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!

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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!

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Having Enough; April 17, 2018

Posted on April 19, 2018 by jgarrott

Haggai 1:5-6 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

There are always two factors in abundance: income and outgo. If you have a lot coming in but even more going out, you’re in the red regardless of how much is coming in. We see this often in sports figures and entertainers who seem to be living the high life until their popularity wanes, and then suddenly they’re broke, and often deeply in debt. On the other hand, there are others who don’t have much income but who always seem to have enough to help someone out in a pinch. Just as there are the two conditions, there are two things that govern which direction a person goes. The first is, of course, common sense. That can go out the window with sudden income, such as winning a lottery or even coming into an inheritance. It is often amazing how uncommon “common sense” is! Just a day or so ago I read of someone who won a big lottery and was wise enough to start off by hiring a financial adviser. The second, and actually more important, thing that governs our financial situation is spiritual: where are our priorities? That’s what the Lord is dealing with here. Much of our lives are actually not under our control. We don’t control the weather, for example, and that has a massive impact on an agricultural economy, such as in Haggai’s day. We need to listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” If our priorities are lined up with God, He takes care of everything, finances included. That’s not at all to say we’re to throw common sense out the window; prioritizing God is the most sensible thing anyone could do. However, it is to say that we aren’t to go by the world’s idea of common sense. If God says to meet someone else’ need, for example, then do it, even of it depletes your own supply. If we worry about ourselves and ignore God, we will find ourselves in exactly the situation described in this verse.

This has certainly been my experience. We have never had much income, as the world looks at it, but our needs have always been met. I haven’t needed to pay any income tax for many years, either to Japan or America, simply because my income didn’t exceed the standard deductions. However, our lives are financially comfortable. Part of that is that we don’t use money for what might be called vices, but a big factor is that things just seem to last longer. I have clothing I’ve been wearing for over 20 years, and it still looks good! I compare that to some people who have more coming in than I do and yet who never seem to have enough, and my heart aches for them. I am not to brag, but I shouldn’t hesitate to testify to God’s goodness, and speak the truth in love. I’m also not to take God’s grace toward me lightly or for granted, but actively seek His kingdom and His righteousness in all my decisions, no matter how insignificant they might seem. God is my supply, not the government or my employer or even my abilities, and I must never forget that.

Father, thank You indeed for Your abundance. Help me be the steward You want me to be, so that everything You place in my hands – or my bank account – may be used as You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Delight; April 16, 2018

Posted on April 17, 2018 by jgarrott

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”

I learned a different translation of this verse set to music many years ago, but had no memory of where it was found. The image of God delighting over/in His people is not unique to Zephaniah. Jesus famously said that the Father delights to give us the kingdom. (Luke 12:32) The Westminster Creed says that “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever,” but the Bible says the enjoyment is to be mutual. After all, why would God create mankind if He couldn’t enjoy us? It is significant that the Westminster Creed says that, particularly because it comes out of the Calvinist tradition that is famous for long faces. Even a cursory Bible study on the terms “joy” and “enjoy” will keep you going for a long time. God created us for His delight, and He wants us to delight in Him. That’s why the devil tries so hard to get us to delight in other things and ignore God. That’s also why Jesus told us to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33) As long as we are fixated on material things, to enjoy and delight in them, we will never be satisfied for long. It is only when we focus fully on God that we find full and eternal joy and satisfaction.

There are many things that delight me. I delight in cameras and computers, and find any good tool remarkably satisfying. I love a good book, and there are many foods that please me a great deal. For 49 years I have delighted in my wife, and she adds a level of meaning to my life that nothing else can touch. However, all of these things are secondary to, and predicated on, the One who created me, saved me, commissioned me, and called me to Himself. The minute I delight in something other than God over and ahead of Him, I am guilty of idolatry. That is exactly what the devil tries to get me to do. Every once in a while he succeeds, so I’ve got to be on my guard and keep my repentance up to date. This isn’t slavish legalism; that is the opposite of genuine delight. I need to understand, on the deepest level, that God is greater and better than everything else put together, and order my life accordingly. As a pastor, I seek to bring others to that position as well, with varying success. The devil is very good at distractions! He doesn’t care if they are pleasant things or unpleasant thing, so long as they take our focus off of God. I can’t force anyone to focus on God any more than someone could have forced me to do so years ago, but I can encourage and model and speak the truth in love, so that the Holy Spirit may draw people as only He can.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for choosing to delight in me. Help me always choose to delight in You, demonstrating my love for You with full obedience, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Glory of the Lord; April 15, 2018

Posted on April 16, 2018 by jgarrott

Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

This is a very famous verse, but what is shocking is the context. I had no memory that it was is the middle of a passage judging an unjust ruler! The imagery couldn’t be more clear. Since the ocean is water, then by definition it is “covered with water.” That means that the earth will be the glory of the Lord. However, when that is revealed, those who have been in rebellion against the Lord, such as the unjust ruler, won’t be happy about it at all! Actually, that point is made in just about every prophecy of the End Times in the whole Bible. The 2nd Coming of Christ will be terror itself for those who have denied Him. We encounter this verse, in songs and otherwise, mostly as a word of comfort, but complacency is very dangerous. Much of organized Christianity today would have a very hard time of it if Christ were to show up today! Human organizations devolve into political structures and power trips, and those are the antithesis of the Church of Jesus Christ. “The glory of the Lord” means His holiness and power, and nothing man-made can stand in the face of that. We need to so live that His return will indeed be joy for us, but that means repenting now, while there is opportunity for forgiveness.

This of course applies to me as much as it does to anyone. I cannot presume, or even “rest on my laurels,” but must rather keep pressing in for more of Christ. Like Paul, I need to be “Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I [need to] press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) I have never wanted to be a “hellfire and brimstone” preacher, but failing to warn people is certainly not loving. I need God’s wisdom and the Holy Spirit’s anointing to present the message in ways it will be received, but I must never give up trying. The vast majority of the people around me are not in the position of rejoicing at Christ’s appearing at all. I must not be satisfied with my own salvation, but rather seek constantly to draw others into the Kingdom. Ministering in Japan can produce resignation and fatalism, and I am not immune. I need to let the Lord give me a fresh infusion of His Spirit, His presence, so that I may be active as His agent to draw people to repentance and faith, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder as we’ll be having a business meeting today that will essentially be starting over as a church. We are back to the numbers we had 34 years ago, and humanly that is very disheartening. Help me fix my eyes on You and encourage the others to do likewise, just as Jehoshaphat did (2 Chronicles 20) so that Your plans, and Yours alone, may be fulfilled in and through us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Conceit; April 14, 2018

Posted on April 16, 2018 by jgarrott

Habakkuk 2:4 “See, he is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous will live by his faith —”

Because verses 2 and 3 were given to this church repeatedly years ago, I have tended to skip over this verse, even though the second half, echoed by Paul in Romans 1:17, was a major part of the foundation for the Protestant Reformation. I think it has been the first half that has thrown me off, but just now I looked back at verses 12-17 of chapter 1, and see that God is talking about the wicked person/people Habakkuk was complaining about. Whether this is just talking about the Babylonian emperor or also someone closer to home is perhaps open to question. However, the point is that there are indeed evil people in the world that do all sorts of bad stuff, but the way to get through all that stuff is to trust God. The description of the evil man is remarkably applicable to any number of people around us all the time. The Japanese renders it as, “See, his heart is conceited, and is not straight.” Conceit blinds us to how twisted we are. Pride/conceit is at the foundation of all sin, because it says that we know better than God, and don’t need Him. That is of course the height of stupidity, but as I just said, conceit blinds us. In contrast, genuine faith requires humility. If we believe that God created the universe and created us in it, then we will understand how utterly powerless we are on our own. Actually, the more astronomers and physicists and the like discover about the physical universe, the more humble we should be! Sadly, that isn’t always the case, and even some of those scientists are deceived into thinking the physical is all there is, which leads them into feeling they are the pinnacle of it all, and that is the very definition of hubris, extreme conceit. For our hearts to be right and not bent (referencing the Japanese translation here) we must be humble before God and seek to follow Him. That is indeed the path of life.

Despite growing up surrounded by faith and immersed in the Bible, I struggled with conceit a great deal. God in His grace gave me a high IQ and a number of other gifts and abilities, but I allowed those to lead me astray rather than submit and commit them to Him. I understand too well scientists who do horrible things simply because they can. I shudder to think of what I could have become had God in His mercy not hemmed me in. A major chunk of that mercy was in His providing a helper suitable for me at a young age. Maybe most people don’t need to get married at 20, but I did! She has been my guide and partner for 49 years now, both encouraging me and holding me in check, keeping me from going completely off the rails. As I tell couples in premarital counseling, I couldn’t even calculate the number of times she’s saved me, in one way or another. She has been a good antidote to conceit! We are still faced with many challenges, because life is like that, but as this verse says, we will live by faith.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for Your absolutely amazing grace. Help us indeed keep our eyes on You, in grateful obedience, so that all of Your plans for us may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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From Eternity Past; April 13, 2018

Posted on April 15, 2018 by jgarrott

Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”

This verse is quoted almost exclusively in relation to Christmas, because it was the verse that enabled the scribes to tell King Herod where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2:5-6) However, the whole point of it is not simply to say where He would be born, but to make it clear that it was decided “from eternity past,” as the Japanese expresses it. We are once again confronted with the reality that God is outside of time, so everything is “now” to Him. He sees the moment of Creation even as He sees the end of all things material, and everything in between. We simply cannot grasp that viewpoint, so we are left with time-related ways of talking about things. That’s not necessarily bad, it’s just the way things are. However, the better we understand that God doesn’t have our limitations, the more we can be at peace, knowing that He has already solved every problem even when we can’t imagine how it could be done. That is what faith is all about. We don’t like to think of ourselves as toddlers, needing Daddy to take us by the hand or we will fall over, but the reality is even more severe than that. The videos that abound on the Internet of helpless animals being rescued by kind humans come closer, but really words fail us to describe the gulf between God and man in terms of ability. We literally would not exist apart from God, but what we do with the existence He has given us is our responsibility, and we are accountable to Him for our words and our actions, as the Bible makes very clear in many places. The point is to commit ourselves and our plans to Him, aware that He already knows all about them, and trust Him with the outcome. When He provided the Messiah from eternity past, whatever we are facing at the moment is certainly no big deal for Him.

This is a lesson the Lord has been speaking to me repeatedly recently, in many different ways. It’s not at all that I’m not to care about what happens, it’s that I’m to trust God with it all, and so rest, relax, and rejoice, just as He has told me. I’m to be the eternal optimist! I’m not to deny that bad things happen. After all, Jesus said clearly that in this world we would have trouble. (John 16:33) However, I am to trust fully that God has something wonderful on the far side of that trouble, and rejoice even before I see it. Each day is to be an adventure of discovering what God has planned for me, knowing that it is good even when at the moment it might be painful.

Father, thank You for this truth, and for speaking it to me so clearly and repeatedly. Help me indeed be done with anxiety and rejoice in You. Thank You for the message on your Eternal Plans that You were already building in me for this coming Sunday, and how this fits in perfectly with that. Your Word says so much on that theme! Help me know what to use and what not to, so that I won’t overwhelm my hearers but rather encourage them to trust You so that they too may rest, relax, and rejoice, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Anxiety; April 12, 2018

Posted on April 15, 2018 by jgarrott

Micah 4:11-12 But now many nations
are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
let our eyes gloat over Zion!”
But they do not know
the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,
he who gathers them like sheaves to the threshing-floor.

This scenario has played out many times throughout history. People think they have the upper hand, but they don’t know God’s plans. Here, Babylon and Moab and the like are gloating over Judah, but they have no idea how brief their triumph will be. I’m reminded of something I’ve heard quoted about more than one location: “If you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes.” We tend to look at the news and despair, and indeed tragic and disgusting things happen all the time. However, those things don’t negate the plans of God. All that we see and experience is temporal, in the flow of time, and therefore temporary. We forget that all too often. God and His plans, in contrast, are eternal, though He brings His plans to fruition in time. We get worked up over all sorts of things, when if we would genuinely focus our hearts and minds on the Lord in trusting gratitude, His peace would guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) This is something He has to teach us again and again, because we are so quick to forget it. We do not know how things will turn out in the short term, but we can have absolute assurance and peace about how they will turn out in the end. God’s words to Jeremiah still ring true: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) It literally doesn’t matter what things look like at any given moment, because God is greater than everything, and those who are committed to Christ by faith are in the palm of His hand.

As many times as God has spoken this to me and demonstrated it through circumstances, you’d think I’d know it better! However, yesterday I was irritable and frustrated by a number of things, being less than I should have been to my wife and in a general funk. As the day wore on, God demonstrated that every issue I had been anxious about was already taken care of, and I was gently chided for my lack of faith. I couldn’t tell you how many times this same sort of thing has happened to me. That makes it all the more idiotic when I allow it to happen again! That should give me patience for all the people I deal with who likewise struggle with anxiety of all sorts. I think anxiety is one of the prime characteristics of the fallen nature! As I tell others, it’s not that we are to be passive, or that we don’t need to do our best in everything, it’s that when we are actively pursuing God, the outcome is guaranteed because it’s in His hands. As God said right after He assured Jeremiah of His plans, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” (Jeremiah 29:13-14) Jesus expressed it in terms of seeking “God’s kingdom and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) I tell people that all the time, and I need to keep growing in living it out myself.

Father, thank You for Your gentle, gracious patience with me. I would have given up on me a long time ago! Thank You indeed for everything You worked out yesterday, and that I need not be anxious about anything, ever. As You have told me repeatedly, help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, leading and guiding others to do the same, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Lessons God Provides; April 11, 2018

Posted on April 13, 2018 by jgarrott

Jonah 4: 6, 7, 8 The Lord (God) provided …

The turn of phrase in this chapter is very instructive. We think of God providing things we want, but we don’t think of Him providing things we don’t want. Providing a vine for shade seems all well and good, but providing a worm to chew the vine and then providing a scorching east wind seems very strange to us. But God wanted to show Jonah, and by extension us, the dangers of anger. As others have pointed out, anger directed outwards is ultimately murderous, and directed inward is ultimately suicidal. Neither could hardly be said to be good! Jonah needed a lesson he could understand, so God provided it in three steps, with explanation following. As I am reminded frequently, God is far more interested in our character than our comfort. We rejoice when He provides things that feel good, but we tend not to rejoice when He provides things that grow us to be more like Christ. The New Testament talks about this repeatedly. “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4) “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4) Actually, there are many more passages as well. God provides what we need, but when that doesn’t agree with what we think we need, we get frustrated, angry, and depressed. We need to trust Him to know what we need better than we do, and indeed, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Ouch! I’m writing to myself here! I need to remember that whereas many things are indeed attacks of the devil, I need to thank God for them because He allows (provides) them for my good. As Andrae Crouch wrote so memorably, “If I’d never had a problem, I wouldn’t know that He could solve them; I wouldn’t know what faith in God could do.” I’ve loved that song ever since I first heard it over 40 years ago, but I still don’t always remember that truth to apply it. At times I am amazed at how stubbornly ignorant I am, refusing to learn the lessons God provides for me. As a teacher myself I certainly should understand that good lessons seldom come without effort to learn them. I need to apply myself to learn the lessons He provides, for my blessing and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s interesting how seldom I hear anything completely new from You. That reinforces the point You’ve been making here! Help me indeed learn the lessons You provide, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You just as You have told me, so that all of the plans of the enemy may be destroyed and all of Your plans fulfilled, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Interpreting Prophecy; April 10, 2018

Posted on April 12, 2018 by jgarrott

Amos 9:11 “In that day I will restore
David’s fallen tent.
I will repair its broken places,
restore its ruins,
and build it as it used to be.”

I have heard messages that said that “David’s tent,’ referenced here, is the one he set up for the Ark of the Covenant, even though those who heard this prophecy at the time probably assumed Amos was talking about the royal dynasty. That interpretation strikes a chord in me, and not just because it is referenced in the song, Days of Elijah. At the time this prophecy was delivered, Davidic kings still reigned over the southern kingdom of Judah. (Amos prophesied in the northern kingdom of Israel.) If anyone really thought about it at the time, they probably assumed it meant the nation would again be united under one king. However, the sort of worship and closeness to God that was enjoyed while the Ark was available to everyone was not restored until the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. There are numbers of things about prophecy, both that recorded in the Bible and that delivered later, even today, that we need the help of the Holy Spirit to understand correctly. Wrong assumptions can lead to all sorts of errors! What complicates it even more is the fact that often quite different interpretations are actually both correct, in different ways. After all, God’s people are indeed united under one Descendant of David, Jesus the Messiah, so that interpretation of this verse is not wrong. In terms of prophecies since the Bible, we have the added factor of weeding out false prophecy. As Paul said, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21) There are indeed valid prophecies given even today, but not everyone who says, “Thus sayeth the Lord,” is speaking for God.

This is an issue for every believer, but particularly for those who, like me, have been used to deliver prophecies. I can say with assurance that sometimes even the one speaking the prophecy doesn’t really know what it means! One of the more demonstrably supernatural prophecies I’ve delivered was later fulfilled in a way that I wouldn’t have imagined at the time I spoke it. Humility is always called for! Actually, this is why we need to pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance every time we read the Bible. All sorts of errors, to the point of cults, have come from people misreading the Bible in one way or another. Sometimes the translation itself is wrong or misleading, such as in changes in language use from the time of King James to today, and sadly, sometimes the translators have an agenda to make it say what they want it to. I have heard of people who have gotten genuinely saved from reading a Jehovah’s Witness Bible, but that is just proof that the Holy Spirit is stronger than the devil! The point for me is to walk in step with the Spirit at all times, in all humility. (Galatians 5:25)

Father, thank You for this reminder. You have given us some pretty remarkable prophecies in the past, relating specifically to Omura. Keep me from insisting on what they must mean, but rather allow You to bring them to fruition in Your way on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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