Planning; February 4, 2021

Posted on February 6, 2021 by jgarrott

Ecclesiastes 11:6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let not your hands be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.

Talk about practical advice! We tend to calculate everything ahead of time, getting lost in a forest of possibilities, not wanting to “waste time” on things that “won’t succeed.” That’s no way to have real success! Right now the most visible example of that is Elon Musk. He has had numerous failures, but he is currently the richest man in the world, and he looks likely to put human beings on Mars within the decade. He just blew up another rocket, but that is his trademark: learn from your mistakes, but don’t be afraid to make them. That is the attitude Solomon is talking about in this chapter. Verse four talks about the same thing. We are to make active use of the opportunities and resources we are given, even though, or actually, precisely because, we don’t know what the outcome will be. This is precisely the theme of Jesus’ famous parable of the talents. (Matthew 25:14-30) The servant in that parable who was punished was the one who didn’t try, out of a fear of failure. The Bible is remarkably consistent in its message! We are to apply ourselves fully to whatever the Lord shows us to do, and leave the outcome up to Him.

This is extremely timely, because we are at the point of needing to plan for the next fiscal year, which starts April 1st. I have been very poor at planning, but at the Watchnight service December 31st the Lord surprised me by telling me through my own mouth that I’m to work on that this year. I’ve never been big on “special programs” in the church because my experience to this point has been one of a lot of effort for little if any lasting results. However, I need to be more like Elon Musk: not afraid of failures. At the same time, I need to be sure that the believers are on board with whatever plans are formulated. I’ve had my biggest failures in that area! I must not go off “half cocked,” but talk things through with those who should be involved, so at the very least unity will be heightened by what we do. The Lord has given this church a huge vision that is humanly impossible, but He will use human beings to bring it about, so we need to be active in our obedience, not knowing the outcome of any specific activity, just as this verse says.

Father, thank You for this clear, timely Word. Help me indeed follow through. I ask for wisdom and timing in what to say to whom, when. May we indeed be united in attempting great things for You, expecting great things from You, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Sovereignty of God; February 3, 2021

Posted on February 6, 2021 by jgarrott

Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

This chapter is quite well known, with the first eight verses being made into a song by Pete Seeger around 65 years ago that became internationally famous around 1965. Likewise, verse 11 is well known in musical settings. However, this verse is often overlooked. It is a statement of the sovereignty of God, and how man should respond to that sovereignty. An evangelist once popularized the saying, “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” However, our belief or disbelief doesn’t change God. That is more accurately stated, “God said it. That settles it.” Our faith is important, but it changes us and how we experience God, and doesn’t change God Himself. For some strange reason we have trouble getting that through our heads. Some people seem to think that denying God hurts Him, when what it does is cut them off from many of His gracious blessings. It is ironic that Solomon wrote this verse, because he himself failed to fear/revere God in his later years. Solomon, though very intelligent, fell into the conceit that is common among those with a high IQ and thought he could choose his life without considering what God had said. He forgot the very truth that he himself had recorded! Man has been given the privilege of discovering what God has done in Creation, and the fact that he can do so is actually pretty impressive. However, we need to maintain a fundamental humility that recognizes that God is the Creator, and we are part of His Creation. Failure to do that leads to all sorts of aberrations, and is disastrous.

I am all too familiar with conceit, and know that it can wear a very religious face. God in His mercy confronted me with my conceit in 1972, but it has tried to resurrect many times since then. That’s not the kind of resurrection I need! I am to be a faithful steward of the gifts and abilities God has given me, but I am never to think that I am adding to or taking away from God. I am to plan, but only after asking God to guide me. I am to act, but with the awareness that I have no power or wisdom in myself. I am to stand firm in Him, knowing that, as the hymn says, “all other ground is sinking sand.” I must never let anything distract me from my focus on my Lord.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for all You have been doing in, around, and through me. Thank You for the wisdom You conveyed to me last night of something I should do today. Help me spend each moment of today, and each day, doing Your will and nothing else, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Accountability; February 2, 2021

Posted on February 5, 2021 by jgarrott

Proverbs 22:2 Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.

There are differences between the Japanese and the English in the first half of this verse, but the second half is in complete agreement. The point is that there are many differences among people; no two are identical. However, the universal point of commonality is that we are all created beings, accountable to God. The wealthy are not exempted by their wealth, and the poor are not excused because of their poverty. After all, differences among people, when compared to the infinity of God, are the perfect example of an old Japanese expression: “acorns comparing height.” There are indeed differences from one acorn to another, but from the human perspective they are totally insignificant. None of us have anything to boast of before God, and it is only because of His loving grace that He cares about each of us so intensely. (John 3:16, Luke 12:7) We are surrounded with people who divide, who emphasize “equity” over equality, who feel they are superior and need to tell others what to do. They have forgotten that we are all equally created beings, and that our value depends on our Creator and nothing else. It is very telling that Karl Marx said that his goal was to “dethrone God.” By that we know who motivated him and, by extension, all who follow him today. I have recently been moved by two movies: Agenda and Agenda 2. They are currently available on YouTube, but I wonder when they will be taken off, because they expose so much of what is going on. Any time we forget we are accountable to God we lay ourselves open to the devil and his schemes.

As a photographer I delight in the created world, but I must never forget that I am a part of it. God does differentiate between humans and other things in terms of value. In the Luke passage referenced above, Jesus said that one human is worth more than many sparrows. Those who place animals on an equal level with people are also denying God. I am to look at everything in humility and gratitude, remembering that each other person is created by God in His image just as much as I am, however many differences might appear on the surface. I am never to think that my “riches” (material or otherwise) or my “poverty” make me any less accountable to my Creator. As a pastor, I have the considerable task of communicating that understanding to those in my care. I will never be successful in that unless I grasp and practice it myself.

Father, thank You for this Word. I certainly need Your wisdom and anointing, because “responsibility to report” is the closest I can come in Japanese to the word, “accountability.” I pray that I would fulfill my accountability to You and so lead others to do the same, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Generosity; February 1, 2021

Posted on February 4, 2021 by jgarrott

Proverbs 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

It’s interesting how many people seem quite unable to grasp this principle. It applies in so many areas that you couldn’t really list them all. For example, if you want friends, you need to be a friend to others. The surest way to lack is to focus on yourself and your own needs. One of the fundamental tenets of counseling is that selfishness, being self-centered, never leads to happiness. God created mankind because that’s just who He is; He loves to give, and He wanted children to give to. He created us in His image, (Genesis 1:27) so we too are fulfilled only when we have someone to give to. The devil does all he can to hide that from us, promoting selfishness at every turn, but as always, everything he does is a lie. Sometimes he twists this principle around, making us unwilling to receive, but that is depriving others of the blessing of giving. It is when we recognize that God is the Source of everything we need, physically, materially, emotionally, spiritually, that we are able to open up to let Him flow all of that both to us and through us. We were never meant to be cisterns of anything, but rather channels of blessing, as the hymn says.

As in just about everything else, my performance in this area has been spotty. I have tasted how good it feels to be a source of supply for someone else, but I still feel grabby about things at times. One of the secrets to our very good marriage, that so far has run for over 51 years, is that I realized right from the start that my greatest happiness and pleasure came from blessing my wife, and I think she recognized the same principle in return. We haven’t been perfect at it, but had either of us been focused on I-my-me-mine, it would not have gone so well. However, each of us has also had to learn how to receive what the other has given, to allow the other to have that pleasure of giving. The marital relationship is the most intimate we have on this earth, but the principle applies much more broadly as well, just as this verse says. I love to hear from the Lord, and I find that sharing what I have heard cements that truth more effectively in my heart and life than just about anything else. (Of course, I do need to be careful to OBEY what God says to me!) One thing I have to be careful about is the tendency to come across as “the authority,” essentially talking down to people. That is never the way to bless them or receive blessing myself. I must always remember, and demonstrate, that everything I have is by the grace of God, and give Him the gratitude and glory that He alone deserves.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Yesterday being a 5th Sunday we just had praise and testimonies and no sermon, and it felt strange, even though we do this just about every 5th Sunday. Keep me from insisting how I am to give to others, as well as what I am willing to receive. Help me be totally sensitive and submitted to Your Spirit in every area of giving and receiving, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Sin and Grace; January 31, 2021

Posted on February 4, 2021 by jgarrott

Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?

This is a rhetorical question, but Paul answered it clearly: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) For that matter, David was clear on the subject in Psalm 14:1-3 (repeated essentially in Psalm 53:1-3) and Solomon picked up the theme in Ecclesiastes 7:20. For anyone who would dispute this, we have Jesus’ clear words: “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) For any woman who might be feeling superior at this point, just ahead of that Jesus said, “Anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:22) The point is, we are all sinners, disqualified from fellowship with God and eternal life. The devil wants us to accept that, say “Hang it all,” and not even try to follow God, but he’s a liar as usual. God says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Paul famously explained that “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) As Paul said, human beings have no room for pride before God. However, God’s grace and love are even greater than our sin, just as the hymn says. The better we grasp that, the freer we will be from the traps and lies of the devil and the lusts of our own flesh. (1 John 2:16) We cannot purify and save ourselves, but God has provided purification and salvation for us in Christ Jesus. We need to respond in full, grateful obedience.

I am certainly in the middle of living this out. I am very aware of what has been called “the three tenses of sin.” That is, we have been saved from the penalty for sin, we are being saved from the power of sin, and we will be saved from the presence of sin. I do look forward to that future tense, with sin completely out of the picture! At this point, I am deeply grateful for the Holy Spirit to point out when I have sinned, or am sinning. I am also grateful to have learned the difference between His very pointed admonitions and the devil’s blanket condemnations. It is no accident that the devil’s name is Satan – the accuser. As a pastor I frequently tell people that if they feel they are hopeless, they can be sure it’s not God speaking to them. The devil hates hope! The Holy Spirit, in contrast, hates sin, but He is very specific in telling us what to deal with, and if we will allow Him to, He gives us wisdom and strength to do it. I am very grateful to have learned that by experience.

Father, help me proclaim Your message of grace without glossing over the reality of sin. May we be a repentant people, doing Your will with great joy that You have lifted us out of the power of sin, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Words; January 30, 2021

Posted on January 31, 2021 by jgarrott

Proverbs 18:20-21 From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

I just had my mind blown! These two verses were quite familiar to me in English, particularly since I am obviously a man of words. It is clear that we reap what we sow with our mouths (and fingers). Both verses were underlined in the Japanese half of my Bible as well as in the English, but I don’t think I paid much attention to what they said in Japanese at the time I underlined them. In the translation I use, the second half of verse 21 reads, “Loving one or the other, a person will eat that fruit.” When the first half of the verse speaks of the tongue having the power of life and death (the Japanese says, “death and life”) that makes it a question of whether we love life or death, because our words will reflect that choice. James is very clear throughout his letter that words need to be backed up with actions, but our words do have remarkable power and impact. The saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is frankly not true. They have great power to hurt not only the hearer but also the speaker. That’s why James said, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak.” (James 1:19) Our words reveal our hearts, and we need to be careful with them. One of Jesus’ scariest warnings is, “I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37) Words matter, because they display our hearts.

Anyone who knows me knows I am a man of words. It is rather a shock any time I am at a loss for words, because such moments are few and far between. My father recognized my gift for words in a dictionary he inscribed to me as I was about to enter college at 16, and he cautioned me that when words are used as a scalpel they must never be infected with pride or envy or anything of the sort. I have tried to take that to heart, but it wasn’t until several years later that the Lord showed me the depth and depravity of my pride, and I repented in abject tears. Recently in an online conversation we have regularly with our daughters, each of us was saying what we loved and appreciated about each of the other three. It was a very moving, profitable conversation! Both my daughters said that they had learned from me to be careful with their words, and I was surprised. I didn’t know I’d been that successful! As a teacher and pastor I continue to make my living with words, so to speak, (pardon the play on words there) but I still am all too prone to speak unnecessarily. I need to pay more attention to James’ admonition to be slow to speak and quick to listen. One of my greatest joys is allowing God to speak His Word through me, but I must be very careful not to pollute that Word with my fallen humanity. Often I am convicted by the words that come from my mouth. I must never modify those words just to make myself feel better.

Father, thank You for the gift of words. Keep me from misusing it. Help me always pay close attention to what You say to and through me, so that loving life, I may reap the fruit of Your words of life, (John 6:63, 68) for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Attitude toward God; January 29, 2021

Posted on January 31, 2021 by jgarrott

Proverbs 14:2 He whose walk is upright fears the Lord, but he whose ways are devious despises him.

This proverb can be taken two ways, both of which are valid. The first is that a person’s lifestyle is evidence of their attitude toward God, and the second is that their lifestyle generates a particular attitude toward God. It really is a self-reinforcing mechanism. If you start out with an awareness of God and a desire to be pleasing to Him, all sorts of things are going to confirm that in your heart and mind, and your life will certainly reflect that. If you start out thinking that religion is stupid and man is supreme, you will consider yourself the ultimate authority and do whatever you please. That in turn will blind you to the abundant evidence of a gracious Creator, and you will discount such when it is pointed out to you. Simple logic tells us which of those produces the better result! We are surrounded with examples of both of these, but the latter is much more likely to be in the news. Only a few news sources pick up on good, happy news of people who are acting as agents of God’s love and grace. However, we are bombarded with news of people who make a wreck of their own lives and the lives of those around them. Actually, the devil uses the media to convince us that “everybody’s doing it, so we might as well get our own piece of the action.” That’s something a really sane person wouldn’t want “a piece of!” The devil does all he can to make us think we can “get away with” stuff, blinding us to the reality that God really does see everything, and He is perfectly holy. We toss around words like “omniscient” and “omnipotent,” but since we are neither of those things we can’t really grasp what it means that God is both of them. It’s kind of like someone saying they “don’t accept” the law of gravity, and they walk off a cliff. Walking straight – and not off a cliff – out of respect for a holy Creator is clearly the path of wisdom.

Again, I had the huge advantage of being taught about God from infancy, by parents who had an active, personal relationship with Him. The devil tricked me into feeling that my superior knowledge made me superior, period, and that pride was a major snare to me. I nearly went off that cliff I was talking about, but in His grace and mercy the Lord opened my eyes to the state of my soul. That was devastating! However, His grace is indeed sufficient for us, and my life today is such that people think I’ve always walked “the straight and narrow.” I’ve tasted twisted paths! As a missionary pastor I deal with people across the spectrum, but I am aware that I have no reason to look down on any of them. My anger needs to be reserved for the devil who has deceived them, remembering that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood.” (Ephesians 6:12) I need to lead people in the path of righteousness by teaching, admonition, and example, for their deliverance and God’s pleasure and glory.

Father, thank You again for Your truly amazing grace. I couldn’t begin to count up all of Your blessings to me personally. Help me be an open channel of Your grace and mercy to those around me, so that they too may walk Your good road that leads to eternity with You. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Integrity; January 28, 2021

Posted on January 30, 2021 by jgarrott

Proverbs 10:9 The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

This verse seems singularly appropriate right now. There’s nothing wrong with the English translation, but the Japanese here gives fresh insight: “The walk (life) of the person who walks straight is safe, but the person who bends his own road will be found out.” The point in both translations is that it’s a matter of choice. It has been pointed out that if you always tell the truth, you don’t have to worry about which story you told to whom, and you also don’t have to worry about what will be uncovered. Right now in America all sorts of things are becoming obvious, to the shock of those who had previously been deceived and the somewhat grim “I told you so” of those who had seen through things previously. What the legal repercussions will be remains to be seen, but politicians are being exposed right and left as lying opportunists. Those with integrity are also becoming obvious, and it is at times surprising to see who is which. The lesson, for those who aren’t politicians as well as those who are, is to walk the straightest path possible. When you’re trying to get elected, the temptation to say whatever people want to hear can be extreme, but politicians aren’t the only people subject to that temptation. We are all observed by many people, and it’s not wrong to care what they think, but ultimately we are only accountable to One, and there is no “shadow of turning” with Him. (James 1:17) Some people get a perverse thrill out of lying, and they are to be pitied but not trusted. The Japanese term for integrity is literally, “unity of word and action.” Choosing to do what you say and to say the truth is always the safest path.

I’ve talked a lot about being raised by a father who took absolute honesty as one of his guiding principles, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that heritage. There are things in my past, and even in my present, that I would sooner not be trumpeted to the world, but I will never lie about them. That makes it sad to see all the all the intentional deception in the world. I have been impressed with Mike Pompeo, who was in a position of knowing many things that needed not to become common knowledge, but in my observation he never lied about them, but just skillfully declined to answer. I have at times hurt people needlessly by saying things that were true but didn’t need to be expressed, particularly by me. Integrity doesn’t mean blabbing everything! I am to choose the straight path always, but speak the truth in love, to build up and not tear down.

Father, thank You for this timely reminder. I do thank You that so many falsehoods are being exposed for what they are, and I pray that Your truth would prevail on every level, from the national on down to each individual, so that the works of the liar-in-chief (John 8:44) may be destroyed, (1 John 8:8) for the liberation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Laziness; January 27, 2021

Posted on January 29, 2021 by jgarrott

Proverbs 6:10-11 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest– and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

This past Sunday I preached on Exodus 34:21, that specifies that we are to rest on the Sabbath even in times of plowing and harvest, but the Bible is clear throughout that laziness is not an option. God is our Supply, but we are not to take Him for granted. When He says to rest we are to rest, but He expects us to be industrious. This doesn’t mean everyone is to be a physical laborer, but it does mean we are to be good stewards of the time we are given. I’m reminded of a song from Finian’s Rainbow, “When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich.” How much we have in the bank is beside the point. People in “intellectual” fields can work just as hard as people in construction, for example, and the “work” can be harder to turn off at the end of the day. The point isn’t physical exertion, but stewardship of time and resources. At the time this was written there was no social “safety net,” so the average person was perhaps more likely to expect to work hard for their living. This is in no way to put down those who are unable to work, but the requirement that able-bodied people at least be looking for work before they can receive Welfare payments certainly seems Biblical. When that was instituted in Maine, the Welfare rolls went down by over half! God expects us to work well and rest well, and He will bless us if we do so.

This seems like a strange subject for me to be writing on, since at 72 I am semi-retired, and on top of that, the Lord told me over 10 years ago to “rest, relax, rejoice.” I am at the point in life that I have to stay intentionally physically active for the sake of my health, but my physical activity has little effect on my income. Likewise, in line with that three-word admonition the Lord gave me, I know that my success depends on Him, so being anxious is totally counter-productive. However, my stewardship of time and resources is still called to account. I have very little in my date book from now until school classes start up again in April, so each day I am confronted with how I am to spend my time. “Dreaming my life away,” as the pop song from 60 years ago had it, is certainly not an option! However long the Lord leaves me on this earth, He has a purpose for me, and I am to be faithful and diligent in seeking and fulfilling that purpose, for the blessing of those around me and for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that I don’t have financial anxiety, but keep me from using that as an excuse for laziness. May I indeed do Your will on Your schedule for Your glory, so that Your kingdom may come. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Grace; January 26, 2021

Posted on January 29, 2021 by jgarrott

Psalm 107:43 Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord.

Without giving specifics, speaking of “some” and “others,” the Psalmist has given case after case of people who were blessed by God and then turned away from Him, the consequences of that, and then how God corrected the situation. In this last verse he’s basically saying, “Got that? Straighten up and fly right.” It’s interesting that in the last line, where the English says “great love,” the Japanese says “grace/blessing.” In every one of the examples given the people deserved the troubles they got, but God resolved their situation anyway. Properly considered, that should eliminate any sense of entitlement. That’s why the Psalmist says, “Whoever is wise.” It is undeniable that we have a strong tendency to be foolish, rather than wise, and feeling entitled to blessings is a prime example of that. Study after study has shown that gratitude is the key to satisfaction and happiness, and a sense of entitlement robs us of that. We speak of “karma,” and it’s certainly true that actions and attitudes have consequences, but we can never build up enough “good karma” to compensate for all the times we’ve ignored or directly disobeyed God. We’re totally dependent on the grace of God, but the good news is, that’s enough! (2 Corinthians 12:9) The better we realize that the more grateful to God we will be, and the happier as a result.

I could make a really long list of blessings I’ve received that I had nothing to do with acquiring, starting with the genetics and home environment I received at birth. I know few people who were as blessed as I was in that area, but I had nothing to do with it being that way. Other things, one after another, can be added to that list, but in every case my input has been negligible. I have had moments when my carelessness, foolishness, or outright rebellion caught up with me, but I have no room to complain about that. 40 years ago a friend wrote a little chorus that goes, “We’re blessed, we’re blessed, we’re blessed, we are blessed. We have shelter, clothing, and food; we are blessed. We’re blessed, we’re blessed, we’re blessed, we are blessed. We don’t deserve it and yet, we are blessed.” I have learned the truth of that, and yet I deal constantly with people who can’t seem to grasp it. I guess my understanding of it is something else to be grateful for! I need to keep speaking the truth in love to those around me, not making light of their troubles and suffering but seeking to help them realize that they are recipients of God’s grace, and as such should be grateful.

Father, we are so blessed and yet so foolish. Help me grasp the magnificence of Your grace more and more and help others do likewise, so that in the middle of the troubles of this world we may rejoice in Christ Jesus the Lord. (John 16:33) Thank You. Praise God!

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