Confirmation; April 29, 2021

Posted on May 2, 2021 by jgarrott

Judges 6:36-37 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised– look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.”

This is a famous story, and rightly so. When we come up with our own plans, we indeed need to think carefully and rationally and calculate our probability of success. Even Jesus said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’” (Luke 14:28-30) However, He was talking about the matter of total commitment to discipleship. When it comes to specific things God tells us to do, if we fixate on our own abilities and resources, we will be paralyzed and not follow through. That’s not to say that we are to be foolish and thoughtless, but it is to say that our reliance is to be on the One who gave the command. At times like that, it is only natural that we want to be sure we heard correctly, and that is exactly what Gideon did. However, “asking for a sign” can be a cover for a simple lack of faith. Jesus dealt with that, too. “The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.’” (Mark 8:11-12) Gideon wanted to believe, but he needed encouragement, and God gave it to him.

I’ve had some interesting experiences in this area. Just a few years ago we were feeling God wanted us to buy the land next to the church building to build a senior care center there. We were excited at the idea, but had no resources. Then a non-Christian friend heard about our desire and offered, completely on their own, to lend us the necessary large amount. We took that as confirmation from the Lord, but we failed to include the church members sufficiently in our talking and planning, and there was opposition arising from disbelief. Bureaucratic regulations played a big part, but we ultimately had to set that plan aside. Frankly, that was heartbreaking. God did use those events to bring about some good things, but we came away scarred. Confirmation can be a tricky thing! However, we are completely assured that God has not abandoned us, or this city and nation, and we are to stay available to Him for however He wants to use us, whether it matches our dreams or not.

Father, thank You for all You allow us to go through. Help us learn what You want to teach us, growing as You intend, so that the results will be what You desire, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Praise God!

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Power; April 28, 2021

Posted on May 2, 2021 by jgarrott

Judges 6:16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”

The story of Gideon brings to mind Paul’s experience with his “thorn in the flesh,” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) in that it was an exercise in recognizing human weakness and trusting God’s strength. Here, Gideon has just protested his own lack of strength, and through the angel the Lord says to him, very simply, “I will be with you.” Gideon had more doubts later, but the demonstration of consuming the offering with fire and then disappearing (verse 21) was pretty convincing at this point! The vast majority of our fears, if not all of them, come from failing to look to God and see Him as He is, both loving and omnipotent. I think we acknowledge God’s omnipotence in theory, but tend to doubt it when it comes to specifics. Likewise, we believe that “Jesus loves me,” just as the song says, but doubt it when we slip up and sin. Humility and repentance are necessary, but on that foundation we should have rock-solid assurance that God is God and that settles everything. The story of Gideon has resonated for thousands of years because God took a nobody and demonstrated His power , justice, and covenant faithfulness through him. When God could do it through Gideon, He will have no trouble using us. The key, however, is being sure that God alone gets the glory, as comes out in chapter 7. The minute we think, “I can do this,” we fail. We’ve got to stick with, “God can do this, even using me.”

This has been a major issue in my life, and the fact that I haven’t recognized it much of the time has been an even bigger issue. God has given me many different gifts and abilities, and I have tended to trust in those gifts and abilities, essentially thinking, “I can do this,” and so have accomplished very little. What I should have been doing all along was think, “If God could give me me these abilities, then He can really do anything!” Right now, when I am well past what most people would think of as retirement age, God is lining things up and moving in ways that have me in awe of what He might do. I have demonstrated conclusively that I can’t accomplish much on my own, but there are literally no limits to what God can and will do, even using me.

Father, thank You for this Word. Thank You for getting through to me in various ways. Help me indeed let go, of the accelerator, the brake, and even the steering wheel, trusting and obeying You completely. May Your will be done fully and perfectly in and through me, for the establishment of Your kingdom and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Idolatry; April 27, 2021

Posted on April 29, 2021 by jgarrott

Judges 6:10 “I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

Verses seven and eight record that “When the Israelites cried to the Lord because of Midian, he sent them a prophet.” They were probably all excited and happy, because here was evidence that the Lord had heard them. However, the message was not what they wanted to hear! This particular prophet remains anonymous, but his message was essentially repeated almost countless times throughout the history of the descendants of Abraham: “You messed up, treating other gods as though they were as real as I am.” The NIV here says “worship,” but the Japanese says “fear,” probably in line with the Hebrew. Throughout the Old Testament there is a lot of conflation between those two terms that we consider to be very different. Religion in those days had a lot of what today we would call superstition, and people did religious things to “avoid angering the gods.” Actually, the majority of Shinto teaching is along those lines, and superstition is hardly extinct in the West, either. In any case, fearing/worshiping any “deity” other than the Creator is obviously a no-no. Right now we are in the middle of an illustration of that truth that few if any people would think of as religious, but it is: our response to COVID-19. People, fearing infection, superstitiously wear masks that several studies have shown are of dubious value and have many negatives. They wait anxiously on the pronouncements of the “priests” in the medical and media communities, placing restrictions on their own activities that could certainly be described as religious. That’s not at all to say that the virus isn’t real, but it is to say that the response to it has left logic far behind. God alone is to be feared and worshiped!

My feelings in this area were confirmed when the school where I teach recently stated, when I asked, that even if I am vaccinated they will expect me to continue to wear a mask/face shield at school. I teach Medical English, Vocal Production, and Pronunciation. Masks, on me and on my students, directly interfere with that. If vaccination doesn’t liberate me from masking, why do it? On top of that, though I am in the “susceptible” group because of my age, my students are almost all in the category of people who have essentially nothing to be anxious about at all! I find myself saddened, disgusted or even angered at young children being forced to be masked, or adults outdoors, with no one close to them, still being masked. That is superstition, and NOT science. The devil is very crafty, and he uses every trick he can think of to distract us from God, and from fearing Him alone. I am not to run around berating people for wearing masks. That would be as foolish as the people who berate others for not wearing masks. I am to speak the truth in love as God gives opportunity, and I am to be sure that my own focus is on the Lord in grateful obedience.

Well, Father, I certainly didn’t expect to go off on that tirade when I started my devotions! Thank You for the many ways You speak to us, even when they aren’t expected. Help me hear You clearly, not being foolish but living as a good steward of all You have given me, including my body, my health, and my time, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Human Purpose; April 26, 2021

Posted on April 28, 2021 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

This of course brings to mind the simplified version that God spoke through the prophet Micah: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) We get all tied in knots over what we are to do. That’s hardly surprising, because we can’t keep it straight on our own. If we indeed fear God, that is, recognize Him for the omnipotent, perfectly holy Creator that He is, then we will conversely love Him and walk as He shows us to. We will recognize that His commands are not to bind us but to protect us, and we will be grateful for them rather than resent them. The catch is that we are human! We are all too prone to ignore God and chase after all the glittery things the world and the devil dangle in front of us. One of the many attractions of heaven is that all those distractions will be gone. In this world we find ourselves in Romans 7 all too often, doing things we really don’t want to do and failing to do things we really do want to do, even though we know those latter things will bring blessing because they are God’s will for us. It all comes back to fearing God and loving Him, and then living our lives according to that.

This certainly applies to me. Raised in such a thoroughly Christian home, my danger is in taking God for granted. Even when I have done things that I knew were not pleasing to Him, I have known that He was aware of every detail. What foolishness! That is clearly acting against my own best interests. At the same time, that should give me empathy for those to whom I minister, knowing that I am as human as they are, and that God’s grace is as available to them as it is to me. We are on this world to discover God, to respond to Him, and to lead others to do likewise. That sums it all up, because any human achievement pales to nothing in the light of God’s glory. We will be judged not on the basis of our achievements, but on the basis of our faithfulness. I am at the point in life when I am thinking about my legacy, wondering what I have accomplished and how I will be remembered. That means nothing at all, if I am thinking about what other people might think of me. What matters is whether my Lord will indeed say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:23)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Recently it has seemed like there is no end to the blessings You are pouring out on me – which is appropriate, because there is indeed no end to You! Thank You for how well my school classes are going this term, for the pleasure of the vegetable garden, for the sweet fellowship during and after the church service yesterday. The list goes on and on! I ask You to protect me from the distractions, both the “glittery” things and the painful things, to focus fully on You in grateful, loving obedience, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Intercession; April 25, 2021

Posted on April 28, 2021 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 9:26 I prayed to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.”

God certainly gave Moses lots of “on the job training” in intercession! I don’t believe God was actually going to destroy the Israelites, but He wanted Moses to understand the seriousness of the situation. I think he got the message! In a sense, God was helping Moses put things into perspective. Moses was personally angry, so he needed to understand that the people had rebelled against God far more than they had rebelled against him, and had to let go of his anger. It is significant that at no point does Moses try to excuse what the people had done. He never says, “Don’t destroy them, because they aren’t really so bad.” No, his intercession was entirely on the basis of what God had done to that point and what the nations would think of God if He destroyed His people. Moses too was operating from a polytheistic background, so from his standpoint, he was relating to Yahweh, the greatest God but one among several at least, rather than the totally unique Creator of the universe and everything in it. Even so, he indeed learned how to intercede for the people, and we would do well to learn from his example. He prayed with great earnestness and personal sacrifice, and God responded. Right now America is in a somewhat similar place. People have turned from God to worship government, or physical pleasure, or personal power, or whatever. God has every reason to destroy the nation! However, the faithful remnant needs to be earnest in intercession, not on the basis of “it’s not so bad,” but on the basis of America having been founded on Biblical principles and used as the greatest missionary-sending nation in history. We need to pray for revival so that God will be shown as great in the world, and many will turn from the devil’s lies to follow Him alone.

I have enjoyed prayer all my life, but I don’t think I’ve been a very dedicated intercessor. I minister in Japan, but I have a real concern for America. I certainly desire that God work in both nations, but how much have I dedicated myself in prayer to that end? Moses has much to teach me! In my personal ministry I haven’t seen any golden calves made, but I have seen people turn their backs on things God was showing them to do. I need to keep my focus on the reality that it’s all about God and not about me, and be willing to be used however God indicates, in intercession, in teaching, or however, so that the plans of the enemy may be defeated and God alone be acknowledged as holy and His kingdom come as His will is done, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You are doing in and around me, and even through me. Keep me from holding anything back, but rather enable me to pour myself out for You, Your kingdom, and Your people, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Monotheism; April 24, 2021

Posted on April 26, 2021 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 4:7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?

I like the way the Japanese inverts the order of this verse, stating first that the Lord our God is near us when we call to Him, and then bringing up the matter of other nations. A very important thing to remember here is that when the NIV, and a lot of other translations, use LORD, as in this verse, that is a stand-in for the covenant name of God, Yahweh. The people in general were thoroughly polytheistic, thinking there were many gods, but the one that happened to interact with them was this Yahweh character. He was certainly impressive, but they had no mental framework to conceive of Him as the Creator, the only Being from before time, eternal in every sense. Moses didn’t try to give them a theology lesson, he just pointed out some of the benefits of relating to Yahweh. America today is nominally monotheistic, but polls show that over half the population thinks there is more than one way to salvation. That is practical polytheism. Often, the best way to combat that isn’t a head-on assault, but rather to point out the benefits of relating to God as the Bible shows Him to be, just as Moses did here. From their years in Egypt, the people were all too familiar with hit-or-miss prayers to various deities. Frankly, people today are too! That’s a good reason to record what we pray for, so that we will be aware of God’s answers. We can’t think of God as an ATM, but we need to be aware that He is our Supply, as well as our Protector and Healer.

Japanese have a long and ingrained tradition of polytheism, and I need God’s wisdom in relating to them to draw them out of it. I have had people who wanted to “add Jesus to their god-shelf,” and I have reacted very negatively. That perhaps was not wise. I do need to make the exclusive claims of Christ very clear, but I am not to put people down for where they are right now. Japanese Buddhism essentially makes everyone who has ever died into a sort of god, and ancestor worship is seen as a duty of what is called “filial piety.” If you don’t pray to your ancestors, you aren’t a worthy descendant! The interesting thing is, that is completely different from Shinto, which makes a god of any striking natural feature, leading the Japanese themselves to call Japan “The Land of 8 Million Gods.” Incidentally, that is the tradition that has god-shelves. Many Japanese homes have both a god-shelf and a special cabinet for their ancestral tablets, and they offer food and incense to both. Interestingly, businesses often have a god-shelf, but never a Buddhist altar, because ancestral tablets are kept only in the home of their descendants. Modern society has separated many people from the whole ancestor worship thing, and that can be a good opening for the Gospel. I am to meet people where they are, but I need the help of the Holy Spirit to understand just where that is, so that His words through me may penetrate to set people free from the lies that have bound them.

Father, thank You for this reminder of the ministry task before me. Help me not depend on my own understanding, but always seek and rely on You, because You alone know everything. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Thank You. Praise God!

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Symbols and Tradition; April 23, 2021

Posted on April 26, 2021 by jgarrott

Numbers 21:8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”

When people’s faith is weak, as was certainly the case here, physical objects can be very helpful in focusing and encouraging faith. God knows our weaknesses, and here he commanded Moses to make a symbol that would help the people focus on something outside of themselves. The problem comes when we so focus on the symbol that we lose sight of the One who is behind it, who alone has all power and glory. Even this particular symbol, commanded by God at the time, later became a snare because of human foolishness, and King Hezekiah had to destroy it because it had become an object of idolatry. (2 Kings 18:4) We have quite a track record of taking things that started out as good and twisting them to bad ends. Frankly, that can be said about many things in many churches today. There was a time when pews were the simplest, most cost-efficient way to seat a lot of people in a room, but that isn’t the case today. However, the mere suggestion of doing away with the pews could cause some churches to split! And frankly, there are countless other examples. Any time a tradition comes between us and God, we have strayed into idolatry. However, running around tearing down traditions just because they are traditions is fundamentally destructive, and causes more harm than good. Every tradition had a reason to be started, and some of those reasons are equally valid today. However, some are not, and we need the help of the Holy Spirit to discern which is which, and what changes we should make. Symbols can be very powerful and are at times essential, because we are dealing with the spirit world that cannot be directly perceived by our senses. However, we need to remember the words of both Jesus and Paul. “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Growing up on the mission field, I became aware of the sad reality that many missionaries have trouble distinguishing between their faith and their culture. Some seem to feel their culture will “save the heathen!” I am blessed to be part of a group of Missionary Kids on Facebook, and I could give countless examples of the faith/culture issue, both from my own experience and from that of others. I’ve been a missionary for 40 years now, and I realize that I’ve fallen into a few of those same traps myself. Traditions are much easier to follow than having to think everything out every time. The old saw about “reinventing the wheel” has a lot of truth to it. At the same time, I’ve got to be sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit, willing to change virtually anything at any time. The tricky thing there is that I have to bring the flock along with me, and that can be very difficult. I’ve made some major mistakes in that area over the years. However, the ultimate test and standard is obedience to God, regardless of who agrees or doesn’t.

Father, thank You for this clear Word. We are at the point of making various changes in the ministry right now, and I’m sure there are many more to come. Keep us from going off in any humanistic direction, but rather help us hear You clearly, in full agreement with each other and with You, so that all of Your plans for us may be fulfilled in Your way on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Intimacy with God; April 22, 2021

Posted on April 24, 2021 by jgarrott

Exodus 33:11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

This is a fascinating verse, particularly in light of what the Lord is quoted as saying after this: “’But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.’” (Exodus 33:20) The relationship was obviously one of almost casual intimacy, but it didn’t depend on vision. That said, the other half of this verse is also striking, because it says that Joshua never left the tent, meaning he was there for all of Moses’ conversations with God. That was a level of training far exceeding what any seminary can give! I am reminded of the youngest person I’ve ever baptized. Little Miu’s mother was not married when Miu was born, but she had encountered Christ during her pregnancy and was totally committed to Him. After the birth the mother had no one to depend on but the Lord, and she became a passionate pray-er. With that example, little Miu learned to pray about as soon as she learned to talk, and by the time I met her, when she was around four, I think, her prayers would put those of most adults to shame for their intimacy, simplicity, and faith. Her mother met a young man in our church and I had the privilege of marrying them, and then circumstances took the young family away from us geographically. However, with no prompting from anyone, Miu decided that she wanted to be baptized by me before they left, at the tender age of five, and I was honored to do so. I think her training in faith had a lot in common with that of Joshua. I think prayer is much more caught than taught. When we see and hear examples of genuine intimacy with God, it can’t help but impact us. Moses’ relationship with God imprinted on Joshua, and he became a worthy successor.

As I have written many times, I grew up in a home where prayer was as natural as breathing, and I couldn’t be more grateful. My parents had consistent times of daily personal devotions, though they never made a big deal of them. I don’t know whether they regularly shared with each other what the Lord had said to them, but I have been very grateful the Lord has led Cathy and me to share daily, after we have had our individual devotions. Often we are blessed and spoken to by the Lord through each other. Our spiritual intimacy is a reflection and an extension of of our intimacy with the Lord. That’s not to say that either is perfect, but it is to say that it would be hard to separate them. One of my great anticipations of heaven is that all barriers to spiritual intimacy will be removed, and all my communications will be totally honest and real on every level. In college I switched from a Chemistry major to a Speech/English major precisely because I realized how essential communication is, seeing all the barriers to it that were raised by my trying to relate to East Tennessee from a Japanese context. Those barriers are trivial, compared to the barriers between God and man, but nothing is impossible for God. I want to have the level of intimacy with Him that was enjoyed by Adam before the fall, by Moses here, and by Jesus throughout His earthly ministry. I can’t generate that, but I believe it is what God desires for me.

Father, thank You for the relationship I enjoy with You now, and for the anticipation and assurance that it will someday be perfected. (1 Corinthians 13:12) May I walk in the gratitude and obedience that are essential to that, so that I may be the servant and the son that You desire, for the blessing of those around me and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Struggling with God; April 21, 2021

Posted on April 24, 2021 by jgarrott

Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

When you look at Jewish history, Israel is an enormously appropriate name. As many Bibles have footnotes to tell you, “Israel” means, “he struggles with God.” They have certainly been argumentative, at least, toward their Creator, who chose them as His agents anyway. It has always struck me as interesting that the angel toyed with Jacob, rather than crushing him, because there is no comparison between divine strength and human strength. I think the lesson he was teaching Jacob was not to give up. As came out in yesterday’s reading, Jacob had a revelation that he had been greatly blessed by God, but there was more he needed to learn. This verse says he “overcame” in the struggle, but I think the lesson is the exact opposite, that he couldn’t overcome God. The injury to his hip was a reminder, just as was Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 12:7) Like Paul, he needed to learn that his scheming and his tricks couldn’t save him, but God could. The sooner we learn that lesson and turn from rebellion to grateful obedience, the better off we are.

I have certainly had my moments of thinking I knew better than God, about any of a number of things! It wasn’t a concrete, “I know better than God,” but rather one of ignoring Him, or even downright disobeying Him, because I liked the way I was choosing. God has shown me the stupidity of that in various ways, always more graciously than I deserved. As I have commented several times, if I had been God, I would have squashed me a long time ago! I don’t want to struggle with God, I want to walk with Him. That He would allow me to do that is truly amazing grace. I have less excuse for rebellion and disobedience than most, having been taught about God from infancy, so I have no “bragging rights” about where I am now. After all, I still don’t obey Him perfectly! I certainly agree and identify with Paul in this area. (Philippians 3:12-14) That should give me insight and patience in dealing with those around me who are likewise struggling with trusting God enough to obey Him fully.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You again for Your incredible patience with me. Help me respond consistently, in full obedience rather than in fits of repentance and devotion, so that all the lies of the enemy may be defeated and Your will be accomplished in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Humility; April 20, 2021

Posted on April 23, 2021 by jgarrott

Genesis 32:10 “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups.”

This was something of a pivotal moment for Jacob. The humility and gratitude he expresses here were certainly not characteristic of him to this point! He was used to getting by on the strength of his wits, taking advantage of the weaknesses of others, but here it dawns on him just how gracious God has been to him. We are so often like him! As I tell people in my premarital counseling sessions, one of the things I like about the Bible is that it presents people as they are, not covering over their faults. The record of the Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – is in stark contrast to the “historical” records of other cultures, because they are presented as real, fallible people, rather than idealized heroes. Here, God used Esau to give Jacob a reality check, so to speak. Jacob knew that he had “done dirt” to his brother. The Bible records that “Esau despised his birthright,” (Genesis 25:34) but Jacob despised his twin brother! As 12-step programs and the like emphasize, the first step to recovery is acknowledging you have a problem. Here, Jacob is forced to realize that he could not have gotten to where he was without the grace of God. God wasn’t through breaking his pride, but this was an important first step. We can avoid a lot of breaking if we acknowledge our dependence on God from the outset!

As I am frequently reminded, pride has always been a snare for me. I don’t think I’ve ever done to anyone the way Jacob did to Esau, but I’ve done more than my share of despising others in my heart, placing them in my mind on a lower level than me. Jesus said that was equivalent to murder! (Matthew 5:22) I have been enormously blessed, but very little if any of it was by my own doing. In the first place, I certainly didn’t select my genetics or my home background! Many things have come easily to me that I have seen others struggle at, but instead of gratitude, I have been prone to conceit. There are certainly things I am NOT good at, like running, but I have set those aside in my mind as unimportant. I don’t want to be “a legend in my own mind” and fail to bless others by fulfilling the tasks God has for me. As I am frequently reminded, from God’s viewpoint, differences between human abilities are like “acorns comparing height,” to use the Japanese proverb. Absolutely nothing I have was generated by me, so I am to use it all in grateful obedience to the One who gave it to me.

Father, thank You indeed for Your amazing grace toward me. May I be the servant, the son, that You want me to be, doing Your will faithfully, drawing others to You in true discipleship – on my part and theirs – for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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