Self-image; January 27, 2018

Posted on January 30, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 45:9 “Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker,
to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,
‘What are you making?’
Does your work say,
‘He has no hands’?”

As a pastor I am constantly dealing with people who are unhappy with how God created them. Almost always, what they are most unhappy with is what they have done with what God gave them to start with, but they tend to blame it on God anyway. This verse, along with the two that follow, deal with that issue pretty definitively! I really like a sweatshirt I once saw a picture of that said, “I must really be something, because God don’t make no junk.” I prefer good grammar, but the thought is excellent! Unfortunately, in this age of “participation trophies” and the like, many people have artificially inflated opinions of themselves, but when that bubble is popped, they have no foundation to fall back on. Japanese society has long focused on squashing bragging, to the point that parents seldom praise their children for anything, and certainly not in public. That can be very damaging indeed, and I often have to deal with the wreckage that results. I really feel that’s a major cause of the high suicide rate in Japan, because people get to the point of seeing no value to their own continued existence. Many Japanese Christians love the first part of Isaiah 43:4, that says, “you are precious and honored in my sight,” precisely because it counters that sort of mindset. Paul tells us to “not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” (Romans 12:3) He then goes on to point out that God has gifted each one of us as His children, and we are responsible for how we use those gifts. We are indeed “cracked pots,” but God has placed His treasure in us and we are to live accordingly. (2 Corinthians 4:7)

In myself, I have had to deal more with conceit than the opposite, but I deal constantly with people who can’t see what they have to contribute to society. Part of that comes from their focusing on seeking what others can contribute to them, but that is a trap that is common to all mankind. I have discovered the truth of what Paul credits to Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) I am often called on to counsel people who are so self-centered that they can’t understand God placed them here to be channels of blessing to others, and as a result they are miserable. I am to speak the truth in love always, and be careful not to fall into that trap myself. I am to speak God’s love and encouragement to people, and not just speak but demonstrate it with my actions, so that the lies of the devil may be exposed and destroyed and they be set free to be all that God created them to be, for His glory.

Father, thank You for the opportunities You’ve given me in this area just recently. Help me be consistent in expressing Your character to those around me, so that they may be drawn to repentance and faith for their salvation, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Looking Forward; January 26, 2018

Posted on January 29, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.”

This passage is the inspiration for Don Moen’s song, God Will Make a Way. It is one of my wife’s favorites, and it has been a real comfort and encouragement to us, especially in recent months. What God expresses here is of great importance. Many people are mired in their own past, unable to believe that they or their circumstances could ever be different. God is saying that’s not the case. Much of the New Testament is on exactly this theme. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said things like, “You have heard… but I say.” (Matthew 5:21-22 etc.) It’s true that human nature has been the same from the dawn of time, which is probably the origin of the expression, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” It is also true that “Those who can’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” That last is simply about the folly of failing to learn from our mistakes. However, the message of the Bible, the message of redemption, is that we aren’t condemned to stay in the rut that has defined us in the past. As Paul said so clearly, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Paul wasn’t giving any new truth, he was simply expressing the same thing God said here through Isaiah in the context of Jesus Christ our Lord. We might not see any way forward, but God says there is always a way, because He is the Creator who spoke the universe into being.

The past year and a half has been quite a training period in learning this truth, and God’s not through yet. He has been teaching me not to despair when things look bleak, but rather to trust Him and look forward to what He is going to do in, through, and with the very circumstances that look so bad to me. I have to shake my head at myself over this, because God has brought us through this sort of thing time and time again, but I still limit my expectations of Him to what I can see humanly speaking. “A way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” seemed like totally impossible things to Isaiah’s hearers, but God was simply pointing out that He is still God, so impossible doesn’t apply to Him. I’ve got to keep remembering that myself! There are many things I would like to see happen that I have no way to make happen. I’ve got to trust God to bring about the best, whether it agrees with what I have imagined or not, and to do it on His schedule for His glory. If He chooses to use me in the process, I am to rejoice, but never for the sake of getting glory for myself.

Father, thank You for all that You have brought us through. Help me indeed not focus on what has been or how things have been, but rather look forward to what You are going to do, keeping myself available at all times, so that Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your kingdom come as Your will is done perfectly, right here, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Witnesses; January 25, 2018

Posted on January 29, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 43:10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.

In a sense, Jesus quoted this verse after His resurrection. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) The point is, God has repeatedly and consistently chosen people to represent Him to the rest of man­kind, particularly from Abram on. As He did with Abram, changing his name to Abraham by the addition of the ruach, the letter of the Hebrew alphabet that also means breath or spirit, He gives His Spirit to His agents to enable them to perform His work. That’s exactly what Jesus said. Many people are confused as to the purpose of God pouring out His Spirit at Pentecost, and His baptizing believers in His Spirit even today. They get all caught up in thinking about spiritual gifts, such as tongues and miracles, when those are all secondary to the primary purpose of being witnesses. In the Western world people don’t think much about conflicting gods, but in places like Japan and India, pagan gods are everywhere. (Buddhism avoids the word, god, but instead makes people into buddhas after they die.) Even without the terminology, people in the West worship all sorts of things, with technology, particularly smart phones, currently ascendant. It is the task of those who know the Creator, and particularly those who know His Son, to testify to those around them of His reality, so that people’s eyes may be opened to repent and believe for their salvation.

I am thankful that God withheld spiritual gifts from me, even though I was seeking them, until He could give me the revelation of the purpose of His Spirit coming upon me. After I realized that God is totally faithful, so if I asked for His Spirit I should simply thank Him for providing it according to His Word, rather than setting any conditions, a few days later I abruptly realized that I was talking to a total stranger about Jesus, and Acts 1:8 came to mind. At this point my life as a whole is a witness to the presence and power of God, and I am deeply grateful. I am not to fail to speak as God gives opportunity, but it’s like Francis of Assisi said, “Preach constantly. When necessary, use words.” As a pastor, I urgently desire that each of the believers grasp this vision of their purpose in life. Japanese in particular seem very hesitant to speak openly of their faith, and since society as a whole is very polite and civil, the differences between believers and non-believers aren’t so obvious to casual observers. I need to help them understand that they are indeed chosen and commissioned by God as His servants and witnesses, just as this verse says, so that they may rejoice to fulfill God’s purposes for them.

Father, thank You for this reminder, particularly as I got my own first smart phone yesterday. Keep me from letting it distract me from being the witness You intend for me to be. May I not preach to others and then fail to follow through myself. Thank You. Praise God!

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Japan; January 24, 2018

Posted on January 26, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 42:10 Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
you islands, and all who live in them.

Along with the last line of verse four (“In His law the islands will put their hope”) I have always taken this (along with verse 12) as applying to Japan, though certainly not exclusively. It’s interesting to me that where the NIV has, “down to the sea, and all that is in it,” the Japanese has, “down to the sea, and all who cross it.” Telling sea creatures to sing praise to God would go along with telling islands to do so, but I like the idea of telling travelers to do so. After all, it was as the believers were scattered from Jerusalem by persecution that the Gospel spread across the whole Roman world. (Acts 8:4) I’m not entirely sure why God had Isaiah specify islands like this, except that island people can tend to be isolated by geography, and no one is to be left out. The Japanese have an expression, “island nation gut feeling,” that they use as an explanation/excuse for their isolationism. To me that doesn’t really wash, because the British Isles are very similarly located, but were never as isolationist as Japan has been in the past. Granted, Japan wasn’t repeatedly invaded, as Britain was by Vikings and Normans, but the physical distances aren’t so different. In any case, Isaiah is insisting that everyone on earth sing praise to God, with no exceptions. This of course is echoed by Paul: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) Jesus Christ is Lord of everything and everyone, whether they acknowledge Him at this point or not.

This is of course an abiding comfort and encouragement to me as I minister in the islands of Japan, however small the current “rate of return” might be. I am never to give up, but remember that if God said it, that settles it. I cannot bring God’s kingdom by my own wisdom and strength (which are nonexistent) but I can be useful to Him as His instrument as He brings it about. I am never to forget to praise Him myself as I seek to draw others to praise Him. It is a danger for preachers everywhere to think the Word they proclaim is just for those around them, somehow leaving themselves out of the equation. I’ve got to be faithful to the truth God speaks through me before I can expect others to receive it as well. I’m in the middle of a message series on thanks, praise, and worship, seeking to teach people to draw close to God in genuine spiritual intimacy, but if I’m worried about my delivery and how I will look and sound to my audience, I won’t be worshiping in spirit and in truth myself. (John 4:23-24)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that You do love and care about the people of Japan, far more than I do, even. Help me fully trust You with them, walking in close step with You so that I may be fully useful to You for However You want to use me in drawing them to Yourself, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Justice; January 23, 2018

Posted on January 26, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 42:3-4 “A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.”

Since I minister in the islands of Japan, the last line of this has long been a favorite of mine. The first part of this has also been a good guide for ministry, since almost everyone I deal with is bruised or “smoldering” in some way. However, recent events have brought the middle part of this into sharp focus. The Internet has indeed brought about an information revolution, letting us know about things that in the past would have been kept hidden, and the depth of the corruption that has been coming out is mind boggling. When even politicians are astonished, you know it’s bad! It is important that those in the position to do so follow through on what is uncovered, and for the general public to maintain pressure for them to do so, but we need to remember than nothing has ever been hidden from God. Sometimes we forget that, and act like newscasters in our prayers “informing” God of what is going on. I think He smiles sometimes at that. This passage reassures us that no bad guy ever gets away with it in the end. Of course, we also need to remember that we ourselves are accountable not only for our actions but even for our words. (Matthew 12:36) God’s grace is essential for us all! That said, this passage should put us at ease about whether God will deal with “those guys.” God is holy and righteous and just, and He won’t stop until everything is in line with Him.

The past 10 years have seen a major shift in my awareness of politics in particular. At times I have been very stirred up over it all, and needed the reassurance in this passage. Thankfully my faith has continued to grow, and it’s much harder to get me upset. That said, I’m certainly not perfect yet. I’m not to be passive about all that is going on, but add my prayers to those of all the saints who desire to see God’s name alone acknowledged as holy and His kingdom come as His will is done. I’ve got to remember that as far as I’m concerned, justice and righteousness and holiness start with me, and allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light on every place where I fall short, so that I may repent and be cleansed. God told me personally over 20 years ago that there are many things in the world He’s not currently happy about, but He’s got it all in control, and the end will be gloriously perfect. Again as He has told me, my job is to rest, relax, and rejoice!

Father, thank You for being God indeed. Help me never forget that for a moment, but rather delight to be Your child, seeking only to “see You more clearly, love You more dearly, follow You more nearly,” as the song says. May Your will be done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Fear; January 22, 2018

Posted on January 25, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Probably every person alive needs to hear God say this to them at some point. Fear is certainly endemic to the human condition. However, too often we are in such a self-centered tizzy that we can’t hear God. Actually, if we’re relying on ourselves, we have every reason to be afraid! This particular verse is memorably set to music as one line of the hymn, How Firm a Foundation. Just yesterday in the message I was saying that many hymns don’t qualify as praise because they aren’t addressed to God, but they can be very good nonetheless as encouragements and statements of faith. That hymn certainly qualifies as excellent encouragement! A major factor in the fears we all experience is a well-deserved sense of guilt. When we have unrepented sin in our lives, fear is a very logical response! However, we have God’s promise: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) That is the basis for the boldness I also mentioned in yesterday’s message. (Hebrews 4:16) The world is a very fearsome place, with natural disasters and political turmoil and man’s inhumanity to man. The only way to escape fear of everything else is to fear our Creator, knowing that His power and authority trump everything else, and believing that He loves us enough to send His Son to die in our place. (John 3:16)

The longer I live in fellowship with God, the less fear I have. I do at times have twinges of concern and even anxiety, but lifting my eyes to God is the antidote every time. At this point in my life, my biggest concerns are related to the spiritual health of this church and the physical health of my wife. However, there too I need to remember that those things belong to God rather than to me, and He is more than capable of taking care of them. I am to be submitted and available to Him to use in the process, but He will do all the “heavy lifting,” since I have no real strength of my own. There are those who look at me and call me foolhardy, but they can’t deny I have more peace than they do! I am never to be holier-than-thou, but I am to make it clear that my assurance is in God, who not only created me but who also loves and uses me for His glory.

Father, at times I am very sharply aware that I am nothing without you. Thank You. Help me also remember that with you, I am anything You say I am, so that I will not draw back from anything Your want to do through me, to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and bring people into Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Waiting in Hope; January 21, 2018

Posted on January 24, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

These two verses are so extremely famous that when I started reading I was fairly determined I would write on a different part of the passage, but they were so extremely applicable to our present situation that I knew God was speaking them to me. God really does speak to us through familiar Scriptures as well as through ones we haven’t really noticed before, so there is every reason to keep reading the Bible regularly regardless of how familiar it might be. I’ll confess to burning out a bit on the Christmas story, but even there, further reflection on the miracle of the Incarnation never hurts. As far as these two verses go, they have been set to music numerous times, so probably a large number of Christians are familiar with them. However, they are an example of the fact that every language has some things that are easier to express in it than in other languages. Japanese has a standard expression that means, “wait in hope.” This passage is traditionally rendered in English as “wait upon the Lord,” but the NIV at least picks up on the “hope” part of it. Why English translators don’t use the compound, “wait in hope,” is a mystery to me. Just waiting is passive, but hope is active. Far too many people wait because they have given up hope and can do nothing else. That is hardly a source of strength. Walking and running and flying aren’t passive activities! God doesn’t want us giving up in exhaustion, He wants us to trust in Him so that we will receive His strength to move forward in His good plans for us. That’s what faith and hope are for.

The past year and a half has been a period of rather intense training for us in this area, and we haven’t seen the end of it yet. God gave us the vision of a senior-care facility several years ago, and it looked like it was going to come about. However, one thing after another came in, and we were really tied in knots. At this point we have purchased one plot of land, but it’s not big enough for the facility we have envisioned. To our knowledge, the two adjoining plots haven’t yet been sold, but we have no idea when or how God might supply the funds to get them, or, for that matter, to build the facility itself once we have the land. In the process of all of that, people have left the church, shrinking our already very small congregation. However, God has used all these circumstances to train us to lift our eyes to Him, and that’s very good. That’s what “waiting in hope” is all about! Yesterday a young man in the church came and helped me shovel and rake gravel to make the land we purchased usable as a parking lot. That was an answer to prayer on several levels, because he has been distracted from attending church for most of the period I’ve just been talking about. In between and after the hard labor, he and I were able to do some very good talking, and it was a huge encouragement to us both, I think. The point is, God is still God, and He is more than worthy of our total faith and trust. When we have that firmly in our hearts, waiting isn’t a burden.

Father, thank You for all that You are doing. Thank You for all that happened yesterday, and for all that You are going to do today. Even with what I am aware of, that’s a lot! Thank You that You are working constantly, and that Your plans are perfect. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Encouragement from the Word; January 20, 2018

Posted on January 24, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”

Some prophecies aren’t much fun to deliver, but I’m sure Isaiah delighted to give this one! I’m not even sure how many songs have been written to the 10 verses of this chapter, but there are a lot, and I know quite a few of them. As is almost always the case, there are a number of ways this content can be/has been translated, and I particularly like the Japanese for verse four. It starts with, “Say to those whose hearts are in turmoil.” Sometimes we don’t exactly feel fearful, but our minds won’t stop running “what ifs” over and over. Then, after saying “Be strong, do not fear,” just like the NIV, it says, “Look at your God.” Most of the time when our hearts are in turmoil it’s because we’ve lost sight of God. This is exactly the problem addressed in Hebrews 12. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3) We have an advantage over those to whom Isaiah was speaking directly, because we not only have the Father to look at, we have the clear example of Jesus Christ the Son. That can be a lot easier to understand in terms of knowing how we are to respond to our own circumstances. We too can endure the “crosses” we experience if we have a firm grasp of the joy that is set before us. Paul put it this way: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) When we get that through our minds and hearts we have the perfect peace that not only Paul (Philippians 4:7) but Isaiah talked about. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

Well! If I don’t feel encouraged at this point it’s my own fault! This is an example of the joy and blessing it is to have a lot of the Bible in my mind and heart. I did check references for all the Scriptures I’ve just mentioned, but they were already there for the Holy Spirit to pull them up in my memory. I am deeply grateful to have been raised in a home that was steeped in faith and the Word, so that I first read through the Bible by the time I was 10. I received an RSV full Bible after I was baptized at age seven, and my father’s long sermons in Japanese were a great time for me to read it! I have learned the hard way that there’s a big difference between knowing the words of the Bible and having it in your heart to do it, just like James talked about, (James 1:22) but when it is in your memory the Holy Spirit has an easy time of calling it up to guide and encourage you. As a pastor, I deeply desire that each of my flock “hide the Word in their hearts” (Psalm 119:11) through daily devotional Bible reading, and it is a heartache that so few do. Given modern culture, they’d probably do much better at it in electronic form on their phones, so I need to check what apps to recommend. I create a Scripture reading list each month, and I need to start sending it to the believers in electronic form, rather than just printed out. I need to change my methods with the times, without changing the content of God’s truth. God’s Word is never out of date, if people will only realize that.

Father, thank You for this encouragement on several levels right now. Thank You that one of my “wandering sheep” will be coming to help me this morning. I pray that I would be fully available to You in ministering to him as he needs, so that the lies of the devil may be destroyed by Your truth in love, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Teachers; January 19, 2018

Posted on January 21, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 30:20-21 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

This passage deals with a touchy subject. We all need direction at times, but we aren’t always willing to receive it. Men in particular are famous for getting lost because they won’t ask for directions. God knows that in us better than we do ourselves, so He expresses guidance to us in various ways. Sometimes those aren’t a lot of fun! When we are stubborn (which is often enough) they can feel like adversity and affliction, as this passage mentions. The quicker we get a clue and do what the Lord is telling us, the less of that we have to endure. The statement about teachers not being hidden is somewhat mysterious. The Japanese, being rather more literal than the NIV, specifies “You will continue to see them.” I honestly don’t know what that means. However, the promise of direction at every turn is a welcome one for everyone who honestly seeks God. This passage is quoted on the base of a statue of a cadet at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia. Quite a few troubled young people have been straightened out by the ministry of that Baptist school, though not all of their students would fit in that category. This whole issue is echoed in Hebrews 12:1-12. We aren’t called to be “snowflakes,” but to accept responsibility for our actions and be accountable to God, seeking His direction and following it, knowing that His will is always the best possible course.

This has been an issue all my life, and will continue to be so until I stand before God’s throne. Sometimes I have followed God’s guidance and been blessed, and sometimes I have rebelled and had to endure adversity and affliction. As I deal with others as a pastor, I am amazed at God’s patience toward us all. Although we may feel that we would like to “wash our hands” of people who stress us out, God doesn’t do that with us. I need to be more aware of that, and in gratitude express His grace toward everyone. It is often easier for me to see the best course for someone else than it is for them to see it, or for me to see my own best course. I need to walk in full humility, knowing that any genuine wisdom I might have comes from God, and anything that originates with me is going to be wrong. I am to accept the teachers He provides and not shy away from being used as a teacher for others, so that His will may be done and the Body of Christ built up, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You have gifted me as a teacher, (Romans 12:6-8) with everything that involves. Help me be faithful in that, continually learning from You so that I may teach truth and not falsehood, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Renewal; January 18, 2018

Posted on January 21, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 26:19 But your dead will live;
their bodies will rise.
You who dwell in the dust,
wake up and shout for joy.
Your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead.

This is a pretty magnificent prophecy! It brings to mind the vision God gave Ezekiel of the valley of dry bones. (Ezekiel 37:1-14) What God was saying to both Isaiah and Ezekiel wasn’t necessarily physical resurrection, because our physical bodies eventually wear out, but He was talking about restoration and spiritual renewal in a hopeless situation. He was reminding the prophets, and us through them, of the reality that as Creator God, He can do anything at all. We have such trouble getting that through our heads! The specific line in this verse that strikes me is the instruction to “Wake up and shout for joy.” The Japanese says “sing for joy,” which appeals to me as a musician, but the message is clear in any case. We get so beaten down by circumstances sometimes it’s like we’re in a coma, but God is telling us to wake up and rejoice! The path of faith is to know that God is still God regardless of how things look to our five senses and our human intellect, and trust and praise Him for who He is. His plan is likely to be something we would never have dreamed up, but it will be good, and we need to trust Him with that.

This is spot on for what we have been through and where we are now as a church. In numbers we are down to what would barely qualify as a “home fellowship” in most places, but God has given us the vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in the nation. The difference between where we are now and where God is saying we are going to be is no less dramatic than resurrection! The point is to focus fully on God and His omnipotent love, forgetting our human frailty and failings, and rejoice in Him. It’s been several years now since He told me to rest, relax, and rejoice. I’m still learning how to do that. Over the past week and a half He has renewed me a great deal, but I still have plenty of room to grow as His child. I am to be grateful that He hasn’t given up on me, and won’t, and trust Him with the final outcome, both of my life and of this church.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for all You are doing. It is remarkable to me how small, relatively insignificant things impact me at times. Help me receive the many signs of Your love and grace that You shower down on me, allowing You to strengthen me against every onslaught of the enemy, so that the devil’s schemes may be defeated and Your kingdom come indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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