The Love of God; February 8, 2021

Posted on February 10, 2021 by jgarrott

Isaiah 43:4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you…

Multiple Japanese translations isolate this from the second half of the verse, leaving out the conjunctions the NIV inserts, which makes me think the Hebrew is probably the same way. That makes this, “You are precious and honored in my sight. I love you.” No wonder this is the favorite verse in the Bible for many Japanese Christians! We all have a fundamental need to be valued and loved, and yet far too many people lack that assurance, some of them completely. That leads to all sorts of aberrations, in individual lives and in society as a whole. People will do almost anything to try to get that assurance, but the problem is, it can’t really be earned. People strive to climb the corporate ladder in order to feel valued, and often enough end up being hated by the people they trample on the way. People mistake the release of endorphins for love, and end up addicted to behaviors and substances that destroy them. The only real answer to all of that is the gracious love of our Creator. If it seems too good to be true, that’s because on the human level it is. We can’t generate that sort of love, but God loved the world so much that He sent His Son to die for us. (John 3:16) Countless things interfere with human love, but “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, no any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) That is the answer to every issue of self-image, to every need to belong, to be valued. That doesn’t mean it’s OK to be puffed up and conceited, because God loves every other human being just as much. However, no person, from conception through physical death, is unimportant to God. There is the whole issue of sin, in violation of the holiness of God, but God’s love is so great that He gave His Son as the solution to that. He can’t excuse, but He can forgive. Those who repent of their rebellion and unbelief and understand that Jesus’ cross was their cross receive the holiness and purity of Christ Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:12) That is the glorious message of the Gospel.

This is something I have been proclaiming for many years, but at the same time it is something I am still learning. I’m a member of a “Missionary Kids” group on Facebook, and it’s interesting how many of us still struggle with the whole issue of belonging, with many not feeling “at home” anywhere. The irony is that for someone raised with the Gospel, the awareness that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20) should come naturally. I have that awareness, but it has come painfully, with many instances of human rejection. I need to remember that Jesus was clear that we are in the world but not of the world. (John 17:15-16) I am to open my own heart fully to the love of God so that I may be an instrument of His love reaching the hearts of those around me.

Father, thank You for Your incredible love. It does seem truly unbelievable, but by Your grace I do believe it. I pray that I would be fully useful to You so that as many as possible may come to repentance and faith as well, for a massive influx into Your family, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Word of God; February 7, 2021

Posted on February 9, 2021 by jgarrott

Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.”

There are many angles to this seemingly simple statement. Isaiah has just been talking about the fleeting existence of grass and flowers as a metaphor for human life, and this is the climax of that. In sharp contrast to man’s brief life, God’s Word is permanent. But why Word? In the first place, Genesis 1 tells us that God spoke the universe into existence. Words are an expression of intent, of will. Isaiah could have said, “God’s will stands forever,” but words can be recorded, written down. You could call the Bible “The written will of God.” On top of that, we have the momentous words of the first chapter of John’s Gospel, which tell us that Jesus the Messiah is the Word of God. From that perspective, this verse is a statement of the eternal Deity of Jesus. Any discussion of this sort can quickly “get into the weeds” when you start considering things like translations and scribal errors and the like, but we must not allow such things to distract us from the fundamental reality that God has spoken to mankind and had His words recorded. However many distortions or how much noise we might feel have crept in over the centuries, if we forget that it is fundamentally the Word of God we lose everything. One of the biggest shocks of the Dead Sea Scrolls was that the most complete book of the Old Testament among them, the very book of Isaiah that contains this verse, was essentially identical to the text in general use at the time of their discovery, 2000 years after those scrolls had been hand copied. So much for scribal errors! God is quite capable of protecting His Word, even today when people are producing “translations” that do things like remove all gender-specific pronouns for God.

I was thankfully raised in a home with a deep respect for the Bible, with a father who taught Greek and Hebrew. The Bible my parents gave me after I was baptized was the RSV translation, even though the KJV was still very much the standard at that point. On top of that, I grew up bilingual with English and Japanese, so I was intimately aware of the difficulties of translation. As a result, I haven’t been so tied to the words (particularly in English) of the Bible so much as the reality that it is the Word of God. He does guide and anoint translators, in whatever language, and sometimes the specific words have enormous impact, but I seek to be aware at all times that it is God talking to me, and not just some literary creation. That is why I delight to teach the Bible, acting as a “repeater” for God. This morning I will be speaking on Words of Life, from Jesus’ statement that “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63) I need to let God’s words of life live in me fully (Colossians 3:16) so that they may flow through me unhindered, bringing life to all who will receive them.

Father, thank You for this reminder, particularly considering the message You’ve given me for today. May I be fully yielded to You so that Your Word through me may penetrate and do its full work, (Hebrews 4:12) for the liberation of my hearers and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fulfillment of Prophecy; February 6, 2021

Posted on February 9, 2021 by jgarrott

Isaiah 11:12 He will raise up a banner for the nations
and gather the exiles of Israel;
He will assemble the scattered people of Judah
from the four quarters of the earth.

I don’t think most people have any awareness of the fact that Jews from all over the world are continuing to move to the nation of Israel. It’s called “making aliyah,” and people arrive regularly. I get a newsletter from the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem that keeps me updated on such things. (Incidentally, it was the “gather” in this verse that caused this passage to come up in my search for things related to “harvest.”) The thing is, the prophecies of the Bible are being fulfilled all the time, but very few people are aware of it. It’s rather like how so many of the details of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection were prophesied, but even His disciples didn’t recognize it until after the fact. Events in America have certainly been in a turmoil, but that doesn’t mean God has lost control. In many ways the mask has come off, which is ironic considering all the corona virus business. People are being exposed for who and what they are, and that in itself isn’t a bad thing. Connecting current events to specific Biblical prophecies can be risky, but we need to remember that God is never surprised by anything, much less be at a loss for what to do. The re-creation of the nation of Israel in 1948 was a fulfillment of prophecy that shocked the world. The reason the devil and those controlled by him are so adamantly against Israel is that its very existence is a proclamation of the sovereignty of God. As I brought up a few days ago, God said it and that settles it. That doesn’t mean that we are to let down our guard and not fight for truth and righteousness, but it does mean we never have to be anxious about the final outcome. Things won’t be smooth along the way – Matthew 24:21 and Revelation 7:14 both refer to a time of “great tribulation” – but the final outcome will be glorious.

I have never been much of an “End Times preacher,” but that may change. A lot of what I have heard in that area has tended to stoke panic and distract people from faithful obedience here and now. I certainly don’t want that. However, I do want the believers to recognize that God is very much in control, no matter how much the devil and those controlled by him thrash around. (Revelation 12:12) I have had my own moments of considerable depression over the past few months, so this is something I need to take to heart myself! As I told someone just yesterday, I will be delighted whenever my Lord tells me, “Come on home,” but until then I will live here fully, delighting to serve my Lord however He directs, participating in His plans, His kingdom, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for anointing my lips yesterday, just as I had asked. I pray that Your words through me would sink into the heart of the person who heard them and produce the rich fruit of faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Joy of Harvest; February 5, 2021

Posted on February 7, 2021 by jgarrott

Isaiah 9:3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.

It is somehow significant that in a Scripture reading list based on terms related to harvest, we get passages directly connected to the Messiah, the Christ. This particular verse is seldom emphasized, but verses two, six, and seven of this chapter could hardly be more famous, particularly at Christmas time. Even so, we seldom think about them apart from Christmas, so it’s good that this came up now. The Japanese here is clear that “the nation” is talking about the people, and not the geographic territory. It is clear from the Bible as a whole that this is talking about the people of God, His kingdom, His family. That is indeed to grow, and harvest is a very good metaphor for that growth. “Dividing the plunder” seems a bit violent and even primitive to us today, but every person won to Christ is won from the devil and his dominion. As Paul wrote, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14) The devil steals all he can, (John 10:10) and we are indeed to plunder his strongholds. (Matthew 16:18) The joy of harvesting the seed we have planted (Luke 8:11) is so great that even heaven joins in. (Luke 15:7) We let ourselves be distracted by all sorts of temporal pleasures, when God has something far better and greater for us!

I have experienced the joy of birthing people into the family of God, but it has happened seldom enough that I am definitely subject to distractions. One issue is that I can’t force harvest, and I get impatient. I talk to others about God’s time frame being different from ours, but I don’t always remember it well myself! I have indeed “put in the sickle” too soon with some people, and that has never been good. I need to be faithful on a daily basis, trusting God with the outcome of whatever He directs me to do, looking forward to the joy of harvest in His time.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for giving Cathy the strong feeling that we are approaching explosive growth, but that it will be based on unconventional ways of “doing church.” Help me be fully open and sensitive to You to recognize what You are saying and do things on Your schedule. May we indeed fulfill Your plans in Your way, to bring in a huge harvest for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment