Tithing; April 27, 2018

Posted on April 28, 2018 by jgarrott

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

This is a famous verse that I was taught as a child, both as direct memorization and in at least two musical settings. It is dearly loved by church leaders because they like to receive money! However, the point isn’t the getting, it’s the giving. As I am reminded frequently, God is never at a loss for anything; we can’t give Him anything material that He didn’t create in the first place. God’s rules for mankind aren’t to satisfy His perverse whims, they are to help us line up with the way the universe is created and operates. The analogy of highway speed limits is very appropriate, I think. It’s not that the police don’t want you to get from point A to point B, it’s that they want you, and the other people on the road, to do so safely. Granted, the analogy does break down when you have speed traps that are largely to fill the coffers of a police department with speeding fines, but the original principal is driving safety. When the automobile was invented, it quickly became evident that some people didn’t have enough awareness of the laws of physics, or simple common sense, not to be a menace to themselves and other people on the road. Hence, speed limits. God knows the sort of behavior that will bring us into close fellowship with Him, providing the greatest peace and joy and satisfaction, so He has given us instructions to encourage such behavior. Here He is stating clearly that tithing is one of those behaviors that will bring great blessing to us. Sadly, some people have tried to use church offerings as a “money machine” for their own pleasure, and that has distorted the picture badly in the hearts and minds of many. Faithful stewardship is demanded of Church leadership, but the giving itself is for the benefit of those doing the giving, rather than those who are the immediate recipients.

I was obviously taught to tithe from a young age, giving 10 yen of my 100 yen allowance, back when the exchange rate was $1=360 yen. I got away from that in college, if I recall correctly, and didn’t really get back to it until we were expecting our second child. We went through some very lean times in that interval, because I wasn’t operating on the principle expressed in this verse. Since then our every need has been met, though not always in the way our imagination or appetite would have liked. As a pastor I seek to help others get in line with God’s plan of provision, but I get a lot of disbelief and resistance. It would be much easier to teach on this in other churches where it wouldn’t be seen as trying to boost my bottom line! I find that people seem to have more struggles with faith over finances than perhaps any other area. That’s probably why Jesus talked more about money than He did about heaven and hell combined! I’m not to avoid the subject, but am to speak the truth in love and allow the Holy Spirit to convict those who are operating outside of God’s plan.

Father, thank You for this Word this morning. Thank You for Your faithfulness to us, despite our small numbers. It has been painful to me to see how some people have refused to trust You even as You were pouring blessings out on us. Keep me from taking such things personally. Help me rather release each person and each situation to You, so that the plans of the enemy may be defeated and Your will done, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Marriage; April 26, 2018

Posted on April 28, 2018 by jgarrott

Malachi 2:16 “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment,” says the Lord Almighty.
So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

The Church today seems to have forgotten this is in the Bible! This speaks not only to divorce as such, but to domestic violence as well. That is never God’s plan! When people treat each other as objects for their convenience, all sorts of things go out the window. Verse 14 speaks of the wife as a partner, which connects both to Genesis and to Peter. Genesis records, “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” (Genesis 2:18) That term, helper, is a very strong word that appears otherwise in the Old Testament either in relation to military action or God’s direct intervention. Such a helper is never to be taken lightly! Then Peter, the only one of the original 12 apostles we are sure was married, comes through with this: “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7) Some women are offended by the use of “weaker,” but context, biology, and simple experience all teach us that simply refers to muscle strength, which was far more important back in the days before powered machinery. God instituted marriage as an equal partnership, with the husband designated as the head for a number of reasons I won’t expand on here. Failure to recognize and act on that results in loss all the way around. Naturally, when such partnership is recognized, violence is out of the question. Paul indicates that such violence is being violent to yourself! (Ephesians 5:28-29)

My wife and I both had the example of Godly parents as we were growing up, never seeing domestic violence but rather respect and affection. That doesn’t mean we didn’t see disagreements and even tears, but we saw people who worked to make their marriages work. That gave us a tremendous advantage. I entered marriage with the expectation that it would be the biggest job of my life, but it would carry the biggest rewards. I was right! Actually, my expectations about marriage made me unwilling to put it off, and I got married at 20. Some people thought we would crash and burn, but that wedding was 49 years ago next month. With that kind of life experience, I have great difficulty empathizing with people who seem bent on divorce. I have seen more tragic results of divorce than I could list, even in my own children. I am convinced there is no such thing as a completely one-sided divorce, but some are certainly weighted to one side or the other. Both partners need to be willing to work at the relationship, and I am deeply blessed to be married to someone who agrees.

Father, thank You indeed, for the partner, the marriage, You have given me. Many of our friends and acquaintances are envious or even downright disbelieving. We are a demonstration that indeed, nothing is too difficult for you – even creating a good marriage! Help us be the example and inspiration You want us to be, so that the works of the devil may be destroyed in many homes and people set free to enjoy all that You intend for them, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Ministers; April 25, 2018

Posted on April 26, 2018 by jgarrott

Malachi 2:7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction—because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.”

It must be remembered that this is the ideal, the desired standard, rather than something that happens automatically with the office. This whole section is actually taking the priests to task for how they have departed from the example set by their ancestor Aaron. In the Protestant tradition, this passage would register more by replacing “priest” with “minister,” but otherwise it stands until Christ returns and makes all things new. Ever since Martin Luther, much has been said about “the priesthood of the believer.” 1 Peter 2:9 is foundational to that. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Many other passages talk about how each of us has direct access to God through Christ, and it is tragic how few people really avail themselves of that privilege. The flip side of that is the many references in the New Testament to specific ministries. After His resurrection, Jesus famously told Peter three times to feed His sheep. Paul talks about what has been called “the 5-fold ministry” in Ephesians 4:11-12, and James points out that “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) It is a fact of life that, at least until Jesus returns, there are offices, and even levels, within the Body of Christ. Believers aren’t to be passive, letting someone else “be spiritual for them,” but they are also to recognize spiritual authority and the responsibility that goes with it. There are some who want to “go into the ministry” because of the respect and other perks they see as attaching to that. There were some in seminary with me like that. Such a person is not likely to meet the standard expressed in this verse!

As a multi-generation minister (3rd on one side, 4th on the other) I am very aware that ministers are just as human as anyone else. At the same time, I am very aware that people see ministers as servants of God and seek teaching from them, just as this verse says. It has been a continuing frustration of my own ministry that people show such little spiritual initiative, failing to make time for regular personal devotions, for example. Then they want to know why their lives are such a mess! I am to continue to proclaim, as I have been doing, that God wants all of His children to represent Him accurately, just as Peter and Paul (2 Corinthians 5:20) tell us. At the same time I am not to run from my own commission as an enabler of such believers, however tired and frustrated I might get at times. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve had to say the same things to some people, but then, God only knows how many times He’s had to say some of the same things to me! I am to walk in full humility, knowing that I can do nothing on my own (John 14:15), but at the same time not doubting that God can use me as His agent, because it’s all about Him and not about me. I am not to draw back from teaching, but I am not to teach carelessly. I need to confirm what God is saying, rather than just what sounds good to my ears. God has gifted and commissioned each of us differently, but His love and grace are equal, and that is enough to know.

Father, sometimes I feel like people go into ministry from this church because they look at me and figure they can certainly do a better job than I do! Thank You for those who have made that commitment. I pray that their number would continue to increase. At the same time, I ask for Your clear choice of who is to lead this congregation after me. May all of Your children seek You honestly enough to recognize Your commission for them, so that the Body of Christ may be built up and the works of the devil destroyed, (1 John 3:8) for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Respecting God; April 24, 2018

Posted on April 26, 2018 by jgarrott

Malachi 1:14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.”

Because we live in a money-based society, the idea of giving a specific item to God doesn’t click for most people today, but the principle here is still valid. It is common for people to say, “I’m going to do such-and-such for the Lord,” but then fail to follow through simply because doing as they had said would be inconvenient. Likewise, “Of course I’ll give to the Missions offering,” all too often doesn’t produce any difference in the bottom line. The point is that we think of God like Santa Claus, rather than as the King of the Universe. As God is saying through Malachi, we fail to give Him the respect He deserves. It’s not at all that God is in need of what we give Him, in any form at all. He is indeed omnipotent, and anything He wants He can speak into being. However, we need to respect God fully for our hearts and lives to be in order. We have forgotten “the fear of the Lord” that the Old Testament talks about so much. God doesn’t want us “quaking in our boots,” afraid to approach Him, but if we fail to respect Him for who and what He is, nothing else in our lives will be in the right relationship and proportion. I think a good part of that today is in the failure of fathers to be true fathers, rather than just sperm donors. When a child grows up not fearing the consequences of breaking the rules, society falls apart, just as we are seeing. It is a simple fact of life that our concept of God is greatly colored by our relationship with our physical father. If we can get away with sassing our parents, we aren’t likely to have a right relationship with God. That said, it is possible for even someone who never had a true human father to repent of their rebellion and receive healing and restoration from their Heavenly Father, but it requires humility. We need to see God more as He truly is, and see ourselves as we are. When that happens, humility and respect are guaranteed!

I didn’t have a perfect father; no one does. However, my human father loved and respected both his human father and his Heavenly Father, and he sought to transmit that to me. What a glorious blessing! As a pastor, I am a spiritual father to many, and the attitudes I see are all across the board. How people relate to me is unimportant, except to the degree that it reflects people’s attitude toward God. I do see a great deal of the attitude God is pointing out in this verse. Interestingly, sometimes non-Christians express more respect than Christians! My goal should be for each believer to relate to God as He is, rather than as they would like Him to be. That’s a tall order! I’ve got to start with myself, following through on everything I say to God. As I was writing this, the Lord brought to mind a specific contribution to Samaritan’s Purse that I had resolved to make, but haven’t done yet. That needs to be done today! I don’t have much place pointing fingers when I fail to follow through myself.

Father, thank You for Your grace and patience toward me. Help me keep growing in my response and obedience to You. I want to love You as You deserve, with all of me, and You made it clear that involves obedience. (John 14:15) Help me lead others to respect You properly by respecting You properly myself, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Receiving and Acting on the Word; April 23, 2018

Posted on April 25, 2018 by jgarrott

Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

This verse is famous for John referencing it in connection with Jesus’ crucifixion, (John 19:37) specifically talking about how the Roman soldier rammed a spear through Jesus’ torso, from just under His ribs. The level of detail in the prophesies of the Messiah that are recorded in the Old Testament is amazing at times. Psalm 22 has details of what happened on Golgotha that completely exceed the possibilities of chance, but there are still people who refuse to accept that Jesus was and is the promised Messiah. How tragic! Whether we can see and receive such things as evidence of God’s grace to us depends far more on our heart attitude than on anything else. The whole Bible is a record of how some people humbled themselves before God and some didn’t, and what happened as a result. Logically speaking, that should teach us to seek God in all humility with everything we’ve got, but very few people are that logical. Everything comes down to our choice of whether to accept what God has done and provided, or not. The Bible makes it very clear what the consequences are of each choice, but in our stupid willfulness and pride we tend to go our own way, just like sheep. (Isaiah 53:6) That makes the magnificence of God’s love, grace, and mercy in sending Jesus to die for us all the more astounding. When it really penetrates just what God has done for us, the only appropriate response is total gratitude and the obedience that comes from love. (John 14:15)

I say this, yet my own obedience is far from perfect. Like all preachers, I need to listen to my own sermons! Thankfully I have grown in that, but I have tried God’s patience far more than I like to think about. That should teach me to be patient with those around me, but there too I have room to grow. One of Jesus’ strictest parables was of the servant who, forgiven much, still refused to forgive far less. (Matthew 18:23-35) For that matter, right after teaching His disciples the Lord’s Prayer, He said, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15) That’s about as black-and-white as you could ask for. I have no room to be judgmental of others failing to act on God’s Word when I have so much of that Word in my head but do no better than I do about putting it into practice. I am to speak the truth in love, which can sometimes come across as very strong, but I am to do so with a sharp awareness of God’s grace toward me, that is equally available to everyone else.

Well, Father, I certainly didn’t expect this when I started writing! Thank You for being faithful to tell me what I need to hear, even when I don’t expect it. Help me indeed receive and act on everything You say to me, so that Your will may be done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Prayer; April 22, 2018

Posted on April 24, 2018 by jgarrott

Zechariah 10:1 Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime;
it is the Lord who makes the storm clouds.
He gives showers of rain to men,
and plants of the field to everyone.

One significant background detail is important in reading this verse: Baal was seen as “the storm god.” This is directly contradicting that mindset, stating that Yahweh is the one who provides the clouds and rain. The importance of rain in such a climate cannot be overstated. I once heard a talk by a man who had served a great deal in Afghanistan, back before 2001, and he said that rain was so rare, people were delighted when it rained and talked about “good weather.” That’s the opposite of the normal English, or Japanese, expressions. With that understood, however, what stands out to me is that God is telling people to pray for rain at a time when they would expect it. The original says, “the time of the latter rain,” which the NIV explains as “in the springtime.” The point to me is that God’s blessings aren’t to be taken for granted. This fits in perfectly with Jesus’ instructions to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) It’s important that He said this, because as He also pointed out, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8) This runs counter to human reasoning. If God knows what I need, why do I have to ask? That points up the paradox of prayer: prayer isn’t so much to change God as it is to change us. In asking, we acknowledge our dependence on God. True prayer rejects all thought of entitlement and pleads for God’s gracious mercy. Our minds might tell us something is to be expected, but a proper understanding of God and of ourselves is going to cause us to ask for it anyway. That’s why we are to ask for rain in the season of rain.

I am still learning about prayer. I was raised in a home where prayer was as natural as breathing, but that doesn’t mean I prayed enough as a child, or that I pray enough now. I have learned that prayer isn’t just “Gimme” by any means. God once had to tell me to shut up and listen to Him! However, a failure to pray indicates a failure to recognize my need for Him, and that is dangerous indeed. I am learning what it is to “pray without ceasing,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) but that’s a lesson in progress. As a pastor, I earnestly desire that each person in my care learn the joys and blessings of prayer, but so few really seem to catch on. Public prayer seems like a high mountain to some, to be climbed only with extensive preparation. I point out that we are promised the help of the Holy Spirit, (Romans 8:26) but they don’t have enough of a relationship with Him to be at peace with that. However, with the current reduction in numbers, those who are left are indeed those who for the most part know how to pray, and do. That should give me good hope for what God is going to do in and through us from here! We are indeed approaching Rainy Season here in Japan (June ~ mid-July) and we need to be praying for a downpour of the Holy Spirit. There is a spiritual drought in Japan, and God wants to break it! Prayer is an opportunity to participate in what God is doing, and I’m to make full use of it.

Father, thank You for this very encouraging Word. Help me indeed prepare for the rain even as I pray for it, expecting You to provide all we need but not presuming on anything, so that Your name alone may be hallowed and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Hope; April 21, 2018

Posted on April 24, 2018 by jgarrott

Zechariah 9:12 Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

I have written on this verse several times, but every time I read it, it hits me again. The traditional English translation is, “prisoners of hope,” but the Japanese says, “prisoners who have hope.” Those can be very different things. Someone who was a prisoner of hope might not be able to move forward to the next thing, because they were fixated on the restoration of something in the past. A prisoner who had hope, on the other hand, might refuse to be bound by their circumstances, convinced that things would get better. Not knowing Hebrew, much less having the original manuscript, I don’t know which is the more accurate translation here. In either case, God is instructing such prisoners to return to their fortress. Biblically speaking, that is Christ, God Himself. When we make other things our fortress we eventually find that they are worthless. That’s why the hymn, The Solid Rock, is so true: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…. All other ground is sinking sand.” Jesus Himself told the famous parable of the two men who built houses, one on sand and one on a sure foundation. (Matthew 7:24-27) If our “fortress” is in man, either materially or organizationally, it will fail, because we are by definition moral and fallible. It is only when we return to our Source that He is able to restore to us what the enemy and circumstances have taken from us.

This is, of course, very applicable to us right now. All sorts of things have been taken from us, but God hasn’t changed, and no one can take Him from us. Our own efforts are remarkably fruitless, but nothing is even difficult, much less too hard, for Him. The point for us now is to confirm our place in Him, not fixating on how things “ought” to be. We don’t know how things will go in the short term, but we do know that God’s plans for us are good. (Jeremiah 29:11) In the immediate present, I need to focus on faithfulness. There are things to be done that for one reason or another I don’t want to do, but I must not let that keep me from doing them. Today is a specific case in point. My problem is sometimes in not knowing what to do, but far more often in failing to buckle down and do what I do know to do. Especially with the wide range of demands on me, the temptation to run, or to crawl into a hole, is very real. I must not do that, but know that in Christ I can do everything required of me. (Philippians 4:13) When God restores things to us is up to Him, but in the mean time I need to be faithful in the tasks at hand.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and gentle push. Thank You for keeping me from getting lost yesterday and for what I was able to do, even though results weren’t all as I had hoped. Thank You for all I will be able to do today. Help me keep at each task until it is completed, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Expecting Great Things of God; April 20, 2018

Posted on April 21, 2018 by jgarrott

Zechariah 8:6 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the Lord Almighty.

We forget that God is never surprised. Actually, I touched on that in the message this past Sunday. God sees the end from the beginning, so nothing can surprise Him. However, this is talking about more than surprise. The “marvelous” in the NIV captures it pretty well, I think. God isn’t impressed with what He does. That may seem like a strange thing to say, but we often manage to impress ourselves, either well or poorly. We think, “Man! What a stupid thing to do!” or sometimes, “I really pulled that off.” However, God is omnipotent and He knows it, since He’s also omniscient. Sometimes He is kind enough to remind us of that gently. This church’s Verse for the Year is one such incident, when He tells Jeremiah, “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27) This verse is another example. God isn’t blown out of the water by fulfilled prophecy! We would do much better to expect God to be true to His Word and ordering our lives accordingly. Right now numbers of things seem to be pointing to End Times, but the average person in the street, or even in the pew, seems oblivious. We aren’t to be anxious about it, or even go around trying to figure out where we are on the timeline (as though we could grasp God’s timeline!) but rather focus on being faithful, just as Jesus said. (Luke 12:42-46)

I still remember once when I was in a prayer time with one of the people in this church, over 20 years ago, and the Lord spoke through me to say, “Don’t be amazed at what amazes others. Expect great things of Me.” I don’t always remember that in practical terms. That is to say, I get frustrated at what is going on around me and I want to withdraw into a hole somewhere, forgetting that God is more than able to turn everything around 180 degrees, and He might do it at any moment. The difficulty is in my making emotional demands on the Lord, wanting things to be a certain way at a certain time and getting frustrated when that isn’t how they turn out. I am to expect great things of Him, but not demand that those things fit my timetable or even my definition of “great things.” I am to know without question that things are going to turn out as God has said in the Bible, and not be anxious about the details in the mean time.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The past two days have been filled with unexpected things, not necessarily pleasant, and today’s schedule has been greatly affected as a result. This is more training in resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You, just as You have told me to do! Thank You. Help me now hear You clearly as to what You want to say through me on Sunday. May I indeed do Your will on Your schedule each moment of today, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Repentance; April 19, 2918

Posted on April 21, 2018 by jgarrott

Zechariah 3:3-4 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”
Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”

This is actually a good picture of what happens to everyone who comes to Christ in repentance and faith. Our sins are taken away and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. There’s a line in the hymn, The Solid Rock that says, “Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.” That’s very Biblical! So many people think they have to clean themselves up before they can come to God, when really all it takes is the decision that they want to be clean. That’s not an idle decision, however; it involves being willing to discard everything apart from Christ Himself. A sad number of people want to hang onto this, that, or the other of their old life, and so don’t enter fully into what God has prepared for them in Christ. Sometimes the devil tries to fool us in that area, though. Reiko Uehara was a nightclub singer when she came to Christ, and at first she discarded music itself in her desire to cling to Christ. However, she came to realize that God had gifted her in that area for His glory, and she became a Christian singer with a blessed ministry. That said, her motivation was spot on: nothing is more important than Christ, and He will supply all we need.

When I was raised in a strongly Christian home and was baptized at seven, I didn’t have time to create associations like Reiko did, but that didn’t mean I didn’t sin, by any means. Repentance is just as important for me as for someone involved in things everyone would condemn. The point for me is that I’ve got to let God choose my clothes, to go with the image in this passage. When I try to do things on my own, I get filthy! Seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) is a daily, continuous activity. My “outfit for the day” is always to be Christ Himself. (Galatians 3:27) Anything else is far less than the best. I’ve always enjoyed dressing well, thinking about colors and being appropriate for the occasion, though I have never been a slave to fashion. Physical clothing is of very minor importance, but being dressed in Christ is essential.

Father, thank You for all You have provided for Your children in Christ. Help me receive it all in repentance and faith, leading others to do the same, so that all the devil’s schemes may be defeated and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Focusing on the Spiritual; April 18, 2018

Posted on April 19, 2018 by jgarrott

Haggai 2:5 “This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”

The people here were understandably discouraged, because they were confronted daily with ruins that either needed to be rebuilt or simply disposed of. God’s answer was to point them from the material to the spiritual, whether they recognized that from what Haggai said or not. They were fixated on their physical surroundings, but God is here reminding them that His Spirit is unchanged; He hasn’t been demolished. This is an important thing for every believer to remember. We are naturally affected by our physical environment, but that is all the more reason to focus in on God and remember that He is greater than it all. (1 John 4:4) The NIV says, “My Spirit remains among you,” but the Japanese says, “My Spirit works among you.” Either way, if we are properly sensitive to the Holy Spirit we will rejoice in our circumstances, rather than being controlled by them.

This is extremely applicable to this church right now. Humanly speaking there are many things that could be discouraging, but God hasn’t changed. Each one of us in the church is growing according to God’s plan. Accordingly, the church as a whole is going to grow in His timing, again according to His plan. The thing for us to do is lift our eyes to Him, not ignoring the physical but not being controlled by it. We are to remember that His plans for us haven’t changed, nor has He changed. We are changing, but then, we need to change! As the returned exiles transformed ruins into something for God’s glory, even so God is going to transform us into what He intended in the first place.

Father, thank You for this Word. Sometimes I do better than at other times at keeping my eyes on You. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, joyfully anticipating what You are going to do in and through us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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