Sacrificing to God; November 2, 2021

Posted on November 6, 2021 by jgarrott

Hebrews 13:15-16 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Verse 15 was essentially drilled into me when I was first being introduced to the Charismatic Movement, and the sacrifice of praise is indeed a valuable part of our relationship and interaction with God. However, I heard verse 16 referred to far less often. Both praising God and sharing things with others can involve genuine sacrifice, but that isn’t always recognized. It’s easy to praise God when things are going well for you personally and you are in a group meeting with a good band and a gifted worship leader. It’s much harder to praise God when it feels like the world has collapsed on top of you and you can’t see the way out. In that case it can be a genuine sacrifice indeed, but the rewards are immense. King David’s statement in reference to the threshing floor of Araunah is very appropriate: “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24) It is especially true that effortless, rote words can become no sacrifice at all. That said, it is when we get to material things that we really tend to feel the pinch. That’s why verse 16 is far less popular than verse 15, and it’s exactly what David was talking about. Sharing with others can and usually does feel good, but it means we no longer have what we give away. The amount is not the issue. Jesus made that very clear when he saw a destitute widow give God all she had. (Luke 21:1-4) Giving becomes a burden only when we think of it as a zero-sum game, forgetting that God is the Creator and His resources are literally infinite. When we give God praise and give materially to those around us, as giving to God, He is indeed pleased, and we “store up for ourselves treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:20)

This certainly applies to me. I love music and I love musical praise and worship, but there have been a few times when I have experienced giving a genuine sacrifice of praise, when I didn’t feel emotionally like praising at all. Likewise, I enjoy meeting people’s needs, and a few times that has come at personal sacrifice, though not at all often. I need to so live my life that it is given to God, whether it is convenient or enjoyable to me at the moment or not. The thing is, I have experienced the blessings of giving to God, in worship and materially, so many times that it no longer feels like a sacrifice! I wonder how that works out? I do know that my God is in no way stingy, and His rewards are limitless. I am to remember that it is quite literally impossible to out-give God, and so give to Him what is appropriate, whether it feels easy or not. Pleasing Him has the ultimate ROI (Return On Investment)!

Father, thank You for Your incredible generosity toward me. May I indeed live a life of praise, having open hands toward those around me, so that You may be pleased and be glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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Learning Obedience; November 1, 2021

Posted on November 3, 2021 by jgarrott

Hebrews 5:8-10 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

We don’t often think of Jesus Christ having to learn things, but here we have it stated clearly – and what He learned was obedience, of all things! We would assume that Jesus was automatically obedient from the moment of His conception, but this is more evidence of His genuine humanity. It’s not that He was disobedient. Deliberate disobedience to God is certainly sin, and Jesus was without sin, as is stated in the chapter before this where it talks about temptation. (Hebrews 4:15) However, Jesus didn’t come from the womb resurrected! He was born, he learned to walk, talk, and become a carpenter like Joseph. There’s a lot of learning involved in becoming a carpenter! Some of the suffering He experienced was probably cuts, bruises and the like picked up in that process. The saying that is common in physical training, “No pain, no gain,” can actually apply very broadly in many areas of life. We want life to be painless, but that’s not the way things are. Just yesterday I was counseling a couple who are already legally married but will be having a wedding this month, and they have a 17-month-old son. I was pointing out that little children don’t understand logic but they do understand pain, and often that has to be applied for the good of the child to help them learn obedience, just as this passage talks about. That’s not a very popular truth in some circles, but the current state of America is in many ways related to that truth having been abandoned a generation or so ago. In no way is genuine child abuse to be condoned, but when a spanking is legally defined as abuse, as it actually is in some areas, the system has gone off the rails. The thing is, the devil doesn’t want us to learn obedience to our parents, and thus to God. Jesus is our ultimate example, and when He had to learn obedience through suffering, we have no room to complain!

My parents didn’t use a great deal of physical discipline that I can remember, but it was during my childhood that Dr. Spock became all the rage when it came to parenting. (In his later years he realized what he had done, and repented rather bitterly of the ideas that he had espoused.) I remember my parents assigning what is currently called a “time out,” making me sit in a chair in the living room with nothing to “entertain” me, supposedly. With my active imagination, I just sat there and created story lines in my head, having actually a rather good time. I remember doing that, and don’t remember for what I was being punished! I certainly didn’t do a perfect job in raising my children (just ask them!) but at least I learned that the “time out” system doesn’t work very well. In the bigger picture, I have learned better obedience to God through various things, some of them seeming more like suffering than others. I am not in a position of causing suffering to others to teach them obedience, but I am in a position of helping them see what God is teaching them through the suffering they experience. I am not to take their suffering lightly. I have caused damage by giving people that impression! However, I am to seek to help them understand that God is not mean, and He never allows us to go through anything that He can’t use for good. (Romans 8:28) I have heard some pretty extreme testimonies to that effect! And, I must always remember that truth in my own life, and give God thanks for everything. (Ephesians 5:20)

Father, thank You for this reminder. I hope it doesn’t mean I’ve got suffering on my horizon! Thank You for the assurance that even if it does, Your plans are good, whatever they look like or feel like at the moment. May Your will be done in my life, whatever that means, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Christ’s Intercession; October 31, 2021

Posted on November 2, 2021 by jgarrott

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

For Gentiles, and even for modern Jews who aren’t used to the sacrificial system, this discussion seems rather arcane. However, for a true student of the Bible, it finally puts the seemingly endless regulations in Leviticus and the like into context. The author of Hebrews (I lean toward that having been Apollos, as in Acts 18:24-28, but there are many different opinions) was obviously a true student of the Old Testament indeed. The whole book is in a sense a commentary on the whole Old Testament, explaining the meaning of the Levitical system, and as such is very valuable. This verse, with its reference to intercession, is obviously why this section appears in a series of readings on prayer, and it is deeply meaningful. We are indeed “once saved always saved,” (as has come up recently again from a Facebook friend’s post) but the reason for that is not that we are faithful, but that Jesus is. If we didn’t keep sinning, He wouldn’t need to keep interceding for us! Thankfully however, He does, as this verse says, so we are secure in Him. We tend to have a very shallow grasp of and appreciation for intercession. Intercession is essentially standing up for the guilty/needy party and saying, “Put that on my tab.” That’s why Jesus is the only Savior, because as both fully man and fully God, He alone has “enough in His account,” so to speak, to take care of the sin debt of all mankind. The continuing nature of His intercession is because we keep sinning! It can be a very difficult concept to grasp, but it is glorious indeed when we allow the Holy Spirit to reveal it to our heart.

I am certainly in need of Christ’s intercession, but then everyone is. My wife Cathy tells me she was very disappointed the first time she realized she had sinned after she had been baptized. In her immaturity she had thought she would never sin again! Paul wrote of his own struggles in Romans 7, and gave the glorious answer to that in the first of the next chapter: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2) Even if you don’t classify them as sins, we are constantly making mistakes. Paul again gloriously deals with the push for perfection in Philippians 3:12-14. The point is, none of that would be possible without Christ standing up for us in heaven, because there is no way we can achieve God’s sinless perfection ourselves. That Christ does intercede for us is an essential part of the Gospel.

Father, thank You for Your incredible, perfect plan. Help me not just revel in it for my own benefit, but communicate it effectively to as many as will receive, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Reward for Ministry; October 30, 2021

Posted on November 2, 2021 by jgarrott

Philemon 1:7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Here we have a record of one of the rewards of pastoral ministry. There is indeed deep joy and encouragement to seeing that someone to whom you have ministered is indeed ministering effectively to others. We don’t know when or how Paul first interacted with Philemon, but the relationship was obviously a warm one. From our current perspective it’s interesting to realize they had that relationship in spite of Philemon being a slave owner. That sort of thing was simply a fact of society in those days, and God used it in beautiful ways that are mentioned and/or hinted at in this letter. That’s not at all to say that slavery is OK; it is completely abhorrent. However, it is to say that we aren’t to focus on everything negative about those to whom we minister, but rather speak and admonish as God directs and leave the results up to Him. After all, if God were to demand perfection, we would be disqualified! Every one of us is dependent on the grace of God in Christ Jesus, and we must never forget that. Frankly, those in ministry need all the joy and encouragement they can get, because the stresses can be quite severe and the spiritual warfare is unrelenting. There is nothing better than to find that you have been effective in ministering to someone, at least.

I have these flashes of joy from time to time as I observe or hear from spiritual children. I had a big one just the other day. I need to keep reminding myself that God knows what is going on in people’s hearts, and I don’t. The fruit of my labors is in His hands, and as Jesus said, the Father has every interest in that fruit being abundant. (John 15:8) At this point I see some younger people in ministry and envy their vigor, but at the same time I recognize that the ripples from my ministry are still expanding. I will never know how far they go, unless God chooses to show me once I’m with Him in heaven. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll be worried about it then! However, He may do it, simply because the ultimate reward is in knowing you have been used effectively by God.

Father, thank You for the various ways You have used me, and for the joy of realizing that You have done so. I pray that I would be ever more available, instantly responsive to Your leading and not running off on tangents. Thank You for the reminder just yesterday that some of my ministry is still in progress, and the fruit will come later. Help me have the patience I need as I rest, relax, and rejoice in You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Pleasure; October 29, 2021

Posted on October 31, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 5:6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

Paul is talking about widows here, but this statement could apply to anyone, and a lot of people would fit into this category. God created us to be able to enjoy a lot of things, and thus there are many kinds of pleasure. The Japanese expression used in this verse is specifically talking about physical, sensual pleasure. It is quite possible for such pleasure to be pure, but only in the right context, and the devil does all he can to tempt us with it out of context. That said, we can’t blame the devil for our sins. As James says, “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15) That’s what Paul is talking about here: people who nurture and delight in their physical desires to the point of sin, producing spiritual death even while the person is still walking around. This is in stark contrast to what Jesus said to Martha after her brother Lazarus’ death: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26) We have the choice: death even while our bodies are alive, or life even when our bodies die. All of this is in no way to forbid pleasure. As I said, God created us to be able to enjoy a lot of things, but when we place those pleasures ahead of knowing and delighting in Him, we are in dangerous territory. I have a book entitled Intended for Pleasure, by a Christian doctor and his wife, Ed and Gaye Wheat, that is about sex in the Biblical context of marriage. Some people feel guilty about desiring and enjoying physical pleasure even in that context, but that too is a distortion encouraged by the devil. We are to receive what God has provided with gratitude and delight, but it is a matter of priorities and submission to God. What is deadly, as Paul says, is placing the pleasure first, displacing God from His rightful position in our heart.

After over 52 years of very pleasurable marriage, I’ve got a lot of background in this area! That said, I am not immune to misplaced priorities myself. I too need to keep my focus on my Lord, making the use He intends of everything He provides. I do a good bit of marriage counseling, mostly of couples before I perform their wedding, and I touch on this issue. However, most of those couples aren’t believers, so the full context is missing. Even so, I seek to speak the truth in love so that they may be insulated against some of the common tricks of the devil. As I caution them, society today is saturated with sex, and they need strong commitment to each other to stand firm in the storm. It’s much easier when you’re standing on the Rock, Christ Jesus!

Father, thank You indeed for Your gracious design. May I not only follow it myself, but help others in doing so as well, so that we may walk in life and not death, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Doctrines of Demons; October 28, 2021

Posted on October 30, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 4:3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

I have long been aware of the first part of this verse, feeling that the prohibition of marriage for priests and such is a major aberration, but it’s the matter of the prohibition of certain foods that jumps out at me right now. I am well aware that they had no idea of how the body processes food at the time Paul was writing, and that a balanced diet is very important for good health, but it still strikes me that every time I turn around, someone is proclaiming that such-and-such a food will kill me, and/or such-and-such a different food will restore me to the peak of youthful vigor. Such things are major distractions to focusing on the kingdom of God and His righteousness, (Matthew 6:33) which is precisely why the devil promotes them. The flip side of that is that obesity is a major epidemic in the US, and that too is a work of the devil. We are to be faithful stewards of our bodies, but that has more to do with moderation and usage than it does with various prohibitions. At the same time, everything is to be enjoyed in the framework God has laid out. The first item of marriage relates to that. Physical intimacy is a wonderful gift from God, but it is explicitly for the marital relationship and no other. The Bible has a lot to say about that! The issue of sex and marriage is pretty obvious, but the matter of dietary prohibitions tends to slip under the radar. There are specific physical conditions that require strict dietary restrictions, but I can’t help but feel the devil’s hand is at work there, too. The more the devil kicks up a fuss, the more we need to stand in God’s truth, as expressed in the Bible.

This is very close to home for me. My father died of heart trouble at 64, and physically I am his virtual clone, with a hereditary bent to high LDL cholesterol and low HDL. I took a statin for that for a couple of years, but stopped because of various side effects I read of, even though I had not yet experienced them. These days I pay little to no attention to cholesterol in food, not only because the vast majority of the cholesterol in the body is manufactured in the liver, but because the “experts” keep changing their minds about what is “best.” I walk regularly for exercise, and as a result my triglycerides have dropped to a very healthy level, and I do take some vitamins and minerals for the sake of my immune system. Otherwise, I enjoy food and don’t ask questions about it, simply praying that it would do for my body what is needed, as is mentioned in verse five. I am not to look down on those who are neurotic about food, but rather seek to be an agent of God’s grace and love to them. When there are specific physical issues involved, I am to pray for healing!

Father, this isn’t usually seen as a spiritual issue. Thank You for the insight You’ve given me this morning. I do pray that Your truth would set people free, (John 8:32) and also that any time I speak Your truth it would be in Your love, and be received as that. Thank You. Praise God!

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Praying for Leaders; October 27, 2021

Posted on October 30, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Tim 2:1-2 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Reading this I immediately had an image of having to interpret for someone preaching on this passage, and the massive headache that would be, because the Japanese has “kings and all those in authority” as part of verse 1, and some preachers repeatedly refer to specific verse numbers in their sermons. Even that’s not quite as bad as something else I’ve experienced, which is an American preacher focusing his whole message on a particular word in the English version he was using, when that word didn’t appear in the Japanese at all! All that aside, this is a good passage at any time, but it seems particularly appropriate right now. The current American government could be called a clown show if the consequences weren’t so real, and I won’t even go into what’s going on in Australia. And of course, that doesn’t touch the situation in countries like Afghanistan. The goal of praying for leaders as expressed in verse two (in both languages) seems like a distant dream at times! Paul was writing at a time when despotism was the rule in every country and democracy wasn’t even considered, so we have no excuse not to take this passage seriously. We at least theoretically have a voice in our government, and America is in the middle of a major test of that. Believers need to stand up and make their voices heard, in public petition and discussion as well as at the ballot box, but before and above and through all of that, there needs to be prayer. Paul wrote to the Romans that “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” (Romans 13:1) Unrighteous leaders love to quote that, even while they ignore the rest of the Bible. However, it has reasonably been said that in a democracy, people get the leaders they deserve. When we have corrupt, incompetent (or any other unflattering adjective) leaders, the first step is probably repentance! We then need to pray God’s mercy on the leaders and on the nation, that the leaders may either be brought to repentance or removed and replaced by people who will seek God. Jesus said clearly that we are to evaluate people by the fruit of their lives, (Matthew 7:20) and politicians are certainly no exception. People will say almost anything, so what we need to look for is what they do. The same may be said about us! (James 1:22)

I am on the mailing list for Intercessors For America. (I tried to join, but their system isn’t set up for addresses in other countries.) I get calls for prayer for various issues daily, and they are all valid. As I say frequently, there is more to pray for than any individual could handle, even praying 24/7. I need to let the Holy Spirit guide me as to the specific issues I am to pray for, and how, and be faithful in that. Since I am registered to vote absentee in Virginia, I’m definitely praying about the election there coming up in a few days, even though I can only vote in national elections. One thing that is actually good about the current mess is that all sorts of corruption has been exposed to anyone with eyes to see. I need to pray that people would open their eyes to see it and then act appropriately to correct and prevent such corruption. As it says so clearly in Proverbs, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34) I need to pray that America move toward righteousness, starting with the Church and including me.

Father, this subject is obviously very much on my heart these days. Help me speak and act as You desire, not giving in to my own understanding, (Proverbs 3:5-6) so that Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign established in the earth as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Perseverance; October 26, 2021

Posted on October 27, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

We love to talk about God’s love, and rightly so; the Bible is full of it. However, we aren’t so fond of talking about Christ’s perseverance! (The Japanese says “patient endurance.”) We live in an age of instant everything, and I personally think that has contributed to a kind of endemic immaturity in society. Psychologists have long recognized that tolerance for delayed gratification is a clear marker of maturity, but modern society seems to paint such tolerance as a bad thing! This has been a long time coming. I don’t know how many years ago it was now that a major store chain used the advertising catch copy, “So nice to know you don’t have to wait until tomorrow.” The “psychological disorder of the day” is ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder, where we don’t have the perseverance to stay with anything for more than the shortest amount of time. As a society, we are urgently in need of Christ’s perseverance! That’s not at all to say we aren’t constantly to be striving for improvement, in ourselves and in the things around us, but it is to say that we need to come to terms with the reality that things take time, and hang in there for the long haul. Peter famously dealt with this issue, writing, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9) What is required is faith that God is still God, whatever is happening or not happening, and trusting Him to work everything out on His schedule, not ours.

This certainly applies to me! We’ve been in Omura for 40 years now, and we certainly haven’t seen the massive harvest that we have desired. However, we have seen fruit, and indications that we have impacted people even when we weren’t thinking about it at the time. In a completely different area, I am impatient for Space X to make their first Starship orbital flight, but Elon Musk is a good example for me, because he manages to make progress in many areas at a remarkable rate precisely because he tolerates failures and doesn’t expect perfection the first time. I need to keep pressing into the things of the kingdom of God, not being down on myself or others because we don’t get it right all the time, but persevering toward the goal that has been placed before us, just as Paul said. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Father, thank You for all that You have been doing in recent days. Today has a fairly packed schedule, but You’ll get me through today as well. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, trusting You with every detail of my life so that Your plans for me may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Motivation; October 25, 2021

Posted on October 27, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Thessalonians 1:11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.

It is good to see the affection with which Paul writes some of his letters, particularly to the Philippians and the Thessalonians. Here, it’s striking that in verse 3 he writes that God has answered a specific prayer he prayed for them in 1 Thessalonians 3:12. They are going through some hard times with persecution, but Paul is feeling very pleased with them, and it shows in various ways. Here, he intensifies his prayers for them, asking God’s blessings on every good purpose and every act of faith. (The Japanese renders “good purpose” as “request/desire that longs for righteousness.”) It was people like this that gave Paul motivation to keep going through all he endured. I wrote about that just two days ago! When we see God working in people because of what He has done through us, it makes it all worth it! The world tries to give us all sorts of goals, involving money, influence, pleasure, and the like, but absolutely nothing can top being aware of being used by God for His purposes in drawing people to Him. When we have that straight in our own heart and mind, it clears up all sorts of conflicts.

I have just had a taste of that, being aware of God using me to touch people in all that went on with the service and then the funeral we had yesterday, and then on top of that, with a phone call with a son in the Lord last night. I almost laughed out loud when he reported to me some of what is going on with him, because of how beautifully God is working things together for great good. I can certainly pray this prayer for him! There have been times through the years when I have indeed thought that it would be merciful of God to take me home then and there, but times like this more than balance that out. It is a confirmation of what Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) When I can have feedback like this here and now, how glorious will it be when I’m in heaven?! Recently we have had word of two dear friends who have “graduated,” and as I wrote to the husband of one of them, we rejoice with them as they go to their glorious reward, even as we grieve with those they leave behind. There are all sorts of irritations in this life, just as Jesus said, (John 16:33) but every once in a while the Lord reminds us that ultimately, they are no big deal.

Father, thank You indeed for all that You are doing, and for allowing me to be a small part of it. May I be less and less distracted by all the other stuff and more and more available to You for whatever You want to do through me, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Music; October 24, 2021

Posted on October 25, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

This last part of this letter has several pithy statements that are justly famous and loved. These two verses stick in my heart and mind because from the 2nd half of verse 23 through verse 24, the Japanese translation I use has been set verbatim to music, and it’s a very catchy tune! At least from the days of David, and probably from the beginning of mankind, music has been used not only for simple pleasure but also to implant truth in our minds and hearts. We speak of “ear worms” that keep running through our minds. When the lyrics are Scripture, that’s not a bad thing at all! Setting Scripture to music saw a real revival with the Charismatic Movement. Some people in more traditional churches were dismissive, calling such songs “choruses” because of their (usual) brevity, failing to recognize that sometimes the theology expressed in their beloved hymns was shaky at best! Certainly there are magnificent hymns that convey Biblical truth, but every musical style can be put to the service of God, and should be. We should use whatever tools are available to do what the Psalmist said – and this too has been set to music! “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)

Anyone who reads my blog very much knows that I come from a very musical family, and I quote or reference songs frequently. I am very grateful for music and look forward to heaven, where even the grass and trees sing to God! (Isaiah 55:12. My wife experienced this personally in her Near Death Experience.) I couldn’t begin to count how many times God has used songs to encourage me, comfort me, and even guide me. I never want to misuse music, particularly since the devil loves to do that. I think that music is right up there with sex in the list of things that God gave for great blessing and the devil does all he can to twist, distort, and profane. I am to use the musical gifts I have been given to bless God and bless those around me, so that God alone may receive all the glory.

Father, thank You indeed for music, and for immersing me in it from before my birth. Thank You for the assurance I have that I will be immersed in it after my physical death, as well! Help me indeed use it as You desire and intend, for the blessing of everyone involved and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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