Dependence on God; September 30, 2026

Posted on October 1, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 62:1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.

This Psalm is a beautiful testimony of David’s faith in and commitment to God. We are all tempted to depend on all sorts of things, but none of them can compare to our Creator. David’s greatest failure came when he felt secure, and we need to remember that. When he felt danger, he clung most strongly to God. That’s one of the major reasons God allows trials in our lives: to teach us that we can’t go it alone. It is when we recognize our absolute dependence on God that we are most open to Him, and His blessings flow most freely to and through us. Pride is a major hinderance to this, because we like to think we are self-sufficient, that we can stand alone. We can’t take a single breath without His grace and mercy! This isn’t a matter of insecurity. God isn’t capricious; He doesn’t make us beg for everything. However, knowing that everything comes from Him is the foundation for receiving and operating in His grace. Quiet faith, the assurance that God loves us and that nothing is impossible for Him, is the key to peace and joy in this life. As Jesus told His disciples, the reason He told them everything in the Upper Room Discourse was so that they would have peace. (John 16:33) We too need to take in all that He said, and rest, relax, and rejoice in Him.

This is something I have known on some level for a very long time, but the conviction of it keeps getting deeper and stronger. I can do nothing on my own, (John 15:5) but He can do absolutely anything at all through me, if He so chooses. Recently He has been indicating that I am to minister more widely, and various people have been responding to Him in me. I am never to think that is because of me, but know, on the deepest level, that everything good in me is from Him, and give Him all the credit and glory. I have had more than enough of pride in my life, and I want no more of it. I am totally dependent on my Lord, and that’s absolutely wonderful. I am accountable as a steward of what He provides, both opportunities and abilities, so this is not an excuse to be passive. However, it certainly takes the pressure off when it comes to provision. Recognizing my dependence on Him is unquestionably the path of peace, joy, and satisfaction.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your absolutely abundant supply of everything. Thank You for the message You gave me for Sunday, during my online Bible study with my friend last night. Help me get that into the notes You want me to use, so that it will be Your Word indeed when it comes from my mouth. Keep me from embroidering it in any way, but rather express it as You intend, to bless and strengthen my hearers, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Praise God!

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Shepherds; September 29, 2026

Posted on September 30, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 52:6-7 The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh at you, saying,
“Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

This Psalm is greatly overshadowed by its neighbor, Psalm 51, which is David’s prayer of repentance after the Bathsheba incident, but this Psalm too marks a significant incident in David’s life, as recorded in 1 Samuel 22. There aren’t many people held up as examples of the fate of those who defy God, but Doeg the Edomite is one of those. It’s interesting that 1 Samuel 21:7 notes that he was King Saul’s chief shepherd. Most references to shepherds in the Bible lift them up as examples of caring faithfulness, with Jesus calling Himself the Shepherd in John 10, and Peter and others referring to Him that way. We sometimes forget that pastor means shepherd, so even if we’ve never seen a live sheep, we’ve seen shepherds. Most are indeed caring and faithful, but some are like Doeg, trusting in the things of this world rather than in the power of God. That is sad at best and tragic at worst. Not a few people in that office in local churches are effectively just hired hands, as Jesus describes in John 10. They go through the motions, but without the calling and power of God. They are more worried about how they will pay their bills than about the care of their flock. That is unfortunate to say the least. We aren’t to go around judging and accusing the leaders of churches, but we are to be discerning and wise. There are no perfect pastors; Jesus is our only example of perfection. When we discern faults and failures in pastors, we are first to pray for them, and only then, if the Lord directs, go to them privately to share and caution them about what we have seen. A good result is not guaranteed! We must go in humility, and we are NOT to go talking about those faults with other people. Always, our first concern should be our own walk with the Lord. And by no means are we to be comparing our own pastor negatively with this or that famous figure. Each person has their own calling and accountability.

This subject came up in a meeting I attended yesterday, held at a church where the pastor retired because of age and health, and has moved back to where he was raised, far from here. One of the remaining church members is currently doing seminary studies by correspondence, but is scared witless about her ability to fill the role of pastor. As we assured her, we all tend to have an image of what a pastor should be and do, and put ourselves down for how we don’t measure up, at least in our own eyes. The thing is, God is the judge, and Jesus is the Great Shepherd, (Hebrews 13:20) so we need to let Him set the parameters of each ministry. That is an immediate issue here, as we seek to transition into my successor. I don’t expect to simply leave, as the pastor of yesterday’s church did, but my successor will not have the same ministry I do, and they need to be at peace with that. I am currently in good health, but I am 78, and none of us knows God’s timetable. I am to be faithful in my own ministry and encourage others in theirs, so that God’s flock may be rightly cared for as He desires, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for how You fit everything together. Yesterday’s meeting was very timely! Thank You for the further interaction with the Taiwan team, and for the deep love that we experienced from them. I do pray for them as some return to Taiwan today and some go to another town for a little longer, that they will be protected and obedient, doing and saying what You desire of them on Your schedule, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Speaking for God; September 28, 2026

Posted on September 29, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 43:5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

Whichever of the “Sons of Korah” wrote this, he was onto something. It is a continuing mystery why this Psalm was divided into two, but the content remains powerful regardless. We laugh about “talking to yourself,” but sometimes that’s the best thing you can do. It can be a way of allowing God to speak to us through our own mouth. He’s quite capable of doing that! We need to be listening, because sometimes it happens when we aren’t expecting it. Here, the Psalmist was going through a rough patch of opposition from one or more people, and it was really getting him down. God was telling him to remember His faithfulness in the past, and believe that He had not changed. The Psalmist was being told he would again praise God, but Paul went a step further, telling us to “always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20) In other words, we should praise God and thank Him in the middle of whatever we are going through, because He hasn’t changed. It never hurts to meditate on what Jesus went through for us, being abandoned by His closest disciples, being horribly insulted and slandered, and then being physically abused to a degree that often killed people, before ultimately being nailed to a cross. Our problems don’t beat that! Whatever we are going through, we can praise God that He went through worse for us.

I remember one time I had been praying by myself in tongues, I asked God for the interpretation, and He gave it to me. What He said through my mouth at that time completely undid me, because it was a Word of love and affirmation that was completely unexpected. In the years since then I have heard Him speak through me countless times, and He’s often talking to me, as well as to the people who are listening to me. That’s not at all something to get puffed up over. As Don Francisco memorably sang, “He could have used the dog next door, if He’d been so inclined.” I am never to think the vessel has more value than the contents, just as Paul pointed out. (2 Corinthians 4:7) Rather, I am to be deeply and consistently grateful that God would use even me, and strive always not to dilute or distort what He is saying. I don’t know what He has planned for me for the rest of my time here, but I have the strong impression it’s going to involve speaking for Him in a variety of settings to a lot of different people. Going back to Don Francisco’s song, I’m to strive to be a “good boy” and get a scratch behind the ears.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the very full, blessed day with the Taiwan team here. Thank You for the sense we all had that we had known each other a long time, even though we had never seen most of them before Saturday. I do pray Your blessings on them for the remainder of their time in Japan, that all of Your plans, for them and for us, may be fulfilled, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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24/7/365; September 27, 2026

Posted on September 28, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 42:8 By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.

This is a beautiful expression of a continuous relationship with God. We know that God Himself never sleeps, as Psalm 121:4 assures us, but that expresses it on a national level, in terms of Israel as a nation. This is on a very personal level. Everyone has moments of feeling far from God, but as has been said, if that’s the case, guess who moved? This speaks explicitly of daytime and nighttime, and the language is eloquent. In speaking of the song of the Lord, it points up the strong emotional connection we have with music. Of course, when the Psalmist was writing this, there were no mechanical ways of reproducing music, so this is a matter of God’s song in our heart. We have so much music available to us that it can easily drown out the song of the Lord! This Psalm in general indicates the Psalmist was dealing with depression and/or discouragement, and here he is reminding himself that God hasn’t changed and doesn’t change. We sometimes need to do the same! Stating, declaring, our faith can have remarkable power to change things. The pastor of a US Senate candidate has recently said some things that I wouldn’t want to come near with a 20 foot pole, much less a 10 foot one! Expressing our faith verbally can refresh and strengthen that faith within us, as we hear ourselves say things that are true. As Paul pointed out, faith comes by hearing. (Romans 10:17) The Psalmist is reminding himself of how he has experienced God’s faithfulness, His intimate love and concern, and we should do the same.

This verse really resonated with me, because I often wake up with a song in my head/heart. Music has always been an integral part of my life, but I’m thankful never to have been particularly entranced by “pop” music, greatly preferring classical and Christian music. One particular worship chorus has long been my personal testimony: “You are the words and the music; You are the song that I sing. You are the melody, You are the harmony; praises to You I will bring. You are the mighty God, You are the Prince of peace, You are the King of all kings. Now I return to You the song that You give to me; You are the song that I sing.” God’s grace to me has often been musical! The challenge to me is to let His music flow through me consistently, and not just occasionally. Looking at that sentence, it would be equally true if I replace “music” with “Spirit!” I’m not to quibble with how He wants to flow through me, but simply let Him do it, 24/7/365.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your protection, guidance, and presence in the Gospel Festa yesterday. Thank You for the many connections we were able to renew. Thank You for the rain, and for the thunder that woke me this morning! We have been very low on precipitation the past few months, and this is welcome indeed. I pray that the rain of Your Spirit would likewise fall, washing away the lies of the enemy and bringing many to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Mortality; September 26, 2026

Posted on September 27, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 39:4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;
    let me know how fleeting my life is.”

This was a very important and honest prayer of David, but one that I think few people pray. I don’t think he was asking to know the date and time of his death, or even the specific age, but rather, he wanted a clear awareness of his own mortality. That’s something we all need, but it’s sadly lacking much of the time. This isn’t to make us timid, unwilling to take risks because they might shorten our already short life, but rather to examine the time we do have, to use it as our Creator intends. This is something we all should do, but it’s rare. Several years ago a movie made the term, “bucket list,” popular: the things you want to do before you die. That’s not bad in itself, but it’s very self-centered. Our bucket list should be, “What does God want me to do while I’m on this earth?” There’s nothing more satisfying than fulfilling your purpose, and far too many people have no idea what their purpose is. Accomplishments can be wonderful, and indeed, very meaningful, but how do they measure up on the scale of eternity? Individual acts of kindness, of being used by God to bless those around us, are probably the most meaningful things we can do. Grand schemes, getting our names in the history books, aren’t bad in themselves, but again, if the focus is on us rather than our Creator, they are ultimately meaningless.

This hits close to home for me, because I have immediate ancestors who are indeed in the history books, including my father and my maternal grandfather. They accomplished some remarkable things, but it was in their daily commitment and obedience to Christ that it all had meaning. I haven’t had such major events in my life, but the Lord has used me to touch a lot of people, and I’m grateful. I’m currently 14 years older than my father was when the Lord called him home, so I need to examine why the Lord is keeping me here. One day is neither more nor less valuable than another, whatever happens in that day. The question is always, whether I am listening obediently to my Lord, using the time as He desires. Today is a “big” day from some standards, with the Kyushu Gospel Festa taking up most of it, but it is ultimately just one more day for me to be faithful to my Lord. I am to receive and exercise each moment of it with my focus on Him first, then on the people around me, and only then on myself. If I will do that, then it will be “accomplishful” as He intends.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I have been a bit stressed about today, particularly with the Taiwan team coming here as well. Thank You for giving me the message for tomorrow on Wednesday, so that my preparations for the service were taken care of early. May I indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You whatever You have on the schedule, so that Your purposes may be accomplished as You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Faithfulness; September 25, 2026

Posted on September 26, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 37:25 I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
    or their children begging bread.

This Psalm is an acrostic poem, starting each stanza with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, so it isn’t exactly the result of a momentary inspiration. That said, it expresses the conviction of David, stating things that he had experienced in his walk of faith. We sometimes forget that the characters in the Bible didn’t have the Bible to guide them! David had the Torah, the five books of Moses, and probably Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and Job, but the rest of it was his own story, or later. We also don’t have an emotional connection to a society in which written things were the exception, and precious. We don’t think about the reality that boys were taught to read the Torah because that was the only thing around to read! That makes David’s poetic gifting all the more important, because poems are far easier to memorize than prose, so his expressing God’s truth in poetic form was a massive gift to mankind, in his own day right down through today. We might take it lightly, since we are awash in words, so we need to check our attitude and give the Bible the attention and appreciation it deserves. This verse explicitly says it was written later in David’s life, so it is a testimony of his personal experience of God’s faithfulness. In those days there was no “safety net” in society, such as we have today and is vigorously debated, so the line about “begging for food” was something everyone had seen. It is ironic that there are so many homeless people in the US today, when America is the wealthiest nation in history. People complain about the cost of living, but virtually no one starves to death. Our expectations are on the level of extreme luxury, compared to how things were not so many years ago. This verse is a declaration of God’s faithfulness, as personally observed by David. This wasn’t theoretical or hearsay for him. It links directly to Jesus’ famous statement in Matthew 6:33, that I quoted just yesterday: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When our focus is on God and doing what He wants, He takes care of everything else.

At the moment I can certainly identify with “Once I was young, and now I am old!” Also, I can identify with the idea of writing acrostic poetry, because I studied poetry in college, never expecting it to have any “practical” use. (As it turned out, I have done a lot of song translations between English and Japanese, so the Lord knew what He was doing when He directed me that way.) Some of my better work was when I was assigned to write poetry to various rigid forms, requiring specific meter or rhyming patterns. I’m sure this Psalm was much easier to memorize because of its framework (though I don’t have the Hebrew to prove that). The point for me, here and now, is to recognize and agree with the truth that David stated in poetic form, testifying of my own experience of God’s faithfulness and inviting others to love and trust Him as well, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You indeed for Your incredible faithfulness. I can state this verse for myself with total assurance! I ask You to use me more and more to draw people to Yourself, so that they too may know the peace and joy of Your Gospel, for their eternal salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Delighting in God; September 24, 2026

Posted on September 25, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

This is a very famous verse, but it has been misappropriated at least as much as it has been applied properly. David’s own life was a demonstration that God isn’t a “wish box” from which we can get anything we like. Even though he was a glorious king, he had some really rough stretches, to the point that some would deny that this verse is true. However, such people are looking only at the second half of the verse and forgetting the first half. What is it to delight in the Lord? And the Japanese makes it clear that this is an intentional, volitional choice; it doesn’t “just happen.” It comes down to a question of choices, of priorities. Jesus put it this way: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) Jesus had been talking about the various necessities of life – food, clothing, shelter – when He said that. Delighting yourself in the Lord means placing Him ahead of what might otherwise be considered essentials. I’m reminded of addicts who will sacrifice everything to get the next hit. In that case, it is tragic, but when our “addiction” is to God, the results are glorious! Sunday I will be speaking on Joy, and that is actually what this is talking about. If our greatest joy is fellowship with our Lord, then we really can ask Him for anything, and He’ll say, “Sure.” That said, we can’t dictate time tables. We can’t specify when God will meet a specific request, but we can have assurance that it will happen. Our focus needs to be on delighting in the Lord, not on asking things of Him.

This is an area where I’m still growing. God has been incredibly gracious to me, and I have tasted the magnificence and joy of fellowship with Him, but I don’t stay in that place of fellowship as I should. That’s why I look forward to heaven so much: it’s constant, unlimited fellowship with Christ! One major desire of my heart is for revival to sweep Japan, for all the people to recognize their need of salvation and turn to their Creator in repentance and faith. I don’t know when or how that will happen, but I know that is the honest desire of my heart. However, if I feel like it’s something I’ve got to make happen, I will burn out in an instant. My father had the same desire, and prayed that if he was in the way of it happening, that God would take him out of the way. I identify completely! However, my focus is to be on God, not what I want Him to do. I am far too easily distracted, and I need to let Him correct my focus.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me delight in You indeed, not being distracted by all that surrounds me, so that I may be fully useful to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Joy; September 23, 2026

Posted on September 24, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 33:21 In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.

Depending on God is truly the source of genuine joy. Various things can give us joy, but every last one is magnified and deepened when we realize where it all comes from. When we are focused on other things, thinking our joy comes from them, that joy is cheapened and is transitory. I’m reminded of the joy of a dog when its beloved master comes home after having been away. There are many videos online of dogs when their service member master comes home after deployment. The pure, unadulterated joy that is displayed can be moving indeed, even watching videos of people we know nothing about. That’s a pretty good illustration of how we should be with our Lord. The song I Can Only Imagine, the story behind which has been made into a very impactful movie, speaks of this. We don’t know how it’s going to be when we see our Lord face to face, but I’d be willing to bet those dogs in the videos will have nothing on us when it comes to joy! We can taste that joy even now, even if only in slight measure, if we will focus on our Lord and commit our hearts fully to obedient gratitude toward Him.

I’ve written before of an experience I had of being in a small prayer group, worshiping God. The joy of the Lord came on me so strongly that I literally said to the Lord, in my heart, “Lord, if you have anything else for me to do on earth, you had better slack off a little, because I don’t think my body can take another drop of this.” He must have more work for me to do, because it did lighten enough for me to function normally. That gives me an intense anticipation of heaven, because there, my physical body won’t be an issue! He has very graciously given me joy in many other ways as well, and I do enjoy life on this earth as His child. I can testify to the truth of what Jesus told us just before His arrest, “In this world you will have trouble,” (John 16:33) but I can also testify to the reality of Psalm 16:11. “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” The NIV puts “will” in there, making it future, but for the believer, it starts now! I want everyone to know the joy of God’s salvation, (Psalm 51:12) so I seek to share the Gospel with all who will receive it. People have commented that I seem to enjoy living, but that same joy is available to them as well, and I want them to have it!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for all Your joy, both now and for eternity. May I be a carrier of that joy, that grace and mercy, to as many as possible, for a massive harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Faithful Lord; September 22, 2026

Posted on September 23, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 31:22 In my alarm I said,
    “I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

Just about everyone, even strong believers, has moments of panic, when we feel like God isn’t paying attention to our needs. Actually, there isn’t a moment when He isn’t paying attention, but our emotions can really lie to us. David was certainly not immune to such panic, but his repeated times of being rescued by God enabled him to be calm, even when two of his sons on different occasions tried to depose him as king, probably with the intention of killing him in the process. Our lives are probably not as dramatic as his was, but we too have plenty of opportunities to learn God’s faithfulness. He allows difficulties and trials in our lives for precisely that reason, to teach us to trust Him because He is totally trustworthy. The problem comes when our preferred solution, or our timetable, don’t agree with His. That’s when the panic can hit. That’s why waiting in hope, in faith, is so important. I have written and preached many times on the lack in English Bibles of an expression of “wait in hope,” or “wait in expectation,” when it appears often in Japanese Bibles. English translations almost invariably limit it to either “wait” or “hope,” when both are essential, and I am confident, are expressed in the Hebrew. We have trouble with both halves of that! As I talked about this past Sunday, modern society has taught us to demand instant gratification, and patience is becoming a lost virtue. That’s one reason for all the poor parenting we see, because raising children certainly requires patience! However, God wants us, and not just our children, to mature. As Paul wrote, “We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4) God desires character in His children, so He doesn’t spoil us. If we never learn to push through, to overcome, we are immature weaklings. However, in that process, we must never forget that God loves us, that He genuinely cares what happens to us, in every detail. When we have that reality firmly in our hearts, nothing can shake us.

This is something that has grown in me over the years, and I am grateful. I still have moments of frustration and irritation, but I know from experience that those are ultimately trivial, and when I yield to them, my repentance is real. The challenge for me, and I think for every believer, is to keep my absolutely faithful, omnipotent Lord in the forefront of my awareness, so that things won’t even start to shake me. God has been at least as faithful to me as He was to David, and my trials haven’t been as severe. He has told me personally to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him, and I need to keep growing in my obedience to that command, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for Your incredible, gracious, faithfulness to me. Thank You for Your presence and support as we attended the “Respect for the Aged Day” dinner yesterday. Thank You that we could sing two songs to point people to You, and that they seemed to be received well. I pray that Your words through me would remain in the hearts of those who heard, causing them to cry out to You while they have the opportunity, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Attitude; September 21, 2026

Posted on September 22, 2026 by jgarrott

Psalm 25:18 Look on my affliction and my distress
    and take away all my sins.

David was well aware of the character of God, and he didn’t accuse God of being unfair when troubles came. Rather, he asked for forgiveness for all that he had done to trigger those problems. That’s an example we all need to follow! Modern society seems to train us in the blame game, assigning responsibility for our failures and problems to anyone or anything but us. That’s actually as old as mankind, because when God confronted Adam, he blamed Eve, and then Eve blamed the serpent. Like David, we need to own up to our sins! That’s not at all to say that we are to take our sins lightly. On the contrary, we need to recognize that any violation of God’s laws is worthy of being cut off from Him, which is to say, eternal death. That’s certainly severe! However, nothing less equals full repentance. God is incredibly gracious, to the point that He sent His Son to take the penalty for our sins, but feeling entitled, rather than thankful, for that grace is the most dangerous thing possible. An entitlement mentality is a commitment to spiritual suicide! This is where absolute honesty comes in. We need to be brutally honest about our own failures, so that our hearts may be prepared to receive God’s grace. That’s what the Gospel is all about: not excusing sin, but proclaiming that there is a remedy for it, a salvation that we don’t deserve, but that God has prepared for us anyway, for those who will be humble enough to receive it.

This is something I have struggled with all my life, as I think any contemplative Christian has. My natural tendency is to excuse or dismiss my sins, when God has given us the standard of His Son, who committed no sin at all. I have been tripped up by pride and entitlement and willfulness more times than I could count, and it’s not pretty. Humility and gratitude need to be the keystones of my existence, because nothing less is appropriate. God is incredibly gracious, but I must never cheapen that grace by taking it lightly.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the full day yesterday, and for getting us through it. Thank You that I was able to do everything required of me – except the dishes! Thank You for the opportunity we have for witness today, singing for people who are largely unfamiliar with the Gospel. May Your love and grace flow through us to them, drawing them to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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