Christ the Head; December 19, 2017

Posted on December 24, 2017 by jgarrott

Colossians 1:17-18 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

I’m getting two things from this as I read it right now. The first thing is the answer to a major question of astrophysicists: what holds the universe together? The term, “cosmic glue” has been used, and recently we hear discussion of “dark matter” and “dark energy.” It’s not wrong for scientists to investigate such things, but here we have the ultimate answer: Christ the Lord. Just as He told His disciples, “Apart from me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5) the same applies to the whole universe: apart from Christ it couldn’t and wouldn’t exist. That’s a far stretch for a lot of people, not to mention those who don’t want to accept the existence of God at all! However, it’s one of those truths that is there whether we believe it or not. The other thing I get is more immediate and personal, and that is the Headship of Christ over the Church. We have all sorts of human organizations that purport to be the Church, but denominational labels don’t begin to define the Church. Christ’s Headship applies all the way down to the local level. We tend to think of pastors and priests as the heads of their respective congregations, but in reality they are more like janitors. They have responsibilities, duties, and rewards, but they aren’t in charge. At the same time, the congregations themselves aren’t in charge. When in a person the body won’t do what the head tells it, that’s a major medical problem and is called paralysis or a number of other things. Local congregations get into all sorts of problems over this issue, ranging from dictatorships to anarchy. We don’t have the physical neurons connecting us to the Head, so each part is responsible to seek the Head and listen to Him. The Bible is clear that pastors are shepherds responsible for the flock, and as such they have spiritual authority, but they must remember that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, (1 Peter 5:4) and they are subject to and accountable to Him.

This is an intensely personal and timely issue at the moment. This congregation is in a crisis of leadership. For various reasons I failed to prepare the flock properly for a major move, and now some are in open revolt. For a congregation as small as this, that threatens the complete dissolution of the church. I have made major mistakes, but there are many other factors in play as well. The source of it all is the enemy of our souls, who is dead set against this church growing and maturing and advancing the Kingdom of God. I have got to remember at every juncture that Christ is the Head, and be active both in my submission and my obedience to Him. Objectively speaking, it is fascinating how this sort of thing arises when money is involved. Our faith and our obedience are both challenged by money issues, which is why Jesus talked more about money than about heaven or hell. I’ve got to operate in full humility, but at the same time not try to duck the responsibility God has given me as shepherd of this flock. God is going to bring us through this, but I certainly can’t do it myself. I must remember that people are never the enemy, but also never slack off in resisting the devil, who is indeed the enemy of our souls.

Father, the battle is intense, and the temptation to throw in the towel is very real. Thank You for those who are praying for us. Thank You that Jesus is interceding for us, as You reminded me two days ago. You have told me to rest, relax, and rejoice. That is humanly very difficult indeed, but by faith I know that “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Growing Faith; December 18, 2017

Posted on December 22, 2017 by jgarrott

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

This verse is quoted often, and with excellent reason. It is an incredible miracle of grace that we are able to approach the throne of God at all, much less boldly or with confidence. However, Jesus took all our sin and shame on Himself, and it was nailed to His cross. Jesus’ body was taken down, but our sin and shame stayed on the cross. As I often tell people, that work of the cross is effective only when we receive it by faith. You aren’t going to get into a lifeboat you don’t believe is real. There are actually many levels to faith, which is why we need to keep growing spiritually as long as we are on this earth. Believing that you are a sinner and Jesus died for you so that you could be made right with God is saving faith, but at the point of salvation you are an infant, and babies need to grow. It is interesting to me how much trouble some people have with believing that God is greater that their weaknesses. They believe in eternal salvation, but they can’t believe God will enable them to overcome their character flaws. As a result, they don’t try, and live lives of defeat, just waiting to be “taken out of all of this” and go to heaven. That’s a major reason the idea of “the rapture” is so popular. In a sense their salvation is incomplete, because it doesn’t include the redemption of their lives on this earth. Circumstances can be horrendous, but as Paul said, in the middle of anything at all we can be “more than conquerors.” (Romans 8:37) That comes only with believing fully in the completed work of Christ, and thus coming boldly before the throne of God.

This is a very timely reminder. We are in the middle of an intense battle, and I’ve got to keep my focus on Christ in order to have the boldness I need. Jesus not only told us, “In this world you will have trouble,” He followed that up with, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) I am in real need of “taking heart” right now! The challenges of the moment seem immense, but there is no challenge, no enemy, that is greater than my God, and I need to rest in peace in that assurance. Frustration comes from the conflict among what you want to do, what you need to do, and what you have to do. I need to trust God to know my needs better than I do, and flow with His spirit on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for getting us through the day yesterday, and for the night’s rest. Thank You for reminding me this morning of the breathing exercise I learned from Fr. Kopp 30 years ago, breathing in the God of peace and breathing out the peace of God. That’s good not only for getting to sleep, which is how I have used it, but also for defusing moments of intense conflict. Help me make good use of the tools You have given me, without relying on the tools themselves instead of on You. May I continue to grow in faith as You intend, so that the works of the enemy may be defeated and his strongholds torn down, in me and in others, (2 Corinthians 10:4) for Your will to be done in Your way for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Prayer and Intercession; December 17, 2017

Posted on December 21, 2017 by jgarrott

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

This verse is a promise of the highest order. It should be a source of immense comfort and assurance for every believer in Jesus Christ as Lord. That the Son of God, an eternal member of the Godhead, is praying for us is absolutely mind boggling. I can understand the thinking behind the practice of praying to Mary or various saints, but this verse blows all of that out of the water. Nothing can compare with Christ Himself praying for me! Why should I seek another heavenly intercessor? It is very true that we are to pray for one another on this earth. That is part of the privilege of participating in what God is doing, but it is for this life, rather than the next. The point is, just as Jesus, as our High Priest, no longer needs to offer sacrifices because His sacrifice of Himself on the cross was for all eternity, in the same way He is eternally praying for us, standing on our behalf before the Father, so that we may be cleansed, healed, and accepted as holy. The more fully we get that into our heads and hearts, the more fully and joyfully we will serve Him, allowing Him to use us in whatever way He sees fit.

I am at the point of needing a great deal of prayer because of the intensity of the spiritual warfare I am encountering. I desire and appreciate the prayers of every brother and sister in Christ. However, when it comes to being accepted before God, I have complete peace, because Jesus is interceding for me. The struggles I face are with those who are deceived and motivated by the enemy of our souls. I am first of all to be submitted to God, but then I am to stand firm against the devil and what He is trying to do through people. The struggle is exhausting, but God has told me to rest, relax, and rejoice. I can’t do that on my own! All of that is intensified and complicated by having a daughter and grandchildren here for Christmas. I am caught in a seeming whirlpool of circumstances and emotions. I’ve got to keep my focus on Christ, who always lives to intercede for me.

Father, You have always brought me through everything in the past, and You will bring me through this as well. Help me be so submitted to You that I say only what You are saying and do only what You are doing, so that Your will may be done fully and purely through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Learning Through Suffering; December 16, 2017

Posted on December 21, 2017 by jgarrott

Hebrews 5:8-10 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

There’s a difference between sin and having to learn stuff. Jesus had no sin, yet He “learned obedience” through what he suffered. (The Japanese specifies “many sufferings.”) I’d say He got a perfect score! Certainly He passed the exam in the Garden of Gethsemane with flying colors. The lesson for us is not to complain about what we suffer, but seek God for what He is trying to teach us through it. Too often we kick and flail against suffering, or at best just endure it, when God always has a higher purpose in allowing it. In fact, our attitude toward events and circumstances often dictates whether we perceive them as suffering or not. If we trust fully that God has our best interests in mind, then things become much easier. God told Paul it was hard for him to “kick against the goads.” (Acts 26:14) We tend to do a lot of kicking, when God is just seeking to lead us on the right path.

I’ve been having a pretty rough time recently, so this is very timely. Just within the past few days things have piled up, and my patience and trust have been stretched. By God’s grace they won’t break, and I need to remember that. God has used even my weaknesses to accomplish good, and I’ve got to trust Him to continue to do so. The next three weeks promise delights and challenges. I need to respond rightly to both, so that the delights will outweigh the challenges! Just yesterday I gave an exam to my nursing school students, and the scores were all over the place. It is very clear that the determining factor in pass/fail was attitude, even more than ability. It’s a short, 15-week course. Those who had decided from the start that “this is going to be a drag” didn’t do well. Those who were more open minded did much better, even though they had thought they “weren’t good at English” (the subject is Medical English) or that it was difficult. Since I see that in my students, I need to apply it myself! God’s “school” isn’t easy, but He supplies the Holy Spirit as a Tutor, and graduation is certainly something to look forward to!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that Ann and the boys arrived safely last night, even though we were confused about their schedule. I do pray that every minute of their stay would be the blessing that You intend, for them and for us. There is a lot going on that is unrelated to their presence. I pray that I would keep my eyes on You and not lash out at people, even when they are clearly being deceived by the enemy. I pray that in every detail Your perfect will may be accomplished, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Alienation; December 15, 2017

Posted on December 17, 2017 by jgarrott

John 1:11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

I think we generally gloss over this verse, because most of us have not experienced anything near the level of rejection that Jesus did. His own siblings didn’t really accept him until after his resurrection. Alienation is a timeless problem, and many have experienced it to some degree, but none to the degree Jesus did – and He did it for us. That’s why it was so absolutely devastating for Him, in taking our sins on Himself on the cross, to be alienated from God. Already rejected by men, (Isaiah 53:3) for our sake He was rejected by God. (Matthew 27:46) Thankfully, that rejection was taken care of once He had fully atoned for the sins of mankind. However, that had to be more painful even than the physical agony of scourging and crucifixion. I don’t think most of us really grasp that, and therefore we fail to grasp the depth and magnificence of His love for us.

I have had a lifetime of training in this very issue, and recent events have brought that to a head. I was born and raised in Japan, visiting the US at intervals for a total of about 18 years, but to this point have lived 51 years in Japan. I’d say the single, most painful spot in my soul is knowing I will never be accepted as Japanese by the Japanese. 43 years ago, right after I had brought my wife and children to Japan for the first time, we were staying with my parents in Fukuoka, and a representative of the Southern Baptist mission board came for a visit. There were quite a few Southern Baptist missionaries in the Fukuoka area, and we went with my parents to a meeting that was held in a regional restaurant. During that meeting the board representative asked me a serious question. At that point (and it still may well be) the Southern Baptists had the largest Protestant missionary organization in the world. I was asked why MKs (Missionary Kids) from Japan had more emotional/psychological problems than those from any other country. At the time I couldn’t give a good answer, but in the years since I have become convinced of the answer. I went to college at a Baptist school in America, and there were MKs from many countries there. Those from, for example, African countries, loved the country where they were raised, but they didn’t really identify that as their home country. In contrast, I remember two brothers who were born and raised in Argentina who felt totally accepted as Argentine, and because of the Vietnam War that was going on at that point, planned on dropping their US citizenship on graduation, to avoid being drafted. I was in neither category. Though I was born in Japan, that did not grant me citizenship. I identified with Japan to a very high degree and considered it my home, but the Japanese sense of racial/cultural uniqueness excluded me from acceptance. In my one year of high school in the US, one of my nicknames was “Jack the Jap,” because Japan was what I knew and identified with. I didn’t, at the time, recognize what was going on, which was why I was unable to answer the question from the mission board representative. The source of the emotional/psychological problems of Japan MKs is a milder version of the very alienation Jesus experienced. I found out just last night how much of a hindrance that has been to my ministry, when someone explained that my deep-seated anger on that issue has driven people away from the church. (I also found out that my perfectionism has been a real issue, but that is somewhat easier to address.) Japanese are very touched and impressed that my parents chose to be buried in Japan even though they died in the US. It has been painful to me that they express the same feelings when they find I expect to be buried in Japan, and not at all because my parents are buried here. If I am to be fully effective, I have to accept the alienation as part of my cross, knowing it was one Jesus bore, and not let that pain interfere with His love pouring through me to draw people to repentance and faith.

Father, thank You for continuing to work on me. I pray that my past mistakes would not keep me from the fruitfulness You desire for me. There is much going on. Help me release it all into Your hands, allowing You to work in and through me for the sake of the Body of Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

God’s Purpose; December 14, 2017

Posted on December 17, 2017 by jgarrott

Luke 1:74-75 “To rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”

Several places in the Bible it talks about God’s overarching purpose in interacting with people, and this is one of the more compact of those. Japanese is different enough grammatically from both Greek and English that this passage is listed as “verse 7475,” rather than trying to make the divisions identical. The point of this is that we are created to serve God in holiness and righteousness. We need to remember that God doesn’t “need” our service, in the sense that He would be in trouble if we didn’t follow through, but He enables us to serve Him so that we may become His children indeed. That’s where the righteousness and holiness come in, because God is perfectly righteous and holy, and apart from His grace, we have no hope of being either. Too many Christians today think God’s plan of salvation is just to give them nice stuff, all the way to eternal life (if they even think that far). That is a sad deception. As has been said, God is far more interested in our character than our comfort. He’s constantly working on that righteousness and holiness, and the more we resist that, the more we suffer.

God has been working on us a lot over the past year, but then He never stops working on us, drawing us closer to Him and transforming us into the likeness of His Son. (2 Corinthians 3:18) The past week has had some intense moments, and we aren’t through yet. I need to remember that my responsibility is to serve God faithfully, in righteousness and holiness, and the results are up to Him. That can be difficult at times, because I long to see good fruit from my labors, but God is the Fruit Inspector, not me or anyone else. Like Paul, I need to deal with both abundance and lack, hard times and easy, knowing that God will enable me to deal with whatever comes my way. (Philippians 4:11-13) There are indeed many things, in my life personally and in the world at large, that I would like to be different, but God has assured me that He feels the same way, and at the right time everything will be made new. (Revelation 21:5) That must be enough for me.

Father, thank You for Your good plan for me, and for this church. Help me not deviate from that plan, either by action or by inaction, by lack of faith or by presumption. Help me be quiet before You knowing that You are God and You have all things in Your hands. May my obedience give You pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Following God; December 13, 2017

Posted on December 16, 2017 by jgarrott

Luke 1:59-60 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

Zechariah and Elizabeth were under a lot of peer pressure to name their son for his father. After all, given the circumstances, they couldn’t really hope for yet another child. However, they stood firm in what God had told them, and God rewarded them. In the West today we are so used to democracy that we apply it in inappropriate places at times, and church is a prime example of that. God is to be in control, whatever the “majority opinion” might be. The problem then becomes church leaders who don’t listen to God but instead insist on their own way. Church history is littered with the wreckage from such people. The problem then becomes one of sufficient dedication and humility to really hear God, and then the determination to obey Him. God uses all sorts of methods to speak to us and guide us, so that further complicates things. The starting point, however, is faith that God has a good plan and He is going to guide us in it.

We are in a crisis of this very issue right now. We have been moving along toward what we have seen as God’s plan for us to build a senior-care facility next to the church, and now as we get to the point of paying for the land, the major donor has pulled out, saying they won’t contribute. On top of that, a member of the church staff has announced they will resign if we don’t give up the plan. Those two things seem awfully like satanic opposition to me, but that leaves us with needing to know where God wants us to take things from here. The fear in me is that I am operating in pride, and I haven’t really heard God. I cannot, must not, “go it alone,” even if I had the finances myself, but at the same time I am not to be swayed by public opinion. I cannot “birth” this project on my own, any more than Mary or Elizabeth could have had their children without God’s help. I need God’s clear guidance as to whom to talk with, and I need faith to hear God accurately, not just as I talk with others but especially as I pray. One thing that is very clear throughout the Christmas narrative is that God had a plan from the beginning, and He has one for us as well. I need to rest in that assurance and listen carefully as He reveals it to us, for His glory alone.

Father, this is a high-level test. I can’t pass it on my own, but You can get me through it. Thank You for the song that was running through my mind as I woke up this morning: “Jesus, You’re my firm foundation; I know I can rest secure. Jesus, You’re my firm foundation; I put my hope and my trust in You.” Help me walk in that indeed in the hours and days ahead, so that Your plans, for me and for this church, may be fulfilled in Your way on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Blessed Faith; December 12, 2017

Posted on December 16, 2017 by jgarrott

Luke 1:45 “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

The Bible is a record of people struggling to believe and trust God enough to obey Him fully. Even in the Garden of Eden, Eve didn’t trust God fully, but fell for the devil’s lie that God was being stingy and didn’t want people to be like Him. (Genesis 3:4-5) The reason God was able to work with Abram and transform him into Abraham was that he believed God. (Genesis 15:6) However, even he had his ups and downs. Hebrews 11 has a grand roll call of people who believed God enough to trust and obey Him, but it ends with pointing out that many such people didn’t see the fulfillment of their faith on this earth. (Hebrews 11:39-40) We get all caught up in the people and things we see physically, when all of those things are temporal. God, on the other hand, is eternal, and He created all that we see and experience. Mary was faced with what we could call an existential challenge. The worst that could happen would be her being stoned to death. She chose to trust God, and all mankind has been blessed immeasurably as a result.

Right now I am working with people who are “faith challenged,” struggling with the idea that God could and would use them for His glory. That tries my faith! I am certainly no better than those listed in Hebrews 11, so I am not to demand that things turn out as I would like on my schedule. However, I am also not to allow others’ small faith diminish mine. The incarnation of God as a human baby is part of the greatest miracle of all eternity. At this time, certainly, I am to ask for the gift of faith for all whom I encounter. I am of course to pray for saving faith for all those who have not yet acknowledged Jesus as Lord, and I am also to pray for overcoming faith for the Christians in my sphere. For many years I have maintained that if Japanese believers ever really wake up to who they are in Christ, they will transform not only this nation but the world. That is still true, which is why the devil fights tooth and nail against it. However, the Holy Spirit is far greater than the devil, so the ultimate outcome is a foregone conclusion. (1 John 4:4) I am to be like Mary, trusting fully that God is going to fulfill what He has said to me, transforming this city to be once again the foremost Christian city in the nation, for His glory.

Father, thank You for all that You allow me to go through to grow, strengthen, and purify my faith. I pray that I would not look on any of Your children as an enemy, but come fully against the devil who deceives them, clouding their eyes. May we all grow together as You intend, both growing simultaneously and growing in unity, to the full measure of Christ Jesus Himself, (Ephesians 4:13) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Hope; December 11, 2017

Posted on December 15, 2017 by jgarrott

Zechariah 9:12 “Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.”

The NIV seems very poetic – prisoners of hope – but the Japanese seems a bit easier to understand – prisoners who have hope. When we let go of our hope, everything tends to collapse. An optimist and a pessimist might go through life with exactly the same events, but the optimist will enjoy it far more! Hope is an inescapable component of faith, and it can be just about as hard to define. However, we all know it when we have it! It’s not quite the same thing as desire, though linguistically, in both English and Japanese, the line between them is very blurry. It is distinct enough that Paul mentioned both in his short list of enduring virtues: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13) The KJV renders that as “charity,” perhaps to distinguish agape from phileo and the like, but faith and hope haven’t changed over the centuries. What God is saying through Zechariah is that He is in the business of restoration. The devil is out to steal, kill, and destroy, (John 10:10) but God’s got all that covered. Even death isn’t final in His book! Hope that is founded on faith in God by His Word is luminous, and marvelously attractive. Yesterday I spoke of how we are to be carriers of God’s light, and this is what it’s all about. This is what Peter was talking about when he said, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) The devil does all he can to rob us of faith, hope, and love, but we can choose to cling stubbornly to God. If we do, we will be rewarded.

Wow! This puts words to what I’ve been going through in my 36 years of ministry in Omura. I haven’t seen the level of fruit that I have desired, certainly, but God has enabled me to remain faithful. Recently the devil’s really been attacking the hope aspect, but I’ve just been given a renewal! However dark things might seem to my human understanding, by faith I can know that the way ahead is bright indeed. I am not to put down those who cannot yet see that bright future, but rather speak truth to them in love. I cannot change their hearts, but God can use the words He has me speak to do so. I am to model faith, hope, and love at all times, so that the devil’s lies may be defeated in many hearts and lives, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You so much for this Word this morning. Thank You for getting us through the City Christmas yesterday so successfully. Thank You that all the equipment worked well! Thank You that all the human relationships are in Your hands as well. Thank You for the things You have for me to do today. Help me do each one in Your strength and wisdom on Your schedule, so that Your plans may be fulfilled for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Faith; December 10, 2017

Posted on December 14, 2017 by jgarrott

Luke 1:37 “For nothing is impossible with God.”

I find I quote this statement by Gabriel fairly often, but it’s still an open question how much I really believe it. I really think God chose a medically impossible method of sending His Son to the earth specifically to demonstrate the reality of this statement. The Bible is filled with the record of many of God’s marvelous works, but Jesus’ immaculate conception takes a back seat to none of them. Mary herself probably didn’t realize just how huge a deal this was, even though she knew full well it would turn her world upside down. For her, as it is for all of us, the joy to receiving the impossible was trusting that for God it was possible. The world is in a major mess, and sometimes we despair of things ever turning out right, but nothing is impossible for God. That applies on the world scene, with such things as a nuclear-armed North Korea, on the social scene, with such things as the breakdown of morality and the family, and in our personal, daily lives, regardless of what challenges we face. Remembering that nothing is impossible for God will get us through the unthinkable, and even give us peace in the process. Faith is a strange thing. The most famous Biblical definition, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see,” (Hebrews 11:1) strikes me as more of a description of the effects of faith than an actual definition. In my own experience, I like the word, trust. Faith in the abstract is easy to confuse with acceptance of a set of propositions. That usage is why we describe a religion as a “faith.” However, Biblical faith is much more personal than that. Biblical faith trusts God to be God and do what He has said, regardless of what our senses or anything else tell us. That is what Mary had, and what we need to receive as a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

I have been in a training school of faith all my life. I have known the facts of the Gospel as long as I’ve known anything, but for all the years of my life God has been teaching me to trust Him, and I’m very aware of the difference between that and simply being aware of the facts. Sometimes that difference can be a huge step! Right now that training school has entered a period of intense practicum. It becomes a question of whether I will trust God or trust a mountain of other voices. That makes it clear that choice is an inescapable part of faith, just as it is of obedience and of love. Some people try to insist that we have no real choices, that our actions are predetermined. Some express that in atheistic terms, insisting we are no more than a product of biology, and some express it in religious terms, twisting Paul’s words about being “predestined” to eliminate human input. In either case, it’s all an attempt to avoid accountability. Practically nothing we have originates with us, but we do have the ability to choose, and for that we are accountable to our Creator. I’ve got to keep choosing to trust Him, to express my love for Him through obedience, (John 14:15, 23) so that His plans for me may be fulfilled on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You that indeed, nothing is impossible for You. I ask that Your perfect will be done, not only in and for me, but in and for each of the people to whom I minister, that the works of the devil may be destroyed (1 John 3:8) and many set free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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