Author Archives: jgarrott

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About jgarrott

Born and raised in Japan of missionary parents. Have been here as an adult missionary since 1981.

Assurance; September 23, 2024

Posted on September 24, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 4:3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;    the Lord hears when I call to him. Here we have the secret of David’s boldness, his assurance in times of trial. There are many other examples throughout the Psalms (as well as … Continue reading →

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Hearing God; September 22, 2024

Posted on September 23, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 33:14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—    though no one perceives it. It’s a little hard to know how to take Elihu, the speaker here. He “comes out of nowhere” in the narrative, not being one of Job’s … Continue reading →

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Salvation; September 21, 2024

Posted on September 22, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 25:4 “How then can a mortal be righteous before God?    How can one born of woman be pure?” This is an existential question for mankind as a whole, and different religions have tried to answer it in different ways. I … Continue reading →

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Light; September 20, 2024

Posted on September 21, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 24:13 “There are those who rebel against the light,    who do not know its ways    or stay in its paths.” This statement by Job brings to mind Jesus’ statement in John 3. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, … Continue reading →

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Motivation; September 19, 2024

Posted on September 20, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 22:21 “Submit to God and be at peace with him;    in this way prosperity will come to you.” Some of the things that Eliphaz says are true and reasonable, but when you read through it all, you realize that his motivation … Continue reading →

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Truth; September 18, 2024

Posted on September 19, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 12:13 “To God belong wisdom and power;    counsel and understanding are his.” In this chapter, Job is rattling off truisms about God to his three friends, who have been using such truisms to attack him. It’s not that any of these … Continue reading →

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True Success; September 17, 2024

Posted on September 18, 2024 by jgarrott

Job 11:17 Life will be brighter than noonday,    and darkness will become like morning. I somewhat regret including this passage in the Scripture readings, because it is nothing but platitudes. That’s the tricky thing about reading Job: you have to be … Continue reading →

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Being Smart; September 16, 2024

Posted on September 17, 2024 by jgarrott

Nehemiah 9:20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. Differing translations can be fascinating. Where the NIV and other English translations say, “to instruct them,” the … Continue reading →

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Speaking for God; September 15, 2024

Posted on September 16, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Samuel 23:2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;    his word was on my tongue. From one perspective, this seems like a statement of incredible conceit. From another perspective, actively voiced by a TV personality about someone else not long ago, it … Continue reading →

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God’s Amazing Grace; September 14, 2024

Posted on September 15, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Samuel 22:36 You make your saving help my shield;    your help has made me great. God gave David some very interesting revelations about Himself. This particular one seems to be difficult to translate from the Hebrew. Where the NIV says, “your … Continue reading →

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