Praying for Others; May 30, 2021

Posted on June 1, 2021 by jgarrott

Ezra 6:10 “… so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.”

King Darius didn’t personally know the Lord, but he had heard enough about Him to feel he’d rather have Him on his side. He certainly had plenty of money, so this was no skin off of his nose. He probably considered this a pretty good investment! The story as a whole is a rather delicious one of payback to antisemites. Those who were against the Jews intended to use the machinery of government to block them, but their efforts backfired spectacularly. This verse gives us Darius’ immediate motivation: he wanted prayer to go up for him to the God of heaven. Just about everyone recognizes their need for prayer. That’s why praying for people can be a very powerful tool for evangelism. A head full of theology does very little good in expanding the family of God, but His love expressed through us can do wonders! As has been said, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, and praying for people in their presence can be a very powerful expression of that. After all, we have the promise of the Holy Spirit’s help in our prayers, (Romans 8:26-27) so it should go without saying that His words through us would be effective in overcoming the devil’s lies. Darius, and for that matter, most of the people around us, had/have no concept of that, but the vast majority of them still welcome prayer.

As I have commented many times before, prayer is as natural to me as breathing, and I have seen my prayers bless people countless times. I open every school class by praying for my students, and I have had many express appreciation. I had the excellent example of one of my seminary professors, Dr. Cal Guy, in that. In a seminary environment people often ask for prayer of various sorts. Dr. Guy would pray immediately, whether in the classroom, walking across campus, or even in a chance encounter in a grocery store. He gained opposition among legalists, but he was powerfully used by God. I too want my prayers to be useful to the One to whom I express them, in blessing those for whom I pray and otherwise accomplishing God’s perfect will.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how You prompted me to pray, for individuals and for churches, as I drove around this morning to bless Your flock in Omura. Keep me active in prayer at all times, maintaining my communication with You, so that I may be fully responsive for whatever You want me to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Redemption; May 29, 2021

Posted on May 31, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 33:12-13 In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

The story of Manasseh is a remarkable one. It is a story of extreme sin, repentance, and redemption. His sins were perhaps not unique, but they were certainly severe, putting an idol actually in the temple Solomon had built. Thinking about it, that’s even hard to imagine. Then he paid the price, being led off to exile in shackles with a hook in his nose. (verse 11) Thoughtless cruelty has been a characteristic of mankind throughout history! What’s really remarkable to me is that his repentance was so real and so genuine, God answered in an unprecedented way. I frankly have no idea how, or even why, politically speaking, he was returned to his kingship after that, and I know of no other comparable examples in history. That his repentance was genuine is proved by all that he did after that, actively countering idolatry throughout Judah. It is sad that he wasn’t able to remove the idolatry from the heart of his son Amon, (verses 21-25) but his grandson Josiah was one of the best of the kings of Judah. I feel that too was a result of Manasseh’s repentance. I comment from time to time that the Bible is remarkable for not covering up the faults of those it records, even the “stars,” but it is also a unique record of redemption. The story of Manasseh should give us hope, even for America in the present hour.

I’m grateful never to have gone as far afield as Manasseh did, but I have certainly had my moments of spitting in God’s face in one way or another. The thing is, I have had absolutely no excuse. God in His grace has shown me my sin and drawn me back to Himself, far more gently than I deserved. I’ve never had a hook put through my nose! At times I have doubted my own repentance, when I have stumbled in the same way repeatedly, but as Paul quoted to Timothy, “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13) In reflection, I am frequently amazed at God’s patience with me. The least I can do is seek to respond, and pray that my descendants, both physical and spiritual, will be like Josiah.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that the Bible is indeed a book of redemption, on so many levels. I ask You to use me to show people their need of redemption, and to communicate to them that it is indeed available. May the trials You allow us to experience draw us to true repentance, as they did Manasseh, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Legalism; May 28, 2021

Posted on May 30, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Chron 30:18-20 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God–the Lord, the God of his fathers–even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

Here we have a clear Old Testament example of overcoming legalism. God’s rules are always for our benefit, so we ignore them to our loss and even our peril. However, God is always most interested in our hearts, and Hezekiah was quite right to recognize the attitude of the people’s hearts. Particularly those who had come to Jerusalem from the northern 10 tribes, from the remnant that Assyria had left behind, hadn’t been in a proper religious environment for generations, actually. For that matter, even the priest and Levites in Jerusalem had been slack prior to this. God had moved through King Hezekiah and brought a beautiful revival that inspires people to this day. Hezekiah asked for and received a special exemption from the Lord for the people, and He granted it. We are surrounded with so much lawlessness that sometimes we are tempted to legalism, but that is forgetting that God is a God of grace. As John Newton discovered when his slave ship was sinking, God’s grace is indeed amazing. Everyone who truly “sets his heart on seeking God” receives the response that God spoke through Jeremiah some years after the events of this story: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) We get all tied up in rules and regulations and traditions and techniques, when God is simply after our whole heart.

I have had a very recent exercise in this truth. On the 23rd – Pentecost Sunday – we had Communion, as we do every 4th Sunday. I usually make it very clear that the elements are for those who have declared their commitment to Christ by following Him in baptism, but I felt moved to make an exception, and I opened the invitation to those who had made the commitment and would follow Christ in baptism. We had two people present who had “sat out” the elements many times in the past, but they both came forward to receive, proclaiming that Jesus was their Lord. Needless to say, I was very grateful for the Lord’s guidance! Each of the two has specific circumstances that impact the timing of their baptism, but their commitment was open and unforced. I know that rules are for our benefit, but I also know that legalism can enslave and be downright deadly.

Father, thank You for the many ways You are moving in, among, around, and through us. Help us recognize You, particularly when You are outside of the patterns we are used to, so that we may follow You fully and participate in what You are doing, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Believing Prayer; May 27, 2021

Posted on May 30, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 5:20 He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.

Too often, people pray as a last option. We tend to pray when nothing else works out! When I started reading this morning I wondered why I had chosen this section in this series on prayer, but then I got to this sentence, and it became clear. The Japanese expresses it as, “They depended on Him, so God listened to their request.” We are so prone to pray with no real faith involved. Even when we pray first as a matter of form, we draw up all sorts of contingency plans in case He doesn’t come through. That’s not to say that we are to presume on Him, thinking that He is in some way obligated to fulfill our wish list, but it is to say that He should be our rock, our foundation, and we should not depend on our own abilities or, for that matter, anything human. Prayer is not to be an excuse for inaction. If you pray for something, you need to offer yourself to God as a tool for the fulfillment of that prayer. However, we must not get the cart before the horse, as the old saying goes, drawing up our own plans and then tacking on a prayer for God to bless them. That’s not depending on God, whatever we say!

I’ve been guilty of all I’ve just described more times that I like to remember. When God’s lessons are so consistent, it’s amazing that I’m so slow to learn them! Thankfully, He’s much more patient with me than I would be if the roles were reversed. I’ve learned that prayer ahead of time is by far the best course, and that I’m to be both humble and trusting as I pray. Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane is an excellent example. His flesh protested with every cell of His body against what He faced, but He still prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) I too need to pray in both trust and submission. Whe­ther I face a physical challenge, an emotional challenge, or a spiritual challenge, I need to remember that God is more than up to that challenge, and whether I am or not is beside the point. After all, His grace is all I need. (2 Corinthians 12:9) I need to have absolute confidence that He is more than able to deal with anything I face, and so commit myself to Him.

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. The sudden death of our neighbor’s wife really brings this home. Thank You that she won’t have to go into a nursing home while her husband enters the hospital for cancer surgery, which is something she had been adamant against. This actually simplifies things greatly for the whole family. I do pray for the husband and their sons, because grief is real regardless of the circumstances. I particularly pray that, once the ceremonies are over and the husband does enter the hospital, that he will read my father’s biography that I just gave him and be moved to cry out to Christ himself, for his salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Miracles; May 26, 2021

Posted on May 28, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Kings 20:11 Then the prophet Isaiah called upon the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

There are many places in the Bible where miracles of one sort or another are mentioned. However, this one, and the one in Joshua 10:13 where it says the sun stood still, are the most incredible, because they deal with the rotation of the earth itself. However, geologists have discovered various things that indicate things like the magnetic poles of the earth swapping places. For that matter, right now the north pole is making its way from northern Canada over to Siberia. We forget that God really is the Creator, and He has every right and ability to “tinker with” His creation. Over the centuries we have discovered various “laws” of physics and we consider them immutable, but that is putting God into a box. I have come to the conclusion that science is a description of how God usually acts. He doesn’t violate Newton very often in our experience, but the whole field of Quantum Mechanics deals with how the universe isn’t always as Newton described it. When even human intellect can discover that, why should we be surprised when God does things that seem to set Newton, and for that matter, Quantum Mechanics, completely aside? Speaking of asides, I find it very interesting that Isaac Newton is considered the father of Physics, but John Newton wrote the lyrics to Amazing Grace, which is no less a great discovery on the eternal scale. The whole point is, we aren’t to run around expecting God to suspend physical laws for our convenience, but we do need to remember that the physical isn’t ultimately of the greatest importance. God is God, and that automatically transcends anything and everything human.

I grew up in a very academic/intellectual family, and have numbers of scientists and academics among my relatives. A major part of my education came from National Geographic Magazine, of which we had back issues all the way to the 1930s. At the same time, my household was very much one of faith. I don’t think my parents doubted the Bible, even if they didn’t have much expectation of the miraculous in their daily lives. I never felt any tension between the spiritual and the scientific, and frankly, I still don’t. Even today I’m a huge space buff, and I follow news of various scientific advances fairly closely. However, I am saddened by those who think, and even proclaim, that science has supplanted God, that we “no longer need superstitions.” That is nothing less than setting themselves up as the final arbiter of what is true, and there can be no greater hubris. I feel that miracles of various sorts are a necessary reminder that God is still, and will always be, God, and He can do anything He likes. My job is to stay lined up with Him, to the greatest degree He makes possible, because nothing is impossible for Him. (Luke 1:37)

Father, thank You for this reminder. I don’t think about this sort of thing consciously very often, but thank You that it is at the foundation of my awareness. Thank You for the many miracles, physical and spiritual, that You have worked in my life. Help me consistently do Your will, whether it seems miraculous to others or not, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Praise God!

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God-Centered Prayer; May 25, 2021

Posted on May 27, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Kings 19:19 “Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God.”

Hezekiah’s prayer was spot-on. He acknowledged the track record of his opponent, but his focus was on God demonstrating that He alone was truly God, the Creator of the universe. Our prayers are so often totally self-centered, but here Hezekiah contrasts the living God with the idols of the nations. As I brought out in speaking on the Lord’s Prayer on Sunday, we need to have a firm focus on just Whom we are talking to when we pray. Sometimes prayer comes across as a wish list for whoever’s listening! Sennacherib of Assyria was a fearsome foe in human terms, but Hezekiah was focused on the King of kings, the Lord of lords. We too would doubtless be scared if we were in his shoes, but he rightly reminded himself of Who he followed, and prayed on those terms.

I think I’ve prayed my share of self-centered prayers, but I don’t think I’ve ever been confused as to the nature of the One to whom I was praying. I have presumed on grace at times, and that is certainly risky. Since I minister in Japan, the vast majority of the people around me don’t have the same concept of God that I do, and their prayers often demonstrate that. In Shinto, it’s a matter of throwing coins into an offering box and then ringing a bell to get the god’s attention, and then expressing your wish. In Japanese Buddhism, it’s a matter of putting food (that you will later eat) in front of the family altar and then asking your dead ancestors to do stuff for you. It’s no wonder that Japanese Christians have trouble grasping that the Creator of the universe is also their heavenly Father, just waiting to talk with them! I am not to presume knowledge but teach from the ground up, modeling real prayer at every opportunity. I think the believers here are indeed growing in prayer, and that is encouraging. I too need to remember that it doesn’t depend on me, but on my Lord who loves us all, individually and equally. I need to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us all to pray better and more effectively.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the truly good anniversary You gave Cathy and me yesterday. Thank You for what we got done here yesterday afternoon, and that we were here to provide some degree of support for the tragedy that unfolded next door. I do pray for Your presence to be manifested to that family, and that they would cry out to You and not to false gods and superstitions. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spiritual Perception; May 24, 2021

Posted on May 27, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Kings 6:16-17 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

This has always been a delightful story to me, even though it was doubtless terrifying to Elisha’s servant at the time. It’s no wonder it inspired one of the signature Star Wars scenes! (“These are not the droids you are looking for.”) However, this was not some fictional “Jedi mind trick,” but an action of God. Like the servant, and for that matter, like the Arameans, we are often blind to what is really going on, but God never is. If we lack spiritual perception, we need to recognize that fact and ask God to open our eyes. That’s frankly not a guarantee that He will show us what we want to know, because as came out yesterday, sometimes we’re better off not knowing some things! However, it does help with our peace of mind, at least, when we know what’s actually going on. There are times, of course, when what is actually going on isn’t nice at all for our flesh, and knowing can be rough in itself. A good example of that would be Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. That’s why we need to operate by faith and not sight, just like Paul said. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Way back when I was in seminary there was a little chorus that went, “We win, we win, hallelujah! We win! I read the back of the book, and we win!” That’s what this is all about. Even in Gethsemane Jesus knew that after His indescribable suffering He would work total victory, not only for Himself but for all who would believe in Him. When we really grasp that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all,” (2 Corinthians 4:17) we can have peace in just about any situation.

This is one more realization of faith that I have been growing into. As I comment from time to time, I’m someone who likes to know things. It’s not that I can’t handle surprises, but I’m an information junkie. I have never felt that ignorance was bliss! I have had to grow into the place that knowing that God knows everything is enough. I still have trouble with that at times! I need to keep moving in faith, even when I can’t see one step in front of me. I need to trust that God’s plans are always good, and He will never abandon me. I need to remember that those on my side are always more than those in opposition, provided I am on God’s side! That needs to be my focus: staying on God’s side. In that position I never have anything to worry about, ever.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your presence in the service yesterday, and especially for the two people who boldly declared their allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord. I pray that You would guide them in each step from this point, and even use me in the process! I pray that they would grow in seeing through the lies of the enemy that have bound them for so long, so that they may walk in the fullness of all that You have for them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Knowledge; May 23, 2021

Posted on May 26, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Kings 4:27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

God doesn’t always tell His servants everything! As much as we might like to know, sometimes it just doesn’t happen that way. There are lots of reasons for that, but they all boil down to God knowing better than we do. For one thing, we couldn’t handle omniscience, however much we think we might like it. Our brains simply aren’t capable of handling it, and we would be destroyed. For another thing, we need to grow in faith and trust, and knowing too much ahead of time works against that. Elisha had already experienced a good bit of training in faith and obedience, and this was one more step in that. The good thing is, he followed God’s lesson plan, and the boy was revived as a result. We need to be open to all that God wants to show and tell us, but we aren’t to pester Him about things we don’t need to know, or don’t need to know yet. In the encounter with the boy’s mother, God did make it clear to Elisha what was going on, and he responded appropriately. We need to trust God for when to show us things, but when He does show us, we need to respond promptly!

The spiritual gift of the Word of Knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8) has operated in me from time to time, but far more often in Cathy. We have seen it bring people to repentance, and we have also seen people flee from us, all too aware that nothing is hidden from God. By personality I’m someone who likes to know stuff, but I’ve had to learn both that I shouldn’t know everything, and that I shouldn’t tell everything I know! I don’t think my thirst for knowledge is a bad thing, but I’ve got to keep it in submission to the Lord, and I must not let it be a snare of pride to me. Actually, the longer I live, the more I know that I don’t know! That actually is a very good thing. There are several things I would really like to know right now, most especially, how to receive and maintain God’s healing and health for Cathy. That knowledge can be very difficult to wait for! I am to operate on what I have been shown, and in everything trust God and give Him thanks and praise. Knowledge and wisdom are certainly His territory, so above all I need to keep seeking Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for this gloriously clear day in the middle of rainy season. Thank You that this is Pentecost Sunday. I do pray that You would pour Your Spirit out on all Your children, and through us onto those around us so that they too may be born again into Your family, for a massive in-gathering and the establishment of Your rule and reign, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Hearing God; May 22, 2021

Posted on May 26, 2021 by jgarrott

2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

This is a pretty well-known story in Christian circles, but a lot of people misunderstand it. Elisha wasn’t asking for twice as much as Elijah had, he was asking for the portion of the heir, the firstborn, as was settled in the law of Moses. (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) As the next verse says, Elijah rightly recognized that God alone could determine his successor, and he made no promises. As it turned out, God did approve of Elisha, and used him mightily. One thing that stands out to me about the whole story is how not only were Elijah and Elisha hearing from God, two different groups of prophets (today we might call them seminary students) likewise heard Him say that He was going to take Elijah from the earth. God really does talk to His people, if we will listen. Some things we don’t need to know about, but some things we do, and God tells us if we are listening. We need to expect that, but at the same time not demand to know everything, Frankly, knowing everything could destroy us! We want fortune tellers, but God wants to share His heart with us. That whole issue came up strongly around the 2020 election. Many people, rightly I think, prophesied that Donald Trump would be the choice of the people, but there was enough fraud in a few key states to, officially at least, flip the election the other way. A very few people prophesied that. God allowed it all to expose the hearts of many, and that is certainly happening. As Paul pointed out, at this point we see in part and we prophesy in part. (1 Corinthians 13:9) We need to listen carefully to God, but not think we have the whole revelation.

I have been used in prophecy and I hear the Lord regularly in these morning times I have with Him, but that doesn’t mean I am a Prophet to the Body of Christ. The Bible is an open book to me, rather more than it seems to be to most people, but that doesn’t mean I grasp it all. God speaks to different people different ways, and to each of us in different ways at different times. Cathy gets dreams from the Lord fairly often, but I hardly ever do. At the same time, He sometimes speaks a clear Word to her from the Bible, and I occasionally have meaningful dreams. We aren’t to close off any avenue of hearing from Him, but rather draw in to be as close to Him as possible, not only hearing but obeying fully.

Father, thank You for this Word. Help us indeed tune our ears and our hearts to You more and more, hearing You both for information and for direction, so that we will be fully useful in You hands, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Human Weakness; May 21, 2021

Posted on May 25, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Kings 19:3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.

In a number of ways this part of Elijah’s story is as important as the triumph on Mt. Carmel. One of the marvels of the Bible is that it records its heroes as fully human. In some ways Elijah seems super-human, calling down fire from heaven and then running faster than a horse-drawn chariot. (1 Kings 18:46) However, here we have him in all his humanity, undone by the threats of Queen Jezebel. As the next verse makes clear, his emotional exhaustion brought depression to the point of being suicidal. We are like that, being on a pinnacle one moment and not long after, being in the depths. In recent years “bipolar” has been a popular psychiatric diagnosis, but we all have that tendency. For most people, I think it’s just being human. The answer for Elijah was proper nourishment and rest, and then purposeful activity. When we fail to take care of ourselves we open ourselves up to all sorts of attacks. Proper nutrition, rest, and exercise are essential parts of our stewardship of the bodies we have been given. However, if our focus is simply on being healthy we miss the point of it all, which is to know and serve our Creator. There can be a fine line between proper self-care and self-centeredness. Looking at the story of Elijah, we see that God had to get his attention so that he would listen to God rather than to all the turmoil around him. We certainly need that at times! Giving Elijah three very specific tasks, God then encourages him with news we all need at times: you aren’t the only one left, whatever it feels like. It’s not unusual to feel isolated, to feel like we are the only ones who seek God. Sometimes God needs to remind us, too, that’s not the case. With all the turmoil and rot that’s going on in the US at this point, not to mention around the world, taking our eyes off of Jesus can lead to depression very quickly! We too need to remember that we aren’t alone, and we have work to do.

This certainly applies to me. I have had times of being in a spiritual stupor, basically just existing, and I have had times of feeling I couldn’t trust anyone. Both of those were lies from the devil. I am to be active in my obedience, but not frantic in my activities. I am to remember that the fact that I’m on this earth means that my Lord has work for me to do, and I am to rejoice in being useful to Him. I am to be quiet enough in my heart to hear His “gentle whisper.” (verse 12) As I deal with these issues in myself, I am also called upon to help others who are struggling with depression and other issues. I am not to put them down but speak encouragement and life to them, helping them lift their eyes to the One who loved them enough to die for them. We are all weak, fallible human beings, but God’s grace is sufficient for us all! (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for yesterday and all it held. Thank You that we could get medical confirmation that Cathy’s current pain isn’t caused by blood clots. Thank You that she is definitely better this morning. I ask for wisdom, today and each day, to walk in such obedience to You that we stay in the flow of Your provision of health, peace, joy, and everything else, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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