The Lordship of Jesus Christ; July 19, 2022

Posted on July 24, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 16:31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

In reading this I lost track of how many musical arrangements have been created with these words. This is certainly a glorious example of David’s gifting as a Psalmist before the Lord. That said, the words are more than just inspiring to sing. We need to let them sink into our minds and hearts, grasping the deep truths they represent. One thing that hinders that, I think, is the way we almost always represent YHWH, the covenant name of God, as LORD, and then we downgrade it to simply Lord. As came out just yesterday, Westerners have very little grasp of what monotheism really means. We forget, and many Christians don’t even know, that Baal is also translated Lord. We need to be very careful what Lord we serve! It is of utmost importance that the New Testament confession of faith for salvation is, “Jesus is Lord.” That’s what got so many believers killed, because the Roman Empire demanded that its subjects say, “Caesar is Lord,” and a genuine follower of Jesus Christ wouldn’t say that. This is an issue today in Moslem countries, as well as in communist ones like China and North Korea. A doctor from Shanghai recently told me that in his experience Chinese communism is a religion, which is why they crack down on every other religion. Western Christians can’t know how to deal with such things unless they genuinely understand the implications of their own confession, Jesus is Lord. To get back to this verse, it is actually a very joyful thing indeed that the Creator reigns, that He is Lord of the universe and there is no other. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “May Your name be acknowledged as holy. May Your rule and reign be established and Your will be done in the earth, just as it is in heaven.” When that is current reality, every problem disappears!

Japan is currently not a Christian nation by any means, and in recent years America has been getting very far from its Christian roots. I must never take anything for granted, but actively seek and proclaim the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every situation. I need to remember that I am an ambassador, a representative of the Kingdom of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20) My words and my actions are to be in full alignment with and submission to the will of my Lord. A Japanese pastor was recently elected to the Upper House of the Diet, and there are a number of ordained people in American politics. I don’t have any such title, but I must never discount my potential for influence, because God can do anything at all through anyone who is fully yielded to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I had a disturbing dream this morning of being given an astronomical amount of money. In the dream and even after waking up I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of it all. Help me remember that You have already provided the riches of glory, not to mention all authority in heaven and on earth, through Christ Jesus my Lord. Help me be the steward of that that You want me to be, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Name of the Lord; July 18, 2022

Posted on July 23, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 16:10 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

One thing about the Biblical period, and particularly that of the Old Testament, that we don’t identify with is the matter of rival gods. Missionaries of course deal with it, particularly in countries like India, but the average Westerner takes either monotheism or atheism as a matter of course. That removes the impact of the first half of this verse. The Japanese translates it as, “Make the Lord’s holy name your pride.” In other words, “We know Yahweh. How good is that?” In fact, we don’t understand all the fuss about “the Name of the Lord.” We just call Him God and are done with it! We have no emotional connection to other gods with other names. It’s actually a very big deal that the Moslem confession of faith is, “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.” Put in Christian terms, we could be saying, “There is no God but Yahweh, and Jesus of Nazareth is His Son, the Messiah.” That would be obeying the first half of this verse! We don’t use the covenant name of God very often, largely, I think, because of the command not to take it in vain. (Exodus 20:7) We shouldn’t do it lightly, but I think we would profit from being more familiar with it, at the very least. The second half of the verse is of course why this passage came up under the theme of The Joy of the Lord, but the form leaves the question open as to whether this is a command or a prayer. The thing is, if we genuinely seek God we will find Him, just as He told Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 29:13) and encountering Him in repentance and faith brings unspeakable joy that can be had no other way. We miss out on so much joy because we fail to seek our Creator with all our heart. When we do fully encounter Him, He indeed becomes everything to us, as Dennis Jernigan put to music so memorably. Then we indeed “glory in His holy name.”

Growing up in Japan I was surrounded by other gods (and still am), but only a few names stuck with me. There were so many Shinto deities – the Japanese themselves call Japan “the land of 8 million gods” – that names tended to blur. Then, Buddhism claims there are no gods, but at the same time demands veneration of various “incarnations” of “the Buddha.” Early missionaries were at a loss as to what word to use for God. The early Catholics chose “Lord of Heaven,” which seems pretty good to me, but Protestants didn’t want to copy the Catholics and used the word that is applied to Shinto deities, when it is so broad as to mean essentially “spirit,” rather than any transcendent Being, and now we’re pretty much stuck with that, even though it doesn’t really click for the average Japanese. A few years ago a Bible translation came out that used Creator as the term for God. That’s theologically fine, but it becomes two words in Japanese and thus is awkward, keeping that translation from really catching on. I use the common Shinto word in song lyrics because of compactness, but in talking with individuals I often say Creator, particularly when explaining the concepts of accountability and sin, which are both very weak in Japanese culture. No language is perfect, but Francis Xavier, one of the first missionaries to Japan, said that Japanese was “A language invented by the devil to hinder the spread of the Gospel.” I can understand that feeling! I need to depend on the Holy Spirit at all times to communicate God’s Word through all the barriers, so that as many as will may repent and believe for their salvation.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The challenges are huge, but then they always have been. Likewise, nothing is too difficult for You, and it never has been. May I depend fully on You, so that indeed Your Name may be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign be established as Your will is done, as perfectly here as it is in heaven, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Listening to God; July 17, 2022

Posted on July 23, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 15:13 “It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.”

The story of bringing the ark back to Jerusalem is familiar to most people who went to Sunday School. One of the biggest lessons to be taken from it is stated here: we need to do things God’s way. I’ve heard people say that God “wasn’t fair” in zapping Uzzah for trying to keep the ark from falling off the ox cart they used in the first attempt, (1 Chronicles 12:9-10) but the whole point was that they were in a sense trying to manipulate God, doing things however seemed good to them, instead of seeking God’s directions. Instructions for transporting the ark are given very clearly and repeatedly in the Pentateuch, which was the Bible they had at the time. I’m sure they thought they were doing a good thing, using a new cart and all that, but the point was that they didn’t seek God for what He had to say about it. People today might think, “God doesn’t talk to me,” but do they search the Bible to find out what He has already said about the subject in question? We don’t realize that failing to seek God is placing ourselves on God’s level, or even above Him. That’s exactly what Eve did in Eden, when she yielded to the devil’s lies about the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: she trusted her judgment over what God had clearly said. (Genesis 3:5-6) We need to do better than she did, and seek God first.

I will never forget the first time I heard God speak to me in what could have been an audible voice. I was driving at the time, worried about some issue and praying as I drove, begging God to speak to me and tell me what I needed to do, essentially praying non-stop. When I paused for breath, I heard the Lord say, with utmost clarity, “Well then, shut up.” I was so shocked, I’m thankful the Lord kept me from wrecking the car! When I recovered from the shock, I started laughing, realizing how silly I was to ask God to speak and then failing to be in a listening posture, and instead just rattling at Him. Some people have trouble believing God is really listening to us. I don’t think I’ve had that problem, but He’s certainly taught me to be active in listening to Him – not that I’ve done it that consistently. I have experienced Him speaking in what seemed like an audible voice a very few times, but feeling a very clear impression from Him is frequent, and I recognize His voice every time I open the Bible. I have received prophecy quite a few times and I have been used in prophecy many more. For that matter, I couldn’t begin to count how many times I’ve been praying out loud and been surprised and moved by the words that came from my mouth. God even uses my own voice to speak to me! As a pastor, I’m deeply grateful to be able to hear God myself, but I want that for every believer. I don’t want them dependent on me! I tell them frequently that God loves us all and speaks to us all, and I seek to teach them to listen.

Father, thank You for speaking to us so graciously, even grabbing our attention when necessary. Help me indeed listen constantly, consistently, and hearing, help me obey You completely, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Being Used by God; July 16, 2022

Posted on July 19, 2022 by jgarrott

1 Samuel 2:1 Then Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.

God works with imperfect people and imperfect circumstances. Hannah is often lifted up as a paragon of faith and dedication, but she was just as human as we are. It seems clear that the enemies she speaks of here at least include Penninah, her husband’s other wife. Her distress all along was as much over her status as a barren woman as it was over wanting to raise a child. It’s not that she didn’t love Samuel, but she was just as self-centered as we are. This is not to put her down, but to point out what I said at first: God works with what is available. Some years ago I heard it said that God isn’t looking for ability, He’s looking for availability. I have also heard it said that He doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Those can seem like trite truisms, but they are far from it. The bigger you think you are, the harder it will be for God to use you. Jesus put it this way: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25) The rich don’t see their need of God, and so aren’t likely to seek and receive salvation. They are far more likely to feel like God needs them, rather than the other way around! God is looking for people like the repentant tax collector that Jesus talked about. “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” (Luke 18:13) Hannah gave her son to God, and he was mightily used and she was greatly blessed as a result. Her motives weren’t perfect, but God accepted them and it all ended up being vitally important in His plan of salvation, since Samuel anointed David who was the progenitor of the Christ. We aren’t to keep picking at ourselves, but rather give ourselves to God as we are, and allow Him to clean us up.

Once again I am reminded of my father’s saying, “Give all you know of yourself to all you know of Christ. The more I know of myself, the less worthy I understand I am! And that makes God’s grace all the more amazing, because He does use me to bless others and bring glory to Himself. There was a time in my life when I was so prideful that I thought any church into which I walked was blessed indeed. That’s wrong on so many levels I can’t even name them all! When God gave me a glimpse of my heart after that I was absolutely devastated, but God knew I was a stinker to begin with! He exercised grace and patience to a degree I can’t measure, and here I am almost exactly 50 years later, still growing and still stumbling occasionally, but deeply grateful. God can use anyone!

Father, thank You for this insight and this reminder. I had never thought of how self-centered Hannah was. I ask You to use me to open other people’s eyes to how You want to use them, faults and all, so that we may be a willing, grateful people, fully available and useful to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Happiness; July 15, 2022

Posted on July 19, 2022 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 26:11 And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

It seems clear to me that “rejoice” here might be better interpreted as “enjoy.” In the overall context, the command was given repeatedly to share the bounty of the land with the Levites and the resident aliens, and that is what this seems to be talking about. From verse one of this chapter it is a very clear, explicit statement that all the good stuff comes from God. Here, God is saying to be happy about it all! From the next verse it talks more about the tithe being given away in the third year, and it also calls the tithe “the sacred portion,” whether it is consumed by the producer or given away. I think we’re back to the point of the tithe being a reminder that everything we have comes from God. When we lose sight of that, tithing becomes nothing more than a tax, and not an action of worship. God is our supply on every level whether we realize it or not, and the better we do realize it, the better we will enjoy and rejoice in it all. Pride of accomplishment isn’t a bad thing, but only if we realize that it is God who has enabled us to accomplish it. That makes it be more gratitude than pride per se. There are plenty of wealthy people who don’t genuinely enjoy what they have, because they don’t give God any credit and their pride and selfishness poisons it all. The way to enjoy blessings is to recognize where they came from! I really like a refrigerator magnet we had at one point that said, “Happiness is seeing a beautiful sunset and knowing Whom to thank.” Very true!

I really think this is a major key to my life. A psychology professor with whom I teach has commented repeatedly that I’m a very happy person. I would tend to agree! God has been incredibly gracious to me, in spite of my inadequate response to Him. That’s something to be glad and grateful for! I desire to respond to Him more and more accurately and fully, because I know that is the path of greatest blessing for me and glory for Him. I desire that each person in this church likewise recognize how good God has been to them, so that they too may respond in gratitude and obedience, and great joy. We have some who seem always to be anticipating negative things. That’s no way to be happy! Negative things come, just as Jesus said, (John 16:33) but when our focus is on Him, we can rejoice regardless.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I feel like I’ve got another message for the church! Help me know what to do with and about all the good stuff You show me, so that as many people as possible may be blessed, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Giving to God; July 14, 2022

Posted on July 18, 2022 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 16:17 Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.

This is an important principle that is also picked up in the New Testament. In fact, Jesus spoke to His disciples about it very pointedly as they were watching people give offerings at the temple. (Mark 12: 41-44) Paul also addressed the issue specifically when he said, “If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” (2 Corinthians 8:12) It’s all a matter of heart attitude. I keep saying it, but we keep forgetting it: God doesn’t need anything we could give Him. What He does want is our hearts, as we recognize that everything we have comes from Him and give back to Him in proportion to His blessings to us. It should give us joy when our tithe increases, because that means God has given us more. I have known people who choked when their increased income meant a bigger calculated tithe, and they drew back from giving. That’s loving money instead of God!

I have rejoiced to be able to tithe for almost 50 years now, and in recent years we’ve increased that to 15%. God is good, even though my income hasn’t been as much as the available deductions for either the US or Japan for quite a few years. It is odd to me to feel so unhindered financially when I see others with much greater “cash flow” seeming to struggle. I can’t help but feel it’s because we have made God our first budget item for so long. I’m speaking on Money this Sunday. I don’t want to brag, but I do want to make it clear that God is in no way stingy. I want the believers to come to the liberty of the Holy Spirit in their giving, so that they may experience the abundance of God not just materially but in every other way as well. This is in no way “Prosperity Gospel,” but a simple matter of priorities, just as Jesus said. (Matthew 6:33)

Father, I’m always hesitant to speak on money and giving, out of a fear of what people will think of me. Help me take my own focus off of myself so that I will be effective in helping others focus on You, Your kingdom and Your righteousness, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Tithing; July 13, 2022

Posted on July 18, 2022 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 14:23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.

This is a very different picture of tithing than what we usually think of. The people giving the tithe were to consume it! A little later, in verses 28 and 29, it specifies that every third year the tithes were to be set aside for the Levites and for charity, but this is still a far cry from the obligation to give to the church that most people think of in terms of tithing. We say it, but we still often fail to grasp the reality that God doesn’t need our tithe, or for that matter, anything else from us. The whole purpose of the tithe was and is to teach us that God is our supply. That’s what Moses is saying here where it says “learn to revere/fear the Lord your God.” When we think of God in legalistic terms we quickly descend into humanistic religion, instead of walking in a living relationship with our Creator. The flip side of that is the whole matter of the love of money, that Jesus and Paul talked about a good deal. Failure to give takes our eyes off of our Supply, to begin with, and it quickly leads to selfishness, which is antithetical to genuine happiness. God isn’t “out to get our money,” the way some people feel. Actually, some preachers certainly give that impression! However, those in a right relationship with Him will always be generous with whatever He puts in their hands, both to the church and to individuals in need.

I was aware that this passage was in the Bible, but I don’t think I had thought about it that much before. I was raised with having to tithe my 100 yen allowance each week, back when the exchange rate was fixed at 360 yen to the dollar. I honestly don’t remember when I got away from that, but I certainly remember when I got back to it, and it was a real revelation of God’s provision. As a pastor I desire that each believer discover God’s faithfulness, but I hesitate to speak on tithing out of a fear of legalism. I certainly don’t want anyone to think I’m money-grubbing! Thinking about it, I realize that the couple that donated air conditioning to the church sanctuary several years ago were really following the principle in this passage. They were giving for the sake of their own comfort, and they were doing so in the House of the Lord. The whole matter of money can get very complicated, which is why Jesus talked about it more than He did about heaven and hell combined. Our relationship to money speaks volumes about our relationship to our Creator. I need to help the believers understand that, so that they may indeed seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’ve got another message, and it’s still not from the Pastors’ Conference! Help me say what You want me to say, when, how, and to whom You want me to say it, so that Your purposes may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Work Ethic; July 12, 2022

Posted on July 16, 2022 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 12:18 You are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to.

I think this is one of the most delightful commands in the whole Bible! In a sense it is a reversal of the curse of Eden: “Cursed is the ground because of you: through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:17) God is here telling us to delight in all our work! Paul echoes this, in a sense, to everyone and then specifically to slaves, who might have every excuse not to enjoy their work. “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17) “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23) The devil is doing all he can to tear down this “work ethic,” as it is called. Parents are misguidedly assigning chores to their children as punishment, teaching them that work is to be avoided. “Welfare” payments were conceived as a way to help those who had no other recourse, but they have grown into a massive subculture of avoiding work. Then in the recent lockdowns because of COVID, people were forbidden to work, and the economy was thoroughly trashed. Practically everyone has experienced the satisfaction of completing a job well done, but to have that in its fullness, there must be the risk of not doing it well. Again, parents who try to shield their children from all risk, of disappointment or anything else, are crippling them from ever having a fulfilling life. Risk for the sake of risk is a sad addiction, but no risk at all is hardly living. God created us in some ways to be like Him, (Genesis 1:27) and God gets satisfaction from a job well done. (Genesis 1:31) Through Moses here God is telling us to work and enjoy it!

Growing up in a missionary family I never developed a strong connection between work and money, but I certainly saw the connection between work and satisfaction. Pride of accomplishment was never kept from me, which of course also included the risk of failure. I was never good at sports, but it still felt good when, in physical education class, I was center in a football game and I managed not only to snap the ball accurately, I got one of the opposing players to trip over me and fall down! There were of course many other accomplishments of all sorts, and I discovered that there is indeed joy and pleasure in hard work, just as this verse says. As a pastor and teacher now, my “success” is largely dependent on how others respond to what I do, but I must still remember what Paul wrote to the Colossians and do it in Christ’s name, being thankful for the opportunity and giving Him the glory. That’s the key to a happy life!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for enabling me to complete the first pass through all my pictures from the past year, pulling candidates for my photo show next month. That can be mind-numbing, but it feels good to have it done. Help me now work at narrowing it down to the 50 I can hang, so that they will be pictures that open people’s eyes to the beauty of Your creation and draw them to You. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Joy of the Lord; July 11, 2022

Posted on July 15, 2022 by jgarrott

At this point the theme of the readings changes from Hope, which we have been following for some time, to The Joy of the Lord. I will not be writing on that specific point every day, but I will be writing from passages that include that concept.

Deuteronomy 12:7 There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

And here we have the Biblical basis for the church pot-luck dinner! Actually, not many people directly associate worshiping God with joy, but as the readings from now will demonstrate, the Bible makes that connection many times. The thing is, gratitude is inseparable from joy, and gratitude should always be a major factor in worship. When we see worship as an obligation we quickly miss out on that. It is true that giving God worship and praise when things seem very bleak to our senses and intellect brings spiritual growth and deep blessing, but that in itself can bring joy that is incomprehensible to those who don’t know God. That’s what Hebrews calls “a sacrifice of praise.” (Hebrews 13:15) The devil hates genuine joy, and he does all he can to destroy it. Jesus is the opposite! (John 10:10) Dennis Prager, though a Jew, understands this principle, and often says, “You will never see a happy Leftist.” Praise and worship of our Creator is spiritual warfare against the enemy of our souls, and as such it should be joyful indeed.

I grew up in a home where church attendance was required, but it was also seen as a privilege, and for that I am grateful. Even so, it wasn’t until I was exposed to the Charismatic movement, starting in 1973, that I began to experience more of the depths and heights of the joy of the Lord. Big gatherings are great, but small ones can be just as good. It was in a small prayer meeting one time that the joy of the Lord was so intense in me that I felt that with one more drop I would be translated directly to heaven, because my physical body couldn’t handle it. I literally told the Lord (though not out loud) “If You have more for me to do on earth, You’d better back off a little.” He did, and I’m still here! However, such experiences make me delight to praise and worship my God and eagerly anticipate heaven, where there will be no restrictions to that worship or that joy. As a pastor I seek to help others taste that joy that comes only in a right relationship with our Creator. Some seem to get it much more easily than others! In any case, a dour congregation is hardly a fair or accurate representation of the God we say we serve!

Father, thank You indeed for Your joy. Thank You for creating us as beings capable of experiencing joy. May we as a church radiate Your joy, drawing many more to repentance and faith for their salvation, so that they may join us in Your joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Purification from Sin; July 10, 2022

Posted on July 15, 2022 by jgarrott

1 John 3:3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

This is an important verse, particularly in light of the section that follows. That following section has traditionally been badly misinterpreted, both into English and into a number of other languages. Greek has a continuing verb tense that is lacking in most languages, and that is the one used in verse five and several times afterward, talking about sin. For once the NIV gets it right! When we are in Christ we are uncomfortable with sin; it doesn’t feel good. If sin didn’t feel good on some level we would never do it, but sin does appeal to our flesh, and that’s what makes us vulnerable. However, as this verse says, when we have the hope of full integration into the Family of God, we do our best to distance ourselves from sin. It’s not at all that we never slip up. John himself makes that very clear in this very letter. (1 John 1:8- 2:2) Those who insist on sinless perfection aren’t being honest with themselves, much less with God and the people around them. However, that doesn’t mean at all that we are to take sin lightly, to wallow in it as it were. Children of God don’t do that. One of the most dangerous things you can do is to become comfortable with your sin. To do so is to abandon the hope of being like Jesus when He appears.

This of course applies as much to me as it does to anyone else. I have come perilously close to being comfortable with sin on more than one occasion, but God in His grace has always opened my eyes to what was happening, and I repented. Some sins are harder to recognize than others. Resentment, envy, and revenge certainly come under that category, because they often feel right and justified, when they are far from it. Just as Jesus didn’t indulge any sin at all, I must recognize and reject every impulse to be unlike Him. I have long loved the musical setting of verse one of this chapter, and a group of believers singing it as a round is to me indeed a taste of heaven, but since I indeed have that hope, I need to live like it on every level.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You did yesterday, as we completed a busy schedule and went to Nagasaki to lead a service there. Thank You for Your presence in that meeting and for blessing people through us. I ask Your anointing on the service here this morning, that each person would be aware of and open to Your touch on them, so that together we may be more and more transformed into the likeness of Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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