True Treasure; May 3, 2018

Posted on May 5, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 6:21, 33 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

This whole passage is extremely practical and yet is rarely followed fully. It gets quoted as aphorisms, yet people consider it to be “contrary to human nature.” It is true that ever since Eden we have tended to want things, and have become anxious when we haven’t had them on hand, but that’s not how we were created. God created us to fellowship with Him in full trust and obedience, but we now tend to run off on our own, wanting to be “the master of our destiny.” How foolish! It is true we can have a major impact on how much of God’s good plans we follow, but our personal deviation from His path is never for the better. God’s provision for us is eternal treasure, wrapped up in His kingdom and His righteousness. As Jesus says here, He will give us as much material stuff as we need along the way, but our heart is to be fixed on the eternal. Material things can be gone in a moment, as anyone who has gone through a tornado, a tsunami, or even a house fire can tell you. With that understanding, the wisdom of treasuring the things of God becomes obvious.

This is a truth that has gone deeper and deeper into me over the years. It is perhaps ironic that concurrent with that, the “stuff” I’ve accumulated continues to mount up! However, I think I hold things much more loosely than I once did. I still have a strong aversion to wasting things, but if someone else can use them, I’m generally happy to let go of them. I do like to have good tools, but the focus is shifting more to what I can do with them than to the tools themselves. That’s not complete, though! I am still quite capable of drooling over things, but at least I recognize the foolishness of that. The situation comes into sharp focus as Cathy leaves today for a solo visit to the US for about a week. When her presence or absence has that much impact on me, how much more important is the presence or absence of my fellowship with the Holy Spirit! As a pastor I am continually admonishing people about priorities. I must not lose sight of my own in the process. I too need to recognize that only what is in heaven is true treasure, and so seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness.

Father, thank You for this reminder. After I see Cathy off I’ll be helping someone move, which is another exercise in exactly this issue. Help me encourage him to focus on You and let You show him what is truly necessary, so that he may stay firmly on the path that You have for him, for his blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Praying in Secret; May 2, 2018

Posted on May 4, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

It’s amazing how we can forget that God sees everything. He is by definition omniscient, yet we act like we can hide things from Him, or like He fails to see our problems. How foolish! I am reminded of God’s interaction with Hagar (Genesis 16:13-14), as well as Jesus calling Nathanael. (John 1:47-49) How could the God who knows how many hairs we have on our head (Matthew 10:30) miss anything? God tells us to live so that those who see us may praise Him, (Matthew 5:16) but really, we live our lives for an audience of One. Too often we live for our human audience, and that causes all sorts of problems. How we think we are perceived can lead to such things as anorexia and even suicide. It is only when we know we have a heavenly Father who will always love us (Romans 8:38-39) that we can have the peace we so desperately need. In this verse Jesus is pointing out that we can’t say a prayer that God can’t hear. We don’t have to be in church, or be dressed a certain way, or be in a certain posture. The point is, if our hearts are turned toward God, we are in His throne room. Most of us have seen showy pray-ers who match the description Jesus gives in verse five. Here and elsewhere Jesus tells us that the only qualification we need to be able to pray is humility, and faith that God is listening. The better we understand that, the more we will pray, and the more God’s grace will flow through us.

I am often reminded of how blessed I am to have been raised in a home where prayer was as natural as breathing. I tend to forget that few people have been blessed in that way, and so I expect far more of them than I should. God will guide and grow any of His children who seek Him, but I need to do far better at walking alongside people to help them understand things that have been ingrained in me for many decades. God has given me a fresh revelation on prayer that I plan to share this coming Sunday, but I’ve got to cover the basics again or people will be left high and dry. When people don’t have a track record in prayer, teaching on prayer can sound like empty theory, when nothing could be further from the truth. I certainly need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to impart this to my hearers. However, I have the promise of that anointing, so I am not to hold back. God is doing good things among us, and this coming Sunday is going to be part of that.

Father, thank You indeed for all that You are doing. We get anxious about all sorts of things along the way, but that’s so foolish when You see the end from the beginning. Help us remember that You are always watching and listening, and acting, and so rest, relax, and rejoice in You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Grace; May 1, 2018

Posted on May 4, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Much has been made of Jesus’ instructions to love our enemies, but there’s even more to this passage than that. I’ll never forget the time when I was around 12, I think, and with my mother when we were accosted by a member of Sokagakkai, which could be described as a Buddhist version of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. He recognized that my mother was a missionary and started berating her for the “unrealistic demands” of the Bible, specifically referencing this command. My mother silenced him by telling him the true story of an American couple who adopted the Japanese young man who had murdered their son in a prison camp in the closing days of WWII, in blind rage and grief because his family had been wiped out at Hiroshima. That is indeed a good example of God enabling people to do things they ordinarily could not do, but the particular part of this passage that speaks to me right now is how God is gracious to all. We tend to think like the song from The Sound of Music that says, “Nothing comes from nothing; nothing ever could, so somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good.” That’s simply not true. Someone has used the term, “common grace.” We are not to think that because we haven’t been struck by lightning, we must be “on God’s good side.” Jesus dealt with that sort of thinking rather definitively in Luke 13:1-5. Conversely, we also shouldn’t wonder why bad things happen to good people, which is a perennial question of the spiritually uninformed. Jesus said very clearly, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) God does protect and heal His children, but completely insulating them from the world they live in would not be good parenting. (In the US we’re seeing an epidemic of parents trying to do exactly that!)

This is of course an issue for me as well. I am enormously blessed, but it is no surprise that I have difficulties as well. My wife Cathy is a good case in point. She has a list of medical problems, including Parkinson’s Disease and heart problems, that would cause some people to give up. However, she keeps going amazingly, because she is focused on God rather than on her problems. She has recently had episodes of calcium deposits in the tendons of her shoulders (first one and then the other) but even the doctor was surprised at how fast she healed after treatment. Likewise, just this week she had a fall that could easily have cracked her coccyx, but x-rays showed it was intact and the pain has receded quickly. I could go on and on! The people at the rehabilitation center where she goes three times a week are agreed: “You have a powerful God!” Most Japanese look at religion in terms of what they can get out of it. (I don’t suppose that attitude is unique to Japan.) However, that misses the point of our time on earth being training for eternity. As Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:25) As a pastor and missionary my task is to help people see the God who loves them enough to give them the opportunity to spend eternity with Him, rather than in unspeakable destruction. That’s a benefit worth more than all the world put together!

Father, thank You for Your grace, both Your common grace to all mankind and Your specific grace to me. Help me not take any of it for granted, but rather give You the gratitude, obedience, and praise You deserve, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Depending on God; April 30, 2018

Posted on May 1, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Verses 3~10, commonly called The Beatitudes, are a listing of God’s provision for His children. None of the things listed really can be provided by man. However, the fundamental key to receiving all of God’s bounty is given right here. If we don’t recognize our poverty, our lack, we won’t turn to God for Him to meet our need and fill our emptiness. It can be a major problem when God’s children become materially wealthy, because that often numbs them to their dependence on God. That pattern was mentioned by Moses (Deuteronomy 8:10-18) and has been true ever since. People who focus on business success often talk about being “hungry,” but that is better expressed in verse 6 here, which speaks of hunger and thirst for righteousness. Too often we know we have lack, but we don’t really know what we lack and so seek the wrong things. There are several Christian songs that speak of how Jesus is the only source of true satisfaction. Looking at wealthy people should teach us that material things never really satisfy. One of the wealthiest men in America a century ago was asked, “How much is enough?” His answer was ultimately quite pathetic: “A little more.” It is never wrong to want more of God, but always seeking more of anything else only leads to frustration and disillusionment. Jesus spoke beautifully to our true needs right here.

This of course applies to me. I’m not immune to wanting material stuff! Just yesterday my new tablet computer arrived. I’ve already run into some frustrations with it, simply because it’s from China and the instructions leave a LOT to be desired. I realize that it’s going to be a very useful tool, with dual booting into either Windows 10 or Android and a lot of other technically adroit features, but past experience tells me that a time will come when it will seem terribly outdated and unsatisfying. Jesus is never like that! As a pastor I am constantly cautioning other people about their priorities, but I’ve got to listen to my own sermons. If I place ANYTHING ahead of Jesus, I’m in trouble. Walking with the Lord is paradoxical in a number of ways. On the one hand I’m totally satisfied with Jesus, but on the other hand I always want more of Him! That’s actually a very blessed state of mind and heart. I earnestly desire it for all in my care. I am to tell them it’s possible, never speaking down to them but encouraging them, and I am to be open about my own journey in that direction. I must not make people think I think I’ve arrived. The perception is almost as important as the reality there, for a pastor. I must not think I’m perfect, any more than Paul did, (Philippians 3:12-14) and I must also not project a holier-than-thou attitude at all. My job is not to talk down to people but to walk alongside them, bringing them with me into all that God has for us.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for the service yesterday and what followed. You are indeed working in ways we would not have anticipated. Thank You for the healing Cathy has already experienced from her fall yesterday afternoon, and that we could get the confirmation she doesn’t have any breaks. There’s a lot going on before she leaves for the US on Thursday, but as You’ve already reminded me this morning, You’ve got it all in control. Help us rest, relax, and rejoice in You indeed, today and each day, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Temptation; April 29, 2018

Posted on April 30, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

This fits perfectly with the theme of God’s provision because Jesus was being tempted to use God’s gifts to provide for himself, rather than receiving God’s provision. We often have trouble making that distinction. This doesn’t mean you aren’t to work at a job to earn money to support yourself, but it does mean that you aren’t to choose your job strictly on the basis of income. We tend to get caught up in questions like “The meaning of life,” when the Bible is very clear that as God’s creatures, we are to live as He directs, for the purpose of both immediate and eternal fellowship with Him. That’s really living, and Jesus knew it. Until we are convinced of it, we will be vulnerable to the many temptations the devil throws our way through the physical world, just as he tempted Jesus here with bread.

I have certainly experienced this, and as a pastor I work with people who are struggling in this area all the time. My words alone can’t convince them of the truth, so I’ve got to pray for the Holy Spirit to bring the conviction they need. Temptation is the devil’s specialty, and he’s good at it. I’ve got to help people understand that they can’t resist effectively in their own strength, but they can make the choice to allow God to do the job in and through them. It does involve our effort, sometimes a lot of it, but the power comes from God, and the only way to access that power is by our choice. I have learned, through sometimes painful experience, that I’m ineffective at resisting on my own, but that God’s forgiveness is real, and He will provide the “way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13) I need, if I will seek Him for it.

Father, You know who is on my heart right now. I pray Your grace and protection for them, that they will see through the lies of the enemy and walk in Your holiness, joy, and fulfillment, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Provision; April 28, 2018

Posted on April 30, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 1:24-25 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

God’s ultimate provision is of His Son, to take the penalty for our sin and open the way for us to live in eternal fellowship with Him. We generally read and think about that provision only around Christmas, so having this passage at a different time of year seems a little out of place. However, whenever Jesus was born, these two verses cover close to nine months, so limiting them to December is unfortunate. The thing that strikes me as I read this right now is that God provided, but Mary and Joseph had to receive. Mary’s response, famously recorded in Luke 1:26-38, had to be met and supported by Joseph’s response, recorded here. Either could easily have said, “I don’t want this,” and rejected God’s provision. After all, they had no real idea how it was all going to work out, but they could see that it was going to demand a lot of them. All mankind is eternally in their debt for how they did respond. We don’t know what the ultimate use and/or purpose is of anything God provides, but we can have assurance that if He provided it, the end result will be good. We also don’t know how many people God intends to bless through what He provides to us. I have learned that nothing God gives is only for the immediate recipient; everything affects other people as well. Sometimes we are not much more than a transit point, but there is blessing in that for us as well. Sometimes God provides experiences that are painful for us at the time, but they enable us to minister His love and grace more effectively to others. We are to be grateful for those as well! As was demonstrated to Abraham on Mt. Moriah, God is indeed our Provider. (Genesis 22:14)

I have experienced the Lord’s provision in many, many ways. Some of those I have welcomed, and some not so much. I too have room to learn! God has provided amazingly just in this past year, but some in the church have actually run away from His provision, declining to participate in one way or another. Just yesterday we ran into someone who had been counting on that provision, and was deeply disappointed when they heard how things have turned out so far. Our situation is nowhere near as drastic as if Joseph had insisted he wasn’t going to take Mary home as his wife, but there are repercussions none the less. I am not to dwell on what has happened, but look to God in anticipation of what He is going to do from here. As was pointed out to me yesterday, He has done various nice things for us one after another in just the past two days. I need to recognize and be grateful for His provision in all its various forms. He is giving us opportunities to be part of His chain of supply to others, and we are to rejoice in that as well. Any time He supplies anything, we are to seek His purpose in that provision and rejoice to participate in His plans, for His glory.

Father, thank You indeed for the abundance of Your grace toward us. I am so prone to focus on irritations and fail to be grateful! Help me be fully useful to You and not get in the way of Your plans, forcing You to use someone else when You’d like to use me. Help me also not insist on being the one You use! May I indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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