I need to be like the “weaned child” David spoke of. (Psalm 131:2) That is the path of fullest peace and joy.

Father, thank You for giving me every reason to trust You totally. Help me follow through and do it! Help me indeed encourage those around me to trust You as well, not berating them for their lack of faith but speaking the truth to them in love, so that the deep-rooted lies of the devil may be dug out completely, leaving rich soil for an abundant harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Witnessing; June 3, 2018


Mark 5:19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

Several times Jesus is recorded as forbidding people to talk about what He had done for them. (They generally did it anyway.) Here, however, He expressly tells this man to go back to his family and to tell them what had happened. What was different? One thing we can learn is that every situation, every individual, is different. There’s no such thing as “one size fits all.” This particular person had been in such an extreme situation, recognized by everyone who was aware of him, that his testimony was both powerful and devoid of pride. One reason he wanted to go with Jesus was probably so that he could go somewhere that nobody knew him and what a state he had been in. However, Jesus wanted him, and those who knew him, to focus on the power and grace of God. If this were to happen today, the owners of those pigs would doubtless sue both Jesus and the man He delivered from demons, but to do so they would have to acknowledge both that demons are real and that Jesus has authority over them. That’s an amusing thing to imagine! In any case, I would expect that a majority at least of this man’s family ended up fully convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, and joined with the other believers after the resurrection. They probably had less difficulty believing than most, because of the undeniable testimony of this man.

There’s no question that personal testimony is the most effective form of evangelism. Theoretical theology has little power to persuade, but as has been said, a person with a theory will never win an argument with a person with an experience. I know that nothing could convince me the Gospel isn’t real, because of my own experience of personal fellowship with my Lord. My frustration in trying to communicate that here in Japan is that people look at me and say, sometimes in so many words, “That’s true for you because you’re a foreigner.” On top of that, there are the two factors of identifying religion with culture (which makes them think that becoming Christian will make them un-Japanese) and the general lack of any personal faith in any religion, which makes them feel that living for Christ is absurdly fanatical. On top of that, Japanese are very private people, seldom divulging much personal information. People can work in the same office for years and not even know the other’s marital status. It takes enormous courage for a Japanese Christian to talk about how they came to Christ. We have a member who has that courage, but their very openness makes some other members distrust them! I don’t have a magic wand to fix that situation but I can pray, and I need to pray more. I need to pray for believers who will indeed do as Jesus told this man to do: go to their family and friends and tell what the Lord has done, and how He has been merciful to them.

Father, You know better than I do how generations of missionaries have agonized over how to get Your Gospel through to the Japanese people. You also know that we can’t do it on our own. I do ask for an anointing of faith and courage for Your Japanese children so that they may indeed be the witnesses You have called them to be, by Your spirit for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Applying the Word; June 2, 2018


Mark 4:24-25 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

Translations make a big difference in understanding. This passage was in my memory as, “Be very careful what you hear,” and it wasn’t until I read the Japanese, which says, “Pay close attention to what you hear,” that I realized how the NIV expresses it. For once, I approve of the NIV editors’ choice! All too often we sit in church and the message is like water on a duck’s back, maybe making an impression at the moment but not sinking in at all. Here Jesus is pointing out how dangerous that is, because we tend to think we have knowledge of God and His kingdom, only to discover we know nothing at all. That’s why the Bible is full of admonitions like, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16) That connects with the Old Testament admonition: “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8) These days we get hung up on the word, meditation, and devise all sorts of systems and formulas, when what Jesus is saying is simply to think about it, letting it percolate in your mind and heart. Then we need to progress to living it out, as it says in James 1:22, or else we’re just playing mind games.

I have long known that James 1:22 was directly aimed at me, because I grew up immersed in the Bible, and virtually all of it is very familiar to me. The problem has always been in grasping how it applied to my daily life, and then living it out. Like Paul, I don’t want to be someone who teaches others but then blows it himself. (1 Corinthians 9:27) That’s one of the biggest reasons I like Wayne Cordeiro’s SOAP system of daily devotions, which I have followed for quite a few years now. Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer form the framework. Far too many devotional guides leave out Application, which leaves a SOP that might make you feel better for a moment, but doesn’t really change you. I have found that it is when I apply what I hear God saying to me that it genuinely cleanses me, washing out the old and recreating me in the image of my Lord. (Romans 8:29)

Father, thank You for Your gracious faithfulness to teach me Your Word. Thank You for the privilege of sharing that with others. Help me both apply it consistently in my own life and lead others to do the same, so that we may be Christ’s disciples indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Response to Evil; June 1, 2018


Mark 3:5 He looked round at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

Two things stand out to me in this verse, one about Jesus and the other about the man who was healed. In the first place, this says Jesus got angry. The other, more famous instance of that was His response to those who were more interested in making money than in allowing Gentiles to have a place to pray to Yahweh. (John 2:13-17) Here, too, His anger is at those who are more interested in keeping their grip on power than meeting the needs of those supposedly in their care. It was deeply distressing to Him, which is something we tend to overlook. The action He took, however, was not to attack those who were in the wrong, but to meet the need that they had ignored. That leads us to the man who was healed. Anyone who has been around stroke victims has no problem picturing what it means when it says he had a “shriveled hand.” In that condition, what Jesus told him to do was actually impossible. Stretching it out was precisely what he couldn’t do. However, in obedience to Jesus, he attempted it, and as he did so, full motion and function were restored. Since I teach at Nagasaki Rehabilitation College, I’d call that “instant physical therapy!” A major issue for those who need PT is in getting them to attempt that which is difficult, or perhaps even painful. That’s why those who really apply themselves are so inspiring. In this case, we have no idea whether the act of lifting his arm and stretching out his had was painful, but it might have been. Regardless, he acted in obedience because Jesus had said to do it, and his faith was magnificently rewarded.

Both of these factors speak to me. I too am deeply distressed as I learn about people who stubbornly cling to political power instead of seeking to fulfill their commission and meet the needs of those around them. The resistance of the swamp to being drained can be pretty intense! I am not to allow my distress to tear me down, but rather let it move me to effective prayer to tear down the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8, 2 Corinthians 10:4) From the standpoint of the man who was healed, I am to be obedient to whatever the Lord tells me to do, even if it seems impossible or is painful in the doing. I’ve got to believe Him and listen to Him more than I listen to the world, the devil, or even my own flesh. I’ve watched painful rehab, and I’ve got to be willing to go through it myself. God’s plans are always good and the devil’s are never good, so I’ve got to remember that and act accordingly.

Father, sometimes I feel drained after reading and/or watching the news over the Internet. The blindness and evil expressed can be overwhelming. Help me remember always that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) Help me always do as You direct, whether that is comfortable at the moment or not. Help me indeed stretch out to be and do what You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

The Good News; May 31, 2018


Mark 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

I find I rather frequently quote this very succinct expression of Jesus’ message. Various things about it are worth noticing, the first being the timing. Jesus didn’t start His public ministry until John was arrested. I’m sure John wasn’t happy at being arrested, but maybe he would have been had he realized that event was clearing the deck for the ministry of the Lamb of God, whom he had already recognized. (John 1:29, 36) It is also significant that Jesus wasn’t going to steal any of John’s thunder, as the saying goes. John’s ministry was valid and important, and not even the Son of God was going to push him out of the way. The second thing that stands out to me is that the the good news is very simply that God’s kingdom is near, it has become accessible, but repentance is necessary to receive it. Far too often we try to leave repentance out of the picture, either for ourselves or for others. That simply doesn’t work. Repentance is necessary because it is the antidote for pride, which is the original sin. Thinking we don’t need God, or thinking we know better than He does, will positively keep us from His kingdom. That was exactly the sin of the Garden of Eden, when Eve was persuaded by the devil that she could decide something other than what God had said. (Genesis 3:4-6) Repentance is acknowledging we were wrong and then turning and doing something different. At the very least we have to repent of ignoring God in order to turn to Him to receive His salvation.

This is the message I preach, and how I wish it were more received! Japanese are very hardworking, to the point that one of the first Japanese expressions a foreigner will learn, living here, is gambaru (as an expression of resolve) or gambatte (as an admonition to someone else). There is no direct English equivalent, but the closest you could come would be “try hard,” or “do your best.” That national character makes the idea of salvation by grace through faith very suspect for the average Japanese. There is a proverb that says, “There’s nothing more expensive that what is free.” In other words, there will always be a price to pay, and the more hidden that price, the higher it will be in the long run. The problem for an evangelist in Japan is that countering that expectation can lead quickly to legalism, which is so counter to the Gospel that Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians to refute it. As Jesus did, I need to express that following Him will cost you your life, but that the one you will receive in exchange is far better. (Matthew 16:24-25) Of course, our flesh doesn’t like to hear that! However, being upfront about it is far more likely to generate true disciples for Christ than any approach that soft-pedals repentance. I am to continue to insist that salvation is by grace through faith alone, but that receiving it calls for letting go of everything else. I can’t get that through to people in my own strength and wisdom, so I’ve got to trust and depend on the Holy Spirit to do it in people’s hearts and minds, perhaps even using me in the process.

Father, thank You for calling me back to basics. Thank You for the ideas You are giving us for reaching out to our neighbors. I pray that Your Spirit would indeed prepare their hearts for what You want to speak through us, so that they may indeed repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Jesus’ Authority; May 30, 2018


Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Great Commission is rightly enshrined in many churches, but I’m not sure we are capable of grasping the full depth and breadth of its implications. In one sense it “puts teeth to” the commission that Jesus gave those in the upper room immediately after His resurrection: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21) Here He states that all authority has been given to Him, and then He delegates that authority to those who follow Him. Prior to this, it was the Roman Centurion who understood most clearly what Jesus’ authority meant, when he said that Jesus didn’t even have to be physically present to command healing for his servant. (Matthew 8:8-9) It was that authority, along with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, that enabled the disciples to be so utterly fearless and bold in front of the Sanhedrin, (Acts 4:5-12, 5:27-32) as well as empowering martyrs down through the ages. When we realize what it means that we can pray in Jesus’ name, for example, it changes just about every aspect of our lives. Most importantly, it should cause every believer to be dedicated to personal discipleship and to making more and more disciples for Christ, just as He tells us here. It is only as we submit ourselves to His authority that His authority operates through us to defeat the devil and draw people into His kingdom.

As a child of missionaries and a missionary myself, obviously this passage has been big for my whole life. However, there’s a world of difference between intellectual knowledge and daily, practical fulfillment. As has been stated in the Coaching seminars I’ve attended, the weakest part of the Church is making disciples, and I’m no exception. I have made more converts than disciples, and Jesus didn’t tell us to go make converts. I have been somewhat allergic to legalism, having seen the tremendous damage it can do, but in reaction I have failed to stress sufficiently the practical reality of being a disciple. God is indeed the God of grace and love, but we need to align ourselves with Him for that to flow through us properly. I think I’m continuing to grow, but I’ve got plenty of room for more growth! I’m not to be satisfied with converts, but keep pressing in for disciples, for God’s satisfaction and glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the person You’ve had on my heart for the past couple of days. I pray for Your timing and Your words to enable him to get past the lies of the enemy that have kept him from You, so that he may indeed be born again into Your family while he has opportunity, drawing his wife right along with him, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

The Gift of Jesus’ Life; May 29, 2018


Matthew 27:50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

I hadn’t thought about the fact that, because Greek uses the same word for spirit and breath, this verse uses a standard Japanese expression for death: “His breath was taken.” In Japanese there is actually a pun between breath and life, though not to the degree of the Greek identity of spirit and breath. In any case, the point here is that Jesus gave His life, rather than anyone taking it from Him. That is exactly what Jesus Himself had said previously. “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” (John 10:17-18) This is of course the ultimate gift, as came out in the discussion of the Last Supper two days ago. Jesus had said clearly what the motive was for this gift: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) There is medical confirmation that Jesus’ death was a deliberate gift on His part, because of the sequence expressed in this verse. Death by crucifixion is actually by asphyxiation, because the body becomes too exhausted to draw another breath. Here, however, Jesus cried out just before dying, which doesn’t fit that pattern at all. The Roman soldiers, well used to crucifixions, were surprised that He had died so quickly. (John 19:33-34) Some have said that was because He essentially “bled out,” having been scourged just before being crucified, but there too, crying out just before death would be an impossibility. We are faced with the inescapable conclusion that Jesus gave His life, rather than having it taken. If that fact doesn’t generate humility and gratitude in your heart, you haven’t understood it yet.

This is just as true for me as it is for anyone else. Any time I get to complaining, even within myself, about what I am going through, that means I have forgotten that Jesus gave His life for me. Any time I look down on someone or despise them for any reason, I have forgotten that Jesus gave His life for them. Any time I doubt God’s love in any way, I have forgotten that Jesus gave His life. John 3:16 is justly famous, but it is a prime example of the phenomenon of familiarity breeding contempt. As Jesus said in John 10, He did take His life back up again, but first He had to lay it down. I need to let that truth “dwell in me richly,” as Paul said, (Colossians 3:16) meditating on it so that it shapes my every thought and action. I have grown spiritually over the years, but I still have plenty of room to grow in this area. When I truly grasp the love of God in Christ, Christ will be formed in me, for His glory. (Galatians 4:19)

Father, thank You for Your incredible love in sending Your Son. Lord Jesus, thank You for Your incredible love in giving Your life for me, and for all mankind. Help me both grasp that love more and more and communicate it more and more effectively, so that there may be a massive increase in Your family, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Giving Your Life; May 28, 2018


Matthew 27:4-5 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Judas essentially did as the chief priests and elders told him to do. They had no more concern for his life than they did for Jesus’ life. The Japanese says they told him, “You take care of it.” The problem is, we can’t really atone for our own sin. By his own confession Judas had sold an innocent man’s life, so he gave his own in exchange, but it doesn’t work that way. If he had committed his life to live sacrificially as Jesus would have wanted, that would have been far better. That is what Peter did, after his betrayal of Jesus, and Jesus met with him personally after His resurrection. This all comes back to the two ways to give your life. Jesus had told his disciples that those who follow Him do give their lives, (Matthew 16:25) and He told James and John they would both give their lives as He was going to do, (Matthew 20:23) but James was the first of the apostles to be martyred, while John was the only one of the 12 to die a natural death. There are many ways to give your life for Christ, but suicide is not one of them. Living in Nagasaki Prefecture I am very familiar with the story of Fr. Maximillian Kolbe, since he ministered here for several years. He ended up in Auschwitz, and volunteered to be executed instead of another prisoner who had a wife and children. That was indeed giving his life, but it wasn’t suicide. We are to hold everything, even our physical lives, loosely, recognizing that they belong to God and not to us, so that they may accomplish His will.

I am as challenged by this as anyone. If faced with Fr. Kolbe’s choice I hope I would do as He did, but meanwhile, I am to give my life one moment at a time. Sometimes I think martyrdom would be easier! Like Judas, I am faced at times with the temptation to deal with situations in my own strength and wisdom, taking human advice that can turn out to be demonic. I’ve got to remember that only God knows what’s really going on, and only Jesus’ blood can atone for sin, either mine or any one else’s. I must remember that everything belongs to God, including every minute of my life, and so seek to use it as He desires and intends, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am all too prone to get possessive of “my” time. Help me indeed let go of my life, to live every moment in Your perfect plan, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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