Our View of God; March 2, 2024

Posted on March 3, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 42:5-6 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.”

A great deal depends on how we view God. For the vast majority of people He is a bearded old man in the clouds, or perhaps just an amorphous concept. That certainly changes when we have a personal encounter with Him. Job speaks of seeing Him, but since God is Spirit, we don’t know what he actually saw. Without question he heard God in such a way that there could be no question what or who he was hearing. I remember Benjamin Berger, who was an agnostic Jew when he heard God say to him, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I’m your God.” Later in that conversation He also said, “And by the way, my name’s Jesus.” Needless to say, Benjamin has been absolutely committed to the Lord ever since! The last thing the devil wants us to know is that God is personal, and He cares personally about each of us. When we know that, it puts the whole rest of the world into perspective. It makes us understand that we are no big deal, but at the same time extremely valuable, because God, the Creator of the universe, values us enough to send His Son to die for us. Job had no revelation of the cross, so he mostly got the message that he was no big deal, but he still experienced God’s grace in overflowing measure. Sometimes God does manifest Himself to us in unmistakable ways, but most of the time, and for most people, we have to recognize Him by faith. However, if we will do that, we will discover that He is the very definition of faithful, absolutely to be trusted, and that is a degree of security that can be had no other way.

I have heard God speak to me in what seemed like an audible voice on at least two occasions, but I have been convinced of His reality most of my life. That is the blessing of having believing parents who lived out their faith. Parents who just follow a religious tradition and give lip service to a creed do their children no favors, but those who live out their faith in active service to and fellowship with the Lord give them an inheritance that has no equal. I have no words to express my gratitude to my parents, and to God, and me being at a loss for words is a rare thing indeed! I wish that I could say that my awareness of God has kept me totally faithful to Him, but that is not at all the case. I am very aware of how essential God’s grace is for me! My prayer is that my life has been and will be a demonstration of the reality of God to all who know me, my physical children included. At 75, I have no idea how many more years the Lord will give me to impart that impression, but I rejoice at every evidence that it is happening.

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of knowing You, even to the small degree that I do, and of introducing others to You. Thank You for being so different from the conventional characteriza­tions of You. Thank You for having a sense of humor, and for giving me one! May I not misrepresent You in any way, but accurately convey Your truth and Your love to all, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Respecting God; March 1, 2024

Posted on March 2, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 36:13 “The godless in heart harbor resentment;
even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.”

This is a very interesting statement that deserves a lot of unpacking. Where the NIV says “godless in heart,” the Japanese says, “do not respect God from their heart.” Having a vague idea that God exists doesn’t cut it. If you fail to respect Him as the omnipotent, holy Creator that He is, then He might as well not exist for you. The fascinating part of this verse is the result of that attitude: resentment, or, as the Japanese has it, wrath, or deep anger. The irony is that resentment and anger will ruin anyone’s life. Countless studies have shown that gratitude is the key to genuine happiness, and resentment is the opposite of gratitude. As the English expression has it, such people cut off their nose to spite their face. Even when God puts them in tight circumstances to make them acknowledge their need for Him, they refuse to turn to Him for help. The irony is extreme, all the way around. I am reminded of that famous statement of David, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” (Psalm 53:1) I have always liked the re-punctuation of that sentence as, “The fool says, in his heart there is no God.” That fits today’s verse of failing to respect God. I say it again and again and again, but God doesn’t pick on us. Rather, He allows us to get into situations that should force us to recognize our helplessness without Him, so that we will turn to Him and open our hearts to Him. If we will do that, then we will discover that the trial was a blessing indeed.

I was raised with enough of an awareness of God that I don’t think I’ve ever resented Him or thought He was being unjust toward me. That has been a huge blessing! I have encountered many people who were mad at God for one reason or another. I will always remember one young man who was complaining about his circumstances, and I said to him, very simply, “So, you’re mad at God.” He was a sincere believer, and he reacted like I had kicked him in the stomach. He had a considerable attitude adjustment after that, and became a much happier person, as well as a dear friend. Throughout my life I have encountered things that I felt were less than ideal, but I remember John 16:33 and praise God anyway. One of the few times I have heard God in what seemed like an audible voice, I was lying in bed, thinking, “There are so many things I wish were different.” As clearly as if a person were standing right beside me, I heard, “How do you think I feel?” In that moment I understood that God is not pleased with much of what is going on, but He has a plan, and human free will is part of it. I am not to accuse Him, even in my mind, of being the author of evil, but seek to be His agent of good, with gratitude for the privilege.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Today is a very packed schedule, as are the following several days. Help me receive everything from Your hand with respect, obedience, and gratitude, so that all of Your purposes for everything may be fulfilled, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Human Suffering; February 29, 2024

Posted on March 1, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 33:29-30 “God does all these things to a man– twice, even three times–to turn back his soul from the pit, that the light of life may shine on him.

Elihu is a wild card in the narrative of Job. He is not one of the three friends of Job, and is apparently younger than they and Job, and he is not included in God’s strict words about the three friends. (Job 42:7-9) He also says some really good stuff! We had a member here for a while who was very prophetic, and he was convinced that Elihu was a manifestation of Christ. I’m not sure about that, but it doesn’t seem out of the question. In any case, these two verses speak directly to the whole problem of human suffering. The issue is one that has troubled mankind ever since the Garden of Eden faded from memo­ry, and this is a simple, direct answer. God allows suffering in our lives to turn our thoughts, our hearts, to Him. When we descend into a “pity party” we are running from the good that God always intends for us. We’ve got to remember that God is never the source of evil, and He always wants the very best for us. When His own Son came and took our human form, He suffered to the ultimate degree, both physically and emotionally. After all, the very word, excruciating, means “analogous to being nailed to a cross.” That’s why Jesus so famously said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) And that was just before His arrest and crucifixion! Jesus’ suffering was in no way the result of His sin, because He had none, so we are not always to assume that our suffering is our own fault. However, the possibility is very much there! That’s why, when we suffer, our question isn’t to be, “Why me?” but rather, “What do You want me to learn from this?” God wants us to be “without spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27) when we stand before Him. Of course, the ultimate answer to that is putting on the righteousness of Christ, but there are a lot of other ways He works on us as well, and it’s much easier if we don’t “kick against the goads.” (Acts 26:14) I have been reminded just recently that older pastors in China have been concerned for younger believers who haven’t experienced the persecution they have, because persecution strengthens faith and commitment! I’ve read of similar things being expressed by a pastor in Sudan about American Christians! We are indeed to be grateful for all that God allows us to experience, whether it feels good or not, knowing that God is indeed love, (1 John 4:8) and His plans for us are good. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I feel like I have experienced very little real suffering, particularly compared to what I know my brothers and sisters in Christ are going through in other parts of the world, and even to my wife’s physical issues. It was almost a relief when I broke my wrist just over a year ago! My own stupidity and presumption were certainly involved in the fall that produced that, so I knew well that I had nothing to complain about. In two weeks I’ll be having a biopsy for another potential basal cell carcinoma, but that feels like no big deal. Last night in prayer meeting I was taken to task for a failure in pastoral ministry, and in some ways that was more painful than physical issues, but I needed to hear it, and I am grateful. I am certainly in need of more growth and polishing, and I too need not to “kick against the goads.”

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for the sermon for Sunday! You are incredibly faithful to speak to and through me, and I am very grateful. Help me truly apply everything You say to me, not just give it intellectual assent. May I be Your agent in speaking Your truth to Your people in ways they can receive it, so that together we may be transformed into the likeness of Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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True Wealth; February 28, 2024

Posted on February 29, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 22:25 “Then the Almighty will be your gold,
the choicest silver for you.”

I’m always cautious when reading what Job’s friends said to him, but there is sometimes truth wrapped up in the platitudes. This verse, particularly as the Japanese translates it, seems to imply that being in right standing with God will make you wealthy, which Paul pointed out is a terrible misunderstanding. (1 Timothy 6:5) However, the truth that is hidden in this is that when we are in right relationship with the Lord, we discover that He is more valuable than any amount of material wealth. Jesus spoke of “treasure in heaven,” (Matthew 19:21) and said that we are to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” (Matthew 6:33) before and above anything material, even what we need for physical life. We have a lot of trouble with that! In a sense, we need to become like Elon Musk is at this point. As the richest person on the planet, he is essentially unaffected by financial temptations, and he ridiculed the head of Disney who threatened him with loss of ad revenue. We need to realize that our Lord, as the Creator, owns EVERYTHING, so our focus should be totally on Him and not be concerned with finances. We are indeed to be good stewards of what He places in our hands, but understand that the material is of little significance on the eternal scale.

I recently had a rather surprising lesson in this. Where I was speaking last week is a spiritual retreat in a very rural area of Saga Prefecture. The building is fairly large, with many rooms, and was originally the residence and work area of an agricultural family. The pastor who invited me to speak had held a youth camp there a few years ago, before the COVID scare, and after that died down was interested in using it again. The old lady who owned it, who was not yet a baptized believer, said, “Do you really want to use it? I’ll give it to you.” In a couple of weeks he received the title, with taxes paid! Since the building had been unoccupied, with no attention for about three years, the grounds were very overgrown and various repairs were called for, but the point was that the owner, apparently without heirs interested in the house and land, realized that it was all worthless to her at this point in her life. It really struck me that the same may be said for any material thing I deal with. Everything I can see with my eyes and touch with my hands is a tool to be used in the work the Lord has prepared for me to do. (Ephesians 2:10) I am not to be possessive of anything, or anxious about anything. That is true wealth, and I am blessed indeed.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that I have seen Matthew 6:33 fulfilled in my life many times over. Help me make the use that You intend of everything You place in my hands, material or otherwise, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Substitutionary Repentance; February 27, 2024

Posted on February 28, 2024 by jgarrott

Nehemiah 1:6-7 “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”

What jumps out about Nehemiah, as it does about Daniel, is the matter of substitutionary repentance. He was personally a very straight-up guy, earning a position of great trust in the Persian court, even though he was a Jew. However, he includes himself and his family as he confesses that the Jews have not been faithful to the laws laid out by Moses. Hearing the situation in Jerusalem from his brother Hana­ni he was very upset, but he attributed it all to the sins of the Jews, not accusing God of being unjust in the slightest. I’m reminded of the situation in Gaza right now. As multiple people have said, every death on both sides can be laid directly at the feet of Hamas, because they not only attacked Israeli civilians, they have consistently placed their own civilians in harm’s way, hoping for mass casualties to turn international opinion against Israel. There is no evidence of Nehemiah’s sort of repentance there! Society today doesn’t like to attribute anything to Divine action, but that is more willful blindness than anything else. We would do well to examine our circumstances and the world around us in the light of God’s clear instructions and our own lifestyle. We might not have contributed directly to things as they are, but at the least our own inactivity has failed to restrain the negative influences. That can certainly be said of America today, because if the Church had consistently stood up for Biblical standards and morality over the past century, we would live in a very different world indeed. The thing is, none of us is innocent; we all need to keep our repentance up-to-date. We also need to do as Nehemiah did, and acknowledge the sins of our extended family, our social grouping, and our nation. We tend not to allow our hearts to be broken over sin, when even Jesus wept over Jerusalem. (Luke 13:34-35) We say we desire revival, but then we try to avoid the repentance that is essential for it, thinking we are personally OK. How foolish! We need to learn from Nehemiah and Daniel. If we will do so, I believe we will see God act as dramatically on our behalf as He did for them.

I have had the huge blessing of generations of forebears who loved and served God, but they were no more perfect than I am. I have relatives who are stuck in intellectual pride and treat religion as a desirable accessory. I’ve been that way myself! Personally, I have taken God’s grace for granted, thinking I was entitled to it instead of living in grateful obedience. And I certainly haven’t spent time agonizing over the sins of my nation, whether that be the US or Japan. I need to delight in the joy of the Lord, certainly, but I am also not to run from heartbroken repentance, on every level the Lord directs. I don’t yet have a sufficient grasp of the holiness of the Lord, to be appropriately horrified and disgusted at sin. I’ve still got a lot of growing to do!

Father, thank You for this Word. Thank You for Your recent call to regular fasting, and that I’ve gotten started on that in a small way. May I be Your agent to do Your will in Your way, exactly as You desire, so that Your plans may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Death as Reward; February 26, 2024

Posted on February 27, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 34:27-28 “Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.”

As verse 28 indicates, this is one of several places in the Bible where people are rewarded for their faithfulness with death. We have a lot of trouble with that! We forget that, as Paul said, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” (Philippians 1:23) Our focus is almost exclusively temporal, and so we see death as entirely negative. I am no advocate for suicide or euthanasia, but we need to realize that this life is no more than a prelude to eternity. It is an opportunity to experience God’s grace and love and commit ourselves to Him in faith, but even a hundred-year lifespan is no more than an instant compared to eternity. Paul wrote about this a good bit, and as he said, “We do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13) When we understand that Jesus didn’t die and then rise again just for himself, but so as to conquer death itself for all who believe, then death loses its terror completely. Those who are left behind do suffer loneliness, at least to a degree, and grief itself is real and not to be put down, but there many times when, for the one dying, death is a huge victory. We act and pray as though we don’t believe that, because all too often that’s the case! Our goal should be, not to live a long time necessarily, but however long we live, to hear our Lord say, “’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21, 23) When that is the case, then physical death is a glorious celebration indeed!

My strong shift to this way of thinking happened when my father went to the Lord after heart surgery at 64, and my first, honest reaction was, “He won’t have to retire.” I was terribly lonely about it, having had about 2½ months of genuine fellowship with him as adult to adult, but I knew that it was glory indeed for him. Since then I have lost count of how many people I have “seen off,” and I have seen a wide variety of responses to death. Faith makes all the difference in the world! At 75, this is a far more immediate anticipation for me than it was at 26 when my father graduated, but it is not a sad one at all. My wife has quite a list of physical issues, and there have been specific prophecies that she would go first. That is certainly not anything I look forward to, but I know that when it happens, she will be liberated from all those physical issues, and I am not to begrudge her that. I have no doubt whatsoever as to her destination, or mine. She had a foretaste of heaven when her heart stopped at 27, but the Lord had mercy on me and our daughters and sent her back. That wasn’t the easy course for her, though! I am certainly grateful to have been able to live with her all the years since, and she has touched countless people with the love of God. For her and for me, the question is simply when the Lord will say, “That’s enough. Come on home.” Like for Josiah in today’s passage, that will be a reward.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the privilege of being able to walk with You all these years, in spite of my many failures. I pray that I would be faithful indeed, making full use of all the time You give me in this body, so that Your purposes for me may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Invitation to Repentance; February 25, 2024

Posted on February 26, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 30:9 “If you return to the Lord, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

What a lovely invitation to repentance! The Northern Kingdom had been wiped out by the Assyrians as a judgment from the Lord, and King Hezekiah was inviting those who were left to recognize why all this had happened and turn to the Lord. Sadly, many declined the invitation, but some accepted it, and were greatly blessed in consequence. Precisely the same thing is seen today. We all have trials in our lives, just as Jesus pointed out, (John 16:33) but such things are opportunities to turn more closely to God and allow Him to adjust our attitude, so to speak. As many people have pointed out, it’s not what happens to us that matters, so much as it is how we respond to it. Conversely, repentance isn’t just a feeling, it’s how we act on that feeling, the changes we make to correct what is wrong. In this case, the people of the Northern Kingdom were being invited to literally put feet to their repentance, walking all the way to Jerusalem, which probably most of them had never done before. I would guess that over the days of the journey that anticipation must have risen in them for what was going to happen, and the record is that they weren’t disappointed. When we too repent in truth, actively making the changes indicated by Holy Spirit, we too can look forward to blessings we probably haven’t imagined, because God is so incredibly gracious and merciful.

I too have experienced the blessings of repentance, but that’s no reason to sin so that I can then repent! I have learned that the path of greatest blessing is the one of walking in step with Holy Spirit, listening attentively to Him all the time. (Galatians 5:25) As a pastor I have run into numbers of people who were reluctant to repent, either because they loved their sin or they were afraid of what would happen if they discarded it. To be honest, I’ve had moments of such feelings myself. However, such hesitation shows that we don’t know God very well. He is totally holy and perfect, which is why repentance is necessary, but He is also merciful and gracious and love itself, which is why repentance is possible. My task is to invite people to repent, just as in this verse, and speak the truth of God to them in love.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the fruit of repentance! May I be more and more effective in calling people to repentance so that they may come into right relationship with You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Humbling Ourselves; February 24, 2024

Posted on February 26, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Around 1980, Rock Church in Virginia Beach started quite a movement centered on this verse. It strikes me that if such a movement was appropriate back then, how much more appropriate is would be today! But then, there is a great deal of irony built into the whole passage, because if Israel, and for that matter, Solomon personally, had taken to heart what the Lord spoke to him so clearly, great disaster and heartache would have been avoided. Solomon himself had to have been the one to record this, either writing it personally or dictating it to a scribe, yet he wandered from the Lord in his later years, with terrible consequences for the whole nation. That said, this verse is still true. There is an interesting difference between the usual English translation of the first part of the verse and how the Japanese renders it. The Japanese says, “My people who call upon my name.” In the traditional English translation it might seem that this promise is limited to Israelites, but God claims as His own all who seek Him, who call upon Him as the Creator He is. In any case, it is clear that we are to humble ourselves. External circumstances can humble us, but that is different from recognizing our position before God and acknowledging it by our words and actions. The term was often applied to fasting, which is certainly out of fashion these days, at least for religious purposes. Religious fasting denies our flesh in a recog­nition that God is supreme and a right relationship with Him is far more important than anything physical. We don’t like to deny our flesh anything! When Solomon, with all his intellectual gifting, could fall so badly, it should be obvious that we need to acknowledge our low position and act accordingly. This is a passage of great grace and mercy, but we must not take such grace and mercy for granted. There are countless problems in society today, but we need to start with ourselves, recognizing how we have contributed to the mess and repenting indeed.

Writing this, I realize that it has been years since I have fasted for the sake of prayer and drawing closer to God. I just spent three days as the speaker for a conference on the Holy Spirit, and I ate, even overate, at every meal. If I am to grow as God intends, so as to be more useful to Him, then I need to consider such things and order my priorities accordingly. I have little idea how many years I have left, but I want to spend them doing what my Lord desires of me, so that His name may be acknowledged as holy and His kingdom come as His will is done, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me act on it, and not just give it intellectual assent. May I keep growing as You intend for as long as You keep me here, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Being Worthwhile; February 23, 2024

Posted on February 25, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Kings 17:15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless.

One phrase in this jumps out at me every time I read it: “They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless.” The Japanese doesn’t say “idols,” but just “things,” which makes this even more broadly applicable. This seems like a remarkably appropriate description of society today. When the opinion of an entertainer can be expected to influence the outcome of a national election, something is seriously out of alignment! The hopeful note is that more and more people seem to be waking up to the state of affairs, but society as a whole seems to be set on ignoring, or outright denying, God. America is not Israel, much less a replacement for Israel, but in its founding it was based more on the Bible and Biblical principles than any other nation on the planet, yet it is currently the origin of the vast majority of the pornography on earth, to give just one example. Repentance is certainly called for! Many people seem to be pinning their hopes on the election this fall, but as Andrew Breitbart famously said, “Politics is downstream from culture.” American culture is currently degraded to a sickening degree, but repentance and dedication have to happen on an individual level before society as a whole is changed. Those who still have a head on their shoulders – and a heart in their chest – need to examine themselves and see how they have contributed to the current situation by their passivity and conformity, and stand up on the side of righteousness. Otherwise, the nation as a whole will indeed be worthless, just as this says.

I am geographically speaking an outside observer to the situation in the US, since I live in Japan, but I see the same rot in Japanese society and in the Japanese Church. As a believer and as a pastor I need to stand up and say what is right and what is not, speaking the truth in love but not backing down for fear of offending someone. Over the past three days I have had the privilege of speaking to people about life in the Spirit, but I’ve got to live it out myself or my words will be completely hollow. There is no substitute for obedience to the Lord! Looking at my datebook just now I see that the next three weeks have a lot to be done, but then the schedule is much more open. Regardless of external demands, I need to spend each day as the Lord directs, being worthwhile to Him and not being distracted by external factors. He is my everything, just as Dennis Jernigan wrote in You are My All in All.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I indeed want to be worthwhile in Your eyes, not carried along by society but being Your agent in it to bring Your Kingdom by doing Your will for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Spiritual Leadership; February 22, 2024

Posted on February 25, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Kings 8:61 “But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

There is one difference in the Japanese here that caught my eye. In the NIV it says, “be fully committed to the Lord our God,” but the Japanese says, “your heart be totally one with the Lord our God.” We don’t usually think of commitment in those terms! I think it’s a valuable way to look at it. It brings to mind Paul’s statement that “We have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16) It’s not that we bend God’s will to match ours, even though our prayers often seem like we’re trying to do that, but that we surrender our will to Him, accepting His view of what is and what should be. Solomon was obviously speaking prophetically, because he himself failed to do this. Like we too often do, he let his flesh and his intellect control what he did. Having many women pleases the flesh, and making alliances by marrying the daughters of foreign kings and being tolerant of their religions seems all too logical to the human intellect. Failing in those areas made Solomon into what I consider to be one of the most pathetic figures in the whole Bible, totally wasting the enormous promise and abundant gifting with which he started. He is certainly an illustration of the sad reality that some leaders are to be listened to but not imitated.

I am increasingly in a place of spiritual leadership, and I’ve got to be fully careful not to follow Solomon’s example. Being the only speaker at a conference like this can feed the ego, and that is dangerous indeed. I need to focus on keeping my heart one with the Lord, not thinking and planning things on my own, but humbly seeking His face at every turn. Six sessions are frankly a lot, and two of those are yet to go. I can think of Church leaders I’ve encountered who were good examples, and some who were not. I am not to think of myself as “the expert,” but humbly share from the riches the Lord has poured out on me. I am not to deny what the Lord has showed me, but I’m certainly not to place myself on a pedestal. The fall from such a location can be disastrous! My goal is for my heart to be one with the Lord indeed, and speak and act only as He directs.

Father, thank You for the privilege of speaking at this conference. I don’t know what You have for me in the future, but so far this has been a real blessing, certainly to me and I think to the attendees as well. May the two sessions today likewise be what You desire and intend for all involved, building up the Body of Christ for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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