September 16, 2016

Posted on September 18, 2016 by jgarrott

Joel 2:12-13 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.”

People in developed countries have very little frame of reference for the crisis that was confronting the people to whom Joel was speaking. It was a totally agrarian economy, and trade with distant areas was very limited. With no crops, people starved to death, plain and simple, and the land was being overwhelmed with locusts that ate everything in their path. Today we would be quick to ascribe such a phenomenon in strictly materialistic, “scientific” terms, but the Bible doesn’t hesitate to say that people’s sins affect their circumstances. Today it is the worst sort of political incorrectness to suggest that such a thing could even be possible! Voices like Franklin Graham, calling people to repentance, are few and far between. Here the Lord is saying through Joel that a physical or ritualistic response to disaster doesn’t cut it (rending garments). He is calling for a wholehearted return to Himself. He is reminding us of His character, so that we may have hope. If God weren’t all the things listed in verse 13, we would be done for already! Agrarian societies have a better grasp than industrialized societies do of their dependence on God, because they are more connected to the natural world. There are very few atheist farmers! Industrialized societies tend to be more man-centered, and therefore depend on human ingenuity and effort more than on God. There is a lot to be said for technology, but that is a huge loss indeed.

I have always been somewhat of a “techie,” fascinated with mechanical things, but fortunately I was raised by parents who, though quite intellectual and scientific, had a thoroughly Biblical world view. I never had any doubt that we were dependent on our Creator, whatever the form of that dependence. That didn’t keep me from falling into pride, however, and I have not always acknowledged that every good thing in me is a result of God’s grace. I am constantly dealing with people, especially young adults but not limited to them, who can’t see past the piece of technology in their hand to recognize their Creator and their accountability toward Him. They don’t recognize the almost infinite complexity of creation, which is many orders of magnitude greater than anything mankind has put together. I am certainly not to be a Luddite, abandoning technology, but I am to keep my focus on our Creator and so encourage others to do the same. I am to speak the truth in love and pray for people’s eyes to be opened, so that they may receive God’s truth and be set free from all the traps of the devil.

Father, thank You for Your grace toward me. I certainly didn’t choose my parents, and the good things in my life have involved my effort only in my choice to accept them. Help me be a faithful steward of all You have provided, recognizing that every bit of it is grace, better than I deserve, so that I may be and do what You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

September 15, 2016

Posted on September 16, 2016 by jgarrott

Daniel 9:22-23 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:”

God does enlighten those who are dedicated to Him. The writer of Psalm 119 said things like, “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.” (Psalm 119:99) That’s not boasting, it’s recognizing the source of all genuine insight and revelation. The thing is, the more we are genuinely focused on Him, the less we will be puffed up by what He shows us and the more we will be humbled and grateful for His grace. Given human weakness, sometimes we need special incentives to stay humble. That’s how Paul looked at the physical problem that caused him to cry out to God repeatedly, and God responded with the magnificent revelation that “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) There is another detail in this passage that is worth taking note of. Gabriel says to Daniel, “Consider the message and understand the vision.” Sometimes God does a “data dump” in our hearts, but initially it makes no sense. We are called to consider what He has spoken to us and apply it in our daily living. That’s what I like best about the SOAP system of devotions. It’s not just reading the Scripture, or even Observing what God has said in that passage (though that is an important step), it is Applying what God has said to your own life and circumstances, and then responding in a Prayer of submission and commitment. We can feel all high and holy in a prayer meeting or Bible study, but the “proof of the pudding” comes in the nitty gritty of daily living. We need regular feeding on the Word, but until we digest it and apply it, it means very little. (James 1:22)

People are sometimes spooked by the insight the Lord gives Cathy and me, even to the point of not wanting to be around us because they’re afraid of what the Lord will show us about them. That’s a little sad, really. We are to keep pressing in for more of God and receiving whatever He tells us or shows us, but never allow that to puff us up. We are to recognize His love for us and be grateful, without feeling that makes us better than others. Any revelation, any degree of understanding, needs to be applied as God intends, for it to be meaningful. We aren’t to ignore what God shows us, much less deny it, but we are always to ask Him what we are to do with it. At the very least we are to pray for those involved, and for God’s perfect will to be done in their situations. We are not to be judgmental, but be open channels of God’s love and grace.

Father, You know every situation with which I’m involved right now. You know what each person is facing and what they need. I do ask Your grace and mercy for each one, and for me as well. May we all operate in grateful obedience to You, so that the schemes of the devil may be defeated and Your perfect will be done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

September 14, 2016

Posted on September 16, 2016 by jgarrott

Daniel 9:4-5 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
“O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.”

I’ve written recently about how Daniel is such an excellent example for any person of faith, but here we have another important facet of that. Daniel was as personally righteous as anyone, short of Jesus, but here he is confessing the sins of his people to God as though he had participated personally in all of them. This displays a humility that is of the highest value. That humility doubtless served him well in his public service, because the record shows that he was deeply trusted and relied on by the rulers he served. However, that public face was entirely a result of his private relationship with the Lord his God. It has been said, rightly enough, that character is what you are when no one is watching. Daniel had the highest character, and he is displaying it in this prayer. Someone who has a right appreciation of God in His holiness knows that they don’t measure up. That’s why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is such good news. Daniel didn’t know about the atonement of the cross, but he knew that God had shown Himself to be merciful through countless acts of kindness and grace, so he didn’t hesitate to throw himself and his people on that mercy. Because we do know about the cross, we have a perverse tendency to take it all for granted and trample that grace in the mud. It never hurts to take inventory of what we have done vs. what God has commanded. God’s forgiveness is real, but we should be living in obedient gratitude, not excusing ourselves or others.

My personal track record certainly doesn’t approach Daniel’s, but I too have tasted God’s mercy and grace. It is as I remember that He has forgiven and cleansed me that I can walk in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:9, Philippians 1:11; 3:9 and many more) I deal constantly with people who either need to get real and repent, or who feel they have so failed God that they run from him. Either attitude is a trap of the devil! I am to proclaim both the righteousness and the mercy of God, speaking the truth in love at all times. I am to walk in personal humility, knowing that I am what I am only by the grace of God, but at the same time walk in the assurance and boldness that come from abiding in Christ. I am to be instant in repentance, confessing sin the moment I recognize it and asking the Holy Spirit to sensitize me fully in that area. I am to pray for the US and I am to pray for Japan, because I am a part of both, and neither is in right relationship to God at this point. I do not know how God will use me, but I am to keep myself totally available to Him at all times.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Most of the time I am caught up in the issues that are under my nose, but You want to use me more broadly. Help me walk in the availability that comes only with the humility of knowing that You are powerful enough to use even me. May Your Name be recognized as holy and Your kingdom come, as Your will is done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

September 13, 2016

Posted on September 15, 2016 by jgarrott

Daniel 6:23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

The Bible has many dramatic scenes, but this is right up there in the top ranking. The person who recorded this was careful to note that Daniel’s dramatic rescue was because he trusted in God. It was so dramatic that Darius turned the tables on those who had sought to do Daniel in, and included their wives and children, as is recorded in the very next verse. (Like with fairy tales, such details are generally soft-pedaled when this story is taught to children.) The whole point is, trusting God has its rewards. An even more dramatic example is found in Daniel 3. I’ve preached numbers of times on the statement recorded in 3:16-18 that God is able to rescue, but even if He doesn’t choose to do so, faithfulness is called for. Hundreds of thousands of people have been martyred for their faith down through the ages. It’s not that they didn’t trust God, much less that he was unable to save them, but rather that He had even better plans for them and for those who would be influenced by them and their circumstances. (Hebrews 11:39-40) We do not know what plans God has for us, but as Nate Saint so famously said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” The ultimate reward for those who believe is in eternity with God, so we aren’t to be anxious about whatever happens in the mean time.

I’ve not been faced with martyrdom, but I live in a city where hundreds of believers gave their lives rather than deny Christ. That makes me think! They trusted God and were faithful even to death, leaving their children behind. (We have a place in the city where the parents who were to be killed were separated from their underage children.) I am to follow their example, seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, knowing that God’s “love is better than life.” (Psalm 63:3) Too often I pull back because of things that are trivial in comparison, such as the opinion of men, or even inconvenience. As a pastor I am constantly calling people to place God first, but I must not fall short in my own life. My trust of God and my love for Him and His children are the most powerful elements of my testimony, and the reason He leaves me here is to be His witness. (Acts 1:8)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the various ways You use me to bless others. May my every interaction be a testimony of You indeed, drawing them to repentance and faith for their eternal blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

September 12, 2016

Posted on September 15, 2016 by jgarrott

Daniel 6:5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

Several years ago there was a program aimed at young people with the catch phrase, “Dare to be a Daniel,” with a song that included that line. The song itself was evidently very unmemorable, but the phrase has stuck with me. There is certainly a lot to admire and emulate in Daniel. Frankly, the contrast with the average person in government today, either elected or bureaucratic, is astounding! He lived such an upright life that no degree of “vetting” could turn up anything, and the reason was his complete devotion to God. As this verse makes clear, even his enemies had to acknowledge that. If we lived as he did, we would probably see far more of the miraculous in our own lives! Even Ezekiel, who was somewhat of a contemporary, put him up there with Moses and Job as an example of righteousness. (Ezekiel 14:14) New Testament writers, such as Peter in 1 Peter 4, wrote about living as Christians in contrast to the people around us. Paul famously wrote about not being “conformed” to the world in Romans 12:2. Daniel’s example is indeed applicable for every Christian.

I too have been tempted by what might be called “common sins.” The devil has used the line, “everybody’s doing it” from the dawn of history. That certainly doesn’t excuse my lapses! I indeed need to “be a Daniel” in every area of my life. Particularly as both a pastor and as a secular teacher, I am “under the magnifying glass” almost all the time. I’m not to resent that, but rather be careful that all anyone observing me would find would be Jesus. I have a better example than Daniel, and His Spirit is in me to conform me to His likeness. (Romans 8:29) I am to be an example to other believers that such a lifestyle is possible, because the devil and the world try to convince us it is not, and we might as well give up. I certainly can’t do it in my own strength and wisdom, but my Lord is more than able to accomplish it in and through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I pray for those who are being greatly tried in this very area. Some are failing. I pray that they would understand and believe that Your forgiveness and cleansing are real and available, and renew their commitment to You so that they may receive Your very best for them, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

September 11, 2016

Posted on September 12, 2016 by jgarrott

Lamentations 3:51 What I see brings grief to my soul
because of all the women of my city.

Jeremiah spoke many strong words against the people of Judah, to the point that the word, “jeremiad,” has entered the English language. However, in spite of all that, and in spite of all the mistreatment he received from his own people, he was utterly heartbroken to see what the Babylonians did to them. Given what is happening in the Middle East today, it is all too easy to imagine why he singled out the women in this particular verse. Actually, in the very next verse he talks about “Those who were my enemies without cause,” so we know that he wasn’t just talking about the people who were nice to him. The thing is, he was not vindictive. He was practicing the Sermon on the Mount hundreds of years before Jesus spoke it! Even though the Lord had told him not to pray for those who were so rebellious against Him, (Jeremiah 7:16, 11:14) he still cried out for God’s mercy when he saw the people receiving the wages of their sins. Even today we see many people who are flaunting their rebellion and spitting in God’s face, and in the process deliberately causing lots of problems for those who seek to follow God. We are not to condone their behavior, but we still must not hate them, even as we seek their defeat. We use the phrase, “Hate the sin but love the sinner,” but we’re not very good at doing that, and the devil deliberately tries to confuse the issue. We’ve got to stand against him and let the Holy Spirit guide our words and our actions, so that as many as will may repent and believe for their salvation.

The book of Lamentations has a special place in my personal history because of an incident during my second visit to the US, the year I turned 10. The book came up during Sunday School, and the teacher of my class asked if anyone knew what the name meant. I piped up and said, “To lament is to be very, very sad.” The fact that I answered the question by defining, accurately, the root word blew my teacher out of the water, and for the rest of the year his nickname for me was “Lammie-pie.” I can’t say that the book has been a favorite of mind, but this third chapter has some real riches, particularly in verses 19-33. I hadn’t previously underlined this particular verse, but I need to let it remind me to express compassion for those around me who are mired in their sins. I am never to hate human beings, even as I stand firm against them when they are being used by the devil. I am never to be vindictive, but always speak the truth in love so that as many as possible may accept God’s free offer and escape the traps of the devil.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The world is indeed a mess right now, as You know better than I do. Help me keep my eyes on You, remembering that Your final outcome will be very good indeed and keeping myself available to You as Your agent. May Your Word through my lips – and my fingers – accomplish that for which You send it, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

September 10, 2016

Posted on September 12, 2016 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 42:7 Ten days later the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

Yesterday’s reading showed that the king was a hypocrite, and today’s story shows that the people were right in step with their king. You have to read all the way to the end of chapter 43 to get the whole story, but there could not be a more explicit example of people saying the right thing and then doing another. God’s judgment on Judah was not just because of leadership, because the rot extended throughout the society of the day. Exactly the same thing may be said of America today. God’s actions back then were entirely justified, and I can only pray that He will be merciful on America in these days. That said, this verse is very interesting to me. Jeremiah was a proven prophet, one who heard from the Lord frequently and accurately. However, contrary to what we might expect today, it was 10 days after He started asking the Lord for specific guidance on this issue that he got what he was asking for. Today, that would seem interminable! We are very much an “instant” society, without the maturity that brings tolerance for delayed gratification. We are all too prone to ask the Lord for guidance, and when we haven’t gotten it within half an hour, we go off and do whatever seems good to us, without any real pretense of waiting on the Lord. I think we miss out on a great deal by such behavior. The Bible is filled with references to waiting on the Lord. Most often they are in a form that would be rendered more accurately as “wait expectantly,” or “wait in hope.” However, they indisputably speak of waiting, of not running off and doing your own thing. We don’t like that! As the perfect parent, God often gives us training in delayed gratification. Human parents who fail to do that with their children are doing them no favors. If your child “pitches a hissy fit” because they don’t get what they want immediately, then it’s time to “apply the board of education to the seat of learning.” Psychologists agree that tolerance for delayed gratification is one of the surest marks of maturity. God wants mature children, and we should too.

I like instant gratification as much as the next person, but I have learned that delayed gratification often multiplies the appreciation and enjoyment when the need or desire is met. I have had to learn, sometimes the hard way, that it’s not good to start cooking up a scheme to get what I’m after if God doesn’t supply it in my specified time frame. Right now we are in a period of training in that very area, because the owner of the land next door won’t give us assurance that he won’t sell the land to someone else before we will have the necessary funds a year from now. However, there are things we can do and should do as we wait, and that too is training in listening to God. We are not to be passively spinning our wheels, but rather actively seeking how God would have us use each day, each minute, to accomplish His purposes on His schedule rather than our own, for His glory.

Father, thank You for all that got done yesterday, and that it was all done safely. Thank You that all sorts of things are falling into place perfectly, far better than I could have planned them. Thank You that I’ll have my dental work completed in time to enjoy my birthday dinner next week. That one’s almost “last second,” but it’s entirely in time, and that is sufficient. Help us trust You with every detail of our lives, not only for what happens but when it happens, so that we may indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

September 9, 2016

Posted on September 10, 2016 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 37:3 King Zedekiah, however, sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah with the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah the prophet with this message: “Please pray to the Lord our God for us.”

The Bible is loaded with examples of hypocrisy, and this is a good one. Zedekiah was the son of a good king. Reading about Josiah his father is glorious and encouraging. However, Zedekiah was far from fully devoted to God. He made the right move here, but he was looking to God, through Jeremiah, as an “escape clause” rather than with any real commitment to obedience. He knew what obedience to God looked like from watching his father, but he didn’t follow through on his own. He evidently got pretty close, since he sent both a government official and a priest to Jeremiah, but the problem was in his lack of follow-through. This is a good object lesson for us. We are to inquire of God, certainly, but we need to be committed to obedience before we know what His answer will be. Too often we “seek God,” but all we really want is a rubber stamp on our own plans. I think everyone is guilty of that sometimes, so the question is whether we realize it and repent. The reason we are given free will is not so we can choose to abandon God, but rather so that we can choose obedient devotion to Him. If the possibility of rebellion and rejection were not real, then free will would be an illusion and the whole concept of sin a fiction. However, it is all too possible for us to go through the motions with our hearts not in it, and so be mired in sin even while people around us think we are pious. Our actions are important, but God wants us from the inside out. Sometimes we have to slog through stuff when we don’t feel it. Even Mother Teresa confessed to that. The question is our commitment to obedience. That is the true test of love for God.

Wow! That hits hard! I have certainly had my times of being on the wrong side of this issue. Like Zedekiah, I had an exemplary father, but the Lord had to point out to me rather strongly that my standing with Him was not on the basis of my father (though I do enjoy generational blessings) but on the basis of my own repentance, faith, and obedience. Because I knew the routines so well, I could fool a lot of people – including myself! God wasn’t after the routines, He was after my heart, and it had wandered pretty far, even though it knew Him. Right now, I feel I am to share this principle with people this Sunday, but I don’t yet know how. I am to be humble and quiet before the Lord, allowing Him to show me the Scriptures to be used and how the points are to be made. It would be ironic indeed if I were to preach on this subject out of my own head instead of in joyful obedience to Him!

Father, Thank You for this strong message. Usually I have sermon notes done by this time in the week, so this was also another lesson in trusting You. I do ask for clear anointing as I work on the notes, not to make the task easy (though it does) but so that it will be Your Word indeed, working Your will in the hearts and lives of all who hear it, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

September 8, 2016

Posted on September 10, 2016 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 32:27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

I have always loved God’s gentle humor here. He is literally quoting Jeremiah back to him, from the beginning of Jeremiah’s prayer in verse 17. This story illustrates the reality that even God’s most faithful servants don’t always operate in all the truth they know. All of us get tied in knots over one thing and another, when if we exercised perfect faith we would be at peace all the time. The good news is, God is just as patient with us as He was with Jeremiah. Like Jesus with His disciples, sometimes He chides us for our failing to use the faith He has provided, but that is never harsh. When Jesus pulled Peter out of the lake and said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt,” (Matthew 14:31) He was probably actually very pleased that Peter had exercised enough faith to get out of the boat. God never asks of us more than He has provided. (Luke 12:48) We are responsible for our stewardship of what He has given us, however much or little that might be. Almost always, He has given us more than we realize, but we won’t discover that until we step out in obedience. Jeremiah is again a good example here. He was obedient to buy land for a considerable sum of money, even though his senses and his intellect told him that the Babylonians owned everything by conquest and contracts between Jews were meaningless. Likewise we need to be obedient to the Lord regardless of what the devil and the world say or do. Yesterday I watched the trailer of a movie that is just coming out telling the true story of America’s only unarmed medal of honor winner, a medic who saved 75 lives in Okinawa in WWII, having gone through terrible hardship for the right not to carry a weapon. His motivation was his Christian faith, believing that he was doing what God was calling him to do, and God came through remarkably.

I am constantly faced with the challenge of living out all that I know of God and His word. James 1:22 is engraved in my brain and heart, because I know I am called to do the Word, not just hear, read, or even teach it. A special temptation for pastors is to think that because they are teaching the truth they are practicing it. Sadly, there is no end to the parade of fallen leaders who show that is not the case. Again it was James who said, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) I have a risky job! If I rely on myself, I will certainly fall flat, but if I am fully and properly dependent on God, He will do it all through me, and do it well. As Paul said, our competence comes from God, not from ourselves. (2 Corinthians 3:5-6)

Father, the past few days You have done a number of things beautifully through me. Thank You. Every day presents fresh challenges. Help me never presume on You, much less on the gifts You have given me, but walk in constant assurance of my complete dependence on You, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing, just as You have told me to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

September 7, 2016

Posted on September 9, 2016 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 31:16 This is what the Lord says:

“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,”

declares the Lord.

This is an enormously comforting verse that probably every Christian worker needs from time to time. It brings to mind Psalm 126:5. “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” The Bible actually has many passages about both tears and rewards, and one of the important points of heaven, repeated twice in Revelation, is that God will personally wipe away every tear. (Revelation 7:17, 21:4) A line from a secular song says, “I beg your pardon; I never promised you a rose garden.” When we insist on things being easy we miss out on most of life! One of my most frequently quoted Scriptures is John 16:33. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Life on this earth has many joys, but it also has many struggles and sorrows. It is always our choice what we focus on. If we focus on the trouble, we will be miserable. If we focus on the Lord, we will have peace and joy. One powerful de-motivator is the feeling that all our efforts aren’t accomplishing anything. That is a major issue in Japan, which has far and away the lowest “return on investment” of any field of evangelism in the world. However, the field is not without fruit, and we are called to faithfulness, not flash. Patience is a prime requirement for anyone who would serve the Lord, but especially so in Japan.

This is of course the story, not just of my life but of my family, since my parents were missionaries here before me. It was said of my father that the reason he had so much success as a school administrator, as well as trustee of the Japan Baptist Convention and other such positions, was that he could “out-sit his opponents.” That is, he could be patient until they came around to his position. Even so, on at least one occasion he prostrated himself on the floor before the Lord and cried out, “Lord, if I am what is keeping revival from Japan, then take me out of the way!” I can certainly identify with that! God’s many promises of reward for my labors, here and elsewhere, seem ephemeral at times. If I limit myself to what my senses and intellect tell me, then I will live in discouragement and depression. However, in Christ I can rejoice! Just yesterday I found out that someone to whom I have been ministering for several years in the Prefectural Mental Hospital will be discharged this month, and he repeated to me his commitment to follow Christ only. That makes up for a lot of struggles! He won’t be living in this immediate area, so he won’t be an addition to this church as such, but there is a good church close to his home which I recommended to him, and he has certainly been added to the family of God. I am indeed to rejoice in such things, and trust God with His resolution to everything, for His glory.

Father, thank You for the victories I do see, however small they might seem at the moment. Help me trust You indeed with everything, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You, just as You have told me to do, so that nothing will hinder my availability to You, for Your perfect will to be done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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