Listening to God; March 9, 2024

Posted on March 10, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 30:15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.”

This story has been repeated countless times throughout history, both on the national level and on the personal level. Taking our eyes off of God, we feel compelled to DO something, when God is telling us to be quiet and trust Him. It’s not at all that we are to be passive, but rather that we are to be active in our obedience. If God says act, then act. If God says wait, then wait. I think it comes down to our desire to be in control. In extreme forms that’s called megalomania, and produces despots of all sorts, but we are all tempted in that direction at times. The thing is, that is relying on human strength, when compared to the Creator of the universe, that is by definition insignificant. Many believers down through the ages have realized this, and that’s where the expression, “Let go and let God,” comes from. Again, this is not saying that we are to be passive. God in His grace and wisdom has included us in His plans, (Ephesians 2:10) but our job is to seek Him and recognize His plans and actively participate, not to cook up our own plans and ignore Him.

I remember once delivering exactly this verse to a missionary prophetically. I was hesitant to do so, because I didn’t feel the last line applied to him, but I did feel strongly the Lord was saying the part in quotes directly to him. I had no idea of the issue he was facing, but I knew that God wanted him to know that He had it under control, and all the missionary needed to do was trust God. I have experienced the same sort of thing many times myself. I too tend to look at situations and think I personally have to come up with the solution to them. Often the Lord has already provided the solution, and I just have to recognize it, but sometimes the solution hasn’t yet appeared, and I have to wait for it. That can get hard! I speak frequently of how God is outside of time, so everything is now to Him, but not being that way myself, my emotions often don’t line up. It has been commented by some that I have a gift of faith, for which I’m grateful, but I’ve still got plenty of room to grow! My focus has got to be on listening obediently to my Lord, doing what He says and only what He says, so that His plans may be realized on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the gift of the tiller that I received yesterday. I’ve borrowed it several times and have offered to buy it, but it was an outright gift, and I’m grateful. The timing was perfect! Help me use it when and as You intend, to bring the harvest that You desire. That garden tiller is certainly an analogy for all that You provide! Help me use it all in full obedience to You, so that Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign be established as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Fruit of Repentance; March 8, 2024

Posted on March 9, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 19:24-25 In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.”

Looking at the current state of international politics, this prophecy seems like a total fantasy. However, nothing is impossible for God! Reading the whole chapter, it becomes clear that this is the result of repentance. People and nations tend to shy away from repentance for a number of reasons, but the results of repentance are always good. Repentance requires three things: knowing that you have been wrong, knowing that God is right, and being genuinely sorry. That is an incredibly blessed state of affairs! The Bible, and indeed, the world around us, is full of people who rejoice to be dedicated to the Lord because they were so against Him before, and they are overwhelmed by His grace toward them. That is the fruit of repentance! In the New Testament, Paul is probably exhibit one, going from being a violent persecutor of the Church to being its foremost evangelist. A major problem today is that too many “Christians” have never really fulfilled the three parts of repentance, and so are strictly nominal. They claim to be Christian and even attend church from time to time, but never having confronted their own need for salvation, they have no personal relationship with Jesus as Lord. We need to remember that Jesus said, “Repent and believe the good news,” (Mark 1:15) not, “Come and join the church.” We can’t expect God’s miraculous grace if we refuse to repent.

This applies to me in two directions. As I have been writing, I must keep my own repentance up-to-date, and as a pastor, I’ve also got to make the necessity of repentance clear to those to whom I minister. Sadly, in the past I have baptized some people without confirming their repentance, and they quickly faded away. I personally find it strange that people can say all the right things without really having a change of heart. Many people not unreasonably make a big deal of baptism, but repentance is clearly primary, as the story of the thief on the cross beside Jesus illustrates. (Luke 23:39-43) I am not to seek numbers ahead of repentance. I am in no way to be ashamed of the call to repentance, since it is the way to salvation and the fruit is so incredibly rich.

Father, thank You for this reminder. With my changing schedule, I have more time for in-depth personal conversations with people. I ask for wisdom and anointing as I get out of my comfort zone and present the Gospel personally, so that more and more people may indeed repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Change; March 7, 2024

Posted on March 8, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him.

This is a justly famous passage, beautifully set to music, and it has meaning on a number of different levels. It got into this list of Scriptures on repentance because genuine repentance often involves tears. However, the fruit of repentance is peace and joy. There are many things we approach with dread, but there are blessings on the other side which we don’t yet see. The ultimate example of that is death. For the person apart from God, there is every reason to be terrified of it, but for the person who has committed themselves to Jesus Christ as Lord by faith, there really should be joyful anticipation. And of course, there are many things shy of death that produce much the same reaction. We tend to fear change, all the more so as we age. Habits become comfortable, and we desire for things to remain as they are, regardless of whether they are actually optimal. The thing is, nothing living is genuinely static. Jesus used the picture of a seed “dying,” being “buried” in the ground, before it could fulfill its true purpose, referring actually to Himself. (John 12:24) We are never meant to be unchanging; only God is unchanging. (Malachi 3:6) It is important to remember that God accepts us as we are, but He never leaves us as we are. He is constantly drawing us “onward and upward,” to use C. S. Lewis’ phrase in The Last Battle. That often involves repentance, as we recognize things in us that need to change, and it always involves growth, spiritually and emotionally. Those who refuse to grow are pathetic indeed.

This is very much in focus for me, because yesterday I fulfilled my last responsibility to The Koyo Schools and am officially retired from school teaching. To say that it’s easy would be an outright lie, but it is certainly an opportunity for growth. I am definitely understanding what a blessing it was for my father never to have to retire, going directly from anesthesia to heaven at 64. At the same time, I can see many possibilities for what God might have for me in the time from now to my own graduation, however long that might be. In past years this time of year has always been a more relaxed schedule, since the Japanese school year ends in March and starts up again in April, but it certainly feels different! I have never been one to set up a schedule apart from outside calls on my time, but that is precisely what I need to start doing now. I am all too familiar with the frustration that builds up when I’m wasting time, and I don’t want to fall into that trap. At the same time, I’m not to reject relaxation and rest the Lord wants to give me. There are plenty of things I could do that would be beneficial, and I need to let the Lord guide me in prioritizing and scheduling them, particularly if they are things I don’t particularly want to do! And He just reminded me that He got me started on my autobiography. Getting that completed will certainly require scheduling! I need to have joyful anticipation of all the Lord has for me to do in the days and years ahead, whatever that is.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for reminding me on Monday that Your power is far greater than my weaknesses. Help me walk in joyful anticipation of and participation in what You want to do through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Genuine Repentance; March 6, 2024

Posted on March 7, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God,
you will not despise.

Along with Peter weeping bitterly after having denied that he knew Jesus, this is perhaps the most famous record of repentance in the whole Bible. As the introduction to the Psalm specifies, David had plenty to repent of, having stolen another man’s wife and then arranging for that man to be killed in battle. That said, as James pointed out, “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” (James 2:10) David was neither alone nor unique in his need for repentance! That’s why he is an excellent example for us to study, both as a model of good things and as a cautionary tale against bad things. Probably the most important thing to remember about him is that he was fully committed to God, in all his human weakness. It’s no accident that Jesus was frequently referred to as “Son of David.” Back in the 1st Century that specifically referred to His royal lineage, but it carries other meanings as well. Jesus never sinned, and so never had a need to repent, but He carried our human weakness, and so I think sin was possible for Him. Otherwise, temptation would not have been real, and the Bible is very clear that His temptations were real indeed. (Hebrews 4:15) David, on the other hand, blew it, but in the process God used him as a model for repentance, and that factor has blessed mankind ever since.

I am quite aware of my own weaknesses and failures, and of my need to keep my repentance up to date. My electronic equipment is forever updating, but that’s not nearly as important as my repentance! The important thing for me to remember is that genuine repentance always involves a change in behavior. When I repeat a sin, I know that my repentance hasn’t been sufficient. At the same time, I know that in my human weakness I am not capable of getting it right, so I am completely dependent on the grace and mercy of God. That said, that’s not a bad place to be, because God is totally faithful and merciful toward all who will come to him in humble faith. When my repentance isn’t sufficient, it’s because I either don’t really believe God can and will cleanse and forgive me, (1 John 1:9) or, more likely, because in my pride I want to reserve the right to sin again. Either is totally foolish. As a pastor I am to encourage repentance in others, but that doesn’t mean I’m to be accusatory. After all, the name, Satan, means “the accuser.” The Holy Spirit is more than able to show each of us what we need to repent of, so I’m to strive to be sensitive and available to Him, both in my own life and as I deal with others. He not only shines a light on our sins, He enables us to repent!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for carrying me along, despite my many weaknesses. Help me walk in right relationship with You at all times, to be and do exactly what You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Trusting God; March 5, 2024

Posted on March 6, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 37:5-6 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

When verse four is so totally famous and loved, I felt I was to write on something else! Actually, the thought is continuous from verse three on through verse seven at least, and it’s a very good one indeed. The theme is heart attitude, and the benefits when that is right. So much depends on how well we trust God! Where the English says, “Commit your way to the Lord,” the Japanese uses a word that means “yield,” or “surrender.” I’ve had Japanese ask me how to do that! I think that’s a very honest question. We like to be “the captain of our fate,” as a poem by an otherwise obscure poet puts it. We want to feel like we are in control, when in actual fact we seldom if ever are. Our choices indeed matter a great deal, but for the most part we have no control over what happens to us. We are accountable for what we do with the opportunities and resources we are given, but the list of things over which we have no say, starting with our genetics, is limitless. Jesus told the very famous parable of the talents, (Matthew 25) as well as saying, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48) “Yielding things to God” is no excuse for being irresponsible. However, failing to recognize that God is ultimately in control is a recipe for burnout at least, and utter disaster at worst. In the Japanese, the last half of verse five says, “and He will get it done.” We are to recognize what God has given us and make full use of it, but we’ve got to remember that in the final analysis, everything good is done by Him; we are merely participants.

Once again the Lord has been very timely in these Scripture readings. That’s all the more amazing when I’m the one who draws up the list! This is just further evidence that He knows what will happen before the fact, because He sees all of time at a glance, and He knows what we need and when we need it. As I have written for the past couple of days, I am very tied up in my last official acts as I am retiring from 42 years of school teaching. This is yet another Word to encourage me to release everything to God, trusting that everything He has done through me will bear the fruit He intends at the proper time. I cannot say precisely what impact I have had on my thousands of students over these years, but God knows, and He has used and will use it to draw them toward Him. I am to delight myself in Him, as verse four so famously says, and express my love by full obedience, (John 14:15) leaving the results in His hands.

Father, thank You for this encouraging reminder. Thank You that things went smoothly through the day yesterday, even though I almost messed things up at one point and was needlessly irritable at another. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You each moment of today, so that You may be fully glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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Honest to God; March 4, 2024

Posted on March 5, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalms 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

Perhaps David’s most shining attribute was that he was honest to God. He was capable of deception – even this Psalm was written after he successfully deceived an enemy to secure his own freedom – and certainly deceived himself when it came to Bathsheba, but he never tried to hide from God. He didn’t try to “put on a brave face” when it came to God, but rather sought Him in honesty. I think many of us fall short in that area, trying to pretend even to God that we are something we aren’t. God liked that in him, and He likes that in us when we are that way. The irony is that we can’t hide anything from God anyway, so we might as well be honest! This is closely tied to our image of God, which is closely tied to our parents and the way we were raised. The reason the devil attacks the whole idea of fatherhood so viciously is that our image of God is strongly colored by our experience of and relationship with our human fathers, and the last thing the devil wants is for us to understand that God is always there, always strong, always just, always pure. Of course, none of our physical fathers were perfectly that way, but the more they strove toward that ideal, the more likely we are to grasp that God is that way. Jesse must have been a pretty good father! By God’s grace we can overcome the lack of a good father-model in our lives, but it can be a pretty steep climb at times. Regardless, whether we were raised by a near-perfect father or were abandoned by our parents, we still need to be honest with God. After all, honesty is a fundamental requirement for genuine repentance, and that is essential for salvation.

I was enormously blessed to be raised by a father who loved and served God, and who held Absolute Honesty as one of his fundamental principles. That has helped me strive not to dishonor his name or his memory. I’m thankful that the idea of God’s omniscience was planted in my heart very early. It probably helped that my father knew so much! In any case, I realized even as a child that it was silly, even stupid, to try to hide anything from God. This is all very timely, particularly in reference to this verse, because I am faced with a real fear that some people might find strange. This week marks the termination of my duties to The Koyo Schools, where I have taught for the past 42 years. I have various unrelated things on my schedule for next week, but after that my datebook looks remarkably empty. I am used to being needed, to being on call, and I know from experience that I am very adept at wasting time. I think I am afraid of my own weaknesses. Having written that, I am reminded of something I have told many people over the years: God is much stronger than our weaknesses! Knowing that, I have nothing to fear! I don’t know what God has planned for this next stage of my life, but I can trust Him with it in every detail, knowing that His plans are good. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Father, thank You for this perfect reminder. I feel so much better! I pray that my presence at the nursing school graduation today and the rehabilitation school graduation tomorrow would be what You desire, cementing the image of Christ You have transmitted through me over the years, drawing those people to you, and then through them, drawing many others to you, for the salvation of multitudes, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Already/Not Yet; March 3, 2024

Posted on March 4, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him.

I chose this verse from the English, thinking it was a prophecy of the evangelization of the world, and then I find that the Japanese is more a prayer, an expression of desire that these things happen. Not knowing the Hebrew, I don’t know which is more accurate. This Psalm is of great importance, since it is the one Jesus started quoting from the cross. (Matthew 27:46) It actually describes many of the details of the crucifixion, so what follows that is of great interest. I wonder if the Japanese translators lacked faith at this point? The thing is, many other places in the Bible speak of the Gospel going out to all mankind. We are to desire for that to happen, as in the Japanese, and we are to believe that it positively will happen, as in the English. Many places in the Bible bring up the already/not yet tension, because God is outside of time, and so all things are now to Him. Jesus taught us to pray that God’s plans be fulfilled “on earth as it is in heaven,” (Matthew 6:10) because, as fully human, Jesus experienced the flow of time as we do, but He was also part of the Godhead, existing before Creation. That must have been quite an experience for Him! As we pray for God’s will to be done, we need to do so with the understanding that from God’s perspective it already has been done. For us, the eternal perspective is entirely a matter of faith, but we wait for the moment when “faith becomes sight,” as the well-loved hymn, It Is Well With My Soul puts it. We have been justified by the blood of Christ, but at the same time we are not yet made perfect, and the more we understand that tension, the more we long for the completion that will only come before the Throne. God’s thoughts and plans are indeed far higher than ours! (Isaiah 55:9)

I experience this tension constantly. The more I know of God, the more I am aware that I’m not there yet, but the more I know Him personally, the more I know that from His standpoint, it’s already done. I need to rest, relax, and rejoice even in that tension, just as He has told me to do. I know I belong to Him, and that is enough, because He is totally faithful. As He told Paul, His grace is sufficient for me, regardless of the circumstances. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Father, thank You for this reminder. This week marks my last as an employee of The Koyo Schools, which I have been for the past 42 years, and that frankly is a scary thought. Help me be active in my anticipation of what You have for me in this next stage of my life on earth, as I look forward to eternity with You. May I not draw back from anything You direct, but know that Your plans for me are perfect. (Jeremiah 29:11) Thank You. Praise God!

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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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