Rumors; November 15, 2022

Posted on November 16, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 51:46 Do not lose heart or be afraid
when rumors are heard in the land;
one rumor comes this year, another the next,
rumors of violence in the land
and of ruler against ruler.

And to think, this was written long before modern media, much less social media! People have been whipped around by rumors since the dawn of time. “Fake news” has always existed! The problem has always been distinguishing what is true. Sometimes the “authoritative sources” are the ones that are wrong, as was the case with the recent “pandemic.” Those with vested interest in a particular narrative will dismiss some information as “conspiracy theories,” but we have recently seen several examples of such “conspiracy theories” being proven as true. The expression, “knowledge is power,” has a lot of truth to it, but how do we know our “knowledge” is accurate? We are personally responsible to evaluate sources and do research as called for, but above all we need to rely on the Holy Spirit. God alone knows what is true in every detail! After all, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things. (John 14:26) Rather than getting all worked up over the latest rumor, or for that matter, dismissing it as impossible, we need to submit it to God and ask Him to show us what is right, and what we need to do or not do about it. Going with the crowd just to get along is seldom wise, but going against the crowd just to be contrary isn’t wise either. All of this calls for both faith and strength of character. We don’t necessarily have those naturally, but God will supply them as we are submitted to Him. As James said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) In this particular Word to Jeremiah, the Jews were being told that some of the rumors they would hear would be accurate, but they weren’t to be afraid. However, there were concrete steps they were to take. We need to be the same way, acting under God’s direction and not yielding to panic, either our own of that of those around us.

This seems remarkably timely. I am getting more and more information that makes me increasingly thankful that we didn’t yield to all the pressure to “get the shot.” At the same time, as bad and downright absurd as some of the results of the recent election were, just last night I heard someone pointing out some of the things that were not widely reported that are actually very good. I am not to ignore “news” just because it might be false, but at the same time I need to back off from being the “news junkie” I sometimes tend to be. God’s Word is always up-to-date and accurate, and the more I fill my mind and heart with it, the better I will be able to discern fact from fiction in the flood of other information that comes my way. Likewise, I need to be careful what information I pass along, because I don’t want to be party to false rumors myself. God alone is totally true, and I need to abide in Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed run everything through Your filter and not let anything steal my peace or joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Lord Our Righteousness; November 14, 2022

Posted on November 15, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 33:16 In those days Judah will be saved
and Jerusalem will live in safety.
This is the name by which it will be called:
The Lord Our Righteousness.

This is the climax of what the Lord promised Jeremiah in verse three: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” This is a very clear prophecy of the Christ, the One who would take our sins on Himself and give us His righteousness in return. Paul put it this way: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) The idea that God would do such a thing indeed “trips all the breakers” in the human mind. We actually still have trouble grasping what it all means, thousands of years after the fact. It’s not at all that we are “free to sin.” Paul spent a good bit of time debunking that idea in Romans, particularly chapter 6. However, the fact remains that we can never be “good enough” in our own strength, so apart from the sovereign grace of God, we are hopeless. The good news is that God indeed loved us so much that He sent His Son to be our Righteousness, our Savior, as it so famously says in John 3:16. The thing is, if we really believe that, then gratitude will drive us to be as obedient, as righteous, as we possibly can be. Dennis Prager is a devout Jew whom I respect very much, but he says that he doesn’t relate to God on the basis of love, but obedience, and that he doesn’t believe in unconditional love. I find that very sad. Some Christians talk about love so much that they ditch the idea of obedience, but Jesus said very clearly, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15) There are no qualifiers in that statement. However, our follow-through will be imperfect until we stand before His throne in heaven, so we are totally dependent on His grace, accepting His righteousness that He provided for us on the cross.

I am as much in this struggle as anyone, even though people view me as “saintly” because I am a missionary pastor and haven’t done anything drastic. God knows the thoughts of my heart, and how they are not always in line with Him. Psalm 19:14 is a frequent prayer: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” I too am totally dependent on Yahweh Tsidkenu, the Lord my Righteousness, and I am totally grateful.

Father, thank You for this reminder. This week promises to be very busy, and it can be difficult to rest, relax, and rejoice as You have told me to do. Help me understand clearly what You want me to do each moment so that I may do it in Your strength, on Your schedule, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Abortion; November 13, 2022

Posted on November 14, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 32:35 They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin.

This passage is most famous for verse 27, which I have quoted countless times, and the encouraging words of verses 36-41 are likewise well-loved. However, at the moment it strikes me that this is a very clear description of abortion centers. It is a matter of rejoicing that the tide seems to have turned against abortion in the US, but there are states that are going so far as to enshrine (their word) abortion in their state constitutions. California is the most egregious of those, but they are not alone. That hedonism and unbridled sex would be so valued as to devalue innocent human life is a sad state of affairs indeed. Many people are far more upset about the existence of dog meat markets in some countries than they are about abortion. I don’t agree with the dog meat markets, but there is actually no comparison. The ray of light in all of this is that today’s passage is describing the depths to which Israel and Judah sank, but God redeemed them out of that. America does not replace Israel in God’s plan, but if God could do it for Israel, He can redeem the US as well. Despite the totally disgusting things that go on every day, there is nothing that is too difficult for God, as He reminded us in verse 27. We are certainly not to overlook the filth of various sorts that is going on, and we are to strive against it, but we are to keep our hearts fixed on God and never lose hope, because He is able.

I have been sadly close to abortion a number of times, and it is never pretty. I had a good friend who was one of the most respected OB-Gyn doctors in the city, and before he died (in his 90s) he told me that the greatest regret of his career was that he had performed abortions. He told me clearly that abortion is murder, and I do know that he refused to do them on multiple occasions. (I think the ones he did were before I met him.) He also described the dangers to the mother, and said that most people have no idea what a horrible, unnatural thing abortion is. I have the privilege of teaching Medical English to nurses and therapists, and in the lesson covering OB-Gyn I am careful to let them know the sanctity of human life and the purity of sex as God created and intended it. Beyond that, I can pray, never forgetting that the One to whom I pray is the omnipotent Creator, and nothing is too difficult for Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s not something I think about that often, outside of class. I do ask Your mercy for the US, and I pray that those who value life would be emboldened and encouraged, so that the abomination of abortion would indeed fade away, for the blessing of Your people and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Emotions; November 12, 2022

Posted on November 13, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 31:13-14 “Then maidens will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
I will satisfy the priests with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,”
declares the Lord.

We tend to think of Jeremiah as “The Weeping Prophet,” yet he also wrote passages like this. As I commented with Isaiah, prophets didn’t have an easy time of it, because their emotions could be like severe rollercoasters. For that matter, Josephus recorded that Jesus was known for mood swings. We probably diagnose and medicate “bipolar disorder” far too quickly! The thing is, the world has lots of genuinely depressing stuff in it, things that can tear your heart out. At the same time, it has ample evidence of God’s love, grace, and mercy that should make anyone glad. The answer isn’t to ignore either extreme, but rather to fixate on the God who is above it all, and who alone is eternal and unchanging. As He said through Malachi, “I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” (Malachi 3:6) We see things only from the perspective of time, but God is in eternity, and sees everything at once. I have no doubt that was why Jesus was noted for mood swings, because as God He was aware of more than His human body and emotions could process smoothly. My eyes just jumped to verse 16, which is not in today’s reading but is very appropriate: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,’ declares the Lord.” We need to remember this at all times, regardless of what is going on around us, so that we will be available for whatever the Lord wants to do in and through us, and not be paralyzed by negativity.

This is certainly timely! I’m still recovering from the shock of some of the results of the recent election, on top of still having no definitive word as to when my wife will get out of the hospital, and attending the funeral of a close family friend yesterday. None of that changes what the Lord told me several years ago: “Rest. Relax. Rejoice.” The son of the person whose funeral was yesterday told me how blessed he is by his wife, who pulled him out of an emotionally very low place several years ago. He said the experience showed him she was the life partner God had prepared for him, and he is still convinced of that, and very grateful. I need to let that be a further reminder that God always has a very good plan, and I just need to wait for it to unfold. The week ahead is loaded with major events, and I don’t yet know if my wife’s release from the hospital will be included in that. Emotions aren’t to be ignored or discounted, but they are not to be in control! I need to do as God told me and rest, relax, and rejoice, whether things go as I would prefer or not. I need to remember that God always has the perfect end-game, and I am only seeing a tiny slice of the whole.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me follow through in obedient faithfulness, doing each thing You have for me on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Commitment to God; November 11, 2022

Posted on November 12, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 30:21 “I will bring him near and he will come close to me,
for who is he who will devote himself
to be close to me?’
declares the Lord.

This Word of the Lord is specifically in relation to Israel’s ruler, but the rhetorical question included in it applies much more broadly. The English expression of “devote himself” doesn’t have quite the punch of the Japanese expression, “at the risk of his life.” The idea is, “I’ll draw close to God even if it kills me.” This brings to mind Jesus’ statement about taking up our cross and losing our life for His sake. (Luke 9:23-24) Probably the biggest human factor in the growth of the Church in times of persecution is this area of total commitment. We are created to take on challenges, and this is kind of the ultimate challenge. Half-hearted Christians are hardly dynamic! We can receive the abundance of God only when we let go of the things of this world, all the way down to our physical lives. This isn’t being suicidal, it’s holding everything with open hands, giving God full permission to take anything He would like and use it however He would like. That’s much easier said than done! Part of the problem is that such commitment is far more often subtle than overt. We have many stories of people “rising to the challenge” in battle, sometimes at the expense of their own life. That’s what the Medal of Honor is all about. However, standing for God in the face of social pressure – and today, social media pressure – doesn’t get that kind of recognition, except from God. Make no mistake: God knows who is committed to Him! That is the challenge God gives us here.

Of course this applies to me as much as it does to anyone. I know from experience that commitment has to be renewed, because of our human weakness. We might not lose our salvation, but we can certainly lose some of our rewards. That’s why I like Luke’s record of Jesus’ statement that I quoted: we need to take up our cross daily. I have committed my life to Christ, certainly, but I too need to keep my commitment up to date. Around 40 years ago a Social Studies teacher in the high school where I was teaching English came to me one day and said, “I used you as an example in class today.” I was naturally interested, and he told me he had been explaining different attitudes toward religion in different countries. He had said, “If you point a gun at a Japanese and say, ‘Change your religion,’ they will respond, ‘To what?’ If you point a gun at Garrott and say that, he will spread his hands and say, ‘Shoot.’” I was deeply moved by that, and deeply grateful that I had given such an impression, though I had not consciously intended to. However, that was 40 years ago, and that commitment has to be renewed regularly, daily, as Luke said. To use my father’s expression, I’ve got to keep giving all I know of myself to all I know of Christ, and I keep learning more all the time!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the privilege of being committed to You, and to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Help me indeed keep growing in that commitment so that I may be what You want me to be, on every level and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Jeremiah; November 10, 2022

Posted on November 11, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 15:16 When your words came, I ate them;
they were my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
O Lord God Almighty.

I don’t envy Jeremiah. He was a great prophet of God, yet his life on this earth was anything but easy. In the first chapter of his book he describes his calling from God, and it is beautiful and moving. Here he expresses his attitude toward receiving God’s words. Where the NIV says “came,” the Japanese says, “discovered them.” Today we are more likely to receive God’s words through the Bible than we are to hear them directly, but the image is certainly different. As a people, the Japanese tend to be studious. Bible study is certainly profitable, but we must never reduce the Word of the Lord to an academic pursuit. After all, it is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12) Jeremiah was blessed to receive many words from God, and he was faithful to transmit them as called for. That was the cause of most of the difficulties in his life, all the way to his eventual martyrdom, but I’m sure his reward in heaven was, and is, absolutely magnificent. He is a study in and model of faithfulness, and we can all use that. This verse should be true of every believer, but sadly, I don’t think it is. Our “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3) prefer other words, and the results are tragic. We don’t often think of Jeremiah as needing to repent, but that’s the language the Lord used with him in verse 19. It he did, then we certainly do! We need to repent of taking God’s word lightly and failing to live it out, of deceiving ourselves (James 1:22) instead of following God. We need to remember that God is not mocked. (Galatians 6:7) Being obedient to Him is the only path to life.

I am currently in mourning, to a degree. I am deeply saddened at some of the results, at least, of the recent election. How could people have voted for some of those candidates that actually won? At this point I don’t know the final results, and I don’t know what tricks might have gone on under the table, but the results aren’t what I had hoped for. I’m thrown back on crying out to God and trusting Him, but that’s not really a bad place to be. Jeremiah might not have accepted his commission if he had known all that he would have to go through. God warned him, both in chapter 1 and in this chapter, and He reminded him at other times as well. I don’t know what God has ahead, for me or for America, but I do know that God is both holy and loving, and He is worthy of my total trust. To this point my way has certainly been easier that what Jeremiah went through, so I am not to complain but keep focusing on my Lord, to be and do what He desires, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder, after the disappointments of yesterday. Thank You for how things are progressing for my wife. Our daughters arrive a week from today! Help me not let anything distract me from the task that You have for me at any given moment, so that like Jeremiah I may be Your agent to do Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Foreign Missions; November 9, 2022

Posted on November 10, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 66:19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations–to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.”

This has always been an exciting verse to me, particularly with the reference to “distant islands,” because there could hardly be a clearer prophecy of foreign missionaries, and the islands of Japan are about as far from Israel as you can get. The target groups and nations listed here are certainly not limited to islands, and they are obviously merely representative. The salient distinctive is that these are people who have not heard of God or seen His glory, and those sent to them are to proclaim that glory. The history of world missions obviously goes back to the early Church. Paul is famous for his missionary journeys, and Thomas is reasonably said to have gone as far as India. What is called the “Modern Missionary Movement” goes back to Count Nicolaus von Zinzendorf of Moravia, followed by William Carey in Britain, in the 17th and 18th Centuries, which seems like ancient history to us now. However, it is certainly “modern” compared to Isaiah! The point is, God has always been interested in all man­kind knowing about Him, so that they might “turn from their wicked ways and seek His face.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) As Paul said, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14) Certainly not every believer is called to pack up and go to a distant land, but all are called to be witnesses, (Acts 1:8) and some are indeed sent to distant lands. There have always been those who have considered foreign missions a waste of time and resources, but such an attitude certainly ignores the heart of God, expressed as far back as Isaiah.

William Owen Carver (1868-1954) founded the Department of Missions in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, which is currently the oldest Protestant department of missions in any school in the world. Of his six children, three indeed went as missionaries, Ruth and George to China and Dorothy to Japan. Ruth’s missionary career was cut short by her health and George’s by WWII and the Communists. Dorothy married W. Maxfield Garrott, who had been a student of W. O. Carver, in Japan, and continued to serve after her husband’s death until her retirement. I am the youngest of their children. Obviously, missions is in my blood! I have little patience with those who denigrate missions, but at the same time I don’t think everyone is sent to foreign lands. However, I do think everyone is to be faithful as a witness! Whether I am a “foreign missionary” is open to debate, because I am serving in the land where I was born and raised and I have no “sending agency,” no support, financial or otherwise, apart from my Lord. However, He’s enough, and He has proved Himself faithful countless times. It is my desire to inspire Japanese believers to be active as witnesses, and I am deeply grateful that several people who have been under my ministry are currently in full-time service, or are preparing to be so. I’ve not been so successful at bringing many to repentance and faith, but at least I’ve inspired others to keep trying at the task!

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace. I didn’t choose my ancestors, but You had planned for me from eternity past. I pray that all of Your plans for me may be fulfilled, not for my sake but so that as many as possible may hear of Your glory in the cross of Christ, and repent and believe for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Response to God’s Word; November 8, 2022

Posted on November 9, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 66:5 Hear the word of the Lord
you who tremble at his word:
“Your brothers who hate you,
and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
that we may see your joy!’
Yet they will be put to shame.”

This last chapter of Isaiah is rather disjointed, with seeming mood swings, yet it has some powerful statements that have certainly stood the test of time. The first two verses are a powerful warning to anyone who has an “edifice complex,” that no building we could create would have any intrinsic value before God. Then verses 7-9 are a prophecy of the re-birth of the nation of Israel that was miraculously fulfilled in 1948, thousands of years after Isaiah gave it. However, it is this verse that caught my eye just now. It brings to mind the tradition that Isaiah was horribly martyred, and it is a word of encouragement to those who are humbly faithful to God. Those in rebellion against God mock the Bible, not to mention contemporary prophecy, but those who are true to Him are the opposite, and as it also mentions in verse 2, God is pleased with such people. Modern man forgets that human nature hasn’t changed since the Garden of Eden, and so they fail to study history, and the Bible in particular. How foolish! As has been said, those who don’t know history are condemned to repeat it. For example, those currently enamored with socialism have no grasp of its horrible track record over the years, and those who think they can get by without God totally ignore those who have tried that in the past. God is here encouraging those who resist such foolishness, pointing out that the fools will get what they deserve.

I don’t feel like I have endured active persecution, certainly not compared with what so many are going through right now in places like Nigeria, China, India, and North Korea. However, that gives me no excuse not to value God’s Word, however He speaks it to me. At times he has used various people to speak to me, and He has even spoken directly to me a couple of times, but most often He opens the Bible to me. The danger for me comes in my very familiarity with the Bible, because the proverb, “Familiarity breeds contempt,” is all too accurate. I must never take anything lightly just because I’ve read it many times before. I had never underlined this verse, for example, even though I’ve read the whole Bible dozens of times. I need to expect and value God speaking to me and receive what He says with awe that the Creator of the universe would speak to such an insignificant part of His creation. I must never feel contempt for His Word!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You indeed for Your faithfulness to speak to me day by day. May I take in what You say to me and make it part of me to do it, for the blessing of those around me and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Lifespan; November 7, 2022

Posted on November 8, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 65:20 Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
he who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere youth;
he who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.

This sounds like the sort of thing modern medicine is striving for right now, and scientifically speaking it seems within reach. The thing is, there are human and demonic factors that are striving against this. Over the past two years the average life expectancy in the US actually went down, not so much because of the COVID virus but because of suicides and drug deaths triggered by the lockdowns. On top of that, the single biggest damper on US life expectancy is obesity, and that is a lifestyle issue. There are a myriad of unhealthy factors in the US diet today, and some people have become obsessed with food issues in reaction to that, and that isn’t emotionally healthy. I wrote recently that the world is a mess because we are a mess, and that applies to virtually every area of life. Infant mortality is way down statistically, but only if you don’t include abortion statistics. Miscarriage and still birth are tragedies, but certainly not more so than intentionally killing the child. We aren’t to be so focused on eternity in heaven that we ignore our time on earth. God’s design is for that to be long (from our perspective) and fruitful. Failure to be good stewards of our bodies shows a lack of gratitude toward our Creator. We owe it to Him to make full use of what He has provided.

Neither of my parents achieved great age, my mother dying at 72 and my father at 64, but my mother’s mother made it to 92. I am currently what is described as a “very vigorous” 74, and barring accidents could well make it to 100. However, as I have been increasingly aware in recent years, what is most important is not how many days we have as what we do with them. My father certainly accomplished a great deal in his 64 years! I don’t have that track record, but I think I still have some time to go. That said, I have long maintained that I am to plan like I will make it to 100, but live so that it’s OK if I leave today. My focus is to be on daily faithfulness, not making phy­sical life my goal but rather obedience to my Lord.

Father, thank You for the years You’ve given me, and for however many years are ahead. Help me be a good steward of my body and my time, doing what You desire in Your way on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Fear of the Lord; November 6, 2022

Posted on November 7, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 65:12 “I called but you did not answer,
I spoke but you did not listen.
You did evil in my sight,
and chose what displeases me.”

This is a very solemn judgment. It’s an expansion of verse 11, that speaks of “forsaking the Lord.” It is the height of tragedy, yet we see it all the time, and particularly in nominally Christian countries. The capacity of human beings for evil is beyond our imagination, and it all stems from turning our backs on our Creator. One of the devil’s biggest deceptions is mirrored in Hillary Clinton’s infamous remark in the Benghazi hearings: “What difference does it make?” The devil tells us that it makes no difference what we do, that following the flesh is “only natural,” and there’s no special benefit to seeking the Lord. This chapter, from verse one through verse 16, lays out the difference in very clear terms. Fear isn’t perhaps the best motive for things, but the Bible throughout is very clear that without a fear of the Lord we aren’t going to get things right. The Bible also talks about loving God, and Jesus said that command was of the utmost importance, (Matthew 22:37-38) but our love will be very shallow without an awareness that we are totally dependent on God, and displeasing Him is the last thing we want to do. It is my impression that affluence makes people stupid. We start taking things for granted and forget where it all comes from. The comparison statements in verses 13 and 14 should be a wakeup call to everyone who knows the outline of the Gospel, at least, but doesn’t live it out in obedience.

I have written many times about how I was mired in spiritual pride for a period of my life, and how God in His great mercy gave me a glimpse of the state of my soul. The problem is, I haven’t been fully consistent in listening to the Lord in the years since then. I’m not to consign this passage to those cavorting in “Gay Pride” parades, but realize that I too am at risk. I too need to walk in the fear of the Lord at all times, so that my love for Him may result in the obedience that He desires, because it is the very best thing for me. I know in my head that His every command is for my benefit, but I’ve got to get that into my heart to live it out in joyful gratitude for His grace.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for this time of separation from my wife, to give me an even greater appreciation of what a good thing You’ve done for me in bringing us together. Help me indeed fear You properly so that I may love You properly, in grateful obedience, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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